to be come in the flesh who is the Anti-Christ then think you The next thing we are to take notice of is the plate of Gold which was placed upon the fore-head of the High Priest fastned to the Mitre wherein was engraven in Letters these words Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. The purpose of this very plate with the Letters written in it was for the High Priest to take upon him all the failings imperfections and weaknesses of the peoples duties in the Worship of God The Plate was to bear upon it the peoples sins which they would contract in the Worship of God and the Letters engraven upon the Plate was to bear out the Priest before the Lord that he died not Exod. 28. 36. 37 38. And thou shalt make a plate of pure Gold and grave upon it the engravenings of a signet Holiness to the Lord and thou shalt put it on a blue lace that it may be upon the Mitre upon the fore-front of the Mitre it shall be and it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall alwayes be upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. This still looks to Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest and tells us what he is to do and doth do for Believers he takes upon him all the failings and infirmities of his peoples duties O what a blessed ground of comfort is this to a doubting soul I know some poor souls have had their backs bowed down with this kinde of guilt who when they have been in the Worship of God as in Prayer hearing of the Word or breaking of Bread when they have considered with what sad frames they have been in the Worship how hath that troubled them when they have minded the hypocrisie that appeared in their hearts while in the work those vain wandering thoughts that deadness and dull drowsie tiredness of spirit with which their work was mixed withal besides when they have considered with how much ignorance and little saith and want of love to God and his work in hand they were attended with O how hath this perplexed some poor souls and how deeply hath this sunk others into the pit of despair putting them upon resolving never more to hear the Word or Pray or receive the Sacrament O they never Worship God but they sin against him and make their case worse then it was before All this hath been for want of knowledge in this blessed mystery of the plate fastened upon the fore-front of the High Priests Mitre The Devil keeps them in suspence about this thing shews the soul his guilt but will not suffer him to see the plate upon the fore-front of the Priests Mytre which was appointed on purpose for them to lay up their gilt upon O therefore for thy comfort poor soul when ever thou comest into the Worship of God thou mayest come boldly without fear as to that what guilts thou either hast or shall contract upon thy soul in the Worship of God provided they are not wilful guilts there is a plate of Gold prepared to bear all thou shalt bear none of them thy self O bless God for this great mercy to thy soul and rejoyce in it as thy great favour make much use of it as thy best of priviledges study it as the highest of comforts and live up to the God of this mercy with the greatest of faithfulness and to the highest pitch of holiness Secondly This was to be a standing priviledge at all times for all Believers to such a continual sweetness and comfort from in point of acceptation with God for Aaron the Priest was to wear it alwayes upon the fore-front of the Mitre that they might be accepted before the Lord. This was not to be worn once or twice but alwayes before the Lord so that until Christ puts off his Mitre and layes aside his priestly work thou mayst assure thy self until then those sins of infirmity which will cleave to thy duties shall not render them or thee disacceptable before God if thou reliest faithfully upon this High Priest in this case We now come to speak of the Crown which this High Priest was to wear as well as this Mitre and the Crown was to be set upon the Mitre on the Priests head Exod. 29 6. And thou shalt put the Mitre upon his head and put the holy crown upon the Mitre The Crown upon the Priests head set forth to you the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ which springs from the Priestly office of Christ he is a King to rule in and over his Church because he is a High Priest to the Church therefore the Crown must stand upon the Mitre the Mitre doth keep up the Crown not the Crown the Mitre The Mitre being under the Crown shews you that the Kingly Office of Christ hath its foundation in the Priestly Office of Christ as was shewed you before from the first of the Revelations This shews first that Christ hath power to give out what Laws Rules Customes and Ordinances he please for his Church and people to walk by for he hath a Crown upon his head as well as a Mitre Secondly That all duty and subjection and obedience ought to be given to him both in soul and body for he is a King Psalm 2. 6. I have set my king upon my holy hill Sion We do not read that any of the Priests besides the High Priest did wear a Crown we read that they did wear Bonnets but not a Crown Exod. 28. 40. The Crown was only for the High Priest shewing us as the Priest was a Type of Christ that all Rule and chief Authority belongs to Christ its Christ onely can make or impose any Laws upon the consciences of his people so saith the Spirit Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And yet how common is it to see the inferiour sort of Priests that should content themselves with wearing the Bonnet to catch the High Priests Crown from off his head and to leave the High Priest nothing to wear but their Bonnets and given him to understand if he will not wear them he must sit bare headed before them I mean how do men who pretend to be the Ministers and Vicars of Christ pull his priestly Diadem from off his head and so rob him of his principle glory in arrogating a power to themselves of making and imposing spiritual Laws upon the consciences of his poor people as rules for them to walk by which customs and traditions the word of Christ never knew or spake of in the least O what greater indignity can there be offered to the Crown of Christ then this not onely so but if the poor Lambs of Christ who are as dear to him as
Righteousness of Faith or Christs Righteousness soul know this that there is no covering will either protect thee from the wrath of God or present thee or thy duties acceptable with God but this covering shouldst thou make up a covering of the finest duties or works of Righteousness that ever was spun by the finest Pharisee in the world it would prove but rottenness before the Lord alas my friends if God had not provided Adam better coverings then his Fig-leave Righteousness what had there become of Adam and all us in him There is nothing will or can cover thy nakedness but this Righteousness your spots will still appear and shew themselves do what you can you were as good go about to build a ship of Paper to sail through the Ocean withall as to think to sail to heaven in a vessel of your own Righteousness If you will accept of this Righteousness well if not God will accept of no other from you this is of Gods providing for you if you like it 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption God will like nothing but what is of his own making bring him what you will for Righteousness except this of Christs certainly the everlasting burnings will quickly consume it into ashes and peirce through all Therefore labour to get into this righteousness beg hard for it that thou maist be presented to God without spot or blemish it s for the sake of this that the Church is so glorious in Gods eye Cant. 4 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thy eyes with one chain of thy neck So Cant 1. 15. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes and Cant. 4. 7. Behold thon art all fair my love there is no spot in thee All this is spoken with respect to the righteousness of Christ which is upon the Church of Christ this was the Churches great ground of joy and rejoycing not that she was clothed with the glory of the world but with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ Isa 61. 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation and hath covered me with the Robe of his righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with Jewels Certainly sad is the condition of these men and women which have left this blessed righteous covering upon what specious pretence soever it may be they think they have found out a better way for their justification before God they think they can provide God a better Robe a Garment made up of their just dealing with their Neighbours adding to it their outward abstination from some meats and drink and superfluity in apparel together with some endeavours to act up to a light within them Oh this they hug and embrace and cry up as the only glorious righteousness crying out lo here is Christ he dwells in this light we cry up he lives in this Robe of righteousness which we have spun come turn to it and hear incline your ears and your souls shall live thus poor blinded yet very confident souls they are just as the Jews were carried out by the Devil being ignorant of Gods righteousness to establish a righteousness of their own in opposition to the righteousness of faith as the Apostle speaks in Rom. 10. 3. Dear friends have a care of parting with that righteousness which is only justifying before God and I do affirm that there is nothing within a man that will justifie him before God there is no light in any man on earth can or will do it take it either for a natural or divine light and that soul that shall make any thing within him a ground for justification in opposition to this Robe of righteousness I say according to the voice of Scripture cannot be saved if he lives and dies in that errour St. Paul and these persons who are for a righteousness within them for justification were of a vast differing judgment these which are faln from the righteousness of faith say for their parts they will have a righteousness found in themselves which shall justifie them but S. Paul saith that he desires that himself may be found in that righteousness which shall justifie him before God Phil. 3 9. Oh soul keep close to the righteousness of faith contend earnestly for it let it not go from thee because nothing can present thee faultless before God if this be wanting CHAP. 31. I next come to speak of these Mysterious things which belonged to the Robe or Garment which the High Priest did wear about him when he was to administer for the people before the Lord FIrst there was a brest-plate made for the Robe made of a plate of Gold four-square in breadth and length about a span every way Exod. 39. 9. In this brest-plate of Gold there was engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel in Letters set in rows with precious stones Exod. 39. 10 11 12 13. 14. There was likewise set in this brest-place the Urim and Thummim Exod. 28 30. This plate was tied about the High Priests long Robe with chains of Gold that so the plate which had the names of the twelve tribes written in it might set strait upon the High Priests heart Exod 39 19 20 21. with Exod 28 29 30. The use and purpose of this brest-plate was to shew all believers for their great Consolation these things First Concerning the deep sense that Christ hath of the several conditions that his people are liable unto in this world for you see that the names of the twelve tribes were written upon this brest-plate which was placed upon the High Priests heart Now by the names of the twelve tribes in Exod. 28. 29. We are not to understand precisely of the Israelites but more generally of the whole body of the Elect both of Jews and Gentiles as elsewhere it is so understood Rev. 7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Now all the names of the body of the Elect was the High Preist to carry upon his heart Exod. 28. 29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel in the brest-plate of judgement upon his heart when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually I say it shews us how deeply the several conditions of the Elect are stamped upon the heart of Christ he bears them all upon his heart he keeps to this day though in glory a naked place in his heart to affect himself with his peoples conditions saith David Psal 40. 5. Many O Lord are thy wonderous works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee I would declare and speak of them they are more
then can be numbred so Jer. 29 11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end so that you may perceive how the Scripture doth make the High Priests carrying the names of the Children of Israel upon his brest-plate and Christ our great High Priest carrying the whole of the conditions of his Church upon his heart now in heaven to agree and simbolize Use 1. Then comfort thy self O poor dejected soul remember what ever thy condition be in this life it hangs upon the heart of Christ in heaven what is it soul that troubles thee is it spiritual troubles is it the weight of thy sins look up this hangs upon the heart of Christ in heaven art thou violently tempted to blaspheme God and Christ or to make away with thy own life look up to Christ thy High Priest he bears this upon his heart in heaven art tempted to deny the faith and quit thy profession this is upon Christs heart too doth lust and corrupion press thee low and oftentimes carry thee away from God look up this is upon the heart of Christ too art thou complaining for the want of the comfortable shinings forth of the presence of God dost thou with David feel the want of the spirit of God the strength of it the light of it the life and comfort of it Psal 51. 10 11 12. Look up this condition likewise is upon the heart of Christ Doth duty seem burthensome and Ordinances seem dry and barren and sapless to thee O look up this is upon Christs heart too Is thy condition a condition of outward trouble or distress all hangs on Christs heart art thou weark and sickly much under pain this hangs on the heart of Christ likewise Is thy family smitten is thy Husband or Wife or Children or Parents or Servants smitten under the hand of God this hangs on the heart of Christ art thou afflicted under the loss of Relations art thou Wifeless Childless Friendless is thy Husband taken from thee by Death or Banishment and thou left with five or six small Children to the wide world and hardly bread to put into their mouths all these conditions Christ bears upon his heart art thou a Prisoner or banished from thy All dear Wife Husband Children Estate and all for thy Conscience sake Assure thy self all this lives upon the heart of Christ now in glory that he might be deeply affected with these conditions which this world affords his people O read that blessed place in Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those that are temâ—â—ed This leads me to a second thing about the brest-place upon the High Priests heart which was this The Priest was to carry the names of the Children of Israel written upon the brest-plate before the Lord which shews us that Christ doth not as he is our High Priest only carry the sense of Believers conditions upon his heart but it seems it is to good purpose for he carrieth them in before the Lord Exod. 28. 29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel in the brest-plate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually But some may ask me what comfort will that afford a Believer that Christ was to carry their conditions before the Lord Answer O there is much in this Mystery and that in point of prevalency with God who is the great Lord of all the blessings that Believers do enjoy for there is not any special favour which comes from Christ to a Believer but Christ first draws it forth from the Father Iames 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights Now all this in the Type is to assure the Believer that without doubt if he hath hung up his condition upon the heart of Christ it must go well with it in heaven for God the Father is merciful enough in himself for he is called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort and consolation and one in whom the fatherless findeth mercy so that there is an aptness and readiness in God himself upon the knowledge of his peoples conditions to give out relief and supply to them O but when the wants necessities miseries and afflctions trials and temptationss shall be brought in before God by a High Priest one who was constituted and appointed by the Father for this very end this must needs be effectual otherwise God will render his work in the High Priest of no effect but God never made or set up any thing in vain but the sitting of the High Priest was Gods own act and ancient contrivance Exod. 28. 1. And the Priest was appointed on purpose by the Lord for this piece of work amongst the rest to produce the several conditions of his people before him in order to a supply surely this must amount to something on which Believers may depend for comfort but besides if we do but mind what the High Priest was to do when he was to carry the several conditions of the people before the Lord it will still add to our comfort and that was this he was in the same place to pour out strong cries to God that he would both look upon and take into deep consideration the Estates of the people now brought into his presence and that by a High Priest a man in office chosen by himself for the purpose to bear the names of the whole Israel of God before the Lord in order to supply Surely this must prevail in heaven for if the Lord was so ready to be moved with compassion at the cries of an Ishmael Gen. 21. 17. Surely much more will God hear the cries of a High Priest who hath the anointings upon him to make him every way prevailing upon the heart of God Exod. 29. 7. Surely methinks this should very much encourage Believers to wait upon God in dark times for supplies besides when this High Priest shall be the Son of God yea his only Son brought up with him from eternity Prov. 8 23. And when the Father shall see that Jesus Christ his Son brings in the wants distresses temptations afflictions of his people upon his heart giving assurance thereby that he hath made their conditions all of them his own for they live upon and in the heart of Jesus Christ as that their wants are his wants their pains are his pains and temptations his temptations for he sympathyzeth with them in all respects Isa 63 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted And when he shall add to it his strong cries and tears poured forth
THE Types Unvailed OR The Gospel pick't out of the Legal Ceremonies whereby we may compare the Substance with the Shadow Written For the Information of the Ignorant for their help in reading of the OLD TESTAMENT By Tho. Worden Minister Christ is the end of the Law to every one which believeth Rom. 10 4. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Mat. 5. 17. The Law is good if a man use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1. 8. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. London Printed in the Year 1664. To his most endeared Friend Mrs. Mary Atkins Widdow Greeting My Christian Friend BEing bound by many Obligations and Ties of love and service to serve you as a Christian in what I am able I knew not wherein I could better express it wherein I might indeed be serviceable to you then in presenting you with this Piece the Lines of which have been in part the fruit of my Prison Meditations Wherein as in a Glass you may see to your great admiration the wonderful glory of Christ which lay hid under the ashes of those Jewish Types the which when duly read and inquired into shew you the blessed statue or representation of Christs Church together with the hidden work of Christ intrinsecally wrought by him in the minds of his dear Children upon their Conversion the thoughts of which hath made me deeply to bewail the loss that some weak Christians have sustained who out of ignorance and blind conceitedness of mind slight the reading of the Books of Moses because as they say it is the Law who judge that the Law in no sense hath any thing to do with them or they with it and as S. Paul said to Timothy 1 Tim. 1. 7. They in speaking of the Law understand not what they say neither indeed what they affirm I do not say the Ceremonial Law is any way binding to us I am so little either a Jew or Papist but I say it is instructive to us having the Gospel to compare therewith so saith S. Paul Gal. 3. 24. And the more we read it and peruse it the more we see into the Gospel by it and the more is our comfort raised thereby in the substance which is Christ I do confess I am the meanest of Christ his Servants to attempt such a work as this is but when I consider that he that had but his one talent was accursed for the Non-improvement of that and that out of weakness God brings the greatest strength sometimes and that out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings he sometimes brings out matter of praise to Jesus Christ Upon these considerations I was encouraged to send forth these Lines unto you hoping that God will make them both acceptable and profitable to you and it may be to other souls likewise I know men of greater parts and gifts have commented on these things already whose Volumes are answerable to their gifts and parts very large which every ordinary capacity could not fathom neither could every ordinary purse procure Therefore did I take the boldness for the profit of such to appear in Print in this Piece You must not expect it altogether free of Correction I hope-both you and any else that shall meet with it will overlook common Infirmity and make favourable construction of my honest Intention for the Lord knows my heart that if I had affected popularity more then singleness of heart to God and his people I should not have dared to put Pen to Paper in this work Therefore for an Apology for those errours and common infirmities that you or any other may meet with in this Tract I must tell you that I was onely left to my Bible and my Meditations which I had in Prison with me being denied the use of any other helps in this business as to that outward means which other men are attended with you your selves do partly know that my Library of Books which I did use to consult with lay for the most part in my Pocket the which I diligently searched in Prison which made my Task more then ordinary but I hope I was not left to my own wisdom alone in my labours in the Production of this Book And I likewise hope God will not leave you or any else that shall read this Piece to your bare reason in the reading of it but will accompany it with his holy Spirit That you may understand it to your great profit and comfort is the desire of him who subscribes himself yours and the Churches faithful Servant while I live in the body THO. WORDEN The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Gal. 3. 24. THat which I shall do in this Piece is to give you my Conceptions of the Mysterie of Grace which lieth hid under the Levitical Types and Shadows of the Law I shall first set down the Types as I find them in order set down in the Books of Moses directing you to the places of Scripture where to find each place for your better satisfaction TYPE I. I Shall begin with the Paschal Lamb which is spoken of in Exod. 12. 2. which was a great Type both to them and all generations since down all along to the coming of Christ which was called a Passover because it did preserve the Israelites from those several Plagues which passed through the land of Egypt the manner of it was thus That because Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go to serve the Lord after he had nine Plagues poured out upon him and his people the Lord sent him the Tenth Plague which was That a destroying Angel should pass through the land of Egypt in one night and should kill all the first born or eldest both of their children and cattel which were in every house in Egypt Now that the Israelites which were amongst them might not be touched with this Judgment the Lord ordered them that every Family should kill a Lamb the night before and strike the Door-posts of their houses with the blood of the Lamb which was to be a signe to the Angel that he was not to kâ—ll any one in that house but that he must pass over that house to the next where the blood of the Lamb was not sprinkled on the doors This you may read in Exod. 12. 2. and in verse 22 23. Besides there was another Type in the Passover of the Lamb for they were to Eat it and the manner of it was thus First The Lamb was to be without blemish and as to the manner of eating it they were to Rost it with fire 2. They were to eat all the Lamb at once they were not to leave any of it remaining until the morrow Head and Leggs with all the Appurtenances were to be eaten Exod. 12. 8 9 10. 3. The Sauce with which they were to eat the Lamb with was Bitter Herbs And the Bread with which they were to eat it was to be unlevened
or forbidding the thing to be done by in the worship of God if the thing commanded or forbidden be in its self an evil but not the subjects in obeying the thing commanded or forbidden Thus you see how difficult the Devil labours to render the poor souls way to the good Land and how Satan fills the souls paths with discouragements and how much Satan is like to prevail without the infinite power of God be put forth to help and bear up the poor soul in his way to the good Land which leads me to the next particular which is this The wilderness of old might well be called the place of wonders because of the great miracles which the Lord did work for the Jews in their travels in that notwithstanding all the seeming deaths dangers the people past under in the Wilderness yet the Lord by a powerful hand brought them to their promised Land in safety So soul take this for thy comfort that whatever the opposition be that thou meetest with in the way to thy eternal Canaan yet bear up fear not for God will at last deliver thee out of the hands of all thy enemies and carry thee safely through to thy appointed rest of glory that thou mayest serve him in righteousness and true holiness in bliss to all eternity Luke 1. 74 75. O soul therefore hold up thy head the work is the Lords and although he suffers thee to tug with fearful difficulties and great oppositions yet know this that the battle is the Lords and he will fight it in thee for thee its true it may be as with Gideon thou art ready to cry out of thy own weaknes thy family is the smallest in Israel and thou the least in the family but let me speak to thee in the words of the Angel to Gideon Judges 6 12. Up for God is with thee thou mighty man of valour O soul the Lord is engaged to bring thee home to glory God hath sworn by his holiness that it shall be so therefore it must be so read Psalm 89. 33. 34 35 36 37. O therefore arise go out againâ—â— thy enemies fear them not but look them boldly in the face O look a corrupt proud lustful revengeful unbelieving worldly fearful dead backward heart in the face and look all the Devils in hell and wicked men in the world boldly in the face look all thy relations in the face look a wicked world in the face look â—ubtle inticing Apostates in the face O fear none of these things assure thy self there shall nothing of these prevail against thee for God will fight for thee and will be with thee in the battle he will do all thy works in thee and for thee Phil 2. 13. So that the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee O hearken to the voice of the Spirit of God in thy soul which will speak to thee as once Joshua and â—aleb did to the Israelites Numb 14 6 7 8. Fear not the Land which we passed over to search is an exceeding good Land if the Lord delight in us then he wiâ—â— bring us into this good Land a Land which floweth with milk and honey onely rebel nâ—t agaâ—nst the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us ear them not therefore for a close to this particular take these two places of Scripture and the God of heaven make them of use to the fainting doubting dying soul Deut. 31. 8. The Lord he is he that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee fear not neither be afraid Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge underneath thee are the everlasting armes and he shall thrust out thine enemies before thee and shall say destroy thou them O therefore soul let me advise thee not to yield to thy temptations for assure thy self in time thou shalt reap if thou faint not Let the gates of Hell do what they can yet they shall go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again bringing their shears with them Psal 126. 56. And the raâ—sommed of the Lord shall return to Zion with songs and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads and they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Isa 35. 10. CHAP. 13. The next thing that we are to take notice of is their bunch of Grapes which was brought them from the good Land by the hands of their Spies yet notwithstanding they could not believe THis bunch of Grapes which were brought out of Canaan by the Spies might lead us to the sheddings abroad of the Holy Spirit of God upon our hearts if we truly believe for the end why God sent the Grapes of Canaan to the Israelites while they were in the Wilderness it was to assure their hearts to the making good those promises which God before made to their Fathers concerning their certain arrival at the Land of promise and so it was to be an earnest or pledge to them which believed of their right to the Land of promise that assuredly as they did eat of that bunch of grapes which came from â—anaâ—n so assuredly if they would believe the Lord would bring them safe home to the full vintage Now of the same use is the Holy Ghost which God sends down into the hearts of the faithful You may call the breathings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the godly the fore-running bunch of Grapes of the eternal Canaan which doth yield forth his blessed refreshing comforting chearing juyce into the hearts of the people of God God gives out the holy Spirit to assure the godly that the Land is a good Land unto which they are a travelling God gives his people the sweet sensible tastes of glory to come before-hand O how hath God drenched the souls of his people with draughts of this salvation sometimes when in an ordinance of God This made David prize so much the house of God Psalm 27 4. It was the coming down of those heavenly Grapes or spiritual Dews from the Spirit of God which did so much draw and atttact his heart thither-ward so much Psalm 36 8. For thou shalt abundantly satisfie them with the fatness of thy house and make us to drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures The work of which heavenly dews of the Spirit is to witness to and in our hearts about the great right we have by free Grace to the good Land of promise which is Heaven Rom. 8. 16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the people of God so 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by his Spirit which he hath given us That is the Holy Spirit is given us to assure us of the right we have to heaven the Father gives it to his as the imagining pledge that
by it we might hold God to his promise or bargain that so heaven might be good to believers in law for you know in Law a penny given upon bargain or sale as an earnest of that bargain gives strength to the bargain as that the party cannot start from it but in Law is tied by it to make good the same therefore in 2 Coâ— 1 22. the Holy Spirit of God is called the earnest sent down into our hearts yet notwithstanding as Israel could not believe they should come to the good land although God sent them the grapes of the Countrey as the assuring earnest of it so is it likewise with the Lords people in this life notwithstanding they receive from God those many secret witnessings of the Spirit and many blessed refreshings which have been sealed home upon the heart by the blessed Spirit of God Yet how hard a matter doth the soul finde it to bear up with God in a way of believing how doth the Devil labour daily to make the soul to call in question his greatest enjoyments of the Spirit of God thus it was with the good man in the Psalms Psalm 73. 25. My flesh and my heart faileth me so Paul though he could say sometimes he was full of the blessings of the Gospel of God and that he had been caught up into the third heavens where his enjoyments of the Spirit were so large as that he hardly knew whether he were in the body or no yet at another time under the sentence of death in his own esteem even as deep as hell 1 Cor. 2 9. Therefore soul if it be so with thee remember that its the condition which is proper to the Wilderness state in which thou art and though thou canst not alwayes believe Yet God abideth faithful and cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. And that the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his ver 19. And for those men and women which do not experience these ebbings and flowings inwardly of the Holy Spirit of Faith and Comfort upon their souls but boast of the constant sound abiding comfort which they have of heaven and of the love of God in the fence of it upon their souls as some have done in my hearing let them profess what they will yet to me the soudness of their conditions is highly to be questioned I do except some strict close walking humble souls CHAP. 14. I come now to speak of those Types which were handed out to the Jews in the time of their being in the Wilderness THe first was the cloud which alwayes led them up and down in the Wilderness Exod. 40. 3 4. with 36 37 38. verses Now this Cloud was undoubtedly a Type of Jesus Christ in these two respects First In that the cloud guided the people from place to place up and down in the Wilderness so the Lord Jesus Christ he it is that leadeth the Church up and down in the present Wilderness of this World 1 Cor. 10 2. And as the Jews were not to move any way until the Cloud went before them so it should teach all Christians not to move any way in what condition soever they be in until they can say the Lord Jesus Christ their spiritual Cloud goes before them and leads their way for them that soul loseth the honey of the condition he is in that wanted patience to tarry for Christs leadings as in the case of King Saul 1 Sam. 13. 9 10 11. Therefore the advice and councel of the Lord to all his people is this Isa 52. 12. For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israâ—l will be your reward so Isa 28. 16. And he that believeth shall not make haste Secondly The Cloud was a Figure or Type of Christ for its protecting and sheltering use which it afforded the Church in the Wilderness of old by which means they were hid from danger so is Jesus Christ such a cloud of protection to his Church and people in their wilderness condition in this life as that though Satan the world and the flesh set upon the Church with a purpose to overthrow and devour them at once yet they cannot overcome them Hence it is that David calls Christ a defence and a refuge to his people saith David Psalm 58. 16. I will sing of thy power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning for thou hast been my defence and refuge in time of trouble so Psalm 94. 22. But the Lord is my defence my God is the rock of my refuge so saith the Church in Isa 12. 2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he is also become my salvation Therefore doth Paul make it to appear that the Cloud in the Wilderness was a Type of Christs great care of and protection over his Church 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. For we were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink of the same spiritual rock that followed them which Rock was â—hriist Thus you see not I onely but the Apostle also applies the Wilderness Cloud to Jesus Christ which must hold out and intend the great safety which Christ doth daily administer to his Church as the Saviour of it Use 1. Then this should teach thee soul when ever thou art assaulted by temptation arising either from the Devil the World or thine own corrupt heart then to get in under this Could and there to shelter thy self here wilt thou be covered in the day of battle and thou needest not fear what men or Devils can do against thee Psalm 26. 3. 5. Though an host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war should arise against me yet in this will be confident for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a rock Thus you see how confident David was and thought himself to be under this covering and cloud of defence O soul so will it be with thee if thou fliest to the Lord Jesus Christ and art careful to make him thy covering and protecting hiding cloud thou shalt then be far from trouble no evil shall come nigh thy tabernacles Job 11. 17. 18 19. Thine age shall be clearer then the noon day thou shalt shine forth thou shalt be as the morning thou shalt be secure because there is hope yea thou shalt dig about thee and thou shalt take thy rest in safety also thou shalt lie down and none shall make thee afraid yea many shall make suit unto thee But if on the other hand thou shalt neglect to get under the spiritual cloud and covering what ever covering else thou shalt hide thy self under it will
in prayer to God thy self in the greatest necessity thou mighst comfort thy self in this thy High Priest is praying for thee for saith the Apostle he ever liveth to make Intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. This is the ground why thy barrel of Meal wasteth not and thy Cruse of Oil spend not it self in time of Famine and why the Plague cometh not nigh thy dwelling place in pestilentious seasons Job 5. 17 18 to 23. Secondly The next thing we are to speak of is the time how long this is to last or how long this interceding work of Christ was to continue for Believers not only for the Saints under the Old Testament seasons but for the Saints under the New Testament seasons also even for us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. And such a High Priest became us Heb. 7. 26. And this will further appear if you consider this work in the Type of it as it s held out to you Exod. 30. 8. And when Aaron lighted the lamps at even he shall burn Incense upon it a perpetual Incense before the Lord throughout your Generations Now observe it was perpetually to burn before the Lord throughout their Generations there was not a Generation but must have the benefit of this Altar of Incense so is Christ an Intercessour for the Elect in all Generations and not only for time either of the day or of the night but Christ is pouring out his interceding groans to the Father for his people Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for us Use 3. O soul then doubt not thy case goeth on in Heaven well enough there is alwayes prayer going up to God for thee to keep thee night and day from danger so long as Moses his hands were kept up by Aaron and Hur it went well enough with Israel Exod. 17. O but here are the hands of Christ lifted up for thee night and day to keep thee from the Arrow that flieth by day and the shaft which flieth by night Read that place Isa 27. 2 3. In that day sing ye a Vineyard of Red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment least any hurt it I will keep it night and day O Christ is interceding night and day for thee against all evils It may be thou fearest that sin and corruption will undo thy soul that the Devil and temptation will be thy ruine that wicked men will swallow thee up in the end O soul look up to Jesus Christ under all this eye him at the Throne of grace wrestling by his strong crys for thee O soul live upon this in doubting seasons O go on in the way of thy duty with chearfulness O remember the Lord is with thee his Spirit shall be with thee his Prayers with thee O fear not O saith David The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me O soul whatever thy danger be that shall beset thee whether it be from Hell or this World it can never seize thee while Christ is at prayer for thee but Christ as thou hast heard ever liveth to intercede on thy behalf Object But some may say then why are men so strict to enjoyn the people to pray is it not enough that Christ their High Priest prayeth for them in Heaven I answer It is true in point of prevailing with God for the Elect so Christ their High Priest prayeth enough for them And in this sense there is no need of Believers praying I mean so as if their prayers did give any strength to the Priestly work or office of Jesus Christ therefore that cursed Tenent of the Papist is to be abhorred by all true Christians which teacheth that the prayers of the Church meriteth or procureth the grace of God by its own strength or efficacy blindly mistaking that place James 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Now in this sense there is no need of Believers prayers for this will be to destroy the Mediator-ship of Christ and to render his Priestly office of no effect for in point of merit oâ— worth God only accepts of the prayers of Christ and of the Elects for his sake according to that word in Matth. 3. 17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But secondly notwithstanding the Intercession of Jesus Christ yet in point of obedience to God it is a Christians duty to pray So much as this is handed out to you in the Priesthood of old Read Luke 1. 8 9 10. Speaking of Zecharias the Priest While he was executing the Priests office before God in the order of his course according to the custom of the Priests office his lot was to burn Incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord and the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the Incense Now Zecharias the Priest represents our Lord Jesus in the work of his Priestly interceding office for the Elect and you read that nowithstanding Zecharias was interceding at the Incense Altar within the Temple yet the people were to pray at the same time without strongly proving that although Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest still intercedes in Heaven for the Elect yet notwithstanding it is highly the duty of all the Elect while without the Temple of glory and remain yet in the body to pray This will farther appear if you consider that place in Rev. 8. 3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer in his hand and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoak of the Incense which came up with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand If you would know who this Angel was or is you may read Rev. 1. 13. and there you shall as I have said already find him to be Jesus Christ in all his Priestly Formalities as our High Priest And in this Chapter he is set forth to you in the performance of his work of Intercession for the Saints by having a Golden Censer in his hand which was what the High Priest under the Law did administer before the Lord withall Numb 16. 46 47. And the Angel had Incense given him to offer up to God in the Censer which was in his hand which Incense I understand to be meant the infinite worth of his bloud and righteousness which is continually pleaded by Christ as a ground of full satisfaction to God for the Elect It s said there was much Incense given to this Angel that is as the Apostle elsewhere saith in Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell which sheweth the abundant worth and efficacy that lay in the death and righteousness of Christ therefore he is able to save to the uttermost all
those that come to God by him Heb. 7. And to be a propitiation in his bloud for the sins of the whole world John 1. 2 2. That is there was so much Incense given this Angel by the Lord or so much vertue put into the death of Christ that although it was never intended for all the world yet there is a vertue or a sufficiency in his death able to save all the world at once And it s said the Angel offered Incense that is the Lord Jesus Christ was interceding at the Throne of grace for the Saints Now pray observe all this was done with the prayers of all Saints so that the Saints are set forth as a praying people as well as Christ is set forth as an interceding High Priest Christs prayers and his peoples prayers going up together before the Lord make up the great cloud of Incense which went up from the Altar Thus you see the point cleared that Christs interceding in Heaven at his Fathers right hand for Believers doth not give any liberty to the least neglect in prayer here on earth therefore doth our High Priest himself enjoyn prayer to be made by the Saints that live under his Priesthood Matth. 26 41. And farther says that men ought to pray always Luke 18. 1. So likewise the Apostles of Christ they tell you that the subjects of this Gospel Priesthood must pray James 5. 13. and that they must pray every where 1 Tim. 2. 8. and that without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17 and that men should continue instant in it Rom. 12. 22. and that men should pray always night and day Eph 6. 18. Thes 2. 3 10. and for one another James 5. 16. with this advice that it must be in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. likewise this hath been made the Character of a good man Acts 9. 11 and on the contrary a prayerless heart is looked upon in Scripture to be a wicked heart Job 27. 10. Thirdly and lastly I come to speak of the end or main purpose of the work of the Incense Altar or of the work of Christs Intercession which he driveth on in Heaven for Believes Now the purpose of this glorious work of Christs Intercession it was to make Reconciliation for sin or amongst many other things one mainâ— thing was this viz. the keeping up a constant peace between God and the Soul therefore it was called the office for atonement Exod. 30. 10. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of the Incense Altar once a year with the bloud of the sin offering of atonements once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your Generations its most holy to the Lord. This the Apostle applies to Jesus Christ Heb. 2 17. where you have the Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ as our Gospel High Priest succeeding Aaron of old the Apostle hath this saying about it in Verse 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God and that he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the people Note here That he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the people or an atonement which is all one so that this was the end or purpose of the High Priests atonement it was to keep peace between God and the people under the Law this you may see read Numb 16. 46 47 48. And Moses said to Aaron take the Censer and put fire therein off the Altar and put on Incense and go quickly unto the Congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague is begun And Aaron took as Moses commanded him and ran into the midst of the Congregation and behold the Plague was begun among the people and he put on Incense and made an atonement for the people and he stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was stayed Thus you see clearly what the purpose and end of the Priests interceding or making atonement for the people amounts unto it is to interpose between Gods wrath and the people or to keep God at peace with the people which is the proper work of Jesus Christ now in glory to make peace for the Saints and to interpose by his Intercession between the anger of God and their sinning souls who labours by those strong cries sighs and groans with many tears which cannot be uttered to prevail with God that he would be pleased for his own death and righteousness sake to pass by those many sins failings and infirmities which his people are apt to commit And as in the like case we read of Moses Exod. 32. 11 12 13. So doth Christ of whom in the work of Intercession Moses was the Type cast himself at the feet of God praying begging intreating that he would be pleased to pass by the sins and daily infirmities of his people and not remember their iniquities against them but that he would extend his Love Favour and Grace to their souls as afore-time and would lead them and conduct them by his special grace to the good land of Canaan the land of promise which was purchased for them by his own bloud upon the Cross at Jerusalem and begs his Father that he would be pleased to look more upon his bloud and righteousness for them and less upon their sins And doth confess as Moses did that the people are and ever have been a stiff-necked and rebellious people ever since he knew them but yet still crys good Father put up all the injuries done against thy glory by this people and let not thy wrath wax hot against the sheep of thy pasture O remember the promises which thou hast made to me concerning this people That a seed should serve me a Generation of men should call me blessed Psal 22. 30. and Psal 72. 17. And that I should see of the travel of my soul and be satisfied Isa 53. 11. and therefore prays that the Father would consider what loss it would be to him who was his Son should the people miscarry how all his sufferings would be lost the end of his coming in the flesh would be lost the fruit of all his Sermons works of Miracles and works of Righteousness would be lost therefore in John 17. 24. Prays saying Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold â—y glory which thou hast given me for thou hase loved me before the Foundation of the world Use 4. O then soul thou seest where to fly under the guilt of sin O what comfort wlll this afford a poor doubting soul that shall well digest this truth into his soul that Jesus Christ is interceding for him now in Heaven how will the knowledge of this feed the hearts of Gods people in times of doubts O let not the Wolves catch any comfort from hence this is what belongs to the true
sheep of Christ and to none else This is not for him that will catch at any comfort to protect himself in a trade of sin but this truth chiefly belongs to those that are indeed truly humbled under and burthened with the sense of the weight of sin To such only I speak do your sins press you down as a Cart is pressed with sheaves Do your iniquities so weigh down your heads as that you cannot look up Dare not you come to God nor stand in his presence Do you fear that your sins have provoked God against you Do you doubt the Plague is begun against you are you fearful the wrath of God is coming out upon you and that it may prove such a storm as may sink you into the lowest Hell Yet O look up to your interceding High Priest who is now in Heaven for you who labours to prevail upon the heart of God for pardoning grace on your behalf who likewise makes it his business to observe his Fathers countenance towards Believers that if at any time his face of Justice begins to look grim and he perceives that wrath begins to come forth he may as Aaron did step quickly in between God and the people and so by his interposing presence of grac eand powerful Intercession he may allay the anger of his Father again Hence it is that John comforts doubting drooping souls in his day with this truth because indeed it is a truth proper to that end and purpose and farther John the Divine doth not only apply this truth as a Cordial to bear them up under the sense of sin but likewise as a notable preservative against the act of sin 1 John 2. 1 2. My little children I write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation in his blood for our sins and not onely for ours but for the sins of the whole world O Soul live upon this blessed truth stay thy self here under all thy doubtings O consider sin may vex and disquiet thee but all cannot hurt thee so long as Christ keeps up his praying hands to God for thee it shall not do thy soul the least injury Christ doth prevail and he will prevail in heaven for thee against sin and wrath Christ lies in the way of his Fathers wrath as it were if any of it run forth it must pass through Christ he stands between the Father and thy Soul in a time of the Fathers displeasure and cryes out good Father stay thy wrath O hold thy hands strike not this poor sinner if thou strikest I am resolved the blows shall alight all on my back I will bear all and suffer all and take all both fault and punishment upon my self This the Father tried once and it proved true when the Father went to strike the Elect the blows fell all upon Christs own back which bruised him very much Isa 52. 1. which leads me to a fifth use of the Point Use 5. Which is to exhort thee O soul from what hath been said about the intercession of Jesus Christ for thee Oh! to love Jesus Christ with all thy heart and with all thy strength and with all thy soul O who can love such a friend as Christ is too much O therefore strive to love with the love of service and obedience with the love of delight with the love of communion and with the love of desire so as to part with Father Mother Wife Husband Children Honours Lands Livings yea all that 's near and dear for Jesus Christ O account nothing too much you do for him in his Worship in his Ordinances as in Prayer Hearing Reading in Meditating Mourning Weeping Repenting Oh account nothing too much you administer unto him in his People in his Ministers in the mannaging of his Cause and Gospel in the world O with Mary think not your Alablaster Box and Oyntment too good to bring forth in a time of need for Jesus Christ Oh account nothing too much you suffer for Christ account no prison to bad to go into for Christ no dungeon too deep to lie in for Christ no death too disgraceful for Christs sake because he thought nothing too much he suffered for you nor any thing too much which he now doth for you CHAP. 25. Of the Brazen Laver. I Now come to speak of the brazen Laver which was for this purpose that the Priests might wash themselves therein before they went into the Tabernacle to perform the Worshp and Service thereof Exod. 30. 18 19 20. Thou shalt also make a laver of Brass and his foot also of Brass to wash withal and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar and thou shalt put water therein for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they die not or when they come near unto the Altar to minister to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord. This brazen Laver was a Type of Jesus Christ and the cleansing water which was in it typed out the Blood of Jesus Christ which onely can cleanse poor souls and wash them from their sinful guiltiness and sinful filthiness for as the Priests under the Law were to wash themselves in the brazen Laver before they were thought fit to have to do either with the holy God of Worship or the holy things of the Worship of God so are all the Elect first by Faith to wash themselves in the Blood of Christ this spiritual brazen Laver before they are thought fit to have to do either with God or his Worship Hence is that cleansing attributed to the Blood of Christ so often in Scripture to shew you it performs the same use to the Gospel Priests for so doth the Gospel term every Believer now Rev. 1. 6. as the Laver water did to the legal Priests 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jesus that cleanseth us from all sin so Rev. 1. 5. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Now in this chapter of Revelations you may see by the order of the words in verse 5 6. how the Holy Ghost makes the type and the antitipe to agree In Exod. 30. 19. you have the brazen Laver set up now in the 5. verse of this chapter you have Christ set out to you performing the same use and office in washing and cleansing In Exod. 30. 19. you have the subjects spoken of who they should be which should wash in the brazen Laver and these were Aaron and his sons now you know these were Priests Now look into Rev. 1. 6. there the subjects spoken of which must wash in the Laver of Christs Blood they are called Priests likewise which intends all believers in and under the Gospel all those which have washed in the Blood of Christ our
commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Soul it would be very necessary for thee to keep this truth always warm upon thy heart that it may give down its daily comfort to thee that the High Priest is thy Brother for he was taken from amongst his Brethren it would be the choicest food thou canst live upon in thy wilderness condition if thou wert to take up thy quarters at any time in a Dungeon yet if thou hast this pot of Manna with thee viz. thy Brother is a High Priest in Heaven what more comfortable consideration in the world then this David was wonderfully raised in his hopes and expectations from hence Psal 23. 1. The Lord is my sheepherd I shall not want that is he is a Priest whose office it is to supply the wants of the soul in any condition for so much was expected from the High Priest under the Law he was to procure what blessings he could for the people Numb 6 23 24 25 26. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and to his Sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the Children of Israel saying the Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace Now that which greatens this mercy is this That as its the Place and Office of Christ to supply the wants of his people there is no condition whatsoever that his people are in at any time but Christ is privy to it Psal 139 2 3. Thou knowest my down sitting and my uprising thou understandest my thoughts afar off thou compass est my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways Herein lay Davids great comfort and the same may be thine that this want-supplying Priest that was so well acquainted with his peoples several conditions he could appropriate him to himself as his sheepherd The Lord is my sheepherd saith David that is as if he had said I draw much of my comfort from the place out of which the Priest was to be chosen which is this he was to be called forth from amongst his Brethren so that he is not a stranger to me a man whose voice or words I understand not or he mine but he is my Brother which understands my thoughts afar off CHAP. 29. I now come to speak of the Qualifications which were required in the Person which was to be the Peoples High Priest under the Law THe High Priest was to be one of the meekest tenderest mercifullest men exceeding others of his Brethren a man brimful of bowels of tender love and compassion towards those he was to be a Priest unto And secondly he was to be as faithful as merciful Both of which Qualifications in the High Priest under the Law you have the Apostle speaking of in the Epistle to the Hebrews First That he was to be full of bowels and tender compassion towards those for whom he was chosen a High Priest Heb. 5. 1. For every High Priest taken from amongâ—st men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he might offer gifts and sacrifices for sins so Ver. 2. Who can have compassion of the ignorant and them that go out of the way Secondly The Priest was to be a faithful man a man discharging his duty with all faithfulness and sincerity towards his people not seeking his own before their good using all diligence in his place and calling withholding no due right from the people thus much you have from the Apostle in Heb 2. 17. Speaking of Christ saith That in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people To be made like unto his Brethren who are these Answer not only all Believers for they are called Christs Brethren too but also and most principally with respect to office by Brethren is meant all those High Priests which were before his Incarnation who were likewise the fore-running Types of him in the work of the Priesthood and that it was the Priests of old that are mostly intended in this Text as the Brethren which Christ was to be made like unto will appear if we consider the end why the Apostle saith our Saviour must be made like unto his Brethren It was that he might make Reconciliatien for the sins of the people Heb. 2. 17. A work proper to none under the Law but to the Priests But wherein was Christ to be made like unto his Brethren you may see in the Text it was in point of faithfulness as well as in other respects That he might be a faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the sins of the people So that you see so much as this was expected to be found in and from the High Priest under the Law that he should be faithful Now both of the Qualifications in an abundant measure the Apostle shews you are in Christ our Gospel High Priest for so he applies the thing for our comfort as indeed all this was but to set forth the fulness of grace which from the Spirit of anointing the Father caused to run into Christ to fit him for this great work of the Priesthood read Heb. 5â— 1 2. and Chap. 2. 17. Isa 11 2 3 4. with Isa 61. 1. Use 1. I shall first of all take up the first of the Qualifications and labour to improve it for the encouragement of two sorts of persons First For those who as yet keep themselves off from this High Priest Christ through a sinful fear Secondly For those who have made choice of Christ for their High Priest but still live in continual doubt about their conditions As for the first fort of persons who yet stand off from Christ and are afraid to close with him so as to make him their High Priest Oh soul how long wilt thou doubt and by doubting keep thy soul off from Jesus Christ knowest thou not that there is a necessity for thee to hasten to Jesus Christ art thou not convinced that thou art a sinner and under the Curse doth not the word tell thee that God is angry with thee every day Psal 7. 11. Dost thou not hear the sound of wrath that is gone out against thee are not the first fruits of it upon thee already which is but the fore-runner of the full Winepress which like a dark storm is hastning after and is there not great need that Reconciliation for sin should be made to God for thy poor soul why then dost thou delay thy hastning to Christ the High Priest that he might make atonement for thee to the Lord that so a stop may be put to that wrath which from the Lord is gone out against thee or dost thou know a better way of
with deep sighs and groans crying out O Father these are all of my body for whom I intercede if thou lovest me have regard to their conditions they are my own flesh and bones in helping them and relieving them and easing them out of pain thou relievest me and helpest me and easest me out of pain for in all their afflictions I am afflicted Therefore I pray thee let the Angel of thy presence save them Lord look upon my heart and here thou shalt see the names of the twelve tribes even all my Israel engraven in the Letters of my own blood thou shalt never see thy Son but with their conditions engraven upon his heart And what think you souls will not this prevail may not Believers safely adventure their all upon the work of this Priesthood Oh study this more and your comfort will be infinite Obj. But some may say it may be thought the High Priest under the Law did do so for the people I mean carry their names upon his heart before the Lord yet it s a question whether Christ doth do this always now he is in heaven Is always for so much as this lieth in the Type Exod. 28 29. The Priest was to bear the names of the people upon his heart for a Memorial before the Lord continually which sheweth that this Priesthood piece of service of bearing the names of the people before the Lord was to continue for ever for it was to be a Memorial before the Lord continually not only was this work of the High Priest in the Type to remain for a for ever so long as there will be any need of Christs Intercession but always for ever for so the word continually doth likewise import therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 7. 24. But this man because he continueth ever hath aâ— unchangeable Priesthood ver 24. He ever livetâ— to make Intercession for them so that we may safely say that Christ our High Priest is always in heaven lifting up holy hands as it were to God for Believers in a way of presenting their conditions before him whether thou sleepest or wakeest whether thou art able to pray or not yet Christ is at prayer for thee he intercedes night at day for thy welfare He ever liveth to make Intercession for thee Hence it is that David could so comfortably lie down in his bed and take his rest so securely by night he knew that Christ had his condition upon his heart Psalm 4. 8. I will both lay me down to sleep for the Lord only maketh me rest in safety Lastly We may learn this from it that the High Priests going into the presence of the Lord with the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart it shews uâ— that Christ enters he presence of the Father in the names of all true Believers Christ doth it for them and intercedes for them in their name as well as for their sake As the High Priest under the Law was chosen for the people so Christ was sent forth to agitate for Believers and tells the Father as it were that he is come to him in the form of a servant to discharge his duty to God for Believers If I pray Petition intercede for any spiritual mercy for them it is but to fulfil thy will in this case from eternity for this was the great design that thou hadst before the world was that I should come down from glory and take upon me the form of a servant and die the bitter death of the Cross that the Elect might be saved and then to go up to glory again on purpose to make Intercession for them and therefore if I ask any spiritual favour for them it s no more then I was appointed to do by thee from everlasting Oh what a deal of comfort may a poor soul draw from this consideration of the brest-plates being upon the High Priests heart wherein the names of the Elect of God are engraven Oh methinks if a soul were assured he were upon no bodies heart in the world either Husbands heart Wives heart Fathers heart Mothers heart Brothers heart Sisters heart Friends or Neighbours heart yet to be in so eminent a manner upon Christs heart this is enough to bear up the soul in the worst of times There was likewise placed in the brest-plate the Urim and Thummim Exod. 28. 30. This of the Urim and Thummim was to be understood two ways First As it had relation to the Type it self 2. As it related to the Anti-type which was Christ First As it related to the Type it self which was the High Priest called to office a principal part of whose office it was to teach and instruct the people in the Doctrine of God as to the Worship and Service of him its true there were others of the inferiour Priests did this work of expounding to and teaching the people also but the High Priest was not exempted from this great duty Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Now the Urim and Thummim did signifie those two qualifications to be in the Priest was which the soundness of his Doctrine which he was to deliver to the people and the holiness of his life as a pattern and example amongst them the Priest was to preach to or press upon the Consciences of the people nothing else but the sound substantial truths of God not his own novels or brainish fancies or dreams but the wholsome Doctrine of God Ezek. 3. 17. saith God Son of man I have made thee a watch-man unto the house of Israel therefore hear the word of my mouth and give them warning from me Oh what care should the Ministers of the Lord take in this matter that they feed the flock of God with sound and wholsome food therefore is the exhortation from St. Peter to all the Ministers of the word in the world 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God It s true there are many men passing under the name of Ministers of Christ now a days in the world but how few of them make it their faithful and painful labours in their studies to bring forth pure truth but on the contrary wrest it and stretch it and puts it upon a rack to make it bend every way to serve their ungodly wicked ends and purposes And so instead of feeding the flock of God which was purchased with his own blood with sound wholsome food they feed them with Gall and Wormwood who rather pervert then convert any they have to do withall Take the most sober sort of them I mean the most Idle and Laze sort such who love neither to feed the fold of Christ either with Gall or Honey that is as the Prophet speaks they are dumb dogs such as will not bark lying down loving to slumber yet they can feed themselves with the fat and
the people of God O Sirs study the girdle of your High Priest Jesus Christ do you doubt of Justification do you doubt of Sanctification do you doubt of deliverance from Sin Satan the wrath of God the malice of Devils and wicked men O look up to the girdle of resolution about the High Priests loins and wait patiently upon him for he is resolved to get all this for you in a time of need Secondly As the girding of the loins do imply the strength which God doth afford his servants in the work he imploys them in or about so is this abundantly made good in Christ our great High Priest our Saviour had a very great work to do and a weighty burthen to bear therefore it was necessary he should be filled with infinite strength First The work he was to do would have discouraged all the men in the world and Angels in heaven had they been put together to have engaged in it for he was to conflict with four enemies the least of which hath driven the whole world before it These are Satan Sin the World with all its temptations and the justice of God for the breach of his royal Law what power force or strength was there ever in the world that could bear up against one of these enemies besides Christ was to deal with death it self what strong Samson or valiant Alexander in the world could grable with this one enemy yet did our Saviour bring this enemy at his feet with case therefore saith the Apostle speaking of Christ Acts 2. 24. He hath loosed the bands of death because it was not possible he should be holden by it Secondly There must needs be infinite strength in Christ if we consider the weight of that burthen he was to bear upon his shoulders And that was all the sins of all the Elect in the world a weight which makes the whole earth to groan under the burthen of it as the Apostle speaks in Rom 8. 22. For all our sins were laid upon and charged on Jesus Christ Isa 53. 6. The Lord hath laid the iniquities of us all upon him so St. Peter speaking of Christ saith 1 Pet. 2 24. Who his owâ— self bear our sins in his own body on the tree Samson did never carry away the gates of the City with more ease then Christ did our sins upon his shoulders Therefore is Christ called a Rock Deut. 32. 31. And the Rock of strength and refuge Psal 62 7. Now all this was Christ as he was and is our High Priest for this lieth in the girdle of Christ which girdle he weared as our High Priest therefore you are to look upon all this as yours upon believing Christ needed not this himself but this strength was put into him for believers 1. To do the great work of saving of them out of the hands of their enemies 2. That as their Head he might give it down to them to help them out in all their duties whether they be Active or Passive Use 6. This should inform us then where our strength lieth it s not in our selves but in our High Priest he is our Treasury and Store-house of it and to him we must come for it and in coming we shall have it saith David Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortness and my Deliverer my God my Sâ—rength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower In this Use I would commend two things to thee for thy peace and comfort wouldst thou see all thy spiritual enemies conquered and brought down at thy feet then look to Christ and he hath done it for thee and in thy room and the glory of the conquest he imputes to thee as Ioshua in the wilderness did who was a Type of Christ in this thing he fought Israels battels for them and conquered all their enemies for them and when done gives the glory of the conquest to the Israelites for he causeth the chief of the enemies to be brought before him and makes them lie down and bids the Jews to set their feet upon their necks Ioshua 10. 24. So hath Christ done for believers 2. If thou wouldst get the mastery over the remainders of corruption within thee and the Devil and World without thee then look up to Christ thy High Priest and draw out strength from him for he is girded about with strength on purpose to give it out to thee saith S. Paul I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me Phil. 4. 13. 3. Lastly the girdle in the High Priest denotes his faithfulness and sincerity in the work he undertakes to do for so we shewed you did the girding of the loins implyed so much as this is applied to Jesus Christ who is our Gospel High Priest Isa 11. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins so saith the Apostle speaking of the faithfulness of Christ saith Heb. 3. 5 6. And Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken afterward but Christ as a Son in his own house whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end Observe these two things in the words First Moses his faithfulness was a testimony of those things which should be spoken hereafter Now what were these things which should be spoken after Moses his time it is what all the Prophets and Apostles have written about the faithfulness of Christ to his Church and people as he is their High Priest 1. That he would certainly become bond to the justice of God as their surety to give full satisfaction for all the wrong they have done the justice of God so saith David Psal 40 6 7 8. 2. That he would stand in the room of his people and take upon him every part and parcel of their guilt this wrote Isa of him Isa 53. 6. 3. That he would as certainly bear every part of that punishment which justice would have else poured forth upon the Elect I say he would bear this himself as really as he did their guilts so writes Isa also ver 5. 4. That he would certainly call home to himself by the means of the Ministry of the word and spirit every elected soul to the embracement of him this writes Luke of him Luke 14. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 So Iohn writes Iohn 10. 16. 5. And that there shall never be wanting to the ages of man a sufficiency of means in order to the bringing in the Elect of God in every age Mat. 28. 19 20. 6. That as by his bloud and righteousness he hath taken care to get them justified before God so as certainly will he give out with his sanctifying grace the testimony of this in his time into their consciences so writes St. Paul of him Rom. 5. 1. Isa 26. 3.
young and lively is better then that which is old and feeble It was first to shew the High Priest under the Law that God expected he should be lively and strong for the Lord in all he did for him he was to consecrate the best of his years and the best of his time strength and abilities for the Lord that the worship of God called for the best of our all for its service therefore was he to be consecrated with a young Bullock not an old or feeble one 2. It shews us that time or age never enfeebles our great High Priest in heaven the Priest was to be consecrated with a young Bullock shewing you that the Priest Believers have in heaven grows never old he is not subject to tire or faint in his employment he is as lively and active in his work for his people now as at the first day he entred heaven as their Priest and so is it lookt upon by the Father that makes our High Priest still so prevallent upon the Heart of God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Lastly We might make this use of it to perswade all young persons to dedicate themselves to God betime in the prime of their dayes when the marrow is warm in the bones A young Bullock not an old must be offered to God in sacrifice O so should it be with you my friends would you offer up your selves as an acceptable sacrifice to God O then let it be in your youth minde that exhortation of Solomon Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt saâ— I have no pleasure in them It was Timoâ—hies honour and it is spoken to his great praise that that he had consecrated his soul and body to God in the time of his youth at a time when he was mostly capable to act for God 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Alas Sirs when we live so long in sin as to spend the marrow of our bodies in the service of the Devil How do we think God should be pleased with the offering up of our old dry bones for a sacrifice upon his Altar There is nothing doth more ingage God to take care for a soul in old age then when a soul is careful to consecrate himself to God in his youthful dayes Then was Moses to take a vessel of oyl and pour it on the Priests head which was called the anointing of him Exod. 29. 7. The oyl of anointing poured forth upon the High Priest signified these three things First It signifieth the great endowments of the Priest with respect to the gifts of the Spirit which should be upon him as necessary to the work he was to do for the people for so is the anointing understood sometimes 1 Sam. 10. 1. 6. And Samuel took a vial of oyl and poured it upon the head of Saul and kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath annointed thee to be captain over his inheritance Now look into the 6. verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit spoken of that should fit him for government an office unto which he was anointed And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and be turned into another man And look you into the 10th verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit upon him This shews us what infinite gifts of all manner of perfections fell upon Christ to fit him for the great work of the Priesthood saith Christ Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me A Spirit of counsel that he might be able to give sound advice at all times to his Church Isa 9. 6 A Spirit of courage and strength that he might go through all oppositions for his people therefore is he called the mighty God Isa 9. 6. A Spirit of wisdom that he might be able to out-wit his subtle adversaries in hell or on the earth 1 Cor. 1. 24. A Spirit of love and tenderness that he might not reject for but pitty his people under their temptations weaknesses and infirmities Heb. 2. 17 18. A Spirit of pardon that he might be able to pass by his peoples sins iniquities and transgressions Nehemiah 9. 17. A Spirit of faithfulness as not to neglect his people in any condition nor wanting in the giving out to them any supply to his people which the Father hath both given the Saints by promise and laid into Christ as their store-house of grace and wisdom for that purpose Psalm 36. 5. All this was in Christ the Head for the use of the Body mystical as the streams are in the fountain not onely to be imployed for them but to be given down to them into their souls according as they shall draw it out of this Well by the vessel of believing so saith the Church who made use of Christ upon this account Isa 12 2 3. Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song and is become my salvation therefore saith Christ with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation Secondly It denotes the perfection of grace and holiness which was to dwel in Christ for so much may we understand by the pouring forth of the anointing saith the Apostle It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 19. A fulness of grace and holiness that from him we might derive it for our use and benefit in this life Thirdly The anointing of the High Priest did signifie that legal right he had to administer in the Priests office above another man hence is that of the Apostle Heb. 5. 4. And no man taketh this honour upon him but he that was called of God as was Aaron Now this would afford great comfort to a soul if well considered that the Lord Jesus Christ was not only a Priest or an Advocate but he was an anointed Priest and Advocate one who had a legal right to the place he came not in the wrong way therefore no Thief or Robber we need not doubt no one can invalue Christs work when it s done for believers meerly for want of right to officiate you know if a Councellour at Law undertake to plead a mans case for him and should dispute it never so ably and should carry it in Law yet if this can be objected against the Councellour that he is not lawfully inducted to the place as a Councellour all will be invalued that hath been done and said and looked upon as of no force O therefore soul if Christ intercedes as a High Priest and pleads as an Advocate at the Throne of grace for thee thou needst not fear of thy Case there is not any enemy thou hast can hurt thee in this Case should the Law object the Justice of God object