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
is sacrificed for us where you see he gives Christ the very name that was given to the Paschal Lamb. So Peter in his Epistle when he is a treating about the price of mans redemption 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. verses saith Peter in the 18. verse We were not redeemed with silver and gold from our vain conversations received by traditions from our fathers but by the pretious blood of Christ as a lamb slain without spot or blemish verse 19. for so it was required of the Jews in offering of the paschal Lamb that it should be a Lamb without blemish Exod. 12. 5. So read Revel 6. This title of Lamb is given unto Jesus Christ Rev. 6. 15 16 17. The rich men and the great men and the chief Captains cryed to the hills fall on us and cover us from the presence of the Lamb for the great dâ—y of his wrath is come What is the reason think you here that Jesus Christ should be so much dreaded by the great men as well as the poor men at his next coming for these words have relation to his next coming I will not here undertake to determine whether this appearing here of Christ be at or before the general Judgement day as to that I shall refer you to abler judgements who have commented on the thing but without doubt the reason why our Lord is by John in that place set forth so dreadful to men under the metaphor of a Lamb is because the Lamb was a type of his Priestly Office which includeth the greatest of grace and offers of love to mankinde that can be Now for the men of the earth be they rich or poor yet if they shall live or dye abusing of and trampling upon this freely proffered grace and richly offered love this turns this grace and rich love and mercy into the dreadfullest of judgements against men Read Matth. 11. 21 22 23 24 with chap. 12. 42. and 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Thus you see that the Lamb in Exod. 12. was a type of Christ CHAP. 2. I now come to shew you how the action of the Jews in eating the Lamb together with the place time and manner of eating the Lamb doth agree to the work of God upon the souls of his people while on this side Heaven together with his various dealings with their conditions in this life which as in a glass those that are spiritual may see it answer face to face FIrst the place that the people were in when God provided this Lamb for them It was Egypt a Land of darkness abounding with all manner of idolatry and prophaneness a Land which knew not God Exod. 5. 2. a land of bondage of heavy burdens of cruel task-masters that required brick to be made without straw Exod. 5. 6. 7 8 9 10 11 12. the officers of which place would often beat the people of the Jews ver 14. besides so cruel were the Task-masters to the poor Israelites that they would not hear the peoples cryes Exod. 5. 16 17. To this agreeth as in the ante-type the estate or condition that the creature is in before he comes to Jesus Christ which estate or condition we call natural or carnal which simbolizeth very well with the land of Egypt in which the children of Israel were when they did eat the Lamb. For first of all Egypt was a place of darkness so is the natural condition of mankinde it is full of darkness and ignorance it is wholly deprived of the saving knowledge of God and Christ A man by nature knows little of that blessed life light power which the true knowledge of God teacheth a soul he knoweth not what it is to have Christ dwelling in him by his spirit nor what it is for a man to live in Christ by believing much less doth he know that great and blessed mystery which Paul speaketh of 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Alas to tell a carnal man of living by believing what a mystery is this to him of worshipping God in the Spirit of praying in the Spirit of making the Blood and Flesh and Spirit and promises of Christ his daily food of eating the hidden Manna of having the white stone with a new name written in it that none can read but he that hath it Rev. 2. 17. Alas what a paradox is this to a carnal man to tell such a man of Christ within him and of a spiritual Kingdom within him and a light within him and so from hence to bid him turn to it and live obedient thereunto and to hearken to the teachings of it for salvation Alas one had as good stand over the grave of a dead man and bid him arise or one had as good speak to a blinde man and bid him see therefore I think that such a doctrine preached by many in our dayes is an empty doctrine to help blinde men to see or dead men to a state of spiritual life therefore saith Paul 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned also Paul tells you speaking of a carnal man that his understanding is darkened and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them through the blindeness of their heart Ephes 4. 18. therefore when the Scripture speaks of the bringing home of a soul to God it calls it a deliverance from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. a state that affords no light no knowledge of God in Christ it giveth us no acquaintance with God as a reconciled God in Christ to a poor soul therefore it may well be compared to Egypt for the darkness of it that is the first particular Secondly Egypt abounded with all manner of prophaneness and false worship for they knew not God Exod. 5. 2. how well doth this agree with the state or the natural condition of fallen mankinde O what kennel so vile so noâ—some what jakes so foul what Goal so loathsome what hell so black as the hearts and lives of wicked men therefore when our Saviour gives a description of the inward parts of such men saith That out of their hearts proceedeth evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness and blasphemies Mat. 15. 19. and to this agreeth the 14. Psalm ver 2. 3 which saith The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good no not one the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one so saith John 1 John 5. 19. The whole world lieth in
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
now then in Pharaohs time and his arm is not shortned he is as well able to reach such a Nation now as then O where this kind of sin dwells the good Lord give that Nation sound Repentance for it before he comes to tear them in pieces A 2d thing about the Ark which we are to take notice of is this you read in Exod. 37. 2. That the Ark was overlaid with pure gold which sheweth us both the excellency and purity of the Worship of God for as gold is both excellent and pure so is the Worship of God it is both excellent and pure therefore when that holy Ghost speaks of the Worship of God he compares it to a Sea of Glass as clear as Crystal Revelations 4. 6. Meaning for the worth and purity of it A third thing about the Ark is this there was a Crown of gold round about above upon it Exod. 37. 1 2. This Crown upon the Ark denotes the Authority which God hath stamped upon his Worship Gods Worship hath his Authority set upon it for such is the Import or signification of the word Crown or the thing called Crown it signifies Rule and chief Authority which commands obedience and subjection to its Law Will and pleasure Use 2. The use we should make of this Mystery will teach us this Lesson First to their peril who ever they be that shall dare to alter any part or Tittle of this Worship of the Altar or shall mix it with any of their own whorish hellish Inventions or Romish fopperies Deut. 12. 32. What thing soever I command you that observe to do it thou shalt not add thereunto nor diminish from it Hence it is that Moses in the giving out of the Worship of God to the people was admonished that he should not vary from the pattern shewed him in the mount we are to take notice of the pattern laid down in the word of God and by that Rule to build Gods house and only according to that to steer our compasse in and about the Worship of God Isa 8. 20. To the Law and the Testimony if any man speak not according to this Rule it s because there is no light in him Besides the Crown upon the Altar shews us thus much that none are left to their wills as arbitrary in the performing of Worship to God so as to do it when we please as none are left in this case so to their own wills to do it how they pleased so likewise none are so left to their wills to do it or perform it when or at what time they please neglects in this case are dangerous not to attend the Worship of God either in publick or private where and when God requires is to sin against the Crown upon the Altar which is the Authority of God and to incur the displeasure of God and indeed to be guilty of any wilful rashness or neglect in this business is the ready way for a man to lay himself open to great punishments from the hand of the Lord Jer. 11. 3. Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant so Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully O therefore soul remember that the Altar-worship hath its Crown above upon it which signifyeth the Authors Authority or Law which requireth thy submission or subjecton to it so as to be careful thou provest not a wilful corrupter or neglector of the Worship of God Again in the Tabernacle was the Mercy-seat placed which had two Cherubims at the two ends of it whose faces looked towards the Mercy-seat Exod. 37 67 89. First By the Mercy-seat placed in the Tabernacle I understand to be meant the Lord Jesus Christ whose bloud and merits is the ground of Gods great manifestations of love and grace to the Elect saith the Apostle 2 Cor. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ Reconciling the world to himself Mark God was in Christ that is in his humane nature appearing through it to men as he did through the Mercy-seat of old Rom. 5. 9 10. We are saved from wrath through Christ by being justified by his bloud for when we were enemies we were Reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life so that you see Christ the Mercy-seat is the ground of all the grace love mercy and Reconciliation which from the Father comes home to the Elect I mean a procuring ground not the efficient or first moving ground In a word this Mercy-seat shews us what Christ is in all respects to believers could we pick it out of this Mystery and it takes in all that Christ is or was anointed to be or to do for his Church and people it takes in Christs bloud Christs sufferrings Christs righteousness Christs satisfaction given to the Father Christs Life Christs Death Christs being in the Grave Christs Ascension Christs Priesthood Christs present work of Intercession now in Heaven Christs Offices as King Priest and Prophet to and for his people for their good and comfort forever all this and more do the Mercy-seat in Exod. 37. Comprehend and shadow forth to us for our instruction so that believers should look on all the dispensations of God towards them be they sweet or bitter always flowing forth to them from the Mercy-seat or place of Reconcilement the seat where God always sits when he hath to do with believers as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 19 God in Christ Reconcâ—ling the world to himself so Rom. 8. 32. He that spareth not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things It s all mercy love and grace which comes from God to his people because it comes forth from God through the Mercy-seat Christ though the providence may be mixed with never so much sharpness or bitterness yet it shall end in mercy for it comes in mercy Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Again whereas it is said that the faces of the Cherubims still looked towards the Mercy-seat it shews us how the whole Trinity doth agree together and accord in the good of Gods Elect for I look on this Figure as an Emblem of the belssed union of the three persons of Father Son and holy Spirit my looking on this is by way of allusion the Mercy-seat to be meant of Christ the second Person the two Cherubims to be meant of the Father and holy Spirit proceeding both from Father and Son so that as the faces of the two Cherubims were placed with their eyes towards the Mercy-seat it shews us thus much that what good God the Father did will the Elect before time and what grace and mercy and love the holy Ghost did manifest make known and reveal to the Elect in time by spiritual application all
eye it was rejected Levit. 22. 22. The eye you know is the discerning part of a Beast and surely God hath no more regard for an eye-less sacrifice under the Gospel then he had under the Law for if knowledge which is the eye of the sacrifice be wanting it is an imperfect sacrifice and much blemished in Gods account therefore saith S. Paul in â— Cor. 14. 15. What is it then when I pray I will pray with the spirit and with understanding and when I sing I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding so that you see S. Paul was very careful to binde what sacrifice he had to offer God withall very fast to the Horns of the Altar Christ with this cord of understanding and indeed so should all Believers else labour for such a measure of knowledge and spiritual understanding of and discerning into the things of God so as to acquaint themselves with the nature use end vertue and excellency of the work and worship of God in which they are imployed as that they may be able to give God a reason of what they do as that when God shall ask them this question in their consciences as once he did the Jews in Isa 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hands They may be able to answer again with the Church in Isa 26. 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make men ion of thy name You know how God disregarded the Corinthians duties and sacrifices for want of a true discerning of the things in Worship which they adventured upon 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. Therefore my Brethren take S. Peters advice 2 Pet. 2 18. But grow in grace and knowledge that through the exercise of which grace you may so binde your duties to the horns of your Altar Christ as that through the not starting aside of your sacrifices you may be sure not to miss of the reward of your work 3. A third cord with which believers should bind their duties to the horns of their Gospel-Altar Christ is the cord of love and affection Love is and ought to be the spring of action it is not what services we do for God as the principle from whence they flow forth to God is the thing God looks at for did we offer God in one sacrifice the cattel upon a thousand hills yet if this comes not freely to God from a principle of love and affection God hates all when done notable is that place in the Psalms Psal 40. 6 7 8 sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire mine ear hast thou opened burnt offerings and sin offerings thou didst not require then I said lo I come as it s written of me in the Volume of the Book I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Though this Prophesie do principally concern Christ whose bloud was preferred before all the Sacrifices in the world with respect to the taking away of sin yet this Scripture may not be unfitly applyed to the Saints with respect to their right performing of duty which teacheth us thus much that unless that principle of delight or Law of love here spoken of be in the heart as a bottom to all our duties all our Sacrifices are of little value with God therefore in Levit. 1. 3. who ever they were that would offer any thing to God in Sacrifice he was to offer it with a willing mind the reason of it is given you by the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 7. For God loveth a chearful giver Use O then my friends labour after this grace of the holy Spirit O make it much of your business at the throne of grace that God would shed abroad much of his Spirit and Grace of love upon your hearts that so you might not miscarry in your work and service and for want of this blessed cord to tie your services fast at the horns of the Altar Jesus Christ O this is a blessed grace of the Spirit of God he that hath much of this in his heart is a rich man The world accounts those rich that have much of the wealth of this world in their houses but the word accounts them rich which have much of this grace shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost This makes duty acceptable this grace of love to God if in the heart will make a little Goats hair that is offered to God pleasing and acceptable in Gods sight Read Exod. 35. 23. and this will make thy weakest of groans very sweet to God O therefore forget not to labour after this precious grace and Jewel of the spirit of God for the more you have of this to love God withall the more God will love you the more will God delight in your duties love as we use to say is the loadstone of love it draws the heart of the object beloved to love again The Fourth Cord with which Believers should tie their duties to the Horns of the Altar Christ is sincerity and uprightness of heart in the things of God sincerity of heart to God is varnish to all our other gifts of the Spirit therefore doth Saint Paul prefer this beyond the highest gifts and parts and learning which men may be endowed with in this world 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Though I had the Tongues of men and Angels to speak with all yet if I had not Charity I am become a â—ounding Brass and a tinkling Symbal and though I have the gift of Prophesie and all Knowledge and understand all Mysteries and have faith so as to remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing Alas Brethren for men to get a headful of notions and to covet after gifts and parts to be able to talk and discourse much amongst the people of God or to be able to pray and preach much or to be able to speak well from a Text of Scripture If this be all that God sees in a man truly that man is but in an ill Case its true he may be of use to the benefit of others but all in vain as to himself therefore saith S. Paul I desire so to preach Christ â—hat I my self be not a cast-away As if Paul had said true I my self may be very useful with my gifts and parts to tie on the Sacrifices of others to the Horns of this Altar Christ yet all this while I may want the cord of sincerity to tie on my own Sacrifice therefore it is that God requireth so often in his word the heart My Son give me thy heart this God calls for often in his word as in Prov. 23. 26. By the heart is meant the uprightness and sincerity of the Soul concerning those things which the Soul shall set about for God hence you have it in 1 Samuel 16. 7. The Lord seeth not as man seeth man looketh at the outward appearance but God looketh at the heart Use O labour for this
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
in the opening of it in the Ordinances how have you been made to cry out with Peter Matth. 17. 4. Master it is good to be here what blessed heart-affecting discoveries doth there come out of the Tabernacle sometimes therefore doth David so much prize the Tabernacle or House and Church of God Psal 84. 1 2 4. Oh how amiable are thy Tabernables O Lord of hosts my soul longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God blessed are all they that dwell in thy house for they will be still praising thee Why should those that live in the Tabernacle or house of God so much praise God Answer amongst many reasons so to do this is not a small one because of the exceeding glory God discovers to them in the Church Oh what glorious gifts are there what glorious Ordinances what glorious Ministers are there what a glorious Gospel what glorious discoveries are there made of this Gospel in the Church what a glorious Spirit is there in the Tabernacle of the Church Oh what glorious graces do there live in the hearts of the Materials of this Tabernacle besides the glorious name of God lives there and all this covered over with Rams skins dyed red and coverings made of Goats hair But however let Believers comfort themselves God will have a time to remove the covering made of Rams skins and Goats hair and then the world shall see and know the worth anâ— glory of the Tabernacle or Church There are many precious promises in the word of God about the removing of the Rams skin covering from the Church of God take a few for all one is in Psal 45. That where the Church of God because of her deformity on the out side hath been the scorn of the Earth yet the time shall come when God shall remove her Rams skin and Goats hair covering that the rich men of the Earth shall entreat the Churches favour as ver 12. of that 45. Psalm And the Daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour Isa 60. 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many Generations So Verse 14. The Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy one of Israel Verse 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee the Fir-tree the Pine-tree and the Box together to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary for I will make the place of my feet glorious So Verse 12. For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted So Verse 3. For the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising So Isa 54. 11 12. Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy Stones with fair colours and lay thy Foundation with Saphires I will make thy windows of Aggates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant Stones So Verse 13. 14. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children in righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear and from terrour for it shall not come near thee But the Question wiâ—l be when shall these Prophesies be made good I Answer When Israel shall come to his good land then it shall be then shall God take away the Tabernacle covering made of Rams skins and Goats hair which was upon the Tabernacle all the while of its being in the wilderness and then will God shew the glory of the Tabernacle his Church to all the world Isa 60. 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Is a Metaphor taken from the rising Sun as that when the Sun riseth upon the earth all the earth is filled with the beams of its glorious light so shall the world with the glory of the Tabernacle You know this covering upon the Tabernacle lasted but during their abode in the wilderness for when they came into the land of promise and rest the covering was taken away in a great measure and the glory of it suffered more to appear then formerly as you may perceive when Solomon turned the Tabernacle into a most Magnificent Temple Now this land of rest or the end of the wilderness journey I find to be two ways held out in Scripture either for the ultimate glory above or for that Kingdom of glory which Christ calls his Kingdom as he is the Son of man which he so often promiseth his people as the reward of their sufferings for him for our Saviour makes a clear difference between the Kingdom of ultimate glory above and the Kingdom of glory which Christ hath promised to give his people for their Faith Love and Constancy to him in suffering-times pray read well and consider that passage of our Saviour Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I have overcome and am set down with my Father on his Throne Mark that there is the Fathers Throne of glory and there is the Sons Throne of glory mine saith Christ and my Fathers now one of these Thrones or Kingdoms of glory hath Christ made the proper reward of the Saints sufferings and that is what he calls his Kingdom a Kingdom distinct from the Fathers Rev. 3. 21. I will grant him to sit with me upon my Throne which is promised the Saints so often in the word of truth Math. 19. 28. Rev. 2. 26 27. Rev. 20. 4. Rev. 21. 2 3. Now all these Scriptures relate to the Kingdom of Christ this none will deny Secondly That this Kingdom is held out to the Saints and promised them as the reward of their sufferings it must also be granted Thirdly That this Kingdom thus promised to the Saints as the reward of their sufferings cannot be applyed to the ultimate glory will appear if we look into each Scripture neither can men read these Scriptures so without being guilty of putting meer Nonsense upon the face of Scipture Pray let us look into these places Math. 19. 28. And Jesus said unto them Verily Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon 12. thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Now this very promise is again handed out by our Saviour after his Ascension to John the Divine in the Isle of Patmos Rev. 3. 2. To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me on my throne Look into Rev. 20 4.
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