Bread Vers 8. with Numb 9 11. 4. They were to eat it with their Loins girded 5. With their Shoos on their feet 6. With their Staff in their hands 7. In hast for it was the Lords Passover Exod. 12. 11. And lastly This was to be done by every particular Family every family was to chuse a Lamb for its self unless the family were too few in number if it were then the next family were to join wiâ—h them and so they were to eat it together Exod. 12. 4. TYPE II. The second Type was The children of Israel their passing thorow the Red Sea just at their coming out of Egypt Exod. 1. 4. IN which are these things to be considered First The peoples great Distress vers 10 31. Secondly The cause of their Distress which was Pharaoh's great Army Marching behind them very dreadfully with full purpose to destroy them vers 10. Thirdly We may take notice of their Leaders and those were Moses and the Angel which Angel without doubt was Christ Exod. 14. 19. 21. For as Moses conducted the people so the Angel did conduct Moses Fourthly Moses stretched out his hand and the Waters were divided Exod. 14. 21. Fifthly The People go thorow the Waters and by going through are delivered Verse 22. Sixthly The same Waters which were Waters of Salvation to the Israelites were Waters of Destruction to the Egyptians Verse 27. 28. of the same Chapter TYPE III. Another Typical State was their being led into the Wildeâ—ness IN which are these things to be considered First Their cross motion up and down in the Wilderness sometimes this way sometimes that way sometimes towards the good Land sometimes quite contrary and back again as you may Read at large in Numb 33. Secondly The Food they lived upon while in that condition was Manna from Heaven Exod. 16. 4. with vers 14. 15. Thirdly The Water they lived by and drank of was Water out of the Rock which came out by Moses his striking of it Exod. 17. 5 6 7. Fourthly We may not omit this passage As soon as the Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians by the Red Sea and brought into the Wilderness the first Waters they drank of were Waters of Bitterness or Bitter Waters which such called Marah Exod. 16. 22 23 But this was done by the appointment of God For the sweetning of those Waters again to the people Moses was to take a Tree which God shewed him Mark that not every Tree would do it but that only which was of Gods directing or chusing and Moses was to cast the Tree into the Waters which done the Waters that were bitter before became sweet and the people could drink of them Exod. 16. 25. Next we are to consider the Nature of the Wilderness It was a place of Rocks and Mountains Hills and Vallies Deut. 8. 5. A place that afforded few Springs or Pools of Water a place that no Corn grew in a place of Doubts and Fears Sometimes assaulted with Enemies as Og Kâ—ng of Bashan the Moabites and Midianites then Balaam comes up with his bitter Curses against them Numb 22. 5 6. This place might likewise be called a place of Wonders because of the great Miracles which God did for them in delivering them out of all their Temptations and in preserving them all along to their Canaan Psal 88. Likewise you may see the Discouragements that they met with in their way to Canaan by the false Spies Numb 13. 28 29 30 31. Likewise you may see the Bunch of Grapes brought from the good Land Numb 13. 23. and yet notwithstanding they could not believe for their comfort There was likewise in the Wilderness-condition other Types held out to them both for their and our Instruction As the Cloud which always led them up and down See Exod 40. 34 36 37 38. compared with Numb 9. 16 17. TYPE IV. The Brazen Serpent which was set up upon a Pole in the Wilderness Numb 21. 6 7 8 9. THe occasion of that Type was this Because of those hot stinging fiery Serpents which the Wilderness did produce which had destroyed many of the People God in mercy to the Jews caused this thing to be made called a Brazen Serpent and it was to be set upon a Pole for this purpose viz. That at what time any of the People should be stung by these stinging venemous Beasts that if they should but look up to the Brazen Serpent set upon the Pole for that purpose they should be presently Cured although it might be that the wounded party might be at such a distance from the Pole as that they might not be able to reach it with a bodily eye yet if in obedience to the Ordinance they did look unto that Point where they conceived the Brazen Serpent stood upon the top of the Pole so doing would procure them immediate health Numb 21. 6 7 8 9. TYPE V. There was likewise another Type given out to them in the Wilderness which was called a Tabernacle the fashion form and manner of it you may see at large set forth to you in Exodus 36. 37 38. Chap. BUt for the better observation of it I shall cast the many particulars of it into a briefer compass then it is handed out to you in those abovesaid Chapters without doubt it was a most glorious piece of work to behold the like could not be produced in all the Earth for glory and excellency as appears by the materials of it Read Exod. 35. 21 22 23. as also if we consider how wonderfully and beyond measure those were fitted by God for the framing of it who were designed for the work read Exod. 35. 25. with 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Verses Now the Tabernacle it self consisted of these particulars First the Tabernacle it self which was the case or Tent which comprehended all the other things in it prepared for the Worship and Service of the Lord Exod. 36. 13. ver which was made of several Curtains of fine twined Linen of blue Purple and Scarlet with Cherubims of cunning work Exod. 36. 8. ver and these were made with loops of one side and tacles of Gold on the other side and so fastned together all round the sides and ends of it Exod. 36. 13. In the which there was a glorious thing made and set which was called the Ark which was overlaid with pure Gold having a Crown of Gold round about it Exod. 37. 1 2. Ver. Likewise in the Tabernacle there was the Mercy-seat placed which had two Cherubims placed at the two ends of it Exod. 37. 6 7. whose faces looked still toward the Mercy-seat ver 9. Now in the Ark did Moses put the Tables wherein the Law was written Exod. 40. 20. And then did he put the Ark with the Tables of the Law in it under the Mercy-seat and covered it over with a veil v. 20. There was likewise in this Tabernacle placed a Table overlaid with pure Gold Exo. 37. 10 11
cord of sincerity that you may find favour in the eyes of God touching what you do in his Worship O this is as the Gold about the Temple which made it so glorious to the beholders so doth this grace wonderfully adorn the Temple of our Souls to God in which God delights to dwell therefore are the prayers of the upright so delightful to God Prov. 15. 8. Never think your duties fast bound to the Altar Christ unless they are tied to the Horns of it with this cord O consider well that place in the 1 Chron. 28. 9. Davids words to Solomon and thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever A Fifth cord with which Believers should bind their duties to the Horns of the Altar Christ is a zealous fervent Spirit in the work and Worship of God as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. A Soul that acts carlesly in the Worship of the Lord is like a Cord let loose or slackt it gives liberty to the thing tied to role or start at pleasure A careless heat in Worship destroys all in hand and brings a Curse upon the person found under so filthy a frame of Spirit Many Christians insensibly perish and die to their growth in Sanctification and yet ignorant of the Reason of it alas it lieth here viz. in their giving way too much to a careless frame of Spirit in the work of God who can think or imagine that God will bless the means appointed for our growth in Sanctification when we come to the means and Ordinances of the Gospel void of hearts and serious spirits which should fit them for the blessing of it Luke 1153. The hungry are filled with good things but the rich are sent empty away We use to say that Gold is better worth then to give to Children to play withall so doth God account the precious things of the Spirit better worth then to give out to careless Children who rather play with holy things then truly prize them as it too too often appears by these two great evils First what respect to persons carelesness in coming to the Worship of God who can take their own times in coming as if it lay in their power to make it subject to their carnal interests in the world The second Evil is in persons slight behaving themselves when before the Lord in his Worship so that as men do behave themselves in this case accordingly are the dealings of God with them As to those spiritual things which God gives out to men in their waiting upon him in his Ordinances according to that word in Jer. 5. 25. Your iniquitiâ—s have turned away these things c. Use O then labour for this Cord of a fervent Spirit that you may fasten your sacrifices with Zeal to the Horns of the Altar Christ Friends beg of God for it O give not over asking and crying and praying untill you have got it let there be no neglect on your part in the getting of this mercy into your souls assure your selves that God will not be wanting to you if you will not be wanting to your selves I mean God will not be wanting in the giving out this Gospel-frame of a fervent Spirit to you if you be not wanting to your selves in the asking and seeking of it at Gods hands God hath pawned his Word for it and he cannot deny his word nor cease to make it good to the souls of those which shall plead his word with him for any spiritual mercy Read often that place in James 1. 5. If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not My friends its worth your while to consider that place in the 3. of Revel 16. where you may see how the want of this Cord of a zealous fervent Spirit did render the Laodiceans services altogether loathsome to God as that when their work was done God tells them he could spue both it and them out of his mouth the Reason is given you because what they did in the Worship of God was done from a luke-warm spirit O be afraid of this ye careless heedless souls which can pray and read and hear themselves fast asleep in the Worship and Ordinances of God and others that can suffer their eyes and hearts to wander after every vain object while in the Worship of God of such a sort of people did God complain of long ago in Ezek. 33. 31. God saith This people draweth near me with their lips and with their mouths they seem to honour me but their hearts run after their covetousness Secondly I come now to speak of the second particular of the Horns on the Altar as they lead to Christ and that is what affords the soul as much comfort as the other did Instruction If we consider the Protection Believers have by Christ while in his Service and Worship if they with Joab do fly to Christ the great Altar for it It cannot be denied but that these souls whose hearts God hath awakend to behold their danger while in the Worship and Service of Christ have great cause to dread and fear what may befall them or become of them before they come off the duty now that danger which attends the people of God while they are engaged in the work of God may be three ways considered First With respect to the Justice of God Secondly With respect to the Malice of the Devil Thirdly With respect to the Malice and Hatred of wicked men here below First With respect to the Justice of God which cannot bear with the least sin committed any where much less in his Worship and service As to that did not the bloud and merits of Christ interpose between the justice of God and the soul in the performance of his duties it were impossible that ever the soul should come off alive again because of these stains weaknesses impurities and defilements our best of duties are accompanied with an instance you may take for this in the two Sons of Aaron Levit. 10. 1 2. Secondly It is so if we consider the Malice of the Devil who like a Roaring Lion is going up and down the earth seeking whom he may devour whose devouring Rage and Malice is mostly bent against the soul when the soul is engaged for God in the performance of some spiritual duty a figure of which you may see in Zach. 3. 1. where no sooner was Joshua the High Priest ingaged in the performance of the work of the Priesthood but presently you have Satan at his right hand to resist him whose work was to hinder him in and to unfit Joshua for the work of God what
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
wife takes her husband she takes her husband and onely him she is not to reserve any part of the marriage-bed to any other so in faithfulness is the soul to take Christ resolving that no cursed sin or lust shall shear in the marriage-bed of its affection with Jesus Christ so saith the spouse speaking of Christ her Husband My beloved is the chiefest to me among ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. He is mine and I am his Cant. 2 16. 2. The Wife taketh the Husband to be hers for ever during life not to part and fling him off at her pleasure therefore saith Paul Rom. 7. 2. The woman that hath a Husband is bound by the Law to her husband as long as he liveth So in like manner is Christ to be closed with by a Christian never to part more either in this world or that which is to come to be Christs in sickness as well as in health in poverty as well as in prosperity to be Christs in bad times as well as in good times to winter and summer with Christ There be a great many that can put on Christ and pretend to Saintship and can call him Husband in good dayes but they can as quickly cast their Christ and all away again in bad dayes when Christ seemeth to be cloathed with the riches honours credit and gain of this world then it is he that can court him with some seeming service but when he comes to be uncloathed again of those things and with Job to be set on a Dunghil of reproach and scorn through poverty then they flye back as fast again from Christ as ever they come to Christ and with Peter cursing and swearing they never knew such a man Mat. 26. 73 74. And like the Jews who could cry Hosanna to Christ when he was set by the people upon the Ass colt but when in a suffering state upon the Crosse Crucifie crucâ—fie him but let such know this not to eat the Lamb with the loins girded in truth and faithfulness Lastly Girding of the loins signifieth haste or readiness to be gone from the place where we were before therefore it is observed that the Jews went out of Egypt speedily upon the girding of their loins Exod. 12. 37. This shews the speedy motion souls are to make from that cursed state of nature sin and ignorance after their closing with Jesus Christ the soul is not to stay there one night longer there must be not onely a total but a speedy separation from sin and nature the soul that truly closeth with Christ never looketh back again upon his former condition but he loatheth himself for it he never thinks on it but he hates it as Paul speaks What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed Rom. 6. 24. O when the soul looks back upon his carnal Egyptian state and seeth what a blinde mad fool he was together when he considereth what sad ignorant works he alwayes brought forth when he looketh back upon his drunken roaring mad singing bouts in the Alehouse his running to so many Wakes Revels Bull-baitings May-pole Dancings O how much doth that soul which eateth the Lamb indeed mourn for it O how doth he blush before the Lord under the thoughts of it wondering at the infinite patience of God that he should be now out of Hell wondering that God should accept of such a rebellious wretch such a sinful slave as he seeth himself now to be to such a blessed Banquet and rich feast as the roasted Lamb comes to now on goes the girdle about his loins and away he goes flying out of this condition as Hell it self an instance you may take for this purpose in Luke 15. 17. In the Prodigal Son And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my Fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish for hunger I will arise and go to my Father and will say I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired servants Luke 15. 17 18 19. You see the Prodigal could no longer stay in this condition when he comes to be sensible of the evil of it but he girdeth up his loins and puts himself into a posture fit to be gone from all his old delights and sinful pleasures his old filthy companions he flyes from all he dares not stay an hour longer with them Psalm 45. 10. saith Christ in that Psalm Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine ear forget also thy own people and thy fathers house Thus you see the soul is to leave its old carnal estate and condition if he means to eat the Lamb Christ Jesus Therefore those that are so confident they have taken Christ and yet are not come off their old Egyptian carnal condition truly are much mistaken saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 1. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature all old things are past away and behold all things are become new For a man to make an account he is in Christ and is a good Christian and yet to live a drunkard a swearer and a cheater a hater of Gods people a despiser of godliness to live in adultery and uncleanness to live loose in his family if this man have closed with Christ then so hath the Devil also it cannot be light and darkness cannot dwell together 2 Cor. 6. 15. What concord hath Christ with Belial so ver 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing Certainly my Brethren there is no more fellowship wiâ—h the unfruitful works of darkness after eating the Lamb the soul must immediately arise and be gone from his old sinful condition Our Saviour would not allow the young man so much time as to go to bury his Father Mat. 8. 21 22. therefore the language of the Lord to such is Micah 2. 10. Arise ye depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted it shall destroy you with a sore destruction The next thing we are to take notice of before we leave this particular is the other two parts of the Travellers accoutrements which is his staff in his hand and his shoes on his feet Exod. 12. 11. First the staff Now you know the use of a staff in a Travellers hand is to help him on in his journy it succours him it stayes up his body from falling it helps him over difficult and dangerous place This staff leads us to the use of the grace of believing which a soul should beg earnestly for at Gods hands that so after he hath eaten of the Lamb Christ he might be enabled to travel his journey from Egypt thorow the wilderness of this life to his Canaan of rest and glory hereafter for it is less possible that a soul should travel through the wilderness of this world to Heaven hereafter without the grace of believing then it
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
case God hath not been so much wanting to his people in the means as Christians have been to themselves about the faithful use of means if errour have prevailed above truth the fault hath been ours not Gods We have wanted hearts to deal plainly with our offending Brethren in this case besides the great liberty which hath been given to some of our green raw rash members of Churches to vent their undigested notions in publick and that before themselves well skilled in the knowledge of the Scripture and the form of sound words I am not pleading against a Christians exercising his gifts to the building up his fellow-members in the faith provided they keep their bounds and act within their compass untill their growth be such in the judgment of the wise as that they may be adventured upon publick work for want of using the golden snuffers sure I am that many a poor ignorant soul hath been carried away with gross opinions to their utter undoing without the infinite mercy of God prevent it Therefore if we would have our Lamps burn clearly in the midst of us let us more use the golden snuffers which were appointed to remove that which should hinder the light in its shining with more diligence then yet we have done I shall conclude this type of the snuffers with that good word of the Lord in Prov. 36. 6. Adde thou not unto his word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar for every word of God is pure CHAP 23. I now come to speak of the two Altars which were made and placed in the Tabernacle both of which having special reference to Jesus Christ. THese Altars were two in number their difference in form and fashion was not great only the one was overlaid with pure gold and had his Crown upon it and the other was overlaid with brass but we find not any Crown upon that and the Altar which was overlaid with brass had a Grate of Net-wort made for it which was to let out the ashes of the slain sacrifices which were to be offered as a burnt-offering upon it Exod. 27. 1 2 3 4 5. Both of the Altars had horns alike which were in number four and placed at the four corners of the Altars Exod. 27. 2. with Exod. 37. 25 26. Now these two Altars differed mostly in use or office for the Altar which was overlaid with pure gold and had the Crown upon it was only to offer the burnt Incense upon Exod. 40. 26 27. And the Altar which was overlaid with brass that only was to offer the burnt sacrifice upon which sacrifices consisted of the bodies of the slain beasts which were to be offered before the Lord Exod. 40 29. These two Altars did signifie both to them and all else the Lord Jesus Christ as then to come with respect to the twofold work which he was to do and suffer for believers in the handling of which I shall do these two things First I shall shew you that these Altars did signifie Christ our Lord who was then to come Secondly That according to the differing uses of these Altars are the differing works of Christ for and in the behalf of all true believers First That these Altars did signifie Christ to come to this you have St. Pauls words agreeing read 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. In which place you have the Apostle speaking how much a duty it is that Preachers of the Gospel should be well provided for by the Saints and that because they wait on the things of the Gospel and that was to preach and make known Jesus Christ to their souls now to prove that such Ministers are of right to be provided for the Apostle doth instance the right which the Moseical Law did give those men which did wait on the Altar to eat of the things of the Altar as if the Apostle should have said certainly Gospel Ministers have no less a right to a maintenance then the legal Ministers had under the Law seeing our work is one and the same the difference only lay in mode and circumstance not in substance they and we all taught one and the self same Christ they waited on the Altar typical and we wait upon the Altar substantial they upon the Altar of the legal tabernacle and we upon the Altar Christ of the heavenly tabernacle as that their Altar was but the type or forerunner of Christ our Evangelical Altar which we wait on and preach to you my end in this Commentary was not so much to handle a Ministers maintenance as to give you by what hath been spoken a sight of the great congruity the Apostle makes to be between the Altars in the tabernacle and Christ Jesus so Heb. 13. 10. We have an Altar whereof none have right to eat which serve the tabernacle you may easily perceive in reading through this Epistle to the Hebrewes that the drift and purpose of the Apostle was to bring off the Jews from their resting in these shadows to live more upon Christ the true substance which the legal Figures were only the types of And labours to convince them that the tabernacle with all the glorious Vessels in it together with what else was of any Ceremonial use amongst them all was but to shadow out Christ to come read Heb. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And amongst which things the Altars in the Tabernacle were of special use in point of signification as they related to Christ as any other type which was in use amongst them And therefore doth the Apostle so apply the matter in hand if you compare the 10. verse of Heb. 13. with the 5th ver of the same Chapter for when in the 10. ver he had spoken of the Jewish Altar saying in these words We have an Altar which none have right to eat which serve at the tabernacle he presently in ver 12. brings in Christ as the Antytipe of that type in these words Wherefore Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the gate Mark he suffered without the gate as a sacrifice which was proper to the Altar in the Tabernacle thus you see how the Apostle makes Christ and the Altar in the Tabernacle to agree here also so Rev. 6. 9. I saw under the Altar the souls of them which were beheaded for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus which they hold Which Altar we must understand to be meant of Jesus Christ which was slain for the sins of the world under which sacrifice lieth murdered of the slain Prophets Apostles Martyrs of Jesus Christ that have died for the word of God in all Ages of the world for as Christ was sacrificed for their sins so are the Saints willingly sacrificed for his truths and so Christ and the Saints are by John represented to our view in one suffering heap or body together only Christ hath the preeminence he first and they after or Christ
God but was pure I mean that of the Sacrifice which ascended up to God that was very pure for the Ashes which was the Dross and Impurity of the Sacrifice that was conveyed away through the Grate of Net-work which was made and placed under the Altar for that purpose I say this should exceedingly comfort Believers with reference to the foundation of their Justification their Altar-Sacrifice was a Sacrifice full of purity without the least spot or stain in it an offering without blemish to God yea a sweet smelling savour Use This informs us then of the sad condition of two sorts of persons amongst us First those that dare offer God with any other offering then Christ for their Justification or shal offer any thing to God in any other name then in Christs name know you that the best Sacrifices which you can offer God of your own or in your own names or in the names of any Saint or Angel hath too much of their Ashes and Dross in them then to have any acceptance with God you have no Grate made of Net-work to sever the Ashes from your Sacrifices What ever a soul shall offer God in sacrifice if it doth carry the least impurity or dross in it it will be so far from justifying of you before God as that it will but sink you deeper and deeper into hell Gal 3. 10. O therefore be not deceived any longer ye self-righteous persons in thinking that your duties and works of Righteousness will bear you out before God! no no there is no man is justified in the sight of God by the deeds of the Law saith Paul Gal. 3. 11. the reason is given you by the Church in Isaiah 64. 6. For we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Secondly It informs us of the sad condition of those which were once enlightned into the excellency of this Altar-Sacrifice as that they wholly lived upon him for life and would onely fetch in their peace and comfort and refreshment this way and in this light they rejoyced for a season but are now gone back again and have left their Altar-Sacrifice and will only offer God their own duties and works of righteousness mixed with the Ashes of impurity Oh! the condition of these men and women is worse then the former because these are fallen from Grace it self And therefore although they may talk much of Christ within them yet Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5. 4. But I shall refer these back-sliding souls to read that dreadful place in Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and have put him to open shame Thirdly And more principally the Grate of Net-work in the Altar through which the Ashes of the Sacrifice was conveyed it may allude to the Priestly Office of Christ which is to present for us our Sacrifice to God as a sweet smelling savour for that is the proper work of Jesus Christ as a High Priest to and for his people who stands at the Altar on purpose to sever the Ashes from the imperfect duties which his people do offer up to God for as the Grate of Net-work in the Altar did convey the Ashes from the Sacrifice which was offered upon it so doth Jesus Christ convey away out of sight all the weaknesses and infirmities of the Saints duties which ascend up to God therefore in Mal. 3. 3. it is said of Christ That he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they might offer to God an offering in righteousness So that you see it is Christs work to sever the dross from the pure metal both as to the persons of his people and their performances that so their duties might smell pleasant in the nostrills of God Christ is the Altar with the Grate of Net-work in it that casteth away through himself all the pollutions of our duties therefore the Apostle in Heb. 13. having spoken of the Altar Christ under the Levitical type ver 10. tells you in the 12. ver Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie they people suffered without the Gate That is Christ as the Altar did both sanctifie the persons and the duties of his people that their sacrifices as well as their persons might be a sweet smelling sacrifice to God Use This should teach believers where to bring their duties in the worship and service of God that they might be accepted with God O soul wouldst thou have thy prayers thy praises thy duties thy services all accepted with God in Heaven O then direct them all to this spiritual Altar Christ There is the Grate of Net-work in Christ that will carry away and convey out of sight all thy defilements impurities weaknesses and infirmities of thy duties which would have displeased God greatly for God is a God of purer eyes then to behold the least sin therefore when ever thou hast any thing to do with God in the duties of his Worship be sure to eye Jesus Christ O beg of him that he would perform the office of the Altar with the Grate of Net-work in it for the wellfare of thy soul Desire him to sever the ashes of thy duties from thy duties and that he would shake out the ignorance of thy duties from thy duties together with the unbelief Hypocrisie Pride Deadness Drowsiness and backwardness of Spirit besides that formality spiritual Pride and wandring Thoughts which cleaves so fast to duty as the flesh cleaves to the bones but possibly many a poor soul may not be acquainted with their danger in miscarrying in duty as it were to be wished they were Take a Scripture or two Malachy 1. 13 14. Ye brought that which was torn and the lame and the sick thus ye brought an offering should I accept this at your hands saith the Lord but cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Host and my name is great amongst the Heathen So Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be the man that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully By which we may understand these two things First that its very possible that men and women may deeply miscarry in their duties towards God Secondly That so to do is a very dangerous thing O then if corrupt things may be offered to God in Worship and so to do is so dangerous as appears by these Scriptures before alledged O then what infinite reason is there that all Believers should make constant use of Jesus Christ who
with the Altar which was overlaid with Brass upon which the slain sacrifices were offered up to God in sacrifice Secondly That which in the Verse relates to the Incense Altar overlaid with Gold you have in the latter part of the Verse in these words for a sweet smelling savour Both of which Uses of the Altars the Apostle makes to agree to and in our Lord Jesus Christ a Believers spiritual Altar But here a question may be asked me why the Incense Altar should be overlaid with Gold and the Altar appointed for slain sacrifices only with Brass To which I answer by this difference in the two Altars we may observe this note for our Instruction That as Gold is more excellent then Brass so was the work of the Incense Altar more excellent in the sight of God then that work of slaying the sacrifices on the Altar which was overlaid with Brass And as these Altars were both Types of our Lord Jesus Christ with reference to the twofold work he was to administer for the Elect which was first to offer himself a sacrifice and secondly to make continual Intercession to God for them I say it plainly shews us thus much that although the work which our Saviour did in dying the bitter death on the Cross in order to the satisfying of the justice of God wherein he was a sacrifice to take away sin I say though this was a very glorious and transcendent work yet the work of Christs Intercession is much more glorious This will appear if we consider these two things First the Apostles words in Rom. 8. 34. who puts the term Rather upon the Intercession of Christ a work proper to the Incense Altar which term is not put upon the sufferings of Christ Verse 34 Who is he that shall condemn it is Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is even at the right hand of God to make Intercession for us giving you to understand that the greater excellency of the two lay in the work of Christs Intercession rather then in the work of Christs sufferings farther it will more appear in that the Apostle in this 34. Verse tells you that for this work sake of Christs Intercession he sitteth at Gods right hand as if the Apostle should say though the work of Christs sufferings was a very glorious work yet that of his Intercession was yea is much more glorious in Gods sight because the act of Christs Intercession declares the former act of his sufferings to be wholly done and compleated therefore must Christ sit down at his Fathers right hand This you may farther see held out to you in the Type it self Exod. 37. 26. where you may observe that the Incense Altar had his Crown of Gold placed upon it which the other Altar had not which shews us as hath been said that this work of Christs Intercession Crowns all the former But secondly it will yet more appear if we consider the estate and condition our Saviour was in when suffering upon the Cross and that was a guilty state and condition he was under at that time when he was upon the Cross the highest guilt that ever was man in this world not any of his own for there was never guile found in his mouth but it was our guilt which he took upon him Isa 53. 6. For it pleased the Lord to lay upon him the iniquity of us all But in the work of Intercession he is fully justified from all that sin and guilt which he took on him for us by the offering up of himself to God as a sacrifice and the justice of God hath nothing now to say against Christ so that Christ takes his place in Heaven without controul or objection at the right hand of God who sits there making Intercession for us And Christ taking his place there at the Incense Altar doth cause a sweet smell to arise up to God from every other act of Christ done before upon the sacrifice Altar overlaid with Brass because now he acts not as a nocent person but as an innocent person therefore saith the Apostle Phil. 2. 8 9. speaking of Christ saith And being found in fashion like a man he humbled himself and became obedient to deaâ—h even the death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name Thus you see why the Altar of Incense was overlaid with Gold but the other only with Brass Use O then this should teach Believers where to run for sound solid comfort in doubting seasons let it be at the Altar of Incense where Christ sitteth at Gods right hand to make Intercession for us It s true I have in my former Discourse about the Altar of satisfaction which was overlaid with Brass advised souls to make at that Altar in doubting seasons and so I say still for Christ could not have sate down at the right hand of God to have made Intercession for us if he had not first suffered Phil. 2. 8 9. But the sufferings of Christ on the Altar of Brass do not yield a soul such full matter of triumph over Sin the Law and the Devil as the interceeding work of Christ doth My Reason for it is this because that although Christ in love to his people did go so far as to die for them even the bitter death of the Cross that so he might justifie them before God and although he went so far as to pour out his soul unto death that by it he might redeem them to God yet he might have miscarryed in the work he might not have been able to have given justice its full satisfaction and so he might have been held under the power of sin and the grave himself and so all the Elect have as really perished in him their second Adam as they had done before in the first Adam not that any thing of this nature could have been but the supposition may be made for the farther clearing of our matter in hand But now if the people of God will look to the Incense Altar there they shall see their surety Christ standing at Gods right hand Ministring for them before the Lord which clearly sheweth thus much for our comfort that as our Saviour took all our sins upon him and became guilty with them before the justice of God so now it s most certain he is got clear off from them and is pronounced a justified person and we in him fully as well as freely justified also otherwayes Christ had never sate down at the right hand of God Now this is that which fills up the comfort of Believers that Christ is translated from the Altar overlaid with Brass to the Altar of Incense overlaid with Gold which shews that he hath done the work which he came to do for Believers Hence it is that S. Paul triumphs so over Hell Sin Satan the curse of the Law and death it self not so much from what Christ did at the Brazen Altar
of satisfaction as from what Christ doth at the Incense Altar therefore it is that the word Rather is put upon that not that the one could be without the other I mean this not that we could have been justified had not Christ died but S. Paul shews you where to go in doubting seasons for the greatest confirmation of your Faith and Comfort therefore saith S. Paul Rom 8. 34. Who shall condemn it is Christ that died yea Rather is risen and sitteth at the right hand of God making Intercession for us Therefore soul with S. Paul lift up thy head and look up to the Incense Altar and there shalt thou see thy blessed surety that once took all thy sins upon him yet now he sits at the right hand of God on the Throne of the Majesty of Heaven fully set free of all thy sins and discharged of all thy guilt Thou maist assure thy self they will never come into mind more God can never call them into remembrance more Jer. 31. 34. They can never trouble thee more to condemn or accuse thee before God O soul before thy sins can accuse or trouble thee they most trouble Christ in Heaven for they are not thine but Christs sins I mean they are so accounted to be his because he hath taken them upon him for thee if thou art a Believer Therefore as its natural for every thing to make to their home or Centre so if ever sin return again it will first light upon Jesus Christ You know the Ant makes to his hill the Fox when abroad will to his hole the Bee when abroad will to his hive and if ever sin swarm again it will to its hive which is Christ for he hath made it his by imputation and is become the hive of sin O doubting soul fear it not if by faith thou didst ever lay thy sins upon Jesus Christ O rest contented trouble not thy self about it for sin shall never trouble either thee or thy surety more Christ hath made sure work with sin it stands him upon it so to do For it was his sin for it was Christ was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor 5. 21. And let all the Devils in Hell do what they can yet Christ shall come the second time without sin to salvation Heb. 9. 28. The work of the Incense Altar which was overlaid with Gold it was to offer upon it the Incense Oblation or Offering Exâ—d 30 1 2 3. with Exod. 39. 38. Which Incense was made of sweet Spices as Gumm Galbanum and Frankincense Verse 34. This was as I have already said to pefume all the other Offerings which were offered to God in Sacrifice This shews us the second part of Christs work as he is a Believers High Priest whose Work and Office as a High Priest as I have hinted already was not only to offer himself up a Sacrifice to God for Believers but also to make Intercession to God for them which Intercession of Christ answers to the work of the Incense Altar Insomuch that both of these works of the two Altars meets in Christ the High Priest of Believers Therefore in the High Priest under the Law which was a Type of Christ our great Gospel High Priest you may see how both these works were proper to him First To offer the Sacrifice for the people Lev. 2 3 4 5 6 7. Secondly To make Intercession for the people Lev. 9. 22. And Aaron lifted up his hands and blessed the people and came down from Offering the Offering for sin and the burnt-offering and the peace-offering So Lev. 16. 11 12 13. which blessing of the people is as much as to say his praying for the people for so much the lifting up of hands doth import Exod. 17. 11. with 1 Tim. 2. 8. that God would pardon their sin accept their sacrifices and send them the blessings of this life and that which is to come 1 Kings 8. 55 56 57 both of which works in the High Priest under the Law doth the Apostle apply to Christ and shews as I have already said That Christ was the Anti-type of the Jews High Priest in these two works 1. Of offering the sacrifices 2. In making Intercession for the people saith the Apostle in Heb. 8. 3. For every High Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices wherefore it is necessary that this man meaning Christ should have somewhat to offer Now what is it that this man Christ Jesus the Believers High Priest was to offer in sacrifice to God for the people look into the 9th Chap. 26. verse and there it is told you what it was saith the Apostle But now in the end of the world hath he appeared meaning Christ to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Secondly The same Apostle tells you that Christ hath another work to do as our High Priest besides the offering up of himself as a sacrifice to God for Believers and that is the work of Intercession or praying to God continually for all manneâ— of blessings for his Saints which relate to this life and that which is to come Heb. 7. 24 25. But this man meaning Christ because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood What to do Verse 25. for ever to make Intercession for us Now about the Office or Work of Christ as an Intercessour there are these things considerable First The work it self Secondly The time of it how long it shall last Thirdly The end or purpose of the work All this you may see held out to you in the Incense Altar which was the Type of this work of Christs constant interceeding for his people Exod. 30. 7 8. 9 10. 1. First there is the work it self Verse 7. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet Incense every morning when he dresseth the Lamps he shall burn the Incense upon it So that there is a work of Intercession for the High Priest to do which High Priest now is Jesus Christ therefore faith the Apostle Heb. 7. 21. with 25. The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever meaning Christ after the order of Melchisedeck Now what was the work of Mechisedeck was it not to offer up prayers to God on the behalf of the people that God would bless them with the blessings of his love and favour Gen. 14. 18 19. with Heb. 7. 1. Therefore the Apostle adds this passage after that he hath shewed you that Christ was in the work of his Intercession the similitude of Melchisedeck Heb. 5. 6 7. Where speaking of Christ saith Who in the days of his flesh offered up prayers and supplications with tears and strong crys unto him that was able to save him from death Now you must not think that Christ in his crys and tears and supplications only prayed for himself at that time No no but for all the Elect who at that time met in Christ as
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
Gospel brazen Laver they are now all accounted priests as well as kings to God Use I. Let it serve for information first concerning those which have not yet washed themselves by believing in the Blood of this spiritual brazen Laver. O Sirs how do you think to be accepted with the Lord either in your persons or performances O you that contend so much about Religion alas to what purpose is it when you your selves were never washed from your uncleanness in the Laver of Christs Blood through believing O my friends that I could perswade you to read and well consider that Scripture Isa 1. 11. 12 13 14. and so on To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he goats when you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread in my Courts bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me the calling of Assemblâ—es with your new Moons and Sabbaths I cannot away with it it is iniquity even your solemn meetings your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them and when you spread your hands forth I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of bloud wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well so Verse 18. Then come and let us reason together Thus you see what you must be a people washed and cleansed from your Pollutions through faith in Christs bloud ere ever you can come near God in Worship do not think that God will draw near the Swearing Blasphemer the Whoring Ranter the Sabbath Prophaner the Unjust Oppressour the Justice Wrester the Christian Persecutor I tell thee no no do not deceive thy self be thou never so great or honourabe in this world yet while thou remainest in this condition God regards thy service in his Worship no more then he values the cutting off of a dogs neck Isa 66. 3. So likewise your Worship is abominable in Gods sight you hear God accounts it so let it be put forth in never so glorious a dress or done in never so Princely a Chappel or dished up upon never so good a Velvet Carpet you hear what God accounts of it untill you have washed your soul in the bloud of Jesus Christ by Faith O Sirs labour to draw near to Christ and get your selves washed by his bloud Oh break off from your vile hellish and prophane lives or God will never draw near your Worships while you live you may assure your selves of it the pure God can never commune with such impure souls as you are in his sight you may make your selves as merry as you can when you are in your Worships but you may assure your selves while you remain unwashed with the blould of Christ the great God will be far enough from coming amongst you to cast in any true mirth in the midst of you Use 2. It shews you the danger that will necessarily follow our presumption in daring to meddle with any thing of the holy Ordinances of the Gospel without being washed in the bloud of Christ our spiritual brazen Laver you see if the Priests the Sons of Aaron should do it they should die for it Certainly then if God in his Justice should smite with death all these Priests in England which never yet were washed in the Laver of Christs bloud we should have more Pulpits empty then we should find Priests to supply them in England And how God should make use of such unwashen ignorant fellows to wash the unclean of the times when so many sanctified cleansed Ministers of his own must be thrust out of that work and must stand by as useless the mean while to me it is a great mystery Use 3. If it be threatned with death for any to meddle with the holy things of God without being washed in the blould of the Lord Jesus Oh how should we tremble then to think how many deaths men bring on their heads this day in the world Oh was there ever more medling with the holy things of the Altar by unsanctified men and unwashen Priests then in this day Oh how do the holy Ordinances groan under this intollerable burthen that the Childrens bread must become meat for every Swine Use 4. Lastly Oh you that are the Priests of the Lord indeed I mean Believers Ministers and People would you be accepted in what you do for God would the Minister of Christ be useful in his place to the people what great need have such ere ever they come into the plce of Worship First by the lifting up of an eye of faith through prayer to cast themselves into the brazen Laver of Christs bloud ere ever they cast them-into the Pulpit And you the people would you have the Blessing and miss the Curse which doth or may attend the Ordinance Oh then look up yea get up to the brazen Laver every time you come to the Ordinances of God remember the Priests the Sons of Aaroâ— were to wash every time they were to meddle with such things Now ye are the Sons of Aaron and of the Royal Priesthood Oh labour to come in dropping wet to the Ordinance with the bloud of Christ and that is the way to go out dropping wet with the blessings of God CHAP. 26. Of the anointing of the Tabernacle with with the Vessels therein THus having ended with the several particulars in the Tabernacle I now come to speak of the anointing of the Tabernacle For we find that when Moses had finished the Tabernacle with the several Vessels thereof all this was to be anointed all over with Oil Exod. 40. 9 10. Now the Vessels that were in the Tabernacle as they had reference to Christ as hath been shewed you so also do they refer to the Individuals of the Church of God this you may see in Zach. 14. 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses holiness to the Lord and the Pots in the Lords house shall be like the bouls before the Altar for every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to the Lord That is every true servant of the Lord shall be under a great spirit of holiness in the latter Ages of the world Use 1. It serves to inform us of these two things First that the least member in the Church of God is appointed for some use you know there were several Vessels and Instruments in the Tabernacle as the Pots the Caldrons the Flesh-hooks the Fire-pans the Snuffers and the like now though these did differ in glory the one from the other for all had not alike measure of glory upon them neither were they all alike employed
in the same kind of work yet the least Instrument or Vessel in the Tabernacle was employed and was of use even to the Tongs and Fire-pan both which were to right up the Coals on the Altar and to carry forth the Ashes of the Sacrifice Oh so it is in the Church of God there is not one there in that Body or Tabernacle but was appointed for use in the Church though their work may differ and their gifts may differ yet there is work to employ all so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Where the Apostle tells you that there be given to the Church a diversity of gifts and operations for every man to profit withall in Verse 10. To one is given the working of Miracles to another divers kinds of Prophecy to another discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues but all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will So that you see every one in the Church of God is of some use or other for every one hath his proper gift every Christian in his place must do something in his Generation to help forward the glory of God Object But some will say their gifts are small and their graces small and they can do but little Answ It s true where God giveth but little he doth not require much but yet requireth the well-improvement of that little the unjust Steward though he had but one tallent yet he was cast into hell for the non-improvement of that what soul though thou canst not preach for Christ yet canst not pray to Christ for the Church and Gospel and Ministers and Ordinances of Christ what if thou wantest gifts to pray canst not shed some tears for a slain Christ a dying Gospel a starving perishing Ministry and an imprisoned company of Saints and banished Saints and what if thou hast no tears hast thou no sighs and inward groans for these things what if thou hast none of all this for Christ in his people what hast not a good word for them and what if thou durst not afford them a good word what hast thou not a piece of bread to send them or secretly â—o convey to them in their sufferings and what if thou wantest that to give them hast thou not a little dish to dip up a little water as thou passest by a prison door for them Matt. 25. 35 36 37 38 39. Oh let not the weakest Christian set himself aside to say I can do no work for God I want these gifts and parts which some have and therefore I can do little O soul though thou art but the fire-pan in the Church yet here is work to be done for thee though it be but to rid out the dung of the Sanctuary I mean by thy crying and sighing and praying to God that he would cast out that filth and dung out of his Church and Sanctuary that is of late crept into it Secondly It may inform us what the Children of God are and ought to be the holy sanctified ones of the times You read what God commanded Moses to do to the vessels in the Tabernacle when they were framed and fiâ—ted he was to anoint them all with holy oyl Oh so hath the Father anointed every true Believer with the oyl of Grace which came down from Christ so saith John 1. 16. And of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Hence is that of Peter speaking of the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ There is not one in the body of Christ but is sanctified and fitted by grace for the work God appoints him to do 1 Pet 2. 5. You are built up a spiritual sacrifice to God and set apart for holy uses to God as the things of the tabernacle were Psalm 4. 3. The Lord setteth apart the man that is godly for himself O therefore Sirs ye that are the Tabernacle vessels O labour to answer the end for which you were dedicated to God at the time of your Conversion and Calling remember the reason why you were caught out of the power of darkness it was for this purpose that you might be a holy people to God and might bring him home the fruits of righteousness in your lives for ever Titus 2. 14. CHAP. 27. Of the Tabernacle coverings I Come now to speak of the out-side coverings of the Tanacle which comprehended all the rest Now the coverings were of two sorts which we may call the inward or the outward coverings First the inward covering and that was very glorious Secondly the outward covering and that was as mean and uncomely As for the inward covering you may read what is said of that Exod. 36. 8. And every wise-hearted man amongst them that wrought the work of the Tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue purple and scarlet with Cherubims of cunning work made he them you may likewise see the outward coverings of the Tabernacle which seems to be as uncomely as the other are comely and glorious Ver. 14. with 19. And he made curtains of Goats hair for the tent over the Tabernacle ver 19 And he made a covering for the tent of Rams skins dyed red and a covering of Badgers skins above that Suitable to which coverings is the state and condition of the Church of God is it relates either to God or this world First as it relates to God so the covering that is upon the Church is very beautiful glorious which answereth to the coverings about the Tabernacle made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet with Cherubims of cunning work Exod. 36. 8. Which holds out to us the Righteousness of Jesus Christ with which the Church is cloathed withall which covering makes the Church truly beautiful and glorious in the eyes of God when this blessed covering of Christs Righteousness is put upon and hanged about the Church then doth the Church look fair in Gods account so saith the Apostle Col. 2. 10. And yea are complete in him who is the head of all Principalities and Powers That is when the Church is cloathed upon with this covering of Christs Righteousness then are you complete who are of that Church in Gods sight not else 2. Besides the Tabernacle covering agrees to the Righteousness of Christ I mean the Inner of the two coverings if we consider the obscurity of the Tabernacle covering it was not what was to be seen by every beholder for this covering was hid from the beholder by reason of another covering which was made of Rams skins and cast over it Read Exod 36. 14. with ver 19. So it is in the case of the Churches greatest glory in this life the Churches greatest glory and beauty doth consist of a being cloathed with
the Garments of Christs Righteousness But it s a glory veiled up from the eyes of the most of men there is a covering of Rams skins drawn over it which keeps the sight of this glory from men there is nothing but an eye of Faith can discern this therefore is the glory of the Church said to be a hidden glory from the world men as men see little into it or know little of it Psalm 45. 13. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within all her cloathing is of wrought Gold But however though in the account of men the Church of Christ seems to be poor and mean and worthless yet because of the Righteousness of Christ with which she is cloathed she is very beautiful and glorious and lovely in Gods eyes Cant. 1. 9 10. I have compared thee Oh my love to a company of Horses in Pharoahs Chariots thy cheeks are comely with rows of Ienels thy neck with chains of Gold So ver 15. Behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair thou hast doves eyes So Isa 43 34. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Sheba for thee since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life And hence it is the Saints are Gods Jewels Mal. 3. 17. by all which you may perceive what great respects God hath for the Church because of that glorious Tabernacle covering of the Righteonsness of Christ which is put upon them Use 1. O then how should the thoughts of this wonderfully raise and comfort the hearts of the people of God especially in two seasons First in doubting seasons when a poor Soul lieth burthened under the sence of his personal vileness and pollutedness before God which oftentimes weakens the souls confidence in God and keeps the soul at a distance with God who thinks that as he seems in his own eyes so he doth in the eyes of God Oh soul remember the Tabernacle covering that glorious wrought piece which had the Cherubims wrought in it which Cherubims were the Emblems and Signs of mercy in which covering God looks upon all Believers not as they are in themselves but as they are and do appear before him in the righteousness of his Son which covering hides all thy filth and iniquity and infirmities Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered So that you see there is that which doth cover transgression and hide iniquity that it cannot appear before God to condemn the soul Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a soul in Christ Iesus The Robe of Christs Righteousness is such a covering for and to the Church as that it doth not only hide sin pollution and a thousand times ten thousand infirmities but also it presents the soul to God in its own dress and so draws forth the love of God and the delight of God to the creature as if the creature had never sinned Ephes 5. 26. 27. Husbands love your wives as Christ hath loved the Church and given himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water and the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Therefore the Spouse in Cant. doth notably distinguish her condition in this case as she saw her self in her self and as by faith she saw her self in the Righteousness of Christ First as she saw her self in her self so she crys out she was black as the tents of Kedar which tents were made of black hair-cloth so black and worse was she in her own eyes by reason of sin and corruption which dwelt within her Cant 1. 5. Secondly but as she looked upon her self in Christ covered over with his Righteousness so she cryeth out she was as comely as the curtains of Solomon there she knew she was without spot or wrinkle in Gods sight and in the worst of times could go with boldness to the Throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 4. 16. here it was in his covering that Paul desired to be found in above any place or state in the world for justification Phil. 3. 9. To be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Laâ— but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Oh soul study this Tabernacle covering more and more and labour by faith to see thy self in it then thy the doubts and fears will begin to leave thee but not before Secondly this will administer great comfort to the soul in times of Persecution when the Church shall be buffeted and slandered and slighted and scorned and cast out as evil and accounted the dung of the times then may the people of God comfort themselves in this truth though men slight them yet God doth not though they see no beauty in us yet God doth and he saith in all the reproaches we meet with we are honourable and precious in his sight Isa 45 3 4. What if Councils and Parliaments Kings and Princes and Nations shall vomit us up out of the midst of them yet the Lord hath other thoughts of his people and so long it s well enough the world thinks we are not worthy to live with their dogs but God accounts one of his Saints worth a whole Nation of the wicked ones Use 2. Oh then how should this truth press upon men and women to get into this Tabernacle covering Oh Sirs whatever thoughts you may have of your selves it may be you are rich and honourable in this life you may have great names amongst your Neighbours for your Wealth Parts Wisdom or Valour but let me tell you if you be not within this Tabernacle covering of the Lord Jesus his Righteousness God accounts you more worthless then the dung of the streets Prov. 10. 20. The heart of a wicked man is little worth They are the scorn of Heaven Psal 2. 4. They are the burthen of the Earth Rom. 8. 22. and to say no more they are the delight and joy of hell This is thy condition soul while thou art out of Christ thou hast no Tabernacle covering about thee to present thee faultless to God but art under the Law and Curse a poor naked wretched soul Oh therefore my advice to thee is to endeavour to get into this Righteousness O flie to Christ give him no rest untill he hath put this glory upon thy soul that so thou mightst not be found naked when the great and notable day of the Lord shall come I come now to speak unto the outward coverings which covered or comprehended all the rest of coverings or things in the Tabernacle and this covering
favour he is called a shepherd Psal 23. 1. Now you know a shepherd doth not throw away his weak Lambs but rather takes up such as are weak and cannot go and carry them in his arms and lodgeth them in his bosom Oh so doth Christ make much of weak Lambs such as cannot go of themselves Christ will carry Isa 40. 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those which are with young Oh see with what heart burnings Christ parts with any of his weak ones Ephraim was a weak lamb and Ephraim would be gone from Christ but observe how Christ parts with Ephraim Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I seâ— thee as Zebaim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together And Christ is the same to thee that ever he was to Ephraim his arm of mercy is not shortned Oh therefore come to him with joy and comfort for he will never leave thee nor forsake thee Lastly Art thou weak in duty O look up to him as thy High Priest full of compassion and love and pity toward weak souls Oh do not despair Christ cannot cast thee off because of thy infirmities in duty for then he would have carried but very few home to heaven for the best that ever were have been very infirm in duty and have had cause to cry out with the Church All our Righteousnesses are but as mâ—nstruous cloths and as filthy rags in thy presence O Lord Isa 64. 6. But Christ is called a Father yea an everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. Doth a Father in the flesh reject or despise the work a weak child doth because it is not done with so much strength as he expects or rather doth he not pity him under his weakness and favour him in his work and considering he seeth the child doth what he can the Father likes it as well as if it were a great deal more Oâ— so it is with this High Priest oh he is so full of compassion that he will not reject thee for thy weakness in performance of duty though the duty be done with little strength or a weak hand yet if it be right for sincerity and truth Christ will accept it kindly hear what he saith about it Zach. 4. 10. For the whole hath despised the day of small things Therefore labour for sincerity of heart that those things thou dost for Christ may be done in truth and fear not Christ hath great compassions he will rather help thee in the work then reject thee for it read Rom. 8. 26. Thus you see what that Qualification in the Priest if well improved will afford us in a doubting season I now come to the second Qualification in the High Priest and that is his Faithfulness This will afford us comfort three manner of ways First In point of supply as to grace Secondly Against falling off from grace Thirdly Against the evil of affliction and persecution First In point of supply with grace I know the Lords people do find the want of that many a time Cant. 2 5. Supporting grace under affliction strengthning grace against wearisomness in duty mortifying grace to sin and corruption and comforting grace in the hour of temptation now here is a fulness of this laid into Christ 〈◊〉 1. 19. chap. 2. 9. And he made the steward of it Oh go to Christ for it Obj. But some may say if we should he may deny it to us and keep it to himself as many Stewards have done who have been intrusted with a treasure in the behalf of others yet they have been defrauded of it through the unfaithfulness of the Steward Oh soul be not discouraged as to that but put him upon the trial there is not one jot of grace that the Father hath given Christ for thee which he can keep from thee I must confess all the supplies of grace which the Father hath given forth for the use and benefit of his Elect he hath intrusted Christ with it and hath made him the disposer of it Iohn 1. 14. with 16. But to be sure of it he will not yea he cannot diminish one jot or mite of it and that for these two reasons First Because in his own nature he is faithful it s abundantly more easie for the Sun to cease shining then it is for Christ to cease being faithful therefore in the Revelations the holy Ghost gives him this name Rev. 3. 14. The faithful and true witness Therefore soul what ever supply of the grace of the Spirit thou wantest assure thy self thou shalt have it if thou makest use of Christ for it he will not withhold one drop of it from thy soul Oh therefore come with boldness to the Throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need plead with Christ for it tell him that thou hast heard that the Father hath laid in a stock of justifying pardoning and sanctifying grace into his hands for poor naked sinful unclean miserable sinners and hath made him the Lord Treasurer of it and tell him that thou art come to him as a miserable poor sinner for a portion of it for a portion of pardoning grace and sanctifying grace then see whether Christ will deny it thee Oh he is so far from withholding from a sinner what is his due by gift from the Father that he hath taken great care and pains to possesse the soul of it upon every occasion read that place in Proverbs which relates to Christ as a Steward intrusted in this great work of giving out grace to the Lords people Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Wisdom hath buâ—lâ—ed her house she hath hewen out her seven pillars she hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath furnished her table she hath sent forth her maidens she crieth upon the highest places of the City who so is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him Come eat of my bread and drink of my wine which I have mingled for sake the foolsh and live and go in the way of understanding Farther you may see how intent Jesus Christ was in this work of distributing freely and faithfully to men the portion given them as sinners by and from the Father Iohn 7 37. In the last day of the Feast which was their great day Jesus stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Mark he chose the great day of the Feast when the company were greatest he did not take a time to proclaim what treasure he had received from the Father for poor sinners when there were but few in place to hear him but when the most of the people were met together besides he did not whisper the matter but cryed aloud that all
Law in their inward parts and write it upon their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Now by that Law in the heart what can it be but the conveying of the sanctifying grace of the Covenant into the Souls of the Lords people at the hour and time of their Conversion Lastly There is grace in the state or that which we call a state of grace which is a souls being planted into Jesus Christ by faith from this men and women can never possibly fall away And for these three grounds First Because those that have been really planted into Jesus Christ they all receive from him eternal life and Christ saith that those which have received from him eternal life they shall never perish Iohn 10. 28. Now if some will assert such shall perish or may perish and Christ saith they shall not soul I leave thee to believe which of these two thou pleasest Secondly It cannot be they can fall from grace because they have Christs hand to defend them now Christ is God as well as man and all power in Heaven and Earth is given into his hand Math. 28. 18 Iohn 10 28. Thirdly It cannot be so because they are in the Fathers hand Iohn 10 29. They are in the Fathers hand by Electon and in the Sons by Redemption and Intercession and none can pluck them out of these infinite Divine hands how is it then that such a Doctrine can be true which says that true believers may fall from grace totally and finally But lastly this Qualification of faithfulness in Christ may afford a great deal of comfort in afflicting and persecuting seasons let the soul meet with never so great distress he may be sure to comfort himself in the faithfulness of Christ though friends may leave him and an estate may leave him saith Christ Isa 43 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee This the Prophet David could experience to be true at sundry times who saith that Christ had been with him in six yea in seven troubles who doth instance in some of his troubles how he had found Christ with him in these troubles one was this when his Father and Mother left hm then the Lord took him up Psal 27. 10. Another was this when his friends and acquaintance had withdrawn from him and did look strange upon him the Lord stood by him Psal 31. 11. So St. Paul could say likewise when all men forsook him yet the Lord stood by him 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. And therefore would comfort the distressed Corinthians 1 Cor. 10 13. That though no temptation had hapned to them but what was common to Saints yet Christ was faithful who would not suffer them to be tempted above what they were able to bear and would with the temptation make away for their escape Now St. Paul could speak this by experience for he had found it so Oh therefore live upon the faithfulness of Christ in a Gaol in a Dungeon any where for he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee if thou art sick he will make thy bed in thy sickness Psal 41. 3. If thou art poor he will stick closer to thee then a Brother Prov. 18 24. If thou art tempted it shall be in his arms Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour those which are tempted In a word he is so faithful as to bear a part with thee in all thy afflictions let them be what they will Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he is afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them Oh therefore make him thy High Priest live upon him for thee and thine in all conditions whatsoever intrust him with thy soul with thy body with thy relations with thy estate with thy all for he is the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. CHAP 30. The Consecrated Garments of the High Priest in which he was to Minister for the people THe High Preists garments were twofold there was what was proper to his body from the neck downward to the feet and secondly there was what was proper to the head of the High Priest from the neck upwards Now in the garments which were proper to the body of the High Priest from the neck downward there were these things considerable First The long Robe it self which covered the whole body of the High Priest from the neck down to the feet we find it to be a very glorious thing as it will appear if we consider the matter of which it was made which was of Gold blue Purple and Scarlet and fine Linen Exod 27 4 5. This shews us or sets forth to us the glorious Robe of Christs Righteousness in which Believers only stand justified before God The body of the High Priest when clothed with his Priestly garments held out two things to an eye of faith First The head with its Crown and Miter upon it that held out Christ as the head of his Church therefore that had the Miter and the Crown upon it Secondly The whole body of the Priest below the head that signified the whole Church of Christ over whom Christ is head Now as the body of the Priest was wholly covered over in all the parts of it with this glorious long Robe so it shews us how the whole body of the Elect stand covered over with Christs Righteousness before God in which alone they are in person and performance presented complete before God Therefore when the Apostle is speaking of the Elects meeting in Christ and covered over with this glorious Robe of Righteousness saith in Col. 2. 10. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all Principalities and Powers That is when Believers have by faith put on the Righteousness of Christ about them as the High Priest did put on his garments then are they complete in Gods sight and not till then Hence it is when the Apostle speaks of the work of making Christ ours he delivered himself in such phrases as hold analogy with the High Priests putting on his long Robe that you may know the one was a Type of the other As in Rom. 13. 14. But ye put on the Lord Jesus Christ so Eph. 4. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness so Phil. 3. 9. And be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law That is to put him on as a Robe or to be found in him or his righteousness wholly covered over with it by faith as with a garment Thus you see how the Scriptures make the High Priests garments and the Righteousness of Jesus Christ to agree and harmonize together Use 1. Then this shews us the usefulness of the
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
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 sweet and cloth themselves with the wooll But for the fatness of sound Doctrine and the sweetness of truth the Church of God may perish and rot and die for any thing they eare or are thoughtful about surely the Urim and Thummim was never upon the breasts of these sacred Priests as they would be owned Secondly As for the other qualification which is holiness of life and conversation this ought to be in and upon the Ministers of the Lord They ought to be exemplary in their lives and conversations for others to imitate them that so they might not build for God with one hand and throw it down again with the other hand this is our Saviours exhortation to all Ministers of the Gospel Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works might glorifie your Father which is in heaven therefore saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 5 3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock Use 2. O Then how unhappy are the people of some Countries in the World with respect to the want of this great qualification in their Ministers or pretended such how hard a thing is it to find the Urim and Thummim upon their Priests methinks to see men and meet men with their loins girt so seemingly devout and yet to see these casks so empty either of sound Doctrine or a holy Conversation it is to me a piece of unparallel'd hypocrisie It s known to all that know any thing that the generallity of the world are apter to walk by examples then by precept the Authority of precepts depends very much upon the good lives of those which preach them alas Brethren what is it if a man go into a Pulpit and preach a very good Learned Sermon and as soon as he is come forth of the place to spend the rest of the Sabbath with his Parishioners in an Alchouse it may be untill they are all drunk in the place or to some ungodly sport or other to the very shame of nature it self if their be any Bull-baiting or Bear-baiting any Hurling Wrestling or Cudgel-playing any Crowding Dancing May-pole or Church Ale-gaming who more fritcher and forwarder in the work then the Parson of the Parish Thus the poor people are made Sermon proof and shut up against all convictions of truth through the scandalous conversations of their idle profane Priests which they have amongst them how far are such from being the Priests of the Lord bearing the Urim and Thummim upon their brests let the world Judge Lastly Where as it s said that the Urim and Thummim was written in the brest-plate and placed upon his heart it shews us how much the work should be upon his spirit that the Priest doth for God and how near he should set it to his heart so should it be with all the Ministers of the Gospel they ought to set those truths which they preach very near their hearts yea such as are true Ministers of Jesus Christ they do set those truths which they preach to others nearest their hearts of any thing in the world God hath ordered it that it shall be so he gives them that he sends forth as Ministers the little Book of truth to eat into their bowels that it might live in their hearts Rev. 10. 9 Hence it is that Jeremiah tells you that the word of God lived in his heart Jer. 20 9. And David a Prophet of the Lord also could tell you that the word of God and the truths he was to deliver were dearer to him then thousands of Gold or Silver Psal 119 72. The Lord makes it so to them that they may take delight in the preaching of it 2. That they may be careful of corrupting of it you know things that are dear and near our hearts we are very apt to keep pure but such things as we regard not we throw into any hole so that it easily corrupts and rusts 3. That if need be they may lay down their lives in defence of it this it was made St. Paul cry out he was not only ready to be bound but to die in the defence of truth Acts 21. 13. It was the nearness of truth to his heart but how few of them are there in the world that call themselves Ministers that in any sense wears the Urim and Thummim upon their hearts 2. As this qualification did relate to the Type which was the High Priest and so in him all the succeeding Ministers of the Gospel so it relates to Christ who was the Anti-type of it And so the Urim and Thummim shews us these two great things for our comfort which are infinitely to be considered in Jesus Christ First The infinite perfection of holiness and sanctification which is in Christ John 1. 14. He was full of grace and truth Col. 1. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell This teacheth us these two things 1. What believers are in the sight of God through Christ a people full of holiness for Christ is the Vine and believers the Branches now by vertue of this union God looks upon all alike God in the wise dispensations of his grace hath so ordered it that believers and his Son shall make up but one body that so God might account for the Heads sake all the members holy not that they are so in themselves but I say God is pleased to account it so that believers are as holy as his Son they being of him and in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And God would have us to reckon so too for our comfort mark that place in Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon your selves to be also dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord There is not any man in the world dead to sin or perfectly alive towards God its true the Saints are a dying to sin daily and a labouring out after life towards God saith St. Paul I press hard after the mark Phil 3. 14. But for any to say he is perfectly dead to sin and perfectly alive to God in himself he saith not the truth I speak of perfection in the degree yet you see God would have believers look upon themselves so reckon it to be so saith God that is as they are in Christ and by the Father there apprehended for Christ was so in himself fully yet not for himself but for believers read 1 Cor. 1. 30. He was made of God Wisdom Righteousness and Sanctification for us 2. It informs the Saints from whom they do derive their holiness and sanctification and to whom they should go for it O friends you drive it all from Jesus Christ he is the fountain of all your grace of holiness and sanctification John 1. 14 16 17. The word was made flesh and it dwelt amongst us and we
And upon this account we are bid to glorifie God with our bodies as well as with our souls 1 Cor. 6. 20. And we are exhorted to present God with our whole bodies as well as our souls in the Worship of God as living sacrifices which is but our resonable service Rom. 12. 1. Therefore saith David My tongue shall be as the Pen of a ready Writer Ps 45. 1. He would make use of his tongue in the Worship of God to praise him withall So Psal 71. 24. My tongue shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long Psal 27. 7. Ps 28 2. Obj. But some will say the Scripture saith that bodily exercise profiteth little I answer not bodily exercise used in the worship of God excluded but bodily exercise when the soul is excluded out of the worship of God this signisies but little in Gods account else why did the Apostle exhort the Romans to give up the body as well as the soul to God in his service Romans 12. 1. But secondly the gingling of Aarons Bells did signifie the laudable sound that the Priests Doctrine was to make in the ears of the people he was not to be a dumb silent Minister but to make his Doctrine to ring for God in the ears of the people you may see the Charge which is given in this case to Ministers Isa 58. 1. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sins Use 3. O how few Aaronites can we see or hear now in the world how seldom can the poor people hear the ringing of the Bells of sound Doctrine in their ears in some Parishes not above once a moneth in so much that the poor people have almost forgot that kind of Musick and as for others when they do ring the Aaronite Bells of Doctrine to the people it s so much confounded with the sound of other mixt Bells which they have added to them that when the Minister rings them the people can hardly tell whether they be rung in England or in Rome Lastly The Bells of Aarons garment did signifie the readiness forwardness and aptness which there should be in the Priest to the work which God called him unto he was not to be hauld and dragged to his work he was to act readily from a principle of willingness you may conceive the Bells at the end of the long Robe would gingle with every little motion of the body so should Ministers readily freely and willingly give out the mind of God to the dark blind world this is so in a great measure found upon the Ministers of Christ that have the Aaronite Bells upon their garments read that noble passage of the Apostle in Acts 3. 6. Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee in the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk Therefore saith our Saviour to his Disciples when he sent them forth to preach the Gospel to the world Math. 10. 8. Freely have you received therefore freely give God abhors a lazie idle Preacher they are the worst plants that stands in his Vineyard an idle Minister will quickly grow an ignorant Minister for so the Lord puts them together Isa 56. 10. His watch-men are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber Therefore when the Apostle would give a true Character of an Aaronite indeed one that carryeth the Aaronite Bells to the hem of his garment he tells you in 2 Tim. 2 24. He should be apt to teach that is ready willing or forward in his work one that need not be puld to it with Cart-ropes that acts from a principle of love to and delight in his work saith St. Paul A Dispensation is committed to me and woâ—am I if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 16. Our Saviour tells you that the Gospel shall flow so freely from them that are his Ministers as water from a fountain Iohn 7 38. Use 4. Of Lamentation O how few of such Ministers do the Earth abound with at this time that are apt to teach the Gospel to the poor world yea they are so far from being apt to this work themselves that they labour to stop up the way against others who out of Conscience to their duty though at a low rate would do the work themselves but must stand by as useless and can do nothing The good Lord Judge between party and party in this matter if it be thy blessed will how many poor souls lies now a perishing through this dreadful evil is notorious known to many Countries though not so much laid to heart and bewailed before the Lord as the matter requireth Again There were Pomgranates likewise mixed with the Bells at the hem of the long Robe Now the Pomgranates with the Bells did set forth the glory of the doctrine of the Gospel for the colour of the Pomgranates was very glorious as you may see if you read their complexion in Exo. 28. 33. for they were to be made of sky colour Purple and of Scarlet but the Pomgranate alone did set forth to us the fatness and nourishment which the Gospel doth afford the souls of Believers that live upon the Gospel for so is the Pomgranate set forth in the Scripture to be a very pleasant feeding fruit Canticles 4 13. O so is the Gospel its fatness it self is called a feast of marrow and fat things of Wine well refined upon the Lees as you have it in Isa 25. 6. O this is the refreshing satisfying fatning good in the world O the Gospel what a choice thing is it to the souls of the Lords people which makes them cry out bread and the Gospel is good fare A gracious soul knows no such feasting as preaching no such fatness as the word of God brings forth to them the love of which have made some to throw up all their Estates and good things in this life to purchase it This made the Apostle kick up their fishing Trade and this made Matthew to leave his great place in the Custom-Office and Zacheus to throw up the half of his Estate to the poor O they saw by an eye of faith a better glory in the colour of the Pomgranate truth of the Tabernacle they had heard better Musick in the Bells of the Priesthood and had tasted more fatness in the juice of the Pomgranate Doctrine of grace and Reconciliation with the Father by the blood of Christ then in all the pleasant Musicks glories or rarest feeding dainties which this world could afford them could it give me ten thousand times as much again as its able O saith David whose Court abounded with all worldly pleasures and delights the greatest fatness lieth in the house of God Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of
thy pleasures And for all his Kingdom-glory here below in all the plenty and fatness of it yet upon the account of these tastes which he had had of the far exceeding fatness and richness and sweetness he found in the Pomgranate truths of the house of God he doth protest in the Psal 84. 10. That one day in the Courts of the Lord were better then a thousand and that he had rather be a Door-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness There was likewise a glorious girdle made for the Priest which was wrought with Purple Blue and Scarlet fine twined Linen this the Priest was to wear about his loins Exod. 39. 5. with Exod. 29. 5. This girdle of the High Priest doth hold forth these things to our consideration the girding up of the loins doth import these things to us 1. It denotes the resolution of the will to action Jer. 1. 17. Thou therefore gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces least I confound thee before them 2. Sometimes it denotes the strength which God gives to his servants by which means they are enabled to perform that work he imploys them about Psal 18. 39. For thou girdest me with strength unto the battel thou subduest under me those that rose up against me 3. Sometimes it s put down in Scripture to denote the sincerity and faithfulness of the mind in the work a man sets about Eph. 6. 14. Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth Now all these considerations about the girding of the loins do all agree unto and meet together in the Golden girdle of our Gospel High Priest But first let me shew you that Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest is set forth to you as the Anti type of the legal High Priest with respect to the garments which the High Priest was to wear and amongst which this of the Golden girdle is not omitted in Dan. 10. 5. 6. Then I lifted up mine eyes and looked and behold a certain man clothed in linen whose loins were girded about with a Golden girdle his body also was like the Beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning his eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished Brass and the voice of his words like unto the voice of a multude So Rev 1. 13. And in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks one like unto the Son of man clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a Golden girdle Now both Daniel and John had their Revelation from Jesus Christ and they both speak of him as the person who with his own hands gave it out to them And that it was he appears by the garb and dress in which they set him forth to you he was clothed in linen saith Daniel and clothed with a garment down to the foot saith Iohn which was as the High Priest did use to wear of which Christ was the Anti-type Now it can be none but Christ can be intended here by these two Prophets and that it was Christ it farther appears by Iohn who gives him the Title of the Son of man which Title was proper to Jesus Christ Besides both Daniel and Iohn tells you that the same person w ch gave out the prophesie to them which was clothed in linen and a garment down to the foot he was girt about the loins with a golden girdle Thus you see that Christ is set forth to you as a High Priest with respect to the garments which the High Priest did wear of which the girdle as you see was a part 2. I am to shew you that all the former considerations about the girding about of the Priests loins did all meet together in the Golden girdle of our Gospel High Priest First of all it denotes the resolution which was in Christ to the work of mans Salvation and Redemption Oh nothing could hinder the Lord Jesus from undertaking the thing although sin Satan the Curse of the Law the wrath of God Grave Death and Hell stood in the way yet he goes through all and makes his way thorow the highest difficulties that he might accomplish the thing he adventures soul and body glory happiness and all that was near and dear to him in order to the effecting it Luke 12. 50. I have a Baptism to be baptized with and oh how am I straitned untill it be accomplished which Baptism was not the Baptism with Water for in that sense he was baptized before Math. 3. 16. But it was the Baptism of his sufferings which he had so much a desire to finish and a resolution to go through Secondly He hath as great a resolution to bring forth sanctifying grace in the Saints by his Spirit as he had to bring forth justifying grace by his Death Zack 3. 4. And he answered and said unto those that stood before him take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass away from thee and I will cloth thee with change of garments This was spoken by Christ concerning his Church ver 1 2. But mark the resolution of Christ to the procuring of sanctifying garments which is that inward grace and holiness he fills them with which he sees his people stands in need of saith Christ I will do it It must and shall be so I am resolved as I have procured justifying grace for them so they shall be made holy I will give them sanctifying grace nothing shall cross my will in this matter Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Then will I sprinkle you with clean water and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you a new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Mark the resolution of Christ to the sanctifying of his people he will do it take notice of the many Repetitions of his will there are in this place Thirdly So for the saying of his Church out of danger when begirt about with trouble Christ is resolved upon the business though sometimes the Devil and wicked men may think to make their Market upon the Saints that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against his Church and people saith Christ Psal 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor and for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith Christ and I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Mark how much the will and resolution of Christ lieth in this work of saving and delivering his Church out of the hands of men and Devils Use 5. O then how should this comfort and encourage
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
should Satan object against thy Christ it s nothing he had the legal anointings of the father upon him to in right him to his work saith Christ Isa 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel That is the sense of what he means by preaching Lastly That which was appointed to consecrate the Priest withall the Priest was to eat it Exod. 29. 32 33. Which shews us that the work of the Priesthood lives in the heart of Christ it should be of that infinite delight to him as food is to the hungry stomack the Priest should eat in his office and work he should as it were live upon it and feed and feast himself with it as a man doth on his daily food so saith Christ himself speaking of this great work of the Priesthood it is my meat and drink to be imployed in and about it Iohn 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work All this is to encourage doubting souls to make use of Christ to bring their sins and sores and sorrows temptations and corruptions to him and their leporisiecal souls to him and the ignorant hard unbelieving dead carnal proud lustful revengeful hearts to him as their High Priest and lay them down at the door of his Priestly office O this is meat and drink to Christ the High Priest O for Christ to see his door crouded up full with halted mained blind leporous souls all waiting for a cure O this makes the heart of Christ leap in heaven saith Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy will O God Now what was the great will of God it was that the desperate and damned should be saved by the Priesthood of Christ and that he should preach good tidings to the meek and that he should bind up the broken-hearted and preach liberty to the captive and let loose the prisoners and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord Isa 61. 1 2. And that he should comfort all that mourn of the Elect Isa 40. 1 2. O saith Christ this is my delight it s my meat and drink to do my fathers will remember the Priest hath eaten in that with which he was consecrated Secondly So should it be with all the Ministers of the Gospel with what delght should they go about their work O saith St. Paul the goodness of God constraineth us or the love of God constraineth us 2 Cor. 5 14. This work was as meat and drink to him St. Paul had eaten in his Consecrating matter which was bitter in his belly but as sweet as Honey to his taste as it s said of the little book John was to eat Rev. 8. 9. CHAP 33. The work which the High Priest was to do for the people when chosen for them UNder which general there are these things to be considered First The place where the High Priest was to perform the work of the Priesthood Secondly The work he was to do when in the place for administration Thirdly What the Priest was to do for the people upon all occasions of need besides his solemn work in the Tabernacle First The place where the Priest was to perform the work of the Priesthood that was in the Tabernacle within the veil a place where none but the Priest was to enter Lev. 16. 16 17. This was a Type of Christs interceding work now he is in Heaven Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands but into heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us He is there to intercede forth blessings for us and to Advocate our Case he takes up all our accusations laid in against us There he answereth all objections which may be made in Heaven by the Law against us he is there to gather up all our Inditements which may be laid into our charge and he is always there for this work Christ is never absent when there is need for his presence on our behalf saith the Apostle he ever liveth to make Intercession for us it s likewise said that the people were not to go into the Tabernacle but were to stand without at the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 16. â—6 17. This shews us two things First The dark state which God held them under in comparison to us Gospellers it was little of the glory or of the mystery of the grace of the Gospel which that people knew its true they knew they had a High Priest within in the Tabernacle within the veil of it but what he did or acted they were not to look into what manifestations he had of God or glorious discoveries from God they were not to see or have any knowledge of therefore if the ministration of the Law were glorious much more will the ministration of the Gospel exceed in glory so reasons St. Paul 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10 11 12. And he tells you wherein the Gospel is rather glorious in that the veil is taken away and we can now with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord ver 16. 18. Secondly It shews us that at best while we are in this Tabernacle of our body we are absent from our greatest Vision of glory we are but in the outer Court we behold only the back-side of the Tabernacle in comparison to what we shall see when we come to pass within the veil where our High Priest is he saith Paul at best We walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5. 7. We have here but a few drops of our true Tabernacleglory brought whom to us by the eye of faith through Ordinances O but when we are out of the body we shall swim in the Rivers of all glorious perfection saith David Psalm 16. 11. Where we shall be brought into the presence of God where shall be the fulness of joy at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore therefore saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Who would desire to live in this dark dungeon Tabernacle state apart from those celestial glories but rather who would covet as Paul did to be at whom to this blessed Canaan of rest where all true blessedness dwells Again It s observed that the people were to bring their offerings and lay them down at the door of the Tabernacle and the Priest was to take it and offer it for them before the Lord Levit. 1. 3. 4 5. This teacheth what believers should do now in Gospel dayes bring all their offerings to the Lord Christ all the duties in worship and offer it to him that he may present it in his own name to God O how doth this reprove that vain opinion of the Papists who dream of I know not how many High Priests in Heaven whom they adore with that respect which is
onely due to Christ as the Virgin Mary the Mother of God as they can term her and Saint Peter Paul and John besides many other late canonized Saints whom they attribute the honour of the Priesthood unto unto whom they dedicate the Services Pray what Saint or Angel were the Jews to create to themselves in this great work besides their High Priest which was of the Lords own institution by Moses 2. As to the work the High Priest was to do when in the Tabernacle within the rail First he was to take the blood of the sacrifice and to sprinkle the mercy-seat therewith Levit. 16. 14 15. which shews the prevalency and force of Christs intercession now in heaven for us Christ enters heaven with the worth of his Merits and in the vertue of his Blood and shews the Father a sufficient ground for what he intercedes about Lord here is my Blood for this request and for the other petition which I put up to thee in the behalf of my people below if I ask grace or pardon Lord here is my blood upon the mercy-seat if I ask deliverance for them from their enemies Lord here is my blood for it upon the mercy-seat Secondly The Priest was to adde to this strong cryes and prayers by the burning incense Altar for the people praying to God for pardon for them and that he would accept their persons and their sacrifices and would be their God and would bless their souls and would send them help from his holy Sanctuary Levit. 16. 12 13. This is the very work of Christ now in Heaven the blessing of his people with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things is from him it s attributed to Christ Acts 3. 26. Unto you first God having raised up Jesus Christ sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from his iniquities therefore soul what ever thou wantest of this nature apply thy self to the Priest of Blessings and thou shalt not fail Again then was the Priest to take of the Incense and cast it into the fire which was upon the Incense Altar that so a cloud of Incense might arise before the Lord Lev. 9. 22 23. This was to shew us for our comfort what abundance of acceptable matter goeth up to God in the intercession of Christ a whole cloud of Incense and certainly this must prevail with God in the behalf of his people for that 's the purpose of Christs offering up incense it was not for himself but his people it is the Incense of his own blessed worth and excellency which is in a way of powerful Intercession of fered up to God with his peoples duties to make them and their services a sweet smelling savour to God and after this manner and to this purpose you have our Saviour represented again by the Spirit to John after his Ascention â—eâ— 8. 3 4. Where the purpose of the going up of this cloud of Incense is laid open to you it is as I have said to perfume all the rest of the Saints prayers duties and services as that they may be a sweet smelling savour to God this makes the weakest services of the weakest Believer acceptable to God therefore soul when ever thou art about to perform any duty to God and findest that thou canst not do it but with weakness yea much weakness then take that weak duty and cast it into the Incense fire of intercession which standeth upon the Altar Christ in the vessel of the hot burning coals of his zeal and love to thee and for thy good and then it will ascend up with the rest of Christs and his peoples to God in that great cloud where it will be acceptable indeed CHAP. 34. What the Priest was to do for the people upon all occasions besides his solemn Work in the Tabernacle FIrst the High Priest was to take notice of every uncleanness that should be found amongst the people either in their persons garments or in their houses Levit. 14. from the 3. to the 40. verse as that if any plague or leprosie sore or ulcer should break forth upon the person of any of the people then were they to go to the High Priest and shew it him and he was to look upon it and endeavour their cleansing All this is to be set upon a door of access for a poor doubting soul to come to Christ in the worst of times for look what work the High Priest under the Law was to do for the seed of Abraham according to the flesh the same is Christ a Believers Gospel High Priest to do for Abraham according to Faith and this action of the High Priest to the Israelites in a case of bodily mallodies leads you to Christ in a case of spiritual malladies I believe the want of knowledge into this mystery hath occasioned many doubts and fears in many poor souls who hath not had Satan a little wanting to make the most of their ignorance in this matter in a way of heaping on their trouble vvho stir up corruption in the soul what he can and labours to create guilt upon the conscience and vvhen he hath filled the soul vvith all manner of sores and spiritual plagues and running griefs then doth Satan labour to plaister them abroad upon the conscience to the affrighting of the soul off of Christ and tells the soul that certainly the holiness of Christ vvill never endure to have fellovvship vvith such a soul his nature is too pure to cast an eye upon such an impure piece as the soul is therefore the soul vvere better sit still vvhere he is then to think of going out to Christ for it vvill be but lost labour Thus he labours to over-shoot the Priestly office of Christ and shevvs the soul much of Christ according to his divine Nature not suffering the soul to have the least vievv of considered as a High Priest vvho vvas appointed to be such on purpose to have to do vvith â—linde lame sick sore corrupted deformed desperate and damned sinners that he might heal them Isa 6. 1. 2. and for a demonstration to the point in hand you may observe through the whole Life of Christ in the dayes of his flesh these vvere the most vvhich he for the most part of his time conversed vvithal It vvas for this the Pharisees upbraided Christ as a friend to Publicans and Sinners because he eat and drank mostly vvith such besides our Saviour himself tells you That he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Use 1. O therefore soul be not discouraged for the future let not Satan hinder thee for time to come of making use of Christ in times vvhen thou findest thy sores and plagues and corrupted issues upon thy soul O then above all times come to Christ if thou at such a time as this is standest off from Christ thou art guilty of robbing Christ of one great part of the glory of his High Priesthood thou shut'st out