and the Wave-Offering a thankful frame of spirit to dedicate and give up our selves unto the Lord to be owning God acknowledging and admiring God in every thing receiving it as from his hand and returning it to him again by using it to his Glory Vse 2. We see here the rise and withal the sinfulness of divers of the Popish Superstitions they borrow many of them from the Jews and from the Ceremonial Law As when they talk of a Sacrifice a propitiatory Sacrifice in the Mass for Quick and Dead and so to call the Communion-Table an Altar It is true we have an Altar and a Sacrifice under the Gospel but this Altar is the Deity of Jesus Christ this Sacrifice is the blood of Christ this is the true Atonement between God and sinners whereof the blood of Bulls and Goats was but a weak and low and shady representation So the Priest his lifting up the Host over his head as if it were an Heave-Offering and that late Abomination that they must do it on the north side of the Communion Table or Altar as they love to have it called To reintroduce these old legal Ceremonies and to talk of literal Sacrifices under the Gospel is to dig Moses out of his Grave and to deny Jesus Christ there is more evil in such things then many do imagine or will believe Vse 3. Exhortation to keep close to the Command of God in all the matters of his Worship Consider the 38 Verse of this Chapter This is the Law of the Burnt-Offering and of the Meat-Offering and so of all the rest of their Offerings which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the Children of Israel to offer their Oblations to the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai The manner of Worship is under a Command as well as the matter the Mode of Worship hath a Law which must be attended and observed and kept close unto Let me press this Exhortation that you would in all your Worship keep close unto the Rule of the Word with these four Motives 1. It hath been the great design of Satan in all times and Ages to defile and corrupt the Worship of God if he cannot perswade men to be downright Atheists and to say there is no God he labours then to drive them into the other extream of Idolatry and Superstition and to impose upon them with an Image with an Idol in stead of God and the hearts of men are like Tinder to the fire of these temptations The Stratagem hath been I think as successful and as advantageous to the Devils Kingdom as any that ever came into that Old Serpents head When or how soon this delusion came into the world I need not here dispute Certain it is it was very early for we have express mention made of it amongst Abraham's Ancestors Josh 24.2 Now the Call of Abraham was but four hundred twenty-seven years after the Flood or thereabout as you will find if you compute and put together the Ages of those ten Patriarchs recorded Gen. 11 with Gen. 12.5 So that mankind having been cut down with a Flood but a little before for Atheistical profaneness and wickedness they were lost again and the whole world in a manner overwhelmed and drowned as it were with another and worser Deluge of Idolatry within that short space of four hundred years or thereabouts for unto that Period as I conceive the Rise of Idolatry must be referred And what was the great sin amongst the Jews Was it not this And amongst the old Heathens and Pagans and amongst the Papists and other superstitious Christians at this day What is the great Design and Work of Christ in this Age the work of this Generation but to bring forth his Worship into purity that the new Jerusalem may come down from Heaven This therefore Satan studies chiefly to oppose and so to countermine the Lord Jesus in his great Work And will you take part with him and be on his side against the Lord 2. It will be varnished over with fair colours and plausible pretenses departing from the Will of God revealed in his Word in the matter of his Worship hath ever been so The Image that fell down from Jupiter cryed they Act. 19.35 this was given out for that Ephesian Diana so the Whore of Babylon gives the Wine of her Fornication in a golden Cup. Rev. 17.4 And as the Light increaseth so the Crafts and Methods of Satan are more refined and more subtile and spiritual In the first times of the New Testament he did appear almost like himself in the shape of a great Red Dragon in the Roman Pagan Emperors but when Michael and his Angels overcame and overthrew him in this appearance Rev. 12. Then he puts on a new Vizard and appears in another shape of two wild Beasts Rev. 13. but still pursues the same design though under new pretences and by other Instruments viz. by the Church and Pope of Rome For he hath made it his business ever since the time of Constantine the Great to revive the old Heathenish Idolatry under other names that the world might not be said Idola relinquere but simulacra mutasse that whereas before they worshipped the Devil under the names of Jupiter Diana and Apollo c. now they commit the same Idolatry and worship the same Devil still but under the names of popish Saints Now it is not Jupiter and Diana any more but St. Francis and St. Becket and the Vicar of Christ and the holy Catholick Church of Rome thus doth that Harlot paint her face so the prelatick Superstitions at this day those Reliques of Popery are painted over with those glozing pretences of Antiquity Fathers Councils Order Decency Edification the Peace of the Church and such like 3. If once you leave the Rule of the Word the will of God revealed there and begin in a way of Superstition you will never know where to stop or stay nor where to make an end but you will multiply your Idols and increase your Idolatries and grow worse and worse As in those sensual lusts of drunkenness and uncleanness the poor Creature saith I will seek it yet again so in these spiritual lusts they are unsatiable Ezek. 16.28 because thou wast unsatiable It is an endless sin If you do but wear a Surplice for peace sake why not as well admit the Sign of the Cross in Baptisme or bow to an Altar And then within a little while the same reason is as strong for bowing to an Image to a Crucifix and why not as well say Mass too for the peace of the Church And then at last swallow down every thing submit your Consciences to the Pope worship the Beast and so be damned and go to Hell and all for the peace of the Church O there is no end here but like a man that is tumbling down a steep Hill that cannot stop till he come to the bottom Popery came
the matter to this head of the Jewish Festivals subjoined as an Appendix those two Discourses as they were found amongst the Authors Papers Farewell THE GOSPEL of the JEWISH FESTIVALS Jan. 14 17. 1668. Coloss 2.16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath-days Which are a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Obs 1. THat the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three Heads Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths 2. That these were Shadows of things to come but the Body or Substance is of Christ 3. That therefore Christians should not suffer any man to condemn them for their not observing of these Days I shall handle the two first together in one shewing under each of these legal Holy days what the substance and thing signified was what of Christ was signified and shadowed forth by them Obs 1. That the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three heads viz. Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths This Distribution of them doth frequently occur in the Scripture in other places as well as in this Text 2 Chron. 2.4 I build an House saith Solomon for the Burnt-offerings on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of the Lord our God Ezek. 45.17 And it shall be the Princes part to give Burnt-offerings c. in the Feasts and in the New Moons and in the Sabbaths even in all the solemnities of the House of Israel that is in their appointed or solemn Assemblies Where Solemnities or solemn Assemblies is the general and this Genus is distributed into three particulars Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths so likewise Hos 2.11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease her Feast-days her New Moons and her Sabbaths even every holy Assembly of hers The first word is Feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew moyed set times because they came at set times of the year This is meant of their annual Festivals which were in number five The three principal were the Feast of the Passover the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles which continued the two former each of them seven days the last for eight days together and the first day and the last day of them were holy Convocations wherein they were to do no servile work but to be wholly vacant for the Word and Worship of God The first mention of them is in Exod. 23 14-17 They are more largely spoken to in the 23. chap. of Leviticus and again in Deut. 16. and briefly recapitulated and summed up in ver 16. These were the principal because then all the males were to go up to Jerusalem and therefore these three are so often mentioned together There were also two more the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Expiation There are five general Rules observable concerning all these yearly Feasts 1. That they were all to be celebrated at the place the Lord their God should choose which was Jerusalem Exod. 23.14 Deut. 16.16 That which we are to learn therein is this that there is a Church-worship There are some Ordinances of Gods Worship which are not to be enjoyed but in Church-society As there is a personal and family-worship so there is publick or Church-worship of this kind is the Lords Supper If this be not an Ordinance of publick Worship under the Gospel there is none therefore to carry it to private persons upon their death-beds as the Papists doe is unwarrantable and superstitious 2. It is to be observed that they were all in the Summer time and not in Winter for the Passover was upon the fourteenth day of the first month Pentecost was seven weeks after and the Feast of Tabernacles was upon the fifteenth day of the seventh month Hence is that expression Acts. 27.9 Sailing is now dangerous because the Feast was now already past that is the Feast of Tabernacles The Instruction we are here to learn is this namely to see the tenderness of God towards his people even as to the outward man As he will have Mercy rather then Sacrifice so he orders the matters of Sacrifice and Worship with tenderness and mercy even to the bodies of his people yea the Spirit of God vouchsafes to dwell in their very Bodies as well as in their Souls and he preserves the dust thereof as precious reliques in the treasures of his Providence and will gather those dispersed atoms and bring them forth again and raise them up to everlasting life How great is his Goodness to us It shews there is a Duty incumbent upon us in reference to our Bodies and how great a sin it is in men to wrong and hurt their bodies when the Lord himself is tender of them 3. They were not to come empty handed Exod. 23. Deut. 16.16 17. true Religion is bountiful Duties of Worship are to be accompanied with duties of mercy and bounty so upon the Christian Sabbath there should be Collections for the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 Hypocrisie divides these it is willing to serve God but in the cheapest way hypocrites are all for a cheap Religion 4. Whereas there was danger of Invasion by their Enemies when all the Males were absent the Lord secures them by a promise of special Protection Exod. 34.24 Neither shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year Learn here that while we are in our Duty God will take care of our Safety the way of Duty is the way of Safety When the Church of the Jews was gone from God and had crucified the Lord of Life this protecting Providence forsook them For at the Passover it was that the Romans took and destroyed Jerusalem This Ordinance which was at first and ever after a means of safety to them the Lord now makes it a snare to bring them all together as it were into a pound that the Romans might take them and cut them off But while they abode with God in purity of Worship and Obedience he abode with them in his protecting Providence This should be a great encouragement to us in the Work and Worship of God to run all hazards and to fear no colours but be resolute in the discarge and performance of Duty The Lord is with us in such a case and then who can be against us 5. These Feasts as to their end and use were both commemorative of former Benefits and also prefigurative of future It may be said so of other holy times and holy things also but it holds eminently true concerning these three solemn anniversary Feasts The first of these yearly Feasts was the Passover which began upon the fifteenth day of the first month answering chiefly to our March The first Institution of it is in the 12th chap. of Exodus There were three things which were the peculiar observations of this
can see but created Manifestations and Representations of his Glory he did appear in So Exod. 20.18 and 19.18 19 20 Jehovah descended symbolically in regard of the glorious tokens and symbols of his Presence But then they saw no similitude only Fire and Smoke and the Mountain shaking Deut. 4.12 Exod. 24.10 11. And they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a Saphire stone also they saw God and did eat and drink Exod. 34.5 6. And the Lord descended in the Cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the Name of the Lord and the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed c. It seemeth by the expressions Deum humanâ effigie pertranfijsse that God passed by in an humane shape All the three Persons of the Trinity have appeared distinctly in visible Representations God the Father and the Son Dan. 7.9 13. I beheld till the Thrones were cast down and the ancient of days did sit I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven to the ancient of days Revel 4.1 compared with Chap. 5.7 where we find that the Lamb took the Book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the Throne So that here be two of those glorious Persons distinctly appearing Ezek. 1.26 Above the Firmament there was the likeness of a Throne and upon it the likeness as the appearance of a Man about it It seems to be meant of God the Father because Ezek. 9.2 4. He is distinguished from the Man with a Writers Inkhorn by his side who is thought to be our only High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ The second Person Jesus Christ To Moses Exod. 3.2 4. For he is called the Angel which agrees not so well to the first Person And Moses prays for his Good will Deut. 33.16 Therefore it was not any created Angel but Jesus Christ the Angel of the Covenant of Grace as a praeludium to his Incarnation So to Isaiah 6.1 he saw the Lord. It is the Lord Jesus Christ so it is interpreted John 12.41 So Gen. 32.24 And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the day that is God in the form of a Man as the old Geneva Note hath it The Prophet Hosea saith it was God Hos 12.3 4. and Jacob wept and made supplication unto him and there he or God spake with us The third Person the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove at the Baptism of Jesus Christ Matth. 3. 2. Sometimes Angels have appeared sometimes in Bodies of humane shape provided for them by the Power of God either created of nothing and after the Apparition annihilated or compacted of the four Elements and especially of Air condensed and then resolved again after the Appearance was past into the matter of which they were compounded As to Lot Gen. 19.1 10. And there came two Angels to Sodom and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them and bowed himself with his Face to the ground These Angels vers 10. are called Men. To David 2. Sam. 24.17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel that smote the People and said Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly c. He saw the Angel Which is further explained 1 Chron. 21.16 And David lift up his eyes and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the Earth and the Heaven with a drawn Sword in his hand At Christs Resurrection divers Angels appeared in the shapes of Men Matth. 28.2 3. An Angel rolled back the Stone from the door of the Sepulchre and sate upon it c. Luke 24.4 Behold two Men stood by them in shining Raiment So at his Ascension Acts 1.10 Behold two Men stood by them in white Apparel Sometimes the Angels did appear not only in humane shapes but with other Representations accompanying them as Horses and Chariots of Fire that is with Riders upon them 2 Kings 6.17 Behold the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha Zach. 1.8 Behold a Man riding upon a red Horse and behind him there were red Horses speckled and white and 6.1 there came four Chariots out from between the two Mountains ver 5. These are the four Spirits of the Heavens 3. Sometimes other things were represented and shewn in Vision to them to signifie to them the Mind of God as Jerem. 1.11 13. The Prophet there seeth the Rod of an Almond tree and a seething pot with the face thereof toward the North So Amos cap. 7. ver 1 4 7 8. has several things presented in Vision to him And this is one of these divers manners of the Lords speaking viz. by Visions or Representations to the eye waking 2. Another manner was by Dreams that is by Representation of things to the Fancy in sleep and they had not only things presented but usually Words spoken to interpret them Sometimes the Lord gave divine Dreams to wicked men as to Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar but they knew not what they meant and so were not Prophets but the Lord sent the Interpretation by others who were his faithful Servants But the Prophets and Servants of God usually had both the Dream and some further light for the Perception and Interpretation of it As to Abraham Gen. 15.12 And when the Sun was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abram and lo an horrour of great Darkness fell upon him and he said unto Abram know of a surety c. ver 13. And to Jacob Gen. 28.12 13. the Dream of the Ladder ver 12. is interpreted to him by God in the following verses and 31.11 12. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Jacob in a Dream and speaks unto him and 46.2 God spake unto Israel in the Visions of the night So to Daniel cap. 7. 1 7 13. the divers night Visions he had there are afterwards interpreted to him ver 15 c. To Joseph Matth. 1.20 An Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a Dream saying fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife and Matth. 2.13 19. An Angel of the Lord appeareth in a Dream to him saying arise and take the young Child and his Mother and go into the Land of Israel This way and manner of speaking seems to have been very frequent and usual in those ancient times as those words of Elihu intimate Job 33.14 15 16. For God speaketh once yea twice in a Dream in a Vision of the night See Aynsworth on Gen. 20.3 and Gen. 37.5 when deep sleep falleth upon Men in slumbers upon the bed then he openeth the Ears of Men c. 3. A third manner was by Voices by an audible Voice uttered either by God himself immediately or the Angels And these audible Voices are accompanied sometimes with visible Appearances to the eye but sometimes the Voice alone without any visible apparition To our first Parents Gen. 3.3 It was the Voice of God
these two lay chiefly in this that under the former Dispensation the ordinary way of preserving the Knowledg of God was only by oral Tradition But from Moses his time it was committed to Writing In both these the Church of God was under years in a state of Childhood Gal. 4.1 3. But in the former viz. the time before the Law they were little Children it was the very Infancy and first and weak beginnings of the Church This Period of the Churches Infancy may be subdivided into three particulars 1. The Dispensation they were under from Adam to Noah 2. From Noah to Abraham 3. From Abraham to Moses 1. Adams Dispensation I mean after the Fall For it is the gradual breakings forth of Gospel-light whereof the Text speaks We are to consider how the Lord then spake and how far he revealed himself in that age and state of Mankind Besides what was common to all times viz. the Works of God and the Light implanted in mans heart there were several things that were the special Discoveries and Light of that Age I shall instance in four particulars 1. The Lord having convinced them of their Sin gave them that famous Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 This was the first Beam of Gospel-Light that ever brake forth unto lost and fallen Man A comprehensive Promise which includes the whole Gospel as you have formerly heard in many particulars upon that Text Gen. 3.15 This great and precious Promise they and all the Saints for almost four thousand years did believe and live upon waiting and longing for the coming of that blessed Seed that victorious Seed that should slay the Dragon and destroy the Works of the Devil as 1 Joh. 3.8 It is thought that Eve did hope to have seen him in her days and that she her self should have been the immediate Mother of the Messiah And thence she called her first Son Cain Possession thinking she had now got the Promise in possession and performance But afterwards perceiving her mistake and disappointment she called her next Son Abel Vanity As it is a common error that we are apt to run into in the exercise of Faith upon the Promises we are apt to antedate the time of performance which is from a secret mixture and working of unbelief for he that believeth shall not make haste Isai 28.16 2. To this Promise the Lord added some outward and visible Signs and Tokens for the further help of Faith In all times ever since God made Man he hath given him some outward and sensible things to be Signs and Representations of spiritual things as being suitable to the Nature of such a Creature Man consisting both of Soul and Body Even before the Fall there were two Sacramental Trees the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and now under the Gospel we have two Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper So in these first times after the Fall they had something of the like nature The signal instance hereof is the Sacrifices or the slaying of clean Beasts and offering them and other things up to God to make atonement For it is expressed that Cain and Abel did it Gen. 4.3 4. and Noah afterwards Which to have done without Order from God had been detestable and abominable Therefore there is no doubt but as they were taught by their Parents so their Parents were instructed from the Lord about it And in Noahs time we find there was a distinction of Beasts into clean and unclean Gen. 7.2 that is clean for Sacrifice For it doth not appear that any of them were used for Food before the Flood What this aimed at the Scripture is plain Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of Blood there is no Remission of Sins and Christ is said to offer up himself a Sacrifice for us Ephes 5.2 therefore they did look at Christ Before Sin there was no need of any Sacrifice for Expiation of Sin Hence among the Gentiles they had a custom of sacrificing from some slender Fame remaining among them of such an Institution for it was no part of the Light of Nature though they were ignorant of the true God the true Object to whom to present their Sacrifices Hither also some refer that passage Gen. 3.21 Vnto Adam also and to his Wife did the Lord God make Coats of Skins and clothed them This is thought to have a further Mystery included and aimed at in it For there is a spiritual Clothing often spoken of in Scripture As they were under a double Nakedness both of Soul and Body their Souls divested of Gods Image and original Righteousness and their Bodies overspread with Shame so the Lord provided a double Clothing for them He did not clothe their Bodies and leave their Souls naked but he gave them both the upper Garment of Justification and imputed Righteousness and the inner Garment of Sanctification and Grace inherent This may be considered also under another Notion as one of the Favours of Providence unto those first times of fallen Mankind that now was the Invention of many useful Arts and Sciences Here God himself vouchsafes to teach them how to make Clothes We read also in Gen. 4. of sundry other Arts and Occupations as ver 20. Jabal was the Father of such as dwell in Tents and of such as have Cattel The meaning of it is well explained in the Margent the first Inventor of Tent making and of Pastorage and keeping Cattel And his Brothers Name was Jubal he was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ ver 21. the first Inventor of Musick I mean Instrumental Musick For Vocal Musick Nature it self teacheth that And ver 22. The working of Mettals by Tubal-Cain an Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron whence arose the Heathenish mistakes and fables of Vulcan These were great Mercies and gave some further Discoveries of God to those who had Eyes and Hearts to see him in his Works For all lawful Arts and Sciences and all the Rules thereof are Beams of Gods Wisdom and Gifts and Operations of his Spirit Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Prudence and find out Knowledg of witty Inventors So Bezaleel and Aholiab Exod. 31.3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and Vnderstanding and in Knowledg and in all manner of Workmanship and ver 6. I have given with him Aholiab Those mean Trades and Occupations Isai 28. are the Gifts of God The Lord teacheth the Husbandman how to thresh his Corn and to beat out the Cummin 3. There was something also of Church Discipline exercised in those first Ages of the Church A signal Instance hereof we have in Gain Gen. 4.12 A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth God himself pronounceth Sentence upon him ver 16. he is sent forth loaden with the Curse of God from the Fellowship of his people This is thought to have been about the hundred and
the divine Authority of the Scripture Yea the Lord raiseth them to an higher pitch of Reformation than ever Nehem. 9. They kept the Feast of Tabernacles so as it had not been kept from the days of Joshua Doubtless David and other reforming Kings had kept it but that part of the Ordinance the dwelling in Booths had been as it may seem omitted and neglected by them another Corruption was the mixture of the Church with Heathens by strange Marriages Ezr. 9 and Nehem 10. and the Samaritans those Mongrels would have intruded but were rejected Ezra 4. Thus they purged and reformed themselves from both these corrupting mixtures in the matter of the Church 5. And lastly the Old Tetament was concluded by the Prophet Malachy who was the last of all the Prophets The Lord would have no Prophet beyond the first times of the second Temple nor no Writings of men in the age immediately after the Apostles immediately following the Gospels Promulgation That it might manifest it self more clearly by its own own Light to be supernatural This Period viz. that of the second Temple continued four hundred and ninety years Dan. 9.24 seventy Prophetical weeks is four hundred and ninety solar years Now such a people thus delivered and restored twice delivered out of Bondage first out of Egypt and then a second time out of Babylon one would think they would have abiden with the Lord for ever after And one thing they did learn viz. to forsake gross Idolatry and this was all But they grew more rigidly formal and exquisitely hypocritical than ever and Religion ran out into Sects and Parties and Factions amongst them There were Pharisees and Sadduces and Galilaeans and Herodians amongst them Names which the Scripture mentions and Histories speak of another Sect called the Essenes And thus it was with them when our Lord Jesus came in the Flesh The inward and spiritual part of Godliness and the Practice of that which is truly so was in a very great measure lost amongst them being eaten out partly by their Sects and Divisions partly by their rigid Formality and Hypocrisie And thence at last the Lord sending his Son their Messiah so long promised and longed for by them they reject and crucifie him So the Lord having by all these various Dispensations and turnings of his hand mended the old House as it were seven times over he resolves now at last to pull it down for all these legal Dispensations were but the mending as it were and repairing of the old House but the Gospel pulls it quite down and builds a new one Thus I have led you thorough the several times and seasons wherein the Lord spake unto them of old you have seen the gradual progress of the Light and Work of God among them in those seven pieces of the Old Testament Dispensation which have been briefly run thorough That which follows next to be spoken to is the Reasons of the Point why the Lord spake and revealed his mind in such divers ways and manners and in these several pieces and parcels neither in one way only nor at one time Quest What may be the Reasons of the Point The Lord could have spoke his whole Mind at once in one way and at one time therefore why did he speak in such divers manners and in so many several pieces and parcels Answ Although it is a sufficient general account to say that this or that is best because God wills it For he doth all things well and his Will is the Rule of Goodness and it is not for us to call him to an account of what he doth yet we may humbly and modestly inquire into the reason of things not to contend him with for doing so for that were Prophaneness but to understand something of his Wisdom therein The Reasons therefore may be referred to two heads 1. In regard of our Weakness 2. For his own greater Glory I shall speak briefly unto both these adding but a little unto what others have said upon this Subject Reas 1. In regard of our Weakness The Lord herein condescends and accommodates himself unto us You may see his Condescention in four things 1. In that we are dull and slow of understanding to apprehend the Truth Therefore the Lord illustrates the same things several ways like the Light shining into the House at several Windows that in such a plenty of Light some of all those Beams may shine into our Hearts Luk. 24.25 we are slow of Heart to believe 2. We are but narrow-mouth'd Vessels not able to receive much at once As we are slow to receive any thing at all so we are uncapable to receive much at once Therefore the Lord teacheth us here a little and there a little a little to Adam a little more to Noah and a little more to Abraham and yet more fully and copiously to Moses leading them on by degrees as they were able that so men in several ages might know what their Fathers did and something more Isai 28.9 10 13. Geneva Note in loc They must have one thing oftentimes told 3. By this various and gradual proceeding God did prepare and fit his People by weaker and lower Dispensations for further and higher Dispensations As a Child by learning his A. B. C. and his Primmer is fitted to go into an higher harder Book so the Church of God by those immediate Revelations and Visions c. so frequent in those first times when they wanted the written Word was fitted to receive the Scriptures with the more Desire and Reverence and Faith Exod. 19.9 Lo I come unto thee in a thick Cloud that the People may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee for ever And they did believe him ever after so Joh. 9.29 We know that God spake unto Moses So the Church of God being exercised under the Mosaical Pedagogy so long together they were thereby prepared to welcom the Gospel more gladly when it came How gloriously and joyfully was it entertained when they had waited for it about four thousand years with what Triumphings in God! that now they saw that which Kings and Prophets and righteous men have desired to see but it had not been granted to them see Luk. 10.23 24. That which all the Prophets had spoken of since the World began Luk. 1.70 Act. 3.24 The Mystery that had been hid from Ages and Generations Col. 1.26 4. A fourth Condescention of the Lord herein is this By these varieties of Dispensation the Lord provides to have his Truth set on with all kind of Arguments yea with Arguments of peculiar concernment and suitableness to take with us As Moses to the Jews The Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers but with us Deut. 5.3 And Manna which thy Fathers knew not Deut. 8 16. So Christ Joh. 13.34 A new Commandment give I unto you And the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.8 A new Commandment I write unto you It was an old Commandment but set
adumbrate and shadow forth the Covenant of Works But 2. We may consider Moses under an higher notion though in respect of the external Dispensation introduced by him he shadowed forth the Law yet in other respects if we consider him in his own Person he was a Type of Christ The Scripture is clear for this also Deut. 18.15 18. A Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy Brethren like unto me That this was spoken of Christ see Act. 3.22 Peter there applies it unto Christ he was like unto Moses There was a Similitude but yet there was not a Parity For Christ was far above Moses Heb. 3.3 For this man was counted worthy of more Glory than Moses inasmuch as he who builded the House hath more Glory than the House and again ver 5. Moses verily was faithful as a Servant but Christ as a Son over his own House v. 6. You may see it in these particulars 1. In regard of his Birth 2. In his personal Qualifications 3. In the whole course of his Life 4. In the close of it 1. Moses was a Type of Christ in regard of his Birth in that he was born but of mean Parents in the time of Israels Bondage in Egypt Exod. 2.1 persecuted in his Infancy by Pharaoh and wonderfully preserved Exod. 2.3 9. So Christ Isai 53.2 He shall grow up as a Root out of a dry ground When the House of David was brought very low and the Glory of it seemingly extinct they were of the poorest sort of people as appears by their Offering which was but a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons Luk. 2.24 when they taxed all the world that is when the Jews were under Bondage to the Romans Luk. 2.1 4. and you know Rome is spiritually called Egypt then and in this condition of Subjection to the Roman Power was Christ born And as soon as born he was persecuted by Herod Matth. 2. who sought his Death but wonderfully preserved and by means of his reputed Father as Moses by the Mother that adopted him both of them by wonderful Providences saved and delivered that they might be Saviours and Deliverers unto others 2. Moses was a Type of Christ in his personal Qualifications which were very eminent He was the most accomplish'd Person that ever was except Jesus Christ himself 1. In Learning and Knowledge Act. 7.22 He was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians So Christ Isai 11.1 2 3. the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Knowledge rested upon him to make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord insomuch that he disputed with the Doctors at twelve years of age Luke 2.42 46 47. Those Doctors were as too many are now adays eaten up with mens Traditions and ignorant of the Scripture The Jews acknowledged and admired it Joh. 7.15 And the Jews marvelled saying how knoweth this man Learning having never learned and ver 46. the Officers answered never man spake like this man 2. Clear and extraordinary Vision and Sight of God Numb 12.6 7 8. Face to Face Mouth to Mouth God spake to Moses even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord did he behold expressions arguing unparallell'd Clearness in the Lords revealing himself and his Mind to Moses There was never the like vouchsafed to any other To others even Prophets the Lord made known himself in a Vision or spake to them in Dreams ver 6. but to Moses at another rate So Christ Joh. 1.18 no man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him 3. There was in Moses an admirable mixture of Meekness and Zeal eminent in meekness of Spirit and that seasoned and tempered with holy Zeal Numb 12.3 forty years he bare their manners in the Wilderness Acts 7.36 with 13.18 though murmuring and rebelling against God and himself with an invincible Patience So Christ Matth. 11. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart When his Disciples tempted him he would not fetch down Fire from Heaven against his Despisers and Opposers yet he was angry at the Defilement of the Temple and whipt them out And so was Moses at the Golden Calf Meekness without Zeal is nothing else but Lukewarmness and Cowardise Zeal without Meekness degenerates into sinful Passion We should be meek in our own Cause but zealous in the Cause of God 4. Faithfulness to his Trust this was eminent in Moses but more eminent in Christ Heb. 3.5 6. Moses was but faithful as a Servant in his Lords House But Christ as a Son in his own House He will not lose one Soul of all those that the Father hath committed to him Joh. 6.39 40. In his last Prayer he professeth Joh. 17.12 those that thou givest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of perdition not the least Believer can or shall miscarry If thou sayst How may I know whether I was committed to the trust and care of Jesus Christ by the Father The Answer is If thou dost commit thy self to him the Lord hath done it Thou couldst never trust thy self with him thou couldst not commit thy Soul to his keeping if the Lord had not first intrusted thee with him in his eternal Counsel and Covenant of Redemption But thou hast done it and it is thy daily work therefore thou maist safely conclude with Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 he will keep the thing I have committed to him He will be faithful to God and faithful to thee he never failed any that trusted in him 3. Moses was a Type of Christ in the whole course of his Life And here many things come to be considered 1. His Work and Office 2. His Sufferings and Conflicts in the Discharge thereof 3. The Lords owning and bearing witness to him by Miracles and Signs and Wonders in all which there was a manifest Prefiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ 1. In his Work and Office He was in general a Mediator between God and the People a typical Mediator All the good that God was pleased to confer upon that People it was by his Ministry and Interposition between God and then Gal. 3.19 the Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Deut. 5.5 I stood between the Lord and you at that time to shew you the Word of the Lord for ye were afraid by reason of the Fire and went not up into the Mount Exod 19.7 8. So Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.15 and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament But he hath the preheminence above Moses Heb. 8.6 but now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant God was pleased to redeem his people Israel out of their Bondage in Egypt by Moses his Ministry God sent him and he left his
former Employment and Place to do this Work Exod. 3.10 Come now therefore and I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou maist bring forth my people the Children of Israel out of Egypt But by Jesus Christ he redeemeth us out of the spiritual Bondage of Sin and Satan which is worse than Egyptian Bondage and he was sent by his Father and was content to come down from Heaven and to leave his Glory to do this great Work wherein Christ hath the preheminence For Moses was a Mediator only of temporal and typical Redemption but Christ is the Mediator of spiritual and eternal Redemption By Moses his Mediation also the Law was delivered upon Mount Sinai Gal. 3.19 it was ordained in the hand of a Mediator or a middle person that stood and transacted between God and the people Act. 7.38 who received the lively Oracles to give unto us But by Jesus Christ the Gospel is published In this respect he is the Mediator of a better Testament Moses gave the moral judicial and ceremonial Laws But Christ reveals the Gospel and Gospel-Worship Moses appoints the Passover Sacrifices builds the Tabernacle made with hands But Christ gives the Lords Supper a most lively Representation of himself and his own Death the true Sacrifice And he is himself also the true Temple and Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not Man so that Christ hath the preheminence in all things inasmuch as Gospel-worship excels Legal worship and Truth and Substance excels Figures and Shadows Lastly Moses did mediate between God and the people as an Intercessor by his Prayers and Supplications and did prevail for them for the Destruction of Amalek Exod. 17. And again when they murmured upon the evil Report of the Spies Numb 14.12 13 20 and when they made the molten Calf Exod. 32.10 11 14. then with much wrestling he prevailed with the Lord for them Psal 106.23 Moses stood in the breach So doth Christ intercede and pleads for us with the Father when we provoke him by our Sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. yea he lives for ever to intercede Heb. 7.25 2. Moses his Sufferings and Conflicts in the Discharge of his Trust and Exercise of his Office had in them a Shadow of the like to be undergone by Christ Moses fasted forty days and forty nights in the Mount So did Christ in the Wilderness He suffered many Contradictions both from his Enemies and from his Friends professed Enemies Jannes and Jambres and the Magicians of Egypt 2 Tim. 3.8 His Friends the people to whom he was sent rejected him Exod. 2.14 often murmured at him forty years he bore their manners Acts 13.18 yea his neerest friends sometimes Aaron and Miriam So Christ he was rejected of the Builders Psal 118.22 came to his own and his own received him not Joh. 1.11 His own Disciples sometimes thought his Doctrines hard sayings as when he spake against Divorces they thought a man had better never be married than submit to such a yoke and all along how weak and wayward were they But the Scribes and Pharisees like Jannes and Jambres openly resisted and opposed his Doctrine and Miracles 3. The Lords owning and bearing witness to him by Miracles Signs and Wonders Deut. 34.10 11 12. So to Jesus Christ Acts 2.22 a man approved of God among you by Miracles Wonders and Signs some note in all about five and forty of them recorded by the four Evangelists and wrought in the three years and an half of his publik Ministry viz. three in his first year nineteen in his second year and thirteen in his third year and ten in his last half year before Judas betrayed him besides those at his Death and after his Resurrection Only there were these two differences between Moses his Miracles and Christs 1. That Moses his Miracles were wrought in Christs Name but Christs Miracles were wrought in his own Name 2. That Moses his Miracles had more of Terror and Majesty Christs more of Love and Sweetness Christ seldom wrought any Mirales for the hurt of his Enemies in a way of righteous Wrath and Judgment but ordinarily only for the help both of Friends and Enemies as for instance the healing of Malchus his Ear. I remember but two Miracles wrought by Jesus Christ in a way of Wrath and Punishment against his Enemies the suffering the Devil to enter into the Gadarenes Swine and causing his Enemies to fall backward when they came to apprehend him All the rest were Miracles of Mercy and Kindness But by the Hand of Moses there were no less than ten miraculous Plagues upon Egypt There were Thunderings and Lightnings at Mount Sinai The Earth opened her mouth upon Corah Dathan and Abiram and swallowed them up quick with other such dreadful and terrible things in righteousness The reason of this difference was because Moses was the Minister of the Law which is a voice of Words and Terror and Fear and genders unto Bondage but Jesus Christ is the Minister and Author of the Gospel which is Grace and Peace Therefore these two different kinds of Dispensations were attested with two different kinds of Miracles But as to the general the working of Miracles by Moses and so being owned by the Lord and born witness to by him herein there was a resemblance and prefiguration of what was done by Jesus Christ 4. And lastly Moses was a Type of Christ in the end and close of his Life viz. in his Death Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven He dyed willingly he went up to Mount Nebo which was a part of Mount Abarim and there surrendred up his Soul So Christ No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self no man taketh it from me see Joh. 10.18 I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again He went to Mount Golgotha and there gave up his Soul to his Father Moses after his Death and Burial rose again buried he was Deut. 34.6 and that he rose again and ascended into Heaven may be gathered from Matth. 17. For he did appear and talk with Christ at his Transfiguration together with Elias So you know Jesus Christ rose again from the dead and ascended into Heaven Thus Moses was a Type of Christ all along In his Birth in his personal Qualifications in the whole course of his Life his Office his Sufferings his Miracles and finally in his Death Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven But yet though there was such a full analogy and so great a resemblance between them yet there was a disparity Christ having the preheminence above Moses Heb. 3.5 6. Moses was faithful as a Servant in his Lords House but Christ as a Son in his own House Thus much as to Moses Now for Joshuah his Successor That he was a Type appears because Christ was called by that name in the Hebrew And Joshuah is called Jesus in the Greek in the New Testament Acts 7.45 Heb. 4.8 that is a Saviour though he be but
a temporal Saviour Christ a spiritual Saviour Author of eternal Redemption Heb. 9. The Analogy appears chiefly in five things 1. Joshuah brought the people into Canaan after Moses his death which Moses could not do being alive He divided the Land among them assigning to every one his Portion So Christ brings us to Heaven which the Law could not do Rom. 8.3 And as Joshuah went in himself before them So Christ to Heaven Joh. 14. I go to prepare a place for you in my Fathers House are many Mansions Heb. 6. ult whither the Forerunner is entred for us And as when Joshuah did this the Cloud and Manna ceased which had been in Moses his time Of the Manna it is expressed and the time when Josh 5.12 of the Pillar of Cloud and Fire that it did cease is evident by many passages afterwards in the sacred History but the time when is not set down Probably it might be after they had passed Jordan being divided by the Ark and were on shoar on the other side So shall Ordinances cease when we come to Heaven Rev. 21. God himself is instead of all 2. Joshuah was a Type of Christ in regard of the Miracles wrought by him we read of three 1. He divided Jordan Josh 3. But herein as in all things Christ hath the preheminence for Christ in the same Jordan divides the Heavens when he was baptized Matth. 3. And he commanded the Winds and Seas and walked upon the waters as upon dry ground 2. Moreover Joshuah threw down the Walls of Jericho by the sounding of Rams Horns a weak and an unlikely means for so great a Work yea ridiculous and contemptible in the eye of Reason Josh 6. but it was done by Faith Heb. 11.30 So Christ by the Foolishness of Preaching subdueth Souls unto himself and throws down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. And as Joshua did it again and again six days seven days before the Walls fell So it is in the preaching of the Gospel There must be Assiduity in that work Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept and at last the strong holds are won and the Sinner subdued unto the Lord. 3. Joshuah commanded the Sun to stand still till he had slain his Enemies Josh 10.12 13 ver 14. and there was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a Man So Jesus Christ when fighting with Principalities and Powers upon the Cross Matth 27.45 when the Sun was ashamed and the Moon confounded and all the Angels in Heaven stood agast Thus you see how great a Person this Joshuah was in that all the Creatures all the Elements obeyed him the Earth the Walls of Jericho prostrate themselves and fell before him the Waters also viz. in Jordan were at his Command yea the Heavens also the Sun and Moon obeyed him thus God magnified him in the sight of all Israel as it is said Josh 4.14 But behold a greater than Joshuah is here For it is said of Christ That God hath given him a Name above every Name Phil. 2.9 that in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth ver 10. 3. Joshuah was a Type of Christ in regard of his Conquests and Victories over his Enemies We read of five Kings at once subdued by him Josh 10. and he bids his Captains tread upon their Necks and cap. 12. of one and thirty Kings which he smote yet notwithstanding there were some few Enemies left though weak and inconsiderable but not one that durst or could oppose or disturb the publick peace of Gods people yet they were left for a time for their good least the wild Beasts should multiply upon them Deut. 7.22 So Christ Jesus is a mighty Conqueror he subdueth all the enemies of his people see him described Rev. 6.1 2. conquering and to conquer not only five nor one and thirty but thousands of them One man was possest with a Legion of Devils but they are all cast forth by Jesus Christ And as Christ so his Followers are as Joshuahs Conquerors with and through him and he gives Believers to tread upon the necks of their own Lusts and of the Devils Temptations yet however there be some Canaanites left in the Land some Corruptions in the Hearts of Gods people in this Life to exercise their Graces and to keep them humble which yet if it be not through their own careless negligence shall not disturb their Peace with God But there were some Enemies that were devoted unto everlasting Ruine and Destruction irrecoverable by Joshuah in the spirit of Prophesie viz. Jericho cap 6.26 which Curse did not fall to the ground but was fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite 1 King 16.34 a shadow of the irreparable Ruines and everlasting Destruction of all the implacable Enemies of God and his people and especially Rome and Antichrist Rev. 18.21 Babylon shall be cast down like a Milstone into the Sea never to rise more The Curse of Christ will fall upon such as endeavour to restore Rome again and raise up the Ruines that he hath brought upon it For it is devoted by our Lord Jesus the true Joshuah to irreparable everlasting Destruction 4. Though Joshuah conquered and destroyed resisting Enemies yet he saved those who submitted themselves as Rahab and the Gibeonites Rahab cap. 6. the Gibeonites cap. 9. Though they acted very sinfully they came out of slavish fear and they dissembled but yet they did submit themselves So Christ resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble that yield up themselves unto him though there be a mixture of much slavish Fear and sinful Selfishness and Unbelief in their so doing as Mark 9.24 5. Joshuah gave them rest fulfilling and accomplishing all the good promised cap. 21.45 and 23.14 Joshuah appeals to all their Knowledges and Consciences about it So when we come to Heaven we shall see the Truth and Faithfulness of God we shall have all the Promises accomplished through Christ the true Joshuah and be able to say with Joy unspeakable not a word hath failed and all through Christ the true Joshuah For in him all the Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 and this will be Rest for ever As they had Rest so now Believers enter into an everlasting Rest Heb. 4.9 10 11. But yet withal there is a great disparity between Christ and Joshuah and the Rest they bring their Followers into Joshuah brought them but into a state of outward Rest in the Land of Promise but this was not the true Rest But Christ gives us an higher Rest in Heaven by bringing us into a state of Grace and Glory Thus you see how eminently Joshuah was a Type of Jesus Christ Sept. 12. 1667. Who is the Type or Figure of him that is to come Rom. 5.14 THe second Conglobation of typical Persons under the Law is Sampson David and Solomon three famous Rulers amongst
the people of God of old All which three put together gives 〈…〉 and glorious Representation of the Messiah Sampson in 〈…〉 and Sufferings David in his Victories and Conquesâ—◠〈◊〉 in the Peace and quiet Establishment of his Kingdom 1. Sampson a person whose Story is famous in the Scripture and some think that the Fame of him went forth amongst the Heathen and that their Fables of the Strength of Hercules and Nisus his purple Locks took their rise from the Story of Sampson The Grecians commonly turning all into Fables Graecia Mendax and being great pretenders to Antiquity being as drunk with the Pride of that Pretence though as false as the Papists are at this day and therefore making their own Country the Scene and the Stage of every wonderful thing as some have well observed of them they report of Nisus the King of Megaris in Greece that he had on his head a purple Hair on which the Preservation of his Life and Kingdom did depend which Jewel his Daughter Scylla is said to have delivered unto King Minos her Fathers Enemy with whom she fell in Love c. Of which Fables it may be said Fabula fundatur in Historia these Fables seem to be founded in the History of antient times That Sampson was a godly man it is certain because he is numbred amongst those eminent Believers Heb. 11. That he was a Type of Christ appears by the clearness of the Analogy between him and the Antitype and there seemeth to be some intimation of it in Jacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. of which hereafter And indeed the Analogy is so clear that I meet with none that have written of the Types but takes notice of Sampson for one so doth also Calvin and Beza on Matth. 2. ult He was a Type in regard of his Death and Sufferings yet not in that only but chiefly as being most peculiar and signal to him both above other Types and above other respects wherein himself was a Type For there were other respects also besides this which I shall touch upon and so come to this as the main Sampson therefore was a Type of Christ in four respects 1. In regard of sundry passages and circumstances of his Birth 2. in some special Actions of his Life 3. In his Strength and Victories over his Enemies 4. In his Sufferings and in the Victoriousness of his Sufferings 1. The first Analogy between Christ and him is in some passages about his Birth The time of it when Israel was under great Oppression by the Philistines Judges 13.1 then Sampson arose like a little Sun as his Name imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soliculus or Sol parvus from Shemesh Sol and gave them some dawnings of the Day some beginnings of Light and Liberty in that deep night of Darkness and Bondage Answerably Jesus Christ appeared when the Jews were under the yoke of the Romans and both they and the whole world under the spiritual thraldom of Sin and Satan The Pagan world overwhelmed in Idolatry and ignorance of God the Jews degenerated into Formality and a spirit of Bondage then did this true Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings His Birth was beyond the ordinary course of Nature And so was Christs For Sampsons Mother was barren the Mother of Christ a Virgin It was foretold together with his Office to his Mother by an Angel and confirmed by a Sign And so was Christs His Office was to begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines Judg. 13.5 Christs to save his people from their Sins Matth. 1.21 The Sign to Sampsons Mother was the Angels appearing again and ascending in a flame of Fire Judg. 13.20 The Virgin Mary had the Message confirmed also by a Sign though not so terrible a Sign as this But the Angels acquainting her with her Cousin Elizabeths Conception and the Babe leaping in her Womb and she breaking forth into those blessed expressions Blessed art thou among Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb and whence is this that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me Luke 1.36 42 43. Moreover they were both Nazarites from the Womb. Sampson by the Law of Nazarites Numb 6.2 Christ by special Sanctity fulfilling that Type that holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 As also by the place of his Residence being born indeed at Bethlehem but bred at Nazareth Matth. 2.1 5 23. and thence called a Nazaren or a Nazarite 2. There is a second Analogy between Christ and Sampson in some special Actions of his Life As in his Marriage with a Philistine and the Text saith it was of the Lord therefore some think that his first Match was not sinful but that he had a special Dispensation for it Judg. 14.4 So Christ took a Spouse unto himself out of the Gentiles Hos 2.20 At his Marriage Sampson put forth his Mind in Parables and Riddles to the Philistines Judg. 14.12 And so did Christ to the Pharisees Matth. 13.34 3. There is a third Analogy in their Strength and Victories over their Enemies especially in this circumstance That Sampson wrought his Victories alone by his own personal Strength his Countrymen would not stand by him Judg. 15.10 11 12 So Christ trod the Wine-press alone when all forsook him Sampsons first exploit was the slaying of a Lyon in the Desart that roared upon him Judg. 14.6 So the first Work of Christ at his entrance into his Ministry was the conquering that roaring Lyon that assaulted and tempted him in the Wilderness and roared upon him with those three hideous Temptations Matth. 4. And as upon the Lyon Sampson slew he gave this Riddle Out of the Eater came forth Meat and out of the strong came Sweetness So ex Corpore Diaboli mystico out of the Devils Body being slain out of the Devils Destruction comes the sweet and blessed tidings of the Gospel and Flocks or Churches or Societies of Christians like so many Swarms of Bees The Saints were onco in an unregenerate condition Children of Wrath Limbs of Satan but Satan being slain and conquered they are transformed and it is as great a change as for a Bee to be bred of a dead Carkass Some Interpreters have observed English Annot. on Judg. 14.8 that this was extraordinary For Naturalists observe that Bees do not use to breed in the Carkass of a Lyon but rather of an Ox or Bullock We may apply it to the Dispensations of Providence God works by unlikely yea contrary means Meat out of the Eater The Canaanites our Enemies they are Bread for us Numb 14.9 their very Sins Corruptions Temptations the Lord in his unsearchable Wisdom produceth good out of them Light out of Darkness yea Life out of Death out of the Death of the Lord of Life Moreover Sampson slew a thousand men with the Jaw-bone of an Ass a very weak and unable and unlikely Instrument to effect such a Work by yet the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him what slaughter
to be said as to the spirit and mystery of this Ordinance all that you will hear afterwards will be things belonging to the Covenant of Grace therefore let us prove that it is not a carnal Covenant that Circumcision doth relate to Argum. 1. Jesus Christ is not the Covenant of Works but Christ is the Covenant of Circumcision and therefore it is not Works but Grace He is so called in Isa 49.8 I will give thee for a Covenant to the people Now Christ was in Circumcision he was the Minister of Circumcision he is the Seed which Circumcision relates to I will be the God of thy Seed This Seed is Christ Gal. 3.16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made He saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Christ is the sum and substance of the Covenant of Grace now this was the Covenant that God made with Abraham and sealed in Circumcision that he would give him a Seed which Seed is Christ 2. The Gospel is Grace and not Works The Covenant of Abraham was the Gospel and therefore it is Grace but not Works It is the Apostles expression that the Gospel was preached to Abraham Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached the Gospel before to Abraham There is no Gospel of Works for Works is Law and bad tidings if it be the Gospel it is the Covenant of Grace 3. If it was a Covenant of Works it will follow that Abraham and all the Old Testament Saints either were not saved or else were saved without Christ neither of which can be admited The truth is if it were Works it will follow they were all damned for by works shall no flesh be justified and saved If they were saved and yet by Works they were saved without Christ but without Christ there is no salvation In him in this Seed shall all the Nations of the World be blessed that is by Jesus Christ no blessing and salvation without him and therefore he and his Seed were saved by Christ for Grace was in this Covenant 4. To be a God to any man this is not carnal this is not Works but Grace It is true God was a God to Adam before he fell but to be a God to Sinners this is Grace he was a God to Adam in innocency by virtue of the Covenant of Works but he is not a God to any Sinner but in a way of free Grace Now that was the Covenant I will be a God to thee and thy seed Gen. 17.7 Abraham was a sinner and a Child of Wrath by nature as well as others yet God was his God truly For God to be a God to those that never sinned there may be merit but for God to be a God to those that have sinned this is Grace indeed Angels are saved by Works Sinners cannot be saved but by Grace That ever the Lord should condescend to engage in such a Relation as to give a Sinner interest in him and propriety in him as his God this is Grace they that do not think this is Grace they do not need Arguments but pity and prayer 5. Consider that it was the fatal error and miscarriage of the carnal Jews that they did understand Circumcision and all the rest of those ancient Types and Ceremonies they did understand them all as a Covenant of Works and herein they lost Christ and their Souls It is every where charged upon them as their sin it is that which all the Prophets and Apostles do endeavour with all their might to beat them out of those misconstructions of Circumcision and the Covenant of God in those times The Apostle proves it at large in Rom. 4. that it was Grace and not Works that Abraham was justified by Now this was the error that all the carnal Jews fell into that they took it to be a Covenant of Works as the Pharisees they had a Righteousness of their own they were all of that Spirit they took it all as Law even the Gospel and the Grace that was in the Covenant and so fell short of the blessings of it therefore if our New Testament Circumcision be practised by any as the Covenant of Works as the Jews did when the Apostle preached to them they will fall short of Heaven Now if they took it to be a Covenant of Works shall we justifie their errors and miscarriage against the whole preaching of the Gospel This is enough to shew that it is the Covenant of Grace that Circumcision doth relate to Now briefly what is this Covenant of Grace And what is the Grace of the Covenant that Circumcision doth relate to This is a very large Field There were three parts of this Grace of the Covenant that the Lord made with Abraham and his Seed 1. To be a God to him 2. To give him a Seed 3. To provide an Inheritance both for him and them And these three general Heads will comprize and take in the whole mystery of Circumcision 1. The first part of the Covenant is this that God would be a God to him and his Seed and this indeed is most comprehensive and includes all the rest I will establish my Covenant and be a God to thee and thy Children after thee Gen. 17.7 And what is it for God to be a God to be a God to a man thy God or a God to thee It is when he gives to a poor Creature a special interest and propriety in himself so that God in his alsufficiency and efficiency is ours and we are his All his Attributes and Works are ours for our good I will be thy God that is all my Attributes shall be thine and for thy good as really as they are mine for my Glory The infinite Wisdom of God shall contrive their good whose God he is the infinite Power of God shall effect it the infinite Love of God is theirs his Mercy Truth and all his Attributes are theirs As his essential Power so his working Power or his actual Power As he will be all to them so he will work all for them Now this as I said includes and infers all the rest this is the first and most general 2. That he would give him a Seed that was another part of the Covenant Gen. 17.5 6. Thou shalt be a Father of many Nations thy name shall be no more called Abram but Abraham I will make Nations of thee As God did lengthen out his name so he would lengthen out his Posterity even to length of time But now what is this Seed the Lord promised to Abraham The question is whether it be a meer natural Seed or a spiritual Seed Certainly it was not meerly a natural Seed it is true that is one thing that was the Shell and outside of it but the Kernel of this promise was a spiritual Seed There was a fourfold Seed promised to Abraham above a natural Seed and
shall first give you a short description of them and then annex some additional Rules for the further enlightning and illustration of them And first you may see the nature of them in this short description these propitiatory Sacrifices were Holy of Holinesses or Offerings most holy to the Lord for attonement or for the appeasing of his Wrath by the destruction of the Sacrifice to shadow forth the true atonement and expiation of sin by the death of Jesus and our Reconciliation to and Communion with God through him 1. That they were Holy of Holinesses or Offerings most Holy to the Lord it is the Phrase which the Scripture useth concerning them Lev. 2.3 10. So are called in the Law those sacred things which ought not to be touched and those Meats whereof none were to eat but only the consecrated Priests in the holy Place near the Altar Deodat in loc quodesh quodeshim only there is some limitation about the Peace-Offering of which afterward It is a distinction that doth occur in Lev. 21.22 He shall eat the bread of his God both of the most holy and of the holy The old Note is this the most Holy as of the Sacrifice for sin the Holy as of the Tenths and First Fruits Deodat thus most Holy as were the Shew-Bread the Meat-Offerings the parts of Sin-Offerings and Trespass Offerings Holy such as were the First Fruits Tithes and Offerings of Thanksgiving By Holy of Holinesses is meant most Holy that Language elegantly expressing the superlative Degree by such a reduplication as King of Kings Song of Songs Heaven of Heavens that is the most excellent in their kind so Holy of Holies that is most Holy The other sort are but Holy or holiness of Praises quodesh hillulim as the Phrase is in Lev. 19.24 Ye shall count the Fruit thereof as uncircumcised three years but in the fourth year all the Fruit thereof shall be Holiness of Praises to the Lord. The ground of this double degree of Holiness seems to be chiefly this the more immediat and direct Relation they had to the Person Actions and Sufferings of the Messiah the more holy these legal things of old were therefore these Sacrifices of Expiation relating directly to the great work of our Redemption and Reconciliation unto God by the death of his Son they were Holy of Holinesses unto the Lord. 2. The end of them was attonement of their sins or appeasing the offended Justice of God hence they are said to have a sweet smell Lev. 1.9 Gen. 8.21 This is the Phrase Lev. 1.4 Lecapper to make atonement applyed to Christ Rom. 3.25 1 Joh. 2.2 and it is a Phrase often used Hence ariseth the distinction of Sacrifices from their ends and uses some being for Atonement as these whereof we now speak and others for Thanksgiving of which something may be spoken hereafter if the Lord will God is angry with Sinners Justice is provoked and burns like Fire therefore some satisfaction must be made that Justice may be satisfied and God atoned and reconciled to the Sinner 3. This atonement was made by the death or destruction of the Sacrifice this is the nature of all propitiatory Sacrifices nothing can atone God nothing can appease offended Justice but Death and Destruction The Sacrifice must be destroyed either in whole or in part and this was done by Fire Hence they are called Fire-Offerings or Offerings made by Fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignitiones Fireings Oblatio ignita And if they were living Creatures they must be slain and killed hence called Zebachim in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as to say a slaughtered Offering in which sense Zebach is contradistinguished unto Mincha the former being of living Creatures the latter of Meat and Drink but in both there was a destruction of the thing sacrificed either by Fire if it were of Inanimate things or if it were a living Creature both by Blood and Fire 4. The end and design of all this was to prefigure and represent the death of Jesus Christ and our Reconciliation unto God thereby for the Law had threatned Death for Sin and the blood of Bulls and Goats could not take away sin Heb. 10. Some of the very Pagans have had so much glimmerings of Light as to subscribe to the Truth of this and thence Satan triumphing over the fallen Sons of men and abusing and perverting their convictions seduced them in the distress and horror of their Consciences even to Sacrifice men to appease their angry gods wherein the acted upon this Principle Quod pro vita hominis nisi vita hominis reddatur non posse aliter Deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur as Caesar de Bell. Gal. lib. 6. reports of the ancient Druids they thought that unless the life of man were sacrificed for his life the Deity of the immortal Gods could not otherwise be appeased Vid Lee Temple pag. 332. Homer also ibid. wherein the old Pagans had more Light than the Apostate Jews have at this day Christ therefore is called a Sacrifice Ephes 5.2 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Paschal Lamb is sacrificed for us And as they refer directly unto Christ himself so the Scripture teacheth us to apply them in a lower way to the Saints also whose souls and bodies and services are living Sacrifices acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 12.1 Heb. 13. with such Sacrifices God is well pleased The Sacrifice of Christ doth placare Deum appease an incensed God our Sacrifices do but placere Deo please an appeased God Thus you see the Description made good in these Four things put together wherein you see the nature of these Legal Offerings and Sacrifices that they were Holy of Holinesses or Offerings most Holy to the Lord for atonement or for the appeasing of his Wrath by the destruction of the Sacrifice to shadow forth the true atonement and expiation of sin by the death of Jesus Christ and so much for the nature of them which was the first Enquiry For further Rules of illustration which was the second take these Propositions Prop. 1 That the Institution of them was presently after the Sin and Fall of man but the renewed Institution and further Direction and Regulation of them was by Moses unto Israel I say the first Institution of them was presently after the Sin and Fall of man for there neither was nor could be any use of them before The first Intimation though somewhat obscure that we have of them is in Gen. 3.21 the Lord made them Coats of Skins and cloathed them but they could not wear the Skins until the Beasts were slain and slain they were it is like for Sacrifice there being no need of them for Food at that time nor any mention of the use of such Food till Noahs time after the Flood Gen. 9. But we read of Sacrifices more plainly Gen. 4.4 where Abel is said to have brought an Offering to the Lord of the firstlings of his Flock and of
women after Child-bed Levit. 12.6 They had a Meat-Offering by divine Institution annexed and conjoyned with it The other part of the Rule is negative and it is this we do not find that Meat-Offerings were annexed unto the Burnt-Offerings of Fowls or to Sin or Trespass Offerings or to First-Fruits or Tythes or to the Paschal-Lamb though to the Feast of the Passover they were Deut. 16.1 2. And in the cleansing of the Leper the Meat-Offering seems to be annexed to the Sin-Offering Lev. 14.10 which is a peculiar Case This Rule is drawn from the authority of the Scripture negatively there being no such annecting of it unto these in that place Numb 15. where it is annexed unto Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings but where it was not commanded where they were not directed to it in the Law they might not do it Vse See the fulness of spiritual Mystery and the plenty of Gospel Light and Teaching that is in the Sacrifice of the Meat-Offering To recapitulate briefly some Heads of things which have been more largely opened to you It relates both to Christ and Christians and is full of spiritual mystery as to both 1. As to Christ he is the true Meat-Offering the Food of our Souls it was to consist of fine Flower to denote his Cleanness and Purity The baking frying drying beating of it points us to his Sufferings and so doth the burning of it upon the Altar The pouring forth the Wine belonging to the Meat-Offering plainly represents the pouring out his Blood The Green Ears represents Christ as the First Fruits by whom all the rest is sanctified The Priests eating it tells us how Believers feed upon Christ by Faith as the Bread of Life The Oyl is the Spirit of Christ The Incense his Prayers and Mediation and the efficacy and acceptance thereof with God for us The Salt of the Covenant is the stability and everlasting faithfulness of God as our God in a Covenant Relation through Jesus Christ The prohibition of Leaven and Honey frees Christ from all Corruption of life and doctrine and all such deceiving comfort which afterwards like Honey turns to bitterness 2. Apply it to Christ mystical to the Saints and Members of Christ for it may be so applied the Gentiles under the Gospel are presented as an acceptable Meat-Offering to the Lord Isai 66.20 Every particular and circumstance of it is full of teaching The Fine Flower teaches us to purge our selves from the Bran of our natural Corruption We must be anointed with the Unction of the Spirit The Incense teaches us to be much in prayer and to expect acceptance with the Lord. The Salt instructs us in the safety of our Covenant-Estate and Interest in God and that our speeches and whole deportment should be savoury and seasoned with Salt The forbidding of Leaven and Honey calls upon us to purge out the Old Leaven of sinful Corruption and to take heed of the sweetness and pleasures of sin I beseech you brethren do not rest in the notional understanding of these Truths but reduce all to practice If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 But if you know all mysteries and have not love 1 Cor. 13.1 2. it profiteth nothing And to press you a little further you may observe that the Meat-Offering under the Gospel is larger than it was under the Law as you will find if you compare Numb 28. with Ezek. 46. For in Numb 28.5 the Meat-Offering is but the tenth part of an Ephah it is but the fourth part of an Hin of beaten oyl But in Ezek. 46.13 14 it is augmented the Meat-Offering to a sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an Hin of oyl This speaks a greater degree of fruitfulness and more ample obedience under the Gospel then was of old under the Law That look as the Grace of God in Christ abounds towards us under the Gospel so should we abound in our Returns of thankful and fruitful obedience 1 Tim. 1.14 And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Can you not go along with the Apostle in those expressions Hath not God abounded towards you in Mercy and free Grace Have you not sometimes said never such a Pattern of Mercy never the like Riches of free Grace if the Lord pardoned such sins and heal such backslidings therefore be you abundant in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult If you know these things happy are you if you do them THE GOSPEL OF THE PEACE-OFFERING Lev. 3. July 26. August 6 9. 1668. The Peace-Offering Shelamim THe third sort of Sacrifices or Offerings under the Law is the Peace-Offering We had the Burnt-Offering in the first Chapter the Meat-Offering in the second Chapter and now follows the Peace-Offering here in the third Yola Mincha Shelamim We may open it in this Method which I hope will be plain and edifying 1. The name 2. The ends occasions and seasons of it 3. The matter of it 4. The sacred Rites and Ceremonies or ceremonious Actions about it 1. For the name it is Shelamim which we render the Peace-Offering and Zebach Shelamim the Sacrifice of the Peace-Offering from Shalom pax so called because it was a Sacrifice of Peace Offering amongst all the parties God and the Priests and the people being all partakers of it as being all agreed and therefore sociable partakers of the same thing The word may be otherwise rendred but this Interpretation is most generally received and suits well with the nature of this Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings 2. The ends occasions and seasons of the Peace-Offerings for we may put all these together First as to their ends they were of a mixt nature they were both Hilastical Eucharistical and Euctical both for atonement and for thanksgiving and for prayer they were in general for peace and reconciliation with God Some I know have questioned this which I must confess I have often wondred at and they have thought it meerly expressive of moral duties of homage and thankfulness to God c. But it was a Fire-Offering upon the Brazen Altar all the rest of which were for reconciliation and atonement and therefore why not this It is said to be a savour of rest vers 5. which signifies Gods acceptation The Actions about it speak forth this end for it was slain and burnt upon the Altar the Blood poured forth and sprinkled upon the Altar round about c. All pointing to Jesus Christ who is indeed the true Peace-Offering Ephes 2.14 He is our Peace and he hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 2.20 Yet this was but the general and not the special nor the only end of them There be two particular ends mentioned in Cap. 7. 1. Peace enjoyed to testify their thankfulness 2. Peace desired and sought after each of which had their different Rites of which afterwards 1. One end was for thanksgiving by
speaks of Fat in deteriorem partem in an evil sense so it is said of wicked men their heart is as fat as Grease but I delight in thy Law Psal 119.70 So Deut. 32.15 But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness Isai 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat lest they understand with their heart and convert and be healed So it denotes a senseless hard heart the Fat in the body having little sense A Fat heart in this sense is opposed to a fleshy heart so it denotes hardness insensibleness unbelief Now then the Fat being burnt upon the Altar teacheth us That our Corruptions must be burnt up by the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Burning and of Judgment And it is the Fat of the Inward parts and of the Kidneys and Liver which are the seat of Lust and Concupiscence We may learn from hence that even secret sins in the Inward parts must be destroyed and mortified It is not enough to avoid open and outward sins but inward heart hypocrisy secret lusts they must be burnt before the Lord upon the Altar destroyed and mortified by the Spirit God trys the Heart searcheth the Reins sees into the Inward parts That fatness of the heart must be consumed those Inward lustings unto sin destroyed and mortified 5. The last Ceremony was the forbidding of blood vers 10. This Prohibition was more general than the former of Fat for that was only some kinds of Fat But all manner of blood is forbidden without any restraint or specification of this or that kind The first Prohibition of blood that we read of in Scripture was to Noahs Sons Gen. 9.4 But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof ye shall not eat And now again by Moses here and afterwards in other places As Cap. 7.26 27. and Cap. 17. from vers 10 to the end very largely and vehemently under the forest pains and penalties even utter extermination and cutting off by the immediate hand of God But that Prohibition in Noahs time seems to differ from this by Moses in that it was living blood which was there forbidden but here it is all manner of blood As to the mysteries and reasons of it there be two things expressed in Lev. 17.11 1. Because the blood is the life of the Beast vers 11 14. That is it is the Seat and Vehicle of the Spirits which are the Soul and the Life of it as Philosophers say Anima rationalis equitat in sensitivâ sensitiva equitat in vegetativâ The sensitive Soul is the Chariot of the rational Soul and the vegetative of the sensitive so their Blood is the Chariot of the vegetative and vital Spirits The scope seems to be this to forbid and prevent cruelty it argues too much greediness and it tends to make the Spirits of men salvag and barbarous to drink living blood or to eat the flesh if it be not fully killed and cleansed of the blood 1 Sam. 14.32 33 34. Some report that it hath been a custom used in some barbarous Nations amongst the Old Tartarians they would open a Vein with an Instrument in the Beast they rode upon and so quench their thirst by drinking warm blood out of the Veins of a living Creature This is forbidden to Noahs Sons Gen. 9. as a salvage cruel thing Cruelty is abominable at all times but especially when you come with your Peace-Offerings before the Lord. It concerns you then especially to take heed of harshness towards your brethren How can men expect Peace from God when ready to drink the blood of their brethren A violent persecuting Spirit is as black a Mark as any I know To use violence to their Consciences this is to eat or drink their blood which God abhors 2. The second reason there assigned is because I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls Lev. 17.11 that is typically as representing the blood of Christ So that here is a mystical Intimation of reverence to that precious blood to keep men in a reverend expectation of it therefore they must abstain from blood as sacred to the Lord. As David refused to drink of the Waters of the Well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.17 because it was per equivalentiam the blood of them that fetcht it with the peril of their Lives So here blood was typically the blood of Christ and therefore sacred to the Lord they must not use it to other common use The Lord would hereby teach them a reverential esteem and high valuation of the blood of Jesus Christ Some go a little further and observe this in it That look as eating and drinking signifies Communion so 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ And forbidding to eat is a forbidding Communion Act. 10.13 14. In Peters Vision rise kill and eat It is meant of exercising Communion with the Gentiles and Peters objecting Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean His meaning is he refuseth Communion with them So this Prohibition of eating blood which was given upon the Altar to make atonement for mens Souls and of Fat which was given upon the Altar to be consumed there with Fire and so was the Lords seemeth to forbid figuratively all ascribing and assuming unto our selves the work of our Redemption which is only by the blood of Christ or the work of our Sanctification to our selves which Christ by his Spirit performeth in us Aynsw in Lev. 3. ult To take this work to our selves is to eat the blood as it were which the Lord will not endure There is a further reason given by some That the Lord did it to distinguish his people from the Heathen who were wont to drink the blood of their sacrifices Psal 16.3 As indeed in all these ancient Institutions the Lord had a special eye unto that to keep them off from the heathenish Customs and Idolatries Thus you see the reasons why blood was forbidden under the Law the chief whereof is the respect it had to the blood of Christ From all which you have a clear resolution of that scruple of Conscience that hath troubled some concerning that Prohibition of blood under the New Testament by the Synod in Act. 15. But the Answer is That the main reason why blood was forbidden of old being because the Lord had given blood to them for atonement and this use being figurative which had its end and accomplishment in Christ who by his death and blood shedding hath caused the Sacrifices and Oblations to cease Dan. 9. Therefore now this Law must needs be expired and not still in force upon the Consciences of Believers And as for that Decree of the Council Act. 15. It is forbidden by them meerly upon the account of love which is tender and loth to give offense The sins there forbidden may
Christ and the Gospel in the Ceremonial Law How excellently doth the Apostle put them together The sprinkling of the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh The blood of Christ purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God If we cannot see these divine mysteries in the Text if we cannot see Gospel-Truths in these legal Ceremonies and how admirably they are adapted and fitted the one to the other the Type to instruct and teach us and inform us about the Anti-type it is because of our own darkness and dimsightedness in spiritual things Vse 4. Behold also the pre-eminence and excellency of Christ above Moses and the Gospel above the Law How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your Consciences from dead works How much more It hath a greater and an irresistible efficacy to cleanse the Soul Conscience And this is a Truth of clearer and higher evidence than the Ceremonial cleanness by those legal washings and purifications which were the means of that Ceremonial Cleanness The Apostle uses the like note of pre-eminence when he compares Adam and Christ Adam was a personal Type as this was a real Type Rom. 5.15 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by Christ Jesus So here Gods design is that in all things Christ might have the pre-eminence and be preferred above Moses Vse 5. Labor to see and find in your selves the experience of this spiritual cleansing whereof the Apostle speaks this cleansing by the blood of Christ and go thou thither have recourse to that blood for it Thou that hast an unclean heart and hast lived it may be an unclean life at least in secret though perhaps men have not seen it get thy Heart and Life and Conscience purified from dead works to serve the living God There is healing cleansing vertue enough in the blood of Christ And would you be cleansed indeed you see the way of it Hath the Lord discovered to thee thy defilement and convinced thee of thy own uncleanness then get this blood of Christ applied And as the Water of Purification was sprinkled on the Unclean under the Law so get this blood of Christ sprinkled on thy Soul and Conscience by the Gospel It is often called the Blood of sprinkling The reason is because that as they did apply it by sprinkling as a means of cleansing c. so is the blood of Christ applied to the Conscience It is applied by the Spirit in the Promise Under the Promise held forth we receive it by Faith and the Promise so received the blood of Christ is brought home and sprinkled on the Soul and this will cleanse thee though thou have been never so unclean there is healing purifying vertue in that blood though thy uncleanness be never so great and thy Conscience never so defiled yet there is cleansing by the blood of Christ Thy Case is not desperate there is vertue enough in the blood of Christ How much more will the blood of Christ cleanse thy Soul if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heyfer sprinkling the unclean could cleanse the body And remember this blood is offered all that thou hast to do is to receive it by Faith to beg a part in Christ and desire him to make it effectual to thee The reason of all the defilement that appears in men and that continues under the use of Ordinances is because they geâ— not the blood of Christ sprinkled on their Consciences they do not receive it And two things keep them off either there is a Spirit of security that they never seek after it neither pray not endeavour or mourn after it Or 2. There is a Spirit of discouragement they never fly to Christ and his blood they seek not to him but since he is offered do not refuse him thou canst not displease him more then by so doing but fly for refuge thither as a poor unclean guilty Creature venture all on the infinite cleansing power and virtue that is in the blood of Jesus Christ Vse 6. See the bondage and burdensomness of the legal Administration they could scarce be sick but they became unclean they could not touch so many Creatures but they were forthwith unclean and being unclean might not come into the Temple or publick society and in some cases were shut up They had Porters to keep them that were unclean in any thing 2 Chron. 23.19 that they should not enter in at the Gates of the house of the Lord. Let us bless God that we are delivered from this Yoke of bondage An ADVERTISEMENT to the READER THe attentive Reader will quickly observe that here is nothing upon that Head of Vncleanness by Issues which according to the Authors proposed method should have been here treated of But there is not any thing thereon to be found amongst his Papers nor to be recovered by the help of any that took in writing these Discourses from his mouth It is therefore not improbable that the Author did purposely pass over in silence that Head for reasons to him satisfactory which now can be but conjectured at Moreover the Reader is desired to bear in mind that the following Sermon on Levit. 13. concerning uncleanness by the Leprosy was not preached in the Authors course as it fell in his way in going over the Types but sundry years before on occasion of dispensing the Censure of Excommunication in that Church whereof the Author had the Oversight This it was thought needful to advertise the Reader of partly because of the different method of this Sermon from his other discourses on the Types and partly because some Passages therein evidently refer to the Dispensation of that Ordinance on occasion whereof it was preached and partly to account for the date of this Sermon which the Reader will see is some years before those that go before it The like is to be observed also concerning the foregoing Sermon on Circumcision which in this Book is at Pag. 218. It was preached on occasion of the Administration of Baptism as appears by a Passage in it Pag. 219. And more then two years before it fell in the Authors way in his going over the Types yea sundry Months before he entred on this course and subject in his Ministry THE GOSPEL OF THE LEPROSIE Levit. 13. April 12 1665. BRethren and Beloved in the Lord If this Chapter seem to us at the first reading to be a dark and abstruse place and to have little edifying matter in it we must impute it to our own ignorance and unskilfulness in Scripture Truths and Mysteries It is true there is a dark shadow upon the words But there is much light and many useful Truths intended and held forth under these dark legal shadows The subject both of this and of sundry foregoing and following Chapters is concerning Ceremonial
that end 2. The Leper must wash his Cloaths and himself and shave his Hair and then come into the Camp but not yet into his Tent. vers 8. The like Ceremony is required in other Cleansings As at the Consecration of the Levites Numb 8.7 they were to cause a Rasor to pass over all their flesh And Deut. 21.12 Of the Captive Woman it is said she shall shave her head and pare her nails Some allegorize this in a plain and a good way thus That it was a figure of casting away all remainders of malice and filthiness James 1.21 Those excrescencies and superfluities of sinful Corruption it shadows out and teacheth the work of Mortification or paring away of sinful superfluities of Lusts and Corruptions as fast as they grow which we cannot be quite rid of but must be paring and cutting them off continually This Expression is used Isai 7.20 in a metaphorical way to signifie the Lords consuming and weakning their strength for much hair argueth strength of nature Hence in age when there is a decay of strength the hair falls off and baldness comes in stead of hair Therefore in a leprous person it seems to argue strength of the Disease therefore the shaving it off is thought to signifie the cutting off and taking away the strength of the Disease and plague of the heart And as to washing this was often required therefore the Apostle speaks of divers washings Heb. 9.10 And the Holy Ghost refers them to the blood of Christ Rev. 1.5 And they respect also the Spirit of Christ often compared to water Isai 44.3 This is that Fountain set open Zach. 13.1 for the house of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness A sinner must wash and bath himself in this Fountain if ever he will be made clean We read of the washing of Regeneration Titus 3.5 which is an allusion to these Ceremonial washings rather than to Baptism And the Leper was to wash his whole body not some part only because Sanctification is a cleansing of the whole man 1 Thes 5.23 And he must wash his clothes as well as himself To teach us that we must purge our selves from all manner of filthiness and every thing that defileth hating the very garment that is spotted with the flesh Any thing of uncleanness the least degree of it Jude ver 23. hating even the garments spotted by the flesh An amplification saith the Margin taken from the forbidden things in the Old Law that did defile that is all appearances occasions any thing that hath the least touch of sin It is a worse sign of a leprous graceless heart for a man to dally with his lust and to allow himself therein than one particular fall into a grosser act of uncleanness if it be abhorred and repented of Thus the Leper must be washed He and his Clothes and his Hair shorn and yet after all this he is not to return to his Tent. The reason is Lest there should be any thing of infection in his Tent. For the very Houses and Garments sometimes were infected with Leprosie 3. The third Ceremony or his after-duty is this After seven days he must use the same Ceremony of shaving and washing over again ver 9. This plainly teacheth us that cleansing work must be renewed from time to time The mortifying and purging out of Corruption it is a gradual work and a frequent work For the Leper is not made clean at once in the first moment nay after all his former observations he is not perfectly clean though he be begun to be made clean but here are seven days must intervene and then he must wash and shave again So that it is a gradual work We should do so in Spiritual Cleansing especially upon the Sabbath day which is the seventh in this sense that is it is one of seven and it is and should be a day of Spiritual washing and cleansing Thus you have seen the first part of this purifying Sacrifice for the Leper viz The two Birds with the several Ceremonies and Ceremonial actions and performances appertaining to them both to the slain Bird and to the living Bird and to the Leper himself 2. The second part of the purifying Sacrifice appointed for him is that of three Lambs with the Ceremonies thereunto belonging and this is declared at large from ver 10. to 32. of that 14. Chapter of Leviticus The Materials of this are two He Lambs the one for a Burnt-Offering the other for a Trespass Offering and an Ew-Lamb for a Sin Offering and fine Flower for a Meat Offering and a log of Oyl These are the Materials Now what must be done with them The Ceremonies about them are chiefly these three 1. The Sacrifices must be slain and offered according to the manner and institution ver 12 13. But this having been opened formerly we shall not insist upon it 2. The Priest must put some of the blood of them upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed ver 14. and some part on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot You have the like Ceremony Exod. 29.20 injoined in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons The sprinkling these parts did represent and was instead of sprinkling the whole body The sprinkling of a part of the body was appointed by God as significative of universal cleansing of the whole man Engl. Annot. on Exod. 29.20 Our Annotators have this Note upon it The Ear was to be sanctified for holy hearing and against the hearing of any corrupt communication And the Hand for working and the Foot for walking that his Conversation might be holy and his Person sanctified from head to foot So in Baptism there is no necessity of plunging the whole body in water but the sprinkling of it on the Forehead may suffice to signifie the mystical meaning intended by it where by a Sacramental Synechdoche though but a part be sprinkled the whole is washed and cleansed This is the second Ceremony some of the blood in these Sacrifices of the three Lambs must be put upon the Leper The 3d. is That the Priest is to take the Oyl and sprinkle part of it before the Lord and with part to anoint the Leper his Ear Thumb and Foot in the place where he had put the blood before and pour the rest upon his head ver 15 16 17 18. This mystical Oyl whereof they had such continual use under the Law we have often heard that it typifies the Holy Ghost and therefore the Son of God is said to be anointed with the Spirit Isai 61.1 And Act. 10.38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Therefore the putting of the Oyl upon these parts signifies the saving Graces of the Spirit of Christ whereby they are cleansed and sanctified and comforted who have been justified and reconciled by his blood As to the putting it upon
mine eye-lids until I find out a place for the Lord a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. THE GOSPEL of SOLOMONS TEMPLE Octob. 25. 1668. 2 Sam. 7.13 He shall build an House for my Name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom for ever OF their holy places under the Law the chief was the Tabernacle and the Temple The difference between which two was not in their typical use and signification wherein they were the same but only that the one was movable the other fixed The Tabernacle was a movable Temple the Temple was a fixed Tabernacle and accordingly they differed in their quantity and dimensions the Temple being double the quantity of the Tabernacle suitable to its fixed state but the Tabernacle was lesser and lighter because it was to be portable and fit for the shoulders of the Levites who were to carry it from place to place The Temple being the greater and more glorious of the two I have chosen to speak to that and in so doing shall speak of the Tabernacle also so far as is requisite to this end of opening the typical significations of these legal shadows The Text speaks of two things the Temple and the Kingdom it is the former of which I am to speak The Doctrinal Proposition in the words is this Doctr. That God appointed Solomon to build him a Temple or an House unto his Name A Temple is an House inhabited by a Deity As a man dwells in his House so God dwelt in the Temple or as Satan dwells in the Temples of Idols and in false Churches which are therefore called Synagogues of Satan and habitations of Devils so God dwells in the Temple and in the true Gospel-Churches I give these opposite instances because contraries put together do illustrate one another To dwell there is to vouchsafe his Presence there The Temple was a very great and glorious Type both the Temple and all the concernments of it were mystical and significant of Gospel-truths The general significations of the Temple were Christ and the Church and every individual Saint See the Sermon on Deut. 12.5 6. p. 409. where this is proved at large this in general But besides these significations of the Temple in general almost all the particulars about the Temple had their particular mysteries and instructions They may be referred to five heads 1. the Builders 2. the time 3. the Place 4. the Materials and Preparations for it 5. the Parts of the Temple 1. The Builders 1. of the Tabernacle 2. of the first Temple 3. of the second Temple 1. Of the Tabernacle Moses Bezaliel Aholiab The people contributed Exod 35. and every Princes Offering at the Dedication of it is set down particularly Numb 6.7 to shew that the Lord takes special notice of the Bounty and Liberality of his people to Work 2. Of the first Temple David and Solomon David made vast preparations for it appointed the place and gave the pattern of it in writing to his Son 2 Sam. 8.11 12 1 Chron. 29.2 3 4 5. and 1 Chron. 28.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Solomon had an Army of Workmen that were employed about it 1 Kings 5.23 to the end One hundred and fifty thousand Bearers of burdens thirty thousand Israelites for plain work three thousand and three hundred Officers besides Hirams men 3. The second Temple Cyrus Isai 44. and 45. Ezra 1. Jehoshua and Zerubbabel Take these Instructions from this 1. The chief Builders were Types of Christ whose work and office it is to build the Temple of the Lord. Moses Solomon Zerubbabel were so and some think Cyrus also was a good man and a Type of Christ but concerning the other there is no controversie 2. Obs That all hands should help to carry on Church-work 3. Obs The Freedom and Soveraignty of God in the choice and use of Instruments to do his work He chose Cyrus who was by birth a Persian he singles out and chuses whom he will He chose Paul a Persecuter to be an instrument to plant and gather Churches Strangers of Tyre and Sidon Kings of Persia Gentiles as well as Jews shall be added to the Church Those that were once strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel they that are far off shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord Zech. 6. ult 2. The time the Tabernacle was built about the year of the World two thousand five hundred and thirteen the Temple about four hundred eighty seven years after 1 Kings 6.1 ult which fell upon the year of the World three thousand according to that account The Temple stood from the Dedication of it by Solomon to the last Destruction of it by the Romans about a thousand years For to the Captivity in Babylon was about four hundred years the Captivity lasted seventy years From thence to the Death of the Messiah four hundred and ninety years which is Daniels seventy weeks cap. 9. After Christs Death it was destroyed by Vespasian about forty years after So that it was finished and dedicated about the year of the World three thousand and finally destroyed about the year of the World four thousand so it stood from first to last about a thousand years viz. the fourth millenary from the Creation of the World excepting the intercision of the Captivity in Babylon It lay wast about fifty years a whole Jubile some think seventy but the least is fifty supposing their bondage under the yoke of Babylon to begin about 20 years before the burning of the Temple In all this we see the vicissitudes and various revolutions that do befall the Church of God whereof the Temple was a Type and that the ingratitude and unprofitableness of a people may bring Desolation upon all their pleasant things The greatest glory of external Ordinances may by sin be laid in the dust as this Temple was twice And moreover the use of it was ended Christ the substance being come 3. The Place Mount Moriah was the place of the Temple there was a double designation of the place to this use 1. By Isaacs being offered there Gen. 22. get thee to the Land of Moriah c. 2. By the Angels staying there and commanding an Altar to be built there in Davids time and Gods answering David from Heaven by fire on that Altar 1 Chron. 21. with cap. 22.1 We may here learn the Soveraignty and unsearchable freedom of the Will and Grace of God in choosing one place to be the Seat of his Temple of his Church and Ordinances rather than another For it was said Psal 87.2 He loveth the Gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. Why he chose this I know no reason can be given but the good Pleasure of his own Will So that the Lord should chuse England to have Gospel-Temples here to plant his Churches and Ordinances here rather than in Spain or Italy he hath reprobated them to be the seat of Antichrist but hath chosen these to be
the Mountains of delights of Holiness as Dan. 11.45 No account can be given hereof but the good Pleasure of his Will 4. The Materials and Preparations of them there were the choicest Materials and the most plentiful Preparations for them the people contributed to the Tabernacle very liberally Exod. 35.21 29. Exod. 36.5 6 7. So that Proclamation was made for them to cease And for the Temple was prepared Gold Silver Brass Iron Wood Stone all in great abundance and vast Sums by David and Solomon 1. These rich and choice Materials instruct us that we must give God the best we have and give it plentifully and liberally 2. There must be a preparing time and work for the building of the Temple which to do is Gods free Gift therefore we must acknowledge and admire him for it as David did 1 Chron. 29.14 who or what am I or my people that we should offer so willingly And the way to continue this frame is to beg it of God as there David also doth ver 18. keep it for ever in the hearts of thy people 5. The Parts which I shall mention now but deferring the interpretation of them to another time they were three the House the Courts and the Vessels all these were parts of the Temple take it in the largest sense for all the holy Buildings and appertainances thereof 1. The House or Building the covered Temple Of this there are the common parts that belong to every House namely the Foundation the Walls the Doors the Windows the Floor the Roof The peculiar parts of this house as it was the house of the Lord were the Porch the Sanctuary and the Oracle with the side-chambers belonging to them These are the parts of the House it self or the covered Temple 2. The second general part of the Temple is the Courts about it for they were holy ground as well as the covered Building and they were two the outward and the inward Court or the Court of the People and the Court of the Priests 3. The Vessels they were many I shall instance only the chief and such as were significant of Gospel-mysteries and they are either belonging to the Sanctuary or to the Oracle 1. To the Sanctuary and that either sub dio or sub tecto without or within doors There were four without doors and three within without the Brazen Altar of Burnt-offering the molten Sea the Lavers and the Pillars of Brass within the Altar of Incense the Table of Shew-bread and the Candlesticks 2. To the Oracle wherein was the Ark and the appertainances thereof Heb. 9.1 to 5. Vse Exhortation unto temple-Temple-work It is prophesied that even the Gentiles Zech. 6. ult they that are far off shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord. We are all by nature far off Ephes 2. but brought nigh by the Blood of Christ and built up into an holy Temple to the Lord as it there follows ver 13 17 19 c. to the end Take these Rules about temple-Temple-work 1. Be sure you build according to the Pattern shown in the Mount to Moses Exod. 25.9 Heb. 8.5 It is eighteen times repeated in the two last Chapters of Exodus as the Lord commanded Moses so did he as the Lord commanded Moses And in like manner David and Solomon See the Geneva Note upon it 1 Chron. 28.11 12 19. they had both the Word and Spirit of God to direct them If you ask how may we know the Pattern These are the means of knowing it the Word and the Spirit Hag. 2.5 and they give light in this matter in the way of effectual Humiliation and Repentance especially repent and be humbled for Temple-sins Temple-defilements for your Church-sins Church-defilements sins against the Worship of God see Ezek. 43.10 11. so Rev. 11.1 a Reed is given at the restoring of the Churches and Worship of God from the Antichristian Apostacy to measure the Temple the Altar and the Worshippers Get this measuring Reed into your hands the Word of God Revel 21.15 2. Leave out the outer Court Rev 11.2 that is nominal Christians Look to the matter of the Church else it will be like rotten timber in the foundation of a Building Not that I do exhort you to rigour and severity I know there may be an extream on both hands but take heed of extreams and of admitting persons visibly unfit These two Directions are of that weight that I have thought they are enough as to Communion of Churches If they own the Scripture for their Rule of Worship and Discipline if they build by the golden Reed and if they leave out the outer Court if there be care taken to keep off promiscuous Administrations But if they slight the Scripture as the rule of their Walking or of their Worship and Administrations Or if they be not in a capacity to keep the Ordinances pure I do not see how we can have comfortable communion with them 3. Let there be no noise of Axes and Hammers in building the Temple It was built entirely of hewed and squared stones whereof every one was perfectly fitted for its place the length of the stones some say being the thickness of the Wall 1 Kin. 6.7 It is not to be too rigorously understood but the meaning is is as some express it no sound that was obstreperous to a publick disturbance no laborious sound from the hewing or squaring of timber but only a more cheerful yea melodious harmony from the conjunction and compacting of matter aforeâ—â—â—d fitted and prepared Doubtless this was not without a mystery it may be divers ways applied as that the matter of the Church should be well prepared before their admission as members and that the Saints are aforehand fitted and prepared unto Glory so that when they come to dye they have nothing else to do but to dye for the Temple was a Type of Heaven and of the Church triumphant But the Application that I would make of it is this There should be no noise of strife no contention no collision of mens spirits in Church-society And the means to avoid this is the well preparing of the matter when the Soul is well prepared by an humbling work in its first conversion when hewed and squared it will lye even in the building else not For by Pride only comes Contention 4 Build the House of the Lord before your own Houses so Solomon did The Lords House was finished in seven years but his own was not finished till thirteen years 1 Kings 6. ult with cap. 7. 1. not that he regarded his own House more but less and therefore finished the Lords House before his own And the Jews after their return from the Captivity are greatly reproved for this neglect Hag. 1.4 and 2.19 It is indeed the general scope of the whole book of Haggai It brings a Blessing upon all your concernments Matth. 6.33 Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added But if this be
the Sanctuary and the Oracle The Institution of the Veil we have Exod. 26.31 32 33. It is said 2 Chron. 3.14 and he made the Veil of blue c. And we find 1 Kings 6.21 he made a Partition by the Chains of Gold before the Oracle that is to hang the Veil upon them It is a Question here on which side of the Wall the Veil hung whether in the Oracle or in the Sanctuary which I shall leave to your own Meditations to consider as also whether the Oracle had Windows Some think not because the Scripture in allusion to it speaks of Gods dwelling in thick darkness So Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8.12 and of the new Jerusalem which is described with some allusion to Solomons Temple It is said Rev. 21.23 it had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of the Lord did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Neither was the work of the High Priest in this most holy place such as needed any more Light than what the opening of the Doors might yield from the Light that was in the Sanctuary It is further Quere concerning the Oracle whether there were any side-chambers over it The Answer is that the Text seems clear for it 2 Chron. 3.1 and he overlaid the upper Chambers with Gold that is the upper Chambers over the Oracle For the whole Context in those three verses 8 9.10 treateth concerning the Oracle It was but twenty cubits high whereas the Sanctuary was thirty Therefore what became of the remaining ten cubits It is not likely that there was a pair Stairs as some suppose of fifteen foot high between the Sanctuary and the Oracle whereby to ascend and go up into the Oracle but rather that the remaining ten cubits was made into two upper Chambers to be repositories for the choicest things over the Oracle And so this brings me to speak a word to the side chambers of the Temple of which we read 1 Kings 6.5 6 and against the Wall of the House or upon or joyning to it saith the Margin he built Chambers round about against the Walls of the House round about both of the Temple and of the Oracle he made Chambers round about The nethermost Chamber was five cubits broad the middle was six cubits broad and the third was seven cubits broad For without in the Wall of the House he made narrowed Rests round about that the Beams should not be fastened in the Walls of the House So that here were three stories of Chambers contiguous to the Temple the lowest story five cubits broad the second story six cubits and the uppermost story seven cubits which different dimensions of the Chambers arose from the several rebatements that were in the Wall for the Beams of the Floors to rest upon The number of these Chambers is not expressed in Scripture but in Ezekiels visionary Temple there wsre thirty chambers Ezek. 41.6 and the Jewish Writers report that there was the same number in Solomons Temple Quest But here it may be demanded Cubits being so often mentioned in measuring the Temple how much a Cubit is Answer A Cubit was about a foot and a half of our measure it comes very neer it except some small fractions The Oracle therefore being twenty cubits was about thirty foot square The Porch-tower being one hundred and twenty cubits high was about one hundred and eighty foot high Some distinguish of cubits and think there were two sorts of them the sacred and the common cubit and that the sacred cubit was double the quantity of the other And so two sorts of Shekels the Shekel of the Sanctuary and the common Shekel and so of other Measures But others on the contrary conceive there was but one Cubit and but one Shekel and that phrase the Shekel of the Sanctuary they interpret of exact measure the Standard of all measures being laid up in the Sanctuary 1 Chron. 23.29 It is true the Temple is said to be so long according to the Cubits of the first measure 2 Chron. 3.3 but this is various ways interpreted Some understand it of the Measures left in the written Pattern by David to his Son Solomon Others understand it of the Tabernacle-measures left by Moses See the Belgick Annot. in 2 Chron. 3.3 If the Cubit used in the Temple were double to the ordinary there would have needed Pillars in the midst of the House to support the Roof but the Scripture speaks not of any such Pillars Obj. But if a Cubit was no more but a foot and an half wherein then consisted the Magnificence of Solomons Temple For it is said 1 Chron. 22.5 The House that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical of Fame and of Glory throughout all Countries Answ This Magnificence did not consist in the House only but in all the sacred Buildings the Courts and Vtensils belonging to it Nor did it consist in the bigness so much as in the sumptuousness of it for there is a competency and a measure in things which to exceed is not magnificent but rather monstrous It is not the excellency of a dwelling house to have wild vast Rooms but fit Romes for use The Sumptuousness of the Temple was unparallell'd It seems in this respect to have been incomparably the most stately Structure that ever was in the world For I have never read in any History of any House beside this that was overlaid with Gold all over both the Walls and the Roof and the Pavement of it and garnished with Jewels and precious Stones fixed and sparkling in the Walls like so many Stars in the Firmament But so much for the Figure and Dimensions 2. Now secondly of the Position or Situation of these parts to each other which was this The Porch stood to the East the Sanctuary or holy place in the middle and the Oracle in the West end of the Temple For Ezekiel standing in vision in the inner cap. 8. 16. he saw five and twenty men between the Porch and the Altar with their backs towards the Temple of the Lord and their faces towards the East and they worshipped the Sun towards the East And Ezek. 44.1 there is mention of the Gate of the outward Sanctuary which looketh towards the East And again Ezek. 47.1 behold Waters issued from under the threshold of the House Eastward For the forefront of the House stood towards the East The Reason of this was in opposition to the heathenish Idolatry of those times who were wont to worship towards the East and therefore had their doors and entrances into the Temples from the West and their Adyta and more sacred places towards the East end there their Idols stood As in our Churches in Popish times they had a Loft or Gallery over the Chancel which was called the Rood-loft where all their Idols stood as the Picture of Christ and of the Virgin Mary c.
that it stood in the East part of the Court this is certain but some place it in the North-east corner so our Translators read 1 Kings 7.39 and he set the Sea on the right side of the House eastward over against the South Mimmoul-negeb but others read it not over against the South but towards the South versus austrum that is in the South-east corner of the Priests Court which Ezekiels Vision seems to countenance Ezek. 47.1 the Waters came down from under the right side of the house at the South side of the Altar The Lavers were placed five on one side and five on the other side of the Court. 7. The use of these famous Utensils was to wash thereat from whence called Lavers or Lavatories Of the Laver of the Tabernacle it is said Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat Exod. 30.19 It was anointed and sanctified to this use Lev. 8.11 Moses took the anointing Oil and he anointed the Tabernacle and the Altar and the Laver and his Foot to sanctifie them The molten Sea in the Temple was for the Priests to wash in the Lavers for the Sacrifices 2 Chron. 4.6 such things as they offered for the Burnt-offering they washed in them but the Sea was for the Priests to wash in But how did the Priests wash in it Not that they did go with their whole bodies into it for neither did the Law require them so to do neither indeed could they for the molten Sea was so deep that it would have drowned them But the Text expresseth it thus Exod. 30.19 for Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat the Holy Ghost doth not say they shall wash their whole bodies therein but only their hands and their feet thereat And it is cleerer and more significant in the Hebrew Mimmenu ex illa therefore Ainsworth renders it therefrom and his Note is this to wit in the Water that is taken out of the Laver into some vessel of the Sanctuary They took Water out of it by Cocks or Pipes as they had occasion Vid. Engl. Annot. Some think passages were made through the heads of the Oxen to let the Water out of the Sea Quest But whence had they this Water that was in the molten Sea Answ It was the Office of the Gibeonites to provide it and to attend upon all the servile work of the Temple Jos 9.23 27. And Joshuah gave them that day to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Congregation and for the Altar of the Lord that is for the Priests and Sacrifices of the Altar even unto this day in the place which he should choose And ver 23. Drawers of Water for the House of my God Hence they came in after times to be called Nethinims Nehem. 10.28 Ezra 8.10 as much as to say the people that were given or appointed unto that use But whence the Gibeonites did fetch the Water it is not much material to inquire about that they had it either from Wells or Springs neer at hand or it may be there were some Springs even within the Courts of the Temple as in Ezekiels visionary Temple which one calls a visionary Varnish upon an historical ground-work Ezek. 47.1 So much for the History of this Type 2. Now for the spiritual sense and scope of it 1. The main thing aimed at in this typical Sea or confluence of Waters in the Temple is our spiritual washing in the Blood of Jesus Christ from sin and from uncleanness For it is said Revel 1.5 He hath loved us and washt us from our sins with his own Blood 1 Joh. 1.7 the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Therefore the Saints are presented to John after the tribulations and persecutions of Antichrist are come to an end as being clothed with white Robes Revel 7.9 And how came their Robes to be so white and clean see ver 14. These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Hence the Holy Ghost doth not express it under that phrase of a Sea of Blood partly because that Blood and a Sea of Blood is in nature dreadful and horrible and looks rather like an emblem of destruction and misery and partly because the scope and aim of the Spirit is to describe the Blood of Christ from the spiritual efficacy of it which is to make the Soul spiritually white and clean Therefore fitly presented under the emblem of a Sea or a confluence of spiritual Waters because as Water washeth and cleanseth the Body so doth the Blood of Christ wash and cleanse the Soul it washeth away the guilt of sin They have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. This is that Fountain which is set open for the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 That great priviledge therefore of Justification by the Blood of Christ whereby we are justified from the guilt of all our sins seems to be the thing primarily and chiefly intended in that molten Sea of old and in this Sea of Glass like unto Crystal which was before the Throne 2. The Scripture speaks also of the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost it is the Apostles phrase Tit. 3.5 there is a spiritual washing of the Soul in the regenerating work of the Holy Ghost upon the Soul As in Justification we are washed from the guilt of sin so in Regeneration we are washed from the inherent filth and dominion of it therefore in Conversion or Regeneration we are said to be born of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 that is of the Spirit working and acting like water to wash and cleanse us 3. There is a Laver of Baptism for God hath instituted such an Ordinance as washing with Water under the Gospel Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them And as there is this general analogy in the nature of the thing so likewise in this circumstance that as this Sea and Laver was placed in the Courts of the House of the Lord and they were to wash therein before they went about the business and service of the Temple so Baptism is the initiating Seal and Ordinance of the New Testament 4. Here is some shadow likewise of all Gospel-Ordinances in general for look as this vessel did contain the Water for the use of the Priests so do the Ordinances spiritually contain the Blood of Christ for the use of Believers The Laver was made of the molten Looking glasses and Solomons of bright Brass wherein as they might see their Faces so in the Ordinances a Believer sees Christ as in a Glass which is the difference between the state of Grace and Glory 1 Cor. 13.12 for now we see through a Glass darkly but then face to face as the Apostle there expresseth it
here consider Priests as Ministers for the Levitical Ministry was a Type of the Gospel-Ministry And so the Instruction here is this That the Priests should feed and live themselves upon the same Christ and the same Truths they preach to others 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 5. There was Incense set upon the Bread Lev. 24.7 and thou shalt put pure Frakincense upon each row Incense was a Type of Prayer so the Word and Prayer should go together The solemn Dispensation of the Word should be accompanied with Prayer Acts. 6.4 But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word It is said of the Levites Deut. 33.10 they shall teach Jacob thy Judgments and Israel thy Law they shall preach the Word They shall put Incense before thee and whole burnt Sacrifice upon thine Altar Here is Prayer and the Administration of the Sacraments which do succeed instead of the Jewish Sacrifices 6. Christ thus feeding and sustaining his Church gives us some intimation of his Kingly Office For he is this Bread of Life by which their Lives are sustained and upheld And so look as the Candlestick points especially to his Prophetical Office in teaching and enlightening us and the Altar and Vessels of Incense to that great work of his Priestly Office mediating and interceding for us so the Table of Shew-bread speaks his Kingly Office in sustaining and upholding of us 7. A third mystery of the Shew-bread is this It seems to have been a Sacrifice unto the Lord namely a Meat-offering and consequently all the Gospel-mysteries of the Meat-offering do belong to the Shew-bread as being one species or kind thereof For the Rule is this in Lev. 24.7 Thou shalt put pure Frankincense upon each row that it may be on the Bread for a memorial even an Offering made by Fire unto the Lord and accordingly it was to be eaten as other Fire-offerings were by Aaron and his Sons in the Holy place For it is most holy unto him of the Offerings of the Lord made by Fire ver 9. The Incense was burnt upon the Altar as a memorial for the Bread or as some think an handful of the Flower whereof they were made was burnt with the Incense for the whole Now the Meat-offering did purge away Sin as typifying the Righteousness of Jesus Christ both his active and passive Obedience 1 Sam. 3.14 purged by Sacrifice or by Meat-offering It signified also the Persons and Services of the Saints and the Acceptance of both before the Lord. All which may be applied to the Shew-bread under the notion of a Meat-offering Therefore I shall not here insist upon these Considerations but refer them to that place to which they do belong namely to the legal Offerings and Sacrifices where the Meat-offering comes to be considered But as to the two former notions of the Shew-bread to improve them a little more practically we may apply them both for Comfort and for Tryal 1. For Comfort As the Church is this Shew-bread they stand before the Lord continually his eye is ever upon them Though thou art one whom Man despiseth and whom the Nations abhor as usually the best of Gods people are most hated and least beloved in the world yet if the Lord regard thee what though men despise thee Psal 40. ult I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me Quest But how may I know that I am one of those that are under the Eye and Care and Love of God Answ The second notion of the Shew-bread speaks to this Dost thou feed upon Christ Is he the Shew-bread the Food of thy Soul whom as a spiritual Priest thou dost feed upon by Faith Then thou art the Shew-bread in that other notion as being continually before the Lord under his eye of special Care and Love And because all depends upon this let me give you a few Directions about it some Directions in eating the Shew-bread in feeding upon Christ in the Word 1. Do not feed upon other things Isai 55.2 Wherefore do you spend your Mony for that which is not Bread It is but to feed upon Husks Luke 15 16. and lying Vanities that cannot profit As if through a Distemper in the Stomach a man eats Coals or feeds upon Ashes it hurts the Appetite and weakens Nature so in Spirituals 2. Do not feed upon the Word without Christ in the Word For it is not the Letter of the Word it is not the bare Letter of the Promise but Christ in the Promise that is the Food of the Soul there be some that catch at the Promises and Benefits of Christ but do not close with Christ himself in the Promise who is indeed exhibited and manifested therein Therefore you should labour to see Christ himself there to behold his Glory as the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth as Joh. 1.14 to see his fitness and suitableness to all the necessities of a poor sinful Soul and that he is a person every way fit to be the great means of our access unto God and so upon that account to close with him as your Saviour having seen who and what a one he is as revealed in the Word of Promise by which we are first united to his Person and then do enjoy Communion with him in his Benefits 3. Never think that you seed upon Christ in the Promise a right until you find strength and nourishment from him Bread strengthens mans heart Psal 104.15 16. It is a lamentable thing when the Bread of life strengthens not when there is no staff nor stay in the Promise when God sends leanness into mens Souls But may not true Believers complain of unprofitableness Yes But strength comes at last if they go on to feed upon this food Therefore that which I aim at is this that you should never cease believing and eating and feeding upon Christ in every Ordinance and at every opportunity till at last you find strength and spiritual nutriment unto your Souls by him THE GOSPEL of the INCENSE and the GOLDEN ALTAR in the HOLY of HOLIES Dece 27 1668. Hebr. 9.3 4 5. And after the second Veil the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all which had the Golden Censer and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with Gold wherein was the Golden Pot that had Munna and Aarons Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant and over it the Cherubims of Glory shadowing the Mercy-seat of which we cannot now speak particularly HAving spoken of the holy Vessels in the Sanctuary we are now to treat of the sacred Furniture of the Holy of Holies concerning which we formerly observed from this Text this Doctrinal proposition Obs 5. That the sacred Furniture or the holy Vessels and Vtensils belonging to the Holy of holies were the Golden vessels for the
Now to unfold the Mystery of the Incense The Incense that was offered upon this Golden Altar was a Type of Prayer the Prayers both of Christ and of his Saints Both the Prayers which Christ offers up for the Saints and which the Saints offer up for themselves in his Name and Mediation See Rev. 5.8 Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense You may see the fulness of the analogy more at large in seven particulars 1. It was made up of many choise Ingredients Exod. 30.34 so is the Spirit of Prayer as it were a compound of many excellent Graces There must be Faith Humility Fervency c. and indeed all the Graces of Gods Spirit are drawn forth and exercised in Prayer 2. They are strictly forbidden to make another Persume of their own heads like unto it Exod. 30.37 38. so we are not to make use of any other Intercessors or Mediators but Christ only And in like manner for men to make Prayers in the way of stinted Liturgies though there be many of the same Ingredients in the Mass-book that is good expressions for the matter of them and words and notions that are found in the Scripture yet this being not the Incense that is instituted it is not it cannot be accepted 3. These Ingredients whereof the Incense was made were to be beaten very small into fine Powder Exod. 30.36 This teacheth us that Contrition of heart that ought to be in Prayer how the Soul is to be contrite and broken as it were all to pieces by humbling meditations of its own unworthiness when it appears before the Lord in Prayer These are the Prayers that God regards Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Isai 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones If a man come with his heart whole and not broken this is to offer the Incense unbeaten unpounded 4. The Incense was to be set on fire and so the smoke went up before the Throne Exod. 30.7 8. This speaks that holy Fervency in Prayer There should be ardent affections inflamed by the Fire of the Holy Ghost Jam. 5 16. the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much We should not come with a dead cold heart before the Lord in Prayer 5. This burning of Incense was a Service performed every day morning and evening Exod. 30.7.8 This teacheth us that Prayer should be a daily work morning and evening David tells us of his praying in the morning Psal 5.3 My Voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up And also in the evening Psal 141.2 The lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Yea both he and Daniel used to pray thrice a day Psal 55.17 Dan. 6.10 Anna departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Luk. 2.37 and we are commanded to pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Praying always with all Prayer Ephes 6.18 that is every day in the seasons of Prayer And Paul mentions his praying day and night 1 Thess 3.10 2 Tim. 1.3 which may well be understood of evening and morning See also 1 Tim. 5.5 and Act. 26.7 6. The time of burning the Incense was when they dressed and lighted the Lamps of the Sanctuary Exod. 30.7 8. This teacheth us the conjunction of the Word and Prayer in the Church Deut. 33.10 Acts 6.4 But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word 7. The Smoke of the Incense ascended with a sweet and fragrant smell into the Holy of holies before the Mercy seat as Rev. 8.4 and the Smoke of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand It went up out of the Angels hand This speaks that our Prayers come up before the Lord into his holy place even into Heaven before the Throne of Grace with acceptance through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ Acts 4.10 thy Prayers are come up for a memorial before God Hence that expression 1 Kings 8. hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place For the Holy of holies was a Type of Heaven and the Mercy-seat is that Throne of Grace where the Lord is said to dwell between the Cherubims Psal 80.1 It speaks also that God returns gracious answers to them as it is Zech. 1.13 the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good and comfortable words Sometimes there is a gracious terribleness in them I mean a mixture of Mercy and Terror in the Lords answers and returns of Prayer Psal 65. ver 5. by terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God of our Salvation Thus Rev. 8.5 when the Angel cast down the Censer upon the earth there were voices and thunderings and lightenings and an earthquake The Lord uttering his voice as it were from the Holy of holies in dreadful dispensations of Providence in the seven Trumpets it is from the Prayers of Saints that those dreadful Trumpets were sounded But one of the strangest instances of the Lords answering Prayer by strange and seemingly contrary Providences is that of the Turks Rev. 9. It is agreed by all Interpreters that the sixth Trumpet is the Turk But did ever any Christian pray for the coming of the Turk into Christendom No but yet they came and the Voice from the four Horns of this Golden Altar of Incense usher'd them in Rev. 9.13 The meaning is this the strange Power of God did answer the Prayers of his people this way it is the Prayers of Gods people that turns the wheel of Providence as it were and brings about all the great and mighty revolutions in the course thereof Vse 1. Of Comfort in five or six particulars This Doctrine of Christs Intercession which is the mystery of this Golden Censer and Altar of Incense is full of Comfort to poor praying Souls thou hast an High Priest which offereth up thy Prayers and they are made acceptable through his Intercession This affords Comfort let thy condition be what it will 1. If thou find thy self unskilful in making application of that part of Christs Priestly Office which consisteth in his Death yet thou maist look up to him to speak a good word for thy Soul this work is doing still though the former be done 2. In case of new sins committed after Grace received here is this Comfort that as Satan puts in new Accusations against thy Soul so Christ puts in new Answers 1 Joh. 2.1 2. if any man sin we have an Advocate c. 3. Many an one is much troubled with fears of future backslidings but Christ prays that thy Faith fail not he prays not only that we should come
the Feast of Expiation Answ They had no more of Gods appointment that were perpetual and religious Feasts It is true we read of some others both in Scripture and in the Jewish Writers but either they were not perpetually recurring every year but meerly occasional upon present emergencies of Providence or else they were not holy and religious Feasts but only civil and political or else lastly they were sinful and unwarrantable as 1. There was Solomons Feast that solemn Feast at the Dedication of the Temple as in 2 Chron. 5. but this was extraordinary and occasional and not a standing yearly Festival 2. They had also those Fasts of the fifth and of the seventh month which are mentioned in Zech. 7 3-5 but these also were but temporary and occasional upon occasion of the calamities of their Captivity in Babylon the Land being laid desolate Jerusalem taken the Temple destroyed Hence they had these Fasts only during the time of their sorrow but they ceased and were turned into rejoycing 3. There was the days of Purim mentioned in Esther 9.21 22. that they kept in the month of Adar on the fourteenth and on the fifteenth day of the month yearly for then it was turned from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a good day This seems not to be a religious but a political constitution so our Divines conclude against the Papists who plead this for their Popish Holidays For there were peculiar Sacrifices appointed for all the holy Festivals Numb chap. 28 and 29. but there was none for this and there is nothing mentioned but civil rejoycing days of Feasting and Joy and sending portions to the needy ver 22. Of this nature is our fifth of November Not but that there may and ought to be upon such times holy rejoycing in God as upon any providential occasion but there ought not to be a religious abstinence from the works of our Callings as upon the Lords day and upon occasional days of Fasting or Rejoycing that ought not to be on any such days Had they been religious Feasts and days wherein they were bound to abstain from the works of their Callings after the nature of religious Feasts we then are to suppose that Mordecai Nehemiah c. had instruction from God about it else they durst not have done it they that had such Light and Holiness 4. We read of two Feasts more appointed in the time of the Maccabees one for the Dedication of the Altar 1 Maccab. 4.56 so they kept the Dedication of the Altar eight days offered Burnt-offerings with gladness and offered sacrifices of deliverance and praise And the other for the Purification of the Temple 2 Maccab. 1.18 we are now purposed to keep the Purification of the Temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Chesleu Now if these had been only particular and occasional Feasts these things God had left with the Church to appoint but seeing the Jews say they were yearly Feasts they were thererefore superstitious and unwarrantable things for they had no such extraordinary persons amongst them that could give them authority from God for such a thing Thus we have gone through the first word Feast days their Holy days or Feast days Their holy times we referred to three heads their Holy days New Moons and Sabbaths Now a word concerning their New Moons Let no man judge you in respect of the New Moons 2. New Moons 2. The second word in the Text is New Moons of which we read in Numb 28.11 in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord c. and Numb 10.10 in the beginnings of your months ye shall blow with the Trumpets over your Burnt-offerings c. To open this a little that so you may understand the mind of the Holy Ghost in it you must observe that their computation of the year was not as ours is meerly Solar but partly Lunar for their month always began with the New Moon and the days remaining to fill up their Solar year which are eleven they were wont to intercalate at the appointment of their High Prests and Rulers at the years end Or as some write after the second or third year in an intercalatory month which they called Veader consisting of eleven or one and twenty or three and thirty days Their month still began with a New Moon and the Lord did appoint that it should be a season religiously observed by them you shall offer such and such Sacrifices ye shall blow with Trumpets c. There were four things observable in the solemnizing the New Moons for they did solemnize this season with such religious Rites and Observations as these 1. A holy Convocation and abstaining from the works and business of their Callings Therefore in Amos 8.5 they are brought in as saying when will the New Moons be gone that we may sell Corn c. 2. By repairing to the Prophets for Teaching and Instruction to inquire of God and to hear his Word 2 Kings 4.23 3. With sounding or blowing of Trumpets every New Moon as well as the New Moon of the seventh month Numb 10.10 4. With peculiar Sacrifices yea a greater number of Sacrifices then on the Sabbath day They had peculiar Sacrifices then to be offered on the first day of the month Numb 28.11 Some add fifthly the keeping solemn Feasts of Love and Amity 1 Sam. 20.5.6 Now this Solemnity doubtless had some Divine mystery in it it aimed at some good thing to come something of Christ in the Gospel for the Text saith expresly they were a shadow of things to come And the Worship of God in Gospel-times is expressed under this phrase Isai 66.23 from one New Moon to another so Ezekiel in his Vision of the Temple-worship under the Gospel speaks of it under the name of New Moons Ezek. 46.1 6. But what then did it signifie what was the meaning of all these things Doubtless they were written for our Instruction there was a Gospel-mystery in these legal Institutions In these things principally lay the substance of these shadows 1. Their acknowledgment of God in the Creature that God must be acknowledged in the renovation of the Creatures in the course of Providence as when the Moon begins increases and is renewed then Gods Providence is acknowledged and taken notice of he renews the course of nature and every mercy we enjoy There is no Light to be seen at first in the Moon but it increases till it come to the full Moon Thus God renews every creature and every comfort in the way of his Providence Psal 104.30 thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth They must not bless God in this Solemnity for the Moon when it was at the full then more of the Creature is seen but when there is least of the Creature then God must be owned even in the least of mercies 2. The Renovation of the Church in a way
Prefiguration of the Rest of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Grave that whole day which was indeed the only whole day of his resting or cessation from the actions of a bodily life For he was in the Grave only some small part of the sixth day and of the first day but he rested the whole Jewish Sabbath So then as they had other legal days and times that pointed them to other things about the Messiah so the Sabbath points to his resting in the Grave And he did not only rest in the humbling of himself under the guilt of our Sins but in his Resurrection from the dead The day of his Resurrection was the day of his entring into his state of rest from his Sufferings but on the Sabbath he rested from the actions of his bodily life therefore the seventh day Sabbath is abrogated and the Lord hath substituted the first day of the week for the Sabbath is moral And there is a ground too for the changing of the day that there should be one day in seven to attend on the Worship of God this is moral and perpetual that it should be the last day in seven this is by Gods Institution made legal and typical Christ entred into his rest of Glory into the state thereof at his Resurrection and into the place thereof when he ascended into Heaven but his resting in the grave was on the seventh day From all which you may see the morality of the Sabbath considered as in general together with the shadowy nature of the Jewish Sabbath of the seventh day having these typical respects relations annexed to it and so therein you see the grounds of the abrogation of it and of the substitution of the Christian Sabbath instead therereof And so much may serve for the typical respects and use of the Jewish Sabbath Now as for the Rites and Observations thereof 1. There were more Sacrifices that day then upon other days Numb 28.9 10. The reason was because there were more Mercies given and commemorated that day as the Creation their Deliverance out of Egypt and their Sanctification by the Spirit It shall be a sign between me and them that they might know that I Jehovah do sanctifie them Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 20. Here learn that the more Blessings God gives to any people the greater thankfulness he expects again It reacheth also that special Holiness that should be upon the Sabbath more exercise of Grace and duties of Worship to be performed upon that day then ordinarily upon any other day there should be that among us on the Christian Sabbath that should answer their double Sacrifice upon their Jewish Sabbath But in Ezek. 46.45 there is appointed for the Sabbath six Lambs for one under the Law to teach us that there should be more Holiness now under the Gospel then there was under the Law 2. They might not kindle a fire on that day Exod. 35.3 as some think to put them in mind of their absolute freedom from their Egyptian Bondage and the fiery Brick-works there or from the fire of Gods Wrath in the world to come when entred into that none of these fires should ever be kindled upon them or hurt them though others think that restraint respected only kindling a fire for the building of the Tabernacle nor is it unlikely 3. They were to abstain from building the Tabernacle that day Exod. 31.12 13 14 15 16 17. and 35.2 to teach them that the six days that is the time of this life is the only time wherein God will build the Tabernacle of his Church this life is the only day of Grace and opportunity of Salvation 4. They might not gather Manna on that day Exod. 16. In this life Christ is offered but in the Sabbath of eternity no Manna no means of Grace no offers of Christ then none could have Manna upon the Sabbath but they that had stored it up upon the week day so none can have Christ in Heaven but they that have stored him up in their hearts on earth These things shew the rigor of the Law as to Sabbath-rest but the Pharisees being deeply possest with the spirit of the Law did strain it a peg or two higher that to do a miraculous work of mercy or works of necessity was unlawful 2. They had also a Sabbatical year viz. every seventh year a Sabbath of the seventh year every seventh year was a Sabbatical year as every seventh day was a Sabbatical day Exod. 23.10 Deut. 15.9 This was celebrated by letting the Land rest from its usual culture and husbandry Levit. 25.4 5. Some alledge a political and philosophical reason for this that the Land by resting one year might be the more fruitful the other six quod caret alternâ requie durabile non est This Sabbatical year was celebrated by giving rest unto the Land from tillage and manuring the hungry ground This was a shadow of things to come this signifies something of Christ and Gospel mystery in which observe four things There was a fourfold Instruction in this Sabbatical year 1. This Sabbatical year told them plainly that both they and their Land was the Lords Lev. 25.23 For the Land is mine 2. This taught them to depend upon Providence without worldly care and trusting to the Creature for supply and support For they must not now sow nor till the Land this year for the sixth year was to bring forth the Fruit of three years both for the seventh year and for the eighth and for the ninth till the Harvest time See Lev. 25.20 21 22. and ver 6. the Sabbath of the Land shall be meat for thee The Land of its own accord that year was to produce sustenance enough both for man and beast It is not enough for us to depend on the ordinary course of means God can over-rule them and over-over-work them as he doth here 3. The Lord hereby teacheth them and us that great Gospel-lesson and duty of mercy and bounty to the poor Exod. 23.10 11. the Land must rest that the poor may eat and Deut. 15.1 2. Creditors must release their Debtors every seventh year Lev. 25.5 6. there is an Equity a Chancery a bountiful condescension to the necessities of the poor that men exact not their own right in all things but rather remit and abate something thereof Not but that men may take their course and use means to get it especially when persons are able and wilful but in case of poverty there should be mercy shewed in such a case 4. This Sabbatical year was a special season and time of instruction in the Law of God Deut. 31.10 11 12. the Lord would have them instructed and taught to know his Mind and the true Religion and the ways of his Worship Therefore he appointed so many times and seasons for it weekly and monthly and yearly and moreover one year in seven as you see Beside the mystery of spiritual rest by Christ of which further in
323. 5. The Sin-offerings buth the Bullock and the Goat must be burnt without the Camp ver 27. This also is explained upon the Sin-offering Lev. cap. 4. pag. 321 322. that Christ suffered without the City as a Malefactor with whom we also should suffer bearing our reproach and being content to be accounted as Malefactors yea as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the offscouring and sweeping of the world 6. On this great day of Atonement was the Jubile to be proclaimed by sound of Trumpet Lev. 25.9 This speaks that after the performance of the whole work of our Redemption by Jesus Christ he did cause the Trumpet of the Gospel to sound to publish and proclaim the glad tidings of our Salvation throughout the world Isai 61.1 2. so that this day of Atonement is like that famous week prophesied of by Daniel cap. 9. He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week In the midst of the week Messiah shall be cut off This week is interpreted by some concerning that seven years the first part whereof Christ preached suffered in the middle of the week and in the other three years and an half the Apostles preached at Jerusalem after which they were dispersed by persecution and so the Gospel published to all the world It is the performance of the work of our Redemption that was the foundation and groundwork of the preaching of the Gospel the Jubile is proclaimed upon the day of Atonement 7. And lastly this day of Atonement is a day of Humiliation and afflicting their Souls by an everlasting Ordinance ver 29 to the end Days of Humiliation are days of Atonement and Reconciliation Not that our Humiliation merits or deserves any thing it is not the afflicting our Souls that doth make atonement but it fits us to receive the Atonement Humiliation prepares the Soul for Christ and makes it capable to receive the Mercy and the Pardon that Christ hath purchased and that God is willing and ready to bestow upon all that will receive it by Faith THE MANIFOLD SINFULNESS OF THE POPISH HOLY DAYS Discovered in sundry Reasons against them and the most material Objections answered AMongst the several ways wherein the Superstition of the hearts of men works out and vents it self this is one the observing of Days and Times wherein the Church of Rome hath abounded filling the Kalender with superstitious Holy days many of which are still retained and continued by the Church of England But let these Reasons against them be considered Reason 1. Nothing can be holy to the Lord which is not made holy by the Lord but God the Lord of time hath not sanctified nor set apart these times We find indeed before the Ceremonial Law was instituted yea before the Fall of Man that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Gen. 2.2 3. and therefore the Observation of a weekly Sabbath one day in seven is moral and perpetual But other Holy days are things which the Lord never commanded and which never came into his heart and of which he will say at the great Day who required these things at your hands The strength of which argument will appear the more if we consider what miserable poor shifts it puts the Patrons of these Holy days to when they go about to grapple with it 1. Sometimes they are so confounded in themselves as to deny that they place Holiness in these days the Church keeps them they say not as more holy and sacred then other days and parts of divine Worship but only for Order and Policy So Bishop Lindsey Perth Ass part 3. p. 5. But the rest of his Fellows have dealt more truly and more sincerely then he in this particular for not only Bellarmine tom 2. de Cultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 10. prop. 2. asserteth Festa Christianorum non solum ratione Ordinis Politiae sed etiam ratione mysterii celebrantur suntque dies festi vere aliis sanctiores sacratiores pars quaedam divini cultus But Hooker Eccles Pol. lib. 5. sect 69. pag 375. also saith they ought to be with all men that honour God more holy then other days Downham in Praec 4. refers them to the fourth Commandment and will have them consecrated as Sabbaths to the Lord. Bishop Andrews in his Holiday Sermons on Luke 4.18 on Matth. 12.39 40. apud Gillesp Eng. Pop. Cerem part 3. cap. 1. pag. 15. hath found out many profound mysteries in them yea in the very order of them and distances of time between them as there be fifty days between Easter and Pentecost because fifty is the number of the Jubile one day between Easter and the Resurrection because Jonas was but one day in the Whales belly with many other pretty tales which are not worth transcribing And the thing it self speaks for why do they call them Holy days if they put no holiness in them nay why do they prefer them above the Sabbaths of God 2. Sometimes they labour to escape in the mist of blind distinctions so when Bishop Lindsey Perth Ass part 3. pag. 28. saith that the Holy dayes are not consecrated to holy mystical uses but to holy political uses Wherein as Mr. Gillespy Eng. Pop. Cer. part 3. cap. 1. pag. 7. well observeth he doth but labour to plaister over his Superstition with the untempered mortar of this quidditative distinction and uncouth speculation of which I dare say the Bishop himself comprehendeth it not 3. Sometimes they say God hath sanctified them by the great works he hath done upon them Thus Bellarmine de Cult Sanct. lib. 3. cap. 10. Christus nascens consecravit locum id est praesepe moriens consecravit Crucem resurgens consecravit Tuntulum unde exivit cur non etiam consecravit Tempus id est Dies illos quibus natus vel passus vel rediturus fuit nobis devictâ morte Which his Disciple Rich. Hooker a most Papistical Writer borrows from him and thus expresseth it Eccl. Pol. lib. 5. § 69. p. 375. No doubt as Gods extraordinary presence hath hallowed and sanctified certain Places so they are his extraordinary works that have truly and worthily advanced certain Times for which cause they ought to be with all men that honour God more holy then other days Thus he But it is not meerly the extraordinary works of God that will sanctifie a day for then all the six days of the week should be holy for God created the World in six days so that there is not one day of the week wherein there was not some work of wonder wrought It is rather the Lords resting from his works then his working that sanctifieth Time and makes it holy as Gen. 2.2 3. Exod 20.11 Upon this ground the seventh day was sanctified in old time because on that day God rested from the work of Creation and upon the same ground the first day of the week being the Rest-day of the Lord our God from the great work of Redemption his
the Honour of Saints and that the Lord should ease his people of the burthen of a few Festival days to lay upon them an heavier burthen by a greater number of them So that we see the Scripture doth abundantly and clearly condemn and testifie against these superstitious observations of days and times Reason 3. Consider further the deep dishonour that is done to God by these days every manner of way The common pretense is that they do it for the Honor of Christ but it is not good Intentions that will excuse bad Actions Jeroboam pretended very good Intentions 1 Kings 12.28 so did they in Exod. 32.5 they proclaimed an Holy day to Jehovah though they kept it in a rude manner but what saith the Lord to them even after all the Prayers of Moses for them ver 34. in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them He will not regard their vain pretenses for the truth is these days are celebrated rather in dishonour and as it were in despite of Christ then for any Glory to him For 1. They are a dishonour to his Holiness as if Christ were a God that delighted in Profaneness and Wickedness for he is dishonoured as some have well observed by letting the reins loose to all manner of Profaneness as much in the twelve days and in some respects more then in all the twelve months of the year beside Hence Mr. Perkins most truly and justly complains that the Feast of Christs Nativity commonly so called is not spent in praising the Name of God but in Revelling Dicing Carding 〈◊〉 Mumming and in all licentious liberty for the most part as 〈◊〉 it were some Heathen Feast of Ceres or Bacchus Perk 〈…〉 Creed Art of Christs Birth apud Gillesp Engl. Pop. Cerem p. 〈…〉 cap. 9. page 48. 2. It is an unspeakable dishonouour to his blessed Sabbaths for men to set their Days by his Days their Posts by his Posts their Altars by his Altars as Jeroboam devised a Feast of his own heart like unto the Feast that was in Judah 1 Kings 12.32 yea as Dr. Ames observes they were from their first use not only equalled unto but extolled above the Lords day Fresh Suit part 2. p. 84. Those Prelates saith Mr. Gillespy that will not abase themselves to preach upon ordinary Sabbaths think the high Holy days worthy of their Sermons Engl. Pop. Cerem part 3. cap. 1 pag. 13. Yea they can write Books against the Sabbath as Heylin White Pocklinton and others have done to pluck away that Crown of Glory and Preeminence which God hath set upon that day which he hath chosen and they set up their own devised days in stead thereof Common experience proveth saith Reverend Mr. Dod on the second Commandment p. 68. that all they which stand most for superstitious Holy days are greatest profaners of the Lords Sabbath and contemners of his Word 3. They do dishonour the Wisdom and Word of Christ for Christ the Lord of Time and the Lord of the Sabbath hath sanctified and instituted the first day of the week whereon he arose from the dead for the Commemoration of the great work of our Redemption by him and what can the man do that comes after the King and in those things that have been already done as Eccles 2.12 It is a bold and deep reflection upon the Wisdom of Christ to add thus to his appointments as if the Lord Jesus Christ himself were not wise enough to appoint days and times sufficient to keep his own Nativity Death Resurrection Ascension and all the great things he hath done for us in everlasting remembrance in the hearts of his Saints but the Devil and the Pope must help it out It is therefore in plain terms a profane speech of Dr. Hammond that when the Festivals are turned out of the Church it will not be in the power of weekly Sermons on some head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Christ in mens hearts View of Direct and Vindic. of Liturg. pag. 31. What are not the Institutions of Christ powerful to attain his own blessed ends unless they be pieced out with the additions of mens Inventions surely there is no Christian that hath found the experience of the saving Power and Blessing of Gods Ordinances to his own Soul but will detest and abhor to entertain such base and vile thoughts of them unless he hath forgotten that he was purged by them from his old sins 4. These superstitious Holy days introduced and brought in many other corruptions along with them as bad or worse then themselves like the unclean Spirit with seven Devils more sundry whereof are thus expressed by Dr. Ames Fresh Suit against Cerem part 2. pag. 84. They were saith he from their first rise not only equalled unto but also extolled above the Lords day Easter brought in a superstitious Lent to attend upon it made Baptism wait for her Moon and conformed our Lords Supper to the Jewish Passover in unleavened Bread It was the first Apple of Contention amongst Christians The Latin and Greek Churches striving contending fiercely about the time of it and Victor Bp. of Rome desperately excommunicated those that were not of his opinion in this frivolous Question So that it was the first Weapon wherewith the Bishop of Rome played his Prizes against other Churches and after slew so many Britains with by Austin the Monk Holy days devised by men in honour of Christ invited and drew on Holy days to Saints with many other mischiefs more then can be now numbred up And therefore upon all accounts God is dishonoured by them And so much for that third Reason Reason 4. The true yearly time for the Celebration of these Festivals is not certainly known but much disputed among Chronologers and Divines so that Holiday-keepers cannot affirm that they do commemorate opus diei in die suo the Lord having hid it as he did the Body of Moses to prevent Idolatry The fierce contention for the space of two hundred years or thereabout between the Greek and Latin Churches about the time of celebrating Easter is famous in Ecclesiastical History the Eastern Churches kept it on the fourteenth day of the first month when the Jews kept their Passover from whence they were called quarto-decimani But the Western Churches kept it upon the Christian Sabbath in commemoration of Christs Resurrection who rose upon the first day and both sides pretended Apostolical Tradition for their different practice The difference grew so hot that Victor Boshop of Rome being full of the spirit of Antichrist excommunicated all the Asian Churches as being Fourteeners and as Judaizers Afterwards Constantine the Great called the Council of Nice to compose these differences in the Churches who thought it best to keep it upon the day of Christs Resurrection but they had done better if they had utterly abolished it as the great reforming Parliament did in England But thus we see what a bone of Contention
Scripture recommendeth and Nature teacheth and directeth to his Distinction is lame and defective and his Rule false For it is not natural Reason but Divine Institution that is the foundation of religious Ceremonies as is most apparent in the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper Doth natural Reason teach these neither will his Rule stand that nothing is proper to the Jews but only such Ceremonies as signifie some future thing For a plenteous Induction of instances might be given in sundry legal Burthens and Ordinances of those times which we all account our selves delivered from though we do not well know what typical signification to assign unto them It will be hard to demonstrate what typical signification there was in that restraint of the initiating Seal precisely to the eighth day or in that Law that a man shall marry his deceased Brothers Wise to raise up seed unto his Brother with many other things of the like nature which yet are not now in force And upon this account also this instrumental Musick is rejected by many judicious Writers as being a burthen laid upon the Jews or an Indulgence allowed unto them in that estate of infancy but now the time of Gospel Freedom is come Galat. 4.4 5. Judaeis fuerat permissum propter infirmitatem cordis sui saith Chrysostom in Psal 150. Quia populus erat magis durus carnalis Aquin secund secundae qu 91. art 2. ad 4. Veteri durae cervicis stupidae mentis populo Deus olim indulsit Pareus in 1 Cor. 14.7 Suppose saith Mr. Cotton singing with Instruments were not typical but only an external solemnity of Worship fitted to the solace of the outward Senses of Children under age such as the Israelites were in the Old Testament Galat. 4.1 2 3. yet now in the grown age of the Heirs of the New Testament such external pompous solemnities are ceased and no external Worship reserved but such as holdeth forth simplicity and graty nor is any Voice now to be heard in the Church of Christ but such as is significant and edifying by signification 1 Cor. 14.10 11 26. which the Voice of Instruments is not Mr. Cotton of singing of Psalms cap. 1. p. 6. 5. If that Institution under the Law be binding to us in Gospel-times I do not see how it will be avoided but it will bring in the whole Jewish Musick as well as some part of it And then why should we not have Trumpets in the Worship of God as well as Organs for the Jews had Trumpets also And why must we have them only in Cathedral Churches and in the Kings Chappel seeing there is no preeminence or difference of places under the New Testament If Organs be too dear for every poor Parish yet as Mr. Calderwood observes they might get Citherns or Bagpipes Haec instrumentalis Musica saith he si apta cultui divino in Ecclesiâ Christianâ cur denegatur singulis paraeciis conceditur tantum Cathedralibus Ecclesiis Sacellis Regis si sumptuosum sit Organon sufficiet Tibia utricularis aut Cythara Didoclav Altar Damasc c. 8. p. 494. Or they might follow the example of some superstitious Christians at Jerusalem mentioned by Sir George Sandys who instead of Musical instruments have Sawcers of Brass which they strike one against another set about with Jingles Sir G. S. Relation of a Journey in 1610. lib. 3. pag. 173. And would not this be very grave and solemn Worship And why should there not be Dancing in the Worship of God as well as Piping for those old Idolaters in Exod. 32.6.19 of whom these in our times are the genuine offspring and posterity did not only shout but also danced and plaid before their Idol or if they like not that example which nevertheless they imitate and follow they may read of Davids leaping and dancing before the Ark and that with divine acceptance and approbation 2 Sam. 6. as also Miriam the Prophetess Exod. 15.20 which if they think it was not a precedent for Gospel-times let them give any reason for it which may not be applied as well against the Jewish Musick 6. I need not say what a troop of Church Officers this kind of Worship introduceth of whom the Scripture is wholly silent and hath left no Direction to us how they should be qualified how called how maintained nor what the work and duty of their Office is Those Musitians of old among the Jews as Mr. Hildersham observes were all Levites and had a special Function and Calling in that Church by Gods appointment whereupon they were wholly to attend and whereunto they were enabled by special Gifts received from God Hild. on Psal 51. lect 1. p. 3. Of their diligent attendance upon the work see 1 Chron. 9.33 And these are the Singers chief of the Fathers of the Levites who remaining in the Chambers were free for they were imployed in that work day and night And 2. for their gifts and abilities see 1 Chron. 15.22 Chenaniah he instructed about the Song for he was skilul And 1 Chron. 25.7 the number of them that instructed in the Songs of the Lord even all that were cunning were 288. Yea 3. they had also special Maintenance appointed and provided for them hence we read of a certain portion for the Singers due every day Nehem. 11.23 and all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah gave the portions of the Singers and the Porters every day his portion Nehem. 12.47 But Christ hath left no direction to us about any such Officers in the Churches of the New Testament we read of Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons but of Choristers and Singingmen nothing And if we say the Church may appoint them this will open a gap for all humane Inventions Prelates Popes and Cardinals came in at this door And being not appointed by Christ they must needs be a great burthen to the Church Hence Erasmus justly complains Operosam quandam theatricam Musicam in sacras aedes induximus tumultuosum diversarum vocum garritum qualem non opinor in Graecorum aut Romanorum Theatris unquam auditum fuisse In hunc usum magnis salariis aluntur puerorum greges quorum omnis aetas in perdiscendis kujusmodi gannitibus consumitur Tantis sumptibus oneratur Ecclesia ob rem pestiferam c. We have brought saith he a tedious and theatrical Musick into the Church a tumultuous noise of many voices such as I think was never heard in the Greek or Roman Theaters For which purpose whole flocks of Boys are maintained at a great charge whose age is wasted in learning this gibble gabble as Dr. Ames renders it such Charges is the Church loaden with for such a pestiferous thing Erasm in 1 Cor. 14. apud Ames Fresh Suit part 2. cap. 4. p. 405. But this may suffice to that first Objection from the use of them under the Law These six Considerations may suffice to shew that nevertheless they are no part
of the Lord Exod. 28.38 Ephes 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the beloved Though we and our best works are vile yet the Lord looking upon the Forehead of our High Priest sees Holiness engraven there looking upon the Face of Christ he there also beholds it for us and becomes well pleased with us and we in the Faith thereof persuaded and assured of our acceptance with the Lord through the Faith of him Thou that saiest there is nothing but sin in me sin and vileness in all I do I answer it is true the Lord can see nothing but sin in thee but he cannot look upon the High Priest but there he sees holiness yea the holiness of Jehovah there Thus you have seen something of the holy attire which the Lord ordained and appointed for the Priests of old I shall conclude with two or three general words as by way of Use or Inference from the whole Vse 1. We may here see the evil of the superstitious Garments retained from Antichrist for the Ministers of the Gospel It is to transform Gospel-Ministers into legal Priests yea into Popish Priests The Priests under the Law had a long white Linnen Coat hence Antichrist hath a Surplice The Priests of old were girded with a Girdle hence is the Canonical Girdle as they call it which by many is now commonly called a Circingle by way of contempt and just and righteous scorn The Priests under the Law had an holy Robe hence is the Canonical Coat They had an Ephod hence is the Pall which the Pope was wont to send to Archbishops for their Consecration or Installment Lastly the High Priest of old had a Mitre hence is the Bishops Mitre And Ribera quotes a place out of Josephus where he saith that the High Priest wore a tripple Crown from whence he thinks St. Peter did the like as the Pope now doth that so the Verity might be answerable to to the Figure that Christs High Priests might wear that which the High Priest the Figure of Christ did wear Ribera de sacr Vest cap. 14. apud Willett on Exod. 28. Controv. 4. But Dr. Willett answers him beside many other just and rational answers as that the Scripture doth not say it was a triple Crown I had thought saith he that Aaron had been a Figure of Christ not of the Pope and temporal things do not prefigure temporal one triple Crown another but that outward Crown shadowed forth the spiritual Kingdom and Regal Dignity of Jesus Christ But against all these Popish Garments in general observe two things 1. That these things were typical and shadowy therefore now that Christ the true High Priest is come in his Divine Glory this external pomp and splendor of bodily Apparel is ceased and vanished away with all the rest of the Ceremonies by the appearing of the Sun of Righteousness The Papists therefore in this matter they do judaize The Priest among the Papists when he comes among the people he comes forth just like a Priest of the Ceremonial Law as if he were going to offer Sacrifice Though withall it is to be observed that some of their superstitious Garments are not borrowed from the Jews but either from the Pagans or invented of their own heads For they have a rich Wardrobe of superstitious Garments as the Crosier Staff the Albe the Chimere the grey Amice the Stole with such like some of which for my part I know not well what they are nor whence they had them nor is it worth the while to make much search in Histories and Fathers after them but as in some they judaize so in others I doubt they paganize 2. Observe this that the false Priests of old were much given to this kind of Superstition and not only they but sometimes good men were a little tainted with it who abhorred the more open sort of gross Idolatry Judg. 8.27 Gideon made an Ephod a sacred ministring Garment but he intended no hurt Good Man for he was no Papist he had broke down the Image of Baal but yet this did offend the Lord and became a snare to Gideon and to his House Suppose men be against the gross Idolatry of the Papists as our reforming Magistrates in England were in the first Reformation yet if they retain any of these Priestly Garments it may offend God and be a snare to them But we have a grosser instance in 2 King 10.22 in Jehu's time who said to him that was over the Vestry Bring forth the Vestments for all the Worshippers of Baal It seems they had not only Worshipping Vestments but such a number of them that it required a special Officer to keep them and look after them There are but two Objections commonly alledged for them Obj. 1. It is decent Ans Decency in Clothing appears in common use and custom and is regulated thereby and by the Light of Nature and therefore those Habits that men do not wear in common use are accounted uncomely and ridiculous And thence though in old time they were wont to were white and in those hotter Climates they did much use Linnen yet now in after-times people having betaken themselves to darker colours as being graver and not requiring such continual washing as it would be ridiculous altogether ridiculous for a man to wear a white Shirt on the top of all his Clothes so to do the like in the Worship of God is a direct and manifest breach of that rule of Decency 1 Cor. 14. ult and so far from decent that it is ridiculous and absurd God having not appointed any such thing Moreover the meaning of that Scripture is not that men should institute and invent decent things but only that they do administer the things of Christ which he hath instituted in a decent manner and further than this that Text gives no liberty nay it restrains men from medling further then only to see that the Appointments and Ordinances of Christ be administred in a decent and orderly manner But there is no decency in wearing a Surplice for then the want of it would be undecent which common sense tells us it is not Nor did Christ or the Apostles worship God undecently and yet they never prayed or preached in a Surplice Obj. 2. Better do it then not preach I had rather preach in a Fools Coat said one then not preach the Gospel Ans We must not do evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3. and therefore we may not preach in a Fools Coat for it is not decent The plain truth is that this pretense which so many have abused themselves withall that they had rather preach in a Fools Coat forsooth then not preach the Gospel it is a weak and sinful speech The first that spake it as I have heard was a French Protestant who being made a Prebend by King James was content to accept of it and made this excuse he not understanding or not rightly considering the English Controversies that were then
Vid. Engl. Annot. in loc 4. Moses was to fill the hand of the Priests with some parts of the Sacrifices ver 23 24 25. This interprets and lets you see the reason of that expression why Consecration is called filling of the hand Lev. 7.37 so Exod. 28.41 and here cap. 29. ver 9. It is because some parts of the Sacrifices were put into his hands at his Consecration as a pledge or symbol of putting such a business and intrusting such a work in his hands No man can or ought to undertake this or any other Trust or Office till the Lord fill his hand with it and commit the work and business to his trust A man can take unto himself nothing except it be given him from Heaven Joh. 3.27 they are the words of John the Baptist and he saith of Christ that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand ver 35. of that 3d. of John Now the Use of all these Rites of Consecration lies in such things as these 1. They were an external sign and representation of the Dignity of the Office therefore there were so many solemn and sacred Ceremonies in setting them apart thereunto and yet these Priests were but shadows of Jesus Christ our great and true High Priest whose Office is of incomparably more surpassing excellency and Dignity See 1 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. 2. All these Rites of Consecration had this use to the Priests themselves to be Monitors or Remembrances to the Priests themselves that they might remember how pure and holy to the Lord they ought to be And the like Instruction they hold out to Believers who all are made spiritual Priests unto God that they ought to be holy to the Lord. 3. From the people they bespeak reverence and regard to the Priests and that for their works sake they having such Honour and Dignity put upon them in such a solemn Consecration to their Office Thus the Apostle in the New Testament chargeth the Thessalonians that they should know them that laboured among them that were over them in the Lord and admonished them and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thess 5.12 13. 4. We may learn also this from these sacred Rites of the Consecration of the Priests that under the New Testament there should be no Gospel-Ministers but such as are called and consecrated by God to that work see Heb. 5.4 'T is set as a Brand upon that wicked Jeroboam that he made of the basest of the people Priests even whosever would he consecrated him but this thing became sin to the House of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth as the Holy Ghost expresly tells us 1 Kings 13.33 34. THE GOSPEL of the MINISTRATIONS of the LEGAL MINISTRY Feb. 28. 1668. Morning and Afternoon Numb chap. 18. THere were three sorts of Officers in the old Legal Ministry 1. The Priests 2. The Levites 3. The Nethinims Of the Priests you have heard four things propounded 1. The special Rites and Qualifications of that Order of Priesthood 2. Their Priestly Apparrel 3. Their Consecration 4. Their Priestly Ministrations in the House of God This last remains to be spoken to for which this Chapter may be the Text and foundation of our Discourse The Chapter consists of two parts 1. The Work of the Priests and Levites 2. Their Maintenance 1. Their Work and Office to ver 8. The several Work of the Priests and of the Levites is here exactly distinguished their several Offices bounded and disterminated by the Soveraign Wisdom and Authority of God setting each their limits which they might not on highest penalties transgress and violate The charge of the Sanctuary and the Altar with the things appertaining thereunto was committed to the Priests the charge of the Tabernacle to the Levites ver 7. 1. For the Priests their work was the charge of the Sanctuary and the Altar and the holy Vessels and Services thereof These they must look to and of these God would require and expect an account at their hands And the Lord said unto Aaron thou and thy Sons and thy Fathers House with thee shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary and of your Priesthood ver 1. that is the guilt and punishment of whatever is done amiss in these matters The Stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death ver 7. the Stranger here is not meant of other People and Nations only as in other places but any other Family beside the Family of Aaron the rest of Israel yea the Levites themselves were Strangers in this sense There are many particulars comprised under this general head of the Charge of the Altar and Sanctuary in each of which I shall but briefly shew how they had an eye to Jesus Christ the Priest and Minister of the true Sanctuary 1. First then this includes the holy Vessels and all the hallowed things thereof ver 7. so Numb 4 5-15 and ver 16. In like manner hath God committed the whole Church of God and all the mysteries of our Salvation to the trust and care and charge of Jesus Christ for the Tabernacle is the Church All the concernments of his people all their Graces and Duties and Comforts meet in him and are under his special care and trust therefore they are said to be given to him by the Father Joh. 3.35 2. The offering Sacrifice and ordering that whole matter is here also plainly included as being part of the Charge of the Altar the Priest was to kill and dress the Sacrifices and sprinkle the Blood thereof and to manage and dispose of that whole affair Lev. 1.5 and he that is the Priest shall kill the Bullock before the Lord and the Priests the Sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the Blood c. Heb. 5.1 Every High Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins and the same Apostle applies it expresly to Jesus Christ Heb. 8.3 For every High Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man that is Christ have somewhat also to offer that is himself his own blessed Body and Humane nature This is the Sacrifice he offered And so he himself was both the Sacrifice and the Priest the Priest in regard of both his Natures and the Sacrifice in regard of his human nature see Heb. 10.10 11 12. No other can offer any expiatory Sacrifice to make atonement with the Lord but only he He trod the Wine-press alone in this respect and of the people there was none with him as Isai 63.3 3. The Priests were to light the seven sacred Lamps of the golden Candlestick Exod. 27.20 21. Lev. 24.2 3. This shadows forth Christ the true Light Joh. 1.9 shining forth and enlightening his Church by his Spirit in the Ministry of the Word For the Golden
2. The occasion of their Separation to this Office And there are two or three occasions of it noted 1. The Lords passing by the first-born of Israel when he slew the first-born of Egypt Exod. 13.2 on which occasion the Lord challenged the first-born to himself and required they should be sanctified to him But afterwards the Lord was pleased to take the Levites from amongst the Children of Israel instead of all the first-born See Numb 3.11 12 13. Therefore the Levites shall be mine saith God because all the first-born are mine 2. The Faithfulness of the Levites in a time of great Apostacy and temptation the Story whereof you have in Exod. 32.28 29. and it is afterwards remembred by Moses before the Lord in his blessing of them Deut. 33.9 3. The later Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram with the lamentations and self-condemning complaints of the people upon that occasion Compare cap. 17. of Numbers the two last verses with the first verses of this 18th chapter That Complaint of the people Behold we dye we perish we all perish is an earnest deprecation of the danger for they were under the sense of the dread and Majesty of the dreadful presence of God in his Tabernacle and thereupon they thus spake From all which we may observe that such as God cals to any Work and Office he doth usually give many visible intimations of it he doth design and prepare them to it by many fore-running Providences 3. The Rites and manner of their Separation and Consecration to their Office This is recorded and declared at large in Numb 8. where you will find it was by sprinkling them with Water by shaving their Hair by washing their Clothes and by offering Sacrifices for them And lastly by the Children of Israels laying their hands upon them But I shall not speak to these things though it would be worth the while Because there hath been occasion to speak to sundry of these Rites in other places formerly 4. Their Work and Office which they were thus separated and set apart unto which was in general to be adjoyned as subordinate Ministers to the Priests in the outer Services and Ministrations of the Temple so here ver 2. that they may be joyned unto thee alluding to the name of Levi which bears that signification though the name was given upon another occasion I say outer because they are excluded from the Ministrations of the Sanctuary and the Altar ver 3. Their Work might be distinguished into Synagogue-work and Temple-work into temporary or occasional and standing work But I shall put all together in seven heads 1. They were to bear the Tabernacle and all the holy Vessels Numb 4.15 so Christ supports and bears the Church but this work was but temporary and occasional while the Tabernacle was in that ambulatory posture but when the flitting moving Tabernacle was changed into a fixed Temple then this part of their Ministration was at an end 2. The Levites were to assist the Priests in offering Sacrifices 1 Chron. 23 28-31 2 Chron. 29.34 and 2 Chron. 30.16 to burne them on the Altar and sprinkle the Blood was peculiar to the Priests but the Levites might help in killing them and other preparatory Administrations As to the Gospel of this you know the true Sacrifice is Christ and he is the Priest and the Levite too he did all himself alone without any 〈◊〉 assistance 3. The Levites were to teach the people in the Law of the Lord therefore scattered and dispersed in their habitations up and down among them Deut. 33.10 they shall teach Israel thy Law Mal. 2. ver 7. the Priests Lips should keep Knowledge and and they should seek the Law at his Mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. Jehosophat sent Levites to teach It is the Magistrates duty to provide for the teaching and instructing of his Subjects in the good knowledge of the Lord. This Christ doth and this Gospel-Ministers also do they should teach the people what the Lord hath taught them 4. They were to judge of Causes and to determine Controversies among the people Deut. 17.8 9-12 the supream Judgment lying in the High Priest ver 11. Amaziah the Priest in those things which belong to God shall preside 2 Chron. 19.8 10. so there is spiritual Judgment of Discipline in the Church under the Gospel Ezek. 44.23 24. 1 Cor. 5.12 5. They were to sing the Songs of the Temple That business of the Temple-Musick was committed to them partly as to the Psalteries Harps and Viols though the Priests were to sound the Trumpets 1 Chron. 15.16 17. 2 Chron. 5.12 13. That which answers this is the inward melody of the Joys and Graces of Gods Spirit 6. Others of them were Treasurers 1 Chron. 26.20 22 24 26 27 28. there is a Treasure also in the Church of the New Testament for which the Lord hath appointed Deacons whom he hath intrusted with it 7. Others were Porters to keep and watch the Gates of the House of the Lord which they did both by day to keep back unclean persons that they might nor enter into the Temple so we find in Jehoiada's time 2 Chron. 23.19 Ezek. 22.26 and Ezek. 44.7 8. and by night Psal 134.1 These seem to have been as the Priests and Singers were divided into four and twenty courses 1 Chron. 23.4 5 6. 2 Chron. 8.14 so the Gates of the Gospel-Churches should be kept and guarded that enemies and unclean persons may not enter in Rev. 21.27 3. The third sort of Temple-Officers were the Nethinims or Gibeonites Josh 9. for the servile work of the Temple ver 21 23 27. And Joshua gave them that day to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Congregation and for the Altar of the Lord. Hence they are called Nethinims from Nathan dedit They were afterwards methodized by David for the Temple-service Ezra 8.20 and had Lodgings neer the Temple Nehem. 3.26 though their dwellings were in their own Towns and Cities Nehem. 7.73 the Nethenims dwelt in their Cities Their coming to the Israelites was to save their own Lives a lawful end but the means they used was very evil for they came with a Ly in their mouths as you all know the Story Josh 9. And as their means was bad so the motive was but low for they were under a legal work of fear and terror and under guilt and guile of Spirit as indeed guilt is usually accompanied with guile and deceitfulness of heart Yet out of this legal principle this legal fear and terror they came to make their peace I may call it in a sense their peace with God for it was with the people of God with the people of the true God and God by his Providence did so order it that their Lives were preserved and not only so but they were devoted though in a very low and mean way to the Service of the Tabernacle of the true and
former Rest being disturbed and spoiled by the Fall and Sin of Man is our Christian Sabbath But these Popish Holy days are not the Lords resting days nor is any such thing pretended 4. They commonly put it upon the Church and say the Church hath set apart these times but this is not enough to make them holy for all that the Church can do towards the sanctifying of any time or thing is only to present it and offer it to the Lord but if the Lord do not accept them but refuse such Presents and cast them down as dung in their faces they are not Holiness to the Lord but an abomination to him As suppose the Church of the Jews had offered Swines flesh unto God would this have made Swines Flesh holy no verily because the Lord not did not accept it So here the Church dedicates these days to the Lord but there must be some Word of God to evidence his acceptance of them or else they are not indeed holy times but superstitious times of which the Lord will say at the great day who required these things at your hands whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Isai 1.12 Rom. 14.23 Reason 2. There is not only no warrant in the Scripture for them but clear and sharp reproofs and testimonies against them It was one part of the Superstition of the Pharisees in our Saviours time to fast twice a week Luke 18.12 Those old Papists the Pharisees and our new Pharisees the Papists being men of the same Spirit and acted by the same Principle and walking in the same ways of Superstition And it was the brand set upon Jeroboam 1 Kings 12.33 that he ordained a Feast unto the Children of Israel upon the fifteenth day of the eighth month even the month which he had devised of his own heart which he had lyed or feigned as the word signifies asher bada millibbo quem mentitus est de corde suo And though it was like unto the Feast that was in Judah v. 32. and though he pretended the Glory and Worship of that God that brought them up out of the Land of Egypt as well as the ease and accommodation of the People v. 28. yet all this would not excuse him And what is Christmas and Easter and all the rest of them but days which the Jeroboam of Rome hath devised of his own heart And the Pope had them from the Jews and from the Pagans for what is Christmas but the old heathenish Bacchanalia It is kept at the same time of the year and after the same profane manner only the Pope hath varnished it with a new name But how ill it becomes a Christian to keep the Pagan Festivals hear what Tertullian de Idol cap. 14. saith Nobis saith he quibus Sabbata extranea sunt neomenia feriae aliquando à Deo dilectae Saturnalia Januariae Brumae matronales frequentantur munera commeant strenae consonant lusus convivia constrepunt and is not this as lively a description of Christmas as if it had been purposely intended for it but thus he inveighs against them O melior fides nationum in suam sectam quae nullam solennitatem Christianorum sibi vendicat non Dominicum diem non Pentecosten etiam si nossent nobiscum non communicâssent timerent enim ne Christiani viderentur nos ne Ethnici pronunciemur non veremur We that do not own nor observe the New Moons and other Jewish Festivals appointed of old by God himself do we keep the Heathenish Bacchanalia and other Winter and Summer Feasts of theirs feasting and revelling and making merry as the Heathens do O how much more true are they to their Religion then we to ours For they do not observe any day that Christians observe as Pentecost or the Lords day for they would be afraid lest they should seem to bee Christians in so doing but we are not afraid lest we be pronounced to be Heathens Thus he It is true he alloweth Pentecost as a Feast observed by Christians in those times but how this can be defended and all the rest of the Jewish Feasts cashiered let the Christian Reader judge The Apostle makes no difference but condemns the observation of all the Jewish Festivals alike one as much another Col. 2.16 Let no man judge you in meat or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbaths which are a shadow of things to come Judicare hic significat culpae reum facere vel Religionem injicere ita ut amplius liberi non simus saith Calvin in Col. 2.16 Such weak and rudimentary Instructions were fit for those darker and weaker times of the Churches nonage when under the Tutorage and Pedagogy of Moses before the coming of Christ But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye back to the weak and beggarly elements whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage ye observe days and months and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Gal. 4.9 10 11. It is a sign the preaching of the Gospel hath had but small success in such a place and in the hearts of such a people And whereas it is objected both by Papists and Prelates that the Apostle speaks here only against the Jewish Festivals loqui ibi Apostolorum de Judaeorum tantum festis so Bellarmine de Cultu Sanct. c. 10. the Rhemists Annot. in Gal. 4.10 and Bishop Lindsey Perth Ass part 3. pag. 43. This will not take off the force of these Texts For 1. The Armory of Christians against Heresies and Errors should be quickly empty i◠the Weapons which are hung up in the Scriptures should serve only for the persons places and times wherein and against which they were used of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore your shift that the Apostle speaks only against the Jewish Feasts and Fasts is vain saith Mr. Cartwright in Col. 2.16 2. Some of the Popish Feasts are originally Jewish yea which is worse Paganish 3. These Texts do condemn the Popish Feasts as much and in some respects more then the Jewish as Hospinian observes against Bellarmine and Mr. Cartwright in Gal. 4.10 and in Rom. 14.5 gives the same answer to the Rhemists If Paul saith he condemn the Galatians for observing the Feasts which God himself instituted and that for his own Honour only and not for the Honour of any Creature the Papists are much more laid open to this Condemnation which press the Observation of Feasts of Mens devising and to the Honour of Men. For do you think it likely that God should by Christ discharge his people of the yoke of the Law of Moses to bring in another yoke of Mans Ordinances and is there any likelihood that he should abrogate the Festival days consecrated to himself and to his own Majesty to bring in those that are consecrated and set apart to