him who is invisible and so despising earthly things Labour for union with Christ that partaking of his Spirit ye may partake of his holiness and graces and so of his beauty and glory Holiness beautifieth and adorneth the soul and ptepareth it for perfection of heavenly beauty and glory whereas sin doth both defile and disfigure the soul filling it with deformity This being noted in general I intend to mention some few of the particulars First The two precious stones upon the two shoulders of the Ephod or Priestly Robe wherein were ingraven the Names of the twelve tribes of Israel six in one stone and six in the other so that the high-priest bare their Names upon his two shoulders 1. This may note unto us the support which the Lord giveth unto his Church and to all the living members of it He beareth them as it were upon his shoulders Hence it is that his little flock hath been preserved in the midst of so many wolves from age to age Vpon this rock I will build my Church aud the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it What a blessed priviledge have they that are in Christ being built upon him as a rock immoveable and upheld by him born upon his shoulders who is their eternal high-priest 2. See how precious the people of Christ are in his account as if their names were engraven in precious stones and set in ouches or bosses of Gold 2. The breast-plate of Iudgement in which was to be set four rows of precious stones three in a row in all twelve stones of several kinds and in these again were ingraven the twelve names of the twelve Tribes of Israel and so Aaron was to bear the Names of the Children of Israel in the breast-plate of judgment upon his heart when he went into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually 1. See the tender love and affection which the Lord Christ hath toward his people he beareth them upon his breast upon his heart continually he shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom next his heart and therefore it seemeth the Church prayes to Christ set me as a seal upon thine heart that tender love which moved him to let out his heart blood for their redemption is still so powerful and prevailing with him that he beareth them upon his heart in heaven 2. Ought not Christians then to bear Christ upon their hearts to entertain him to dwell in their hearts by faith to cleave unto him in love and walk in him following the guidance of his spirit 3. Christ this eternal high-priest beareth the Names of his people upon his breast-plate or heart now that he is in heaven before his Father for a memorial before his face continually I conceive this noteth Christ his intercession for his people He presenteth their names before his Father in Heaven as the High-priest did in the holy place on the earth which was a figure of Heaven Blessed are they whose Names God the Father readeth engraven upon the breast-plate written upon the heart of his beloved Son in whom he is well-pleased What is there that such may not obtain of the Father through the Son And how should all labour to give in their names and to give up their hearts to Christ that he may bear their names upon his heart for a memorial before the face of God continually Thirdly Vpon the hemme of the High-priests Robe were placed golden Bells and Pomegranates that his sound might be heard when he went in unto the holy place before the Lord and when he came out so the Lord Christ entring in to the most holy place in heaven after his death and resurrection maketh a most sweet and pleasing sound in the ears of his Father far beyond that of golden bells his mediation and intercession in behalf of his people grounded upon the merit of his death sacrifice and satisfaction maketh heavenly melody before his Father Jesus the mediator of the new Covenant and the blood of sprinking which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel And these Pomegranates may well resemble the sweet savour of Christs sacrifice Again Aarons bells were heard to sound not only when he went in to the holy place but also when he came out Now although the Lord Christ as he is man continueth within the most holy place not made with hands and doth not come out again yet he sent down his spirit upon his Apostles soon after and caused these golden bells to give a most pleasant sound throughout the several Quarters of the world publishing the glad tidings of pardon and salvation through Christ to the comfort and refreshing of many thousand souls and the precious promises of the Gospel published in the name of Christ were as Pomegranats that yeilded a pleasant smell to the reviving of many fainting hearts and drooping spirits Had we circumcised hearts and ears gracious spirits heavenly affections how pleasant would the sound of the Gospel preached how sweet would the promises of it be unto us Fourthly The Lord gave this Command Thou shalt make a plate of pure Gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a fignet Holiness to the Lord and this golden plate was put on the forefront of the Mitre and so to be worne on the forehead of the High-priest that he might bear the iniquity of the holy things which the Children of Israel should hallow in all their holy gifts and it was to be always upon his forehead that they might be accepted before the Lord. The Inscription I suppose may be read either Holiness to the Lord or the Holiness of the Lord. 1. Here see how the Lord Christ whose holiness and righteousness is of infinite worth and value the holiness and righteousness of Iehovah of him who is very God taketh away the iniquities and pollutions of the duties services spiritual sacrifices offered by his people Aaron did bear these but in a figure and in a way of representation Christ did really bear them and his holiness and righteousness of Jehovah is imputed to them and is alone sufficient to take away all their uncleanness and to procure acceptance for them How should Christians be humbled that such is the corruption of their natures and imperfection of their graces that the best of their services the holiest of their offerings have such iniquity cleaving to them that they need the imputation of Christs righteousness to cover them And again this may comfort them that are in Christ and are sincere in their services and stir them up to thankfulness that such a precious remedy is provided them in this case even the Holiness of Jehovah 2. This golden plate with this Inscription on the forehead of the High-priest may intimate unto us that God the
divisions occasioned by Preaching old forgotten truths but the fault in those that will not endure such doctrines Satans malice and some mens weakness So the inundation of Popish Superstitions broke in How much we should resent these things their danger Toleration of them discussed in the Objections for Errours answered Chap. III. Objections against truth many times are double falshoods this riseth from Ignorance Credulity malice and want of Arguments to confirm errours No strange or new thing that men erre and are slanderous Protestant Ministers are no promoters of Antichrist but his great Adversaries lessening them greatens Antichrists interest Seducing Sectaries expedite Antichrists affairs Satan hath still hindered reformation by such ways Chap. IV. A Threefold Law first given to the Gentiles with the Iews the other given only to the Iew. Law of nature and its use The Ceremonial cannot justifie nor the Moral yet neither made void by Faith Faith confirms the Ceremonial Law what this is 't is of God how long to last abus'd or not understood by many of the Iews who precisely observed Ceremonial cleanness palpably neglecting moral purity In what sense doctrine of Faith doth not abolish the Ceremonial Law The dispute between Iews and Samaritans and whence it arose when and how long continued Divine worship in spirit and truth not limited to any place Law Ceremonial a School-master to bring us to Christ full of deep mysteries and spiritual realities cleared by the Gospel These unfolded in explication of Circumcision seal of that promise I will be their God which contains all grace and comfort is made good to us in Christ the Covenant sealed by Circumcision the same that is sealed by Baptisme Passeover what its occasion the circumstances of it its meaning in each particular applied to Christ. Actual faith in Christ delivers from Curse of the Law should excite to thanfulness holiness exercise faith preparedness for our duties godly sorrow Feast of first Fruits when enjoyned excite to endeavour a rising to newness of life Chap. V. Few Creatures appointed for Sacrifices three sorts of Beasts two of Fowls all meek resembling Christ as we should Korban whence derived how apply'd to Christ through whom we are made nigh to God Burnt offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s import to us the rites in offering it blindness of the Iews and to be pittied deep slaine of sin it is deadly to the sinner or his surety Christs Bloud precious shed that we should not live in sin The continual burnt-offering Christians should offer morning and evening as most likely the Iews did pray and praise God in their Houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its signification Imputation of sin to Christ speaks Gods love of Compassion to sinners sin base and shameful The blood of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprinkled before the Lord on the Golden Altar the meaning hereof It s inward fat burned what meant some other rites in the offering it and their import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it was noted Christ and how a sufficient sacrifice therefore fit to be trusted in How the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth the Christians sacrifice and apply'd Oyle used in the meat offering its purport with other rites of it explained Salt with all Sacrifices and its meaning The Covenant of Salt The drink offering wherein it consisted The Peace offering what and on what occasion meaneth whole Christian duty in general to be offered to God through Christ. Peace-offering might be male or female part of it to be burnt part for the Priest part for the offerer hence our Communion with God inferr'd How Sacrificers are partakers of the Altar Priests under the Law were sacred persons especially the High-Priest type of Christ whose is an eternal Priesthood The Garments of the High-Priest and their meaning viz. the holiness beauty and glory of Christ in general A more particular view of each part of the Garments their import and our instruction Ordinary Priests were in a sort types of Christians who are to be spiritual Priests and Sacrifices Ministers of the Gospel no where called Priests in the New Testament Tabernacle and Temple agreed in some differed in other particulars how each signified Christ to dwell with us in much humility and love we ought therefore to unite our selves to him estrange our selves from sin scandalous sins should not be cause of gladness in any who observe them in others Temple and Tabernacle signify'd each be liever Sin defiles the whole man the heart first the outward man next sin begins in the heart Altar made of Shittim wood the meaning covered with brass its purport the Godheadpreserving the humane nature under its sufferings Where the Altar was placed its meaning The Altar of incense its meaning The Ark what in it and their Import The mercy seat the Cherubims looking down towards the Ark. The fire used in Sacrifices its meaning Christs love to us undergoing such sufferings for us requireth love from us to him This fire came from Heaven never was to go out such should Christian zeal be Chap. VI. Sacred observances as restraint from unclean beasts so not in their own nature the meaning equalleth all mankind in their Original Gods Soveraignty in chusing Israel incomprehensible His infinite goodness calling the Gentiles who should be thankful and take heed of unbelief and all sin Our liberty to use all wholesome food Blood whether now forbidden Probably a Natural though secret reason why so many Creatures were forbidden to Israel Prohibition of eating blood Acts 15. explained Festivals Religious among the Iews noted our Christian joy What feasts these were At the time of the feast of Harvest Christ sent down the Spirit on his Apostles who were to gather in the Harvest of the Gentiles Feast of ingathering about our September the meaning of it well applyed in three or four particulars The feast of Trumpets the type of Preaching the Gospel and calling to faith and repentance who are deaf to this shall be astonied at the last Trumpets sound The various washings in use among the Iews well unfolded shew Christ the accomplishment of them and our Christian duty of dayly purging our selves in the fountain of his blood Chap. VII St. Pauls design to deliver to us the doctrine of justification by grace This clear'd by reducing all men under an examen The Gentile examined and cast by Law of nature transgressed The Iew examined and cast by the written Law moral transgressed There is a Law of nature this not nulled by Faith What this Law is in the particular description of it T is engraven on the heart given by Christ yet different from that he gives Believers who follow him It was a perfect rule before the fall it is yet of great use though much impaired The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was to be served and worshipped that he created all being himself eternal and omnipotent wise and good This Law declared what is good and what evil in some
like Locusts overspreading the earth devouring the fruits of it These came out of the smoak of the bottomless pit the smoak of errours and superstitions for when such doctrines passed for currant that men might be saved by observing vain humane traditions that there was a Treasure in the Church filled up with the merits of those that had an overplus besides what was needful for themselves and that they who were benefactors to the Monks should be partakers of their merits how mad was the world in building Monasteries and giving their Land and goods to the Friers devoting their children to that profession Yea it seemeth divers noble persons and some Kings and Queens turning Monks and Nuns And as the smoak of the pit did breed the Locusts so the Locusts encreased the smoak and made the mists of darkness greater and thicker multiplying errours and superstitions If this were one of those grievous woes whereof the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven gave warning to the world how should we be humbled and ashamed in respect of the great earthliness dulness senselesness of spirit that is among us yea too much in those that have some love to the Truth that this great and woful evil doth so abound with us and is so little laid to heart Should not the very thought of it startle us that such thick and dark vollies of smoak in our days should break out of the bottomless pit and cover so great a part of our Land darkning the Air and Sun eclipsing the Light of the truth and putting out the eyes of many and so many Locusts deceivers and deceived coming out of the smoak of errours This ought to be for a Lamentation But how many that profess themselves Christians set their hearts so much upon their own private concernments their business wealth ease and pleasure c. and those that have something of a publick spirit yet confine their serious thoughts to the external good of the Common-wealth that they little or nothing regard these destructive evils that are of a spiritual nature If Gallio his temper who when complaint was made to him about differences in Religion slighted them as words and names and cared for none of these things may be thought tolerably or at at least not much to be marvailed at in an Heathen yet doubtless it is shameful and odious in a Christian. What! a Christian and not moved that Christ who is the Truth is so highly dishonoured by lyes and falshood taught and received instead of Truths that multitudes of poor souls are in a ready way to be destroyed by damnable doctrines that errours beget errours and are likely to overgrow the Truth to spread far and wide that so many are both infected by them and alienated from the remedy shunning the publick Ordinances where sound doctrine is taught that such bleeding wounds and Rents are made in the Church Art thou a Christian and so one that pretendest to be begotten with the word of Truth and hast thou no such principle of contrariety planted in thee against errours and false doctrines as to make them bitter and grievous to thee Some may raile at those that are misled and others may make a sport of their folly but how small is the number of those who like Christians mourn for them as dishonourable to Christ pernicious to souls How deeply was the holy Apostle affected with the obstinacy of the Iews in their errours in preferring the ceremonies of the Law above Christ the Substance and their own imaginary legal righteousness above the perfect righteousness of Christ applied by faith I say the truth in Christ. I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that I my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh How passionately did he express himself to the Galatians who had once embraced the pure doctrine of the Gospel but afterwards suffered themselves to be so deluded by seducers as to seek justification by the Law My little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you He felt such sorrow such fear such strong and compassionate workings of heart towards them as were answerable to the pangs of a woman in child-bearing Saith the Psalmist I beheld the transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy word This I conceive doth plainly concern both transgressions in practice and in doctrine or belief Both these forts of transgressiours are guilty of not keeping Gods word They that live in a course of sin they keep the word in their judgement and profession but keep it not in their lives and actions They that go on in errours keep not the word so much as in judgment and profession Besides how can a man forsake any truth of God which he hath once received but he must ipso facto in that very act transgress in point of practise He transgresseth that precept Prov. 23 buy the truth and sell it not that of the Apostle be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine c. and that hold fast the form of sound words c. Now the Psalmist beheld those with a mournful eye I beheld the transgressours and was grieved c. Is it not a sign of a graceless heart to behold transgressours without grief If we moan not for these things out of spiritual respects the Lord may justly make us mourn for those outward evils that they may bring upon us The Divel as he is the Father of lyes so he is a murderer Spiritus mendax est homicida and they that are led by a lying spirit if they can establish their facton and party so as to grow confident of their power may soon discover a murtherous spirit and then those that are lukewarm and indifferent in matters of Religion may feel their fury as well as they that are most zealous Secondly This truth may shame those who plead for a toleration of all sorts of errours Hereticks Seducers false prophets It seemeth the Apostle Paul accounted them intolerable when he pronounced them accursed and wished them cut off But such pretend Christian charity meekness mercy I answer 1. Will they boast of more love than Paul had who could have wished himself accursed that Israel might have been saved Will they pretend to more meekness than Moses who was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth and yet ye heard how he acted against Balaam and the Midianites and we find also that he caused three thousand to be slain for Idolatry If men will approve themselves to be of such a spirit as Paul and Moses let them shew meekness and love in â—earing and forgiving private and personal injuries offered to themselves and on the other side manifest true zeal for the Truth and
for thy righteousness for thou art a stiff-necked people it was not because of the greatness of thy Nation or the multitude of thy people The Lord did not set his love upon and chuse you because you were more in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you c. It was a pure act of grace and work of Gods free love towards Israel and therefore the Apostle as one transported with admiration of that which he could not comprehend breaketh out into this exclamation O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out 2. Let us magnifie the goodness of God towards the Nations of the world in these latter days that he hath sent his only begotten Son into the world manifested in the flesh to break down the partition-wall that was between Iew and Gentile that as now that difference between several sorts of beasts c. is taken away so that they are not opposed to each other as legally clean and unclean as they were under the Law of Ceremonies so the difference between Israel and other Nations is now also abolished and it is as free for an people as for the posterity of Abraham to partake of the Covenant of grace in Church-priviledges both was declared to Peter by a vision and a voice from Heaven for Cornelius an Heathen Captain being directed by an Angel to send for Peter the Lord prepared this Apostle for the journey by casting him into a trance and causing him to see Heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts and wild-beasts and creeping things and Fowls of the Air and there came a voice to him Rise Peter kill and eat but Peter said not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing common or unclean And the voice spake unto him again the second timeâ— what God hath cleansed that call not thou common Now when Peter came to Cornelius and his company He said unto them ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Iew to keep company or come unto one of another Nation but God hath shewed me that I should not call any common or unclean The Lord spake of beasts c. Peter rightly applyeth it to men so that the Lord Christ took away the difference of clean and unclean that was under the Ceremonial Law both between men of several Nations and between other Creatures How should we in particular stir up our selves to be thankful to the Lord that he hath reserved us for these times wherein it is as free for us descended from Heathen Ancestors to partake of the Priviledges of God his Covenant as for the people of Israel yea when the Israelites being natural branches are cut off through unbelief we may be grafted in by faith Let us take heed then least our unbelief impenitency security deprive us of this blessed priviledge for though none now are unclean in respect of the Nation whereof they are more then others yet all are unclean in the sight of God who remain dead in trespasses and sins out of Christ whose Natures are not renewed and cleansed from their filthiness 3. Observe with thankfulness the liberal use of the Creatures which God hath given to his people now under the new Testament through Christ above that which he allowed the people of Israel under the old Testament for now every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving Nothing that is wholesome for mans body is to be refused as unlawful and so the same Apostle saith All things are lawful for me viz. all sorts of meats for of such things he speaketh in that place and therefore whereas blood in particular was forbidden under the old Testament it is now lawful But it hath been objected that blood was forbidden upon a moral reason taken from the Nature of the the thing forbidden because the blood is called the life of the Creature For answer I conceive this is no moral reason but a natural reason implying a mystery scil to shew that men should abhor cruelty and bloodshed and so I suppose if we did throughly understand the Natures of all the Creatures which the Israelites were forbidden to eat there might be some natural reason given for it comprehending the Mystery Again it seemeth there was also a farther Mystery in the prohibition of blood for eating of blood and fat are both forbidden together scil such fat as used to be sacrificed because the blood and fat were both in a peculiar manner to be offered unto God The blood poured forth signified the taking away the guilt of sin by the death of Christ and shedding of his blood The burning of the fat it seemeth signified the mortification of sin by the spirit of Christ and so they might be forbidden both the eating the blood and fat to teach all not to take to themselves the honour either of their justification or of their sanctification but to ascribe it wholly unto Christ. But it may be said that blood was forbidden after Christ his death and resurrection by the Apostles and Elders in the Synod of Ierusalem I Answer It was but a temporary decree imposed upon the believing Gentiles that they might not give offence to weak believers among the Iews who were not yet clearly satisfied about the abolishing of legal Ceremonies and the extent of that Christian liberty which Christ had given them Secondly An other Ceremonial observance was the keeping of their solemn festivals 1. In general These feasts may intimate unto Christians that gound and matter of joy which true believers have through Christ and accordingly that duty of holy rejoycing in Christ which they are called unto so the Angels said unto the Shepherds Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And the Apostle saith We are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus This is that spiritual feast which the Lord promised In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined 2. In special there were three solemne feasts which they were commanded to observe every year 1. The Feast of unleavened bread which was annexed to the Passeover of this somewhat hath been formerly spoken 2. The feast of Harvest which was called the feast of weeks it seemeth because it was as it were a week of weeks after that other feast of