this world hath blinded their minds least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine in upon them Secondly Labour to comfort thy self from this good consideration under all the ignomy and reproach which the world will or can cast upon thee that the time is coming which will not stay long wherein the Lord will make thine with the rest of his peoples glory to shine forth with more brightnesse and Majesty then the Sun in its full strength that although thou with the rest of the Saints hast lain for a while amongst the pots yet the time will not be long But thy wings shall be as a Dâ—ve covered over with silver and all thy feathers of yellow gold Psal 68. 13. Again in this Candlestick we may observe these things First The parting of the Candlestick which was in this maner it parted a foot high or thereabouts in the stem Secondly Out of which parting came six Branches which shews us thus much the great Candlestick out of which the little Candlesticks branched forth signifies the Jewish national Church this holds as intire from the foot of the Candlestick to the parting above in the stem out of which stem came the six Branches and the Branches signifie the Gentile Churches which succeeded or sprung forth from the Jewish Church Isa 60. 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Pray observe the thing well there were not six little Candlesticks branched besides and apart from the great Candlestick but six little Candlesticks branched themselves forth of the great Candlestick but still maintained union with the great Candlestick which shews us these two things First That both Jews and Gentiles are but one people to God consider the Jews as they were befre they were broken off by unbelief and all interested in one Christ alike all that did believe either Jew or Gentile shall all sit down in one Kingdom of God together Rom. 10. 12. For there is no difference but the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Secondly It shews us thus much that the difference between Jew and Church was not essential but circumstantial not so much in the state as in the Ordinances Pray observe the Candlesticks all hold union in the stem although they differed above in the Branches It s true the Lord held the Jews and Gentiles under differing administrations but not under a divers state they and we differed in our Ordinances but not in essence or substance as to a Church state so much as this clearly offers it self to me from the union between the stem and the Branches in the Candlestick if it will be granted that the Candlestick in the Tabernacle be a figure of the Church of God as then it was together with these other Gentile Churches which should succeed that now considering the Scriputres elsewhere do so apply the word Candlestick I know not but this should pass for a fair notion Rev. 1. 20. Where it s said that the Mystery of the seven golden Candlesticks are the seven Churches You see the Candlestick in the Tabernacle for Essence and Substance was one and the same though they differed above in the Branches so then if this be a figure of the Church of God under both Old and New Testament then both the Jews then and we Gentles now must stand upon one and the self-same stock or root or else how doth this hold good in the similitude for after the same manner reasons the Apostle about the Jewish and Gentile Churches Rom. 11. 24. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good Olive tree how much more shall these which be the natural Branches be grafted into their own Olive tree Methinks then how clearly do this warrant the practice of the Congregational Churches in giving to their Infants Membership in their Church and consequently Baptism I know there are many of our dear Christian friends in England of a differing opinion to me in this matter but how ever read my notion without offence and then give thy thoughts about it Now mark there is nothing more clear to me from the union that the Branches hold to and with the Candlestick but that the Jews and we Gentiles were taken into a Church state alike so saith St. Paul Rom. 11. 16. with ver 24. For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy if the root be holy so are the branches and if thou wert cut out of the Olive-tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good Olive-tree how much more shall these which be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree From hence I shall take leave to ask a question or two First What may we understand by the root and the branches laid down here by St. Paul Secondly What may we understand by this holiness with which the branches were made holy ver 16. and what these branches were First of all by the root and branches must be meant either Christ together with all those sound Believers which are ingrafted into him by true Faith or else by the root and branches must be meant a Church state and all those visible branches which stand there by membership Now if we should understand it in the first sence then this will follow that those that are truly ingrafted into Christ by faith may be wholly broken off and so we must run our selves upon Arminianisme do what we can But if we must not take it in the former sence then we must take it in the latter sence viz. by the root and branches a Church state and those which are taken in the visible membership of it for such may be broken off or may fall away consider them meerly as Church Members and no truth or part of the truth of election impared Now what were the branches of the root which root was the Jewish Church state were they not the parents and the children â—en 17. Well then if these were the branches of the old root viz. the believing parents and their children and that the Gentiles are ingrafted into or upon the same root and are partakers of the fatness of the old olive tree meaning the priviledges of the Church And if the candlestick of the Jews holds union with the Candlestick of the Gentiles under the Gospel in the same stem how then can our Church state under the Gospel be like the Jews under the Old Testament if onely we should stand as Members in a Church state without our little ones but again mark what the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 16. For if the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy if the root be holy so are the branches so that the second question will be this what may we understand by holiness here or in what sence shall we take it either it must be a holiness consisting of
the divine graces of the Spirit or else it must be a holiness arising from a Church state and in this sence were the Jews called a holy nation and a peculiar people which arose from their being set apart by God to holy uses and purposes to God himself or if you will take it in St. Pauls terms 1 Cor. 7. 14. A holiness in opposition to uncleanness which uncleanness is elsewhere proved to consist of not being of a professed Church state to God read Isa 52. 1. with Acts 10. 14. For it could not be a holiness with which the whole body of Israel were made holy that consists of the divine qualifications of the Spirit of grace I think but few are of that opinion that the whole body of Israel were in such a sence holy then it must be a holiness arising from a Church State as if he had said If the first fruit be holy that is if Abraham with his Isaac and Ishmael together with the rest of his family who were first with all their succeeding little ones taken into a Church state and so became the first fruits of such a work to God The lump is holy that is then the whole body of that people is holy with reference to a Church state they need not call it in question But if they keep close to God certainly God accounts the issue of Abraham for many generations after as much in a holy state as to a Church state and as much a Church to himself both they and their little ones as ever he accounted it in the first fruits of it meaning in Abrahams time The lump saith Paul is also hâ—ly Then he comes to conclude that if the first fruits were holy which were the parent and the childe And if the lump be holy that is if God to this day have accounted the whole body of the Jews ever since in the same Church state which admitted of the parent and the childe then are the branches holy viz. The Gentile Churches which were ingrafted in upon the same stock then the childe as well as the parent being set on upon this stock as formerly are likewise hily still so that from what hath been spoken doth to me clearly warrant the congregational people the giving of their Children membership amongst them and consequently baptism Let not any mistake me I did not this to revive any part of the old contention or to beget any new quarrel between us and those Christians which dissent from us in this thing but as I conceived things lay so in my way that I must have leapt quite over a clear truth if I had left it and so passed by Object But some may say upon the same account will a national Church be proved to be lawful even the same way that the membership of Infants will come in I answer first I know no absolute necessity lying upon the thing so as that we must not dispute for or practice the one but the other must come in you see in the practice of the Congregational Churches both here and in New England that the connexion is not forcible but that we may give our Children Membership and Baptism amongst us and yet be far enough from building our Churches upon a National bottom But secondly And that which will lead me to the other consideration in the Candlestick which is this The candlestick you know had one stem out of which came six branches The stem of the Candlestick signifies the Jewish Church and the little Candlesticks which came out of that signifies the Gentile Churches under the Gospel the stem of the Candlestick was but one individual shewing that the Church of the Jews was to be national But the branches above in the Candlestick were several in number signifying that the Churches under the Gospel day should be no more national but congregational To this agreeth the two Prophesies of Zechariah and John who writing both about one and the self-same thing viz. about the two Witnesses Zach. 3. 3. with Rev. 11. 3 4. Onely Zachariah sayes That at that time when he writ about the two Witnesses belonging to the Jewish Church he saw but one Candlestick Zach. 3. 2 Because then the Church was national but when John writ of the Witnesses in the Gentile or Gospel Church he saw two Candlesticks or several Candlesticks Rev. 11. 4. Because now the Churches of Christ were no more to be national but congregational or many Churches in one nation There is one thing more to be spoken to about the Candlestick and I have done with it You may observe in reading Exod. 37. 18 19 20 21. This plain difference about the Candlesticks which is that the main Candlestick had four bowls with his knobs and his flowers belonging to it but the lesser Candlesticks which branched themselves forth of the great Candlestick had but three Bowls with their knobs and their flowers Now you must observe as hath been already said that the bowls knobs and flowers added to the Candlestick it was to set sorth the glory of it then where the most of the bowls knobs and flowers were there was the greatest glory but now the most of these things were about the great Candlestick which shews us thus much that although the Jewish Church did at first fall short of the Gentile Churches in glory and brightness yet the time shall come that the glory of the Jewish Church shall far excel all the Gentile Churches in the world Isa 54. 11 12. O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and lay thy foundation with saphires I will make thy windows of agats thy gates of carbuncles and all â—hy borders of pleasant stones This is a Prophephesie which relates to the latter day glory of the Church of the Jews when they shall be brought into Jesus Christ CHAP. 21. I now come to speak of the seven Lamps which with the Candlestick were placed in the Tabernacle THere were likewise seven lamps made of pure gold Ex. 37. 23. which Lamps were to be lighted and always to be kept burning before the Lord Exodus 40. 25. In which there are these things to be considered or it may put us in minde of these things First The vessel it self Secondly the oyl in the Vessel or Lamp Thirdly The light it gave out to the beholders First By the Lamp or Vessel it self it may put us in mind of this great mercy which by Grace Believers hath received at Gods hands and that is a sanctified heart into which God pours forth the holy oyl of his Spirit in the several graces of it by which means the heart is changed purged renewed and made fit for God Now in this sence every Believers heart may be said to be a Lamp therefore saith the Lord in the Prophesie of Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their hearts and write it in their inward parts so Ezek. 36. 26. A
in prayer to God thy self in the greatest necessity thou mighst comfort thy self in this thy High Priest is praying for thee for saith the Apostle he ever liveth to make Intercession for us Heb. 7. 25. This is the ground why thy barrel of Meal wasteth not and thy Cruse of Oil spend not it self in time of Famine and why the Plague cometh not nigh thy dwelling place in pestilentious seasons Job 5. 17 18 to 23. Secondly The next thing we are to speak of is the time how long this is to last or how long this interceding work of Christ was to continue for Believers not only for the Saints under the Old Testament seasons but for the Saints under the New Testament seasons also even for us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. And such a High Priest became us Heb. 7. 26. And this will further appear if you consider this work in the Type of it as it s held out to you Exod. 30. 8. And when Aaron lighted the lamps at even he shall burn Incense upon it a perpetual Incense before the Lord throughout your Generations Now observe it was perpetually to burn before the Lord throughout their Generations there was not a Generation but must have the benefit of this Altar of Incense so is Christ an Intercessour for the Elect in all Generations and not only for time either of the day or of the night but Christ is pouring out his interceding groans to the Father for his people Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for us Use 3. O soul then doubt not thy case goeth on in Heaven well enough there is alwayes prayer going up to God for thee to keep thee night and day from danger so long as Moses his hands were kept up by Aaron and Hur it went well enough with Israel Exod. 17. O but here are the hands of Christ lifted up for thee night and day to keep thee from the Arrow that flieth by day and the shaft which flieth by night Read that place Isa 27. 2 3. In that day sing ye a Vineyard of Red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment least any hurt it I will keep it night and day O Christ is interceding night and day for thee against all evils It may be thou fearest that sin and corruption will undo thy soul that the Devil and temptation will be thy ruine that wicked men will swallow thee up in the end O soul look up to Jesus Christ under all this eye him at the Throne of grace wrestling by his strong crys for thee O soul live upon this in doubting seasons O go on in the way of thy duty with chearfulness O remember the Lord is with thee his Spirit shall be with thee his Prayers with thee O fear not O saith David The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me O soul whatever thy danger be that shall beset thee whether it be from Hell or this World it can never seize thee while Christ is at prayer for thee but Christ as thou hast heard ever liveth to intercede on thy behalf Object But some may say then why are men so strict to enjoyn the people to pray is it not enough that Christ their High Priest prayeth for them in Heaven I answer It is true in point of prevailing with God for the Elect so Christ their High Priest prayeth enough for them And in this sense there is no need of Believers praying I mean so as if their prayers did give any strength to the Priestly work or office of Jesus Christ therefore that cursed Tenent of the Papist is to be abhorred by all true Christians which teacheth that the prayers of the Church meriteth or procureth the grace of God by its own strength or efficacy blindly mistaking that place James 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Now in this sense there is no need of Believers prayers for this will be to destroy the Mediator-ship of Christ and to render his Priestly office of no effect for in point of merit oâ— worth God only accepts of the prayers of Christ and of the Elects for his sake according to that word in Matth. 3. 17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But secondly notwithstanding the Intercession of Jesus Christ yet in point of obedience to God it is a Christians duty to pray So much as this is handed out to you in the Priesthood of old Read Luke 1. 8 9 10. Speaking of Zecharias the Priest While he was executing the Priests office before God in the order of his course according to the custom of the Priests office his lot was to burn Incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord and the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the Incense Now Zecharias the Priest represents our Lord Jesus in the work of his Priestly interceding office for the Elect and you read that nowithstanding Zecharias was interceding at the Incense Altar within the Temple yet the people were to pray at the same time without strongly proving that although Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest still intercedes in Heaven for the Elect yet notwithstanding it is highly the duty of all the Elect while without the Temple of glory and remain yet in the body to pray This will farther appear if you consider that place in Rev. 8. 3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden Censer in his hand and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoak of the Incense which came up with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand If you would know who this Angel was or is you may read Rev. 1. 13. and there you shall as I have said already find him to be Jesus Christ in all his Priestly Formalities as our High Priest And in this Chapter he is set forth to you in the performance of his work of Intercession for the Saints by having a Golden Censer in his hand which was what the High Priest under the Law did administer before the Lord withall Numb 16. 46 47. And the Angel had Incense given him to offer up to God in the Censer which was in his hand which Incense I understand to be meant the infinite worth of his bloud and righteousness which is continually pleaded by Christ as a ground of full satisfaction to God for the Elect It s said there was much Incense given to this Angel that is as the Apostle elsewhere saith in Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell which sheweth the abundant worth and efficacy that lay in the death and righteousness of Christ therefore he is able to save to the uttermost all
had very little or no beauty in it there was nothing in it to delight the eye of the beholder at all the materials of it are so mean and contemptible for they did consist of Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red Exod. 36. 14. with 19. which was so fastned together by loops and tacks being coupled round about that when the Tabernacle was carried from place to place there was nothing of the inside beauty or glory to be seen at all That which of the Tabernacle was discernable to the eyes of the beholders was matter of offence and scorn rather then any way taking to men Just so it is with the Church of God which is Gods Tabernacle for so in the New Testament is the Church of God stiled Rev. 11. 1. Measure the Temple of God and them that worship therein so Rev. 21. 3. A Temple or Tabernacle for the use of both was alike and therefore it had been all one if the Spirit had said Measure the Tabernacle and the Altar and them that Worship therein I say look how it was with the Tabernacle in the wilderness so it is with the Church of God for the one was a Figure or Type of the other With what little out-side glory doth God cloath his Church in this world the Church comes with little of observation she is not cloathed with the Pomp Glory Excellency and worldly Felicities of this life the great pomp of this world belongs to the Church of Anti-christ not to Christs Church the great Titles of Honour great Places and also to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi dwells in the Cup of Fornication which Mystery Babylon hath who is termed the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. 4. This is the reason that there be so many of the Learned Clergy of the Nations run into her so often as they have done all along and have left the Tabernacle and Altar viz. the Church of Christ and worship of Christ who in the very face of their Convictions to the contrary have struck in with the vanities of the Earth Alas the reason is clear the Tabernacle coverings are poor comtemptible things made of nothing but Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red here is nothing that will take with the Learned wise-man I confess were the outward covering of the Tabernacle the Church deckt with Gold precious Stones Velvet Hangings dyed in Scarled carried up and down in a Chariot and could it accommodate its Priests with Coaches and settle each of them in four hundred a year and set them far from oppression and make them the Lords and Rulers of the Earth here might be something done But in stead of that nothing but affliction contempt and persecution attends the Tabernacle loss of Goods Bloud and Fire Rams skins dyed red a colour which doth very well fit the Church of God in this life which is always in a persecuted condition dyed red with showers of Martyrian bloud hurryed up and down from place to place banished from Country to Country as the Apostle speaks we have no continuing City here but we seek one to come from hence men and women take offence at the Tabernacle and think it a sad uncomely thing the very troubler of the Nations of the Earth the Devil hath blinded the eyes of men as that they cannot see into the inside glory of the Church of God for if the Devil lets them see any part of the Church of God it shall be but to stumble them and set them at a further distance from it then before they shall only see the out-side of the Church of God in her Goats hair covering shews them the meanness of the Saints and the mechanickness or servileness of the Ministers and Servants of the Church of Christ many of them not Learned but illiterate men many hardly ever saw Oxford or Cambridge in their lives not a Doctor to be found one amongst twenty silly Fellows can hardly speak sense many of them nothing but a little Goats hair and the coverings of the Tabernacle are of Rams skins dyed red who can delight in it flesh and bloud can never embrace the Tabernacle or the Church of Christ because they are always in bloud nothing but ruine atends it from age to age Thus the Devil shews his Kingdom what an uncomely thing the Church is what a sad covering it is covered withall and tells souls that they judge of the inside by the out-side of it when alas all the beauty and glory of the Church of Christ lieth within The Kings Daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalmist Psal 45. 13. And if ever God comes to open the Tabernacle glory to the soul and gives the soul spiritual discerning to see into it O then the soul will quickly utter the words of David Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Use 3. O then let this consideration abundantly quiet the minds of Gods people under the undervaluings you meet with from the world doth the world slight you doth the world despise you alas trouble not your selves about it the world doth not see your glory remember the Tabernacle was very uncomely in the out-side of it nothing of any beauty in the Church this is the reason the world crys rase her down rase her down to the ground Alas they do not think the Church worth the standing Alas say they what is there to be seen to take a wise-mans heart nothing but a little Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red not worth the looking upon it much less the standing of such a deformed piece in the world therefore let our eye look upon Sion and let her be defiled but let not this discourage the godly but rather bless God that you see farther into things then they do for Godliness is a Mystery saith Paul and all the things of God as to his Church and Worship are Mysteries and Riddles to the world is what is veiled up and hiâ—den from the most of men saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned God must first give the man a spiritual seeing eye before he can discern a glory in the Church and people of God so as to close with them delight in them earnestly to desire after them and heartily to resolve with purpose of heart to cleave to them to give up all and suffer with them to live and die in the midst of them but blessed be the Lord that opened your eyes to behold the Tabernacle glory which is hid from men you have infinite cause to bless God that hath ravished you with those inside glorious sights of the Tabernacle Oh how often have you been refreshed in your souls