with the holy Garments and by anointing them with the holy Oyl and by sacrificing and so sanctifying them by the Blood thereof When all this was done they might officiate in the Priests Office all their days And all these things did point unto something of Christ represented by these Performances and may be applied in a secondary and inferior way to Ministers and Believers but first and chiefly unto Christ himself For as the Priests by this Consecration became Priests all their days Exod. 29. v. 9. and the Priests Office shall be theirs by a perpetual Statute for thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his Sons so the Son of God is consecrated a Priest for evermore Heb. 7.28 Confer v. 27. This Consecration of Jesus Christ is the Commission of the whole work of our Salvation into his hand by God the Father But in the Rites of the Consecration of the Priests of old there was as of necessity there must be a disparity between the Type and Antitype there was a great disproportion between Christ and them sundry of those Rites not agreeing to them both in the same direct manner sundry Purifications which they used were rather to make them become fit Types of Christ then that they signified such parallel actions to be done by Christ The Priests by means thereof represented that Purity which is in Christ without those means They were purified but Christ was pure so that in Purity there is an agreement between Christ and them but in the manner and means thereof there is a difference See Heb. 7.26 27. And therefore when any such actions are ascribed unto Christ as when he saith I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 it is to be understood rather in regard of the effect then of the action rather of the thing it self then of the means but such active expressions are used partly in relation to the Type the Priests of old and partly in relation to the Church of Christ the Members whereof he is the Head whatever is done to them being first done to him their Head so far as the incommunicable properties of either will permit He is therefore pleased so to speak of himself as being consecrated and sanctified and the like Not as though there had been any defect of Holiness in him but as representing them in himself Moreover we must remember that these things are not to be looked upon by us as terminated in the person of Christ himself but as relating further to his Church and Members for whom he is an High Priest and Mediator with the Lord. Meminerimus quae de Consecratione dicuntur non subsistere in ejus personâ sed referri ad totius Ecclesiae utilitatem Calv. in Exod. 29.6 Now to come to the particular Ceremonies of their Consecration they were those four as beforementioned 1. The first part of their Consecration was their washing with water Exod. 29.4 Levit. 8.6 This intimated and hinted two things 1. The perfect Purity and Holiness of Jesus Christ Heb. 7.26 who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and such an High Priest as behoved us to have For we needed an holyer Priest then those of the Aaronical Order They were typically holy and some of them really but Christ infinitely 2. This pointed also at the Baptism of Christ at his first entrance upon his publick Ministry Matth. 3. Thus this great High Priest was consecrated and initiated by washing with water The first thing he doth to his people is to wash them He findeth them in a wretched and lothsom condition polluted in their own Blood Ezek. 16.9 then washed I thee with water yea I thoroughly washed away thy Blood from thee and I anointed thee with Oyl and so they did to the Priests of old Rev. 1.5 6. He hath loved us and washed us from our sins with his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Therefore sinners are exhorted unto this as the first thing they have to do Isai 1.16 wash ye and make ye clean 2. The second Ceremony of Consecration was the apparelling of them with the holy Garments Exod. 29.5 Levit. 8.7 These Garments are described at large in the precedent Chapter viz. Exod. 28. they were therefore spoken to under a former Head You have heard how they did betoken all those spiritual Graces and Excellencies which our great High Priest is furnished and adorned with And the next work of his Grace upon us after the washing away of sin is to clothe the Souls of his people with the Garment of Holiness and so to make them every way beautiful See that eminent Scripture Ezek. 16.9 and what follows ver 10. I clothed thee also with broydered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and girded thee about with fine Linnen and I covered thee with Silk See also the next following verses viz. 11 12 13. 3. The third Ceremony of consecrating was the anointing them with holy Oil Exod. 29.7 Lev. 8.12 The Composition of which sacred Ointment is instituted and directed in Exod. 30.23 As to the mystery and meaning of it 1. This holy Oil signified the Spirit of God and anointing therewith the Communication of the Spirit in the saving Graces and in the Divine Joys and Consolations of it so Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me the Lord hath anointed me Act. 10.38 He anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost 2. The anointing of the Priests signified the anointing of Jesus Christ with the Spirit beyond measure Psal 45.7 Joh. 3.34 This is called the Resting of the Spirit upon him Isai 11.2 as upon Elisha 2 Kings 2.15 and upon Eldad and Medad Numb 11.26 so 1 Pet. 4.14 the Spirit of God and of Glory rests on the Members of Christ especially when in sufferings it being derived unto them from him Hence he is called the Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anointed one because he chiefly is anointed with the Spirit 3. As this holy Oil stayed not upon Aarons head but descended and ran down upon his Beard and to the skirts of his Garments as is observed Psal 133.2 so the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Christ distills and is diffused from Christ the Head unto all the Members of his Body so as the meanest Saints have this anointing in their measure 1. Joh. 2.20 27. and do receive of his fulness even Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 hence they bear his name and are called Christians as being partakers of his anointing 4. The Tabernacle and the Altar and all the holy Vessels were anointed with the same sacred Oil when he anointed Aaron at the same time also he anointed them Lev. 8.10 11 12. The mystery of this is evident It teacheth us that all Ordinances and Performances profit not unless they be anointed unless the Spirit be in them with the power and presence of his Grace This makes them most holy and effectual for good Exod. 30.29 and if he breath in them whatsoever toucheth them
is holy 5. This holy Oyl might not be put to any common use upon mans flesh it shall not be poured Exod. 30.31 32. which plainly intimates thus much That carnal and unregenerate men have not the Spirit that there be some who have not the Spirit viz. all carnal men Jude 19. Joh. 14.17 Rom. 8.1 6 9. 1 Cor. 2.14 6. Nor might any be made like unto it Exod. 30.33 Men are not to imitate and counterfeit the Ordinances of God or the Graces of his Spirit It is the brand set upon Jeroboam that he devised a day of his own heart like unto the Feast which is in Judah 1 Kings 12.32 4. The fourth and last part of their Consecration was by sacrificing and sanctifying them by the Blood thereof Exod. 29.10 c. Lev. 8.14 c. signifying how that Christ should put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 and ver 12. Quest But then here a question presently ariseth How comes this in here in Consecration For the death and sufferings of Christ seem to belong rather to the Execution of his Priestly Office then to his Initiation and Consecration thereunto Sol. To this there may be three Answers given 1. That there is in this a disparity between the Type and the Antitype as the Apostle intimates Heb. 7.27 28. this is some part of an Answer but this is not all for it would be harsh in this so main a part of their Consecration not at all to resemble Christ Therefore for a further Answer 2. That Christ was consecrated to the full execution of his Priestly Office by his death and sufferings He could not officiate as Mediator and perform the whole work of his Priestly Office he could not save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him till he had suffered death It is true Christ was a Priest before but he was but a Priest in a state of abasement and humiliation but he was not capacitated to execute the triumphing part of his Priestly Office till he had first humbled himself unto death therefore he is said to be consecrated through sufferings Heb. 2.10 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Greek Interpreters for Consecration in Exod. 29. and Lev. 8. and elsewhere and so rendred by our Translators Heb. 7.25 see Heb. 2.10 and Heb. 5.8 9. being consecrated which we render being made perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is though he were a Son yet having learned obedience by the things he suffered and so being consecrated he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him He could not become such an Author till consecrated by his sufferings or made perfect Christ must first dye and so put away sin before he can appear in the presence of God in Heaven for us which is a great part of his Priestly Office Christum oportuit Cruce inaugurari in suum primatum Calvin in Heb. 2.10 vid. Calv. in Exod. 29.16 He was a Priest in the form of a Servant before but he was not a Priest in glory till consecrated thereunto by his own Blood 3. Some apply it to the Gospel-Ministry thus That the Gospel-Ministry was consecrated by the Blood of Christ For though it is true the Ministry is the immediate fruit of Christs Ascension into Glory as Ephes 4. yet his Exaltation being sounded in his Death here therefore is the foundation of the Church and Ministry How great is their sin who despise their Office who reject their Message and so despise the Glory yea also despise the Death and Blood of Christ Now concerning this part of their Consecration viz. by Sacrifices there be divers things observable There were divers Rites and Ceremonies particularly required in these Sacrifices of Consecration which were common to all the Sacrifices as the killing them pouring out the Blood burning them upon the Altar c. which I shall not handle in this place but rather refer them to the head of Jewish Sacrifices as their more proper place to which they do belong and where they have been spoken to See before pag. 248 c. therefore at this time I shall only mention such special Rites and Ceremonies as are peculiar to this business of Consecration And of this kind there are four Rules here observable 1. They were to offer all sorts of Sacrifices a Sin-offering ver 14. a Burnt-offering v. 18. and a Peace-offering v. 28. to teach not only the special Holiness that ought to be found in them but the deepness of the stain and guilt of Sin that there must be Expiations of all sorts to cleanse them throughly from it tantae molis erat so great a work it was to cleanse the Soul from sin And to shew the compleat and perfect cleansing and expiation that is in the Blood of Jesus Christ we are perfectly clean through him He is both Sin-offering and Burnt-offering and Peace-offering and all in all 2. The method and order of these Sacrifices is remarkable for they were first to offer the Sin-offering then the whole Burnt-offering and then the Peace-offering This is to be interpreted by the consideration of those peculiar respects which each kind of Offering had though they did all aim at the same general scope the purging away of sin yet if we consider them distinctly The Sin-offering speaks Pardon of Guilt the Holocaust or the whole Burnt-offering the dedication or giving up our selves to God to his use or Service by the fire of his Spirit the Peace-offering our Thankfulness in the sense and assurance of Peace between God and us The rest could not have been accepted if the Sin-offering had not gone before and made way for them Hence the Instruction is that till sin be done away all Sacrifices and Services are abominable Make that thy first work thy great and prime request to God to get Pardon of sin 3. A third remarkable Rite about these Sacrifices of Consecration is this that the Blood was to be put upon the tip of the right ear and upon the thumb of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his Sons ver 20. To teach and signifie that the work of Gospel-Sanctification doth extend to the whole man to all the parts and members of the Body and to all the powers and faculties of the Soul so the Apostle implies in that Prayer of his for the Thessalonians 1 Thess 5.23 the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholly aad I pray that your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ There should be in spiritual Priests a sanctified ear to abhor corrupt communication and to receive readily holy and spiritual Instructions the hand also should be sanctified for acting and the foot for walking in the ways of God It may further intimate that the external application of a sacramental sign to some principal part or parts of the Body is significative enough of universal cleansing
and amongst the rest they had one great Idol called the Rood which if it was as some now think the Picture of an old Man from thence the poor ignorant people came to conceive of God the Father as an old Man sitting in Heaven though it seems rather to be a Wooden Image of Christ hanging on the Cross See Acts and Monuments vol. 2. pag. 302. or a Wooden Cross only without any Image hanging on it From whence is the term Roodmas used still in some parts of England by which they mean the first or third of May the Pope having made that an holy day and called it Inventio Crucis because forsooth on that day the Cross on which Christ was crucified was found if you will believe the Fable Masse or Messe signifying in the old Saxon a Feast or a set time of holy rejoycing and Rood as it seems a Cross But this is to be observed that in all the Ceremonial Worship the Lord took special care to keep his people at a distance from the heathenish Idolatries of those times he would not suffer them to conform at all to those false Worships nor to comply with them in the least And it is a good spirit to be zealous against such things but where there is a slight loose indifferent sceptical frame of spirit in the matters of Gods House and Worship this spirit is not of God this spirit is not of him that calleth you So much for the House it self 2. Now secondly for the Courts of the Temple there were two of them the Scripture mentioneth so many and no more 2 Chron. 33.5 and he Manasseh built Altars for all the Host of Heaven in the two Courts of the House of the Lord. About the Tabernacle we read but of one Court Exod. 27.9 for the whole Camp of Israel was the outer Court But about the Temple there two called the outward and the inner Court The outward Court being the larger is called the great Court 2 Chron. 4.9 and the Court of the people because here the people came together to be taught Ezra 10.9 But though the people came into it yet it was part of the Temple and an holy place For none might enter that were unclean in any thing for it was the Office of the Porters to keep them back 2 Chron. 23.19 And hence it was that the Jews took so much offence at Paul when they thought he had brought Greeks into the Temple and so polluted that holy place Actt 21.28 There was also another Court called the inner Court 2 Kings 6.36 and the higher Court Jer. 36.10 and the Court of the Priests Vid. plura on Rev. 11.12 This Reference in the Authors Notes shews he had written a Discourse on that Text and indeed so he had which may be published in time if God will 2 Chron. 4.9 Both these Courts as it seemeth did compass the Temple on all sides round about and they were four square The length of each side of the outer Court was a furlong as the Jewish Witers report and the whole about half an English mile in compass There were also as they report some other Courts added unto these in after times but because the Scripture takes no norice of them I shall not do it neither Neither shall I say any thing of the Walls about the Courts and the Gates and other Buildings belonging to them as Chambers Porches and Treasuries to lay the Vessels and other things in and for the Priests and Levites to lodge in For there is mention 1 Chron. 28.11 of the Porch and of the Houses therof and the Treasuries thereof c. and ver 12. of the Courts of the House of the Lord and of all the Chambers round about of the Treasuries of the House of God and of the Treasuries of the dedicate things Neither need I speak particularly to the mystical significations of the House and the Courts The whole as considered together may be divided into three parts 1. The outer Court 2. The inner Court with the Sanctuary 3. The Oracle or the Holy of holies Some apply these three parts of the Temple to the three parts of a Christian mentioned by the Apostle 1 Thess 5.23 the Spirit Soul and Body The Body say they is signified by the open Court where all may see what is done The Soul say they may be compared to the Sanctuary which as it was more holy than the outward Court so is the Soul of man an higher and more divine part than the Body where by the Lamp of Gods Spirit the Reason and Understanding is enlightened The Spirit say they is as the most holy place where God dwelleth in secret by Faith which saith the Apostle is of things not seen nor comprehended by Reason Others apply it to the three parts of the World thus The outward Court to this inferiour World where all things lye open to the view and use of man The Sanctuary to the starry Heaven which is full of Lights and Stars as the Sanctuary had the seven Golden Candlesticks and Gems and Jewels shining in it The Holy of holies to the third Heaven wherein God dwelleth and indeed the Apostle himself makes it a Type of Heaven Heb. 9.24 There is something of analogy in the thing as to all these But the best accommodation of a Type is from Scripture and from the hints and intimations which the Scripture gives which as hath been formerly shewed makes the Temple a Type of Christ and of the Church Let us consider then what Instructions these parts of the Temple do afford as to both these 1. As to Christ himself The Temple was a Type of Christ especially in regard of that chief part of it the Holy of holies wherein there was a figure or weak representation both of his divine and humane Nature Therefore Christ is called the Holy of holies Dan. 9.24 seventy weeks are determined to anoint the most holy or the Holy of holies that is to initiate and inaugurate the Lord Jesus Christ into his Mediatorial office The Veil of the Holy of holies typified his humane nature Heb. 10.20 through the Veil that is to say his Flesh We may draw forth the analogy more at large in these particulars 1. The Humane nature did veil the Glory of his Deity as the Veil of the Temple did conceal the Holy of holies from the eyes of men 2. There was curious Embroidery of Cherubims and other Ornaments upon the Veil Exod. 26.31 thou shalt make a Veil of blue and purple and scarlet and fine twined Linnen of cunning work with Cherubims shall it be made So Chron. 3.16 This is not unfitly applied to those excellent Graces of the Spirit wherewith the Humane nature of Jesus Christ was filled and adorned 3. The Veil shutting up the Sanctuary from the sight and entrance of the people signified the shutting up the mysteries of the Gospel while the old Temple stood Heb. 9.8 the holy Ghost this signifying that
and not of an Angel For he saith the Tree which I commanded c. But the most famous Instance hereof was at the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai Exod 19 and 20. where the Lord spake with an audible Voice from Heaven chap. 19. 9 20. so that the People might hear and chap. 20. 22. and see that the Lord talked with them from Heaven Deut. 5.22 23 24. These words the Lord spake unto all your Assembly in the Mount out of the midst of the Fire of the Cloud and of the thick Darkness with a great Voice And when ye heard the Voice Heb. 12.26 Whose Voice then shook the Earth So Matth. 17.5 A Voice out of the Cloud said this is my beloved Son But they saw no similitude Deut. 4.12 1 Kings 19.12 13. A still small Voice 4. By an inward Instinct by immediate Inspirations and Impulses of the Holy Ghost So to David 1 Chron. 28.12 19. though he had it in Writing also and left it to his Son But it was revealed to him by the Spirit of God So to Philip Acts 8.29 The Spirit said unto Philip To Peter Acts 10.19 The Spirit said unto him and Acts. 11 12. the Spirit bade me go with them To Paul and Silas Acts 16.7 Not to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not 5. By legal Types and Shadows These were speaking things And what did they speak They spake forth Gospel Truths and Mysteries The Ceremonial Law was the Gospel in Types and Shadows Heb. 10.1 The Law having a shadow of good things to come A Type is a legal shadow of Gospel Truths and Mysteries These were the standing Ordinances and Instructions of those times 6. By Signs and Wonders These had a Voice and did speak the Mind of God These were attestations to the Truth and Mind of God and to the Authority of the Messenger See Exod. 4.8 If they will not believe thee nor hearken to the Voice of the first Sign they will believe the Voice of the latter Sign Joh. 3.2 We know that thou art a Teacher come from God For no man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him The Lord may work Miracles now But he doth not now send forth any person with a Commission to do it as he did of old 7. By a special and peculiar kind of intimacy and familiarity as it were mouth to mouth without Parable or Riddle without Obscurity with all possible familiarity And this was Moses his Priviledg Numb 12.8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth apparently and not in dark speeches Exod. 33.11 23. The Lord spake to him face to face as a man speaketh to his friend thou shalt see my back parts That phrase of speaking mouth to mouth notes the clearness and certainty and familiarity of it as when Joseph saith ye see it is my mouth that speaketh unto you Gen. 45.12 This was a priviledg peculiar unto Moses Deut. 34.10 There arose no Prophet like him since whom the Lord knew face to face That that comes nearest to it seems to be the ineffable things that Paul saw and heard in the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.1 2 3 4 and the Revelation given to the Apostle John in the Isle of Patmos which is the clearest and yet withal the deepest and most wonderful of all the Prophesies recorded in the Scripture There be two Questions may arise here which would be briefly spoken to Quest 1. Whether there were not counterfeits of these things and if there were how did they discern the Lords voice in these extraordinary dispensations from Satans voice in his delusions Answ It is true there were counterfeits of them there were Visons Dreams seeming Miracles Impulses from Satan as well as from God Diabolus est Dei simia Hence that Caution of Moses Deut. 13.1 And hence are those complaints of the Prophet Jeremy cap. 14. 13 14 15. 1 Kings 22.22 23. That famous Instance of a lying Spirit in the mouths of Ahabs Prophets Therefore to have a Vision to dream strange and supernatural Dreams to have a powerful Impetus and afflatus from a Spirit are not things simply peculiar to the true Prophets of God But though Satan did partly out of Craft to deceive thereby the more effectually and partly out of Blasphemy and Malice to put an affront as it were upon God use ways and means of deceiving that had some resemblance of Gods own ways and Ordinances yet there were manifest and palpable differences between them I shall name but these four 1. The Lord did not usually suffer Satan to transform himself so far into an Angel of Light as to come in these ways unto his own people unto such as were truly Godly Search the Scriptures and you will not find that Satan did appear to give Satanical Dreams and Visions and the like to such as were Godly It is true he did tempt them but in a more spiritual manner as he tempted David to number the people Or by other outward means As when the young Prophet that came from Bethel was deceived by the old one But when Satan did inspire any with Dreams and Visions c. it was done to wicked and ungodly men As to Saul when he raised up the Devil he and and the Witch saw the Gods that is Spirits infernal Spirits ascending up out of the Earth And to the false Prophets of Ahab those four hundred-Idolaters they spake as Prophets and were acted by a Spirit but it was a lying Spirit and they were lewd and wicked men so that there was a great difference in the Person or Subject recipient of Divine Revelations and of Satanical Delusions 2. In Divine Discoveries there was an holy Elevation of their Minds when they did receive them but in the Organs and Instruments of Satan there was only a stupefaction and depression of them As when John did receive the Revelation he was in the Spirit chap. 1. 10. Sometimes they were so far elevated and raised and acted by the Spirit that they did not attend to any other thing but were transported above Sense and sensible things to attend wholly to the Visions and Revelations of God So Peter fell into a Trance Acts. 10.10 Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 22.17 Hence oftentimes they fell upon their Faces being astonish'd at the Majesty and Glory of the Lord both gratious and natural Fear concurring Ezek 1.28 Dan 10.8 9. Matth. 17.6 7. But this Ravishment of Spirit was not a stupefaction but an holy Elevation of their Minds whereby they were taken off and lifted up above all these low things to the highest exercise of Faith and spiritual Reason and so better fitted and composed to receive those Divine Irradiations and Manifestations of God So Daniel 10.1 He understood the thing and had understanding of the Vision So Balaam when the Lord was pleased in an extraordinary case to act him after the manner of a true Prophet Numb 24.4 16. falling into a
that is an essential property of God Novitas essendi est de Essentia Creaturae And that Melchizedek was a Creature and not God was proved before because he was Priest and King of Salem and every Priest is taken from amongst men de Ratione Sacerdotis est ut sit verus Homo it is an essential requisite in a Priest that he be indeed a Man Melchizedek therefore was a Man but yet eternal typically and in a figure Christ is called a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 and of Melchizedek the Apostle saith he abideth a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 You shall never have cause to say My Friend alas my best Friend is dead For he hath an everlasting Priesthood and lives for ever to intercede and make mention of you to the Lord Heb. 7.25 4. In regard of his Preheminence and Excellency above all other men Vide My Notes of Christs Priestly Office wherein greater than Aaron Behold how great this man was Heb. 7.4 he was greater than Aaron the Priest of the Lord yea greater than Abraham the Forefather of Aaron He was greater than Abraham as in other respects so in these three 1. In that he blessed Abraham Gen. 14.19 Heb. 7.7 and without contradiction the less is blessed of the greater so Christ blesseth us Luke 24 50 51. All our Blessings are through him he is the Fountain of Blessing 2. In that Melchizedek did refresh Abraham and his Army Gen. 14.18 and Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth Bread and Wine that is as the old Note well explains it for Abraham and his Souldiers Refreshment and not to offer Sacrifice So Christ refresheth his Church with the Word and Sacraments Matth. 11. I will give you rest or I will refresh you Ego reficiam vos 3. In that Melchizedek did receive an homage and acknowledgment of Tythes from Abraham and from Levi and Aaron in his Loins Thus they paid their Respects to him Gen. 14.20 Heb. 7.9 whether of his Spoils or of his Goods it was the tenth part Some have gone so far from this as to infer that we ought to give unto Christ the Tenth part of our Goods as well as the Seventh part of our Time But to let that pass Certain it is that we ought to give some fit proportion of our Estates unto God for his use and service And as he was herein greater than Abraham so likewise greater than Aaron and the Aaronical Order Melchizedeks was an higher Order in many respects largely opened in that 7th to the Hebrews Vse This that hath been said concerning Melchizedek as a Shadow of Jesus Christ affords the greater encouragement to believe and comfort to them that do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Encouragement having such an High Priest thou maist safely venture thy Soul upon him Comfort that so great a Person is thy Saviour True thou art unworthy but his Worth and Excellency is enough to preponderate and overballance all thine unworthiness He is both a King and a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek and if thou dost accept of him as thy King to rule thee thou maist safely rely and rest upon him as thine High Priest to justifie and reconcile thee to his Father Aug 15. 1667. Of the individual Personal Types that were before the Law there be four yet remaining to be spoken to You have heard of Adam Enoch Noah Melchizedek how they were Types and Figures of him that was to come It remains to speak of Abraham Isaac Jacob and Joseph 1. Abraham As the Apostle saith of Melchizedek in other respects Heb. 7.4 so we may say of Abraham Consider how great this Man was in that so many Patriarchs so many righteous men so many Prophets Priests and Kings yea Jesus Christ himself were once in Abrahams Loyns I confess he is omitted by divers that have handled this Subject for what reason I know not unless it be from an aptness to restrain all the Types to the Person of Christ wherein perhaps they found the accommodation not so clear in respect of Abraham in whom nevertheless you will see some clearness I hope by and by even as to that though it is not always necessary in a Type that it point directly at the Messiahs Person but it is sufficient if there be an adumbration or shadowing a forth of any Gospel Truth or Mystery any way belonging to him But there were many of them shadowed forth in Abraham and the Scripture owns him for a typical Person as you will see in the particulars I shall but instance in five or six things 1. If we consider him together with Isaac and Jacob that proceeded from him we may observe that in these three persons Abraham Isaac and Jacob there is a weak and dark shadow of a very great Mystery even of those three glorious Persons God the Father Son and Spirit in the order of their Subsistence and Influences to our Salvation For Abraham was the Father and Original of both the other and in his Love to God he spared not his only Son Isaac but offered him up to Death for a Burnt-offering so God in his Love to Man spared not his only begotten Son but delivered him up for us Rom. 8.32 Isaac was sacrificed in a Figure Vide my Expos on Gen. 22. so was the Son of God the second Person of the Trinity in our Nature slain and sacrificed for us And Jacob you know came both of Abraham and Isaac and he is renowned for the Spirit of Prayer by which he had power with God and prevailed Gen. 32.28 He did not prevail by his own strength but by the Power of the Holy Ghost who did appear in him and acted him as a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication unto such invincible wrestlings with the Lord. From all which you see that there is some glimpse and shadow of the Fathers Love of the Sons Death and Sufferings and of the Spirit his breathings and workings in us Here is something of a low and weak representation of that glorious Mystery of the Trinity and the influences thereof to our eternal peace though it is but a low and weak and dark shadow of it as all Types are in comparison of the Antitype 2. If we consider Abraham with his two Wives Hagar and Sarah and their Posterities Ishmael and Isaac Here the two Covenants of Works and Grace legal and evangelical Professors are shadowed forth For this we have the Apostles Authority and the Testimony of the Holy Ghost himself the best Interpreter of his own meaning Gal. 4.22 23 24. 1. The Differences and Properties of the two Covenants are here held forth Hagar by the strength of Nature hath a Child but Sarah by the Faith in the Promise Gal. 4.23 So Works and Fruits brought forth in a mans own strength these are legal if by Faith in Christ this is evangelical The first Covenant-Spirit is a Spirit of bondage Gal. 4.24 25. bondage unto sin and death the
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
all James 2.10 and so needs Christ and his Blood to make atonement even for the least Sins and those which are in some sort involuntary as the original corruption of Nature is and many actual Sins of meer infirmity and frailty 2. Sacrifices of Atonement even when they had fulfilled their Vow ver 13 to 21. It taught the secret and unseen Guiltiness which cleaveth to the most holy men in their best and most perfect works which without atonement by the Blood of Christ Ainsworth in loc cannot be pure and pleasing in the sight of God For though a man know nothing by himself yet is he not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4.4 When we have kept our Vows and done our Duty yet we need Atonement and Pardon 4. A fourth religious Order amongst them of old was their Prophets These also were Types of Christ and Christians Of Christ For as they taught the will of God so doth Christ For he is the great Prophet Deut 18.15 Acts 3.22 Joh. 1.18 no man knows the Father but he to whom the Son revealeth him Matth 11.27 But though there be a resemblance and analogy yet there is also a great disparity in this Type For all the Types as hath been often observed fell short of the Antitype in Glory and so in this for none teacheth like him Job 36.22 in regard of the Authority and Efficacy of his teaching 1. The Authority For the Prophets speak in the Lords Name Thus saith the Lord but Christ in his own Name and the Fathers as a Son over his own House Heb. 3.6 2. The Efficacy All the Prophets could not reach the Heart but Christ he teacheth inwardly and effectually for he sends his Spirit to bring the Truths to remembrance with power and efficacy Joh. 14.26 And as their Prophets were Types of Christ so likewise of all Believers for they are spiritually Prophets 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Cor. 2.15 the spiritual man judgeth all things They are said to prophesie as the Lords Witnesses Rev. 11. 5. A fifth religious Order in those legal times was that of Priesthood Their Priests and especially their High Priests were Types of Christ and Christians Therefore Christ is so often called a Priest and the High Priest Heb. 3.1 of our Profession The Analogy between Christ and them appears chiefly in two things 1. That as they offered Sacrifice and by Sacrifice made atonement so Christ Ephes 5.2 gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling favour 2. There was in them the shadow though but the shadow of an everlasting Priesthood because the Office was settled in the House and Family of Aaron and so though the persons died yet the Office was never vacant for the Son succeeded the Father and was sometimes invested during the Fathers life as Eleazer Numb 20.26 And though Melchizedeks Priesthood was of an higher Order and more illustrious than that of Aaron as the Apostle shews Heb. 7. yet in this also there was but a shadow of Eternity as hath been formerly shewed But Christ is indeed a Priest for ever he is often so called in the Epistle to the Hebrews He was made a Priest not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the Power of everlasting life Heb. 7. The Disparity between Christ and these typical Priests was manifold I shall instance in a few particulars 1. Theirs was but the shadow Christ the true Sacrifice and true Reconciliation with God 2. They offered Sacrifice first for their own Sins but Christ had no Sins of his own to offer for and to make satisfaction for Heb. 7.27 3. All those Priests of old even Melchizedek himself they were but Priests they were not both Priest Altar and Sacrifice But Christ is all three He is Priest as God-man He is the Altar in regard of his Divine nature for this is that that sanctifies the Gift and makes the Sacrifice so infinitely efficacious and meritorious And Christ himself is also the Sacrifice in regard of his Humane nature His Humane nature suffered death and so was offered up as a Sacrifice unto God for us Thus in all things Christ hath the Preheminence I might also shew how all the Saints are Priests He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God Revel 1. But there will be occasion to speak further of the Priesthood when we come to the Temple and the Temple Ministry 6. A sixth religious Order was their Kings of the House of David It is true Magistracy is a civil Ordinance belonging to the second Table But yet as God was pleased to annex a typical respect unto the Sabbath which is in it self a moral Duty and unto Adams Marriage with Eve which was a civil Relation so he did unto Magistracy or Kingship as stated and settled amongst that people Hence as in the business of Marriage and of the Sabbath the things themselves are not abolished but only the typical respects are taken off so here Kingship as amongst them was both a civil and a religious Order Non dubium est quin caelestis pater in Davide ejusque posteris conspici voluerit vivam Christi Imaginem Calvin Institut l. 2. cap. 6. sect 2. cap. 7. sect 2. See the Analogy in three things 1. In their Inauguration they were anointed with holy Oil Psal 89.20 with mine holy Oil have I anointed him This typified the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit the Spirit of Government Acts 10.38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost which Christ received above his Fellows Psal 45.7 not by measure but above measure Joh. 3.34 2. The Lord settled the Kingdom by an everlasting Covenant in a perpetual Series and Succession of persons in the House of David So with Christ he hath made an everlasting Covenant that his Kingdom shall endure for ever Isai 9.7 of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end 3. The moral work and duty of their Office had also a typical use to shadow forth what Christ doth spiritually in and for his Church 1. They made Laws for the people of Israel though they did it still in subordination to and pursuance of the Laws of God as all Magistrates ought to do not in opposition to them So Christ is the Law-giver of his Church Isai 33.22 the Lord is our Judge our King our Law-giver 2. They subdued the Enemies of Israel so did David the Philistines the Moabites c. So doth Christ subdue and tread down the Churches Enemies 3. It was their work to execute Vengeance upon Rebels as Solomon the peaceful King did on Joab Adonijah Shimei So doth Christ the Prince of Peace on Unbelievers and Hypocrites in the Church This King will say Bring forth these mine Enemies and slay them before my face Yet there was a great Disparity between Christ and those Kings His Kingdom is spiritual his Government infinitely better than theirs was 2 Sam. 23.4 5. some understand and render to this
see things as in a Glass but in Heaven we have the things themselves And now to sum up all that hath been said in Explication the Doctrine amounts to thus much That the Ceremonial Law hath a shadow or a dark and weak representation of the good things of that eternal future happiness the more lively Image and Portraiture whereof we have under and by the Gospel Quest 4. What are the several parts of this Law of Shadows and Ceremonies these perpetual Types or everlasting Statutes Ans This is a large Field I shall refer them at present to five several Heads omiting Sub divisions lest they be troublesome to weak memories 1. The initiating Seal to wit Circumcision 2. Their Sacrifices and Purifications of sin and of uncleanness 3. The Temple and Tabernacle and other holy places 4. The Priesthood with the whole legal Ministry 5. The Festivals or Legal Times and Seasons These five general Heads will carry us through this whole Subject of the Types For the whole Ceremonial Law and all or most of the Statutes of it will come in under some of these Heads 1. The initiating Seal of those times which was Circumcision the first Institution whereof we have in Gen. 17.10 11. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Every man child among you shall be circumcised And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you Which is contracted and epitomized into a few words by Stephen Act. 7.8 And he gave him the Covenant of Circumcision and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day and Isaac begat Jacob and Jacob begat the twelve Patriarchs Wherein he briefly tells us the substance of this Shadow and the meaning of this Type namely that it signified and shadowed forth the Covenant of Grace 2. Their Sacrifices and Purifications for sin and for uncleanness of which Psal 40.6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required with Heb. 10.5 10. Many things will come in under this Head for they had both Sacrifices of Expiation for moral sins and Ceremonies of Purification for legal uncleanness and impurity I put them both together because they did both aim at one Scope namely the cleansing and purging away of sin They had burnt-offerings meat-offerings peace-offerings sin-offerings trespass offerings They had legal Uncleannesses of several sorts they had unclean Meats unclean Persons unclean Houses unclean Garments unclean Vessels the saddest of all their ceremonial Uncleannesses was the Leprosy for all which they had Purifications answerable The general scope of all which was to shadow forth Jesus Christ in his purifying cleansing power and virtue as cleansing us from the guilt of sin by his Blood shed and sacrificed for us and from the filth and power thereof by his Spirit dwelling and working in us Therefore he is said to offer up himself a Sacrifice for us Ephes 5.2 and to wash us and cleanse us vers 26 27. 3. The Temple and Tabernacle and the Utensils thereof with all their holy places For they had many and divers of them the whole Land of Canaan was an holy Land They had Cities of Refuge Jerusalem was an holy City Mount Sion was an holy Hill the Temple was an holy House And before they had a sixed Temple they had which was equivalent in signification as well as like unto it in outward form the Tabernacle Heb. 9.1 to vers 6. All which signified and shadowed forth both Christ and the Church Christ in his humane nature the Church both as visible and as militant and mystical and likewise as triumphant in Heaven Therefore the Church of God is called his House 1 Tim. 3.15 4. The Priesthood with all the rest of the Temple Ministry Heb. 8.2 They had beside the High-Priest the other Priests and the Levites some whereof were Porters some Singers And here the Temple Musick comes to be considered the High-Priest was an eminent Type of Christ the true and great High-Priest of his Church And all this Temple Ministry was a shadow of the true Gospel Ministry which though they cannot be called Priests in the Popish sense yet they may be called Antitypical Priests The further mysteries of all which legal Ministry we shall open more particularly afterwards the Lord enabling us 5. A Fifth of these perpetual Types was the Festivals or Holy Times appointed by the Law whereof they had many their weekly seventh day Sabbaoths their New Moons their yearly Feasts That of Tabernacles Passover and Pentecost their seventh year their Jubilee of fifty years containing the Revolution of seven times seven all which were a shadow of good things to come Col. 2.16 17. Vse 1. This Text and Doctrine gives much light for the resolution of that question whether the Law of Moses was a Covenant of Works or Grace The answer is That the Law hath a shadow of the good things of the Gospel but not the very Image of the things themselves There was a mixture in that Dispensation you may take the Answer more fully in three Propositions 1. The thing it self adumbrated and shadowed forth in this Law of Ceremonies is the future good things of the Gospel so that it was indeed a Covenant of Grace that they were under 2. The manner of representation of them was legal and in the way of a shadow not of a full and lively Image so that it was a kind of legal Gospel they had in those times Vid. on Heb. 4.2 3. The carnal Jews made it meer Law by sticking in the shell and shadow and rejecting the Gospel or the thing it self that was adumbrated and shadowed forth unto them Vse 2. See the Justice of God in the rejection of the Jews For might not Israel have understood They did not want a competency of outward means but they wanted hearts Deut. 29.2 3 4. Vse 3. Encouragement in the search we are now upon as to the Types for it is the Gospel and the good things of the Gospel that we look into when we enquire and search into the Types The Law having a shadow of them Vid. on Rom. 5.14 Serm. 1. Vse where there are three Rules for the better understanding of them To which let me add this as an Appendix to the first seek Light from God Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law You may see wondrous things indeed Jesus Christ and the Gospel and many precious mysteries in this part of the Law of God this Law of Ceremonies if God open your eyes but otherwise all will be dark to you Vse 4. Encouragement to believe and receive the Gospel for it hath been held forth to the Faith of Gods people all along and they have rested upon it and found peace We have it declared in the clearest way and indeed every way for we reap the Fruit
of the people It would better become private persons to reflect upon themselves and upon their own sins and their own unworthiness then to work out in discontent against those that God hath set over them 3. The third Law of the Sin-Offering is concerning the blood thereof There is a threefold disposal of it appointed by the Rule in this Chapter vers 5 6 7. 1. The Priest is to dip his finger in the blood and to sprinkle it seven times before the Lord. 2. He is to put part of it upon the four Horns of the golden Altar of Incense 3. He is to pour out the rest of it at the bottom of the Brazen Altar of Burnt-Offering Of these three Ceremonies a few words 1. The Priest is to dip his finger in the blood and to sprinkle it seven times before the Lord that is before the Vail of the Sanctuary towards the Holy of Holies Upon the great day of Expiation he was to sprinkle it within the Vail but because he was not to enter into that Holy place every day but only once a year therefore at other times he did but sprinkle it towards the holy place upon or towards the Vail see Lev. 16.14 But the signification was the same in both It teacheth us three things 1. That there is no entrance into Heaven but by the blood of Christ shed and poured forth and sprinkled and applied effectually For the place within the Vail the Holy of Holies was a Type of Heaven and the Priest entred there not without blood Heb. 9.11 12 24 25 26. Heaven is a Possession purchased by the blood of Christ Eph. 1.14 Heb. 10.19 20. We enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus We had never come there had not the blood of the Sin Offering been sprinkled there for us 2. There is a full and perfect cleansing in the blood of Christ for he is to sprinkle it seven times Seven is a number of perfection because in seven days the Creation of the world was finished and God rested from his works Hence seven is a mystical number often used in Mysteries throughout the Scripture both in typical and in prophetical places Vid. Aynsw in loc As seven times sprinkling the Leper and seven days for his cleansing Lev. 14.7 9. Seven days for consecrating the Priests Lev. 8.35 For purifying the unclean Lev. 12.2 Numb 19.19 Seven Priests with seven Trumpets blew seven days to the overthrowing of the Walls ef Jericho Josh 6. Every seventh day was a Sabbaoth Every seventh year a year of Rest And seven times seven years brought the Jubilee Lev. 25.3 4 8. In the Book of the Revelation the Lamb that was stain which is Jesus Christ is represented with seven Horns to signify the perfection of his Power and with seven Eyes to shew the perfection of his Wisdom and the seven Spirits of God the Holy Ghost in the perfection of all gifts and graces Rev. 5.6 There be also seven Candlesticks seven Churches And indeed the whole Book doth analyse and divide it self into three sevens seven Seals seven Trumpets and seven Vials The seven Seals holding forth the state of the Church under heathenish persecution with the issue thereof in the three first Centuries The seven Trumpets under Antichrist and other intestine troubles And then finally seven Vials of Wrath for the ruine of Anti-christ and other enemies for the Churches prosperity From all which you see that there is something of mystery in the number of seven And in this Ceremony it teacheth us the full and perfect cleansing and atonement we have in the blood of Christ and that our sins need much cleansing much purgation Heb. 9.13 14. Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. We may learn further that sprinkling is significative enough of the spiritual cleansing and perfect virtue that is in the blood of Jesus Christ For the Priest was not to pour out the blood upon the Vail nor to wash the Vail in the blood but only to dip his finger and so to sprinkle the Vail with it Isai 52.15 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 12.24 2. Another part of the blood was to be put upon the Horns of the Golden Altar of Incense vers 7. And again vers 18. So in the Sin-Offering upon the great day of Expiation Lev 17.18 19. this was used only in the Sin Offering of Bullocks but in the Sin-Offering of Kids or Lambs it was only poured and sprinkled upon the Brazen-Altar vers 25 30 34. The mystery of this Ceremony was this That Christs Intercession is founded in his own blood and satisfaction For the Incense Altar was a Type of Prayer he prays in the virtue of his own blood and sufferings and by the merit thereof he prevails with God for us And it is upon the same account that our prayers also do prevail and find acceptance with the Lord it is because the Incense Altar is sprinkled with blood We pray in his Name and we desire nothing in our prayers but what he hath deserved and procured by his merits See Rev. 8.3 There was given him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar And 9.13 I heard a voice from the four Horns of the Golden Altar The Golden Altar is the Altar of Incense a voice is heard from thence as in answer to prayer But did ever any Christian pray for the coming in of the Turks upon the Christian world No but God answers the prayers of his people oftentimes by wonderful and terrible things in Righteousness as Psal 65.5 The most dreadful Revolutions of Providence are in answer to prayer and that which makes prayer so powerful is because the Altar of Incense is sprinkled with the blood of the Sin Offering 3. The rest of the blood was to be poured forth at the bottom of the Altar of Burnt-Offering vers 7 18 25 30 34. This instructs us that Christ was consecrated and dedicated unto God in his own blood The effusion of the blood of Christ as a Sin-Offering to the Justice of God for us for our Salvation for the purchase of the pardon of our sins and the relation of that blood to the Altar of his Deity are here taught But this was opened before when we were upon the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1.5 But consider this as in conjunction with the former the blood was sprinkled both upon the holiest of all and upon the Altar of Incense and now the rest poured forth by the Altar of Burnt-Offering It teacheth us That the blood of Christ hath an influence into all the concernments of our Salvation from first to last Exercise Faith in that blood upon all occasions and for all the concernments of your Souls Would you see your sins forgiven and atonement made See and take notice of that blood in the effusion of it as poured forth at the bottom of the Altar Would you see your prayers accepted
Ans This was for a special reason because there was a civil penalty appointed in such Cases and for such sins extending even unto death And it had been incongruous to that legal and external dispensation they were under to appoint a Sacrifice to make atonement for Capital sins for which the sinner was to be cut off This made David cry Sacrifice thou wouldst not Psal 51. else would I give it he was at a loss what to do There was no provision made by the Law for atonement in that case of his but as God by prerogative and special dispensation spared his life so he did also forgive his sin and taught him upon this occasion the imperfection of all the legal Sacrifices but yet there is an atonement and a Trespass Offering provided under the Gospel even for such sins There is a spiritual Sacrifice Jesus Christ and his blood therefore such notorious sinners should not despair see 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you foul enough and bad enough but ye are washed but ye are justified Obj. 3. But there be some sins even under the Gospel for which the Apostle saith there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin Heb. 10. but fiery indignation and fearful looking for of Judgment Ans This is only the sin against the Holy Ghost which because many when in trouble of Conscience are apt to fear they have committed this sin I shall therefore open a little to you the nature of it to prevent mistakes and discouragements I shall endeavour to shew you both wherein it doth not and wherein it doth consist And first wherein it doth not consist 1. It is not every error in fundamentals that amounts to this sin for some Hereticks have been renewed by repentance have been converted and reclaimed from the error of their way which they that sin against the Holy Ghost cannot be Yea 2. suppose a man do not only err in fundamental truths but speak reproachful piercing words against it as the Quakers use to do when they scoff against a Christ without us and against the Bible calling it a dead letter This is blasphemy but yet it is not impossible even for such a one to repent and be forgiven for Mat. 12.30 32. every Blasphemy against the Son that is every kind or sort of Blasphemy may be forgiven 3. Yet further that sin which of all other doth in some respects come nearest to the sin against the Holy Ghost is Persecution For here is malice yet some even of these also have obtained mercy as Paul the Apostle who before his Conversion was a Persecutor he was both a fundamental Heretick and a Blasphemer and a Persecutor 4. Some have thought it doth consist in universal Apostacy but these are rather Circumstances that may accompany it but are not of the essence of it Apostasie is not essential to it much less universal Apostasie It is true those in Heb. 10. and Heb. 6. were Apostates that fell away from their former profession therefore Apostasie is sometimes found in this sin but not always For the Pharisees had never professed Christ yet they did sin against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.32 33. Moreover Apostates in some cases may be recovered Hos 14.4 Rev. 2.5 and 3.18 And as to that of universal apostacy the Pharisees did not cast off all profession of God and of the truth they were not universal Apostates Therefore a man may pretend to Religion and be a Professor of it in some degree and yet a Pharisee doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace Thus you see negatively concerning this impardonable sin what it is not There may be fundamental error yea Blasphemy Persecution yet not unpardonable moreover a man may sin this sin and yet not be an universal Apostate as the Pharisees But if all this be not the sin against the Holy Ghost what is it and wherein doth it consist Ans There be two Ingredients that do concur to this sin 1. Inward conviction by the Holy Ghost 2. Malice This is that the Apostle intends by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we sin wilfully Heb. 10. Hence our Saviour calls it Blasphemy against the Spirit Mat. 12. That is against the inward illumination and conviction of the Spirit in a mans Conscience If there be not a conjunction of both these both inward conviction and malicious opposition if there be only one of these without the other it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost Peter in his denying Christ and swearing falsly about it he sinned against Light and inward Conviction but this was not the sin against the Holy Ghost because he did it not in malice but only out of fear to save his life Paul before his Conversion did sin and persecute out of malice but yet he did not commit this sin because he wanted Light and inward Conviction himself gives us this account of it 1 Tim. 1.13 but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly But can this be known concerning others Yes it may be known therefore 1 Joh. 5.16 pray not for such It will further clear up the nature of the sin to name some Instances of such as have committed it There be some Instances and Examples of it in the Scripture and there have been some since the Scriptures were written The Scripture mentions the Pharisees Mat. 12. The Apostle Paul instanceth in the Convicted and yet apostate Jews in his Epistle to the Hebrews Since the Scriptures were written Julian the Apostate is thought to have sinned this sin for he had Light enough he was a Christian and an high Professor of Christianity before his Apostasie He did profess Religion to such a degree that he was wont to read in the Church in the publick Assemblies he did not disdain to read the Bible to them in the Church Assemblies though he was of the blood Royal but after he was setled in the Empire he fell away to Paganism and not only so but to most malicious and crafty Persecution Some have observed of him that he did not put forth such Edicts for the putting Christians to death as some former Persecutors had been wont to do He did forbear to do it out of craft and malice because he had observed the truth of that Speech sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae the blood of Martyrs is the Seed of the Church he saw that such a course would propagate Christianity the more and increase the Church rather than diminish it Therefore he chose rather to lay snares for their Consciences by way of subtilty to draw them from the Truth and so to wash his hands in the blood of their Souls a sweeter victory to him then of their bodies and to triumph over them in their falls rather then in their deaths denying them the use of Books or Schools to get Learning suffering none to bear Office in War or Peace and when he dyed being shot with an Arrow in a Battle and feeling himself mortally wounded he pluckt out the Arrow
7. of Cap. 6. The five first sort of Sacrifices have been spoken to at large As to the sixth the Offering of Consecrations there will be occasion to speak something of it when we come to the Priesthood neither is it handled at large in these first Chapters of Leviticus but only some of the Laws of it briefly toucht upon therefore I shall refer what I shall speak of it to that other place As to what remains of the 6. and 7. Chapters of this Book they containing some additional Laws to the Offerings before treated of they were spoken to under the Offerings to which they belong I shall therefore now proceed unto two or three Questions that remain to be considered before we leave this point Quest 1. The first is whether the legal Sacrifices may not be otherwise distributed and what other distributions there be of them Ans The answer is That the Scripture gives other distributions also as well as this in the Text but I chose to handle them in this as the plainest for weak memories They are sometimes thus divided into Zebach and Mincha that is slaughtered Offerings and Meat-Offerings Dan. 9.27 He shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease The word is the Slaughter Offering and the Meat Offering to cease Zebach and Mincha and in many other Scriptures The Meat Offerings were of Inanimate things offered up to God by fire upon the Altar But the Slaughtered Offerings were of living Creatures and these were offered up both by fire and blood the Beast being first slain and then burnt with fire Some have distinguished these two in respect of their ends and uses thus That the slain Sacrifices respected chiefly the sufferings and passive obedience of Christ as making satisfaction for our sins by his death and blood and that the Meat-Offering related chiefly to his active obedience whereby he fulfilled the Law for us by his holy and blessed life good works being as it were meat and drink to an holy heart In the Meat-Offering therefore say they was shadowed by the burning and ascending of Inanimate things the obedience and merits of Christ to come but it is not to be restrained to his active obedience only for the burning and destroying the Meat-Offering by fire did plainly represent the sufferings of Christ for the satisfaction of divine Justice as was formerly shewed more fully in the Exposition of the Meat Offering Moreover the slaughtered Offerings may be subdivided from their ends and uses thus That they were either simply for atonement and pardon of sin or for other occasions also Those for atonement of sin were either for all sins in general or with special respect to some particulars For all sins in general was the Burnt-Offering which therefore was offered every day There was holocaustum juge for those peccata jugia a dayly Burnt-Offering for those continual dayly sins and sinfulness of our hearts and natures Numb 28.10 This is the Burnt-Offering of every Sabbath besides the continual Burnt-Offering and its Drink Offering which was offered every day at morning and at evening saith the Geneva Note of which Daniel saith of Antiochus that by him the dayly Sacrifice was taken away Dan. 8.11 As to particular sins they being of two sorts either lesser or greater there were two sorts of Sacrifices provided for them For sins committed through ignorance and infirmity the Sin-Offering but the Trespass-Offering extended even to sins committed against light and knowledg These were the Sacrifices meerly for atonement and expiation of sin As to other occasions also there were two Sacrifices appointed and ordained of old 1. As to assurance of peace and of the love of God the Peace-Offering which was a Sacrifice both of atonement and of thanksgiving 2. As to acceptance and entrance into Office in the Church the Milluim or the Offering of Consecration wherein besides atonement of sin this was superadded the Investiture of the person into trust and office in the house of God Quest 2. A second Enquiry may be this whether there were not other Sacrifices besides what are comprehended under these distributions Ans There were some others but they were peculiar Sacrifices these were the ordinary sort of them As for the rest either they may be some way reduced and referred to some of these or else they will come in and may be fitly handled in other places As for Instance the two Sparrows in the cleansing of the Leperâ— were a peculiar kind of Sacrifice Lev. 14. And they will come in among the Laws and Ceremonies of Purification when we spirit of ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness so will also the Sacrifice of the red Heifer and the holy Water or water of Purification made of the Ashes of that Sacrifice Numb 19. The Paschal Lamb also was a peculiar Sacrifice but it will fitly come in to be handled in the Feast of the Passover when we come to the Festivals and there also the Sacrifices of the yearly Feast of Expiation on the tenth day of the seventh month will come to be considered one part whereof is the Scape Goat Levit. 16. But the ordinary Sacrifices were these that have been handled Quest 3. The third Quaere may be this These six here enumerated in the Text being the ordinary sorts of propitiatory Sacrifices what other Sacrifices had they besides these of propitiation or atonement I answer as to that when I entred first upon the Subject you may remember I distributed the Offerings at the Brazen Altar into two sorts Holiness of Holiness and Holiness of Praises or Sacrifices of Atonement and of Thanksgiving You find this distinction of double Holiness and single Holiness in Lev. 21.22 he shall eat the Bread of his God that is of the Sacrifices both of the most Holy and of the Holy so the Fruit of the Land after it was Circumcised is said to be Holiness of Praises to the Lord Lev. 19.24 Quodesh Hillulim is contradistinguished unto Quodesh quodeshim The former sort of Sacrifices namely those that were Holy of Holinesses for atonement were made by fire but the latter sort viz. such as were meerly Sacrifices of Thanksgiving or Holiness of Praises were not offered up to God in the fire but by other Ceremonies Of these there were two sorts the Heave-Offering and the Wave Offering of both which we shall speak a word briefly both concerning the matter the manner and the signification of them The first mention we have of them is in Exod. 29.24 26 27. in the Offering of Consecration The Shoulder is an Heave Offering and the Brest a Wave-Offering Again in Lev. 7. the right Shoulder and the Brest is reserved out of all the Peace-Offerings for a Wave Offering and an Heave-Offering to the Lord for the Priests see vers 34. Again in Lev. 23.10 11. we read of a Wave-Sheaf of the First Fruit of your Harvest unto the Priest And ye shall wave the Sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you This was to be
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
Jews Some they borrow from the Pagans and others are nothing else but pieces and reliques of the Law of Ceremonies So is this of the Holiness of Places and consecrating of Churches For there is nothing more clear than that the difference of Places is taken away under the Gospel When the Woman of Sâ—â—naria pleaded Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain but ye say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Jesus said unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh and now is when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the true Worshippers shall worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.21 23. He turns her eyes and thoughts away from the difference of Places to regard and mind the Spirituality of the Worship For as God is no respecter of Persons so he is no respecter of Places But wheresoever for that indefinite where is equivalent to an universal wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18.22 The Apostle therefore saith 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray everywhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place as was prophesied long before by the Prophet Malachi cap. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sun even to the going down thereof my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place therefore all places are alike Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering which before were limited to the Temple Therefore the Church at Jerusalem met in an upper Chamber Acts. 1.13 so did the Church at Troas Acts 20.8 there they did preach and break bread therefore all places are alike Every Place is now a Judea every House a Jerusalem every Congregation a Sion But what a strange thing is this that men can see no Holiness in the Lords day but slight and oppose that and yet assert an Holiness in Places Oh the Wrath of God upon such mens Spirits Obj. But should there not be publick Worship Answ Yes but that may be in places that are not consecrated Dr. Vsher in his Body of Divinity pag. 404. speaking against the private Administration of the Sacraments he thus explains it in these words In times of persecution the Godly saith he did often meet in Barns and such obscure places which were indeed publick because of the Church of God there The House or Place availing nothing to make it either publick or private even as wheresoever the Prince is there is the Court although it were a poor Cottage Obj. But there it a spiritual Presence of God in the Places therefore they are holy Answ It follows not For 1. God doth not vouchsafe his Presence out of respect to the Place but to the Persons He hath not set his Name upon the Place but only upon the Persons and is not present with them for the Places sake but only present in the place for their sakes who are there assembled 2. The Spiritual Presence of God is not enough to make a place holy for then all places should be holy wheresoever Gods People do enjoy Communion with him and so not only dwelling houses where there are Family duties but every private Chamber where there is secret Prayer yea the Fields the Streets and sometimes Prisons and Dungeons and Gibbets and all places whatsoever where the Saints come and enjoy Communion with God in their Spirits would be holy places And so this Objection lays all places level the Lord having many precious Saints that walk closely with him who are dispersed and scattered up and down almost in every corner of the Land Our publick Meeting-places for Worship they have not any such Sacred Symbols of Gods Presence as the Temple had the Ark the Altar c. neither have they any such extraordinary visible appearances of the Divine Majesty and Glory as the Temple had upon special occasions neither have they that typical respect unto Christ and Gospel-mysteries neither are they parts of Worship or Ordinances nor hath God annexed his Worship to them He hath no way separated or set them apart unto himself as his own peculiar therefore there is no pretense for Holiness in them Instr 2. The second Instruction is this Learn to present your Worship unto God by Jesus Christ for he is the true Temple and Tabernacle as hath been shewed Therefore that strict Injunction to bring all their Sacrifices thither signified thus much that we must present all our Services and Sacrifices to God in the Name Mediation of Jesus Christ Make use of Jesus Christ in his mediatory relation a thing much often pressed in the Scripture as indeed it cannot be too much insisted on Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the utmost all that ceme unto God by him 1 Pet. 1.21 who by him do believe in God Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes unto the Father but by me Col. 3.17 And whatsoever ye in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him A thing of absolute necessity if we desire either Access unto God Acceptance witn God or Influence and Assistance from God 1. There is no Access unto God but by this greater and more perfect Tabernacle Jesus Christ in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Ephes 3.12 God considered as in himself dwells in Light inaccessible 1. Tim. 6.16 dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see He is glorious and excellent in himself but approachable only in Christ we cannot see him nor conceive of him nor get into his presence but by Jesus Christ 2. There is no Acceptance with God out of Christ If you bring a Sacrifice to God and bring it not to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Blood shall be imputed to that man Levit. 17.1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7. If thou couldst live like a glorified Saint shine like an Angel if out of Christ God regards it no more more than the sacrificing Swines flesh or the cutting off of a Dogs neck Ezek. 20.40 for in mine holy Mountain in the Mountain of the height of Israel saith the Lord God there shall all the House of Israel all of them in the Land serve me there will I require your Offerings and the First fruits of your Oblations with all your holy things All our holy Offerings our best Duties and Services as they come from us are abominable but through his Mediation acceptable 3. There can be no gracious Influence or Assistance from God but only in this way by Jesus Christ The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Psal 20.1 2. For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion there brake he
the Arrows of the Bow the Shield the Sword and the Battel Psal 76.2.3 It is spoken of temporal Deliverance and may be applied to the Church there is a protecting Presence of God there But it is true in an higher sense concerning Christ Christ is the true Sanctuary from whence all our strength and help cometh Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.1 Nay in all these things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 This is the reason you conquer not but Sin and Lust prevails and you are worsted by Corruption and Temptation from time to time There is a secret distance by unbelief from Jesus Christ did you come to the door of the Tabernacle the Lord would send you help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion but men are loth to leave their own home or loth to break through difficulties they faint and tire by the way before they get thither and so never come to receive those blessed influences those reviving Soul-strengthening Soul-refreshing influences See Psal 84.5 6 7. It is a description to the people in their journeys to the Temple They went through thick and thin as we use to say through drought and heat till they came before God in Sion and there they found what they went for They met with God there ver 10.11 better a day there than a thousand elsewhere for there the Lord will give Grace and Glory Instruct 3. Remember that there is a Church-worship As there was a moral Worship which they were to perform every where for it was personal and not meerly publick so they had their publick Church-worship viz. their Sacrifices and other Institutions which were limited to the Tabernacle as it was a Type of the Church As no Service is to be offered out of Christ so some Services are not to be offered out of the Church for the Tabernacle as you have heard was a Type of the Church And therefore as Gods end in this Institution was to lead out their thoughts and desires and expectations to Jesus Christ and so to prevent Idolatry and Unbelief in that respect so likewise to prevent Schism and to keep them in the unity of that Church which he had then instituted and appointed So now in Gospel-times look that you partake of the Ordidances in Gospel-Churches for these are the New Testament-Tabernacles wherein God dwells and vouchsafes his blessed Presence It is often noted as a great corruption of Worship among the Jews that they sacrificed in the high places yea though they did it to the Lord their God only So in Manasseh's time 2 Chron. 37.17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places after some beginnings and degrees of Reformation yet unto the Lord their God only And the reason they were not taken away is sometimes noted to be the perversness of the people so in Jehosaphats time 2 Chron. 20.33 howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers Yea there were some good people in those times who were unconvinced of this truth that they ought to sacrifice only at the Temple and Tabernacle though they were against the Worship of Baal yet they were not against the high places so we have some in our days that are against Popery but they are not against mixt Communions They are not convinced that they ought to present their Services and Sacrifices their publick Worship unto God in Gospel-Temples that is in pure Churches and not among profane people It is strange to see the supine carelesness and scepticism of some mens spirits in this particular they regard not they care not with whom they join whether it be a true Church or a false Church whether a pure or an impure Church whether a Church or no Church Search the Scriptures and you will find no instance that ever the Lords Supper was dispensed but in Churches Gospel-Churches pure Churches The first Institution of that Ordinance was in the first Gospel-Church sounded by Christ himself the chief Pastor who did dispense this Ordinance himself to the twelve Apostles who were the Foundation stones of the first Gospel-Church at Jerusalem then again Acts 2.42 they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Breaking of Bread is there mentioned amongst other Ordinances and therefore not to be understood of common but sacred Bread Acts. 20.7 it is said of the Church of Troas that they came together on the first day of the week to break Bread The same Ordinance also was observed in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 11. and whereas corruptions and corrupt members were crept in the Apostle spends a whole Chapter in exhorting them to purge out the old Leven 5. ch of 1. Epistle Professors that lie amongst the Pots never joyning themselves as fixed members in any particular Church though they have opportunity for it do live in the neglect of a duty a known duty yea such a neglect as doth infer and carry along with it the neglect of many other duties also For how can Church-Discipline be exercised but in the Societies of Gods People therefore tnis neglect it exposeth the Ordinances of Christ to contempt and prostitution It is as great a sin to receive the Lords Supper in an Assembly of ignorant and profane people as it was to offer Sacrifices in the high places yea it is indeed the very same thing For let thy Conscience speak Are such Assemblies the Temples of the Holy Ghost Are they the Tabernacles of the most High Doth God dwell there Is this to go to the door of the Tabernacle with thy Sacrifice when thou knowest thou goest into a dunghill of Profaneness into a dungeon of Ignorance into an Assembly of wicked and ungodly men Art thou a Soul that desirest communion with Christ Then take his own direction for the obtaining of it Cant. 1.7 8. Go forth by the footsteps of the flock this is Church society Feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents Make use of the Ministry and Ministers of the Word who are set in particular Churches Instr 4. Labour every one that his own Soul may be an habitation for the Lord a Temple of the Holy Ghost For the Temple signified not only the whole Church in general but every Saint in particular as hath been shewed Let not thy own Soul be as it is said of Rome Rev. 18.2 It is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and a Cage for every unclean and hateful Bird. But let the Spirit of God dwell there be restless in thy self give God in Heaven no rest nor thy own Heart within thee any rest till thy Soul be an habitation of the Holy Spirit Say as it is said of David Psal 132.4 5. I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to
the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing There were dark shadows then of the mysteries of the Gospel 4. The rending of the Veil when Christ died represents his Sufferings in the Flesh or humane nature Matth. 27.51 the Veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom If the Veil be the Flesh or the Humane nature of Christ then the rending of the Veil must needs be the breaking of his Body and the sufferings of his Humane nature 5. As by this the Holy of holies was open to the view of all that came to the Temple so under the Gospel the mysteries of Salvation are made manifest Rev. 11.19 and the Temple of God was opened in Heaven and there was seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament Clear discoveries of God in Christ 6. As the Priest entred into the holy place through the Veil so hath Christ into Heaven and made way for us all to enter after him and with him through his Sufferings Heb. 9.12 neither by the Blood of Bulls and Goats but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redemption for us and Heb. 6.2 last which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entred into that within the Veil that is into the Holy of holies whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus This is the first accomodation of this Type even unto Jesus Christ himself 2. The Temple signified also the Church and the several parts of the Temple may be considered here also 1. We learn here that there is a threefold distinction of the Church into visible militant and triumphant The outer Court signified the visible Church into which all the people came that were clean according to the Law so into the visible Church come all that make a fair outward profession though they are not all sincere as all were not Israel that were of Israel The Sanctuary and the inner Court signified the Church militant of true Believers who are indeed spiritual Priests unto God And lastly the holiest of all was a Type of Heaven and of the Church triumphant there so the Apostle often Heb. 9.24 for Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self 2. Whereas there was a Wall about the great Court to keep out the Gentiles for none but Jews were admitted the Apostle shews that Christ hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us Ephes 2.14 which he hath done by converting the Gentiles and repealing the Ceremonial Law 3. The outer Court must be left out in Church-reformation Rev. 11.1 2. that is when the matter of the visible Church is wholly corrupted these Gentiles must be cast out or left out 4. Whereas the Materials of the Sanctuary and of the Oracle were the same Cedar-boards and Gold and garnished with precious Stones c. as was shewed before when we spake of the Walls of the Temple hence we may learn this Instruction that Grace and Glory differ not in kind but only in degree Grace is Glory begun Glory is Grace perfected Heb. 12.23 the Spirits of just men made perfect A Believer hath eternal life begun in him in this world 1 Joh. 3.15 5. The side-chambers and all the buildings about the Chambers wherein the Priests and Levites had their several Lodgings and stations appointed them may instruct and mind us of those Mansions that are prepared for us in Heaven Joh. 14.2 in my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you 6. Whereas in these Chambers were kept and laid up the Standards of all Weights and Measures for so some understand that place 1 Chron. 23.29 speaking of the Levites work in their several places and stations it is said their Office was to wait on the Sons of Aaron as for other things so for all manner of Measure and Size that is as some expound it that unto their Trust were committed the Standard measures of things and here laid up under their custody as in a most safe and sacred Repository and these were called the Measures of the Sanctuary as with us the Standards and Measures are laid up in the Tower We may here learn that God regards Justice amongst men next to his own Worship To unjust persons he saith as Isai 1.11 to what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts v. 12. The reason is given v. 15. your hands are full of Blood And would you know that there are Mansions prepared in Heaven for you you may take this as one evidence of it Psal 15.1 Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill He answers in the second verse He that walketh uprightly and worketh Righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart And let me add this further do not judge of your spiritual estate by your getting into the outer Court for hypocrites may get in there if they be but outwardly clean But art thou admitted as a spiritual Priest into the Sanctuary to enjoy true communion with God in his Ordinances and to worship God in the Spirit art thou a member of the Church militant as well as of the visible Church The Church militant shall be at last triumphant they shall pass from and through the Sanctuary into the Holy of holies even into Heaven it self whither Jesus our fore-runner is entred for us THE GOSPEL of the TWO BRAZEN PILLARS in the TEMPLE 1 Kings 7.21 22. Novemb. 8. 1668. And he set up the Pillars in the Porch of the Temple and he set up the right Pillar and called the name thereof Jachin and he set up the left Pillar and called the name thereof Boaz. And upon the top of the Pillars was Lillie-work so was the work of the Pillars finished SO much of the House and the Courts Now follows the Vessels or Utensils of the Temple the sacred Houshold stuff or Furniture of this House of God they were many We read in Ezra 1.11 all the Vessels of Gold and Silver were five thousand and four hundred We may distinguish the Vessels of the Temple into two sorts 1. Such as were of natural necessity and conveniency for the Worship that was there to be performed as Knives Pots Flesh-hooks c. which had not their particular mystical significations But yet thus much we may observe from them that the meanest instrument in the Church of God is of some use and therefore not to be despised And of this sort there were some larger Vessels as the Kings Scaffold 2 Chron. 6.13 on which he stood when he came into the Priests Court to present his Sacrifices before the Lord or upon any other occasion For you
is no Gospel-mystery therefore no need it should be typified by so great a Type If there be any thing of old that may any way relate to it it must be some small circumstance of some Tye but not such a great and principal a Type as the Altar 2. The Altar is greater than the Gist Matth. 23.19 but the wooden Cross is not greater or more excellent than the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for us nor doth it sanctifie or make Jesus Christ accepted Therefore the wooden Cross is not the Altar There hath been also another weak and impertinent application of it which is to be found in some books of Devotion viz. the Altar of our Hearts But wherein the Heart is like an Altar I cannot tell The same argument confutes this also It is not thy Heart that sanctifies thee or thy Services But then what is the Altar The Answer is that the Altar is Christ himself so the Holy Ghost himself expounds it Heb. 13.10 Quest But how doth the Altar represent Christ Answer In two respects in regard of his Deity and Priestly Office 1. It is Christ in regard of his Divine nature Reas 1. Because his Humane nature was the Sacrifice therefore his Deity is the Altar for in offering Sacrifice there must be both a Sacrifice and an Altar And so in Christ there are two natures his Deity and Humanity whereof the Humane nature being the Sacrifice that was slain and offered for us it remains that his other nature was the Altar Reas 2. Because it is the Altar that sanctifies the Gift Matth. 23.19 Exod. 29.37 But it was the Deity of Christ that gave that infinite vertue and value to his sufferings It was his Deity that sanctified his Humane nature to be such an acceptable Sacrifice to the Lord. Reas 3. Because the Altar did support and bear up the Sacrifice But it was his Divine nature that did support his Humane nature in those unutterable Sufferings Heb. 9.14 through the eternal Spirit he offered up himself unto God What did that piece of Wood do It did but cruciate and torture his blessed Body it did not bear up his Spirit It is true that Tree did lift up his Body from the earth but it was another manner of support that was necessary to our Salvation 2. The Altar typifies Christ in regard of his Priestly Office You know he hath a threefold Office he is a Prophet Priest and King The Altar looks chiefly at his Priestly Office and the concernments of that for as a Priest he offered Sacrifice and it is the Altar that doth support and sanctifie the Sacrifice Both the Natures of Christ have an influence into all his Offices and so into his Priestly by which he made satisfaction for our sins To open it a little more particularly all the concernments of the Altar are full of mystery and teaching I shall instance in seven particulars about it wherein you may see something of Christ and of the Gospel 1. There was but one Altar the Lord forbad all others though intended to himself 2 Kings 18.22 so there is but one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 The Papists have other Mediators Saints and Angels c. this is to have many Altars whereas the Lord accepts none but this nor no Sacrifice but what is offered upon this Altar 2. The Altar had four Horns upon the four corners of it they are called Horns because they were made like Horns upwards but bending towards the top Ezek. 43.15 upward shall be the four Horns The use of them was not only for Ornament but to keep things from falling off the Altar and to bind the Sacrifice to them when they were to slay it as Psal 118.27 Horns is an emblem of power Jer. 48.25 the Horn of Moab is cut off that is his strength and power saith your Marginal note Lam. 2.3 he hath cut off in his fierce anger all the Horn of Israel 1 Sam. 2.1 Mine Horn is exalted in the Lord it is applied to God Hab. 3.4 he had Horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power These four Horns of the Altar signified the Power and Glory of Christs Priesthood for the Salvation of his Church gathered together from the four corners of the earth Ainsw in Exod. 27.1 If the Altar be his Deity the Horns of this Altar is the Power of his Deity the Horns of an almighty Power Fly for refuge thither and thou art safe enough Joab fled to the Horns of the Altar but he was pluckt from thence and slain 1 Kings 2.31 according to the Law Exod. 21.14 But he that flies to Christ and hangs upon the Horns of this Altar shall never be pluckt thence he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 3. The Altar was anointed and so sanctified unto its Office Numb 7.1 Exod. 40.9 this is the Sanctification or Inauguration of our Lord Jesus Christ into his Office he was anointed with the Spirit above measure not only the Graces thereof in his Humane nature but that glorious Person himself goes forth by commission from the Father and the Son as the Son by commission from the Father to reconcile and save sinners 4. There were divers Vessels of the Altar belonging to it for the use and service of it Numb 4.14 of Brass 1 Kings 7.47 of Gold 1 Chron. 28.17 also pure Gold for the Flesh-hooks Of which they being necessary instruments for the work of sacrificing we need not seek a particular mystery and signification in every Vessel only in general some apply them to the Ordinances of the Gospel the means of Grace which do attend upon the Altar upon the Service of Jesus Christ in his Church As we have an Altar under the Gospel so we have Vessels belonging to this Ordinance Gospel-Ordinances whereof there is great use As the Priests could not sacrifice and officiate about the Altar without Knives and Flesh-hooks and Shovels c. so we cannot have communion with Christ without means and Ordinances 5. The Altar was furnished with Fire from Heaven which was to be kept always burning Now what is the mystery of this sacred Fire 1. The Wrath of God against Sin He is a consuming Fire an everlasting burning against sin and sinners Heb. 12. ult Isai 33.16 2. The Spirit of God is compared to Fire Matth. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with Fire Isai 4.4 When he shall have purged the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of Judgment and by the spirit of burning And it is a sacred Fire that never goes out We should be careful to keep this Fire burning take heed of grieving of quenching the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 3. The Word and Ordinances are like unto Fire Jer. 23.29 they will burn up and consume what opposeth them Rev 11.5 it s said of the two Witnesses that Fire goes
5. The Oxen under the molten Sea are the Ministers of the Gospel and especially the twelve Apostles as the number it self intimates for there were twelve Oxen looking towards all the 4 quarters of the world so the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel carry this Crystal Sea of the Blood of Christ and the Laver of Regeneration and Baptism throughout the world Ministers are often compared in Scripture to Oxen because of the strength and laboriousness of that creature as 1 Corinth 9.9 thou shalt muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn. Doth God take care for Oxen saith the Apostle there I may say so in reference to this Type now in hand Did God regard the shapes and pictures of Oxen to be set under this Temple-Sea or rather did he not set them there altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this was done as the Apostle there speaks The Lavers also had their Bases with their wheels which served for the carrying of the water from place to place and so served for the same use really whereof the Oxen were but an emblem The taking of these away is noted as an act of audacious wickedness and profaneness in Ahaz 2 Kings 16.17 And King Ahaz cut off the borders of the Bases and removed the Laver from off them and took down the Sea from the Brazen Oxen that were under it and set it upon a pavement of stones he having as it seemeth no understanding at all nor no sense in him of the spiritual mystery and signification of these Wheels and Oxen nor no fear and reverence of Gods Institution who did ordain and appoint them 6. The use of it being to wash in both the Priests and Sacrifices were washed in the water of these typical vessels the Sea and Lavers that they dye not Exod. 30.19 20 21. For Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they dye not or when they come neer to the Altar to minister to burn Offering made by Fire unto the Lord so they shall wash their hands and their feet that they dye not and it shall be a Statute for ever to them even to him and to his Seed throughout their Generations You see with what emphasis and earnestness it is required and ingeminated This teacheth us that both our persons and our duties and services must be washed and made clean in the Blood of Jesus Christ or else we dye eternally that they dye not it is twice repeated as both the Priests and Sacrifices so both our persons and our services must be washed or else the same disaster that befel Nadab and Abihu may befall us of whom it is said they dyed before the Lord Levit. 10.2 It is a fearful thing for men to come before God in their sins in their uncleannesses unwashed and uncleansed from them They shall wash that they dye not 7. The Laver was never covered but always open when the rest of the vessels were folded up Ainsworth on Numb 4. v. 14. hath this Note It seemeth to be not without mystery that Moses mentioning Fire-pans Flesh-hooks and other less things should quite omit the Laver which usually is reckoned amongst the holy things of the Sanctuary Exod. 35.16 and 38.8 and 39.39 and 40.30 And as in Melchisedeks History Gen. 14. he omitted his Parentage Kindred Birth and Death from which silence in the Story the Apostle reasoneth as if he had been without Parents or Kindred beginning of days or end of life Heb. 7. so here if it may be lawful to conjecture the like the Laver is left uncovered and always open to the eyes of the people that it might be a lively representation of Gods Grace in Christ continuing and opened as an ever springing Fountain that by the washing of the new Birth by Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ we may in all our travels at all times cleanse our hands and feet our works and ways as the Sacrificers did from the Laver Exod. 30.19 20. that albeit the face of the Church is sometimes hid as the Tabernacle wrapped up and the Light of the Word shineth not nor publick Worship performed yet always Gods Elect having Faith in him may wash and purge themselves in Christ his Blood unto forgiveness of sins and Sanctification of the Spirit and Salvation It may be the Holy Ghost hath some allusion hereto in that phrase Zech. 13.1 a Fountain opened for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Certainly this point of our washing and cleansing by the Blood of Christ is of that weight and moment that it was not without cause said of it by Luther Hic articulus regnat in corde meo this Article reigns in my heart which he also styled Stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiae articulum the point upon which the Church doth either stand or fall So much for the Explication of this Type You see how full it is of Gospel-teaching and instruction Nor should it seem strange that one Type should have such a various and manifold aspect to so many several Truths at once For it is usual as you have formerly seen and it suits best with the infinite Wisdom of the Holy Ghost that one of his teaching signs should teach many things at once and have many spiritual lessons and instructions thus included in it And now from the Type thus explained we may gather some further light to confirm and settle the true interpretation of the Text. What is meant by this Sea of Glass like unto Crystal I argued before from the allusion that is carried on all along in the context to the Types of the Temple therefore this Crystal Sea in the Text is the same with that molten Sea of Solomons Temple which shadowed forth the Blood of Christ for Justification Now to add some further arguments A 2d May be this Here are other priviledges and benefits of Christ mentioned in the context which do accompany Justification through his Blood and go along with it As in ver 5. here are seven Spirits before the Throne that is the sanctifying Spirit of Christ And again ver 6. here are four living creatures And cap. 5.11 many Angels round about the Throne Here is the Ministry and a Guard of Angels and the Spirit of Sanctification therefore it is not incongruous that the Blood of Christ for Justification should be also mentioned And this therefore seems to be intended in this Crystal Sea Reas 3. From the properties and circumstanâ—es belonging to this Sea in the description of it which cannot well be otherwise accommodated I shall mention but these two 1. It is said to be before the Throne so we are said to be justified before God this is one of the blessed effects and manifestations of his Glory in the Church so Heb. 12.23 24. we are said to come unto God the Judge of all
Vessels belonging to the Sanctuary were the Golden Candlestick and the Table of Shew-bread There was also the Golden Altar of Incense though that did in some respects belong to the Holy of Holies of which afterwards But first of the Golden Candlestick that this belonged to the Sanctuary you may see Levit. 24.3 without the Veil of the Testimony in the Tabernacle of the Congregation shall the Lamps burn c. The history and first institution of this Type we have in Exod. 25 Moses made but one for the Tabernacle but Solomon made ten for the Temple 1 Kings 7.49 and the Candlesticks of pure Gold five on the right side and five on the left before the Oracle It was a sacred utensil of much spiritual use therefore alluded to in that stately Vision of the Prophet Zechary cap. 4. and in the Revelation cap. 5.1 and cap. 11.14 There needs not much be said for the History of it Every Candlestick had a foot or basis on which it stood which though not expresly described yet must of necessity be supposed Then the shaft or stalk which arose strait up out of the foot and on each side three Branches adorned with Bowls Knops and Flowers And then lastly the seven Lamps on the top viz. six on the top of the six branches and one on the top of the shaft and so they were seven in all In these Lamps was the Oil and the Light or Flame and some matter for the accension of the Flame which probably was made of twisted flax Vide Ainsw on Exod. 25. and on Exod. 27.20 and on Lev. 24.1 2. to which our Saviour seems to allude when he saith he will not quench the smoking flax Matth. 12.20 The spiritual mystery aimed at in it seems to lye in four things Here was a typical shadow of the Church the Ministry the Word and the Spirit 1. The Golden Candlestick was a Type of the Church For this the Lord himself is his own Interpreter Rev. 1.20 the mystery of the seven Stars which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven Golden Candlesticks the seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches But wherein doth the Golden Candlestick represent the Church I shall but instance in four things 1. The end and use of the Church is to give Light and to hold forth the Truth as the Candlestick gave Light Phil. 2.15 among whom ye shine as Lights in the world 1 Tim. 3.15 the Church of God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth the Pillar to hold it forth and to which it is fastened as an Edict to be known of all men 2. The matter of the Church As the Candlestick was of Gold so the matter of the Church is Saints therefore Churches are called Golden Candlesticks not Brass or Loaden Candlesticks nor gilded Candlesticks but Golden Candlesticks not ignorant and unfound and scandalous persons but Saints visible Saints 3. The Discipline of the Church For there were Golden Snuffers belonging to these Golden Candlesticks Exod. 25.38 and the Tongs thereof and the Snuff dishes thereof shall be of pure Gold and Exod. 37.23 he made his seven Lamps and his Snuffers and his Snuff-dishes of pure Gold As these Golden Snuffers did cut off the Snuff of the Candle so Discipline and Censures cut off corruption and corrupt members 4. The Union and Distinction of Churches There were several Branches all out of one Shaft And seven Lamps therefore distinct but all growing upon one Shaft and therefore one so all Churches depend upon the same Christ upon the same Head and they are all guided by the same Rule the same Word and influenced by the same Spirit of Christ Vid. Answ in loc 2. These Golden Candlesticks in the Temple were a Type of the Ministry in the Church so Rev. 1.20 the seven Stars that shine in the tops of the Candlesticks are the Angels of the seven Churches For as the Candlestick doth support the Lamp and the Light so doth the Church the Ministry and as the Lamp or Candle shines in the Candlestick so doth the Ministry in the Church A Church without a Minister is a Candlestick without a Light John is called a burning and a shining Light Joh. 5.37 and so all Ministers are or ought to be 3. These Golden Candlesticks typified also the Light of the Word with which the Ministry shines and the Scripture is compared to a Lamp and a Candle Psal 119.105 to a Light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 to Gold and fine Gold Psal 19.10 which makes the allusion yet more full for these were Golden Candlesticks so the Word is Gold yea more precious then Gold 4. These Golden Candlesticks typified also the Spirit of God for this the Text is express Rev. 4.5 and there were seven Lamps of Fire burning before the Throne which are the seven Spirits of God That this is meant of the Holy Ghost the third person of the Trinity appears by this that John prays son Grace and Peace from the seven Spirits of God Rev. 1.4 but it had been impious to have prayed to any created Spirit for them But why is the Holy Ghost mystically expressed in such a phrase the seven Spirits of God Both in allusion to the number of Candlesticks which were seven in Johns Vision Rev. 1.12 and in allusion to the seven Lamps that were on the top of each Candlestick in the Temple and also to signifie the variety perfection his of Gifts and Graces and Operations in the Church and in the hearts of his people for seven is a number of perfection But you may see the the analogy more fully in four particulars 1. The Lamps of the Candlestick did shine and give Light so the Holy Ghost is a Spirit of Light and Illumination Ephes 1.19 2. The Lamps were fed with Oil they shall prepare Oil-Olive beaten for the Lamps Exod. 27.20 Now this Oil is the Spirit Isai 61.1 Acts. 10.38 bow God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost fitly compared to Oil for the excellent nature of it it is of a softening and an healing nature c. 3. These sacred Lamps were ever burning and never went out The Institution was that they should burn before the Lord continually so the phrase is Exod. 27.20 Lev. 24.3 it shall be a Statute for ever throughout your Generations It is a question here whether the Lamps in the Temple did burn both night and day or only by night Some think there was need of them in the day time because the Windows of the Temple were fifteen cubits high from the ground for they were over the side-chambers Others think they were lighted only from evening to morning because the phrase is He shall order it from evening to morning Exod. 27.21 and when Aaron lighteth the Lamps at even Exod. 30.7 And in Abijams Speech 2 Chron. 13.11 the Candlestick of Gold with the Lamps thereof to burn every evening But
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
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 THere are three Doctrines in the words 1. That the Jewish Holy days are of three sorts or may be referred to three general heads Feast days New Moons and Sabbaths 2. That these their holy seasons were shadows of things to come but the Body is of Christ 3. Therefore no Christian should suffer any man to judg him or condemn him for not observing these Jewish times and seasons We are endeavouring to open the substance of these shadows and what were those things to come those things about Jesus Christ and the Gospel which were shadowed forth in them We began first with their Holy days or their Feast days that is their annual Festivals whereof we heard they had five 1. The Passover 2. Pentecost 2. The Feast of Tabernacles 4. The Feast of Trumpets 5. The Feast of Expiation These three the Passover Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles were the three great Festivals which were more solemn then the rest because then all the Males of Israel were to assemble together out of the whole Nation and to appear before the Lord in the place that he should choose in a general Church Assembly We heard something that these things pointed to The Passover did point them to the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ as the true Paschal Lamb who fulfilled this Type even as to the very season and holy time it self for he suffered at the Passover The Pentecost pointed at the time of the effusion of the Holy Ghost after his Ascension The Feast of Tabernacles pointed them to the Birth and Nativity of Jesus Christ when he should come to tabernacle and pitch his Tent in our Nature We heard indeed that this was the time of Christs Birth and not as it is commonly computed to be in December in the depth of Winter It is not like the Shepherds would be watching their Flocks all night then and that Augustus would command his Subjects to travel to their own Cities to be taxed at such a time and that John would choose that time to baptize in There be two more of the Jewish Feasts to be spoken to which were great and solemn Feasts yet not so great as these three because the people were not all bound to come up to Jerusalem to the Temple namely the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Expiation they were both in the seventh month as was also the Feast of Tabernacles the Feast of Trumpets on the first day of it the Feast of Expiation on the tenth day and the Feast of Tabernales on the fifteenth day and from thence to the two and twentieth day which is therefore accounted the greatest of all their Feasts being in the seventh month which was also the first in their old account the chiefest of all the months in the year and called by some the Sabbath of months as the seventh day is the Sabbath of days 4. This month began with the Feast of Trumpets which was upon the first day of the seventh month The first Institution of it we have in Lev. 23.23 24 25. and the Lord spake unto Moses saying c. It was celebrated as a Sabbath they were to do no servile work therein This Feast also had its peculiar Sacrifices appointed for it as in Numb 29. the six first verses It was also solemnized with the blowing of Trumpets which being the special Rite of this Festivity it had its Name from thence Here therefore the old legal Musick may fitly be considered this being as it were their Feast of Musick The Institution of these Trumpets we read in Numb 10. the ten first verses mentioned long after as a very solemn Ordinance in Psal 81.3 4 The first mention we have of Musical instruments in the Worship of God is in Exod. 15.20 21. where we read that Miriam used Timbrels and they praised God therewith and they sang the Song of Moses when they were delivered from Pharaoh And Miriam the Prophetess the Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her hand and all the Women went out after her with Timbrels and with Dances And Miriam answered them Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea Moses afterwards by order from God appointed these Trumpets to be made and we read of a further increase of such Instruments in after times As to the use and signification of them there be many Gospel Instructions to be considered in this legal shadow we shall mention seven 1. The general scope of them was to signifie and shadow forth the sound of the Gospel the blessed sound of the Gospel which is called the joyful sound Psal 89.15 the Gospel is called glad tidings it is a joyful pleasant sound indeed Hence the Ministers of the Gospel are said to lift up their voice like a Trumpet Isai 58.1 the Tongue of the just is as choise Silver Prov. 10.20 these Trumpets were of Silver the faithful discharge and execution of their Office is expressed by blowing of the Trumpet Hos 8.1 Ezek. 33.3 4 5. it is said in the day when the Jews shall be converted in that day the great Trumpet shall be blown and they shall come which were ready to perish c. Isai 27. last when God shall gather them one by one ye shall be gathered one by one ver 12. in that day the great Trumpet shall be blown c that is saith Calvin the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel to the conviction and conversion of the Jews God will have his Church instructed not by sight only but by voice not by the eye only but by the ear Even under the Law the Lord would not have his people always to look for miraculous and immediate Guidance but they were to order themselves according to the sound of the Trumpet both in War Peace according to the rule of the Word so according to the rules of the Gospel according as that Trumpet sounds so are you to act This is the first namely the joyful sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel 2. The Joys and Graces of the Spirit of God is another thing intimated by this Trumpet and instrument of Musick that spiritual melody of the Joys and Graces of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of Gods people Psal 98.6 with Trumpets and sound of Cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord the King Ephes 5.18 19. There is a melody and joyful voice in the Consciences of Believers the Spirit of God both sanctifying and comforting of them so the Apostle Col. 3.16 Grace and Joy the fruit of Grace so this Musick remains in the Antitype of it the heart-strings of Believers making melody suitable to the profession of their Lips and to the gracious and peaceable
docebantur ne dum convenit spirituali cultui novi Testamenti If it were saith he a good and pious thing to appoint Holy days this Piety were better imployed in so many Commemorations of the actions of Christ as the Church could bear then in turning aside to the Saints To dedicate a day unto God in remembrance of a man is a thing which the very Jews were never taught to do in those weak and childish times much less doth it agree to the spiritual Worship of the New Testament And though it were lawful saith Mr. Cartwright First Reply p. 153. for the Church to ordain Holy days to our Saviour Christ or the blessed Trinity yet it is not therefore lawful to institute Holy days to the Apostles and other Saints or to their remembrance As to that pretense of honouring their memorial I remember this is alledged by Bellarmine for the keeping of Reliques and Dr. Ames Bellarm Enerv. tom 2. l. 6. c. 6. thes 25. his answer to him De istiusmodi conservatione nihil traditur in Scripturâ ubi tamen omne genus honoris virtuti defertur may be applied here this is such a way of honouring the memorial of Saints departed as the Scripture knows not wherein yet all due honour is given to virtue and holiness For as we reason against the Popish Purgatory saith Mr. Cartwright First Reply p. 153. that it is therefore nought forasmuch as neither in the Old Testament nor in the New there is any mention of Prayer at any time for the Dead so may it be reasoned against these Holy days ordained for the remembrance of the Saints that forasmuch as the old people did never keep any Feast or Holy day for the remembrance either of Moses or Daniel or Job or Abraham or David or any other how holy or excellent soever they were Nor the Apostles nor the Churches in their time never instituted any neither to keep the remembrance of Stephen or of the Virgin Mary or of John Baptist or of any other notable rare personage that the instituting and erecting of them now and this attempt by the Churches which followed is not without some note of presumption for that it undertaketh those things which the primitive Church in the Apostles times having greater gifts of the Spirit of God durst not venture upon And what though some of these Corruptions crept in some what early they are but old sins and grey-headed errors That Antichristian violence of Victor Bishop of Rome for Easter was about the year of Christ one hundred ninety eight but Christmas is not so ancient Pezelius refers the first establishment of it to the Council of Constantinople in the year of Christ five hundred fifty three Celebrata est saith he Constantinopoli Synodus Oecumenica quinta circa annum Christi 553. In eadem Synodo dies natalis Christi dies Purificationis Mariae primum sunt instituti ut solenniter quotannis celebrarentur Pezel Mellific Hist par 2. Justinian 1. pag. 326. But be their antiquity more or less they have been abundantly testified against by the faithful Servants of Christ both in former and later times Socrates who wrote the History of the Church above twelve hundred years ago hath a whole Chapter concerning Easter wherein he hath many notable arguments against those that contend so much for it He saith that as many other things crept in of custom in sundry places so the Feast of Easter prevailed amongst all people of a certain private custom and observation seeing not one of the Apostles hath any where prescribed any thing about it He sheweth also that the Apostles have set the Churches free from the yoke of bondage by their Letters to them Acts 15. But some neglecting these things account of Fornication as a thing indifferent yet they contend about Holy days as it were for life and death they despise the Commandments of God and establish them Canons of their own they set at nought they make no account of the Law published by the Apostles but raise a foul stir about Days and Months c. Thus Socrates Hist lib. 5. cap. 22. Which Testimony of his is so plain and punctual that Bellarmine knew not how to rid his hands of it but by flying out upon Socrates and calling him a Novatian Heretick Bell. de Cultu Sanct. l. 3. c. 10. which is but a poor shift instead of answering his Arguments to reproach his Person But the Book he hath written I mean his Ecclesiastical History is evidence enough for him that he was a man of an excellent spirit It was one of the Articles held and owned by the Waldenses as Mr. Fox sheweth five hundred years ago Constrained and prefixed Fasts bound to days and times difference of Meats superfluous Holy days and all the rabblement of Rites and Ceremonies brought in by Man to be abolished Fox Acts and Mon. vol. 1. p. 300. art 6. It was Luthers desire no less then seven score years ago in his Book de Bonis Operibus set forth anno 1520. that there were no other Festival days amongst Christians but only the Lords day Beza saith Superstitiosum esse docemus arbitrari unum aliquem diem altero sanctiorem Bez. Confes c. 5. art 41. And Reverend Mr. Dod condemns it as Idolatry against the second Commandment either to pray unto the Saints or to swear by them or to dedicate set days and times to the honour of them either by Fasting or Feasting Dod on the second Commandm p. 67 68. In Scotland they were laid aside in the first Reformation and have been witnessed against by the Godly there ever since They were revived indeed by those backsliders in the Assembly of Perth in the year 1618. For one of the five Articles of that Assembly was concerning Festival days but they found little acceptance with such as adhered to the Reformation of Religion as appears by the Books and Writings of many godly learned men against the Acts of that Assembly Yea King James himself before his Apostasie bore witness against them Right excellent was that Speech of his to a National Assembly in Scotland anno 1590. He praised God that he was King in the sincerest Church in the world sincerer then the Church of England for their Service was an ill said Mass in English sincerer then Geneva it self for they observed Pasche and Yoo le that is Easter and Christmas and what warrant said he have they for that I find this Speech of his recorded in Didoclavius his Altare Damascenum pag. 666. and in the Book intituled Perth Assembly the Proceedings the Nullity thereof c. printed 1619. pag. 64. and in the Re-examination of the five Articles of Perth printed 1636. pag. 340. How far he did sin against these enlightenings and convictions and how the Bishops did poyson him and pervert his Spirit in his declining times it is needless here to discourse But these were his Principles in his first which were his best times
In England besides the frequent Testimonies of the Martyrs against them Authority hath smitten them once and again the Lord usually carrying on the work of Reformation by degrees The first blow they received by publick Authority was by the Injunctions of King Henry the eighth in the year 1536. in the Preface whereto he reasons thus against them Forasmuch as the number of Holy days is so excessively grown and yet daily more and more by mans devotion yea rather Superstition was like further to increase that the same was and should be not only prejudicial to the Commonwealth by reason that it is occasion as well of much sloth and idleness the very Nurse of Theeves Vagabonds and divers other unthriftiness and inconveniences as of decay of good Mysteries and Arts profitable and necessary for the Commonwealth and loss of mans food many times being clean destroyed through the superstitious observance of the said Holy days in not taking the opportunity of good and serene weather offered upon the same in the time of Harvest but also pernicious to the Souls of many men which being inticed by the licentious vacation and liberty of these Holy days do upon the same commonly use and practise more excess riot and superfluity then upon any other days c. See Mr. Fox Acts and Monum vol. 2. pag. 386. whereupon he abrogates a number of them and especially such as sell in the Harvest time And thus the work was begun But the total extirpation of them was a work and honour reserved by God for the great Parliament who in their Directory pag. ult have declared that Festival days vulgarly called Holy days having no warrant in the Word of God are not to be continued And in their Ordinance of June 8. 1647. they do utterly abolish them in these words Forasmuch as the Feasts of the Nativity of Christ Easter and Whitsuntide and other Festivals commonly called Holy days have been heretofore superstitiously used and observed be it ordained by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that the said Feast of the Nativity of Christ Easter and Whitsuntide and all other Festival days commonly called Holy days be no longer observed as Festivals or Holy days within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales Any Law Statute Custom Constitution or Canon to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding See Mr. Scobels Collection anno 1644. cap. 5â— and anno 1647. cap. 81. And now to see these and other abominations by the Prelatick party conjured up again from the Grave and from the bottom of Hell after such a Funeral he said well who said it is almost as prodigious and as ghastly a sight as to see a dead Ghost walking up and down with his winding-sheet about him but God will shortly bury them again and seal the Tomb-stone upon them never to rise more For he hath said I hate I despise your Feast-days See Calv in Amos 5.21 I will not smell your Holy days Amos 5.21 wherein as the most judicious Interpreters observe he doth not only reprove their Hypocrisie in reference to his own blessed days but also their Idolatry and Superstition in observing days of their own Oh! that God would set home this Text by the power of his Spirit upon the Consciences of Holiday-keepers to convince and humble them How dreadful are these words I hate I despise your Feast-days I will not smell your Holy days that is I will never accept them THE SUPERSTITIOUS VANITY OF THE POPISH MUSICK IN THE WORSHIP of GOD. THis is such a strange superstitious Vanity that it is generally accounted in these knowing times as it was of old by Justin Martyr Quest Resp 107 childish and ridiculous insomuch that it doth expose the Papists and their way of Worship to much contempt and laughter and therefore I should have thought it needless to speak much against a thing so generally exploded but that Mr. R. B. hath discovered and declared himself for it as a thing in it self lawful and warrantable His words are these For Organs or other instruments of Musick in Gods Worship they being an help partly natural and partly artificial to the exhilerating of the Spirits for the Praise of God I know no argument to prove them simply unlawful but what would prove a Cup of Wine unlawful or the Tune and Meeter and Melody of Singing unlawful but yet if any would abuse it by turning Gods Worship into carnal Pomp and Levity especially by such non-inteligible singing or bleating as some of our Choristers used the common people would have very great cause to be weary of it as accidentally evil Thus he Disp of Humane Cerem p 412. But Bellarmine hath said more then this for it in fewer words Cum habeamus saith he exemplum Testamenti veteris experiamur devotionem per eam excitari taedium minui Bell. de Missa lib. 2. c. 15. and he gives as grave and learned Counsel against the abuse of them In ipsis Organis saith he non nisi res sacras pias sobrie graviter exprimendas neque enim leve peccatum est siquis lascivum aliquid Organis ludat audientium animos non ad pietatem sed ad amorem mundi accendat Bell. de Bon. Oper. in particul lib. 1. cap. 17. The answering of which objections and pretences will sufficiently discover the vanity and groundlesness of this Superstition and that it is more then accidentally evil And first to that plausible Objection of Bellarmine from the use of them in the Old Testament to begin with the strongest Argument first for this is the most specious and hath the greatest seeming weight But though the Jews had Musical Instruments in the Worship of God under the Law yet that they are no part of Gospel-worship these Considerations may evince First There was then a clear word of Institution for them The Trumpets of Silver and Cornets of Horn were instituted by the hand of Moses Numb 10. in the ten first verses and Levit. 23.23 24. we read also in Moses his time of Timbrels used in the publick Praises of God by Miriam the Prophetess Exod. 15.20 and in Davids time we read of Organs also and ten-stringed Instruments and Cymbals of Brass and Harps and Psalteries of fine wood 2 Sam. 6.5 Psal 149.3 and 150.4 2 Chron. 16.4 5. and these Musical instruments were not brought into Gods Worship by David of his own head but by Authority and Direction from God For so was the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets saith the Text 2 Chron. 29.25 and therefore they are called the musical instruments of God 1 Chron. 16.42 and instruments of Musick of the Lord 2 Chron. 7.6 with relation to God as the Author and Institutor of them For the Lords Name in the Scripture phrase is never set upon things of Humane invention but only upon things of Divine institution as the Lords Supper the Lords Day the Lords Feasts the Lords Altar c. so
Mother neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary nor profane the Sanctuary of his God for the Crown of the Anointing Oil is upon him I am the Lord. What is the meaning of this he shall not defile himself for the dead Doubtless natural affections were not forbidden the Priests were not to be Stoicks and brute Beasts But it teacheth us that the Priest was to have more regard to the duty of his Function then to any natural passions or affections whatsoever Exod. 33.9 This was eminently fulfilled in Jesus Christ who did not lay aside any due or seasonable respect to his natural Relations A respect he had for them as appears by his Care of his Mother when he was on the Cross committing her to John but this was no unseasonable respect or regard of her But we find also that he was disputing in the Temple Luke 2.48 49. attending on the work of his Ministry and not attending on his Father and Mother and in Matth. 12.46 c. his Mother and Brethren or Kindred they stood without desiring to speak with him But he answered should not I be about my Fathers business who is my Mother and my Brethren c. whosoever doth the will of my Father the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother He would not so attend on them as to neglect the discharge and execution of his Office He did not at any time uncover his head by any weakness or inglorious passion or affection He did not defile himself by familiar communion with defiling sinners at any time he did converse with them sometimes but not so as to contract any pollution to himself He is separated from sinners he never touched any dead body with any defiling touch And this same spirit of neglect of natural respects to Relations the Lord requires also of others even of his Ministers and of all Believers in some cases and in some measure and degree They must regard the work of God more then the comfort and sweetness in the dearest relations Follow me saith Christ and let the dead bury the dead He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me A man must hate Father and Mother Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also else he cannot be Christs Disciple Luke 14.26 So Paul Henceforth we know no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 Obj. When then is respect to Relations to be laid aside Answ The Rule is this when God by his Providence orders things so as that it stands in competition with the duty we ow to God when it is so we are then in some sense called to hate that is not to regard Father or Mother Wife or Children when our respects to them stand in competition with the duty we ow to Christ Every Believer is to do all this as well as Jesus Christ So we see the antient Observations and Rules belonging to the Order of the Priesthood of old they had respect to the Mystery of Christ and his Saints and Ministers under the Gospel The Priests also were Types of Christ in their Clothes and Apparel and Consecration to that Office But of these things hereafter THE GOSPEL of the PRIESTS HOLY GARMENTS Levit. 8.7 8 9. Febr. 7 11 14. 1668. And he put upon him the Coat and girded him with the Girdle and clothed him with the Robe and put the Ephod upon him and he girded him with the curious Girdle of the Ephod and bound it unto him therewith And he put the Brest-plate upon him also he put in the Brest-plate the Vrim and Thummim And he put the Mitre upon his head also upon the Mitre even upon his forefront did he put the Golden Plate the holy Crown as the Lord commanded Moses THese words beloved contain an enumeration of the Priestly Garments in the order in which they were put on at the Consecration of Aaron to his Office and so to sum up the words in one doctrinal proposition it is this Doct. That there were nine holy Garments instituted and appointed of God for the High Priests of old namely the holy Coat the Girdle the Robe the Ephod the Girdle of the Ephod the Brest-plate the Vrim and Thummim the Mitre and the Golden Plate Note these three things in general concerning them and then I shall come to particulars 1. The general end and use of these Garments was to be for Beauty and Glory Exod. 28.2 as betokening an higher Glory and Beauty then meerly outward even the Beauty of Holiness as a shadow of an higher spiritual Clothing for the Scripture often speaks of a spiritual Clothing the taking away the guilt of sin and clothing the Soul with Christs Righteousness Zech. 3.4 Take away the filthy Garments from him and unto him he said behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee and I will clothe thee with change of Raiment Psal 132.9 16. Let thy Priests be clothed with Righteousness and let her Saints shout for joy I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy Job 29.14 I put on Righteousness and it clothed me my Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem They are called holy Garments Exod 28.2 and often elsewhere but a Garment is not capable of inherent Holiness therefore it must be meant in regard of their use and signification The Lord did put a stamp and a relation of Holiness upon them by instituting and appointing them for sacred use in his Worship 2. The materials whereof they were made were these five Gold blue purple scarlet and fine Linnen Exod. 28.5 Some of them had all these ingredients there was none of them but had some of these Gold is costly and sumptuous Linnen is a white and clean clothing the rest have something of a bloody colour all of them together are thought to represent and to be a dark umbrage of the preciousness and glory of the true High Priest both in his Sufferings and in his Graces 3. For the number and order of them they are reckoned up and described at large in Exod. 28. and cap. 39. And being so largely spoken to almost two whole Chapters spent upon them by the spirit of God beside other briefer mention of them in other Scriptures we may safely conclude that there is much of spiritual use and mystery and meaning in them For it cannot enter into a Christian heart to think or imagine that the Holy Ghost would imploy two Chapters of Scripture in a thing of nought In Exod. 28. ver 4. the Brest plate is named first according to the order of Dignity that being the chief of all But in Levit. 8. they are mentioned in the order of putting them on and here there are nine mentioned in Exod. 29.5 6. there are seven but in Exod. 28.4 there are but six Which various enumerations of them are easily reconciled because some Garments are sometimes implied and included in others as