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
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
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
reserved to make an holy Water to sprinkle the unclean 1. This Heifer must be slain without the Camp This is required Numb 19.3 This Ceremony was required also in the Sin-Offering Cap. 4 12. This is expounded at large by the Apostle Heb. 13.10 11 12 13 14. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle For the bodies of those Beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin are burnt without the Camp Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp bearing his reproach For here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come Some Sacrifices were to be eaten but other Sacrifices the Sin Offering and this of the Heyfer for Purifications they were not to eat them but to kill them and burn them out of the Camp This shews that they which serve the Temple which adhere to old legal carnal ways they have no right to eat of the Altar saith the Apostle they that serve the Tabernacle that adhere to Moses and to those things that are of mens wisdom and invention as all Moses his Ceremonies now are being abolished by God And therefore now to adhere to them and to serve the Tabernacle is to follow our own wisdom and worship God according to our own pleasure such have no right to eat of the Altar they have no right to Jesus Christ in that they keep not to the purity of his own Institutions Again Jesus Christ did suffer without the Gate which was prefigured by this their carrying this Heyfer out there to be slain So they carried Jesus Christ out to Golgotha there they Crucified him so that it was fulfilled in Christ in a very manifest way For that he suffered without the City as this Heyfer was to be slain without the Camp Jesus Christ therefore being a reputed Sinner and Malefactor and under that reproach and shame did therefore suffer without the Gate We must therefore be content to suffer with him in the same disgrace and dishonor If ye cannot be content to bear the reproaches and disgraces of the world ye cannot bear his reproach The Apostles were accounted the very filth of the World such as by sweeping is gathered together as in the Margent the swepings and refuse of all things Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you Luk. 6 26. We see the mystery then of this Ceremony that the Heyfer must be slain without the Camp 2. The Blood must be sprinkled seven times directly towards the Tabernacle For the Priest is spoken of as standing without the Camp where the Heyfer was slain who was to sprinkle the blood towards the Camp and so towards the Tabernacle The Tabernacle was a Type of Heaven therefore the sprinkling the Blood towards Heaven taught us That our access into Heaven is only by the perfect merit of the blood of Christ Heb. 10.19 20. The sprinkling seven times notes the perfect efficacy of the blood of Christ for seven is a number of perfection therefore often used in those mystical Dispensations of old It shews the perfection of his blood and that there must be frequent and renewed application of it from time to time It must be sprinkled again and again and seven times over upon our Consciences 3. The body of the Heyfer must be burnt with Cedar Hyssop and Scarlet cast into the fire and the Priests that do it are unclean until the Even vers 5 6 7 8. Of the Burning you have heard upon other Sacrifices The casting in of Cedar Hyssop and Scarlet is peculiar to this Sacrifice and something of Instruction we may pick out of it by looking into other Scriptures Cedar is noted for an excellent kind of Timber the chief of Trees and the Scripture doth sometimes apply it unto Christ in a Metaphorical way Cant. 5.15 It is said of Christ his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars It is a stately and durable Tree not subject to putrefaction Therefore some interpret this Law as a shadow of the perpetual efficacy of the death of Christ who by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 As for Hyssop it is said vers 18. there must be a bunch of it to sprinkle with Hence David prays Purge me with Hyssop Psal 51.7 Some apply it thus That the Bunch of Hyssop wherein they sprinkled the blood is the Word of Promise by which Christ is applied to the Soul Or thus The Bunch of Hyssop signifies the Instrument of the application of Christs blood And what is the Instrument by which we apply the blood of Christ but Faith and this Faith lays hold on the promise It is the word of promise that brings Christ and his blood unto the Soul and the Soul receives it by Faith This must be cast into the burning It is by the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ that the promises are made effectual and that they have the virtue of cleansing us from our sins And they were also to cast Scarlet into the burning Scarlet is of a red colour and we read in Scripture of Scarlet sins Isai 1.18 Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be made as Snow The death and blood of Jesus Christ saith the Apostle cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 And further he that doth all this must yet be unclean until the Evening so before in the Sin-Offering Lev. 4. with Lev. 16.27 28. which plainly holds forth the imperfection of all Legal Sacrifices and the Iniquity that cleaves to our holy Offerings as was there shewed 4. The fourth thing is the ashes must be gathered and reserved to make an holy Water of to sprinkle the unclean Numb 19.9 17 18. This Water which was made by means of this sacred Relick is called in another place of Scripture Numb 5.17 holy Water It is called holy because it was appointed by God for a holy use He can set his Stamp upon and hallow this Water as he did on the Bread and Wine appointing it for a holy use and so this it must be kept for an holy use and every unclean person must be sprinkled with it Now the meaning of this sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh is this it plainly signifies the sprinkling of the blood and spirit of Jesus Christ upon us for Justification and Sanctification 1 Joh. 5.8 There are three that bear witness in the Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one There is the Spirit of Faith in Vocation The Water of Sanctification And the blood of Jesus Christ for Justification These three concur in their Evidence and Testimony that there is virtue and life in Christ for them that believe so you see the mystery of it When persons were sprinkled with this Water they became clean others might converse with them they might
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
to be a multitude of little Stars Adam was a Type of Christ in regard of his Headship and Influence Enoch a Type of his Ascension into Heaven Noah of his Preaching and saving the Church by the Covenant and Water of Baptism Melchizedek was a Shadow of the Excellency and Eternity of his Person and of his Priesthood and Kingdom Know these things meditate and consider them more throughly and improve Christ in these Discoveries for your spiritual good Consider him as a common person standing in our stead as a Prophet Priest and King as ascended into Heaven as the Saviour of the Church which is his Body Use 2. Be exhorted to examine your selves and try which of the two Adams you are under For there are but two Men in the World the first and second Adam thou art a Member of one of them Adam and Christ divide the whole World Quest How may we know whether we be under the first or the second Adam Answ Take these Tryals 1. What Birth hast thou only the natural or spiritual Generation Art thou only born or new born For they that come only from Adam by natural Generation belong to him as the first Adam They that come of Christ by spiritual Regeneration are the Seed of Christ and belong to him as the second Adam What Experience hast thou had of this great work Nicodemus though a Doctor in Israel understood little of it 2. What Covenant doth thy Soul cleave to and act under the rule and influence of Works or Grace Works is the first Adams Covenant but Grace is the Covenant of the second Adam To go forth in a mans own Strength to expect acceptance in his own Worth this is a first Covenant Spirit a sign thou growest upon the old Stock upon the root of old Adam But to live in a continual dependance upon free Grace for every thing the free Grace of God in Christ this is the Spirit of the second Covenant and becomes the Sons and Branches of the second Adam Though a godly man may for a fit turn aside to the old Covenant as Abraham did to Hagar yet it is not his way it is not his Spirit to do so and thence he is never at rest till he return to have his dependance and rest on Christ again The Spirit of one under the Covenant of Grace is to have no confidence in the Flesh but to have his rest and rejoycing in Jesus Christ Phil. 3.3 3. What Communications whose Influences dost thou receive Every Branch receives from its Root the Stream from its Fountain Dost thou receive the Communications of the first or of the second Adam this will shew whose thou art and to whom thou dost belong You have heard what it is that each of them doth communicate That old Tree bears no good Fruit at all Art thou under the power of Sin and Death or under the power of Righteousness and Life Sin and Death reigns in the posterity of the first Adam But Righteousness reigns by Grace unto eternal Life in the posterity of the second Adam Rom. 5.21 2 Cor. 5.17 if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Vse 3. Here is Comfort to the Seed of the second Adam against the present troubles they are under There be chiefly three complaints and troubles of Gods People under all which here is matter of support and relief 1. Thou art here upon Earth Christ the Head in Heaven but his poor Saints and Members here below But remember whither Jesus the Forerunner is entred for us As sure as Enochs Body is in Heaven or Elijahs by the virtue of his Ascension of whom they were Shadows so sure shall thine and mine ascend thither if we be his though we sleep in the dust for a time as Chirst himself also did 2. But while in this low valley the floods of great Waters are ready to overwhelm us the floods of Persecution Affliction Desertions the overflowing scourges of common calamities which puts many of Gods people to some cares and fears But as to this consider that true Noah the Lord provides an Ark of safety for his people that the floods of great Waters may not overwhelm them Psal 32.6 see Psal 124 1-5 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when Men rose up against us then the Waters had overwhelmed us the Stream had gone over our Soul then the proud Waters had gone over our Soul But 3. Thou art a poor unworthy creature and God is angry or appears angry and how can I expect such Salvation from him who have sinned against him so as I have done To this remember what an High Priest you have even Jesus who is made an High Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek Therefore let us come with boldness to the Throne of Grace It is the Apostles Inference Heb. 4.15 16. the Apostle saith of Melchizedek Heb. 7.4 consider how great this man was It may be said much more of Christ consider how great your High Priest is How little soever thou art in thy own eyes how unworthy soever the Greatness and Glory of your Redeemer is enough to remove all discouragement Some entrance Beloved hath been made into the personal Types We are upon the individual persons that were Types before the Law whereof eight were named Adam Enoch Noah Melchizedek Abraham Isaac Jacob and Joseph whereof only two have been spoken to viz. first Adam secondly Enoch We shall now proceed to the rest 3. The third is Noah whom we did but touch upon the last time but shall endeavour now to clear it more fully The Story of Noah is written in the 6 7 8 and 9. Chapters of Genesis And so famous it was amongst his Posterity that the Heathen have some broken Remembrances and Traditions of it they had heard of a Flood as well as of the Creation of the World Ovid speaks of them both in his Metamorphosis And their Bacchus the very name with a little alteration of the Letters comes from Noah Noachus Boachus and Janus from the Hebrew Jajin vinum somewhat they had heard as it seemeth about his planting a Vinyard and making Wine That this History of Noah had a typical respect you may see in 1 Pet. 3.20 21. In what respect was he a Type In two things chiefly 1. In regard of his Preaching 2. His saving his Houshold in the Ark. 1. In regard of his Preaching he was a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 he gave warning to the secure World for a hundred and twenty years together both by his Word and Actions Every stroke in the building of the Ark had a voice and was an alarm to the World every day So Christ who did preach by his Spirit in the Ministry of Noah 1 Pet. 3.19 20. And when he came in the Flesh he did preach and bring in everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 And he hath preached by
of Light the Light he gives diffuseth it self through the whole man and has an influence into all his conversation 6. There were many Rooms or Chambers in the Ark and so in the Temple yet all these made up but one Ark this signifies many particular Churches yet all the Churches in the world make up but one Church Catholick which is the mystical body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ see Cant. 6.9 My undefiled is but one 7. There were three Stories in the Ark it was three Stories high Gen. 6.16 and so Solomons Temple had three parts an outer Court an inner Court and an Holy of Holies This holds forth the three degrees of the Church There is 1. The visible Church 2. The mystical Church militant here on Earth 3. The Church triumphant in Heaven The Church in her lowest Story is her visible Members here on Earth among whom there be many Hypocrites yet even so she is more excellent than the Mountains of Prey Psal 76.4 Kingdoms are called Mountains of prey that saying being too often true that magna Regna are indeed magna Latrocinia But the Church is more glorious than they The invisible Church is the second Story against whom all the Gates and Powers of Hell shall not prevail Matth. 16.18 It is true in some sense in general concerning the visible Church Christ will always have some visible Societies of Christians in the world that shall make profession of his Name but it holds chiefly concerning the mystical Body of Christ True Believers cannot fall away The third Story is the Church triumphant which is higher than all these and more excellent than all the Kingdoms in the world than all the Churches upon earth 8. They in the Ark were safe and there was no safety but in the Ark so in the Church there is Salvation but no Salvation out of the Church Salvation is of the Jews Joh. 4. extra Ecclesiam nou est Salus It is always true of the mystical Church and it is ordinarily true concerning the visible Church Yea the Ark was safest when the Waters were highest Sea-man have an expression in a Storm they use to wish for Sea-room enough Or we may apply it higher to Christ himself and to his mystical Body Without Christ there is no Salvation but as they were safe in the Ark So whosoever is in Christ and a Member of that invisible Society he is safe and shall never perish 9. In the Ark there were both clean and unclean Beasts yet the Ravenousness of their Natures was restrained for the time Gen. 7.2 So in the Church there are both Saints and Hypocrites Hypocrites are unclean Beasts A Cham in the Ark a Judas a Devil in Christs own Family In the visible Church there be sometimes Wolves within and Sheep without though they are Wolves in Sheeps clothing For profane persons may and should be kept out but close Hypocrites cannot For as in the Ark though there were ravenous Beasts yet their Natures were restrained so in the Church such as are Beasts by nature yet the Corruption of their Natures is restrained there is restraining Grace upon Hypocrites in the Church as well as renewing Grace in the Saints Isai 11 6-9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain 10. There issued out of the Ark a Raven and a Dove whereof the Dove returned again but the Raven did not Gen. 8.7 8 9. the Raven is an unclean Bird Levit. 11.15 a Bird of prey and a Bird of darkness Isai 34.11 The Dove is a Bird of Light at the Baptism of Christ the Holy Ghost descended on him in the shape of a Dove Matth. 3. If a Dove go out from Christ and his Ordinances it shall find no rest till it returns again into the Ark and be taken in by the Hand of Noah by the Spirit of Christ But the Raven goes out of the Ark and returns no more and how many Ravens are there in the Church that depart and fall off and return no more 1 Joh. 2.19 they went out from us because they were not of us You Ravens that are going and coming and hovering to and fro Vide the old Geneva Note as the Raven she went and came Gen. 8.7 and might light on the outside of the Ark If you do not get into the Ark into Christ it shews what you are You that are Doves and gone out return again return to your Rest fly as Doves to the Windows Isai 60.9 The Dove is no ravenous Bird she cannot fight as the Raven and she is swift of Wing pray for the Wings of a Dove in this sense Psal 55.6 make haste to Christ Thus you see what a full and plentiful Analogy there is between the Ark and the Church in all these ten particulars 2. The Deluge was a Shadow of the Day of Judgment and the everlasting Salvation of some and Destruction of others at that day The Apostle Peter parallels them 2 Pet. 3.6 7. the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavens and the Earth which are now are reserved for Fire against the day of Judgment It was indeed a lesser day of Judgment and magnum futuri Judicii praejudicium Hence Hell is called the place of the Gyants Prov. 21.16 The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in caetu Gigantum in the Congregation of the Gyants Prov. 9.17 18. but he knoweth not that the Gyants are there and that her Guests are in the depths of Hell The World will be in a like frame drowned again in deep security Matth. 24.37 38 39. though they see all the tokens appearing and all things fulfilled that have been foretold yet they will not be awakened But when they saw the Flood came indeed Oh the amazement that began to seize upon them when they saw the Cataracts of Heaven opened from above and the Fountains of the great Deep broke up from beneath So at the Day of Judgment every eye shall mourn Rev. 1.7 see Heb. 11.7 Noah prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he condemned the World some saved by Noah others condemned by him 3. The Waters that bore up the Ark are made by the Apostle a shadow of the Water of Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 As that Water bore up the Ark and saved them from drowning so doth Baptism save us For though the Flood was a true and real History ye there be typical Histories as you will hear further when we come to the real Types Therefore that Water had a typical respect to the Water of Baptism 4. Noahs Sacrifice when he came out of the Ark was a manifest Type of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ For so indeed were all their Sacrifices Gen. 8.20 21 22. Hence Christ is called a Sacrifice of
doth he make Judg. 15.14 15. So Christ by the Foolishness of Preaching through the Power of his Spirit subdues and overcomes the Souls of men unto himself and slays the Enmity 4. A fourth Analogy between Christ and Sampson is in his Sufferings and the Victoriousness thereof against his Enemies especially his Death I say Sampson was made like unto the Son of God in regard of his Sufferings from his Enemies Some have summed them up briefly thus That they were both sold for Mony under pretence of Love apprehended by their Enemies led away bound brought forth at a great Feast blinded Christ was blindfolded scorned fastned to a Post offered themselves willingly to death died amongst wicked men and thereby destroyed the Power of the Churches Enemies And as there were many circumstances in his Death which did evidently prefigure what befel the Antitype so let me desire you to take notice of these three 1. That it was voluntary so Christ no man taketh it from me Joh. 10.18 I lay it down of my self 2. That it was by his Enemies not a natural Death but violent so was Christs 3. That he was victorious in his Death he did suffer and conquer yea he conquered in and by his Sufferings he slew more at his Death than in his Life Judg. 16.30 So Christ by his Death gave the most deadly blow to Satans Kingdom Col. 2. In his Death he spoiled Principalities and Powers This prophesied of by Jacob Gen. 49.16 17 18. Sampson was a Serpent by the way to the Philistines in the Foxes and in the Jaw-bone of an Ass and the Pillars of the House are compared by some to the Heels of the Horse whereupon three thousand Philistines rode and fell backwards And I have waited for thy Salvation saith Jacob that is for Christ whom in the Spirit of Prophesie he saw afar off And as Sampson when he was in Azzah when the Philistines thought they had him sure enough he rose at midnight Judg. 16.3 So when the Enemies thought they had Christ sure enough he arose in his might carried away the Gates and Bars of Death and broke the Bonds of it Rom. 1.4 Acts 2.24 2. David that he was a Type appears by this that Christ is called by his Name Hos 3.5 Ezek. 34.23 24. My Servant David shall reign over them for evermore Sampson began David went on with the Work See the Analogy between David and Christ in these four particulars 1. He was eminently sitted for the Work to rule to feed Gods people Israel though he was the meanest of his Family So Christ came when the Family was brought low into obscurity David was eminent for Holiness a man after Gods own heart So Christ holy harmless and undefiled separate from Sinners A person of such worth that the Story of his Life is more fully and largely recorded in holy Writ than any other person in all the Old Testament So Christ is the person treated of throughout the whole Scripture David beloved of God So Christ Matth. 3. this is my beloved Son 2. He had many Enemies both open and secret Saul Doeg and Achitophel treacherous Dealers Types of Judas who dealt treacherously with him and for open professed Enemies the Philistines and the Ammonites and the Syrians engaged by the Ammonites see 2 Samuel 10.6 and 2 Samuel 8. So had Jesus Christ the Scribes and Pharisees the Jews the Romans Men and Devils for his Enemies 3. His Kingdom had but small and weak beginnings first a Shepherd then an Officer in Sauls Army then an Exile with a matter of six hundred men afterward King over Judah and Benjamin at Hebron lastly King over all Israel at Jerusalem So the Kingdom of Christ grows from small beginnings it is therefore compared to a grain of Mustard Seed It is at first like a River breaking forth at the Foot of a Mountain in a little Stream that you may stride over it but in its progress it enlargeth and grows to a deep and broad River and at last ends in the Ocean as all Rivers do so doth the Kingdom of Grace in the Ocean of eternal Glory 4. Glorious Successes and Victories and Deliverances all his Enemies fell before him He slew the Bear the Lyon Goliah 1 Sam. 17.37 conquered all his Enemies round about see 2 Sam. 8.12 14. Moreover Saul and his bloody House were rooted out before him He never fell into his Enemies hands though in this there is some dissimilitude For Christ was content to yield up himself into their hands to let them try their Strength and do their worst upon him therefore he gave up himself to Death But he rose again from under the power of Death and prevailed against them all and after his Resurrection Death hath no more dominion over him All his Enemies shall fall and perish sooner or later but he shall reign for ever and ever 3. Solomon I shall but mention a threefold Analogy between Christ and him 1. In his personal Wisdom 1 Kings 4.29 30. So Christ Col. 2.3 in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg 2. In the glorious Peace and Prosperity of his Kingdom The Kingdom was peaceably setled in his hand 1 Chron. 22.9 1 King 4.24 25. And so he fell to the work of building the Temple as Christ doth the Church but of that hereafter when we come to the real Types So Christ Isai 9.6 he is the Prince of Peace the great Peace-maker Ephes 2. 3. In his Marriage with Pharaohs Daughter Some observe that the Daughter of Pharaoh never seduced him neither is there any mention made of the Egyptian Idols 1 Kings 11.5 7. In his other Outlandish Marriages he did sin but this is mentioned as by way of special exception 1 King 11.1 He took others besides Pharaohs Daughter For she was a Proselyte and so it was no sin to marry her And the Love between her and Solomon is made a Type of the Love between Christ and the Church Christ hath took us Gentiles to be a Spouse unto him Psal 45. Vse 1. Resolution of that great Case of Conscience whether you do belong to Christ or no. Is his Kingdom set up in thee art thou conflicting art thou conquering Vse 2. Comfort against the low and weak beginnings of Christs Kingdom Sampson did but begin to deliver Israel but David carried the work through But in Solomons time there was glorious Peace You see here as in a Glass the method and progress of Christs Kingdom It begins in War it is carried on in Victory it ends in Peace Vse 3. Here is Comfort and Support as to all the Conflicts and Enemies that God is pleased to exercise his people with whether particular Saints or whole Churches 1. They had so Christ had so secret as well as open Enemies secret Underminers as well as open Opposers 2. These Conflicts will end in peace and quiet establishment Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright man for the end
and Demas for a time 2. Elisha called in the New Testament Elizeus Luk. 4. He was a Type of Christ in three respects 1. In that Elisha in respect of Elijah was as it were a Continuation of the same person For he rose up compleatly in the same Spirit The Prophets discerned it 2 Kings 2.15 the Spirit of Elijah did rest upon Elisha So when Christ departed and ascended up to Heaven he left the Comforter in his stead Joh. 16. and he left the Apostles and Ministers to carry on his Work and poured forth his Spirit upon them for that end Or we may accommodate this with respect to John the Baptist thus As Elisha succeeded Elijah so did Christ come after John the Baptist and so Elisha was in this respect a Type of Christ himself 2. In regard of the remarkable Vengeance and Destruction that came upon his wicked Enemies The Children that mocked him were devoured by two She-Bears 2 Kings 2.23 24. Gehazi his treacherous Servant smitten with Leprosie 2 Kings 5.27 So Despisers of Jesus Christ and the Gospel shall be punished with most remarkable and dreadful Destruction Hear ye Despisers and wonder and perish Acts 13.41 For I work a Work in your days a Work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you incredible Plagues shall the Despisers and Rejecters of Christ and of the Gospel be punished with And Judas the Traytor his Servant you know what dreadful Destruction came upon him Acts 1.18 his Bowels gushed out through the horror of his Conscience and the Fury of the Almighty rending his very Body in pieces as well as his Soul from his Body 3. In regard of his Miracles He and his Predecessor Elijah were the greatest workers of Miracles except Moses that ever we read of in Scripture or that ever the Lord raised up in his Church For Moses was to be the Founder as it were of that Church-Estate and Worship that was in those days and Elijah and Elisha were the Preservers and Restorers of it in a most degenerate and corrupted Age. The Miracles of Elisha were very great and many they are recorded in the second Book of Kings in the 2 3 4 5 6 and 7th Chapters and one more in chap. 13. They were about one and twenty in all There be three recorded in the second chapter viz. his dividing Jordan with Elijahs Mantle his healing the Waters of Jericho the devouring two and forty scoffing Children of those idolatrous Parents the people at Bethel by two She-Bears In the third Chapter there is another viz. the overflowing of the Wilderness of Edom with Water crp. 3.20 see ver 8. to the Destruction of the Moabites In the fourth Chapter there be five more which are the Analysis and Contents of that Chapter viz. 1. His multiplying the Widows Oyl while she had any empty vessels to fill 2. His giving a Son to that great and good Woman the Shunamite 3. His raising her Son when dead unto life again and this is the second person that ever was raised from the dead 4. His healing the deadly Pottage which had poysoned the Students in the Colledge at Gilgal 5. His feeding of an hundred men with twenty Loaves In the fifth Chapter there be two more the curing of Naamans Leprosie and the smiting of Gehazi with that Disease In the sixth Chapter there be six more 1. His causing Iron to swim 2. His disclosing the secret Counsels of the King of Syria by the Spirit of Prophesie 3. An Army of Angels coming down from Heaven for his defence at Dothan 4. The opening of his Servants Eyes to see them 5. The smiting of the Syrians with Blindness And 6. The opening their Eyes again In the seventh Chapter are three more the hideous which noise was heard and caused such a pannick terror in the Camp of the Syrians that their whole Army fled and the incredible Plenty in Samaria with the Death of that unbelieving Nobleman who had questioned whether God could do it And then lastly cap. 13.21 a dead man is restored to life by touching his Bones And this is the third person that was raised from the dead All these Miracles in general were Presignifications of what the Messiah was to do in that kind and some of them were more particularly fulfilled and answered by the Antitype As that of feeding an hundred men with twenty Loaves You know Christ did that and more feeding five thousand with five Loaves and two Fishes Matth. 14.21 And at another time four thousand with seven Loaves and a few little Fishes Matth. 15.38 His raising the dead to life whereof we have three instances in the Old Testament the Widow of Sarepta her Son the Shunamites Son and the Man buried in Elisha's Grave These were Types and Pledges of what Christ should do in raising the dead As in raising Lazarus Jairus his Daughter the Widows Son of Naim and his own blessed Body out of the Grave and many Saints that arose with him And those which the Apostles raised by his Name And finally the raising all his Elect unto eternal Life and all the Sons of men unto Judgment at the great Day There might also be a spiritual application and accommodation of them as to the quickning of mens Souls the healing of the Diseases of the Soul feeding them with the Bread of Life pouring into empty Vessels empty Souls the Oyl of Gladness the Joys and Graces of his Spirit 3. Jonah him I connect with Elijah and Elisha to make the Type more compleat and full Some have conjectured that Jonah was the Widows Son of Zarephath whom Elijah raised from the dead 1 Kings 17.22 23. but this is but a conjecture without proof it is probable enough he might live about their time or perhaps somewhat after That he was a Type of Christ the Scripture is express Matth. 12.39 No Sign shall be given them but the Sign of the Prophet Jonah You may see how the Type fits the Antitype in four respects 1. In his Death he offered himself willingly unto Death to asswage the Storm Jon. 1. and so he is cast into the Sea and devoured by the Whale So did Christ to appease the Tempest of Gods Wrath. And as upon Jonahs being cast into the Sea the Sea ceased from its raging cap. 1.15 and the Seamen were saved from drowning So upon Christs Death Gods Wrath is pacified and Believers saved from the Wrath to come Jonah had sore conflicts and inward agonies of Spirit when he was under that shadow of death in the Whales Belly cap. 2. So had Christ when he cried My God my God why hast thou forsaken me there were unutterable anguishes in his Soul those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unknown unconceivable sufferings in his Soul 2. He was a Type of Christ in his Burial For look as Jonah was buried in the Belly of the Whale three days and three nights So was Christ in the Belly of the Earth the
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
and Goodness of the Lord so was Israel Moses indeed stuck at this and so could not enter into Canaan But we should believe that there is Water for Rebels 1 Cor. 10.11 April 23. 1668. A Sixth typical thing amongst them of old was the Brazen Serpent the History whereof we have in Numb 21.5 6 7 8. The mystery and meaning of it we have by that infallible Interpreter our Lord Jesus Christ himself in Joh. 3.14 15. And so the paralleling and laying these two Scriptures together the one whereof declares the History of the Type and the other reveals the Mystery intended and aimed at therein will be a great part of my Discourse at this time You see in the History there be two things the bodily Disease and the Remedy Now this shadows forth the spiritual Disease and Remedy for the Soul I shall speak first to the Disease which was the deadly stinging of fiery Serpents for their Ingratitude and Murmurings against the Lord. In this Disease there was a shadow of the spiritual Sickness of the Souls of men And let it not seem strange that they should have a typical representation of spiritual Evils For it hath been formerly shewed when we opened the Nature of a Type from Rom. 5.14 that all the Types are not to be restrained only to the Messiahs person or to his Benefits but they had dark and legal Adumbrations under the Old Testament of all those things and truths which are more clearly revealed under the New That this was indeed a Typical Disease is evident from the coherence that must needs be between the Disease and the Remedy I mean thus Such as the Remedy was such was the Disease An outward Remedy supposes and implies a bodily Disease a spiritual Remedy must needs relate to a spiritual Disease but the Remedy here was spiritual and typical for this our Saviour is express Joh. 3.14 therefore so was the Disease Now for the Particulars wherein it was so Having this general ground and foundation in the Scripture for it as to the Particulars we must beg of God Spiritual Wisdom to accommodate and apply things rationally and scripturally and not in a way of loose and wanton wit and fancy In the hope of whose assistance through the help of your prayers I shall instance only in 5. Particulars of spiritual Instruction out of this Type as to the diseases of our Souls 1. That Satan is indeed the Old Serpent 2. That he is a fiery Serpent 3. That sin is the sting of this Serpent 4. This sting of sin is painful and deadly 5. The Lord suffers those most of all to be tormented and plagued by it who despise Manna as a light Food 1. That Satan is indeed the Old Serpent For this the Scripture is express Rev. 12.9 He is so represented in Prophetical and Typical Scriptures both because that was the first Shape wherein he did appear as a Devil in tempting and destroying our first Parents and for the subtilty and venome of that Beast and the curse inflicted upon him in that appearance In darker places as amongst the Pagans of old and amongst the Americans of late he hath delighted to appear unto them in that Shape of a Serpent Therefore the Pagan Temples were wont to be haunted with Serpents in so much that it grew into a Phrase of Speech amongst them Sacer anguis 2. The Devils are fitly called Seraphims or fiery burning Serpents The Serpents wherewith they were stung in that Wilderness were such Deut. 8.15 The Prophet Isaiah speaks of fiery flying Serpents Isa 14.29 and 30.6 The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hane chashim haseraphim Serpents burners Numb 21.6 or burning Serpents The Root is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 urere The name Serapis that Egyptian Idol may be derived from hence Some derive from the Hebrew Saraph by Inversion of Letters the Greek word Praester which signifies a kind of venemous Serpent which is also called Dipsas and Causon with which he that is bitten is tormented with such a burning heat and thirst that though he drink never so much Diascor l. 6. cap. 38 and 40. apud Aynsw in loc his thirst will not be quencht or satisfied and the bitings of these Serpents were lest off by the most ancient Physicians as altogether incurable They are also fitly called fiery Serpents from their Colour For they had a shining and glistering Skin as if it had been made of Fire And we see it in our ordinary Snakes that seem to shine and sparkle against the Sun So Taylor on the Types pag. 305. Satan is fitly so called as being a Serpent of the worst kind a most terrible and deadly Serpent Hence he is elsewhere compared to a great red Dragon Rev. 12. upon the same account as here to a fiery Serpent because he is such a dreadful enemy This name Seraphim that is here used is applyed to the holy Angels Isa 6.2 For the spiritual brightness and burning heat and zeal and love to God that is in those blessed Spirits those pure flames He hath made his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Heb. 1. And Satan himself was such a one at first though now by his fall he is but a fiery Serpent He is a Seraphim debased and fallen below himself 3. The sting of this Serpent is sin Therefore the temptations of this fiery Serpent are called fiery Darts Ephes 6.16 with which he stings the soul to death He hath thrust his Sting into the nature of man and poysoned it and made it like himself And he is continually tempting and thrusting in his Sting Sin is called a Sting 1 Cor. 15. The sting of death is sin 4. Sin the Sting of this Serpent is painful and deadly poyson it both torments and kills It is true it is sweet poyson while under the tongue but withal it is tormenting and mortal in the Bowels Job 20.12 13 14. Though sweet in his mouth it is the poyson of Asps within him sweet in the commission but tormenting and destructive afterward Oh the pain it puts the Conscience of a sinner too Deadly pain and anguish there is no anguish like it no poyson so inflaming so tormenting to the Body as Sin is to the Soul 5. The occasion of all this misery was their slighting and murmuring against the Manna wherewith the Lord had fed them from Heaven There had been many murmurings before upon other occasions but now they come to slight and despise Manna wherewith the Lord had fed them so miraculously for about eight and thirty years together for so some Interpreters compute the time of this murmuring All the while till now though that Wilderness through which they travelled was full of fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought as Deut. 8.15 Yet the Lord had not suffered any of them to be stung But now he lets loose these fiery Dragons to fly upon them as Amos 9.3 I will command the Serpent and he
Death I would dye I think I could never choose to dye in a better cause than for bearing witness to this Truth That the Church of God ought not to be made a Den of Thieves and a Refuge and Receptacle for wicked Livers there must be no such Leaven in the House of God Now put all these together and put them into the affirmative and you see a fourfold Instruction in this Prohibition of Leaven It teacheth us 1. Soundness in the Faith of Christ 2. Holiness of life 3. Sincerity of heart 4. Purity of Church Communion 2. Honey was forbidden also it may seem strange that so sweet and so good a thing should be so severely interdicted How often is the Land of Canaan commended as a Land flowing with Milk and Honey But to eat too much of it is not good Prov. 25.16 27. It cloys and loads the Stomach and turns to choler and bitterness and if poured upon the Fire it swells and riseth up in Froth Three things we may learn out of this Prohibition of Honey 1. That God will be worshipped according to his own Institution and Command his Will is the Rule we must submit unto though we cannot well see the reason of it We must not follow any Invention of our own though to our carnal thoughts it seem as sweet as Honey though it seem never so decent never so orderly as that is the common pretense it is for decency and orders sake But what think you Friends is not Honey sweet and decent too But God requires it not therefore away with it from the Meat-Offerings of the Lord. 2. That holy temperature and equability of spirit that becometh Saints in all the conditions and vicissitudes they pass through we must take heed of Extremes There should be neither Leaven nor Honey neither too much sower nor too much sweet neither inordinate sorrow nor inordinate pleasures in the Meat-Offering of the Saints they should neither be dejected nor lifted up but in an even well composed frame and temper of Spirit 2 Cor. 12.7 10. neither leavened and sowred with discontent under worldly troubles nor surfeited with the sweatness and Honey of carnal pleasure and delight and contentment of the Creature 3. Some apply it unto Christ himself thus That there is in Christ our Meat-Offering no such sweetness which turns to loathing no such pleasure whereof a man can take too much there is no glutting no satiety no after sorrows no such delight as proves bitter in the latter end as much Honey doth But on the contrary the more any man tastes of the sweetness and comfort that is in him the more he shall long for it and say Lord evermore give us of this bread as Joh. 6.34 more of this bread more of this comfort this Communion with God He is not sweet at first and bitter afterwards but his Yoke seems heaviest at first but lighter afterward he speaks first of the Cross then of the Crown of Glory These four are all in this Chapter for the other two additional Enquiries we shall borrow Light out of other Scriptures further to illustrate this 5. The fifth Enquiry concerning the Meat-Offering is concerning the appurtenance of Drink-Offerings by divine Institution affixed and annexed to the Meat-Offering I reckon it as an appurtenance to the Meat-Offering for two Reasons 1. Because it is not mentioned as a distinct Species in that Enumeration of the Legal-Offerings which hath been so often quoted Lev. 7.37 The Drink-Offering is there omited as being included and understood in the Meat-Offering 2. Because it was never offered alone under the Law but always in conjunction with the slain Sacrifices to compleat the Meat-Offering belonging to them It is true before the Law we read of Drink-Offerings alone Jacob Gen. 35.14 he set up a Pillar in Bethel and he poured a Drink Offering thereon and he poured Oyl thereon But after that Regulation and Reformation of the Offerings by Moses we never read of any Drink Offering alone but only in Conjunction with Meat Offerings and Slaughter-Offerings As Numb 15.5 And the fourth part of a Hin of Wine for a Drink-Offering shalt thou prepare with the Burnt-Offering or Sacrifice for one Lamb. And vers 7. For a Ram thou shalt offer for a Drink-Offering the third part of a Hin And again vers 11. For a Bullock And Numb 28.7 The Drink Offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an Hin for one Lamb c. Lev. 23.18 They shall be for a Burnt Offering unto the Lord with their Meat-Offerings and their Drink Offerings And in Hezekia's time when he purged the House of God it is said 2 Chron. 29.35 The Burnt-Offerings were in abundance with the fat of the Peace-Offerings and the Drink-Offerings for eve By rurnt Offering I shall speak to three things upon the Drink-Offering 1. The matter of it 2. The Rite and manner of Oblation 3. The Mystery of it 1. First then for the matter of it it was Wine Numb 15.5 Wine for a Drink-Offering shalt thou prepare Called Shekar in Numb 28.7 from whence the Greek Sikera that is a strong inebriating Wine our Translators here render it strong Wine Hence Hos 9.4 They shall not offer Wine-Offerings to the Lord. Hence Judg. 9.13 in Jothams Parable the Vine saith should I live my Wine which cheereth God and man How doth Wine cheer God It cannot be said to cheer God otherwise than in Offerings and Sacrifices The Heathen fell into an horrible Corruption as to this for that they mingled Blood in their idolatrous and superstitious rage in Drink Offerings whereto the Psalmist alludes Psal 16.4 and declares how he abominates such a practise Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten or give Gifts to another God their Drink-Offerings of Blood will I not offer It is not unlike the Health Drinkers of our times of whom you may have heard of some who in their raging profanness have mingled their own Blood with Wine and so have drunk it in Healths to the Devil and to the confusion of Sion and Sions King 2. The Rite and manner of Oblation was by pouring of it forth before the Lord Numb 28.7 In the holy place shalt thou cause strong Wine to be poured out unto the Lord for a Drink Offering that is upon the Altar say some but not upon the Fire or as others beside the Altar for it is likely the Wine of the Drink-Offering was to be poured forth where the blood of the slaughtered Sacrifices was poured forth but that was at the bottom of the Altar as you have formerly heard upon Cap. 1. with Cap. 8.15 Hence it hath its name in Hebrew Nesek libamen a sacred effusion or a pouring out from the Verb Nasak fudit effudit They were not to drink it that might have been an occasion of intemperance and drunkenness there being dayly and continual Drink-Offerings nay there was no piece of legal worship wherein they were commanded to drink Wine But there is an
express prohibition of any such Rite Lev. 10.8 9. And the Lord spake unto Aaron saying Do not drink Wine or strong drink thou nor thy Sons with thee when you go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest you die Vers 10. And that you may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean 3. The spiritual Mystery of it Doubtless it had much of spiritual mystery in it the Psalmist calls it the Cup of Salvation Psal 116.13 I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord for what other Administration under the Law that expression could relate unto besides this I know not there being no other use of Cups of Wine amongst them in the Worship of God but only in these Drink-Offerings whereof we speak Three things I shall briefly note 1. Wine in typical and allegorical Scriptures doth sometimes signify the joys and consolations of the Holy Ghost for Wine rejoyces and cheers the heart Psal 104.15 Wine that maketh glad the heart of man Therefore the Apostle Ephes 5.18 so speaks Be not inebriated with Wine wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit The Apostles Antithesis between Wine and the Spirit intimates this Cant. 1.2 Thy love is better than Wine And vers 4. We will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more than Wine And Cant. 2.5 Stay me with Flagons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love Stay me with Flagons that is with Flagons of Wine Metonymia subjecti continentis pro contento As in the Supper the Cup is put for the Wine This Cup is my blood that is the Wine in the Cup so here Stay me with Flagons she prays for the sense of his Love 2. We find the Saints pouring out their blood in the Cause of Christ compared to a Drink-Offering Phil. 2.27 2 Tim. 4.6 And so is in an higher in a much higher sense the blood of Christ represented by Wine in the Sacrament of the Supper as his Flesh by Bread and so the Meat and Wine in the Meat-Offering may also represent his Flesh and Blood 3. It shadowed forth the Lords acceptance of his people Shall I leave my Wine wherewith I cheer both God and man Judg. 9.13 that is pleasing to God in Sacrifice Hence when the Lord declares his rejection and disacceptance of them Hos 9.4 he thus expresseth it they shall not offer Wine Offerings to the Lord neither shall they be pleasing unto him 6. The sixth and last Enquiry that was propounded concerning the Meat-Offering is the Seasons and Occasions upon which it was to be offered There is the more cause to speak to this both because the Scripture is Copious in it and because there hath been something of controversy and something perhaps of inadvertency and of mistake about it You may note this in general There be some Offerings which were Meat-Offerings as to their matter which yet did not come under the Rule of the Meat Offering as it is here laid down in this second Chapter of Leviticus There be three Instances of this 1. The Wave Sheaf Lev. 23.10 11. 2. The two Wave Loaves Lev. 23.17 It is true these agreed in the matter with the Meat-Offering properly so called for they were of the Fruits of the Earth that were to be eaten but yet they did not come under the Rule of the Meat-Offering For they were not Ishim Offerings made by Fire they were not to be burnt nor were they most holy to be eaten by the Priests alone in the holy place and they were to be made with Leaven which is contrary to the ordinary Rule of Meat-Offerings But they were Heave-Offerings which were but singly and not doubly holy 3. A third Instance is the Jealousy-Offering Numb 5. which differs from the Meat Offering partly in the matter For the Jealousy-Offering was not fine Flower nor yet Flower of Wheat Qemach Sheirim Meal of Barley 〈◊〉 some render it the Bran of Barley Barley the coursest sort of Bread-Corn and Bran the coursest part of that Grain not Wheat but Barley not Flower but Meal and no Oyl nor Frankincense with it It differed also and chiefly in the end and use the Meat-Offering being for expiation as hath been formerly proved but the Jealousy-Offering was for exploration and discovery of guilt or innocence It was for a Memorial but not for a Memorial of acceptation but to bring sin to remembrance Numb 5.15 For these Reasons though there be something of general agreement being of the Fruits of the earth and so may be called a Meat-Offering in a general sense and so accordingly is called Mincha vers 15. Yet you see how much it differs from the Rule of the Meat-Offering in this second of Leviticus therefore it was not properly a Meat Offering Quest But when then was the Meat Offering offered And what Offerings were there under the Law that come more fully under that notion Ans They were of two sorts either separate or conjoyned with other Offerings Of separate Meat Offerings there are two signal Instances 1. The poor mans Trespass Offering Lev. 5.11 12. in stead of the Trespass Offering of Cattel because of his poverty 2. The Shew Bread Lev. 24 7 9. It seems to have been a Meat-Offering for the Incense was burnt as a Memorial for the Bread say some Or as others an handful of the Flower whereof they were made was burnt for the whole and the rest was eaten by the Priests after they had been presented and had stood for a time before the Lord so much as to separate Meat Offerings Now 2. as to Meat Offerings conjoyned with other Offerings The general Rule is this That they were conjoyned with Burnt Offerings of Cattel and with Peace Offerings whether offered as Vows or as Freewil-Offerings or at their solemn Feasts and in sundry other incidental occasions But they were not conjoyned with Burnt Offerings of Fowls nor with Sin or Trespass Offerings This Rule is both affirmative and negative it is grounded upon Numb 15.4 9. Hence as there was a dayly Burnt-Offering so there was a dayly Meat-Offering Numb 4.16 Numb 28.4 5. And sometimes the Lord gave signal testimonies of his acceptance of it as 2 King 3.9 10 20. So at the Consecration of the Priests and Levites Lev. 8.26 27. And Lev. 9.4 At the Consecration of the Levites Numb 8.8 At the Expiration of the Nazarites Vow Numb 6.17 At the Dedication of the Tabernacle there were twelve Meat-Offerings according to the number of the Tribes Numb 7.13 14. Also the Sheaf of First Fruits though it self was a Wave-Offering yet there was a Meat-Offering annexed to them Lev. 23.18 So that generally where you have a Burnt-Offering or a Peace-Offering under the Law whether under the notion of a Vow or a Freewil-Offering or at their stated Feasts and in most incidental occasions though I cannot say in all for it is not mentioned in the purification of
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
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
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
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
that it stood in the East part of the Court this is certain but some place it in the North-east corner so our Translators read 1 Kings 7.39 and he set the Sea on the right side of the House eastward over against the South Mimmoul-negeb but others read it not over against the South but towards the South versus austrum that is in the South-east corner of the Priests Court which Ezekiels Vision seems to countenance Ezek. 47.1 the Waters came down from under the right side of the house at the South side of the Altar The Lavers were placed five on one side and five on the other side of the Court. 7. The use of these famous Utensils was to wash thereat from whence called Lavers or Lavatories Of the Laver of the Tabernacle it is said Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat Exod. 30.19 It was anointed and sanctified to this use Lev. 8.11 Moses took the anointing Oil and he anointed the Tabernacle and the Altar and the Laver and his Foot to sanctifie them The molten Sea in the Temple was for the Priests to wash in the Lavers for the Sacrifices 2 Chron. 4.6 such things as they offered for the Burnt-offering they washed in them but the Sea was for the Priests to wash in But how did the Priests wash in it Not that they did go with their whole bodies into it for neither did the Law require them so to do neither indeed could they for the molten Sea was so deep that it would have drowned them But the Text expresseth it thus Exod. 30.19 for Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat the Holy Ghost doth not say they shall wash their whole bodies therein but only their hands and their feet thereat And it is cleerer and more significant in the Hebrew Mimmenu ex illa therefore Ainsworth renders it therefrom and his Note is this to wit in the Water that is taken out of the Laver into some vessel of the Sanctuary They took Water out of it by Cocks or Pipes as they had occasion Vid. Engl. Annot. Some think passages were made through the heads of the Oxen to let the Water out of the Sea Quest But whence had they this Water that was in the molten Sea Answ It was the Office of the Gibeonites to provide it and to attend upon all the servile work of the Temple Jos 9.23 27. And Joshuah gave them that day to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Congregation and for the Altar of the Lord that is for the Priests and Sacrifices of the Altar even unto this day in the place which he should choose And ver 23. Drawers of Water for the House of my God Hence they came in after times to be called Nethinims Nehem. 10.28 Ezra 8.10 as much as to say the people that were given or appointed unto that use But whence the Gibeonites did fetch the Water it is not much material to inquire about that they had it either from Wells or Springs neer at hand or it may be there were some Springs even within the Courts of the Temple as in Ezekiels visionary Temple which one calls a visionary Varnish upon an historical ground-work Ezek. 47.1 So much for the History of this Type 2. Now for the spiritual sense and scope of it 1. The main thing aimed at in this typical Sea or confluence of Waters in the Temple is our spiritual washing in the Blood of Jesus Christ from sin and from uncleanness For it is said Revel 1.5 He hath loved us and washt us from our sins with his own Blood 1 Joh. 1.7 the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Therefore the Saints are presented to John after the tribulations and persecutions of Antichrist are come to an end as being clothed with white Robes Revel 7.9 And how came their Robes to be so white and clean see ver 14. These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Hence the Holy Ghost doth not express it under that phrase of a Sea of Blood partly because that Blood and a Sea of Blood is in nature dreadful and horrible and looks rather like an emblem of destruction and misery and partly because the scope and aim of the Spirit is to describe the Blood of Christ from the spiritual efficacy of it which is to make the Soul spiritually white and clean Therefore fitly presented under the emblem of a Sea or a confluence of spiritual Waters because as Water washeth and cleanseth the Body so doth the Blood of Christ wash and cleanse the Soul it washeth away the guilt of sin They have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. This is that Fountain which is set open for the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness Zach. 13.1 That great priviledge therefore of Justification by the Blood of Christ whereby we are justified from the guilt of all our sins seems to be the thing primarily and chiefly intended in that molten Sea of old and in this Sea of Glass like unto Crystal which was before the Throne 2. The Scripture speaks also of the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost it is the Apostles phrase Tit. 3.5 there is a spiritual washing of the Soul in the regenerating work of the Holy Ghost upon the Soul As in Justification we are washed from the guilt of sin so in Regeneration we are washed from the inherent filth and dominion of it therefore in Conversion or Regeneration we are said to be born of Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 that is of the Spirit working and acting like water to wash and cleanse us 3. There is a Laver of Baptism for God hath instituted such an Ordinance as washing with Water under the Gospel Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them And as there is this general analogy in the nature of the thing so likewise in this circumstance that as this Sea and Laver was placed in the Courts of the House of the Lord and they were to wash therein before they went about the business and service of the Temple so Baptism is the initiating Seal and Ordinance of the New Testament 4. Here is some shadow likewise of all Gospel-Ordinances in general for look as this vessel did contain the Water for the use of the Priests so do the Ordinances spiritually contain the Blood of Christ for the use of Believers The Laver was made of the molten Looking glasses and Solomons of bright Brass wherein as they might see their Faces so in the Ordinances a Believer sees Christ as in a Glass which is the difference between the state of Grace and Glory 1 Cor. 13.12 for now we see through a Glass darkly but then face to face as the Apostle there expresseth it
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
of the Pagans and to disguise them with a new Name that those Festivities which had been kept before in the Devils name might now be kept in Christs own name to his greater dishonour Besides there is little probability that the true time of Christs Birth is stumbled upon and many learned men confess there is a mistake as to the time and that it must needs be at the Feast of Tabernacles and not in December Moreover God usually gives men up to more sin then then at other time which is a further evidence of his Displeasedness with the Observation of it It was Latimers complaint of old in the days of King Henry the eighth That Christ was more dishonoured in the Twelve Days then in all the whole Twelve Months besides Ye observe days and months and years I am afraid of you that I have laboured in vain says the Apostle in Gal. 4.10 11. it is a sign the preaching of the Gospel hath been very much in vain among the people when they retain the Observation of such times the Apostle speaks of the days and times that men have invented not of days that God hath instituted to be observed It is said of Jeroboam 1 King 12.33 that he offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month the month which he had devised of his own heart which he had lyed or feigned quem mentitus est The Lye of it appears in this that they pretend to do it to the honour of Christ when indeed they do it to his dishonour and therefore it is as a brand set upon him on this account which he lyed in his own heart so it is but lying for men to keep days of their own invention and the Lye appears in that they pretend to do it for the honour of God and of Jesus Christ whereas they unspeakably dishonour him thereby It is the framing of a Lye in mens own hearts when they keep such days Obj. But should we not celebrate the memorial of our Redemption by Jesus Christ why should we forget the memory of these things should we not remember how Jesus Christ suffered and hath sent his Spirit amongst us and came to tabernacle in our Flesh Answ Yes but the Lord commands us to celebrate the memory of it once a week and for us to put him off with once a year is to put him off with less then he requires to give him a day in a year when he requires a day in a week for the memorial and celebration of this thing Moreover there is a way whereby people may keep the Passover and Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles that is we should keep them under the Gospel every day As some say every day should be a Christian Sabbath But that is not true for a Sabbath is a day set apart from our Callings but six days shalt thou labour saith the Commandment But we should make every day our Easterday every day our Pentecost c. Obj. But why should not Christians be as holy as the Jews and therefore keep these Feasts as well as they how should we keep them every day Answ We are to keep them in a spiritual and Gospel way but not legally and literally for the Letter killeth but the Spirit is Life The Apostle exhorts let us keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 Now if you would keep the Feasts of Fassover Pentecost and Tabernacles aright it consists chiefly in three things 1. To be much in the exercise of Faith in the acting of a true and pure and lively Faith upon the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ as the true Lamb of God I say in acting Faith or drawing nigh with a true heart in full assurance of Faith and this is the true Passover and the true keeping of that Feast Heb. 10.22 Let us keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 without the leaven of Hypocrisie of seeming Faith and seeming Holiness with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth That is the right keeping of the Passover when men live not upon their own Righteousness trust not in their own Duties but being sensible of their sinful undone wretched estate act Faith and exercise their thoughts upon the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ this is the right keeping of it indeed 2. Be ye filled with the Spirit get a great and large measure of Gods Spirit this is the true Feast of Pentecost Ephes 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess as the Holiday-keepers use to be through the Justice of God because they observe their own inventions but be ye filled with the Spirit Do not sit down with common Gifts and common Graces and common Workings but get and labour after the saving work of the Spirit and be not content nor sit down satisfied with some little beginnings of a special saving work with saving Grace in truth and in sincerity in little measures and degrees but labour after a great degree and measure of the Spirit of Grace after strength and growth of Grace as well as truth of Grace be ye filled with the Spirit c. 3. Behold and see the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This is the true Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles Get a real sight of God so as to behold his Glory as he is manifested in the flesh and as God dwells in our Nature Joh. 1.14 the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us came and pitched his Tabernacle among us and we beheld his Glory We cannot see God in himself he dwells in Light and Glory inaccessible as we cannot look upon the Sun in its own Brightness but we may see it in a pail of Water so we may see the infinite Majesty and Glory of God in the Flesh of Christ The Tabernacle of Jesus Christ is a thing to be beheld by Men and Angels to see more into the Glory of God 〈◊〉 get acquaintance with the mystery of the Father and of Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.2 3. that ye may be knit together in love and comforted and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg But beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of men after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ ver 8. for in him ver 9. dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Labour therefore to see God in Jesus Christ we are not able to behold that infinite Majesty but only through the veil of the Flesh of Jesus Christ as shining in his humane nature And this is the mystery of the Feast of Tabernacles and the right and Gospel way of celebrating of it Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things THE GOSPEL of the FEAST of TRUMPETS Jan. 21.
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
break Bread every Lords day And in the primitive times the Sacrament was the concluding Ordinance But Man did not eat of the Tree of Life for then he had been confirmed and lived for ever Gen. 3.22 therefore it is not likely that he stood in his integrity to the end of the Sabbath And as to the time of the day wherein he sinned it seems to have been about eating time at dinner about noon eating what they should not being the thing wherein they sinned And after his Fall it is said that God came and spake to them in the cool of the day Gen. 3. ver 8. This seems to have been about that time of the day which the Scripture calls the ninth hour which is after our reckoning about three a clock in the afternoon So long they were in darkness and under guilt of their Sin before the Promulgation of the Gospel to them Wherein some have observed a congruity in that Jesus Christ was under those his infinite Sufferings upon the Cross the same space of time from the sixth hour to the ninth Matth. 27.45 46. And it being thus Man in his first sin and fall did break all the Commandments at once as he brake all the rest so he sinned upon the Sabbath day This seems by all the circumstances of the Story to have been the time of his Fall But to think that he fell on Tuesday the tenth day from the Creation there is nothing in the History to evince it Others think this Fast on the day of the seventh month was appointed in remembrance of the great Sin the Idolatry of the Golden Calf Exod. 32. But we may rest in that the Text mentioneth as the occasion of this Ordinance viz. the Sin and Death of Nadab and Abihu And there is a threefold Instruction we are here to learn Obs 1. Here we are taught first That there must be holy fear and reverence in approaching to God in his Ordinances an holy fear and dread of sinning in the manner of his Worship and that it is a dangerous thing to worship God otherwise then he hath appointed Men should take heed of it that they die not as Nadab and Abihu did for this sin they incur the danger of Death both Death temporal and eternal Though God doth not usually smite men with visible Judgments but when they are first in any transgression yet there is a spiritual fire and wrath upon their spirits for it which is worse then outward Judgments Obs 2. The Lord takes hold of the saddest occasions to bring in Dispensations of the greatest good and mercy to his people Light out of Darkness Heaven out of Hell good out of evil to those that he hath set his Love upon Obs 3. When some are slain and die in and for their sins the Lord provides for the Salvation of others that they die not Now to come to the thing it self Moses is to charge Aaron that he come not into the Holy of holies at all times nor in any manner but at Gods appointed times and in such manner as he requireth This manner is here described at large It consists chiefly in three things 1. His washing himself 2. His holy Garments And 3. His propitiatory Offerings 1. That the Priest must wash before he put on his Garments and before he present his Offering is an intimation of his Purity and Cleanness Hence that expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water This is the first thing he is to do So Christ Matth. 3.16 was baptized before he entred upon his Ministry and he was perfectly holy and pure not having the least defilement of sin upon him though he had taken on him our Nature and all the other Infirmities of it Vid. On the Priests Consecration Exod. 29. 2. As to his Attire here be two sorts of holy Garments mentioned in the Services of this day the holy Garments ver 4. and other holy and most costly Garments ver 23.24 Some call the former his White Garments and the other his Golden Garments 1. This Priestly Attire was an emblem of spiritual clothing Psal 132.9 Let thy Priests be clothed with Righteousness and let thy Saints shout for joy and ver 16. I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation Job 29.14 I put on Righteousness and it clothed me my Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem This then speaks the Grace and Holiness that was in Jesus Christ and ought to be in Ministers such Garments Ministers should be clothed with 2. Those two sorts of Attire the White and the Golden Garments signified the different estate and condition of Jesus Christ when he performed the great work of our Redemption and made atonement for us he did it in much meanness and abasement Isai 52.14 his Visage was marred he was without external Pomp and worldly Glory in the form of a Servant made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 though with Holiness and Purity and Innocency He had white Garments on though they were but plain But as there is a clothing of Grace so there is a clothing of Glory 2 Cor. 5.2 4. And after his Resurrection when he had been in Heaven and returned again and arose and appeared from the dead he did change his Raiment He wore the garments of Holiness here but when he entred into the holy place even into Heaven he did put on garments of Glory These were the holy Garments on this day of Expiation Now the third thing is the Offerings of Atonement and they were of two sorts for the Priest and for the People 1. For the Priest himself and for his own House ver 3 6. This teacheth us the insufficiency and imperfection of the legal Priesthood Heb. 5.1 2.3 we need a better High Priest and we have one Heb. 7.26 27 28. The Priest was first to make atonement for himself and for his own sins that so he might be fit as a figure of Christ the true High Priest to make atonement for the people They that lie under unpardoned guilt themselves are not fit to be Mediators and Intercessors for others The Priest had three things to do in reference to his own Sacrifice 1. He was to kill it and so to make atonement with it v. 11. This was a Type of the Death of Christ the true Sacrifice 2. He was to offer Incense in the Holy of holies v. 12. This is a Type of the Prayers and Intercessions of Jesus Christ in the virtue of his Satisfaction Here are four particulars observable 1. As the High Priest did this before he sprinkled the Blood in the Holiest of all so Christ prepared his own way into Heaven by his Prayers and Intercessions Joh. 17. 2. The Incense was beaten small to intimate the anguish and contrition and brokenness of heart wherewith Christ prayed and interceded for us those agonies of spirit in his Prayers before his Death which he offered
the Honour of Saints and that the Lord should ease his people of the burthen of a few Festival days to lay upon them an heavier burthen by a greater number of them So that we see the Scripture doth abundantly and clearly condemn and testifie against these superstitious observations of days and times Reason 3. Consider further the deep dishonour that is done to God by these days every manner of way The common pretense is that they do it for the Honor of Christ but it is not good Intentions that will excuse bad Actions Jeroboam pretended very good Intentions 1 Kings 12.28 so did they in Exod. 32.5 they proclaimed an Holy day to Jehovah though they kept it in a rude manner but what saith the Lord to them even after all the Prayers of Moses for them ver 34. in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them He will not regard their vain pretenses for the truth is these days are celebrated rather in dishonour and as it were in despite of Christ then for any Glory to him For 1. They are a dishonour to his Holiness as if Christ were a God that delighted in Profaneness and Wickedness for he is dishonoured as some have well observed by letting the reins loose to all manner of Profaneness as much in the twelve days and in some respects more then in all the twelve months of the year beside Hence Mr. Perkins most truly and justly complains that the Feast of Christs Nativity commonly so called is not spent in praising the Name of God but in Revelling Dicing Carding 〈◊〉 Mumming and in all licentious liberty for the most part as 〈◊〉 it were some Heathen Feast of Ceres or Bacchus Perk 〈…〉 Creed Art of Christs Birth apud Gillesp Engl. Pop. Cerem p. 〈…〉 cap. 9. page 48. 2. It is an unspeakable dishonouour to his blessed Sabbaths for men to set their Days by his Days their Posts by his Posts their Altars by his Altars as Jeroboam devised a Feast of his own heart like unto the Feast that was in Judah 1 Kings 12.32 yea as Dr. Ames observes they were from their first use not only equalled unto but extolled above the Lords day Fresh Suit part 2. p. 84. Those Prelates saith Mr. Gillespy that will not abase themselves to preach upon ordinary Sabbaths think the high Holy days worthy of their Sermons Engl. Pop. Cerem part 3. cap. 1 pag. 13. Yea they can write Books against the Sabbath as Heylin White Pocklinton and others have done to pluck away that Crown of Glory and Preeminence which God hath set upon that day which he hath chosen and they set up their own devised days in stead thereof Common experience proveth saith Reverend Mr. Dod on the second Commandment p. 68. that all they which stand most for superstitious Holy days are greatest profaners of the Lords Sabbath and contemners of his Word 3. They do dishonour the Wisdom and Word of Christ for Christ the Lord of Time and the Lord of the Sabbath hath sanctified and instituted the first day of the week whereon he arose from the dead for the Commemoration of the great work of our Redemption by him and what can the man do that comes after the King and in those things that have been already done as Eccles 2.12 It is a bold and deep reflection upon the Wisdom of Christ to add thus to his appointments as if the Lord Jesus Christ himself were not wise enough to appoint days and times sufficient to keep his own Nativity Death Resurrection Ascension and all the great things he hath done for us in everlasting remembrance in the hearts of his Saints but the Devil and the Pope must help it out It is therefore in plain terms a profane speech of Dr. Hammond that when the Festivals are turned out of the Church it will not be in the power of weekly Sermons on some head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Christ in mens hearts View of Direct and Vindic. of Liturg. pag. 31. What are not the Institutions of Christ powerful to attain his own blessed ends unless they be pieced out with the additions of mens Inventions surely there is no Christian that hath found the experience of the saving Power and Blessing of Gods Ordinances to his own Soul but will detest and abhor to entertain such base and vile thoughts of them unless he hath forgotten that he was purged by them from his old sins 4. These superstitious Holy days introduced and brought in many other corruptions along with them as bad or worse then themselves like the unclean Spirit with seven Devils more sundry whereof are thus expressed by Dr. Ames Fresh Suit against Cerem part 2. pag. 84. They were saith he from their first rise not only equalled unto but also extolled above the Lords day Easter brought in a superstitious Lent to attend upon it made Baptism wait for her Moon and conformed our Lords Supper to the Jewish Passover in unleavened Bread It was the first Apple of Contention amongst Christians The Latin and Greek Churches striving contending fiercely about the time of it and Victor Bp. of Rome desperately excommunicated those that were not of his opinion in this frivolous Question So that it was the first Weapon wherewith the Bishop of Rome played his Prizes against other Churches and after slew so many Britains with by Austin the Monk Holy days devised by men in honour of Christ invited and drew on Holy days to Saints with many other mischiefs more then can be now numbred up And therefore upon all accounts God is dishonoured by them And so much for that third Reason Reason 4. The true yearly time for the Celebration of these Festivals is not certainly known but much disputed among Chronologers and Divines so that Holiday-keepers cannot affirm that they do commemorate opus diei in die suo the Lord having hid it as he did the Body of Moses to prevent Idolatry The fierce contention for the space of two hundred years or thereabout between the Greek and Latin Churches about the time of celebrating Easter is famous in Ecclesiastical History the Eastern Churches kept it on the fourteenth day of the first month when the Jews kept their Passover from whence they were called quarto-decimani But the Western Churches kept it upon the Christian Sabbath in commemoration of Christs Resurrection who rose upon the first day and both sides pretended Apostolical Tradition for their different practice The difference grew so hot that Victor Boshop of Rome being full of the spirit of Antichrist excommunicated all the Asian Churches as being Fourteeners and as Judaizers Afterwards Constantine the Great called the Council of Nice to compose these differences in the Churches who thought it best to keep it upon the day of Christs Resurrection but they had done better if they had utterly abolished it as the great reforming Parliament did in England But thus we see what a bone of Contention
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
All this pointed them to and was most eminently fulfilled in Jesus Christ the only true High Priest in and by whom alone God speaks his mind and works his Image in us In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and he is holy and harmless and separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners He wears the true Vrim and Thummim always upon his heart Illuminations and Perfections Lights and Graces in the highest And we have nothing of either but what we have from him Our Lights are from him 2 Cor. 4.6 Matth. 11.27 our Graces are from him Joh. 1.16 of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses ver 17. these legal shadows of terror and darkness but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Grace instead of legal terror and rigour Truth that is accomplishments and performances instead of shadows and promises came by Jesus Christ It follows ver 18. no man hath seen God at any time that is by any Light or Grace or Power of his own but the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him The true Vrim and Thummim is in the Pectoral of Jesus Christ all our Illuminations and Perfections are in him 4. Whereas this Vrim and Thummim were lost in the Captivity in Babylon and wanting in the second Temple Ezra 2.63 Nehem 7.65 They wanted this as they did some other vessels and monuments as the Golden Pot of Manna Aarons Rod that budded some think also the Ark and the two Tables of Stone were wanting in the second Temple but as to the Vrim and Thummim those Texts seem clear for it nor had they the Cloud of Glory as in the Tabernacle and in the first Temple or Fire from Heaven The end of all this Dispensation was to teach them to look and long the more earnestly after Jesus Christ the true spiritual Glory of the Temple and Church of God whose coming was now approaching and drawing on apace These abatements of that former outward Glory were preparations for more spiritual Dispensations under the Gospel wherein those outward Glories were not to be expected and in the mean time they had the Law of Moses and the written Word of God in the Old Testament which they were to cleave and stick close unto Mal. 4.4 But when Christ came he restored to his Church in a more glorious manner the true Vrim and Thummim Light and Grace was poured forth abundantly even upon such who by reason of the long intermission of those extraordinary Operations of the Holy Ghost had not so much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghost or no. Acts 19.2 6. The Jewish Writers have a saying and a tradition amongst them that after the latter Prophets Haggai Zechariah and Malachy the Holy Ghost went up and departed from Israel They mean in those extraordinary operations of it and they reckon Vrim and Thummim as one of the degrees of the Holy Ghost inferior to the Spirit of Prophesie but superior to that Bath-qol as they call it the Daughter of a Voice or an Eccho from Heaven which was heard sometimes in the second Temple and which they say took place in the second Temple when Prophesie and Urim ceased We read of such Voices from Heaven to Jesus Christ Matth. 3.17 Joh 12.28 29. 2 Pet. 1.17 18. and he adds in the next verse we have a more sure Word of Prophesie This Bath-qol or Voice from Heaven it was a Prologue and a Preface and Type as it were of that true Voice of the Father the eternal Word of God Jesus Christ who came down from Heaven by whom God hath in these last days spoken to us who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in former times unto the Fathers but now only by his Son Heb. 1.1 2. 8. The eighth piece of the holy Pontifical attire was the Mitre of which the Text saith And he put the Mitre upon his head And it is said Exod. 28.39 thou shalt make the Mitre of fine Linnen This was one of the last Garments that was put on therefore Zechariah desires this in the clothing of Jehoshuah as the perfecting of the Mercy Zech. 3.5 and I said let them set a fair Mitre upon his head so they set a fair Mitre upon his head As to the shape and fashion of this Garment it was not unlike that which the other Priests wore and is called a Bonnet It was made of Linnen-cloth wrapped about the head in a round and high-crowned fashion after the manner of the East Some compare it to the Turkish Turbants or Tullibants some translate it a Hat As to the outward form and inward mystery of it there is little difficulty For a Mitre or a Hat upon the Head was an Ornament of Authority and Superiority over others Ezek. 21.26 Remove the Diadem Job 29.14 My Judgment was as a Diadem in which places is radically the same word as here in Exod. 28. The Mitre therefore was an Ornament and Ensign of illustrious sacred Eminency and Superiority in the High Priest over others It pointeth us to the Princely Dignity and Kingly Office of Jesus Christ He is the great High Priest and indeed both Priest and King of his Church the true Archbishop the chief Shepherd as Peter calls him 1 Pet. 5.4 Believers are called a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 but Christ is so much more He is not only a Priest but a Prince and a Prevailer with the Lord on our behalf 9. The ninth and last piece of the holy Priestly attire is the Golden Plate of which the Text saith Also upon the Mitre even upon his forefront did he put the Golden Plate the holy Crown It is called Exod. 39.30 the Plate of the holy Crown so called for that it was made say some somewhat like a Crown Compare Exod. 29.6 The use and nature of it is described fully in Exod. 28.36 37 38. The Inscription Quodesh la Jehovah may be rendred more emphatically the Holiness of Jehovah It speaks three things 1. The Royal yea the Divine Holiness of Jesus Christ that absolute Holiness whereby he sanctifies both himself and us Joh. 17.19 wherein he doth that really which Aaron did typically He is indeed the Holines of Jehovah Jehovah tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness is his Name Jer. 23.6 Hence he often appears with a Crown of Gold upon his Head as Rev. 14.14 2. His bearing our iniquities and taking away our sins which are found even in our holy things Exod. 28.38 There is a mixture in the best we do Many Believers are apt to be discouraged about it My Prayers are so full of unbelief and deadness and wandrings they deserve abhorrence and not acceptance Well but the High Priest here bears the iniquities of all the holy things of the Children of Israel 3. His causing us to be accepted
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
done the morrow after the Sabbath of the Passover and fifty days after at the Feast of Pentecost they were to offer two Wave-Loaves vers 17 20. Thus you see the matter of these Offerings The Rite and Ceremony with which they were offered was Waveing and Heaveing from whence they have their names of Wave-Offering and Heave-Offering Waveing that is moving it to and fro round about towards the East West South and North. Tenuphah agitatio from the Verb Nuph which in Hiphil is agitavit ventilavit Heaveing that is lifting it up towards Heaven Terumah from Rum elevari extolli These were Gestures some may think somewhat strange and hardly grave enough in the Worship of God But what was the mystery and meaning of them You will find that clearly expressed in Numb 8.11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an Offering of the Children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord. The Hebrew reads it as your Margin tells you thus and Aaron shall wave the Levites befor the Lord for a Wave-Offering of the Children of Israel This then was the end and the meaning of these Gestures to present and dedicate the thing to the Lord who if he will have it done by such or such a Gesture who or what is vain man that he should controle or find fault with the unsearchable Wisdom and sovereign Authority of the Lord God Almighty These words are used generally concerning all things given or dedicated to God as Exod. 35.22 And every one that offered offered an Offering of Gold unto the Lord Heniph Tenuphath agitavit agitationem he waved a Wave-Offering of Gold unto the Lord even Land it self Ezek. 48.8 9 10 20. Persons also are said to be waved as a Wave-Offering when dedicated to the Lord. Numb 8.11 For Wave the Greek translateth separate which word Paul useth speaking of his Designation to the Ministry Rom. 1.1 Some have observed something more in these Gestures especially that of waveing to and fro round about The original word is sometimes used for sifting in a Sieve Isai 30.28 That signifies Tryals and Afflictions Luk. 22.31 And so the Prophets apply this word unto Troubles Isai 10.32 and 13.2 and 30.28 The sense then will amount to thus much That the Saints and Ministers are spiritual Priests are consecrated to the Lord through sufferings As it is said of Christ the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2.10 so the Saints 2 Cor. 6.4 10. As the Wave-Offering was tost and waved to and fro and thereby dedicated to the Lord. There is some Controversy upon these Mede Disc 49. pag. 384. started by a learned man and one of much Light in other things however he mist it in this there being aliquid humanum in the best of men and humanum est errare no man but is subject to error and mistakes The Question is whether they were Ceremonial and ceased or Moral and Perpetual But the case is clear and easy concerning them both both the Heave-Offerings and the Wave-Offerings they were Ceremonial and they are abolished Object They were not Types of Christ Ans If they were Types or legal adumbrations of Christian duties or of any of the Benefits of Christ this sufficeth and is enough to make them Ceremonial and consequently abolished For the Types as hath been often said and proved and must be now again repeated do not relate only to the person of Christ but to all Gospel Truths and Mysteries Object They might be eaten by others besides the Priests and in other places not in the holy place only therefore could not be typical unless all the people and every Corner of the Land were typical Ans So might the Peace-Offerings in this Chapter Lev. 7.15 16. The Offerer had a share in them and yet they were Ceremonial and not Moral Moreover not only the Temple and the Priests there but the whole Land of Canaan and the people of Israel were a typical Land and a typical people and as hath been formerly and shall be further shewed all the Fruits of the Land had a typical Holiness the First Fruits being virtually the whole they were a typical dedication of the whole Object The Scripture expresly rejects other Sacrifices and Offerings and doth not mention these Ans Yet these are included by a parity of reason if the chief be rejected much more the lesser and inferior Object But Christians under the New Testament are bound to give part of their substance to the Lord and to his use and service therefore these are Moral Ans I answer it follows not for this is a moral duty to give part of our substance to the Lord but yet the Heave-Offerings and Wave Offerings are ceased that is the Ceremony is ceased but the substance or thing signified remains The formalis ratio of these Offerings did not consist as some have thought in prayer and thanksgiving for there was prayer and thanksgiving in other Offerings also as well as these yea in all their Offerings Are they not commanded to lay their hands upon the Sacrifice of Atonement by way of prayer and confession Cap. 1.4 But the formalis ratio of this and other Offerings doth consist chiefly in the Ceremonies ordained to be used about them which is a great part of that which distinguisheth one Offering from another as you have formerly heard therefore if Waveing and Heaving be not to be used under the Gospel as sacred and significant Ceremonies in the presenting and dedicating of our substance to the Lord the Wave and the Heave Offering are ceased But the Gestures of waving and heaving are not to be used as sacred and significant Ceremonies under the Gospel therefore the Wave and Heave Offering are ceased Vse 1. Remember those great Gospel Mysteries which are the scope of all Sacrifices which as you have heard are chiefly these two Atonement and Thanksgiving 1. Atonement and Reconciliation this was the great Mystery taught and held forth in all the propitiatory Sacrifices that we are reconciled unto God by the death and sufferings of his Son and that they had so great a multitude and variety of Sacrifices plainly taught them two things 1. The imperfection of all those legal Sacrifices it taught them to look beyond these for a more perfect Sacrifice then any of these which might serve once for all The Apostle expresly spells out this Lesson to us from the multitude and iteration of the Sacrifices Heb. 10.1 2. 2. This great variety of Sacrifices taught them also the various and manifold Benefits of Christ and of his death and blood Though Christ be one and dyed once for all yet the Benefits that come by him are many no one thing alone was sufficient to represent the fulness that is in Christ 2. The second great thing held forth by their legal Offerings is Praise and Thankfulness This was the intent of the holy Offerings as Atonement was of the most Holy This was the meaning of the Heave-Offering
and the Wave-Offering a thankful frame of spirit to dedicate and give up our selves unto the Lord to be owning God acknowledging and admiring God in every thing receiving it as from his hand and returning it to him again by using it to his Glory Vse 2. We see here the rise and withal the sinfulness of divers of the Popish Superstitions they borrow many of them from the Jews and from the Ceremonial Law As when they talk of a Sacrifice a propitiatory Sacrifice in the Mass for Quick and Dead and so to call the Communion-Table an Altar It is true we have an Altar and a Sacrifice under the Gospel but this Altar is the Deity of Jesus Christ this Sacrifice is the blood of Christ this is the true Atonement between God and sinners whereof the blood of Bulls and Goats was but a weak and low and shady representation So the Priest his lifting up the Host over his head as if it were an Heave-Offering and that late Abomination that they must do it on the north side of the Communion Table or Altar as they love to have it called To reintroduce these old legal Ceremonies and to talk of literal Sacrifices under the Gospel is to dig Moses out of his Grave and to deny Jesus Christ there is more evil in such things then many do imagine or will believe Vse 3. Exhortation to keep close to the Command of God in all the matters of his Worship Consider the 38 Verse of this Chapter This is the Law of the Burnt-Offering and of the Meat-Offering and so of all the rest of their Offerings which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the Children of Israel to offer their Oblations to the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai The manner of Worship is under a Command as well as the matter the Mode of Worship hath a Law which must be attended and observed and kept close unto Let me press this Exhortation that you would in all your Worship keep close unto the Rule of the Word with these four Motives 1. It hath been the great design of Satan in all times and Ages to defile and corrupt the Worship of God if he cannot perswade men to be downright Atheists and to say there is no God he labours then to drive them into the other extream of Idolatry and Superstition and to impose upon them with an Image with an Idol in stead of God and the hearts of men are like Tinder to the fire of these temptations The Stratagem hath been I think as successful and as advantageous to the Devils Kingdom as any that ever came into that Old Serpents head When or how soon this delusion came into the world I need not here dispute Certain it is it was very early for we have express mention made of it amongst Abraham's Ancestors Josh 24.2 Now the Call of Abraham was but four hundred twenty-seven years after the Flood or thereabout as you will find if you compute and put together the Ages of those ten Patriarchs recorded Gen. 11 with Gen. 12.5 So that mankind having been cut down with a Flood but a little before for Atheistical profaneness and wickedness they were lost again and the whole world in a manner overwhelmed and drowned as it were with another and worser Deluge of Idolatry within that short space of four hundred years or thereabouts for unto that Period as I conceive the Rise of Idolatry must be referred And what was the great sin amongst the Jews Was it not this And amongst the old Heathens and Pagans and amongst the Papists and other superstitious Christians at this day What is the great Design and Work of Christ in this Age the work of this Generation but to bring forth his Worship into purity that the new Jerusalem may come down from Heaven This therefore Satan studies chiefly to oppose and so to countermine the Lord Jesus in his great Work And will you take part with him and be on his side against the Lord 2. It will be varnished over with fair colours and plausible pretenses departing from the Will of God revealed in his Word in the matter of his Worship hath ever been so The Image that fell down from Jupiter cryed they Act. 19.35 this was given out for that Ephesian Diana so the Whore of Babylon gives the Wine of her Fornication in a golden Cup. Rev. 17.4 And as the Light increaseth so the Crafts and Methods of Satan are more refined and more subtile and spiritual In the first times of the New Testament he did appear almost like himself in the shape of a great Red Dragon in the Roman Pagan Emperors but when Michael and his Angels overcame and overthrew him in this appearance Rev. 12. Then he puts on a new Vizard and appears in another shape of two wild Beasts Rev. 13. but still pursues the same design though under new pretences and by other Instruments viz. by the Church and Pope of Rome For he hath made it his business ever since the time of Constantine the Great to revive the old Heathenish Idolatry under other names that the world might not be said Idola relinquere but simulacra mutasse that whereas before they worshipped the Devil under the names of Jupiter Diana and Apollo c. now they commit the same Idolatry and worship the same Devil still but under the names of popish Saints Now it is not Jupiter and Diana any more but St. Francis and St. Becket and the Vicar of Christ and the holy Catholick Church of Rome thus doth that Harlot paint her face so the prelatick Superstitions at this day those Reliques of Popery are painted over with those glozing pretences of Antiquity Fathers Councils Order Decency Edification the Peace of the Church and such like 3. If once you leave the Rule of the Word the will of God revealed there and begin in a way of Superstition you will never know where to stop or stay nor where to make an end but you will multiply your Idols and increase your Idolatries and grow worse and worse As in those sensual lusts of drunkenness and uncleanness the poor Creature saith I will seek it yet again so in these spiritual lusts they are unsatiable Ezek. 16.28 because thou wast unsatiable It is an endless sin If you do but wear a Surplice for peace sake why not as well admit the Sign of the Cross in Baptisme or bow to an Altar And then within a little while the same reason is as strong for bowing to an Image to a Crucifix and why not as well say Mass too for the peace of the Church And then at last swallow down every thing submit your Consciences to the Pope worship the Beast and so be damned and go to Hell and all for the peace of the Church O there is no end here but like a man that is tumbling down a steep Hill that cannot stop till he come to the bottom Popery came