with golden vessels and divers instruments according to the command of God which command was given to Solomons father David who as God had shewed him directed Solomon for the building of it in Jerusalem But now in the everlasting Covenant of God he dwelleth and walketh in his people and their bodies are his Temple and he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands seeing that he giveth to all life and being the heaven of heavens cannot contain him much lesse could the Temple which Solomon built him and so the time is come wherein God is worshipped in spirit and in truth and not at Jerusalem as Christ said for that Temple was but a figure for the time then present of a Temple not made with hands so all that receive the spirit of the Lord walk in it they become a fit habitation for God through the spirit who dwelleth with the contrite with the meek and lowly in heart who are led by his spirit And in the holy City where the Lord makes his people Citizens there is no Temple but the Lord God is the Temple thereof and he is all and in all his Saints so seeing that that form of worship is ceased which was in the Jewes Temple which God commanded and the Lord hath forsaken that Temple much more is that worship and these Temples without to be denyed which God never commanded as the Gentiles Temples and these Temples that are builded by the Papists and in the idolatry which many calls Gods houses or Temples but be not deceived with their vain words who cry the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord who know not the Lord whose dwelling is on high and also in his own people 1 King 6.2 Chro. 28.2 Chro. 3 4. 5. chapters 1 Cor. 3 16.2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 6 19. Acts 7.48 17.24 1 King 8.27 Joh. 4 21 22. Ephes 2 22. Isai 57.15 Psal 34.18 Rev 21 22. Jer. 7.4 19. Of the singing and praising upon outward Instruments which was used in the outward Temple MOreover there was several men of Israel appointed for officers and overseers in the temple that Solomon built and then there was singing songs of praises and praising God with Cymbals psalteries and harps and such instruments used David in his time with Organs other instruments of Musick which was in the time of the first Covenant which stood onely in the figures but they that were officers is in the house of the Lord had portions given them by his institution according to every mans servitude in the house but it was onely the priests of the tribe of Levi that had the Tythes ordered them to dispose of according to the law of God who offered sacrifices and burnt offerings in the house of the Lord 1 Chro. 24. and 15. chapters Psal 150.1 Chro. 9 29. Levit. 6 21 1 Chro. 23 28 29. 2 Chro. 31 19 Ezra 2.62 Nehe. 12.46 Num. 18.26 But that worship without had an end and ceased and the songs of the Temple without was turned into Howling as the Prophets of God foretold and wo was unto them that invented to themselves Instruments of Musick like David for deceit and wicked men are gotten into that Musick which is used on carnal instruments and carnal people to sing in idols temples without as they pretend praises to God when their hearts are filled with unrighteousness singing Davids prayers praises and prophesies complaints lamentations in Rhime and Meeter which the Lord never required of them whose singing will be turned into weeping as theirs was who invented Instruments of Musick like David who were nearer in the form to David then these are now in their singing who now sing Davids conditions but do neither praise God upon the harp nor other instruments as David did so that such worships neither with the spirit nor with understanding For by the spirit of the Lord are many brought to worship God according to his own will who being gathered into God who is the Temple in his holy place they are come to pray to sing and to praise him with the spirit And I saw harpers harping with their harps which are the prayers of the Saints so that he that is led by the Spirit of God with it knows when to pray and how to pray worship according to the mind of the spirit which is acceptable to the Lord but all praying worshipping that's out of the spirit of truth in mens own wills and their own appointed times by carnal observation is neither regarded nor accepted of the Lord and the prayers of the wicked are abomination unto the Lord who often pray but never truely waits for nor receives an answer from the Lord but still remaines in wickedness and sensuality while their minds are estranged from the light and spirit of Christ for want of following and minding his spirit they pine away in their wickedness which dryeth up their souls Amos 8.3 5.23 6.5 Rom. 7.6 Rom. 8.15.26 1 Cor. 14 15. Rev. 5.8 Ps 109.7 Prov. 28.9 Jer. 7.12.14 26.6 20. Of the overthrow and destruction of Solomons Temple and the building it again and its destruction the second time BUt after Solomon had built the Temple Israel forsook the Lord God and defiled his house and served other gods committing Idolatry against the commands of the Lord God in so much that God did with them as he did with them and the Tabernacle in Shilo for he forsook them they were taken captives by Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babylon who destroyed that house which God had commanded and it and all the houses of Jerusalem were burnt with fire and the Israelites were captives in Babylon as the Prophets had prophesied But after this the Temple was builded again according to the command of the God of Israel wch came by his Prophets Haggai and Zechariah unto the Jews and unto Zerubabel and King Cyrus and after unto King Darius who fulfilled the command of the Lord in causing the Temple to be built again and in setting the officers and things pertaining to it in order as the Lord God had commanded And after these things Christ prophesied of the overthrow of the Temple and said there should not be left one stone upon another that should not be thrown down 1 Sam. 4.12 Ps 78.60 2 King 24.2 25.8 Ezra 5.12 Hag. 1.1 Zech. 1.1 Ezra 6. Mat. 24.1 2. Mark 13.1 Luke 19.44 21.5 So now the sum and fulness of all things in the Covenant of life being made manifest which is the Covenant wherein God establisheth his own seed and remnant let all that hunger and thirst after God for their souls health come unto Christ the light the fountain of life and wisdom in whom the treasures of life are set open to them that fear the Lord and wait in his light whose fulness cannot be contained nor comprehend in any carnal or visible things for they are changeable and the earth the things thereof waxeth old and they
many thousands and this I say before you and before the Gentiles that you eyes might wair upon the Lord God and you may have respâ—ct to the holy One of Israel who is descended and revealed unto and in many of the children of men and hath given gifts unto men yea he hath received gifts even for the Rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them Psa 68. marke Here is the end of the outward Temple which God departed from here the Lords Temple or Tabernacle is among men and his sacrifices are a broken spirit a brokeâ— and contrite heart and this doth his gift bring many to witnesse who come to feel their hearts prepared and firted for the Lord by his own good spirit or gift which he freely bestowes upon them and this is he whom God hath given for a Covenant who hath ascended and received gifts even for the rehellious this is the Shilo that was promised and this is he unto whom the gathering of the people must be Gen. 49. And this is the Prophet whom God promised unto Moses to raise up whom the people was to hear and whosoever will not hearken unto him shall be cut off for God will even require it of him that will not hearken unto the words of God spoken by him And saith h the Lord God I will give him for a Covenant unto tâ—e people and for a light unto the Gentiles yea for a Leader to be my salvation to the ends of the earth mark this is the true Leader who is the light the everlasting covenant now since that your fathers have broken the first covenant that the Lord God made when he had brought Israel out of Egypt It is expedient for you that you turne your mindes from the outward Temples or Synagogues from the outward offerings and outward things that pertained to the first covenant and looke unto the holy one of Israel who is the salvation of God freely tendred unto you that by him your hearts may be cleansed and you saved from your manifold transgressions and offences and be established on an everlasting foundation least that through your obstinacy and wilfulnesse and rebellion you be found in your fathers iniquities and so perish with them that God destroyed for Israel was as the sand of the Sea in number yet it was but a remnant that were saved or preserved in comparison of the number that were destroyed and had it not been that the Lord of Hosts had left unto Israel a smal remnant they had all been unto the Lord as Sodome and as Gomorrah whom God destroyed read Isa Is and Chapter the 10th and even so it would be with many Nations but that God hath respect unto his heritage the seed whom God will sift from among the Nations and gather into his everlasting covenant that a right vine plant may grow up among them which plant he wil cause to take root and to spring up and bring forth fruit in abundance this is he that cometh out of the stem of Jesse and out of the root of David unto whom the Gentiles shall seek and his rest shall be glorious who shall be for an ensigne of the people and the second time will the Lord set his hand to recover the remnant of his people unto him both out of the Sea Jslands and many far countries and he shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the foure corners of the earth Isa 11. mark this is the seeker and saviour of that which was lost unto whom the people must be gathered both of Jews gentiles yea this is the righteous plant upon whom resteth the spirit of wisdome of understanding of might and of the fear of the Lord whom man despiseth and the Nations abhoreth who is a servant of Rulers Thus saith the Lord concerning him Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy One of Israel and he shall chuse thee thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant to the people to establish the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages that thou maist say to the prisoners goe forth and to them that are in darknesse shew your selves they shall feed in the waies and their pastures shall be in all high places they shall not hunger nor thirst neither shall the heat nor Sun smite them for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them even by the springs of water shall he guide them and I will make all my mountaines a way and my high waies shall be exalted behold these shall come from far and loe these from the North and from the West and these from the land of Sinim Read Isa 49. Even this in the North and in several of the Islands of the Sea is come to passe already and believed by many who have been as desolate heritages but now the Redeemer is come who is bringing many out of bondage and out of the prison house of corruption and iniquity wherein many are yet in bondage unto whom this shall be reported and who shall be visited by this Redeemer and Saviour whom God is raising up and hath raised him up in his power and Majesty amongst many in the North Countries whom God hath gathered unto him and who now are led by the River of water which cometh from the everlasting fountain of life and mercies as many in the Island of England do and shall witnesse who were once desolate and as Gentiles by nature that knew not the everlasting covenant of light but now are come into the light and power of God in which God is setting up his holy mountain that his peomay find rest and dwell in safty and shall praise the Lord in the glory of his light and beauty of his holinesse Therefore ye in whom there is some sincerity and some thirsting after holinesse in whom Jacob is not wholly eaten up or destroyed nor his habitation quite desolate and in whom there is some thing of the truth appearing and kindling look ye unto the servant of the Lord the Elect the chosen one in whom his soul delighteth he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles for the spirit of God is upon him A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoking flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth judgement unto truth this is he that is given for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house his Law the Isles shall wait for Isa 42. and he shall sprinkle many Nations though he be dispised and rejected of men he being a man of sorrowes and acquainted with grief yet he groweth up as a tender plant and
is freely given and tendred to all Nations and none are hindered from having a priviledge or interest in it but they who are hindered and kept from it by their iniquities unbelief so you cannot justly challenge an interest in the Covenant because of any outward line or succession you are of since many of your fathers did provoke the Lord God to wrath who were cut off for their grievous abominations whose feed was mixt with the uncircumcised neither can you attain unto this Covenant wherein God presents his seed faultless by all your will-worships and carnal observations pertaining to the first Covenant where neither Priests nor people are without fault so are all short of the promise in the second Covenant which now the Lord God is fulfilling even among many who have been strangers and many of Israel after the flesh did seek after the righteousness of the Law but attained not to it because they sought it not by faith and stumbled at the holy one who is a stumbling stone in Zion and a Rock of offence Psa 118. Isai 28. which if you stumble at and seek after the righteousnes of the law by the works of the law then your expectations will fail you and you 'l be broken to pieces and scattered in Gods wrath and perish among the uncircumcised and Rebellious if you continue in hardness of heart and Rebellion against the Redeemer who comes to turn away iniquity from them that receive him and though many of Israel after the flesh did not or do not attain to the everlasting righteousness in Gods Covenant yet his Covenant shall not be disanulled neither will he fail thereof neither shall his City lie waste nor his habitation desolate for as a City may be builded in a Barren wilderness or desart place and the Elect one may spring up as a root out of a dry ground that groweth up as a tender plant and increaseth till it bring forth precious fruit even so can the Lord God raise up seed unto Iacob who is called Israel from among the heathen and outcasts who have been accounted as the barren places and as the dry ground that doth not bring forth fruit And as that wch was planted a noble vine wholly a right seed did become a degenerate Plant of a strange vine unto the Lord even so can the Lord take plants of a wilde vine and plant them into the true vine that they may receive nourishment from the true root and grow into the nature and become branches of the true vine and said the Prophet David thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it thou preparedst room before it and didst cause it to take deep root and it filled the land Ps 80. and now are the last dayes come and now is the accepted time wherein God is causing the light of Israel to break forth as a flame that shall burn up the stuble and the Bryars and the thorns which the wicked are compared unto and now behold the light appeareth to lead many thousands into the path of life and the way of peace that Israel may now remember his resting place and the people that are weary and deeply loaden under the burthen of their iniquities who does seek unto the holy One of Israel may come to find rest for their souls and in the light of the holy One they may come to learn doctrine who have murmured and they that have Erred in spirit may come to understanding Isa 29. and again it shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his pathes O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord Isai 2. Mich. the fourth chapter Now in these last days is the Lord God bringing this to pass that his holy mountain may be exalted and many may have a true desire to walk and come to walk in the light of the Lord which now he causeth to be Preached and published which Light many do oppose and many hates it and rejects it even many who make a professing of God in words but in practices deny him though they do build themselves up in their own imaginations and sets up their own knowledge but in resisting the light of the Lord these builders do reject the chief corner stone as it is written of them but he that believeth on him shall never be confounded nor ashamed for he shall be counted among the remnant that God hath chosen and gathered according to his promise as he hath promised Therefore behold the dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Country and from all Countries whether I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own land Read Ier. 16. and chap. 23. Now this in a great measure hath the Lord fulfilled and hath gathered and is gathering his seed in the North Country and he hath made his Arm and power so far manifest in many there that he hath made them able to War against Babylon who hath long oppressed the seed of Israel but spoilers and men of War cometh forth of the North that shall fight against and spoil Babylon whose weapons are the weapons of indignation which God hath given them to fight withal Isai 13. and Ier. 50. Chapters and the heathen that do resist the spirit and the powerful truth of the Lord who have laid desolate the habitation of Iacob and devoured him they shall dread before the Lord of hostes who goeth before his hoste and overturneth the wicked and casteth out the heathen that his vine may take deep root and spread forth her branches even as far as the Sea and the Lord God is pouring forth his spirit upon all flesh that both Sons and Daughters may prophesie as he hath promised which already is come to passe both among Sons and Daughters Ioel 2. cha therefore O ye dispersed ones consider these things and lay them to heart for the Lord is bringing them surely to passe and he is not slack concerning his promises he that believes them and waits in the light to see them fulfilled shall partake therein and his soul shall live and be satisfied and he shall come to praise the Lord God in his fruitful hill and rejoice in his salvation in the land of the living But they that live in pride and stifneckednesse and hardens their hearts against the counsel of the Lord and
their hearts and in their minds and his spirit in their inward parts that they are taught of God as he hath promised behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day wherein I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Aegypt because they continued not in my Covenant c. for this is my Covenant that I will make with the house of Jsrael after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord but they shall all know me from the least of them even unto the greatest saith the Lord Now this is the Covenant which Christ is the Meditator of And which he makes known and performes with his people who receive his Testimony which is the spirit of prophecy within them and witness his witness his Law and Judgments within and here they feel the mercy seat in the heavenly Tabernacle set open and the Vaile taken from off their hearts and in stead of hardness and stoney hearts he gives them an heart of flesh an heart to know the Lord according to his promise and this was more then many knew while the Tabernacle of mans pitching was standing for what was upheld in that Tabernacle was but a figure or shadow of the heavenly Tabernacle wherein the Lord is heard by all his people and his worship in the spirit is known which his Light leades them to which gives them understanding and causeth their Lamps to burn and fitteth them for the Lord that he makes his abode with them whose foundation stands sure and Tabernacle shall not be removed For it is builded upon the Rock of ages and the Lord hath a pure people to dwell among who are become Inhabitants of his holy City into which he will gather the outcasts of Israel and they shall not say the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to mind but they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord. Let him that can receive this Heb. 8. Heb 9. Rev. 21.3 2 Cor. 6.16 Levit. 26.12 Ezek. 37.26 Heb. 8. Jer. 31.32 Rev. 19.10 Ezek. 36.26 Jer. 3.16 17. 11 Of the outward sacrifices and burnt offerings Moreover in the first covenant there was sacrifices burnt offerings commanded of the Lord to be offered by the Priests both for the sins of the Priests and the sins of the people offerings of divers sorts the Bullock the Heifer the Ram and the Goat were sometimes offered and burnt for the sins of ignorance and for the trespass offerings and sometimes a pair of Turtle Doves and two young Pidgeons were offered and for Peace offerings sometimes a Lamb without blemish of the Male of the first year of the dock and this being taken and slain at the door of the Tabernacle the blood of the offering was sprinkled on the Altar and on the people for their Consecration after they had trespassed And the offerings that were made by fire were for a sweet Savour unto God and thereby his command for a time was fulfilled and his wrath appeased but these things did not purifie the people nor the blood of Bulls and Goats nor the Ashes of an Heifer cleanse the people as pertaining to the conscience for as there was dayly offerings made for sin there was dayly a conscience remaining of their sin and almost all things by the Law was purged with blood so all the many offerings and the divers washings and cleansings that were in the first Covenant did neither bring the people into inward cleanness nor to persection as pertaining to their inward state Exod 19.10 18. Levit. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Chap. Num. 15.19.3 4. Heb. 9. But now in the fulness of time according to the promises of God whereon the second Covenant is established God hath made manifest his own begotten Son who hath offered himself a Lamb without fault to God and by his blood he cleanseth them that beleeve in him from all sin and he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world through faith in his blood which is his life which he hath laid down and revealed in the saints And his righteousness being revealed his power and spirit is felt in the hearts of his people which is as a fire which consumeth the nature of the Bull the nature of the Heifer and the Goat and the Ignorance of the Ram which many are in who are bruitish in their knowledge and as natural bruit beasts then they are like unto the fat Bulls of Bashan and the wild heisers and as the rough Goots that are on the lest hand of God so it is the one offering Christ Jesus who redeemeth out of the brutish and the sensuall state that God is pleased in by which God hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified which could never be done by the offerings which were offered year by year according to the first covenant so the blood of Bulls and Goats and slain Beasts the Lord takes no delight in for the Cattell upon a thousand hills are his but a broken and a contrite spirit is a sacrifice to God and to him he looketh who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at his word and he that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck and he that offereth a Lamb as if he offered swines blood So these things without became an abhorring to the Lord because of the Abhominations of the people but God in his Son who is the true and undefiled propitiation is forever well pleased for he is a good Savour to his Father and so are all who are made conformable to his Image who are partakers of his Life and Divine nature So in the second priesthood the heavenly Tabernacle is manifest and the life of Christ is felt and shed abroad which sanctifieth his people who being an high Priest of good things to come by a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place haveing obtained eternall Redemption for us 1 John 1.7 2 2. Jer. 10.14 Jude 10. 2 Pet. 〈◊〉 12. Heb. 10.4 Psal 50.10 Psal 51.17 Isai 66.3 Heb. 9.11.12 12 Of the Ephod and consecrated garments wch Aaron and the Priests had ANd moreover in the first Covenant there was an Ephod of gold blue and purple and Scarlet and fine twined linen and a robe of the Ephod and about the hem of the robe was put Pomegranates and bells