a Candlestick to maintain and hold up the light of his holy truth in the world is by pouring forth upon their hearts the grace of his Spirit that so they might be enabled to suffer for it The Saints suffering for truth doth wonderfully tend to the confirming of truth in the earth and to the making of it acceptable amongst men in this world insomuch that in the first three hundred years after Christ the Churches sufferings for the truth occasioned this proverb That the blood of Martyrs was the seed of the Church Hence it is that the suffering Saints are called Gods witnesses therefore St. Paul tells you that the truth got great ground by his sufferings Phil. 1. 14. Use 1. O then how should this teach the Lords people to bestir themselves in the way of their duty O remember ye are God Candlestick and appointed by God for this purpose to keep up truth in the world O then how should this encourage the Lords people to appear in the defence of that glorious light of truth which God hath put into your hands and not to suffer it to be trodden down with so much ease as it is now in the world I do not mean nor say that the Lords people should betake themselves to any weapon besides faith tears prayers and sound arguments together with a bold standing up in the visible practice of the wayes and truths of God against all that is contrary to this truth These be the weapons that I mean and this is the contending that I plead for and as to this way of contending for the Faith what cause hath God to complain of his people as once he did of Israel of old No man is valiant for the truth O what little contending is there amongst Saints for the faith that was once delivered to them O what silly heartless dove-like spirits are the Lords people surprized withal who can sit and hear the truths of the Gospel rended in pieces before their eyes and in their hearing and not a word spoken for it or in the defence of it but instead thereof they out of a slavish fear do but too much comply with the wicked in it O brethren the precious truths of Sion are more worth then so more worth then not to have one word spoken for them O remember the Church is to contend for the faith and know that God will deeply charge home the neglect of this duty one day close upon your souls O therefore as you would avoid that judgement spoken of in the third of the Revelations ver 16. I beseech you brethren to labour to give up your selves to a holy contending for the faith O earnestly contend for the faith there is great reason so to do for the name of God is upon the Faith the Blood of Christ was shed for this faith the blood of all the Martyrs in all ages in the world hath been shed for this faith O the faith that was once delivered to the Saints is worth the contending for O that God would stir up your hearts to an earnest contending for the faith O set a work a praying spirit and a believing spirit O set on work your parts your pens your purses every way as you are able if the way be warrantable do you contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. Thirdly This Candlestick was made of pure gold this was to teach the Saints what they should and ought to be namely pure gold that is very sincere to God ward void of a heart full of guile and hypocrisie therefore saith our Saviour Mat. 5. 48. â—e ye therefore perfect as your heavenly father is perfect Fourthly This Candlestick was made of beaten gold which was to shew or set forth the glory and the excellency of the Church for as gold exceeds for glory and excellency Iron Lead Tinne or Brass so do the Saints all other men and women in the world Therefore saith the Psalmist Psal 16. 3. The Saints are the excellent of the Earth Though the blind world see no worth or excellency in the Saints in this life yet they shall know as Solomon once said that the Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour Prov. 12. 26. First The righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour for grace Secondly For their attendance for not gilded creatures but glorious Angels are the Saints servants Heb. 1. 14. Thirdly For the Saints food on which they live in respect of which all the dainties in the world or which the world lives upon are but husks and swines meat for the Saints live upon the Bloud and Flesh Word Spirit and promises of Christ John 6. 55. Fourthly The Saints are more excellent then others in point of inheritance for it s not an earthly Dunghil but an inheritance which is pure and undefiled which fadeth not away is the Saints birthright Pet. 1. 1 4. Fisthly The Saints are more excellent then others because they only can prevail upon the heart of God in prayer Prov. 15. 29. Sixthly It s so because its only amongst the Saints God delights to dwel 2 Cor. 6. 16. Psal 132 13 14. Use 1. O then what excellent Conversation should the Saints lead in this world what an engagement should this put upon the Saints to a strict holy walking that they should through grace be made of Gods pure golden Candlestick O therefore soul think with thy self when the Devil would at any time intice thee to sin against God or would draw away thy heart at any time from the Lord O say this to thy temptation O Satan I am one that belongs to Gods pure Candlesticks how should I dare to bespot my self with the least of impurities as Joseph answered his Mistress Gen. 39. 9. So do thou thy temptation How shall I do such a wickedness and sin against God Again As the Candlestick had three Bouls and Knops with their flowers upon it This was for Ornament to adorn the Candlestick that so it might the more appear in its glory and beauty to the beholder all which was to set forth the glory and beauty of the Church of God which by the righteousnesse of Christ and the Divine Graces of his Spirit is made more glorious then the gold of Ophir read Psal 45. 13 14. Isa 54. 11 12. Rev. 12. 1. The Churches glory is only discerned by an eye of believing a carnal understanding knows very little of this saith John 1. 3 1. The world knows us not certainly were not the glory of the Saints a hidden veiled up glory from the world its impossible but the Saints would be better intreated at the worlds hands then they are but however thou farest at the worlds hands let me advise thee to these two things First If the world shew thee and the rest of the Saints no favour yet pity them because they are held so much in a condition of darknesse as the Apostle speaks in 2 Cor. 4. 4. The God of
in the same kind of work yet the least Instrument or Vessel in the Tabernacle was employed and was of use even to the Tongs and Fire-pan both which were to right up the Coals on the Altar and to carry forth the Ashes of the Sacrifice Oh so it is in the Church of God there is not one there in that Body or Tabernacle but was appointed for use in the Church though their work may differ and their gifts may differ yet there is work to employ all so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. Where the Apostle tells you that there be given to the Church a diversity of gifts and operations for every man to profit withall in Verse 10. To one is given the working of Miracles to another divers kinds of Prophecy to another discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues but all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will So that you see every one in the Church of God is of some use or other for every one hath his proper gift every Christian in his place must do something in his Generation to help forward the glory of God Object But some will say their gifts are small and their graces small and they can do but little Answ It s true where God giveth but little he doth not require much but yet requireth the well-improvement of that little the unjust Steward though he had but one tallent yet he was cast into hell for the non-improvement of that what soul though thou canst not preach for Christ yet canst not pray to Christ for the Church and Gospel and Ministers and Ordinances of Christ what if thou wantest gifts to pray canst not shed some tears for a slain Christ a dying Gospel a starving perishing Ministry and an imprisoned company of Saints and banished Saints and what if thou hast no tears hast thou no sighs and inward groans for these things what if thou hast none of all this for Christ in his people what hast not a good word for them and what if thou durst not afford them a good word what hast thou not a piece of bread to send them or secretly â—o convey to them in their sufferings and what if thou wantest that to give them hast thou not a little dish to dip up a little water as thou passest by a prison door for them Matt. 25. 35 36 37 38 39. Oh let not the weakest Christian set himself aside to say I can do no work for God I want these gifts and parts which some have and therefore I can do little O soul though thou art but the fire-pan in the Church yet here is work to be done for thee though it be but to rid out the dung of the Sanctuary I mean by thy crying and sighing and praying to God that he would cast out that filth and dung out of his Church and Sanctuary that is of late crept into it Secondly It may inform us what the Children of God are and ought to be the holy sanctified ones of the times You read what God commanded Moses to do to the vessels in the Tabernacle when they were framed and fiâ—ted he was to anoint them all with holy oyl Oh so hath the Father anointed every true Believer with the oyl of Grace which came down from Christ so saith John 1. 16. And of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Hence is that of Peter speaking of the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ There is not one in the body of Christ but is sanctified and fitted by grace for the work God appoints him to do 1 Pet 2. 5. You are built up a spiritual sacrifice to God and set apart for holy uses to God as the things of the tabernacle were Psalm 4. 3. The Lord setteth apart the man that is godly for himself O therefore Sirs ye that are the Tabernacle vessels O labour to answer the end for which you were dedicated to God at the time of your Conversion and Calling remember the reason why you were caught out of the power of darkness it was for this purpose that you might be a holy people to God and might bring him home the fruits of righteousness in your lives for ever Titus 2. 14. CHAP. 27. Of the Tabernacle coverings I Come now to speak of the out-side coverings of the Tanacle which comprehended all the rest Now the coverings were of two sorts which we may call the inward or the outward coverings First the inward covering and that was very glorious Secondly the outward covering and that was as mean and uncomely As for the inward covering you may read what is said of that Exod. 36. 8. And every wise-hearted man amongst them that wrought the work of the Tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue purple and scarlet with Cherubims of cunning work made he them you may likewise see the outward coverings of the Tabernacle which seems to be as uncomely as the other are comely and glorious Ver. 14. with 19. And he made curtains of Goats hair for the tent over the Tabernacle ver 19 And he made a covering for the tent of Rams skins dyed red and a covering of Badgers skins above that Suitable to which coverings is the state and condition of the Church of God is it relates either to God or this world First as it relates to God so the covering that is upon the Church is very beautiful glorious which answereth to the coverings about the Tabernacle made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet with Cherubims of cunning work Exod. 36. 8. Which holds out to us the Righteousness of Jesus Christ with which the Church is cloathed withall which covering makes the Church truly beautiful and glorious in the eyes of God when this blessed covering of Christs Righteousness is put upon and hanged about the Church then doth the Church look fair in Gods account so saith the Apostle Col. 2. 10. And yea are complete in him who is the head of all Principalities and Powers That is when the Church is cloathed upon with this covering of Christs Righteousness then are you complete who are of that Church in Gods sight not else 2. Besides the Tabernacle covering agrees to the Righteousness of Christ I mean the Inner of the two coverings if we consider the obscurity of the Tabernacle covering it was not what was to be seen by every beholder for this covering was hid from the beholder by reason of another covering which was made of Rams skins and cast over it Read Exod 36. 14. with ver 19. So it is in the case of the Churches greatest glory in this life the Churches greatest glory and beauty doth consist of a being cloathed with
or forbidding the thing to be done by in the worship of God if the thing commanded or forbidden be in its self an evil but not the subjects in obeying the thing commanded or forbidden Thus you see how difficult the Devil labours to render the poor souls way to the good Land and how Satan fills the souls paths with discouragements and how much Satan is like to prevail without the infinite power of God be put forth to help and bear up the poor soul in his way to the good Land which leads me to the next particular which is this The wilderness of old might well be called the place of wonders because of the great miracles which the Lord did work for the Jews in their travels in that notwithstanding all the seeming deaths dangers the people past under in the Wilderness yet the Lord by a powerful hand brought them to their promised Land in safety So soul take this for thy comfort that whatever the opposition be that thou meetest with in the way to thy eternal Canaan yet bear up fear not for God will at last deliver thee out of the hands of all thy enemies and carry thee safely through to thy appointed rest of glory that thou mayest serve him in righteousness and true holiness in bliss to all eternity Luke 1. 74 75. O soul therefore hold up thy head the work is the Lords and although he suffers thee to tug with fearful difficulties and great oppositions yet know this that the battle is the Lords and he will fight it in thee for thee its true it may be as with Gideon thou art ready to cry out of thy own weaknes thy family is the smallest in Israel and thou the least in the family but let me speak to thee in the words of the Angel to Gideon Judges 6 12. Up for God is with thee thou mighty man of valour O soul the Lord is engaged to bring thee home to glory God hath sworn by his holiness that it shall be so therefore it must be so read Psalm 89. 33. 34 35 36 37. O therefore arise go out againâ—â— thy enemies fear them not but look them boldly in the face O look a corrupt proud lustful revengeful unbelieving worldly fearful dead backward heart in the face and look all the Devils in hell and wicked men in the world boldly in the face look all thy relations in the face look a wicked world in the face look â—ubtle inticing Apostates in the face O fear none of these things assure thy self there shall nothing of these prevail against thee for God will fight for thee and will be with thee in the battle he will do all thy works in thee and for thee Phil 2. 13. So that the gates of hell shall not prevail against thee O hearken to the voice of the Spirit of God in thy soul which will speak to thee as once Joshua and â—aleb did to the Israelites Numb 14 6 7 8. Fear not the Land which we passed over to search is an exceeding good Land if the Lord delight in us then he wiâ—â— bring us into this good Land a Land which floweth with milk and honey onely rebel nâ—t agaâ—nst the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us ear them not therefore for a close to this particular take these two places of Scripture and the God of heaven make them of use to the fainting doubting dying soul Deut. 31. 8. The Lord he is he that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee neither forsake thee fear not neither be afraid Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge underneath thee are the everlasting armes and he shall thrust out thine enemies before thee and shall say destroy thou them O therefore soul let me advise thee not to yield to thy temptations for assure thy self in time thou shalt reap if thou faint not Let the gates of Hell do what they can yet they shall go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again bringing their shears with them Psal 126. 56. And the raâ—sommed of the Lord shall return to Zion with songs and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads and they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Isa 35. 10. CHAP. 13. The next thing that we are to take notice of is their bunch of Grapes which was brought them from the good Land by the hands of their Spies yet notwithstanding they could not believe THis bunch of Grapes which were brought out of Canaan by the Spies might lead us to the sheddings abroad of the Holy Spirit of God upon our hearts if we truly believe for the end why God sent the Grapes of Canaan to the Israelites while they were in the Wilderness it was to assure their hearts to the making good those promises which God before made to their Fathers concerning their certain arrival at the Land of promise and so it was to be an earnest or pledge to them which believed of their right to the Land of promise that assuredly as they did eat of that bunch of grapes which came from â—anaâ—n so assuredly if they would believe the Lord would bring them safe home to the full vintage Now of the same use is the Holy Ghost which God sends down into the hearts of the faithful You may call the breathings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the godly the fore-running bunch of Grapes of the eternal Canaan which doth yield forth his blessed refreshing comforting chearing juyce into the hearts of the people of God God gives out the holy Spirit to assure the godly that the Land is a good Land unto which they are a travelling God gives his people the sweet sensible tastes of glory to come before-hand O how hath God drenched the souls of his people with draughts of this salvation sometimes when in an ordinance of God This made David prize so much the house of God Psalm 27 4. It was the coming down of those heavenly Grapes or spiritual Dews from the Spirit of God which did so much draw and atttact his heart thither-ward so much Psalm 36 8. For thou shalt abundantly satisfie them with the fatness of thy house and make us to drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures The work of which heavenly dews of the Spirit is to witness to and in our hearts about the great right we have by free Grace to the good Land of promise which is Heaven Rom. 8. 16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the people of God so 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us by his Spirit which he hath given us That is the Holy Spirit is given us to assure us of the right we have to heaven the Father gives it to his as the imagining pledge that
this ariseth from Christs merits bloud and righteousness as the procuring cause of all to this agreeth the words of St. Peter Pet. 1. 1 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father mark there is the act of the first person through the sanctification of the spirit there is the act of the third person unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ there is the act of the second person as the procuring cause and ground of all Or thus By the two Cherubims at the two ends of the Mercy-seat we many understand Christs standing between God and the rigour of his Justice in our stead and for our sakes that God might look on the Law through Christ as fulfilled by him for our sakes and in our behalf yet take this Caution along with you that although the Mercy-seat with its two Cherubims may be alluded unto as a Figure of the concurring agreement of the three persons Father Son and holy Spirit in and about the Salvation of the Elect yet this proves not a ground for any to attempt the making of any Image or similitude of either persons in the Trinity so as to Woship them by as the Papist blindly dream for it s said in Deut. 4. 15 That there was no similitude seen in the Mount so that what ever have been said of the three persons through the above said similitudes are not to be understood as Representations of his Divine Essence but of the works of God which are those several manifestations of grace which through Christ he applys to the Elect by his spirit So much as to the blessed Mystery of the Cherubims placed in the Tabernacle at the two ends of the Mercy-seat CHAP. 18. I now come to speak of the place where the Ark did lie in the Tabernacle THe place appointed for the Ark to stand in while in the Tabernacle it was under the Mercy-seat for we read in Exod. That when Moses had put the Tables wherein the ten Commandments were written into the Ark then did he take the Ark and carry it into the Tabernacle and placed it under the Mercy seat Exod. 40. 20. Then took he a veil and spread over it for a covering that it might not be seen ver 21. Now the great Mystery of this Type or Figure I conceive to be this First By the ten Commandments written in the Tables of the Ark I understand for the matter of it to be meant the Covenant of works which God made with all men in their Representative Adam in Paradise which Covenant we have all broken and so lie under the penalties of the breach of this Covenant in our selves for ever John 3 36. Rom 5. 12. Which Covenant came Jesus Christ to fulfil in the greatest exaction of it for all that ever Christ did or suffered in the flesh was to give this Covenant its full satisfaction in our behalf if we prove to be true believers Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse to every one that believeth Now by Moses his putting the fiery Law in the Ark under the Mercy seat I understand these things First That the moral Law as it is a Law or Rule of life to a Christian is not ceased as some would have it go you see it was not thrown away but only hid under the Mercy-seat and the hiding of it was what had relation to God more then to the people the hiding of the Law was to put out of Gods sight that he might never see it more it was not hid that believers should never see it more Secondly It was to shew us that the condemning accusing and eternal destroying power of the Law as it was the Law of the old Covenant and so a Law not satisfied for I say it was to shew that this Covenant or Law was taken away by the satisfaction which was given by Christ that as the Law made the creature before to subject to its terrours now Christ hath made the Law to subject to his merits for you see the Law is forced to lie under the Mercy-seat And besides it shews us thus much for the great comfort of all believers that God cannot look upon any of believers any more as in or under the old Covenant because the Covenant lieth hid under the Mercy-seat now if it did stand upon the Mercy-seat then indeed when at any time God had cast his eyes about upon the Mercy-seat it would have been the first thing that God would have had in his eyes But to prevent that it is a Law hid out of sigh a Law that must not appear before God a Law that must lie under the Mercy-seat a Law veiled up in the Mantle of rich and free grace that if God will at any time cast his eyes about that way where the Covenant lieth God must look through a whole heap of satisfaction before he can espie this old Covenant therefore saith St. Paul Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those which are in Christ who walk not after the flesh so Jer. 50. 20. In that time saith the Lord shall the iniquity of Isarel be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve But the question will be that if the moral Law was a Law hid out of sight and veiled up so as you speak then whether or no believers are to take any notice of it at all I answer It s true indeed as the moral Law was for the matter of it the old Covenant of works so it s a Covenant or Law hid from believers and in this sense a believer hath nothing to do with the Law nor the Law with a believer but when Jesus Christ on the believers part had fulfilled and satisfied the Law as it was formally the old Covenant he takes up the matter of the old Covenant which is the ten Commandments and makes it the Law of his Kingdom and so Imposeth it on his people as a Rule to walk by for ever in their several Generations but with differing respects in comparison to what the Law was to be subjected unto before for when the ten Commandments as it was for the matter of it the Covenant of works called for obedience from the creature before it was for life saying Do this and thou shalt live if not thou shalt die the death But as it s become for the matter of it the Law of a Mediatour and a Law in Christs hand and so a Law which comes forth to us from under the Mercy-seat it speaks otherwise then it did before not for life but from life not that you might live but because you do live not that you might get-heaven but because heaven is freely given unto you and bestowed upon you The Law in Christs hand doth not say you must repent and mourn for sin and get it mortified and be humbled and holy
things to the comers read Jeremiah 3. 33 34. with Ezekiel 26. 27. Read Proverbs 1. 22. 23. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and scorners delight in scorning and fools haâ—e knowledge turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit upon you and I will make known my words unto you Therefore soul let not the father of lyes keep thee any longer from Jesus Christ thy Gospel Altar but come with the greatest freedom and do not dispute so much thy unworthiness as the Lord Chtists sufficiency in point of righteousness for whatever thy life hath been though never so notoriously wicked yet in the name of God and by special commission from Christ we are to tell thee that neither the number of thy sins nor yet the greatness of thy sinnes can hurt thee but thy coming â—o the Altar of satisfaction where attonement is to be made for sinne this is it that will prove thy soul-destroying sinne for ever if thou take not heed of it Hence it is that David made the greatnesse of sin the onely ground of coming to the Altar Psal 25. 11. Lord pardon my Iniquity for my sinne is wondrous great Thirdly A third season when a Christian should have regard to the Altar of satisfaction is in corruption-prevailing seasons when the heart is overcome with the strength of corruption then is it a fit time for the soul to have much recourse to ths Altar corruption can never live if thou bring it to this place that altar upon which Christ died for sin will of all places in the world yield thee the greatest death to sin this is the sword of Goliah which hath none like it Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is Crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin But worthy of note is that place of the Apostle in the 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the work of the Devil As if the Apostle should say for this purpose was the Son of God manifested or for this purpose was the Altar of satisfaction erected and set up that poor souls might as well get sin and corruption mortified and subdued in them as to have the guilt of sin removed out of their souls O this is the tree of Life which standeth in the Paradise of God the leaves whereof will heal the Nations O therefore soul wouldst get down the power of sin in thy soul as well as to get out the guilt of sin from thy soul O then when ever corruption gets head be sure to bring thy soul to the Altar of satisfaction and atonement and there lay thy soul down at the feet of the Altar and beg of Jesus Christ that he would yield forth the blessed effects of his death upon thy soul that as he died upon the Cross to remove out of the way the guilt of thy sins so likewise he would be pleased out of his infinite mercy and love to drop something of his sufferings some vertue of his death into thy soul which might kill sin in thy mortal body Now this being done adding faith to the work thou needst not doubt but a blessed issue in time will proceed to the great joy and comfort of thy soul only labour for a waiting frame of spirit give God his own time to effect this work in thy soul for in time thou shalt Reap if thou faint not Objection But doth not the Apostle say in Hebrewes 13. 10. That we have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle then it seems all may not come with that boldnesse to the Altar of satisfaction as you say Answer The Apostle is not to be understood so much in treating about the guilt of sin as above the use of Ceremonies Now the dangerous condition of the Hebrewes was two-fold not only was their Case sad with respect to their distance from God upou the account of sinnes guilt But their danger did farther appear in this they having their Ceremonies for a Christ to rest upon this kept them from Christ indeed by which means they were deprived of the benefit of Christs Merits Bloud and Righteousnesse which only takes away the guilt of sin as the Apostle elsewhere saith Galatians 5 4. For Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are iustified by the Law you are faln from grace As if the Apostle should say certainly so long as you stick to your Ceremonies and Jewish Rights you are at a great distance with Christ Christ can profit you nothing for you have Converted the Tabernacle Service into a Christ and you rest here and you live upon the Shadow in the neglect of the true Substance Christ unto which these Types and Legal Shadows should lead you Therefore while you serve the Tabernacle in this sense you have no right to eat of the Altar Christ but otherwise let the souls condition be never so desperate by reason of sinne yet here is an open door for him to step into the Tabernacle and fall upon this Altar Christ with boldnesse according to that word of the Apostle in Hebrewes 9 13 14 14. So that there is no sinne how great soever makes the soul uncapable of partaking of the Altar Christ who hath a desire to make out after Christ but only the souls resting upon some thing else on this side Christ and shall make that and not Christ his bottom for Salvation CHAP. 24 Of the Grate of Network made to this Altar I Now come to speak about the Grate of Network which was made to the Altar and placed under the compass of the Altar which was about the midst of the Altar underneath Exod. 27. 4 5. The use of which was to let forth the Ashes through the small holes of the Grate when the Sacrifice or Burnt Offering should be offered before the Lord upon it Now the Ashes of any thing which is burnt we look on it as the Dross or Excrements of the thing burned so it is in this case therefore was the Grate prepared to convey the Ashes of the sacrifice under the Altar which was to be carried forth without the Camp This shews us this much First of all the exceeding rich usefulness of Jesus Christ every way for Believers First In point of Justification From hence Believers may assure themselves that when Christ became a Sacrifice to God for them in order to their Justification that God was well pleased with it which was for the great comfort of Believers publickly witnessed from Heaven Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased To this agreeth the words of S. Paul Ephes 5. 2. Christ gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour So much as this you may read in this blessed Type for there was nothing which was offered upon this Altar to
eye it was rejected Levit. 22. 22. The eye you know is the discerning part of a Beast and surely God hath no more regard for an eye-less sacrifice under the Gospel then he had under the Law for if knowledge which is the eye of the sacrifice be wanting it is an imperfect sacrifice and much blemished in Gods account therefore saith S. Paul in â— Cor. 14. 15. What is it then when I pray I will pray with the spirit and with understanding and when I sing I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding so that you see S. Paul was very careful to binde what sacrifice he had to offer God withall very fast to the Horns of the Altar Christ with this cord of understanding and indeed so should all Believers else labour for such a measure of knowledge and spiritual understanding of and discerning into the things of God so as to acquaint themselves with the nature use end vertue and excellency of the work and worship of God in which they are imployed as that they may be able to give God a reason of what they do as that when God shall ask them this question in their consciences as once he did the Jews in Isa 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hands They may be able to answer again with the Church in Isa 26. 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make men ion of thy name You know how God disregarded the Corinthians duties and sacrifices for want of a true discerning of the things in Worship which they adventured upon 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. Therefore my Brethren take S. Peters advice 2 Pet. 2 18. But grow in grace and knowledge that through the exercise of which grace you may so binde your duties to the horns of your Altar Christ as that through the not starting aside of your sacrifices you may be sure not to miss of the reward of your work 3. A third cord with which believers should bind their duties to the horns of their Gospel-Altar Christ is the cord of love and affection Love is and ought to be the spring of action it is not what services we do for God as the principle from whence they flow forth to God is the thing God looks at for did we offer God in one sacrifice the cattel upon a thousand hills yet if this comes not freely to God from a principle of love and affection God hates all when done notable is that place in the Psalms Psal 40. 6 7 8 sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire mine ear hast thou opened burnt offerings and sin offerings thou didst not require then I said lo I come as it s written of me in the Volume of the Book I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Though this Prophesie do principally concern Christ whose bloud was preferred before all the Sacrifices in the world with respect to the taking away of sin yet this Scripture may not be unfitly applyed to the Saints with respect to their right performing of duty which teacheth us thus much that unless that principle of delight or Law of love here spoken of be in the heart as a bottom to all our duties all our Sacrifices are of little value with God therefore in Levit. 1. 3. who ever they were that would offer any thing to God in Sacrifice he was to offer it with a willing mind the reason of it is given you by the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 7. For God loveth a chearful giver Use O then my friends labour after this grace of the holy Spirit O make it much of your business at the throne of grace that God would shed abroad much of his Spirit and Grace of love upon your hearts that so you might not miscarry in your work and service and for want of this blessed cord to tie your services fast at the horns of the Altar Jesus Christ O this is a blessed grace of the Spirit of God he that hath much of this in his heart is a rich man The world accounts those rich that have much of the wealth of this world in their houses but the word accounts them rich which have much of this grace shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost This makes duty acceptable this grace of love to God if in the heart will make a little Goats hair that is offered to God pleasing and acceptable in Gods sight Read Exod. 35. 23. and this will make thy weakest of groans very sweet to God O therefore forget not to labour after this precious grace and Jewel of the spirit of God for the more you have of this to love God withall the more God will love you the more will God delight in your duties love as we use to say is the loadstone of love it draws the heart of the object beloved to love again The Fourth Cord with which Believers should tie their duties to the Horns of the Altar Christ is sincerity and uprightness of heart in the things of God sincerity of heart to God is varnish to all our other gifts of the Spirit therefore doth Saint Paul prefer this beyond the highest gifts and parts and learning which men may be endowed with in this world 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Though I had the Tongues of men and Angels to speak with all yet if I had not Charity I am become a â—ounding Brass and a tinkling Symbal and though I have the gift of Prophesie and all Knowledge and understand all Mysteries and have faith so as to remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing Alas Brethren for men to get a headful of notions and to covet after gifts and parts to be able to talk and discourse much amongst the people of God or to be able to pray and preach much or to be able to speak well from a Text of Scripture If this be all that God sees in a man truly that man is but in an ill Case its true he may be of use to the benefit of others but all in vain as to himself therefore saith S. Paul I desire so to preach Christ â—hat I my self be not a cast-away As if Paul had said true I my self may be very useful with my gifts and parts to tie on the Sacrifices of others to the Horns of this Altar Christ yet all this while I may want the cord of sincerity to tie on my own Sacrifice therefore it is that God requireth so often in his word the heart My Son give me thy heart this God calls for often in his word as in Prov. 23. 26. By the heart is meant the uprightness and sincerity of the Soul concerning those things which the Soul shall set about for God hence you have it in 1 Samuel 16. 7. The Lord seeth not as man seeth man looketh at the outward appearance but God looketh at the heart Use O labour for this
cord of sincerity that you may find favour in the eyes of God touching what you do in his Worship O this is as the Gold about the Temple which made it so glorious to the beholders so doth this grace wonderfully adorn the Temple of our Souls to God in which God delights to dwell therefore are the prayers of the upright so delightful to God Prov. 15. 8. Never think your duties fast bound to the Altar Christ unless they are tied to the Horns of it with this cord O consider well that place in the 1 Chron. 28. 9. Davids words to Solomon and thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever A Fifth cord with which Believers should bind their duties to the Horns of the Altar Christ is a zealous fervent Spirit in the work and Worship of God as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. A Soul that acts carlesly in the Worship of the Lord is like a Cord let loose or slackt it gives liberty to the thing tied to role or start at pleasure A careless heat in Worship destroys all in hand and brings a Curse upon the person found under so filthy a frame of Spirit Many Christians insensibly perish and die to their growth in Sanctification and yet ignorant of the Reason of it alas it lieth here viz. in their giving way too much to a careless frame of Spirit in the work of God who can think or imagine that God will bless the means appointed for our growth in Sanctification when we come to the means and Ordinances of the Gospel void of hearts and serious spirits which should fit them for the blessing of it Luke 1153. The hungry are filled with good things but the rich are sent empty away We use to say that Gold is better worth then to give to Children to play withall so doth God account the precious things of the Spirit better worth then to give out to careless Children who rather play with holy things then truly prize them as it too too often appears by these two great evils First what respect to persons carelesness in coming to the Worship of God who can take their own times in coming as if it lay in their power to make it subject to their carnal interests in the world The second Evil is in persons slight behaving themselves when before the Lord in his Worship so that as men do behave themselves in this case accordingly are the dealings of God with them As to those spiritual things which God gives out to men in their waiting upon him in his Ordinances according to that word in Jer. 5. 25. Your iniquitiâ—s have turned away these things c. Use O then labour for this Cord of a fervent Spirit that you may fasten your sacrifices with Zeal to the Horns of the Altar Christ Friends beg of God for it O give not over asking and crying and praying untill you have got it let there be no neglect on your part in the getting of this mercy into your souls assure your selves that God will not be wanting to you if you will not be wanting to your selves I mean God will not be wanting in the giving out this Gospel-frame of a fervent Spirit to you if you be not wanting to your selves in the asking and seeking of it at Gods hands God hath pawned his Word for it and he cannot deny his word nor cease to make it good to the souls of those which shall plead his word with him for any spiritual mercy Read often that place in James 1. 5. If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not My friends its worth your while to consider that place in the 3. of Revel 16. where you may see how the want of this Cord of a zealous fervent Spirit did render the Laodiceans services altogether loathsome to God as that when their work was done God tells them he could spue both it and them out of his mouth the Reason is given you because what they did in the Worship of God was done from a luke-warm spirit O be afraid of this ye careless heedless souls which can pray and read and hear themselves fast asleep in the Worship and Ordinances of God and others that can suffer their eyes and hearts to wander after every vain object while in the Worship of God of such a sort of people did God complain of long ago in Ezek. 33. 31. God saith This people draweth near me with their lips and with their mouths they seem to honour me but their hearts run after their covetousness Secondly I come now to speak of the second particular of the Horns on the Altar as they lead to Christ and that is what affords the soul as much comfort as the other did Instruction If we consider the Protection Believers have by Christ while in his Service and Worship if they with Joab do fly to Christ the great Altar for it It cannot be denied but that these souls whose hearts God hath awakend to behold their danger while in the Worship and Service of Christ have great cause to dread and fear what may befall them or become of them before they come off the duty now that danger which attends the people of God while they are engaged in the work of God may be three ways considered First With respect to the Justice of God Secondly With respect to the Malice of the Devil Thirdly With respect to the Malice and Hatred of wicked men here below First With respect to the Justice of God which cannot bear with the least sin committed any where much less in his Worship and service As to that did not the bloud and merits of Christ interpose between the justice of God and the soul in the performance of his duties it were impossible that ever the soul should come off alive again because of these stains weaknesses impurities and defilements our best of duties are accompanied with an instance you may take for this in the two Sons of Aaron Levit. 10. 1 2. Secondly It is so if we consider the Malice of the Devil who like a Roaring Lion is going up and down the earth seeking whom he may devour whose devouring Rage and Malice is mostly bent against the soul when the soul is engaged for God in the performance of some spiritual duty a figure of which you may see in Zach. 3. 1. where no sooner was Joshua the High Priest ingaged in the performance of the work of the Priesthood but presently you have Satan at his right hand to resist him whose work was to hinder him in and to unfit Joshua for the work of God what
the Body united to the Head and so he is to be understood as our interceeding High Priest praying to God for us against the evil of death So ver 10. This was done as he was called of God according to the Order of Melchisedeck That is as he is a High Priest for so was Melchisedeck Heb. 7. 1. whose work was to bless Abraham a Member of this Priesthood grace and mercy Gen. 14. therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them therefore saith the Apostle ver 26. Such an High Priest became us And as Christ did pour out his crys and supplications with tears here on earth it was to give Believers a comfortable view and sight of what he is ever doing for them in heaven of which they may assure themselves to the utmost Therefore doth S. Paul so much comfort Believers against all fear of a total miscarriage for it cannot be because Christ as our great High Priest did not only interceed against it on earth by pouring out strong crys and supplications with tears Heb. 5. 7. but he is doing of the same work now he is in heaven with as much fervency of Spirit for us Rom. 8. ver 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather is risen again and sitteth at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Now that the Intecession Christ makes is a work of prayer which he poureth forth for his people to God evermore as that which the Golden Altar for Incense was a Type of will appear if we consider that place in Rev. 8. 2 3 4. 5. with chap. 1. 13. And I saw the seven Angels which stood before God and to them were given seven Trumpets and another Angel came and stood at the Altar which Angel was Christ having a golden Censer in his hand and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne and the smoak of the Incense which came up with the prayers of the Saints ascending up before God out of the Angels hand Now look into Rev. 1. 13. and you may see who this Angel was And in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks one like unto the Son of men clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle Here you have the Son of man representing himself to John after he ascends up into Glory standing in the garb of the High Priest for so the legal High Priest was attired when he was to administer before the Lord. That so we might understand for our great comfort that he is doing the great work of the Priesthood now in Heaven for his people that are yet without the Tabernacle as to their being in this life even for those that are not entred within the veil of blessed glory and immortality So that you see that Christ is an interceeding High Priest now in heaven pouring out his prevailing prayers to God for his And this is the matter of the work of Intercession Use 1. O then what cause have Believers to bless God for his mercy that there is an Intercessour provided for them that can and will prevaile on their behalf if loud crys and strong supplications attended with many tears will do it O my Brethren this is an inestimable blessed privilege to Believers that they have such an interceeding High Priest as Jesus is who is heard in all things and denied in nothing that he shall request the Father for on the behalf of Believers We use to say that man is happy that hath a Friend in Court to speak if need be on his behalf O but how much more happy are Believers that have a Christ a High Priest in heaven to agitate all their matters and concernments for them there Hence it is that the Psalmist doth affirm that there can be no want to them which fear God Psal 34. 10. And S. Peter wonders who can harm such as be followers of that which is good Pet. 1. 3. 13. And saith S. Paul who can lay any thing to the charge of such and who can condemn such or can separte such from the love of God Rom. 8. 33 34 35. the Reason of all is given you in the 34. ver For we have a High Priest at Gods right hand making Intercession for us Use 2. O then let this blessed Doctrine administer comfort to the people of God at all times in all conditions that they have a High Priest in Heaven interceding for them at Gods right hand O Brethren of whom should Believers be afraid that have such an interceding Priest as Christ is what if all the Tyrants in the world and Devils in hell should set themselves together against the poor Lambs of Christ O fear them not there cannot a hair of your heads fall to the ground O you Saints lift up your heads and be not so fearful of your Adversaries it is your High Priests work in heaven to pray you down deliverance from the hands of Men and Devils Read that comfortable place Exod. 17. 8 9 10 11 12. When Amaleck came out to fight against Israel it s said that all the while that Moses lifted up his hands to God in a way of Prayer and Intercession for Israel Israel prevailed over Amaleck O then shall the liftings up of the hands of a Moses so much prevail for Gods Israel in a time of danger and yet Moses was but a servant Heb. 3. 5 and shall we think that the lifting up of the interceding hands of Christ who is the Son shall not prevail over these Amalekites which Believers stand in doubt of here O Brethren do not dishonour the interceding Office of Jesus Christ your High Priest in giving way so much to your fears Remember what our Saviour spake in his own case the same he can and will do in the case of his people so far as it shall stand with his glory and a Believers good Matth. 26. 53. Think you not and I can pray to my Father and he can give me more then twelve Legions of Angels What work did that Angel make which Christ prayed down for the relief of his Church in the time of their distress Isa 37. 36. How did the Angel scatter in one night that proud Blasphemous Army and shall we think that Christs Prayers have lost their Efficacy through length of time No no he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. And so in all other exigencies and straits whether in Famine Plague Pestilence or what ever the providence be which may occasion fear Here is a sufficient Balm for the soul in these conditions yea in a word if thou wert brought so low with thy distress as that thou couldst not put up one word
the sweet and cloth themselves with the wooll But for the fatness of sound Doctrine and the sweetness of truth the Church of God may perish and rot and die for any thing they eare or are thoughtful about surely the Urim and Thummim was never upon the breasts of these sacred Priests as they would be owned Secondly As for the other qualification which is holiness of life and conversation this ought to be in and upon the Ministers of the Lord They ought to be exemplary in their lives and conversations for others to imitate them that so they might not build for God with one hand and throw it down again with the other hand this is our Saviours exhortation to all Ministers of the Gospel Math. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works might glorifie your Father which is in heaven therefore saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 5 3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock Use 2. O Then how unhappy are the people of some Countries in the World with respect to the want of this great qualification in their Ministers or pretended such how hard a thing is it to find the Urim and Thummim upon their Priests methinks to see men and meet men with their loins girt so seemingly devout and yet to see these casks so empty either of sound Doctrine or a holy Conversation it is to me a piece of unparallel'd hypocrisie It s known to all that know any thing that the generallity of the world are apter to walk by examples then by precept the Authority of precepts depends very much upon the good lives of those which preach them alas Brethren what is it if a man go into a Pulpit and preach a very good Learned Sermon and as soon as he is come forth of the place to spend the rest of the Sabbath with his Parishioners in an Alchouse it may be untill they are all drunk in the place or to some ungodly sport or other to the very shame of nature it self if their be any Bull-baiting or Bear-baiting any Hurling Wrestling or Cudgel-playing any Crowding Dancing May-pole or Church Ale-gaming who more fritcher and forwarder in the work then the Parson of the Parish Thus the poor people are made Sermon proof and shut up against all convictions of truth through the scandalous conversations of their idle profane Priests which they have amongst them how far are such from being the Priests of the Lord bearing the Urim and Thummim upon their brests let the world Judge Lastly Where as it s said that the Urim and Thummim was written in the brest-plate and placed upon his heart it shews us how much the work should be upon his spirit that the Priest doth for God and how near he should set it to his heart so should it be with all the Ministers of the Gospel they ought to set those truths which they preach very near their hearts yea such as are true Ministers of Jesus Christ they do set those truths which they preach to others nearest their hearts of any thing in the world God hath ordered it that it shall be so he gives them that he sends forth as Ministers the little Book of truth to eat into their bowels that it might live in their hearts Rev. 10. 9 Hence it is that Jeremiah tells you that the word of God lived in his heart Jer. 20 9. And David a Prophet of the Lord also could tell you that the word of God and the truths he was to deliver were dearer to him then thousands of Gold or Silver Psal 119 72. The Lord makes it so to them that they may take delight in the preaching of it 2. That they may be careful of corrupting of it you know things that are dear and near our hearts we are very apt to keep pure but such things as we regard not we throw into any hole so that it easily corrupts and rusts 3. That if need be they may lay down their lives in defence of it this it was made St. Paul cry out he was not only ready to be bound but to die in the defence of truth Acts 21. 13. It was the nearness of truth to his heart but how few of them are there in the world that call themselves Ministers that in any sense wears the Urim and Thummim upon their hearts 2. As this qualification did relate to the Type which was the High Priest and so in him all the succeeding Ministers of the Gospel so it relates to Christ who was the Anti-type of it And so the Urim and Thummim shews us these two great things for our comfort which are infinitely to be considered in Jesus Christ First The infinite perfection of holiness and sanctification which is in Christ John 1. 14. He was full of grace and truth Col. 1. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell This teacheth us these two things 1. What believers are in the sight of God through Christ a people full of holiness for Christ is the Vine and believers the Branches now by vertue of this union God looks upon all alike God in the wise dispensations of his grace hath so ordered it that believers and his Son shall make up but one body that so God might account for the Heads sake all the members holy not that they are so in themselves but I say God is pleased to account it so that believers are as holy as his Son they being of him and in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. For he was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And God would have us to reckon so too for our comfort mark that place in Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon your selves to be also dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord There is not any man in the world dead to sin or perfectly alive towards God its true the Saints are a dying to sin daily and a labouring out after life towards God saith St. Paul I press hard after the mark Phil 3. 14. But for any to say he is perfectly dead to sin and perfectly alive to God in himself he saith not the truth I speak of perfection in the degree yet you see God would have believers look upon themselves so reckon it to be so saith God that is as they are in Christ and by the Father there apprehended for Christ was so in himself fully yet not for himself but for believers read 1 Cor. 1. 30. He was made of God Wisdom Righteousness and Sanctification for us 2. It informs the Saints from whom they do derive their holiness and sanctification and to whom they should go for it O friends you drive it all from Jesus Christ he is the fountain of all your grace of holiness and sanctification John 1. 14 16 17. The word was made flesh and it dwelt amongst us and we
to be come in the flesh who is the Anti-Christ then think you The next thing we are to take notice of is the plate of Gold which was placed upon the fore-head of the High Priest fastned to the Mitre wherein was engraven in Letters these words Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36 37. The purpose of this very plate with the Letters written in it was for the High Priest to take upon him all the failings imperfections and weaknesses of the peoples duties in the Worship of God The Plate was to bear upon it the peoples sins which they would contract in the Worship of God and the Letters engraven upon the Plate was to bear out the Priest before the Lord that he died not Exod. 28. 36. 37 38. And thou shalt make a plate of pure Gold and grave upon it the engravenings of a signet Holiness to the Lord and thou shalt put it on a blue lace that it may be upon the Mitre upon the fore-front of the Mitre it shall be and it shall be upon Aarons forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hollow in all their holy gifts and it shall alwayes be upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the Lord. This still looks to Jesus Christ our Gospel High Priest and tells us what he is to do and doth do for Believers he takes upon him all the failings and infirmities of his peoples duties O what a blessed ground of comfort is this to a doubting soul I know some poor souls have had their backs bowed down with this kinde of guilt who when they have been in the Worship of God as in Prayer hearing of the Word or breaking of Bread when they have considered with what sad frames they have been in the Worship how hath that troubled them when they have minded the hypocrisie that appeared in their hearts while in the work those vain wandering thoughts that deadness and dull drowsie tiredness of spirit with which their work was mixed withal besides when they have considered with how much ignorance and little saith and want of love to God and his work in hand they were attended with O how hath this perplexed some poor souls and how deeply hath this sunk others into the pit of despair putting them upon resolving never more to hear the Word or Pray or receive the Sacrament O they never Worship God but they sin against him and make their case worse then it was before All this hath been for want of knowledge in this blessed mystery of the plate fastened upon the fore-front of the High Priests Mitre The Devil keeps them in suspence about this thing shews the soul his guilt but will not suffer him to see the plate upon the fore-front of the Priests Mytre which was appointed on purpose for them to lay up their gilt upon O therefore for thy comfort poor soul when ever thou comest into the Worship of God thou mayest come boldly without fear as to that what guilts thou either hast or shall contract upon thy soul in the Worship of God provided they are not wilful guilts there is a plate of Gold prepared to bear all thou shalt bear none of them thy self O bless God for this great mercy to thy soul and rejoyce in it as thy great favour make much use of it as thy best of priviledges study it as the highest of comforts and live up to the God of this mercy with the greatest of faithfulness and to the highest pitch of holiness Secondly This was to be a standing priviledge at all times for all Believers to such a continual sweetness and comfort from in point of acceptation with God for Aaron the Priest was to wear it alwayes upon the fore-front of the Mitre that they might be accepted before the Lord. This was not to be worn once or twice but alwayes before the Lord so that until Christ puts off his Mitre and layes aside his priestly work thou mayst assure thy self until then those sins of infirmity which will cleave to thy duties shall not render them or thee disacceptable before God if thou reliest faithfully upon this High Priest in this case We now come to speak of the Crown which this High Priest was to wear as well as this Mitre and the Crown was to be set upon the Mitre on the Priests head Exod. 29 6. And thou shalt put the Mitre upon his head and put the holy crown upon the Mitre The Crown upon the Priests head set forth to you the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ which springs from the Priestly office of Christ he is a King to rule in and over his Church because he is a High Priest to the Church therefore the Crown must stand upon the Mitre the Mitre doth keep up the Crown not the Crown the Mitre The Mitre being under the Crown shews you that the Kingly Office of Christ hath its foundation in the Priestly Office of Christ as was shewed you before from the first of the Revelations This shews first that Christ hath power to give out what Laws Rules Customes and Ordinances he please for his Church and people to walk by for he hath a Crown upon his head as well as a Mitre Secondly That all duty and subjection and obedience ought to be given to him both in soul and body for he is a King Psalm 2. 6. I have set my king upon my holy hill Sion We do not read that any of the Priests besides the High Priest did wear a Crown we read that they did wear Bonnets but not a Crown Exod. 28. 40. The Crown was only for the High Priest shewing us as the Priest was a Type of Christ that all Rule and chief Authority belongs to Christ its Christ onely can make or impose any Laws upon the consciences of his people so saith the Spirit Rev. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created And yet how common is it to see the inferiour sort of Priests that should content themselves with wearing the Bonnet to catch the High Priests Crown from off his head and to leave the High Priest nothing to wear but their Bonnets and given him to understand if he will not wear them he must sit bare headed before them I mean how do men who pretend to be the Ministers and Vicars of Christ pull his priestly Diadem from off his head and so rob him of his principle glory in arrogating a power to themselves of making and imposing spiritual Laws upon the consciences of his poor people as rules for them to walk by which customs and traditions the word of Christ never knew or spake of in the least O what greater indignity can there be offered to the Crown of Christ then this not onely so but if the poor Lambs of Christ who are as dear to him as
young and lively is better then that which is old and feeble It was first to shew the High Priest under the Law that God expected he should be lively and strong for the Lord in all he did for him he was to consecrate the best of his years and the best of his time strength and abilities for the Lord that the worship of God called for the best of our all for its service therefore was he to be consecrated with a young Bullock not an old or feeble one 2. It shews us that time or age never enfeebles our great High Priest in heaven the Priest was to be consecrated with a young Bullock shewing you that the Priest Believers have in heaven grows never old he is not subject to tire or faint in his employment he is as lively and active in his work for his people now as at the first day he entred heaven as their Priest and so is it lookt upon by the Father that makes our High Priest still so prevallent upon the Heart of God he is the same yesterday to day and for ever Lastly We might make this use of it to perswade all young persons to dedicate themselves to God betime in the prime of their dayes when the marrow is warm in the bones A young Bullock not an old must be offered to God in sacrifice O so should it be with you my friends would you offer up your selves as an acceptable sacrifice to God O then let it be in your youth minde that exhortation of Solomon Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt saâ— I have no pleasure in them It was Timoâ—hies honour and it is spoken to his great praise that that he had consecrated his soul and body to God in the time of his youth at a time when he was mostly capable to act for God 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Alas Sirs when we live so long in sin as to spend the marrow of our bodies in the service of the Devil How do we think God should be pleased with the offering up of our old dry bones for a sacrifice upon his Altar There is nothing doth more ingage God to take care for a soul in old age then when a soul is careful to consecrate himself to God in his youthful dayes Then was Moses to take a vessel of oyl and pour it on the Priests head which was called the anointing of him Exod. 29. 7. The oyl of anointing poured forth upon the High Priest signified these three things First It signifieth the great endowments of the Priest with respect to the gifts of the Spirit which should be upon him as necessary to the work he was to do for the people for so is the anointing understood sometimes 1 Sam. 10. 1. 6. And Samuel took a vial of oyl and poured it upon the head of Saul and kissed him and said Is it not because the Lord hath annointed thee to be captain over his inheritance Now look into the 6. verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit spoken of that should fit him for government an office unto which he was anointed And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and be turned into another man And look you into the 10th verse and there you shall see the gifts of the Spirit upon him This shews us what infinite gifts of all manner of perfections fell upon Christ to fit him for the great work of the Priesthood saith Christ Isa 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me A Spirit of counsel that he might be able to give sound advice at all times to his Church Isa 9. 6 A Spirit of courage and strength that he might go through all oppositions for his people therefore is he called the mighty God Isa 9. 6. A Spirit of wisdom that he might be able to out-wit his subtle adversaries in hell or on the earth 1 Cor. 1. 24. A Spirit of love and tenderness that he might not reject for but pitty his people under their temptations weaknesses and infirmities Heb. 2. 17 18. A Spirit of pardon that he might be able to pass by his peoples sins iniquities and transgressions Nehemiah 9. 17. A Spirit of faithfulness as not to neglect his people in any condition nor wanting in the giving out to them any supply to his people which the Father hath both given the Saints by promise and laid into Christ as their store-house of grace and wisdom for that purpose Psalm 36. 5. All this was in Christ the Head for the use of the Body mystical as the streams are in the fountain not onely to be imployed for them but to be given down to them into their souls according as they shall draw it out of this Well by the vessel of believing so saith the Church who made use of Christ upon this account Isa 12 2 3. Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and song and is become my salvation therefore saith Christ with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation Secondly It denotes the perfection of grace and holiness which was to dwel in Christ for so much may we understand by the pouring forth of the anointing saith the Apostle It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1. 19. A fulness of grace and holiness that from him we might derive it for our use and benefit in this life Thirdly The anointing of the High Priest did signifie that legal right he had to administer in the Priests office above another man hence is that of the Apostle Heb. 5. 4. And no man taketh this honour upon him but he that was called of God as was Aaron Now this would afford great comfort to a soul if well considered that the Lord Jesus Christ was not only a Priest or an Advocate but he was an anointed Priest and Advocate one who had a legal right to the place he came not in the wrong way therefore no Thief or Robber we need not doubt no one can invalue Christs work when it s done for believers meerly for want of right to officiate you know if a Councellour at Law undertake to plead a mans case for him and should dispute it never so ably and should carry it in Law yet if this can be objected against the Councellour that he is not lawfully inducted to the place as a Councellour all will be invalued that hath been done and said and looked upon as of no force O therefore soul if Christ intercedes as a High Priest and pleads as an Advocate at the Throne of grace for thee thou needst not fear of thy Case there is not any enemy thou hast can hurt thee in this Case should the Law object the Justice of God object
should Satan object against thy Christ it s nothing he had the legal anointings of the father upon him to in right him to his work saith Christ Isa 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel That is the sense of what he means by preaching Lastly That which was appointed to consecrate the Priest withall the Priest was to eat it Exod. 29. 32 33. Which shews us that the work of the Priesthood lives in the heart of Christ it should be of that infinite delight to him as food is to the hungry stomack the Priest should eat in his office and work he should as it were live upon it and feed and feast himself with it as a man doth on his daily food so saith Christ himself speaking of this great work of the Priesthood it is my meat and drink to be imployed in and about it Iohn 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work All this is to encourage doubting souls to make use of Christ to bring their sins and sores and sorrows temptations and corruptions to him and their leporisiecal souls to him and the ignorant hard unbelieving dead carnal proud lustful revengeful hearts to him as their High Priest and lay them down at the door of his Priestly office O this is meat and drink to Christ the High Priest O for Christ to see his door crouded up full with halted mained blind leporous souls all waiting for a cure O this makes the heart of Christ leap in heaven saith Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy will O God Now what was the great will of God it was that the desperate and damned should be saved by the Priesthood of Christ and that he should preach good tidings to the meek and that he should bind up the broken-hearted and preach liberty to the captive and let loose the prisoners and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord Isa 61. 1 2. And that he should comfort all that mourn of the Elect Isa 40. 1 2. O saith Christ this is my delight it s my meat and drink to do my fathers will remember the Priest hath eaten in that with which he was consecrated Secondly So should it be with all the Ministers of the Gospel with what delght should they go about their work O saith St. Paul the goodness of God constraineth us or the love of God constraineth us 2 Cor. 5 14. This work was as meat and drink to him St. Paul had eaten in his Consecrating matter which was bitter in his belly but as sweet as Honey to his taste as it s said of the little book John was to eat Rev. 8. 9. CHAP 33. The work which the High Priest was to do for the people when chosen for them UNder which general there are these things to be considered First The place where the High Priest was to perform the work of the Priesthood Secondly The work he was to do when in the place for administration Thirdly What the Priest was to do for the people upon all occasions of need besides his solemn work in the Tabernacle First The place where the Priest was to perform the work of the Priesthood that was in the Tabernacle within the veil a place where none but the Priest was to enter Lev. 16. 16 17. This was a Type of Christs interceding work now he is in Heaven Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands but into heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us He is there to intercede forth blessings for us and to Advocate our Case he takes up all our accusations laid in against us There he answereth all objections which may be made in Heaven by the Law against us he is there to gather up all our Inditements which may be laid into our charge and he is always there for this work Christ is never absent when there is need for his presence on our behalf saith the Apostle he ever liveth to make Intercession for us it s likewise said that the people were not to go into the Tabernacle but were to stand without at the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 16. â—6 17. This shews us two things First The dark state which God held them under in comparison to us Gospellers it was little of the glory or of the mystery of the grace of the Gospel which that people knew its true they knew they had a High Priest within in the Tabernacle within the veil of it but what he did or acted they were not to look into what manifestations he had of God or glorious discoveries from God they were not to see or have any knowledge of therefore if the ministration of the Law were glorious much more will the ministration of the Gospel exceed in glory so reasons St. Paul 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10 11 12. And he tells you wherein the Gospel is rather glorious in that the veil is taken away and we can now with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord ver 16. 18. Secondly It shews us that at best while we are in this Tabernacle of our body we are absent from our greatest Vision of glory we are but in the outer Court we behold only the back-side of the Tabernacle in comparison to what we shall see when we come to pass within the veil where our High Priest is he saith Paul at best We walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5. 7. We have here but a few drops of our true Tabernacleglory brought whom to us by the eye of faith through Ordinances O but when we are out of the body we shall swim in the Rivers of all glorious perfection saith David Psalm 16. 11. Where we shall be brought into the presence of God where shall be the fulness of joy at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore therefore saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Who would desire to live in this dark dungeon Tabernacle state apart from those celestial glories but rather who would covet as Paul did to be at whom to this blessed Canaan of rest where all true blessedness dwells Again It s observed that the people were to bring their offerings and lay them down at the door of the Tabernacle and the Priest was to take it and offer it for them before the Lord Levit. 1. 3. 4 5. This teacheth what believers should do now in Gospel dayes bring all their offerings to the Lord Christ all the duties in worship and offer it to him that he may present it in his own name to God O how doth this reprove that vain opinion of the Papists who dream of I know not how many High Priests in Heaven whom they adore with that respect which is