〈◊〉 Iejus as the one and onely God (e) Plut. ibid. p. 699. Besides this Title at Delphos There was antiently likewise at the * Porphyr de abstin l. 2. p. 155. Temple Epidaurus an inscription in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He to this fragrant Temple hastes in vain Who doth not in his breast chast flames maintain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that 's Chastity befitting a Temple saith Porphyry in that place when our thoughts are onely exercised and busied about holy matters But whether or no there were any such like inscription on the front of this famous Porch of the Temple though I am not able to resolve by reason of Scripture-silence where as Josephus relates of pillars standing in one of the walls of the Temple in latter ages of 3 cubits high ingraven with certain letters declaring (e) De bell Judaic l. 6. cap. 6. sec Ruffin p. 916. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no stranger might be admitted within that holy place Yet this I am sure of that the counsel of Paul is most safe and wholesome that he that cometh to God and draweth nigh in a way of holy worship (f) Heb. 11.6 should believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that HE IS and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Whether no the antient Temple had any such inscription of an Ehejeh upon it or not to bring to mind the unutterable essence of God whose face they sought that drew nigh to him in his sacred services it is not much material seeing now it is not in the mountain of Samaria not in Jerusalem that God will be worshipped but we must endeavour to preserve the memorials of his fear and the indelible Characters of his infinite essence upon our hearts when we come to worship him in spirit and truth For the (a) Joh. 4.23 Father now under the Gospel seeketh such to worship him We must remember to cast a watchful eye upon the (b) Eccl. 5.1 feet of our affections before we approach to the house of God and seriously consider whether we have taken straight steps in the paths of his commandements and whether they are set in due order and cleansed (c) 2 Chr. 30.19 according to the preparation of the Sanctuary For we must (d) Heb. 10.22 draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water viz. our conversations cleansed with the water of the spirit in the laver of (e) Tit. 3.5 regeneration as the antient Priests of the Temple did wash their bodies in the water of the brazen-sea that stood in the inward Court before they entred the Sanctuary to officiate in their sacred functions We are to observe further that there were several steps by which they were to ascend into this Porch before they could enter the holy place to shew the divine elevation of the souls of spiritual worshippers even as Jacobs ladder had several rundles which the ascending Angels were to climb before they could arrive (f) Gen. 28.13 near to God who stood at the top thereof in that mysticall Vision In like manner in respect to our drawing nigh to God in divine worship Soul-exalting humiliation deep and serious Meditation searching Examination self-judging condemnation by reason of our infinite unworthinesse to converse with so holy a Majesty together with ardent Ejaculations of our hearts in prayer toward heaven his holy place are the several steps by which we mount up into the Porch of Praeparation that gives us admission into fellowship and communion with God in his Sanctuary-worship We read concerning Peter and John (g) Act. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they ascended or went up to the Temple at the hour of prayer grant leave to an allusion thereby to shadow forth the elevation and lifting up of our minds in the heavenly Climax or Scale of praeparation for the spiritual worship of his Majesty in the assembly of his Saints These Stairs or steps in their extent from North to South were of sufficient length to admit many Priests in a joynt ascension up to the Porch and so into the Sanctuary if the occasional Service did so require as at the time (h) 2 Chr. 26.17 of King Uzziah's intrusion into the Priestly function we read of the High-Priest and fourscore of the inferiour at once with the King at the Incense Altar The convenient copiousnesse of which Ascent may hint to us that in Gospel daies many with the voice of gladnesse shall say one to another Let us (i) Ps 122.1 go yea (k) Isa 2.3 let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and He will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his Paths Which places together with many other in Scripture may reflect upon all the spacious and stately ascents at the severall Gates of the Courts and of the Mount Moriah itself where the legall Services were performed This Porch into which we have now brought our devout Reader is generally conceived to have been open and without doores on all sides on which it was not annexed to the body of the Temple possibly intimating to us the open-heartednesse of God's Grace and Mercy under the Gospel the freenesse of his Goodnesse inviting all poor distressed Sinners to draw nigh to Him so be it they make their addresses in a holy and pure Evangelicall manner For (l) Prov. 9.1 c. Wisdom hath hewen out her seven Pillars hath built her House hath slain her Beasts hath mingled her Wine and furnished her Table of Shew-bread within the Sanctuary hath sent forth her maidens of honour the Virgin-Embassadours of her pleasure to cry with a loud voice Whoso is simple let him turn in hither (m) Isa 55.1 Ho Every one that thirsteth (n) Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say COME For the Gates of the Temple of the (a) Rev. 21.25 new Jerusalem are never shut yielding constant admission for those that are saved out of the Nations to walk in the light thereof The costly and beautifull gilding that adorned this holy Entrance denoted the Splendor and admirable Excellency of divine and spirituall worship even at our first initiation into Society with God in his blessed Ordinances Oh! how much of God doth a humble and holy Soul find within him when he doth but sett his heart aright toward his testimonies What sweet experienced tastes of God's goodnesse hath such a Soul enjoyed With what divine irradiations upon his understanding hath he been enlightned and enlivened when coming sensible of his own emptinesse and unworthinesse to hold spiritual converse with his holy Majesty The very (b) Psal 119.130 Entrance of his Word giveth light and a blessed understanding to the Simple The fear of the Lord is the (c) Psal 111.10 Beginning of Wisdom when
the rivers of Babylon convert the songs of the Temple into bitter howlings Amos 8.3 and their Sacrifices into the bread of mourners Hos 94. Psal 137.1 2 Kin. 21.13 Hos 2.11 Mal. 2.3 and swell the rivers they sit by with floods of tears and weep unspeakably while they remember Zion Alas for Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab is now stretched over that beautiful City God had now caused all her mirth to cease her Feast-days her New-Moons her Sabbaths and all her Solemn Feasts The dung of her Solemnities was now spread upon her face nay the very place where the Temple once stood in full beauty and glory was in the days of Jerom an eye witness after its last ruine Hieronym t. 5. in Isa 64. p 293. c. Job 30.31 Isa 27.9 Lam. 4.1 Mic. 3.12 Lam. 5.18 turned in sterquilininum urbis novae into the dunghil of the new city called Aeâ—ia Well may the harps of the Temple be now changed into mourning and the organ into the voyce of them that weep when the stones of the Altar become as vile as chalk stones that are beaten in sunder and the stones of the Sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street and the fine gold thereof become dim and the precious Sons of Zion esteemed as earthen pitchers Zion it self is plowed like a field Jerusalem laid on heaps and the Mountain of the House as the high places of the Forrest and the Foxes walk upon that mountain without controul Jer. 7.12 Wheâ—ce we learn That as God did to Shiloh so he dealt with his House at Jerusalem turning an Eden into a Desart a pleasant Land into an howling Wilderness causing stately Palaces to become a throne for bryars and nettles to triumph in Isa 13.21.34.14 15. and their sad ruinous heaps to be dens of Dragons for Iim and Ohim and the wilde Satyrs to dance their measures for the wickedness of them that dwelt therein Whereby let us be warned if we act over their sins lest God act over us their judgements If we shall abuse such places which our devout fore-fathers have erected by idolatry and Superstition to the high provocation of the pure eyes of Gods glory to jealousie against us certainly he will proceed yet further as he hath in some measure begun in his wrath Isa 64.11 to make even our Jerusalem become a desolation and our beautiful houses wherein we and our Fathers have praised him to be burnt with fire and all our pleasant things to be laid waste 'T is not outward glittering pomp that God looks at The hour is now come that neither in the Mountain of Samaria John 4. nor at Jerusalem will the Father be worshipped but those that now present their homage to him must perform it in Spirit and in truth For the Salvation of Israel hath long since appeared from Zion Psal 14.7 and hath abrogated all the ancient Ceremonies and God hath revealed himself in a spiritual way to such as have waited for the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 They must now expect a Temple not made with hands coming down from God out of Heaven which shall need no Golden Candlestick to enlighten it Rev. 21.23 no Sun or Moon to shine into it But the Glory of God and of the Lamb shall be the light thereof most radiantly beautiful is the place where his Honour dwelleth From out of whose Throne rivers of Water of Life Rev. 22.1 clear as Chrystall shall shall proceed for the true Worshippers that shall reign with him for ever to bathe themselves in being streams of inexpressible pleasure that flow at his right hand for evermore The Epilogue HAving now finish'd the main Design through the merciful conduct of Providence I might here add a discourse about the Visionary Temple described by the Prophet Ezekiel exhibited to him in a Divine extasie of spirit during the Babylonian captivity and take notice out of the most approved Writers how far the building of Zorobabel did square with it Sherringham Jom p. 102. and wherein it dissented and therein speak of the five memorable things wherein it fell short of the glory of Solomon's Temple viz. The Ark of the Propitiatory the Cherubims and the fire descending from heaven as at the Dedication in Solomons days The Oyl of Unction in the room thereof others place the presence of the holy Spirit speaking to the Prophets and the answer by Urim and Thummim I know that the Pseudo-Hegesippus relates concerning Pompey Hegesip l 1. c. 17. p. 42. c. Edit Colon. 1575. that when entering this second Temple he saw therein among other things the Tables of the Testament and the Cherubims standing upon the Mercy-seat But alas this story is built upon a very sandy foundation viz. that passage in the Author of the Macchabees that the Prophet Jeremiah should take with him the Tabernacle the Ark and the Altar of Incense and hide them in a Cave in Mount Horeb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Macchab. 2.7 Until the time that God shall gather together the congregation of his people and be merciful to them Against which Jewish fiction Pet. Galat. de Arcan Cathol Relig. l. 4. c 9. p. 211 Edit Franc. 1612. some of their own Rabbies have plainly declared in that they held the five afore-mentioned things to be utterly wanting in the second Temple as is attested out of their writings by Galatinus Nay Josephus an Author to be brought against the Jews without exception speaks plainly of it in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treating of that part of the Temple called the Oracle and by him in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the innermost part of the house says it had nothing at all within it Yet there were many excellent and costly ornaments wherewith it was beautified in a marvellous manner As particularly it is related Jos. de Bell. Judaic sec Gr. l. 5. c. 14. secund Lat. Ruffin l. 6. c. 6. p. 918. A. 3 Esd 8.14 That Artaxerxes the Persian King gave all the gold and sllver which was found in Babylon to it A strange story if creditable but 't is found in an Apocryphal Writer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I might mention what gifts Alexander the great Ptolomy Philadelphus his son Evergetes did bestow upon that Temple or what was done by Antiochus the great or his son Seleucus Philopater by Simon the son of Ouias I might treat of the restauration of that Temple by Judas Macchabeus the valiant Captain of the Jews after the profanation of it by Antiochus Epiphanes or of what Helena the Queen of Adiabene did contribute Concerning all which things the Authors of the Apocrypha and Josephus in many places speak amply with high commendations I might lastly if I would follow Josephus tell great stories of the building of a Temple from the very foundations by K. Herod in the space
Jer. 17.6 seeth not when good cometh whereas the whole World hath been long since moistned with the dewes of Zion Many Sons and Daughters from the East and West do now lye down in the bosome of Abraham while the (i) Mat. 8.12 Children of the Kindome are shut out Those that of old cried The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord may now water its ruines with their Tears perfume it with their sighes lament it with Elegies and dolefull Ditties to bring to remembrance the beautifull Palaces where once their Fathers worshipped leaving breaches in their own houses on purpose to commemorate its deplorable downfall whilest the true Temple of the Lord are (k) Jer. 7.4 5. these who thoroughly mend their waies and execute Judgment between a man and his Neighbour That ancient stately structure no doubt was a compendious Map of the then Terra Incognita or the unknown Land of the Gospell It was Heavens Geographicall Table of those Countries whose shores only did appear to them through a dark mist even the watrish Vapours arising up from the Brazen Sea or the fuliginous smoake towring up toward Heaven from the Brazen Altar But now the greatest part of the Continent the spacious Plains the flowry Meadows the Cedar Mountains the pearling streams the shady Vallyes the capacious Prospects the Eshcol Vineyard the Balsame Gardens of the Land of Canaan are discovered The Garden of a Cant. 6.11 Nuts is now found out whose pistachian shels of old were very beautifull being stained red with the blood of the Sacrifices but now tast sweeter then the choisest Hony that drops from the Comb of its own accord To which place we shall endeavour to lead our diligent Reader in the various walks of this present Chapter In the former parts of this Treatise we have insisted upon the Rind and Paring now we shall comfort him with the b Cant. 2.5 Apples themselves before we talkt of Flagons now we shall poure out the Wine before we viewed the Walls of an inclosed Garden now we shall breathe among the c Cant. 5.13 beds of Spices before we came to the mouth of a sealed fountain but now we may exhaust Cups fill'd to the brim with potable Gold the true Elixir the Nectar of the Wells of Salvation seeing the mistaken d Joh. 20.15 Gardiner proves the true Messiah leading his Children to the bauqâ—eting house of his divine love and inviting them with an affable voice and a cheerfull countenance e Cant. 5.1 Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved This is the holy Mountain of Transfiguration wherein Moses Elias and Christ do feast together on the discourses of his divine f Luk. 9.31 passion while honest Peter would have plaid the Carpenter for his holy Master in erecting a Tabernacle for each of those transparent Glories to be vailed in from each other not considering that g Orig. Hom 6. in Lev. Edit Basil 1545. p. 145. one Tabernacle as well as one Mountain would have contented those radiant Persons seeing that the Law of Moses and the Prophets Oracles did all concenter and harmonize in that Grace and Truth which came by Jesus Christ Deep are these Waters of h Isa 8.6 Shiloah that move but softly towards a full discovery of the Ocean of Glory into which they unlade themselves Dark and profound are the Mysteries that lay behind the Temple-walls which possibly may shine forth more oriently and smile with a more lovely aspect in the Churches Horizon when the Seed of Abraham shall become the i Mat. 21.2 wise men of the East and shall more anxiously inquire for the k Rev. 22.16 bright Morning-star that shined over the Gates of Bethlehem who being better acquainted with the Letter of the Ceremony may then help us to expound that Gospell which of old was l Rom. 10.16 Gal. 3.8 Heb. 4.2 preached to them inshadowes For when they shall m 2 Cor. 3.16 turne to the Lord the Vail shall be taken away and their Recovery shall prove like a Resurrection or n Rom. 11.15 Life from the dead In the meane while we the least among the many thousands of Judah do crave leave to cast in the small Mites of our Substance into the Temple-Treasuries wishing every Mite were a Shekel every Shekel a Talent to augment the discoveries of these rare and profound Mysteries Untill the All-wise Majesty of Heaven be pleased to reveal more ample and illustrious manifestations of these hidden excellencies thereby destroying in this holy Mountain of his Temple the face of that o Isa 25.7 covering which is cast over all people and the Vail that is spread over all Nations For this purpose I humbly conceive it requisite in the first place to treat of Types in generall and the Nature of their prefiguration of the evangelicall Mysteries and afterward to proceed in a distinct and orderly Method to the examination of the particular Types laid up in the Temple together with its appendant Ordinances In reference to the Explication of Types in generall it 's convenient to follow the counsell of the great Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first of all diligently to search out the force of the word which if it hath in it any designed connotation of the thing whereon it is imposed may lend us some slender help in this particular The word it self is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Type being nothing else then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some metalline of earthy matter stampt or imprest upon wherein the Effigies or shape of the bottome of a stamping Instrument is exactly represented to the eye as an Image or a device that is formed or fashioned by the percussion and impression of a solid body Thus coyned pieces of money may properly be styled the Types of their several stamps which they exhibit and manifest upon their surface Thus the wounds of our dear Lord and Saviour are in the Greek called (a) Joh. 20.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Types of the nailes that were driven into his holy hands upon the Crosse Thus the footsteps of the hammer of the Word upon the hearts of the Romans who were obedient to the faith or if you please the figure or shape of the inside of the mould of Gospel-doctrine whereinto their hearts were put by the Apostles preaching is called (b) Rom. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Type or forme of doctrine whereinto they were delivered and effigiated according to the minde of Christ According to this sense we may conceive of the Gospel under the notion of a stamp and of the Ceremonial Law as the Type or Effigies or Shape of that Gospel stamp impress't upon it by God Evangelical truths then are to be deemed as the Originals tanquam ideae as one speaks in mente Divina as the Idea's or preconceived formes in the divine understanding of God and most curiously exemplified in the Types of
after our Lords birth till its dissolution by the Roman armies There be others who considering that the Temple was fully finisht in the 3000th year of the World according to Bishop Ushers Calculation and other nice Chronologers being just a 1000d years before our Lords incarnation and precisely in the middle point of the World 's apprehended-duration viz. of 6000d years according to the received tradition of the sons of the House of Eliah mentioned by the same (e) Ibid. pag. 36. Author in the very words of the Jewish Talmud would out of these Rabbinicall flints extract some choise Mystical Oyl to supple the Wheels of their fancy As if so be a glorious external visible Church must needs from thence be evinced to continue upon the Earth 3000 years even just as many as the world had before continued without it and that this admirable beauty of the Church-militant commenced with the Temple 's compleat erection Besides as the Temple did continue though not without some fatal concussions for the space of a 1000d years So in like manner a glorious Evangelical Church thereby typified should endure also for a 1000d years space after the 6000 years of the world in general shall be consummated and ended when the rage and power of her enemies shall be extinct when the Saints of the most High shall Live and Reign with Christ a (f) Rev. 20.4 1000d years And all this must be accomplished say they before the 2d and most glorious coming of our Lord in the Clouds to passe sentence of condemnation upon the World of the ungodly and to put an Ultimate period to its duration Now forasmuch as the Temple suffered many hard things during its long continuance we must not think according to them that the Saints Reign shall have any sad Chasm of affliction seeing the Antitype must alwayes out-vye and excel its prefiguration in glory and excellency But for my part holding it sufficient to have recounted these things to be left or entertained at pleasure seeing there is no solid basis or foundation for these superstructures of fancy revealed in holy Scripture I had rather resolve the Mystery of the Time of the first fixed state of the Temple if there be any couched under it into the good pleasure of God whose Majesty if he had intended any such rare signification in the time of its building would have delivered the meaning thereof more clearly to us had it seemed good in his holy eyes What is secret belongs to the Lord but things revealed to us and our Children Wherefore I shall proceed to a more material inquiry concerning the place of its situation Concerning the place where the holy Temple was built IN this Section I mean not to tell long stories of Gods choosing the people of Israel above all Nations to serve Him or of Canaan above all Lands for his people to dwell in or of Jerusalem above all Cities to place his name there seeing the Lord loved the (a) Psal 87.2 gates of Zion more then all the habitations of Jacob. But shall rather descend immediately to treat of the holy mountain Moriah it self So frequently called in the holy Books the mountain of the House of the Lord wherein he hath promised to make unto all people (b) Isai 25.6 a feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined whereby no doubt the holy Prophet in the name of the Lord doth insinuate the mountain of Moriah to be a most sublime Type of the Gospel-Church exalted even to heaven by the means of grace and salvation when he assures us in so many words that all Nations should be feasted in that blessed mountain which of it self was not sufficient to entertain within its circuit no not the one only Nation of the Jews at a set banquet whereof more in succeding lines In reference to our present work the denomination of this mountain may yield us some light and information in this matter seeing the very name of it probably was imposed by God himself when he commanded Abraham to get him into the Land of (c) Gen. 22.2 Moriah whose manner in the imposition of names is to read a Lecture worthy the attention of Men and Angels As to the signification whereof there are various Conjectures offered by Learned men and many of them are summed up by an Eminent (d) Nic. Fuller Miscell l. 2. c. 12. Critique of our own Nation Some it seems derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrrh as if this tract of ground had bin antiently famous in bringing forth that curious rarity conceiting withall that the mountain of Myrrh mentioned in the Book of (e) Cant. 4.6 Canticles is to be interpreted and understood of this fragrant place Others would fetch it from the Syriack word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mara which signified the Lord as if it noted out the Grand holinesse of that piece of ground as being by peculiar designation The Lords mountain Others deduce it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying fear hinting forth to us a place destinated to the fear of the Lord such as is exprest by his heavenly worshippers in their solemn attendance upon God according to the antient Mosaical injunctions Whereas in truth the most genuine derivation of the word seems rather to be taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see declaring it to be the Land of vision Wherefore some translate the former text in Genesis Vade in terram excelsam get thee to the high or hilly Country Aquila turns it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is perspicuous shining or illustrious Symmachus by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Land of vision which is therefore interpreted illuminating and irradiating according as Learned (a) Edit Ludg. 1530. Vol. 3. p. 216. Jerom in his questions upon Genesis Others apprehend it to have bin so called from the Eminent conspicuousnesse of the place being by reason of its height seen by travellers at a very great distance from whence by such as stood upon it many rare and lovely prospects presented themselves to the covetous eyes of delighted spectators Whereby is shadowed the rare beauty and comelinesse of the Church the spouse of Christ when she is Enammelled with the (b) Ezek. 16.14 glory of her Lord and Husband and when presented to the view of others that passe by in so much that they have bin inamoured with her beauty and have turned in to her habitation to gain acquaintance with her or else in respect to the profound and deep Mysteries the delicious and pleasant prospects of mercy and grace which have bin presented to the view of such persons who have stood upon this holy mountain There be that apprehend it to have bin termed the Land of Vision from the apparition of that holy Angel who accoasted Abraham at the intended sacrifice of his onely son But the Learned man forecited
Flowers and Gemms were added to it and not weaved in it by the hand of an Artizan They were to bind the linnen Coat before-mentioned with this Belt or Girdle between the Navel and the Breast It was of the breadth of four fingers and hung down to the legs on one side When there was need of haste for Sacrifices they cast it over their left shoulder I know there be that hold there were two sorts of these Girdles the one of white linnen only mentioned in (e) Lev. 16.41 Leviticus when the High Priest was to lay down his own costly and beautiful Garments on the great Humiliation or Expiation-day and to enter into the Holy place with the garments only of an ordinary Priest to signifie his humility and lowlinesse of spirit The other that girdle which was even now described and used by the High Priest only Indeed where Moses relates the making of the Vestments he mentions Coats Bonnets Breeches in the plural being for Aaron and his sons (a) Exod. 39.27 28 29. but of the Mitre and Girdle in the singular only as if there were but one of those made viz. for Aaron where the Make of the Girdle is mentioned as before described But I shall leave this nicety to others determination only propose my conjecture as to that place of Levit. where it is to be observed that the Text doth not say the girdle was all of white linnen but barely linnen so it doth not distinguish for the various-coloured girdle mentioned often before in Exod. was all made of linnen only of threds of four various and different colours For the fine-twined linnen I take to be white and untinctured with any colour But to proceed to a more material enquiry and that is What was signified by the Girdle and herein we shall consider the various ends or uses of a Girdle 1. A girdle is of use to (b) Is 5.27 22 21 strengthen the body and preserve it in hard labour and straining-services and therefore when the Apostle exhorts Christians to stand to the truth manfully (d) Eph. 6.14 he bids them to stand having their loyns c girt about with truth As a girdle strengthens the body so doth truth the mind (e) Acts 12.8 It signifies activity and promptnesse in business (e) Prov. 1.9 2. A girdle is for ornament and beauty in which sense we may apply what Solomon speaks concerning instruction that it should be an Ornament of Grace and as Chains viz. of Gold about the neck 3. As the Girdle served of old for a purse to put the money in Take no money in your girdles in the Greek Mat. 3.1 9. (f) Dr. Arrowswith Tact. Sacr. l. 2. c. 1. §. 6. pag. 104. Rich are they who are well fraught with Truth I know thy poverty said our Lord to the Angel of Smyrna Rev. 2.9 but thou art rich In truth the chiefest Riches We must (g) Prov. 23.23 buy the truth at any rate and never sell it we must trade for the truth laid up in Scripture dig for it as for hid Treasures Gospel-ministers especially as they must be girt about with the girdle of truth so they must alwayes walk with the precious pieces of truth about them 4. A Girdle binds-on the Garments and keeps them from loosnesse from unhandsome and uncomely flying out that the nakednesse be not discovered Errour and Sin make men naked When the Israelites had worshipt the golden Calf they unloosed the girdle of truth and sincere worship When Aaron made them (a) Exod. 32.25 naked to their shame Those that are shaken from the truths of the Gospel their garments flye loose (b) Ovid. met 1. Sinuantur flamine vestes by the winds of corrupt and pernicious (c) Eph. 4.14 Doctrines and when once this Golden girdle is let fall from about their heart usually men turn oft to loose and extravagant courses and once being ungirt from the girdle off Truth at length prove unblest It is an Emblem of chastity as Solvere Zonam was used of old for married persons 5. A Girdle keeping the garments close to the body is a means of warmth in cold seasons Truth well setled to a mans heart makes him zealous for God in stormy-times 6. A Girdle helps a man to continue and persist in his labours and may therefore hold forth perseverance and constancy Gird up the loyns of your minds be sober and hope to the (d) 1 Pet. 1.13 end sayes holy Peter Let your loyns be girt about and wait for the Lords coming Luke 12.35 But to conclude The variety of colours mentioned in the Girdle signifie saith (e) Ribera pag. 188. Ribera all the various Vertues which tye the life of a good man together I shall not be so curious as to think that the white noted Innocency and the blew Heavenlinesse the Scarlet persecution the purple a holy maity of Spirit as that was an Emperial colour But rather as the Girdle in general noted Truth So the variety of colours that Saints especially Ministers must be sound and Orthodox in all points of truth they must hold fast (f) 2 Tim. 1.3 the whole form or Synopsis the Encyclopoedia the enriching Girdle of wholsome words in faith and love in Christ Jesus 4. The fourth parcel of Array mentioned in order Leviticus 8. was the Robe of the Ephod and this was peculiar to the High-Priest only which had hanging at the bottom of it the Bells and Pomgranates It was made all of (a) Exod. 28.31 blew or sky-colour to note say some the Heavenliness of Christ our High-priest Some think this garment noted Christs (a) Exod. 28.31 personall Righteousnesse The threds thereof were twelve-times double as (b) Rom. 10.17 Ainsworth notes out of Maimondes the hole thereof through which the head was put was woven at the beginning of the weaving It had no sleeves but was divided into two skirts from the end of the neck unto beneath after the manner of all Robes and was not joyned together but about the neck only And so he observes the garment of Christ to be a Coat (c) John 19.23 without seam woven from the top throughout which though not a Priestly garment yet says he it was mystical and is usually applyed to unity Jerome saies (d) Vbi supra pag. 63. Significat rationem sublimius patere non omnibus sed majoribus atque perfectis It signifies that the reason of Heavenly and sublime things is not known to all but to those that are of the high form and perfect At the bottom were the Pomgranates The juyce of which fruit is (e) Dioscorid cum Mathiola l. 1. c. 137. cooling and binding So we read of but a touch of the hem of Christs garment cooling and refreshing the heart when scorched with the burning wrath of God for sin and of a binding nature to stop the (f) Mat. 9.20 bloody issue of the soul As it