is altogether lovely and this they cannot but experimentally affirm if so be they have (d) 1 Pet. 2.3 tasted that the Lord is gracious How (e) Psalm 119.103 sweet are thy words to my taste cries David yea sweeter then Hony to my mouth 1. Manna descended from Heaven in a miraculous manner Such was the birth of Christ his Divine Nature he brought from above his humane body was produced by the unspeakable (f) Luke 1.36 power of the Holy Ghost Manna was divided equally among the Israelites So Christ gives out himself without (g) Act. 10.34 respect of persons the meanest may have as great a portion in him as the greatest 3. Manna was a plentiful food none wanted but all had it fully and freely Of his (h) John 1.16 fulness have all we received even grace for grace It s call'd the (i) Psalm 73.24 Corn of Heaven Angels bread not as if it fell like crumbs from their Table but as descending from Heaven their habitation or as some think because it was dispensed by the ministration of Angels or so call'd rather by way of excellency that if Angels were to feed they would like Manna this Ambrosia would suit their palate It fell in the night or towards morning Our Lord was born in the (k) Luke 2.8 night in the night of Jewish Ceremonies but toward the dawning of the Gospel-morning Whereof Paul speaks (l) Rom. 13.12 Dr. Taylor of Types pag. The night is far spent the day is at hand 5. It fell round about the Camp of Israel The food of life is no where to be found but in the Church It was merè gratuitum a gift of Grace to Israel they plowed not sowed not planted not for it No labour no merit of theirs procured it Adam indeed might get his bread with the sweat of his brows but if Angels sweat out their hearts they could not obtain this bread without a free gift of Grace 'T is so with Christ all the good nature and moral honesty in the world cannot of itself procure one glance of love from God not one smile of Grace through Christ 'T is of (m) Eph. 2.9 gift that no man should boast For (n) Rom. 3.27 boasting is excluded by the Law of Faith It was a miraculous food its beyond the limits of nature to produce it All the Application of Actives to Passives will yield but an abortive Birth I may apply hither that expression of Job a Who hath begotten these drops of dew Out of whose womb came Manna and this bread of Heaven who hath gendred it In like manner the coming of Christ out of his Father's bosom was a miracle of love To reconcile Justice and mercy each to other Job 38.29 was a miracle of Wisdom To spare the sinner and kill the sin A miracle of grace and favour To regenerate fallen sinners and give them a life of Faith A mysterious miracle of divine power All Heaven born Christians are so many walking-Miracles so many pillars of Wonder It s observed by some that the works of Creation are said to be performed by Gods fingers When I consider thy Heavens sayes David the work of thy fingers Stolla in Luk. Psalm 8.3 the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained Whereas his extraordinary and miraculous works are represented as done by his powerful Arm. The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt and causing them to pass over the red-sea Exod. 6.6 15.16 1 Psalm 77.15 Luke 1.51 was performed by his out-stretched Arm. So sayes the Virgin Mary He hath shewed strength with his Arm To note the miraculous production of Christ into the world Now though that be but a nice Notion yet there is truth in the thing that the work was performed by the extraordinary power of God 7. The raining of Manna was in the week time there was none upon the Sabbath to note an eternal Sabbath coming wherein shall be no ordinances at all But twice as much the day before to note their plentiful distribution in the end of the world Now is the time for these golden Showers of Manna It began to rain on the Lords-Day and ceased on the Jewish Sabbath Origen pag. 87. Hos 2.14 15. It rained to note its plenty a double portion on the 6th day to signifie our fulness of it in the laâ—ter ages of the Gospel When once the Israelites were past over Jordan they had no Manna but while they were in the howling Wilderness God many times ends sweet messages of Christ to the soul when in the Sinai of a troubled estate when the bryars and thorns of the Wildernesse prick the soul when the heart is thorowly stung with sin when its weary laden Christ is sent to give it rest I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak to her heart saith the Lord to his Church and give her Vineyards in the Valley of trouble When once past over Jordan the River of Lethe that runs into the Mare Mortuum the sea of Death expect no more Manna no more bread of Life no more time for Repentance or reception of mercy Wherefore to allude that place where the son of man is said to have power upon earth to forgive sins thereby Luke 5.24 is not only intimated the annexion of the Divinity â—o his humane Nature God being manifest in the flesh and his having power co-equal with the Father But also that when once we are off the earth if not forgiven here no more remission or means of Grace is to be expected hereafter Here indeed we want this bread the staffe of our spiritual life to lean upon and in the support thereof to walk from strength to strength till we all appear before God in Zion Then we shall feed upon the Corn of the good land of Canaan upon the Milk and Honey of Heavenly joyes and Drink of that River of pleasure which flows at his right-Hand for evermore 8. Manna before it was eaten was ground in Mills beaten in Morters baked in pans sodden in pots to prepare it for use and afterwards it tasted and relished according to that which each person most affected or longed for If the Jews do not fail in their Stories All to set forth Christ how he was scourged reviled pierced dead and buried He trod the Wine-press he stood in the fiery burning Furnace of his Fathers wrath that he might be prepared for Believers to feed upon him by Faith and indeed whatever is said of Manna that Christ is even and much more abundantly all and in all to a Saint whatever we stand in need of is to be found in Christ Joy in tribulation Wisdom in difficulties Srength against enemies support in desertions Riches of Grace here and a massy Crown of Gold for heaven hereafter Manna when gathered if not eaten before the morning putrefied and bred worms and stank If we do only gather the word by hearing and
assigne to each of these some distinct Church-Offices under the Gospel But I shall not loâ—e time and offend the sober with such niceties I know that several of the Ancients as Jerom * Prudent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hymn 3. p. edit Hanov. 1613. Rein. adv Hart. 84. p. 463. Prudentius and others do assign the Deacons Office under the Gospel to the Levites of old I confesse the work of the Gospel-Deacon mentioned by Luke in the first designation of their Office is to †Act. 6.1 2. serve Tables and to look after the daily ministration to the poor as there were among the Levites anciently Treasurers that managed the disbursements of the Temple But of these and other inferiour Officers as Hewers and Drawers though some may conceit a parallel betwixt them and inferiour servants of the Church yet I rather referr them to the Grandeur and Pomp of the ancient Temple which needed many servitors and attendants in respect to the great and arduous imployments of Sacrifices and all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and services of that ancient Worship If any shall bring more light into the world concerning these things conformable to Scripture and the dictates of the holy Spirit I shall rejoyce to light my dimm Lamp at their more splendid and radiant Luminaries being desirous in the mean while to be a Door-keeper of the House of God rather then to dwell in the Tents of wickednesse SECT V. The Services of the Temple spiritualized THis Section I shall divide into two Paragraphs according to the preceding History and speak very briefly to each because this would require a large Volume of it self if compleatly and fully handled and therefore I shall but succinctly touch at things in this following method and order 1. Of the several Services and Solemnities according to stated times 2. Of the various Sacrifices with several attendant Rites and Ceremonies As to the first particular the Services may be distinguished into such as were constant without intermission or such as fell out in their several appointed stations and periods The constant Service was that of the Porters in watching at the Temple-gates night and day Blessed is the man saith Wisdom (a) Prov. 8.34 that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors Happy are they that like holy Anna depart not from the Temple (b) Luke 2.37 but serve God with fasting and prayer night and day Such as wait for the consolation of Israel and look for Redemption in Jerusalem shall have their expectations satisfied with the marrow and fatnesse of his House The daily Service of the Temple was the Juge Sacrificium the daily Sacrifice of a Lamb morning and evening Which hinted at the constant and daily approaches of the People of God to the Throne of Grace night and day The Lamb signified Christ (c) Joh 1.29 taking away the sins of the World who is represented in the Revelation-Visions as a (d) Rev. 5.6 12. slain Lamb slain from (e) Rev. 13.8 Tertull. de pudicitiâ— p. 475. Edit Par. Tom. 2. 1566. Heb. 13.20 the foundation of the World in all the Sacrifices of the ancient Patriarchs and of the Jewish Paedagogy To note that all our prayers and addresses to God must be put up in the name of this holy Lamb of God if ever we expect to find acceptation at the door of heaven Tertullian mentions the ingraving on the Cups of the Primitive Christians the figure of a Shepheard carrying a Lamb on his shoulders He that was the Lamb of God was slain that he might rise from the dead an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Chief-Shepheard to carry his poor Lambs some in his bosome some on his shoulders to heaven We in our daily Sacrifices must look up to this Lamb as onely able to carry away all the defilement of our prayers and reader us as unspotted before the Father through his mediation The weekly service was on the Sabbath or seventh day and therein the Sacrifices were doubled to set forth a more extraordinary service unto God in the publick Ordinances on that day under the Christian dispensation As for the change of the day from the seventh to the first day of the week it is not my work to handle that controversy here But whoso pleaseth to be setled and confirmed in the truth about this matter may consult that Learned and Judicious Treatise of Mr. Herbert Palmer and Mr. Daniel Cawdry who have given a Supersedeas to other mens labours in that particular where they may receive abundant satisfaction who are capable of rational arguments and clear proofs from Scripture and the practise of all the primitive Churches Besides this Sabbath we are now upon Heb. 4.9 might shadow the eternal Sabbatism of rest which our spiritual Joshua or Jesus will bring his people to at the great day The Monthly service was performed on every New-Moon which might signify the Churches renovation and reformation The Church hath her spots and vicissitudes Eclipses and various Aspects while here below Yet when at the full of her Glory all is but by a borrowed light from Christ the Gospel-Sun she being fair as the Moon Cant. 6.10 and perfect through his comlinesse Ezek. 16.14 Under the Gospel she is clothed (f) Rev. 12.1 with the Sun and hath the Moon all the Jewish festivals under her feet The Annual Festivities follow and none must come to them empty handed but bring Vitulum petulantiae Bovem superbiae Arietem luxuriae Tho. A-kemp par 1. pag. 119. The Calfe of Petulancy the Oxe of Pride the Ram of Luxury First The Passeover which signified God's passing us over for the sake of Christ and bringing us out of spiritual Egypt Christ (g) 1 Cor. 5.7 Cloppenb p. 142. 144. our Passeover being sacrificed for us For as it was in the Paschal Lamb so in Christ was it verified a bone of his was not broken As the Paschal Lamb was slain in the Evening so Christ died in the Evening (h) Joh. 19.36 (i) Mat. 27.46 about the ninth hour of the day If we divide the day of (k) Joh. 11.9 twelve hours according to the computation of those times they being unequal houres according to the various length of daies throughout the year into four parts then our Lord's death falling out about the ninth hour of the day his passion was finished about the end of three fourths or in the Evening answering about Easter in that year when as the Sun was in a vernal signe past the Equinoxe to our Afternoon between three and four of the clock as we terme it Furthermore according to the Rabbinical account of the World's duration for the space of 6000 years whereof I have given a hint before Our Lord dying in the 4000th year of the World by the computation of Bishop Vsher and other exact Computators as he finished his life by dying for sinners in the end of
the Jewish Paedagogy so came it to passe also in the approaching Evening of the World Nay in the times presently succeeding James told them that (l) Jam. 5.9 the Judge was then at the door and generally throughout the Epistles gospel-Gospel-daies are called the (m) Heb. 1.2 last daies The (n) 1 Cor. 10.11 Dr. Whitaker de Sacramentis pag. 109. Edit Francof 1654. ends of the World being come upon us Some there be who conceived that the Passeover did typify and praefigure the Sacrament of our Lord's Supper wherein the soul of a Believer feeds upon Christ the Lamb of God But doubtlesse in the main the Scripture doth therein point at Christ The Sacraments of both Testaments do hold forth the Lord Jesus the former look forward upon him as being not yet come the latter look backward upon him as being already come For hereby we (o) 1 Cor. 11.26 shew forth the Lord's death till he come that is in his last and most glorious Advent to deliver his people and to judge the World of the ungodly The next Annual festivity was the Feast of first-fruits or Feast of weeks being celebrated fifty daies after the Israelites coming out of Egypt and therefore is called in the New-Testament (p) Act. 20 16. Pentecost At the first Pentecost in the wildernesse was the Law given by Moses In the last Jewish Pentecost was the (q) Act. 2.1 Holy Ghost given to the Apostles at Jerusalem and then the first-fruits of the Gospel were offered up to God through Jesus Christ by that miraculous conversion of (g) Act. 2.41 3000 souls by the Sermon of Peter Which was the earnest of the great Harvest to follow in the whole world The Feasts of the seventh moneth were these 1. The blowing of (h) Lev. 23.24 Trumpets on the first day of the seventh moneth and might hint at the preaching of the Gospel most clearly in the latter end of the world as some apprehend The Fast of Expiation on the tenth day of the seventh moneth was a most clear presignification of our blessed Lord's (b) Crames expiating for sin (a) Ribera p. 339. Some apprehend that this and other Fasts among the Jews might denote the solemn fastings for sin under the Gospel the denial of our selves taking up the Cross of Christ and the constant study of the mortification of (c) Gal. 5.24 the flesh and all the lusts thereof The Feast of Tabernacles as it reflected backward on the Jews (a) Lev. 23.42 dwelling in Booths in the Wildernesse so it looked forward likewise on the state and condition of Christians while travelling thorough the wilderness of this World that we are but strangers in this Earth (d) 1 Chron. 29.15 as all our Fathers were Our dayes flee away like a shadow we have here no abiding City The Lord himself alone is (e) Jerom. Tom. 6. in Zach. p. 347. cum solice Psalm 90.1 the dwelling place of Saints in all generations as holy Moses speaks of himself and the children of Israel while wandring in the howling Desart of Sinai Wherefore Abraham and all the Blessed Patriarchs dwelt in Tents (f) Heb. 11.14 15 16. plainly declaring that they sought a Country which is Heavenly To which God of his infinite mercy bring us through the propitiatory blood of the (g) Heb. 13.20 Great Shepheard of the sheep the Lord Jesus whom he raised from the dead On the seventh day of this great Feast of Tabernacles there was offered the smallest number of Sacrifices to note the declining of that antient legal and Ceremonial Worship (h) Sheringham in Codicem Joma p. 39. and that a more perfect sacrifice was ready to be introduced in their room Besides the presignification of some Gospel-Excellencies by these Feasts It is noted by a learned Man that there was a reason for their celebration among the Jews referring to the impetration of some particular blessings upon the Earth according to the several seasons of the Year wherein they were solemnized There was an offering of the quantity of a Homer given up at the Passover to beg a blessing on the Harvest The first-fruits they offered up at Pentecost to obtain a blessing on the fruits of their trees at the Feast of Tabernacles they (a) 1 Sam. 7.6 powred out water to beg the blessing of Rain upon the Earth it being then the seed-time in the land of Judea These Waters were drawn out of the Fountain of Shiloah Whence it is that the Evangelical Prophet complains of the Jews that they refused the (b) Isa 8.6 waters of Shiloah that go softly not trusting in Gods gracious promise that he made to King Ahaz of the true Shiloah He that was to be sent to them the Messiah Isa 7.14 which was given as a firm word for him to rest upon against the Kings of Israel and Syria For it was plain that the Race of David should continue till the coming of that Immanuel who was to be born of a Virgin and therefore the enemies should not prevail to extinguish the Royal Race of Judah Hence is it that our blessed Lord alluding to this Libation or powring out of Waters at the Feast of the Tabernacles cryes out in the last and great day of the Feast John 7.37 that they should come to him as the true Fountain of Shiloah that gives forth living waters which thing he spake concerning the Spirit For he that believeth on him as the Scripture saith that is he whose Faith is grounded on Scripture-promises for we are not to understand that Text of any citation there being no such place extant out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living-waters i. e. There shall be within him a Heavenly spring of Grace that shall flow into the Ocean of Glory The Heathen had an apish imitation of this great Festivity Plut. Thes gr p. 19. Edit 1. Steph. 80. Plut. Romul p. 66. gr Aedit H. Steph. as Plutarch remembers in the life of Theseus that the Athenians had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in memory of the deliverance of their City by Theseus and to implore a blessing on the fruits of the earth and moreover concerning the Romans at set times dwelling under Fig-trees as the same Author hath recorded in the life of Romulus and in the fourth of his Symposiacks mentioning this Feast foolishly compares it with the Heathenish Feast of Bacchus qu. 5. Here before I conclude give me leave to treat a while upon the Conjecture of some persons who conceive the 3 solemn Festivals celebrated among the Christians to have been pre-exemplified in those 3 Eminent Feasts of the Jews The birth of our Saviour answering to the Feast of Tabernacles For so a very Learned man of our Nation and others viz. Beroaldus Mede Vol. 1. p. 618. Scaliger and Calvisius conceive and seem to prove it by good arguments that our Saviour was born in September the time answering to
the Camp or without the precincts and limits of the Temple which the Apostle explains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in expresse termes As the bodies of the Beasts e Heb. 13.11 12. were burnt without the Camp so Jesus also suffered without the gate even upon Mount Calvary And therefore those that will stand to the Levitical Law can have no share in Christ according to the Apostles Argument drawn from the peoples having f Heb. 13.10 Weem vol. 3. p 66. no part or share in that Sacrifice which was burnt without the Camp After the Priest had ended those services he puts on his linen cloathes washes his flesh a Lev. 16.24 in the holy place and puts on his own gorgeous raiment and appears to the people in his rich attire This might signifie the death buriall and resurrection of Christ His death by the putting off his inconspicuous vestments His buriall by the washing and continuing for a while hid and obscured in the holy place b Act. 9 37. To wash the body after death was the manner of the Jews preparation for its Sepulture His coming forth with glorious rober shewed his resurrection when he rose out of the grave with his glorious body These things I dare not press but mention them only allusively with submission When these Solemnities of expiation were finisht then the c Lev. 16.3 5 24. High-Priest offered up the two burnt Offerings one for himself the other for the people after sin was fully expiated then they present their Burnt-Offerings which were wholly burnt upon the Altar except the skin whereof I spake before and signified the dedicating of our souls wholly to God in the newnesse of life and holy obedience Our blessed Lord was a whole Burnt-Offering he came to do the will of God fully in his compleat obedience He offered up himself to the Father in all waies of compleat righteousnesse and so should we d Rom. 12.1 present our bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore the Apostle citing the Psalmist speaks in the name of Christ e Heb. 10.6 c. Sacrifice and offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me In Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God Above when he said Sacrifice and Offering and Burnt Offerings and Offering for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the Law then said he Lo I come to do thy will O God Our Lord Jesus saw that the Scribe answered f Mark 12.33 34. discreetly when he said To love God with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and withall the strength and to love the neighbour as himself is more then all whole Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices The persons that burnt the two Sin-Offerings without the Camp and the other who carried the Scape Goat into the Wildernesse were to wash their cloathes and bath their flesh in water before they could be admitted into the Camp again To shew that though we by our sins are the crucifyers of Christ yet we may be received into favour if baptized and washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus and afterward be admitted into the communion of the faithfull So the Apostle Peter tels them who a Act. 2.23 by wicked hands crucifyed and slain the Lord of life yet if they b Vers 38. did repent and were baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins they might receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Thus was the great work of this reconciling day finisht the sins of Priest and people pardoned the Holy place Altar and Tabernacle purifyed through the blood of sprinkling So God in the day of our Lords most meritorious death was in and through him c 2 Cor. 5.18 reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their transgressions to them To conclude It was in this glorious day as I mentioned in the fore-going story of this service that the Trumpets were blown for the year of Jubilee to d Isa 61.1 2. signifie that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Christ the Lord anointed him to preach good tydings to the meek he sent him to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that were bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord e Zech. 9.11 and by the blood of the Covenant to send forth his Prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water Behold f 2 Cor. 6.2 3. now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation 3. Of the Trespasse-Offering Hitherto let it suffice to have spoken of Sin-Offerings and especially concerning the great and pompous day of expiation The next that follows is the Trespasse-Offering of which I shall only say thus much that as thereby there was an atonement and reconciliation made for more gross and hainous sins the Law and manner about the Sin-Offering and the Trespasse-Offerng being all one in the main we may observe that the greatest sins for which God is pleased to grant repentence are pardonable through the blood of Christ Only as under the Law there was no Offering for sins of presumption such persons must die themselves and their own blood must lie upon them So under the Gospel presuming sinners are under a most dangerous state especially if they presume to sin against the holy Spirit a Heb. 10 26 27. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more Sacrifice for sins but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall restroy the adversaries c. He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace b Mat. 12.32 For whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghpst it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Having thus briefly glanced upon this I come next to speak some words about the Peace-Offering 4. Of the Peace-Offerings The Causes of the Peace-Offering are at large recited Chap. 5. of this Treatise I shall only spiritualize some things about them and so conclude In this Sacrifice principally were the joyfull Feasts exhibited For usually they were divided into three parts or Portions the first part was Gods who is the great Peace-maker and makes a c Psal 50.5 Covenant with his people in this Sacrifice Another was the Priests as a reward of his service and to shew his communion
thousand to be Officers and Judges four thousand were Porters and four thousand were Singers and Players upon Instruments So that the work of the Levites was mainly Templar which lay within the precincts of the Temple and partly provincial as the devout Sr. H. Spelman ranks them Tithe p. 36. c. 2 Chr. 8.14 1 Chr. 16.4 Num. 18.3 But their capitall businesse was to praise and minister before the Priests and before the Ark to record sacred affairs to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel They were not in any case to approach near the Vessels of the Sanctuary no nor of the Altar in any way of Ministration after the Nature of Priests unlesse in case of necessity when the number of the Priests was not sufficient for the greatnesse of some festivall solemnity then we have an instance of the Levites helping them to flay the burnt Offerings 2 Ch. 29.34 till the work was ended Else they might not In so much that when the Ark of the Covenant was ambulatory in the Wilderness and unfixed before the Temple's erection though the Levites might bear it upon their shoulders when it was wrapt up in the Vail yet they might not either touch it Num. 4.15 or as some think look upon it when uncovered Wherefore in David's time there seems to have been a double error committed about the Ark. The first was in carting that most holy and mysterious piece For although the Philistines did send it home upon a new Cart toward Bethshemesh without ensuing danger yet the Israëlites might not dare to deal so irreverently with that rare symbole of the divine presence 1 Sam. 6.11 as to set it on a homely Cart if they diligently consulted the Law of Moses 1 Chr. 15.12 13 14 15. Ant. l. 7. c. 4. As to which very point David humbly confesseth his and the Peoples miscarriage The second Error is conceived by some out of Josephus to have been this even that Vzza the Son of Abinadab being but an ordinary Levite and no Priest might not presume to touch the holy Ark according to the strict inhibition of Moses who therefore was so immediately and miraculously smitten down before God in the very place of his transgression So tender and jealous is the Lord of Hosts of every point of his instituted Worship which might make us extream wary and watchfull how we draw nigh to God under Ordinances even in the gospell-Gospell-daies wherein though the ceremoniality of Worship is not so strict yet the spirituality is far more advanced and we are to draw neere with hearts more heavenly abstracted from the impurities of the world and it is dangerous dallying with his divine Majesty in using any traditionall rites or ceremoniall inventions of man in his solemn service being never so fairely coloured and varnished over with the specious pretences of decorum unity order Church discipline and peace For certainly God is not wanting in giving forth a platform for Gospel-worship in all points necessary for evangelical Churches as to which God expects of us the same that he did of Moses that we look to it that we doe all Exo. 25.40 Mat. 15.9 according to the patern shewn to us by Christ in the Mount For in vain do we worship if we teach the Commandements of men for the Doctrines of God either to gratify the carnall Humours of Persons wedded to and soaked in the poysonous Cup of Romish superstitions or to carry on a magisteriall design of being Lords of our Brethrens Faith and Practises by imposing Dictator-like upon others consciences in punctilio's of externalls and extraessentialls to Salvation When as probably enough their opinions in those niceties have no more solid reasons grounded upon Scripture the sole rule of Faith Worship and Manners to evince their practise to be sober and judicious than the Pope of Rome hath of title to his Patrimony or universall Head-ship from the Donation of Constantine or the cruel Phocas of the Eastern Empire But craving pardon for this small digression upon the remembrance of the sad providence upon Uzza let us proceed to rank these Temple-Officers the Levites in a foursold series Whereto we shall speak awhile 1 Concerning the Singers among them 2 Of the Porters 3 Of the Treasurers and 4 Of the Judges Of the Singers We read in the sacred lines that this was one great part of the work incumbent on a proportioned number of Levites for that purpose Whom David set apart for Temple-Musick which was either vocall or instrumentall The instrumentall either pneumaticall or manuall All which is expressed in that verse 1 Chr. 15.16 wherein the chief of the Levites are commanded to appoint some of their Brethren to be Singers with instruments of Musick Psalteries Harps and Cymbals sounding by lifting up the voice with Joy So that now these instruments mixed in consort with the Trumpets of the Priests made a lovely noise in the Court of the Altar It were worth our paines if it were a thing feazible to give any satisfaction to treat awhile concerning the exact form of their Instruments and the method of their musical notes and the manner of pricking their Psalms But despairing of that at present I shall onely speak a little about the various Instruments which are mentioned in the holy Scriptures and then of their 24 Courses We read of these three sorts of Instruments wherewith they praised God and made a solemn sound therewith to refresh the ears of those Israelites who came to wership God at the Temple 1 Cymbals Ver. 19. 1 Cymbals of Brasse whereon the chief masters of Musick played and are related to have made a sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 70 render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some imagine to be round Balls others flat pieces of Brasse like Drums to manage the Bassus or Base-part in the Musick Ver. 20. 2 Psalteries 2 Others are said to make a sound or joyfull noise upon Psalteries in the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cecidi◠and is usually applyed to leaves falling off Trees in Autumn as if so be the Instruments were to be so choicely and gently toucht as if a leaf only had faln upon them Therefore is it added on Alometh that is the silent or hidden Musick For the curious gentle sound and most sweet Lute-like melody which it gave forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greek word which some translate it by is according to the great Etymologist derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the touching of it with the fingers But others think it was plaid upon with a Bow or Quill or the like and that it was an Instrument with a hollow belly like our Lutes Viols Gitternes and the rest because the Hebr. word Nebel is in one signification used sometimes for a Bottle or Bag of Skin Psa 144.9 hollow within Whatever the fashion was
of the precise Synod †Lang. de annis Christi l. 1. c. 10. Selden de anno Civili Judaeorum cap. 13. 27 hours and ½ for to give the Moon a visible Phasis according to which day of its first appearance the Jewish New Moons were vulgarly celebrated If I should perform this at present it would swell this Treatise too much for which it is not of any great moment to insist and therefore we shall proceed briefly to describe the pompous Solemnity of this Dedication In the first place we read that King Solomon for this rare Festival assembled the Elders the Heads of the Tribes 2 Chro. 5.2 1 Kin. 8.65 and the chief of the Fathers of Israel and a mighty Congregation of all the Nation from the entring in of Hamath to the River of Egypt 2 Chro. 7.7 After this Solomon hallowed the middle of the Court because the Brazen Altar would have proved insufficient to contain the multitudes of the intended Offerings The Elders of Israel being assembled waited upon the King at Mount Zion where the Ark of God's Covenant was yet resident which the Priests took up upon their shoulders 1 Kin. 8.3 4. The Levites mean while according to their several designed Ranks carryed the Tabernacle of Boards and Curtains wherein the Ark stood with all the Holy Vessels of Moses 2 Chro. 5.2 Thus in a pompous Holy Procession they walked leisurely from the City of David the Ark being brought up to the sacred Mountain the King and all the Congregation sacrificed before it Sheep and Oxen without number Ver. 6. Ver. 7. Then the Priests conveyed the Ark of the Covenant into the Oracle or most Holy Place and set it under the Wings of the Golden Cherubims which being done and the Priests returned out of that mysterious place one hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpets for Moses his were of silver sounded in the Court and near to them the Singers Asaph 1 Chron. 6.33 Ver. 12. Hëman the Grand-son of Samuel the Prophet and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in White Linnen and accommodated with Cymbals Psalteries and Harps stood at the East End of the Altar lift up their Voices and sung this Verse For He is good For His Mercy endureth for ever While this admirable Consort of Vocal Pneumatical and Organical Musick 2 Chron. 5.13 made a joyful sound throughout the Temple its Courts and the Neighbouring City Behold a Cloud of Glory filled the House of God with such bright and shining Beams that the Priests could not stand to minister by reason of its Radiant Majesty Immediatly upon this King Solomon standing upon his Brazen Scaffold before the Altar and looking towards the Cloud of Glory thus bespake the Divine Majesty 2 Chron. 6.1 2. Ver. 3 4 c. The Lord hath said that He would dwell in the thick Darkness But I have built an House of Habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever Then the King turns his face to all the people as they stood makes a short but elegant and pithy Oration and gives them His Royal Blessing After this He turns His face West again to the Temple and the Altar directing His Eyes stedfastly towards that Divine Glory and falling down devoutly upon His Knees 2 Chron. 6.12 c. 2 Chron. 7.1 and spreading out His Hands toward Heaven He powrs out a large and Heavenly Prayer before the Majesty of God riding upon the Chariot of the Cherubims At the conclusion thereof miraculous Fire descends from Heaven consuming the Burnt-Offering and the Sacrifices while the Glory of the-Lord filled the House with such Orient Splendour that the Priests could by no means enter Now when all the Children of Israel saw the Fire from Heaven and the Glory of GOD upon the House they bowed themselves with their Faces to the Ground upon the Payement worshipped and praised the Lord with one Voyce saying For He is good for His Mercy endureth for ever Then the King offered His stately Sacrifice to the Lord of two and twenty thousand Oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand Sheep Thus the King and all the People dedicated the House of the Lord throughout seven days After which followed the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles together with an eighth being the solemn Assembly the 22 day of the moneth The 23 followed which was the Sabbath and that being concluded on the Evening of the 23 day Solomon sent away the people to their Tents 2 Chron. 7.10 Lev. 23.40 42. which were made during this Feast according to the Law of Willows and Palms glad and merry in heart for the goodness which the Lord had shewed to David to Solomon His Son and to His People Israel After which night having slept sweetly on the first day of the Week every one takes up his Journey to his own Habitation according to their various distances from the Holy Temple CHAP. VIII The Temples Duration THis famous Building being thus famously hansell'd and house-warm'd with so many fat Burnt-Offerings we will account its continuance not from the Foundations first laying when it was yet an imperfect Embryo but from the 23 day of the moneth Ethanim in the Julian Year 3710. or of the World 3001. which day according to our Author being co-incident with the 14th day of the Julian Moneth Lev. 25.9 November and being the second Sabbath of the Year of Jubilee now begun For the first was one of the days of Tabernacles shall be the first standing day of the Temple and keeping house upon its own Revenues apart from these grand and solemn Festivals being united for the more August and noble Celebration of its Dedication From which day till the Year of the same Julian Period 4126. Aug. 27. being the Sabbath also it stood four hundred and fifteen years Vsser p. 131. two hundred and eighty five days according to the Julian Account which I shall briefly exhibit in this Laterculus or Scheme wherein the Names Reign number of the Kings may be observed at one view under which it stood Not but that it received many sore shakings by many Heathen Kings by the Idolatrous Neighbours of the Kingdom of Israel or the ten Tribes who many a time laid their Sacrilegious hands upon these Divine Materials Nay which is most to be lamented it was wounded in the house of its Friends that should have been even some of the Kings of Judah For all which I refer you to the sacred Annals of the Kings and Chronicles as to the larger view of those Transactions which I have linked in a more compendious Chain before the close of this Chapter Onely before I give in this ensuing Type remember that the Dedication being solemnized in the 11th of King Solomons Reign and that He holding the Scepter 40 years we must set down 29 for Him after this great Dedication  Years  1 Solomon 29
to the praecise time and punctuall place of the situation of each of these abominable Idols For if the Father had not so soulely praevaricaed his son probably had never felt the weight of the Loins of God's vengeance upon his Kingdom nor the lash of those divine Scorpions that in most righteous and just judgment whipt off ten Tribes at one blow from the Scepter of Judah in his daies whereof we now proceed to speak The state of the Temple under Rehoboam the second King after its Building A.M. 3029. This famous Fabrick stood in its beauty unspoiled of its Ornaments all the daies of Solomon notwithstanding the grand provocations of the divine Majesty 1 Chr. 11.17 cap. 12.1 and so persisted during the three first years of the reign of Rehoboam But having strengthned himself in the Kingdome he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israël with him denoting to us That unsanctified prospeâ—ity to a carnall Spirit proves many times a sad Temptation to fearfull Apostacy But did not God also forsake Rehoboam yes surely For when he had idolatrously turned his back upon the Temple he beholds in his fifth year Ver. 2. Shishak King of Aegypt marching in the Van of a terrible Army towards Jerusalem probably incited by Jeroboam but certainly by God who under the reign of his Father had resided in Aegypt This potent adversary and his Wars Aut. Iudaic. lib. 8. cap. 4. Lib. 2. p. 127 Edit Paul Steph. A.M. 3026 Pag. 30. Argonaut l. 4. ad ve 272 Josephus peremptorily asserts to be falsly ascribed by Herodotus to Sesostus Concerning whom the latter Historian relates in his Euterpe that in Palaestina of Syria he himself saw stones inscribed with the memoriall of his Victoryes But I rather incline to the Judgment of the learned Primate of Ireland in his Scripture-Annals and Mr. John Greaves in his discourse of the Aegyptian Pyramids who comparing Manetho the Priest with the Scholiast of Apollonius Rhodius Africanus and Eusebius together doth fully agree with Scaliger that this Shishak is the same King called by them Sesochosis or Sesonchis and possibly the same which Josephus de bello Judaic l. 7. c. 18. calls Asochaeus telling us of his taking Ierusalem the same called by Herodstus Asychis reciting some of his Lawes lib. 2. and plainly called Sasyches and related as a famous Lawgiver by Diodorus lib. 1. p. 59. Edit H. Steph. Who came up to the holy City rifled the Temple 1 Kin. 14.26 2 Chr. 12.9 ver 10. and took away the Treasures of the House of the Lord together with the Shields of Gold which his Father Solomon had made In the room whereof Rehoboam was constrained to substitute brazen ones for the Guard to carry before him when he went up to the Temple This was the first plundering Bout which befell that stately piece in this Prince's daies Ver. 12. who having humbled himself lived the remnant of his life in the Sun-shine of peace having reigned seventeen years in Ierusalem at his decease Under Abijah the third King A.M. 3046 Nothing considerable did occurre in his three years reign in relation to the Temple But the Dedication of some Gold some Silver and Vessels of service to the House of God which were carried within its sacred Wals by Asa his godly Son and Successor 1 Kin. 15.15 A.M. 3049 Vnder Asa the fourth King 2 Chr. 24.3 5 It is recorded concerning this good King that he took away the Altars of strange Gods their high places brake down the Images and cut down their Groves among all the Cities of Iudah which was succeeded with serene daies of peace and quietness Nay his Legions in war were attended with fortunate Lawrels in the famous Battel managed against Zerah the Captain of the Arabian Troops as Sir Walter Raleigh excellently manifests him to be Hist of the World part 1 lib. 1. cap. 8. §. 10. †6. 2 Chr. 21.16 and not of the Aethiopians of Africa who came against him with a Million of men Whence we learn That prosperity both in peace and warr doth crown the heads of those Magistrates that promote the purity of God's Worship Asa the famous Conquerour upon admonition of Azariah the Prophet in the fifteenth year of his Rule and the third Month of the sacred year put away all the abominable Idols out of all his dominions 2 Chr. 15.8 and renewed the brazen Altar for Sacrifices in the Court of the Priests gathered all his People to Ierusalem and offered of their victorious spoiles seven hundred Oxen and seven thousand Sheep to the God of Battell At the same time he made a solemn Covenant between God and his People and commanded that whosoever would not seek the Lord should be put to death His Grand-Mother likewise he removed from being Queen of the Idol Beth-peor De diis Syris p. 160. Syntag 1. c. 5. Ver. 18. 2 Chr. 16.1 Anno Mundi 3064. 1 Kin. 15.18 2 Chr. 16.2 as some conceive stamping her Idol to pieces and burning it at the Brook Kidron He brought likewise the Silver Gold and Vessels into the House of God which himself and his Father had dedicated in that famous year of his Reformation In the thirty sixth year of his Kingdome since the revolt of the 10 Tribes but the 16th year of his Reigne as the reverend Primate observes in his Annals he presents all the Silver and Gold that was left in the Treasures of the House of the Lord unto Benhadad the King of Syria to bribe him to a breach of that League which he had contracted with his fatall Enemy Baasha the King of Israël Here we see that Sacriledge and Truce-breaking two enormous sins are linkt together But he that dares put his hand to the Robbing of God of his Temple-Treasures will not fear to be unjust to man as we behold sadly testified of this Prince who being reproved by Hanani the Seer sent from God added yet more sins to the former in putting the Prophet in prison and oppressing the People at the same time But from thenceforth God denounced War against him and In the thirty ninth year smote him in his feet and yet he added to seek to the Physitians and not to the Lord and died in the one and fourtieth year of his Reigne Take heed therefore of being hardned by holy mens sin as well as of despairing by the story of their falls It was no wonder to behold an Aegyptian King spoiling the Temple of God But for an Asa the Protector and Enricher of the Temple to commit such Aegyptian wickedness for a godly King to manifest such heinous impiety demonstrates the Instability of the best without God's manutenency who though not bound to preserve us alwayes from sin yet hath ingaged himself to punish it even in the Children of David when he threatned to visit their Transgressions with the rod Psal 89.32 and their Iniquity with stripes which is manifest
larger pieces of the Temple For unlesse such a smaller material be admitted to commence the degree of a Type especially when some Gospel truth may properly and without straining be applyed to it in concomitancy with the greater there may possibly appear some chasm or widening deficiency in the main material to be challenged by the captious for a blemish and imperfection in the designment of it for a typical signification of spiritual matters Yet herein it is not my intention to be critically and anxiously inquisitive into every minute and inconsiderable particle prying through the microscope of fancy into the knop of every spoon the fashion of the slaughter knives the thicknesse of each cauldron the situation of each vessel or the cubital dimensions of each material as if some rare Mystery were laid up in their numbers In which Ribera and some others are too curious in finding out Mysteries where most probably none were intended and dividing most subtlely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their small cummin into nice portions shewing themselves if I may so speak to be overmuch wise in the phrase of Solomon I had rather consider those lesser parts ut Typo ministrantia as only subservient to the main Type as (b) In Exod. Cap. 26. p. 1127. in folio Dr. Rivet conceives in his exposition upon Moses his Tabernacle As to the work then in hand I shall in the first place implore the divine aid of heaven and the assisting presence of the holy spirit in the illumination of my mind by the Lamps of the Sanctuary and beg that my eye-sight may be washed and cleansed with those waters that issue from under the (c) Ezek. 47.1 threshold of the sacred Temple That he who beareth the key of David would graciously please to open a door of entrance for me that so I may rightly understand and properly expresse my conceptions in reference to these Mysterious affaires Secondly I shall cautiously indeavour to proceed in this businesse generally according to the 6 forementioned Canons as to the explication of the nature of these excellent Types Yet herein I shall not need in the unfolding of their meaning to alleadge and apply the aforesaid rules which will prove tedious and uselesse seeing common reason is a sufficient Cynosure or load-starre in that particular Thirdly It shall be my study and care to give diligent and deep intention of spirit to the things in hand and yet I desire to propose them with all modesty and sobriety not challenging any determinate assertion unlesse where Scripture proves exceeding plain and evident Intreating the Courteous Inquirer to pardon my infirmities and not to passe too precipitant a censure upon the expositions before he have conferred the explications with the preceding Canons and the opinions of learned Divines both ancient and modern to whose apprehensions I freely and humbly submit my self Fourthly I shall crave leave to acquaint my ingenuous Reader that it is not the designe of this work to enlarge most amply upon all the significant parts of the Temple much lesse upon all the antient Types and Ceremonies they being a subject matter fit for persons of deeper insight and knowledg then I have arrived to Who having bin much intreated by a neer Relation somewhat concerned in this peice as at whose cost all the figures were cut in brasse to contrive one Chapter concerning the Temple-Mysteries I was in a good measure unwillingly drawn to this work in particular as indeed to the whole by a strange over-ruling Providence as may possibly somewhat more appear in the prefixed Epistle Wherefore I humbly and most earnestly entreat the kind interpretation of my poor labours the passing over my weaknesses by all learned and sober persons hoping that this so thin and slender an Essay may quicken and incite some abler quill taken from some Seraphims wing to pierce deeper into the heaven of these divine Mysteries dictated by the all wise Majesty of God himself As to some moderate explication whereof at present that I may proceed in a Methodical path Let me first in general treat a while concerning the time and place of its erection together with the Famous builder King Solomon who undertooke the care and charges of that Excellent work and then descend to speak to the several particulars in six Sections that so the Temple-Mysteries may be digested according to the method of the several preceding Chapters in the Compilement of its History So far fotth as there is any thing of spiritual signification in them All which may be very Commodiously reduced to these 6 heads following whereof I shall endeavour to discourse with all perspicuity and convenient brevity 1. Of the covered Temple and its several included divisions 2. Of the Courts and buildings round about it 3. Of its various Utensils and Ornaments 4. Of the several divine Officers 5. Of the solemn services in the Worship of Gods Majesty 6. Of the beneficial Endowments wherewith the Officers were encouraged in the performance of their several duties incumbent on them Which particulars when I shall have handled with all expedition and succinctnesse possible for such a work through divine permission and assistance A close shall be then affixed to this Chapter whose subject is the most choise and excellent most rare and difficult of all the rest Concerning the Mysteries of the holy Temple respecting the Time of its Erection IN this Paragraph containing an enquiry of what Mystery might possibly be wrapped up in the Circumstance of time wherein this glorious Edifice was erected I shall only mention some apprehensions of others who delight much to converse with numbers in the School of Pythagoras (a) In Heptaplo Lib. 7. c. 4. p. 35. Picus Mirandula a Learned man yet deeply affected with such kind of Mysteries conceited that the 6 dayes of the worlds Creation did prenote 6000 years of the worlds continuance each day being put for a thousand years Moreover that in each thousand years continuance there was somewhat notably correspondent with the Created works of each particular day So that as the waters were distinguisht into their several seats on the second day even so within the compasse of the second interval of a thousand years the great overflowing deluge covered the face of the Earth In like manner as the fourth day produced the glorious luminaries So within the compasse of the 4th interval of a 1000d years did Christ the (b) Mal. 4.2 Sun of Righteousnesse arise in the world and the Church signified by the (c) Cant. 6.10 Moon and the (d) Rev. 12.1 12 Starâ—s of the Apostles shined in her Horizon Nay the Temple which prefigured Christ and his Church was compleatly finished in the three thousandth year of the world and fasted a whole millenary of years viz. through the whole fourth day of the world bating the intercision of a few years during the Captivity of Babylon which was supplyed by its continuance about the same quantity of years
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
in these last dayes He hath (g) Heb. 1.2 spoken to us by his Son who is expresly called (h) Dan. 9.24 Rev. 19.13 the most holy by the Prophet Daniel and was the person through and by whom the Father hath opened his minde to the World For the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father (i) Ioh. 1.18 he hath declared him He is Ioh. 1.1 called the word of God the Interpreter of the divine will in all ages neither (k) Mat. 11.27 knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him It was the (l) 1 Pet. 1.11 spirit of Christ in the Prophets of old testifying before hand of his sufferings and the glory that should follow By the same spirit (m) 1 Pet. 3.19 he went and preached to the spirits of the old World which are now in prison by which also he taught (n) 2 Cor. 13.3 the Apostle Paul and continues to inspire the hearts of his faithful Embassadours to the end of the World having upon his Ascension-day (o) Eph. 4.8 12 13. given gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and the edifying of his Body till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Wherby is evidently declared that the Gospel-Ministery divinely taught by Christ the Supreme Prophet of his Church (p) 1 Pet. 2.25 the Shepheard and Bishop of our souls (q) Ioh. 7.46 who spake as never man spake must endure till all the Elect be gathered and built up into a holy Temple in the Lord which shall not be fully and compleatly finished till the end of the World Moreover As in the Temple of Solomon there was an Ark made of Shittim-wood containing the Tables of stone whereon the ten Commandements were engraven and preserving them as a lively memorial of Gods Covenant with the Children of Israel to protect and defend them in case they kept and obeyed those precepts of God So Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour is declared to have (a) Mat. 5.17 fulfilled the Law not only as it became a just and righteous person so to do but on the behalf of the elect that so by the (b) Rom. 5.19 obedience of one many might be made righteous Which he performed with so much alacrity and willingnesse of spirit that he speaks of himself that (c) Psal 40.8 he delighted to do the will of God yea the Law was within his heart as a more excellent Cabinet then that which lay of old within the Oracle To contract As the curious vaile in the Tabernacle or Temple kept off the overcomming Majesty of divine glory from the eyes of those persons who entred the Sanctuary so the (d) Heb. 10.20 vaile of Christs flesh was drawn over Him as a Curtain to obumbrate and shadow the radiant divinity of his Godhead that rested in him in the daies of his Incarnation As the Golden Altar of Incense was the seat of those fragrant Odours which perfumed the holy of holies So are the prayers of the Saints offered up by the Lord Jesus upon the heavenly (e) Rev. 8.3 Altar of his intercession which stands before the Throne where our High Priest perfumes them in the golden censer of his own merit and makes them acceptable to his Father As the Table of shew-bread did exhibite food to the Priests that ministred before the Lord after the Cakes had stood their limited time within the Sanctuary So the Lord Jesus (f) Iohn 6.32 descending from heaven is that true bread of Life whereupon Saints do feed who are consecrated for (g) Rev. 1.6 Priests under the Gospel unto God the Father As the Golden Candlestick did yield a beautiful light within the Temple continually before the Lord Accordingly doth our Lord Jesus term himself (h) Ioh. 8.12 the light of the World that whoever followeth him and worketh by that light shall not walk in darknesse but enjoy the light of eternal life The seven lamps likewise of that Candlestick did signifie the various and excellent graces (i) Rev. 4.5 of the holy Spirit wherewith our Lord was adorned above his fellows who took great delight in (k) Rev. 2.1 walking in the midst of those 7 golden branches As the brazen Altar received the sacrifices which were offered up for the people's sins to make an atonement on their behalf before God So upon the Altar of the Crosse did the Lord Jesus (l) Heb. 9.26 put away the sins of his people by the Sacrifice of Himself As the Gate of the Temple gave admission to the Priests into those mysterious places where they executed their offices and performed services acceptable unto God So the Lord Jesus is the door of the new Testament-worship through which we must enter with our Gospel-sacrifices to performe our spiritual homage to his divine Majesty In all our prayers we must have a special eye to Christ and his mediation Even as Daniel in the Land of his Captivity kneeling upon his knees prayed when the (m) Dan. 6.10 windows of his Chamber were open towards Jerusalem and as Jonah though (n) Ion. 2 4 7. cast out of sight his soul fainting within him yet looked towards the holy Temple so must we in our deepest exigencies and the most fainting fits of distresse look towards Christ our spiritual Temple and through him only expect audience at the throne of grace In these and many other particulars I might proceed to amplifie upon this point but shall reserve them to a more copious enlargement in the succeeding treatise 2. Let us go on in the next place to shew briefly how the Church also the mystical body of Christ was signified by that glorious building Wherein I shall but succinctly mention some few things recommending the more large explication to their more proper and convenient places As the Temple was the material house wherein God was worshipped under the Jewish administration So is the Church under the Gospel the spiritual (a) 1 Cor. 3.16 Temple of God wherein his holy spirit dwelleth Nos enim sumus Templa dei altaria luminaria vasa We are saith (b) Tertul. de Cor. mil. p. 753. Edit Par. 80. Tertullian the Temples of God the Altars Lamps and Vessels Every Christian Church (c) Dr. Ed. Reyn. on Hos Ser. 5. p. 131. quar as a most Reverend and Learned Dr. of our own Nation is the Israel of God and every Regenerate person born in Zion and every spiritual worshipper the Circumcision Now Christ is crucified in Galatia and a Passeover eaten in Corinth and Manna fed on in Pergamus and an Altar set up in Egypt and Gentiles sacrcified and stones made Children unto Abraham and Temples unto God The Ark of old
12.10 Luk. 20.17 Act. 4.11 1 Pet. 2.7 This excellent foundation-stone thus laid in Zion the holy mountain by the hands of God himself hath also many rare and choise Epithets annexed to it in the sacred writings Whereof it will not be I hope amisse to discourse awhile referring to those various places wherein they are dispersed 1. He is called an elect or chosen-stone disallowed indeed of men but (f) 1 Pet. 2.4 1. â— chosen of God saies holy Peter who good soul would blush had he bin alive in after-daies no less then the picture of Paul as I remember at Rome In which the ingenious Painter being taxed for making his face too ruddy replied in his defence that it was for shame of some things done in the Roman Church Blessed Peter disowns himself and looks upon Christ only as this chosen stone carved by God himself out of the Quarry of mankind and receiving a (a) Heb. 10.5 body prepared by the Father for the service of this spiritual building He is styled therefore (b) Isa 42.1 the Elect of God in whom his soul delighted being instituted for this very work by the eternal purpose and designation of his heavenly Father Who (c) Gal. 4.4 in the fulnesse of time appeared in humane flesh that is at the period and compleatment of those daies which God had pitcht upon from all eternity and had revealed and foretold (d) Luke 1.70 by the mouth of his holy Prophets ever since the World began After which gracious manifestation of the Son of God in flesh he was hewn and polished by his sufferings and torturing-death upon the Crosse that he might be fit for the use of the wise Master-builder as a foundation stone to support the new and glorious building of his Gospel-Temple 2. ¶ 2. He is called a precious stone by a Metaphor taken from gemms and stones of great value Ten thousand times more precious then that natural diamond-rock on which (e) Tintaegel in Cornwall an antient Castle of our Nation once stood now groaning under its deplorable ruines Whereas this rock of ages shall never behold corruption More precious indeed as being of a supernatural essence and cut out (f) Dan. 2.45 of the mountain of eternity without hands in respect to his Divine nature which is free from the least shadow of a flaw or any tincture of blemish shining most oriently with all the sparklings of divine perfections Precious is this stone upon the account of its admirable qualities and most efficacious virtues Infinitely beyond the force and power of the famous Haematites for stopping the bloody flux of our souls Which would have bled to death through the gashes received in Paradise had not (g) Luke 6.19 virtue issued from Christ for its restraint Beyond the fiery Carbuncle in resisting the flames of his Fathers wrath that are ready to suck up the vital spirits of wretched sinners who dare presume to draw nigh to this (h) Heb. 12.29 consuming fire without Christ or converse with such (i) Isa 33.14 everlasting burnings Beyond the attractive vertue of the Magnetical stone in the (k) Joh. 12.32 drawing of souls after him and alluring them into union and communion with himself Nay more precious then the impenetrable Adamant whereof some Antients report such a quality to be inherent in it that those who carry it about them shall prove Valiant in fight and unconquerable in their enterprizes Seeing we are made more then Conquerours (l) Rom. 8.37 through him that loved us by whose meanes it is that we [m] 1 Cor. 15.57 receive the victory when fighting under the banner of this heavenly Achilles Who being himself anointed with a more precious unction (n) Nat. Mythol p. 817. then his of Ambrosia from above is in every part invulnerable except his heel which for a while is bruised in his poor members militant upon the Earth till all his enemies be subdued under his feet in the behalf of his dear Church Besides he is a most precious stone by reason of his incomparable rarity there being but one of this nature found in the whole World Who would not turn a spiritual Merchant and selling all that he hath endeavour to (o) Mat. 13.46 purchase this inestimable treasure This is that stone saies holy Peter on which onely our salvation resteth (p) Act. 4.12 There being no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved than that new name engraven on this (q) Rev. 2.17 white-stone (r) Jer. 23.6 the Lord our righteousnesse The Lord Christ is the onely Sun which by his bright and fulgent raies dispels the darknesse of the Chambers of death and of the bottomlesse pit He is the onely Phoenix out of whose perfumed ashes doth arise the curiously plumed progeny of the Church whose wings are (s) Psal 68.13 covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold This is the only Stone the Rock of Ages [t] 1 Pet. 2.7 so precious to them that believe on which alone our feet can be steddily fixed (a) Psal 40.2 that our goings may be established 3. He is termed a * Isa 28.16 tried stone Jesus of Nazareth ¶ 3. as the blessed Apostle Peter affirmes a man †Act. 2.22 approved of God by miracles signs and wonders Who when tried by the divine Majesty in the fire of his wrath to melt away the drosse of imputed sin did nec dissilire nec dissolvere neither fly in pieces for want of radical Oyl nor melt under that terrible calcination for want of tenacity and consistence Though all the sins of the elect were put into the crusiple of his humane nature yet he came out of the furnace inviolable and was therefore Crowned with the diademe of a glorious triumph Although he were so (b) Isa 53.5 sorely wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities by the hammer of the Law and pierced by the sword which was used by the right hand of him (c) Zech. 13.7 who was his fellow yet this Royal stone did neither shrink out of his fixed place in the Corner nor sink under the weight of divine anger The Prince of this World made towards him with the infernal three-tined fork of (d) Mat. 4 3 6 9. tentations to try the strength of this Corner-stone but (e) Joh. 14.30 found nothing degenerous in him or in the least wise malleable by all his Art and fury That great Goliath of Hell came marching up against him in his coat of maile his helmet of brasse and a weavers beam in his hand But was so dismaâ—ly smitten in the forehead of his bold designes by the mighty force of this †Cypr. p. 277. stone taken out of the (f) Psal 110.7 brook of Kidron that he fell down on his face to the Earth which afterwards proved like a sharp and fatal (g) Exod. 4.24
Long may he continue both fragrant and fruitfull in our Sanctuaries But to proceed All these curious Ornaments hitherto mentioned were overlaid with most precious Gold even the Gold of Ophir or (e) 2 Chr. 3.6 Parvaim differing names as (f) Ar. Mon. anti Judaic l. 1. c. 9. some conceive of the same place which is apprehended to be no other then the Country of Peru so called at this day in the American Continent a place very plentiful of Gold Now although the Assertors of this Opinion viz. that the ancient Ophir was the same place with the present Peru are without doubt greatly mistaken yet the Argument which some use against that assertion viz. that America was not discovered by the Ancients no not till the daies of Columbus as they conceit is as false For (g) Biblioth Hist l. 5. p. 207. Ed. Gr. H Steph. Diodorus Siculus acquaints us that the Phoenicians those most famous Sea-men of old times were by great storms driven off from the Coast of Africa farr to the Westward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for many daies together and at last fell in with an Island as he terms it and as America is now almost fully discovered to be of great magnitude and vast Extent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying from Libya many daies sail toward the West which Story can be fixed upon no place in the World save America if the Relation of Diodorus had solid ground for its truth For the few Islands of the Atlantick vast Ocean called the Azores and some others are very inconsiderable in their Bulk Moreover this discovery of the Tyrians our Author doth insinuate to have been performed in very ancient times Concerning this place as some conceive Plato likewise doth treat in his (h) Pag. 24. To. 3. ed. H. Steph. 1578. Timaeus when he saies that beyond the Pillars of Hercules there was an Island in the Atlantick Ocean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 larger then Africa and Asia put together and in more modern times but a good while before Columbus Madoc a Prince of the British blood had found it out Powels Hist Wales pag. 228. But whatever their actual discoveries were it is evident and clear that the Ancients were very skilful in the knowledge and praediction of Eclipses as is famously known concerning Thales Hipparchus Calippus and many others who could not be ignorant of the (a) Clavis Com. in cap. 1. Spher Johan de sacro Bosco p. 146. edit Lugd. 1618. Metam lib. 1. Fab. 1. roundnesse of the Earth it being demonstrable from the Moons Eclipse might thence inferr that there might very probably be other Lands on the other side the Globe within the bosome of the Atlantick Ocean to give a poize to the vast Continents of Europe Asia and Africa For as Ovid had observed possibly from the writings of some Mathematicians or some common stories then abroad in the World circumfuso pendebat in aëre Tellus Ponderibus librata suis That the Earth * Job 26.7 hung within the compassing air being equally poized with its own weight the opposite parts pressing towards the Center against each other Which is the Ground whereupon the (b) Of Languages p. 120 learned Breerwood doth most probably inferr that the Terra incognita or that part of the Earth as yet unknown to us lying toward the Antartick Pole doth equalize the whole Continent of these three parts of the Earth into which the ancient Geographers did divide it to counterpoize the great and vast tract of Land which is discovered in the North parts of the World even as far as 81. degrees by William Hudson an Englishman as Purchas relates in his Pilgrims Part. 3. pag. 464. and before that to 82 degrees of Latitude in a place which the (c) Bert. Ta. bul Geogra Contract Amsterdam 1616. p. 59. 62. Hollanders made to in the year 1596 if Bertius say true and called it Spitsberg from its craggy and mountainous inequality And lest any should object that possibly the Southern Seas might be shallower then ours it is answered by the experience of our own Mariners who have found it on the South of Africa and America to the contrary I am sensible how farr I have diverted from the businesse in hand upon the pleasantnesse of this Inquiry yet shall I crave pardon for one word or two more whereby I would shew that we may even out of Scripture gather something concerning the roundnesse of the Earth For at first the waters did cover the face of the Earth before ever the Mountains were weighed in scales and the Hills in a ballance which by the mighty power of God's word were taken out of the body of the Earth underneath the incircling Waters and laid on heaps by his admirable and infinite skill and power in such manner as to give an equal poize as well as to †Arias Mont. Anti. Judaic p. 13. yield deep and vast channels and caverns for the waters to subside and sink into which were also weighed by measure Job 28.2 He it is who measured the waters in the round (d) Isa 40.12 hollow of his hand So in the book of Job where we read He hath (e) Job 21.14 compassed the Waters with bounds the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His appointment or constitution as Arias translates hath he described with a Compass upon the face of the Waters and so to the same purpose the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He encircled the waters according to his appointment In like manner speaks the Spirit of God in the book of Proverbs that Christ the Wisdom of the Father was with him rejoycing alwaies before him when he set a (f) Pro. 8.27 Compasse upon the face of the Depth Whereby we learn that Solomon had probably some Knowledge of the circularity of the Earth and Water in one Globe That the Earth was sphaerical the Prophet (g) Isa 40.22 Isaiah seems to insinuate when he brings in the Majesty of God sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super Globum Terrae Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seventy on the Circle of the Earth Lastly that the Heaven which environs this Globe on all sides is also round Eliphaz the Temanite observes when he mentions God's walking upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the circuit of the heavens So that although Scripture most frequently speaks according to the apprehension of the vulgar as in the Earth's station of the ends and sides of the Earth the Sun and Moon as being the two greatest lights the measure of the brazen Sea whereof before and in such like yet there are very excellent hints of true physical Notions in the sacred Leavs as in that of the (a) Ps 132.7 Jer. 10.13 51.16 Eccles 1.7 winds coming out of the Earth and the rivers proceeding from the Sea and many others So in this particular of the roundnesse of the Earth and Water in one body But to conclude with an
intreaty of pardon for this digression whether or no the Tyrians had discovered America before or so soon as Solomon's daies or whether Solomon himself had by Scripture-light or naturall speculation of the frame of the World known the roundnesse of the Earth and thereupon employed Navies to search out the World and its rarities is not to be known because of our defect in historical Writers of those times especially of the Tyrian Annals and others of Egypt mentioned by Josephus We cannot apprehend by the reliques and fragments of stories that remain of those times or the neighbouring Ages when History began to be riper that they had such extraordinary skill in sailing upon the vast Ocean as hath been obtained since the rare invention of the Mariner's compasse but that their discoveries were attained either by reason of impetuous storms driving them beyond their purposes upon unknown Regions or else in coasting slowly by the reaches and Promontories of severall Countries In which manner no doubt Solomon's ships did trend upon the Asian coasts till they came to the habitation of (b) Gen. 10.29 Ophir the Son of Jocktan in the South-Easterly parts of Asia concerning the punctual place of which Country near the Golden Chersonese Stuckius upon Arian's Periplus of the Erithraean Sea Purchas in the first Part of his Pilgrims Sir Walter Rawleigh in his History of the World and above all the learned Bochartus in his Phaleg will give satisfaction to such as please to peruse them while we speak to this excellent Mettal which Solomon brought from thence in great abundance and employed it most bountifully in the adorning and enriching of the Temple Gold the choisest of all Mettals and the finest of that kind must be used about the Sanctuary The Apostle Peter compares Faith to (c) 1 Pet. 1.7 Gold that is tried in the fire and therefore some do accordingly expound that place of Faith where our Lord exhorts the Angel of Laodicea to buy of him (d) Rev. 3. Gold tried in the fire There be who expound it of the Word of God which the Apostle would have to dwell (e) Col. 3.16 richly in the Saints and is more to be desired then (f) Ps 19.10 Gold yea then much fine Gold Others interpret it of the righteousnesse of Christ But I shall enlarge a little more particularly concerning this excellent Mettal of Gold and insert those Observations in their due place It may be observed from Scripture that many things are resembled to Gold as saving and heavenly wisdom though preferred before it Receive (g) Pro. 8.10 knowledge rather then choise Gold for (h) Pro. 16.16 how much better is it to get wisdom then Gold seeing (i) Pr. 20.15 the lips of knowledge are more precious then Gold Sometimes (k) Pro. 22.1 loving favour is compared with but greatly to be valued before Gold Sometimes the purity of Christ's Government in the Church is shadowed by his (l) Delrio in Cant. 5.11 fol. 196. Par. 1604. head of Gold Sometimes the Glory of eternal life is set out by it when the City of the new Jerusalem is said to be of (m) Rev. 21.18 pure Gold Several times the word of God is hereby set forth to shew the estimation that is due to it For so doth the sweet Singer of Israel intimate when he saies that the Judgments of the Lord are more (n) Ps 19.10 to be desired then Gold he acknowledges (o) Ps 119.72 the Law of his mouth was better to him then thousands of Gold and professes that (p) Ver. 127 he loves his commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Accordingly some have explained that place of the Apostle Paul where he speaks of some that build (a) 1 Cor. 3.12 Gold upon the foundation holding it to be meant of the Word of God Christ doctrinal being built upon Christ the essentiall foundation of the Church It is true that an eloquent light of his Age treating upon that place after several words concludes thus (b) Chrysost Tom. 3. edit Savil. pag. 298. lin 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is manifest saith he that the Apostle's speech is to be understood concerning actions But what are the actions of spiritual builders as such whom the Apostle doth elsewhere call Gospel-ministers but their doctrines and teachings which according to their nature shal either be rewarded or destroyed In this very sense doth learned Jerom expound that place as may appear by these his expressions at large in his Comment on the Prophet Haggai (c) Tom. 6. pag. 280. Ego argentum quo domus Dei ornatur existimo eloquia Scripturarum de quibus dicitur Eloquia Domini eloquia casta c. et aurum quod in occulto Sanctorum sensu et in cordis versatur arcano splendet vero lumine Dei. Quod Apostolum de Sanctis qui super fundamentum Christi adificant sensisse perspicuum est aurum argentum lapides pretiosos ut in auro sensus occultus fit in argento sermo decens in lapide pretioso opera Deo placentia His Metallis illustrior fit Ecclesia Salvatoris quà m quondam Synagoga fuerat his lapidibus vivis aedificatur domus Christi pax ei praebetur aeterna The Silver wherewith the House is adorned I take to be The words of the Scriptures of which it is said The words of the Lord are chast words and the Gold that which is laid up in the hidden meaning of holy things and the secret place of the heart and shines with the true light of God Which it is clear that the Apostle did understand of the Saints who build upon the foundation of Christ Gold Silver precious Stones that the hidden meaning is set forth by the Gold comely Speech by Silver works pleasing to God by the precious stones The Church of our Saviour is more illustrious by these Metals then the Synagogue was in times past The House of Christ is built with these living stones and eternal peace is granted to it But to let that passe Gold in Scripture is thought by many to be a comparison whereby to set out the excellency of Faith true saving Faith in Jesus Christ As where we see upon the right hand of this Prince of Might the Queen to stand in Gold of Ophir the learned Rivet doth apply it to Faith and other Graces as the Golden Ornaments of the Spouse of Christ So where we find her neck to be adorned with (d) Can. 1 10. chains of Gold it may be applyed to the beautiful chain of Faith and other spiritual Graces being her choise Ornaments in the eyes of Christ In another place we read of three Kings from the East believing in him whose star they had seen and presenting our Saviour with (e) Mat. 2.11 Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe which Grotius interprets of Faith Prayer and Repentance We hear likewise of (f) Rev. 5.8 golden Vials in the