those that come to God by him Heb. 7. And to be a propitiation in his bloud for the sins of the whole world John 1. 2 2. That is there was so much Incense given this Angel by the Lord or so much vertue put into the death of Christ that although it was never intended for all the world yet there is a vertue or a sufficiency in his death able to save all the world at once And it s said the Angel offered Incense that is the Lord Jesus Christ was interceding at the Throne of grace for the Saints Now pray observe all this was done with the prayers of all Saints so that the Saints are set forth as a praying people as well as Christ is set forth as an interceding High Priest Christs prayers and his peoples prayers going up together before the Lord make up the great cloud of Incense which went up from the Altar Thus you see the point cleared that Christs interceding in Heaven at his Fathers right hand for Believers doth not give any liberty to the least neglect in prayer here on earth therefore doth our High Priest himself enjoyn prayer to be made by the Saints that live under his Priesthood Matth. 26 41. And farther says that men ought to pray always Luke 18. 1. So likewise the Apostles of Christ they tell you that the subjects of this Gospel Priesthood must pray James 5. 13. and that they must pray every where 1 Tim. 2. 8. and that without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17 and that men should continue instant in it Rom. 12. 22. and that men should pray always night and day Eph 6. 18. Thes 2. 3 10. and for one another James 5. 16. with this advice that it must be in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. likewise this hath been made the Character of a good man Acts 9. 11 and on the contrary a prayerless heart is looked upon in Scripture to be a wicked heart Job 27. 10. Thirdly and lastly I come to speak of the end or main purpose of the work of the Incense Altar or of the work of Christs Intercession which he driveth on in Heaven for Believes Now the purpose of this glorious work of Christs Intercession it was to make Reconciliation for sin or amongst many other things one mainâ— thing was this viz. the keeping up a constant peace between God and the Soul therefore it was called the office for atonement Exod. 30. 10. And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of the Incense Altar once a year with the bloud of the sin offering of atonements once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your Generations its most holy to the Lord. This the Apostle applies to Jesus Christ Heb. 2 17. where you have the Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ as our Gospel High Priest succeeding Aaron of old the Apostle hath this saying about it in Verse 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God and that he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the people Note here That he might make Reconciliation for the sins of the people or an atonement which is all one so that this was the end or purpose of the High Priests atonement it was to keep peace between God and the people under the Law this you may see read Numb 16. 46 47 48. And Moses said to Aaron take the Censer and put fire therein off the Altar and put on Incense and go quickly unto the Congregation and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague is begun And Aaron took as Moses commanded him and ran into the midst of the Congregation and behold the Plague was begun among the people and he put on Incense and made an atonement for the people and he stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was stayed Thus you see clearly what the purpose and end of the Priests interceding or making atonement for the people amounts unto it is to interpose between Gods wrath and the people or to keep God at peace with the people which is the proper work of Jesus Christ now in glory to make peace for the Saints and to interpose by his Intercession between the anger of God and their sinning souls who labours by those strong cries sighs and groans with many tears which cannot be uttered to prevail with God that he would be pleased for his own death and righteousness sake to pass by those many sins failings and infirmities which his people are apt to commit And as in the like case we read of Moses Exod. 32. 11 12 13. So doth Christ of whom in the work of Intercession Moses was the Type cast himself at the feet of God praying begging intreating that he would be pleased to pass by the sins and daily infirmities of his people and not remember their iniquities against them but that he would extend his Love Favour and Grace to their souls as afore-time and would lead them and conduct them by his special grace to the good land of Canaan the land of promise which was purchased for them by his own bloud upon the Cross at Jerusalem and begs his Father that he would be pleased to look more upon his bloud and righteousness for them and less upon their sins And doth confess as Moses did that the people are and ever have been a stiff-necked and rebellious people ever since he knew them but yet still crys good Father put up all the injuries done against thy glory by this people and let not thy wrath wax hot against the sheep of thy pasture O remember the promises which thou hast made to me concerning this people That a seed should serve me a Generation of men should call me blessed Psal 22. 30. and Psal 72. 17. And that I should see of the travel of my soul and be satisfied Isa 53. 11. and therefore prays that the Father would consider what loss it would be to him who was his Son should the people miscarry how all his sufferings would be lost the end of his coming in the flesh would be lost the fruit of all his Sermons works of Miracles and works of Righteousness would be lost therefore in John 17. 24. Prays saying Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold â—y glory which thou hast given me for thou hase loved me before the Foundation of the world Use 4. O then soul thou seest where to fly under the guilt of sin O what comfort wlll this afford a poor doubting soul that shall well digest this truth into his soul that Jesus Christ is interceding for him now in Heaven how will the knowledge of this feed the hearts of Gods people in times of doubts O let not the Wolves catch any comfort from hence this is what belongs to the true
3 4 5. with Levit. 14. 21 22 23 Secondly the Priest was to take the blood of the sacrifice and to sprinkle the mercy-seat therewith Leviticus 16. 14 15. Thirdly He was to offer up strong prayers by the burning incense Altar to God for the people praying God to pardon their sins and that he would accept their persons and their sacrifices and would be their God and would bless their souls with his heavenly blessing sRead Levit. 16. 12 13. with Levit. 6. 6 7. verses Likewise the Priest was to cast fresh Incense into the fire that was on the Incense Altar that so aâ— cloud of Incense might arise to God Levit. 16. 12 13. Fourthly The Priest was to take notice of every uncleanness that should be found amongst them either in person garment cloathes or in their houses Levit. 13. from 1. to the 16. ver with Levit. 14. from 34. to 40. ver Fifthly If any man had sinned either ignorantly or wilfully the Priest upon his coming was to offer sacrifice for him and it was pardoned Levit. 4. 13 14 15 16 17 18. with 28 29 30. verses So Levit. 5. 17 18. verses Sixthly By the powerful intercession of the Priest he was to interpose between the wrath of God and the people at such times as the people by sin had provoked God read Numb 16. 46 47 48. verses There was one ordinance observed amongst the Jews that we may not omit though it be a little out of its place which was this A standing sacrifice of two lambs which were to be offered the one in the morning and the other in the evening thorow out the whole year Exod. 39. 38 39. TYPE VIII The Land of Canaan THis Type is called by Paul their rest Heb. 3. which was the end of all their sore travels and weary journeyes and great temptations a Land of delight full of fatness abounding with all manner of ease and plenty a Land flowing with milk and honey Numb 13. 27. where was no want of any good thing Deut. 8. 7 8 9. Now this Canaan was an inheritance given by God to the people freely Deut. 19. 1. Secondly It was an inheritance divided proportionably to each of them by Lot Numb 26 54 55 56. Thirdly They were to march in an armed posture to this Land and they were to fight for it yet not without their leader Joshua Numb 35. 11 12 13 14. Deut. 7. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Yet this is observable that when they came out of the red Sea there was not a sword amongst the people but those waters which through the mighty power of God were made to deliver them the same waters by Gods appointment were made to cast forth weapons to them as Josephus writes page 51 of his second Book TYPE IX The assigned Cities of refuge which were six in number THe use of which was that if any man had committed murther by an accident if he did immediately repair to any of these Cities the Officer which was appointed for Executioner did overtake him he was not to dye provided he did not go out of the City vntil the death of the present High Priest Numb 35. 11 12 13 14. Another thing was the Covenant which God did make with them in Exod. 24. 8. In which are these things to be considered 1. The Covenant it self Exod. 24. 8. 2. The parties covenanting First The one party was God Exod. 24. 3. The party on the other side was the people ver 3. Secondly The terms propounded between both parties First On Gods part to the people ver 3. with ver 7. Deut. 7. 12 13 14 15. Secondly The peoples accepting of the terms ver 3. Thirdly The person mediating between both the parties ver 1. 2 3. Fourthly You have the ratification of the Covenant In which are these things to be considered 1. The conditions between both parties read v. 7. 2. The peoples accepting those conditions v. 7. 3. The sealing of the Covenant in which we may note two things First There was the life of something slain ver 5. Secondly With the blood of it the Covenant was signed between God and the people ver 6. 7 8. Deuteronomy 26. 17 18. Next I shall speak as the several kindes of sacrifices and so shall conclude the Types of the Ceremonial Law Now those sacrifices were of two kindes or sorts which they offered 1. Of things sollid 2 Of things liquid or moist those sollid things they were of two sorts First of things living Secondly Of things that were dead The sacrifices of things living were either bullocks Lev. 16. 11. Goats Lev. 18. 15. Rams Lev. 16. 3. Lambs Levit. 18. 2 3. or young Pigeons Lev. 1. 14. Now these sacrifices were all to be put to death and their blood to be poured out upon the Altar to make an attonement to God for the people and they were to be sacrifices either without spot or blemish Besides there was a Goat offered to God which was alive for the people called the scape-goat the manner of offering this Goat to God you may see in Lev. 16. 7 8. 9 10. with 21. 22. verses A second sort of sollid sacrifices were of things without life as meal or flower now these things were to be bruised or broken Now the liquid kinde of sacrifices was of oyl wine or water and this was to be poured out upon the ground Exod. 29. 40. The oyl was oftentimes put to the making of a certain sort of little thin cakes which they called wafers appointed likewise for sacrifice sometimes of thanksgiving sometimes it was ordered to be put to the sacrifice for a vow Levit. 7. 12. 16. Those were called meat-offerings and peace-offerings Levit. 7. 9 10 11. and this the Priests were to eat Levit. 24. 5 6 7 8. besides those moist sacrifices were to be poured out upon the ground And thus have I finished the order of the Types I next come to the explanation of them I shall begin with the Paschal Lamb which the Jews did eat in Egypt first I shall shew you who it did type out and then make some spiritual use of it to your advantage CHAP 1. Concerning the Lamb which was eaten by the Jews in Egypt the night before their departure as also the manner how the Lamb was eaten by the Jews THis Lamb typed out Jesus Christ to come by whom alone salvation is to be had therefore when John the Baptist who was a fore-runner of Christ came to reveal and to make him manifest to the world he holds Christ forth to the people under the Metaphor of a Lamb John 1. 36. Behold the Lamb of God to this agreeth the words of Paul 1 Cor. 5. 7. when he was a pressing the Corinthians to a discharge of duty in casting forth the incestuous person from among them which else as leaven would leaven the whole Church with guilt at least he grounds his exhortation on this point For Christ our Passeover
is sacrificed for us where you see he gives Christ the very name that was given to the Paschal Lamb. So Peter in his Epistle when he is a treating about the price of mans redemption 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. verses saith Peter in the 18. verse We were not redeemed with silver and gold from our vain conversations received by traditions from our fathers but by the pretious blood of Christ as a lamb slain without spot or blemish verse 19. for so it was required of the Jews in offering of the paschal Lamb that it should be a Lamb without blemish Exod. 12. 5. So read Revel 6. This title of Lamb is given unto Jesus Christ Rev. 6. 15 16 17. The rich men and the great men and the chief Captains cryed to the hills fall on us and cover us from the presence of the Lamb for the great dâ—y of his wrath is come What is the reason think you here that Jesus Christ should be so much dreaded by the great men as well as the poor men at his next coming for these words have relation to his next coming I will not here undertake to determine whether this appearing here of Christ be at or before the general Judgement day as to that I shall refer you to abler judgements who have commented on the thing but without doubt the reason why our Lord is by John in that place set forth so dreadful to men under the metaphor of a Lamb is because the Lamb was a type of his Priestly Office which includeth the greatest of grace and offers of love to mankinde that can be Now for the men of the earth be they rich or poor yet if they shall live or dye abusing of and trampling upon this freely proffered grace and richly offered love this turns this grace and rich love and mercy into the dreadfullest of judgements against men Read Matth. 11. 21 22 23 24 with chap. 12. 42. and 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Thus you see that the Lamb in Exod. 12. was a type of Christ CHAP. 2. I now come to shew you how the action of the Jews in eating the Lamb together with the place time and manner of eating the Lamb doth agree to the work of God upon the souls of his people while on this side Heaven together with his various dealings with their conditions in this life which as in a glass those that are spiritual may see it answer face to face FIrst the place that the people were in when God provided this Lamb for them It was Egypt a Land of darkness abounding with all manner of idolatry and prophaneness a Land which knew not God Exod. 5. 2. a land of bondage of heavy burdens of cruel task-masters that required brick to be made without straw Exod. 5. 6. 7 8 9 10 11 12. the officers of which place would often beat the people of the Jews ver 14. besides so cruel were the Task-masters to the poor Israelites that they would not hear the peoples cryes Exod. 5. 16 17. To this agreeth as in the ante-type the estate or condition that the creature is in before he comes to Jesus Christ which estate or condition we call natural or carnal which simbolizeth very well with the land of Egypt in which the children of Israel were when they did eat the Lamb. For first of all Egypt was a place of darkness so is the natural condition of mankinde it is full of darkness and ignorance it is wholly deprived of the saving knowledge of God and Christ A man by nature knows little of that blessed life light power which the true knowledge of God teacheth a soul he knoweth not what it is to have Christ dwelling in him by his spirit nor what it is for a man to live in Christ by believing much less doth he know that great and blessed mystery which Paul speaketh of 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Alas to tell a carnal man of living by believing what a mystery is this to him of worshipping God in the Spirit of praying in the Spirit of making the Blood and Flesh and Spirit and promises of Christ his daily food of eating the hidden Manna of having the white stone with a new name written in it that none can read but he that hath it Rev. 2. 17. Alas what a paradox is this to a carnal man to tell such a man of Christ within him and of a spiritual Kingdom within him and a light within him and so from hence to bid him turn to it and live obedient thereunto and to hearken to the teachings of it for salvation Alas one had as good stand over the grave of a dead man and bid him arise or one had as good speak to a blinde man and bid him see therefore I think that such a doctrine preached by many in our dayes is an empty doctrine to help blinde men to see or dead men to a state of spiritual life therefore saith Paul 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned also Paul tells you speaking of a carnal man that his understanding is darkened and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them through the blindeness of their heart Ephes 4. 18. therefore when the Scripture speaks of the bringing home of a soul to God it calls it a deliverance from the power of darkness Col. 1. 13. a state that affords no light no knowledge of God in Christ it giveth us no acquaintance with God as a reconciled God in Christ to a poor soul therefore it may well be compared to Egypt for the darkness of it that is the first particular Secondly Egypt abounded with all manner of prophaneness and false worship for they knew not God Exod. 5. 2. how well doth this agree with the state or the natural condition of fallen mankinde O what kennel so vile so noâ—some what jakes so foul what Goal so loathsome what hell so black as the hearts and lives of wicked men therefore when our Saviour gives a description of the inward parts of such men saith That out of their hearts proceedeth evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness and blasphemies Mat. 15. 19. and to this agreeth the 14. Psalm ver 2. 3 which saith The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good no not one the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one so saith John 1 John 5. 19. The whole world lieth in
the world though the number be great which have eaten of Christ yet there is enough in Christ to satisfie all that are to come therefore is Christ called a fountain set open for sinne and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1 2. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David c. 2. It shews the benefit we have by eating the Lamb Christ for we are by it made partaker of families right and order every soul by Christ may say now I am through grace of the Family of Heaven and I shall have a childes portion with the rest of the true Israelites though it goes hard with me in this life though I am poor and low in the world yet it s enough that I am of the houshold of Faith my name is listed in heaven for my daily allowance both for me and mine in this life and I shall have my full portion of glory with the rest of my Brethren hereafter I shall have that inheritance that fadeth not away O to be an adopted Son of God what a priviledge is this O how should this bear up the heart under all discouragements to have a right to all the excellency of glory and glorious attendance that there is laid up for the heirs of it as Paul saith That which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for those which love him Thus much is to be observed by the Jews eating the roasted Lamb apart by particular families One thing more is worth our noting which is that the Lamb was to be eaten that night nothing of the Lamb was to be left until the morning Exodus 12. 10. Which shews us thus much that delayes are dangerous in this case for a soul to put off any thing of Christ after he is convinced of the need of him though it be but for the morrow the soul may never have the proffer more read that place in Hebrews 3. 7 8. In which place a soul is called upon to take Christ to day meaning at the first offer or else you may never see a Christ more in mercy for ever read Isaiah 55. 6. Therefore the exhortation is for men to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is near men will know that God will not alwayes be found and if any are like to finde it so they are such souls as put by Christ until to morrow they have not time to minde the thing there is yet something of more weight to be minded some worldly interest which must be set on wards farther first before they can attend this matter Read the danger of setting Christ aside until to morrow or of setting something more necessary as such think before Jesus Christ read Luke 14. 16 17 18. 19 20. with 24. Therefore take this along with thee soul remember the Jews were to eat the Lamb at the first offer that which they set aside until the morrow they were not to eat but to burn with fire not to eat it again read Exod. 12. 10. O Christian have a care thou doest not undo thy soul this way by setting aside some of Christ in a dish until to morrow crying out you are too young yet or you would sport your selves a little longer with your corruptions or your merry companions I say take heed of that CHAP. 5. The occasion of eating the Lamb. I Now come to speak something about the occasion of the Lamb which was this because of the destroying Angel which was to pass over Egypt on purpose to destroy their first-born for the safety of the Israelites God in mercy to them ordered them to take a Lamb and kill him the blood of which they were to take and strike the door posts of their houses which was for a sign to the destroying Angel that in his passing through the land where ever he should see that blood on the door of the house he might pass over that without doing the least injury to it and so from thence to the next house where the blood was not on the doors there the Angel was to do his work of execution Exod. 12. 7. with 12 13 and 22. verses This thing shews us the great reason why God the Father sent Christ into the world it was that sinful mankinde might not perish by the destroying Angel of his Justice which will certainly pass through the Egppt of this world and eternally slay all those that shall be found in their sins Christ shall come in flames of fire rendring vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 8. 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Now to prevent this mischief and the execution of this plague upon miserable men and women the Lord sent in a Lamb into the world which was his Son Jesus Christ that so men might be delivered from wrath through him John 3. 16. Acts 4. 12. But this must be done the Blood of this Lamb Christ must be taken and by the hysop of Faith dipped in the Bason of Gospel Ordinances striking the door posts of the heart therewith this done the destroying Angel of Gods Justice looking upon it cometh to be satisfied and hurteth not that soul and becomes that souls friend Therefore saith John Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world John 1. 29. But not a bare looking upon the Lamb will content the Justice of God but the taking of his Blood out of the bason of the Gospel or dipping therein the hysop of believing and applying of it to the heart and conscience so to do contents the Justice of God therefore saith the same Apostle The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. Meaning the guilt of our sins To this agreeth the words of the Apostle Heb 9. 13 14. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Jesus Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Thus have I shewed you the mystery of Egppt and of the Lamb eaten by the Jews there likewise you have seen the manner of eating the Lamb together with the bread and sauce with which the Jews were to eat the Lamb also you have seen the mystery of their striking the door posts of their houses with the blood of the Lamb as also the mystery of the destroying Angel you have seen opened together with the sweet harmony it makes to the work of God upon the hearts of his people which when well considered will make a soul cry out with the Psalmist Psal 77. 19 20. Thy
is the Saints Gospel Altar as not daring to offer up any thing to God in his Worship but upon this Altar where the Grate of Net-work is where they may be sure there shall nothing pass up to God but what is pure and acceptable CHAP. 23. I come now to speak of the Horns of this Altar THis Altar had four Horns and they were placed upon the four corners of it The use and purpose of the horns upon the Altar I finde to be two-fold First they were appointed and set up to binde the sacrifice to them that so the sacrifice being kept equally strait by the cords which came from the four corners of the Altar might not start aside as otherwise it might have done there is so much as this to be gathered out of the words of David Psalm 118. 27. God is the Lord who hath shewed us light binde the sacrifice with cords even to the Horns of the Altar Secondly It is very likely that these Horns of the Altar might be a kinde of refuge to the Hebrews as their cities of refuge were performing something of the same use to malefactors as the Cities of refuge did which we read of in Numb 35. with Joshua 20. 2. This seems to be the use of the Horns of the Altar if we consider that place in 1 King 2. 28. with verse 30. when Joab had fled to the Horns of the Altar about his rebelling against King Solomon the King sends forth his Executioner to fall upon him but when the Executioner came and found him hanging about the Horns of the Altar he went back again to the King to report the matter and to know his farther pleasure therein which strongly intimates to us that these Altar Horns did afford men in that kinde of distress some succour and relief against present Execution Both of which uses of the Horns of the Altar leads us to the Lord Jesus Christ for something as our great treasury which may be fetched out of him both for our instruction and comfort First of all for our instruction it shews us thus much That as the Jewish Sacrifices were tied with cords to the Horns of the Altar so should Believers if they would not have their Sacrifices and Duties miscarry binde them fast with spiritual cords to the Horns of their Altar Christ There be five cords which I shall present you with as very necessary to the binding of all our duties to the Horns of our spiritual Altar Christ First the cord of believing this is so necessary a cord that if our duties be not bound fast to the Horns of the Altar Christ with it all our labour will be lost labour do what we can Heb. 11. 6. For without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them which diligently seek him So verse 4. it s said By faith Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain Here let me admonish two sorts of persons First such as yet have no Faith at all O Sirs what do you mean that you can content your selves to live all this while in the world without Faith Oh! how do you mean to have your duties accepted with God in Heaven when you want Faith Unbelievers are so far from pleasing God as that he hates all they do as an abominable filthy thing and all for want of Faith which is the Cord that should binde your Sacrifices to Christ for whose sake any thing is valued that is offered up to God You see Cain offered his Sacrifice to God as well as Abel yet God regarded onely Abels O friends you may see what respects God hath for your Services while you remain in a state of unbelief Read Isa 66. 3. He that killeth an Oxe is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Sheep is as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that offereth incense as if he had blâ—ssed an Idol yea they have chosen their own wayes and their souls delight in their abominations O poor souls how are you deluded by Satan who spurs you on in the ways of wickedness and unbelief keeping you all the while in darkness and ignorance as to the grace of believing which is the main necessary Cord that should binde your service to the Horns of the Altar Christ as that if it be wanting all that you do is but as the howling of dogs in the ears of the Lord as the Prophet speaks O therefore you that are Unbelievers leave off your sins and turn to God Oh go and beg of God for true saving justifying faith in Christ Jesus that so you may be accepted in your persons and then God will accept of your performances for God must first like your persons before he can have any regard to your performances and your persons cannot be accepted until you are found in Christ and you cannot be found in Christ until you have faith to put you into him and then when God through believing in Christ accepts of your persons then will he like of your duties and not before then Secondly This serves for instruction touching those which have Faith but are not so careful in the use and exercise of it as they should be in their duties of Worship towards God O be admonished in and about all you do in the Worship of God to set Faith on work O remember that under the Law the Sacrifice was to be tied fast to the Horns of the Altar O labour in the discharge of duty to get up the cord of Faith in your hands and binde your duties fast to Jesus Christ O look up by an eye of believing to Christ when you pray read hear the word ot break bread or what ever you do else hang up all upon this Altar and binde it fast to the Horns of it by this Cord of believing by concluding when you come off from the work that God will hear your Prayers for his Sons sake and upon this account he will accept your duties though weak and poor and that he will in his time feed you and satisfie you and give you the thing you have asked at his hands for his own name sake because you have builded upon the Lord Jesus his worthiness and have tied your duties fast about him for Faith is the uniting grace between Christ and Believers it first ties our souls to Christ and next our duties therefore saith Habakuck 2. 4. The just man shall live by his faith Secondly The Cord with which Believers should and ought to binde fast their sacrifices to the Horns of this Altar Christ is a sound understanding in and about the things they offer to God in sacrifice for want of which Believers do lose very much of the reward of their work with God Under the Law if those sacrifices which the Jews did offer to God had wanted but an
sheep of Christ and to none else This is not for him that will catch at any comfort to protect himself in a trade of sin but this truth chiefly belongs to those that are indeed truly humbled under and burthened with the sense of the weight of sin To such only I speak do your sins press you down as a Cart is pressed with sheaves Do your iniquities so weigh down your heads as that you cannot look up Dare not you come to God nor stand in his presence Do you fear that your sins have provoked God against you Do you doubt the Plague is begun against you are you fearful the wrath of God is coming out upon you and that it may prove such a storm as may sink you into the lowest Hell Yet O look up to your interceding High Priest who is now in Heaven for you who labours to prevail upon the heart of God for pardoning grace on your behalf who likewise makes it his business to observe his Fathers countenance towards Believers that if at any time his face of Justice begins to look grim and he perceives that wrath begins to come forth he may as Aaron did step quickly in between God and the people and so by his interposing presence of grac eand powerful Intercession he may allay the anger of his Father again Hence it is that John comforts doubting drooping souls in his day with this truth because indeed it is a truth proper to that end and purpose and farther John the Divine doth not only apply this truth as a Cordial to bear them up under the sense of sin but likewise as a notable preservative against the act of sin 1 John 2. 1 2. My little children I write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is a propitiation in his blood for our sins and not onely for ours but for the sins of the whole world O Soul live upon this blessed truth stay thy self here under all thy doubtings O consider sin may vex and disquiet thee but all cannot hurt thee so long as Christ keeps up his praying hands to God for thee it shall not do thy soul the least injury Christ doth prevail and he will prevail in heaven for thee against sin and wrath Christ lies in the way of his Fathers wrath as it were if any of it run forth it must pass through Christ he stands between the Father and thy Soul in a time of the Fathers displeasure and cryes out good Father stay thy wrath O hold thy hands strike not this poor sinner if thou strikest I am resolved the blows shall alight all on my back I will bear all and suffer all and take all both fault and punishment upon my self This the Father tried once and it proved true when the Father went to strike the Elect the blows fell all upon Christs own back which bruised him very much Isa 52. 1. which leads me to a fifth use of the Point Use 5. Which is to exhort thee O soul from what hath been said about the intercession of Jesus Christ for thee Oh! to love Jesus Christ with all thy heart and with all thy strength and with all thy soul O who can love such a friend as Christ is too much O therefore strive to love with the love of service and obedience with the love of delight with the love of communion and with the love of desire so as to part with Father Mother Wife Husband Children Honours Lands Livings yea all that 's near and dear for Jesus Christ O account nothing too much you do for him in his Worship in his Ordinances as in Prayer Hearing Reading in Meditating Mourning Weeping Repenting Oh account nothing too much you administer unto him in his People in his Ministers in the mannaging of his Cause and Gospel in the world O with Mary think not your Alablaster Box and Oyntment too good to bring forth in a time of need for Jesus Christ Oh account nothing too much you suffer for Christ account no prison to bad to go into for Christ no dungeon too deep to lie in for Christ no death too disgraceful for Christs sake because he thought nothing too much he suffered for you nor any thing too much which he now doth for you CHAP. 25. Of the Brazen Laver. I Now come to speak of the brazen Laver which was for this purpose that the Priests might wash themselves therein before they went into the Tabernacle to perform the Worshp and Service thereof Exod. 30. 18 19 20. Thou shalt also make a laver of Brass and his foot also of Brass to wash withal and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar and thou shalt put water therein for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they die not or when they come near unto the Altar to minister to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord. This brazen Laver was a Type of Jesus Christ and the cleansing water which was in it typed out the Blood of Jesus Christ which onely can cleanse poor souls and wash them from their sinful guiltiness and sinful filthiness for as the Priests under the Law were to wash themselves in the brazen Laver before they were thought fit to have to do either with the holy God of Worship or the holy things of the Worship of God so are all the Elect first by Faith to wash themselves in the Blood of Christ this spiritual brazen Laver before they are thought fit to have to do either with God or his Worship Hence is that cleansing attributed to the Blood of Christ so often in Scripture to shew you it performs the same use to the Gospel Priests for so doth the Gospel term every Believer now Rev. 1. 6. as the Laver water did to the legal Priests 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jesus that cleanseth us from all sin so Rev. 1. 5. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Now in this chapter of Revelations you may see by the order of the words in verse 5 6. how the Holy Ghost makes the type and the antitipe to agree In Exod. 30. 19. you have the brazen Laver set up now in the 5. verse of this chapter you have Christ set out to you performing the same use and office in washing and cleansing In Exod. 30. 19. you have the subjects spoken of who they should be which should wash in the brazen Laver and these were Aaron and his sons now you know these were Priests Now look into Rev. 1. 6. there the subjects spoken of which must wash in the Laver of Christs Blood they are called Priests likewise which intends all believers in and under the Gospel all those which have washed in the Blood of Christ our
Gospel brazen Laver they are now all accounted priests as well as kings to God Use I. Let it serve for information first concerning those which have not yet washed themselves by believing in the Blood of this spiritual brazen Laver. O Sirs how do you think to be accepted with the Lord either in your persons or performances O you that contend so much about Religion alas to what purpose is it when you your selves were never washed from your uncleanness in the Laver of Christs Blood through believing O my friends that I could perswade you to read and well consider that Scripture Isa 1. 11. 12 13 14. and so on To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts and I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he goats when you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread in my Courts bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me the calling of Assemblâ—es with your new Moons and Sabbaths I cannot away with it it is iniquity even your solemn meetings your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them and when you spread your hands forth I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of bloud wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well so Verse 18. Then come and let us reason together Thus you see what you must be a people washed and cleansed from your Pollutions through faith in Christs bloud ere ever you can come near God in Worship do not think that God will draw near the Swearing Blasphemer the Whoring Ranter the Sabbath Prophaner the Unjust Oppressour the Justice Wrester the Christian Persecutor I tell thee no no do not deceive thy self be thou never so great or honourabe in this world yet while thou remainest in this condition God regards thy service in his Worship no more then he values the cutting off of a dogs neck Isa 66. 3. So likewise your Worship is abominable in Gods sight you hear God accounts it so let it be put forth in never so glorious a dress or done in never so Princely a Chappel or dished up upon never so good a Velvet Carpet you hear what God accounts of it untill you have washed your soul in the bloud of Jesus Christ by Faith O Sirs labour to draw near to Christ and get your selves washed by his bloud Oh break off from your vile hellish and prophane lives or God will never draw near your Worships while you live you may assure your selves of it the pure God can never commune with such impure souls as you are in his sight you may make your selves as merry as you can when you are in your Worships but you may assure your selves while you remain unwashed with the blould of Christ the great God will be far enough from coming amongst you to cast in any true mirth in the midst of you Use 2. It shews you the danger that will necessarily follow our presumption in daring to meddle with any thing of the holy Ordinances of the Gospel without being washed in the bloud of Christ our spiritual brazen Laver you see if the Priests the Sons of Aaron should do it they should die for it Certainly then if God in his Justice should smite with death all these Priests in England which never yet were washed in the Laver of Christs bloud we should have more Pulpits empty then we should find Priests to supply them in England And how God should make use of such unwashen ignorant fellows to wash the unclean of the times when so many sanctified cleansed Ministers of his own must be thrust out of that work and must stand by as useless the mean while to me it is a great mystery Use 3. If it be threatned with death for any to meddle with the holy things of God without being washed in the blould of the Lord Jesus Oh how should we tremble then to think how many deaths men bring on their heads this day in the world Oh was there ever more medling with the holy things of the Altar by unsanctified men and unwashen Priests then in this day Oh how do the holy Ordinances groan under this intollerable burthen that the Childrens bread must become meat for every Swine Use 4. Lastly Oh you that are the Priests of the Lord indeed I mean Believers Ministers and People would you be accepted in what you do for God would the Minister of Christ be useful in his place to the people what great need have such ere ever they come into the plce of Worship First by the lifting up of an eye of faith through prayer to cast themselves into the brazen Laver of Christs bloud ere ever they cast them-into the Pulpit And you the people would you have the Blessing and miss the Curse which doth or may attend the Ordinance Oh then look up yea get up to the brazen Laver every time you come to the Ordinances of God remember the Priests the Sons of Aaroâ— were to wash every time they were to meddle with such things Now ye are the Sons of Aaron and of the Royal Priesthood Oh labour to come in dropping wet to the Ordinance with the bloud of Christ and that is the way to go out dropping wet with the blessings of God CHAP. 26. Of the anointing of the Tabernacle with with the Vessels therein THus having ended with the several particulars in the Tabernacle I now come to speak of the anointing of the Tabernacle For we find that when Moses had finished the Tabernacle with the several Vessels thereof all this was to be anointed all over with Oil Exod. 40. 9 10. Now the Vessels that were in the Tabernacle as they had reference to Christ as hath been shewed you so also do they refer to the Individuals of the Church of God this you may see in Zach. 14. 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the Bells of the Horses holiness to the Lord and the Pots in the Lords house shall be like the bouls before the Altar for every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to the Lord That is every true servant of the Lord shall be under a great spirit of holiness in the latter Ages of the world Use 1. It serves to inform us of these two things First that the least member in the Church of God is appointed for some use you know there were several Vessels and Instruments in the Tabernacle as the Pots the Caldrons the Flesh-hooks the Fire-pans the Snuffers and the like now though these did differ in glory the one from the other for all had not alike measure of glory upon them neither were they all alike employed