was possible for the Jews to travel to their temporal Canaan without their staff O how doth Faith succour and relieve the soul all along in his way to Heaven when the soul is ready to give over and is yielding up the ghost how doth this staff of believing raise him up again and putteth a new life of confidence into the soul again Thus it oftentimes set up David upon his legs again Psalm 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living like a staff under weariness it did stay up and support David O how did this staff of Faith succour and relieve Habbakuck Hab. 3. 17 18. Although there be no fruit in the vine and although the fig-tree doth not blossom and there be no herd in the stalls and the flock should be cut off from the fold yet will I joy in God and rejoyce in the God of my salvation O what a deep ditch did the Psalmist leap over by this staff of believing Psalm 73. 25. My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Hence it is that Habakkuk saith The just man shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. That is for the support it gives a soul in dangerous times it is this grace that keeps a soul above water this was it which carried David through all his trouble this was it lifted him up out of the horrible pit Psalm 40. 2 3. this was the staff that led the Jews through the Red Sea this led Jacob over the Jordan of his difficulties Gen. 3â— this staff led him into Egypt and this staff brought out Joseph his bones Jacob his son out of Egypt again Hebrews 11. 22. And this was the staff the Apostles travelled by all along in their journey in this life 2 Cor. v. 7. For we walk by faith not by sight Mark we walk by faith It is what the travelling Christian must carry in his hand at all times in the pilgrimage he spendeth in this life Lastly The Jews had their shooes on their feet Exod. 12. 11. The shooes you know are what greatly helps a man to a comfortable going on in his journey without which well he cannot travel Now Paul shews you what it is to have the feet well shod Ephes 6. 15. Having your feet well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is a soul that takes in the Lamb of God and thereby hath bound himself to flye out of his carnal prophane Egyptian sinful life and conversation had need first of all well furnish himself with the word of God with the threatning part of it to drive him and prick him on with the examples of others lives therein written to draw him with the promises therein to perswade him and with the hope of eternal life true joy and sweet felicity to allure him or else he will finde it a hard matter to come quit of his old condition and carnal conversation Therefore saith Paul Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3. 16. So saith David Thy word have I hid in my heart Psalm 119. 11. O you young Christians for to you I speak you that would eat the roasted Lamb Christ and would come out of the Egypt of your carnal ignorant blinde conditions O hearken to my advice you must be well shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace O saith Christ Search the Scriptures John 5. 39. O be much in reading of your Bibles let them not lie idle get as much of them as you can into your hearts that you may be able to wrestle with flesh and blood against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesse got into high places Ephesians 6. 12. O beg hard at Gods hand that he would imprint his word upon your hearts and cause you to grow in the knowledge of it more and more that so you may have to answer every temptation that you shall meet with in your way to your spirâ—tual Canaan You know the shooes are useful to keep the feet from the gauling truly so is the word of God well applyed very useful to keep the conscience from gaulding and corrupting for look how it is with a man with sore feet he halts and tumbles not able to keep his ground so it is with a man under a gaulded conscience he cannot stand steddy in any place but reels from thing to thing from place to place and cannot stand long any where at a time now the word of God will help this either as applyed or eyed 1. As applyed so will it help the gaulded conscience Psalm 107. 20. 2. As it is applyed by the soul as its rule to walk by so it prevents from corrupting for as the shooes keeps the feet from gauling so will the word of God keep the conscience from corrupting if it be carefully observed as the souls rule to walk by So you see what it is to eat the Lamb a Lamb roasted to eat him with the loins girt the staff in the hand and the shooes on the feet CHAP 4. The next thing to be noted in the Type or Hiisory is this the Lamb was to be eaten by every particular Family unless the Family were too big then they were to take the next adjoyning to it and so they were to eat it together Exod 12. 4. THis in the Ante-type shews us thus much by way of information First That all the particular Churches of God in the world have a like right to Jesus Christ for though there be one body or Church Universal spread over the earth yet this universal body is distinguished into so many little bodies or Churches as Providence thinks good Hence it is that you have the Holy Ghost speaking of seven Churches in Asia Rev. 1. 4. Like wise we read of a particular Church which was in Aquilla and Priscilla's house 1 Cor. 16. 15. A slender foundation for a national Church and yet all these distinct societies have all aright alike to Christ as the families of the Jews were all alike to eat the Lamb therefore saith Paul There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called by one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God one Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4. 4 5 6. Through all ages in the world every Church in particular hath had a like benefit by Christ so that the weakest Church in the world if it be a true Church may claim as large a portion in the heart of Christ as the flourishing'st Church in the primitive times when the Apostles were living You see though Israel were a great body yet they must be divided into several little Bodies when they come to eat the Lamb and yet a Lamb for every family or little body of eaters so that none need to doubt in any age of
with their feet they drink up the best water and foul the residue with their feet But truly though men may joyn hand in hand in this thing yet they shall not go unpunished Use 5. What an ingagement should the thoughts of this doctrine of the lamps burning alwayes before the Lord put upon the hearts of all Ministers of the Gospel to look to it that there doctrine be sound and that which will hold weight before the Lord if Ministers doctrine do at any time carry more of their own water in it then Gods Wine certainly God will discover it the Ministers are Gods Lamps appointed for the Tabernacle and they are to burn before the Lord that is they never act but Gods eye is upon what they do and preach in his Worship to observe what comes from them his eye is upon them in the studying of their matter while in the composing of it and his eye is upon them in the Pulpit while they are preaching of it if there be iron and tin mixed with Gods gold and silver surely the pure eyes of Gods glory will try it of what sort it is therefore saith Paul in 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 14 15. If any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones hay wood or stubble every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed or fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is if any mans work abide which he hath built thereon he shall receive a reward but if any mans work shall be burnt he shall receive loss yet he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire O if men were well acquainted with the strict eye that God exerciseth always over his burning lamps the Ministers with respect to their doctrine surely men would be more careful then they are both in their studying and preaching of them and would tremble to bring forth such sad stuff for doctrine as some do amongst us Paul â—ells you of a doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4 1. And sayes that some men which give heed to seducing spirits may be given unto therefore if men would be protected from being delivered up to the doctrine of seducing spirits let men labour faithfully to bring forth the doctrine of God Hence it is that Paul hath it in 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy self and to the doctrine continue in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thy self and them which hear thee CHAP. 22. I now come to speak of the Snuffers which did belong to the Lamps in the Tabernacle ANd there were Snuffers likewise made of pure gold which belonged to the Tabernacle as well as the Lamps and Candlestick Exod 37. 23. Now the use of that instrument you know it is to correct or to remove out of the way any thing that shall offend the burning of the light that so the light might shine with the more brightness and clearness Now if you observe the thing the snuffers are put together with the lamps Exod. 37. 23. And he made seven lamps and his snuffers with his dishes of pure gold which gives us to understand that the snuffers were appointed for the use of the Lamps which Lamps as I have said signifies the light of truth which through the pourings out of the gifts of the Spirit into the hearts of the gifted men of the Candlestick the Church God intends by them to keep up in all ages of the world Now by the adding the snuffers to the seven Lamps we the better come to understand their property which is as I have said to correct all those superfluities which in cleaving to the lights of the Lamps are apt to hinder its shining This shews us the great care which God doth and will take to the keeping up of the purity of truth in its glory and lustre in the Church do what men and devils will to the contrary it shews us likewise the great provision which God hath prepared to his peoples hands for the removing out of the way any thing that might tend to the darkening or hindering the light from burning in his Churches and that is it which we are to understand by the Snuffers which were added to the Lamps Now here two things are to be noted First What it is which hinders the light of truth from shining in the Churches of Christ Seeondly What that provision is which as the Snuffers is given forth by God on purpose to correct it and remove it out of the way For the first what it is which offends the light of truth in the Churches of Jesus Christ First It s all that corrupt doctrine and unsound opinions which false teachers labour to usher into the Church of God and of Christ by the cunning craftiness of men which handle the word of God deceitfully of such the Apostle speaks of in his time who laboured to bring in damnable errours into the Church of God Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained unto condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into wantonness and denying the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Hence it is that Paul gives such a charge to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20. 28 29 30. Take â—eâ—d brethren unto your selves and unto the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you over seers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud for I know that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in amongst you not staring the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them so likewise do the Apostle shew us that it will be the portion of the latter ages of the world to be pestered in the Churches of Christ by men of very base and corrupt principles to the eclipsing and darkning of the Lamp lights of truth in the midst of them these are S. Paul words unto Timothy 2 Tim 3. 1. with ver 8. This know that in the last days perilous times shall come for there shall arise men such as Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses so shall these resist the truth Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith so Rev. 9. 1 2 3 4. And the fifth Angel sounded and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit and he opened the bottomless pit and there arose as make out of the bottomless pit like the smoke of a furnace and the Sun and the Air was darkned by reason of the smoke of the pit By the Sun and the Air here spoken of I understand the Lamp light of truth which did once burn in the Romish Church before its falling away for it is the condition of the Church of Rome which the holy spirit intends in this Chapter who intimates to you that as smoke darkens the Air as that
out O what manner of love is this that we should be called the Sons of God CHAP. 19. I shall in the next place speak of the Candlestick which was placed in the Tabernacle IN this Tabernacle there was placed a Candlestick which was made of pure Gold and the fashion of it was thus It parted from a foot high in the stem into six branches three of the branches going one way and three of the branches going another way there were three bowls made like unto three almonds with their knobs and their flowers to every branch but in the stem of the Cnadlestick below their parting were four bowls with their knobs and their flowers Exod. 27. 17. Exod 37. 18 19 20. By the Candlestick in this place we are to understand to be meant the Church of God which Church is made up of true Believers which truly and sincerely profess and own Christ and his Worship being redeemed by his Blood from all the earth Rev. 7. 14. This is the signification of the Candlestick the truth of which you may read Rev. 1. 20. where the seven Churches are compared to seven golden Candlesticks which answereth to the Candlestick in the Tabernacle for that was made of pure beaten Gold Ex. 27. 17. Now the Church of God may be compared to a Candlestick several manner of wayes First As a Candlestick is made to mount or hold up the light that all in a time of darkness may see so doth the Church and people of God they hold up the light of truth and the bright shinings of the word and Gospel that all that are in the dark world who sit in the Region and shadow of death might behold the face of God in Jesus Christ shining through the Saints gifts graces and holy conversations in upon their souls Isaiah 2. 3. The Law shall go forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem by which means Isa 9. 2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light and they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined Though this latter prophesie doth principally belong to Christ yet it is to be applied to his Church also for it s through them Christ shineth upon the dark world therefore saith our Saviour to his Dissciples Matth. 5. 14. Ye are the light of the world meaning they were the Candlestick prepared of God to hold up and hold out the light of truth to the dark blinde miserable world Use 1. This informs then what a deal of duty lieth upon the Church both Ministers as well as others First For Ministers what care should they take and what pains should they expose themselves unto in order to the keeping up and holding forth the light and word of the Gospel to the dark nations of the earth what care did Paul take to fulfil his ministry and to discharge his duty this way Acts 20. 24. He counted not his life dear unto himself so that he could fulfil his ministry with you which ministration he had received from the Lord Jesus and that he might be useful this way you may take notice of Pauls practice Acts 20. 20. I have kept back nothing which was profitable to you but have shewed you and taught you openly and throughout every house But O good God how few such house preaching lights doth the eart afford us in this our age but contrariwise instead of men that should make it their business with Paul and the rest of the Apostles to go from house to house to enlighten the dark famiâ—ies of the earth in the knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ they rather bend their forces parts wits and purses to darken and put out the light of truth and the knowledge of God in all the families they meet withal where they go like unto those teachers of old spoken of in Ezek. 34. 18 19. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures and to have drunk of the deep waters but you must foul the residue with your feet and as for my flock they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet How far these or such as these are from being of the true Candlestick appointed to hold up and hold out the light of truth in the world let the reader judge But again this should teach all the Saints for they are a part of the Candlestick also to endeavour in their several places and callings to promote the glory of God in their generations to study godliness and which way they may be useful with their gifts and graces amongst their relations and neighbours and in their families in order to the bringing in of their souls to Jesus Christ therefore saith our Saviour Mat. 5 16. Let pour light so shine before men that they seeing your good works might glorifie your Father which is in heaven To this agreeth the words of Paul Phil. 2 16. with ch 15. ver 15. He exhorts all true Christians that they would labour to hold forth the word of life and that they would labour to live unblameable in their lives and spotless in their conversations and that they would keep themselves without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation amongst whom they were to shine as lights so verse 16. The reason of the former exhortation is given you viz. because they are to hold forth the word of life even as a Candlestick they are to hold up or hold forth the light of truth Secondly A candlestick is appointed to hold fast as wel as to hold up the light that it fall not down because the fall of which many times puts out the light so is the Church of God prepared and fitted to succour and keep up the light of Gods holy truth in the earth that it might not be thrown down by the malice of the devil and wicked men who labour night and day to put it out in the world There be two wayes by which God fitteth the Church as a Candlestick to keep up the light of truth in the world The first is by pouring forth upon them the gifts of the Spirit by vertue of which they are enabled to discover detect and finde out all errour and whatsoever may be contrary to sound doctrine as in Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars Hence it is that the adversaries of truth are said not to be able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which St. Stephen spake Acts 6. 10. The reason you may perceive lay in this the Church of which Stephen was a member had a very great measure of the gifts of the Spirit which came upon them but a little before read Acts 2. 1 2 3 4. Secondly God fits his Church as
this world hath blinded their minds least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine in upon them Secondly Labour to comfort thy self from this good consideration under all the ignomy and reproach which the world will or can cast upon thee that the time is coming which will not stay long wherein the Lord will make thine with the rest of his peoples glory to shine forth with more brightnesse and Majesty then the Sun in its full strength that although thou with the rest of the Saints hast lain for a while amongst the pots yet the time will not be long But thy wings shall be as a Dâ—ve covered over with silver and all thy feathers of yellow gold Psal 68. 13. Again in this Candlestick we may observe these things First The parting of the Candlestick which was in this maner it parted a foot high or thereabouts in the stem Secondly Out of which parting came six Branches which shews us thus much the great Candlestick out of which the little Candlesticks branched forth signifies the Jewish national Church this holds as intire from the foot of the Candlestick to the parting above in the stem out of which stem came the six Branches and the Branches signifie the Gentile Churches which succeeded or sprung forth from the Jewish Church Isa 60. 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Pray observe the thing well there were not six little Candlesticks branched besides and apart from the great Candlestick but six little Candlesticks branched themselves forth of the great Candlestick but still maintained union with the great Candlestick which shews us these two things First That both Jews and Gentiles are but one people to God consider the Jews as they were befre they were broken off by unbelief and all interested in one Christ alike all that did believe either Jew or Gentile shall all sit down in one Kingdom of God together Rom. 10. 12. For there is no difference but the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Secondly It shews us thus much that the difference between Jew and Church was not essential but circumstantial not so much in the state as in the Ordinances Pray observe the Candlesticks all hold union in the stem although they differed above in the Branches It s true the Lord held the Jews and Gentiles under differing administrations but not under a divers state they and we differed in our Ordinances but not in essence or substance as to a Church state so much as this clearly offers it self to me from the union between the stem and the Branches in the Candlestick if it will be granted that the Candlestick in the Tabernacle be a figure of the Church of God as then it was together with these other Gentile Churches which should succeed that now considering the Scriputres elsewhere do so apply the word Candlestick I know not but this should pass for a fair notion Rev. 1. 20. Where it s said that the Mystery of the seven golden Candlesticks are the seven Churches You see the Candlestick in the Tabernacle for Essence and Substance was one and the same though they differed above in the Branches so then if this be a figure of the Church of God under both Old and New Testament then both the Jews then and we Gentles now must stand upon one and the self-same stock or root or else how doth this hold good in the similitude for after the same manner reasons the Apostle about the Jewish and Gentile Churches Rom. 11. 24. For if thou wert cut out of the Olive tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good Olive tree how much more shall these which be the natural Branches be grafted into their own Olive tree Methinks then how clearly do this warrant the practice of the Congregational Churches in giving to their Infants Membership in their Church and consequently Baptism I know there are many of our dear Christian friends in England of a differing opinion to me in this matter but how ever read my notion without offence and then give thy thoughts about it Now mark there is nothing more clear to me from the union that the Branches hold to and with the Candlestick but that the Jews and we Gentiles were taken into a Church state alike so saith St. Paul Rom. 11. 16. with ver 24. For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy if the root be holy so are the branches and if thou wert cut out of the Olive-tree which is wild by nature and wert grafted contrary to nature into the good Olive-tree how much more shall these which be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree From hence I shall take leave to ask a question or two First What may we understand by the root and the branches laid down here by St. Paul Secondly What may we understand by this holiness with which the branches were made holy ver 16. and what these branches were First of all by the root and branches must be meant either Christ together with all those sound Believers which are ingrafted into him by true Faith or else by the root and branches must be meant a Church state and all those visible branches which stand there by membership Now if we should understand it in the first sence then this will follow that those that are truly ingrafted into Christ by faith may be wholly broken off and so we must run our selves upon Arminianisme do what we can But if we must not take it in the former sence then we must take it in the latter sence viz. by the root and branches a Church state and those which are taken in the visible membership of it for such may be broken off or may fall away consider them meerly as Church Members and no truth or part of the truth of election impared Now what were the branches of the root which root was the Jewish Church state were they not the parents and the children â—en 17. Well then if these were the branches of the old root viz. the believing parents and their children and that the Gentiles are ingrafted into or upon the same root and are partakers of the fatness of the old olive tree meaning the priviledges of the Church And if the candlestick of the Jews holds union with the Candlestick of the Gentiles under the Gospel in the same stem how then can our Church state under the Gospel be like the Jews under the Old Testament if onely we should stand as Members in a Church state without our little ones but again mark what the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 16. For if the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy if the root be holy so are the branches so that the second question will be this what may we understand by holiness here or in what sence shall we take it either it must be a holiness consisting of
eye it was rejected Levit. 22. 22. The eye you know is the discerning part of a Beast and surely God hath no more regard for an eye-less sacrifice under the Gospel then he had under the Law for if knowledge which is the eye of the sacrifice be wanting it is an imperfect sacrifice and much blemished in Gods account therefore saith S. Paul in â— Cor. 14. 15. What is it then when I pray I will pray with the spirit and with understanding and when I sing I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding so that you see S. Paul was very careful to binde what sacrifice he had to offer God withall very fast to the Horns of the Altar Christ with this cord of understanding and indeed so should all Believers else labour for such a measure of knowledge and spiritual understanding of and discerning into the things of God so as to acquaint themselves with the nature use end vertue and excellency of the work and worship of God in which they are imployed as that they may be able to give God a reason of what they do as that when God shall ask them this question in their consciences as once he did the Jews in Isa 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hands They may be able to answer again with the Church in Isa 26. 13. O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make men ion of thy name You know how God disregarded the Corinthians duties and sacrifices for want of a true discerning of the things in Worship which they adventured upon 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. Therefore my Brethren take S. Peters advice 2 Pet. 2 18. But grow in grace and knowledge that through the exercise of which grace you may so binde your duties to the horns of your Altar Christ as that through the not starting aside of your sacrifices you may be sure not to miss of the reward of your work 3. A third cord with which believers should bind their duties to the horns of their Gospel-Altar Christ is the cord of love and affection Love is and ought to be the spring of action it is not what services we do for God as the principle from whence they flow forth to God is the thing God looks at for did we offer God in one sacrifice the cattel upon a thousand hills yet if this comes not freely to God from a principle of love and affection God hates all when done notable is that place in the Psalms Psal 40. 6 7 8 sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire mine ear hast thou opened burnt offerings and sin offerings thou didst not require then I said lo I come as it s written of me in the Volume of the Book I delight to do thy will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Though this Prophesie do principally concern Christ whose bloud was preferred before all the Sacrifices in the world with respect to the taking away of sin yet this Scripture may not be unfitly applyed to the Saints with respect to their right performing of duty which teacheth us thus much that unless that principle of delight or Law of love here spoken of be in the heart as a bottom to all our duties all our Sacrifices are of little value with God therefore in Levit. 1. 3. who ever they were that would offer any thing to God in Sacrifice he was to offer it with a willing mind the reason of it is given you by the Apostle 2 Cor. 9. 7. For God loveth a chearful giver Use O then my friends labour after this grace of the holy Spirit O make it much of your business at the throne of grace that God would shed abroad much of his Spirit and Grace of love upon your hearts that so you might not miscarry in your work and service and for want of this blessed cord to tie your services fast at the horns of the Altar Jesus Christ O this is a blessed grace of the Spirit of God he that hath much of this in his heart is a rich man The world accounts those rich that have much of the wealth of this world in their houses but the word accounts them rich which have much of this grace shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost This makes duty acceptable this grace of love to God if in the heart will make a little Goats hair that is offered to God pleasing and acceptable in Gods sight Read Exod. 35. 23. and this will make thy weakest of groans very sweet to God O therefore forget not to labour after this precious grace and Jewel of the spirit of God for the more you have of this to love God withall the more God will love you the more will God delight in your duties love as we use to say is the loadstone of love it draws the heart of the object beloved to love again The Fourth Cord with which Believers should tie their duties to the Horns of the Altar Christ is sincerity and uprightness of heart in the things of God sincerity of heart to God is varnish to all our other gifts of the Spirit therefore doth Saint Paul prefer this beyond the highest gifts and parts and learning which men may be endowed with in this world 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Though I had the Tongues of men and Angels to speak with all yet if I had not Charity I am become a â—ounding Brass and a tinkling Symbal and though I have the gift of Prophesie and all Knowledge and understand all Mysteries and have faith so as to remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing Alas Brethren for men to get a headful of notions and to covet after gifts and parts to be able to talk and discourse much amongst the people of God or to be able to pray and preach much or to be able to speak well from a Text of Scripture If this be all that God sees in a man truly that man is but in an ill Case its true he may be of use to the benefit of others but all in vain as to himself therefore saith S. Paul I desire so to preach Christ â—hat I my self be not a cast-away As if Paul had said true I my self may be very useful with my gifts and parts to tie on the Sacrifices of others to the Horns of this Altar Christ yet all this while I may want the cord of sincerity to tie on my own Sacrifice therefore it is that God requireth so often in his word the heart My Son give me thy heart this God calls for often in his word as in Prov. 23. 26. By the heart is meant the uprightness and sincerity of the Soul concerning those things which the Soul shall set about for God hence you have it in 1 Samuel 16. 7. The Lord seeth not as man seeth man looketh at the outward appearance but God looketh at the heart Use O labour for this
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
had very little or no beauty in it there was nothing in it to delight the eye of the beholder at all the materials of it are so mean and contemptible for they did consist of Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red Exod. 36. 14. with 19. which was so fastned together by loops and tacks being coupled round about that when the Tabernacle was carried from place to place there was nothing of the inside beauty or glory to be seen at all That which of the Tabernacle was discernable to the eyes of the beholders was matter of offence and scorn rather then any way taking to men Just so it is with the Church of God which is Gods Tabernacle for so in the New Testament is the Church of God stiled Rev. 11. 1. Measure the Temple of God and them that worship therein so Rev. 21. 3. A Temple or Tabernacle for the use of both was alike and therefore it had been all one if the Spirit had said Measure the Tabernacle and the Altar and them that Worship therein I say look how it was with the Tabernacle in the wilderness so it is with the Church of God for the one was a Figure or Type of the other With what little out-side glory doth God cloath his Church in this world the Church comes with little of observation she is not cloathed with the Pomp Glory Excellency and worldly Felicities of this life the great pomp of this world belongs to the Church of Anti-christ not to Christs Church the great Titles of Honour great Places and also to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi dwells in the Cup of Fornication which Mystery Babylon hath who is termed the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. 4. This is the reason that there be so many of the Learned Clergy of the Nations run into her so often as they have done all along and have left the Tabernacle and Altar viz. the Church of Christ and worship of Christ who in the very face of their Convictions to the contrary have struck in with the vanities of the Earth Alas the reason is clear the Tabernacle coverings are poor comtemptible things made of nothing but Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red here is nothing that will take with the Learned wise-man I confess were the outward covering of the Tabernacle the Church deckt with Gold precious Stones Velvet Hangings dyed in Scarled carried up and down in a Chariot and could it accommodate its Priests with Coaches and settle each of them in four hundred a year and set them far from oppression and make them the Lords and Rulers of the Earth here might be something done But in stead of that nothing but affliction contempt and persecution attends the Tabernacle loss of Goods Bloud and Fire Rams skins dyed red a colour which doth very well fit the Church of God in this life which is always in a persecuted condition dyed red with showers of Martyrian bloud hurryed up and down from place to place banished from Country to Country as the Apostle speaks we have no continuing City here but we seek one to come from hence men and women take offence at the Tabernacle and think it a sad uncomely thing the very troubler of the Nations of the Earth the Devil hath blinded the eyes of men as that they cannot see into the inside glory of the Church of God for if the Devil lets them see any part of the Church of God it shall be but to stumble them and set them at a further distance from it then before they shall only see the out-side of the Church of God in her Goats hair covering shews them the meanness of the Saints and the mechanickness or servileness of the Ministers and Servants of the Church of Christ many of them not Learned but illiterate men many hardly ever saw Oxford or Cambridge in their lives not a Doctor to be found one amongst twenty silly Fellows can hardly speak sense many of them nothing but a little Goats hair and the coverings of the Tabernacle are of Rams skins dyed red who can delight in it flesh and bloud can never embrace the Tabernacle or the Church of Christ because they are always in bloud nothing but ruine atends it from age to age Thus the Devil shews his Kingdom what an uncomely thing the Church is what a sad covering it is covered withall and tells souls that they judge of the inside by the out-side of it when alas all the beauty and glory of the Church of Christ lieth within The Kings Daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalmist Psal 45. 13. And if ever God comes to open the Tabernacle glory to the soul and gives the soul spiritual discerning to see into it O then the soul will quickly utter the words of David Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Use 3. O then let this consideration abundantly quiet the minds of Gods people under the undervaluings you meet with from the world doth the world slight you doth the world despise you alas trouble not your selves about it the world doth not see your glory remember the Tabernacle was very uncomely in the out-side of it nothing of any beauty in the Church this is the reason the world crys rase her down rase her down to the ground Alas they do not think the Church worth the standing Alas say they what is there to be seen to take a wise-mans heart nothing but a little Goats hair and Rams skins dyed red not worth the looking upon it much less the standing of such a deformed piece in the world therefore let our eye look upon Sion and let her be defiled but let not this discourage the godly but rather bless God that you see farther into things then they do for Godliness is a Mystery saith Paul and all the things of God as to his Church and Worship are Mysteries and Riddles to the world is what is veiled up and hiâ—den from the most of men saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned God must first give the man a spiritual seeing eye before he can discern a glory in the Church and people of God so as to close with them delight in them earnestly to desire after them and heartily to resolve with purpose of heart to cleave to them to give up all and suffer with them to live and die in the midst of them but blessed be the Lord that opened your eyes to behold the Tabernacle glory which is hid from men you have infinite cause to bless God that hath ravished you with those inside glorious sights of the Tabernacle Oh how often have you been refreshed in your souls