Exod. 28.4.30 So Joh. 9.39 For Judgment am I come into this world that they that see not might see this is no act of Punishment but of Mercy yet called Judgment so it is prophesied of Christ Isai 42.3 4. that he shall bring forth Judgment unto truth and shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set Judgment in the earth that is he shall not faint nor be discouraged till he hath gone through with the work of their Salvation and set in order all the concernments of it that wise and prudent and judicious administration of things by Jesus Christ whereby he rectifies repairs and sets in good order the confused and collapsed estate of his Church and people insomuch that all the concernments of their eternal good are set strait brought to their best constitution and carried on in a most exact and regular manner with admirable and infinite Wisdom That as they Mark 7. ult were beyond measure astonished and they said he hath done all things well so shall all the Saints say when they understand and review the ways that Christ hath walked in for their Salvation Aaron did here represent this typically in this Pectorale Judicii this Brest-plate of Judgment But Christ hath performed and done it really and indeed To unfold the mystery of these things a little more particularly 1. The Precious Stones with the Names of the Children of Israel signifie all the Saints the whole Church and people of God Israel was a typical people therefore the whole Church of God is called Israel Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon or even upon the Israel of God Hence the same Apostle distinguisheth of outward Jews and inward Jews Rom. 2. two last And Christ calls Nathaniel an Israelite indeed Joh. 1.47 And the Saints are fitly represented by Precious Stones because they are indeed precious and excellent with a spiritual excellency and that in the sight of God though despised of the world Isai 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my fight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life Psal 16.3 the Saints 〈◊〉 that are on earth the excellent in whom is all my delight Lam. 4.7 Her Nazarites and that religious Order was typical as you have formerly heard were purer then Snow they were whiter then Milk they were more ruddy in body then Rubies their polishing was of Saphire As these precious Stones in the Brest-plate were divers and various there were twelve of them yet all of them precious and excellent and useful so the Saints are indoed with varieties of Gifts and Graces yet all useful and excellent And as these Stones were set in exact and comely order in the Brest-plate of Aaron so there is an insition of the Saints into Christ and a comely order amongst themselves 2. Look as the High Priest did bear the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel in his Brest-plate for a memorial before the Lord so doth Jesus Christ bear the names and the concernments of his people upon his heart before the Lord that is in dearest Love and heart-Heart-affection See Exod. 28.29 As he bore them upon the shoulders of his Power in the two Onyx-stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the Ephod of which before so now here he bears them upon his heart in dearest Love and Favour See Isai 49.15 16. Therefore the Church prays Cant. 8.6 set me as a Seal upon thine Heart as a Seal upon thine Arm. These Stones were engraven like the ingravings of a Seal or of a Signer 3. The fastening of this Brest-plate of Love to the shoulder-pieces of the Ephod speaks the inseparable Conjunction of the Love and Power and Righteousness of Christ in the great work of our Salvation For the Ephod being an holy and glorious Garment signifies as the rest do the glorious Righteousness of Christ the true High Priest as hath been formerly shewed The shoulders are strong to support the Pectoral betokens Love therefore that the Pectoral is fastened to the shoulders speaks that Love and Power are united together in Jesus Christ for our Salvation and all this upon the Ephod the Garments of his glorious Righteousness wherein he appears for us and bears our Names for a memorial before the Lord continually How should Faith triumph in this Is not our High Priest in the Sanctuary Is he not clothed with Garments of Salvation and Righteousness and doth he not bear the Names of his people upon his shoulders and upon his Brest before the Lord Thy particular concernments if thou art a Believer are written upon his heart with the Pen of a Diamond in such lasting Letters of loving kindness as shall never be blotted out 7. The seventh piece of these Sacerdotal Vestments was the Vrim and Thummim of which the Text saith Also he put in the Brest-plate the Vrim and Thummim and Exod. 28.30 and thou shalt put in the Brest-plate of Judgement the Vrim and the Thummim and they shall be upon Aarons heart c. There is more of Difficulty and Controversie upon this then upon any other piece of all the Pontifical attire I shall speak but briefly to it in these four heads 1. Whether they were any new Materials in the holy Garments 2. What kind of Materials they were 3. What was the end and use of them 4. What Gospel-mysteries were aimed at therein 1. Whether the Vrim and Thummim were visible and external materials in the holy Garments yea or no. For some think they are only an expression of the end and use of the Brest-plate and not another distinct piece of attire But there are these Reasons against this Reas 1. Because the Text seems to speak of them as Materials for it speaks of them in the same course and tenor of speech as it doth of other things As here in the Text for instance all the rest of these three verses are only enumerations of the holy Vestments He put on the Coat girded him with the Girdle put on him the Brest-plate all this is external material things therefore why not also the next clause and he put in the Brest-plate the Urim and Thummim Reas 2. Because we have an intimation of the loss of them in the Captivity of Babylon Ezra 2.63 Nehem. 7.65 If the Vrim and Thummim had been no other material but the Brest-plate it self with the Precious Stones therein as some think they might have consulted with God and received answers from God by it as formerly For the Ordinances of God are blest of God to such as use them sincerely for those ends for which they are appointed Therefore so would the Brest-plate have been for Counsel and Answers to them if that had been the Ordinance appointed for that end For they did not want the Brest-plate for they might and ought to make that according to the Rule in Exod. 28. but they having not the Vrim
Now to unfold the Mystery of the Incense The Incense that was offered upon this Golden Altar was a Type of Prayer the Prayers both of Christ and of his Saints Both the Prayers which Christ offers up for the Saints and which the Saints offer up for themselves in his Name and Mediation See Rev. 5.8 Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense You may see the fulness of the analogy more at large in seven particulars 1. It was made up of many choise Ingredients Exod. 30.34 so is the Spirit of Prayer as it were a compound of many excellent Graces There must be Faith Humility Fervency c. and indeed all the Graces of Gods Spirit are drawn forth and exercised in Prayer 2. They are strictly forbidden to make another Persume of their own heads like unto it Exod. 30.37 38. so we are not to make use of any other Intercessors or Mediators but Christ only And in like manner for men to make Prayers in the way of stinted Liturgies though there be many of the same Ingredients in the Mass-book that is good expressions for the matter of them and words and notions that are found in the Scripture yet this being not the Incense that is instituted it is not it cannot be accepted 3. These Ingredients whereof the Incense was made were to be beaten very small into fine Powder Exod. 30.36 This teacheth us that Contrition of heart that ought to be in Prayer how the Soul is to be contrite and broken as it were all to pieces by humbling meditations of its own unworthiness when it appears before the Lord in Prayer These are the Prayers that God regards Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Isai 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones If a man come with his heart whole and not broken this is to offer the Incense unbeaten unpounded 4. The Incense was to be set on fire and so the smoke went up before the Throne Exod. 30.7 8. This speaks that holy Fervency in Prayer There should be ardent affections inflamed by the Fire of the Holy Ghost Jam. 5 16. the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much We should not come with a dead cold heart before the Lord in Prayer 5. This burning of Incense was a Service performed every day morning and evening Exod. 30.7.8 This teacheth us that Prayer should be a daily work morning and evening David tells us of his praying in the morning Psal 5.3 My Voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up And also in the evening Psal 141.2 The lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Yea both he and Daniel used to pray thrice a day Psal 55.17 Dan. 6.10 Anna departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Luk. 2.37 and we are commanded to pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Praying always with all Prayer Ephes 6.18 that is every day in the seasons of Prayer And Paul mentions his praying day and night 1 Thess 3.10 2 Tim. 1.3 which may well be understood of evening and morning See also 1 Tim. 5.5 and Act. 26.7 6. The time of burning the Incense was when they dressed and lighted the Lamps of the Sanctuary Exod. 30.7 8. This teacheth us the conjunction of the Word and Prayer in the Church Deut. 33.10 Acts 6.4 But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word 7. The Smoke of the Incense ascended with a sweet and fragrant smell into the Holy of holies before the Mercy seat as Rev. 8.4 and the Smoke of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand It went up out of the Angels hand This speaks that our Prayers come up before the Lord into his holy place even into Heaven before the Throne of Grace with acceptance through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ Acts 4.10 thy Prayers are come up for a memorial before God Hence that expression 1 Kings 8. hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place For the Holy of holies was a Type of Heaven and the Mercy-seat is that Throne of Grace where the Lord is said to dwell between the Cherubims Psal 80.1 It speaks also that God returns gracious answers to them as it is Zech. 1.13 the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good and comfortable words Sometimes there is a gracious terribleness in them I mean a mixture of Mercy and Terror in the Lords answers and returns of Prayer Psal 65. ver 5. by terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God of our Salvation Thus Rev. 8.5 when the Angel cast down the Censer upon the earth there were voices and thunderings and lightenings and an earthquake The Lord uttering his voice as it were from the Holy of holies in dreadful dispensations of Providence in the seven Trumpets it is from the Prayers of Saints that those dreadful Trumpets were sounded But one of the strangest instances of the Lords answering Prayer by strange and seemingly contrary Providences is that of the Turks Rev. 9. It is agreed by all Interpreters that the sixth Trumpet is the Turk But did ever any Christian pray for the coming of the Turk into Christendom No but yet they came and the Voice from the four Horns of this Golden Altar of Incense usher'd them in Rev. 9.13 The meaning is this the strange Power of God did answer the Prayers of his people this way it is the Prayers of Gods people that turns the wheel of Providence as it were and brings about all the great and mighty revolutions in the course thereof Vse 1. Of Comfort in five or six particulars This Doctrine of Christs Intercession which is the mystery of this Golden Censer and Altar of Incense is full of Comfort to poor praying Souls thou hast an High Priest which offereth up thy Prayers and they are made acceptable through his Intercession This affords Comfort let thy condition be what it will 1. If thou find thy self unskilful in making application of that part of Christs Priestly Office which consisteth in his Death yet thou maist look up to him to speak a good word for thy Soul this work is doing still though the former be done 2. In case of new sins committed after Grace received here is this Comfort that as Satan puts in new Accusations against thy Soul so Christ puts in new Answers 1 Joh. 2.1 2. if any man sin we have an Advocate c. 3. Many an one is much troubled with fears of future backslidings but Christ prays that thy Faith fail not he prays not only that we should come
up unto God with strong crying and tears Matth. 26.37 he began to be sorrowful and very heavy and ver 38. then saith he unto them my Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and ver 39. he fell on his face and prayed saying Oh my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me Luk. 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his Sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the ground Hebr. 5.7 It speaks also the Contrition and brokenness of heart that is in the Prayers of the Saints 3. He took a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar to kindle the Incense It is the fire of the Altar the Spirit of God that inflames the Affections in Prayer that sets the heart on fire and makes the Incense flame sets Grace on work and as the Spices whereof the Incense was made are the Graces of Gods Spirit and the beating of them small is the Contrition of the heart so the Incense must be set on fire with sacred fire the Spirit of God inflaming the heart with earnest desires and ardent affections after God 4. The Cloud of Incense must cover the Mercy-seat that the Cloud of Incense that is the Smoke thereof may cover the Mercy-seat that he die not ver 13. There is much Instruction in this If we think to behold the Mercy-seat without the Cloud of Incense we die It is the death of many a Soul that in the day of Atonement when they are afflicting their Souls for sin they think that God is merciful and they cry to God for Mercy But they do not behold the Mercy of God in the Son of his Love they do not look up to the Mercy-seat as covered and clouded with the Incense of the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ and therefore they die and perish even in the day of Atonement when they come before the Mercy-seat 3. The Blood must be sprinkled upon the Mercy-seat Eastward that is upon the forepart of it ver 14. It teacheth us that as the High Priest went into the holy place not without Blood so Christ with his own Blood Heb. 9.7 11 12. hath entred into Heaven for us to make way for us to come thither also by the merit and virtue of his own Blood and Satisfaction Heaven therefore is called the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 because purchased by the Blood of Christ We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus Hebr. 10.19 20. 4. The Blood must be sprinkled upon the Mercy-seat seven times A mystical number often used in the legal Services and hath been formerly explained It is a number of perfection God having created the World in six days and resting upon the seventh It therefore notes a full and perfect cleansing and applying of the Blood of Christ for that end And it presupposeth a copious and liberal effusion but it implies directly a plenteous and effectual application of the Blood of Christ Get the Blood of Christ effectually applied unto thy Soul or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance take this Blood of Christ apply it by Faith see how it atones God It is true the Blood of Christ doth not make God merciful but it makes way for the exercise of his Mercy it doth not cause the attribute of Mercy to be in God but it makes way for the putting of it forth Now then let us put both these together The Mercy-seat must be both clouded with Incense and sprinkled with Blood or else there is no approaching for Sinners into the presence of God none but through the Prayers and Intercessions and through the Blood and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ Non solum periculosum sed horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare It is not only dangerous saith Luther but it is an horrible thing to think of God out of Christ Do not think to make use of Gods Attributes in an immediate way but by the Intercession of a Mediator there is no Mercy in God for Sinners out of Christ Thus much of the Priests Offerings for himself 2. The second sort of Offerings upon this great day of Atonement were for the People and these are two Goats for a Sin-offering and a Ram for a Burnt-offering ver 5. The Rites and Ceremonies of these two Goats are full of the Gospel It is pity that choise portions of Scripture which have so much in them are commonly so little understood by us Let us in the help of Christ inquire a little into the mystery of these things Of the Burnt-offering there is something said but it is not much the common rules of the Burnt-offering being here to be observed But the Sin-offering of the two Goats there be many very significant Rites and Ceremonies about them This Sin-offering is first generally and then severally and more particularly spoken to and the several actions about them more particularly opened 1. In general ver 7 8 9 10. The first thing that they had to do which was peculiar to it was that these two Goats they were to cast lots upon them Now a Lot is a referring of a thing by an appeal to the determination of Providence Prov. 16.33 the Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. There is a special hand of Providence in a Lot so it is said of Christ Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledge of God ye having taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain The Lot in this business was to determine which of the Goats should be slain and which was to escape But why were there two Goats one to die and the other to escape The reason was plainly this Because that one alone was not sufficient to represent the Mystery intended and aimed at For Christ was both God and Man he both died and rose again but the same Sacrifice could not both die and live again without a miracle Therefore these two Goats were appointed to represent more compleatly the whole mystery of our Redemption in all the concernments of it to shadow forth Jesus Christ in both his Natures and in both the states he passed through both in his Divinity and in his Humanity both in his Humiliation and Exaltation As in like manner there were two Birds appointed in the Purification of the Leper See of the cleansing of the Leper Lev. 14. pag. 398. So here two Goats a flain Goat and a scape Goat the one to shadow forth Christ as dying and slain for our offences the other as rising again for our Justification The slain Goat represented Christ as he was put to death in the Flesh that is in his Humane nature the scape Goat represented him as quickened by the Spirit that is by his Deity raising him up again from death to life This in general Now 2. In particular the sacred Rites and
trance but having his eyes open But on the contrary such as were acted by Satan they had their extatical Furies wherein their Minds were so discomposed that they were not compotes sanae mentis As some have written of the Sybils that when after their Prophesyings they came to themselves again they had forgotten what they had said and so could not review and correct what was written from them But it was not so with the Prophets of God John wrote and had Order to write his Apocalypse and so the other Prophets And when those to whom and by whom the Devil spake were not discomposed to such a degree even to fury and Distraction yet they were always debased and brought down below themselves The Lords Prophets were raised above themselves These were depressed even below themselves by dealing with Satan 3. The Prophets and Servants of God had an inward Seal from God of the Truth of what they spake Not unlike that new Name in the white Stone which none could read but he that had it Revel 2.17 Jer. 11.18 They believed and therefore spake 2 Cor. 4.13 See Isai 52.6 My people shall know that I am he that doth speak behold it is I. The true Prophets were no Scepticks they were as sure of what they said that it was the Mind of God as Ministers are now when they preach the Gospel 1. Joh. 1.1 2. On the contrary those by whom Satan spake either knew that they were acted by the Devil as the Witch at Endor Or else were deluded by him to think it was God or else knew not but were uncertain in themselves 4. They had also some of those ordinary Rules of Tryal that we have now As for instance If God confute them by the event Deut. 18.21 22 or if it correspond with the event yet if it be contrary to the Fundamentals of Religion See Deut. 13.1 2 3. Or if they be wicked men on the one side and the Prophets of the Lord on the other This gave some glimmerings of Light to Jehosaphat 1 King 22.7 They were Baalites pretenders indeed to Jehovah but superstitious wretches therefore he could not acquiesce in what they had said Quest 2. Whether these ways of Discovery be now ceased yea or no Answ As to that the Text is plain enough That instead of all those divers manners used by God of old he hath now substituted instead thereof this one and only way of revealing himself viz. in and by his Son And his Son speaks by his Word and Ordinances as also by the Works of his Providence in all which his Spirit breaths Therefore there we are to meet with God and to hear his Voice and there only to expect it These old things are vanished away Some think there be some footsteps of them to this day See a notable Instance of Information by a Dream in the Life of Zuinglius Melch. Adam p. 43. And of a Vision in Melancthon on Daniel 10. 1 But first such things are altogether extraordinary the Lord goes out of his ordinary course when he doth such things they are not the standing ways that God hath appointed under the Gospel therefore they are not to be expected or trusted to 2. They are only to be regarded in the way of a Providence not in the way of an Ordinance and to be tryed and judged by the Matter of them as agreeing or disagreeing with the Scripture As if a man in a Dream have some Duty some Scripture-truth brought to him he is to observe and accept the Providence of God in it Or if he find a strong impulse or motion of the Spirit in his Heart whereby some Truth or Duty is strongly impress'd and set upon his Heart Let him examine it by the Scripture and if the Scripture say it is a Duty he is to look at that internal motion and impression as a motion of the Spirit of God else not Vse 1. See the variety of Gods Wisdom and Goodness to his people that he hath so many ways revealed himself to them Vse 2. We may see something of the lowness of that legal Dispensation from this which hath been said that the Lord spake in such divers manners Vse 3. Bless God for the days wherein we live and for the Dispensation we are under It is much clearer and better For it is by his Son speaking by his Word working and breathing by his Spirit The Light shines much clearer We see that which many Kings and Prophets and righteous men have desired to see and have not seen as Matth. 13.17 Luke 10.24 Christ spake it to his Disciples then but it holds true concerning all the Saints under the New Testament It is true there was a Cloud of Antichristian Darkness did arise which did exceedingly obscure Gospel-light But that Cloud was never so dark but that the Elect of God did see through it in some measure Moreover the Lord hath begun to dispel and scatter those Clouds of Antichristian Darkness and will in time scatter them from off the face of the earth 2. We are now to speak to the second Word these divers times Having shewed the divers Manners of the Lords speaking to his people of old we are now to shew the divers Times or seasons wherein he did it For he spake not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meal not all at once but here a little and there a little first one piece of his Mind was discovered at one time then another piece at another time first a little Light brake forth some darker hints and intimations then further and clearer Discoveries and Manifestations by degrees In the opening of this we shall have occasion to run through some general heads of the History of the Church throughout the Scripture till the coming of Jesus Christ And it is an Inquiry both useful and profitable and also pleasant and delightful to an inquisitive Mind to view the several states of Religion and of the Church of God in the several ages of the World Under every one of which we shall have occasion to take notice both of Gods Manifestations and of mens Departures from the Lord and from the Truth That we may see the occasion of every new Discovery they departed and destroyed themselves and then the Lord appeared again in recovering Dispensations Now these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these several pieces and parcels of the Lords Discoveries and Manifestations of himself may be referred to two general heads 1. Before the Law 2. Under the Law These were the two great pieces of it and the Scripture takes notice of them both Of that Dispensation that was before the Law from Adam to Moses as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.14 Death reigned from Adam to Moses Of the Dispensation under the Law our Saviour speaks Matth. 11.13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John again Luk. 16.16 the Law and the Prophets were until John The difference between
when he causeth them to hear the voice of his Loving Kindness and sheds abroad his Love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost 4. Joseph supplies all their wants makes provision for them every way he gives them their Corn without taking their Mony washes them sets them at his Table and feeds them Gen. 43.16 33 34. gives them Victuals and Chariots for their Journey with a Charge not to fall out by the way chap. 45.19 24. And finally placeth them in Goshen in the best of the Land there to dwell till they should go to Canaan the Land of Promise cap. 47.11 Jesus Christ doth all this in an higher way He gives us all the good we need and that freely without Mony or without price he washeth and cleanseth us inwardly by his Spirit as well as outwardly by the Water of Baptism feeds us at his Table not only with bodily but with spiritual Food gives us his Ordinances as Chariots of Salvation to bring us to himself and Signs and Seals of his Love to us and of our Love to him and to one another It is his great Commandment to his Disciples to love one another and finally he plants us in Goshen here in a state of Light and Grace till we come to the heavenly Canaan to a state of Glory Thus doth our true Joseph provide for us 5. Yet after all this they had some secret fears and doubtings of his Love whereupon they seek Pardon of their former Sins but he gives them renewed assurance of it to quiet their fears and settle their doubting thoughts Gen. 50.15 21. through the remembrance of their own Guilt and Sins against him So poor Souls when Christ hath spoken Peace yet there be oftentimes some secret fears and doubts remaining or returning upon them again after all his appearances when he appeared unto them again in Gallilee as Matth. 28.17 it is said and when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted But in such as are the Lords these fears and doubts set them upon the renewed exercise of Grace reflecting and searching their own hearts and ways and seeking Pardon of former Sins and in this way the Lord renews his Love and gives them new and fresh evidences and further assurance of it and bids them fear not and so quiets their hearts again as Joseph did his Brethrens Who is the Type or Figure of him that is to come Rom. 5.14 Aug. 22. Sept. 5. 1667. THe individual Persons that were Types of Christ have been referred unto two Classes 1. Such as were before the Law 2. Such as were under the Law The typical Persons that were before the Law have been spoken to We are now to proceed as the Lord shall enable unto typical Persons under the Law and they were many and divers I shall not mention all but only as in the former sort some of the chief and most illustrious of them And because the nature of the matter will not only bear it but doth partly lead unto it none of them giving a full and perfect Representation of the Messiah and there being something of Connexion remarkable in the Histories and Actions of divers of them I shall therefore put them together in pairs or in several Conjunctions and Constellations as it were whereby they will yield the greater lustre and give a more clear and full Representation of that glorious person whom the Lord ordained and designed them to represent like the Galaxia in the Heavens which Philosophers conceive to be a Conjunction or Conglobation of many lesser Stars shining together which gives that lustre which we call the Via lactea the milky way in the Heavens The conjoyning or putting of them thus together will be some help both to your Uerstandings and Memories Now there were four eminent Conjunctions or Constellations as it were for I know not well what fitter word to express it by of typical Persons who shone like bright Stars in the night in those darker times under the Law before the Sun of Righteousness himself arose with Light and Healing in his Wings The first is Moses and Josuah whereof the one delivered them out of Egypt the other brought them into Canaan a Shadow both of the evil we are saved from and of the good we are possessed of by him who is the true Moses and Josuah The second Constellation or Conglobation of typical persons is Sampson David and Solomon all which three put together gives a bright and glorious Representation of Jesus Christ Sampson in his Death and Sufferings David in his Victories and Conquests Solomon in the peace and quiet establishment of his Kingdom The third is Elijah Elisha and Jonah three Prophets the first whereof was an illustrious Type of Christs Ascension the second of the Continuance of his Presence and Spirit in his Apostles and Ministers ever since for the Spirit of Elijah did rest upon Elisha and the Death of Christ which was the procuring cause both of his Ascension and the effusion of his Spirit is shadowed forth in Jonah The fourth and last that I shall speak to is Zerubbabel and Jehoshuah one whereof was the Prince and the other the High Priest and both Rebuilders of the Temple and Restorers of the collapsed estate of the Church of God in those times 1. First then for Moses and Joshuah the one as I said delivered them out of Egypt the other brought them into Canaan and so shadowed forth both our Deliverance from spiritual Bondage and Misery and the bringing of us into a state of spiritual Rest and Happiness by Jesus Christ There was a Prefiguration of the former in Moses and of the latter in Joshuah This Moses the Scripture speaks of him as the greatest person upon all accounts that ever was in the world except Jesus Christ See the three last verses of Deuteronomy And there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face In all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the Land of Egypt to Pharaoh and all his Servants and to all his Land and in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the fight of all Israel As to all humane and divine Excellencies and Accomplishments and appearances of God in him there was never his fellow Melchizedek indeed was greater in one respect as to that shadow of Eternity and unchangeable Glory beforementioned Solomon was greater as to the outward Peace and Splendor of his Kingdom and as to universal Insight into all the depths and secrets and mysteries of Nature But neither of them had such continual visible Entercourse and Communion with God in visible appearances to him upon all occasions Neither of them wrought such Miracles nor were they instrumental to so great a work of Providence as the Deliverance of Israel out of Egypt which with all the passages and circumstances belonging to it was the greatest and the highest Dispensation of
that end 2. The Leper must wash his Cloaths and himself and shave his Hair and then come into the Camp but not yet into his Tent. vers 8. The like Ceremony is required in other Cleansings As at the Consecration of the Levites Numb 8.7 they were to cause a Rasor to pass over all their flesh And Deut. 21.12 Of the Captive Woman it is said she shall shave her head and pare her nails Some allegorize this in a plain and a good way thus That it was a figure of casting away all remainders of malice and filthiness James 1.21 Those excrescencies and superfluities of sinful Corruption it shadows out and teacheth the work of Mortification or paring away of sinful superfluities of Lusts and Corruptions as fast as they grow which we cannot be quite rid of but must be paring and cutting them off continually This Expression is used Isai 7.20 in a metaphorical way to signifie the Lords consuming and weakning their strength for much hair argueth strength of nature Hence in age when there is a decay of strength the hair falls off and baldness comes in stead of hair Therefore in a leprous person it seems to argue strength of the Disease therefore the shaving it off is thought to signifie the cutting off and taking away the strength of the Disease and plague of the heart And as to washing this was often required therefore the Apostle speaks of divers washings Heb. 9.10 And the Holy Ghost refers them to the blood of Christ Rev. 1.5 And they respect also the Spirit of Christ often compared to water Isai 44.3 This is that Fountain set open Zach. 13.1 for the house of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness A sinner must wash and bath himself in this Fountain if ever he will be made clean We read of the washing of Regeneration Titus 3.5 which is an allusion to these Ceremonial washings rather than to Baptism And the Leper was to wash his whole body not some part only because Sanctification is a cleansing of the whole man 1 Thes 5.23 And he must wash his clothes as well as himself To teach us that we must purge our selves from all manner of filthiness and every thing that defileth hating the very garment that is spotted with the flesh Any thing of uncleanness the least degree of it Jude ver 23. hating even the garments spotted by the flesh An amplification saith the Margin taken from the forbidden things in the Old Law that did defile that is all appearances occasions any thing that hath the least touch of sin It is a worse sign of a leprous graceless heart for a man to dally with his lust and to allow himself therein than one particular fall into a grosser act of uncleanness if it be abhorred and repented of Thus the Leper must be washed He and his Clothes and his Hair shorn and yet after all this he is not to return to his Tent. The reason is Lest there should be any thing of infection in his Tent. For the very Houses and Garments sometimes were infected with Leprosie 3. The third Ceremony or his after-duty is this After seven days he must use the same Ceremony of shaving and washing over again ver 9. This plainly teacheth us that cleansing work must be renewed from time to time The mortifying and purging out of Corruption it is a gradual work and a frequent work For the Leper is not made clean at once in the first moment nay after all his former observations he is not perfectly clean though he be begun to be made clean but here are seven days must intervene and then he must wash and shave again So that it is a gradual work We should do so in Spiritual Cleansing especially upon the Sabbath day which is the seventh in this sense that is it is one of seven and it is and should be a day of Spiritual washing and cleansing Thus you have seen the first part of this purifying Sacrifice for the Leper viz The two Birds with the several Ceremonies and Ceremonial actions and performances appertaining to them both to the slain Bird and to the living Bird and to the Leper himself 2. The second part of the purifying Sacrifice appointed for him is that of three Lambs with the Ceremonies thereunto belonging and this is declared at large from ver 10. to 32. of that 14. Chapter of Leviticus The Materials of this are two He Lambs the one for a Burnt-Offering the other for a Trespass Offering and an Ew-Lamb for a Sin Offering and fine Flower for a Meat Offering and a log of Oyl These are the Materials Now what must be done with them The Ceremonies about them are chiefly these three 1. The Sacrifices must be slain and offered according to the manner and institution ver 12 13. But this having been opened formerly we shall not insist upon it 2. The Priest must put some of the blood of them upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed ver 14. and some part on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot You have the like Ceremony Exod. 29.20 injoined in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons The sprinkling these parts did represent and was instead of sprinkling the whole body The sprinkling of a part of the body was appointed by God as significative of universal cleansing of the whole man Engl. Annot. on Exod. 29.20 Our Annotators have this Note upon it The Ear was to be sanctified for holy hearing and against the hearing of any corrupt communication And the Hand for working and the Foot for walking that his Conversation might be holy and his Person sanctified from head to foot So in Baptism there is no necessity of plunging the whole body in water but the sprinkling of it on the Forehead may suffice to signifie the mystical meaning intended by it where by a Sacramental Synechdoche though but a part be sprinkled the whole is washed and cleansed This is the second Ceremony some of the blood in these Sacrifices of the three Lambs must be put upon the Leper The 3d. is That the Priest is to take the Oyl and sprinkle part of it before the Lord and with part to anoint the Leper his Ear Thumb and Foot in the place where he had put the blood before and pour the rest upon his head ver 15 16 17 18. This mystical Oyl whereof they had such continual use under the Law we have often heard that it typifies the Holy Ghost and therefore the Son of God is said to be anointed with the Spirit Isai 61.1 And Act. 10.38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Therefore the putting of the Oyl upon these parts signifies the saving Graces of the Spirit of Christ whereby they are cleansed and sanctified and comforted who have been justified and reconciled by his blood As to the putting it upon
of the Pagans and to disguise them with a new Name that those Festivities which had been kept before in the Devils name might now be kept in Christs own name to his greater dishonour Besides there is little probability that the true time of Christs Birth is stumbled upon and many learned men confess there is a mistake as to the time and that it must needs be at the Feast of Tabernacles and not in December Moreover God usually gives men up to more sin then then at other time which is a further evidence of his Displeasedness with the Observation of it It was Latimers complaint of old in the days of King Henry the eighth That Christ was more dishonoured in the Twelve Days then in all the whole Twelve Months besides Ye observe days and months and years I am afraid of you that I have laboured in vain says the Apostle in Gal. 4.10 11. it is a sign the preaching of the Gospel hath been very much in vain among the people when they retain the Observation of such times the Apostle speaks of the days and times that men have invented not of days that God hath instituted to be observed It is said of Jeroboam 1 King 12.33 that he offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month the month which he had devised of his own heart which he had lyed or feigned quem mentitus est The Lye of it appears in this that they pretend to do it to the honour of Christ when indeed they do it to his dishonour and therefore it is as a brand set upon him on this account which he lyed in his own heart so it is but lying for men to keep days of their own invention and the Lye appears in that they pretend to do it for the honour of God and of Jesus Christ whereas they unspeakably dishonour him thereby It is the framing of a Lye in mens own hearts when they keep such days Obj. But should we not celebrate the memorial of our Redemption by Jesus Christ why should we forget the memory of these things should we not remember how Jesus Christ suffered and hath sent his Spirit amongst us and came to tabernacle in our Flesh Answ Yes but the Lord commands us to celebrate the memory of it once a week and for us to put him off with once a year is to put him off with less then he requires to give him a day in a year when he requires a day in a week for the memorial and celebration of this thing Moreover there is a way whereby people may keep the Passover and Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles that is we should keep them under the Gospel every day As some say every day should be a Christian Sabbath But that is not true for a Sabbath is a day set apart from our Callings but six days shalt thou labour saith the Commandment But we should make every day our Easterday every day our Pentecost c. Obj. But why should not Christians be as holy as the Jews and therefore keep these Feasts as well as they how should we keep them every day Answ We are to keep them in a spiritual and Gospel way but not legally and literally for the Letter killeth but the Spirit is Life The Apostle exhorts let us keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 Now if you would keep the Feasts of Fassover Pentecost and Tabernacles aright it consists chiefly in three things 1. To be much in the exercise of Faith in the acting of a true and pure and lively Faith upon the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ as the true Lamb of God I say in acting Faith or drawing nigh with a true heart in full assurance of Faith and this is the true Passover and the true keeping of that Feast Heb. 10.22 Let us keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.8 without the leaven of Hypocrisie of seeming Faith and seeming Holiness with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth That is the right keeping of the Passover when men live not upon their own Righteousness trust not in their own Duties but being sensible of their sinful undone wretched estate act Faith and exercise their thoughts upon the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ this is the right keeping of it indeed 2. Be ye filled with the Spirit get a great and large measure of Gods Spirit this is the true Feast of Pentecost Ephes 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess as the Holiday-keepers use to be through the Justice of God because they observe their own inventions but be ye filled with the Spirit Do not sit down with common Gifts and common Graces and common Workings but get and labour after the saving work of the Spirit and be not content nor sit down satisfied with some little beginnings of a special saving work with saving Grace in truth and in sincerity in little measures and degrees but labour after a great degree and measure of the Spirit of Grace after strength and growth of Grace as well as truth of Grace be ye filled with the Spirit c. 3. Behold and see the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This is the true Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles Get a real sight of God so as to behold his Glory as he is manifested in the flesh and as God dwells in our Nature Joh. 1.14 the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us came and pitched his Tabernacle among us and we beheld his Glory We cannot see God in himself he dwells in Light and Glory inaccessible as we cannot look upon the Sun in its own Brightness but we may see it in a pail of Water so we may see the infinite Majesty and Glory of God in the Flesh of Christ The Tabernacle of Jesus Christ is a thing to be beheld by Men and Angels to see more into the Glory of God 〈◊〉 get acquaintance with the mystery of the Father and of Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.2 3. that ye may be knit together in love and comforted and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg But beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of men after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ ver 8. for in him ver 9. dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Labour therefore to see God in Jesus Christ we are not able to behold that infinite Majesty but only through the veil of the Flesh of Jesus Christ as shining in his humane nature And this is the mystery of the Feast of Tabernacles and the right and Gospel way of celebrating of it Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things THE GOSPEL of the FEAST of TRUMPETS Jan. 21.
p. 593. Ainsworth on Psalms p. ult of Musick in Temple Ames Fresh Suit against Ceremonies part 2. cap. 4. sect 6. pag. 405 406. Didoclav Altar Damasc cap. 8 p. 490 491 c. Cotton of Singing of Psal c. 3. p. 12. who do with one mouth testifie against them most of them expresly affirming that they are a part of the abrogated legal Pedagogy so that we might as well recall the Incense Tapers Sacrifices New Moons Circumcision and all the other shadows of the Law into use again But Aquinas himself also though a Popish Schoolman pleads against them upon the same account quia aliquid figurabant and saith the Church in his time did not use them ne videatur judaizare lest they should seem to judaise Aquin. secund secundae Qest 91. Art 2.4 Yea Tilenus himself before his Apostacy for what his Judgment was afterwards in this particular I do not know but in his first which were his best times he saith Instrumenta inanimata sive ea sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicunque in Ecclesiam revocant Synagogam pridem sepultam hac in parte refâ—diunt operosum illud machinamentum quod Antonomastice vocant Organon Vitaliani Papae inventum ac donum illis arrideat qui magnae meretrici supparasitari quam Christianae simplicitati studere malunt non absimiles Ethnicis quos Lactantius ad Templa ventitare ait non tam Religionis gratia quam ut videant audiant quod oblectet lib. 2. cap. 7. quibus publicorum Conventuum finis non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syntag. part 2. disp 49. thes 49 50. What it was that was the thing intended and signified by these dark shadows is not without some obscurity and difficulty to determine But yet it may be found out as in other Types so in this by considering the nature of the thing it self and by diligent observing the hints and intimations that are given by the Spirit of God in the Scripture For the meaning of the Types is seldom fully and explicitly declared and held forth but for the most part briefly and obscurely hinted and so left by God to be collected by the Christian Wisdom and Industry of his people The Silver Trumpets then are conceived to hold forth the Promulgation of the Gospel the preaching of the pure Word of God by his Messengers See Ainsworth on Numb 10. For which as there is a clear and fair analogy and proportion in the things themselves so there be some hints of Scripture that seem evidently to look this way As when Solomon saith the Tongue of the just is as choice Silver Prov. 10.20 so the Messengers of God are said to lift up their voice as a Trumpet Isai 58.1 set the Trumpet to thy mouth Hos 8.1 And in Ezek. 33 3-6 the faithful discharge and execution of their Office is expressed by blowing the Trumpet So when it is said in that great Prophesie concerning the Restauration of the Jews Isai 27.13 that in that day the great Trumpet shall be blown it is understood by Interpreters concerning the sounding of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel throughout the world So Calvin in Isai 27.13 of whose Renown for a spiritual and solid Interpreter we need not speak Tubae spiritualis nempe Evangelii clangor c. So the Dutch Annotators in Isai 27.13 understand by this great Trumpet in a spiritual way the Trumpet of the Gospel whereby God hath called and gathered unto himself a Church out of all People and Nations of the World So Mr. Davenport of the true Messiah p. 21. The sounding of Trumpets to give notice of the Jubile typed out the preaching of the Gospel which began in Johns Ministry and Christ seconded it Luk. 4.18.22 And both these and all the rest of their Musical instruments were expressions and signs of Joy Psal 89.15 and 98.6 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound with Harp with Trumpets with sound of Cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord the King They were therefore fit Resemblances to shadow out that heavenly Musick and inward Melody of the Joys and Graces of Gods Spirit in the Hearts of his people The Apostle therefore exhorts us to sing unto the Lord but instead of calling upon us for Musical instruments he requires the Spirit of Grace in the Heart and Melody in the Heart Ephes 5.18 19. Colos 3.16 The making a joyful noise with Instruments continueth not saith Mr. Cotton of the singing of Psalms cap. 3. p. 12. save only so far as it is kept alive in the Antitype the affections of our Hearts our praecordia making melody with the songs and professions of our Lips and with the gracious and peaceable conversations of our Lives Yea so clear and obvious are these significations of the Jewish Musick notwithstanding some some little obscurity that Tilenus himself though dark enough in other things could not but see it such is the evidence of the thing it self Festum clangoris saith he continuam spiritualem laetitiam Evangelici praeconii tuba excitandam denotabat the Feast of Trumpets denotes those continual spiritual rejoicings raised in the heart by the pleasant sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel Syntag. par 1. disp 52. thes 61. 4. But suppose the signification of the Jewish Musick could not be found out as indeed it is an hard thing to find out the meaning all their Types and Ceremonies Yet nevertheless we are delivered by Jesus Christ not only from their Types and Ceremonies but also from all their yokes and burthens and from all such Ordinances and Observations as did befit them and belong unto them as in that estate of infancy and childhood Junius therefore upon the History of Miriams praising the Lord with Timbrels and with Dances distinguisheth thus Eorum quae lege imperata sunt alia ad rei futurae praesignificationem pertinuerunt alia singularem illius Ecclesiae habuerunt significationem Quaecunque res futuras praesignificaverunt ea post Complementum in Christo usurpare est impium quae Ecclesiae illius fuerunt propria vel singularia eadem nunc usurpare est ridiculum Jun. in Exod. 15.20 which overthrows that deceitful Rule of Bellarmine which he repeats and makes use over again and again when he saith Ceremoniae Judaeorum propriae sunt illae quae ad aliud futurum significandum erant institutae At Ceremoniae quae fundantur in Ratione naturali ut genua flectere similes non sunt propriae Judaeorum atque ad hoc genus pertinent instrumenta musica porro talem esse Templorum Dedicationem apparet c. Bell. tom 2. de Cultu Sanct. lib. 3. c. 5. tom 3. de Missa l. 2. c. 15. tom 4. de Bon. Oper. in partic l. 1. c. 16. where besides the impropriety of expression for kneeling in Prayer is not so fitly called a Ceremony being an outward gesture which both the
of Gospel-worship Now for that other Objection from Experience If none but Bellarmine had told us that they excite Devotion and make the Worship of God less tedious we might altogether pass it by as being but the experience of a Jesuite but seeing a better man affirms the same thing and pleadeth that they are an help partly natural and partly artificial to the exhilerating of the Spirits for the the Praise of God we must briefly consider this Objection also Now the Answer to it is in two words If it be meant as it seems to be of true spiritual Delight and Devotion the Assumption is false viz. that Organs in the Worship of God have any such virtue But if it be meant of meer natural Delight the Consequence is false and feeble viz. that therefore they may be used in the Worship of God 1. The truth of this Assumption viz. the efficacy of Organs in the Worship of God to excite Delight or Devotion may justly be denyed Chrastovius questions it Vtrum autem promoveant vel taedium minuant nescio Chrastov Prax. de Cerem Can. Miss thes 42. apud Didocl pag. 493. But Zuinglius thunders against it Ecclesiasticum illum Cantum Templorum Boatus ab ipsis quoque Sacerdotibus non intellectos abusum stultum inanem imo pietatis verae remoram perniciosissimam esse constat It is most apparent saith he that that same Church-chaunting and those bellowings in our Temples which also the very Priests themselves do not understand is a most foolish and vain abuse and a most pernicious let and hindrance to true Piety Zuing. Act. disp 2. pag. 106. apud Ames Fresh Suit p. 406. So that he accounted it not an help and furtherance of Devotion but a most pernicious hindrance Aquinas observes which is also quoted and approved by the judicous Ames Aquin. ubi supra Ames ubi supra Magis animum movent ad delectationem quam ut per ea formetur interius bona dispositio they do rather stir up the mind to delight then frame it to a right disposition they raise natural rather then true spiritual joy And so that intelligent and learned Gentleman Sir Edwin Sandys observes concerning the Popish Worship that being not understood by the people it is not able to hold them with any spiritual content their Service being no other then as a Lamp put out which bringeth no Light at all to the understanding can neither bring any due warmth to the affections the one being inseparable from the other And were it not that their Musick Perfumes and rich Sights did hold the outward Senses with their natural delight surely it could not be but either abandoned for the fruitlesness or only upon fear and constraint frequented Sir E. S. of the State of Religion in the Western parts pag. 7 8. We see then that in the Judgments of all these learned men Musical instruments in the Worship of God tend rather to affect the Senses and tickle the Ear with natural and sensual delight then to edifie the Soul and raise the Heart unto any true spiritual delight and rejoycing in the Lord. And whether their witness be not true let the Scriptures of Truth judge For Experience must be brought to the Scripture as the Example to the Rule and if it swerve from that Rule it is but the corrupt experience of a deceived heart But that experience that Bellarmine alledgeth of Devotion raised by Musical instruments in the Worship of God is conrary to the Scriptures For it is an everlasting Scripture-truth and a Rule as sure as Mount Sion that the Inventions of men are sit for nothing but to deaden the heart and quench the affections but they will never raise them nor kindle one spark of any true spiritual affection in the Soul The graven Image is profitable for nothing Isai 44.10 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matth. 15.9 Hence when a blind Papist weeps over the Crucifix and his heart is melted into Tears he doth but bedabble it with carnal tears as some have well expressed it For what God hath not appointed he doth not he will not own and bless But this instrumental Musick in the Worship of God is an Invention of Man it is such an help to Devotion as God hath not appointed therefore it cannot raise the heart nor kindle one spark of true devotion and spiritual affection in the Soul So that the Assumption is utterly false 2. The Consequence also is false and vain For although there be a civil use of Musick for lawful delight to exhilerate and refresh the Spirits about which there is no controversie for I know none that questions it and that this use of it and refreshment by it ought to be improved to the Glory and Praise of God is a thing beyond all dispute yet this is no sufficient ground for the use of it in the Worship of God For all the lawful Enjoyments and Comforts and Contentments of this life are in this sense helps for the exhilarating of the Spirits to the Glory and Praise of God whatever ye do whether ye eat or drink do all to the Glory and Praise of God 1 Cor. 10.31 so when we rest and sleep a gracious Heart knows how to do every thing for this great end but doth it therefore follow that men may sleep at Church I hope not To see Boys and Girls playing in the streets of Jerusalem will doubtless much exhilerate and awaken the spirits of their godly Parents to praise God when that Promise shall be fulfilled Zech. 8.5 but doth it therefore follow that Boys may play at Church So here the application is easie And therefore Pareus having shewed that the end of Musical instruments is vel delectare vel excitare animum he thus preoccupates this Objection But it is a simple thing saith he for any man to think from this to defend the use of Organs in the Worship of God For the Soul is to be raised up to God and spiritual rejoycing in the Church and publick Assemblies not by Pipes Trumpets which God indulged of old to that stiff-necked people but by the preaching of the Word the singing of Psalms c. Hinc vero Organorum usum in Templis velle defendere ineptum est In Ecclesia enim excitandus est animus ad Deum laetitiam spiritualem non Tibiis Tubis Tympanis qaod veteri durae cervicis stupidae mentis populo Deus olim indulsit sed sacris Concionibus Psalmodiis Hymnis Those solemn Caveats therefore before-mentioned against the abuse of this Cathedral Musick are to as much purpose as the washing of a Blackamore to change his colour For who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean The thing it self being sinful and unlawful it is not capable of any Regulation but requires an utter Extirpation and rooting out Such Counsels as these against abuse of that