Jews Some they borrow from the Pagans and others are nothing else but pieces and reliques of the Law of Ceremonies So is this of the Holiness of Places and consecrating of Churches For there is nothing more clear than that the difference of Places is taken away under the Gospel When the Woman of Sâ—â—naria pleaded Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain but ye say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Jesus said unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh and now is when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the true Worshippers shall worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.21 23. He turns her eyes and thoughts away from the difference of Places to regard and mind the Spirituality of the Worship For as God is no respecter of Persons so he is no respecter of Places But wheresoever for that indefinite where is equivalent to an universal wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18.22 The Apostle therefore saith 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray everywhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every place as was prophesied long before by the Prophet Malachi cap. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sun even to the going down thereof my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place therefore all places are alike Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering which before were limited to the Temple Therefore the Church at Jerusalem met in an upper Chamber Acts. 1.13 so did the Church at Troas Acts 20.8 there they did preach and break bread therefore all places are alike Every Place is now a Judea every House a Jerusalem every Congregation a Sion But what a strange thing is this that men can see no Holiness in the Lords day but slight and oppose that and yet assert an Holiness in Places Oh the Wrath of God upon such mens Spirits Obj. But should there not be publick Worship Answ Yes but that may be in places that are not consecrated Dr. Vsher in his Body of Divinity pag. 404. speaking against the private Administration of the Sacraments he thus explains it in these words In times of persecution the Godly saith he did often meet in Barns and such obscure places which were indeed publick because of the Church of God there The House or Place availing nothing to make it either publick or private even as wheresoever the Prince is there is the Court although it were a poor Cottage Obj. But there it a spiritual Presence of God in the Places therefore they are holy Answ It follows not For 1. God doth not vouchsafe his Presence out of respect to the Place but to the Persons He hath not set his Name upon the Place but only upon the Persons and is not present with them for the Places sake but only present in the place for their sakes who are there assembled 2. The Spiritual Presence of God is not enough to make a place holy for then all places should be holy wheresoever Gods People do enjoy Communion with him and so not only dwelling houses where there are Family duties but every private Chamber where there is secret Prayer yea the Fields the Streets and sometimes Prisons and Dungeons and Gibbets and all places whatsoever where the Saints come and enjoy Communion with God in their Spirits would be holy places And so this Objection lays all places level the Lord having many precious Saints that walk closely with him who are dispersed and scattered up and down almost in every corner of the Land Our publick Meeting-places for Worship they have not any such Sacred Symbols of Gods Presence as the Temple had the Ark the Altar c. neither have they any such extraordinary visible appearances of the Divine Majesty and Glory as the Temple had upon special occasions neither have they that typical respect unto Christ and Gospel-mysteries neither are they parts of Worship or Ordinances nor hath God annexed his Worship to them He hath no way separated or set them apart unto himself as his own peculiar therefore there is no pretense for Holiness in them Instr 2. The second Instruction is this Learn to present your Worship unto God by Jesus Christ for he is the true Temple and Tabernacle as hath been shewed Therefore that strict Injunction to bring all their Sacrifices thither signified thus much that we must present all our Services and Sacrifices to God in the Name Mediation of Jesus Christ Make use of Jesus Christ in his mediatory relation a thing much often pressed in the Scripture as indeed it cannot be too much insisted on Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the utmost all that ceme unto God by him 1 Pet. 1.21 who by him do believe in God Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes unto the Father but by me Col. 3.17 And whatsoever ye in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him A thing of absolute necessity if we desire either Access unto God Acceptance witn God or Influence and Assistance from God 1. There is no Access unto God but by this greater and more perfect Tabernacle Jesus Christ in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Ephes 3.12 God considered as in himself dwells in Light inaccessible 1. Tim. 6.16 dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see He is glorious and excellent in himself but approachable only in Christ we cannot see him nor conceive of him nor get into his presence but by Jesus Christ 2. There is no Acceptance with God out of Christ If you bring a Sacrifice to God and bring it not to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Blood shall be imputed to that man Levit. 17.1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7. If thou couldst live like a glorified Saint shine like an Angel if out of Christ God regards it no more more than the sacrificing Swines flesh or the cutting off of a Dogs neck Ezek. 20.40 for in mine holy Mountain in the Mountain of the height of Israel saith the Lord God there shall all the House of Israel all of them in the Land serve me there will I require your Offerings and the First fruits of your Oblations with all your holy things All our holy Offerings our best Duties and Services as they come from us are abominable but through his Mediation acceptable 3. There can be no gracious Influence or Assistance from God but only in this way by Jesus Christ The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion Psal 20.1 2. For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion there brake he
adumbrate and shadow forth the Covenant of Works But 2. We may consider Moses under an higher notion though in respect of the external Dispensation introduced by him he shadowed forth the Law yet in other respects if we consider him in his own Person he was a Type of Christ The Scripture is clear for this also Deut. 18.15 18. A Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy Brethren like unto me That this was spoken of Christ see Act. 3.22 Peter there applies it unto Christ he was like unto Moses There was a Similitude but yet there was not a Parity For Christ was far above Moses Heb. 3.3 For this man was counted worthy of more Glory than Moses inasmuch as he who builded the House hath more Glory than the House and again ver 5. Moses verily was faithful as a Servant but Christ as a Son over his own House v. 6. You may see it in these particulars 1. In regard of his Birth 2. In his personal Qualifications 3. In the whole course of his Life 4. In the close of it 1. Moses was a Type of Christ in regard of his Birth in that he was born but of mean Parents in the time of Israels Bondage in Egypt Exod. 2.1 persecuted in his Infancy by Pharaoh and wonderfully preserved Exod. 2.3 9. So Christ Isai 53.2 He shall grow up as a Root out of a dry ground When the House of David was brought very low and the Glory of it seemingly extinct they were of the poorest sort of people as appears by their Offering which was but a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons Luk. 2.24 when they taxed all the world that is when the Jews were under Bondage to the Romans Luk. 2.1 4. and you know Rome is spiritually called Egypt then and in this condition of Subjection to the Roman Power was Christ born And as soon as born he was persecuted by Herod Matth. 2. who sought his Death but wonderfully preserved and by means of his reputed Father as Moses by the Mother that adopted him both of them by wonderful Providences saved and delivered that they might be Saviours and Deliverers unto others 2. Moses was a Type of Christ in his personal Qualifications which were very eminent He was the most accomplish'd Person that ever was except Jesus Christ himself 1. In Learning and Knowledge Act. 7.22 He was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians So Christ Isai 11.1 2 3. the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and of Knowledge rested upon him to make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord insomuch that he disputed with the Doctors at twelve years of age Luke 2.42 46 47. Those Doctors were as too many are now adays eaten up with mens Traditions and ignorant of the Scripture The Jews acknowledged and admired it Joh. 7.15 And the Jews marvelled saying how knoweth this man Learning having never learned and ver 46. the Officers answered never man spake like this man 2. Clear and extraordinary Vision and Sight of God Numb 12.6 7 8. Face to Face Mouth to Mouth God spake to Moses even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord did he behold expressions arguing unparallell'd Clearness in the Lords revealing himself and his Mind to Moses There was never the like vouchsafed to any other To others even Prophets the Lord made known himself in a Vision or spake to them in Dreams ver 6. but to Moses at another rate So Christ Joh. 1.18 no man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him 3. There was in Moses an admirable mixture of Meekness and Zeal eminent in meekness of Spirit and that seasoned and tempered with holy Zeal Numb 12.3 forty years he bare their manners in the Wilderness Acts 7.36 with 13.18 though murmuring and rebelling against God and himself with an invincible Patience So Christ Matth. 11. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart When his Disciples tempted him he would not fetch down Fire from Heaven against his Despisers and Opposers yet he was angry at the Defilement of the Temple and whipt them out And so was Moses at the Golden Calf Meekness without Zeal is nothing else but Lukewarmness and Cowardise Zeal without Meekness degenerates into sinful Passion We should be meek in our own Cause but zealous in the Cause of God 4. Faithfulness to his Trust this was eminent in Moses but more eminent in Christ Heb. 3.5 6. Moses was but faithful as a Servant in his Lords House But Christ as a Son in his own House He will not lose one Soul of all those that the Father hath committed to him Joh. 6.39 40. In his last Prayer he professeth Joh. 17.12 those that thou givest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of perdition not the least Believer can or shall miscarry If thou sayst How may I know whether I was committed to the trust and care of Jesus Christ by the Father The Answer is If thou dost commit thy self to him the Lord hath done it Thou couldst never trust thy self with him thou couldst not commit thy Soul to his keeping if the Lord had not first intrusted thee with him in his eternal Counsel and Covenant of Redemption But thou hast done it and it is thy daily work therefore thou maist safely conclude with Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 he will keep the thing I have committed to him He will be faithful to God and faithful to thee he never failed any that trusted in him 3. Moses was a Type of Christ in the whole course of his Life And here many things come to be considered 1. His Work and Office 2. His Sufferings and Conflicts in the Discharge thereof 3. The Lords owning and bearing witness to him by Miracles and Signs and Wonders in all which there was a manifest Prefiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ 1. In his Work and Office He was in general a Mediator between God and the People a typical Mediator All the good that God was pleased to confer upon that People it was by his Ministry and Interposition between God and then Gal. 3.19 the Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Deut. 5.5 I stood between the Lord and you at that time to shew you the Word of the Lord for ye were afraid by reason of the Fire and went not up into the Mount Exod 19.7 8. So Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.15 and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament But he hath the preheminence above Moses Heb. 8.6 but now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant God was pleased to redeem his people Israel out of their Bondage in Egypt by Moses his Ministry God sent him and he left his
speaks of Fat in deteriorem partem in an evil sense so it is said of wicked men their heart is as fat as Grease but I delight in thy Law Psal 119.70 So Deut. 32.15 But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness Isai 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat lest they understand with their heart and convert and be healed So it denotes a senseless hard heart the Fat in the body having little sense A Fat heart in this sense is opposed to a fleshy heart so it denotes hardness insensibleness unbelief Now then the Fat being burnt upon the Altar teacheth us That our Corruptions must be burnt up by the Spirit of God as a Spirit of Burning and of Judgment And it is the Fat of the Inward parts and of the Kidneys and Liver which are the seat of Lust and Concupiscence We may learn from hence that even secret sins in the Inward parts must be destroyed and mortified It is not enough to avoid open and outward sins but inward heart hypocrisy secret lusts they must be burnt before the Lord upon the Altar destroyed and mortified by the Spirit God trys the Heart searcheth the Reins sees into the Inward parts That fatness of the heart must be consumed those Inward lustings unto sin destroyed and mortified 5. The last Ceremony was the forbidding of blood vers 10. This Prohibition was more general than the former of Fat for that was only some kinds of Fat But all manner of blood is forbidden without any restraint or specification of this or that kind The first Prohibition of blood that we read of in Scripture was to Noahs Sons Gen. 9.4 But flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof ye shall not eat And now again by Moses here and afterwards in other places As Cap. 7.26 27. and Cap. 17. from vers 10 to the end very largely and vehemently under the forest pains and penalties even utter extermination and cutting off by the immediate hand of God But that Prohibition in Noahs time seems to differ from this by Moses in that it was living blood which was there forbidden but here it is all manner of blood As to the mysteries and reasons of it there be two things expressed in Lev. 17.11 1. Because the blood is the life of the Beast vers 11 14. That is it is the Seat and Vehicle of the Spirits which are the Soul and the Life of it as Philosophers say Anima rationalis equitat in sensitivâ sensitiva equitat in vegetativâ The sensitive Soul is the Chariot of the rational Soul and the vegetative of the sensitive so their Blood is the Chariot of the vegetative and vital Spirits The scope seems to be this to forbid and prevent cruelty it argues too much greediness and it tends to make the Spirits of men salvag and barbarous to drink living blood or to eat the flesh if it be not fully killed and cleansed of the blood 1 Sam. 14.32 33 34. Some report that it hath been a custom used in some barbarous Nations amongst the Old Tartarians they would open a Vein with an Instrument in the Beast they rode upon and so quench their thirst by drinking warm blood out of the Veins of a living Creature This is forbidden to Noahs Sons Gen. 9. as a salvage cruel thing Cruelty is abominable at all times but especially when you come with your Peace-Offerings before the Lord. It concerns you then especially to take heed of harshness towards your brethren How can men expect Peace from God when ready to drink the blood of their brethren A violent persecuting Spirit is as black a Mark as any I know To use violence to their Consciences this is to eat or drink their blood which God abhors 2. The second reason there assigned is because I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls Lev. 17.11 that is typically as representing the blood of Christ So that here is a mystical Intimation of reverence to that precious blood to keep men in a reverend expectation of it therefore they must abstain from blood as sacred to the Lord. As David refused to drink of the Waters of the Well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.17 because it was per equivalentiam the blood of them that fetcht it with the peril of their Lives So here blood was typically the blood of Christ and therefore sacred to the Lord they must not use it to other common use The Lord would hereby teach them a reverential esteem and high valuation of the blood of Jesus Christ Some go a little further and observe this in it That look as eating and drinking signifies Communion so 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ And forbidding to eat is a forbidding Communion Act. 10.13 14. In Peters Vision rise kill and eat It is meant of exercising Communion with the Gentiles and Peters objecting Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean His meaning is he refuseth Communion with them So this Prohibition of eating blood which was given upon the Altar to make atonement for mens Souls and of Fat which was given upon the Altar to be consumed there with Fire and so was the Lords seemeth to forbid figuratively all ascribing and assuming unto our selves the work of our Redemption which is only by the blood of Christ or the work of our Sanctification to our selves which Christ by his Spirit performeth in us Aynsw in Lev. 3. ult To take this work to our selves is to eat the blood as it were which the Lord will not endure There is a further reason given by some That the Lord did it to distinguish his people from the Heathen who were wont to drink the blood of their sacrifices Psal 16.3 As indeed in all these ancient Institutions the Lord had a special eye unto that to keep them off from the heathenish Customs and Idolatries Thus you see the reasons why blood was forbidden under the Law the chief whereof is the respect it had to the blood of Christ From all which you have a clear resolution of that scruple of Conscience that hath troubled some concerning that Prohibition of blood under the New Testament by the Synod in Act. 15. But the Answer is That the main reason why blood was forbidden of old being because the Lord had given blood to them for atonement and this use being figurative which had its end and accomplishment in Christ who by his death and blood shedding hath caused the Sacrifices and Oblations to cease Dan. 9. Therefore now this Law must needs be expired and not still in force upon the Consciences of Believers And as for that Decree of the Council Act. 15. It is forbidden by them meerly upon the account of love which is tender and loth to give offense The sins there forbidden may
the Spirit that is by his Deity raising him up again from death to life he must both dye and live again for us As to the Cedar Hyssop and Scarlet they were used in the Purification by the Red Heifer of which we spoke before and shall now add thereunto only thus much further That of these three it is conceived that there was a sprinkling Brush made namely the Brush of Hyssop the Handle of Cedar Wood and the binding of a thred of Scarlet dy The Apostle calls it Scarlet Wooll in Heb. 9.19 And as there seems to be a general respect had to the properties of these Plants as was formerly shewed so some do observe a particular sutableness between the Leprous Contagion and these means of Purification thus That as the Leprosie did corrupt and putrifie the body opposite to this was the Cedar-Wood which is commended for firmness and soundness against putrefaction And as the Leprosie was of a foul colour contrary to this was the fresh and fair colour of Scarlet And as the Leprosie had a very ill and unsavoury scent the sweetness of Hyssop was a Remedy against that So our Annotators on Lev. 14.6 Thus for the Materials of this purifying Sacrifice Now the purifying Ceremonies and Actions were of three sorts and all full of mystery some relating to the slain Bird some to the living Bird and some to the Leper himself Let me briefly open them unto you 1. The Ceremonies of the slain Bird were chiefly these three 1. It must be killed vers 5. You know the mystery of this in all the Sacrifices it was a prefiguration of the death of Jesus Christ the true Sacrifice Almost all things in the Law were purged by blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 2. It must be killed over running Water or living Water That is Spring Water called Living because of the continual motion resembling life thereby that is it must be taken out of a Spring or a River not out of a Pond or Rain Water What this means our Saviour himself interprets Joh. 4.10 14. where he speaks of spiritual Living Water And the blood thus falling into and being mingled with the Water points us clearly to him who came to cleanse us and save us by water and blood 1 Joh. 5.6 For as water and blood here meet so there were Streams of both issuing out of his Side when he was slain for us Joh. 19. But this water and blood is the blood of Justification and the water of Sanctification both plentifully flowing from Christ our Purification There is an ever flowing Fountain of these Waters of life in and from the Lord Jesus Christ for the cleansing of sinful and leprous Souls 3. This must be in an earthen Vessel The like Numb 5.17 The sense of this part of the Allegory may be easily gathered from the former That Soul-cleansing blood and water issued out of his blessed body therefore his body was this earthen Vessel which was frail and brittle and accordingly broken by death at last and mean and contemptible amongst men as earthen Vessels use to be The Ministers of the Gospel also are compared to earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 God useth contemptible Instruments many times for the effecting of great things These are the Ceremonies relating to the slain Bird it must be killed and it must be killed over Living Water and this is in an earthen Vessel Now 2. The Ceremonies belonging to the living Bird they are also three 1. The living Bird must be dipt in the blood of the slain Bird vers 6. A most evident and excellent representation of the union of the divine and humane nature of Jesus Christ and the influence of that union into the concernments of our peace Had not the Deity supported and influenced the humane nature in its sufferings they could not have been available with God for us Upon the account of this divine union and dipping of the living Bird in the blood of the slain the Apostle calls the sufferings of the humane nature the blood of God Act. 20.28 2. The Cedar Scarlet and Hyssop must be dipped also with it vers 6. That is all the concernments of our Salvation they do all receive a tincture an influence from the blood of Christ Whether we refer the mystery of these Plants to the Graces and Excellencies that are in him as our Saviour or to the Graces we receive from him all must be considered with relation to his blood Take it in the latter all the Graces Virtues Excellencies we receive from him must be dipped in his blood to cleanse them and make them and us accepted of God 3. The living Bird must be let loose into the open field vers 7. This clearly represents not only Jesus Christ his escaping and deliverance from death to life after he had suffered and humbled himself unto death he did escape and live again and lives for ever But also the open publication and preaching hereof as it were in the open Firmament in the view of all men so that Phrase imports Rev. 14.6 flying in the midst of Heaven preaching the everlasting Gospel This respects also the setting of the Leper free from his restraint that was upon him before by reason of his uncleanness as appears by the Connexion He shall pronounce him clean and let the Bird loose into the open field These are the Ceremonial Actions relating to the living Bird. 3. The Ceremonial Actions in reference to the Leper himself these also are three 1. The Priest shall sprinkle upon him seven times and pronounce him clean Vers 7. This sprinkling of that typical blood and water upon him is nothing else but the application of the blood of Jesus Christ There must be a particular application of it to the Soul it must be sprinkled upon the Leper and then he is pronounced clean All the other Ceremonies would not make him clean without this though the Bird were killed and other Ordinances observed yet it must be also sprinkled The death and blood of Christ is not enough to the cleansing of our Souls unless the blood be sprinkled the death of Christ applied to us There must be a work of Application as well as of Redemption All the precious blood that Christ hath shed will not save a sinner unless this blood be effectually applied and sprinkled on the Soul Application is a great and necessary part of our Recovery and Salvation as well as the blood of Christ it self And it must be applied seven times both frequently and perfectly over and over again once is not enough suppose thou hast believed and laid hold upon Christ already and applied him by Faith to thy self in particular the blood must be sprinkled seven times over thou must apply Christ and lay hold upon Christ again And lastly the number seven is a number of perfection so it holds forth perfect cleansing as well as frequent application of the blood of Christ for
THE FIGURES OR TYPES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT By which CHRIST and the Heavenly things of the GOSPEL were preached and shadowed to the People of God of old Explained and improved in sundry SERMONS BY Mr. Samuel Mather sometime Pastor of a Church in Dublin Printed in the Year M.DC.LXXXIII TO THE READER ESPECIALLY Those of that CHURCH to which this AUTHOR was sometime PASTOR EVery Church is by the Ordinance of Christ a Pillar of saving truth holding it forth to be seen and read of all men the Teachings and Ordinances administred in Churches being amongst the chief of the ways whereby the blessed God instructs and enlightens a dark world in the way of eternal Life These following Discourses are part and but part of those many precious Truths and Teachings held forth by this Servant of Christ in the course of about fifteen years Ministry in that Candlestick in which the Lord made him a shining Light The Prophets do not live for ever but their Words and Fruit should yea will live and remain after they are gone to their everlasting Rest Not long after this Author had gone through this Subject God took him to Heaven when he wanted above six months of being six and forty years old by an Imposthume in his Liver which as some that were conversant with him judged hung upon him when he studied and preached these Sermons which perhaps was the reason that from the beginning to the finishing of them so long a space ran out Having no more time to review them and make any additions unto the Notes that he prepared for Preaching they are less perfect then otherwise they would and it is not unlike but that many things studied by him beforehand and delivered in preaching especially in the applicatory part wherein he had an excellency are lost because not written down by himself Had he lived to have reviewed and prepared these Discourses for the Press it is like he would have spoken to and cleared up some things more fully and perhaps on second thoughts have in some passages delivered himself somewhat otherwise It is not expected that every one much less critical and captious heads will subscribe to every thing which they may here meet with In so diffuse and vast and withall so obscure a Subject and so untrodden a path it is no wonder if every one will not tread in just the same steps with him for there are some things wherein he departs from the Sentiments of some other learned and judicious persons His making some of the old legal Ordinances Types of the instituted Church and Ordinances under the New Testament and our Ordinances the Antitypes of theirs it may be some may not assent unto following therein Ames Prol. in Ps 2. and Mr. Jeans who Exam. Exam. p. 241. cites Chamier tom 4. l. 9. c. 11. Sect. 13 15. pag. 515. Tilenus Syntag. Part. ult Disp 63. Sect. 12. Ames Bellarm. Enerv. tom 3. l. 4. c. 7. to which he might have added those words of his tom 3. lib. 1. cap. 4. thes 13. and lib. 2. cap. 4. thes 4. But others there are who go with this our Author See Beza on 1 Cor. 10.6 and on 1 Pet. 3.21 and Mr. Cotton Holiness of Church Members chap. 2. sect 12 and 13. Not to mention any of the Schoolmen or the elder Writers among Christians who are very frequent and very express to this purpose Nor can it be denied that there is a common Nature wherein their Institutions and ours agree the one being a shadow or darker adumbration the other a more lightsome and lively image of the same things And it is beyond all contradiction that the Holy Ghost himself doth frequently instruct us in our Duty with reference to our Institutions from theirs under the old Testament with relation to their typical Ordinances As for his calling our Institutions the Antitypes to theirs though there should be a truth in that observation Theologi Graeci Typum Antitypum promiscuè usurpant pro iisdem pro re significatâ nunquam Jodoc Laren apud Twiss Animadv in Corv. Def. Armin. cont Tilen pag. 280. yet there is a strict and proper acceptation of the word wherein it may be said that our Institutions are the Antitypes of theirs vid. Jun. Animadv in Bell. Contr. 3. lib. 1. cap. 9. not 25. and in that sense the Holy Ghost useth it 1 Pet. 3.21 Nor needs any one stumble at our Authors using it in somewhat a different signification for usage is the Master and Rule of Language Loquendum cum vulgo sentiendum cum doctis But it is not for the sake of such passages that these Discourses are published but at the instant desires of many and for the sake of that Gospel-light which shines throughout the whole and which is therein cast upon so great a part of holy Scripture which was written not for their use only who had the worldly Sanctuary and were to observe those carnal Ordinances but for ours also who live in these better times of the New Testament And though every thing be not so clearly and convincingly made out as some perhaps will desire yet that the work is singularly useful will be manifest of it self nor is any humane Writing without its defects and those which come out after the Authors death and were not by their own hand finished for the Press which in the fate of this must have allowances beyond others Besides that this is a Subject which none or almost none hath waded through before him How he was indowed for it and what he had attained in it is not for so obscure and incompetent a Pen as writes this to say If this work find incouraging acceptance others of his labours may possibly be published hereafter For besides this and those three other small Tracts viz. his Defense of the Protestant Religion against the impotent assaults of a Popish Priest his Irenicum or Essay for Union among the reforming Parties in these Nations and his Two Sermons against the Ceremonies on 2 King 18.4 which are already printed there are some other works of his not unfit to see the publick Light As to you who were sometime his Charge and used to sit under his Ministry this Providence should be looked on by you as that which adds greatly unto your account If you be not judicious and established Christians if you be not living thriving Souls you will be most inexcusable God hath made you as a City on an hill not only by the eminency of place where you sojourn but also by the lustre of those Stars in his right hand whom he hath formerly set among you Those hoary heads zealous and lively Dr. Winter that mighty man in Prayer grave and judicious Mr. Timothy Taylor and those of fewer days in whom yet was the Inspiration of the Almighty to give them understanding holy humble Mr. Murcot and this Author the clearness and weightiness of whose Preaching some of you have a precious remembrance of
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
these two lay chiefly in this that under the former Dispensation the ordinary way of preserving the Knowledg of God was only by oral Tradition But from Moses his time it was committed to Writing In both these the Church of God was under years in a state of Childhood Gal. 4.1 3. But in the former viz. the time before the Law they were little Children it was the very Infancy and first and weak beginnings of the Church This Period of the Churches Infancy may be subdivided into three particulars 1. The Dispensation they were under from Adam to Noah 2. From Noah to Abraham 3. From Abraham to Moses 1. Adams Dispensation I mean after the Fall For it is the gradual breakings forth of Gospel-light whereof the Text speaks We are to consider how the Lord then spake and how far he revealed himself in that age and state of Mankind Besides what was common to all times viz. the Works of God and the Light implanted in mans heart there were several things that were the special Discoveries and Light of that Age I shall instance in four particulars 1. The Lord having convinced them of their Sin gave them that famous Promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents Head Gen. 3.15 This was the first Beam of Gospel-Light that ever brake forth unto lost and fallen Man A comprehensive Promise which includes the whole Gospel as you have formerly heard in many particulars upon that Text Gen. 3.15 This great and precious Promise they and all the Saints for almost four thousand years did believe and live upon waiting and longing for the coming of that blessed Seed that victorious Seed that should slay the Dragon and destroy the Works of the Devil as 1 Joh. 3.8 It is thought that Eve did hope to have seen him in her days and that she her self should have been the immediate Mother of the Messiah And thence she called her first Son Cain Possession thinking she had now got the Promise in possession and performance But afterwards perceiving her mistake and disappointment she called her next Son Abel Vanity As it is a common error that we are apt to run into in the exercise of Faith upon the Promises we are apt to antedate the time of performance which is from a secret mixture and working of unbelief for he that believeth shall not make haste Isai 28.16 2. To this Promise the Lord added some outward and visible Signs and Tokens for the further help of Faith In all times ever since God made Man he hath given him some outward and sensible things to be Signs and Representations of spiritual things as being suitable to the Nature of such a Creature Man consisting both of Soul and Body Even before the Fall there were two Sacramental Trees the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil and now under the Gospel we have two Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper So in these first times after the Fall they had something of the like nature The signal instance hereof is the Sacrifices or the slaying of clean Beasts and offering them and other things up to God to make atonement For it is expressed that Cain and Abel did it Gen. 4.3 4. and Noah afterwards Which to have done without Order from God had been detestable and abominable Therefore there is no doubt but as they were taught by their Parents so their Parents were instructed from the Lord about it And in Noahs time we find there was a distinction of Beasts into clean and unclean Gen. 7.2 that is clean for Sacrifice For it doth not appear that any of them were used for Food before the Flood What this aimed at the Scripture is plain Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of Blood there is no Remission of Sins and Christ is said to offer up himself a Sacrifice for us Ephes 5.2 therefore they did look at Christ Before Sin there was no need of any Sacrifice for Expiation of Sin Hence among the Gentiles they had a custom of sacrificing from some slender Fame remaining among them of such an Institution for it was no part of the Light of Nature though they were ignorant of the true God the true Object to whom to present their Sacrifices Hither also some refer that passage Gen. 3.21 Vnto Adam also and to his Wife did the Lord God make Coats of Skins and clothed them This is thought to have a further Mystery included and aimed at in it For there is a spiritual Clothing often spoken of in Scripture As they were under a double Nakedness both of Soul and Body their Souls divested of Gods Image and original Righteousness and their Bodies overspread with Shame so the Lord provided a double Clothing for them He did not clothe their Bodies and leave their Souls naked but he gave them both the upper Garment of Justification and imputed Righteousness and the inner Garment of Sanctification and Grace inherent This may be considered also under another Notion as one of the Favours of Providence unto those first times of fallen Mankind that now was the Invention of many useful Arts and Sciences Here God himself vouchsafes to teach them how to make Clothes We read also in Gen. 4. of sundry other Arts and Occupations as ver 20. Jabal was the Father of such as dwell in Tents and of such as have Cattel The meaning of it is well explained in the Margent the first Inventor of Tent making and of Pastorage and keeping Cattel And his Brothers Name was Jubal he was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ ver 21. the first Inventor of Musick I mean Instrumental Musick For Vocal Musick Nature it self teacheth that And ver 22. The working of Mettals by Tubal-Cain an Instructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron whence arose the Heathenish mistakes and fables of Vulcan These were great Mercies and gave some further Discoveries of God to those who had Eyes and Hearts to see him in his Works For all lawful Arts and Sciences and all the Rules thereof are Beams of Gods Wisdom and Gifts and Operations of his Spirit Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Prudence and find out Knowledg of witty Inventors So Bezaleel and Aholiab Exod. 31.3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in Wisdom and Vnderstanding and in Knowledg and in all manner of Workmanship and ver 6. I have given with him Aholiab Those mean Trades and Occupations Isai 28. are the Gifts of God The Lord teacheth the Husbandman how to thresh his Corn and to beat out the Cummin 3. There was something also of Church Discipline exercised in those first Ages of the Church A signal Instance hereof we have in Gain Gen. 4.12 A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth God himself pronounceth Sentence upon him ver 16. he is sent forth loaden with the Curse of God from the Fellowship of his people This is thought to have been about the hundred and
disputable But it is probable enough that it might be altogether new yea though we suppose the Rainbow to arise from natural causes For a years Deluge could not but cause a great alteration in all the Elements and in the Clouds and in the Air whereby there might new Phaenomena new appearances in the Heavens which never were before Moreover it might be produced by a new creating Power of Providence beyond the force of any natural causes and also instituted for a Sign of the Covenant It could not have afforded any great assurance to them if they had only the seeing and beholding of it which was all that was to be done in this Sacrament to see nothing but what they had seen before could yield but small comfort and assurance to that new World And that this Covenant had a further Mystery in it than meerly outward Preservation from another Deluge See Caryl on Job 37.15 See Isai 54.9 For this as the is Waters of Noah unto me The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed The Rainbow therefore was a Sign of the Covenant of Grace Hence Revel 4.3 Behold a Throne was set in Heaven and one sate on the Throne and there was a Rainbow round about the Throne Confer on Rom. 5.14 of Noah as a personal Type Revel 10.1 Christ the Angel of the Covenant is described as having a Rainbow upon his Head 3. He inlargeth their provision of Food to eat by giving them a Commission to eat the Flesh of the Brute creatures Gen. 9.3 At first there is no mention of any other provision but the Fruits of the Earth Gen. 1.29 But there was need of some further supply because it is probable that the Vigor of the Earth and the Virtue of the Herbs and Plants and Fruits thereof could not but be somewhat impaired and decayed by that whole years Winter Therefore for men upon a Religious account to forbid the eating of some Meats as the Papists forbid Flesh in Lent it is a superstitious Infringement of the Liberty here granted and given by the Lord unto all the Sons of Noah 4. The Blood was wholly reserved and excepted Gen. 9.4 But Flesh with the Life thereof which is the Blood thereof shall ye not eat This seems to be done partly upon a moral and partly upon a spiritual and Ceremonial account Moral for mans Health and to prevent that Ferity and Savageness which Mankind is so apt to degenerate into as in some barbarous Nations they would drink the living Blood out of the Horse they rode upon opening a Vein with an Instrument when they were thirsty This is barbarous and savage and this Prohibition here given excludes and forbids such a Practice which those Gyants of wickedness before the Flood it is not improbable but that to other barbarous and raging sins they might add the eating of living Creatures alive therefore the Lord doth so directly and expresly interdict and forbid it And it is the Judgment of some very learned men that the eating of Blood cold and drest as other Meat was not at all forbidden For the Prohibition lies not directly against Blood but against the eating of living Flesh Flesh animated with the living Blood For the Blood is the Seat and Chariot of the Life and Vital Spirits Some think it was done upon a Ceremonial account The Blood was reserved as a sacred thing unto the Lord till such time as that precious Blood was shed which hath put an end to all Types and Shadows This is expressed Levit. 17.11 I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls For it is the Blood that maketh an atonement for the Soul as the former moral Reason is expressed v. 14. It is true the Ceremonial Law came by Moses but the meaning is not that there were no parts at all of it before his time for there were Sacrifices from the Fall of Man But the meaning is that Moses did incorporate and sum them all up together with many divine enlargements and additions into that great body of Ceremonial Laws by him established and setled in that Church and People of Israel Therefore there might be a Ceremonial Prohibition of Blood even from Noahs time 5. The Lord now gave unto Mankind that great Ordinance of Magistracy Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth Mans Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed Of which Divines say truly that it is Remedium corruptae Naturae But yet corrupt Nature so far as appears out of the sacred History never had the Use and Benefit of it till now but rather on the contrary the Lord secures Cain as it were by special Dispensation Gen. 4.15 The Government of the World before seems to have been only domestical and paternal which might easily be Parents then living so long as to see whole Towns and Cities of their own Children and Posterity But this paternal way of Government was so mild that it was not effectual and sufficient to restrain Vice and Wickedness but it grew to such Gigantick strength and height that there was a necessity to cut them down with a Flood But therefore now to prevent the like Degeneracy and Destruction the Lord puts a stronger Bridle of Restraint upon the outragious Wickedness and Corruption of mans Nature namely this of Magistracy or Civil Government whereby some are intrusted with the Power of the Sword to take away the Lives of others in grosser cases especially that of Murther 6. God divided the World amongst them Gen. 10. which consisted of three parts then known though not by these names to wit Asia Africk and Europe whereof Sems Posterity dwelt chiefly in Asia Chams in Africk and to Japhets Posterity Europe fell known in Scripture by this name The Isles of the Gentiles Gen. 10.5 of whose Posterity we our selves are And now one would think Mankind was happy when God thus sets them up again begins with them upon a new score as it were But there were three or four things especially that did ruine all and brought this Dispensation to an end 1. The Apostacy of Cham and his Posterity Gen. 9.22 an unnatural sin to despise and dishonour his Parents Calvin apud Wallet in Cor. and himself not a Child when he did this but above a hundred years old ver 25. the Curse is thundred forth against Canaan so the Punishment answers the Sin Cham is an ungratious Son to his Father therefore he hath a cursed Son And perhaps Canaan might be present and Partner in his Fathers Sin or the most delightful of his Children being the youngest and so the Cursing him would be most likely to pierce and grieve his Fathers hard Heart and it may be so express'd for the greater comfort of the Israelites that the Nation they were to expel were a Generation of the Curse of God But certain it is that C ham himself was intended and cursed in that Curse This fell out about forty years as some reckon after the
true Religion Adam to Methuselah who lived with him two hundred forty two years Methuselah to Sem who lived almost an hundred years after Sem was born and then Sem to Isaac for Sem lived five hundred and two years after the Flood which reached to the fiftieth year of Isaac And then all the world had but one Language whereby they could speak and communicate their thoughts to whomsoever they would yet as to the generality of mankind the knowledg of God was quite lost and forgotten by some and by others corrupted with Fables and Superstitions Moreover the Lives of men came now to be much shortened For before the Flood they lived eight or nine hundred years after the Flood but four or five hundred years About the time of Peleg when the Tower of Babel was built there was a further decurtation of mens Lives unto two hundred years or thereabout And lastly in Moses his time unto threescore or thereabout and there it hath stood ever since Moreover there was a confusion of Languages which did much increase the Darkness and obstruct the Communication and Diffusion of Light among them The way of Oral Tradition is a very insufficient way and found by experience so to be as upon other accounts so upon these occurring at this time 1. In general Knowledg of God in a manner lost 2. The Decurtations of mens Lives 3. Through the Confusion of Tongues Upon all which Occurrences the Lord thought it fit to intrust his Truth no longer with the frail and careless Memories of men but to leave it upon Record in Writing a much safer and surer way for the Preservation and the Propagation of it There is a threefold advantage of this way 1. It is an help to the weakness of Memory For if a thing be written there it is and a man may recall it by reading when he doth not well remember it 2. For the further Propagation and Diffusion of the Light for there may be opportunity of writing to persons absent and and in after times who may read when they have not opportunity of hearing 3. To prevent Corruption In the way of Oral Tradition some may say one thing and some another 2. A second preheminence and advantage of this Dispensation above the former was this that now the Gospel and the true Religion and Worship of God was settled in a whole Nation and People by divine Promise and Institution whereas before it seems to have been only in Families and Congregations formed chiefly according to the Light of Nature wherein the Ordinances of Worship were celebrated by the Fathers and Heads of Families but now a whole Nation are made the Testes Custodes of it the Witnesses and the Keepers of it as a Depositum committed to their trust Rom. 3.2 As to the Occasions of introducing this new Dispensation they were partly the defections under the former but chiefly the Lords own Love and Goodness For he had engaged himself by his Promise and by his Oath wherein he had pawned his Truth and Faithfulness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that he would do great things for their Posterity Therefore he is said to remember that Promise in the things he did for Israel See Psal 105.8 9 10. he shews that God remembred his Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Then followeth a large Rehearsal of his Dispensations towards Israel And then he concludes again ver 42 43. For he remembred his holy Promise and Abraham his Servant and he brought forth his People with joy and his Chosen with gladness And there was need of some recovering Dispensation because of those defections that had been from under the Grace and Covenant made with Abraham If you look back a little unto Abrahams Dispensation you will find that some of his Seed fell off viz. Ishmael and Esau And the Seed of Jacob when they were in Egypt they learned too much of their manners It is thought their Calf in Exod. 32. Geneva Note on Exod. 32.4 was made in imitation of the Egyptian Idol Apis which was an Ox They smelled of the Leaven of Egypt where they saw Calves Oxen and Serpents worshipped See Ezek. 23.8 Neither left she her Whoredoms brought from Egypt And what is meant by this is more clearly and expresly held forth Ezek. 20.8 neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt Josh 24.14 put away the Gods which your Fathers served on the other side of the Flood and in Egypt Hereupon it was time for God to work that he might not lose his People and to put things into some better way And so he brought in another great Dispensation viz. that which was under the Law And as we subdivided the former Dispensation before the Law into three lesser pieces and parcels namely Adams Noahs and Abrahams Dispensation so we must subdivide this also into some lesser pieces This whole Dispensation under the Law may be subdivided into four particulars under each of which there were remarkable Changes made by God in the state of Religion and of his Church and People 1. The Dispensation of the Tabernacle and the Judges 2. The Dispensation of the Temple and the Kingdom 3. That sad Dispensation of Captivity in Babylon 4. The Dispensation of the second Temple after their Return The first these was from Moses to the Temple The second from the Temple to the Captivity in Babylon The third from the Captivity to the Return The fourth from the Return to the Messiah 1. The first part of the Lords Dispensation to his people under the Law was from Moses to the building of the Temple most of which time they were under the Government of Judges What the Lord did for them and how and what he spake what further Discoveries of himself he gave them during this Period you may see in these five particulars 1. The Lord in remembrance of his ancient Promise delivered them out of Egypt with a high Hand and with an outstretched Arm with great Signs and Wonders and Plagues upon Pharaoh and all his Host and all his Land dividing the Sea before them the History of all which is recorded in the Book of Exodus in the first fifteen Chapters of that Book and so often celebrated with triumphing Praises in the Psalms and Prophets who often speak of all his Wonders in the Land of Egypt which it is thought were within two months before their departure and of his dividing the Sea of Edom that his redeemed might pass through upon dry ground All which was a Type of Spiritual Redemption also and therefore it was a Dispensation of much Mystery and Glory 2. He gave them his Law by Word of Mouth from Heaven and in Writing in the Tables of Stone and in the five Books of Moses Both the Moral Judicial and Ceremonial Law The Moral Law The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai in much Majesty and Terror with an Host of Angels and thundred forth with an audible voice from Heaven those
that is an essential property of God Novitas essendi est de Essentia Creaturae And that Melchizedek was a Creature and not God was proved before because he was Priest and King of Salem and every Priest is taken from amongst men de Ratione Sacerdotis est ut sit verus Homo it is an essential requisite in a Priest that he be indeed a Man Melchizedek therefore was a Man but yet eternal typically and in a figure Christ is called a Priest for ever Psal 110.4 and of Melchizedek the Apostle saith he abideth a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 You shall never have cause to say My Friend alas my best Friend is dead For he hath an everlasting Priesthood and lives for ever to intercede and make mention of you to the Lord Heb. 7.25 4. In regard of his Preheminence and Excellency above all other men Vide My Notes of Christs Priestly Office wherein greater than Aaron Behold how great this man was Heb. 7.4 he was greater than Aaron the Priest of the Lord yea greater than Abraham the Forefather of Aaron He was greater than Abraham as in other respects so in these three 1. In that he blessed Abraham Gen. 14.19 Heb. 7.7 and without contradiction the less is blessed of the greater so Christ blesseth us Luke 24 50 51. All our Blessings are through him he is the Fountain of Blessing 2. In that Melchizedek did refresh Abraham and his Army Gen. 14.18 and Melchizedek King of Salem brought forth Bread and Wine that is as the old Note well explains it for Abraham and his Souldiers Refreshment and not to offer Sacrifice So Christ refresheth his Church with the Word and Sacraments Matth. 11. I will give you rest or I will refresh you Ego reficiam vos 3. In that Melchizedek did receive an homage and acknowledgment of Tythes from Abraham and from Levi and Aaron in his Loins Thus they paid their Respects to him Gen. 14.20 Heb. 7.9 whether of his Spoils or of his Goods it was the tenth part Some have gone so far from this as to infer that we ought to give unto Christ the Tenth part of our Goods as well as the Seventh part of our Time But to let that pass Certain it is that we ought to give some fit proportion of our Estates unto God for his use and service And as he was herein greater than Abraham so likewise greater than Aaron and the Aaronical Order Melchizedeks was an higher Order in many respects largely opened in that 7th to the Hebrews Vse This that hath been said concerning Melchizedek as a Shadow of Jesus Christ affords the greater encouragement to believe and comfort to them that do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Encouragement having such an High Priest thou maist safely venture thy Soul upon him Comfort that so great a Person is thy Saviour True thou art unworthy but his Worth and Excellency is enough to preponderate and overballance all thine unworthiness He is both a King and a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedek and if thou dost accept of him as thy King to rule thee thou maist safely rely and rest upon him as thine High Priest to justifie and reconcile thee to his Father Aug 15. 1667. Of the individual Personal Types that were before the Law there be four yet remaining to be spoken to You have heard of Adam Enoch Noah Melchizedek how they were Types and Figures of him that was to come It remains to speak of Abraham Isaac Jacob and Joseph 1. Abraham As the Apostle saith of Melchizedek in other respects Heb. 7.4 so we may say of Abraham Consider how great this Man was in that so many Patriarchs so many righteous men so many Prophets Priests and Kings yea Jesus Christ himself were once in Abrahams Loyns I confess he is omitted by divers that have handled this Subject for what reason I know not unless it be from an aptness to restrain all the Types to the Person of Christ wherein perhaps they found the accommodation not so clear in respect of Abraham in whom nevertheless you will see some clearness I hope by and by even as to that though it is not always necessary in a Type that it point directly at the Messiahs Person but it is sufficient if there be an adumbration or shadowing a forth of any Gospel Truth or Mystery any way belonging to him But there were many of them shadowed forth in Abraham and the Scripture owns him for a typical Person as you will see in the particulars I shall but instance in five or six things 1. If we consider him together with Isaac and Jacob that proceeded from him we may observe that in these three persons Abraham Isaac and Jacob there is a weak and dark shadow of a very great Mystery even of those three glorious Persons God the Father Son and Spirit in the order of their Subsistence and Influences to our Salvation For Abraham was the Father and Original of both the other and in his Love to God he spared not his only Son Isaac but offered him up to Death for a Burnt-offering so God in his Love to Man spared not his only begotten Son but delivered him up for us Rom. 8.32 Isaac was sacrificed in a Figure Vide my Expos on Gen. 22. so was the Son of God the second Person of the Trinity in our Nature slain and sacrificed for us And Jacob you know came both of Abraham and Isaac and he is renowned for the Spirit of Prayer by which he had power with God and prevailed Gen. 32.28 He did not prevail by his own strength but by the Power of the Holy Ghost who did appear in him and acted him as a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication unto such invincible wrestlings with the Lord. From all which you see that there is some glimpse and shadow of the Fathers Love of the Sons Death and Sufferings and of the Spirit his breathings and workings in us Here is something of a low and weak representation of that glorious Mystery of the Trinity and the influences thereof to our eternal peace though it is but a low and weak and dark shadow of it as all Types are in comparison of the Antitype 2. If we consider Abraham with his two Wives Hagar and Sarah and their Posterities Ishmael and Isaac Here the two Covenants of Works and Grace legal and evangelical Professors are shadowed forth For this we have the Apostles Authority and the Testimony of the Holy Ghost himself the best Interpreter of his own meaning Gal. 4.22 23 24. 1. The Differences and Properties of the two Covenants are here held forth Hagar by the strength of Nature hath a Child but Sarah by the Faith in the Promise Gal. 4.23 So Works and Fruits brought forth in a mans own strength these are legal if by Faith in Christ this is evangelical The first Covenant-Spirit is a Spirit of bondage Gal. 4.24 25. bondage unto sin and death the
the people of God of old All which three put together gives 〈…〉 and glorious Representation of the Messiah Sampson in 〈…〉 and Sufferings David in his Victories and Conquesâ—◠〈◊〉 in the Peace and quiet Establishment of his Kingdom 1. Sampson a person whose Story is famous in the Scripture and some think that the Fame of him went forth amongst the Heathen and that their Fables of the Strength of Hercules and Nisus his purple Locks took their rise from the Story of Sampson The Grecians commonly turning all into Fables Graecia Mendax and being great pretenders to Antiquity being as drunk with the Pride of that Pretence though as false as the Papists are at this day and therefore making their own Country the Scene and the Stage of every wonderful thing as some have well observed of them they report of Nisus the King of Megaris in Greece that he had on his head a purple Hair on which the Preservation of his Life and Kingdom did depend which Jewel his Daughter Scylla is said to have delivered unto King Minos her Fathers Enemy with whom she fell in Love c. Of which Fables it may be said Fabula fundatur in Historia these Fables seem to be founded in the History of antient times That Sampson was a godly man it is certain because he is numbred amongst those eminent Believers Heb. 11. That he was a Type of Christ appears by the clearness of the Analogy between him and the Antitype and there seemeth to be some intimation of it in Jacobs Prophesie Gen. 49. of which hereafter And indeed the Analogy is so clear that I meet with none that have written of the Types but takes notice of Sampson for one so doth also Calvin and Beza on Matth. 2. ult He was a Type in regard of his Death and Sufferings yet not in that only but chiefly as being most peculiar and signal to him both above other Types and above other respects wherein himself was a Type For there were other respects also besides this which I shall touch upon and so come to this as the main Sampson therefore was a Type of Christ in four respects 1. In regard of sundry passages and circumstances of his Birth 2. in some special Actions of his Life 3. In his Strength and Victories over his Enemies 4. In his Sufferings and in the Victoriousness of his Sufferings 1. The first Analogy between Christ and him is in some passages about his Birth The time of it when Israel was under great Oppression by the Philistines Judges 13.1 then Sampson arose like a little Sun as his Name imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soliculus or Sol parvus from Shemesh Sol and gave them some dawnings of the Day some beginnings of Light and Liberty in that deep night of Darkness and Bondage Answerably Jesus Christ appeared when the Jews were under the yoke of the Romans and both they and the whole world under the spiritual thraldom of Sin and Satan The Pagan world overwhelmed in Idolatry and ignorance of God the Jews degenerated into Formality and a spirit of Bondage then did this true Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings His Birth was beyond the ordinary course of Nature And so was Christs For Sampsons Mother was barren the Mother of Christ a Virgin It was foretold together with his Office to his Mother by an Angel and confirmed by a Sign And so was Christs His Office was to begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines Judg. 13.5 Christs to save his people from their Sins Matth. 1.21 The Sign to Sampsons Mother was the Angels appearing again and ascending in a flame of Fire Judg. 13.20 The Virgin Mary had the Message confirmed also by a Sign though not so terrible a Sign as this But the Angels acquainting her with her Cousin Elizabeths Conception and the Babe leaping in her Womb and she breaking forth into those blessed expressions Blessed art thou among Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb and whence is this that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me Luke 1.36 42 43. Moreover they were both Nazarites from the Womb. Sampson by the Law of Nazarites Numb 6.2 Christ by special Sanctity fulfilling that Type that holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1.35 As also by the place of his Residence being born indeed at Bethlehem but bred at Nazareth Matth. 2.1 5 23. and thence called a Nazaren or a Nazarite 2. There is a second Analogy between Christ and Sampson in some special Actions of his Life As in his Marriage with a Philistine and the Text saith it was of the Lord therefore some think that his first Match was not sinful but that he had a special Dispensation for it Judg. 14.4 So Christ took a Spouse unto himself out of the Gentiles Hos 2.20 At his Marriage Sampson put forth his Mind in Parables and Riddles to the Philistines Judg. 14.12 And so did Christ to the Pharisees Matth. 13.34 3. There is a third Analogy in their Strength and Victories over their Enemies especially in this circumstance That Sampson wrought his Victories alone by his own personal Strength his Countrymen would not stand by him Judg. 15.10 11 12 So Christ trod the Wine-press alone when all forsook him Sampsons first exploit was the slaying of a Lyon in the Desart that roared upon him Judg. 14.6 So the first Work of Christ at his entrance into his Ministry was the conquering that roaring Lyon that assaulted and tempted him in the Wilderness and roared upon him with those three hideous Temptations Matth. 4. And as upon the Lyon Sampson slew he gave this Riddle Out of the Eater came forth Meat and out of the strong came Sweetness So ex Corpore Diaboli mystico out of the Devils Body being slain out of the Devils Destruction comes the sweet and blessed tidings of the Gospel and Flocks or Churches or Societies of Christians like so many Swarms of Bees The Saints were onco in an unregenerate condition Children of Wrath Limbs of Satan but Satan being slain and conquered they are transformed and it is as great a change as for a Bee to be bred of a dead Carkass Some Interpreters have observed English Annot. on Judg. 14.8 that this was extraordinary For Naturalists observe that Bees do not use to breed in the Carkass of a Lyon but rather of an Ox or Bullock We may apply it to the Dispensations of Providence God works by unlikely yea contrary means Meat out of the Eater The Canaanites our Enemies they are Bread for us Numb 14.9 their very Sins Corruptions Temptations the Lord in his unsearchable Wisdom produceth good out of them Light out of Darkness yea Life out of Death out of the Death of the Lord of Life Moreover Sampson slew a thousand men with the Jaw-bone of an Ass a very weak and unable and unlikely Instrument to effect such a Work by yet the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him what slaughter
shall Christ remain and all the Dispensations of him in this life they shall remain in precious remembrance with the Saints in Heaven before the Lord to all eternity Christ shall be laid up as it were in the Golden memories of the Saints like Manna in the Golden Pot for a memorial before the Lord the Love of Christ and all the Dispensations of himself They had likewise Aarons Rod blossoming laid up to the same end and purpose The Saints shall remember in Heaven how the Rod of Aaron budded how the Ministry was blessed and made fruitful to them when they were in this World So much as to the Manna or Bread from Heaven You see how full it was of Christ and Gospel Mysteries A Fifth Typical thing of old was the Rock that followed them with Water issuing forth out of the Rock The History of this Type is in the 17th Chap. Exod. see verse 6. That it was a Type is expressed by the Apostle a little before the Text 1 Cor. 10.4 which Rock was Christ This Rock and the Water issuing out of it was a Type of Christ and of His Spirit It was a Dispensation often Celebrated by His people to the praise of God in after times But wherein did the Rock represent Christ I shall but instance in four Respects 1. As to strength and firmness and stability He is indeed the Rock of Ages Isai 26.4 The Rock of eternity Everlasting strength as it is not unfitly interpreted by our Translators Isai 33.16 His defence is the Munitions of Rocks Impregnable safety to his people Their bread shall be given them Their waters shall not fail 1 Pet. 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner stone elect precious and he that believeth in him shall not be confounded The Church is built upon this Rock Mat. 16.18 Hence a wise Hearer is said to build his house upon a Rock Mat. 7. 2. As to shadow and refreshment Isa 32.2 As the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land this World is a weary Land Psal 121.6.5 The Sun shall not scorch by day nor the Moon by night Those that dwell under the shadow of this Rock those that are in Christ 3. He is fitly resembled to a Rock for offence and scandal accidentally not in himself but only accidentally through the prejudices and lusts of Men. Hence he is called a Rock of offence and a stone of stumbling 1 Pet. 2.8 Rom. 9.33 As it is writen Isa 8.14 and 28.16 Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rock of offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed 4. He is a Rock as to meanness and unlikelihood of that supply of Water Who would expect or look for water out of a Rock Therefore it is so often remembred with admiration Psal 78.20 The Rock was of no great pomp to see to but only a rude thing standing in a vast Desert So in Christ to outward view there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53. Neither is there any likelihood of salvation to be had in Christ if men behold him only in his meanness and look only at his abasement with an eye of sense and carnal reason as the Jews of old did And as the Rock represented Christ unto them So 2. the water out of it represented the Spirit of Christ Joh. 7.37 38 39 Out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water This spake he of the Spirit There is nothing more frequent in Scripture then to express the Spirit by water Isa 44.3 and that most fitly because of the cleansing and refreshing vertue of it But let us here consider it in reference to the Rock from whence it came and in this there is a four-fold Analogy observable 1. As the water issued out of the Rock So the Spirit proceeds and comes from Christ The Comforter whom I will send unto you from the Father Joh. 15.26 To refresh the weary soul when ready to faint away 2. The water came forth out of the Rock when smitten with the Rod of Moses Exod. 17.6 So the Spirit proceeds from Christ being smitten as it were with Moses his Rod with the curse of the Law for our sins Isa 53 he was smitten of God and afflicted Had not Christ dyed and suffered we had never had any refreshing water never any Rivers of Joy and Consolations from his Spirit 3. The next time the Rock must be spoken to Numb 20.8 It seemeth that God in his unsearchable Wisdom and Providence did so order it That the Waters did cease at this time which had followed them Thirty eight Years Hereupon the people murmur and their murmuring causes Moses himself to stagger at the Promise through unbelief Though in this Moses did miss it too for that he smote the Rock in stead of speaking to it But this we may learn from it Christ must be preached as well as suffer for us and in and by the speaking and preaching of the Gospel he doth communicate his Spirit Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith As Christ smitten is the procuring cause of sending the Spirit so Christ preached is the instrumental cause 4. There is yet a fourth Analogy in this that the Rock followed them either the Rock it self or as others the Rock in regard of the rivers and streams of water issuing from it So doth the Spirit of Christ follow his people in all their changes and travels up and down in the wilderness of this world when we run from Christ he follows us This Water of the Rock the Spirit of God pursues and follows them up and down from place to place and from one condition to another I shall close with a threefold Improvement of this Truth Vse 1. We may here see that they had the Gospel preached unto them as well as we For this spiritual Bread was Christ and the Rock that followed them was Christ If they had not all that I have preached to day and ever since I begun upon the Types it is all false Doctrine for you know the scope of all hath been to let you see what of Christ and what of Gospel Grace and Truth was held forth under those legal Types and Shadows Vse 2. This should render Jesus Christ precious exceeding precious to us for that he is every way suitable to our necessities He is a Rock for support He is the Bread of Life and the Water of Life for Food and Nourishment Vse 3. Here is Comfort and Direction to poor weak hungry thirsty Souls whither to go and to whom to repair for help and for supply here is a Rock and sure Foundation for thy weak and weary Soul to rest upon here is spiritual Bread and spiritual Drink Therefore feed upon Christ by Faith and this will fill thy Hunger and quench thy Thirst and stay and support thy weary Soul But thou hast been rebellious and murmuring and questioning the Truth
shall bite them and upon occasion of their ungrateful murmurings against the Manna Numb 21.5 The Instruction we may learn and see in it is this That God le ts loose those fiery Serpents Satan and their Lusts to sting the Consciences and torment the Souls of Men for contempt of Christ and Gospel mercies When Manna hath been slighted when Christ is offered and rejected then the Serpent stings Psal 81.11 12. Because Israel would none of me therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts Have you never felt the truth of this Type by woful experience how sin hath raged and gotten more strength when the Gospel hath been slighted and offers of Grace despised So much of the Disease the deadly sting of these fiery Serpents for their murmurings Now 2. for the Remedy The Brazen Serpent That Christ is this Brazen Serpent himself declares Joh. 3. 1. It was made of Brass and in the shape and form of a Serpent yet not a real Serpent It was not made of Gold but only of Brass which though it be a strong and bright Mettal yet was contemptible in outward appearance and most unlikely to have attained such an end to work such a cure So is Christ strong and mighty and bright and glorious Rev. 1.15 16. The brightness of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 Yet a man and the Son of man Therefore low and mean in his outward appearance and despised of the world Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to them that are saved the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Yea he condescended to appear in the similitude of sinful flesh for so the Apostle most accurately expresseth it Rom. 8.3 He was counted a sinner but he was indeed without sin Heb. 4.15 As this brazen Serpent was like a Serpent yet had neither Venom nor Sting so Christ appeared like a sinner He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and yet knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 But though he was not sinful yet he was indeed under the curse due to sin as the Serpent was cursed Gen. 3. So Christ became a curse for us Gal. 3.13 2. This brazen Serpent was a Remedy and a Cure provided of God in meer Grace and sovereign Mercy for ungrateful and unworthy Rebels when some of them were stung to death and ready to perish for their contempt of Manna and others of them were dead and gone and past recovery for the same sin It was against the merit of their murmurings when they spake against him and against Moses in like manner doth God give his Son Jesus Christ of free and meer grace when we were enemies without and against our merit when so great a part of mankind perisheth without him in their own rebellions and especially for their contempt of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world it was a most intense love to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have eternal life 3. The Serpent must be lifted up upon a Pole Numb 21. That all Israel might see it whether near or further off so Christ was lifted up Joh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that is upon the Cross Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me This he spake signifying what death he should die And in the preaching of the Gospel in the sight of all men Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Both to those that are near and farr of Ephes 2.17 4. This brazen Serpent must be also looked upon by the Israelites when stung Numb 21.8 So must Christ by the eye of Faith Joh. 3.15 Faith is often expressed unto us by that Metaphor of looking Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me Faith looks with a fixed eye and with a mourning eye A mans Spirit is much seen and doth much discover it self by his eye 5. In this way it gave healing unto those that being stung did look upon it whom nothing else could heal Moses and his Law could not do it Numb 21.8 So Christ Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings Psal 103 who healeth all thy diseases And none but he can do it Act. 4.12 There is no healing of a wounded Conscience but by Jesus Christ alone as lifted up upon the Cross and beheld by the eye of Faith The brazen Serpents being lifted up was not enough but it must be looked upon so Christ must be believed on or else the soul cannot be healed Ignorant Souls that see not Christ or that despise him shall not be saved by him as if any of the people had said what virtue can there be in such a brazen Serpent to health and so would not look up to it Such they deservedly perish so do Unbelievers and Despisers under the Gospel Though they were but weak and dim-eyed blear-eyed dim-sighted c. yet looking up to the brazen Serpent they were healed so though Faith be weak yet being sincere it saveth Though in the utmost parts of the Camp some say it took up twelve myles Yet look unto me all the ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 6. The brazen Serpent retained this virtue only while instituted by God for that end and therefore when the sacred Stamp of Institution was taken off we read no more of any Miracles wrought by it and Hezekiah brake it in pieces 2. Kings 18.4 Now this part of the History cannot be fitly accommodated to Christ himself but to his Ordinances thus That the very same things and actions which are good and useful when God appoints them are useless yea abominable if there be no stamp of Institution upon them Thus we may fitly apply it because the Types as hath been said relate to all Gospel Truths and the same Truth shines forth in all the rest of those ancient Types and Shadows The Lord then appointed ministring Garments for his Priests and Ministers but for Ministers to use sacred Vestments now is unlawful and abominable The Lord then appointed a kind of legal Hierarchy and spiritual Supremacy of the High Priest over all the rest of the Priests and Levites they were to act by the appointment of Aaron and his Sons Numb 4.19 But for one Gospel Minister to claim a supremacy of Jurisdiction over another Gospel Minister within his own Charge or Congregation This is that for which we justly call the Pope Antichrist The Lord then appointed the Feast of Tabernacles and the Passover and Pentecost But for us to keep these Feasts now under the names of Christmas Easter or Whitsuntide or the like as the Pope hath taught us to do it is a farr
Israel was thus Conducted safe in the morning Watch Exod. 14.24 27. So Christ in the morning Watch of his Resurrection and in the morning of the general Resurrection and last Judgment triumphs over all the Enemies of his people Psal 49.14 Then his Church is fully passed from death to life eternal life then may Israel sing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb and say the Lord shall reign for ever and ever Exod. 15.18 Much Teaching and many other Instructions might be learned from all the Circumstances of this Dispensation The Egyptians here met with a punishment suitable to their sin They had drowned the Children of Israel and now fourscore years after they themselves are drowned in the Red Sea and from the sore distress that Israel was in the Sea before them their Enemies behind them the Mountains on either side insomuch that they had no other choice in the eye of reason but either to be drowned or slain We may here observe that the most glorious Deliverances of the Church are in their greatest straits and most desperate distresses we may also observe the invincible safety of the Church of God in all Tryals under all troubles The Fire cannot burn them as you have seen before in the burning Bush which burnt and was not consumed the Sea cannot drown them you have formerly heard of Noah floating upon the Waves in an Ark of safety when all the World was Sea and now you see Israel safe in the bottom of the Sea Oh! Trust God and follow the Lord fully when he leads you into dangers and difficulties as deep as the bottom of the Sea 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are unto thee It was by Faith that Israel did this Heb. 11.29 Some make the Red Sea a Type of the blood of Christ That through his blood we pass to the Land of Promise 3. Their marching through the Wilderness those Deserts of Arabia with their God in the head of them Psal 68.7 The Wilderness of an unregenerate Condition so Burroughs of holy Courage on Heb. 11.27 Cap. 25 and 26. Interprets and applies this their Passage out of Egypt unto Canaan Herein was an eminent Prefiguration of three things 1. Troubles difficulties temptations in the way to Heaven that through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 This World is but a Wilderness an howling Wilderness full of Lyons and Leopards sins and troubles Cant. 4.8 full of fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought as those Arabian Deserts were 2. We may here see as in a Glass the Corruptions of our own hearts That this was a great part of the meaning of this Type the Apostle shews at large in many Verses of the Context v. 5. to 10. Look what Israel did and how they carried it in the Wilderness we are apt to do the like we are apt to think they were a very murmuring froward People but if thou hadst been in their Circumstances thou wouldst have done as bad as they 3. The perishing and miscarrying of many Souls under some preparative and initial Works is also here plainly held forth For many of them perished in the Wilderness while they were in transitu between Egypt and Canaan So doth many a Soul after some beginnings and motions heavenwards The Apostle applies it thus Heb. 4.1 11. lest any man fall short after the same example of unbelief and here 1 Cor. 10.5 many of them were destroyed in the Wilderness 4. Their passing through Jordan under Joshua's Conduct the Priests bearing the Ark going in before them and standing in the midst thereof till all the people were gone over Joshua 3.13 17. and 4.10 18. The signification of this was as the Dispensation it self was much after the same nature with their Passage through the Red Sea but accompanied with differing Circumstances In general it represented and held forth Christ going before his people and himself bearing their sorrows that would have sunk them he wafteth them safely through all their sorrows and miseries and through death it self over unto their eternal Rest It was at this place Bethabara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domus transitus the house of Passage from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transire Chytraeus in Josh 3. 4. The place that Jesus Christ was baptized at when he entred upon his Ministry Joh. 1.28 And as Israel of old did pass over on the tenth day of the first Month Josh 4.19 Paulus Eber. Pref. in Calend Hist Encamping in Gilgal where they kept the Passover Josh 5.10 So it seems that on the same tenth day of the first Month Christ rode into Jerusalem where he not only kept the Passover but presented himself the true Paschal Lamb to be slain for us and encountring with the swellings of Jordan the whole Confluence of the Wrath of God and the sins and sorrows of all his Elect he hath opened a Passage for them through the midst of Jordan as it were into the Land of their eternal Rest 5. And so this brings me to the Fifth typical Dispensation of Providence to them of old viz. Their Entrance into Canaan under the leading and conduct of the same Joshua who had led them through Jordan The History whereof is the main Subject of the Book of Joshua The Mystery of this Dispensation is plain and obvious Canaan was a Type of Heaven it shadowed forth another and a better Country that is an heavenly Heb. 11.16 Their Rest in the Promised Land shadowed forth another Rest remaining for the people of God Heb. 4.8 9. These things were partly spoken to when we were upon the Personal Types where we spake of Joshua as a Type of Christ the true Jesus or Joshua 6. The last typical Deliverance that I shall mention is their deliverance out of their Captivity in Babylon Their Bondage in Babylon was a Type of spiritual bondage their Deliverance a Type of spiritual deliverance by Christ and of his raising up his spiritual Kingdom Hence it is observable that the Prophets when speaking of that Recovery from Babylon they pass from that to Christ and our spiritual Restoration through him and they spake more magnificently of that than was fulfilled in the Letter and History and they often intermix Passages that are plainly and undeniably meant of Christ and of his spiritual Grace and Kingdom of which that temporal Deliverance was but a taste and Type See Jer. 32.36 37 40 41. also Jer. 33.15 16. and in very many other places See Calvin in loc the Prophets still lead the people from that to Christ in whom all the Promises and Prophecies are fully and perfectly accomplisht Moreover Babylon was a Type of Rome and consequently their deliverance out of Babylon a Type of the Churches deliverance in the New Testament from under the Yoke of Antichrist and the Circumstances also agree 1. That it was a gradual work for some came back with
place of Execration by making it the Stage of his Fury and the Field of his Vengeance in hideous Plagues and Judgments For here he destroyed Senacherib with the rest of that blaspheming Army that damning roaring Crew Here an hundred eighty five Thousand of them were slain miraculously and their Carcasses as it seemeth burnt with Fire to prevent annoyance and infection and putrefaction of the Air. Isa 30.31 33. For Tophet is prepared of old And in the same place again in another day of the Lords Fury when he did let loose the Chaldeans upon them the Jews were slain in so great numbers till there was no room left to bury them see Jer. 7.31 32 33. From all which this place came to be the name of Hell as being a place every way execrable and having been made by God the Gate of Hell as it were and the passage to eternal Destruction by so many remarkable Executions of his dreadful and direful displeasure in that place We do not find Gehinnom used in the Old Testament for the name of Hell as the Learned have observed But Hell got that name during the time of the second Temple the forementioned grounds and occasions of the name being not till about that time in being Mede Disc 7. pag. 41. and accordingly the name is to be found in the Jewish Writers of that time and was used by our Saviour as a name then vulgarly known among the Jews You see then what Types of Hell they had under the Old Testament namely the Deluge Sodom Egypt and Tophet You have heard also that they had five Types of Rome to wit Sodom Egypt Jericho Edom and Babylon These were typical presignifications of Gospel Enemies and Gospel Vengeance And now I have gone through these Occasional Types whether things or actions whether typical mercies or typical vengeance That which next remains is those perpetual standing Types which the Scripture calls everlasting Statutes For besides these Occasional Types which were exhibited in a transient way and did exist but for a time they had also other Types that were of a more enduring nature and did continue to the end of that Old Testament Dispensation namely the whole Ceremonial Law whereof we shall speak hereafter the Lord assisting THE GOSPEL OF THE PERPETUAL TYPES June 4 and 7 1668. Heb. 10.1 For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things c. SOme entrance and progress hath been made upon the Types You have heard Beloved what a Type is The nature of it hath been opened from Rom. 5.14 We have distributed them into two Sorts Personal and Real which distribution will carry us through this whole Subject The Personal Types we have gone through as briefly as we could instancing both in several individual Persons both before the Law and under the Law and in typical Ranks and Orders of men which were destined and ordained of God to represent and shadow forth him that was to come The Real Types we have also begun to speak unto and we distributed them into two sorts Occasional and Perpetual Occasional Types are such as God gave them upon special Occasions the most of them before the ordinary and perpetual ones were settled Such as the Pillar of Cloud and Fire Manna the Brazen Serpent their passing through the Red Sea and other such like occasional and extraordinary Dispensations of which we spoke from 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things happened unto them in Types By the perpetual Types we intend such as God by institution settled and stated in that Church to the end of that Age of that whole Old Testament Dispensation till the coming of Christ the Truth Substance and Scope of them Of these we are now to speak as the Lord shall enable us it is the Scripture Phrase it calleth them perpetual Statutes or everlasting Statutes The Phrase is first used as I remember in reference to Circumcision which is called Berith Yolam a perpetual Covenant Gen. 17.7 8. Afterwards we have it again concerning the Passover Exod. 12.14 17. which is there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Statutum saeculi an everlasting Statute See likewise Exod. 27.21 and 28.43 A Statute for ever and 29.9 A perpetual Statute so Levit. 3.17 and 24.9 An everlasting Statute Levit. 16 34. And indeed this Phrase of Speech doth occur between twenty and thirty times in the Books of Moses It shall be a perpetual Statute or an everlasting Statute or a Statute for ever throughout your Generations that is a standing Type and not meerly transient and occasional Only there hath been some mistake and misunderstanding of this Phrase which must be cleared before we leave it The unbelieving Jews have seemed to interpret and understand it concerning an absolute Eternity which hath been one occasion or pretence alledged by them for their stumbling at Christ and at the Gospel because he hath removed and taken away the Law of Ceremonies But besides many other things that might be said to shew the weakness and folly of their pretence in this matter I shall but note these two things 1. That this word for ever is often used in Scripture for a limited duration As for instance it is used for duration till the year of Jubilee Exod. 21.6 He shall be a servant for ever that is only till the year of Jubilee in case he lived so long For then he was to go free by vertue of that Law Levit. 25.13 28 40 41. Sometimes it is used for a continuance during life As 1 Sam. 1.22 that he may appear before the Lord and there abide for ever Explained vers 28. Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth Sometimes it is used for duration to the end of the Old Testament Dispensation For all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy Seed for ever Gen. 13.15 The Land given to thy Seed for ever which cannot be Interpreted concerning an unlimited Eternity unless they will say that God hath broke his Promise for they have been Ejected and cast forth of that Land these sixteen hundred years 1 King 8.13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in a settled place for thee to abide in for ever Psal 132.14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it He doth not dwell nor manifest his presence there now but God hath given them up to invincible perversness and darkness and prejudice in this particular 2. There be manifest intimations in the Old Testament that these Ceremonial Laws were not to continue always but to cease and be abolished in the fulness of time Jer. 3. They shall say no more the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Jer. 31. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers but this shall be the Covenant I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. But
rather two Burnt-Offerings the one in the morning and the other at evening Exod. 29.38 42. Numb 28.3 4. called the Juge sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Daniel speaks how it was profanely interrupted by Antiochus Dan. 8.11 12. The end of it as of the rest was atonement reconciliation and remission of sin Vers 9. a Savour of Rest or a sweet Savour For as a sweet smell refresheth and quieteth the Senses so Christs Oblation appeaseth Gods Spirit Ainsw in loc Hence is that Phrase Ezra 6.9 10. Sacrifices of Rest or of sweet Savours to the God of Heaven so Ephes 5.2 Christ gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour The Laws and Ordinances of the Burnt-Offering were either concerning the matter of it or the actions to be performed about it which being different according to the different matter of it will come in under the several sorts of matter whereof the Sacrifice was to consist which was in general clean Creatures This Rule was to be observed in all the Sacrifices and it was very ancient for we read of this distinction of Beasts into clean and unclean even in Noahs time Gen. 7.2 and Gen. 8.20 There were two sorts of cleannesses of the irrational Creatures clean for Sacrifice and clean for Food Of the cleanness for Food we read in Lev. 11. which seems to have been then first appointed for to the Sons of Noah there is no such restriction given but a large and general Commission to eat any wholesome Flesh Gen. 9.3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be Meat for you But the cleanness and uncleanness for Sacrifice seems to have been from the very first Institution of Sacrifices The Rule whereof in general is this that there were no wild Beasts or Fowls no ravenous carnivorous Beasts or Birds of prey allowed in Sacrifices but such as were of the milder sort The reason whereof is thought to be partly from their Properties being more harmless and innocent more useful and profitable and serviceable Creatures to mans use and so fittest to signifie the like things in Christ and in his people and partly because of mans peculiar possession and propriety in them being more fully in his power and possession than the wild Beasts of the Field Or if no reason for it could be assigned we must acquiesce in the supreme Authority of God so ordaining and appointing as why not a Hen as well as a young Pidgeon How abominable it was to transgress in the matter of their Sacrifices you may see by those expressions in Isai 66.3 He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines blood In all which the Lord expresseth the greatest detestation by those Resemblances and Comparisons But in this the Heathen greatly corrupted themselves for as they forgat and lost the true Object of Worship offering their Sacrifices to Devils and not unto God 1 Cor. 10.20 So they sacrificed all sorts of Creatures without any difference of clean or unclean even Swine wherein the Jews also did corrupt themselves at least so far as to the eating of it as appears out of Isai 65.4 yea they proceeded so far as to Sacrifice men their Sons and Daughters an horrible thing which the Lord commanded not and which never came into his heart Jer. 7.31 For as it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin so neither could the blood of man do it but only of that man who is God also Act. 20.28 The matter of the Burnt-Offering which was approved and appointed of God was of three sorts Of the Herd that is the bigger sort of Cattel and of the Flocks that is the lesser sort of Cattel and of the Fowls and so this Chapter divides it self into these three parts 1. The Burnt-Offering of the Herd to vers 10. 2. The Burnt-Offering of the Flock vers 10. to vers 14. 3. The Burnt-Offering of Fowls vers 14. to the end 1. The Burnt-Offering of the Herd we may here consider the matter of it and the Actions to be performed about it 1. The matter of the Offering is a Bullock a Male without blemish vers 3. see this Law repeated and confirmed Lev. 22.20 to 24. see Mal. 1.7 8 14. And being so vehemently insisted on we may well think it is not without some special mystery the Best and most Perfect is fittest for so great a God Moreover this did also figure and represent Jesus Christ his perfection in himself and ours in him He was a Male and without spot or blemish 1 Pet. 1.19 a Sacrifice of absolute purity and perfection And the like expressions are used concerning Christ mystical in Ephes 5.27 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing holy and without blemish we shall be so perfectly at that day And in this life in some degree there is a perfection of sincerity here there is a blameless spotless Conversation As the Burnt-Offerings of old so should we and all our Sacrifices and Offerings to the Lord be We should serve him with the best we have the best of our time and strength the vigor of our spirits the utmost improvement of all our abilities in his Service and to his Glory we should sacrifice all to him 2. The actions to be performed about it for the Lord was pleased to ordain and appoint sundry mystical and significant Rites and Ceremonies to be used about the Burnt-Offering which were full of Teaching and spiritual Mystery For what hath been vainly and falsly boasted and arrogated to religious Ceremonies of mens devising it is most true concerning these divine Ceremonies That they be neither dark nor dumb but mystical and significant and fit to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his Duty toward God by some special and notable signification whereby he may be edified I shall enumerate them with some short hints of Instruction from them in nine Particulars as they lie before us in the Text which mentions at least nine ceremonial Actions about the Burnt-Offering 1. The Offerer was to bring it to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the Lord. 2. Lay his hand upon it 3. The Priest must kill it 4. He must pour out the Blood and sprinkle it round about 5. Flay and cut it in pieces 6. The Pieces to be salted 7. The Leggs and Inwards washed 8. All must be laid upon the Altar and burnt with Fire And 9. The Ashes carried out of the Camp into a clean place 1. The Offerer was to bring it to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the face of the Lord. vers 3. Great weight is laid upon this Lev. 17.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and 9. We may learn three or four things out of this 1. Here was a voluntary act of the Offerer for
the Priest was not to go to him to fetch it but the man himself is to bring it vers 3. of his own voluntary will so Christ dyed willingly and offered up himself a Sacrifice and a whole Burnt-Offering unto God for us Ephes 5.2 Joh. 10.18 I lay down my life of my self so should we in all our Services be a willing people we should come before the Lord with willing minds when we present our Corbans our Gifts Services and Oblations to him God loves a cheerful Giver 2 Cor. 9.7 2. This leads us by the hand and points every way to Jesus Christ as the cause of our acceptance with the Lord in that they were to bring it to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to be offered upon the Altar which stood there For Christ is both the Door and the Tabernacle and the Altar and the Priest He is the door of the Sheep Joh. 10.7 And he is the true Tabernacle and the Sanctuary which the Lord hath pitched and not man Heb. 8.2 A greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands Heb. 9.11 And he is the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies the Gift and makes it accepted Mat. 23.19 And Christ is the Priest also that presents and offers up our Sacrifices to the Lord He is often called a Priest and our great High Priest This therefore teacheth us That all our access unto and acceptation with the Lord is only in and through Jesus Christ it is through him alone that our Services and Sacrifices are accepted there is no acceptance out of Christ For he that neglected this was to be cut off Lev. 17.8 9. 3. They are to bring it hither before the face of the Lord or the presence of the Lord this refers to the holiest of all where God dwelt and where his presence did appear So the meaning is that we are to see God in all our Services and to eye the presence of God and that he is to be seen there and there only even in and by the Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 1.75 that we might serve him before him 2 Cor. 4.6 the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 4. The Tabernacle was a Type of the Church which is often called the Tabernacle and Temple and House of God We are to worship God in his Church in the Assemblies of his people Heb. 10.25 and 12.22 23. So much for the first ceremonial Action about the Burnt-Offering 2. The Sinner that brought the Sacrifice was to lay his hand upon the head of it vers 4. this was not required in the Sacrifice of Fowls but only of Beasts see the like Exod. 29.10 There is some controversy here whether he was to lay on his right hand or his left hand or both but seeing it is in the singular Number and seeing it is expresly commanded that the Priest should lay on both his hands Lev. 16.21 that is both for his own sins and the peoples therefore it is thought by some not improbably that when any of the people offered he laid on but one hand But whether the right or the left We may suppose that whatsoever was not limited by God was left at liberty This Ceremony relates to the confession of sin and the translation of the guilt of it upon the Sacrifice the Offerer in this Ceremony disburthening himself of sin and putting over his own Guilt upon the Sacrifice so it is explained Lev. 16.21 He shall lay on his hands and confess over him the Iniquities of the Children of Israel So Christ hath born our sins and carried our sorrows Isa 53.4 5. And we are to confess our sins over him by Faith in Christ and through the blood of his Sacrifice it shall be forgiven us 1 Joh. 1.7 9. 3. The Sacrifice must be killed and slain and that upon the north side of the Altar vers 5. and vers 11. It is questioned here who did this whether he that brought the Offering or the Priest But doubtless it was the Priest for it is said of him that kills the Offering that he shall stay it vers 5 6. but that was the Priests work And to the killing of the Sacrifice of Beasts answers the wringing off the head of sacrificed Fowls But this is expresly affirmed to be the Priests work vers 15. Only this we find that the Levites were added to the Priests to assist them and help them in the whole work of their Ministry Numb 8.19 and we find it often recorded that they did so 2 Chron. 29.34 Therefore in vers 22. of that Chap. where the Killers and the Priests are distinguished it is not to be understood concerning the people as if they had killed the Offerings but rather the Levites see likewise 1 Chron. 23.28 31. and 2 Chron. 35.10 11. So much for the literal explication of this Ceremony now for the mystery and meaning of it What might be noted from hence concerning actions and administrations properly and peculiarly ministerial we shall observe when we come to that place to the legal Priesthood and Ministry But it is plain and obvious that it holds forth the death of Christ the Messiah was slain and cut off Dan. 9.26 His Soul was made an Offering for sin Isa 53.10 As to that Circumstance of killing it on the north side of the Altar vers 11. the same Rule is given concerning the Sin-Offering Lev. 6.25 and the Trespass Offering Lev. 7.1 2. There be various applications of this Some think there is no further mystery in it but that the Tabernacle door and the Altar were so situate and placed that on the north side there was more space for such Acts as required most room as the killing and dressing of the Sacrifices did so our own Annotators But others conceive this Law was not without something of mystery in it some note how their greatest Troubles and Sufferings were from the North Jeremiah sees a Seething Pot and the face thereof was towards the North. Jer. 1.13 and then vers 14. Out of the North an Evil shall break forth upon all the Inhabitants of the Land Therefore some conceive that to restrain the Evils and Judgments of God the Offerings were slain on the north side of the Altar also that the situation of the Temple was on the north side of the City Psal 48.2 Mount Sion on the sides of the North. Moreover here is no regard had to the Sun and to the East but thither the Ashes were carried forth as vers 16. Whereas the Heathen were accustomed to Sacrifice and to direct their Worship towards the East and towards the Sun which they made an Idol of In opposition to which Idolatry as some conceive the Lord appointed his people to sacrifice towards the North. And lastly the Gospel hath prevailed more in the northern Hemisphere of the World which also is more inhabited than in the Southern Ezekiel in his Vision of the holy City doth first describe the
women after Child-bed Levit. 12.6 They had a Meat-Offering by divine Institution annexed and conjoyned with it The other part of the Rule is negative and it is this we do not find that Meat-Offerings were annexed unto the Burnt-Offerings of Fowls or to Sin or Trespass Offerings or to First-Fruits or Tythes or to the Paschal-Lamb though to the Feast of the Passover they were Deut. 16.1 2. And in the cleansing of the Leper the Meat-Offering seems to be annexed to the Sin-Offering Lev. 14.10 which is a peculiar Case This Rule is drawn from the authority of the Scripture negatively there being no such annecting of it unto these in that place Numb 15. where it is annexed unto Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings but where it was not commanded where they were not directed to it in the Law they might not do it Vse See the fulness of spiritual Mystery and the plenty of Gospel Light and Teaching that is in the Sacrifice of the Meat-Offering To recapitulate briefly some Heads of things which have been more largely opened to you It relates both to Christ and Christians and is full of spiritual mystery as to both 1. As to Christ he is the true Meat-Offering the Food of our Souls it was to consist of fine Flower to denote his Cleanness and Purity The baking frying drying beating of it points us to his Sufferings and so doth the burning of it upon the Altar The pouring forth the Wine belonging to the Meat-Offering plainly represents the pouring out his Blood The Green Ears represents Christ as the First Fruits by whom all the rest is sanctified The Priests eating it tells us how Believers feed upon Christ by Faith as the Bread of Life The Oyl is the Spirit of Christ The Incense his Prayers and Mediation and the efficacy and acceptance thereof with God for us The Salt of the Covenant is the stability and everlasting faithfulness of God as our God in a Covenant Relation through Jesus Christ The prohibition of Leaven and Honey frees Christ from all Corruption of life and doctrine and all such deceiving comfort which afterwards like Honey turns to bitterness 2. Apply it to Christ mystical to the Saints and Members of Christ for it may be so applied the Gentiles under the Gospel are presented as an acceptable Meat-Offering to the Lord Isai 66.20 Every particular and circumstance of it is full of teaching The Fine Flower teaches us to purge our selves from the Bran of our natural Corruption We must be anointed with the Unction of the Spirit The Incense teaches us to be much in prayer and to expect acceptance with the Lord. The Salt instructs us in the safety of our Covenant-Estate and Interest in God and that our speeches and whole deportment should be savoury and seasoned with Salt The forbidding of Leaven and Honey calls upon us to purge out the Old Leaven of sinful Corruption and to take heed of the sweetness and pleasures of sin I beseech you brethren do not rest in the notional understanding of these Truths but reduce all to practice If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 But if you know all mysteries and have not love 1 Cor. 13.1 2. it profiteth nothing And to press you a little further you may observe that the Meat-Offering under the Gospel is larger than it was under the Law as you will find if you compare Numb 28. with Ezek. 46. For in Numb 28.5 the Meat-Offering is but the tenth part of an Ephah it is but the fourth part of an Hin of beaten oyl But in Ezek. 46.13 14 it is augmented the Meat-Offering to a sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an Hin of oyl This speaks a greater degree of fruitfulness and more ample obedience under the Gospel then was of old under the Law That look as the Grace of God in Christ abounds towards us under the Gospel so should we abound in our Returns of thankful and fruitful obedience 1 Tim. 1.14 And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Can you not go along with the Apostle in those expressions Hath not God abounded towards you in Mercy and free Grace Have you not sometimes said never such a Pattern of Mercy never the like Riches of free Grace if the Lord pardoned such sins and heal such backslidings therefore be you abundant in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult If you know these things happy are you if you do them THE GOSPEL OF THE PEACE-OFFERING Lev. 3. July 26. August 6 9. 1668. The Peace-Offering Shelamim THe third sort of Sacrifices or Offerings under the Law is the Peace-Offering We had the Burnt-Offering in the first Chapter the Meat-Offering in the second Chapter and now follows the Peace-Offering here in the third Yola Mincha Shelamim We may open it in this Method which I hope will be plain and edifying 1. The name 2. The ends occasions and seasons of it 3. The matter of it 4. The sacred Rites and Ceremonies or ceremonious Actions about it 1. For the name it is Shelamim which we render the Peace-Offering and Zebach Shelamim the Sacrifice of the Peace-Offering from Shalom pax so called because it was a Sacrifice of Peace Offering amongst all the parties God and the Priests and the people being all partakers of it as being all agreed and therefore sociable partakers of the same thing The word may be otherwise rendred but this Interpretation is most generally received and suits well with the nature of this Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings 2. The ends occasions and seasons of the Peace-Offerings for we may put all these together First as to their ends they were of a mixt nature they were both Hilastical Eucharistical and Euctical both for atonement and for thanksgiving and for prayer they were in general for peace and reconciliation with God Some I know have questioned this which I must confess I have often wondred at and they have thought it meerly expressive of moral duties of homage and thankfulness to God c. But it was a Fire-Offering upon the Brazen Altar all the rest of which were for reconciliation and atonement and therefore why not this It is said to be a savour of rest vers 5. which signifies Gods acceptation The Actions about it speak forth this end for it was slain and burnt upon the Altar the Blood poured forth and sprinkled upon the Altar round about c. All pointing to Jesus Christ who is indeed the true Peace-Offering Ephes 2.14 He is our Peace and he hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 2.20 Yet this was but the general and not the special nor the only end of them There be two particular ends mentioned in Cap. 7. 1. Peace enjoyed to testify their thankfulness 2. Peace desired and sought after each of which had their different Rites of which afterwards 1. One end was for thanksgiving by
be referred to three Heads or Glasses 1. Sins against the first Table eating things offered to Idols 2. Sins against the second Table against the seventh Commandment Fornication because it was a common sin and wherein the Heathen were very blind some of them accounting it but an indifferent thing 3. Sins against the general Rule of love to our brethren Of this sort is the eating of things strangled and blood which had formerly been a sin against the second Commandment being forbidden of old in the way of a perpetual Statute during the whole legal Aeconomy Lev. 17.15 That which dies of it self includes strangled for there is no other place in the Law that forbids the eating of things strangled but only this And Deut. 14.21 where there is the same expression But now the same thing is forbidden in a more occasional and temporary way upon the account of scandal to sincere but weak Believers 1 Cor. 8.13 And there was a further benefit of this Observation in that juncture of time for it did prevent and cut off all appearance and occasion for that Calumny and false Aspersion cast forth by the Pagans in those first times of Christianity That the Christians were wont to feed upon mans flesh and to drink blood in their Assemblies Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 1. Tertull. Apolog. cap. 9. And though they are called necessary things yet there be divers sorts and ways of necessity As some things are necessary in their own nature upon a moral and perpetual account as to avoid Idolatry and Fornication so other things are necessary only pro hic nunc in regard of present Circumstances as to abstain from blood or from eating flesh As 1 Cor. 8.13 And though they are joyned with grosser sins yet the same penalty and much more the same Prohibition may be set upon things of a very different nature As Death is the penalty of Murther Gen. 9.6 And of having Leavened Bread Exod. 12.15 19. It cannot possibly be the sense of the Council to forbid that kind of Meat as in it self and morally and perpetually unlawful because all difference of Meats is most expresly and clearly taken away under the New Testament As Mark 7.14 to 20. Act. 10.10 1 Cor. 8.8 But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse And 1 Cor. 10.25 Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure But in 1 Tim. 4.3 4 5. the Apostle thunders against this Error of making difference of Meats under the Gospel Thus you see the nature of the Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings Something will be expected as to the practical Improvement of these Truths Let me therefore only repeat and reinculcate some few of the general Heads of things which have been doctrinally cleared and made out I shall but touch them now in a more applicatory way 1. Then be perswaded and encouraged to feed and feast upon Christ our Peace-Offering Do not say such and such may if I had such Parts and such Abilities and so Eminent as such and such I durst believe This blessed Peace-Offering is not for the Priests only for Saints of the highest Rank and greatest Eminency but for the common people also Do but draw neer with a pure heart and then come and welcome take your share and eat it with a glad heart God hath given it you 2. Do not defer the eating of your Peace Offerings take heed of a procrastinating Spirit As many who think to repent and return to God when they are dying and dropping into hell whereas they should eat the Peace-Offering and eat it now Do it to day before to morrow or at least before the third day for rhen thy Peace Offering will not be accepted Come in to God the third hour of the day or if thou hast lost that season yet come in at the sixth the ninth at least at the eleventh hour of the day If you stay till the Sun be set and the day of the Lords patience run out then your Peace Offerings shall not be accepted then thy Faith thy Repentance will not save thee Oh! But I will cry God mercy and trust to Christ then Ay but thy Conscience then will say you should have eaten the Peace-Offering sooner eating it the third day shall not be accepted nor will catching at Christ when thou art gone to hell Oh then that thou hadst known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace Luk. 19.42 3. Let all your Peace-Offerings be seasoned with the new Leaven of Grace and Holiness get this blessed Leaven of the Kingdom of God into your hearts 4. Give God the fat the strength the vigor of your Spirits the best of your endeavours do not leave the worst you have to him the very dregs of time at night when you are all drowsy and sleepy for prayer and family duties when you have spent the strength of your time in your Callings Reserve some of your good hours for God and duties of Communion with him With such drowsy Sacrifices God will not be well pleased 5. Take heed of accounting the blood of the Peace Offering a common thing But as the typical blood might not be eaten but was sacred to the Lord let the blood of Christ be sacred and precious to you It is a dreadful sin to count the blood wherewith you are sanctified a common thing Heb. 10. Oh this contempt of Christ contempt of the Gospel of those glad tydings and of that Soul Redeeming blood That soul shall be cut off from his people To you that believe he is precious there is a reverential esteem of him in the hearts of all that are his they dare not arrogate nor medle with that which is his peculiar Glory and assume their Salvation to themselves The Papists will say they are saved by Christ but how Why through the blood of Christ but how come they to be made partakers of him Why God foresees that they will repent and believe and so ordains them to life upon the foresight of what they will do And thus they do as it were devour the blood of the Peace-Offering and destroy the Glory they pretend and seem to give to him THE GOSPEL OF THE SIN-OFFERING Lev. Cap. 4. August 13.16 23. 1668. The Sin-Offering Chattaah THis is the fourth of those six kinds of legal Sacrifices which are handled and directed in the seven first Chapters of this Book The first is Yola the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1. The second is Mincha the Meat Offering Cap. 2. The third is Shelamim the Peace-Offering Cap. 3. The fourth is Chattaah the Sin Offering in this 4. Chapter The fifth is Asham the Trespass-Offering Cap. 5. The sixth is Milluim the Offering of Consecrations As to this fourth namely the Sin-Offering many of the Laws and Rites thereof are the same with other Sacrifices
Christ and the Gospel in the Ceremonial Law How excellently doth the Apostle put them together The sprinkling of the Unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh The blood of Christ purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God If we cannot see these divine mysteries in the Text if we cannot see Gospel-Truths in these legal Ceremonies and how admirably they are adapted and fitted the one to the other the Type to instruct and teach us and inform us about the Anti-type it is because of our own darkness and dimsightedness in spiritual things Vse 4. Behold also the pre-eminence and excellency of Christ above Moses and the Gospel above the Law How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your Consciences from dead works How much more It hath a greater and an irresistible efficacy to cleanse the Soul Conscience And this is a Truth of clearer and higher evidence than the Ceremonial cleanness by those legal washings and purifications which were the means of that Ceremonial Cleanness The Apostle uses the like note of pre-eminence when he compares Adam and Christ Adam was a personal Type as this was a real Type Rom. 5.15 17. For if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by Christ Jesus So here Gods design is that in all things Christ might have the pre-eminence and be preferred above Moses Vse 5. Labor to see and find in your selves the experience of this spiritual cleansing whereof the Apostle speaks this cleansing by the blood of Christ and go thou thither have recourse to that blood for it Thou that hast an unclean heart and hast lived it may be an unclean life at least in secret though perhaps men have not seen it get thy Heart and Life and Conscience purified from dead works to serve the living God There is healing cleansing vertue enough in the blood of Christ And would you be cleansed indeed you see the way of it Hath the Lord discovered to thee thy defilement and convinced thee of thy own uncleanness then get this blood of Christ applied And as the Water of Purification was sprinkled on the Unclean under the Law so get this blood of Christ sprinkled on thy Soul and Conscience by the Gospel It is often called the Blood of sprinkling The reason is because that as they did apply it by sprinkling as a means of cleansing c. so is the blood of Christ applied to the Conscience It is applied by the Spirit in the Promise Under the Promise held forth we receive it by Faith and the Promise so received the blood of Christ is brought home and sprinkled on the Soul and this will cleanse thee though thou have been never so unclean there is healing purifying vertue in that blood though thy uncleanness be never so great and thy Conscience never so defiled yet there is cleansing by the blood of Christ Thy Case is not desperate there is vertue enough in the blood of Christ How much more will the blood of Christ cleanse thy Soul if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heyfer sprinkling the unclean could cleanse the body And remember this blood is offered all that thou hast to do is to receive it by Faith to beg a part in Christ and desire him to make it effectual to thee The reason of all the defilement that appears in men and that continues under the use of Ordinances is because they geâ— not the blood of Christ sprinkled on their Consciences they do not receive it And two things keep them off either there is a Spirit of security that they never seek after it neither pray not endeavour or mourn after it Or 2. There is a Spirit of discouragement they never fly to Christ and his blood they seek not to him but since he is offered do not refuse him thou canst not displease him more then by so doing but fly for refuge thither as a poor unclean guilty Creature venture all on the infinite cleansing power and virtue that is in the blood of Jesus Christ Vse 6. See the bondage and burdensomness of the legal Administration they could scarce be sick but they became unclean they could not touch so many Creatures but they were forthwith unclean and being unclean might not come into the Temple or publick society and in some cases were shut up They had Porters to keep them that were unclean in any thing 2 Chron. 23.19 that they should not enter in at the Gates of the house of the Lord. Let us bless God that we are delivered from this Yoke of bondage An ADVERTISEMENT to the READER THe attentive Reader will quickly observe that here is nothing upon that Head of Vncleanness by Issues which according to the Authors proposed method should have been here treated of But there is not any thing thereon to be found amongst his Papers nor to be recovered by the help of any that took in writing these Discourses from his mouth It is therefore not improbable that the Author did purposely pass over in silence that Head for reasons to him satisfactory which now can be but conjectured at Moreover the Reader is desired to bear in mind that the following Sermon on Levit. 13. concerning uncleanness by the Leprosy was not preached in the Authors course as it fell in his way in going over the Types but sundry years before on occasion of dispensing the Censure of Excommunication in that Church whereof the Author had the Oversight This it was thought needful to advertise the Reader of partly because of the different method of this Sermon from his other discourses on the Types and partly because some Passages therein evidently refer to the Dispensation of that Ordinance on occasion whereof it was preached and partly to account for the date of this Sermon which the Reader will see is some years before those that go before it The like is to be observed also concerning the foregoing Sermon on Circumcision which in this Book is at Pag. 218. It was preached on occasion of the Administration of Baptism as appears by a Passage in it Pag. 219. And more then two years before it fell in the Authors way in his going over the Types yea sundry Months before he entred on this course and subject in his Ministry THE GOSPEL OF THE LEPROSIE Levit. 13. April 12 1665. BRethren and Beloved in the Lord If this Chapter seem to us at the first reading to be a dark and abstruse place and to have little edifying matter in it we must impute it to our own ignorance and unskilfulness in Scripture Truths and Mysteries It is true there is a dark shadow upon the words But there is much light and many useful Truths intended and held forth under these dark legal shadows The subject both of this and of sundry foregoing and following Chapters is concerning Ceremonial
neglected and postponed God will blast and curse all the other works of your hands as he did theirs 5. Labour to see the Beauty of the Lord in his Temple This was Davids earnest desire Psal 27.4 One thing I have desired of the Lord 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 Psal 84.7 to appear before God in Sion Psal 63.2 to see thy Power and thy Glory in thy Sanctuary What do you come there for if you do not meet with God there Be in the purest way of Worship but rest not in it without God Get real visions and fruitions of God in his Ordinances to see the pleasant Beauty of the Lord in his Temple Quest But when is God real to the Soul in his Ordinances Answer When God is as real to the Soul to the eye of Faith as the external part of an Ordinance is to the eye of sense When you see Christ crucified in the Sacrament when you see his Body broken his Blood poured out as really as you see the Bread broken and the Wine poured out And if there be a real sight of Christ it will have real effects to subdue thy Lusts to keep the heart in ways of Holiness Quest But what of God are we to see in his Temple Answ All his Glory shines forth there especially his Power and his Grace 1. His Power Psal 63.2 To see thy Power and thy Glory 2. Especially the Glory of his Grace Zech. 4.7 Cry Grace Grace unto it from the foundation to the top-stone 2. Sam. 7.13 He shall build an House for my Name Nov. 1. 1668. and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever NOw of the parts of the Temple Taking the word in the largest sense for all the holy Buildings and the appertainances thereof so the parts of it were three 1. The House 2. The Courts and 3. The Vessels of the Temple I call them all parts for want of a fitter term to express it by for there is a penury of words from whence there is a necessity sometimes of tropes and figures and improprieties of speech 1. The House it self that is the covered Building called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inhabit as all the holy ground is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the whole place and all the Courts were holy As to this I mean the House it self we may consider 1. The common parts of it which belong to every House and so to this amongst the rest And here the Scripture takes notice of the Foundation the Walls the Doors the Windows the Floor and the Roof of the Temple Not that we should seek a mystery in every thing but only so far as we see the Scripture going before us we may safely follow when we find the Scripture allegorizing any thing and alluding to it in a spiritual sense we should mind and heedfully take out such lessons and instructions I must speak first to the Letter and History of them as parts of the material Temple and then consider what mystical application the Scripture makes of them This method I shall observe under every head 1. The Foundation of the House of the Lord it was of great costly hewn stone 1 Kings 5.17 But what is the Foundation in the Foundation in the spiritual Temple The Scripture often applies this to Jesus Christ Isai 28.16 behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone c. 1. Pet. 2 4-6 to whom coming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men c. refused of the Builders Psal 118.22 the stone which the Builders refused is become the head of the corner A Scripture often interpreted in the New Testament concerning Christ other foundations can no man lay 1 Cor. 3.9 11. The Scripture often speaks of Christ under this notion as a Stone and a Rock and a Corner-stone Gen. 49.24 from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel Dan. 2.25 a Stone cut out of the Mountain without hand Isai 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength The word is the Rock of ages in which Rock Moses was hid Exod. 33.22 while my Glory passeth by I will put thee in a clift of the Rock And Elijah 1 Kings 19.9 13. He is that Stone Zech. 3.9 ingraven with seven eyes upon 〈◊〉 it And as Christ is the foundation-stone of the Church so the Apostles in regard of their Doctrine are also called the Foundations of it Rev. 21.14 Eph. 2.20.21 Look to it that you be built upon this foundation that you be not built upon the Sand but upon this Rock Matthew 7.24 For hence it is that the Church stands so safe because built upon this Rock therefore the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Matthew 26.18 The Papists make the Pope the Corner-stone of their Church but it is not the Pope it is not Peter himself as personally considered that the Church is built upon Many build upon the sandy foundation of their own Righteousness and their own strength and moral endeavours These are false foundations But if you be upon this foundation fear not whosoever believeth in him shall not be confounded 2. The Walls of the Temple they were of Stone the inside was Cedar adorned with carved Cherubims Palm trees Flowers and overlaid with Gold and yet further adorned with precious Stones fixed and sparkling like Stars in fit places in the Wall 1 Kings 6.18 29 2 Chron. 3.6 The outside of the Wall was either white polished Marble as some think or overlaid with Silver as others conceive from 1 Chron. 29.4 For within it was overlaid with Gold Therefore this Silver as it seems was for the outside which could not but yield a very bright and glorious shew to the eyes of all spectators especially when the beams of the Sun did shine and sparkle upon it The thickness of the Wall of the Temple is not expressed in the Scripture but the least that can be allowed at the foundation is four cubits because there was a rebatement of three cubits in the thickness of the Wall for the side-chambers 1 Kings 6.6 and for the Wall in the highest story we may well allow one cubit and so there will be four at the bottom The Scripture appies this mystically to the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.12 it had a Wall great and high and again v. 17. and often the Walls are mentioned 1. The Walls of an House or City are the defence and safety of it so Isai 60.18 thou shalt call thy Walls Salvation And God is said to be a Wall of Fire Zech. 2.5 for I saith the Lord will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about and will be the Glory in the midst of her the Lord is for Walls and Bulwarks to his people Isai 26.1 2. The Stones in this sacred Building
and to the Blood of sprinkling 2. It is called a Sea of Glass like unto Crystal for pureness and excellency This is spoken not as by way of diminution but to set out the Glory of it All which agrees well to the justifying Blood of Christ which is more precious than Gold or Silver 1 Pet. 1.18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Gold and Silver from your vain conversation but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ Reas 4. From other parallel places in this Book where the Sea is spoken of where it relates to the Blood of Christ as dispensed in the Ordinances as in the second Trumpet cap. 8.8 The corruption and declension of the visible Church when declining unto Popery is set out by this that the third part of the Sea became Blood the Worship and Ordinances were infected with deadly corruption And in the second Vial cap. 16.3 when the Popish corruptions are discovered and made to appear it is said the Sea became like the Blood of a dead man and every living Soul in that Sea dyed Salvation is not to be had in the Popish way of Worship it is deadly unto Souls instead of conveying Christ and his Blood to save and quicken it exhibits nothing but the Blood of a dead man And hence also the Saints in the Reformation out of Popery are said to stand upon this Sea of Glass mingled with fire c. 15.2 The Protestant Churches and Reformers have ever insisted upon this Justification by faith in the Blood of Christ and not by Works so in like manner here in this place this Sea of Crystal before the Throne is the Blood of Christ in the Ordinances for washing and cleansing Reas 5. There is no other interpretation given by Expositors save only that some have taken this Crystal Sea to be the World and say they are compared to a Sea for tempestuousness to Glass for brittleness and to Crystal for transparency But beside that these accommodations are more ingenious then solid and demonstrative it is impertinent to the scope of the place thus to bring in the World here the whole design of the Chapter being to set forth the Glory of God in the Church under Temple-images and allusions as hath been shewed I shall therefore now conclude with a few words as by way of use from all that hath been said upon this Temple-Sea Vse 1. We have here some intimation of the Preeminence of the Gospel above the Law in that they had the figures of these Mysteries but we have the things themselves and in that the Temple-Sea was but of Brass but this in the Text is of Glass and not common Glass but Crystal This may intimate something of preference and preeminence of Gospel-dispensations above the Law Vse 2. Note here secondly the deadly corruption of the Popish Religion and the main difference between a Papist and a Protestant The Papists want this Crystal Sea it is true they have a Sea such as it is but it is not a Crystal Sea filled with this pure and precious and Soul-cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ but theirs is a Sea of dead Blood They use to brag and boast much of the Sea of Rome Take it for the Seat of their Bishop Romana Sedes It is but the Throne of the Beast the Seat of Antichrist But the Text speaks of a Sea in another sense And theirs is but a Mare mortuum no Fish can live in that Sea no Soul in that Church in that Religion But the Protestant Churches they have sure and firm footing upon this Sea of Glass as cap. 15.2 and I saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his Mark and over the number of his Name stand on the Sea of Glass having the Harps of God It is mingled with Fire the fire of the Spirit of God burning and working effectually in them And there is indeed a fire of Contention also and Divisions and Differences amongst Protestants but yet here we stand safe even upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for Justification as applied to us in his own Ordinances and Institutions Here we stand with Harps of God triumphing and rejoycing in Christ Jesus Vse 3. Here is Direction to unclean Souls and defiled Consciences what course to take and whither to go for cleansing Especially when you are to come before the Throne to approach into the presence of God in solemn duties stand upon this Crystal Sea wash in this Fountain make use of Christ in this respect You that complain O this unclean heart of mine how shall I appear in the presence of such an holy God Here is a Sea to wash in For your your help therein take these four Rules 1. See thy own uncleanness and need of cleansing Isai 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Ther 's not only personal defilements but defilements by contagion from others for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Before that great and holy God I stand with such an unclean unholy heart Therefore wash or else you dye Exod. 30.20 21. Aaron and his Sons shall wash their hands and their feet that they dye not The reason why so many Professors prove hypocrites and so dye and perish at last is because they rest in a moral way of Profession they do not live upon Christ for Righteousness and Life They avoid some sins it may be and perform some duties but rest there There is a neglect of Christ and of daily washing in the Sea of his Blood and so they dye before the Lord. 2. Know and be convinced that no other means will do it for though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord Jer. 2.22 you may as soon wash a Blackamoor white as cleanse a defiled Conscience by duties and ordinances and moral endavours without Christ yea they will but make thee worse for the Lord will not bless them when carnally trusted to and rested in without Christ As suppose a man were baptized or washed in a puddle in some dirty muddy pond he comes out fouler then he went in so men by their own endeavours and duties become worse 3. This Fountain is set open The Blood of Christ is offered the Lord gives thee liberty to wash thy self in this Sea In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13.1 It is not a Fountain sealed but set open in regard of the general offer of the Gospel unto all 4. Hence all thou hast to do for thy spiritual cleansing is only to apply and receive this Blood this Soul-cleansing Blood of Jesus Christ which the Lord
of the Light that shines there and now in other respects by the Shew-bread The analogy to this appears in four things 1. In that as many Grains make up one Loaf so many Believers make up one Church 1 Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread One person is not a Church how few and how small a number the Church may be reduced unto we need not here dispute In Noahs time they were reduced to 8 persons The first Church and the beginning and foundation of the Church in all after times was when God himself preached the Gospel to our first Parents in Paradise and then Adam and Eve and their Seed were the Church of God There must be divers there must be more then one to make up a Church 2. The analogy appears in the number for as there were twelve Tribes of Israel so there were twelve Loaves These twelve Tribes were often and divers ways represented as by the twelve Stones in the Brest-plate of the High Priest Exod. 28.21 and by the twelve Stones which Joshua did pitch in Jordan and the other twelve which he took out of Jordan and pitched them in Gilgal for a memorial of the 12 Tribes passing thorough Josh 4.9 20. so Canaan was divided into twelve parts that people coming of twelve Patriarchs to which answers the twelve Apostles of the New Testament and the new Jerusalem is built upon those twelve Foundations Rev. 21.14 so in these twelve Loaves there is the like mystery they represented both the Old and the New-Testament-Israel 3. These Loaves were to stand before the Lord all the week upon the Golden Table This was the chief action about them and which holds forth the principal scope of the Institution therefore called Panis facierum or Propositionis Matth. 12.4 which our Translators have fitly rendred Shew-bread The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 24.6 thou shalt set them upon the pure Table before the Lord. This signified his continual eye and care over his people they are never out of his sight never out of mind his eye and his thoughts are continually upon them from one end of the week to another Isai 49.16 behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of mine Hands and thy Walls are continually before me Though he seems to forsake and forget them yet he remembers them still Jer. 31.20 for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him 4. There is Frankincense set upon the Loaves and offered up for a memorial before the Lord Lev. 24 7. This speaks the Lords remembrance of them with acceptance for the Incense made a sweet smell a savour of rest A man may remember a thing with hatred and abhorrence but the Lords remembrance of his people is with dearest affection with everlasting loving kindness he hath a precious remembrance of them These twelve Loaves the twelve Tribes of Israel are by Faith in Christ a sweet odour to him as 2 Cor. 2.15 And as the Lords eye is over upon them so should theirs be to the Lord and that continually See Psal 123.1 2. As the Lord saith of the Angels Matth. 18.10 they do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven so the Saints even here below they should set the Lord alway before them And this is Happiness and Heaven begun 1 Kings 10.8 happy are thy Men happy are thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy Wisdome The Lords eye upon them in a way of constant care and love and their eye upon him in a way of continual dependance This is a blessed condition Thus you see the first mystery of the Shew-bread how it was a Type of the Church 2. A second mystery of the Shew-bread is the Food and spiritual Provision that is in the Church of God that is Christ in the Word and Ordinances The Word is compared to Bread Amos 6.11 False Doctrine to leavened or sowred Bread Matth. 16.12 It hath the properties of Bread Psal 104.15 Bread which strengtheneth mans heart ver 16. the staff of Bread This Bread is Christ He is the Bread of Life as Joh. 6.48 Christ is typified also by the Manna and the Golden Pot thereof reserved in the Holy of Holies But some distinguish the mystery of these two Types thus That the Manna in the Oracle was the Type of Christ personal this Bread upon the Table in the Sanctuary was a Type of Christ doctrinal or Christ in the Word opened and applied to hungry Souls The analogy will appear further in these particulars 1. They were to set the Shew-bread upon the Golden Table in the Sanctuary every Sabbath Lev. 24.8 Every Sabbath shall he set it in order before the Lord continually that is in the Sanctuary which was a Type of the Church This then speaks thus much That the Ministers of the Gospel are to set Christ the Bread of Life as it were upon the Table every Lords day There is and ought to be a weekly provision of this Food in the House of God every Sabbath As every week there was new Bread so Christ is to be afresh held forth 2. The Priests were to feed upon this all the week after Lev. 24.9 And it shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it in the holy place so in the Church they that hear the Word and have Christ preached and held forth therein should live all the week long upon the Provision that is made upon the Sabbath Then the Bread is set before Lord but in the week time it is eaten It is a great neglect when the Bread is not eaten when the Word is not digested meditated fed upon But people think it is enough to come to some good Meeting and there to hear the Word But do you eat it and feed upon it all the week do you meditate and ruminate upon it 3. None but the Priests were to eat the Shew-bread It shall be Aarons and his Sons and they shall eat it Lev. 24.9 though in an extraordinary case others might as when David and his Men did to save their Lives in hunger 1 Sam. 21.6 which Christ allows and justifies Matth. 12.3 4. for ceremonial Rules must give place to Moral God will have mercy rather then Sacrifice But the ordinary Rule was none but Priests were to eat the Shew-bread And who are spiritual Priests under the Gospel All Believers they are a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 This then teacheth us that none but Believers have a right unto Christ and to the Promises and do or can feed upon him Unbelievers do but intrude and usurp that which is none of theirs when they challenge a part in him They are but Dogs that snatch at Childrens Bread 4. It is the Priests that set this Bread in the Sanctuary and they eat it We may
home and be converted but also that we be preserved unto his heavenly Kingdom Joh. 17.15 He prays that we should be kept from the evil Hence sometimes Believers are kept from being tempted But if they be tempted they are either kept from falling by temptations or if they fall from lying in their falls 4. Suppose you meet with troubles oppositions and persecutions from the world Let the world speak evil of us yet Christ speaks well of us or rather for us to his Father and then what need we fear See Isai 51.7 8. 5. Thy Prayers are full of weaknesses and imperfections but the Prayers of Jesus Christ have no weakness and imperfection going along with them Quest But how may I know that Christ prays for me Answ Thou maist know it by two things 1. If thou hast a heart to pray for thy self thy Prayers are the eccho of his Intercession if Christ hath taught thee to pray for thy self Christ intercedes and prays in Heaven for thee Rom. 8.27 2. Hath the Lord taught thee to prize the Prayer and Intercession of Jesus Christ for thee if so it is a sign he is interceding for thee Heb. 7.25 Vse 2. This also makes against the Papists who plead for Mediators of Intercession though not of Satisfaction beside Christ This cannot be for his Intercession is founded in his Satisfaction the Scripture makes him the only Mediator of Intercession Rev. 8.3 It is true the Saints do pray or intercede for one another but yet they are not Mediators because it is not their own Incense nor their own Blood but it is his Incense it is his Blood that makes their Prayers effectual They do not pray in their own name but in his but he prays in his own name by the merit of his own Blood THE GOSPEL of the ARK and its Appertainances in the HOLY of HOLIES Jan. 3. 1668. Hebr. 9.4 5. THe Ark with its appertainances was another of the holy vessels belonging to the Holy of holies and it was the chief of all their holy things as appears in sundry respects as for instance 1. It had many glorious appertainances that related to it many other vessels belonging to this as the Cherubims c. 2. The place of it was the Holy of holies 3. Solomon though he made all other things new in the Temple yet he did not make a new Ark but only introduced the same which Moses had made with great solemnity into the Oracle the place which he had prepared for it 2 Chron. 5.7 Whatever changes and varieties there may be in other things whereby God dispenseth himself unto and amongst mankind other utensils may be made new there may be new Ordinances new Administrations but there is no new Christ Never look for any new or further Administration in this respect as there is no new God so there is no new Christ but Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. It is a blind and blasphemous delusion to speak of Christ as an Administration that is to pass away when the Saints have passed under it for a while 4. In that the Providences about it were very great and glorious and full of teaching and instruction The Ark of God led them through the Wilderness We are to follow the Guidance of Christ through the world It was carried with Bars so is Christ upon the Ministry of the Gospel from one place to another As the Levites did carry the Ark so Preachers may be said to carry Christ to bear his Name among the Gentiles so Paul Act. 9.15 Many great things were done by it Jordan was divided by it so by Christ all obstacles are removed out of the way The Walls of Jericho fell by it so by Christs coming the strong holds of Satans Kingdom are cast down It was the downfall of Dagon So is Christ of Satan and Idolatry While the Ark was amongst the Philistines they were plagued but Obed-Edom was blessed while it was at his House so Christ in the Gospel to some brings wrath being refused to others Salvation Eli and his Daughter died when the Ark was taken and the Bethshemites rejoyced exceedingly when they saw it so the presence of Christ brings comfort but his absence grief and sorrow The Bethshemites were punished for prying into the Ark. It is a dangerous thing to search into inscrutable Mysteries Be wise unto sobriety The Ark after many travels was brought at last to a place of rest in Solomons Temple so Christ after many wearisome journies on Earth was at length taken up into Heaven a place of rest where he sits at the right hand of God But as to this glorious Utensil it self we may observe these things 1. The Ark was the Throne of God on which he did appear sitting on his Throne of Grace and Glory and from whence he spake and gave forth Answers and Oracles Hence we read of a Throne of Grace Heh 4. ult This Throne of Grace is that Mercy-seat that covered the Ark on which God sate and where he is said to dwell between the Cherubims Psal 80.1 1. Here he gave upon special occasions visible appearances of his Glory This is that Shechinah which the Jewish Rabbins speak of And they have it from the Scriptures and the Prophets Ezek. 1. last and cap. 9. and 10. The Glory of the Lord is said to appear and to remove and depart away by little and little There was still less and less of God among them till he was quite gone So Isai 6.1 Rev. 4.2.3 2. Hence the Lord spake with audible voice and gave forth his answers so he promised to Moses Exod. 25.22 so Numb 7. ult The mystery of all which is this that God is to be seen in Christ and that he speaks and reveals his mind to us only in and through Jesus Christ 2. The Mercy-seat which was upon the Ark was a Type of the passive Obedience and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ for our sins whom God hath set forth to be Rom. 3.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 he is the propitiation for our sins 3. The Law which was within the Ark is the active Obedience of Christ Psal 40.8 thy Law is within my heart 4. The Golden Pot of Manna is Christ in the Word Exod. 16. Joh. 6.48 49 50 51. He is the true Manna the true Bread of life 5. Aarons Rod that budded is the Ministry blessed with success for the good of Souls Numb 17.10 this was reserved before the Testimony for a token against the Rebels 6. The Cherubims upon the Ark are the Angels ministring to the Lord Ezek. 1. they are there described Is 6.2 they look towards the Ark they pry into the mysteries of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 held forth by the Church Eph. 3.10 The mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God being above their comprehension and their Subjection to Christ as Mediator being not included originally within the Law
the matter to this head of the Jewish Festivals subjoined as an Appendix those two Discourses as they were found amongst the Authors Papers Farewell THE GOSPEL of the JEWISH FESTIVALS Jan. 14 17. 1668. Coloss 2.16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath-days Which are a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Obs 1. THat the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three Heads Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths 2. That these were Shadows of things to come but the Body or Substance is of Christ 3. That therefore Christians should not suffer any man to condemn them for their not observing of these Days I shall handle the two first together in one shewing under each of these legal Holy days what the substance and thing signified was what of Christ was signified and shadowed forth by them Obs 1. That the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three heads viz. Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths This Distribution of them doth frequently occur in the Scripture in other places as well as in this Text 2 Chron. 2.4 I build an House saith Solomon for the Burnt-offerings on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of the Lord our God Ezek. 45.17 And it shall be the Princes part to give Burnt-offerings c. in the Feasts and in the New Moons and in the Sabbaths even in all the solemnities of the House of Israel that is in their appointed or solemn Assemblies Where Solemnities or solemn Assemblies is the general and this Genus is distributed into three particulars Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths so likewise Hos 2.11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease her Feast-days her New Moons and her Sabbaths even every holy Assembly of hers The first word is Feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew moyed set times because they came at set times of the year This is meant of their annual Festivals which were in number five The three principal were the Feast of the Passover the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles which continued the two former each of them seven days the last for eight days together and the first day and the last day of them were holy Convocations wherein they were to do no servile work but to be wholly vacant for the Word and Worship of God The first mention of them is in Exod. 23 14-17 They are more largely spoken to in the 23. chap. of Leviticus and again in Deut. 16. and briefly recapitulated and summed up in ver 16. These were the principal because then all the males were to go up to Jerusalem and therefore these three are so often mentioned together There were also two more the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Expiation There are five general Rules observable concerning all these yearly Feasts 1. That they were all to be celebrated at the place the Lord their God should choose which was Jerusalem Exod. 23.14 Deut. 16.16 That which we are to learn therein is this that there is a Church-worship There are some Ordinances of Gods Worship which are not to be enjoyed but in Church-society As there is a personal and family-worship so there is publick or Church-worship of this kind is the Lords Supper If this be not an Ordinance of publick Worship under the Gospel there is none therefore to carry it to private persons upon their death-beds as the Papists doe is unwarrantable and superstitious 2. It is to be observed that they were all in the Summer time and not in Winter for the Passover was upon the fourteenth day of the first month Pentecost was seven weeks after and the Feast of Tabernacles was upon the fifteenth day of the seventh month Hence is that expression Acts. 27.9 Sailing is now dangerous because the Feast was now already past that is the Feast of Tabernacles The Instruction we are here to learn is this namely to see the tenderness of God towards his people even as to the outward man As he will have Mercy rather then Sacrifice so he orders the matters of Sacrifice and Worship with tenderness and mercy even to the bodies of his people yea the Spirit of God vouchsafes to dwell in their very Bodies as well as in their Souls and he preserves the dust thereof as precious reliques in the treasures of his Providence and will gather those dispersed atoms and bring them forth again and raise them up to everlasting life How great is his Goodness to us It shews there is a Duty incumbent upon us in reference to our Bodies and how great a sin it is in men to wrong and hurt their bodies when the Lord himself is tender of them 3. They were not to come empty handed Exod. 23. Deut. 16.16 17. true Religion is bountiful Duties of Worship are to be accompanied with duties of mercy and bounty so upon the Christian Sabbath there should be Collections for the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 Hypocrisie divides these it is willing to serve God but in the cheapest way hypocrites are all for a cheap Religion 4. Whereas there was danger of Invasion by their Enemies when all the Males were absent the Lord secures them by a promise of special Protection Exod. 34.24 Neither shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year Learn here that while we are in our Duty God will take care of our Safety the way of Duty is the way of Safety When the Church of the Jews was gone from God and had crucified the Lord of Life this protecting Providence forsook them For at the Passover it was that the Romans took and destroyed Jerusalem This Ordinance which was at first and ever after a means of safety to them the Lord now makes it a snare to bring them all together as it were into a pound that the Romans might take them and cut them off But while they abode with God in purity of Worship and Obedience he abode with them in his protecting Providence This should be a great encouragement to us in the Work and Worship of God to run all hazards and to fear no colours but be resolute in the discarge and performance of Duty The Lord is with us in such a case and then who can be against us 5. These Feasts as to their end and use were both commemorative of former Benefits and also prefigurative of future It may be said so of other holy times and holy things also but it holds eminently true concerning these three solemn anniversary Feasts The first of these yearly Feasts was the Passover which began upon the fifteenth day of the first month answering chiefly to our March The first Institution of it is in the 12th chap. of Exodus There were three things which were the peculiar observations of this
Prefiguration of the Rest of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Grave that whole day which was indeed the only whole day of his resting or cessation from the actions of a bodily life For he was in the Grave only some small part of the sixth day and of the first day but he rested the whole Jewish Sabbath So then as they had other legal days and times that pointed them to other things about the Messiah so the Sabbath points to his resting in the Grave And he did not only rest in the humbling of himself under the guilt of our Sins but in his Resurrection from the dead The day of his Resurrection was the day of his entring into his state of rest from his Sufferings but on the Sabbath he rested from the actions of his bodily life therefore the seventh day Sabbath is abrogated and the Lord hath substituted the first day of the week for the Sabbath is moral And there is a ground too for the changing of the day that there should be one day in seven to attend on the Worship of God this is moral and perpetual that it should be the last day in seven this is by Gods Institution made legal and typical Christ entred into his rest of Glory into the state thereof at his Resurrection and into the place thereof when he ascended into Heaven but his resting in the grave was on the seventh day From all which you may see the morality of the Sabbath considered as in general together with the shadowy nature of the Jewish Sabbath of the seventh day having these typical respects relations annexed to it and so therein you see the grounds of the abrogation of it and of the substitution of the Christian Sabbath instead therereof And so much may serve for the typical respects and use of the Jewish Sabbath Now as for the Rites and Observations thereof 1. There were more Sacrifices that day then upon other days Numb 28.9 10. The reason was because there were more Mercies given and commemorated that day as the Creation their Deliverance out of Egypt and their Sanctification by the Spirit It shall be a sign between me and them that they might know that I Jehovah do sanctifie them Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 20. Here learn that the more Blessings God gives to any people the greater thankfulness he expects again It reacheth also that special Holiness that should be upon the Sabbath more exercise of Grace and duties of Worship to be performed upon that day then ordinarily upon any other day there should be that among us on the Christian Sabbath that should answer their double Sacrifice upon their Jewish Sabbath But in Ezek. 46.45 there is appointed for the Sabbath six Lambs for one under the Law to teach us that there should be more Holiness now under the Gospel then there was under the Law 2. They might not kindle a fire on that day Exod. 35.3 as some think to put them in mind of their absolute freedom from their Egyptian Bondage and the fiery Brick-works there or from the fire of Gods Wrath in the world to come when entred into that none of these fires should ever be kindled upon them or hurt them though others think that restraint respected only kindling a fire for the building of the Tabernacle nor is it unlikely 3. They were to abstain from building the Tabernacle that day Exod. 31.12 13 14 15 16 17. and 35.2 to teach them that the six days that is the time of this life is the only time wherein God will build the Tabernacle of his Church this life is the only day of Grace and opportunity of Salvation 4. They might not gather Manna on that day Exod. 16. In this life Christ is offered but in the Sabbath of eternity no Manna no means of Grace no offers of Christ then none could have Manna upon the Sabbath but they that had stored it up upon the week day so none can have Christ in Heaven but they that have stored him up in their hearts on earth These things shew the rigor of the Law as to Sabbath-rest but the Pharisees being deeply possest with the spirit of the Law did strain it a peg or two higher that to do a miraculous work of mercy or works of necessity was unlawful 2. They had also a Sabbatical year viz. every seventh year a Sabbath of the seventh year every seventh year was a Sabbatical year as every seventh day was a Sabbatical day Exod. 23.10 Deut. 15.9 This was celebrated by letting the Land rest from its usual culture and husbandry Levit. 25.4 5. Some alledge a political and philosophical reason for this that the Land by resting one year might be the more fruitful the other six quod caret alternâ requie durabile non est This Sabbatical year was celebrated by giving rest unto the Land from tillage and manuring the hungry ground This was a shadow of things to come this signifies something of Christ and Gospel mystery in which observe four things There was a fourfold Instruction in this Sabbatical year 1. This Sabbatical year told them plainly that both they and their Land was the Lords Lev. 25.23 For the Land is mine 2. This taught them to depend upon Providence without worldly care and trusting to the Creature for supply and support For they must not now sow nor till the Land this year for the sixth year was to bring forth the Fruit of three years both for the seventh year and for the eighth and for the ninth till the Harvest time See Lev. 25.20 21 22. and ver 6. the Sabbath of the Land shall be meat for thee The Land of its own accord that year was to produce sustenance enough both for man and beast It is not enough for us to depend on the ordinary course of means God can over-rule them and over-work them as he doth here 3. The Lord hereby teacheth them and us that great Gospel-lesson and duty of mercy and bounty to the poor Exod. 23.10 11. the Land must rest that the poor may eat and Deut. 15.1 2. Creditors must release their Debtors every seventh year Lev. 25.5 6. there is an Equity a Chancery a bountiful condescension to the necessities of the poor that men exact not their own right in all things but rather remit and abate something thereof Not but that men may take their course and use means to get it especially when persons are able and wilful but in case of poverty there should be mercy shewed in such a case 4. This Sabbatical year was a special season and time of instruction in the Law of God Deut. 31.10 11 12. the Lord would have them instructed and taught to know his Mind and the true Religion and the ways of his Worship Therefore he appointed so many times and seasons for it weekly and monthly and yearly and moreover one year in seven as you see Beside the mystery of spiritual rest by Christ of which further in
living God Joshua and the Princes as some alledge might have banished them being engaged by their Oath no further but to the saving of their Lives but they suffered them still to dwell in the Land and devoted them as the first Fruits of the Slaves or Servants to the Lord. Their work was to provide and bring in Water to the Lavers and molten Sea and to provide Wood for the Fire of the Altar of Burnt-offering The time when they did this their service seems to have been early in the morning and late at night before the Morning Sacrifice which was at nine a clock in the morning and after the Evening Sacrifice which was not till three a clock in the afternoon But by this means having such access into the Courts of the Temple they came to see and know something of the Worship of the true God And as David saith Psal 84.10 better be a Door-keeper in the House of God then to dwell in the Tents of wickedness better be but a Gibeonite to the Worship of the true God then the High Priest of Baal or Apollo These Gibeonites or Nethinims were so incorporated into the Commonwealth of Israel that as they were carried away to Babylon with the rest of Gods people so they returned with them and accordingly are several times mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah This we may learn from the whole History of them that it is much better for men to seek after God though they do it meerly out of legal fear and terror as these poor creatures did then wholly to neglect him The Lord in the bringing home of his Elect usually begins with legal works and then by degrees carries it on further in such as belong to the Election of his Grace And now you have seen the several kinds of these Temple-Officers The next thing to be spoken to is their Maintenance For you may ask Quest How was all this large and numerous Hierarchy of Temple-Officers maintained Answ There was a large and plentiful provision made for them which is the second part of this Chapter from ver 8. to the end no less then five and twenty verses are employed upon this beside which if you will have a full account of it we must borrow Light from other Scriptures Their Maintenance consisted chiefly in these eight particulars the three first whereof are mentioned in this Chapter 1. All the Offerings and Sacrifices that were given to the Lord the Lord gave part thereof to these his Ministers so here ver 9 c. Hence the Apostle saith Do ye not know that they that wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar and they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple 1 Cor. 9.13 The Meat-offerings Sin-offerings Trespass-offerings Heave-offerings Wave-offerings were theirs the right Shoulder and the Wave-brest was theirs the two Cheeks and the Maw Deut. 18.3 and in the Burnt-offerings the Skin 2. They had the first Fruits of all things and that of the best so here in Numb 18. ver 12 13 15 16 17. of Corn Oyl Wine of men and Beasts whereof men the first-born of men and of beasts that were not clean for Sacrifice were redeemed with mony five shekels a head Deut. 18.4 and they had three sorts of first Fruits 1. Of the first ripe Ears of Corn offered at the Passover which was Barly because that was first ripe in that Country Lev. 23.10 Lev. 2.14 2. First Fruits of Bread at Pentecost and this of Wheat which was then ripe Lev. 23.15 3. First Fruits of all the other Fruits of the Earth of which Numb 18.13 Deut. 18.4 and Deut. 16.2 3. They had the tenths of all the Increase of the Land ver 20 c. the tenth of which tenth went to the Priests ver 26. 4. They had Gleab-lands forty eight Cities with their Suburbs for themselves and their Cattel The Institution whereof is in Numb 35. the eight first verses The Performance is recorded in Josh 21. throughout the Chapter whereof thirteen were given to the Priests the rest to the Levites six of them were Cities of Refuge 5. They had voluntary Presents and Contributions at the three solemn Feasts Deut. 16.16 17. 6. They had Poll-mony of a half shekel at every general Muster of the people and of the third part of a shekel yearly Of the former you have the Ordinance Exod. 30 12-16 it is there said to be for the Service of the Tabernacle which shews that the Levites had it though withall the Lord there puts another respect also upon it The ordaining of the latter you find Nehem. 10.32 7. The Restitution-mony for Trespasses and Injuries often fell into their hands which was the principal with a fifth part superadded Numb 5.8 8. They had a priviledge of exemption from all publick Taxes and Assessments that were laid on others granted them by Artaxerxes Ezr. 7.24 All which put together amounts to a very large and ample Maintenance Some have observed that though the Levites were not equal in number to the one and fortieth part of the people yet their Revenue and yearly Income was above four times as much as fell to the lot of the richest Tribe in all the Land of Canaan and that the Temple and these sacred Officers of it had above a third part of the Income of the whole Land The Instruction which the Apostle teacheth us out of all this is the Maintenance of Gospel-Ministers He disputes the point at large 1 Cor. 9. as from arguments of all sorts so from the equity and reason of this old Temple-ordinance Object But what necessity is there that Ministers should be maintained by others For can they not follow some other honest Calling and yet preach too Answ For a man to follow another Calling and yet to be a constant Preacher is neither lawful nor possible ordinarily 1. It is not lawful because it is the Ordinance and Appointment of Jesus Christ that the Ministry should be a particular Calling that is that Ministers should employ their whole time upon it 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. Be thou wholly in them give thy self to reading c. To think otherwise argues a secret contempt of this Calling and blindness of heart concerning the nature of it Is it such a small thing in your eyes to preach the Gospel that this must be done as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a work upon the by which is of so great weight and concernment that it requires the whole man and the utmost improvement of all his abilities and of all his time and talents for the right discharging of it 2. As it is not lawful so it is not possible ordinarily as no man may preach constantly so no man can preach constantly that follows another Calling Object But they may by the immediate assistance of the Spirit say some Answ I answer the Spirit of God doth not give any such immediate assistance in these times and therefore it is presumption to
the next particular viz. 3. The Jubile There was also a third Sabbath beside the weekly Sabbath and the seventh year Sabbath they had likewise a Sabbath of seven times seven that is the Jubile This was their great Sabbatical year for they were to reckon seven times seven years and then to observe a Sabbatical year Lev. 25.9 This also was a Type of Christ as appears in three things that were done in this year of Jubile 1. There was Redemption and Release every one set at liberty every bondage released and every yoke broken Here is a shadow of the spiritual and true Redemption by Jesus Christ who of spiritual slaves by nature makes us the Lords Freemen by Grace Christ hath proclaimed Redemption to sinners and Deliverance to poor captive souls Isai 61.1 2. There was the Trumpet of the Jubile to proclaim it The Gospel is this great Trumpet the proclaiming of the Jubile is alluded to Isai 61.1 2 Isai 27. ult in that day the great Trumpet shall be blown The great Trumpet is the Gospel Calv. in loc 3. Some have observed further that the coming of Christ was at the Jubile that Christ came at the time of the Jubile I know there is some difference amongst Chronologers about it but sure it is it fell thereabout some placing the Jubile upon the preaching of John Baptist who did proclaim the Lords coming but others place it as seemeth more exactly upon the very year of Christs Death by which we were redeemed and set free indeed They began the account of their Jubiles from about anno mundi 2560. for they came out of Egypt about the year 2513. they were forty years in the Wilderness six or seven in conquering and dividing the Land of Canaan Then began their first Sabbatical year from thence to the Death of Christ there were eight and twenty Jubiles his Death being about the year of the world 3960. So you see something of the Gospel-mystery of these Sabbaths of the Jews the three sorts of Sabbaths every week every seventh year and every fiftieth year and thus also you see how these legal holy times and seasons were all shadows of good things to come Take some general Uses from the whole Vse 1. See and remember the unlawfulness and unwarrantableness of the Observation of these Jewish times and seasons under the Gospel for they were typical Amos 5.21 The Papists observe the Passover which they call Easter Pentecost commonly called Whitsuntide and instead of the Feast of Tabernacles they keep the five and twentieth of December for the time of Christs Birth all which we retain And they have also added a Jubile which because it is a profitable time to the Popes Purse he hath ordered it to be kept every five and twenty years instead of fifty These are Errors of dangerous consequence for they do implicitly deny that the Substance is come If these things were shadows of things to come the retaining of them now is an error of dangerous consequence For to retain any of these dark and legal shadows is an implicit denial that Christ the substance is come These things were more fully spoken to the last time Vse 2. See and observe the burthensomness of that old legal Dispensation as also our Christian liberty now under the Gospel The Lord requires no day of us but the Lords day and occasional days of Humiliation or of Thanksgiving upon emergencies of Providence calling thereunto Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free Gal. 5.1 and be not again intangled in the yoke of bondage Vse 3. And lastly see wat clear and plentiful evidence the Jews had concerning Jesus Christ that he was the true Messiah and how true this of the Apostle in the Text is that they are a shadow of things to come Put all these things together and you will see these Jewish days made up a rude draught or dark shadow of the good things that were to come under the Gospel in sundry particulars relating to the Body which is of Christ As for instance they lead to the time of his Conception by the Holy Ghost on the first day of the month To the time of his Birth and Nativity being born on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and circumcised the eighth He suffered at the time of the Passover He lay and rested in the Grave on the Jewish Sabbath He poured forth his Spirit at their Feast of Pentecost The Jews might have found the Body by these shadows had they been attentive to mind the things belonging to their peace they might have thought when they saw such a conjunction surely this is he that comes speedily to redeem Israel And you though you have a conviction of the truth of the Gospel yet get a further and fuller conviction of it from this that Jesus Christ was so plainly shadowed forth to us by all these ancient Dispensations THE GOSPEL of the GREAT DAY of ATONEMENT Levit. 16. the whole Chapter Jan. 24 28. 1668. THis Chapter is wholy taken up in declaring the Feast of Expiation or Atonement upon the tenth day of the seventh month It is more properly and indeed a Fast but yet commonly called a Feast as taking the word in a more lax acceptation for any set or solemn time And though it was indeed a day of afflicting their Souls yet there was joy in the end of it for their peace was made with God and the Jubile proclaimed this day It was with all the Services and Administrations of it the most full and compleat shadow of the great work of our Redemption that we meet with under the Law the High Priest representing in all he did that which Jesus Christ the true High Priest was to do indeed in the fulness of time I shall endeavour to explain it a little to you as God shall enable me following the method of this Chapter and so you will be able to read it more understandingly and with edification Wherein the first thing that doth occur is the occasion of the Institution ver 1. viz. the Death of the two Sons of Aaron when they offered before the Lord and died which Story is recorded Lev. 10.1 2. Some add that Man fell upon this day but this is not likely It seems more probable from all the circumstances of the Story that he fell upon the seventh day For that he was not fallen upon the sixth day appears by this that in the close of the sixth day God approves all his Creatures that they were good Gen. 1. ult therefore sin had not yet spoiled them And if he had stood out the whole Sabbath day it is probable he had been confirmed by eating of the Tree of Life For it is probable that upon the Sabbath he should have enjoyed all the Ordinances of God and consequently that the Sacrament of that estate should have been the concluding Ordinance as under the New Testament they were wont to
break Bread every Lords day And in the primitive times the Sacrament was the concluding Ordinance But Man did not eat of the Tree of Life for then he had been confirmed and lived for ever Gen. 3.22 therefore it is not likely that he stood in his integrity to the end of the Sabbath And as to the time of the day wherein he sinned it seems to have been about eating time at dinner about noon eating what they should not being the thing wherein they sinned And after his Fall it is said that God came and spake to them in the cool of the day Gen. 3. ver 8. This seems to have been about that time of the day which the Scripture calls the ninth hour which is after our reckoning about three a clock in the afternoon So long they were in darkness and under guilt of their Sin before the Promulgation of the Gospel to them Wherein some have observed a congruity in that Jesus Christ was under those his infinite Sufferings upon the Cross the same space of time from the sixth hour to the ninth Matth. 27.45 46. And it being thus Man in his first sin and fall did break all the Commandments at once as he brake all the rest so he sinned upon the Sabbath day This seems by all the circumstances of the Story to have been the time of his Fall But to think that he fell on Tuesday the tenth day from the Creation there is nothing in the History to evince it Others think this Fast on the day of the seventh month was appointed in remembrance of the great Sin the Idolatry of the Golden Calf Exod. 32. But we may rest in that the Text mentioneth as the occasion of this Ordinance viz. the Sin and Death of Nadab and Abihu And there is a threefold Instruction we are here to learn Obs 1. Here we are taught first That there must be holy fear and reverence in approaching to God in his Ordinances an holy fear and dread of sinning in the manner of his Worship and that it is a dangerous thing to worship God otherwise then he hath appointed Men should take heed of it that they die not as Nadab and Abihu did for this sin they incur the danger of Death both Death temporal and eternal Though God doth not usually smite men with visible Judgments but when they are first in any transgression yet there is a spiritual fire and wrath upon their spirits for it which is worse then outward Judgments Obs 2. The Lord takes hold of the saddest occasions to bring in Dispensations of the greatest good and mercy to his people Light out of Darkness Heaven out of Hell good out of evil to those that he hath set his Love upon Obs 3. When some are slain and die in and for their sins the Lord provides for the Salvation of others that they die not Now to come to the thing it self Moses is to charge Aaron that he come not into the Holy of holies at all times nor in any manner but at Gods appointed times and in such manner as he requireth This manner is here described at large It consists chiefly in three things 1. His washing himself 2. His holy Garments And 3. His propitiatory Offerings 1. That the Priest must wash before he put on his Garments and before he present his Offering is an intimation of his Purity and Cleanness Hence that expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water This is the first thing he is to do So Christ Matth. 3.16 was baptized before he entred upon his Ministry and he was perfectly holy and pure not having the least defilement of sin upon him though he had taken on him our Nature and all the other Infirmities of it Vid. On the Priests Consecration Exod. 29. 2. As to his Attire here be two sorts of holy Garments mentioned in the Services of this day the holy Garments ver 4. and other holy and most costly Garments ver 23.24 Some call the former his White Garments and the other his Golden Garments 1. This Priestly Attire was an emblem of spiritual clothing Psal 132.9 Let thy Priests be clothed with Righteousness and let thy Saints shout for joy and ver 16. I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation Job 29.14 I put on Righteousness and it clothed me my Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem This then speaks the Grace and Holiness that was in Jesus Christ and ought to be in Ministers such Garments Ministers should be clothed with 2. Those two sorts of Attire the White and the Golden Garments signified the different estate and condition of Jesus Christ when he performed the great work of our Redemption and made atonement for us he did it in much meanness and abasement Isai 52.14 his Visage was marred he was without external Pomp and worldly Glory in the form of a Servant made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 though with Holiness and Purity and Innocency He had white Garments on though they were but plain But as there is a clothing of Grace so there is a clothing of Glory 2 Cor. 5.2 4. And after his Resurrection when he had been in Heaven and returned again and arose and appeared from the dead he did change his Raiment He wore the garments of Holiness here but when he entred into the holy place even into Heaven he did put on garments of Glory These were the holy Garments on this day of Expiation Now the third thing is the Offerings of Atonement and they were of two sorts for the Priest and for the People 1. For the Priest himself and for his own House ver 3 6. This teacheth us the insufficiency and imperfection of the legal Priesthood Heb. 5.1 2.3 we need a better High Priest and we have one Heb. 7.26 27 28. The Priest was first to make atonement for himself and for his own sins that so he might be fit as a figure of Christ the true High Priest to make atonement for the people They that lie under unpardoned guilt themselves are not fit to be Mediators and Intercessors for others The Priest had three things to do in reference to his own Sacrifice 1. He was to kill it and so to make atonement with it v. 11. This was a Type of the Death of Christ the true Sacrifice 2. He was to offer Incense in the Holy of holies v. 12. This is a Type of the Prayers and Intercessions of Jesus Christ in the virtue of his Satisfaction Here are four particulars observable 1. As the High Priest did this before he sprinkled the Blood in the Holiest of all so Christ prepared his own way into Heaven by his Prayers and Intercessions Joh. 17. 2. The Incense was beaten small to intimate the anguish and contrition and brokenness of heart wherewith Christ prayed and interceded for us those agonies of spirit in his Prayers before his Death which he offered