that God might love you and pardon sin in you and that he might give you an inheritance amongst them which are sanctified but because all this is freely procured by Jesus Christ for you already and is freely by the grace of God made over to the soul as his through sound believing Like 1. 74 75 That we being delivered mark that not that we might be delivered might serve him without fear in righteousness and holinesse all the dayes of our lives so Hebrewes 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved mark that a Kingdom already received Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear so Titus 2. 11 12. The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men mark that which hath already appeared This teacketh them that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world So that a believer is so far from being set free by Christ from the Law or ten Commandments as that he is the more obliged to the strict observation of it Therefore saith Saint Paul Romans 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Romans 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good The form of the Old Covenant is taken away by Christ from a Believer but the matter still remains itceaseth to be a Law commanding for life to a Believer but it still requires obedience in all manner of Coversation at a Believers hands because he doth live and so it s a Rule to walk by as binding as ever Thus you may see if you will but consider the place where the Tables of the Law were placed they were placed in the Ark which Ark typed out Christ as you have heard before so that by Moses his placing the Tables of the moral Law in the Ark under the Mercy-seat both which places being types of Christ it is very clear that the moral Law or ten Commandments are become the Law of Christs mediatory Kingdom CHAP 19. I now come to speak of the Table for the Shew bread placed in the Tabernacle THis Table called the Shew-bread Table was placed by Moses in one side of the tabernacle Exod. 40. 22. The use of this Table was to hold the bread called the Shew-bread this bread was made into little loaves or cakes and set upon the Table and they were in number twelve which was proportionable to the number of their tribes The bread was set in two Rows upon the Table six on one side and six on the other side of the Table The bread was set new on the Table every Sabbath day and when the new was to be set on the Table the Priests were to eat the old as you may see in Lev. 24. 5 6 7 8 9. Now this bread was typical two ways and both held out Christ to the people First It figured forth Christ one who constantly abideth under the eye of God for the people or in the behalf of beliervers for as the Shew-bread was always to stand on the Table before the Lord therefore called the Shew-bread so Jesus Christ who is called The bread of life John 6. 35. Is never off the Fathers sight in the behalf of believers in whose humane nature the Father was fully satisfied and in whom he professeth himself to be well-pleased with us Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Christ is always in readiness to present his Father with the view of his Righteousness on the Altar of his sufferings presenting his Father with his nailed feet and hands with his pierced sides with his hanging down head upon the Cross with his drops of blood in the Garden with the pourings forth of his soul unto death that so the sight of these things might endear believers to the heart of God Use 1. It may be some soul may think that he is cast out of the sight of God and out of the favour and love of God O but thy Christ is not and so long it is well enough Remember and recover thy self with these thoughts Christ thy Shew-bread abideth in Gods eye for ever Christ is alwayes standing upon the Table of acceptation before God for thee so saith the Apostle Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands but into heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God for us And therefore soul if thou hast union with Christ thou needest not doubt of thy condition for if the Father do accept the head certainly he cannot reject the members Again whereas the Shew-bread was put into twelve loaves according to the Tribes of Israel as that there was not a loaf more or less This teacheth us that though the number of those that shall lay hold on Christ by real faith be many yea very many yet they need not doubt here is bread enough for them all here is a loaf for every Tribe a piece for every Christian O Christ is an inexhaustible treasure which will not be wasted a fountain which cannot be drawn dry a loaf that can never be eaten Although there hath been many a thousand that have been a feeding upon Christs Flesh and Blood throughout all generations of the world yet our Lord writes himself still Heb. 13. 8. Jesus Christ tke same yesterday to day and for ever Again This Shew-bread signified the great bounty and goodness of God to the Israelites in their wilderness condition in that he gave them to understand that he could and would provide for them a table in a barren Land where no corn was grown that from thence they might be led the more to admire God in his power love and grace manifested to them in that condition and that their hearts might be raised up to a pitch of thankfulness so likewise should it teach Believers to make the same use of Gods bounty and goodness to them in the gift of his Son Jesus Christ that such provision should be made for them that the Table of his grace and love should be so deckt with the flesh blood merits and righteousness of his own onely Son as you have it in the parable Luke 14. 16 17. A certain man made a great supper and bid many and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden Come for all things are ready Thus you see a great supper is provided much provision made a table furnished no want at all on Gods part all the want lieth on our parts we are not ready O how should this cause Christians to admire God in his wonderful acts of grace to their souls that as John speaks John 3. 16. He should so love the world as to send into it his onely begotten Son that whosoever seeth him and shall believe in him shall have everlasting life And with 1 John 3. 1. To break forth into a holy admiration and cry
their use was for this purpose that if any man had committed murder accedentally yet if he did immediately repair to any one of these Cities before the officer that was appointed for execution did overtake him then he was not to die provided he did not get out of the City untill the death of the present High Priest Numb 35. 11 12 13 14. These Cities as to the use of them they were all types of Jesus Christ with respect to the safety Christ administers to poor guilty sinners in a way of protecting of them from the wrath of God Look as the avenger of blood did pursue the murâ—herer in open field so doth the Justice of God the sinner every day Psalm 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day so ver 12 13. If he turn not he will whâ—t his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death he hath ordained his arrows against the persecutors But if the soul can make to Christ before the justice of God hath overtaken him he will be safe fot Christ is the great City of refuge there is no kinde of evil can enter the gates of this City saith Solomon Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run thereat and are safe therefore it is said in Isaiah where the prophet is speaking of Christ Isa 25. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall Therefore soul if thou wouldst be protected from the blast of the terrible one from the stroke of Gods justice maste haste to the City of refuge which is Christ get into him and thou wilt be safe CHAP. 38. Of the scape-Goat offered to God for the People THere was likewise a live Goat which that the Priest was to take upon the head of which he was to lay his hands and there to make a publick confession to God of all the peoples sins and when so done the Priest was to lay all the sins of the people upon the head of the Goat then was the Goat to be sent away into the Wilderness never to return with them more Leviticus 26. 7 8. 9. with 21 22. verses This Type as well as the rest was to set forth the wonderful grace of God in Christ to sinners who hath prepared a scape Goat for them to carry away their sin upon his own head which scape Goat is Christ his onely Son O this is wondeâ—ful love saith the Spirit John 3. 16. God so loved the world as that he sent forth his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life O look to Christ he is this scape Goat he bears all the sinnes of his people they are confessed over Christs head and translated upon Christs head Isa 53. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 24. And so made his sins not ours and he hath carryed them into the wilderness of forgetfulness where they shall never come into mind more Jer. 31. 34. From the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember the sin no more Christ will leave all the sin and guilt which he took upon him behind him in the Wilderness saith God I will cast away their iniquity behind my back And assure your selves when ever Christ comes again he will come without sin to Salvation Heb. 9 28. CHAP 39. Of the other smaller Sacrifices in use amongst the people THere were other Sacrifices which they offered to God besides what have been mentioned all holding forth something of a Christ to come now these sacrifices were of two sorts First Of things solid Secondly Of things liquid or moist Those solid things which they offered to God in sacrifice they were likewise of two sorts First Of things living Secondly Of things dead Now the living sacrifices or the sacrifices of those things that were living They were either Bullocks Levit. 16. 11. Goats Levit. 16. 15. Rams Levit. 16. 3. Lambs Exod. 12. 3. And young Pigeons Levit. 1 14. Now all these living sacrifices were to be put to death which answers to the death of Christ pointed out to them as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 9. 26. That Christ towards the latter end of the world should appear to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself And these sacrifices were not only to be put to death but their bloud was to be shed forth that so an atonement might be made to God by it Levit. 1. 14. Levit. 16. 15 16. Which answers to that of the Apostle touching Jesus Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. And where as well these sacrifices were to be without spot or blemish Levit. 3. 6. This answers to the Apostles pure nature of our Gospel-sacrifice Christ as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 9. 14. Secondly As for these sacrifices which were of things sollid but of a dead matter it was Meal or Flower and this was to be bruised or broken which answers to that of Christ which the Prophet speaks of him in Isa 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin As for these sacrifices which were liquid they were either of Oil Wine or Water and this was to be poured out upon the ground Exod. 29 40. Which answereth to that of Christ which the Prophet speaks in Isa 53. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the greaâ— and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death Thus soul I have spoken my thoughts of these great mysteries of the Gospel and I hope that I was not wholly left to my own spirit in the thing I found much of the presence of the Lord going along with me in the work the foundation of which was laid in prison when I was shut up for Jesus Christ Jâ—has Isle of Patmos brought him in his great Revelations from God and I hope that my impisonment was attended with somethng of a Patmos blessing if thou receivest any benefit by it give God the glory and say the Lord hath brought whom light to thee out of the midst of ignorance it self and thou hast met with instruction from the mouth of a mere Babe But what 's there too hard for the Lord who when he will work who shall let him who brings to nought the things that are by the things that are not and by foolishness to confound the wise and prudent My desire is that as I have laboured in the strength of God to bring this forth for thy spiritual profit and advantage thou wouldst not content thy self only with the keeping of this piece in thy house and the letting of it stand upon thy shielf or to let it lie in thy window but be much in the reading and meditation of it things no farther profit us then we are diligent in the use of them Remember that Timothies spiritual profit came in by much reading and meditation on the word 1 Tim. 4. 13. with ver 15â— Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages world without End Amen FINIS THese are to inform the Reader That whereas the Covenant mentioned amongst the TYPES is left out and nothing spoken of it the reason is the Author intends to publish it in another Treatise By reason of the Authors Remoteness from the Press there are several Mistakes in this Book Wherefore the Reader is desired to compare such places as are doubtful with this following ERRATA Pag. line  3 14 FOr such read they 8 8 for strength r. streight 11 4 for executioner r. execution 17 14 leave out so no some 27 10 leave out of 32 4 add is 36 10 leave out the 69 6 leave out never inherited 73 26 leave out who have 76 20 for shall r. that 78 19 for imagining r. ingaging 84 17 for loose r. leave 87 32 for meanest r. means 90 33 for that r. the 96 3 add it 109 30 for Church r. Gentile 120 26 leave out thoughts 121 3 for mind r. wind 134 11 for work r. word 137 11 add were 142 25 add an 144 29 add eace 147 29 add not 180 9 leave out pride 187 36 add what with 189 30 leave out comma at with an instance 202 27 for times r. sometimes and at the last line of page 202 add for his people in all ages Therefore 207 10 for tears r. words 209 6 leave out all 216 32 for sacrifice r. house 220 21 for his r. this 223 32 add may 228 17 for neither r. either 233 6 for will r. doth 245 35 r. who hath despised c. 266 31 for careful r. fearful 270 26 for laudable r. audible 273 2 for laudable r. audible 274 29 for me r. them 300 32 for he r. here 301 8 add not  9 for whom r. home 304 18 r. a view of him as 307 28 for mark r. word 317 last for administration r. admiration 325 9 leave out well
40. 35. with Levit. 1. 11. Exod. 30 6. For thorow it God appeared to the people and out of which God gave the knowledge of his will and minde as the above Scriptures shew This answereth to the usefulness of Jesus Christ to the Elect of God or it shews us very much of the prophetical Office of Christ for it is Christ onely that can give out the knowledge of his Fathers will and pleasure to the Church of God All the manifestations of the love grace mercy favour and councel of God comes home to the Church through the humane nature of this blessed Tabernacle Christ Jesus therefore saith Christ John 14 24. The word which you hear is not minâ— but the Fathers which sent me John 15. 15. I call you friends for all the things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you John 12. 49 50. For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his commandment is life everlasting whaâ—soever I speak therefore what the Father said unto me so I speak Hence is Christ called the wonderful councellour Isa 9. because of his revealing office by all which it appears that Christ is the way through which the Father reveals or maketh manifest himself to his people now as he did to the Israelites of old through the Tabernacle Use 3. O therefore soul if thou wouldst have more fatherly grace let out upon thy soul if thou wouldst have more of the knowledge of God more of the love of his Spirit of Light and assurance if thou wouldest know more of his will so as to obey it and live to it O then wait upon God at the door of this Tabernacle Christ for in him it is that the Father will speak with thee and no where else Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased O wait upon him in the meanest of grace break through all discouragements and opposition and temptations to wait upon the ordinances of the Gospel if ever thou intendest to acquaint thy self with the saving knowledge of Gods presence of grace and favour to thy soul O stir not from prayer reading hearing the word meditation Christian conference and communion with the Lords people for thou waitest upon Christ in all these things and in waiting upon Christ thou waitest upon the Tabernacle through which God will discover himself to the people therefore be not discouraged to wait here though thou meetest but with little profit hitherto yet the promise is in Isa 30. 31. He that waiteth upon the Lord he shall mount up as on eagles wings they shall run and not be weary walk and not be faint But to be a little more particular about several things in the Taberuacle as they were many in number yet not a thing there without its special use and signification as they related to Christ and there is not one of these things but had a wonderful deal of glory and excellency laid up in them and were but the ignorant more acquainted with it then they are they would not slight the Books of the old Testament as they do CHAP. 17. I now come to speak of the several things in the Tabernacle and first I begin with the Ark. FIrst there was in the Tabernacle a very glorious thing called an Ark Exod. 37. 1 2. The signification of which we finde to be the Worship of God accompanied with his presence therefore in 1 Sam. 4. 21. when the Ark was taken by the Philistines it s said that the gâ—ory of God was departed from Israel meaning the Worship of God wherein God was in an especial manner present with his people so Ps 132 8. For indeed the worship of God is the glory of any Nation and when that is gone their true glory is gone although it may be they do not see it Use 1. Then how may we pitty those Nations that are without the true worship of God alas they are without true glory they have not excellency or beauty upon them they have not the worship of God whatever they may account of themselvs yet God and his word accounts them to be a base ignoble nation or people a whole nation of them not worth one single person of that people which have the worship of God amongst them read Isaiah where God is a speaking of these persons that had his worship kept up amongst them and do but observe how God values them in comparison of others which had not this true worship amongst them speaking to Israel saith thus Isa 43. 3 4. For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee I will give men for thee and people for thy life Now Israel had the true Worship of God amongst them but Ethiopia Seba and Egypt had not and that is the reason that God prefers Israel above and beyond the other nations but when the God of this world hath wholly blinded the eyes of the nations of the earth as the Apostle speaks in 2 Cor. 4. 4. As that the light of the glorious Gospel cannot shine in upon their hearts It s no wonder if the nations of the earth findes not the want of this mercy Secondly O then what a sad thing is it for a Nation that once had the Gospel amongst them shining in its lustre and brightnesse round about their Tents and Tabernacles to be guilty of driving and forcing the Gospel away and the pure Worship of God away from them what worthless creatures are such and what a worthless Nation is such a Nation think you in Gods sight who shall in the face of God cry down and vote down and thrust out from amongst them the Ark of his Worship and Gospel as a thing not worthy to live or abide amongst them Certainly if the Gadarens Luke 8. 37. Did render themselves a vile people in Gods sight in putting Christ from their Country though done with a mild intreaty how much more vile hath that Nation or people rendred themselves in the sight of God who have not patience with the Gadarens to intereat him civilly to depart from them but wicked Pharaoh-like doth violently force him and drive him out of their Coasts Certainly I know not a blacker Character can hang over a people or Nation then this Character which do more strongly witnesse the Ruine of such a people then this doth read these places Prov. 1. 25 26 27. 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. Thes 1 2 15 16. You likewise know what became of Pharaoh and his whole Army together with all the glory of his Kingdom suddenly after he had contracted this kind of guilt upon him and his Nation and certainly the Lord favours this kind of sin no more
out O what manner of love is this that we should be called the Sons of God CHAP. 19. I shall in the next place speak of the Candlestick which was placed in the Tabernacle IN this Tabernacle there was placed a Candlestick which was made of pure Gold and the fashion of it was thus It parted from a foot high in the stem into six branches three of the branches going one way and three of the branches going another way there were three bowls made like unto three almonds with their knobs and their flowers to every branch but in the stem of the Cnadlestick below their parting were four bowls with their knobs and their flowers Exod. 27. 17. Exod 37. 18 19 20. By the Candlestick in this place we are to understand to be meant the Church of God which Church is made up of true Believers which truly and sincerely profess and own Christ and his Worship being redeemed by his Blood from all the earth Rev. 7. 14. This is the signification of the Candlestick the truth of which you may read Rev. 1. 20. where the seven Churches are compared to seven golden Candlesticks which answereth to the Candlestick in the Tabernacle for that was made of pure beaten Gold Ex. 27. 17. Now the Church of God may be compared to a Candlestick several manner of wayes First As a Candlestick is made to mount or hold up the light that all in a time of darkness may see so doth the Church and people of God they hold up the light of truth and the bright shinings of the word and Gospel that all that are in the dark world who sit in the Region and shadow of death might behold the face of God in Jesus Christ shining through the Saints gifts graces and holy conversations in upon their souls Isaiah 2. 3. The Law shall go forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem by which means Isa 9. 2. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light and they that dwelled in the land of the shadow of death upon them hath the light shined Though this latter prophesie doth principally belong to Christ yet it is to be applied to his Church also for it s through them Christ shineth upon the dark world therefore saith our Saviour to his Dissciples Matth. 5. 14. Ye are the light of the world meaning they were the Candlestick prepared of God to hold up and hold out the light of truth to the dark blinde miserable world Use 1. This informs then what a deal of duty lieth upon the Church both Ministers as well as others First For Ministers what care should they take and what pains should they expose themselves unto in order to the keeping up and holding forth the light and word of the Gospel to the dark nations of the earth what care did Paul take to fulfil his ministry and to discharge his duty this way Acts 20. 24. He counted not his life dear unto himself so that he could fulfil his ministry with you which ministration he had received from the Lord Jesus and that he might be useful this way you may take notice of Pauls practice Acts 20. 20. I have kept back nothing which was profitable to you but have shewed you and taught you openly and throughout every house But O good God how few such house preaching lights doth the eart afford us in this our age but contrariwise instead of men that should make it their business with Paul and the rest of the Apostles to go from house to house to enlighten the dark famiâ—ies of the earth in the knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ they rather bend their forces parts wits and purses to darken and put out the light of truth and the knowledge of God in all the families they meet withal where they go like unto those teachers of old spoken of in Ezek. 34. 18 19. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures and to have drunk of the deep waters but you must foul the residue with your feet and as for my flock they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet How far these or such as these are from being of the true Candlestick appointed to hold up and hold out the light of truth in the world let the reader judge But again this should teach all the Saints for they are a part of the Candlestick also to endeavour in their several places and callings to promote the glory of God in their generations to study godliness and which way they may be useful with their gifts and graces amongst their relations and neighbours and in their families in order to the bringing in of their souls to Jesus Christ therefore saith our Saviour Mat. 5 16. Let pour light so shine before men that they seeing your good works might glorifie your Father which is in heaven To this agreeth the words of Paul Phil. 2 16. with ch 15. ver 15. He exhorts all true Christians that they would labour to hold forth the word of life and that they would labour to live unblameable in their lives and spotless in their conversations and that they would keep themselves without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation amongst whom they were to shine as lights so verse 16. The reason of the former exhortation is given you viz. because they are to hold forth the word of life even as a Candlestick they are to hold up or hold forth the light of truth Secondly A candlestick is appointed to hold fast as wel as to hold up the light that it fall not down because the fall of which many times puts out the light so is the Church of God prepared and fitted to succour and keep up the light of Gods holy truth in the earth that it might not be thrown down by the malice of the devil and wicked men who labour night and day to put it out in the world There be two wayes by which God fitteth the Church as a Candlestick to keep up the light of truth in the world The first is by pouring forth upon them the gifts of the Spirit by vertue of which they are enabled to discover detect and finde out all errour and whatsoever may be contrary to sound doctrine as in Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars Hence it is that the adversaries of truth are said not to be able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which St. Stephen spake Acts 6. 10. The reason you may perceive lay in this the Church of which Stephen was a member had a very great measure of the gifts of the Spirit which came upon them but a little before read Acts 2. 1 2 3 4. Secondly God fits his Church as