burning upon the Altar by addition of continual fuel and therefore all culinary fire is called strange and that which the Lord will not own in his Sacrifices This was the reason of the sore punishment of Nadab and Abihu the Sons of Aaron because they offered k Lev. 10.1 strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not And therefore excellent is that place in the Psalmist according to the l Psal 20.4 Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him remember all thine Offerings and thy burnt Sacrifice turn to ashes that is inflaming of it with his celestial fire in token of acceptation This may hint to us what special care we ought to adhibit that we draw not nigh to God with the culinary fire of our own corrupt passions we must not lift up hands to Heaven in m 1 Tim. 2.8 wrath If John the meekest of the Apostles shall desire of Christ to call for fire from Heaven to eonfume the wretched Gadarenes who loved their swine better then a Saviour even he shall meet with a rebuke together with the rest a Luk. 9.55 Ye knew not what manner of spirit ye are of It is observed by b V. ibid. p. 63. Concerning Cain Cloppenburg that Jerom's question is not rashly answered out of Theodotio's Translation in these words * Hieronym Tom. 3. qu. in Gen. p. 206. Vnde scrire potuit Cain quod Fatris ejus munera suscepisset Deus sua repudiasset nisi illa Interpretatio vera esset quam Theodotio posuit Et inflammavit Dominus super Abel super Sacrificium ejus super Cain vero super Sacrificium ejus non ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflammavit How could Cain know that God had accepted the Offerings of his Brother and rejected his own unless that Interpretation were true which Theodotion hath given And the Lord sent down fire upon Abel and his Sacrifice but not on Cain's The descent of fire from Heaven upon the Sacrifices of old d Id. p. 65. was a visible token of the presence of the holy Spirit who is in Scripture compared to fire and therefore in the day of Pentecost e Act. 2.3 the Spirit did sit upon the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues And our Lord is said by f Mat. 3.11 John Baptist to baptize with the holy Ghost and fire Hence is that metaphorical expression in the Apostle Paul commanding the Saints of g 1 Thes 5.19 Thessalonica to take heed of quenching the Spirit whose warming and inflaming motions are necessary for the offering up of all our spiritual Sacrifices unto God even as the continual fire upon the Altar was for these of the Jewish Ordinances Of this Burnt-offering concerning which we are treating I shall at present observe but one thing more and that is that there was nothing of it reserved from the fire but the skin only and that was given to the h Lev. 7.8 Priests In like manner when the Heads of Families were Priests before the giving of the Law the Sacrificer had the skin As i Origen Ho. 6. in Levitic p. 145. Origen observed of old concerning Adam that the skins wherewith he was cloathed were of the Beasts which were offered in Sacrifice To signifie that by the clothing of Christs righteousness the great Sacrifice for sin our nakedness is hidden from the sight of God But why must the Priest in following times after the solemn introduction of the several Rites of the Mosaical Law have the skin of the Sacrifice To shew thereby that in the first place God would have the pains and labour of his servants in his worship to be alway rewarded We learn also hereby that every mans Offering is to have the outward skin of profession pulled off God looks to the heart and inwards of our duties what fat and flesh there is upon our services But the Priest he must have the skin he is to take care of and look to the very externals of worship that they be managed according to the prescript forme of Gods will and is to have recompence for such his service 'T is not the skin that will satisfie or please God in our Offerings He that searches the heart expects we should worship him in spirit and truth The performance of the solemnity of this Offering consisted in eight particulars as you may read pag. 116. of this Treatise whereupon I shall briefly gloss only by allusion craving a favourable and candid Interpretation for I press not my own apprehensions rigidly at any time and then shall retire to the second the Sin-offering 1. We are to confess our sins over the head of the Offering that God may lay them upon and impute them to Jesus Christ Prov. 28.13 Confession must go before pardon Confess and forsake and ye shall find mercy b Joh. 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithfull to forgive us and the c Verse 7. bloud of Christ his Son shall cleanse us from them 2. As the person did slay his Offering so 't is we that by our sins have crucified the Lord of life 3. As the Priest sprinkled the bloud round about the Altar so Christ who offered up himself sprinkles his meritorious bloud upon the Altar and makes his Sacrifice acceptable Nay all our Spiritual Sacrifices are only pleasing to God through the sprinkling of his precious blood This d Heb. 12.24 bloud of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel Abel's bloud cried for vengeance against his wicked Brother this bloud of our elder Brother cries for mercy atonement and pardoning grace for such as are elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and e 1 Pet. 1 2. sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 4. As the Priest flayed off the skin So our great Highpriest by the power of his Divinity did lay down his life he did exuere Tabernaculum lay aside the thin a 2 Cor. 5.1 4. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. Tabernacle of his body for a while when he gave up the Ghost to the Father and commended his Spirit to him b Heb. 10.20 The vail of his flesh was rent insunder in the day when he made his c Isa 53.10 Soul an Offering for sin 5. As the Sacrifice was cut in pieces Oh how was his blessed Body mangled by the nails and spear his head pierced with thorns d Psa 22.16 They pierced his hands and feet Oh how was his blessed soul under flaming agonies in that hour when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 6. Fire was laid upon the Altar and fuell to preserve it The wrath of God was the fire and sin the fuel to keep it burning till this blessed Saviour had fully satisfied for all the sins of the elect 7. All the parts were laid in order upon the Altar even as Christ our Lord was stretched out upon
other sacrifice alluding to the Peace-offerings I will offer says David in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy I will sing Psal 27.6 yea I will sing praises unto the Lord. Thanksgiving is another Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High He that offereth praise glorifieth me saith God Psal 50.14 v. 23 Ps 107.22 Hos 14.2 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoycing The Church in the Prophet Hosea cries unto the Lord Take away all iniquities and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our lips Jer. 33.10 11. There shall be heard in this place saith the Prophet Jeremiah the voice of them that shall say Praise the Lord of Hosts for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of Praise into the house of the Lord. By him that is by Christ saith the Apostle let us offer the sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips Heb. 13.15 giving thanks to his Name Mercy also is desired of the Lord rather then sacrifice Hos 6.6 Good works and alms are a sacrifice likewise I have all and abound says Paul having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you Phil. 4.18 an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God Wherefore to do good and communicate forget not Heb. 13.16 for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Righteousness is another Offer the sacrifices of Righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion Psal 4.5 Psal 51.19 build thou the Walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of Righteousness Prayer is another most excellent and sweet smelling sacrifice under the Gospel My house shall be called of all Nations a house of Prayer Mar. 11.17 Of this we have treated more copiously above when handling the service of Incense Not only our souls in their several heavenly breathings at the Throne of Grace and in all their Divine services presented to God are represented in Scripture under the ancient shadows of sacrifice but our Bodies also are to be presented as a living Sacrifice Heb. 12.9 holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable service As God is the Father of our spirits so is he the Creator of our bodies and expects from both as is most due from creatures all manner of homage obedience adoration and praise for ever Wherefore let us draw near wâ—th a true heart Heb. 10.22 in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Also the vocation of the Gentiles is represented in the Holy Scripture as a Sacrifice in the dayâ— of the Gospel to be presented to God when in every place incense shall be offered to the name of the Lord and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the Heathen Mal. 1.11 saith the Lord of Hosts The Apostle Paul says that he was the Minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles ministring the Gospel of God Rom. 15.16 that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost Psa 116.15 In the last place Martyrdom is esteemed a Sacrifice and that which is most precious in the sight of God Paul compares himself to a Sacrifice when near to his death at Rome Phil. 2.17 The Souls under the Altar that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held are related to cry with a loud voyce Rev. 6.9 saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth There being therein a strong allusion to the blood of the Sacrifices of old which was poured out besides the Altar the warm vapours whereof went up reaking towards heaven In which sense Cyprian speaks of the Ministers Exhortations of the godly to suffering in his days Cypr. Ep. 2. p. 4. edit Bas 1530. that thereby they might prepare Sacrifices for God SECT VI. The Endowments of the Temple Officers Spiritualized WHat Priviledges Possessions and Revenues the Servants of God in the Temple Worship under the Law enjoyed I have formerly explained in a set Chapter Hieronym ad Fabio loc Tim 3. p. 58. The end is set down by Jerome in his Epistle to Fabiola Primitiae cibor um c. ut habens victum aâ—q vâ—stitum securus liber serviat Domino The Firstfruits of meats c. were given to the Priests that having food and raiment he might with security and freedom give up himself to the service of the Lord Wherefore such as come up to worship God at the Temple were charged never to appear empty before the Lord Nay God himself Exod 23.15 34. â—0 Deut. 6.16 Lev. 27.30 Num. 18.21 who challenged the tythes from â—he people of Israel as his own did make an act of assignment of them to the Levites in consideration of their service in his worship From whence it follows by the same rule of Equity that such as serve God in the great work of the Gospel should have a competent and convenient maintenance to encourage them in the work and service of God Nay A minori ad majus By how much more excellent their Dispensation is and the glad tidings of the Gospel to be preferred before the shadows and ceremonies of the Law by so much the more ought the Christian people to manifest greater love countenance encouragement and obedience to those that watch for their souls Heb. 13.17 But we shall see that the Apostle Paul doth draw an inference from the ancient legal maintenance in behalf of the Gospel-Ministrey in these words Who goeth a warfare at any time of his own charges who planteth a vineyard 1 Cor. 9.7 c. and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also For it is written in the Law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn Doth God take care for Oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written That he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Do you not know they which minister about holy things livâ— of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the altar Vers 13. are partakers with the altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Dr. Edw. Reynolds on Psal 110 4â— at the end of v 4. p. 479. Phil.
the Gowned Nation but I seriously profess I had no design when the whole work was finished except the ninth chapter to have appeared publikely in it having resigned it up as a piece of service to a friend for the company of a larger Treatise of his written in our Mother-Tongue upon a subject of this like nature and thereby I should have passed through the world with more contenting secresie But since some urgent providences well known to several of my friends have over-ruled me to walk without another's shelter I thought it no unsafe course to pitch upon your Candid and Learned Protection Obliged Duty challenges the tender of my respects and former experience lays the foundation of your expected Favour The natural love and affection which I ever found planted within me toward that place of my Education even as I have generally observed I know not what Genius may I so term it or affectionate tincture to run in the veins of such as have been bred at Wadham strongly invites me to the former and I cannot dispute the equitable return of your kindness in the latter being grounded upon past experiment I shall mean-while not cease to breathe out hearty Prayers towards the Golden Mercy-Seat That all within your Walls may be set up for standing Pillars in the House of God that your hearts may be flaming Altars your Tongues golden Harps and that Garments of praise may be your Covering That the great High Priest would please to sprinkle your Consciences from all dead works with his own most precious blood and that he would carry your Names engraven upon the Stones of his Brest-plate continually before the Father That Holiness Vertue all savoury and wholsome Knowledg and whatsoever is Praise-worthy may flourish and be ever verdant within your Walls That golden Crowns of Learning imbellish'd with sparkling Diamonds of Grace may adorn your Heads and Hearts and give forth a most Orient and Radiant lustre in the Schools of the Prophets That not only the Lamp of Knowledge shining out of the Sanctuary may illustrate your mindes with Scripture discoveries But that also the Soul satiating Bread of life from the golden Table as of old it was the Priests every Sabbath may be your portion That ye might all taste of the hidden Manna that Aaron's Rod might fragrantly blossome among you and that God would write his Laws according to the tenour of the New Covenant not in Tables of stone but the fleshly Tables of your hearts That your hope may be fixed within the Vail sure and stedfast whither the Fore-runner is entred for all the Saints It would be one of the choice joys of the Lovers of that place to hear concerning you that Mercy and Truth have met together that Righteousness and Peace have kiss'd each other That all profaneness and unholiness being utterly rooted up and cast out to the Dunghil there may such proceed from thence as may prove Truth 's able Champions against the Goliahs of Errour and persons of cementing and healing Tempers to soder and salve the Schisms and Rents in the Church that Trees of Righteousness may be transplanted out of your pleasant and fruitful Nursery into the Garden of God which may yeild all manner of fruit in due season That silver streams of consolation may flow from your Spring being seasoned with the salt of Grace to refresh wearied souls and abundantly to water the dry and thirsty places of Immanuel's land That God's Urim and Thummim may be with you enabling such of you as are consecrated to God to teach Jacob his Judgements and Israel his Law That you may burn the spiritual Incense of sweet smelling Prayers before him and offer up the whole burnt Sacrifices of the Divine Ordinances upon the glorious Altar within his Gospel Temple So Prays Your hearty Well-wisher Samuel Lee. A PREFACE to the READER Courteous Reader I Here present thee with the sometime most pompous and splendid Glory of the whole world The Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem For prospect the most pleasant for foundation and walls the strongest for all its circumambient buildings the most Magnificent for costly Ornaments the richest and for its mysterious Rites the most Sacred Structure that ever the Sun saw It is commonly reported as I remember of Austin That if he could have obtained the pitch of his wishes he would gladly have seen Christ upon Earth Paul in the Pulpit and Rome in her Glory I wonder he mentioned not a fourth viz. The Temple in all its holy-day bravery I mean at the solemn Dedication thereof by King Solomon In the Land-skip of this Treatise thou maist have a short and I hope in some measure a true glance of its Royalty Though formerly as a Gentile thou mightest not presume to enter these Sacred walls yet now the partition-wall being down thou mayest draw near to the Holy of Holyes without fear of Crassus his doom never to thrive after his irreverent and bold intrusion But before I lead thee Good Reader into the Temple it self give me leave to detein thee while I discourse of some few things in haste which are necessarily to be premised to the following Work Some matters I confess might have been handled more concisely and some consequences might possibly have been wrapt up in a narrower compass But considering that Obscurity is the daughter of Brevity and that the unproficiency of some Readers proceeds from the over-frequent use of terms of Art and too compendious expressions I have taken the counsel of Aelian in the first Chapter of his Tacticks not to involve the sense in obscure and intricate words who blames most of the preceding Writers in his kind thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That they wrote as if all men knew already the things about which they compiled their Treatises manifesting by their dark terms wherein they laboured to be intricate that they intended not instruction but ostentation To let that pass The same Author promised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Types or Figures to Illustrate the matter that the Eye might assist the understanding So in this Treatise thou wilt find some figures of the Temple interserted which though not fully to my mind yet may moderately serve for the advancement of the true and genuine apprehension of its description as well as to delight the pious fancy of the devout Reader The next thing I am to mention is that form and figure of the Temple which is exhibited in the fifth part of the Apparatus preceding that late famous Work of the many Languaged Bibles I should not for modesties sake and the great respect I beare to such noble Labours whereby not onely our Country but the very age is honoured have mentioned any thing of this nature Had it not openly exhibited the frame thereof different from what is here produced whereby the very Body of this VVork at the first blush would have lain under dislike in the Censure of every vulgar eye However I am not
of Thus all over the Island whereof (r) l. 12. c. 14. Pliny treats at large But to let that passe whether the Schittah-Tree were odorous or not is not mentioned neither is it affirmed of the Arabian Schinus which although some do not think to be this wood of ours yet their reason drawn from a report that it was not tall and big is refuted by (ſ) Cap. 18. Lemnius in his History of Scripture Plants where he saies It was patula satis procera spreading to a good height and yet this last Author conceives it was the (t) Pag. 76. Citrus alluding therein to the Hebrew name But if there were no Trees growing in those Deserts of Arabia where Moses then was but onely the three forementioned according to the Testimony of Strabo it seems most probable that it was that prickly Tree seeing it was neither Tamarisk nor Date the name whereof mentioned by Diodorus alluding to the Hebrew may yield some light I know some count it to have been made of a wood that was brought with them out of Egypt because the Text saies that every man with whom was (u) Exod. 35.24 found Shittim wood brought it for the service of the Tabernacle but that doth not follow that this wood did not grow in the wildernesse where they offered it for the service of the Tabernacle because the Text saies it was found with them But indeed it doth not appear clearly and directly what sort of wood it was and therefore we shall suspend any peremptory assertion and proceed to the Mysteries of this excellent and rare Ornament of the Oracle The Mystery of the Ark. THe Ark was the (x) 1 Sam. 4.22 Glory of Israel and the Throne of God amongst his People it was the signe of his presence and before it were Sacrifices (y) 1 Sam. 6.14 15. offered and in the Wildernesse when it set forward then Moses said (z) Num. 10.35 The Lord is in his holy Temple Psal 11.4 Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered Many are the fancies of men ancient and modern in this particular But the Apostle hath left us a Key whereby to open this Mystery in some measure since he expresly tells us that Heaven was signified by the Oracle For Christ (a) Heb. 9.24 saith he is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are figures of the true But into Heaven it self So that though as to the state of the Jewes it was the Symbole of God's presence yet seeing their solemnities were Typical of things under the Gospel we must enquire according to the mind of Scripture what the Ark did signify and it seems it must represent somewhat in heaven where Christ is entred Wherefore laying aside the recital of the various opinions of learned men in this point which would take up much time and paper they being commonly mentioned every where almost The most naked clear (b) Rivet in Exod. p. 116. signification of this holy Vessel was seeing it contained the Tables of stone or the Commandments to represent the Divine Majesty as he is the great (c) Jam. 2.12 Lawgiver to the whole Creation and especially (d) Ps 147.28 Rom. 3.2 shewed his Word to Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments to Israel For to them were committed the Oracles of God who required obedience to them under pain of death In the Ark therefore we are to look upon God's divine Majesty as making a Covenant with Man-kind whose Royal Law speaketh on this wise (e) Gal. 3.12 THIS DOE AND LIVE Wherefore when the (f) Rev. 11.19 Temple of God was opened in Heaven The Ark of the Testament was made visible It was made of Shittim-wood and overlaid with Gold for which cause (g) Cramer Schol. Prophet part 4. p. 78. some apply the Ark it self to Christ they say the imputrible wood noted his Humanity the Gold his Divinity But these are niceties and forced Applications not grounded on Scripture whereas seeing the most proper meaning of this Ark is of the legislative power of God the Chest may be accomodated to signify the constant and inviolable conservation of the pure and holy Lawes of God given forth to the Church seeing it was made on purpose to retain the two Tables of stone written upon by God's own finger whose breast is the fountain of the Churches Laws and his constant presence there noted that God did continually eye his people whether they kept his Covenant Now though the Ark was to be abolished in due time For in the latter daies they shall no more say The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord But they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord * Jer. 3.16 17. and all Nations shall be gathered to it For God will manifest his presence in his Church in a more spiritual way Yet during the state of the Jews though Solomon made most Materials anew he made no new Ark but brought that which Moses made within the Oracle into the Temple to note that though some formes of worship and circumstances may vary yet the moral Commandments of God are never to alter nor the token of his presence as a King among his people But now since that no meer man ever yet kept the Law of God perfectly onely the Lord Jesus hath fulfilled his whole Will therefore God appointed a Mercy Seat to be laid as a Covering upon the top of the Ark seeing (h) 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Transgressions to them The Law needed a Covering by which our sins might be concealed from God's sight which was properly called a Propitiatory because God will not be satisfyed as to our sins and become propitious to us but alone through Christ (i) Ps 40.8 the Law being within his heart who came to do the Will of God and was the (k) Rom. 10.4 End of the Law for Righteousnesse to them that believe This Propitiatory or Mercy-Seat the Covering of the Ark was made all of beaten Gold to shew the inestimable and precious vertue of Christs ' obedience and it is styled by the 70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To which probably the Apostle Paul alludes in the use of this very word of the Septuagint treating of Christ's Righteousnesse whom (l) Rom. 3.25 God saith he hath set forth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Holy John useth a word of neer consanguinity with the former when assuring us that Christ is (m) 1 Joh. 2.2 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiation for our sins This Golden Cover lay betwixt the divine presence as mentioned (n) Exod. 25.22 sitting between the Cherubims and the Tables of stone within shewing that God through Christ alone looks upon us as accepted and keeping
is altogether lovely and this they cannot but experimentally affirm if so be they have (d) 1 Pet. 2.3 tasted that the Lord is gracious How (e) Psalm 119.103 sweet are thy words to my taste cries David yea sweeter then Hony to my mouth 1. Manna descended from Heaven in a miraculous manner Such was the birth of Christ his Divine Nature he brought from above his humane body was produced by the unspeakable (f) Luke 1.36 power of the Holy Ghost Manna was divided equally among the Israelites So Christ gives out himself without (g) Act. 10.34 respect of persons the meanest may have as great a portion in him as the greatest 3. Manna was a plentiful food none wanted but all had it fully and freely Of his (h) John 1.16 fulness have all we received even grace for grace It s call'd the (i) Psalm 73.24 Corn of Heaven Angels bread not as if it fell like crumbs from their Table but as descending from Heaven their habitation or as some think because it was dispensed by the ministration of Angels or so call'd rather by way of excellency that if Angels were to feed they would like Manna this Ambrosia would suit their palate It fell in the night or towards morning Our Lord was born in the (k) Luke 2.8 night in the night of Jewish Ceremonies but toward the dawning of the Gospel-morning Whereof Paul speaks (l) Rom. 13.12 Dr. Taylor of Types pag. The night is far spent the day is at hand 5. It fell round about the Camp of Israel The food of life is no where to be found but in the Church It was merè gratuitum a gift of Grace to Israel they plowed not sowed not planted not for it No labour no merit of theirs procured it Adam indeed might get his bread with the sweat of his brows but if Angels sweat out their hearts they could not obtain this bread without a free gift of Grace 'T is so with Christ all the good nature and moral honesty in the world cannot of itself procure one glance of love from God not one smile of Grace through Christ 'T is of (m) Eph. 2.9 gift that no man should boast For (n) Rom. 3.27 boasting is excluded by the Law of Faith It was a miraculous food its beyond the limits of nature to produce it All the Application of Actives to Passives will yield but an abortive Birth I may apply hither that expression of Job a Who hath begotten these drops of dew Out of whose womb came Manna and this bread of Heaven who hath gendred it In like manner the coming of Christ out of his Father's bosom was a miracle of love To reconcile Justice and mercy each to other Job 38.29 was a miracle of Wisdom To spare the sinner and kill the sin A miracle of grace and favour To regenerate fallen sinners and give them a life of Faith A mysterious miracle of divine power All Heaven born Christians are so many walking-Miracles so many pillars of Wonder It s observed by some that the works of Creation are said to be performed by Gods fingers When I consider thy Heavens sayes David the work of thy fingers Stolla in Luk. Psalm 8.3 the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained Whereas his extraordinary and miraculous works are represented as done by his powerful Arm. The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt and causing them to pass over the red-sea Exod. 6.6 15.16 1 Psalm 77.15 Luke 1.51 was performed by his out-stretched Arm. So sayes the Virgin Mary He hath shewed strength with his Arm To note the miraculous production of Christ into the world Now though that be but a nice Notion yet there is truth in the thing that the work was performed by the extraordinary power of God 7. The raining of Manna was in the week time there was none upon the Sabbath to note an eternal Sabbath coming wherein shall be no ordinances at all But twice as much the day before to note their plentiful distribution in the end of the world Now is the time for these golden Showers of Manna It began to rain on the Lords-Day and ceased on the Jewish Sabbath Origen pag. 87. Hos 2.14 15. It rained to note its plenty a double portion on the 6th day to signifie our fulness of it in the laâ—ter ages of the Gospel When once the Israelites were past over Jordan they had no Manna but while they were in the howling Wilderness God many times ends sweet messages of Christ to the soul when in the Sinai of a troubled estate when the bryars and thorns of the Wildernesse prick the soul when the heart is thorowly stung with sin when its weary laden Christ is sent to give it rest I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak to her heart saith the Lord to his Church and give her Vineyards in the Valley of trouble When once past over Jordan the River of Lethe that runs into the Mare Mortuum the sea of Death expect no more Manna no more bread of Life no more time for Repentance or reception of mercy Wherefore to allude that place where the son of man is said to have power upon earth to forgive sins thereby Luke 5.24 is not only intimated the annexion of the Divinity â—o his humane Nature God being manifest in the flesh and his having power co-equal with the Father But also that when once we are off the earth if not forgiven here no more remission or means of Grace is to be expected hereafter Here indeed we want this bread the staffe of our spiritual life to lean upon and in the support thereof to walk from strength to strength till we all appear before God in Zion Then we shall feed upon the Corn of the good land of Canaan upon the Milk and Honey of Heavenly joyes and Drink of that River of pleasure which flows at his right-Hand for evermore 8. Manna before it was eaten was ground in Mills beaten in Morters baked in pans sodden in pots to prepare it for use and afterwards it tasted and relished according to that which each person most affected or longed for If the Jews do not fail in their Stories All to set forth Christ how he was scourged reviled pierced dead and buried He trod the Wine-press he stood in the fiery burning Furnace of his Fathers wrath that he might be prepared for Believers to feed upon him by Faith and indeed whatever is said of Manna that Christ is even and much more abundantly all and in all to a Saint whatever we stand in need of is to be found in Christ Joy in tribulation Wisdom in difficulties Srength against enemies support in desertions Riches of Grace here and a massy Crown of Gold for heaven hereafter Manna when gathered if not eaten before the morning putrefied and bred worms and stank If we do only gather the word by hearing and
already I am somewhat the more confirmed in this conception because after the praecept of making all the curious vestments of Aaron when Moses is commanded to put them on in the next (b) Exod. 29.5 c. Chapter There is no mention made of this Vrim and Thummim Again when the ingenious Artificers Bezaleel and Aholiah are mentioned to be at (a) Exod. 39.21 c. work upon these choise vestments of the High-Priest we have no recital at all of the making of any such thing as Urim and Thummim True it is which I must not omit that in Leviticus when Moses brings his brother Aaron and clothes him with all his Gorgeous attire that there is mention made of his (b) Lev. 8.8 putting on the Breast-plate the Urim and Thummim But yet we must remember that the word there in the Hebrew is no other radically then what was spoken to before in the first place of Exodus and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dedit and he gave or affixed to it this excellent qualification by the Commandement of God that it should be for the manifestation of the decisive and determinate mind and will of God in all controversies and enquiries which they might lawfully bring before his Majesty Besides in that place there is no mention at all of the 12 Stones but in room thereof the Vrim and Thummim whereas the Breast-plate it self was particularly described Exod. 29.15 distinct from the stones that were set in it To conclude then this signified Typically the Revelation of the mind of God unto his Church by Jesus Christ the great High-Priest of our intercession unto whom all the Prophets and Apostles do give witnesse For the stones did cease to shine and give forth any radiant lustre in the dayes of Josephus when Christ the true High-Priest was manifest in the flesh as he himself doth testifie l. 3. Antiq. So much may then suffice to have spoken to this excellent and mysterious Piece I shall now come to the last Ornament of the Priests and the High-Priest which was to be about their heads and is the 8th in number 8th The 8th and last parcel of Priestly-aray respecting the Sons of Aaron and the inferiour Priests is called a (c) Exod. 28.40 Bonnet for Glory and for Beauty The matter of it was (d) Exod. 39.28 fine linnen The form or fashion of it seems to be hinted in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scyphus a great cup or goblet that 's round with a copped Cover (e) Ainsworth p. 117. as Mr. Ainsworth observes out of the Hebrew records that the Bonnets were of linnen Cloth wrapped about the head in a round and high crown'd fashion according to the manner of the East The High-Priest's covering is called by a different name though of the same matter (a) Exod. 29.28 fine linnen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cidaris from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circumvolvere to rowle about the difference being onely this as the former Author hath recited out of Jewish writers that whereas the former for the common and ordinary Priestâ— was round and copped this was more flat and close to â—he head Much to the same purpose doth (b) Hottingeri jus Hebraeene Hottinger speak out of the Hebrew records that the former was like a Head piece this last for the High-Priest was like the headgeare of a woman somewhat long behind and closer on the crown of the head Besides he had a holy (c) Ezod 29.6 Crown upon the Mitre and in the (d) Ver. 39.30 plate of the crown for so it is called was graven Holinesse to the Lord. The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flowre that is a flowred plate of gold bound to the mitre with a blew lace and reached but from ear to ear on the fore part of the head in the fashion of the Crowns of some of the Roman Emperors in their coines being indented Diadems of Gold Here I might shew how the Papists have received the attire of their Bishops and Priests from the Jews and particularly their Mitres which they have appointed to be made with two hornes as (e) Polydor. Virg. de inventoribus rerum l. 4. c. 7. p. 285. Edit Lug. Bat. 1644. Polydor Virgil one of their own Authors hath attested Adduntur duo Cornua quoniam Moses acceptis tabulis quibus mandata Dei inscripta erant visus est suis cornutus Two horns are added because Moses appeared horned to the people when he received the Tables in which the Commandements of God were written When alas the Hebrew Text is miserably wrested which tells us that the skin of (f) Exod. 34.30 Moses his face shined in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The skin of his face shined the word being indeed deduced from a horn that is it was clear like a horn But to leave this discourse let us see what these Ornamenâ—s of the Head did signifie and herein we have no great task to undertake seeing the covering of the head among most Nâ—tions is a token of Liberty and Dignity and when adorned with a Crown usually denotes Kingly and Princely Authority In which respect we may apply it to the Regal and Kingly Office of Christ and therefore it is that in one of St. Johns Visions we find one like unto the Son of Man sitting upon a Cloud (a) Rev. 14.14 having a Golden Crown upon his head But now wherefore the High-Priest appeared before God with this Golden Crown inscribed with Holinesse to the Lord the reasons are given at large which we shall in 3 particulars briefly apply to the Lord Jesus 1. The (b) Exod. 28.38 Text saies that this excellent Ornament was commanded for the High-Priest to use for this end that he should bear the iniquity of the holy things of the Childen of Israel It is not said the iniquity of their grosse and more scandalous sins such were to be expiated by Sacrifice whereof there is no doubt that they cannot be pardoned without Christ's appearance before God on the behalf of his People For (c) Heb. 9.22 without blood there is no remission and Christ in his mediation doth impetrate and obtain the pardon of all their sins for which his blood did satisfie But to shew that the Saints contract impurities even in their most holy services There are no sins so small as to be in their own nature venial No! all sins are mortal if God should vindicate his Justice upon us according to the guilt of them and our merit of wrath But to mind the people of God even of the least sins wandring thoughts in duty want of zeal warmth and fervency in their holy approaches We want a High-Priest even to deprecate God's wrath in behalf of such For as his death did work out mercy and pardon for all the sins of the Elect So likewise doth he continually interpell
g 1 Cor. 10.25 Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no Question for Conscience sake Every thing that is wholesome or nutritive food certainly may be used h 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused If it be received with Thanksgiving It is evident that things offered to Idols and i Act. 15.29 things strangled are conjoyned in that place with blood where abstinence from it is commanded because of the Jews whose Communion with the believing Gentiles was interrupted by their liberty in those things As for things Offered to Idols the Apostle Paul counts it a meere indifferency k 1 Cor. 8.4 8. Rom. 14.3 20. unless in the case of scandall or offence to weak brethren Then indeed there is an Hypoheticall necessity imposed upon our abstinence for we must not by an unreasonable use of our liberty give occasion of offence unto others Then indeed we must not eat a 1 Cor. 10.28 For his sake that shewed it and for Conscience sake The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof But this question is more fully spoken to by Chamier Panstrat Cathol Tom. 3. lib. 15. c. 10. p. 528. Hornbeck Sum. Controvers lib. 11. de graecis p. 841. c. and Grosted our Countryman de cessat legal p. 134. c. with others who determine it in the affirmative that it is lawfull to eat blood so it be without offence or scandall to weak Brethren But I shall leave this and proceed to parallel the effusion of Blood out of the Sacrifice with Christs shedding his Blood upon the Cross He hath b Rev. 1.5 washed us in his Blood for our sins The Blood came out of the heart of Christ our Gospell Sacrifice to cleanse us from our impurities The Speare opened a passage into his brest that we might enter in at the doore of his Wounds and be healed by him and united to him This is the c Zech. 13.1 Fountain opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Besides in every Sacrifice d Lev. 3.16 the fat was the Lords It is the best of the Creature and e Theophrast Charact. p. 249. perishes not so soon as the lean To signifie that we ought to give the choicest and most excellent of our services unto God The inwards also with the heart and reins were to be washt and then Offered to God by Fire we must cleanse our hearts and then dedicate them to God The Head also and the Taile or Rump were to be offered up to God the Head f Spelman Tithes p. 72. as principium the Taile as finis Actionis Both the principle and beginning of all our actions and services as well as the end must be consecrated to God The dung was to be cast away into an unclean place to shew that there is impurity in our choicest services and that we ought to fling it away when we approach and draw nigh to God All the filth and defilement of sin is to be removed as possible from all our approaches unto God But putting an end to Generals I shall descend to some particular Sacrifices which though they were various yet they did all in severall waies either allude to Christ or else to somewhat of our Gospell Services For as our judicious a Grosted de Cessat Legal p. 167. Grosted a great light considering the times wherein he lived doth observe Vt res una multis signis ita Christus multis Sacrificijs the same thing may be noted by many signs so Christ by many Sacrifices 1. Of the burnt Offering 1. The burnt Offering was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ascend because being wholly burnt it did ascend up to Heaven in smoak and vapour By the Septuagint it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a whole burnt Offering There was therefore a constant fire maintained upon Gods Altar to this purpose b Lev. 6.13 The Bullock Lamb or Kid which was thus Offered upon the account of the sinner did note our corruptibility even like the bodies of these Beasts obnoxious to the consuming wrath of God and the punishment justly due to us even to be tormented in the fire of his indignation And as the vapour ascended up to Heaven to cry for propitious mercy so it shewed the place from whence alone we can expect redemption and expiation for sin even from Heaven in the acceptation of Christs offering who was scorched in the fire of Gods wrath for sin Hereby likewise the meanes of obtaining pardon and grace are signified by the two properties of Fire Light and Heat The Light of Faith whereby the ancient Jewes did foresee Christ the promised Sacrifice and the Heat of ardent prayers breathed from the Altar of an inflamed heart whereby they did in the name of the foreseen and hoped for Sacrifice obtain the remission of sin Besides these were often reiterated for a constant memorial of the c He. 10.14 great Sacrifice once to be offered for the sins of many forasmuch as they were of themselves never able to purge the conscience from sin Fire was used in the consumption of these typical Sacrifices and what might that signifie Sometimes in Scripture it signifies d Grost ibid. p. 123. Virtutem Divinitatis nestrorum vitiorum rubiginem consumentis The force and power of the Divinity destroying the rust of our sins and vices as it is exprest in Deuteronomy saith our Grosted a Deut. 4.24 The Lord thy God is a consuming fire Sometimes it signifies Gods indignation as the Prophet Jeremy expresses it against unjust oppressors b Jer. 21.12 Lest my fury go out like fire and burn that none can quench it Sometimes it signifies the words of God proceeding from the mouth of the Prophets c Jer. 5.14 Behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shab devour them The words of the Law have the force of fire burning d Cramer Schol. proph 5 ta par p. 17. the hearts of men and stirring up in them the sense of the just wrath and fury of God against sin Now as the fire consumed the Sacrifices it noted the justly demerited wrath of God to consume us for our sins and was a type of the anger of God that fell upon Christ our Surety on the behalf of sinners * Cloppenb Schol. Sacri p. 62. c. It was anciently the token of the acceptation of their Sacrifices when fire came down from Heaven to consume them as in the Sacrifice of e Gen. 15.17 Abraham f Lev. 9.24 Aaron g Judg. 6.21 Gideon h 2 Chr. 7.1 Solomon i 1 King 18 38. Elijah It was unlawfull to use any other fire then celestial for when once God had answered by fire from Heaven the Priests office was to conserve it perpetually
and fellowship with God and his people d 1 Joh. 1.3 as John saies That ye might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Here I might enlarge concerning the manner of making Covenants in ancient time by eating together and especially at Sacrifices but this hath been copiously and largely handled e Cloppenb schâ—l Sacrif p. 8. 175. Coccejus de faedere p. 100. Molin ad Greg. Nyss p. 71. Mede vol. 1. p. 50. 4. by many Authors but of all most fully and excellently by the incomparably learned Dr Ralph Cudworth Master of Christs Col. Camb. in his true notion of the Lords Supper Wherefore I shall retire to some other things The Priests part in his Offering was the cheeks the right shoulder the breast and the maw f Hierom. ad Fabiolam Rivet in Ps 40 p. 186. Mal. 2.7 Jerom in his Treatise of Priestly vestments sent to Fabiola saies The cheek was given to the Priest to signifie Elâ—quentem eruditumque that he should remember to be eloquent and learned in the Law of God The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge and the people are to enquire the law at his mouth He goes on In brachio bona opera pugnam contra diabolum By giving the shoulder to the Priest he was thereby taught to have a care to maintain good works and to fight against the Devil a Orig. Homil 9. in Exod p. 9. 8. Origen adds because 't is commanded to be the right shoulder that they must be opera dextra as well as bona that is good works which a Priest must perform dexterously with strength and expedition he must not be a bungler in the waies of holinesse Besides the breast was his and therefore Jerom saies Moneri sacerdotes in pectore gestare mundas cogitationes legis notitiam dogmatum veritatem the Priest was thereby admonished to bear in his breast pure thoughts knowledge of the law and truth in his opinions And lastly the maw where he adds Venter luxuriam c. It denoted his abstinence from luxury and all manner of excels These I only propose nakedly for them who please to receive or reject these ancient notions If they held forth any thing then these two the breasts and the shoulder which were Wave-Offerings given from the people to the Priest might chiefly be insisted on 1. He was to have the shoulder because of his bearing the people and carrying them and their Sacrifices before God 2. The breast the seat of the heart to note his compassion tenderness and bowels to them bearing them alwaies in his Prayers and and ardent sighs to the throne of Grace b Mede vol. 1. p. 585. The remainder was eaten by the faithfull people who brought the Sacrifice to manifest their incorporation into Christ For the Saints do not only receive pardon and remission of sin upon the account of his precious Sacrifice but they feed upon him and are united to him by faith c 1 Cor. 10.21 Those that did eat of Idol-Sacrifices are said to sit at the Table of Devils and have communion with them But such as have a share in the sufferings of Christ on whom the chastisement of our peace was laid he being our d Isa 53.5 Peace-Offering do participate of this Feast of the Lords Table and are made e Isa 56.7 joyfull in his house of Prayer Under the Law the fat was the Lords the children of Israel were most severely interdicted the eating of fat as well as blood But under the Gospel â—he Lord will make unto all people a feast of f Isa 25.6 fat things of fat things full of marrow At the Gospel Wedding the Oxen and the g Mat. 22.4 fatlings are slain The poor Prodigal must feed upon the h Luk. 15.23 fatted calf Our souls shall be i Psal 63.5 satisfied with marrow and fatness And as for blood Christ himself most graciously tels us a Joh. 6.53 That except we eat the flesh of the Sun of man and drink his blood we have no life in us This Sacrifice of the Peace-offering was usually added to other fore-recited Sacrifices because expiation for sin would be unavailable and unprofitable unless there were annexed a particular application of mercy in our communion with him in a way of peace and grace Our blessed Saviour as a High priest doth not only as offering expiatory sacrifice for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redeem us from sin and misery but he doth b 1 Thes 5.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obain salvation for us and doth yeeld unto us a c 1 Pet 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manuduction to God his Father in whom d Eph. 3.12 we have boldness and access with confidence through the faith of him At these festival Sacrifices there was e De. 16.15 Judg. 21.21 great rejoycing joyned with Songs and Dancing to manifest what Joy and Exultation of spirit the Peace-offering of the Lord Jesus doth procure for reconciled sinners in the sight of God To conclude in a word Gods Majesty had his part in this blessed Offering as the Remitter of sin and transgression as being the Author of our mercy and deliverance thereby shewing that he was infinitely well pleased with this glorious satisfaction given to his Justice his soul smelling a Savour of rest in the Sacrifice of his Son will now begin to hold communion with us who are brought nigh to him by the blood of his Son The Priest had his part as the instrument of atonement between us and God If you take it for Christ we may then here apply that expression of the Evangelist f Luk. 24.46 It behoved him when he had suffered to enter into glory and the people had their share likewise to make them gratefull and joyfull for this unspeakable mercy of their deliverance 5 6. Of the Meat-offerings and Drink offerings These I shall put together in their explication as they usually went hand in hand in their oblation The common name of the Meat-offering was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift or present from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring or offer The word for Drink-offering was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libamen from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pour out Hereby was signified the constant communion that Gods Majesty held with his people He had his presence Chamber in the Temple viz. the Sanctuary his privy Chamber in the Oracle He had his Table his meat and drink according to that promise that he made of dwelling in the midst of his people Jsrael The yeelding of these Offerings to God shewed the great interest he had in all the things which they enjoyed and that in token of homage they were to give to him of all their choice enjoyments as the soveraign Lord of all their Land and that thereby they might obtain a blessing upon their outward comforts a