I want strength to perform the least service or duty O Law saith the soul what no mercy no pity consider my weaknes how unable I am in my self to perform the least duty as I ought O Law I pray thee accept of what I can do no saith the Law I take no notice of what thou art not able to do but what thou art bound to do Luke 17. 10. I require no more then is my due if you cannot give it me look you unto that for my part I will have my full tale of perfect and constant obedience here in this life or you shall give me satisfaction in hell to all eternity Do not tell me you want strength or ability to perform go get you that where you can look you out the straw your selves I shall give you none but let not me misse of my tale of brick Gal. 2 10. with Ezek. 18. 24. Thus you see how parallel the language of the old covenant runs with the voice of the Egyptian task-masters to the Israelites under them Besides in Exod. 14. we finde thâ—t Pharaohs task-masters did beat and abuse the Israelites very much in their work This very well suits with the old covenant of works O what lashes and blows does it give those that live under it First In the conscience within O what thunder claps have some men had within them from the Law O how hath it made some men to roar and to cry out at midnight upon their beds for their breach of it How dreadfully did it lash the conscience of Cain and how did it dog Judas until it dogged his neck into a halter therefore doth the Scripture pitty those that are under it crying out a wounded conscience who can bear those that have been under the lash of the Lâ—w in the conscience can say never was poor man in Turkey in the like misery they would have exchanged conditions with the veriest slave in all the world night and day terrified with dreadful sounds of the wrath of God and the judgement day to come shewing the soul his portion in everlasting burnings where he shall seek for death but death shall be far from him Although the soul runneth to his duties and doth what he can to pacifie the Law but alas all to no purpose for the Law quarrels with him about every duty so that here is the Dilemma the Law hath all his in they shall suffer one way or other if they do not live holy and strict in their lives then he comes upon them with his curses and plagues If they do live holy and as unblameable as they can yet the Law curseth them that way because it is an obedience full of spots and defilements Luke 17. 10. Secondly The Law lasheth men externally as well as internally in the conscience O what plagues and punishments upon body estate and relations hath it brought home on some men for their disobeying of it You may see a whole file of curses plagues punishments judgments and afflictious hang up upon the bar of the Law against its offenders Deut. 28. from ver 15. to 38. Lastly The officers of Egypt would not hear the bitter cryes of the poor Jews under their burthens ver 16 17. how well doth this agree with the old covenant of works what little mercy doth that shew any that are under it how little is it affected with their cries and tears could men cry to it for mercy as loud as ever heaven thundered it would be to no purpose could men weep so much blood out of their eyes as there is water in the Sea the Law would not take any notice of it Ezek. 18. 24. This Esau tried Heb. 12. 16 17. For after he had sold his birth-right he found no repentance although he sought it carefully with tears Alas friends the Law knows no repentance repentance is a fruit of the new covenant of grace not of the old Thus you see both how the Land of Egypt with its task-masters together with their carriages towards the Israelites doth agree as the type with the state of nature in which carnel men are in together with the old covenant and his carriage toward those that live under him CHAP. 3. I next come to speak of the eating of the Lamb together with the circumstances belonging thereunto which agreeth very well with the Ante-type as we shall shew you in the next place IN which there are these three things to be considered First The occasion of the Lamb. Secondly The manner of eating it Thirdly The benefits the people had by eating the Lamb. First The occasion of the Lamb which was to save the people from that generall judgement which was to passe over the whole Land of Egypt This shews the exceeding love and mercy of God to the whole world who by Adams Garden transgression and their own actual sins all are lyable to the destroying Angel of Gods Justice which will certainly pass over the whole earth with a flaming sword of God vengeance to execute it on offenders Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who with-hold the truth in unrighteousness Heb. 10. 36. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary so Jude 14. 15. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him 2 Thes 1. 7. 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flames of fire rendring vengeance on those that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus you see the whole world lyeth open to the destroying Angel of the justice of God which will pour it self forth to the scorching of the earthly minded with the most dreadfullest of fires 2 Pet. 3. 10. Now that men might escape this dreadful storm which the heavens look black with over the heads of sinners God in mercy hath provided poor sinners which are in their Egyptian state of sin and uncleanness I say he in mercy hath provided them a Lamb to eat which Lamb is his Son Jesus Christ upon eating of which they really escape the hands of the Justice of God John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begoteen Son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life and not perish which Sonne of God is else-where called the Lamb of God John 1. 36. the which whosoever takes and receiveth and eateth in as their food by believing shall live by him and so be free from the destroying Angel John 6. 54. Secondly As to the manner of eating the Lamb we may note
things to the comers read Jeremiah 3. 33 34. with Ezekiel 26. 27. Read Proverbs 1. 22. 23. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and scorners delight in scorning and fools haâ—e knowledge turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit upon you and I will make known my words unto you Therefore soul let not the father of lyes keep thee any longer from Jesus Christ thy Gospel Altar but come with the greatest freedom and do not dispute so much thy unworthiness as the Lord Chtists sufficiency in point of righteousness for whatever thy life hath been though never so notoriously wicked yet in the name of God and by special commission from Christ we are to tell thee that neither the number of thy sins nor yet the greatness of thy sinnes can hurt thee but thy coming â—o the Altar of satisfaction where attonement is to be made for sinne this is it that will prove thy soul-destroying sinne for ever if thou take not heed of it Hence it is that David made the greatnesse of sin the onely ground of coming to the Altar Psal 25. 11. Lord pardon my Iniquity for my sinne is wondrous great Thirdly A third season when a Christian should have regard to the Altar of satisfaction is in corruption-prevailing seasons when the heart is overcome with the strength of corruption then is it a fit time for the soul to have much recourse to ths Altar corruption can never live if thou bring it to this place that altar upon which Christ died for sin will of all places in the world yield thee the greatest death to sin this is the sword of Goliah which hath none like it Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is Crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin But worthy of note is that place of the Apostle in the 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the work of the Devil As if the Apostle should say for this purpose was the Son of God manifested or for this purpose was the Altar of satisfaction erected and set up that poor souls might as well get sin and corruption mortified and subdued in them as to have the guilt of sin removed out of their souls O this is the tree of Life which standeth in the Paradise of God the leaves whereof will heal the Nations O therefore soul wouldst get down the power of sin in thy soul as well as to get out the guilt of sin from thy soul O then when ever corruption gets head be sure to bring thy soul to the Altar of satisfaction and atonement and there lay thy soul down at the feet of the Altar and beg of Jesus Christ that he would yield forth the blessed effects of his death upon thy soul that as he died upon the Cross to remove out of the way the guilt of thy sins so likewise he would be pleased out of his infinite mercy and love to drop something of his sufferings some vertue of his death into thy soul which might kill sin in thy mortal body Now this being done adding faith to the work thou needst not doubt but a blessed issue in time will proceed to the great joy and comfort of thy soul only labour for a waiting frame of spirit give God his own time to effect this work in thy soul for in time thou shalt Reap if thou faint not Objection But doth not the Apostle say in Hebrewes 13. 10. That we have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle then it seems all may not come with that boldnesse to the Altar of satisfaction as you say Answer The Apostle is not to be understood so much in treating about the guilt of sin as above the use of Ceremonies Now the dangerous condition of the Hebrewes was two-fold not only was their Case sad with respect to their distance from God upou the account of sinnes guilt But their danger did farther appear in this they having their Ceremonies for a Christ to rest upon this kept them from Christ indeed by which means they were deprived of the benefit of Christs Merits Bloud and Righteousnesse which only takes away the guilt of sin as the Apostle elsewhere saith Galatians 5 4. For Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are iustified by the Law you are faln from grace As if the Apostle should say certainly so long as you stick to your Ceremonies and Jewish Rights you are at a great distance with Christ Christ can profit you nothing for you have Converted the Tabernacle Service into a Christ and you rest here and you live upon the Shadow in the neglect of the true Substance Christ unto which these Types and Legal Shadows should lead you Therefore while you serve the Tabernacle in this sense you have no right to eat of the Altar Christ but otherwise let the souls condition be never so desperate by reason of sinne yet here is an open door for him to step into the Tabernacle and fall upon this Altar Christ with boldnesse according to that word of the Apostle in Hebrewes 9 13 14 14. So that there is no sinne how great soever makes the soul uncapable of partaking of the Altar Christ who hath a desire to make out after Christ but only the souls resting upon some thing else on this side Christ and shall make that and not Christ his bottom for Salvation CHAP. 24 Of the Grate of Network made to this Altar I Now come to speak about the Grate of Network which was made to the Altar and placed under the compass of the Altar which was about the midst of the Altar underneath Exod. 27. 4 5. The use of which was to let forth the Ashes through the small holes of the Grate when the Sacrifice or Burnt Offering should be offered before the Lord upon it Now the Ashes of any thing which is burnt we look on it as the Dross or Excrements of the thing burned so it is in this case therefore was the Grate prepared to convey the Ashes of the sacrifice under the Altar which was to be carried forth without the Camp This shews us this much First of all the exceeding rich usefulness of Jesus Christ every way for Believers First In point of Justification From hence Believers may assure themselves that when Christ became a Sacrifice to God for them in order to their Justification that God was well pleased with it which was for the great comfort of Believers publickly witnessed from Heaven Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased To this agreeth the words of S. Paul Ephes 5. 2. Christ gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour So much as this you may read in this blessed Type for there was nothing which was offered upon this Altar to
therefore saith Job The heavens shall reveal his sin and the earth shall rise up against him Job 20. 27. Thus you see both the distress and the cause of it upon a poor soul under an awakened conscience and how it answers to the Jews distress at the red Sea 3. We may take notice of the next particular which is this That that means which proved a ground of relief to the Jews in their distress the peoyle were guided thereunto by Moses from whence we may note these things First That though man knows how to sin himself into trouble yet he knows not how to get himself out of it The Jews knew no way out of this trouble therefore begun to cry out for graves to bury themselves in the place so is it with the soul under the sence and sight of sin knows no way to escape out of that dreadful condition in which he seeth himself to be nothing but death on every hand wrath gone out from above against him hell beneath openeth its mouth to receive him and thus the soul is oftentimes put upon to seek out for his grave to bury himself in knows no other way to save himself but eternally to destroy himself both in soul and body like Judas Second If the soul have met with any relief in his distressed condition let him know it came not from himself but he was guided thereunto by a special hand of Christ The Jews were led to their means of refreshment by Moses who was a Type of Jesus Christ Hast thou met with comfort and refreshment from such a Sermon from such a Minister such a Christian Friend such a Meeting or in reading of such and such a Book consider thou wert led unto that means for comfort by the special hand of Christ and thou shouldst eye his hand in it that love and praise and obedience might be rendered him for it therefore saith Christ With loving kindeness have I drawn thee Jer 31. 3. Third If any soul wants relief in such a condition then let him make unto Jesus Christ for it for he is thy leader in this case as Moses was the Jews in the other Read Deut. 18. 15. A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your Brethren like unto me him shall you hear Now where were the Jews to go in a time of danger buâ— to Moses So soul if ever thou wouldst have ease and refreshment thou must go to Christ alone some run to creatures and think to finde comfort there others run to their duties and works of mercy and thinks to get it from thence again there be some that will send thee to thy inward quallifications or work of God within thee as they call it or the light within the soul I am not hereby undervaluing the works of grace as they are signs or evidences of our union with Christ but I send thee to thy true leader Christ who is at the right hand of God to make daily intercession for such as thou art Rom. 8. 24. O look out and look up to him by faith for this is the way to it Isaiah 45. 22. and chap. 44. 3 4. Fifthly The next particular is this Moses stretched out his hand over the waters and the waters divided Exod. 14. 21. This act in Moses leads to behold the necessariness of outward means contrary to the opinion of many in our dayes which because we read in the Scriptures of God his teachings within in the heart and of the holy anointing that shall teach them all things from hence they conclude against all outward teaching Question What was the reason that God had not caused the waters to go back without the stretching out of Moses hand Answer Not but that God could have done it but God thereby shews us thus much that it is his pleasure in the effecting of the greatest salvation and deliverance for his people ordinarily to bring it about to them by outward means Our Saviour was able to open the blinde mans eyes without clay and spittle a way more likely to put out a mans eyes then to recover any mans sight John 9. 6. But it is to shew his pleasure touching the use of outward means why could not God have thrown down the walls of Jericho without sounding of the Rams horn and why could not God have caused water to come out of the Rock without striking of it but to shew it is his pleasure ordinarily to use it in his administrations to the sons of men therefore it is our duty to wait upon God in it Now to the stretching out of Moses hand in this outward salvation answers the preaching of the Gospel by God his Ministers which is the outward means of the eternal salvation for therein is the arme of divine grace and love revealed and stretched out to poor sinners This Isaiah calleth the revealing of Gods arme Isaiah 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed So that whatsoever some men say to the contrary yet God hath had a special regard in all ages to the outward means of teaching the word If God had been minded onely to have left men to the inward teachings of his Spirit why did he take so much care to supply the ages of the world with Prophets and Apostles was he not as well able to teach the world by those inward teachings onely as now why doth the Apostle say in Ephes 4. 8. with 12. 13. that he gave both gifts and Apostles Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry until the Saints be perfected and come unto the measure of the fulness in Christ If God were not minded to teach his people that way why did God bid Philip joyn himself to the Eunuchs Chariot to instruct him Acts 8. 29. If God had been minded onely to have left men to the inward teachings was he not as well able to have taught the Eunuch by his Spirit onely Again could not God have taught Cornelius Acts 10. 3 4 5 6. onely by his Spirit and so have saved Peter a labour yet you see God would do nothing until Peter was come I do not plead for outward teaching without the inward but both must go together so that the stretching out of God his arme in the Gospel may well be compared to the stretching out of Moses hand over the red Sea for as the one was a means to let the Israeliâ—es through the red Sea for a temporal salvation so is the other a means to let a soul into the red Sea of Christs Blood for an eternal salvation which leadeth me to the next particular Fifthly The people go through the waters and are saved from their enemies Exodus 14 22. This leadeth us to the usefulness of the Blood of Jesus Christ through which all that are saved do pâ—ss by believing for as the Jews had perished without mercy by Pharaohs Army had they not passed through the
certainly fail thee in the time of trouble for God will tear it to pieces and thou wilt be found naked then woe woe to thee in the day of Gods wrath when he shall come forth to render vengeance upon all that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks 2 Thes 1. 7. 8 9. O soul who ever thou art that shalt read these lines I beg thee therefore to hearken to that good advice given thee from the Lord in Isa 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near CHAP 15. I come in the next place to speak of the Brazen Serpent another Type which was given out to the Children of Israel in the VVildernesse read Numb 21. 6 7 8 9. THe occasion of which was this because of those hot fiery stinging Serpents which in the Wildernesse had destroyed so many of the Israelites up and down in the Countrey therefore did the Lord out of compassion to the Jews cause a thing to be made called a Serpent and it was to be set upon a pole for this end viz. that if at any time any of the people should be stung by any of the Serpents in the Wilderness if they at the same time should but look up at the Brazen Serpent set upon a pole in the midst of the Camp for that purpose this would bring them home an immediate cure upon their persons at the same instant Now this Type had as to its use special reference to Jesus Christ for such a remedy is Jesus Christ to spiritual stinged souls God in mercy to the elect hath sent his Son into the world and advanced Christ his Son upon the pole of the Gospel that he might cure them of their spiritual stingings occasioned by Sinne and the Devil the worst of Serpents If we look up to this Serpent upon the pole of the Gospel with an eye of faith John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he sent his onely begotten Son into the world thaâ— whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting lâ—fe so John 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Alluding to the use of the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness which was to be looked up unto or to be beheld so saith John of the Lamb Christ Jesus behold the Lamb or look up to him if you ever intend to be cured of your spiritual stingings therefore for this purpose Christ is called the healer of the nations Rev. 22. 2. Use 1. O then soul whoever thou art that at any time art bit with the guilt of sin or by the prevalent working of any corruption O soul if thou wilt but look up to Jesus Christ the spiritual Serpent by an eye of faith thou mayest as certainly expect a cure to be wrought on thy soul as the Israelites who in looking up to their brazen Serpent in the Wilderness might expect a cure to be done on their bodies therefore is salvation tendred upon this act of the soul in looking up to Christ by an eye of faith Isa 45 22. Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and you shall be saved O therefore soul have a care thou doest not lose looking up to Christ there is nothing else will or can damn thy soul but this thy not looking up to Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer and resting upon him alone for life and salvation as one that is able to save to the utmost as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 7. 25. CHAP. 16 I now come to speak of the Tabernacle another Type given out to the Israelites in the VVilderness the manner and form of it I have already described to you before THis Tabernacle was typical two wayes or it typed out these two things to us First Christ himself Secondly The Church of Christ First It typed out Christ himself and that in these respects First As to the glory and excellency of Jesus Christ the Tabernacle was exceeding excellent and glorious within for all the inward parts of it were over laid with pure Gold Exod. 35. This was to shew us the richness and worth of the Son of God that so the creature might see cause to desire him love him and chuse him to themselves as their highest portion for ever therefore when the Holy Spirir doth speak of Christ it speaks of him under this consideration as excellent Prov. 3. 13 14 15 16. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that getteth understanding for the merchandize of it is better then the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold she is more precious then rubies and all the things which thou caust desire are not to be compared to her length of dayes are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour Heb. 13. speaking of Christ saith He is the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express image of his Fathers person Therefore saith the Spouse Cant. 5. 10. speaking of Christ He is the chiefest to me of ten thousand And to this agreeth the words of Peter speaking of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you which believe he is excellent Secondly As the Tabernacle typed forth Christ in point of beauty or excellency so in point of acceptation for in the Wilderness if the people would worship God acceptably it must be at the door of the Tabernacle see Numb 8. 15. chap. 18. 3 4. 7 8. and at the Tabernacle door were the people to wait until the Priest within had done the service of the Tabernacle for them before the Lord which shews us thus much that if we intend in Gospel dayes to worship the Father acceptably we must come to the Father at the Tabernacle Christ and by the hand of Faith lay down our offerings at the door of his Worth and Merits therefore saith Christ himself John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man can come to the Father but by me Use 1. O therefore soul when ever thou doest any thing of the Worship of God be sure thou come to God alwayes by the door of this Tabernacle Christ if thou meanest to be accepted in and about what thou doest in the service of God offer all thou hast to offer God withal in Christs name in and by his worth and merits onely for his sake and upon his account and be wholly nothing in thy own esteem Come to the door of the Tabernacle under the sence of a meer piece of nothing bring with thee a self-loathing and self-condemning self-abhorring frame of spirit and let Christ be all and in all to thy soul and in thy esteem when thou art before the Lord in point of acceptation Phil. 2. 8 9. I count all things but as dung in comparison of Christ and I desire to be found alone in him Thirdly The Tabernacle was a Type of Christ in point of revelation Exod.
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
favour he is called a shepherd Psal 23. 1. Now you know a shepherd doth not throw away his weak Lambs but rather takes up such as are weak and cannot go and carry them in his arms and lodgeth them in his bosom Oh so doth Christ make much of weak Lambs such as cannot go of themselves Christ will carry Isa 40. 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those which are with young Oh see with what heart burnings Christ parts with any of his weak ones Ephraim was a weak lamb and Ephraim would be gone from Christ but observe how Christ parts with Ephraim Hosea 11. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I seâ— thee as Zebaim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together And Christ is the same to thee that ever he was to Ephraim his arm of mercy is not shortned Oh therefore come to him with joy and comfort for he will never leave thee nor forsake thee Lastly Art thou weak in duty O look up to him as thy High Priest full of compassion and love and pity toward weak souls Oh do not despair Christ cannot cast thee off because of thy infirmities in duty for then he would have carried but very few home to heaven for the best that ever were have been very infirm in duty and have had cause to cry out with the Church All our Righteousnesses are but as mâ—nstruous cloths and as filthy rags in thy presence O Lord Isa 64. 6. But Christ is called a Father yea an everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. Doth a Father in the flesh reject or despise the work a weak child doth because it is not done with so much strength as he expects or rather doth he not pity him under his weakness and favour him in his work and considering he seeth the child doth what he can the Father likes it as well as if it were a great deal more Oâ— so it is with this High Priest oh he is so full of compassion that he will not reject thee for thy weakness in performance of duty though the duty be done with little strength or a weak hand yet if it be right for sincerity and truth Christ will accept it kindly hear what he saith about it Zach. 4. 10. For the whole hath despised the day of small things Therefore labour for sincerity of heart that those things thou dost for Christ may be done in truth and fear not Christ hath great compassions he will rather help thee in the work then reject thee for it read Rom. 8. 26. Thus you see what that Qualification in the Priest if well improved will afford us in a doubting season I now come to the second Qualification in the High Priest and that is his Faithfulness This will afford us comfort three manner of ways First In point of supply as to grace Secondly Against falling off from grace Thirdly Against the evil of affliction and persecution First In point of supply with grace I know the Lords people do find the want of that many a time Cant. 2 5. Supporting grace under affliction strengthning grace against wearisomness in duty mortifying grace to sin and corruption and comforting grace in the hour of temptation now here is a fulness of this laid into Christ 〈◊〉 1. 19. chap. 2. 9. And he made the steward of it Oh go to Christ for it Obj. But some may say if we should he may deny it to us and keep it to himself as many Stewards have done who have been intrusted with a treasure in the behalf of others yet they have been defrauded of it through the unfaithfulness of the Steward Oh soul be not discouraged as to that but put him upon the trial there is not one jot of grace that the Father hath given Christ for thee which he can keep from thee I must confess all the supplies of grace which the Father hath given forth for the use and benefit of his Elect he hath intrusted Christ with it and hath made him the disposer of it Iohn 1. 14. with 16. But to be sure of it he will not yea he cannot diminish one jot or mite of it and that for these two reasons First Because in his own nature he is faithful it s abundantly more easie for the Sun to cease shining then it is for Christ to cease being faithful therefore in the Revelations the holy Ghost gives him this name Rev. 3. 14. The faithful and true witness Therefore soul what ever supply of the grace of the Spirit thou wantest assure thy self thou shalt have it if thou makest use of Christ for it he will not withhold one drop of it from thy soul Oh therefore come with boldness to the Throne of grace to ask grace and mercy to help in time of need plead with Christ for it tell him that thou hast heard that the Father hath laid in a stock of justifying pardoning and sanctifying grace into his hands for poor naked sinful unclean miserable sinners and hath made him the Lord Treasurer of it and tell him that thou art come to him as a miserable poor sinner for a portion of it for a portion of pardoning grace and sanctifying grace then see whether Christ will deny it thee Oh he is so far from withholding from a sinner what is his due by gift from the Father that he hath taken great care and pains to possesse the soul of it upon every occasion read that place in Proverbs which relates to Christ as a Steward intrusted in this great work of giving out grace to the Lords people Prov. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Wisdom hath buâ—lâ—ed her house she hath hewen out her seven pillars she hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath furnished her table she hath sent forth her maidens she crieth upon the highest places of the City who so is simple let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding she saith to him Come eat of my bread and drink of my wine which I have mingled for sake the foolsh and live and go in the way of understanding Farther you may see how intent Jesus Christ was in this work of distributing freely and faithfully to men the portion given them as sinners by and from the Father Iohn 7 37. In the last day of the Feast which was their great day Jesus stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Mark he chose the great day of the Feast when the company were greatest he did not take a time to proclaim what treasure he had received from the Father for poor sinners when there were but few in place to hear him but when the most of the people were met together besides he did not whisper the matter but cryed aloud that all
to Christ do arise they all flow from the Priestly office of Christ who wears the Priestly Miter the truth is it s from the Miter upon Christs Head that we draw all our comfort Alas Brethren what comfort could we take in God himself but through Christ and what comfort could we take in Christ but as he wears the Miter upon his Head as our High Priest whatsoever comfort we have in any other office of Christ namely as a King or Prophet it all originated in the Priestly office of Christ the truth is the Priestly office of Christ is an office of meer love and tender compassion set up on purpose for the succour and relief of poor sinners there is no mixture of terrour in this office of Christ there is a mixture of terrour in the other offices of Christ the Lord Christ is King and hath a Kingly office and by it Rules over his Church and Rules over all the world but all do not obtain mercy that he Rules over As for those mine enemies that would not that I should Rule over them bring them forth and slay them before me Luke 19 27. But there is not the least mixture of terrour in this of his Priestly office the Miter shews nothing but grace and love and wonderful compassion infinite bowels of tender love to the sinner a God reconciled in Christ by the sacrifice of himself which was slain for sinners the bloud of which speaks to you better things then the bloud of Abel for the bloud of Abel bespoke sin committed and a guilty soul and an angry God but Christs bloud bespeaks sin remitted and pardoned and a God recorcied again the bloud of Abel spakes for vengeance from under the ground but the bloud of Christ speaks for grace mercy pardon and reconciliation again from under the Altar Abels bloud bespake the sinner under the Curse but Christs bloud speaks him into the blessing again Acts 3. 26. Abels bloud spake the soul at a great distance with God but the bloud of Christ speaks him very nigh God again Eph. 2. 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye that were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Use 7. Then soul when ever thou hast to do with Christ view him in his Priestly atire having his Miter upon his Head O thou canst not look upon Christ under a more blessed consideration then this that can afford thee like succour as this will do for this will yield the soul blessed relief against all thy fears and temptations whatsoever the Miter was put upon the Head of Christ on purpose to be looked unto for relief and succour in a time of doubt and danger what was the great relief amongst the Jews against their sins the Jews you may observe they had many reliefs when they were in the wilderness if at any time they were stung with the fiery Serpents then they had their brazen Serpent to look unto as a relief against that distress when they wanted water they had their Rock to make at as a relief against that distress when they wanted bread they had their Manna from heaven as a relief against that distress and if they sinned whether they did go then they took a sacrifice and went unto the Priest and he was to offer for them so that the Priestly office then was the only relief they had against sin So now the Priestly office of Christ is the only relief and succour the people of God have against all temptations doubts and fears under heaven O make much use of the Miter in times of fear look unto it as the Jews were to look to their brazen Serpent upon the pole when stung with Serpents so when ever thou art stung with the Serpent of temptation and guilt and horour and terrour about guilt look up with an eye of faith to this Miter the Crown as I may call it of his Priestly office and thou shalt be healed and cured of all thy stingings so saith Christ himself Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Mark look unto me he doth not bid you to look to that unhollowed Bear the Pope who to deceive the poor miserable world of their Estates and Wealth hath feigned a Miter and puts him upon his Head and Bug-bears the world with it as if he were some great one which by the pretended power of his conjuring State and Cross-keys of hell afrights the poor ignorant world into an opinion of some more then ordinary Authority must reside in this Beast for his Cap sake when alas he nothing but Cheats the world by it both of their souls and treasure he is a Limb of the Devil to Cheat men of their souls because he keeps them in ignorance about the Priesthood of Christ and arrogates and assumes that Authority as proper to himself he saith he hath the Miter upon his Head and he is in the Priestly Chair and he can procure pardon with God for sins and he hath the keys of Hell and Death which the holy Ghost only attributes to Christ Rev. 1. 18. And he can open Purgatory and let out of torment and he hath the key of David which the holy Ghost gives only to Christ Rev. 3 7. And he can open heaven and let into glory O horrid Blasphemy What a beast is this and how much to be abandoned by all those that love Christ and their souls how doth he dis-throne and shut out Christ of his great office as a Priest and Saviour 2. He Cheats poor souls of their Estates here because he takes their money of them to save them from sin and to discharge them of some torment and to let them into heaven when he himself shall not escape the vengeance of Christ but shall be for his juggling and deceit tormented in fire and brimstone for ever and ever Rev. 19. 20 21 Where the whole Rabble of that gang shall eternally dwell together And as for others viz. the lesser sort of Popes that imitates the High Priest in his garments with respect to his Cap and Linen Ephod it s a clear denying of Christ to be come in the flesh and John saith these are Anti-christ 1 John 4. 3. For if these garments were Types of Christ then they were only to continue untill the coming of Christ so reasons the Apostle Heb. 10. 1. Who saith that these things were shadows of good things to come but not the very Image and therefore when these good things were come which was the substance then the shadow must give place as no longer of use so saith St. Paul to the Colossians chap. 2. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Well then if these Ceremonies were only the signs of Christ to come and to give place to him when he did come then what does their present use signifie but that he is not yet come and so as John speaks denyed