make atonement for him concerning his sin and it shall be forgiven him Levit. 5.6 He shall bring his Trespass-Offering unto the Lord for the sin which he hath sinned c. and the Priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin and ver 10. He shall offer a Burnt-Offering according to the manner and the Priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he had sinned and it shall be forgiven him Hence it is that we find the Saints under the Old Testament were so full of confidence and holy boldness in seeking and pleading with God for pardon and forgiveness of sin As we see in the Psalms and other Scripture-Prayers what strong and eminent actings of Faith they had this way Which to expect had been a presumptuous thing if they had had no promise to ground their Faith upon But they had very plentiful assurances and promises of it in those times and that is a second Gospel-blessing revealed and assured to them as well as to us the remission of all their sins III. Everlasting life and salvation in Heaven This is not a truth revealed only by the Gospel but was well known clearly revealed and firmly believed by the Saints of old They had assurance of this that they should live with God for ever in Glory When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Psal 17.15 Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Psal 73.24 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psalm 16.11 They looked for another Country whereof Canaan was but a Type and Shadow as the Apostle shews in this Epistle to the Hebrews cap. 11.16 They knew there was an eternal State of Happiness for the Saints as well as an eternal State of Misery for the Wicked they did believe this in those days Thus we see they had the same Gospel-blessings preached unto them of old that we have at this day and these blessings and good things are demonstrations that it was Gospel because these blessings are not promised in the Law It knows no remission or regeneration of a lost Soul no salvation of a Sinner This was the first branch of the Argument But for a more clear and full eviction of it the second part of the Argument was this 2. Because they had these blessings upon the same account and in the same way as we have them now I speak as to the principal and internal causes of them For in the outward way and manner of dispensation there was a difference but not in this For upon what account have we these precious benefits and good things of the Gospel you will find if you consider it aright that it was then as now We receive all from the meer mercy and free grace of God in Christ and this was the fountain of their supplies also If they had received pardon of Sin and Grace and Glory on the account of their own merits and works of Righteousness then it had not been Gospel But they had it in the same way we have it as to the internal cause from whence all blessings come even from the Mercy and Free Grace of God a very glorious Attribute of God and most abundantly yea continually held forth throughout the Old Testament That he is the Lord the Lord God gracious and merciful How many Prayers and Psalms and Songs of Praise unto him for that his mercy endureth for ever How sweetly how pathetically do the Prophets teach and preach it to them this all the Saints of old had recourse unto David Psal 51.1 when seeking pardon Have mercy saith he upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions and Daniel 9.8 9. when he besought the Lord on behalf of the Jews O Lord to us belongeth confusion of faces c. because we have sinned against thee To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies ver 18. and for thine own sake ver 19. This then was that they had recourse unto as the Fountain of all the good whereof they stood in need and of all their supplies even the infinite mercies of God Moreover it was the mercies of God in Christ his mercies through the mediation of Jesus Christ For only through him is mercy communicated to Sinners so alone is mercy communicated Therefore Daniel there prays Dan. 9.17 Look upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake that is for the Lord Jesus Christs sake Hence they did so often make mention of Abraham Isaack and Jacob as being the Types of Christ in their Prayers and especially of David For thy servant Davids sake Psal 89. not as resting in David litterally but looking beyond the shadow unto him that was the truth thereof for by David they meant Christ Christ is oft called by that name because David was so eminent a Type of him And what is it in Christ that procures all these blessings in the Gospel for us It is his Blood and Satisfaction that atones Justice his Prayers and Intercession that prevails with mercy for us and so it was of old both these had an influence into their mercies as well as ours 1. The death and blood and satisfaction of Jesus Christ This all their Sacrifices pointed at For it was impossible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Heb. 10.4 Yet it sanctified to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ c. Heb. 9.13 14. See how clearly the Prophet Isaiah preacheth this Isai 53. throughout the Chapter but look especially to ver 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand This was the mystery of all the Sacrifices wherein blood was shed they were Types and Shadows of the blood of Christ 2. His Prayers and Intercessions For look as mercy is purchased by the merit of his Death so it is communicated and applied through the vertue of his Intercession Justice is satisfied by his Death and mercy intreated in his Intercession and so both those great Attributes are acknowledged and glorified in Zach. 1.12 Then the Angel of the Lord that is Jesus Christ the Angel of the Covenant that appeared he answered and said how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good words and with comfortable words ver 13. here the prevailing power of his Intercession is set forth And as the merit of his Blood was shadowed by the Sacrifices so the efficacy of his Intercession was shadowed forth by
Dispensation others for another kind As for instance A New-Testament Saint will praise God that he caused him to live in the Noon-day and under the highest Meridian of Gospel-Light when the Earth was full of the Knowledg of the Lord. Oh what should I have been if my lot had fallen under former times of Ignorance and Darkness But another in those former darker times as for instance Abraham he will admire and wonder at Gods Mercy that when Darkness was round about him yet the Lord opened his eyes to spy the Sun of Righteousness peeping up and caused him then to rejoyce to see Christs Day that his Fleece was wet when the rest of the Earth was dry his Heart drawn after God and Christ when the means were so scant and small One Believer will bless God that the Lord was known to him by his Name Jehovah Another will admire that he did enable him to believe on God Almighty Some will bless him that they have seen the Accomplishment of his Promises and Predictions and not one thing hath failed of all the Good that God hath spoken as Josh 23.14 Another under former Dispensations will admire that his Heart was wrought to embrace the Promises afar off and that the Lord made Faith to him to be the substance of things not seen Beloved the Lord makes his Goodness special and peculiar by variety of Dispensations even to Believers living in the same age and in the same place that though in general they be all alike made partakers of the same common Salvation yet such variety there is in the Lords dealings with them in regard of Circumstances that in one respect or other in regard of one circumstance or other every one hath experience of peculiar loving Kindness singular strains of Mercy that he can say with Paul never such a pattern of Mercy I have more to bless God for than any other in all the world beside It is so much more in several ages so that look as that variety of Wisdom in so many several things before noted did declare the infiniteness of Gods Wisdom so in like manner these various kinds and ways of Goodness being all laid together will yield the lustre of infinite Goodness so far as finite Creatures can contain or conceive it I say when all the particulars are computed and put together in one sum total as they shall be when that general Assembly of all the Saints and Angels shall meet together at the great Day when they shall all compare Notes as it were It will then appear that there is no channel wherein Mercy hath not run no expression of loving Kindness that hath been omitted so manifold have his Dispensations been that every Age and every Person shall be able to bring in their several and peculiar portions into the common Treasury of Gods Mercies and Praises and they shall all say and sing together that Song of Praises in Psal 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful Works which thou hast done and thy Thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred I shall conclude for the present with three words of Use both from what hath beeen said to day and in the last Discourse upon this Subject 1. We may gather some Chronological Light 2. We may see the rise of all the old Heathenish Superstitions And 3. See the Glory of the Mystery of the Gospel Vse 1. Here is some Instruction and Light may be gathered as to that Question which may easily arise in your thoughts namely how long this Old-Testament Administration lasted The Answer may be gathered from all that hath been said upon this Subject that it lasted precisely four thousand years This will appear if you compute and put those seven Old-Testament Dispensations together which were formerly spoken to The first Dispensation from Adam to Noah was sixteen hundred fifty six years The second from Noah to the Promise made to Abraham was four hundred twenty seven years The third from Abraham to the coming out of Egypt was four hundred and thirty years The fourth from the coming out of Egypt to the Dedication of the Temple was four hundred eighty seven years The fifth from the Temple to the Captivity was four hundred years The sixth namely from the Captivity to the Return was seventy years The last Old-Testament Dispensation from the Return to the Messiahs Death was four hundred and ninety years And from the Death of Christ to the Destruction of the Temple and City and Nation whereby the Lord did put all that old Dispensation to a full end was forty years All which Sums put together amounts exactly to four thousand years so long did that old Testament Dispensation last Vse 2. We may here see the rise of all the old Heathenish Superstitions They were the Corruption of Old-Testament Dispensations As Popery is nothing else but Christianity corrupted by a cursed mixture of Paganism and Judaism with it so in like manner Turcism is Vse 3. We may learn from hence to see the Glory of the Mystery yea the Riches of the Glory of the Mystery of the Gospel in that it was so long and with so great variety of Dispensation held forth to the Church of God of old Surely it was no small matter which the Lord made use of such various Providences and Dispensations to reveal for they did all tend to and aim at this Col. 1.26 The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations ver 27. the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery Therefore learn to prize the Gospel according to this worth and this value that God hath put upon it To slight it is to slight all the Glory and glorious Dispensations of God from the beginning of the World to this day For this they did all look at A man acknowledges the Glory of the Mystery in two things 1. When he believes it for himself with application to himself in particular 2. When he walks worthy of it But to disbelieve the Promises and to disobey the Commands of it is to despise the Gospel 2 Thess 1.8 And to do so under such a clear Dispensation of it as in New Testament times certainly the deepest place in Hell will be their Portion Wo unto thee Chorazin wo unto thee Bethsaida For if the mighty Works that have been done in thee had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented in dust and ashes May we not say wo unto thee O London wo unto thee O Dublin For if the Preaching that hath been in thee had been in Rome they would have been convinced they would have repented before this day Vse 4. Let me repeat a little and reinculcate these things upon you which have been delivered as Reasons but might have been handled as Uses of the Point I beseech you give unto God the Glory due unto his Name in all his
Now to unfold the Mystery of the Incense The Incense that was offered upon this Golden Altar was a Type of Prayer the Prayers both of Christ and of his Saints Both the Prayers which Christ offers up for the Saints and which the Saints offer up for themselves in his Name and Mediation See Rev. 5.8 Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense You may see the fulness of the analogy more at large in seven particulars 1. It was made up of many choise Ingredients Exod. 30.34 so is the Spirit of Prayer as it were a compound of many excellent Graces There must be Faith Humility Fervency c. and indeed all the Graces of Gods Spirit are drawn forth and exercised in Prayer 2. They are strictly forbidden to make another Persume of their own heads like unto it Exod. 30.37 38. so we are not to make use of any other Intercessors or Mediators but Christ only And in like manner for men to make Prayers in the way of stinted Liturgies though there be many of the same Ingredients in the Mass-book that is good expressions for the matter of them and words and notions that are found in the Scripture yet this being not the Incense that is instituted it is not it cannot be accepted 3. These Ingredients whereof the Incense was made were to be beaten very small into fine Powder Exod. 30.36 This teacheth us that Contrition of heart that ought to be in Prayer how the Soul is to be contrite and broken as it were all to pieces by humbling meditations of its own unworthiness when it appears before the Lord in Prayer These are the Prayers that God regards Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Isai 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones If a man come with his heart whole and not broken this is to offer the Incense unbeaten unpounded 4. The Incense was to be set on fire and so the smoke went up before the Throne Exod. 30.7 8. This speaks that holy Fervency in Prayer There should be ardent affections inflamed by the Fire of the Holy Ghost Jam. 5 16. the effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much We should not come with a dead cold heart before the Lord in Prayer 5. This burning of Incense was a Service performed every day morning and evening Exod. 30.7.8 This teacheth us that Prayer should be a daily work morning and evening David tells us of his praying in the morning Psal 5.3 My Voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up And also in the evening Psal 141.2 The lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Yea both he and Daniel used to pray thrice a day Psal 55.17 Dan. 6.10 Anna departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Luk. 2.37 and we are commanded to pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Praying always with all Prayer Ephes 6.18 that is every day in the seasons of Prayer And Paul mentions his praying day and night 1 Thess 3.10 2 Tim. 1.3 which may well be understood of evening and morning See also 1 Tim. 5.5 and Act. 26.7 6. The time of burning the Incense was when they dressed and lighted the Lamps of the Sanctuary Exod. 30.7 8. This teacheth us the conjunction of the Word and Prayer in the Church Deut. 33.10 Acts 6.4 But we will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word 7. The Smoke of the Incense ascended with a sweet and fragrant smell into the Holy of holies before the Mercy seat as Rev. 8.4 and the Smoke of the Incense which came with the Prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand It went up out of the Angels hand This speaks that our Prayers come up before the Lord into his holy place even into Heaven before the Throne of Grace with acceptance through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ Acts 4.10 thy Prayers are come up for a memorial before God Hence that expression 1 Kings 8. hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place For the Holy of holies was a Type of Heaven and the Mercy-seat is that Throne of Grace where the Lord is said to dwell between the Cherubims Psal 80.1 It speaks also that God returns gracious answers to them as it is Zech. 1.13 the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me with good and comfortable words Sometimes there is a gracious terribleness in them I mean a mixture of Mercy and Terror in the Lords answers and returns of Prayer Psal 65. ver 5. by terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God of our Salvation Thus Rev. 8.5 when the Angel cast down the Censer upon the earth there were voices and thunderings and lightenings and an earthquake The Lord uttering his voice as it were from the Holy of holies in dreadful dispensations of Providence in the seven Trumpets it is from the Prayers of Saints that those dreadful Trumpets were sounded But one of the strangest instances of the Lords answering Prayer by strange and seemingly contrary Providences is that of the Turks Rev. 9. It is agreed by all Interpreters that the sixth Trumpet is the Turk But did ever any Christian pray for the coming of the Turk into Christendom No but yet they came and the Voice from the four Horns of this Golden Altar of Incense usher'd them in Rev. 9.13 The meaning is this the strange Power of God did answer the Prayers of his people this way it is the Prayers of Gods people that turns the wheel of Providence as it were and brings about all the great and mighty revolutions in the course thereof Vse 1. Of Comfort in five or six particulars This Doctrine of Christs Intercession which is the mystery of this Golden Censer and Altar of Incense is full of Comfort to poor praying Souls thou hast an High Priest which offereth up thy Prayers and they are made acceptable through his Intercession This affords Comfort let thy condition be what it will 1. If thou find thy self unskilful in making application of that part of Christs Priestly Office which consisteth in his Death yet thou maist look up to him to speak a good word for thy Soul this work is doing still though the former be done 2. In case of new sins committed after Grace received here is this Comfort that as Satan puts in new Accusations against thy Soul so Christ puts in new Answers 1 Joh. 2.1 2. if any man sin we have an Advocate c. 3. Many an one is much troubled with fears of future backslidings but Christ prays that thy Faith fail not he prays not only that we should come
Flood 2. That impious attempt of building the Tower of Babel Gen. 11.4 whether to secure themselves from another Deluge through their unbelief and distrust of Gods Promise or thinking to climb into Heaven a mad Project but Sinners act sometimes at a strange rate of Madness not knowing what they do or that they were moved and acted by Pride and Vain glory to get them a Name This the Text expresseth being probably the end most generally aimed at by them though it is like they had various motives and inducements and those very foolish and wicked This Defection was from that of Chams about sixty two years as some compute 3. There was a ruining Judgment came upon them for this sin viz. the Confusion and Division of Tongues a just and severe punishment the Hebrew being retained among the godly Seed of Heber which was so denominated from him because his Posterity were the chief Preservers of it which was a punishment that did increase the Apostacy For it made the Communication and Propagation of the Light and Knowledg of God amongst them more difficult 4. That provoking sin of Idolatry I mean that grosser sort of it worshipping the Creatures and Images That the rise of this Abomination was in this Period may appear thus If it had been before the Flood doubtless the Lord would have mentioned it amongst the Causes of that Destruction he mentions other lesser sins but not this Moreover it was amongst Abrahams Ancestors when they dwelt beyond the River Euphrates Josh 24.2 The place where this Delusion first arose seems to be Babylon which is called the Mother of Fornications which is meant of Idolatry and Spiritual Fornications as well as bodily Revel 17.5 And Chaldea the Land of graven Images Jer. 50.38 therefore it is likely the first rise of this sin was at Babel not long after the building of the Tower of Babel it being an usual stratagem of Satan when his Kingdom hath received some deadly stroke in one form to find out some new Appearance some new Device to appear in to recover his Losses and to seduce corrupted man again as Revel 12. when the Dragon was cast down when Paganish Idolatry was destroyed then he raiseth up Popish Idolatry cap. 13. Beast-worship instead of Dragon-worship So here Atheistical Prophaneness being testified against by God from Heaven by the Flood and then again by confounding the Builders of Babel Satan betakes himself to this stratagem that if there must be some Religion and some Worship amongst men he would deceive them with a false Object and so seduce them from the Knowledg and Worship of the only true and living God by presenting a multitude of false Gods But thus this second Dispensation was corrupted and lost whereupon the Lord sets his Church and true Religion as it were upon a new bottom in Abraham and his Seed This second Dispensation under Noah continued about four hundred twenty seven years as you will find it if you compare the Lives of the Patriarchs Gen. 11. But you must remember in the computing of it that Terah was a hundred and thirty years old at Abrahams Birth as appears out of cap. 11.32 compared with cap. 12.4 For Abraham was but seventy five when his Father Terah died being two hundred and five Now if seventy five be deducted out of two hundred and five there remains one hundred and thirty In the rest of the Computation and Chronology there is no difficulty 3. And so we come to the Lords third Dispensation which was that to Abraham and his Seed Wherein the Lord spake forth something more of mind than ever formerly There were now brighter Beams of Gospel-Light shining forth upon the Church of God than ever before I shall instance but in four particulars 1. The Lord calls him forth out of his own Countrey and from his Fathers House and so plucks him like a Brand out of the Fire from the midst of Idols and Idolaters Gen. 11.31 from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran and Gen. 12. from Haran into Canaan Isai 41.2 who raised up the Righteous man from the East 2. He promised him a Seed a blessed Seed that of him should come that great and blessed Seed so much expected and longed for by all the Saints ever since the first Promulgation of the Gospel to our first Parents in Paradise that Seed in whom both he and all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Genes 22.18 Till then we do not find any particular and express mention of what Family the Messiah should come But now this Promise of this Seed is renewed and repeated seven or eight times over in the History of Abraham in Genesis and it is a Promise not only of a numerous Posterity and a Church-Seed viz. his Posterity to be the only Church of God on Earth but which is more a Promise of that great and blessed Seed 3. He promised him also the Land of Canaan for an Inheritance unto his Seed after him when they had suffered and been in an unsetled condition as strangers and pilgrims four hundred and thirty years Gen. 15.13 18. which was a typical Land and did relate unto another and a better Countrey beyond that as Hebr. 11. 4. The Lord gave him Circumcision as a Seal of this Covenant and of the Righteousness of Faith Gen. 17.10 This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee Every manchild shall be circumcised Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith The duration of this Dispensation under which Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the twelve Patriarchs and their Posterity continued and enjoyed God till the Lord provided further Mercies for them by the hand of Moses of which afterwards I say this Period and State of the Church continued about four hundred and thirty years Gen. 15.13 We have now gone through the three first pieces the three first steps and degrees of the Lords gradual Patefactions and Manifestations of his Mind before the giving of the Law Those other pieces of Discovery under the Law we sall speak to the Lord assisting afterwards Mean while let us reflect a little upon this that hath been said in order to some practical Improvement of it in some practical Inferences and Instructions from it Vse 1. See the Infant state of the Church and true Religion how low and weak the first beginnings of it were Christ compares it to a Grain of Mustard Seed Matth. 13.31 32. in the first beginnings under the New Testament It is true also of the old times Instruct 2. We may here see how prone Mankind is to degenerate and fall from God God no sooner sets them up again but they fall again The Church of God had stood but a matter of a hundred and thirty years in Adams Family which included all Mankind when Cain falls into open Murther Well he is turned out and a matter of a hundred years after things
Ten Commandments Exod. 19.9 that the people might hear and cap. 20.22 he talked with you from Heaven and he wrote them in two Tables of Stone and in the five Books of Moses The Ceremonial and Judicial Laws were delivered in this last way viz. by Writing being left upon Record in the Books of Moses This is celebrated as a choice Mercy Psal 103.7 He made known his ways unto Moses his Acts unto the Children of Israel yea as a peculiar and distinguishing Mercy Psal 147.2 last v. He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and Judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation And now seems to have been the first Invention of the Art of Writing The first mention we find of it is in Moses his time In Jacobs time it may seem they had no knowledg of it because in the Covenant between him and Laban instead of any Articles in Writing between them or signing or sealing of it they only erect an heap of Stones as Monuments of Remembrance of it Gen. 31.45 seq And the Invention is so admirable that it seems to transcend all humane Wit and Industry The reducing of all audible and articulate Sounds unto visible Marks and that in so familiar and short a way by twenty or thirty Letters without any further load to the Memory that we may well ascribe it unto God himself as the blessed Author and Inventor of it to help his poor people to and in the knowledg of himself according to that in Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Prudence and find out knowledg of witty Inventions 3. The Lord accepted the whole Nation to be his own peculiar people erecting a glorious Frame and Fabrick of Church and Common-wealth amongst them wherein the Lord himself was King and did immediately preside and therefore it hath been fitly called a Theocracy so Gideon Judg. 8.23 The Lord shall rule over you Isai 51.16 that I may plant the Heavens and lay the foundations of the Earth and say unto Zion thou art my People 4. He gave them glorious and visible symbols and tokens of his Presence amongst them walking before them in a Pillar of Cloud and Fire Exod. 13.21 22. which Pillar rested upon the Tabernacle after that the Tabernacle was built Exod. ult ult which also was a symbol of his Presence with them and so was the Ark and the Manna from Heaven Exod. 16.14 15. with the Rock that followed them Exod. 17.6 1 Cor. 10.4 5. The Lord himself conducted and led them through the Desarts of Arabia by the Hand of Moses and into the Land of Promise by the Hand of Joshuah drying up Jordan for them subduing the Inhabitants before them raising up Judges and Rulers for them and finally training them up by many instructing Providences to fit them for the further Mercies he had yet in store for them One would think all things were now well setled but there were two or three things partly defects in this Dispensation it self and partly some provoking evils on their part under it by reason whereof the Lord brought in a further and an higher Dispensation afterwards 1. There had been strange Rebellions and Provocations in the Wilderness which have had an influence into all the sorrows and troubles that have befallen them ever since Murmuring against God Mutining against Moses and Aaron which the Lord took very hainously and therefore destroyed Corah Dathan and Abiram by miracle For to disobey the just Commands of a lawful Magistrate is to rebel against God himself And above all Idolatry Exod. 32.34 35 In the day when I visit I will visit their Sin upon them and the Lord plagued the people because they made the Calf which Aaron made From whence the Jews have a proverb that in every affliction in every calamity that comes upon them there be some grains of the Molten Calf in it 2. There were frequent Degeneracies and Oppressions under the Judges 3. The Tabernacle was unfixed Upon all which accounts the Lord had not yet satisfied himself in the expressions of his own Love towards them but his Heart was full and he was resolved to do yet more for them and so to try them to the utmost Therefore he was pleased to put a period unto this Dispensation which began about the year of the World two thousand five hundred and thirteen and lasted about four hundred eighty seven or eighty eight years 1 Kings 6.1 2. The Lords second Dispensation under the Law was from the Temple to the Captivity in Babylon In this Period the Glory of the Legal Dispensation rose up to the greatest height and splendor and that chiefly in two particulars the Glory of the Kingdom and Temple 1. The Kingdom was setled in the House of David as the Type and Progenitor of the Messiah And in his days and Solomons it extended to the utmost bounds that God had spoken of to Abraham though afterwards for their own sins they were cut short the neighbour Nations shaking off the yoke and the Kingdom it self divided into two parts two Tribes only left to Solomons Posterity The Lord had promised Abraham that his Seed should possess all the Land to the River Euphrates Gen. 15.18 And it was performed in Davids time and in Solomons 1 King 4.21 24. 2 Chron. 9.26 And this Kingdom was a Type of the Kingdom of Christ 2. The other piece of their Glory was the Temple Before God had dwelt in Tents but now he had an House built unto his Name The Lord turned his flitting Tabernacle into a fixed Temple for which David made plentiful Preparation Solomon did erect and set it up He did it in seven or eight years time or more precisely seven years and an half for he began it in the second month and finished it in the eighth 1 King 6.1 and ult and he began it in the fourth year of his Reign and finished it in the eleventh moreover he began it in the 480th year after the coming out of Egypt and dedicated it seven or eight years after which fell into the year of the World three thousand or three thousand and one as you will find if you take the pains to compute and put all the former Periods together And their Kingdom and Temple stood in some degree of outward Glory about four hundred years from the finishing and dedicating of it to the beginning of their Bondage under the Yoke of Babylon And now one would think they had been setled in such a condition as might have stood for ever But the Apostacies were very great which brought this high and prosperous Dispensation to an end to a sad end For 1. The peoples hearts being not so with God as became a people crowned with such Glory God left them and their Princes the first and wisest of them the very Founders of their Kingdom and Temple unto very great and enormous transgressions David committed Adultery and Murther a very unparallell'd case for which the Lord threatneth the
shall bite them and upon occasion of their ungrateful murmurings against the Manna Numb 21.5 The Instruction we may learn and see in it is this That God le ts loose those fiery Serpents Satan and their Lusts to sting the Consciences and torment the Souls of Men for contempt of Christ and Gospel mercies When Manna hath been slighted when Christ is offered and rejected then the Serpent stings Psal 81.11 12. Because Israel would none of me therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts Have you never felt the truth of this Type by woful experience how sin hath raged and gotten more strength when the Gospel hath been slighted and offers of Grace despised So much of the Disease the deadly sting of these fiery Serpents for their murmurings Now 2. for the Remedy The Brazen Serpent That Christ is this Brazen Serpent himself declares Joh. 3. 1. It was made of Brass and in the shape and form of a Serpent yet not a real Serpent It was not made of Gold but only of Brass which though it be a strong and bright Mettal yet was contemptible in outward appearance and most unlikely to have attained such an end to work such a cure So is Christ strong and mighty and bright and glorious Rev. 1.15 16. The brightness of his Fathers glory Heb. 1.3 Yet a man and the Son of man Therefore low and mean in his outward appearance and despised of the world Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to them that are saved the wisdom of God and the power of God 1 Cor. 1.23 24. Yea he condescended to appear in the similitude of sinful flesh for so the Apostle most accurately expresseth it Rom. 8.3 He was counted a sinner but he was indeed without sin Heb. 4.15 As this brazen Serpent was like a Serpent yet had neither Venom nor Sting so Christ appeared like a sinner He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and yet knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 But though he was not sinful yet he was indeed under the curse due to sin as the Serpent was cursed Gen. 3. So Christ became a curse for us Gal. 3.13 2. This brazen Serpent was a Remedy and a Cure provided of God in meer Grace and sovereign Mercy for ungrateful and unworthy Rebels when some of them were stung to death and ready to perish for their contempt of Manna and others of them were dead and gone and past recovery for the same sin It was against the merit of their murmurings when they spake against him and against Moses in like manner doth God give his Son Jesus Christ of free and meer grace when we were enemies without and against our merit when so great a part of mankind perisheth without him in their own rebellions and especially for their contempt of the Gospel Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world it was a most intense love to give his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have eternal life 3. The Serpent must be lifted up upon a Pole Numb 21. That all Israel might see it whether near or further off so Christ was lifted up Joh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up that is upon the Cross Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me This he spake signifying what death he should die And in the preaching of the Gospel in the sight of all men Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Both to those that are near and farr of Ephes 2.17 4. This brazen Serpent must be also looked upon by the Israelites when stung Numb 21.8 So must Christ by the eye of Faith Joh. 3.15 Faith is often expressed unto us by that Metaphor of looking Look unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me Faith looks with a fixed eye and with a mourning eye A mans Spirit is much seen and doth much discover it self by his eye 5. In this way it gave healing unto those that being stung did look upon it whom nothing else could heal Moses and his Law could not do it Numb 21.8 So Christ Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings Psal 103 who healeth all thy diseases And none but he can do it Act. 4.12 There is no healing of a wounded Conscience but by Jesus Christ alone as lifted up upon the Cross and beheld by the eye of Faith The brazen Serpents being lifted up was not enough but it must be looked upon so Christ must be believed on or else the soul cannot be healed Ignorant Souls that see not Christ or that despise him shall not be saved by him as if any of the people had said what virtue can there be in such a brazen Serpent to health and so would not look up to it Such they deservedly perish so do Unbelievers and Despisers under the Gospel Though they were but weak and dim-eyed blear-eyed dim-sighted c. yet looking up to the brazen Serpent they were healed so though Faith be weak yet being sincere it saveth Though in the utmost parts of the Camp some say it took up twelve myles Yet look unto me all the ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45.22 6. The brazen Serpent retained this virtue only while instituted by God for that end and therefore when the sacred Stamp of Institution was taken off we read no more of any Miracles wrought by it and Hezekiah brake it in pieces 2. Kings 18.4 Now this part of the History cannot be fitly accommodated to Christ himself but to his Ordinances thus That the very same things and actions which are good and useful when God appoints them are useless yea abominable if there be no stamp of Institution upon them Thus we may fitly apply it because the Types as hath been said relate to all Gospel Truths and the same Truth shines forth in all the rest of those ancient Types and Shadows The Lord then appointed ministring Garments for his Priests and Ministers but for Ministers to use sacred Vestments now is unlawful and abominable The Lord then appointed a kind of legal Hierarchy and spiritual Supremacy of the High Priest over all the rest of the Priests and Levites they were to act by the appointment of Aaron and his Sons Numb 4.19 But for one Gospel Minister to claim a supremacy of Jurisdiction over another Gospel Minister within his own Charge or Congregation This is that for which we justly call the Pope Antichrist The Lord then appointed the Feast of Tabernacles and the Passover and Pentecost But for us to keep these Feasts now under the names of Christmas Easter or Whitsuntide or the like as the Pope hath taught us to do it is a farr
I shall prove each Particular out of plain Scripture 1. That great Seed that was not only the Seed of the Woman but the Son of God this was the first and chief Seed here intended Gal 3.16 He saith not as to Seeds but to thy Seed which is Christ such a Seed in whom all Nations are blessed Now it is in Christ only that all Nations are blessed therefore he was this promised Seed The Lord had not before limited the Seed Messiah to any particular Family but left it at large so far as appears among the whole Race of Mankind It was said to Adam the Seed of the Woman there was then no further limitation till Noahs time and then in Abrahams time the Lord limits the Covenant to his Seed It was afterwards confined to Judah one of the twelve Tribes at last the Lord went further to one Family in Judah namely Davids but here he limits it to Abraham that of him should come that great and blessed Seed This was the main thing indeed as without which all other Promises could never be bestowed and fulfilled but through him they are Yea and Amen Abraham saw my day and rejoyced he saw the Messias was to come of his Loyns this was the Seed in whom he believed and by which he was saved 2. There was a Church-seed promised the meaning is this That the Church of God should be continued in his Race and Posterity the true Religion should be setled there There were other godly persons before and after we read of Melchisedech and Job and his Friends and it is very like there might be others and when God had setled Salvation to Abraham it was the duty of all others to joyn themselves to that Church The Lord entailed by Covenant all his Ordinances to Abraham and his Posterity He gave them his Statutes and Judgments he chose them to be a peculiar People a People to the Lord and that is a Church a Society intrusted and invested with the Ordinances and thus he dealt with them he shewed his Statutes to Israel this is no small priviledge and mercy to enjoy the Ordinances this is called the Kingdom of God This Christ threatned the Jews that it should be taken from them and given to other people Mat. 21.43 that is God would settle his Church among the Gentiles and give them his Ordinances And that this is a Priviledge we see by that expression of the Apostle to the Ephesians wherein he mentions it as a part of the dreadful misery of the Ephesians that they were Aliens to the Common Wealth of Israel 3. There was a third thing intended and that is a believing Seed such as should be truly Godly and of this the Apostle speaks in Gal. 3.7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith are the Seed of Abraham so that all true Believers are his Seed in that sense He is called the Father of the Faithful all Believers are his Posterity There were Multitudes that were truly Godly of Abrahams Seed and all that are Godly are his Seed they walk in his steps they are the Seed of the Covenant they are spiritually related to him He was the Pattern and typical Head of that Covenant in which we do all believe the Pattern of Faith to us He is called our Father It is said of him that he believed against sense and reason this was not writen for his sake alone but for us also that we might follow his steps 4. There was included in this Covenant an ingrafted Seed it is the Apostles expression in Rom. 11.17 I mean a Seed not only of the Jews but of the Gentiles God did not only engage to Abraham that there should be Church of his own natural Seed and that there should be Saints of his natural Seed but that the Gentiles should be ingrafted into his Covenant and so become his Seed Thou being a wild Olive Tree wert grafted in among them and partakest of the root and fatness of the Olive Tree God did above and beyond the ordinary course of things ingraft the Gentiles into that Covenant that he had once made with Abraham And thus you see what the Seed is which the Lord did promise in the Covenant whereof Circumcision was the Seal He did promise to give to Abraham that Seed firstly and chiefly that Seed who was the Son of God and a Church Seed and a believing Seed and not only a Seed of the Nation of the Jews but a Seed ingrafted into that Grace and Covenant from among the Gentiles We have gone through two Branches of the Covenant the third is this 3. That God would give an Inheritance to him and them this was the third part of Gods Covenant with him It is the greatest desire in nature to have Children and it is a good desire it is of God And what do Parents desire next a comfortable Inheritance for them and this did the Lord promise to Abraham And in that Text which hath been so often alledged God first promises to make him exceeding Fruitful and then I will give to thee and thy Seed after thee the Land wherein thou art yet a Stranger The Lord promised an Inheritance and that Inheritance was the Land of Canaan Now the Question is whether this was a temporal or spiritual Inheritance Doubtless the Lord did not promise to Abraham Canaan meerly as a temporal Inheritance but as a spiritual Inheritance Canaan was not as other Lands are a meer outward thing but it was a typical Land it was the Land of Emmanuel it is the Land of Glory Canaan was a Type of Heaven and in that respect it was that they did so earnestly prize it and look upon it as being Heaven in an earthly Shadow therefore Jacob and Joseph must needs be buried there therefore the Apostle assures us they did seek a better Country they professed themselves Strangers and Pilgrims here upon Earth They that say such things declare plainly they seek another Country which is an heavenly one wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God It is a heavenly City whose Builder and Maker is God so that under that Shadow the Lord did promise Heaven to Abraham and this was the third part of this Covenant This Land of Canaan is called the Mountain of Holiness what expression can be higher Dan. 11. and therefore the Saints did look beyond that to another Country You see what the Covenant was and what were the principal things and Branches of it That God should be his God that God should give him a Seed and that God should give an Inheritance to him and them You see what the Covenant is that Circumcision doth relate to Now the last thing that was propounded was this what respect it is that Circumcision hath to this Covenant He gave him the Covenant of Circumcision For this Note these five things 1. Circumcision respects the Covenant as the Seal or Sacrament of Initiation into the Covenant The reason of
concerning this Ordinance which Circumcision doth hold forth He is not a Christian which is one outwardly neither is that Baptism which is outward in the flesh but he is a Christian that is one inwardly and Baptism is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God The Apostles Scope is to depress the external part of the Ordinance as of no worth and value separated from or compared with the spiritual part so it is with our Ordinances that we do enjoy under the New-Testament What is the washing away of the filth of the body if the heart be not washed But it is as Circumcision was to them an aggravation of their sin and condemnation I will punish saith God Jer. 9.25 26. all them which are circumcised together with the uncircumcised Egypt and Judah and Edom and the Children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost Corners that dwell in the Wilderness for all these Nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart So God will punish the Baptised with the Unbaptised together For many people are unbaptised in the flesh and many of the house of Israel many professing Christians are not baptised in heart They have the Circumcision but not the Covenant of Circumcision they have the Water but not the Spirit of Baptism Therefore take heed of separating the outward part from the inward part of the Ordinance do not rest in the external priviledg but look after the spirit and blessing of every Ordinance get God to wash thy heart and the heart of thy Seed 'T is not enough to have thy body washed if thy heart and soul be not washed from its filth THE GOSPEL OF THE SACRIFICES June 14. 1668. Levit. 7.37 38. This is the Law of the Burnt offering of the Meat offering and of the Sin offering and of the Trespass-offering and of the Consecrations and of the Sacrifice of the Peace offerings c. THe Perpetual Statutes of the Law of Ceremonies have been referred to Five general Heads 1. The initiating Seal of Circumcision 2. The legal Offerings and Sacrifices and Purifications 3. The Temple 4. The Priesthood 5. The Festivals Of the initiating Seal of those times we have formerly spoken from Act. 7.8 That which next follows in the method propounded is the legal Offerings concerning which the Text lays down two Assertions or Points of Doctrine 1. That there was a divine Institution and Command of God for the Offerings and Sacrifices that were under the Law 2. That there were six kinds or sorts of propitiatory Sacrifices under the Law viz. the Burnt offering c. this is the Scope of vers 37. The former Doctrine is the Scope of the 38 but that which is last mentioned in the words of the Text is first in order of Consideration Doct. 1. That there was a divine Institution and Command of God for the Offerings and Sacrifices that were under the Law The Text indeed speaks properly of propitiatory Sacrifices but there is a general truth in the Proposition concerning all their Sacrifices and all the sorts and kinds of them This Book of Leviticus begins thus And he called Vaikra that is the Lord he called by an audible voice from his dwelling Place the Throne of his Glory which was upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubims as he had promised Exod. 25.22 see Numb 7.89 It is true it is said Jer. 7.22 concerning Burnt-Offerings or Sacrifices that God commanded them not c. But the sense and meaning is comparative though the Grammar of the words sound as if it were negative It cannot be explained better than the Old Note hath done it shewing that it was not his chief intent and purpose that they should offer Sacrifices but that they should regard wherefore they were ordained to wit to be joyned to the word as Seals and Confirmations of Remission of sins in Christ for without the word they were vain and unprofitable To open this Doctrine a little to you we must first consider what a Sacrifice or an Offering is Now an Offering in general is any thing presented to the Lord to become peculiarly his and to be typical of Christ and Gospel Mysteries The former part of the Description extends to Anti typical Offerings as well as typical to Gospel as well as legal Offerings for our Souls and Bodies and all our Services are offered and presented to the Lord but not as Types and Shadows of another Gospel but they become his in a spiritual and peculiar propriety as theirs of old did Their Offerings by being offered became the Lords they presenting and the Lord accepting them therefore they are called Holy as being separated to the Lord separated and set apart from common use to holy use Hence they are called Gifts Quorbanim as being given to the Lord â Quarab appropinquavit so in in the Text their Oblations or their Corbans see Mark 7.11 All this holds true of Gospel Offerings under the New Testament but the Legal Offerings were set apart for God with respect to Christ and his great Sacrifice and Offering of himself up unto God for us they all had some Relation to this either as to the thing it self or the blessed Effects and Fruits of it Some have distinguished them into three sorts 1. Such as were offered at the Brazen Altar or the Altar of Burnt-Offering which represented the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ 2. Such as were offered in the Sanctuary more near to the Holy of Holies viz. the Shew-bread and the Incense at the Altar of Incense which had respect to his Intercession for us at the Throne of Grace in the virtue and by the merit of that Sacrifice which he before had shed and offered up to the Justice of God for us 3. Such as were offered in the Holy of Holies where the High Priest came upon some extraordinary and special occasions which did represent the full attainment of the ends of both the former namely our full Access unto and Communion with God through the influence both of the Death and Oblation as likewise of the Prayers and Intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ for us The two latter of these we shall speak unto when we come to those parts of the Temple where these Services were to be performed but the first sort viz. the Sacrifices and Offerings at the Brazen Altar we are now to speak unto These Sacrifices that were offered at the Brazen Altar are commonly distributed into two sorts Propitiatory and Eucharistical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sacrifices of Expiation and Sacrifices of Thanksgiving Psal 107.22 It is the former sort whereof the Text speaks and they are here called Corbans a Term which as some affirm is usually appropriated to this sort of Offerings though the notation and original signification of it be more general For the opening whereof unto you I
women after Child-bed Levit. 12.6 They had a Meat-Offering by divine Institution annexed and conjoyned with it The other part of the Rule is negative and it is this we do not find that Meat-Offerings were annexed unto the Burnt-Offerings of Fowls or to Sin or Trespass Offerings or to First-Fruits or Tythes or to the Paschal-Lamb though to the Feast of the Passover they were Deut. 16.1 2. And in the cleansing of the Leper the Meat-Offering seems to be annexed to the Sin-Offering Lev. 14.10 which is a peculiar Case This Rule is drawn from the authority of the Scripture negatively there being no such annecting of it unto these in that place Numb 15. where it is annexed unto Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings but where it was not commanded where they were not directed to it in the Law they might not do it Vse See the fulness of spiritual Mystery and the plenty of Gospel Light and Teaching that is in the Sacrifice of the Meat-Offering To recapitulate briefly some Heads of things which have been more largely opened to you It relates both to Christ and Christians and is full of spiritual mystery as to both 1. As to Christ he is the true Meat-Offering the Food of our Souls it was to consist of fine Flower to denote his Cleanness and Purity The baking frying drying beating of it points us to his Sufferings and so doth the burning of it upon the Altar The pouring forth the Wine belonging to the Meat-Offering plainly represents the pouring out his Blood The Green Ears represents Christ as the First Fruits by whom all the rest is sanctified The Priests eating it tells us how Believers feed upon Christ by Faith as the Bread of Life The Oyl is the Spirit of Christ The Incense his Prayers and Mediation and the efficacy and acceptance thereof with God for us The Salt of the Covenant is the stability and everlasting faithfulness of God as our God in a Covenant Relation through Jesus Christ The prohibition of Leaven and Honey frees Christ from all Corruption of life and doctrine and all such deceiving comfort which afterwards like Honey turns to bitterness 2. Apply it to Christ mystical to the Saints and Members of Christ for it may be so applied the Gentiles under the Gospel are presented as an acceptable Meat-Offering to the Lord Isai 66.20 Every particular and circumstance of it is full of teaching The Fine Flower teaches us to purge our selves from the Bran of our natural Corruption We must be anointed with the Unction of the Spirit The Incense teaches us to be much in prayer and to expect acceptance with the Lord. The Salt instructs us in the safety of our Covenant-Estate and Interest in God and that our speeches and whole deportment should be savoury and seasoned with Salt The forbidding of Leaven and Honey calls upon us to purge out the Old Leaven of sinful Corruption and to take heed of the sweetness and pleasures of sin I beseech you brethren do not rest in the notional understanding of these Truths but reduce all to practice If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 But if you know all mysteries and have not love 1 Cor. 13.1 2. it profiteth nothing And to press you a little further you may observe that the Meat-Offering under the Gospel is larger than it was under the Law as you will find if you compare Numb 28. with Ezek. 46. For in Numb 28.5 the Meat-Offering is but the tenth part of an Ephah it is but the fourth part of an Hin of beaten oyl But in Ezek. 46.13 14 it is augmented the Meat-Offering to a sixth part of an Ephah and the third part of an Hin of oyl This speaks a greater degree of fruitfulness and more ample obedience under the Gospel then was of old under the Law That look as the Grace of God in Christ abounds towards us under the Gospel so should we abound in our Returns of thankful and fruitful obedience 1 Tim. 1.14 And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Can you not go along with the Apostle in those expressions Hath not God abounded towards you in Mercy and free Grace Have you not sometimes said never such a Pattern of Mercy never the like Riches of free Grace if the Lord pardoned such sins and heal such backslidings therefore be you abundant in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult If you know these things happy are you if you do them THE GOSPEL OF THE PEACE-OFFERING Lev. 3. July 26. August 6 9. 1668. The Peace-Offering Shelamim THe third sort of Sacrifices or Offerings under the Law is the Peace-Offering We had the Burnt-Offering in the first Chapter the Meat-Offering in the second Chapter and now follows the Peace-Offering here in the third Yola Mincha Shelamim We may open it in this Method which I hope will be plain and edifying 1. The name 2. The ends occasions and seasons of it 3. The matter of it 4. The sacred Rites and Ceremonies or ceremonious Actions about it 1. For the name it is Shelamim which we render the Peace-Offering and Zebach Shelamim the Sacrifice of the Peace-Offering from Shalom pax so called because it was a Sacrifice of Peace Offering amongst all the parties God and the Priests and the people being all partakers of it as being all agreed and therefore sociable partakers of the same thing The word may be otherwise rendred but this Interpretation is most generally received and suits well with the nature of this Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings 2. The ends occasions and seasons of the Peace-Offerings for we may put all these together First as to their ends they were of a mixt nature they were both Hilastical Eucharistical and Euctical both for atonement and for thanksgiving and for prayer they were in general for peace and reconciliation with God Some I know have questioned this which I must confess I have often wondred at and they have thought it meerly expressive of moral duties of homage and thankfulness to God c. But it was a Fire-Offering upon the Brazen Altar all the rest of which were for reconciliation and atonement and therefore why not this It is said to be a savour of rest vers 5. which signifies Gods acceptation The Actions about it speak forth this end for it was slain and burnt upon the Altar the Blood poured forth and sprinkled upon the Altar round about c. All pointing to Jesus Christ who is indeed the true Peace-Offering Ephes 2.14 He is our Peace and he hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 2.20 Yet this was but the general and not the special nor the only end of them There be two particular ends mentioned in Cap. 7. 1. Peace enjoyed to testify their thankfulness 2. Peace desired and sought after each of which had their different Rites of which afterwards 1. One end was for thanksgiving by
way of Retribution for mercies received Lev. 7.11 12. of which Psal 107.22 And let them sacrifice the Sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoycing Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually acknowledging Christ in all our mercies 2. Another end of the Peace-Offerings was for the impetration or obtaining of mercies wanted either in the way of a Vow or a Freewil-Offering Lev. 7.16 Judg. 20.26 The Tribes in their Fast for obtaining victory against the Benjamites offered Peace-Offerings in the way of a Freewil-Offering Psal 56.12 Thy Vows are upon me O God I will render praises unto thee Or I will pay confessions unto thee that is he would in a way of praise offer the Peace-Offerings that he had vowed So Jonah 2.9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that I have vowed Salvation is of the Lord. Gen. 28.20 21 22. The tenth of all that God should give him Jacob vowed to give to God that is as a Peace-Offering The difference between a Vow and a Freewil-Offering was only this That in the Freewil-Offering they did present the thing it self unto the Lord but in a Vow they did first promise it being it may be not in a capacity to perform it at that time As Jonah in the Whales belly and then when the deliverance was bestowed and the Prayer heard and granted they paid their Vows unto the Lord. Hence some have thus referred and compared these three sorts of Offerings hitherto described and directed in this Book That as the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1. principally figured our Reconciliation to God by the death of Jesus Christ and the Meat-Offering Cap. 2. had a special respect to our Sanctification in him before God so this Peace-Offering signified both Christs Oblation of himself whereby he became our Peace and our Salvation and likewise our Oblation of Praise Thanksgiving and Prayer unto God in the midst of our troubles temptations and spiritual conflicts which we fight by Faith in this world so that in this Sacrifice we come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may receive Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need as Heb. 4.16 Therefore some have noted that this Sacrifice of Peace-Offering was often added under the Law to other sorts of Sacrifices Because beside the expiation of sin by the Blood of Christ there must be an effectual application of the atonement in a way of actual communion with God in a way of grace and peace through Jesus Christ Christ doth not only procure peace for us but Communicate and apply it to us Here was an actual Participation and an exercise of mutual Communion between God and the Priest and the Offerers feasting together Quest What were the times and seasons when they offered and were to offer Peace Offerings Ans They were either Occasional or more stated The Occasional times were either 1. in thanksgiving or 2. as Vows or 3. as Freewil-Offerings which were formerly spoken to The more stated times are such as these 1. At the Consecration of the Priests One of the Rams is called a Peace Offering Exod. 29.28 And at the first Consecration of Aaron and his Family Lev. 9.4 Also a Bullock and a Ram for Peace Offerings to sacrifice before the Lord. 2. At the expiration of a Nazaretical Vow Numb 6.14 One Lamb without blemish for a Peace Offering 3. At the Dedication of the Tabernacle Each of the twelve Princes of the twelve Tribes of Israel brought for a Sacrifice of Peace Offerings two Oxen five Rams five Hee Goats of the first year Numb 7.17 So at the Dedication of the Temple by Solomon 1 King 8.62 63. Solomon offered a Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings which he offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand Oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand Sheep 4. In the Feast of First Fruits Two Lambs of the first year for a Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings Lev. 23.19 As for the Offerings at the Purification of a Leper the two Birds Lev. 14. It differs so much from the ordinary Rule of the Peace-Offerings that it cannot well be annumerated to them but it was a peculiar Sacrifice of Purification of which we shall speak hereafter So likewise the Passover Lamb. Exod. 12. though Eucharistical yet cannot well be reduced to the Peace Offerings or to any of the six ordinary kinds but was indeed a peculiar Sacrifice having other Rites than what belonged to the Peace Offering 3. The matter of the Peace Offering it was either of the Herd or of the Flock either of the bigger or of the lesser sort of Cattel either Lambs or Goats There was no Peace-Offering of Fowls as there was of Turtle Doves and young Pigeons in the Burnt-Offering The reason whereof is thought to be because this was to be divided amongst so many to God and the Priest and the Offerers but in Birds being so small this division could not so conveniently be made Moreover it must be without blemish and this was required before in the Burnt-Offering and indeed in all their Sacrifices And finally the Peace Offering it might be either Male or Female which was otherwise in the Law of the Burnt-Offering that was to be Males only Cap 1.3 This Interpreters do apply spiritually to the estate of the Church in Christ in whom there is neither Male nor Female Gal. 3.28 He that accepteth a Female in his Sacrifice doth not exclude Women from his Service they are not excluded from his Love and therefore should not count themselves freed from his Law It was a good speech of a Woman that was a Martyr Jesus Christ suffered as much for the redeeming of our Souls as he did for Men and therefore why should not we have as much courage as they to suffer for him God is no Respecter of persons 4. The Rites and Ceremonies of the Peace-Offering they were of two sorts 1. Common unto this with other Offerings 2. Peculiar to the Peace-Offerings As to the former sort there be five sacred Ceremonies required here which were mentioned before in the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1. and accordingly were there explained As 1. It must be brought to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 2. The Owner must lay his hands upon it 3. It must be killed 4. The blood shed and sprinkled upon the Altar round about 5. Burning it upon the Altar all which having been explained before when we were upon the Burnt-Offering We may now proceed to the second sort viz. 2. Such Rites as are here first mentioned as having some peculiar respect to the Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings Now these may be reduced to four Heads 1. The division of it into three parts namely between God and the Priest and the people 2. The limitation of time for eating the Priests and peoples part to wit upon the same day or the next 3. The addition of Leaven 4. The prohibition of fat and blood These are the sacred Rites
And here comes in that Quoere concerning the Peace-Offerings whether they were of the Holy of Holies whether they had the double or only the single Holiness They are not called most holy as the other five sorts are The reason whereof is because that some part of them was eaten by the people but yet a part also was burnt upon the Altar and another part eaten by the Priests and these parts were most holy though the whole was not Therefore some have called the Peace Offering Sacrificium varium a divers Sacrifice as being partly holy and partly most holy And the other sorts they call simplex by a simple Sacrifice intending that which was all of it most holy and the whole was to shadow out the Sacrifice and satisfaction of Jesus Christ so Mede Disc 49. 2. The second Ceremony of the Peace-Offering was the limitation of time for the eating of it The parts belonging to the Priest and to the Offerer must be eaten by them the same day or the next but if any was left till the third day it must be burnt with fire Lev. 7.15 16 17.18 And here there is a distinction in the Rule between the two sorts or occasions of Peace-Offerings namely That if it were for Thanksgiving it must be eaten the same day that it is offered but if it were for a Vow or a voluntary Offering it must be eaten within two days The former Rule is in vers 15. The Rule for the latter is in vers 16. But how if they did not observe this Rule see the penalty in vers 17.18 To eat any of it upon the third day was very detestable and abominable see vers 17 18. It is forbidden under the penalty of utter Extermination There might be something of a natural Reason for this because the flesh might putrefy in that hot Climate if kept longer But surely this is not all that was intended in such a severe and vehement Prohibition Therefore there be also two spiritual Mysteries that seem to be intended and aimed at by the Spirit of God in this Ceremony 1. To teach us that we should make haste and not delay Communion with God in the exercise of Faith and thankful obedience Do not delay and put off the work of Believing but receive Christ and Communicate of him in this our day This Instruction is clear and evident out of this Ceremony for seeing eating signifies our feeding upon Christ by Faith and to day and to morrow denotes a short time therefore this instructs us speedily to lay hold upon the Mercy of God in Christ and to feed upon this our Peace-Offering while it is called to day according to that Psal 95.7 8 Heb. 3.12 13 15. So for other duties of obedience we should not delay the expressions of our joy and thankfulness to God Psal 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments They had a like Rule touching the Passover Exod. 12.10 Ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire One scope whereof was to teach us to lay hold on present opportunities Do not protract the time there is a day of Peace after which when once expired it is too late God will not accept thy Peace-Offerings then 2. It is thought to have respect unto Christs Resurrection which was upon the third day therefore he saith Luk. 13.32 Behold I cast out Devils and I do Cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Then he ended his work and state of humiliation for our Redemption and had no more to do in a way of Sacrifice and Peace-Offering for our sins In which respect the number of three was a mystical number under the Law as well as the number seven the Scripture often sets a mark upon it Isaac was offered the third day Gen. 22.4 Against the third day they were to be ready to receive the Law upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19.10 11. Sanctify the people to day and to morrow and let them wash their Clothes and be ready against the third day for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai so the Ark went before them three days before it rested Numb 10.33 And they departed from the Mount of the Lord three days journey and the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days journey to search out a resting place for them And after three days to pass over Jordan into Canaan Josh 1.11 In the third day the unclean person was to purify himself but if he purify not himself the third day then the seventh day he shall not be clean Numb 19.12 In the third day Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord and recovered from the sentence of death 2 King 29.5 Hos 6.2 After two days he will revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight With many other memorable things all which intimates something of mystery in the third day And the greatest Dispensation that ever was upon that day was the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after he had layn part of three days in the Grave Then he was perfected and had no more to do in way of Sacrifice and satisfaction for our sins as after the third day there was no more of the Peace-Offering remaining 3. A third Ceremony in the Peace-Offering was this That they were to offer leavened bread with it Cap. 7. vers 13. This is the more remarkable for that in all their other Sacrifices Leaven was usually very strictly and severely forbidden but here it is required Here we may learn first That it is not the nature of the thing it self but meerly the will of God that makes a thing good or evil in his worship To put Leaven into any other Offering it makes the Sacrifice odious unto God and like a smoak in his Nostrils all the day but if it please him to require it in the Peace-Offering then it must be used So for Honey he forbids it in other Sacrifices Lev 2.11 But in the First Fruits they were to offer Honey 2 Chron. 31.5 The Children of Israel brought in abundance of the First Fruits of Corn Wine Oyl and Honey and of all the Increase of the Field God herein manifesting his Authority and the supremacy of his Will If it had pleased our Lord Jesus Christ to command us to sign men in his Name with the sign of the Cross it would have been a duty and a blessed thing to do it and if he had not commanded us to wash men with Water in his Name it would have been a sinful and an unlawful Administration to baptize More particularly Leaven is taken both in a good and in a bad sense and I find Interpreters do accommodate and apply it both ways as to the Sacrifice of the Peace Offerings 1. In
be referred to three Heads or Glasses 1. Sins against the first Table eating things offered to Idols 2. Sins against the second Table against the seventh Commandment Fornication because it was a common sin and wherein the Heathen were very blind some of them accounting it but an indifferent thing 3. Sins against the general Rule of love to our brethren Of this sort is the eating of things strangled and blood which had formerly been a sin against the second Commandment being forbidden of old in the way of a perpetual Statute during the whole legal Aeconomy Lev. 17.15 That which dies of it self includes strangled for there is no other place in the Law that forbids the eating of things strangled but only this And Deut. 14.21 where there is the same expression But now the same thing is forbidden in a more occasional and temporary way upon the account of scandal to sincere but weak Believers 1 Cor. 8.13 And there was a further benefit of this Observation in that juncture of time for it did prevent and cut off all appearance and occasion for that Calumny and false Aspersion cast forth by the Pagans in those first times of Christianity That the Christians were wont to feed upon mans flesh and to drink blood in their Assemblies Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 1. Tertull. Apolog. cap. 9. And though they are called necessary things yet there be divers sorts and ways of necessity As some things are necessary in their own nature upon a moral and perpetual account as to avoid Idolatry and Fornication so other things are necessary only pro hic nunc in regard of present Circumstances as to abstain from blood or from eating flesh As 1 Cor. 8.13 And though they are joyned with grosser sins yet the same penalty and much more the same Prohibition may be set upon things of a very different nature As Death is the penalty of Murther Gen. 9.6 And of having Leavened Bread Exod. 12.15 19. It cannot possibly be the sense of the Council to forbid that kind of Meat as in it self and morally and perpetually unlawful because all difference of Meats is most expresly and clearly taken away under the New Testament As Mark 7.14 to 20. Act. 10.10 1 Cor. 8.8 But meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse And 1 Cor. 10.25 Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for conscience sake Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure But in 1 Tim. 4.3 4 5. the Apostle thunders against this Error of making difference of Meats under the Gospel Thus you see the nature of the Sacrifice of Peace-Offerings Something will be expected as to the practical Improvement of these Truths Let me therefore only repeat and reinculcate some few of the general Heads of things which have been doctrinally cleared and made out I shall but touch them now in a more applicatory way 1. Then be perswaded and encouraged to feed and feast upon Christ our Peace-Offering Do not say such and such may if I had such Parts and such Abilities and so Eminent as such and such I durst believe This blessed Peace-Offering is not for the Priests only for Saints of the highest Rank and greatest Eminency but for the common people also Do but draw neer with a pure heart and then come and welcome take your share and eat it with a glad heart God hath given it you 2. Do not defer the eating of your Peace Offerings take heed of a procrastinating Spirit As many who think to repent and return to God when they are dying and dropping into hell whereas they should eat the Peace-Offering and eat it now Do it to day before to morrow or at least before the third day for rhen thy Peace Offering will not be accepted Come in to God the third hour of the day or if thou hast lost that season yet come in at the sixth the ninth at least at the eleventh hour of the day If you stay till the Sun be set and the day of the Lords patience run out then your Peace Offerings shall not be accepted then thy Faith thy Repentance will not save thee Oh! But I will cry God mercy and trust to Christ then Ay but thy Conscience then will say you should have eaten the Peace-Offering sooner eating it the third day shall not be accepted nor will catching at Christ when thou art gone to hell Oh then that thou hadst known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace Luk. 19.42 3. Let all your Peace-Offerings be seasoned with the new Leaven of Grace and Holiness get this blessed Leaven of the Kingdom of God into your hearts 4. Give God the fat the strength the vigor of your Spirits the best of your endeavours do not leave the worst you have to him the very dregs of time at night when you are all drowsy and sleepy for prayer and family duties when you have spent the strength of your time in your Callings Reserve some of your good hours for God and duties of Communion with him With such drowsy Sacrifices God will not be well pleased 5. Take heed of accounting the blood of the Peace Offering a common thing But as the typical blood might not be eaten but was sacred to the Lord let the blood of Christ be sacred and precious to you It is a dreadful sin to count the blood wherewith you are sanctified a common thing Heb. 10. Oh this contempt of Christ contempt of the Gospel of those glad tydings and of that Soul Redeeming blood That soul shall be cut off from his people To you that believe he is precious there is a reverential esteem of him in the hearts of all that are his they dare not arrogate nor medle with that which is his peculiar Glory and assume their Salvation to themselves The Papists will say they are saved by Christ but how Why through the blood of Christ but how come they to be made partakers of him Why God foresees that they will repent and believe and so ordains them to life upon the foresight of what they will do And thus they do as it were devour the blood of the Peace-Offering and destroy the Glory they pretend and seem to give to him THE GOSPEL OF THE SIN-OFFERING Lev. Cap. 4. August 13.16 23. 1668. The Sin-Offering Chattaah THis is the fourth of those six kinds of legal Sacrifices which are handled and directed in the seven first Chapters of this Book The first is Yola the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1. The second is Mincha the Meat Offering Cap. 2. The third is Shelamim the Peace-Offering Cap. 3. The fourth is Chattaah the Sin Offering in this 4. Chapter The fifth is Asham the Trespass-Offering Cap. 5. The sixth is Milluim the Offering of Consecrations As to this fourth namely the Sin-Offering many of the Laws and Rites thereof are the same with other Sacrifices
sin and that the sins and errors of an anointed Priest are of the worst and greatest guilt This is here taught and held forth both by the Matter of the Sin-Offering and by the Rites belonging to it As to the Matter the Priest must have as great a Sacrifice for a Sin Offering as the whole body of the people collectively considered A young Bullock is the Sin-Offering for the Priest and it is no more but a young Bullock for the whole Congregation And there is a difference as to the Rites for the several sorts of sinners for the Sin-Offering for the Priest and for the body of the people was to be sprinkled before the Vail and upon the Altar of Incense But that for the Ruler and for private persons were not sprinkled before the Vail nor upon the Incense Altar but only upon the Altar of Burnt-Offering vers 25 30 34. For the sins of the Priest and of the whole Congregation as being more hainous required a more solemn manner of atonement so our Annotators on Lev. 4.25 It was an error of the Stoick Philosophers of old that peccata sunt aequalia all sins are equal It is true sin is a privation but there are degrees in Privations there be total and partial privations As in the Twilight and dim sightedness every sin deviates and swerves from the rule of Righteousness But there are degrees of rectitude and curvity some crooked lines depart further off from the strait line and some come nearer to it so it is in sins The sins of a Minister do receive peculiar aggravations and are greater in many respects then the sins of other men For them to be covetous and greedy after the world for them to be of an unbrotherly imposing spirit that is ambitious and contentious it is worse then in other men and that especially in two respects which are both hinted in the Text. 1. Because of their anointing or separation unto Office whereby they stand nearer to God than others do being to minister to him in his holy things 2. Because their sins and errors have usually a very pernicious influence upon the people either to seduce or scandalize them Many will be ready to follow their pernicious ways Hence some read and understand the words vers 3. If he sin to cause the people to err or to bring publick Judgments upon them Hence many are so apt to plead such a Minister thinks it lawful and such a one does it and why may not I See 1. Sam. 2.17 24. how the sins of Ministers do scandalize the people causing them to transgress some of them in like manner and others to abhor and despise the Ordinances of the Lord and this makes Ministers sins great before the Lord. But people should consider that an anointed Priest may sin and err and their Errors oftentimes do much hurt This is a second Instruction 3. The whole Church may err vers 13. This is another Assertion of the Papists That their Church cannot err a strange and wonderful Assertion Did not the whole Church err when they crucified Christ And they did err fundamentally yet the Jews were then the only true Church and people of God in the world Therefore it is very unsafe to pin your Faith upon the Churches Sleeve or upon the Ministers Sleeve either for both Church and Minister may err It is not safe to be led meerly by multitude or by example Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a Cause to decline after many to wrest Judgment Yea a true Church may in time err so farr and degenerate so deeply as that they may cease to be a Church As the Church of the Jews for Instance The Lord hath said unto the house of Israel as he threatned by the Prophet Hosea Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi I will not have mercy on you and you are not my people Hos 1.6 9. And Cap. 2.2 Plead with your Mother plead for she is not my Wife neither am I her Husband The Church of the two Tribes also are now in the same condition with the other ten Zech. 11.10 And I took my Staff even Beauty and cut it asunder that I might break my Covenant which I had made with all the people The meaning is that he would discovenant and unchurch them but yet he will at last restore them But would you see an Instance of a Church which God hath rejected and unchurched and which shall never be restored any more Behold the Church of Rome it was once a true Church and the Pastor thereof a true Minister when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romanes sixteen hundred years ago but now so far declined from their first estate and from the primitive and Scripture Pattern That the Church of Rome is become the Whore of Babylon and the Bishop of Rome the Head of that Church is Antichrist See Rev. 13. They are set forth under the notion of two wild and venemous Beasts the first Beast in that Chapter which hath ten Horns c. is the Church of Rome the second Beast with two Horns is the Pope of Rome the first is Babylon and the second Antichrist The truth is they have erred so farr that except the Church of the Jews when they crucified Jesus Christ I think there was never any Church that erred so much as this Church that pretends they cannot err 4. Instruction That the Elders and publick persons act and are to act for the people For the Elders are to lay their hands upon the peoples Offering Vers 15. That is as their Agents and Representatives The people are not to think themselves meerly passive in what their Elders and Rulers do no believe it you are more concerned then so Their act involves the people which gives a just account of Gods sending publick Calamities upon the people for the sins of their Rulers for what the Parliament do the people do The method of Providence is often thus First the people they sin and provoke God to anger then he leaves their Rulers to sin for their sakes and then comes Wrath. For while there is a Phinehas a Josiah they stand in the gap and stave off publick Judgments it may be all their days but when they are gone or if they sin too this opens a gap for publick Judgments to break in upon the people See 2 Sam. 24.1 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them to say go number Israel and Judah Observe the method first God is angry with Israel for their sins then he moved David their King to sin and then comes the Plague People are very apt when things go amiss and the publick affairs do not prosper they are very apt to be discontent with their Rulers and Magistrates and to say that it is their fault But if they do amiss you should consider why God leaves them to it it is often for the sins
as Ministry Who is able to give any necessary reason for these things One Reason indeed might be to lead them from the shadow to the substance that they might not dwell and rest in the outward Type and Ceremony but look further to what was figured by them For if the atonement had lain in the Type there must have been other proportions set down between sin and sin but the will of the Lawgiver is enough and this we must acquiesce in where no other reason doth appear You have formerly heard how the Lord saith upon the Meat-Offering I will have no Leaven nor Honey but in the Peace-Offering he saith I will have Leaven In all the Fire-Offerings he saith I will not have Honey but in the First Fruits he will have Honey His Will is our Rule his Will as revealed in his Word Vse 2. See the sovereign virtue of the blood of Christ for he is our Trespass-Offering as well as our Sin Offering Therefore Isai 53.10 it s said When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for sin The word is the same with this Asham naphsho his Soul a Trespass-Offering Here are sins against knowledg mentioned thieving lying perjury sins which do amount to a very stupendious guilt Vse 3. Hence thirdly here is encouragement to the greatest sinners to have recourse to him and to his blood and to make use of him for atonement There is atonement in the blood of Christ our Trespass-Offering even for Thieves Oppressors Lyars and perjured persons Let me speak particularly to these sins mentioned in the Text and that in this method 1. To shew the greatness of these sins And then 2. That yet there is atonement for them in the blood of Jesus Christ 1. Theft and unjust dealing That this is a very grievous sin appears by this because it is so contrary to the very light of nature and to that golden Rule of equity to do as you would be done to and is destructive to humane Society That it is against light appears because they labour to hide it and are ashamed of it if it come to be known Jer. 2.26 As a Thief is ashamed when he is found And this further shews the greatness of it That God insists upon restitution and satisfaction to the party injured Consider this all you that are Tradesmen and have much dealing in the world and you that are Apprentices and Servants If you steal and pilfer from your Masters though it be but a Groat or Six-pence if you do not restore it God will never pardon you But what if a man be not able and have not wherewith to restore That is a sad case but in such a case God may accept the will for the deed But suppose the persons may be dead and gone The answer that Casuists give in such a case is that then you must restore it to God by giving it to the poor or to some good use restore you must one way or other For without restitution there is no remission and the Reason is clear Because the detaining of unjust gotten Goods is a continuation of the sin the taking possession of them was theft the keeping that unjust possession is a continuation of that theft Zach. 5.4 The curse of God shall enter into the house of the Thief and remain in it and consume it with the timber and stones of it The curse of God will be upon thee in all thy comforts in all thy concernments But yet there is atonement We have two Instances in the Scripture of Thieves that were converted and saved Zacheus Luk. 19.8 9 10. but he made restitution vers 8. And the Thief on the Cross 2. Violence here is a sin against the sixth Commandment added to a sin against the eighth for Violence belongs to the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not murther they are beginnings of blood they have a tendency to it and blood is a sin that crys There are many threatnings against this sin Psal 104.11 Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him This is against light for no man would be so used himself Yet there is atonement for this you have Instance in violence of the worst sort proceeding even unto blood and that in a way of persecution for Righteousness sake in Manasseh and Paul who had been men of much violence and yet were converted and saved Manasseh 2 King 21. with 2 Chron. 33.12 13. And Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 14. It is like the Thief on the Cross was such a one an High-way man a violent thief or else by their Law they could not have put him to death but yet the Lord shewed mercy to his Soul 3. Lying a grievous sin and against a double light and knowledg both knowledg of the Rule and of the Fact which riseth up in the mind against a Lyar when he speaks a lye It is usually one of the first actual sins that breaks forth in Children Psal 58.3 The wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lyes And there be dreadful threatnings against it see Rev. 21.8 you that are Parents may do well to teach your Children that Scripture Yet there is atonement for this sin also David sometimes told lyes to save his life but yet he was deeply humbled for it his Soul cleaved to the dust about it and melted for heaviness Psal 119.25 28 29. 4. Perjury and false swearing a most horrible sin for a man to invoke the God of Truth to joyn with him in a lye and to co-attest and bear witness with him to a lye and this sin seldom escapes unpunished even in this life God usually sets some visible mark and token of his vengeance and wrath upon them even in this life Jer. 34.15 18. Ezek. 17.15 18 19. Yet we have an Instance and but one that I remember in all the Bible of a man that found mercy for this sin and that is Peter who denyed Christ with swearing and cursing but he went out and wept bitterly and when his broken bones were set again as in nature they grow stronger there than in another place so Peter grew very bold in preaching and confessing Christ whom before he had so fearfully denyed Obj. 1. But there be divers sins which are not here specified Ans Yet they are included and understood by a parity of reason and there might be some reasons given why it might not be convenient to mention some sins particularly which yet were included and for which there was atonement As if a man be overtaken in drink or lust or passion rash anger c. these and all other pardonable sins are included either in the Trespass Offering by a parity of reason with the Instances mentioned in the Text or else under the Sin-Offering or the Burnt-Offering Obj. 2. But some sins were not intended to be included in any of the Sacrifices of the Law but they had no atonement no Sacrifice provided for them as Murther and Whoredom
their curious and admirable Ornaments the Lillies on the upper end of the Pillars and the Coronets or Chapiters upon the tops of them with the curious chains and nets and rows of Pomegranates round about these Crowns 4. In their use which was not only for Ornament but as it were to support the Temple as Pillars do support an House not that they did support or bear it up properly as if they had been placed in the material Building no more than the twelve Brazen Oxen did indeed carry the molten Sea to the four quarters of the world 2 Chron. 4.4 but only as in an emblem or figure as Abraham received Isaac in a figure Heb. 11.19 so here For the Temple had no Pillars in it for the Beams of the Roof rested upon the Walls as you have formerly heard and not upon these Pillars but they were an emblem or figure of support Now the Temple is the Church of God and we may apply this Type three ways 1. To God and Christ 2. To the Church 3. To particular Saints 1. As to God and Christ These Pillars speak the support of the Church of God by the purpose of his Will and by his almighty Power Our Faith stands upon these two Pillars these two do support the Church and the Churches Faith 1. The faithful purpose of God and good pleasure of his Will Jakin he will establish here is the resolved purpose of his Will and Love Heb. 10.23 He is faithful who hath promised This includes 1. his Purpose 2. his purpose of Love 3. his Promise 4. his unchangable Faithfulness in all Thou saist I am unworthy True but if the Lord will save and will have mercy who can resist his Will his purpose is unchangeable and immovable as Brass he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy 2. The Power of Christ his almighty Power this is the other Pillar Bo-yas in him is power 1 Pet. 1.5 kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Thou saist alas I am weak I can do nothing But therefore depend and rest and stay thy self upon this almighty Power which is able to do above what we are able to ask or think as Abraham Rom. 4.20 21. who was strong in Faith being persuaded that he was able to perform what he had promised This is of special use in difficulties when difficulties and impossibilities do appear Can the Lord pardon such sins heal such backslidings Yes in him is Power Take both these together Love and good will withour Power is but lame to help us Power without Love and good will is but deaf to hear us but both put together is a support firm enough and safe enough for Faith to rest upon yea if thou doubt of the one improve the other Matth. 8.2 if thou wilt thou canst here be both these Pillars but he could not lean upon the one he doubted of Gods Will but therefore he relies upon the other thou canst and Christ accepts this Faith of his and therefore saith ver 3. I will be thou clean so do thou lean and rest upon both these Pillars yea upon either of both and thou art safe enough If thou art not assured of his purpose yet then rest and stay thy self upon his Power 2. Consider them in reference to the whole Church here is shadowed forth the impregnable safety of the Church The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Matth. 16.18 3. Particular Saints are compared to Pillars in the House of God Rev. 3.12 especially Ministers Gal. 2.9 Jer. 1. ◠I will make thee an Iron Pillar and Wall of Brass therefore it is in vain to oppose them and contend with them There be two properties of a good Pillar it must be strait and strong It is a sad thing when they that should be Pillars in the House of God are warping and leaning and bending this way and that way when they should stand upright and steady And there were two Coronets upon the tops of these Pillars so they that persevere to the end shall receive the Crown of life 2 Tim. 4.7 8. These Pillars were broken in pieces and carried away to Babylon but living Pillars in the spiritual Temple shall go out no more Rev. 3.12 but abide in the house for ever Joh. 8.35 A true Believer is as one saith Monumentum aere perennius more durable then Pillars of Brass Would you be assured of the Crown of Glory Is there this rectitude and straitness this strength and firmness in the ways of God thou art then a Pillar in the House of God and shalt go no more out THE GOSPEL of the BRAZEN ALTAR 2 Chron. 4.1 Moreover he made an Altar of Brass twenty cubits the length thereof and twenty cubits the breadth thereof and ten cubits the height thereof THe Vessels of the Temple beloved we are upon They may be referred to two sorts either sub dio or sub tecto either without doors or within either in the Courts or in the Temple those without doors were of Brass those within were of Gold Of the former sort there was the Altar of Burnt-offering the molten Sea and the ten Lavers as also the two Pillars Jachin and Boyas which were of Brass and placed either in or by the Porch We are now to speak as the Lord shall enable us concerning the Altar of Burnt-offering concerning which we may observe this doctrinal Proposition out of the Text as the foundation of our Discourse viz. Doctr. That Solomon by Gods appointment made in the Temple a Brazen Altar for Burnt-offering The first express mention we have of Altars in the Scripture is in Noahs time after the Flood Gen. 8.20 and Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord and took of every clean Beast and of every clean Fowl and offered Burnt-offerings on that Altar Concerning Offerings we read before in Gen. 4.3 4 how Cain and Abel brought their Offerings unto the Lord. Whether Altars were as antient as Sacrifices or whether the Lord afterwards added them as a further improvement of his Worship and a further help to the Faith of his people I shall not here dispute The name in Hebrew is Mizbeach quasi Sacrificatorium from Zebach Sacrificium from the Sacrifices offered thereupon and so in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificium There is another Hebrew word for it Bamah excelsum from their ascending up to it from whence the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Latin altare is derived ab alto because their Altars were built on high above the earth but the Hebrew Bamah is more usually applied to the idolatrous Altars Ara Idolorum Buxtorf we commonly translate it high places And here I must observe the same method as in other things first to open the Type and then the Anti-type first the History of the Altar and then the Mystery of it for the right understanding of the Type makes way for the better understanding of the thing
offering of Incense and the Ark with its appurtenances The former our Translators render the Golden Censer the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difficulties upon this place are very great Perhaps this Text may be numbered amongst the Insolubilia Scripturae those insoluble knots which will never fully be unfolded in this life and which God hath left there on purpose to confound the Wisdom of all the world that no Flesh might glory and that he might exercise his people unto reverence of his Word in those things which they cannot comprehend One saith of it Suspectus est mihi locus iste I would not say so but this I may say that of all the difficult Scriptures that I have had occasion to search into this hath been one of the most difficult unto my own weakness one of the most difficult That which I would humbly offer for the interpretation of it is only this That the word being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies properly something belonging to Incense and I know not how to translate it more fitly then by this Periphrasis That Golden Vtensil for the offering of Incense Quest But then the question will be what were those Golden Vessels that did serve to that use and which of them was here intended Answ It is a Rule which you have often heard and must always be remembred in the Exposition of Scripture That the Scripture must be expounded in the largest and most comprehensive sense Therefore if there were divers sacred Vessels of this kind they may be all included The Holy Ghost seems to have used such a general expression on purpose to include them all and so this may reconcile the different interpretations given by Expositors Now there were two holy Vessels for this use 1. It is thought there was a Golden Censer which was laid up in the Holy of holies all the year till the Feast of Expiation and that then the Priest went in and fetch'd it out and offered Incense with it in the Holy of holies Such a Censer is mentioned by Josephus contra Apionem lib. 2. And though it be not so clearly and expresly mentioned by Moses yet there seems to be some intimation of it in Levit. 16.12 Moreover it is no new thing in the Scripture that things which are more briefly and more obscurely hinted in the Old Testament should be more plainly and more expresly delivered in the New The two Testaments the Old and the New looking one towards another as the two Cherubims did over the Ark. As for instance the Names of those Conjurers that withstood Moses are not mention'd in the History in Exodus but we have their Names in the New Testament their Names were Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 And the Contest between Michael and Satan about the Body of Moses and the Prophesie of Enoch are mentioned in the Epistle of Jude but no where in the Old Testament as is generally conceived though learned Junius inclines to judge the Contest between Michael and Satan mentioned by Jude is that which we have represented in a Vision to Zechary the Prophet Zechar. 3. see Junius his Notes on Jude and his Parallels Append Paral. 16. and other instances might be given So this Golden Censer though not so expresly mentioned in the Old Testament yet it is twice mentioned in the New first in this Text Heb. 9.4 and again in Rev. 8.3 and there it is conjoyned with the Golden Altar And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it upon the Golden Altar And in 1 Kings 7.50 and 2 Chron. 4.22 there is mention of Golden Censers in the plural number This Golden Censer was a little Pan made of Gold with a handle to it fit to hold living coals in whereon to put the Incense 2. There was also a Golden Altar of Incense in the Temple and it is not likely that the Apostle would wholly omit and pass over this so great an Utensil when he mentioneth all the rest Therefore that which we translate the Golden Censer many do interpret it as meant of this Golden Altar of Incense But here a great Objection doth occur how this is here said to stand in the Oracle or in the Holy of holies for it is clear it stood in the Sanctuary because they were to offer Incense upon it every day but they were not to enter into the Holy of holies but once only a year The Answer that is commonly given is this That it stood in the Sanctuary quoad situm but in the Holy of holies quoad usum as to the place and position of it it was in the Sanctuary but yet it belonged to the Holy of holies in regard of the use and imployment of it which possibly may be the reason of the alteration of the form of speech ver 4. from what was used v. 2. The Holy of holies had the Golden Altar of Incense because it had a relation to that part of the Tabernacle though it was not seated in it as the Candlestick and Table were in the outer Sanctuary v. 2. The first Institution of it is Exod. 30. ver 1. to 10. And Solomon made one for the Temple 1 Kings 6.22 And the whole House he overlaid with Gold until he had finished all the House also the whole Altar that was by the Oracle he overlaid with Gold Here the Altar is spoken of as having relation to the Oracle The Altar that was by the Oracle as in the Text the Holy of holies had the Golden Utensil for the Incense The use of it was to burn Incense upon it Of the Composition whereof see Exod. 30. ver 34 c. As to the Mystery of these things First as to the Altar and then as to the Incense 1. This Golden Altar of Incense was a Type of Christ in regard of his Intercession that great work of his Priestly Office as the Altar of Burnt-offering was a Type of Christ in regard of the other part of his Priestly Office his Oblation or Satisfaction See Rev. 8. 2. This Golden Altar was to be sprinkled with the Blood of the Sin-offering to make atonement once a year Exod. 30.10 Lev. 16.18 to teach us that Christ intercedes in the virtue of his own Oblation or sacrificing of himself And this makes his Intercession so prevailing and powerful with the Lord He prays for nothing but what he hath purchased by his Death He desires nothing from the hand of Mercy but what he hath bought and paid for at the hand of Justice 3. As no Incense was to be offered or could be accepted but upon this Altar so no Prayers are acceptable to God but through the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ unless offered upon this Golden Altar neither Prayers of Priest nor People can be accepted without this he that offereth Incense is as if he blessed an Idol as Isai 66.3
Heaven who are compared to Chariots and fiery Chariots Psal 68.17 the Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels which suits with that expression of the Chariot of the Cherubims in the Oracle 1 Chron. 28.18 and with that of the Apostle Peter who saith 1 Pet. 1.12 the Angels bow down their heads to pry into the mysteries of the Gospel alluding to the posture of the Cherubims over the Ark. 2. Kings and Magistrates are called Cherubims in Scripture so it is spoken of the King of Tyre Ezek. 28.14 Thou art the anointed Cherub that covereth and I have set thee so thou wast upon the holy Mountain of God It speaks forth both their Dignity and Duty The Magistrate is to protect the true Religion and the Worship of God as the Cherubims did cover the Ark. 3. Ministers are called Cherubims so in Revel 4. those four living Wights are nothing else but four Cherubims as you will clearly see if you compare that with Ezekiels Vision Ezek. 4. But these Cherubims or four living Wights in the Revelation cannot be interpreted concerning the Angels in Heaven because they are said to be redeemed by the Lambs Blood Rev. 5.8 9. which the Angels in Heaven were not And moreover the four living Wights are expresly distinguished from the Angels in Heaven ver 11. therefore it must needs be meant of a lower sort of Angels the Angels of the Churches that is the Officers and Ministers of the Church who should be men of Angelick Spirits for industry and zeal and vigilancy in the Lords work 6. The sixth and last part of the Ark here mentioned is the Mercy seat The Cherubims of Glory overshadowing the Mercy seat The Mercy-seat was the Cover of the Ark of which Exod. 25.17 The Hebrew word for it is Capporeth from Caphar to cover with pitch and in another Conjugation to expiate atone appease It implyeth a merciful covering of our sins The Septuagint call it sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propitiatory covering and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lid or covering laid on The Apostle applies it to the Blood of Christ and the satisfaction made thereby to the Justice of God for our sins Rom. 3.25 1 Joh. 2.2 Vse 1. See the Glory of the visible Church and of the Presence of God there For all these glorious things are in the Temple in the Holy of holies there And therefore your should see God himself there and hear his voice though not visibly and audibly but spiritually yet really and powerfully and effectually speaking to the heart You should see these things by the eye of Faith When you come to a Meeting though the World revile and call them Conventicles you should see a guard of Angels and Cherubims round about you c. Vse 2. See the fulness of supply and spiritual relief that is in Jesus Christ in the Gospel for poor lost Souls Here is something to answer all their cases and necessities here is God appearing and speaking in Christ here is passive and active Obedience here is the Word the Ministry the Guard of Angels the workings of Providence for the Churches good There be two things which an enlightned Conscience needs and cries for 1. I cannot keep the Law I want a perfect legal Righteousness to appear before God in Therefore Christ hath done it Here is the Law kept in this blessed Ark of the Covenant He hath fulfilled all Righteousness c. 2. But I want a Propitiation for the sins that have been committed But therefore here is a Mercy-seat upon the Ark a propitiatory Covering in the passive Obedience of Jesus Christ whereby he hath not only kept the Law but satisfied for our breaking of it Draw neer to God in the faith and meditation of this mystery An Advertisement to the Reader THe observing Reader will remember that in the method proposed by the Author the Legal Ministry should have come in the next place to be treated of But the Author in his course of preaching handled this Head before that which alteration of his first designed method and thus transposing these two heads of the Legal Ministry and the Legal Festivals is by himself accounted for in the entrance on that of the Legal Ministry and therefore no more shall be said of it The Reader will also doubtless observe his Entrance on this subject of the Legal Festivals to be more abrupt then in the rest of which this account may be given That on this head the Authors Notes which he left behind him were less perfect then on any of the foregoing and thence as it cost more labour to bring them to what is here presented so the judicious Reader will perhaps discern a difference between his Discourses on this and on the other heads as not being spun with an even thred And we have therefore been necessitated to use a greater liberty here then we allowed our selves elsewhere to insert in their properest places as neer as we could sundry notions which we found noted down in the Authors broken Papers relating to this subject some whereof perhaps were not his own yea it may be not according to his Judgment though we do not know of any such inserted but only noted down by him as they came into his mind or as he met with them in reading to be better considered of at further leisure For it is certain it was his manner thus to do Moreover we do find many imperfect hints of Notions amongst his Papers which we could not find where to insert nor indeed as to some of them well tell what to make of them or how to express them as the Author designed and therefore they are lost with him Lastly we may advertise the Reader that we find the Author had thoughts of re-assuming and going over this whole head of the Legal Festivals again in somewhat another method the first rude lineaments whereof were thus drawn by himself viz. he designed first a brief delineation of the whole and when instituted namely their Feasts to wit the Passover Pentecost the Feast of Tabernacles the Feast of Trumpets and the great Day of Expiation their New Moons and their Sabbaths to wit the seventh day of the week the seventh year amd the fiftieth year Next he designed to go over them all again and shew how they made up a rude draught or a dark shadow of better things and here he would have made the first Institution to be his Text for the several Heads and for the Sabbath the 12 13 14 15. verses of the fifth of Deuteronomy because the typical Reason is there annexed to the Command And in the last place he intended to have spoken more fully to the unwarrantableness of Popish Holidays and Musick And indeed he had many years before written two brief Discourses on that Argument the main Materials whereof we suppose he would have brought in here perhaps with some considerable Additions and therefore we have for the affinity of
the matter to this head of the Jewish Festivals subjoined as an Appendix those two Discourses as they were found amongst the Authors Papers Farewell THE GOSPEL of the JEWISH FESTIVALS Jan. 14 17. 1668. Coloss 2.16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an Holy day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath-days Which are a shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ Obs 1. THat the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three Heads Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths 2. That these were Shadows of things to come but the Body or Substance is of Christ 3. That therefore Christians should not suffer any man to condemn them for their not observing of these Days I shall handle the two first together in one shewing under each of these legal Holy days what the substance and thing signified was what of Christ was signified and shadowed forth by them Obs 1. That the Jewish Holy days were of three sorts and may be referred to three heads viz. Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths This Distribution of them doth frequently occur in the Scripture in other places as well as in this Text 2 Chron. 2.4 I build an House saith Solomon for the Burnt-offerings on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the solemn Feasts of the Lord our God Ezek. 45.17 And it shall be the Princes part to give Burnt-offerings c. in the Feasts and in the New Moons and in the Sabbaths even in all the solemnities of the House of Israel that is in their appointed or solemn Assemblies Where Solemnities or solemn Assemblies is the general and this Genus is distributed into three particulars Feasts New Moons and Sabbaths so likewise Hos 2.11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease her Feast-days her New Moons and her Sabbaths even every holy Assembly of hers The first word is Feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew moyed set times because they came at set times of the year This is meant of their annual Festivals which were in number five The three principal were the Feast of the Passover the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles which continued the two former each of them seven days the last for eight days together and the first day and the last day of them were holy Convocations wherein they were to do no servile work but to be wholly vacant for the Word and Worship of God The first mention of them is in Exod. 23 14-17 They are more largely spoken to in the 23. chap. of Leviticus and again in Deut. 16. and briefly recapitulated and summed up in ver 16. These were the principal because then all the males were to go up to Jerusalem and therefore these three are so often mentioned together There were also two more the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Expiation There are five general Rules observable concerning all these yearly Feasts 1. That they were all to be celebrated at the place the Lord their God should choose which was Jerusalem Exod. 23.14 Deut. 16.16 That which we are to learn therein is this that there is a Church-worship There are some Ordinances of Gods Worship which are not to be enjoyed but in Church-society As there is a personal and family-worship so there is publick or Church-worship of this kind is the Lords Supper If this be not an Ordinance of publick Worship under the Gospel there is none therefore to carry it to private persons upon their death-beds as the Papists doe is unwarrantable and superstitious 2. It is to be observed that they were all in the Summer time and not in Winter for the Passover was upon the fourteenth day of the first month Pentecost was seven weeks after and the Feast of Tabernacles was upon the fifteenth day of the seventh month Hence is that expression Acts. 27.9 Sailing is now dangerous because the Feast was now already past that is the Feast of Tabernacles The Instruction we are here to learn is this namely to see the tenderness of God towards his people even as to the outward man As he will have Mercy rather then Sacrifice so he orders the matters of Sacrifice and Worship with tenderness and mercy even to the bodies of his people yea the Spirit of God vouchsafes to dwell in their very Bodies as well as in their Souls and he preserves the dust thereof as precious reliques in the treasures of his Providence and will gather those dispersed atoms and bring them forth again and raise them up to everlasting life How great is his Goodness to us It shews there is a Duty incumbent upon us in reference to our Bodies and how great a sin it is in men to wrong and hurt their bodies when the Lord himself is tender of them 3. They were not to come empty handed Exod. 23. Deut. 16.16 17. true Religion is bountiful Duties of Worship are to be accompanied with duties of mercy and bounty so upon the Christian Sabbath there should be Collections for the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 Hypocrisie divides these it is willing to serve God but in the cheapest way hypocrites are all for a cheap Religion 4. Whereas there was danger of Invasion by their Enemies when all the Males were absent the Lord secures them by a promise of special Protection Exod. 34.24 Neither shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year Learn here that while we are in our Duty God will take care of our Safety the way of Duty is the way of Safety When the Church of the Jews was gone from God and had crucified the Lord of Life this protecting Providence forsook them For at the Passover it was that the Romans took and destroyed Jerusalem This Ordinance which was at first and ever after a means of safety to them the Lord now makes it a snare to bring them all together as it were into a pound that the Romans might take them and cut them off But while they abode with God in purity of Worship and Obedience he abode with them in his protecting Providence This should be a great encouragement to us in the Work and Worship of God to run all hazards and to fear no colours but be resolute in the discarge and performance of Duty The Lord is with us in such a case and then who can be against us 5. These Feasts as to their end and use were both commemorative of former Benefits and also prefigurative of future It may be said so of other holy times and holy things also but it holds eminently true concerning these three solemn anniversary Feasts The first of these yearly Feasts was the Passover which began upon the fifteenth day of the first month answering chiefly to our March The first Institution of it is in the 12th chap. of Exodus There were three things which were the peculiar observations of this
the Feast of Expiation Answ They had no more of Gods appointment that were perpetual and religious Feasts It is true we read of some others both in Scripture and in the Jewish Writers but either they were not perpetually recurring every year but meerly occasional upon present emergencies of Providence or else they were not holy and religious Feasts but only civil and political or else lastly they were sinful and unwarrantable as 1. There was Solomons Feast that solemn Feast at the Dedication of the Temple as in 2 Chron. 5. but this was extraordinary and occasional and not a standing yearly Festival 2. They had also those Fasts of the fifth and of the seventh month which are mentioned in Zech. 7 3-5 but these also were but temporary and occasional upon occasion of the calamities of their Captivity in Babylon the Land being laid desolate Jerusalem taken the Temple destroyed Hence they had these Fasts only during the time of their sorrow but they ceased and were turned into rejoycing 3. There was the days of Purim mentioned in Esther 9.21 22. that they kept in the month of Adar on the fourteenth and on the fifteenth day of the month yearly for then it was turned from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a good day This seems not to be a religious but a political constitution so our Divines conclude against the Papists who plead this for their Popish Holidays For there were peculiar Sacrifices appointed for all the holy Festivals Numb chap. 28 and 29. but there was none for this and there is nothing mentioned but civil rejoycing days of Feasting and Joy and sending portions to the needy ver 22. Of this nature is our fifth of November Not but that there may and ought to be upon such times holy rejoycing in God as upon any providential occasion but there ought not to be a religious abstinence from the works of our Callings as upon the Lords day and upon occasional days of Fasting or Rejoycing that ought not to be on any such days Had they been religious Feasts and days wherein they were bound to abstain from the works of their Callings after the nature of religious Feasts we then are to suppose that Mordecai Nehemiah c. had instruction from God about it else they durst not have done it they that had such Light and Holiness 4. We read of two Feasts more appointed in the time of the Maccabees one for the Dedication of the Altar 1 Maccab. 4.56 so they kept the Dedication of the Altar eight days offered Burnt-offerings with gladness and offered sacrifices of deliverance and praise And the other for the Purification of the Temple 2 Maccab. 1.18 we are now purposed to keep the Purification of the Temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Chesleu Now if these had been only particular and occasional Feasts these things God had left with the Church to appoint but seeing the Jews say they were yearly Feasts they were thererefore superstitious and unwarrantable things for they had no such extraordinary persons amongst them that could give them authority from God for such a thing Thus we have gone through the first word Feast days their Holy days or Feast days Their holy times we referred to three heads their Holy days New Moons and Sabbaths Now a word concerning their New Moons Let no man judge you in respect of the New Moons 2. New Moons 2. The second word in the Text is New Moons of which we read in Numb 28.11 in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord c. and Numb 10.10 in the beginnings of your months ye shall blow with the Trumpets over your Burnt-offerings c. To open this a little that so you may understand the mind of the Holy Ghost in it you must observe that their computation of the year was not as ours is meerly Solar but partly Lunar for their month always began with the New Moon and the days remaining to fill up their Solar year which are eleven they were wont to intercalate at the appointment of their High Prests and Rulers at the years end Or as some write after the second or third year in an intercalatory month which they called Veader consisting of eleven or one and twenty or three and thirty days Their month still began with a New Moon and the Lord did appoint that it should be a season religiously observed by them you shall offer such and such Sacrifices ye shall blow with Trumpets c. There were four things observable in the solemnizing the New Moons for they did solemnize this season with such religious Rites and Observations as these 1. A holy Convocation and abstaining from the works and business of their Callings Therefore in Amos 8.5 they are brought in as saying when will the New Moons be gone that we may sell Corn c. 2. By repairing to the Prophets for Teaching and Instruction to inquire of God and to hear his Word 2 Kings 4.23 3. With sounding or blowing of Trumpets every New Moon as well as the New Moon of the seventh month Numb 10.10 4. With peculiar Sacrifices yea a greater number of Sacrifices then on the Sabbath day They had peculiar Sacrifices then to be offered on the first day of the month Numb 28.11 Some add fifthly the keeping solemn Feasts of Love and Amity 1 Sam. 20.5.6 Now this Solemnity doubtless had some Divine mystery in it it aimed at some good thing to come something of Christ in the Gospel for the Text saith expresly they were a shadow of things to come And the Worship of God in Gospel-times is expressed under this phrase Isai 66.23 from one New Moon to another so Ezekiel in his Vision of the Temple-worship under the Gospel speaks of it under the name of New Moons Ezek. 46.1 6. But what then did it signifie what was the meaning of all these things Doubtless they were written for our Instruction there was a Gospel-mystery in these legal Institutions In these things principally lay the substance of these shadows 1. Their acknowledgment of God in the Creature that God must be acknowledged in the renovation of the Creatures in the course of Providence as when the Moon begins increases and is renewed then Gods Providence is acknowledged and taken notice of he renews the course of nature and every mercy we enjoy There is no Light to be seen at first in the Moon but it increases till it come to the full Moon Thus God renews every creature and every comfort in the way of his Providence Psal 104.30 thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth They must not bless God in this Solemnity for the Moon when it was at the full then more of the Creature is seen but when there is least of the Creature then God must be owned even in the least of mercies 2. The Renovation of the Church in a way
Prefiguration of the Rest of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Grave that whole day which was indeed the only whole day of his resting or cessation from the actions of a bodily life For he was in the Grave only some small part of the sixth day and of the first day but he rested the whole Jewish Sabbath So then as they had other legal days and times that pointed them to other things about the Messiah so the Sabbath points to his resting in the Grave And he did not only rest in the humbling of himself under the guilt of our Sins but in his Resurrection from the dead The day of his Resurrection was the day of his entring into his state of rest from his Sufferings but on the Sabbath he rested from the actions of his bodily life therefore the seventh day Sabbath is abrogated and the Lord hath substituted the first day of the week for the Sabbath is moral And there is a ground too for the changing of the day that there should be one day in seven to attend on the Worship of God this is moral and perpetual that it should be the last day in seven this is by Gods Institution made legal and typical Christ entred into his rest of Glory into the state thereof at his Resurrection and into the place thereof when he ascended into Heaven but his resting in the grave was on the seventh day From all which you may see the morality of the Sabbath considered as in general together with the shadowy nature of the Jewish Sabbath of the seventh day having these typical respects relations annexed to it and so therein you see the grounds of the abrogation of it and of the substitution of the Christian Sabbath instead therereof And so much may serve for the typical respects and use of the Jewish Sabbath Now as for the Rites and Observations thereof 1. There were more Sacrifices that day then upon other days Numb 28.9 10. The reason was because there were more Mercies given and commemorated that day as the Creation their Deliverance out of Egypt and their Sanctification by the Spirit It shall be a sign between me and them that they might know that I Jehovah do sanctifie them Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 20. Here learn that the more Blessings God gives to any people the greater thankfulness he expects again It reacheth also that special Holiness that should be upon the Sabbath more exercise of Grace and duties of Worship to be performed upon that day then ordinarily upon any other day there should be that among us on the Christian Sabbath that should answer their double Sacrifice upon their Jewish Sabbath But in Ezek. 46.45 there is appointed for the Sabbath six Lambs for one under the Law to teach us that there should be more Holiness now under the Gospel then there was under the Law 2. They might not kindle a fire on that day Exod. 35.3 as some think to put them in mind of their absolute freedom from their Egyptian Bondage and the fiery Brick-works there or from the fire of Gods Wrath in the world to come when entred into that none of these fires should ever be kindled upon them or hurt them though others think that restraint respected only kindling a fire for the building of the Tabernacle nor is it unlikely 3. They were to abstain from building the Tabernacle that day Exod. 31.12 13 14 15 16 17. and 35.2 to teach them that the six days that is the time of this life is the only time wherein God will build the Tabernacle of his Church this life is the only day of Grace and opportunity of Salvation 4. They might not gather Manna on that day Exod. 16. In this life Christ is offered but in the Sabbath of eternity no Manna no means of Grace no offers of Christ then none could have Manna upon the Sabbath but they that had stored it up upon the week day so none can have Christ in Heaven but they that have stored him up in their hearts on earth These things shew the rigor of the Law as to Sabbath-rest but the Pharisees being deeply possest with the spirit of the Law did strain it a peg or two higher that to do a miraculous work of mercy or works of necessity was unlawful 2. They had also a Sabbatical year viz. every seventh year a Sabbath of the seventh year every seventh year was a Sabbatical year as every seventh day was a Sabbatical day Exod. 23.10 Deut. 15.9 This was celebrated by letting the Land rest from its usual culture and husbandry Levit. 25.4 5. Some alledge a political and philosophical reason for this that the Land by resting one year might be the more fruitful the other six quod caret alternâ requie durabile non est This Sabbatical year was celebrated by giving rest unto the Land from tillage and manuring the hungry ground This was a shadow of things to come this signifies something of Christ and Gospel mystery in which observe four things There was a fourfold Instruction in this Sabbatical year 1. This Sabbatical year told them plainly that both they and their Land was the Lords Lev. 25.23 For the Land is mine 2. This taught them to depend upon Providence without worldly care and trusting to the Creature for supply and support For they must not now sow nor till the Land this year for the sixth year was to bring forth the Fruit of three years both for the seventh year and for the eighth and for the ninth till the Harvest time See Lev. 25.20 21 22. and ver 6. the Sabbath of the Land shall be meat for thee The Land of its own accord that year was to produce sustenance enough both for man and beast It is not enough for us to depend on the ordinary course of means God can over-rule them and over-work them as he doth here 3. The Lord hereby teacheth them and us that great Gospel-lesson and duty of mercy and bounty to the poor Exod. 23.10 11. the Land must rest that the poor may eat and Deut. 15.1 2. Creditors must release their Debtors every seventh year Lev. 25.5 6. there is an Equity a Chancery a bountiful condescension to the necessities of the poor that men exact not their own right in all things but rather remit and abate something thereof Not but that men may take their course and use means to get it especially when persons are able and wilful but in case of poverty there should be mercy shewed in such a case 4. This Sabbatical year was a special season and time of instruction in the Law of God Deut. 31.10 11 12. the Lord would have them instructed and taught to know his Mind and the true Religion and the ways of his Worship Therefore he appointed so many times and seasons for it weekly and monthly and yearly and moreover one year in seven as you see Beside the mystery of spiritual rest by Christ of which further in
break Bread every Lords day And in the primitive times the Sacrament was the concluding Ordinance But Man did not eat of the Tree of Life for then he had been confirmed and lived for ever Gen. 3.22 therefore it is not likely that he stood in his integrity to the end of the Sabbath And as to the time of the day wherein he sinned it seems to have been about eating time at dinner about noon eating what they should not being the thing wherein they sinned And after his Fall it is said that God came and spake to them in the cool of the day Gen. 3. ver 8. This seems to have been about that time of the day which the Scripture calls the ninth hour which is after our reckoning about three a clock in the afternoon So long they were in darkness and under guilt of their Sin before the Promulgation of the Gospel to them Wherein some have observed a congruity in that Jesus Christ was under those his infinite Sufferings upon the Cross the same space of time from the sixth hour to the ninth Matth. 27.45 46. And it being thus Man in his first sin and fall did break all the Commandments at once as he brake all the rest so he sinned upon the Sabbath day This seems by all the circumstances of the Story to have been the time of his Fall But to think that he fell on Tuesday the tenth day from the Creation there is nothing in the History to evince it Others think this Fast on the day of the seventh month was appointed in remembrance of the great Sin the Idolatry of the Golden Calf Exod. 32. But we may rest in that the Text mentioneth as the occasion of this Ordinance viz. the Sin and Death of Nadab and Abihu And there is a threefold Instruction we are here to learn Obs 1. Here we are taught first That there must be holy fear and reverence in approaching to God in his Ordinances an holy fear and dread of sinning in the manner of his Worship and that it is a dangerous thing to worship God otherwise then he hath appointed Men should take heed of it that they die not as Nadab and Abihu did for this sin they incur the danger of Death both Death temporal and eternal Though God doth not usually smite men with visible Judgments but when they are first in any transgression yet there is a spiritual fire and wrath upon their spirits for it which is worse then outward Judgments Obs 2. The Lord takes hold of the saddest occasions to bring in Dispensations of the greatest good and mercy to his people Light out of Darkness Heaven out of Hell good out of evil to those that he hath set his Love upon Obs 3. When some are slain and die in and for their sins the Lord provides for the Salvation of others that they die not Now to come to the thing it self Moses is to charge Aaron that he come not into the Holy of holies at all times nor in any manner but at Gods appointed times and in such manner as he requireth This manner is here described at large It consists chiefly in three things 1. His washing himself 2. His holy Garments And 3. His propitiatory Offerings 1. That the Priest must wash before he put on his Garments and before he present his Offering is an intimation of his Purity and Cleanness Hence that expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water This is the first thing he is to do So Christ Matth. 3.16 was baptized before he entred upon his Ministry and he was perfectly holy and pure not having the least defilement of sin upon him though he had taken on him our Nature and all the other Infirmities of it Vid. On the Priests Consecration Exod. 29. 2. As to his Attire here be two sorts of holy Garments mentioned in the Services of this day the holy Garments ver 4. and other holy and most costly Garments ver 23.24 Some call the former his White Garments and the other his Golden Garments 1. This Priestly Attire was an emblem of spiritual clothing Psal 132.9 Let thy Priests be clothed with Righteousness and let thy Saints shout for joy and ver 16. I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation Job 29.14 I put on Righteousness and it clothed me my Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem This then speaks the Grace and Holiness that was in Jesus Christ and ought to be in Ministers such Garments Ministers should be clothed with 2. Those two sorts of Attire the White and the Golden Garments signified the different estate and condition of Jesus Christ when he performed the great work of our Redemption and made atonement for us he did it in much meanness and abasement Isai 52.14 his Visage was marred he was without external Pomp and worldly Glory in the form of a Servant made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 though with Holiness and Purity and Innocency He had white Garments on though they were but plain But as there is a clothing of Grace so there is a clothing of Glory 2 Cor. 5.2 4. And after his Resurrection when he had been in Heaven and returned again and arose and appeared from the dead he did change his Raiment He wore the garments of Holiness here but when he entred into the holy place even into Heaven he did put on garments of Glory These were the holy Garments on this day of Expiation Now the third thing is the Offerings of Atonement and they were of two sorts for the Priest and for the People 1. For the Priest himself and for his own House ver 3 6. This teacheth us the insufficiency and imperfection of the legal Priesthood Heb. 5.1 2.3 we need a better High Priest and we have one Heb. 7.26 27 28. The Priest was first to make atonement for himself and for his own sins that so he might be fit as a figure of Christ the true High Priest to make atonement for the people They that lie under unpardoned guilt themselves are not fit to be Mediators and Intercessors for others The Priest had three things to do in reference to his own Sacrifice 1. He was to kill it and so to make atonement with it v. 11. This was a Type of the Death of Christ the true Sacrifice 2. He was to offer Incense in the Holy of holies v. 12. This is a Type of the Prayers and Intercessions of Jesus Christ in the virtue of his Satisfaction Here are four particulars observable 1. As the High Priest did this before he sprinkled the Blood in the Holiest of all so Christ prepared his own way into Heaven by his Prayers and Intercessions Joh. 17. 2. The Incense was beaten small to intimate the anguish and contrition and brokenness of heart wherewith Christ prayed and interceded for us those agonies of spirit in his Prayers before his Death which he offered
of Grace as well as the Creature in the way of Providence we must own God in that and depend on him for it for the Church is compared in Scripture to the Moon Psal 89.37 it shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful Witness in Heaven Cant. 6.9 Who is this that looketh forth fair as the Moon c. As the Moon borrows her Light from the Sun so the Church borrows her Light from Jesus Christ who is the Sun of Righteousness As the Church is compared to the Moon so Christ to the Sun for so he is called Mal. 4.2 but to you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings The Church borrows her Light from Christ the Sun of Righteousness as the Moon doth from the Sun in the Firmament for Christ is compared to the Sun as well as the Church to the Moon As the Moon borrows her Light and Lustre from the Sun and is renewed by the aspects and influences thereof so the Church by influences from Christ who is indeed the Sun of Righteousness renewing the state of the Church especially under the Gospel And therefore all those Duties which were to be performed on the New Moons so far as they are perpetual ought to be more plentifully and more abundantly performed under the Gospel as abstaining from servile works from sin the worst of servitudes seeking instruction and attending upon the Ordinances for that end the sounding of the silver Trumpet of the Gospel abounding in spiritual Sacrifices and agreeing in love and amity eating their Bread in singleness of heart 3. Here seemeth to be likewise some intimation of that great mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ I mean his Conception of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary For this aimed at Christ as all the other Ceremonies of the Law and holy times and seasons did And some have gone about to make it out thus That look as Christ fulfilled other great Types and Ceremonies of the Law in other things so he did in this As the Feast of Tabernacles pointed to the time of his Birth on the fifteenth day of the seventh month so if from thence we reckon thirty eight weeks backward it will carry us to the change of the Moon at which time is a great conjunction or union of those two great Luminaries the Sun the Moon Here they think may be some dark and weak shadow of the conjunction or union of the two Natures of Christ in one person when he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he did as in the whole state of his Humiliation so especially when he was conceived in the Virgins womb 4. The New Moon is put for every thing beneath Christ Rev. 12.1 the world which in respect of the changeableness of it is like the Moon the world and the glory thereof passeth away never standing at the same stay This should be frequently upon our hearts and thoughts 5. They were to observe the first day of the month not the fifth or sixth day so also their morning Sacrifice was to be offered early in the morning and the Passover celebrated the first month in the year To teach them that as ever they expected the Blessing of God upon the rest of their time they must be careful to set apart the first and best of all their days and hours unto his service 6. They were to observe the first day of every month one as well as another which checks that superstitious conceit as if there were lucky and unlucky times whereas God hath sanctified every month and every time to his people as on the contrary to the wicked the most lucky times prove disastrous as among the Papists that famous year 1588. crowned with so many Astrological Praedictions of ensuing happiness and Victory proved quite contrary to their expectations so that Fulke Pref. Rhem. Test saith it Octogesimus Octavus mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum faustus ubique piis No month to a godly man is of it self evil but let a wicked Haman cast lots from the beginning of the year to the ending he shall find no month good So much for the mystery of their New Moons the second sort of their holy times the first was their annual Feasts the second their New Moons the third is their Sabbaths 3. Sabbaths Let no man judge you in respect of the Sabbath A word to that and so we shall finish the Text at this time This is the third sort of holy times and seasons under the Law The general notion of a Sabbath is a time of Rest They had three sorts of Sabbaths their weekly Sabbath every seventh day their yearly Sabbath every seventh year and their great sabbatical year reckoning seven times seven years which was their Jubilee every fiftieth year In every one of which was something of a shadow of things to come the Apostle is express these things are a shadow of things to come Quest Wherein Answ 1. The Sabbath of the seventh day their weekly Sabbath on the seventh day of the week this was partly moral and perpetual considered as a seventh part of weekly time sanctified and set apart by God from common use for man to rest from the works of his weekly Calling in imitation of God and in remembrance of the great work of the Creation of the world But though the Sabbath be partly moral and it must needs be so seeing it is one of the Ten Commandments otherwise there would be but nine moral Commands and the original ground of a Sabbath is not a ceremonial Institution nor the sin and fall of man but a particular Calling and therefore Adam in his innocent and sinless estate needed a Sabbath and God sanctified this day before the fall of man Gen. 2.1 2 3. but yet the Jewish Sabbath was in some respects Ceremonial and therefore it is abrogated and the Christian Sabbath substituted in stead thereof and therefore the Holy Ghost here in the Text reckons the Jewish Sabbaths in the same rank with their New Moons and yearly Festivals amongst the shadows of good things to come for it had some typical respects and uses some ceremonial Rites and Observations annexed to it I shall instance in two things wherein it is typical 1. For the Commemoration of their typical Redemption and Deliverance out of Egypt Therefore though the fourth Commandment as it is recorded in Exod. chap. 20. is grounded upon the Labour of a particular Calling and upon Gods resting from the work of Creation upon the seventh day which are moral grounds yet in the fourth Commandment as it is repeated Deut. 5. one of those moral considerations is omitted viz. the work of Creation and there is a typical consideration substituted in stead thereof viz. their Deliverance out of Egypt Deut. 5.15 2. As there was in the Jewish Sabbath a Commemoration of that typical Redemption out of Egypt so secondly it was a typical