The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 59 – Part 63
Gods service and worship prescribed.
VVOnderfull was the providence of Almighty God in ordering …ll things that did appertaine unto the Tabernacle of old; wherein there was notExod. 39. 43. any particular thing done about it, but an expresse forme was set downe, and after what manner it vvas to be done. Now vve have not a materiall Arke or TableIohn 4. 24. Rom. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 20. Phil▪ 3. 2. 1 Sam. 15. 22. Ezra 10 19. Mat. 15. 9. Isai. 19. 1…. Mat. 28. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Chap. 14. 4. (for those vvere but shadowes of things to come) vve have a forme of vvorshipping God, which is more excellent, vvith all things appertaining to his worship, which the Holy Ghost hath set downe to be in spirit and truth. For that he that vvorshippeth God after an overthwart and unlawfull manner, adoreth an Idoll. Therefore in the service of God, and in all things belonging to the worship of God, all things ought to be done according to his vvord, as Christ himselfe commanded, saying: Teach them to observe all things as I have commanded: speaking to his Apostles. And Saint Paul saith, That which I have received of the Lord, I have delivered. And againe he saith, Let all things be done honestly, &c.
Object. Are there then no Ceremonies to bee used? Did they all die with Christ?
No, some were typicall, prefiguring Christ, those are dead: other some are of decency and order, those are not dead. Christ came not to dissolve order: men consist of bodies as well as soules, God must be served with both, now bodies cannot s…rve God without externall rites. The Spouse of Christ cannot be without her borders and laces, on necessity there must be some outward observances; but thus qualified.
They must be for number few and farre from ostentation.
They must be for signification plaine and from
They must be for observation simple and farther from superstition.
As the Lord commanded
Noabs Arke being a figure of the Church was in particular made.Gen. 6. Chap 7.
The Temple was built according to the patterne given Solomon.1 Chron. 28.
The booke of the Covenant was written by Moses in the Mount.Exodus 24. 7.
The Arke of the testimony: a figure of the Church was fashioned.Exodus 25.
The altars, Aarons garments, and Sacrifices were finished.Exodus 28.
Moses and Ioshuah put off their shoes in the presence of the Lord.Exo. 3. 5. Josh. 5. 1… Exod. 29. 1.
The Priests were consecrated before they served before the Lord.D…t. 1…. 21.
All Sacrifices were to be without blemish that were offered to the Lord.Lev. 9. 9.
No person uncircumcised or of the Priests having blemish were admitted.Deut. 23.
The people were to be sanctified themselves before they came to the Lord.Exod. 19. 10.
Reade Numb. 1. 51. Chap. 3. 38. Chap. 4. 15, 20. Chap. 18. 7.
Now the Service of God is to flie evill, and to doe good; which is done by grace received by Christs death, which was not given by the old law, albeit it commandedIsai. 1. 16. it.
In Gods Service these Rules must be observed:
In Gods Service there must be
1. Preparation: The heart must be prepared (saith Iob) and thy hands must1 Sam. 12. 20. Ioh 11. 13. be lifted up to the Lord.
2. Peniten…ies Gods Word must be hid in thy heart; all wickednesse mustPsal. 119. 11. Iob 11. 14. be farre removed from thee, and thy house.
3. Godly Feare: To serve him, and to rejoyce in him with reverence; notPsal. 2. 11. Hab. 3. 18. only in prosperitie, but also in tribulations.
4. Precedencie… Thou must resort to God betimes, not caring for the morrow,Iob 8. 5. Matth. 6. 34. as Christ commanded.
5. Detestation Of all things that may draw us from his service, with a desireDeut. 13. Isai. 5…. 6. to fulfill all his Commandements.
Also in Hearing of Gods Word there must be
Before Hearing A Resolution To deny our affections, and a Preparation with humblenesse1 Cor. 3. 18. Deut. 13. 13. of heart to heare what is delivered.
In Hearing Attention, Speciall to the Word delivered, proving the Doctrine,Isai. 55. 3. Psal. 119. 113. with keeping that which is good and wholesome.
After Hearing Meditation, And Practice, in that we must not onelyonly be hearers,Heb. 2. 1. Iam. 1. 21. but doers also.
When thou enterest into the house of the Lord, take heed to thy foot, and be more ready Eccles. 5. 1.to heare, then to give the sacrifice of fooles, for they know not that they do evil.
Gods Justice Will-worshippers punished
NAdab and Abihu offered strange fire, they were consumed with fire.Levit. 10. 1.
Gideon made an Ephod intending thereby to shew himselfe thankfull to God for his victory: it turned to the destruction of himselfe, and all his posteritie.Iudg. 8.
King Saul In the absence of Samuel offered a burnt-offering, thinking thereby to have pleased the Lord: his kingdome was taken from all his, and given unto David.1 Sam. 13. Chap. 15. 2 Sam. 6.
Ʋzzah Seeing the Arke of the Lord shaken, in zeale put his hand to stay the same: he was stricken suddenly dead, in that it was only lawfull for the Levites to come neere the same.Numb. 1. 51. 2 Chron. 26.
King Ʋzziah Burning incense before the Lord was stricken with leprosie, and so continued to the day of his death.
Ieroboam burnt incense, his hand that did it withered.1 K. 12. 33. Ch. 13 1 Chron. 15. 2 King. 21. 1 Sam. 6. Numb. 16. Matth. 21. Deut. 12. 8. Numb. 1. 51. Chap. 3. 38. 1 Sam. 5. 1 Chron. 15. 12, 13. Deut. 12. 8. Iosh. 1. 7.
Israelites for not seeking the Lord aright, were punished.
Manasseh building Altars in Gods house, was carried into Babel.
Bethshemites, for looking into the Arke of God, were many slain.
Corah and his confederates offering strange fire perished.
The Jewes selling and buying in Gods house were driven out by Christ.
The men That came neere the Tabernacle, or to the Priests office, contrarie to that God commanded, were put to death.
The men of Ashdod looking into the Ark of God were plagued.
The Levites That sanctified not themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord unto the place he had prepared, made a breach upon Israel.
The Lord saith No man shall doe what seemeth good in his owne eyes, but accordingly as I have commanded, without adding or diminishing, &c.
Tenths due to God from him to the Levites.
THe Tenth of the seed of ground, of the fruit of the tree, of bullocks, and ofLevit. 27. Deut. 14. 22. Gen. 4. Cha. 14. Chap. …8. Numb. 31. 42. 2 King. 4. Nehem. 1…. 12. 2 C… …. sheep, and of all that did goe under the rod was holy to God.
Abel and Cain offered an oblation: Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek.
Iacob promised to give God tithe: Moses gave the tribute to the priests.
Elisha had the first-fruits brought him: Iudah gave tithe of corne▪
The Jewes, Scribes and Pharisees paid tithes of all that they possessed.Nehem. 10. 37. Matth. …3. Gal. …. 6.
Let him that is taught in the word, saith Saint Paul, make him that taught him partaker of all his goods.
Reade Deut. 14. 22. Chap. 12. 19. Exod. 22. 29. Ezek. 44. 1. Prov. 3. 9, 10. Luke 10. 7. Rom. 5. 27. 1 Cor. 9. 7, 13. Ecclus. 7. 3 1. Cha. 35. 8, 9. Numb. 18. 21, 24 Lev. 5. 15.
Gods Justice Sacrilegious Persons punished.
AChan taking of the things that were reserved to the Lord, was stoned toIosh. 6. death with all his Familie, cattell, &c.
King Asa taking out of the house of God, silver and gold, sending it to the Syrian2 Chron. 28. for a present, it was his utter ruine.
Iehoash took of the hallowed things that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the2 King. 12. Lord, and sent them to Hazael, he was in the end by his own servants slain, conspiring against him.
Shishak took away the treasures of the Lord out of the house of God: He was1 Ki. 14 Ier. 25. Hag. 2. 14. afterwards with his posteritie ruinated.
Belshazzar carowsing in the golden vessels of the Lord, saw a hand-writing, atDan. 5. which his countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled, &c. He slain, and his Kingdome taken.
Ananias and Saphira keeping back part of the money made of their own possession,Act. 5. it being then holy to the Lord, they were both of them stricken with sudden death by the Lord.
The Gentiles carried into their Temples, gods, silver and gold, and pleasantIoel 3. 5. things, for which many were the Judgements of God pronounced against them.
The Person that did
With-hold any thing dedicated to the Lord, and that by ignorance, he wasLevit. 5. 15, 18. Levit. 22. 14. therefore to bring a Trespasse-offering.
Eate of any holy thing unwittingly, he was to adde a sift part more thereunto for his simplicitie.
Change, redeeme, or goe about to redeeme any thing dedicated to God, wereLev. …7. 10, 33. Ezek. 48. 14. it good or bad, both that he changed, and that was changed withall, were not be redeemed.
Keep back any thing of tithes that were due unto the Lord, and so to the Levite, that person was accounted and called by the Lord a thiefe and a robber,Mal. 3. 8. and was cursed with a curse that took hold of him and his.
The Censers Of those Sinners, that sinned against their own souls, albeit theyNumb. 16. 16. were abused to idolatrie, were commanded by the Lord to beReade Ezek. 44. 10. made to plates for the Altars covering.
The Israelites For suffering the Lords house to be waste, sowed much, and had little, dranke but were not filled.Hag. 1. Chap 2.
The Israelites For not paying their tithes, were smitten with blastings, whereasHag. …. 1…. 2 Chro. 31. 10. Mal. 3. 10. when they had repaired the Temple, they were blessed; and paying their tithes, the Lord poured out blessings on them without measure, rebuking the devourer for their sakes.
It is a destruction for a man to devoure that which is sanctified.Prov. 20. 25. Prov. 3. 9, 10.
Honour therefore the Lord with thy riches, and with the first-fruits of all things, so shall thy barnes be filled, and thy presses shall burst with wine.