The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 15
THE GOSPEL OF THE HOLY PLACES.
Deut. 12.5, 6.October 11. & 18. 1668.
But unto the place which the Lord your God ſhall chuſe out of all your Tribes, to put his Name there, even unto his habitation ſhall you ſeek, and thither thou ſhalt come: And thither ye ſhall bring your Burnt Offerings, and your Sacrifices, &c.
WE have been endeavouring (beloved) to take off the Veyl from Moſes face, and to unfold and open to you the Types and Shadows of the Ceremonial Law; they are dark Shadows, but there are glorious Myſteries adumbrated and ſhadowed forth by them. They are hard Shells, but there are ſweet Kernels within, if the Lord help us to break the ſhell, and to underſtand the myſtery and meaning of them. You have ſeen divers of theſe Shells broken, and what precious Kernels of Goſpel-truths are contained in them.
You may remember we did refer this Law of Ceremonies to five general heads.
1. The Initiating Seal of Circumciſion.
2. The Legal Sacrifices and Purifications.
3. The Tabernacle and Temple and other Holy places.
4. The Prieſthood, with all the reſt of the legal Miniſtry.
5. Their Feſtivals, or holy Times and Seaſons.
We have formerly ſpoken to the two firſt of theſe, to wit, the Initiating Seal of Circumciſion, and their Legal Sacrifices and Purifications.
We are now to proceed in the help of Chriſt unto the third, namely,
3. Their Tabernacle and Temple and other Holy places; of which this Text gives you this Doctrinal Aſſertion.
Doctrine. That God was pleaſed to chuſe out certain places to ſtand in a ſpecial relation of Holineſs unto himſelf under the Old Teſtament.
See again in this Chapter, ver. 11, 14, 18— Pſal. 68.35. Thou art terrible, oh God, out of thine holy places. And ver. 17. As in Sinai in the holy place.
But it is needleſs, and would be eaſie to multiply quotations: For this phraſe, holy place, and holy places, doth occur in the Scripture above threeſcore times.
Let me explain and open a little to you the nature of this holineſs of places that was under the Law.
You all know there is a two fold Holineſs; Inherent, and Relative Holineſs.
Inherent Holineſs is nothing elſe, but thoſe ſaving Graces of Sanctification in the Souls of men.
Now this is only in perſons, it is a thing which places are no way capable of. But the Holineſs that is in places is a Relative holineſs, and it doth conſiſt in a ſeparation or ſetting them apart for God to be peculiarly his.
That this is the Scripture notion of Holineſs, and that particularly in reference to Holy places, you may ſee in Deut. 19.2, 7. compared with Joſhua 20.7. That which in the one place is called Separation, in the other is called Sanctification: Thou ſhalt ſeparate three Cities for Cities of Refuge, ſaith the Lord by Moſes. And they ſanctified Kedeſh and Sechem, ſaith the Text in Joſhuah.
The contrary to Holineſs, is that which is Common or Unclean, Acts 10.14.
God hath a ſpecial propriety in that which is holy, it belongs to God as his peculiar, Exod. 13.2. Sanctifie unto me all the firſtborn, it is mine.
Hence the neerer to God any place or thing is, the more of Separation to his uſe, the more holy.
Thus you ſee the general notion of it.
Now to deſcend to ſome particulars.
This Holineſs of places was twofold, either tranſient and meerly for the preſent time, or elſe more permanent and abiding.
1. The tranſient Holineſs of places was where the Lord gave viſible appearances of himſelf in his glorious Majeſty to the eyes of his Servants; ſuch places were holy during the time of ſuch divine appearances. So when the Lord appeared to Moſes in the burning Buſh, Exod. 3.5. the place whereon thou ſtandeſt is holy ground, and he ſaith the like to Joſhuah, cap. 5.15. So Mount Sinai was holy, and therefore might not be touched, Exod. 19.
Upon the ſame account the Mount where Chriſt was transfigured is called the Holy Mount, 2 Pet. 1.18.
I call this a tranſient kind of Holineſs, becauſe it continued no longer, but while that extraordinary Preſence continued. There is no more Holineſs in Mount Sinai or Mount Tabor now, than in any other place.
The Apoſtle calls it the holy Mount from what it was, not that it is ſo ſtill: Therefore it is but a ſuperſtitious thing in the Papiſts to go on pilgrimage to Jeruſalem, and to viſit the holy Sepulchre, and the like, there is no Holineſs in them now.
2. But ſecondly, there was alſo a more permanent and abiding Holineſs of places under the Law, during that whole legal Diſpenſation.
Queſt. What were theſe Places?
Anſw. I ſhall inſtance chiefly in four particulars.
1. The Land of Canaan was an holy Land, ſo called Zach. 2.12. the Lord ſhall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land. It was a Type of Heaven, Heb. 11.14, 16. they ſought another Country, a better Country, that is, an heavenly; thine eyes ſhall ſee the Land that is very far off, Iſai. 32.17. glimpſes of Heaven and Glory.
And ſome ſpecial places in the Land were holy, as
2. The Cities of Refuge, whereof there were ſix, three on this ſide, and three on the other ſide Jordan.
The Inſtitution and Ordinance for it you have in Deut. 19. the performance in Joſh. 20. where theſe Cities are ſaid to be ſanctified.
And that there was a Goſpel Myſtery in this Ordinance, and what it was the Apoſtle inſinuates Heb. 6.18. who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us.
The Souls flying to Jeſus Chriſt, and finding ſafety and ſhelter there, when purſued by the Law, as the avenger of Blood, is the Goſpel myſtery of that Ordinance.
3. The Tabernacle, the Temple, the Ark and all the places where they came, 2 Chron, 8.11. The places are holy whereunto the Ark of the Lord hath come. The Ark did as it were conſecrate them, and ſo there was a reverence due to them.
The Tabernacle, you know, was made in the Wilderneſs by Moſes, and ſo was the Ark; it marched before them to ſeek reſt for them, till they came into the Land of Canaan.
The firſt place where it was pitched there, was at Gilgal, Joſh. cap. 4.19. there it continued about ſix or ſeven years, till Joſhuah had conquered the Land, and then it was ſet up at Shilo, Joſh. 18.1. there it continued (as ſome compute) 300 years from Joſhuah's time to Eli's; and then the people in a carnal confidence carrying the Ark before them to battel, it was taken captive by the Philiſtines; and Shilo was rejected of God, and laid deſolate for the wickedneſs of his people Iſrael. The Story whereof you have recorded in 1 Sam. 4.—
A very inſtructing Providence, to teach them to take heed of carnal reſting in external Ordinances. Yea, Goſpel Ordinances, Baptiſm and the Lords Supper, if thou art a wicked man, will ſtand thee in no more ſtead, than the Ark did them; Jer. 7.12. But go ye now unto my place which was in Shilo, where I ſet my Name at firſt, and ſee what I did to it for the wickedneſs of my people Iſrael.
And after this, it is obſervable, that the Ark and the Tabernacle, ſo far as it appears out of the ſacred Hiſtory, never met again after this parting.
Which ſhould teach ſuch as pretend to be the Tabernacles of God, in whom he dwells, as every Chriſtian is, to take heed of decays and backſlidings in your Chriſtian courſe. For it may be God and thou may part, never to meet more. We ſee ſad examples of it in many Profeſſors, that after backſlidings never recover their former Glory, they never enjoy the Ark of his Preſence any more as formerly.
What became of the Tabernacle after the Deſolation of Shilo, and after this departure of the Ark from it, the Scripture is in a great meaſure ſilent. Only this we find, that it was at Nob in Sauls time, 1 Sam. 21.1. and that it was afterwards at Gibeon in Davids time, 1 Chron. 16.39.
And finally, that the Veſſels of it were removed to the Temple after the building of that by Solomon. Not, as the Jews ſuppoſe, to be laid by there; but rather to be uſed as occaſion was, together with the other Veſſels of the Temple.
Some think the Tabernacle had a ſtation once at Mizpeh, which they gather from that phraſe, 1 Sam. 10.17. and Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh. But this is not certain, becauſe they might be ſaid to appear before the Lord elſewhere, and not only where the Tabernacle was.
The places where the Ark came are more particularly recorded in the Scripture.
Firſt, it was carried from Shilo into the Field of Aphek, againſt the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 4.2. where the Philiſtines took it captive, and carried it from place to place, to Aſhdod, to Ekron, to Gath, 1 Sam. 5.
At laſt they ſent it home into the Land of Judah.
Firſt to Bethſhemeſh, cap. 6.
Thence it went to Kirjath Jearim.
Thence to the Houſe of Abinodab, cap. 7.
Thence to the Houſe of Obed-Edom, 2 Sam. 6.
Thence to the City of David, ibid. ver. 12.
And finally, it was placed in the Oracle in the Temple by Solomon, 1 King. 8.6, 7. where it continued till the Captivity of Babylon; at which time it was either deſtroyed in the burning of the Temple, or elſe carried away to Babylon, and reſtored amongſt the reſt of the Veſſels of the Lords Houſe by Cyrus.
Some indeed think it was never returned, and that the ſecond Temple wanted the Ark.
But this to others ſeems improbable; becauſe the High-prieſt was annually to miniſter in the moſt holy place, and that in reference to the Ark: for he was to ſprinkle the Mercy-ſeat with Blood, of which hereafter.
But theſe various removals and travels of the Ark to and fro from place to place, may teach us this leſſon, that God hath not tyed himſelf and his Ordinances, and the tokens of his Preſence ſo to any people, but that if they prove unworthy, he may remove them, and ſeek unto himſelf another habitation, Matth. 21.43. Rev. 2.5. I will remove the Candleſtick.
4. Hence fourthly, among the holy places Jeruſalem was very eminent, as being the place of the Temple and Ark, and all the publick Worſhip thereunto belonging, Pſal. 76.2. In Salem alſo is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion. Pſal. 87.2. The Lord loveth the Gates of Sion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Jeruſalem therefore is made in Scripture a Type of the Church both militant and triumphant, Gal. 4.26. for Jeruſalem which is above is free, which is the Mother of us all.
Therefore in that magnificent Deſcription of the Church Catholick myſtical, Heb. 12.22, 23. amongſt other Elogies, it is called heavenly Jeruſalem: So Rev. 21.2. the new Jeruſalem that comes down from God out of Heaven, as a Bride adorned for her Husband, is the Church throughly reformed in the latter times both in Doctrine, and Order, and Worſhip. Which Purity is begun here, and perfected in another and an higher Glory in Heaven.
And throughout the Scripture the Elogies given to Jeruſalem are very high and excellent.
It is called the City of God, Pſal. 46.4.
The Elect City, or the City which God hath choſen, 1 Kings 11.32. but he ſhall have one Tribe for my Servant Davids ſake, and for Jeruſalems ſake, the City which I have choſen out of all the Tribes of Iſrael.
It is called the beloved City, Gog and Magog compaſs the beloved City, Rev. 20.9.
The holy City, Matth. 27.53. many bodies of Saints which ſlept aroſe and went into the holy City. Rev. 22.19. God ſhall take his part out of the holy City.
The City of the living God, the heavenly Jeruſalem, Heb. 12.22.
It is called the Throne of the Lord, Jer. 3.17. at that time they ſhall call Jeruſalem the Throne of the Lord, and all Nations ſhall be gathered unto it, to the Name of the Lord, to Jeruſalem.
Queſt. What is the ground of this Holineſs of theſe places, and how are we to conceive of it?
Anſw. You heard in general before, that it conſiſts in this, in the Lords ſeparating of them for himſelf in a ſpecial and peculiar manner.
But there be four expreſſions in the Text, the explication whereof will a little further clear it.
1. The Lord is ſaid to ſet his Name there.
2. Thither ſhalt thou ſeek.
3. Thither ſhalt thou come.
4. Thither ſhalt thou bring thy holy things.
1. The Lord is ſaid to chuſe theſe places to ſet his Name there, and therefore they are called his Habitation, even to his Habitation ſhall ye ſeek; the meaning is, his Name dwelt there.
What is Gods Name? and how is it ſet in ſuch a place?
Gods Name is any thing by which he is known, the diſcoveries or manifeſtations of himſelf by which he is known amongſt his people, as a man is known by his Name.
He ſets his Name in ſuch or ſuch a place, when he conſtitutes or appoints it to be the place wherein he will give forth the diſcoveries and manifeſtations of himſelf unto his people.
There be five things here included.
1. That here were the ſtanding ſymbols and tokens of his Preſence. The Ark, the Mercy-ſeat, the Altar, the Sacrifices, here they had their abode and reſidence, even in the places that God choſe for that end.
2. In theſe places were viſible appearances of his Glory upon ſpecial occaſions.
As when Moſes had erected and reared up the Tabernacle, Exod. 40.34. then a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation, and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernalce; ſo Numb. 12.5. the Lord came down in the Pillar of Cloud, and ſtood in the door of the Tabernacle.
So when Solomon had finiſhed the Temple, and placed the Ark in the holy place, the Cloud filled the Houſe of the Lord, ſo that the Prieſts could not ſtand to miniſter, becauſe of the Cloud. For the Glory of the Lord filled the Houſe of the Lord, 1 King. 8.10, 11. Iſaiah likewiſe ſaw his Glory in the Temple, Iſai. 6.1. I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon a Throne high and lifted up, and his Train filled the Temple.
3. Theſe places had their typical ſignifications of Chriſt and Goſpel Myſteries: Therefore much of the Name of God was in them.
There were chiefly two great Myſteries in them, Chriſt and the Church.
1. The Temple was a Type of Chriſt, Joh. 2.19. deſtroy this Temple, and within three days I will raiſe it up. But he ſpake of the Temple of his Body, v. 21. Therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, that in him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, Col. 2.9. He was a Miniſter of the Sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man, Heb. 9.11.
2. It was a Type of the Church, 1 Tim. 3.15. how thou oughteſt to behave thy ſelf in the Houſe of God, which is the Church of the living God, Epheſ. 2.20, 21, 22. And it was a Type not only of the whole Church in general, but of every Believer in particular, 1 Cor. 6.19. what, know you not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt? He dwells in their very Bodies, much more in their Souls.
The manner how the Deity dwells in theſe Temples is very myſterious and glorious.
4. Theſe places were appointed of God to be parts, yea principal and eminent parts of his Worſhip. I ſay, they were parts of his Worſhip or Ordinances; they were ſuch eminent parts of his Worſhip, that they did ſanctifie both the Worſhipers, and all the Worſhip performed in them.
The Altar ſanctified the Gift, the Temple ſanctified the Gold, Matth. 23.18, 19. The Places did bring acceptance to the Worſhip; ſo that the Places were principal, and the Duties leſs principal, as ſome expreſs it. There will I accept them, Ezek. 20.40. Exod. 20.24. In all places where I record my Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bleſs thee.
5. They were by Gods appointment the ſeat of all the publick Church-worſhip of thoſe times. They did perform the moral Worſhip of Prayer, and reading and hearing the Law in all their Synagogues; but their publick Church-worſhip was annexed and affixed to the Temple only.
There be three things in the Text as to this.
1. Thither ſhalt thou ſeek; that is, for Anſwers and Oracles from the holy Place, and from the Prieſt by Ʋrim and Thummim. For ſo the Lord had appointed, Exod. 25.22. there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-ſeat, from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Teſtimony. And accordingly ſo they did, Numb. 7.8, 9. And they were to enquire by Ʋrim and Thummim. Therefore it is ſaid of Joſhuah, when he was to be chief Magiſtrate, Numb 27.21. and he ſhall ſtand before Eleazar the Prieſt, who ſhall ask counſel for him after the Judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his Word ſhall they go out, and at his Word, that is, at Eleazar the Prieſt anſwering from God, ſhall they come in, both he, that is Joſhuah, and all the Children of Iſrael with him, even all the Congregation.
All other places were forbidden for this uſe; ſeek not Bethel, enter not into Gilgal, Amos 5.5.
And the Lord ſeverely puniſh'd it in Ahaziah the Son of Ahab, 2 Kings 1.16. Elijah ſaid unto him, for as much as thou haſt ſent Meſſengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron, (is it not becauſe there is no God in Iſrael to inquire of his Word?) therefore thou ſhalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but ſhalt ſurely dye.
The Devil, in imitation and abuſe of this Ordinance of God, had his Oracles, and gave Anſwers in the old Pagan times: but his Anſwers were uſually ſophiſtical and ambiguous. And after the Death of Chriſt God was pleaſed to chain him up: therefore Plutarch an Heathen Philoſopher, in his Morals, hath a Diſcourſe upon it, why the Oracles are ceaſed; and he hath an expreſſion for the reſolving of it, which hath more of truth in it than himſelf underſtood.
Amongſt other things he gives this account of it, that it was becauſe the great God Pan was dead
It was indeed becauſe Jeſus Chriſt, who is the great God and the great Shepherd of the Sheep, had ſufferd Death, and thereby conquered Satan, and hath therefore ſtopt Devils mouth from giving anſwers in that way ever ſince.
2. Thither ſhalt thou come; that is, at all their appointed Feſtivals, three times a year, Exod. 23.14, 17. and whenſoever they offered Sacrifice, as afterwards, ver. 6.
3. Thither ſhall ye bring your Burnt-offerings and your Sacrifices, &c. ver. 6. ſo Levit. 17.8, 9. here is a particular induction and enumeration of their holy things.
Your Burnt-offerings] mentioned firſt, as being the firſt ſort, and all the reſt depending much upon that.
Your Sacrifices] this is a general word including all that belonged unto the Altar.
And your Tithes] theſe were for the Maintenance of the Prieſts, whereof Levit. 27.30, 32.
They had two ſorts of Tithes, the firſt went to the Prieſts and Levites; then of that which remained they were to ſeparate a ſecond Tithe; and this the Owners were to eat before the Lord in the place that he ſhould chuſe, as infra ver. 17, 18.
The Heave-offerings of thine Hand] that is, the Firſt fruits which they were to bring in their hands before the Lord, Deut. 26.2. thou ſhalt take of the firſt of all the Fruit of the Earth, and ſhalt put it in a basket, and ſhalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God ſhall chuſe to place his Name there, and thou ſhalt ſet it before the Lord thy God, and worſhip before the Lord thy God.
Your Vows and voluntary Offerings] of which ſee Levit. 7.16.
Firſtlings of you Herd and Flock] often declared to be the Lords, Numb. 3.13. becauſe all the Firſt-born are mine: For on the day that I ſmote all the Firſt-born in the Land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the Firſt-born in Iſrael both man and beaſt: mine they ſhall be, I am the Lord.
For the Uſe of all, there is a fourfold Inſtruction from all that hath been ſaid concerning theſe holy Places under the Law.
1. The firſt Inſtruction is concerning the Ceſſation of this Holineſs of places under the New Teſtament. For this being a part of the Ceremonial Law, it muſt needs be ceaſed and vaniſhed away, now that Chriſt the thing ſignified is come.
The Papiſts have borrowed this (as they do many other of their Superſtitions) from the Jews.
Some they borrow from the Pagans, and others are nothing elſe, but pieces and reliques of the Law of Ceremonies: So is this of the Holineſs of Places, and conſecrating of Churches.
For there is nothing more clear, than that the difference of Places is taken away under the Goſpel.
When the Woman of S…naria pleaded, Our Fathers worſhipped in this Mountain; but ye ſay that Jeruſalem is the place where men ought to worſhip. Jeſus ſaid unto her, Woman believe me, the hour cometh, and now is, when ye ſhall neither in this Mountain, nor yet at Jeruſalem worſhip the Father; but the true Worſhippers ſhall worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth, Joh. 4.21, 23. He turns her eyes and thoughts away from the difference of Places, to regard and mind the Spirituality of the Worſhip. For as God is no reſpecter of Perſons; ſo he is no reſpecter of Places. But whereſoever, for that indefinite [where] is equivalent to an univerſal, whereſoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midſt of them, Matth. 18.22. The Apoſtle therefore ſaith, 1 Tim. 2.8. I will that men pray everywhere, foreign, in every place; as was propheſied long before by the Prophet Malachi, cap. 1.11. For from the riſing of the Sun even to the going down thereof, my Name ſhall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place (therefore all places are alike) Incenſe ſhall be offered unto my Name, and a pure Offering, which before were limited to the Temple.
Therefore the Church at Jeruſalem met in an upper Chamber, Acts. 1.13. ſo did the Church at Troas, Acts 20.8. there they did preach and break bread: therefore all places are alike. Every Place is now a Judea, every Houſe a Jeruſalem, every Congregation a Sion.
But what a ſtrange thing is this! that men can ſee no Holineſs in the Lords day, but ſlight and oppoſe that; and yet aſſert an Holineſs in Places. Oh the Wrath of God upon ſuch mens Spirits!
Obj. But ſhould there not be publick Worſhip?
Anſw. Yes, but that may be in places that are not conſecrated. Dr. Ʋſher in his Body of Divinity, pag. 404. ſpeaking againſt the private Adminiſtration of the Sacraments, he thus explains it in theſe words; In times of perſecution the Godly (ſaith he) did often meet in Barns and ſuch obſcure places, which were indeed publick, becauſe of the Church of God there— The Houſe or Place availing nothing to make it either publick or private, even as whereſoever the Prince is, there is the Court, although it were a poor Cottage.
Obj. But there it a ſpiritual Preſence of God in the Places; therefore they are holy.
Anſw. It follows not. For,
1. God doth not vouchſafe his Preſence out of reſpect to the Place, but to the Perſons.
He hath not ſet his Name upon the Place, but only upon the Perſons; and is not preſent with them for the Places ſake, but only preſent in the place for their ſakes who are there aſſembled.
2. The Spiritual Preſence of God is not enough to make a place holy; for then all places ſhould be holy, whereſoever Gods People do enjoy Communion with him; and ſo not only dwelling houſes where there are Family duties, but every private Chamber where there is ſecret Prayer; yea the Fields, the Streets, and ſometimes Priſons, and Dungeons, and Gibbets, and all places whatſoever where the Saints come and enjoy Communion with God in their Spirits, would be holy places. And ſo this Objection lays all places level, the Lord having many precious Saints that walk cloſely with him, who are diſperſed and ſcattered up and down almoſt in every corner of the Land.
Our publick Meeting-places for Worſhip, they have not any ſuch Sacred Symbols of Gods Preſence, as the Temple had, the Ark, the Altar, &c. neither have they any ſuch extraordinary viſible appearances of the Divine Majeſty and Glory, as the Temple had upon ſpecial occaſions: neither have they that typical reſpect unto Chriſt and Goſpel-myſteries: neither are they parts of Worſhip or Ordinances: nor hath God annexed his Worſhip to them. He hath no way ſeparated or ſet them apart unto himſelf, as his own peculiar: therefore there is no pretenſe for Holineſs in them.
Inſtr. 2. The ſecond Inſtruction is this; Learn to preſent your Worſhip unto God by Jeſus Chriſt: for he is the true Temple, and Tabernacle, as hath been ſhewed.
Therefore that ſtrict Injunction to bring all their Sacrifices thither ſignified thus much, that we muſt preſent all our Services and Sacrifices to God in the Name & Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. Make uſe of Jeſus Chriſt in his mediatory relation, a thing much & often preſſed in the Scripture, as indeed it cannot be too much inſiſted on, Heb. 7.25. He is able to ſave to the utmoſt all that ceme unto God by him, 1 Pet. 1.21. who by him do believe in God Joh. 14.6. I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father, but by me. Col. 3.17. And whatſoever ye in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. A thing of abſolute neceſſity, if we deſire either Acceſs unto God, Acceptance witn God, or Influence and Aſſiſtance from God.
1. There is no Acceſs unto God, but by this greater and more perfect Tabernacle Jeſus Chriſt, in whom we have boldneſs, and acceſs with confidence by the Faith of him, Epheſ. 3.12.
God, conſidered as in himſelf, dwells in Light inacceſſible, 1. Tim. 6.16. dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee. He is glorious and excellent in himſelf, but approachable only in Chriſt: we cannot ſee him, nor conceive of him, nor get into his preſence but by Jeſus Chriſt.
2. There is no Acceptance with God out of Chriſt. If you bring a Sacrifice to God, and bring it not to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Blood ſhall be imputed to that man. Levit. 17.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7. If thou couldſt live like a glorified Saint, ſhine like an Angel, if out of Chriſt, God regards it no more more than the ſacrificing Swines fleſh, or the cutting off of a Dogs neck, Ezek. 20.40. for in mine holy Mountain, in the Mountain of the height of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord God, there ſhall all the Houſe of Iſrael, all of them in the Land ſerve me; there will I require your Offerings and the Firſt fruits of your Oblations, with all your holy things. All our holy Offerings, our beſt Duties and Services as they come from us are abominable, but through his Mediation acceptable.
3. There can be no gracious Influence or Aſſiſtance from God, but only in this way, by Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee; ſend thee help from the Sanctuary, and ſtrengthen thee out of Sion, Pſal. 20.1, 2. For in Salem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Sion; there brake he the Arrows of the Bow, the Shield, the Sword and the Battel, Pſal. 76.2.3. It is ſpoken of temporal Deliverance, and may be applied to the Church; there is a protecting Preſence of God there. But it is true in an higher ſenſe concerning Chriſt: Chriſt is the true Sanctuary from whence all our ſtrength and help cometh — Thou therefore, my Son, be ſtrong in the Grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 2.1. Nay in all theſe things we are more then conquerors, through him that loved us. Rom. 8.37.
This is the reaſon you conquer not: but Sin and Luſt prevails, and you are worſted by Corruption and Temptation from time to time. There is a ſecret diſtance by unbelief from Jeſus Chriſt; did you come to the door of the Tabernacle, the Lord would ſend you help from the Sanctuary, and ſtrengthen thee out of Sion: but men are loth to leave their own home, or loth to break through difficulties; they faint and tire by the way before they get thither, and ſo never come to receive thoſe bleſſed influences, thoſe reviving, Soul-ſtrengthening, Soul-refreſhing influences. See Pſal. 84.5, 6, 7. It is a deſcription to the people in their journeys to the Temple— They went through thick and thin, as we uſe to ſay, through drought and heat— till they came before God in Sion; and there they found what they went for. They met with God there, ver. 10.11 — better a day there, than a thouſand elſewhere: for there the Lord will give Grace and Glory.
Inſtruct. 3. Remember that there is a Church-worſhip.
As there was a moral Worſhip which they were to perform every where: for it was perſonal, and not meerly publick: ſo they had their publick Church-worſhip, viz. their Sacrifices and other Inſtitutions which were limited to the Tabernacle, as it was a Type of the Church.
As no Service is to be offered out of Chriſt: ſo ſome Services are not to be offered out of the Church; for the Tabernacle, as you have heard was a Type of the Church.
And therefore, as Gods end in this Inſtitution was to lead out their thoughts and deſires and expectations to Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo to prevent Idolatry and Unbelief in that reſpect: ſo likewiſe to prevent Schiſm, and to keep them in the unity of that Church which he had then inſtituted and appointed.
So now in Goſpel-times look that you partake of the Ordidances in Goſpel-Churches: for theſe are the New Teſtament-Tabernacles wherein God dwells, and vouchſafes his bleſſed Preſence.
It is often noted, as a great corruption of Worſhip among the Jews, that they ſacrificed in the high places; yea though they did it to the Lord their God only.
So in Manaſſeh's time 2 Chron. 37.17. Nevertheleſs the people did ſacrifice ſtill in the high places; after ſome beginnings and degrees of Reformation; yet unto the Lord their God only. And the reaſon they were not taken away is ſometimes noted to be the perverſneſs of the people: ſo in Jehoſaphats time, 2 Chron. 20.33. howbeit the high places were not taken away; for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers.
Yea there were ſome good people in thoſe times, who were unconvinced of this truth, that they ought to ſacrifice only at the Temple and Tabernacle— though they were againſt the Worſhip of Baal, yet they were not againſt the high places: ſo we have ſome in our days that are againſt Popery; but they are not againſt mixt Communions. They are not convinced that they ought to preſent their Services and Sacrifices, their publick Worſhip unto God in Goſpel-Temples, that is, in pure Churches, and not among profane people.
It is ſtrange to ſee the ſupine careleſneſs and ſcepticiſm of ſome mens ſpirits in this particular— they regard not, they care not with whom they join; whether it be a true Church or a falſe Church, whether a pure or an impure Church, whether a Church or no Church.
Search the Scriptures, and you will find no inſtance, that ever the Lords Supper was diſpenſed but in Churches, Goſpel-Churches, pure Churches.
The firſt Inſtitution of that Ordinance was in the firſt Goſpel-Church, ſounded by Chriſt himſelf the chief Paſtor, who did diſpenſe this Ordinance himſelf to the twelve Apoſtles, who were the Foundation ſtones of the firſt Goſpel-Church at Jeruſalem— then again Acts 2.42. they continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles Doctrine and Fellowſhip, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers. Breaking of Bread is there mentioned amongſt other Ordinances, and therefore not to be underſtood of common but ſacred Bread. Acts. 20.7. it is ſaid of the Church of Troas, that they came together on the firſt day of the week to break Bread.
The ſame Ordinance alſo was obſerved in the Church of Corinth, 1. Cor. 11. and whereas corruptions and corrupt members were crept in, the Apoſtle ſpends a whole Chapter in exhorting them to purge out the old Leven, 5. ch. of 1. Epiſtle.
Profeſſors that lie amongſt the Pots, never joyning themſelves as fixed members in any particular Church, though they have opportunity for it, do live in the neglect of a duty, a known duty; yea ſuch a neglect as doth infer and carry along with it the neglect of many other duties alſo. For how can Church-Diſcipline be exerciſed, but in the Societies of Gods People; therefore tnis neglect, it expoſeth the Ordinances of Chriſt to contempt and proſtitution.
It is as great a ſin to receive the Lords Supper in an Aſſembly of ignorant and profane people, as it was to offer Sacrifices in the high places; yea it is indeed the very ſame thing. For let thy Conſcience ſpeak. Are ſuch Aſſemblies the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt? Are they the Tabernacles of the moſt High? Doth God dwell there? Is this to go to the door of the Tabernacle with thy Sacrifice, when thou knoweſt thou goeſt into a dunghill of Profaneneſs, into a dungeon of Ignorance, into an Aſſembly of wicked and ungodly men.
Art thou a Soul that deſireſt communion with Chriſt? Then take his own direction for the obtaining of it, Cant. 1.7, 8. Go forth by the footſteps of the flock, this is Church ſociety. Feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents. Make uſe of the Miniſtry and Miniſters of the Word, who are ſet in particular Churches.
Inſtr. 4. Labour every one, that his own Soul may be an habitation for the Lord, a Temple of the Holy Ghoſt.
For the Temple ſignified not only the whole Church in general, but every Saint in particular, as hath been ſhewed.
Let not thy own Soul be, as it is ſaid of Rome, Rev. 18.2. It is become the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul Spirit, and a Cage for every unclean and hateful Bird.
But let the Spirit of God dwell there; be reſtleſs in thy ſelf, give God in Heaven no reſt, nor thy own Heart within thee any reſt, till thy Soul be an habitation of the Holy Spirit. Say, as it is ſaid of David, Pſal. 132.4, 5. I will not give ſleep to mine eyes, nor ſlumber to mine eye-lids, until I find out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.