The Types Unveiled, Chapter 22
CHAP. 22. A ſecond thing that I take notice of about the Lamp, is the Oil which was in it.
I Shall ſpeak the leſs of this, becauſe I have been handling the matter (in ſome meaſure) before, but for order ſake I ſhall give you a touch here.
You know as hath been already obſerved, that a bare Lamp without Oil will not produce any light at all to any family or houſe in the world, therefore here is oil poured forth into the Lamp, and ſo it becomes a burning light before the Lord always.
Now you may eaſily conceive what this oil did ſignifie, if you will but conſider from whence it comes, read Zachariahs propheſie, chap 4. 2, 3. with ver. 12. There you have the two Olive-trees ſtanding on the two ſides of the Pipes (which Pipes reached forth cloſe to the Lamps) emptying themſelves through the ſeven Pipes into the Lamps.
Now by the two Olive-trees (though ſome may conjecture or think by them is meant the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament) I underſtand to be meant Jeſus Chriſt.
Now that it cannot be the two Teſtaments of the Scripture which we muſt take for the two Olive-trees which poured their oil into the Lamps.
Firſt, Becauſe the Scriptures of themſelves are not capable of giving out the leaſt drop of moiſture to any, therefore S. Paul calls them A dead Letter, meaning without the ſpirit.
Secondly, It cannot be ſo, becauſe when Zachariah wrote this Myſtery, there was but one Teſtament written, for the new was not then given out; therefore I ſay, it muſt be applied to Chriſt, Chriſt was both theſe Olive trees, both to the Jewiſh Church then, and to the Gentile Churches ever ſince; I mean ſuch of them as are Chriſts Churches indeed.
Now let Jeſus Chriſt be conſidered in his two-fold nature, as God-Man, and ſo he will agree for number to the Olive Trees.
Now its upon this account that Chriſt is ſuch a dropping fulneſs to the Church: Chriſt being thus conſidered in his two natures make him up to be the dropping Olive-Tree to the Lamps of the Church.
For firſt, He muſt be God equal to the Father, that he might be capable to receive theſe communications from God, which are neceſſary for the Candleſtick his Church.
Secondly, He muſt be man as well as God, that he might be capable to apply theſe (received communications from God) to the Church, or theſe that ſhall be the Lamps: therefore is Chriſt called the Emmanuel, or the God with us, Iſa. 7. 14. and in 1 Tim. 2. 5. He is ſaid to be the middle perſon between God and us, therefore is Chriſt reported in Scripture to be the treaſury, and ſtore-houſe of wiſdom and knowledge, Col. 2. 3. And one in whom the fulneſs of the God-head dwelt bodily, Col. 2. 9. And that it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell; but that of John is full to this purpoſe, John 1. 14. with 16. The word was made fleſh, and it dwelt amongſt us, and we beheld his glory, as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth: ſo ver. 16. And of his fulneſs have we all received, and grace for grace.
Thus you ſee Chriſt is the Olive Tree that firſt doth receive from the Father, and then drops his ſpiritual fatneſs down again to his Lamps, the Miniſters of the Goſpel, for the good of all the Church, which is called the Candleſtick; ſo that by the oyl is meant the rich gifts of the Spirit, which Chriſt gives out to his Lamps the Miniſters, whereby they are enabled to counſel and inſtruct the ignorant, to comfort the doubting, and ſtrengthen the feeble minded, to ſupport the weak, to feed the hungry, and correct the obſtinate, and warn the unruly, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in the firſt of the Theſſalonians 5. 14.
Uſe 1.
Then this ſhould teach Chriſtians to admire the Lord, who hath not with-held the beſt of ſupplies from his poor people. O what greater love can there be thought on then this, who cannot but be ſwallowed up in the meditations of what God hath done for his Church, touching the daily benefits he drops down upon his people. O when we do conſider the rich droppings of the Spirit of God through Chriſt, which do daily come down on the Churches Lamps, for the common good of the whole body; how can we chuſe but cry out with the Pſalmiſt, Pſalm 8. 4. Lord, what is man that thou act mindeful of him, and the Sonne of man that thou viſit…ſt him.
O how largely hath God abounded this way of late years towards his people, what a wonderful deal of oyl hath he poured into his Churches Lamps, in this our day; whatever age could ſay the like as we can ſay, ſetting aſide the Apoſtles age O how hath the fountain of light and truth been broken up of late in the midſt of us, how have the little ones in Sion, been made to underſtand doctrine; what a high way hath there been ſet open in the things of God in our day, as that the way-faring men, though fools, have been kept from erring therein O that the Lords people would admire the love and grace of God herein, and that they would cry out with the Apoſtle, O the heighth, the depth, the length, and the breadth of the love of God which paſſeth knowledge, how unſearchable are his judgement, and his wayes paſt finding out.
Uſe 2.
It informs us what rich food the people of God hath given them to live upon, which is better then all the rare dainties in the world beſide; when I think upon the pourings out of the Spirit of God, in the gifts and graces of it to the Churches of Chriſt: I do not ſo much wonder at the ſaying of the wiſe man, who tells us, that that little which the righteous hath is better then the large revenues of the wicked, Pſal, 36. 16. Not onelyonly becauſe the wicked have not their portion upon a divine account, or with ſuch a bleſſing as the godly have, but becauſe all that the wicked do enjoy of this world, were it ten times more then it is, yet it is nothing compared with the leaſt dram of the grace of the Spirit in the heart of a believer. O the honey ſweet manſions which believers feed upon. O the rare comforts they experience both by day and night, ſaith Paul 1 Cor. 2. 9. 10. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for thoſe that love him, which things God revealed to his by his ſpirit.
Well, one word of the Lamps more and I have done ſpeaking about them; and that is, It is ſaid that theſe Lamps were alwayes burning before the Lord, in which we may take notice of theſe two things.
1. They were alwayes burning
2. That they were to burn before the Lord.
As to the firſt conſideration, I underſtand it to be meant of the aſſured continuance of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, for the benefit of the Elect of God in ſeveral ages of the world, that as the Lamps were never to go out in the Tabernacle, ſo the Lord will never be wanting with the gifts of his Spirit upon his Miniſters throughout all ages, that he might by and through them keep up the light and truth of his holy will in the world in deſpight of all oppoſition whatſoever: read Pſalm 132. 15, 16, 17. I will abuudantly bleſs their proviſion, I will ſatisfie their poor with bread, I will cloath her Prieſts with ſalvation, and their Saints ſhall ſhout for joy: there will I make the horn of David to bud, I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. This is the promiſe of God to the Candleſtick, is Church, throughout all ages in the world, giving them to underſtand, that let men and devils do what they can, yet certainly God will alwayes keep up the lamp light of truth to the end of the world. You ſee the lamp was alwayes to burn in the Tabernacle, ſo as certainly the light of truth ſhall and muſt alwayes burn in the world. Hence you have it in the Pſalms, Pſalm 132. 14. where God is ſpeaking of the Candleſtick his Church, ſaith in theſe words, This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it for my habitation.
Uſe 1.
This informs us then of the great folly and madneſs of the children of this world, who labor night and day to extinguiſh and put out theſe lamp lights of Goſpel truth, which God hath ſet up in his Church. Alas men do but ſtrive againſt the ſtream in the thing: you ſee how ſucceſſeſs men have been in their attempts this way, even from the beginning: How did Pharaoh King of …y…t ſtrive to root out the Lamp lights in his day; ſo how did King …b…am lay out himſelf this way in his day, by ſetting up the Calves, by throwing out the good Miniſters of the Lord and in putting into their rooms Prieſts made of the loweſt and baſeſt of the People, 1 Kings 12. 31. ſo in Chriſts time, what ado did King Herod make to finde out the Lamp of lamps, viz. our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he might quite rid the world of his light, Mat. 2. ſo in the Apoſtles dayes, how did the Jews labour to fill the world with uproars againſt them, that their lamp light of truth might be wholly put out of the earth: ſo the heathen Emperours, in the firſt three hundred years after the Apoſtles, what bloody attempts did they in their times make againſt the lamps, and ſo all along ever ſince their time, for this fifteen hundred years, what horrid cruel deſperate attempts have the Antechriſtian party in the world made againſt theſe lamp lights of Goſpel truth, which Chriſt by his Apoſtles hath left for the good of his Church, witneſs the ſlaughtering of the Waldenſes, Albingenſes, beſide thoſe many murthers which have been done upon the Chriſtians in Germany, whoſe caſe (without doubt) God is now a pleading by the Turks. You may call to minde the many cruel murthers done in France and Ireland, as alſo the many cruelties which have paſt upon the Lords people in England ever ſince Queen …ar… time: what endeavours, what plots, what ſecret treacheries have there been afoot to get down theſe divine lights, which God in mercy hath cauſed to ſhine in the midſt of us. But alas, alas, let me tell ſuch men, that all their labour is but loſt labour: men do but kick againſt the p…icks, and throw back their heels againſt ſharp ſtakes, that perſiſt in a work of this nature.
O you perſecutors of truth, and ſuch as think to extinguiſh the lamps of Gods truth, to you I ſpeak, even to you of every nation in the world. O Sirs, lay down your weapons of contention, puſh at the pikes no longer, for you will certainly periſh in the end; know you that do what you can, God will keep alive his lamp lights of truth in the world in deſpight of you all: certainly you do but ſet the briars and thorns in battle aray, againſt the everlaſting burnings, in riſing up to reſiſt the work of God in the earth: God will have his work to go on; O therefore ſtand not in his way, God will make way for it, though it be through your heart blood: read Pſalm 45. 4, 5, 6. Pſal. 36. 9. O therefore be wiſe ye judges of the earth, and be ye inſtructed ye great ones, ſerve the Lord with fear, and come before him with trembling: kiſs the Son leſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the mi… way, when his wrath is kindled but a little; therefore if you love your ſelves, hearken to the advice of that learned Doctor, Acts 5. 34. with 38, 39. Then ſtood there up one in the councel a Phariſee named Gamaliel, a doctor of, the Law (who ſaid) And now I ſay unto you, Refrain your ſelves from theſe men, and let them alone; for if this counſel, or this work be of men, it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest happily ye be found even to fight againſt God.
Laſtly, and I have done this Type, It is to be noted, that this Type, viz. the Lamps, was to burn before the Lord, or in his ſight, which ſignifies Gods watchful eye over the lamps, that ſo nothing might hinder or obſtruct the burning of them: you may fully ſee the care of God ſet out to you in this thing, Iſa. 27 2, 3. In that day (ſaith God, ſpeaking of his Church) ſing ye unto her a vineyard of red Wine, I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, leſt any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.
Uſe 4.
This ſhould inform us then, what a dangerous thing it is for men to endeavour to corrupt the pure Worſhip of God, by mixing any thing of their humane inventions, with Gods divine Inſtitutions: certainly there cannot be any thing added to the Doctrine or Worſhip of God, but God will readily eſpy it; for the lamps were to burn before the Lord where the eyes of his glory ſhould be fixed upon them, let it be in the moſt ſecret Chambers men can deviſe, yet God will finde it out, Ezek. 8. 12. You may ſee how dearly the two ſons of Aaron paid for ſo bold an adventure, Levit. 10. 1, 2. Truly men cannot eaſily provoke God in any thing more then by endeavouring to eclipſe the ſhining of his lamp lights of Goſpel truth in the world, for truth may be as much eclipſed by corrupting of it as any other way. But good Lord, what little conſcience do men make of this crying ſin at this day. Alas how do the learned of the earth labour by their wits and parts to adulterate the worſhip of God and the pure oyl of truth in this our age; ſo that the great evil is come upon the earth now which fell upon Iſrael of old, Ezek. 34. 18. They eat the good paſture, and tread, wn the reſidue with their feet, they drink up the best water and foul the reſidue with their feet. But truly, though men may joyn hand in hand in this thing, yet they ſhall not go unpuniſhed.
Uſe 5.
What an ingagement ſhould the thoughts of this doctrine of the lamps burning alwayes before the Lord, put upon the hearts of all Miniſters of the Goſpel to look to it, that there doctrine be ſound, and that which will hold weight before the Lord; if Miniſters doctrine do at any time carry more of their own water in it then Gods Wine certainly God will diſcover it: the Miniſters are Gods Lamps appointed for the Tabernacle, and they are to burn before the Lord; that is, they never act but Gods eye is upon what they do and preach in his Worſhip, to obſerve what comes from them, his eye is upon them in the ſtudying of their matter, while in the compoſing of it, and his eye is upon them in the Pulpit, while they are preaching of it: if there be iron and tin mixed with Gods gold and ſilver, ſurely the pure eyes of Gods glory will try it, of what ſort it is: therefore ſaith Paul in 1 Cor. 3. 12, 13, 14, 15. If any man build on this foundation, gold, ſilver, precious ſtones, hay, wood, or ſtubble, every mans work ſhall be made manifeſt, for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall be revealed or fire, and the fire ſhall try every mans work of what ſort it is, if any mans work abide which he hath built thereon, he ſhall receive a reward; but if any mans work ſhall be burnt, he ſhall receive loſs, yet he himſelf ſhall be ſaved, yet ſo as by fire.
O if men were well acquainted with the ſtrict eye that God exerciſeth always over his burning lamps the Miniſters, with reſpect to their doctrine, ſurely men would be more careful then they are, both in their ſtudying and preaching of them, and would tremble to bring forth ſuch ſad ſtuff for doctrine as ſome do amongſt us: Paul …ells you of a doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4, 1. And ſayes, that ſome men which give heed to ſeducing ſpirits may be given unto: therefore if men would be protected from being delivered up to the doctrine of ſeducing ſpirits, let men labour faithfully to bring forth the doctrine of God. Hence it is that Paul hath it in 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy ſelf, and to the doctrine, continue in them, for in ſo doing thou ſhalt both ſave thy ſelf, and them which hear thee.