The Types Unveiled, Chapter 24
CHAP. 24 Of the Grate of Network made to this Altar.
I Now come to ſpeak about the Grate of Network, which was made to the Altar, and placed under the compaſs of the Altar; which was about the midſt of the Altar, underneath, Exod. 27. 4, 5.
The uſe of which was to let forth the Aſhes through the ſmall holes of the Grate, when the Sacrifice or Burnt Offering ſhould be offered before the Lord upon it.
Now the Aſhes of any thing which is burnt, we look on it as the Droſs or Excrements of the thing burned; ſo it is in this caſe: therefore was the Grate prepared to convey the Aſhes of the ſacrifice under the Altar, which was to be carried forth without the Camp. This ſhews us this much: Firſt of all the exceeding rich uſefulneſs of Jeſus Chriſt every way for Believers. Firſt, In point of Juſtification:
From hence Believers may aſſure themſelves, that when Chriſt became a Sacrifice to God for them (in order to their Juſtification) that God was well pleaſed with it, which was for the great comfort of Believers, publickly witneſſed from Heaven, Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. To this agreeth the words of S. Paul, Epheſ. 5. 2. Chriſt gave himſelf for us, an offering and a ſacrifice to God, for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour.
So much as this you may read in this bleſſed Type, for there was nothing which was offered upon this Altar to God, but was pure; I mean that of the Sacrifice which aſcended up to God, that was very pure; for the Aſhes which was the Droſs and Impurity of the Sacrifice, that was conveyed away through the Grate of Net-work, which was made and placed under the Altar for that purpoſe: I ſay this ſhould exceedingly comfort Believers, with reference to the foundation of their Juſtification; their Altar-Sacrifice was a Sacrifice full of purity, without the leaſt ſpot or ſtain in it; an offering without blemiſh to God, yea a ſweet ſmelling ſavour.
Uſe.
This informs us then of the ſad condition of two ſorts of perſons amongſt us. Firſt, thoſe that dare offer God with any other offering then Chriſt for their Juſtification, or ſhal offer any thing to God in any other name, then in Chriſts name: know you that the beſt Sacrifices which you can offer God of your own, or in your own names, or in the names of any Saint or Angel, hath too much of their Aſhes and Droſs in them, then to have any acceptance with God, you have no Grate made of Network to ſever the Aſhes from your Sacrifices: What ever a ſoul ſhall offer God in ſacrifice, if it doth carry the leaſt impurity or droſs in it, it will be ſo far from juſtifying of you before God, as that it will but ſink you deeper and deeper into hell, Gal 3. 10. O therefore be not deceived any longer ye ſelf-righteous perſons, in thinking that your duties, and works of Righteouſneſs will bear you out before God! no, no, there is no man is juſtified in the ſight of God by the deeds of the Law, ſaith Paul, Gal. 3. 11. the reaſon is given you by the Church, in Iſaiah 64. 6. For we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteouſneſses are as filthy rags.
Secondly, It informs us of the ſad condition of thoſe which were once enlightned into the excellency of this Altar-Sacrifice, as that they wholly lived upon him for life, and would onelyonly fetch in their peace and comfort and refreſhment this way; and in this light they rejoyced for a ſeaſon, but are now gone back again, and have left their Altar-Sacrifice, and will only offer God their own duties and works of righteouſneſs, mixed with the Aſhes of impurity. Oh! the condition of theſe men and women is worſe then the former; becauſe theſe are fallen from Grace it ſelf: And therefore although they may talk much of Chriſt within them, yet Chriſt ſhall profit them nothing, Gal. 5. 4. But I ſhall refer theſe back-ſliding ſouls to read that dreadful place in Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6. For it is impoſſible for thoſe who were once enlightned, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, and have taſted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they ſhall fall away to renew them again to repentance; ſeeing they have crucified to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, and have put him to open ſhame.
Thirdly, And more principally, the Grate of Net-work in the Altar, through which the Aſhes of the Sacrifice was conveyed, it may allude to the Prieſtly Office of Chriſt, which is to preſent for us our Sacrifice to God as a ſweet ſmelling ſavour, for that is the proper work of Jeſus Chriſt as a High Prieſt, to and for his people, who ſtands at the Altar on purpoſe to ſever the Aſhes from the imperfect duties, which his people do offer up to God: for as the Grate of Net-work in the Altar did convey the Aſhes from the Sacrifice which was offered upon it, ſo doth Jeſus Chriſt convey away out of ſight all the weakneſſes and infirmities of the Saints duties which aſcend up to God; therefore in Mal. 3. 3. it is ſaid of Chriſt, That he ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifier of ſilver, and he ſhall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and ſilver that they might offer to God an offering in righteouſneſs. So that you ſee it is Chriſts work to ſever the droſs from the pure metal, both as to the perſons of his people and their performances; that ſo their duties might ſmell pleaſant in the noſtrills of God. Chriſt is the Altar, with the Grate of Net-work in it, that caſteth away (through himſelf) all the pollutions of our duties: therefore the Apoſtle in Heb. 13. having ſpoken of the Altar Chriſt under the Levitical type, ver. 10. tells you in the 12. ver. Wherefore Jeſus, alſo that he might ſanctifie they people ſuffered without the Gate. That is, Chriſt as the Altar did both ſanctifie the perſons and the duties of his people, that their ſacrifices as well as their perſons might be a ſweet ſmelling ſacrifice to God.
Uſe. This ſhould teach believers where to bring their duties in the worſhip and ſervice of God, that they might be accepted with God. O ſoul! wouldſt thou have thy prayers, thy praiſes, thy duties, thy ſervices, all accepted with God in Heaven? O then direct them all to this ſpiritual Altar Chriſt. There is the Grate of Net-work in Chriſt, that will carry away, and convey out of ſight all thy defilements, impurities, weakneſſes, and infirmities of thy duties, which would have diſpleaſed God greatly, for God is a God of purer eyes then to behold the leaſt ſin: therefore when ever thou haſt any thing to do with God in the duties of his Worſhip, be ſure to eye Jeſus Chriſt: O beg of him that he would perform the office of the Altar (with the Grate of Net-work in it) for the wellfare of thy ſoul. Deſire him to ſever the aſhes of thy duties from thy, duties, and that he would ſhake out the ignorance of thy duties from thy duties, together with the unbelief, Hypocriſie, Pride, Deadneſs, Drowſineſs, and backwardneſs of Spirit; beſides that formality, ſpiritual Pride, and wandring Thoughts, which cleaves ſo faſt to duty, as the fleſh cleaves to the bones: but poſſibly many a poor ſoul may not be acquainted with their danger in miſcarrying in duty as it were to be wiſhed they were. Take a Scripture or two, Malachy 1. 13, 14. Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the ſick; thus ye brought an offering, ſhould I accept this at your hands, ſaith the Lord; but curſed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of Hoſt, and my name is great amongſt the Heathen: So Jer. 48. 10. Curſed be the man that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully. By which we may underſtand theſe two things.
Firſt, that its very poſſible that men and women may deeply miſcarry in their duties towards God.
Secondly, That ſo to do is a very dangerous thing. O then if corrupt things may be offered to God in Worſhip, and ſo to do is ſo dangerous, as appears by theſe Scriptures before alledged; O then what infinite reaſon is there, that all Believers ſhould make conſtant uſe of Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Saints Goſpel Altar, as not daring to offer up any thing to God in his Worſhip, but upon this Altar, where the Grate of Net-work is, where they may be ſure there ſhall nothing paſs up to God, but what is pure and acceptable.