The Types Unveiled, Chapter 23
CHAP. 23. I come now to ſpeak of the Horns of this Altar.
THis Altar had four Horns, and they were placed upon the four corners of it.
The uſe and purpoſe of the horns upon the Altar I finde to be two-fold. Firſt, they were appointed and ſet up to binde the ſacrifice to them, that ſo the ſacrifice (being kept equally ſtrait by the cords which came from the four corners of the Altar) might not ſtart aſide, as otherwiſe it might have done: there is ſo much as this to be gathered out of the words of David, Pſalm 118. 27. God is the Lord who hath ſhewed us light, binde the ſacrifice with cords, even to the Horns of the Altar.
Secondly, It is very likely that theſe Horns of the Altar might be a kinde of refuge to the Hebrews, as their cities of refuge were, performing ſomething of the ſame uſe to malefactors, as the Cities of refuge did which we read of in Numb. 35. with Joſhua 20. 2.
This ſeems to be the uſe of the Horns of the Altar, if we conſider that place in 1 King: 2. 28. with verſe 30. when Joab had fled to the Horns of the Altar, about his rebelling againſt King Solomon; the King ſends forth his Executioner to fall upon him; but when the Executioner came and found him hanging about the Horns of the Altar, he went back again to the King to report the matter, and to know his farther pleaſure therein; which ſtrongly intimates to us, that theſe Altar Horns did afford men, in that kinde of diſtreſs, ſome ſuccour and relief againſt preſent Execution. Both of which uſes of the Horns of the Altar leads us to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for ſomething (as our great treaſury) which may be fetched out of him, both for our inſtruction and comfort.
Firſt of all for our inſtruction it ſhews us thus much, That as the Jewiſh Sacrifices were tied with cords to the Horns of the Altar, ſo ſhould Believers (if they would not have their Sacrifices and Duties miſcarry) binde them faſt with ſpiritual cords to the Horns of their Altar Chriſt. There be five cords which I ſhall preſent you with, as very neceſſary to the binding of all our duties to the Horns of our ſpiritual Altar Chriſt.
Firſt, the cord of believing; this is ſo neceſſary a cord, that if our duties be not bound faſt to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt with it, all our labour will be loſt labour, do what we can, Heb. 11. 6. For without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God; for he that cometh to God, muſt believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them which diligently ſeek him. So verſe 4. its ſaid, By faith Abel offered a more acceptable ſacrifice then Cain.
Here let me admoniſh two ſorts of perſons: Firſt, ſuch as yet have no Faith at all. O Sirs, what do you mean, that you can content your ſelves to live all this while in the world without Faith? Oh! how do you mean to have your duties accepted with God in Heaven, when you want Faith? Unbelievers are ſo far from pleaſing God, as that he hates all they do as an abominable filthy thing, and all for want of Faith, which is the Cord that ſhould binde your Sacrifices to Chriſt; for whoſe ſake any thing is valued that is offered up to God: You ſee Cain offered his Sacrifice to God as well as Abel, yet God regarded onelyonly Abels. O friends, you may ſee what reſpects God hath for your Services while you remain in a ſtate of unbelief: Read Iſa. 66. 3. He that killeth an Oxe, is as if he ſlew a man; he that ſacrificeth a Sheep is as if he cut off a Dogs neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered ſwines blood, he that offereth incenſe as if he had bl…ſsed an Idol: yea they have choſen their own wayes, and their ſouls delight in their abominations.
O poor ſouls, how are you deluded by Satan, who ſpurs you on in the ways of wickedneſs and unbelief, keeping you all the while in darkneſs and ignorance as to the grace of believing, which is the main neceſſary Cord that ſhould binde your ſervice to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt; as that if it be wanting, all that you do is but as the howling of dogs in the ears of the Lord, as the Prophet ſpeaks: O therefore you that are Unbelievers, leave off your ſins, and turn to God: Oh go and beg of God for true ſaving juſtifying faith in Chriſt Jeſus; that ſo you may be accepted in your perſons, and then God will accept of your performances: for God muſt firſt like your perſons, before he can have any regard to your performances; and your perſons cannot be accepted, until you are found in Chriſt: and you cannot be found in Chriſt until you have faith to put you into him; and then when God (through believing in Chriſt) accepts of your perſons: then will he like of your duties, and not before then.
Secondly, This ſerves for inſtruction, touching thoſe which have Faith, but are not ſo careful in the uſe and exerciſe of it, as they ſhould be in their duties of Worſhip towards God. O be admoniſhed, in and about all you do in the Worſhip of God, to ſet Faith on work. O remember, that under the Law, the Sacrifice was to be tied faſt to the Horns of the Altar: O labour in the diſcharge of duty, to get up the cord of Faith in your hands, and binde your duties faſt to Jeſus Chriſt: O look up by an eye of believing to Chriſt, when you pray, read, hear the word, ot break bread, or what ever you do elſe, hang up all upon this Altar, and binde it faſt to the Horns of it by this Cord of believing, by concluding (when you come off from the work) that God will hear your Prayers for his Sons ſake; and upon this account he will accept your duties, though weak and poor, and that he will in his time feed you and ſatisfie you, and give you the thing you have asked at his hands for his own name ſake; becauſe you have builded upon the Lord Jeſus his worthineſs, and have tied your duties faſt about him; for Faith is the uniting grace between Chriſt and Believers; it firſt ties our ſouls to Chriſt, and next our duties; therefore ſaith Habakuck, 2. 4. The juſt man ſhall live by his faith.
Secondly, The Cord with which Believers ſhould and ought to binde faſt their ſacrifices to the Horns of this Altar Chriſt, is a ſound underſtanding; in and about the things they offer to God in ſacrifice; for want of which, Believers do loſe very much of the reward of their work with God. Under the Law, if thoſe ſacrifices which the Jews did offer to God had wanted but an eye, it was rejected, Levit. 22. 22. The eye you know is the diſcerning part of a Beaſt; and ſurely God hath no more regard for an eye-leſs ſacrifice under the Goſpel, then he had under the Law; for if knowledge (which is the eye of the ſacrifice) be wanting, it is an imperfect ſacrifice, and much blemiſhed in Gods account: therefore ſaith S. Paul in … Cor. 14. 15. What is it then, when I pray, I will pray with the ſpirit and with underſtanding; and when I ſing, I will ſing with the ſpirit, and with the underſtanding: ſo that you ſee, S. Paul was very careful to binde (what ſacrifice he had to offer God withall) very faſt to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt, with this cord of underſtanding; and indeed ſo ſhould all Believers elſe labour for ſuch a meaſure of knowledge, and ſpiritual underſtanding of, and diſcerning into the things of God, ſo as to acquaint themſelves with the nature, uſe, end, vertue, and excellency of the work and worſhip of God, in which they are imployed, as that they may be able to give God a reaſon of what they do: as that when God ſhall ask them this queſtion (in their conſciences) as once he did the Jews in Iſa. 1. 12. Who hath required this at your hands. They may be able to anſwer again with the Church, in Iſa 26. 13. O Lord our God, other Lords beſides thee have had dominion over us, but by thee onelyonly will we make men ion of thy name. You know how God diſregarded the Corinthians duties, and ſacrifices, for want of a true diſcerning of the things in Worſhip which they adventured upon, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. Therefore my Brethren, take S. Peters advice, 2 Pet. 2 18. But grow in grace and knowledge, that through the exerciſe of which grace, you may ſo binde your duties to the horns of your Altar Chriſt, as that through the not ſtarting aſide of your ſacrifices, you may be ſure not to miſs of the reward of your work.
3. A third cord with which believers ſhould bind their duties to the horns of their Goſpel-Altar Chriſt, is the cord of love and affection.
Love is and ought to be the ſpring of action, it is not what ſervices we do for God, as the principle from whence they flow forth to God, is the thing God looks at; for did we offer God (in one ſacrifice) the cattel upon a thouſand hills, yet if this comes not freely to God from a principle of love and affection, God hates all when done: notable is that place in the Pſalms, Pſal. 40. 6, 7, 8 ſacrifice and offerings thou didſt not deſire, mine ear haſt thou opened, burnt offerings and ſin offerings thou didſt not require, then I ſaid, lo I come as its written of me in the Volume of the Book, I delight to do thy will O God, yea thy Law is in my heart.
Though this Propheſie do principally concern Chriſt, whoſe bloud was preferred before all the Sacrifices in the world with reſpect to the taking away of ſin, yet this Scripture may not be unfitly applyed to the Saints with reſpect to their right performing of duty, which teacheth us thus much; that unleſs that principle of delight or Law of love (here ſpoken of) be in the heart as a bottom to all our duties, all our Sacrifices are of little value with God: therefore in Levit. 1. 3. who ever they were that would offer any thing to God in Sacrifice, he was to offer it with a willing mind; the reaſon of it is given you by the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 9. 7. For God loveth a chearful giver.
Uſe.
O then my friends labour after this grace of the holy Spirit, O make it much of your buſineſs at the throne of grace, that God would ſhed abroad much of his Spirit and Grace of love upon your hearts, that ſo you might not miſcarry in your work and ſervice; and for want of this bleſſed cord to tie your ſervices faſt at the horns of the Altar Jeſus Chriſt: O this is a bleſſed grace of the Spirit of God, he that hath much of this in his heart is a rich man.
The world accounts thoſe rich that have much of the wealth of this world in their houſes, but the word accounts them rich which have much of this grace ſhed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghoſt.
This makes duty acceptable, this grace of love to God, (if in the heart) will make a little Goats hair that is offered to God, pleaſing and acceptable in Gods ſight. Read Exod. 35. 23. and this will make thy weakeſt of groans very ſweet to God, O therefore forget not to labour after this precious grace and Jewel of the ſpirit of God, for the more you have of this to love God withall, the more God will love you, & the more will God delight in your duties; love (as we uſe to ſay) is the loadſtone of love, it draws the heart of the object beloved to love again.
The Fourth Cord with which Believers ſhould tie their duties to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt, is ſincerity and uprightneſs of heart in the things of God; ſincerity of heart to God is varniſh to all our other gifts of the Spirit, therefore doth Saint Paul prefer this beyond the higheſt gifts and parts and learning, which men may be endowed with in this world, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2. Though I had the Tongues of men and Angels to ſpeak with all, yet if I had not Charity, I am become a …ounding Braſs and a tinkling Symbal; and though I have the gift of Propheſie and all Knowledge, and understand all Myſteries, and have faith ſo as to remove mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. Alas Brethren, for men to get a headful of notions, and to covet after gifts and parts, to be able to talk and diſcourſe much amongſt the people of God, or to be able to pray and preach much, or to be able to ſpeak well from a Text of Scripture; If this be all that God ſees in a man, truly that man is but in an ill Caſe; its true, he may be of uſe to the benefit of others, but all in vain as to himſelf, therefore ſaith S. Paul, I deſire ſo to preach Chriſt, …hat I my ſelf be not a cast-away; As if Paul had ſaid, true, I my ſelf may be very uſeful with my gifts and parts to tie on the Sacrifices (of others) to the Horns of this Altar Chriſt, yet all this while I may want the cord of ſincerity to tie on my own Sacrifice; therefore it is that God requireth (ſo often in his word) the heart, My Son give me thy heart, this God calls for often in his word, as in Prov. 23. 26. By the heart is meant the uprightneſs and ſincerity of the Soul, concerning thoſe things which the Soul ſhall ſet about for God; hence you have it in 1 Samuel 16. 7. The Lord ſeeth not as man ſeeth, man looketh at the outward appearance, but God looketh at the heart.
Uſe.
O labour for this cord of ſincerity, that you may find favour in the eyes of God, touching what you do in his Worſhip: O this is as the Gold about the Temple, which made it ſo glorious to the beholders, ſo doth this grace wonderfully adorn the Temple of our Souls to God, in which God delights to dwell, therefore are the prayers of the upright ſo delightful to God; Prov. 15. 8. Never think your duties faſt bound to the Altar Chriſt, unleſs they are tied to the Horns of it with this cord; O conſider well that place in the 1 Chron. 28. 9. Davids words to Solomon, and thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Fathers, and ſerve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind, for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and underſtandeth all imaginations of the thoughts; if thou ſeek him he will be found of thee, but if thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever.
A Fifth cord with which Believers ſhould bind their duties to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt, is a zealous fervent Spirit in the work and Worſhip of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 12. 11. Not ſlothful in buſineſs, but fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord.
A Soul that acts carleſly in the Worſhip of the Lord, is like a Cord let looſe or ſlackt, it gives liberty to the thing tied to role or ſtart at pleaſure: A careleſs heat in Worſhip deſtroys all in hand, and brings a Curſe upon the perſon found under ſo filthy a frame of Spirit.
Many Chriſtians inſenſibly periſh and die to their growth in Sanctification, and yet ignorant of the Reaſon of it; alas it lieth here (viz.) in their giving way too much to a careleſs frame of Spirit in the work of God, who can think or imagine that God will bleſs the means appointed for our growth in Sanctification, when we come to the means and Ordinances of the Goſpel, void of hearts and ſerious ſpirits, which ſhould fit them for the bleſſing of it, Luke 1153. The hungry are filled with good things, but the rich are ſent empty away.
We uſe to ſay that Gold is better worth then to give to Children to play withall, ſo doth God account the precious things of the Spirit better worth then to give out to careleſs Children, who rather play with holy things then truly prize them; as it too too often appears by theſe two great evils. Firſt, what reſpect to perſons careleſneſs in coming to the Worſhip of God, who can take their own times in coming, as if it lay in their power to make it ſubject to their carnal intereſts in the world. The ſecond Evil is in perſons ſlight behaving themſelves when before the Lord in his Worſhip, ſo that as men do behave themſelves in this caſe, accordingly are the dealings of God with them. As to thoſe ſpiritual things which God gives out to men in their waiting upon him in his Ordinances, according to that word in Jer. 5. 25. Your iniquiti…s have turned away theſe things, &c.
Uſe.
O then labour for this Cord of a fervent Spirit, that you may faſten your ſacrifices with Zeal to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt.
Friends, beg of God for it, O give not over asking, and crying, and praying, untill you have got it; let there be no neglect on your part in the getting of this mercy into your ſouls, aſſure your ſelves that God will not be wanting to you, if you will not be wanting to your ſelves: I mean, God will not be wanting in the giving out this Goſpel-frame of a fervent Spirit to you, if you be not wanting to your ſelves in the asking and ſeeking of it at Gods hands.
God hath pawned his Word for it, and he cannot deny his word, nor ceaſe to make it good to the ſouls of thoſe which ſhall plead his word with him for any ſpiritual mercy: Read often that place in James 1. 5. If any man lack wiſdom let him ask it of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not.
My friends, its worth your while to conſider that place in the 3. of Revel. 16. where you may ſee how the want of this Cord of a zealous fervent Spirit, did render the Laodiceans ſervices altogether loathſome to God, as that when their work was done, God tells them he could ſpue both it and them out of his mouth; the Reaſon is given you, becauſe what they did in the Worſhip of God was done from a luke-warm ſpirit. O be afraid of this ye careleſs heedleſs, ſouls, which can pray, and read, and hear themſelves faſt aſleep in the Worſhip and Ordinances of God; and others that can ſuffer their eyes and hearts to wander after every vain object, while in the Worſhip of God; of ſuch a ſort of people did God complain of long ago; in Ezek. 33. 31. God ſaith, This people draweth near me with their lips, and with their mouths they ſeem to honour me; but their hearts run after their covetouſneſs.
Secondly, I come now to ſpeak of the ſecond particular of the Horns on the Altar as they lead to Chriſt, and that is what affords the ſoul as much comfort, as the other did Inſtruction.
If we conſider the Protection Believers have by Chriſt (while in his Service and Worſhip) if they with Joab do fly to Chriſt the great Altar for it; It cannot be denied but that theſe ſouls (whoſe hearts God hath awakend, to behold their danger while in the Worſhip and Service of Chriſt) have great cauſe to dread and fear what may befall them, or become of them before they come off the duty; now that danger which attends the people of God while they are engaged in the work of God, may be three ways conſidered.
Firſt, With reſpect to the Juſtice of God.
Secondly, With reſpect to the Malice of the Devil.
Thirdly, With reſpect to the Malice and Hatred of wicked men here below.
Firſt, With reſpect to the Juſtice of God, which cannot bear with the leaſt ſin committed any where, much leſs in his Worſhip and ſervice: As to that, did not the bloud and merits of Chriſt interpoſe between the juſtice of God and the ſoul, (in the performance of his duties) it were impoſſible that ever the ſoul ſhould come off alive again, becauſe of theſe ſtains, weakneſſes, impurities, and defilements; our beſt of duties are accompanied with an inſtance, you may take for this in the two Sons of Aaron, Levit. 10. 1, 2.
Secondly, It is ſo if we conſider the Malice of the Devil, who like a Roaring Lion is going up and down the earth ſeeking whom he may devour; whoſe devouring Rage and Malice is moſtly bent againſt the ſoul, when the ſoul is engaged for God in the performance of ſome ſpiritual duty; a figure of which you may ſee in Zach. 3. 1. where no ſooner was Joſhua the High Prieſt ingaged in the performance of the work of the Prieſthood, but preſently you have Satan at his right hand to reſiſt him; whoſe work was to hinder him in, and to unfit Joſhua for the work of God what he could, therefore ſaith S. Peter, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be ſober, be vigilant, for your adverſary the Devil like a roaring Lion goeth about ſeeking whom he may devour.
Thirdly, Its ſo with reſpect to the Rage and Malice of wicked men, who out of an implacable hatred againſt the work of God, labour to take all occaſions that might be, to endeavour the utter ruine and deſtruction of the people of God; what tumults and commotion have the Children of this world (in all ages) raiſed up againſt the godly, for their zealous attending upon the pure Worſhip and ways of God? How many thouſands of Innocent ſouls have the ſeed of Cain brought down to the duſt, for their keeping cloſe to the ways and Worſhip of God? And to this day how do the wicked plot againſt the juſt, ſeeking all occaſions againſt them, to bring them down to the duſt both as to Life and Eſtate? How often (in our days) have the wicked run together in whole heaps upon the godly to diſturb them, and to divide and confound them in and about the Worſhip of God? How have ſome with drawn Swords and cockt Piſtols violently broken into the Aſſembles of the Lords people on purpoſe to deſtroy them in the place? How have the ungodly in our days halled out ſome of their Meetings, and dragged forth others by the heels through the ſtreets of our Cities and Towns to Priſon, not ſparing any either for ſex or age? How full have the Priſons been at a time of the godly, meerly for their being found in the Worſhip and Service of God? How have ſome been Sequeſtred from their Eſtates, others condemned to die in open Seſſions, meerly upon the account of their being found in the Worſhip and Service of God, together for their refuſing to comply with any other Worſhip elſe? Put all this together, and have not the godly cauſe to fear and dread when in the Worſhip of God? who are expoſed to all theſe dangers, to danger from Heaven, to danger from Hell, and the danger from this wicked world below. O then what cauſe is there for the people of God (when in the Service and Worſhip of God) to have great recourſe to the Horns of the Altar Chriſt for ſafety with reſpect to ſoul and body; And with Joab to take hold of them and ſhelter there. O make much uſe of Chriſt for this end and purpoſe, for he is the Horns of the Altar that thou ſhouldeſt flie unto; for its Chriſt adminiſtreth ſafety to the ſoul, when in his work and ſervice, as well as procureth acceptation for thy work and ſervice to God; therefore when ever thou ſetteſt about Altar-work be ſure to take hold of the Altar Horns: Therefore ſaith David, Pſalm 96. 6. Honour and Majeſty are before him, Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary.
Hence it was that David could ſo willingly Worſhip God, and deſired (ſo much) to be found in his ſervice, he knew that the Horns of the Altar Chriſt could afford him all manner of Protection, either againſt the Juſtice of God, the Malice of the Devil, or the Rage of the wicked and ungodly in this life, Pſal. 84. 10, 11. I had rather be a Door-keeper in the Houſe of God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs, for the Lord is a ſun and a ſhield. So ſaith Solomon, Prov. 18. 10. The name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous run there and are ſafe.
O you ſee what Protection the Horns of this Altar Chriſt did afford the Iſraelites in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the Wilderneſs all along to their Canaan; what a covering cloud was be to his people by day, and what a Pillar of fire was he to them by night, for the ſafety of all theſe (in the Wilderneſs) which by faith took hold of him as their Horn of ſtrength and ſafety, inſomuch that the people never miſcarryed untill they let go their hold-faſt in him, as you may ſee in Pſalm 106. from 34. to the 42. Verſe.
O therefore ſoul, wouldeſt thou be preſerved from the ſtorm and blaſt of the terrible One, which beateth againſt the wall, which affrights thee in the Worſhip and Servive of God. O then when ever it be thou art about to Worſhip God either in publick or private, be ſure as ſoon as thou draweſt near to the Altar of Worſhip to take faſt hold of the Horns of it; I mean lay faſt hold by the hand of Faith of the promiſed ſtrength and Protection of Chriſt, and be ſure to hang there: O lift up thy ſoul to him, and beg him that he would now hide thee from the Juſtice of God; that for the ſtains and infirmities and pollutions, thy duties are clothed with all, thou mighteſt eſcape the portion that Nadab and Abihu was once in the like caſe overtaken withall, Levit. 10. 12. And beg of him that he would be a refuge for thee, againſt the Malice of the Devil, who will be at thy right hand to reſiſt thee, Zach. 3. 1. And that he would hide thee from the malice and fury of the wicked of the Earth, who are hunting up and down from place to place (like ſo many dogs) to find out ſuch as are attending the ſervice of God, That if poſſible they may undoe them, either in or for their work; this made Paul ſo earneſtly intreat the Saints in his day, that they would pray that he might be delivered from unreaſonable men, For all men have not faith, 2 Theſ. 3. 2. So Epheſ. 6. 12. For we wrestle not against fleſh and bloud, bue againſt Principalities, againſt Powers, against the Rulers of the darkneſs of this world, against ſpiritual wickedneſs got into high places.