The Types Unveiled, Chapter 25
CHAP. 25. Of the Brazen Laver.
I Now come to ſpeak of the brazen Laver which was for this purpoſe, that the Prieſts might waſh themſelves therein before they went into the Tabernacle to perform the Worſhp and Service thereof, Exod. 30. 18, 19, 20. Thou ſhalt alſo make a laver of Braſs, and his foot alſo of Braſs to waſh withal, and thou ſhalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar; and thou ſhalt put water therein, for Aaron and his ſons ſhall waſh their hands and their feet thereat when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation: they ſhall waſh with water that they die not, or when they come near unto the Altar to miniſter to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord.
This brazen Laver was a Type of Jeſus Chriſt, and the cleanſing water which was in it, typed out the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, which onelyonly can cleanſe poor ſouls, and waſh them from their ſinful guiltineſs, and ſinful filthineſs: for as the Prieſts under the Law were to waſh themſelves in the brazen Laver before they were thought fit to have to do, either with the holy God of Worſhip, or the holy things of the Worſhip of God; ſo are all the Elect, firſt by Faith to waſh themſelves in the Blood of Chriſt, this ſpiritual brazen Laver, before they are thought fit to have to do either with God or his Worſhip.
Hence is that cleanſing attributed to the Blood of Chriſt ſo often in Scripture, to ſhew you it performs the ſame uſe to the Goſpel Prieſts (for ſo doth the Goſpel term every Believer now, Rev. 1. 6.) as the Laver water did to the legal Prieſts, 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jeſus that cleanſeth us from all ſin: ſo Rev. 1. 5. To him that loved us and waſhed us from our ſins in his own Blood. Now in this chapter of Revelations you may ſee by the order of the words in verſe 5, 6. how the Holy Ghoſt makes the type and the antitipe to agree. In Exod. 30. 19. you have the brazen Laver ſet up now: in the 5. verſe of this chapter you have Chriſt ſet out to you, performing the ſame uſe and office in waſhing and cleanſing. In Exod. 30. 19. you have the ſubjects ſpoken of who they ſhould be which ſhould waſh in the brazen Laver, and theſe were Aaron and his ſons: now you know theſe were Prieſts. Now look into Rev. 1. 6. there the ſubjects ſpoken of which muſt waſh in the Laver of Chriſts Blood, they are called Prieſts likewiſe, which intends all believers in and under the Goſpel: all thoſe which have waſhed in the Blood of Chriſt our Goſpel brazen Laver, they are now all accounted prieſts as well as kings to God.
Uſe I.
Let it ſerve for information firſt concerning thoſe which have not yet waſhed themſelves by believing in the Blood of this ſpiritual brazen Laver. O Sirs, how do you think to be accepted with the Lord either in your perſons or performances. O you that contend ſo much about Religion, alas, to what purpoſe is it, when you your ſelves were never waſhed from your uncleanneſs in the Laver of Chriſts Blood through believing. O my friends, that I could perſwade you to read and well conſider that Scripture, Iſa. 1. 11. 12, 13, 14. and ſo on, To what purpoſe is the multitude of your ſacrifices to me, ſaith the Lord, I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beaſts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats; when you come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands, to tread in my Courts, bring no more vain Oblations, Incenſe is an abomination to me, the calling of Aſſembl…es, with your new Moons and Sabbaths, I cannot away with it, it is iniquity; even your ſolemn meetings, your new Moons and your appointed Feaſts my ſoul hateth; they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them, and when you ſpread your hands forth I will hide mine eyes from you, yea when you make many prayers I will not hear, your hands are full of bloud; waſh you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſo Verſe 18. Then come and let us reaſon together. Thus you ſee what you muſt be, a people waſhed and cleanſed from your Pollutions through faith in Chriſts bloud, ere ever you can come near God in Worſhip; do not think that God will draw near the Swearing Blaſphemer, the Whoring Ranter, the Sabbath Prophaner, the Unjuſt Oppreſſour, the Juſtice Wreſter, the Chriſtian Perſecutor; I tell thee no, no, do not deceive thy ſelf, be thou never ſo great or honourabe in this world, yet while thou remaineſt in this condition, God regards thy ſervice in his Worſhip no more, then he values the cutting off of a dogs neck, Iſa. 66. 3. So likewiſe your Worſhip is abominable in Gods ſight, you hear God accounts. it ſo, let it be put forth in never ſo glorious a dreſs, or done in never ſo Princely a Chappel, or diſhed up upon never ſo good a Velvet Carpet, you hear what God accounts of it, untill you have waſhed your ſoul in the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt by Faith. O Sirs, labour to draw near to Chriſt and get your ſelves waſhed by his bloud, Oh break off from your vile, helliſh, and prophane lives, or God will never draw near your Worſhips while you live; you may aſſure your ſelves of it, the pure God can never commune with ſuch impure ſouls as you are in his ſight: you may make your ſelves as merry as you can when you are in your Worſhips, but you may aſſure your ſelves while you remain unwaſhed with the blould of Chriſt, the great God will be far enough from coming amongſt you to caſt in any true mirth in the midſt of you.
Uſe 2.
It ſhews you the danger that will neceſſarily follow our preſumption in daring to meddle with any thing of the holy Ordinances of the Goſpel, without being waſhed in the bloud of Chriſt our ſpiritual brazen Laver; you ſee if the Prieſts the Sons of Aaron ſhould do it they ſhould die for it. Certainly then if God in his Juſtice ſhould ſmite with death all theſe Prieſts in England which never yet were waſhed in the Laver of Chriſts bloud, we ſhould have more Pulpits empty then we ſhould find Prieſts to ſupply them in England.
And how God ſhould make uſe of ſuch unwaſhen, ignorant fellows, to waſh the unclean of the times, when ſo many ſanctified cleanſed Miniſters of his own muſt be thruſt out of that work, and muſt ſtand by as uſeleſs the mean while, to me it is a great myſtery.
Uſe. 3.
If it be threatned with death for any to meddle with the holy things of God without being waſhed in the blould of the Lord Jeſus, Oh how ſhould we tremble then to think how many deaths men bring on their heads this day in the world; Oh was there ever more medling with the holy things of the Altar by unſanctified men, and unwaſhen Prieſts, then in this day: Oh how do the holy Ordinances groan under this intollerable burthen that the Childrens bread muſt become meat for every Swine.
Uſe 4.
Laſtly, Oh you that are the Prieſts of the Lord indeed (I mean Believers, Miniſters and People) would you be accepted in what you do for God; would the Miniſter of Chriſt be uſeful in his place to the people, what great need have ſuch ere ever they come into the plce of Worſhip: Firſt, by the lifting up of an eye of faith through prayer, to caſt themſelves into the brazen Laver of Chriſts bloud, ere ever they caſt theminto the Pulpit. And you the people, would you have the Bleſſing, and miſs the Curſe, which doth or may attend the Ordinance; Oh then look up, yea get up to the brazen Laver every time you come to the Ordinances of God, remember the Prieſts the Sons of Aaro… were to waſh every time they were to meddle with ſuch things. Now ye are the Sons of Aaron and of the Royal Prieſthood, Oh labour to come in dropping wet (to the Ordinance) with the bloud of Chriſt, and that is the way to go out dropping wet with the bleſſings of God.