The Types Unveiled, Chapter 32
CHAP. 32. I now come to ſpeak of the fourth general, which is the manner of the Conſecrating of the Prieſt, which is as followeth.
THe High Prieſt being thus attired, then was Moſes to take a young Bullock, and two Rams without blemiſh, and unleavened bread, and unleavened cakes, tempered with oyl, and offer this with the two Bullocks, and tvvo Rams unto God for the Prieſt, Exodus 29. 1, 2. with 19. 20. Then was Moſes to take a veſſel of oyl, and pour it on the Prieſts head and anoint him, ver. 7.
In which conſecration we may note two things.
1. Something which related to the Type it ſelf.
2. What related to the Ante-type Jeſus Chriſt.
Firſt, What of this conſecration related to the Type, or High Prieſt himſelf, and what was this: the materials made uſe of about his Conſecration, did highly teſtifie, that he himſelf was but a poor, weak, frail man; and that although he were called to ſo great an Office, as to interpoſe between God and the people, to make reconciliation for them; yet he vvas no farther efficacious then as he vvas the Type of him that onelyonly could take avvay ſin, vvhichwhich vvas Jeſus Chriſt held forth in him. Thus much both himſelf and the people likevviſe might inform themſelves in the manner of his conſeeration; for there vvere tvvo Rams and a young Bullock muſt be ſlain and offered to God in ſacrifice for him before be could ſtand in Gods preſence to adminiſter for the people. Some ſacrifices of pacification and attonement muſt be offered to God for the Prieſt himſelf, as well as for the people; vvhichwhich taught both the Prieſt and People, that there vvas no reconciliation vvith God to be had by the High Prieſts means any further then both Prieſt and people had an eye of Faith upon Jeſus Chriſt held out by him: ſo reaſons the Apoſtle in Heb. 7. 26, 27. For ſuch an High Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, and made higher the… the heavens, who needeth not daily as thoſe High Prieſts to offer up ſacrifice, firſt for his own ſins, and then for the people.
So that you ſee the legal Prieſt ſtood in need of a ſacrifice for himſelf, and he was to offer a ſacrifice for himſelf as well as for the people: there ſalvation and reconciliation could not be wrought out by the Prieſt, but by another, which was only Chriſt.
2. As the thing related to Jeſus Chriſt, it ſhews us thus much, that whatever our Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath done, doth do, or yet ſhall do in heaven, as our great High Prieſt, it takes its riſe from the Death and Paſſion of himſelf: You ſee the High Prieſt under the Law could not be a High Prieſt, without he were conſecrated ſo in the death of ſomething which muſt be ſlain as a ſacrifice to God.
So did Chriſt lay down his life as a ſacrifice to God here upon the Croſs, before he could act as our great High Prieſt in Heaven before ever he could perform the work of Interceſſion within the Tabernacle, he muſt firſt offer himſelf up a ſlain ſacrifice to God (for pacification) without the camp, Heb. 13. 12. Wherefore Jeſus alſo, that he might ſanctifie the people with his own blood, ſuffered without the gate.
Queſt. But why was Moſes to take a young Bullock to make a ſacrifice for the Prieſts conſecration.
Anſw. Becauſe any thing when its young and lively, is better then that which is old and feeble. It was firſt to ſhew the High Prieſt under the Law that God expected he ſhould be lively and ſtrong for the Lord in all he did for him; he was to conſecrate the beſt of his years, and the beſt of his time, ſtrength, and abilities for the Lord, that the worſhip of God called for the beſt of our all for its ſervice: therefore was he to be conſecrated with a young Bullock, not an old or feeble one.
2. It ſhews us that time or age never enfeebles our great High Prieſt in heaven; the Prieſt was to be conſecrated with a young Bullock, ſhewing you that the Prieſt. Believers have in heaven, grows never old, he is not ſubject to tire or faint in his employment; he is as lively and active in his work for his people now, as at the firſt day he entred heaven as their Prieſt: and ſo is it lookt upon by the Father, that makes our High Prieſt ſtill ſo prevallent upon the Heart of God: he is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever.
Laſtly, We might make this uſe of it to perſwade all young perſons to dedicate themſelves to God betime, in the prime of their dayes, when the marrow is warm in the bones. A young Bullock, not an old, muſt be offered to God in ſacrifice. O ſo ſhould it be with you my friends, would you offer up your ſelves as an acceptable ſacrifice to God. O then let it be in your youth: minde that exhortation of Solomon, Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth, while the evil dayes come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou ſhalt ſa…, I have no pleaſure in them. It was Timo…hies honour, and it is ſpoken to his great praiſe, that that he had conſecrated his ſoul and body to God in the time of his youth, at a time when he was moſtly capable to act for God, 1 Tim. 4. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 15.
Alas Sirs, when we live ſo long in ſin, as to ſpend the marrow of our bodies in the ſervice of the Devil. How do we think God ſhould be pleaſed with the offering up of our old dry bones for a ſacrifice upon his Altar. There is nothing doth more ingage God to take care for a ſoul in old age, then when a ſoul is careful to conſecrate himſelf to God in his youthful dayes. Then was Moſes to take a veſſel of oyl and pour it on the Prieſts head, which was called the anointing of him, Exod. 29. 7.
The oyl of anointing poured forth upon the High Prieſt ſignified theſe three things.
Firſt, It ſignifieth the great endowments of the Prieſt with reſpect to the gifts of the Spirit, which ſhould be upon him, as neceſſary to the work he was to do for the people, for ſo is the anointing underſtood ſometimes, 1 Sam. 10. 1. 6. And Samuel took a vial of oyl and poured it upon the head of Saul, and kiſſed him, and ſaid, Is it not becauſe the Lord hath annointed thee to be captain over his inheritance. Now look into the 6. verſe, and there you ſhall ſee the gifts of the Spirit ſpoken of, that ſhould fit him for government, an office unto which he was anointed, And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou ſhalt propheſie with them, and be turned into another man. And look you into the 10th. verſe, and there you ſhall ſee the gifts of the Spirit upon him.
This ſhews us what infinite gifts of all manner of perfections fell upon Chriſt to fit him for the great work of the Prieſthood: ſaith Chriſt, Iſa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath anointed me. A Spirit of counſel, that he might be able to give ſound advice at all times to his Church, Iſa. 9. 6 A Spirit of courage and ſtrength, that he might go through all oppoſitions for his people; therefore is he called, the mighty God, Iſa. 9. 6. A Spirit of wiſdom, that he might be able to out-wit his ſubtle adverſaries in hell, or on the earth, 1 Cor. 1. 24. A Spirit of love and tenderneſs, that he might not reject for, but pitty his people under their temptations, weakneſſes, and infirmities, Heb. 2. 17, 18. A Spirit of pardon, that he might be able to paſs by his peoples ſins, iniquities, and tranſgreſſions, Nehemiah 9. 17. A Spirit of faithfulneſs as not to neglect his people in any condition, nor wanting in the giving out to them any ſupply to his people, which the Father hath both given the Saints by promiſe, and laid into Chriſt, as their ſtore-houſe of grace and wiſdom for that purpoſe, Pſalm 36. 5.
All this was in Chriſt the Head, for the uſe of the Body myſtical, as the ſtreams are in the fountain, not onelyonly to be imployed for them, but to be given down to them into their ſouls according as they ſhall draw it out of this Well by the veſſel of believing, ſo ſaith the Church, who made uſe of Chriſt upon this account, Iſa. 12 2, 3. Behold God is my ſalvation, I will truſt and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my ſtrength and ſong, and is become my ſalvation, therefore (ſaith Chriſt) with joy ſhall ye draw water out of the wells of ſalvation.
Secondly, It denotes the perfection of grace and holineſs which was to dwel in Chriſt, for ſo much may we underſtand by the pouring forth of the anointing, ſaith the Apoſtle, It pleaſed the father that in him. ſhould all fulneſs dwell, Col. 1. 19. A fulneſs of grace and holineſs, that from him we might derive it for our uſe and benefit in this life.
Thirdly, The anointing of the High Prieſt, did ſignifie that legal right he had to adminiſter in the Prieſts office above another man, hence is that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 5. 4. And no man taketh this honour upon him but he that was called of God, as was Aaron.
Now this would afford great comfort to a ſoul if well conſidered, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt was not only a Prieſt or an Advocate, but he was an anointed Prieſt and Advocate, one who had a legal right to the place, he came not in the wrong way, therefore no Thief or Robber, we need not doubt, no one can invalue Chriſts work when its done for believers, meerly for want of right to officiate; you know if a Councellour at Law undertake to plead a mans caſe for him and ſhould diſpute it never ſo ably, and ſhould carry it in Law, yet if this can be objected againſt the Councellour that he is not lawfully inducted to the place as a Councellour, all will be invalued that hath been done and ſaid, and looked upon as of no force.
O therefore ſoul, if Chriſt intercedes as a High Prieſt, and pleads as an Advocate at the Throne of grace for thee, thou needſt not fear of thy Caſe, there is not any enemy thou haſt can hurt thee in this Caſe, ſhould the Law object, the Juſtice of God object, ſhould Satan object againſt thy Chriſt its nothing, he had the legal anointings of the father upon him to in right him to his work, ſaith Chriſt, Iſa 61. 1. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, and he hath anointed me to preach the Goſpel; That is, the ſenſe of what he means by preaching.
Laſtly, That which was appointed to conſecrate the Prieſt withall, the Prieſt was to eat it, Exod. 29. 32, 33. Which ſhews us that the work of the Prieſthood lives in the heart of Chriſt, it ſhould be of that infinite delight to him, as food is to the hungry ſtomack, the Prieſt ſhould eat in his office and work, he ſhould as it were live upon it, and feed and feaſt himſelf with it as a man doth on his daily food ſo ſaith Chriſt himſelf ſpeaking of this great work of the Prieſthood, it is my meat and drink to be imployed in and about it, Iohn 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that ſent me, and to finiſh his work.
All this is to encourage doubting ſouls to make uſe of Chriſt, to bring their ſins and ſores, and ſorrows, temptations and corruptions to him; and their leporiſiecal ſouls to him, and the ignorant, hard, unbelieving, dead, carnal, proud, luſtful, revengeful hearts to him as their High Prieſt, and lay them down at the door of his Prieſtly office. O this is meat and drink to Chriſt the High Prieſt. O for Chriſt to ſee his door crouded up full with halted, mained, blind, leporous ſouls, all waiting for a cure. O this makes the heart of Chriſt leap in heaven, ſaith Pſal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will O God.
Now what was the great will of God, it was that the deſperate and damned ſhould be ſaved by the Prieſthood of Chriſt, and that he ſhould preach good tidings to the meek, and that he ſhould bind up the broken-hearted, and preach liberty to the captive, and let looſe the priſoners, and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, Iſa. 61. 1, 2. And that he ſhould comfort all that mourn of the Elect, Iſa. 40. 1, 2. O ſaith Chriſt this is my delight, its my meat, and drink, to do my fathers will, remember the Prieſt hath eaten in that with which he was conſecrated.
Secondly, So ſhould it be with all the Miniſters of the Goſpel, with what delght ſhould they go about their work; O ſaith St. Paul, the goodneſs of God conſtraineth us, or the love of God conſtraineth us, 2 Cor. 5, 14. This work was as meat and drink to him, St. Paul had eaten in his Conſecrating matter, which was bitter in his belly, but as ſweet as Honey to his taſte, as its ſaid of the little book John was to eat, Rev. 8. 9.