DISCOURSE O N. DEUT. xxxiii. 8. JOHN GILL. Lcvi-j U R i M and T H u M M i M foimct

Transcription

1 Lcvi-j U R i M and T H u M M i M foimct with CHRIST. DISCOURSE O N DEUT. xxxiii. 8. WHEREIN Some account is given of the Urim and Thummim, and in what fenfe they belong to CHRIST. BY JOHN GILL. LONDON Printed for AARON WARH, at tie Kings Arms in Little Britam ; and fold ly T. Co x, at the Lamb under " * Royal Exchange. M.DCC.XXV. [p««6 </.]

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3 DEUT. xxxiii. 8. And of Levi hefaid, Let tly Thummim avid thy Urim te with thy holy One, 'whom thou didft prove at MafTah, and wtfj iv&om thou didft Jirive at the waters of Meribah. HESE words are part of the bleffing wherewith Mofes bleffed the tribe of Levi, when h<i blefs'd that and the other tribes a little before his death. He tvas a man eminently rais'd up by God for ftnich good to the people of Ifracl; he was ft glorious inffrument, in God's hand, to dc- A a

4 4 LeviV URIM and THUMMIM liver them out of Egyptian bondage, and was a guide, a governor, a legiflator, nay, a fa ther to them in the wildernefs; but having unadvisedly ffoke with hit lips concerning them, it went ill with him for their fakes ; fo that he was not allow'd to enter into the land of Ca naan ; but, as in the latter part of the pre ceding chapter, he's bid to go up to mount Nebo, and take a profpeft of the promis'd land, and die. Mofes, thus having notice of the time of his departure being at hand, and having a real affeclion and concern for this people, by a prophetic fpirit, bleffes the feveral tribes, ver. I. This is the blejfing wherewith Mofes, the, man ofgod bkjfed the children of Ifrael before his death. And prefaces this benediftion with obferving the wonderful love of God to that peo ple, in giving them a law by his hands, which was delivered in fo auguft and magnificent a manner, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5. And he faid, the Lord camefrem Sinai, and rofe up from Seir unto them, hejhined forthfront mount Paran, and he came with ten theufands offaints : from his right hand went a Eery law for them. Tea, he loved the people ; as his faints are t-n thy hand : and they fat down at thy jeet -t every one {hall-receive of thy words. Moles commanded us a law: even the inheritance of the congregation ofjacob. And he was king in Jefhuwhen the heads of the people and the tribes of Ifrael

5 found with CHRIST. Ifrael were gathered together. And then he pro ceeds particularly to blefs the tribes, begin ning with Reuben, ver. 6. who was Jacob's firft-born ; but had forfeited his birth-right by his fin. Judah, in ver. 7. is blefs'd next, who, though the fourth fon, is blefsm in the fecond place, becaufe to his tribe belong'd the kingdom, and from thence was the Afejfiah to arife, one of whofe charafters is, the lion of the m-foo/judah ; and, perhaps, all that is faid in this bleffing may very wett be applied to him. In the next place comes Levit in the words I have read, Simeon, his brother in ini quity, being wholly omitted; And of Levi he faid, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy One, whom thoti didft prove at MafTah, and with -tufxm thou didfi flrive at the waters of Meribah. - -Which words I intend, by divine affiftance, * > to open and explain. But I muft intreat your patience a little, whilft I remove the difficulties of the text ; which I (hall en deavour to do, ty giving fome account of the Urim and 'Thummim. Secondly, By (hewing who the perfon is whom Mofe$ intends, and points at, in thefe words, to whom the Urim and Thummin* belong. y

6 6 Levi'j URTM and THUMMIM Firfl, I {hall endeavour to give fome ac count of the Urim and T'hummim. The firft mention that is made of them, is in Exodus xxviii. 30. And thou /halt put in the Ireaft-flate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim,,and they/ball be upon Aaron'* heart when he gyeth in before the Lord, and AaronJhaS bear the judgment of the children of Ifrael upon his heart before the Lord continually. The words Urim and I'hummim are by thefeptuagint render'd * manijeflation and truth,- though they may be much bet ter tranflated lights and perfections ; as they are by t Aquila, in Lev. viii. 8. and are frequently applied, by divines, to that light of know ledge; and integrity of life, which are requifite charafters in every minifter of Chrift ; but what thefe Urim and 'Thummim were is not fo eafy a thing to determine : Some of the Jewi/h Rabbies \\ have ingenuoufly confefs'd,that they knew not what they were, and fome of our Chriftian interpreters have thought it i x T $o!iff[aif >& TtMuSntf, agreeable to tie Hebrew, a Rad. " 1Kj lucidum efle, ilkiminari lucere. a R-a(i- JZ2QH) ablblvi, cor.-pleri, perlici. I! R. David Kimchi, in lib. Shorafli. R. Abraham Seba in Tzcror Hammor. R. Abcn Ezra in Exod, xxviii. <,. & Miclol Yophi in ver. 30. ]un. Diodat. Qpt. I fafeft

7 found 'with CHR I S T. 7 fafeft to leave them as things unknown, and not conclude any thing certainly about them ; though the fcripture feems to fpeak of them as things well known; and an enquiry into them is no where forbidden, therefore we fhall at tempt it at this time. There has been a variety of opinions con cerning them, which particularly to enume rate, and enter into the confideration of, would be both tedious, and to little purpofe, 5 One thinks that thefe two words, Urim and "fhwnmim, were engraven on a ftone, or a plate of gold, and put into the breaft-plate, even as thofe words, Holinefi to the Lord, were engraven on a plate of gold, and fattened, by a blue lace, to the forefront of Aaron's mitre. * Another is of opinion, that they were two famous and remarkable charafters in the breaft-plate, which fuited with thofe names: Others have fuppofed, that this was the wri ting of Shemhampkorajk, i. e. the name J.'bovah (which the Jews fay is unlawful to be pronoun ced but by the high-prieft when he entered iato the holy of holiesj which name, either by it felf, or with other divine names, explanative of it, were put into, or engraven on the -breaft-plate; and this way go moft of the 5 Cornel, a Lapide in Rivet, in Exod. xxviii * Calvin, in Exod. xxviii. 4. -r-:5 Jew

8 8 LeviV UR.IM and THUMM.IM tjfewifi doctors. II Others have imagin'd, that they were little images, which the highprieft carried about with him in the folds of the breaft plate, and as ofcen as he enquired concerning any thing, God, or an angel in the name of God, did, by thefe, anfwer ve ry clearly and diftinftly, what was to be done, or not to be done ; and that, becaufe of the pei fpicuity and certain completion of the aniwers, the one was called Urim, and the other I"Luntmim; and that, whilft the prieft was en quiring, thefe images glifter'd and appear'd very bright, to fix the people's attention, and raife their admiration : Theyalfo imagine, that v thefe images are the fame with the Terafbint made mention of in many places of fcripture with the Ephod, but never in a good fenfe, for they were idols which the Jews, who were a peo ple prone to idolatry, had learn'd to worfhip of the nations, and they feem to be hou(hold gods, *< fuch as the Lares or Penates among the Romans, wherefore it can't be fuppos'd that thefe were the Urim and 'fbummim which were put into the breaft-plate, becaufe it would have been diredly T Tar^um Jon. Zohar, Baal Hatturim, R. Sol. Jarchi in xof!. xxviii. 50. David, de Pomis, Lcxic. Heb./tf/ i«i! Chriftoph. de Caftro in Rivet, in Exod xxviii. 30. Spencer de Urirn & Thurnmirn. con--

9 fowndwith CHRIST. 9 contrary to the fecond Commandment. * Others have been of opinion, that thefe were a work purely divine, not made by Bezaleel, or any other artificer, but by God himfelf, as the two tables of ftone were, on which the law was en graven ; and that God gave thefe to Mofes, and he put them into the breaft-plate; though of what form and matter they were, they'll no more pretend to tell, than they would of what ftone the two tables were made. But the opinion, which at prefent, I'm moft incjin'd to come into, is, that the Urint and "fhummim were no other than the twelve {tones in the breaft-plate, on which were en graven the names of the twelve tribes of Jf~ rael, and that thefe were call'd Urim, becaufe they were clear, lucid, and tranffarent ; and "fhummim, becaufe they were perfect and complete, had no blemifli or defeft in them : What induces me to embrace and prefer this opinion to all others, is, becaufe in Exod. xxxix^vhere there is a particular account gi ven of all the prieft's veftments, and more efpecially of the breaft-plate, and the things appertaining thereunto, there is mention made o the twelve ftones, but no notice taken of the Urim and Thummim ; now, if the Urim and * R. Menachem in Ainfworth, m Exod. xxviii. 39. Ariai Momanus, Willct, 8fc. -

10 to LeviV URIM and THUMMMA 1%uj3tmim had been any thing different from the ftones, Mofes would not have omitted the mention of them, feeing he takes notice of things more minute than thefe : And as alfo, in Lev. viii. 8. where is given the like ac count, mention is made of the Urim and 7%ummim, and no notice taked of the ftones, which is a further confirmation of this opinion. Likewife, I find fome of the moft learned of the f Jewi/h writers are of the lame opinion, parti cularly II yofepkus, whofe teftimony muft go a great way in this matter, feeing he lived while the fecond temple ftood, was by fe a pharifee, by profeflion a prieft, and of the blood royal, and therefore, no doubt, had all the opportu nities and advantages of informing himfejf in thefe affairs. Having thus confidered what they were, let us now obferve what was the ufe of them, which I apprehend to be twofold/ I. The names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael being engraven on them, they were born on daron's heart, when he went into the holy place on the day of atonement, for a memorial before the Lord, fo that what Aaron then did, -j- R. Mofes bar Maimon. R. Afarias in Meor. Enayim, c. 50. R. Menafleh ben Ifrael Conciliat, /;/ Gen. qu. 41. Antiqu. / 3. c. 8. more

11 fomd witb CHRIST. 1 1 more efpecially, he did, not in his own name, but in the name of the whole congregation of Ifrael ; he acted as their reprefentative, when he flew the facrifice, and carried the blood within the vail, for 'twas not only for himfelf, but for all the people. II. By thefe, the high-prieft confulted God for the people, in matters of moment ; thus we read in Numbers *, And he, j. e. Jofh'"*, {bab flattd before Eleazar the prieft, who fhao ask counfel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord, at his word {ball they go out, and at his -word {hall they come in, both he and as the children if Ifrael with htm, even ah the congregation. t Confutation by Urint and Thumntim was made by the prieft only, but not without having on the Efbod, and generally before the ark of the covenant, not for pri vate perfons, and for private affairs, or for things trivial, but for publick perfons, and in matters of moment. And fo we read in the II Mifnah, They enquire by Urim and T/iummim, but they don't enquire by thefe far a private ferfon, * Ch. xtvii. 11. " f The manner ofatking counfel ofgtd by Urim and Thummim, according to Maimonides, may be feen in Ainfworth,» Exod. xxviii. 30. & in Cuna&us de Rep. Heb. /. i. c. 3.. MalTech. Yoroa, 7. <- B 2

12 \ 12 Levi'j URIM and THUMMIM tut for a king, and for the houfe ofjudgment, and for him, whom the congregation hath need of. This was certainly a very great favour, which God indulged this people with, that they could thus have recourfe unto him on emergent occafions ; and it was an evidence of God's difpleafure to Saul, when he would not anfwer him either by dreams, or by Urim, or by Prophets.- How long thofe things con tinued in life, is not fo well known. The Talmudifts fay, * That king Jojtah hid the Urim and 'Thummim under ground in a cave, before prepar'd by Solomon, together with the anointing oil, the ark of the covenant, Aaron's rod, and the pot of mamia, -and that thefe things could not be found when they return 'd from Babylon, therefore they tell us that thefe five things xvere want ing in the fecond Temple, viz,, i. The ark with the mercy feat, and cherubims. 2. The fire from heaven which burnt up the facrifice. 3. Thefhechiaah,or the divine prefence. 4. The holy Ghoft, or fpirit of pro phecy. 5. The Urim and Tfotmmim. And in the Mifnah II they fay, After the death of * Vid. Cunsus de Rep. Heb. /. i. c. 14. J" Talmud Yoina, c. i, A;d out of that R. Sol. Jarchi, R. David. Kimchi & Miclol Yophi in Hag. i Maflech. Sotah. 9. u. the

13 found with CHRIST. 13 the former prophets the Urim and Thummim ctafed. Maimonides indeed fays, that the Urim and Thummim were made in the fecond temple, though not ufed ; his words are thefe, * " They " made in the fecond temple Urim and Thum- " mint, to the end, they might make up all " the eight ornaments, although they did not enquire by them, and wherefore did they " not enquire by them? becaufe the Holy " Ghoft was not there." Jofeplats f fays, that the finning of thefe ftones had ceas'd two hundred years, before he wrote his antiqui ties; and it is mnnifeft from fcripture, that the 'Jews were without them when they re turned from Babylon, as appears from Ez.ra H, And the Tirftiatha, i.e. Nehemiah faid unt» them, that they {bould not eat of the moft holy things, till there flood up a prieft with Urim and with Thummim. This {hows the deficiency and imperfection of the levitical priefthood, and what need there was of another prieft to arife with the true Urim and Thummim, not after Aaron's order, but after the order of Melchiz,edeck. But now let us confider a little, in what way and manner God was pleas'd to return anfwers by Urim and Thummim. * In Ainfworth on Exod. xxviii. 30. t Antiqu. A 3. t. 9. II Chap. i. 6j. The

14 14 Levi'j URIM and THUMMIM The Jews generally fay, it was by the ex traordinary brightaefs and protuberance of fome of the letters upon the ftones*, which fwclling, and appearing higher and brighter than others, either all together, or one after another, the prieft could read the anfwer which fhould be return'd : But there not be ing a complete alphabet in the names of the twelve tribes, they added the names of the patriarchs Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and this not being fufficient, they added thefe words, Col EJIe Shibte Ifrael, AU thefe are the tribes of Ifrael. Here being now a complete alphabet, they fuppofe an anfwer might be return'd this way upon any affair that was confnlted about. Others, that the priefts knew the mind and will of God, by the brightnefi or dulneff of the ftones ; that if the ftones were bright, the anfwer was in the affirmative ; if dull, in the negative, and fo they returned the anfwer to the people. t Others have been of opinion, that the prieft, when he went and ask'd counfcl of God, having on the breaft-plate, and the Urim and 'Thummim in it, God was pleafed to enlighten his underftanding, and fix in his * Zohar in Exod. (Edit. Sultzbac) fil. 91, 3. &* 9J. I. - River, in Exod. xxviii. 30. mind

15 found with CHRIST. 15 mind a firm perfwafion [of the truth of the anfwer intended, and accordingly he return'd it. But I'm moft inclin'd to think, that God gave the anfwer by a diftinft and articu late voice ; my reafons for it are, becaufe in * Numbers, when the prieft ask'd couniei of God, it is faid, at bis -word, or at his mouth,». #. of the Lord, fltab they go «ut, and at his word, or mouth, fl>ah they come in ; and in all the inftances we have of enquiry being made by Urim and "Thummim, the anfwers, as they appear to me, were given this way: Thus, after Jtfhua's death, when the people of Ifrael enquired of the Lord, faying, f fph./^fl# go of for us againfl tbe Canaanites, tbe Lardfaid, JudahfhaSgo up; and when David order'd Abiathar the prieft to bring the Efbod to him, and he enquired of the Lord, faying, II Win Saill came down, and the Lord faid, he -wts come down : 'Then faid David, tw-5 the men o/keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul, and the Lord faid, they vjis deliver thee up. Thus I have endeavoured to give you fome account of the Urim and 'thttmmim, which I fuppofe to be the twelve ftones in the breaftr, * Chap, xxvii J" Judges i. i. 11 i Sam.xxiii. n, i». plate,

16 16 Levi'j UR.IM and THUMMIM plate, on which were engraven the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael ; one principal ufe whereof, was, by them to ask counfel of God in matters of moment, and the anfwer was given to the prieft, by a diftinft and arti-. culate voice, he having on the breaft-plate at that time, with thefe ftones in it. Secondly, I {hall now proceed to fliow, who the perfon is, whom Mofes intends, and points ar, in thefe words, to whom the Urim and "fhummim belong. And here are two things fpoken of him, which may be a direction to us in finding out the perfon intended. ift. He was God's holy One. idly. He was prcn ved at Maffah, and ftrove with at the Waters of Meribah. i/2. Both thefe are true of Aaron, he was an holy Man, had the principles of grace and hdlinefs wrought in his Soul, and liv'd an ho ly life and converfation, and therefore he's call'd the faint of the Lord *, They envied Mo fes alfo in the camp, and Aaron the faint of the Lord. He was alfo proved at Majfah, and ftrove with at the waters of Merit/ah ; which may be referr'd either to God, or to the Ifraelites proving him : God prov'd him at Maf fah, or tempted kirn int or with a temptation, as * Pfalm cvr a the

17 CHRIST. >7. tempt ( funering in.this t«np»n, and pariencc? A" the '%" ' ^^ h«fe- tfood in h ^ ftrcve a he om. enc,.emp«;"d God,,;.blain'd contend d «hu dlf, -d behaviour; Ot 4f Jonathan ben Uzael. J' MI «V- 11, I? - e

18 i8 LeviV URIM and THUMMIM elfe the words may be referred to the tribe of Levi, who, with the reft of the Ifraelites, tempted and ftrove with Mofes and Aaron at thefe places ; though fome of the * Jewi/h wri ters exempt the tribe of Levi, and fay, that they murmured not with the other murmurers. idly. Thefe two charafters in the text may very well be applied to the Lord Jefus Chrift: The charafter of an holy one well fuits with him, he is fo both as God and man, he is the man thy holy one, as the t words may be render'd ; he was fo in his conception and birth, -and therefore call'd that holy thing, holy he was in his nature, and in all the a&ionsof his life, and therefore a proper perfon for the Urim and "fhummim to be with, and a fuitable highprieftforus, for \\fuchan high-priefl became us, who is holy, harmlefs, undefiled, feparate from Sifi xers, made higher than the heavens ; of him alfo it may be truly faid, that he was prov'd at Maffah, and ftrove with at the waters of Meribah; for the Israelites not only tempted and ftrove with Mofes and Aaron, but they tempted and ftrove with the Lord Jehovah : Thus in Exodus J we read, that Mofes faid unto them, * R. Sol. Jarchi in fa. Heb. vii. 16. ^ Chap. xvii. 2. Why

19 found with CHRIST, chide ye with me? Wherefore doye tempt the Lord? And in -ver. 7. he called the name of the flace Maflah <w»/meiibah, becaufe of the chiding of the children aflhzel, and becaufe they tempted the Lord, faying, Is the Lord among us, or not? And in Numbers *, T'his is the water of Meribah, becaufe the children of Ifraelfoove with the Lord, and he was fanttified in them. Now, who was this Lord, this Jehovah, whom they tempted and ftrove with after this manner? He was no other than the angel who was fent to conduft them through the wildernefs, the an gel of God's prejfence, the Lord Jefus Chrifr, as appears from i Cor. x. 9. Neither let us tempt Chrift, as fome ofthem tempted, and were deftroyed of Serpents. So that Chrift is the holy One who is more efpecially intended here, who was tempted and ftrovewith SLtMaJfahan&Meribah-, therefore to him the true Urim and "fhummim belong. And the words may be thus paraphraied, And of Levi, i.e. of the tribe o Levi, hejaid, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim (or thy lights and thy perfedions, O God) le with thy holy One \\, Chrift Jefus, whom thout O Leiii, with the reft of the tribes of Ifrael, didft tempt at Maflah, and flriiie with at the ivaters of Meribah. Thus having opened the ip * Chap. rsr. I Jf J'id. Ainfworth in lac Ċ 3 Morels,

20 > o Lev is p"iumw»/thu M-H tm, ' J \ words, and endeavoured to remove the diffi culties of the text, Ifliall-, in the following o-bfervation, give you what I conceive is intencled therein, viz. Thai the true Urim and Thummim are with God's holy One, Chrift Jefus-i or, What -was meant and typified by the Urim and -,i t -*i 1* '*". - Thummim, is to be found fully and com-, fletely in Chrift. And in fpeaking hereunto I fhall, i. j.,... i.,-,.. -. '» i) - ;.. J. Endeavour to {hew, How the Urim and T'hummim are with Chrift, according to the fignificancy of the words. II. How they may be applied unto him, with reard to the ufe of them. I. I'll endeavour to Aiew, how the Urim and the 'fhummim may be faid to be with Chrift, according to the fignificancy o the words. The words, as I have already obfervcd, fignify lighn and ferfeftiom ; now, all light and perfe&ion are in Chrift *, It hath fleafed the Father, that in bimjbould attfulnejs dwell. Fulnefs and perfection of all that s great and glorious, valuable and precious, * Col.;. '9. are

21 found wittt CHRIST. 21 arfe to be found in-htt*, -itrbtnr are hit ott the treafuret ofwifdorh atndkrio-teledqi. ifl: The Vrim is With'Chtift; altlrghfc is itt Ch-rfft, and from Hhri. As au that light wh-ich Was created on the fifft day» and diffemin-ated throughout- the whole creation untilthe fourth dayi is iti that great luminary the fdn ; fo all that light Which is difpers'd among,.the creatures, is, in its full perfection, in Chrift, who is the Sun of righteoufnefs ; and as all bodies celeftial and terreftial have their light from the ilin, fo all creatures have their light from Chrift; who is the light of tie world. There's a threefold light that is in, and is comrnunicated to us from, Chrift ; the light of na ture, grace, and glory. (i.) The light of nature is from Chrift. The light ofnature, in fallen man, muft needs fall fhort of what it w"a$ in man in a ftate of in nocence, yet is it not wholly loft, but there are fome remains of it in him, which, though not fufficient to fave him, yet are enough to leave him without excufe; for, by this light of nature, he may arrive to the knowledge of a divine Be ing, feeing \ the invijible thing* of him from the creation of the -world are clearly feen, being tinder * Col. ii. 5. f Rom. i. 10.

22 22 Levi'j URIM and THUMMIM flood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead, fo that they are -without excufe. He may hereby know, that this divine Being is pofleffed of great and glorious per fections, that he is to be worfhipp'd and ador d by him, he may hereby in fome meafure know the difference between good and evil, as the apoftle obferves in his epiftle to the Romans*, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, theft having not the law are a law to themfelves, which /hew the work of the law written in their hearts, their confcience alfo bearing witnefi, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or tlfe excufing one another. Alfo, he may in fome meafure know, how to conduft himfelf as a rational creature in this world. Now all this light is from Chrift ; for, as we are told by the evangelift John t, he is the true light whi:h lighteth every man that cometh into the world ; but every man that comes into the world is not Iighte4 with the light of grace, or the light of glory, and therefore 'tis the light of nature which is there intended ; for John is not fpeaking of Chrift as the author of the new, but as the au thor of the old creation, for he tells us, II That * Chap. ii. 14, i5. \ John i. 9.. HVer. 3,4,

23 found with CHRIST. 23 till things were made by him, and "without him laas toot any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. So that as as we have our natural being, and our natu ral life, from Chrift, as a creator, from him alfb ive have our natural light, as fuch. (a.) The light of grace is from Chrift. The light of grace is that whereby a poor finner, who was darknefs it felf, being born, and brought up in darknefs, and having liv'd and walk'd in darknefs, is now made light in the Lord; Co that he fees his deprav'd, miferable, and loft ftate by nature ; as alfo, the nece/fity, as well as fulnefs, glory, and fuitablenefe, of falvation by Chrift ; and can fay, as the poor man did *, One thing I know, that where as I was blind, now Ifee. The work of grace, upon the heart of a finner, confifts much in his being call'd out of darknefs into marvellous light, marvellous and furprizing light, indeed! The characters they bear, who are thus call'd by divine grace, are children of the light, and of the day, for they are no more children of the night, or of darknefs, for the darknefs is fafl, and the true light nowjbines. Now al] this light is from Chrift : If any fouls have this light, 'tis he that gives it to them, Chrift /hall give thee light. If any are call'd to this marvellous light, 'tis by * John ix. Z5- him*

24 him ;,if any are made light, 'tis in.pr.by tjie ZW Chrift; for.he is given by Gpd the. Father to be a light to fatten the gentiles, as,.well,as to be the glory of his feofle Ifxpcl. For this light of grace includes in it,the light of pbe knowledge of the divine perfections,.flight of the knowledge of Chrift, and the light of the knowledge of goftel truths ;. and all thefe are in and from Chrift. i.-t,he light,of,the knowledge of fhe.di vine perfections is..-jn.. and,. from Chriftj the Ugh.of.tfe kpwled&e- of<the glory of God, i.e.^of.the glorious persons of Qod, is given to us in theface, or. perfon, of Chrtfjefus. '^is true. God has difcover'dh'u perfections in the works of creation and providence*, for.the. kwnt, w *** a - *. Jbtweth hi* handy work.. There's a glorious fhine of his power, wifdom, goodnefs, -&c. upon them, but there's a far more glorious difplay of the divine perfeftionsjn him,, who is the brightwfs <f.m* Father's glory, and the expref* iwt& of hif. ferfon. For in the contrivance of falvation. by him, the depths of.vvifdom and. knowledge are difcoyer'd.;,,iu the miftion of him, the exceeding riches of-.his, love,, grace and mercy, ate. laid open; in fo? accom?^ment of the work, the arm of almighty.power * Pfalm xix; I.., t

25 found with CHRIST. 2 <f is made bare, and in the fufferings which he underwent, in our room and ftead, the glo ries of divine faithfulnefs, jufticeand holinefs, are furprizingly difplay'd * ; here mercy and truth are met together, and righteeufnefs and peace have tiffed each other. Here's no claftung among the divine perfections, but a fweec and an entire harmony among each other, al fhining forth with equal glory and luftre in man's falvation. Now, \ "This is life eternal t«know thee the only true God, and Jefus Qwift -wtom thou haft feat, i. e. To know God in Cferift. The Heatheni may know him in the creatures^ but they can't know him in Chrift without a divine revelation, and that revelation muft be attended with a fupernatural light, which light muft come from Chrift himfelf. 2. The light of the knowledge of Chrift i? from himfelf, for it is in his light vie fee lightf As we fee the fun in its own light, and it ip impoffible for us to fee it in -any other light than its own, fo we fee Chrift, the Sun of righteoufnefs, in his own light, and it is im poffible for us to fee him in any other ; 'tis in, his own light we fee him as the eternal fon of God, as the brightnefs of his Father's gloryf *nd the exprefs image of his ferfoa : 'Tis in hi» * Pfain f*xxv. 10. { John xvii. J<

26 z6 Levi'.r URIM and own light we fee him as the mediator between God and man, as the faviour of finners, that falvation is in him, and in no other ; that it is in vain to expeft it from hiss and mountains, for truly, and alone, in our God is the falvation of Ifrael. 'Tis in his own light we fee the glory and efficacy of his atoning facrifice, whereby he has put away fin, and perfectedfor ever them that arefanclified. 'Tis in his own light we lee the efficacy of his precious blood, whereby the remiflionof our fins is obtain'd, and our fouls are waflied and cleanfed from all fin, and our confciences purged from dead works to ferve the living God. 'Tis in his own light we fee the completenefs of his juftifying righteoufnefs, which is revealed in the gofpel from faith to faith, and by which we are juflifed from all things from -which we could not be juflifed by the law of Mofes. 'Tis in his own light we fee thofe immenfe treafures of grace and glory which lie hid in his perfon *, We hheld his glo ry, the glory as of the only begotten; and one main branch of that glory confifls in his being full ofgrace and truth. 3. The light of the knowledge of gofpel truths is from Chrift ; 'tis he that opens our under/landings, that we may under/land the fcrip~ tures, 'Tis he that gives us to know the myfte- * John». j 4. ries

27 found mtb CHRIST. 27 ties of the kingdom. "Tis he that fends his fpirit as the Spirit of truth, to lead us into all truth, otherwife the bible would be a fealed book to us, a book full of riddles : The truths and dodrines contain'd therein would be as pa rables, and dark fayings. David knew this full well, and therefore prays after this manner *, Open thou mine eyes that I may behold -wondrous things out of thy law. (3.) As the light of nature and grace is from Chrift, fo likewvfe is the light of glory. Heaven is reprefented to us a lightfome place; -'tis calj'd, f T'/x inheritance of the faints in light ; and all that light that fills it is from Chrift. II T'hat city hath no need of the fun, nor of the moon, to {bine in it, for the glory of God lightens *t, and the lamb is the light thereof. When you are fafely arrived there, all darknefs of infi-r delity, doubts and fears, will then be difpekled, and your fouls will be irradiated with thofe beams and rays of light from Chrift, which will for ever ftrike you with wonder and pleafure : Then fhall you behold his glory, andfee him as he is. Then fl>all the fun be no more thy light by day, neither for brightttefs foall the moon give * Pfahn cxix. 18. t Colof. i. n. Revel, xxi. 13. Ifaiah Ix. ip, 10- D a

28 »8 Levi'j UFUM and THUMMIM light to thee, but the Lordjballbe unto thee an everlafling light, find thy God thy glory ; thyfunfball no more go down, neither /hall thy moon withdraw it felf, for the Lord /ball be thine everlafling light, and the days of thy mourningfball be ended. Thus the Urim is with Chrift ; all light of nature, grace and glory, is in him, and from him. idly. The T'lmmmim is with Chrift ; all per fections are in him, he includes and compre hends all. i. All divine perfections are in him, in him dwelleth all the fu/nefs of the Godhead bodily. Whatever perfection is in the Deity, is to be found in Chrift ; whatever is a divine perfedn pn, he's poflefs'd of. Is eternity a divine per fection? 'Tis in Chrift, he's * the Alpha and the Omega, the frfl and the laflt the beginning and the end, which is, and which was, and which is to come. Js omnipotence a divine perfection? 'Tis in Chrift, he is the Almighty. Is omnifcience a diyine perfection? 'Tis in Chrift, f He needed not that anyjbouldteftify ofman, for he blew what was in man;and therefore Peter appeals to him,asthe heart-fearching, and rein-try ing God, and faid, 11 Lord, thou knowefl all tilings, thou knoweft that I love thee. Is omniprefence a divine perfeftion? * Revel, i. 8. t John ji. 15. (I Chap.xxi, i jr.

29 found wirb CHRIST. 29 'Tis in Chrift, therefore he fays, J where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midft of them. Is immutability a divine perfection? Tis in drift ; he is * Jefus, the fameyeflerday, to day, andfor ever. In fhort, is there any other divine perfection? 'Tis in him, he's poflefled of all, and therefore it the true Godt and eternal life. 2. A perfection of the gifts of the fpirit is in him. God has not given the fpirit by meafure to him ; with this oil of gladnefs is he anointed above hisfellows, which like the precious ointment on Aaron's head, that ran down to the skirts of his garments, defcends from him to all themembers ofhis body in their meafure. All thofe gifts of the fpirit, which are to be found in men,come from Jefus Chrift. There was a very large meafure of the gifts of the fpirit beftow'd upon the apoftles, at the day of pentecoft, but from whom did they receive it? From an afcended Lord and King, as is manifeft from what the apoftle Peter fays in the AEli \, Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, i. e. Chrift being exalted by the right-hand of God, and having received of the Father the fromife of the fpirit, he hathfliedfonh this which ye nowfee and hear. This ^ Matt, xviii. 10. * Heb. xiii. 8. t Chap. ii. 33.

30 30 LeviV URIM and THUMMIM he did both as a fruit aad evidence of his being afcended on high, and of his having received gifts for men. 3. A perfection of all grace is in Chrift ; he is faid to be full ofgrace, of all forts of grace, needful for the believer ; and there fore ive fhould be flrong in the grace that is in Gjriji Jefus ; which is in him, to its full perfeftion, and which the believer will always find fufficient for him. Particularly there's a perfecvion of justifying and fanftifying grace in Chrift. (i.) There's a perfection of juftifying grace in Chrift ; there's a perfect righteoufnefs in him 5 he is not only righteous as he is God, and as he is God's fervant,- but he is alfo Jelovah, our righteoufnefs; "which righteoufnefs was wrought out by him, and is imputed by the Father, and applied by the Spirit to us ; k is every way compleat and perfect ; 'tis fuffcient for all the eleft ; it is a garment down to the foot, covering the meaneft members in Chrift's myftical body ; and by it are they jufified frcm all things, be thofe all things what they will, they are acquitted and discharged from all (in and condemnation by if, and ftand in it compleat and irreprovable in the fight pf God.

31 found with CHRIST. 31 (a.) There's a perfection of fandifying grace in Chrift ; perfeft holinefs is in him j from him muft we have our holinefs, as well as our righteouibefs ; we ftand in need of an holy nature, as well as of a juftifying righteoufnefs, and as without the one, fo nei ther without the other can we enter into the kingdom of heaven * ; for without holinefi m man {haufee the Lord; no, not without a perfeft one. From whence now muft we have perfeft holinefs? from our felves we cannot expe&it, but from Chri&t who has purchas'd and procur'd it for us, and has now alj the holinefs of his people in his hands, and is giving it forth unto them, that they may be perfectly meet for the eternal enjoyment of himfekj who ofgod is made unto them fanttifi* cation, as well as righteoufnefs. 4. The perfection of all covenant bleflings andpromifesisin him: The bleflings of rhe everlafting covenant are upon the head, and in the hands of our Jojepht who ivasfeparate fiom faners, and made higher than the heavens ; there fore whatever blefling we are blefled with, whether it be with the pardon of fin, or with a juftifying righteoufnefs, or with any other, we have them from Chrift ; hence we have * Hct. ii M. reafon

32 '' 3 2 Levi'j- URIM and THUMMIM reafon to fay with the apoftle *, bleffed. be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Cbrifl, -who bath bleffed us with all fpiritual bleflings in hea venly flaces in Chrifl Jefus. And as all bleffings, b all promifes are in Chrift, they f are all in kirn, yea, and in him, amen to the glory of God by us ; there's a perfection of them in him ; fo that the believer cannot come under any cafe or circumftance of Life, but there is a promife in Chrift, fuitable for him, had he but faith to view it and lay hold upon it. 5. Perfection of all light and life, ftrength and wifdom, joy and comfort, is in Chrift. That the perfeftion of all light is in Chrift, I have (hown already ; and as all light, fo all life is in him ; for with him is the fountain of life, from whence all the ftreams of life flow. If.you ask. How came it to be in Chrift? I anfwer, He did, in the everlafting counfels of peace, ask it of his Father for all his feed, and he granted him his requeft, as it is faid II, he asked life of thee, and thou gavefl it him, even length of days for ever and ever : Thus he came to have life in himfelf as mediator for the eleft, and to have a right to difpofe of it to as many as the Father gave to him) and for this * Eph. i. j, \ i Cor HPfal. 11.4* i pur-

33 found with CHRIST. 33 purpofe did he come into the world, to re move obftacles out of the way, that the ftreams of life might run freely ; that fo we might have it, and have it more abundantly than ever Adam had in innocence, or the angels now have in heaven. Alfo perfeftion ; of ftrength is in Chrift ; we are poor weak creatures, in our felves, yet there is ftrength as well as righteoufnefs for us in him j he is the man of God's right hand, whom he has made flrong, not only for himfelf, but for us ; fo that though we are uncapsble of doing any thing of our felves, yet we can do all things through Chrift ftrengthetnng us. There is likewife a perfe&ion of wifdom in him, not only for himfelf, to qualify him for the difcharge of every branch of the mediatorial office, but alfo for us, to di rect and guide us in all our ways through this wildernefs. He is the wifdom ofgod, and the wifdom of God for us, for he, of God is made unto us luifdom, as well as Simplification and righteoufnefs. There is, moreover, a per^ fecyion of joy and comfort in Chrift ; there's always matter of rejoicing in him, his perfon, blood> and righteoufnefs are a fuffi'*ieric ground for the fame : There's always an abounding of confolation in him, for as our fvffierirtgs, our trials, our reproaches, and ca«twnmesj which are caft upon us, for the fake fi ** r

34 34 Levi'j URIM and THUMMIM of Chrift abound, fo our confolation abounds by bint; and whatever comfort comes any other way, there's juft reafon to fufped it's ill grounded. Thus the Thummim is xvith Chrift, as well as the Urim, all perfeftion's in him. So much for the firft thing. II. I fhah now enquire how the Urim and "fhummim may be applied to Chrift in refpeft to the ufe of them. I have already obferved a twofold ufe thereof ; the firft was, that upon thefe ftones, i. e. the Urim and 'fhummim, were engraven the names of the twelve tribes oflfrael, which the high prieft bore upon his heart, when he went into the holy place, fur a memorial before the Lord; from whence we may obferve thefe two things. Firfl, That the eleft of God lie near the heart of Chrift,the great high prieft; for as the names of the twelve tribes were engraven on thefe ftones, and born upon Aaron's heart : So are all God's elect engraven on the heart of Chrift ; not only upon the palms ofhis hands, but upon his heart, as the church in Solomon's fong * defired, faying, Set me as a feal upon thine heart ; they lay near his heart, and were the objects of his love from eternity ; he was jrbt only rejaicing in and with, and before his * Cant. 8. <5. Father,

35 found with CHRIST. 35 Father,but alfo in the habitable parts ofthe earth - in the views of that part of the earth which he knew would be fo,and where his eleft fhould dwell ; and his delights were uiththefons ofmen, even before the earth was made, or the higheft part ofthe duft of the world was form'd : They lay near his heart when he died for them, and there they ftill lye, and ever will do fb. Secondly, That what Chrift did, who is our high prieft, with U/irw and 'fhummim, he did it as our reprefentative, in our name, and inour room and ftead,- even as Aaron, when he flew the facrifice on the day ofatonement, and carried the blood within the vail, did it in the name of the whole congregation : So when Chrift offered up himfelf a facrifice, he did it in our name, and for our fins : Chrift our fajfover is facrifaedfor us * ; and this was re ceived by the father, as an offering and a facrifice ofa fiueetfmellingfavour, on our account ; and now he's enter'd into the holy place by his own bkod, having obtained eternal redemption for us.?tis, with the names of all the eleft, en graven upon his heart ; he's enter'd into hea ven as a forerunner for 'em ; he's gone before to take pofleflion of glory in their name, as well as to prepare it for them ; and f I for E a

36 %6 LeviV UR.IM and THUMMIM they are faid * now to fit together in heavenly flaces in him ; what he receives there, he re ceives in their name; what he dqrs, he does in their name, and on their account, he appears in the prefence of God for them. So much fo* the firft ufc of the Urim and "Thummint. The fecond was, that with thefe the prieft ask'd counfel of God for the people in mat ters of moment This may reprefent unto us Chrift's acting for us as an interceflbr, ad vocate, or counfellor, one of whofe titles in Ifaiah f is the counfellor ; or as the Septuagint translates it, the angel of the great council; he acted as fuch, in the great council that was held between the eternal Three, concerning man's falvation, and has afted as fuch ever fince : He now pleads our caufe, removes all charges, anfwers all accufations, confults our intereft, and acts the whole part of aa advocate for us ; If wy man Jin} -we have an advocate -with the Father, jfefus Chrift the righte ous. But let us confider a little more particu larly, how thefe things may be applied to thrift. * Eph. i. 6. t Chap. 9. <S. 11 Mt^^Mf jskxiir *yfcmf, 5 I John i. I. i j f i. None

37 found witb CHRIST None hut the high prieft might ask counfel o God by Urim and Thummint ; Jojbita, * mvift ftand before Eleazar the friefi, -who {hall ask eouafelfor him after the judgnem. of Urint before the Lord ; fo none but the Lord Jefus Chrift is the believer's counfellor, advocate, intereeflbr and mediator ; no aogd* nor faints departed, f for there is hut one mediator between God and man, the man Chrift Jefus. As there is but one mediator of redemption, fo there is but one mediator o \nterceffion > fo that when we want counfel and advice, we muft employ him : When we want any favour at God's hand, we muft make ufe of his intereft : When we have a caufe to plead, he's the only perfon we muft, and the moft pro per perfon we can apply unto. 2. The high prieft, when he did this, put on the Ephod, and none but he might do fo. The Efhod may reprefent unto us the garment of the human nature, with which fchrift, our great high prieft, is cloathed; which, though all the three Perfons had an hand in making, yet it was thought proper that the fecond perfon alone (hould wear it j which garment, as the Efhod was girt about i-. t * Numb. 17. ii. fjtim.i.j. -

38 38 LeviV URIM and THUMMIM the prieft, with a curious girdle, is girt ibout Chrift with the girdle of love, and no other girdle but that could have faftned it to him *. Becaufe the children were partakers of fie/b an& Hood, the children whom he loved, and becaufe he loved them, therefore he himfelf alfo took fart of the fame. And as the Ephod Was a glorious garment, being adorned with iparfcling gems and precious ftones, fo is the human nature of Chrift, now in heaven, full of glory, f For we fee Jefus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the foffering of death, crowned with glory and honour ; arid in this nature, as well as in the divine, does he aft the part of a counfellor, advocate, and interceflbrforus. 3. Counfel was ask'd byurim&ndl'hummim only for publick perfons, as for a king, or the houfe of judgment, thefenate or fanhedrim, or the whole congregation of Ifrnel, and that on ly in matters of moment, as I have already obftrv'd. Now our great high-prieft, with Uritn and Thummim, is acymg the part of a coun fellor and interceflor, not for the men of the \vorld, but for the whole congregation of the ele<3 : I! 1 fray for them, fays he, Ifray not far * Hcb. ii. 14. * Chap. ii. 10. J} Jolm xvii. 9.

39 found with CHRIST. 3* tie world. Thofe that he concerns himfelf for, are perfons of note, they are princes, the fonj of a king, nay, kings themfelves, fuch whom he has t hv'd aad waft?d from their fins in bit ownbkod, and made them kings andfriefls t«god and bis Father. And the things that he is con cerned about for them, are not trivial mat ters, but things of the greateft importance,- fuch as the conversion of eled finners, and the confolation o called faints, that they may have the fpirit as a comforter to abide with them, and the manifestations of pardon ing grace to their fouls, that their faith may not fail in an hour of temptation, but that they may perfevere to the end, and be with him, where he is, to behold his glory. 4. The perfon for whom connfel was ask'd, was to Hand before the prieft, which fhews us, that we muft make our application to Chrift, our high-prieft, we muft ask in his name, and put our petitioas into his hands, and ftand be fore him waiting for an anfwer ; for he has laid, Whatsoever ye ask in my name that tmh 1 do. 5, andtafllj. As thofe refponfes which God icturn'd by Urim and T'hummim were certainly true, without any fajfity or equivocation m * Revel i; 5, 6. them,

40 40 Levi'j URIM and THUMMIM them, fuch as the diabolical oracles of the Gen tiles had, fo as true are all thofe things which he fays unto us by Chrift, t God did at fundry times, and in divers manners, fpeak in time faft to the fathers by the prophets, fometimes by dreams and vifions, and fometimes by Urint and Thummim, but he hath now in thefe loft days fpoken uuto us by his Son. And as all he faid by dreams and vifions, or by Urint and "Thummim, was true, fo is all that he has faid to us by his Son, who is trurfi it felf, the faithful witheff, who hath fully declar'd the whole counfel of God unto us. Thus I have confider'd how the Urim and "fbummim may be applied to Chrift, or faid to be with him, both as to the fignificancy of the words, and the ufe of the things. I fliall now make fome improvement of thefe things, and Conclude. I. Are the true Urim and 'fhumntint with Chrift? Are all lights and perfections in him? Let us then go to him for both. Under all our darknefs let us go to him for light ; the treafures of light, as well as the words ofeternal life, are with him, therefore, whither jhonld we go but unto him? Let us then follow him, win is the light eftbe worm, and we (hall not wajk in \ Heb. i. i*.

41 . fouatt -vottb CHRIST. 41 darknefs, but flail have the light oflife. - Likewife, under a fenfe of all our imperfections, let us feek perfection in Chrift, in whom is the perfection of all grace, righteoufnefs, and holineis i "Tis a vain thing to imagine, or expeft ir, in our felves ; * For if -we, fay we have no fin, we deceive our felves, and the truth it not in us. There's perfection in Chrift, but Done in us ; and if we are in any fenfe perfect, 'tis-as we are ia him i - 2. Are all the cleft engraven on Chrift's heart? You then may learn from hence, how near and dear they are to him ; what an af fection he has for them, and what love he bears to them; they have not.only a place in his arms, but a. place in his heart ; they are a ( r^ feofle uear unto the Lord indeed ; and as they can _/. never be pluck'd out of his hands, fo they can never be remov'd from the affe&ions of his heart, t Fur ko {ball feparate us from the love of Chrifl. ' 3. Is Chrift, as a counfellor and advocate, jeprefented by the priefts asking counfel of God by Urim and fhummim for the people? t.et us then make ufe of him as fuch; he Jtnovvs how to manage our affairs, and has * t John i. 8. \ Rom. viii. 36. $ in-. -V

42 42 Levi'-r URIM and THUMMIM. intereft enough to obtain what we defire ; and what is more, will do all faithfully and freely, and take it kindly at our hands that we make ufe of him. 4, and Laftly, Is the true Urim and T'hummim alone with Chrift? You learn hence, the fuperiority of Chrift's priefthood, to that of Aaron's ; the Levitical laxv was but a Jhadow of good things to come, which good things are brought to us by Chrift, who is the fubftance of thofe fhadows. And we may alfo learn the glory of the gofpel difpenfation, in which the day is broke, and the fhadows are fled and gone, * And we all with ofen face be holding, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the ffirit of the Lord. ; i f i * z. Cor. iii * FINIS. *

43 antlfoldby AARON WARD, *# f/fo King's Arms in Little Britain. t f ;, TT H E Glory of God's Grace difplay'd, J. in its abounding over the aboundings of Sin. A Sermon occafioned by the Death of Mr. John Smith, preach'd April the i yth, By Mr. ^ofcn Gi». The Redeemer's near Relation to his Peo ple, their great Comfort, and peculiar Privi lege.- A Sermon occafioned by the Death of Mrs. Mary Weave, preach'd January the jth, By Mr. Edward Wallin. The Second Edition, corrected. * Divine Energy: Or, The efficacious Ope rations of the Spirit of God upon the Soul of Man, in his effeftual Calling and Converfion, Stated, Prov'd and Vindicated. Wherein the real VVeaknefs and Inefficiency of Moral Suafion (without the fuper Addition of the exceeding Greatnefs of GOD's Power) for taith, and Converfion to GOD, are fully evinced. Being an Antidote againft the Pel&- giatt Plague. By Mr. John Skepp, late Minifter of the Gofpel. JefusChrift God-Man: Or, The Conftitution of Chrift's Perfon, with the Evidence and Importance of the Doftrine of his true and proper Godhead. Confidered in feveral plain and praftical Sermons, on Romans ix The holy Spirit a divine Perfon : Or, Poftrine of his Godhead reprefeated, as

44 BOOKS printed for Aaron Ward. Jent and important, in feveral practical Ser mons on i Cor. Till ii. - The Standing Ufe of the Scripture, to all the Purpofes.of a dirine Revelation ; and more particularly, to Patience, Comfort, and Hope. With the Method, Wifdom, and Ad vantage of underftanding it, and giving it due Entertainment. Irt feveral Sermons on Rant. xv 4. and Co/, iii. 16. Thefe Three by Mr. John Guyfe, Minifler of the Gofpel at Hen- Chrift Crucify'd : Or, The Marrow of the Gofpel evidently fet for in Seventy Two Ser mons on the whole Fifty Third Chapter of Ifaiah By Mr. James Durham, formerly Minifter "of the Gofpel at Glafgow.. The Expofxrion of the whole Bible.in bix Volumes. By the late Reverend Mr. Matthew Henry.. The Exalted Saviour : Or, Jefus Chrift the Lord and God of True Believers- In feve ral Sermons deliver'd lately in Gravel Lane, Southward By Mr. Zephaniah Marryat, Mimfter of the Gofpel. Juft fublifhed,, Propofals for printing a compleat and beautiful Edition of all the/parts ot the Ful filling of the Scriptures'. By the late Reve-; rend and Learned Mr. Robert Fleming, fen. Together, With fome Memoirs of his Life, and a Sermon preach'd on the Occafion ot his Death, by the late Learned Mr. Daniel, Eurgefs. Recommended by a conlidera Kumber of Miniiiers in and about Zontw,