The Gofpel of the Brazen Altar, 365 We are now to (peak ( as the Lord fhall enable us ) concerning the Altar of Burnt- Offering : Concerning which we may obferve this DoEtrinal Propofitions out of the Text, as the Foundation of our DA. courfe, viz. Daft. That Solomon by God's Appointment made in the temple a Brazen Altar for Burnt-Offering. The first exprefs mention we have of Altars in the Scripture is in Noah's Time, after the Flood, Gen. 8. zo. and Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord, and took of every cleats Bear, and of every clean Forol, andoffered Burnt-Offerings on that Al- tar. Concerning Offerings, we read before in Gen. q.. 3, q.. how Cain and Abel brought their Offerings unto the Lord. Whether Al tars were as antient as Sacrifices, or whether the Lord afterwards ad- ded them- as a further Improvement of his Worship, and a further help -to the Faith of his People, I small not here difpute. The Name in Hebrew is Miz.beach, quafs Sacrificatorium, from Ze- bath Sacrificium, from the Sacrifices offered thereupon : And fo in Greek, 9jTaciigror, from 9vlía Sacrifcium. There is another Hebrew Word for it, Bamahexcelfum, from their afcending up to it, from whence the Greek ßwuas : So the Latin altare is derived ab alto ; be- caufe their Altars were built on high above the Earth, but the He- brew Bamah is more dually applied to the idolatrous Altars : Are Idolorum.. Boxtorf we commonly Translate it High Places, And here 1 mutt obferve the fame Method as in other Things, firsb to open theType, and then the Antitype ; firft the Hiftory of the Al, tar, and then the Myflery of it: For the right Underftanding. of the> Type, makes way for the better understanding of the thing typified. Now then as to this great Type, the Altar of Burnt-Offering, wemaw . confider four Things. a. The Materials of it, they made Altars of Earth upon prefent Occaliions; Mofes's Altar was of Shittim-Wood, but over-laid with Brafs, .Exod. 27.1 2. This wasto continue for .the .conftant Ufe anti, Service of the Tabernacle. But how then came it to pats that the Wood was not burnt and fet7 on Fire, by the continual Fire that was upon the Altar? It is an, fwered unto this by fume, That the Fire might be kept- in the Grate at a due Diftance from the Wood.And fome anfwer further, That there was an efpecial Providence in it. God as he feat down Fire from Heaven upon the Altar : So hedid limit and overrule the Operationof it at his Pleafure. Solomon's Altar was ofBrafs ; within either of Earth. or Stone, but not of hewen Stones, that being exprefly forbidden £ cod. 2o. 24., 25. That it waa. of .$,raj. This was. for Strength and:: daa.-
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