The Gofpel of the Sea and Lavers in the Temple. 377 yas : In the S3nttuary, there was the Candleflick, the Table of Spew- Bread, the Golden Altar of Incenfe : In the Holyof Holies, there wasp the Ark and Mercyfeat, and Cherubims, with the Tables of the Cove- nant, thegolden pot of Manna, and Aaron's Rod that budded. Having fpoken of the Altar of Burnt-Offering, that which comes next to be confidered, is the molten Sea and Lavers ; which i put to- gether, becaufe they were the fame for life and myftical Signification. And as in former Types, fo in this, I fnall first open to you the Type it Pelf as to the Letter and Hiftory of it, and then the Myflery and Spiritual Signification, which is that 1 chiefly aim at ; only fomething is needful to be fpoken of the former in order unto this. First then, for the Type it felf, this Sea of Brafs. You may fee the Hiftory of it in thefe Particulars. r, Thefzrft Inftitution of it was by God to Mofes, in Exod. 3o. t$. where there is only one Laver appointed. But all things being inlar- ed in the Temple, Solomon made a molten Sea, of a very large and vait Capacity, and ten Lavers befide, i Kings 7. 23. the moltenSea is de- feribed to Verf 27, and the ten Lavers from Yerf. 27. to Verf. 40. fo that theHoly Ghoft imploys no lefs then feventeen Verfes in the De- fcription of this famous Utenfil, the molten Sea and Lavers; befide a Chron. 4. Verf. 2. to Verf. 7. which. you may read your felves. And I note it, that you may fee it is a thing of force Weight and Moment which the Holy Ghoft cloth fo infiít upon. Carnal Thoughts are apt to defpife thefe Portions of Scripture, and to fay, there is little in them ; but' this is from the Darknefsof our Minds, and the Pride of carnal Reafon. a. The Name by which it was called Kijor a Laver, and Atnatao a wafhingVeffel ; and the great one was called a Sea, from that elegan- cy of the Hebrew Tongue which calleth any large Colleétion of Wa- ters a Sea, Gen. 1.1o. the gathering together ofWaters he called Sea. Some have refembled this molten Sea in the Temple to theCafpian Sea, which Geographers fpeak of, and not unfitly, becaufe of its circular Figure and Entirenefs within it felt. 3. The Mauer whereof it was made was Brafs, Exod. 38. 8. Andbe made the Laver of Brafs, and the Foot ofit of Brafs, of the Looking glaffes of the Women of embling, which affmble at the Door ofthe Tabernacle of the Congregation. For the Invention ofGlafs properly fo called, beingnot fo antient as thofe Times, they made ufe of bright polished Brafs for Refleaion to fee their Faces. Solomon's molten Sea likewife and his ten Lavers were of the fame Mettal, to wit, bright polished Brafs : So that in this Vesfel the Priests might fee their Spots, whether they had waih- ed themfelves cleanor not, C c c 4. The
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