even in these shadowes the Lord himselfe straitly enjoyned these were the Lawes prescribed for the Anniversary Passeover both in Exod. 12. 14 and Numb 9. in neither of which is any mention of any of the former Lawes proper to the first Passeover The last condition in eating concerned the measure The Lambe must be whole eaten signifying 1. Our perfect communion with Christ who are as neerely united unto Christ as the meat we eate which is turned into our owne substance 2. That nothing in Christ is unprofitable 3. That Christ must be received wholly without dividing of his natures or destroying any of his offices Arrius divides the Lambe in denying his Godhead Manichoes impugned his humanity Neither eate the whole lamb The Papists destroy all his Offices Whosoever deny any fundamentall Article of Religion they divide the lamb To eate the whole lamb is to beleeve whole Christ according to the rule Faith is but oâ—â— yet a copulative Deny one overthrow all Hitherto served that Iniunction that no part of the lamb must bee reserved till the morrow but if any remained it must bee burnt with fire vers 10. The Lord in his infinite wisedome would prevent all the occasions of idolatry which is easily admitted in the reservations of holy things As in Popery what a deale of idolatry is crept into the Church by reserving superstitious relicks and especially their consecrated or conjured bread as if this condition did not condemne expresly that Popish reservation of the hoast or breaden god Add hereunto that the Jewes requiring the body of Christ on the Crosse to be taken away that night before the Sabbath Ioh. 19. 31. fulfilled against their knowledge this Prophecy Nothing of the Paschall lamb must be left till the morning Sect. V. V. The Paschall Lamb is an expresse type of Christ in respect of the fruit and use of it which is security and safety from Gods revenge ver 23 For as by the sprinkling of the blood and eating of the flesh the Jews were defended from the revenging Angel and the destroyer passed over the house where hee espied the blood sprinkled So the blood of Christ applied to the conscience causeth the wrath of God to passe by those that are so sprinkled And as they could sit in the house safe and not feare the stroke of the destroyer because of the blood sprinkled so whosoever by true faith feeds upon Jesus Christ and are died with his blood rest secure and feare not the destruction and revenge due to wicked men Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience I. As the Jews dwelling in Aegypt were in great danger of the revenging Angel who was to passe through the land So all the Israel of God dwelling in the midst of the Aegypt of the world and too too much tainted with the fashions of it have no small cause to feare the judgements and revenge of God which must pursue the sinnes of it and also to use meanes for their owne safety in the night of trouble and revenge as the Israelites did Quest. What meanes Answ. The same that Israel did We must 1. Sprinkle the house of our hearts with the blood of the Lamb Heb. 10. 22. sprinkled in our hearts c. Whosoever were sprinkled with the blood of the lamb were safe Was there so much power in the blood of the type and not much more in the blood of the trueth 2. Get into the house of the Church and fellowship of the faithfull for such as are true members of the Church which is the house of Saints are secure from the plagues of wicked men Isai. 27. 3. I the Lord do keep the vineyard I will water it every moment lest any assaile it I will keepe it night and day and Isai. 37. 18. My people shall dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Noah can bee safe no where in the deluge but in the Arke And out of the Church is no salvation or safety 3. Thou must abide in the house all night and goe not forth Except the Israelites abide in the house they cannot be safe except thou abidest in the ship of the Church thou canst not bee safe no more then any of Noahs company if they had stepped out of the Arke Wee must adhere constantly to the true Church and not forsake the fellowship or depart from it by Apostacy or revolt which brings certaine shipwrack of faith Consider Heb. 10. 25. 4. Patiently await for the morning even the bright rising and appearing of Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse comming againe to our deliverance whether publikely to generall judgement or personally in speciall to our selves For hee shall bring health â—â—der hir wings Mal. 4. 2. II. In the whole precedent discourse is a fruitfull direction for Christians for their holy use of the Sacrament of the Supper which is come in place of the Passeover 1. As hee must bee circumcised that must eate the Passeover so must hee be baptized that must be admitted to the Supper that is a reverent professed Christian. For holy things must not bee cast to dogs Matt. 7. 6. The word and Sacraments are childrens bread and must not be cast to dogs that is obstinate enemies scorners blasphemers to men of uncircumcised lips and eares who wilfully repell the meanes of their cleansing So much the more pity is it that all sorts of notorious evill men thrust into the presence chamber of the great King yea sit downe at the Lords Table and like swine swill in his cup without controll or any rebuke in many places Open blasphemers common-drunkards scoffing Ishmaels noted adulterers obstinate sinners And where is the care to preserve the holy things of God from pollution contempt and profanation Would a man spread a table for dogs or swine If the shadows of these holy things might not bee cast to doggs is it nothing to expose to them the body and substance it selfe 1. Cor. 11. 30. for this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 2. As the Lamb was taken in the tenth day but was not slaine till the fourteenth that it might be before their eyes all the foure dayes before for the helping of their meditation and due preparation to the eating of it So no man must come to the Supper without due preparing himselfe For if so long preparation was by God thought fit for the shadow what preparation can be thought fit and sufficient for the substance 1. Chron. 35. 6 It was the counsell of Solâ—mon Prov. 23. 1. When thou sittest downe at a great mans table consider diligently what is set before thee Much more here at the great Gods Table no consideration of the Author matter maner end fruit and use can be sufficient What a fearefull thing is it to come as most men doe not considering
the blood of this red cow he leads us to the blood of Christ saying If the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are uncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead workes wherein he not onely compareth but infinitely advanceth the truth above the type For 1. that was symbolicall and figurative this spirituall and substantiall 2. that was externall and temporary this internall and eternall 3. that onely a purifying of the flesh this of the Spirit and conscience 4. that cleansed from legall and bodily pollution this from morall called dead works 1. because they proceed from death of sinne 2. because they lead to eternall death For the explaining of this ordinance consider foure things 1. whence the Cow must be 2. the properties or qualities 3. the actions about her 4. the use and end of it I. All the congregation must bring an heifer to Moses out of the heard 1. All the congregation for not one in the congregation but needs a meanes of purging 2. This meanes must be a Cow not an Oxe or Bull. The imbecillity of the sexe noteth the great humility of our Lord Jesus who being the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah would so abase and weaken himselfe for our sakes 3. They must take her from the heard so our cleanser must be taken from among our selves being true and perfect man taking our nature and our flesh yea our infirmities as the weak sexe importeth in all things save sinne like unto us II. The properties required in this Cow are foure 1. She must be an heifer in her youth and strength Christ offers himselfe and must be taken for a sacrifice in the flower of his strength at three and thirty yeares He offers his best gifts and dyes in his strength and so his offering was more free and acceptable And wee also should offer up our youth strength best times and gifts to Jesus Christ who offered himselfe in his best strength to death for us 2. The Cow must be red Signifying 1. the truth of Christs humane nature being of the same red earth that the first Adams body was 2. the grievousnesse of sinne which he was to undertake and the scarlet staine of it 3. the bitter and bloody passion of Christ and his cruell death The red skin of the Cow resembled the red garments of Christ all besprinkled 1. With his owne blood 2. with the blood of his conquered enemies 3. presented unto his father like the coat of Ioseph all stained with blood 3. The Cow must be without spot or blemish to signifie the purity of our Lord Iesus in whom was never any spot or staine of sinne Though he was contented to be counted a sinner yet he was no sinner And though he had sinne on himselfe he had none in himselfe as the Cow was slain for sin not being sinfull Christ was ruddy through his passion yet most white and spotlesse by his most perfect and absolute righteousnesse She must be without yoke on which never yoke came signifying 1. that Christ not necessarily but voluntarily tooke our nature that he might free us from our yoke 2. his absolute freedome from all the yoke of sinne farther then he voluntarily undertooke the burthen of it 3. that he was never subject to the yoke of humane precepts and commandement being the Law-giver to prescribe Lawes to all not to receive Lawes from any 4. that none could compell him to suffer for sinne but his whole obedience active and passive was a freewill offering hee having power to lay downe his life and to take it up againe 5. he was more free from the yoke then any red heifer could be She indeed must be free in her selfe he not onely free in himselfe but he must free all beleevers from the yoke whom the sonne sets free they are free indeed III. The actions about the Cow were five ver 5. 1. Action 1. The congregation must deliver the Cow to be slaine so was Christ delivered to be slaine by the whole body of the Iews 2. She must not be delivered to Aaron but to Eleazer his successor signifying that the death of Christ serveth all the successions and ages of the Church and must be taught by the ministers of all ages 2. Action She must be led out of the Camp and there burnt whole to ashes her skin flesh blood and dung ver 5. Signifying 1. that Christ must be led out of the gate of Ierusalem to suffer Heb. 13. and there 2. must be crucified by which he was made a whole burnt offering 3. that whole Christ is our comfort his flesh our meate his blood our drinke yea the very base dung of those contumelies cast upon him were a part of his sacrifice offered up in the fire of his passion for us to sweeten and sanctifie ours 3. Action Eleazer must take of the blood with his finger and sprinkle towards the foreside of the Tabernacle of the assembly seven times ver 4. Signifying 1. the purging of us by the blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience 2. that Christs death profits none to whom it is not specially applyed for the Cowes blood must be not shed onely but sprinkled 3. that onely the people and congregation of God have benefit of the death and blood of Christ for it was sprinkled directly before the Tabernacle 4. the seven times sprinkling noteth 1. that that one oblation hath vertue and merit enough 2. the perfection of justification 3. the need of often application of Christs death 4. the duration of it to all ages 4. Action She must bee burnt with Cedar wood scarlet lace and hysope all which must be cast into the fire with her ver 6. signifying 1. three things in Christ. 1. the Cedar of uncorrupt life 2. the scarlet of fervent love to mankinde 3. the hysope of savoury obedience in all things to his father all which were in all his sufferings and fire of his passion sweetning it 2. they noted three things arising from Christs sufferings 1. immortality signified by the Cedar which is not subject to putrefaction 2. the scarlet the merit of his blood applyed to justification 3. the hysope of mortification healing our corruptions as hysope hath an healing quality All these three properly arise from the passion of Christ. 5. Action A cleane person must gather the ashes of the heifer and lay them without the Campe in a clean place ver 9. signifying 1. the buriall of Christ in a cleane and new tombe wherein never man lay a cleane place never used before 2. that the merit of Christs death is ever laid before God in the highest and holiest heavens 3. the Christians account of Christs merit and passion who layeth them up as his chiefe treasure in the cleane place of a pure heart and conscience an onely fit closet to keep the mystery
bee troden under foot signifying the preciousnesse of the blood of Christ 1. in respect of God 2. of Christ 3. of the Church For 1. God the Father highly prizeth this blood and saves it in a golden vessell that it may be ever before him and that the streames of it may pacifie his displeasure and confirme the Covenant of grace with his Church Whence it is called the blood of the Covenant Heb. 9. 18 2. It was precious in regard of Jesus Christ seeing every drop of it was the blood not of an innocent man onely but of one that was God as well as man Act. 20. 28. God with his owne blood purchased the Church and therefore it was a blood of infinite vertue and infinite merit 3. Every true member of the Church doth most highly esteeme it as the most precious thing in all the world and with great care and reverence receives it into the vessell of precious and saving faith and there keepes it safely as men doe their most precious commodities 2. The blood of the lamb must be sprinkled upon the lintell and side posts of the doores of the Israelites vers 22. 1. In that it must be sprinkled it signified that the blood of Christ must be applied unto us for our righteousnesse stands not in the shedding of Christs blood but in sprinkling and application of Christs blood shed and sprinkled upon our soules and consciences to purge them from dead works 2. It must be sprinkled upon the posts and doores so as the Israelites could neither go out of doores nor in but they must see on all sides the blood of the lamb signifying that they and wee should both at home and abroad going forth and comming in and on all occasions have the passion of Jesus Christ before our eyes in the holy meditation and deep contemplation of it 3. It was not enough for the Jew that the lamb was slaine and the blood shed within the house but it must be sprinkled without doores that every man might see it and signifyed that if Christ blood and the merit of it be shed in the houses of our hearts for justification and righteousnesse the sprinkling of it will appeare and bee seene without in holy life and practise of sanctification 3. This blood of the lamb must not bee sprinkled with the bare hands but with a bunch of hyssope dipt in the blood vers 22 which signified that every one which puts forth his hand is not sprinkled with Christs blood unlesse he have provided this bunch of hyssope Hyssope is faith and faith resembles this herbe in foure things 1. It is a ground herbe low and weake so faith in it selfe and in us is weake fraile feeble and of most despised Neither hath every man that hath hyssope in his garden this bunch of hyssope in his heart 2. Rooting in a rocke for so it used among the Jews whence some thought it to bee Pellitory of the wall Faith roots it selfe upon the rocke Jesus Christ and cannot grow or prosper in any other soile Other hyssope roots in earth this in heaven 3. It is an herbe cleansing and curing Faith onely is an herbe of soveraigne vertue both to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9 and to heale all the wounds of conscience Act. 16. 31. the Gaoler wounded and pricked in heart must beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and bee saved Our Lord himselfe was wont to say to distressed persons According to thy faith bee it to thee 4. It was fitter then other herbes for the receiving and sprinkling of liquor so faith although a low and weake plant is onely fit to receive the precious liquor of the blood of Christ. Onely faith draws vertue from Christ as in the poore woman that stood behind Christ Marke 5. 34. And the want of this bunch of hyssope disables Christ from doing thee any good Christ could doe nothing in Capernaum for their unbelief I. Note hence how wee are to prize and magnifie the blood of Christ. For if the shadow of this precious blood must be so preserved so carefully saved in a costly vessell how much more ought the blood it selfe Quest. How may I prize the blood of Christ Answ. 1 Consider with the dignity of the person the infinite value of it That it is able to purchase the whole Church of God Act. 20. 28. which a thousand worlds of wealth could not doe No wealth in heaven or earth besides this can redeeme one soule And therefore the Apostle 1. Pet. 1. 19. sets this precious blood against all corruptible things as gold and silver and things so much set by amongst men 2. Consider the precious things which it procures us both in earth and in heaven 1. Here below it procures us foure things 1. Reconciliation and peace with God Rom. 3. 25. and Ephes. 2. 13. wee which were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ. 2. A sweet tranquillity of mind and peace of conscience which all worldly treasure cannot purchase because now wee are within the Covenant of God living in his love which is better then life and in this love is no lacke but an abundant supply of all needfull things All which Covenant of grace is made and ratified by this blood therefore called the blood of the Covenant Heb. 9. 3. Victory against all the malignity of our spirituall enemies even the greatest Satan himselfe who is overcome by the blood of the lamb Revel 12. 11. 4. Immunity and safety from all the judgements and dangers threatned against our sinnes else had we died without mercy for despising Moses law Heb. 10. 28. For if there were such force in the blood of the type that by the effusion of it the Israelites lay safe and untouched of the revenging Angel Heb. 11. 28 much more in this blood of Jesus Christ to cover beleevers in his Name from the hand of Gods revenge due to our transgressions 2. This precious blood now in heaven procures us the most needfull and excellent good things above all that wee can imagine Especially two wayes 1. By opening heaven for our prayers for this blood pleads for us now in heaven and speaks better things for us then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. That called for vengeante against the sinner this intreateth for daily grace for daily sinnes and procures daily mercies for daily supplies 2. As to our prayers so this blood openeth heaven to our persons This blood onely rents the vaile asunder and makes a way into the holy of holies and gives entrance into the kingdome of heaven Heb. 10. 19. by the blood of Jesus we are bold to enter into the holy place This blood is the onely key that unlocks heaven for else the Lord dwells in light which no flesh can have accesse to 1 Tim. 6. 16. namely without Christ and the shedding of his blood II. Is the blood of Christ so precious
Christ to Moses of grace to the Law and of the new Testament to the Old 2. To the perfections For in the choice of the Priest were requisite many externall perfections Levit. 21. 17. Whosoever of thy seed hath any blemishes shall not prease to offer the bread of his God Hee must not be blind lame nor mishapen Wherein the Lord would not onely provide for the dignity of that calling in that infancy of the Church which otherwise if the Priesthood had beene in outward shew contemptible many might have drawen not their persons onely into contempt but even all such holy things as they handled But especially to signifie Jesus Christ our high Priest to bee without all blemish the onely immaculate Lambe that takes away the sinnes of the world For although no other mortall man could be without some blemish of sinne or other yet it became us to have such an high Priest as is holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7. 26. And as our Lord was spotlesse and without all blemish so also perfect in all parts and perfections He wanted no part no gift no sufficiency to discharge that function too weighty for men and Angels I. In this our unblemished high Priest wee have a sufficient cover for all our blemishes both of soule and body 1. If never so blemished in soule by sinne by infirmity if wee have a thousand wants and eye-sores if we bewaile and resist them here is helpe and remedy in our high Priest against them all For as those persons that had such blemishes might not stand at the Altar to doe duties there yet they were allowed in the Congregation and to eate from the Altar of the sacrifices as the Preists did Levit. 21. 22 So all defects and weaknesses which the Saints carry as a burthen shall not hinder them from participating in the good things purchased by Christs sacrifice nor cast them out of place of the elect neither here nor for ever 2. Be thou never so blemished and deformed or maimed in body now the truth being come God respects not according to the outward appearance And although the honour of the Ministery must bee respected and the choisest of our children are not too good for Gods service yet now it is farre better a good Minister without an eye or a hand or foot then a Congregation without a good Minister II. All these outward perfections of the body in all the Priests high and low point us to such endowments and gifts of minde which the Lord expects in Ministers before they attempt this high calling 1. He of all men must not bee blind or ignorant Hos. 4. 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge thou art rejected from being a Priest to me How should he be a light to others that himselfe is in darknesse If the eye bee darke so is all the body 2. Hee must not have either a blind or a blemished eye an eye filled with envie at another mans gifts and prosperity Nor a squint eye looking indirectly upon every thing not aiming at Gods glory or the building of Christs Kingdome but his owne glory wrath lusts ends 3. He must not be lame or cripled in his feet but make right steps to his feet Heb. 12. 13. Upright in his way not right doctrine onely but right life also 4. Hee must not have a flat nose that is without discretion or judgement to discerne truth and falsehood good and evill things fit and unfit As the nose discernes smells so to discerne companies and courses 5. Hee must not have a crooked backe bended downwards and almost broken with earthly cares hindering his eye from looking towards heaven and interrupting heavenly contemplations and studye And so in the rest Would God such care were had in the choice and permission of Evangelicall Ministers as in the Old We should not see the Churches pestered with so many unworthy illiterate men fitter for any trade then this so holy calling Sect. II. II. His consecration set downe Exo. 29. 1. wherein were three thiâ—gs 1. Washing 2. Anointing 3. â— Sacrificing and purifying with blood And this consecration to continue seven dayes together Which in generall shadowed the surpassing sanctity and purity of Christ above all other men and Angels Whom the devills themselves call that holy One of God Mark 1. 24. In speciall verse 4. the washing did not onely admonish them to cleanse and purge themselves from the inward defilement of their sinnes before they undertooke that holy calling but plainly pointed at the washing and Baptisme of Christ who undertaking his Ministery went into the water and was baptized Mat. 3. The anointing by the holy Oyle verse 7. signified the anointing of Christ with the holy Spirit without measure Isai. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach Psal. 45. 7. God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above all thy fellowes In which regard Christ was called by eminency the anointed of God and the Priests as types touch not mine anointed In this anointing 1. The matter holy Oile signifying the Spirit of God and his gifts for much similitude and agreement betweene them 1. That was made of the most precious things in all the world Exod. 30. 25 So the holy graces of the Spirit are the best things in the world Luk. 11. 13. there is no gift to this Oile swimmes aloft So the Spirit and graces are highest 2. No stranger had that Oile but onely persons and things sanctified So none but Gods Elect have these precious and saving mercies Ioh. 14. 17. The world cannot receive it that is gifts not common but of sanctification 3. That perfumd all the place where it was It is the Spirit of God that sweetens and perfumes all our actions and natures otherwise most corrupt and loathsome to God 4. That sanctified the thing to which it was applied and set it aside to an holy use Without this Oile the sacrifice of the Jew was as if hee had killed a dog It is the Spirit that sets us apart and sanctifieth to the Lord us our persons our actions 2. Tim. 2. 21. The service that wants the spirit is hatefull to God 5. Oile is cleare and shining and makes other things anointed to shine The holy Ghost within enlightneth the mind and brings in the true light and knowledge of God 1. Ioh. 2. 27. the anointing shall teach you all things 6. Oile hath the force of fire in penetrating and subtly pearcing and is the fuell and feeder of fire and flames So the Spirit of God is a pearcing fire in the heart and kindles and maintaines in it the ardent flames of the love of God Holy thoughts as sparkes flie upward 7. Oile suppleth cherisheth comforteth So the Spirit of consolation anoints with oile of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. It is he that brings peace and tranquillity into consciences 2. The measure powred in abundance upon Aarons
of faith in IV. The use and end of these ashes was twofold ver 9. 1. They must be kept for the Congregation signifying that there shall never want supply of grace and merit from the death of Christ to any beleever that sees his need of them 2. Of them was made a water of seperation thus A cleane person tooke of the ashes of the red Cow burnt and put pure water into a vessell and taking hysope dipped it and sprinkled it upon the tent the persons and vessels and upon the uncleane person the third and seventh day and so he washing his clothes and flesh with water was cleane at even ver 18 19. signifying 1. that the blood of Christ is the onely water of seperation for persons separate to seperate them from their uncleannesse The water made of the ashes of Christs death bloodshed sprinkled upon the unclean can onely purge the conscience from dead workes 2. that this blood of Christ must be sprinkled with hysope of faith and mortification For hysope hath a cleansing quality and is put sometimes for that which onely and properly cleanseth purge me with hysope that is with the blood of that eternall sacrifice figured by that which is sprinkled with hysope 3. that this blood of Christ must bee often applied the third day and the seventh day The death and merit of Christ must be often meditated and applied to the heart For it is a perpetuall and eternall purging and sprinkling water in the Church and we must have daily recourse unto it I. That the Lord hath appointed meanes for cleansing all kind of impurity 1. That his people and we might know that by no infirmity and frailty we shall fall quite out of the grace of God 2. That the Lord takes not the forfeit of all the scapes and foule falls of his children utterly to forsake them seeing the Jew that was legally polluted seventy times seven times was as often received in againe as he was cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 3. That we should not despaire nor the weake Christian bee quite dejected in the sence of the multitude of his frailties and foule touches seeing the Gospel affoords us the remedy and meanes to cleanse all morall uncleannesse no lesse certainly and fully then the Law to the Jews to purge their legall II. As the Jew was no sooner defiled by touching a dead man or bone or grave or tent or any thing about him but hee must presently repaire to the meanes of legall cleansing So every Christian defiled by the least touch of any dead worke must have recourse to the remedy appointed in the Gospel The Law appointed the water of the ashes of a redd Cow but the Gospel appoints the redd blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled and applied by faith as by hyssope upon the conscience Consider 1. The necessity The person defiled not having this sprinkling upon him shall be cut off from Israel verse 13. So whosoever hath not the blood of Christ sprinkled upon his soule shall bee cut off from the number and inheritance of the Saints Mark 16. 16 hee that beleeves not shall be damned 2. Every sinne is a separation from God who being a God of pure eyes cannot abide the filth of it and therefore wee had need continually to have this water of separation for the washing of our hearts daily and often every day because it is gathering some uncleannesse every houre yea every moment 3. An uncleane creature or vessell could not bee of any service to man for hee must not touch it till it be cleansed So a sinner so long as he is uncleane and impenitent cannot be of any good use nor present any acceptable service to God And therefore the Prophet Wash you and cleanse you and then come No man dare present any thing to a King with a foule hand the Lord will accept no such present 2. Cor. 6. 17 18. touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you and bee a father unto you Implying that the Lord will not receive him that any way communicats with sinne if obstinate and impenitent 4. Nothing else can recover our beauty and first estate of holinesse and happinesse but this laver A cloth once soiled never recovers the beauty and whitenesse but by washing This laver onely brings backe a white and unspotted innocency All the holy water in the Sea of Rome cannot wash one sinne for that hath no commandement no institution no promise Besides all legall Ceremonies are dead which in their life time could not cleanse by the meere deed done as they say theirs doth 5. How vaine is it to see men and women curious and carefull in washing their bodies and clothes they will not suffer the least spot on them but wash them weekely and yet goe on yeare by yeare in the foule defilements of sinne and never desire to be washed and rinsed in the water of separation nay nothing more troubles them then to be called to reformation A cleanly man will have his clothes washed weekely but his hands and face every day A cleanly Christian will not be lesse carefull of his heart III. Seeing there was so much businesse in legall cleansing of the least foulenesse how carefull were the Jews to avoid those foulenesses and how much more should Christians bee to avoid the morall 1. In themselves A good heart will be affected with the least touch of sinne as David to cut Sauls lappet and to avoid appearance as well as evill it selfe 2. From others For the Jew might bee impured from others as well as by himselfe We must not communicate in other mens sinnes 1. Tim. 5. 22. The just man bewareth not onely sinne it selfe but even the contagion and infection of sinne Watch thy selfe as privie to thine own weaknesse and thy adversaries subtlety and strength Watch against others sinnes as being beset with snares Resolve with good Iacob Gen. 49 6. Into their secret my soule shall not come This strict watching is counted commonly foolish precisenesse nicety hatefull purity but God esteemes it otherwise It is an apparant losse of mens favour preferments and worldly helps but hee onely finds the favour of God and the happinesse to see God Sect. VII The oblation for uncleane issues leading us to Christ is appointed Levit. 15. 14 15. In this 1. What fowles must bee prepared for the offering two Turtles or two young Pigeons and so for the womans vers 29. Of the cleane kind of birds signifying and resembling the purity of Christs humane nature Besides his innocencie simplicity meeknesse chastity charity fruitfulnesse of all which vertues these Doves were expresse Emblems 2. What was the use of these fowles 1. They must bring them to the Priest No man must offer his owne sacrifices but must present them to God by Christ the onely high Priest 2. They must bring them to the doore of the Tabernacle for publicke service
and poyson so the devill casts out nothing but virulent words against God and his Saints and spewes out after the Church a flood of poyson to drowne her How hee blasphemed Iob how he is the accuser of the brethren how of the head Christ himselfe the Scripture declares Fiftly as a serpent is cursed above all beasts so is the devill The first cursed creature in the world was this serpent and hath ever since remained the cursed head of all cursed rebells and wicked ones to whose custody and condemnation they shall all be gathered in the last day Mat. 25. 41. goe ye cursed c. 2. Why called fiery serpents Answ. 1. From their colour Through abundance of poison they had a shining and glistring skinne and they seemed as if they had been made of fire A resemblance wee have in our snakes that seeme to shine and sparkle against the Sunne 2. From their effect For with their sting they infused such poison into the bodies of the Israelites as stirred up in them an outragious heat and fire Now these diseases are most painfull and so tormentfull as if a wild-fire were in the bowels feeding upon the bones marrow and members 3. From their end First because they were appointed by God and after a sort inflamed and kindled with desire of revenge of the Lords wrongs and they so fiercely assaulted the Israelites as if a raging and devouring fire had seased upon them which no way they could avoid Secondly that in their punishment they might bee admonished both what a fearefull fire of Gods wrath they had kindled by their sin against themselves as also that they had deserved a more fearefull fire in hell to seize upon their whole man everlastingly 3. Why stinging serpents Answ. To imply unto us First that sinne is the sting of this old serpent even a poisoned sting that hee hath thrust into all mankind But with this difference in that this poison is farre more generall and the wounds infinitely more mischievous then were those of the fiery serpents For 1. They stung a few Israelites but not all but this serpent hath stung all mankind none excepted 2. They stung the bodies onely but these soules and bodies also 3. They stung one part of the body this serpent all parts and whole man 4. They to a temporall death this to an eternall Secondly to imply that sinne is the sting of a fiery serpent 1. Set on fire with wrath and cruelty and desire to poison and destroy us Revel 12. 17. 2. Setting on us with fiery darts For so his temptations are called Ephes. 6. 16. for three reasons 1. From the manner and custome of souldiers in times past which cast poisoned darts the poison of which inflamed the wounded bodies and made the wounds incurable As now many out of desperate malice poison their weapons and bullets to make sure with their enemy So doth Satan by all meanes poison his darts to speed the Christians soule 2. Because as fiery darts they inflame and kindle in the heart all manner of burning lusts and sinnes one of them being but as a sparke or firebrand to kindle another 3. Because they leave for most part a cauterized and seared conscience behind them as if they were burnt with an hot iron which makes the sinner stung senslesse of his wound Whence is another miserable difference betweene the stung Israelite and the stung sinner The former was alwayes felt with griefe and paine but this often not felt and so more desperate Thirdly the effect of this stinging was death in many And so the effect of sinne is death in all The stung Israelite had death in his bosome and no other could be expected so the guilty sinner is stung to death In his nature is every man the sonne of death and can expect nothing but death every moment And as the stung person in the wildernesse had no meanes in himselfe nor from others to avoid either the serpent or death from it till God appointed them the brazen serpent So the poore sinner was destitute of all helpe in himselfe and others till the Lord appointed Jesus Christ the promised seed to breake the serpents head There is given no name else whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. First note hence how deceitfull are the pleasures of sinne It is as a sweet poison Iob 20. 12. sweet in the mouth but poison in the bowels What wise man would drink a draught of poison for the sweet taste of it Wicked men hold sinne as a sweet morsell but sower sauce followes it Secondly what little cause we have to love our sinnes for that is to love our owne bane Prov. 8. 35. Hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death No sinne but the more pleasing the more poisoning the more delicate the more deadly Sinne never so much disguised never the lesse deadly Thirdly that sinners are but dead men while they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. An Israelite stung was but a dead man So although the reasonable soule in a sinner makes him a man yet the want of the Spirit of grace makes him a dead man Death waits upon sinne as the wages on the worke and hell upon death that comes before repentance Fourthly A foole hee is that makes a mocke of sinne Who would play with a deadly serpent or make a jest of his owne death or drink up the poison of a serpent in merriment or cast darts firebrands about him to burne himselfe and others and say Am I not in sport See Prov. 26. 18. and 10. 23. and 14. 9. Oh that wee could discerne our wounds as sensibly as we are certainly stung It would make us runne to God and get Moses to goe to God for us and pray that these serpents and painfull wounds might be removed If wee saw death as present and as ghastly in our sins as Israel did in their stinging we would hasten our repentance and seeke after meanes of cure Sect. II. The remedy is First prescribed Num. 21. 8. Secondly applied vers 9. Thirdly in the same verse is the effect they recovered and lived So then in the remedy are I. ordination 2. application 3. sanation or cure 1. The appointing hath First the person appointing which was God himselfe who devised it and prescribed it to Moses for God will save onely in his owne meanes So God himselfe so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Ioh. 3. 16. This way of remedy and cure could bee no devise of man nor Angel For 1. The Angels stand still admiring and amazed at it 1. Pet. 1. 12. 2. Men without a superiour teacher cannot conceive it 1. Cor. 2. 14. much lesse invent it Secondly the thing appointed a serpent of brasse resembling Christ in the matter and the forme 1. The matter was of brasse not gold for five reasons 1. God ties not himselfe
religious persons when times do else not To avoid pernicious and dangerous sinnes which law revengeth as murder adultery theft but not covetousnesse not usury not swearing not uncleane lusts Herod will not part with his Herodias Ahab hath no reason to respect Micah when he prophecies evill to him 3. Trades men oppresse cosen lye deceive c because they have reason to make the best of their owne What reason but they may serve a Customer upon the Sabbath so they come to Church They have reason to slip all opportunities of grace all the weeke because they must walke diligently in their callings the sixe dayes Thus reason steps in and thrusts aside the practise of that which men in judgement hold not for good and necessary and like Evah still longing after forbidden fruit Thus of the second observation Sect. VI. III. Seeing all of us in this wildernesse are stung with the old Serpent what are we to doe to be cured Answ. we are to doe five things 1. We must feele our selves stung with our sinnes and confesse our selves stung for so must the Israelite before he could be cured We must feele the poyson and paine of sinne and First that this poyson hath not seated it selfe in one place but hath crept and diffused it selfe through all our parts For therefore it is called venenum quod per venas eat And as the vaynes and blood runne through every part of the body so sinne through every part of the man Secondly as poyson never rests till it come to the heart and there strikes and corrupts the fountaine of life So our sinne hath mortally wounded our very hearts and strikes at the life of grace in the soule Thirdly as poyson inflames the party with an incredible thirst having overcome naturall moysture and eaten up the spirits so sinne in the soule workes an utter defect and dryes up all waters of grace and makes the sinner insatiable in drinking up iniquity like water Fourthly as poyson not prevented brings speedy and certaine death but not without extreame paine and intolerable torture so the poyson of sinne unconquered brings certaine and eternall death attended with horrour of conscience desperate feares and torments most exquisite Thus must we labour to feele the sting of our sin in all parts far more mortall then the most venemous stings of most direfull Serpents 2. When this people felt themselves stung so deadly they come to Moses for counsell so must thou depend upon the Minister for direction as they upon Moses Never was man sensible of this sting but he would runne to the Ministers Act. 2. 37 when they were pricked in their hearts they said to Peter and the rest Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 16. 30 the poore Jaylor being stung and sensible of his paine came trembling and humbling himselfe to Paul and Silas prisoners saying Sirs what must I doe to bee saved A conscience truely wounded will seeke to God to his word and Ministers for it knowes that God woundeth and healeth The feet of him that brings good tidings are beautifull to an humbled heart even as an experienced Physitian to a sicke party who else were sure to be lost for want of meanes What marveile if a soule truely sensible of his sting and paine can runne to Gods Ministers when a counterfeit humiliation can make as hard hearted a King as Pharaoh runne to Moses and Aaron and beg prayers of them A marveilous thing then that of so many thousands stung so deadly so few are sensible that so few trouble Moses or the Ministers with questions concerning their estates Some stung and guilty consciences not supported by faith in touch of sinne and sence of paine like a Doe shot with an arrow runne every way but the right for ease Some with Asa send to the Physitian to purge away melancholy Some with Saul send for musick esteeming soules sicknesse but a sottish lumpishnesse Some runne into the house of laughter and wicked playhouses to see and heare the Lords Sampsons and worthies derided not without haynous blasphemy Others fall a building with Cain or set upon other imployments perhaps it is but an idle fancy Some runne perhaps to the Witch of Endor in the meane time send away Paul as Felix or runne against Moses and his Ministers But comfort can they have none but from God and his word had not thy word saith David beene my comfort I had perished in my trouble All the Physitians in the world all the Musitians and Magicians put together nor any other meanes could helpe a stunge Israelite he must come to Moses when hee had done all hee could All other by-comforts are worme eaten and as cold water to cure a dropsie or as a cold draught to cure a poyson Some few there are that come unto us who we are sure had never sought to us more then others had they had so little sence of their sting as other have as the Israelites had never come at Moses had they not beene slung Let them be comforted in that they have gone the right way to fetch their comforts which is from God and his word and not from carnall men or councels The Lord in mercy hath brought them light out of darkenesse for pittie had it beene they had wanted the sting of affliction that hath driven them to God and to his word and servants 3. Comming to Moses wherein do they imploy them what questions move they to him Numb 21. 7. Oh their sinne troubles them which they confesse in generall we have sinned and in particular wee have spoken against the Lord and against thee and then pray him to helpe them in removing the Serpents So thou being stung when thou comest to Gods Ministers wilt be conversant in fruitfull and edifiable questions thou must be free in confession of such sinnes as are the likely cause of thy trouble and intent and busie how to be rid of the Serpents and the sting and poyson of thy sinnes Thou will be carefull to know how to get ease of heart and quietnesse of conscience from the paine and sting of sinne So the converts Act. 2 and so the Jaylor What shall I do to be saved The fault of many is when they have meanes of counsell and cōfort present with them to waste their time in trifling and curious questions and impertinent to the cure of the sting of the Serpent Questions which are like Crafishes in which is more picking then meat Questions meerely idle the resolution of which helps them no whit to ease or to heaven An humbled heart will not so lose his time nor dwell in toyes and unnecessaries to thrust out things more profitable A wise heart will not for a shadow forgoe the substance but will be much in that question of the young man Mr. what may I doe to inherit eternall life what may I doe to be saved what may I doe to be rid of this Serpent and