their neighbours wives and cover the countrey with a bastardly broode and hold in their doctrine better they should have an hundred Concubines then one married wife and in their practise adjudge married ministers to death but adulterous priests to a light penance and that bought out with a trifle or word of a friend One story is memorable out of the booke of the Acts of the Romane Bishops when the Kings visiters in England in the yeare 1538 visited the Abbyes they found in some of their styes rather then religious houses five in some ten in some twenty Sodomits and adulterers of which some kept five some seven some twenty harlots So Gregory the first enjoyning single life to the Clergy sent for fish to his ponds and had sixe thousand heads wherupon sighing he said It is better to marry then to burne Bede denyes the story although of Huldericus Bishop of August◠to pope Nicholas III. A third Law for common actions He must be very moderate in mourning for the dead Lev. 21. 2. 3. the ordinary priest must mourne onely for his mother father sonne daughter brother or his sister if a maid because she was yet in the house and family but without the family he might not lament for any no not for the prince ver 4. Quest. Might he not mourne for his wife For some thinke not because she is not named neither in that Law nor in the repetition of it Ezech. 44. 25. Answ. I thinke he might But the wife is not named because 1. she is one with himselfe 2. if for daughter and sister much more for wife which is nearer 3. the Prophet Ezechiel was charged not to mourne for his wife being a Prophet and priest Ezech. 24. 16 which seemes an exception from the ordinary manner But for the high Priest he might not mourne for any of them named neither in likelyhood for his wife nor uncover his head nor rent his clothes nor goe to any dead body nor go out of the Sanctuary for the crowne of the anoynting oyle of his God is upon his head This Law had in it both ceremony and perpetuity in substance of it In the ceremony the Priest might not mourne for the dead 1. Because mourning for the dead was counted a Legall uncleannesse ver 11. 2. The oyle of holy oyntment was upon his head being oyle of gladnesse 3. They must bee contrary to the foolish manner and fashion of the Priests and people of the Gentiles who were so passionate and excessive in their affected and sometimes forced mourning as they fell into indecent and unlimited behaviours 4. The Priest and especially the high Priest was to be a type of eternity and therefore must show no such signe of weaknesse and corruption as weeping is Hence it is that wee read not of the death of an high Priest but ever before his death another was appointed and installed So before Aaron dyed Eleazer was installed and before his death was Phinehas Numb 20. 28 Hence it is that wee read not of their raignes and times how long or short any of them lived as of the Judges and Kings which closely noteth and implyeth unto us that they were types of eternity and immortality 5. In the ceremony this Law hath a speciall ayme and respect to Jesus Christ our high Priest in whom was no blot no spot or morall pollution as that high Priest most carefully was restrained from every Legall pollution He wept indeed sundry times for the dead as for Lazarus c. because he was to abolish the Legall ceremonies and this among other It being in him sufficient that most perfectly he preserved himselfe from morall pollution In which sence he never uncovered his head that is was never so weake or inglorious by passion but that he ever maintained union with his father and abode the powerfull head of his Church Neither did he rent his garments that is his holy flesh baked as it were in the oven of afflictions extended and rent on the crosse cast aside in the grave was never rent off from his divinity but was ever from the first moment of Hypostaticall union present with it and shall be for all eternity He never goes out of the Sanctuary to mourne for the dead for the crowne and oyle of God is upon him For as in his life he being most holy was not subject to be quite subdued in the house of death so now after his resurrection he hath attained all excellency of glory and happinesse free from all misery and sorrow never to be interrupted any more by any griefe or adversary power The Crowne of God is set upon his head for ever The perpetuity and substance of this Law concernes both Ministers and people 1. To teach both the one and the other not to grow into excesse of sorrow or passion but to be examples of gravity moderatiō wel weilding of affections to be patternes of patience and holy obedience in suffering extreame adversities as well as in the actions and exercise of practick vertues 2. To give testimony of their hope and assurance of the happy resurrection of their friends for whom they must not sorrow as men without hope 3. To shew that no occasion or naturall affection no not the nearest and greatest change befalling their outward estate might distract them from their charge and duty or so disquiet the peaceable tranquillity of their minds as any part of their duty might be hindred for matter or manner And therefore in this case our Saviour confirming the perpetuall equity of this Law saith Let the dead bury their dead follow thou me And the Lord is so strict in this case Lev. 10. 6 that when Aarons sonnes were so strangely slaine before his face he must not mourne nor stir a foote out of his Ministery lest he dye and therefore the text saith Aaron held his peace ver 3. So no outward respect of duty to friends must call us from duty to God Ob. If the Priest must not weepe how could they seriously repent of their sins Answ. The Priest must not weepe for any temporal losses nor for personall losses and in naturall regards he must be impassionate but for his sinnes he might Ieremy a Prophet and Priest wisheth his head a fountaine of teares The high priest must weepe for his owne and the peoples sinnes in the day of expiation and if he weepe not he must dye So Ioel 2. 17. all the priests must howle and cry and weepe between the porch and the Altar Christ wept often and all for sinne as for Lazarus on the Crosse over Ierusalem Whence we note 1. That the proper cause of mourning is sinne He that must not shed a teare for any other cause in the world must shed teares for his sin upon pain of death Oh that they would thinke of this that glory in their sinne 2. Let us so order our affections as
Father So the Jewes by Gods permission breake their sleepe and early in the morning proceed to the condemning of Christ who is called the Hinde of the morning Psa. 22. 1. compassed with dogges that hunted his life and Christ as another Isaac after his passion rose early in the morning to fulfill the worke of his Father 3. Neither of them must be offered every where or any where but both in a mountaine and such a mountaine as must typifie Christs humane nature Mount Moriah must beare the Temple built by Salomon a type of Christs body Ioh. 2. 19. Mount Calvary must beare the body it selfe and these two hills if they be not one and the same as Augustine thinkes and it is not unprobable but that Golgotha was the skirt of Moriah yet could they not be farre distant the one being within the gate of the City and the other not farre without the nearest to the City of all 4. The Father layes first the wood upon both and then both upon the wood both must feele the weight of the wood no small wood to burne a man a whole burnt offering as Isaac but the wood which Christ bore was farre heavier 1. For the greatnesse of the burthen 2. For the burthensomenesse of our sinnes Isay 53. 4. he bare all our diseases And then both by Gods appoyntment were bound on the wood fastened hand and foot not that either was unwilling but to retaine the manner appointed for sacrifice 5. Isaac must be offered alone the servants must stay at the foot of the hill a farre off little knowing the businesse and sorrow in hand So Christ must tread the Winepresse alone Isa. 63. 3. the Disciples feare and fly and little consider the agony of their Master 6. The Father carryes in his hand the sword and fire against his owne sonne the sword signifying the justice of God the fire his burning wrath against the sinnes of men Both bent against Christ both sustained by this Isaac in whom the justice of God is satisfied and the flame of his wrath extinct and quenched IV. In his scape and deliverance 1. The blow is a fetching but Abraham must hold his had Isaacs flesh must not be pierced or cut The souldiers ready to breake the legges of Christ as of the two theeves must stay their hands not a bone of him must be broken 2. Isaac offred and three dayes dead in his fathers purpose and minde yet dyed not but his Father received him as from the dead so Christ offered upon his Divinity dyed not and his humanity dead in the belly of the earth after three dayes he revived and raysed himselfe againe to die no more So both were delivered from death the third day wherein the Apostle plainely makes him a type Heb. 11. 19. from whence he received him as in a type or resemblance that is to be a type or resemblance of Christs resurrection from death 3. The Ramme that was offered for Isaac was caught by the head among the thornes and hanged in a bush Christ our sacrifice was hanged on a tree crowned with thornes and so hung on the Crosse to expiate our sinnes compared to thorns and bryers which would for ever have held us if they had not held him V. In his mariage 1. Rebekah was faire and beautifull so the Church is faire in the beauty of Christ and faire within 2. Shee was of his owne kinred and flesh Gen. 24. 4 so Christs spouse is of the same flesh which himselfe assumed 3. She was wooed by his fathers servants and brought forwards toward Isaac so the Church is wooed by pastors and Preachers the servants of Christ and so brought forwards by his friends towards the bridegroome 4. She resolved to forsake all her friends and comforts to come to Isaac so the Church forsakes all in affection and actually being called to enjoy her head and husband Jesus Christ. 5. She decks her self with jewels and trims her selfe before she comes to Isaac but covers all with a vaile so the Church prepares her selfe as a Bride for a Bridegroome trimms her selfe with faith and graces as Jewells but covers and vailes all with humility modesty shame facenesse as not worthy to be seene much lesse matched to such an husband 6. In her comming towards Isaac Isaac meets her so the Church comming towards Christ he meets her afarre off 1. by his grace of election 2. by his most entyre love and affection 3. by most gracious acceptation 4. In person and Incarnation 5. In glory and power at the last Judgement for her finall salvation I. In the type and truth note a patterne by which to frame our obedience Phil. 2. 8. Let the same minde bee in us that was in them 1. To bee humbly obedient unto our father as they 2. Having never so difficult a Commandement As Abraham rose early to obey God and Isaac as early to obey his Father and Christ was content early in the morning to bee prosecuted to death so let not us procrastinate but hasten to our duty especially to our sacrifices of prayer and prayses early in the morning Psal. 108. 2. 3. As Abraham in offering nor Isaac in obeying consulted not with flesh and blood acquainted neither Sarah nor the servants nor consulted with humane wisdome to hinder obedience no more must we in our obedience So Paul Gal. 1. 16. professeth of himselfe that he communicated not with flesh and blood after he had a calling If flesh and blood will object any thing against obedience and extoll it selfe against the knowledge of God bring it captive into the obedience of Christ 2. Corinth 10. 5. 4. Obey in suffering as well as in doing dayly take up our crosse as both they carried the wood of their offering and not repine nor reply We must not thinke that by carrying our crosse wee can performe the worke of our redemption for to that end it was carried by Christ onely yet we must carry it so farre forth as he is a patterne for our imitation yea that we may be conformable to the image of Christ Rom. 8. 29. 5. For the measure sticke not at heavy crosses and burthens they carried heavy loads of wood Wee must not love our lives to the death if God call us therto For both they were obedient unto the death Phil. 2. 8. Such a testimony is given of the Saints Revel 12. 11. they loved not their lives unto the death Now thus to frame our obedience are required two rules I. A change and renovation of our crooked and corrupt nature which is ever rebelling against the law of the minde Nothing wee say is hard to good will But this good will is not to bee found but in such as are regenerate by the Spirit of God who hath made it of an unwilling a willing will And till this change be made every commandement is impossible and an intolerable yoke Let Christ give
head Not dropped but powred signifying the abundance of gifts and graces most plentifully conferred upon Christ our head For as it was proper to the high Priest to bee anointed on the head whereas the common Priests were anointed but in their hands not on their heads So was Christ as the head anointed with oile above all his fellowes and received the spirit beyond measure signified by powring on the head 3. The communication of this oile It stayed not on Aarons head but ranne downe his beard even to the skirts of his garments signifying that the Spirit of grace distills from the head unto all the members of his mysticall body the Catholike Church First the Spirit descends and sits on Christs head then on the Apostles in likenesse of fiery tongues running downe as it were by Aarons beard and from them upon other inferiour persons beleeving their word as unto the skirts of his garment Now a threefold Application hereof I. In the anointing of the high Priest the eminency of Jesus Christ above all creatures whose very Name carrieth in it a note of principality being called the high Priest of our profession And in that this whole consecration of the high Priest in most solemne and stately manner was but a darke shadow of his solemne inauguration into his Office And by this anointing Christ is differenced from the most excellent Priests and Prophets that ever were Aaron Moses Elias Some of them had a most glorious vocation as Moses and in the entry of their callings graced with most divine and powerfull miracles but never any had the spirit sitting on his head but hee None of them by their anointing had all graces nor any grace in perfection but onely begunne and in small degree Moses a beleever wanted faith sometime as when he smote the Rocke which he should have spoken to and the meekest man in the world was sometimes to seeke of his meeknesse Aaron though the oyle was powred on his head was weake as in murmuring against Moses and in making the calfe But in our high Priest all graces and vertues were not inchoate onely but perfect In him knowledge of God was most perfect holinesse most perfect and all kinde of graces in highest degrees Grace sits in his lips not only to move the mind but to change it None of them by anointing could receive graces for others but for themselves onely but hee receives such a measure as runnes over to the sanctifying of the lowest and meanest of his members Hence 1. Ioh. 2. 27. the anointing which wee have of him dwells in you and teacheth you all things And 2. Cor. 1. 21 22. It is God that anointeth us in Christ and sealeth and giveth us the earnest of the Spirit Thus our Lord Jesus is advanced above all his oile shines brightest and swims aloft above all others II. In Aarons and Christs anointing and furnishing to their Office Ministers must labour for a greater measure of this ointment then others to runne downe from them to their skirts They must pray by the Spirit watch by the Spirit walke by the Spirit An unconverted Minister may doe another good but hee hath no promise of blessing nor doth any good to himselfe As the holy ointment was kept in the Sanctuary So Christ is the Sanctuary whence this oile comes The pipes are the word preached Sacraments prayer societies of the Saints and Gods people And such Ministers as contemptuously contemne the conduit-pipes through which this oile drops and flowes scorne to come to Sermons and joyne in holy exercises how doth their oile drie away Instead of this oyle that should fall from them a deale of pitch and slime froth and filthinesse falls on their skirts III. In the communication of this ointment unto us the skirts we learne that Christ is not for himselfe but for us And therefore 1. Examine if thou beest anointed This is to bee a Christian to bee anointed as Christ was Scornest thou this holy oile in thy selfe or others Know thou shalt one day wish the mountaines to fall on thee on whom this oile falls not 2. Hence draw strength in temptation Remember If sollicited to sinne Oh I have the anointing I am taken up and set apart to Gods use I am for God and his glory Neh. 6. 11. 3. Use meanes to attaine a farther measure and be liker Christ. Thou missest a Sermon or the Sacrament thou knowest not what drops of oile thou hast missed 4. Have a care to walke as such as are anointed smelling sweet every where in holy lives speaches prayers in all things edifying thy selfe and others Leave a sweet smell every where behinde thee Let it drop downe from us to others round about us The third thing in the high Priests consecration was sacrificing Exod. 29. 1 2. In which 1. Observe in generall that the Priests must be consecrated by offering all sorts of sacrifices for them and therefore they must take a calfe two rammes unleavened bread cakes and oile vers 1 2. 1. Because of the speciall holinesse and honour of their calling who are to come so neere unto God who will bee specially sanctified in all that come neere him 2. Because sinne in them is more hatefull then in any other and in expiating their sinnes as much is required as for the sinnes of all the Congregation 3. Because they were to offer unto God all the gifts and sacrifices of all the people of all sorts and therefore for them must be offered all sorts to sanctifie them not onely in generall but to their speciall services betweene God and his people 2. In particular The first of these sacrifices must be a sinne offering verse 10. For which they must 1. Take a calfe and offer him for the expiation of sinne verse 14. This yong calfe was a type of Christ who onely by his owne oblation expiated our sinne which otherwise made our selves and duties most hatefull 2. This calfe must be presented before the Lord and his Congregation signifying the willingnesse of Christ to offer up himselfe for the sinnes of men Iohn 19. 11. 3. Aaron and his sonnes must put their hands on the head of the calfe verse 10 not onely to confesse they were worthy to die for their own sinnes but to professe also that the death which they deserved was by the death of the Messiah the high Priest of the new Testament removed off them and transferred upon the beast And not onely the imputation of our sinnes upon Christ but also is signified that wee must lay our hand by a true faith upon Christ our head if we expect any comfort from his death and passion 4. The calfe must be killed before the Lord at the doore of the Tabernacle ver 11 signifying both the death and crucifying of Christ as also the fruit of it by the place That by his death as by a doore an entry is made for us into the Church both
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
hee that comes from heaven is above all His person is above all for God hath exalted him and given him a Name above al names Phil. 2. 9. His worke is above all that men and Angels can comprehend in power and merit His place is above all the head of the Church eminent above all men and Angels 3. A Rock for firmnesse and stability Hee is the strength of Israel on this Rock as on a sure and firme foundation the whole Church is laid and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Matt. 16. 18. Hence he is a Rock of defence and safety to his chosen and every wise man builds his house on this Rock 4. A Rock of scandall and offence to wicked men Rom. 9. 32. Not in himselfe and his nature for hee is a precious corner stone but accidentally and passively because men dash themselves against him as many at this day bark like doggs against the wholesome doctrine of justification by Christ without the works of the Law Many loose and formall Gospellers scorne the basenesse and meannesse of Preachers and true professours of the Gospel because their darknesse can abide no light to come neere it To all these and thousands moe Christ is a rock of scandall by their owne default 5. A Rock for waight and danger and inayoidable judgement upon his adversaries which on whomsoever it falls it crusheth him all to pieces Matt. 21. 44. If any rise against it they doe but tire and teare themselves but if this Rock rise against any man and fall upon him it breaks him to pouder Witnesse the greatest enemies of Jesus Christ which the world ever had Herod Iudas Iulian Iews Pilate as unable to rise from under his revenge as a man pasht to pieces unable to rise from under a Rock II. It was a type of Christ as it sent out water in abundance to the people of Israel ready to perish for thirst For so Jesus Christ is the onely Rock that sends from himselfe all the sweet waters of life for the salvation of his elect otherwise ready to perish eternally For explanation whereof marke 1. As from that Rock issued waters to wash and cleanse themselves and their garments so from this Rock streame waters of ablution or washing which serve to wash away both the guilt of sinne and staine of sinne For the former the precious blood of Christ streaming out of his side is the onely mundifying water in the world to wash the soule from the guilt of sinne and to scowre away all the execration of sinne from the sight of God 1. Ioh. 1. 7. the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne For the latter from the same side of Christ our Rock issueth water as well as blood even the waters of regeneration called Tit. 3. 5. the washing of the new birth by the Spirit of grace and holinesse which daily cleanse the staine and filthinesse of sin Of these waters reade Ioh. 7. 38. He that beleeveth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life This hee spake of the Spirit which he would give 2. As from that rocke issued waters to coole and comfort Israel in their wearinesse and wandrings so from Jesus Christ do issue the waters of refrigeration and comfort to coole and refresh the dry and thirsty soule to allay the heat of a raging and accusing conscience and to revive with new strength the fainting soule in temptation or persecution And therefore the tryed traveller and thirsty passenger is called to these waters Mat. 11. 28 Isa. 55. 1. For nothing but sound grace from Jesus Christ can quench the tormenting thirst of an accusing or distressed conscience 3. As from that rocke streamed abundance of waters to make fruitfull that barren wildernesse wheresoever they ranne so onely from the true rock issue plentifull waters of grace to make our dry and barren hearts fruitfull in all workes of righteousnesse Isa. 44. 3 4 I will poure water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will poure my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy buds and they shall grow as among the grasse and as willowes by the rivers of waters All this blessing of fruitfulnesse is from the Rocke See Eph 1. 4. III. In the manner of attaining this water are many sweet resemblances 1. The people might aske Moses water but Moses cannot give it It is God must give it and miraculously fetch it out of a rocke which how it should be Moses cannot conceive So men may seeke justification and to drink waters of salvatiō in themselves either by nature as Pelagians or by merit as Popish justiciaries do either in the Law of Moses as the Jews or in Evangelical Counsells as the fond votaries of the Church of Rome But no Jew can tell how to procure any water to himself neither can Moses give it By the Law of Moses no man can bee justified nor by any fond devises beyond the Law But God of his grace hath devised a way and poynted to us a rocke of living waters to supply unto us that which was impossible to Moses Law because of our infirmitie Rom. 8. 3. 2. The rocke gives water but not till it bee smitten Exod. 17. 6. so Christ the true rock must be smitten with passion he must be smitten with the wrath of his Father and made a curse for us before there can issue out of his side that bloody streame by which the thirst of beleevers can be quenched And as the rocke was smitten twice and waters gushed out both times so Christ was twice smitten first actually in himselfe secondly virtually in the saith of beleevers of all ages the faithfull before him beleeving in the rock that was to bee smitten and suffer death for sinne the faithfull after him beleeving in the rock that was smitten dead and raised already 3. It was the Rod in Moses hand that smites and breakes the rocke Even so it was the Law given by Moses hand and our transgression against it that breaks the true Rock Isa. 53. 5. Gal 3. 13. he was made a curse for us and our transgression of the Law was laid upon him that we might be freed from it And as this was the same Rod that smote the River to bring destruction on the Aegyptians and enemies of the Church so this same Law and Rod of Moses brings the curse and damnation upon all the enemies of God from whom it is not remooved by Jesus Christ. 4. The rocke was smitten but it was not so much the striking on the rock but the Lords standing upon it that gets water for Israel Exod. 17. 6. There was no vertue in the stroake but all depended on Gods commandement and precept and presence even so it is not the death of Christ nor the abundance of price and merit of his blood nor the striking on this rock before mens eyes in the ministery of the word and