1. For the kinde in that he was Mediator God and man in unity of person and the onely redeemer of his Church In this regard Rom. 8. 29. he is called the first borne among many brethren Which phrase noteth quality not equality with him some similitude but no parity betweene him and beleevers He holds his birth-right as the Sonne of God by nature and wee by grace made the sonnes of God he disdaines not to call us brethren 2. For undertaking his office 1. In his incarnation he was the first borne of his Mother Mat. 1. 25. till she had brought forth her first borne Son not in respect of any that his mother had after him but because she had none before 2. For the strange maner He was the first borne of a virgine and so never had brother 3. He was the first borne without sinne 3. For accomplishing his office in his resurrection He is called the first begotten or first borne of the dead two wayes 1. In respect of his father who first begot him from the dead Whence his resurrection is called a begetting Act. 13. 33. thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee the Apostle applying it to the resurrection of Christ. And had not the Father thus begotten his sonne from the dead we had never been raised from death 2. In regard of himselfe whose priviledge it was to raise up himselfe from the dead by his owne power Rom. 1. 4. As himselfe said I have power to take up my life againe And being risen he was the first that ascended in body and soule into heaven Thus consider Christ as God as Mediator as incarnate as raised and ascended he is the Lords first born and the birthright belongs to no other II. The first borne of Israel was the second and next to the father of the family yea after the father instead of the father So is Christ to his family the Church he performes all offices of a carefull and tender father and takes on him not the affection onely of a father but even 1. the name of a father Isa. 9. 6. Father of eternity 2 the office of a father 1. He supplies the meanes of spirituall life as they of naturall 2. Hee nurtures and teacheth his Church 3. Hee provides for the present and bestowes the inheritance of eternall life III. The first born had the preheminence among the brethren and were chiefe in office and authority rulers in the house after their fathers and Priests in the family before the Leviticall order was established Gen. 27. 29. when Isaac blessed Iacob for Esau supposing him the first borne one part of it was Be Lord over thy brethren and let all thy mothers children honour thee So all the sheaves must bowe to Iosephs And Gen. 49. 8. when Iacob blesseth Iudah this is added as his right Thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe unto thee Here in they were speciall types of Christ who in all things must have the preheminence as first in time in order in precedency first in the excellency and dignity of his person Of whom comming into the world was said Let all the Angels of God worship him And for glory and authority he sits on his fathers throne the onely King of kings who hath a name above all names Phil. 2. 9. And Heb. 2. 9. we see Iesus crowned with glory and honour the head of the mysticall body the Prince and head of all his brethren And besides he is the high Priest of our profession by offering up himselfe a sacrifice for us Thus Christ is first in order in glory in Priesthood IV. The first borne had a double portion in goods Deut. 21 17. Signifying 1. The plenitude of the spirit grace in Christ who was anointed with oyle of gladnesse above all his fellowes 2. The preheminence of Christ in his glorious inheritance advanced in glory and majesty incomprehensible by all creatures I. Out of the occasion of the Law of the first borne learne that the more God doth for any man the more he ought to conceive himselfe to be the Lords and the more right and interest the Lord challengeth in him For therefore the first borne were his by a speciall right because he had not onely delivered them out of Aegypt as others but from the speciall plague of Aegypts first borne Speciall mercies call for speciall service More mercies are more bonds of obedience And new mercies are so many new cords to draw and fasten us to God and duty Is it not reason that the more it pleaseth the Lord to become ours the more we should become his Ought not great benefits become great binders And should not great love bee a great loadstone of love Should not strong cords of Gods love draw us strongly to love our God Examine the encrease of Gods mercies on thee in all kindes and whether they have had this fruit to make thee more dutifull Hath God multiplied blessing on thy head that thou shouldest blesse thy selfe in wickednesse Hath God continued mercy that thou shouldest continue sinne Art thou the Lords by Creation providence redemption stored with all personall kindnesses pertaining to life and godlinesse to continue a slave to sinne and Satan Remember good Iosephs conclusion Gen. 39. 8 9. My master hath dealt thus and thus with me advanced me from nothing to this estate committed all to my trust kept nothing from me but thee How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God 2. If Christ be the true first borne of whom all they are but types we must give him the honor of his birth-right The whole Church and all the sonnes of that mother must honour him all the sheaves of the brethren must vaile and bowe to his sheave Let not the basenesse of his birth the humility of his life the ignominy of his death the shame of his crosse the poverty of his professors the weaknesse and frailty of his followers draw our eyes aside from him as the Jews at this day but acknowledge him the first borne esteeming him as doth the Church the chiefe of ten thousand and with the Apostle esteeme to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Quest. How shall we honour Christ as the first born Sol. 1. If we honour him with the same honor that is due to the Father Iohn 5. 23. 2. Advance his estate above our owne or other mens confesse and professe his name though with losse and disfavour 3. Depend upon him and make him our chiefe refuge for all the family depended on the first borne for protection so doe members on the head 4. Greeve to offend him by sin How pitifully can men and women grieve for the death of their first borne So much more should we that our sins have pierced Gods first borne Zach. 12. 10. III. Here is a ground of much consolation 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first borne from him the birthright is
our owne misery by sinne both in the cause and in the effects of it The former by bringing us to the contemplation of the foulenesse of our natures and uncleannesse even in our birth and originall For howsoever men little esteeme or bewaile this uncleannesse of nature and originall sinne yet the Apostle better acquainted with the nature of it calls it The sinne and the sinning sinne and the sinne which dwelleth in us and compasseth us about Rom. 7. 17. Neither can a man ever be truely humbled and prepared for Christ nor can expect a good estate in him whose daily corrupt issues from an overflowing fountaine make him not seeme marvelous filthy and uncleane in his owne eyes 1. What is the reason that so many do Pharisaically pride themselves if not in the goodnesse of their persons yet in some blinde hopes and presumptions that they be not so bad as they are or as some others be but because they never saw themselves in this glasse which onely lets a man see himselfe a masse of sinne a lump of uncleâ—nnesse and that no good thing is in his nature which in no part is free from the running issues of that festred and inbred sinne 2. Why do many doat upon their owne works and sightly actions either to Popish confidence in them as meritorious or at least with many Protestants to rest in the civility and morality of them without farther pursuit of the power of religion but that they see not that so evill trees cannot send forth any good fruit nor so bitter fountaines any sweet water which could they but discerne they would be weary of the best of their righteousnesse and cast it away with Paul as dung and conclude that when Aloes and wormewood yeeld a sweet taste then might their fruits be sweet and tastefull to God and themselves 3. Why do so many thousands contest against grace stand upon their honesty good neighbourhood hospitality charity they thanke God they are no blasphemers no drunkards adulterers murderers they wash the outside come to Church heare sermons are outwardly cleane and formall no man can challenge them no nor they themselves but because they never saw the infection of their soules nor the inordinacy of their inner man which is a fountaine ever overflowing all the bankes most dangerous most secret hardest to find out and hardest to cure and this deceives thousands in their reckonings 4. Why is the righteousnesse of faith in the blood of Christ so much undervalued and men so hardly driven out of themselves to seeke righteousnesse by him But because they see not their owne uncleannesse and therein their hatefull estate before God untill Christ the high Priest have made atonement for them For as that man who being sick to death feeles not his sicknesse nor discerns the depth and dangers of it seekes not greatly after the Physitian he applyes either no means or some idle and impertinent things to small purpose so he that sees not the misery of his disease of sinne sees not the need of Christ neglects the right meanes and contentedly deludes himselfe running any whither but to the right remedy It is fit and fruitful to looke a little neerer this disease of nature that we may not onely make conscience of the foulenesse of nature but be thrust out of our selves to the meanes of our cleansing Considering 1. That this uncleane issue which the legall issues poynt us unto is a sinne against the whole Law of God in all branches of it whereas other sinnes are against one of the Tables and one of the Commandements 2. This poyson of nature is the same in all men that all may be humbled who are borne children of the devill enemies to righteousnesse all of us being in our very birth sonnes of death for in Adam all are dead And as an image of rotten wood must needs be rotten so wee hewne out of so rotten a stocke Who is it that is not a Leper from the wombe Let any man thrust his hand into his bosome as Moses did Exod. 4. 6. and he shall pull it out againe leprous and as white as snow Every man hath cause to cry with the Leper I am vncleane I am uncleane The spawne of a Serpent are Serpents and what are wee but the spawne the seed of Adam 3. This Issue is a generall disorder of the whole man and of all parts Neither is bodily leprosie more generall and universally spread over all the members then sinne in the soule which is seated in all the members so as from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing sound but a generall ataxy or disorder in want of all goodnesse in all parts and pronenesse to all evill 4. Miserable are the effects of this close uncleannesse As 1. In this Image of sinne no ugly toad can bee so hatefull to us as wee unto God 2. The whole man lies subject under the curse and wrath of God Rom. 5. 18 the fault came on all to condemnation 3. Nothing can proceed from us but what is foule and damnable What can a Serpent cast out but poyson Whatsoever our owne strength or will can bring forth is tainted with this leprosie for freewill remaineth onely to evill 4. Nothing without us that we can touch but we taint till we be cleansed noted in the infection of houses vessels garments Both earthly things all the creatures all our comforts actions to the unpure all is so Yea divine actions the word Sacraments prayer almes all polluted by us and to us so long as we be unconverted and in our uncleane nature 5. An unregenerate man can converse with no man but as a Leper he infects him by example provocation corrupt opinions frothy speeches fruitlesse behaviour And if they that poyson mens bodies are worthy extreame punishment and every man detests them how much more severe wrath of God are they liable unto that do nothing but poyson mens soules 6. No Leper was so worthily cast out of the campe as all of us by nature are worthily cast out of the society of Saints in earth and in heaven yea from the presence fellowship of God and Jesus Christ and that for ever Sinne properly shuts out of heaven no uncleane thing comes there nothing more hateful to God nothing but that hated by him 7. All this misery we our selves can neither discerne nor remedy It makes us pure in our owne eyes though we be not washed Prov. 30. 12. We lye wallowing in our filthinesse and delight in it as the swine in the myre and never are cured till we get out of our selves to the high Priest in whom onely it is perfectly to cleanse and cure us Now seeing in this glasse our owne disease and need of cure let us returne to the meanes of our cure in these three severall sorts of uncleannesse and in the legall be led to the cure of morall uncleannesse Thus of the
beasts for sacrifice to offer to the Lord. Plainly signifying that Christ was to bee an Israelite and within the fold of Gods owne people for he was to be of the seed of Abraham and salvation was of the Jewes Ioh. 4. 22. Yea and the Lords owne Law requires that the King should bee taken from among his brethren Deut. 17. 15 and much more the King of the Church being King of all Kings Sect. VII II. Iesus Christ was as evidently expressed in the preparation of the Paschall Lamb wherin the Iews were tyed to sixe observations I. Observation The Lambe must be severed from the flocke ver 6 to signify Iesus Christ seperated by God the Father to the office of Mediator and that two waies 1. by Gods eternall decree hee was a chosen servant of God to the most excellent service in heaven and earth Isa. 42. 1 My elect servant And thus is called a lambe seperated from before the foundation of the world 1. Pet. 1. 20. 2. In due time actually seperated from all the rest of the flocke by 1. a supernaturall conception by the holy Ghost whereby he became an high Priest seperated from sinners all the rest of mankinde remaining sinners 2. by a miraculous birth of a Virgin being the seed of the woman 3. by an unconceivable union of the two natures divine and humane in one person by which he became our Immanuell God with us 4. by a solemne and heavenly inauguration into his office at the brinke of â—ordaine by which he was openly proclaimed the chiefe Doctor and Prophet of his Church Thus it became this lambe of God to be actually seperated from all the rest of the flock because for all the rest he was to pay a greater ransome and price then any other that could be found amongst all mankinde II. Observation The lambe thus seperated must be reserved and kept alive foure daies even from the tenth day of the first month till the fourteenth day of the same month ver 6 Wherein was signified the very particles of time of Christs both Ministery and passion 1. for his Ministery Christ must not bee sacrificed presently so soone as he is borne nor so soone as he is baptised and seperated but after that seperation must live about foure yeares to preach the kingdome of God and then be offered up that his death might not be as a seale to a blancke but might confirme all that holy doctrine delivered by his owne mouth and Ministery to the world 2. For his passion The time of it depended not on the will of man for his enemies sought many a time before to slay him as Herod in his infancy Mat. 2. 16. the Jewes tooke up stones to stone him Ioh. 8. 59 the Nazarites would breake his necke from an hill Luk. 4. 29. And many other attempts were made against his life but his time was not then come the lambe must be reserved foure daies And this very moment of time was determined and registred in Gods most certaine and unchangeable computation Act 2. 23. being delivered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God Whose wisdome so ordered that 1. as the lambe was taken in the tenth day of the first month so Christ came into Ierusalem about the tenth day of the same month to suffer as appeares Ioh. 12. For upon the sixth day before his passion he came to Bethany ver 1. and the next day he went to Ierusalem which was the fifth day before his passion ver 12. 2. as the lambe must be slaine the fourteenth day of the first month which answereth to our March and at the full of the Moone So that no man might be deceived in our Paschall lambe he must be sacrificed at the Passeover the same day that the lambe must be slaine In the full Moone to note the fulnesse of time now come which was so long before appointed and in such a month as when light prevailes against darkenesse and every thing revives and springs to signifie that Christ by his suffering chaseth away our darkenesse and death and brings in light and life and a blessed spring of grace and glory III. Observation The Lambe must be slaine ver 6 signifying that Jesus Christ being as that Lambe of a yeare old in his vigour and strength who by reason of his age and strength might have lived longer must not onely dye but by a violent death and that by Israell Noting 1. that Christ must be put to death by the Jews 2. that the benefit and merit of his death redounds to his Church onely The Redeemer must come unto Zion Isa. 59. 20. Object How was hee then a lambe slaine from the beginning of the World before the Iewes were in beeing Sol. Two waies 1. in regard of Gods decree whereof a promulgation was made in promises and types and an acceptation as if it had beene already done 2. in regard of man He was slaine onely one time as to the act but in all times as to the fruit because the perpetuall power and efficacy of Christs sacrifice was begunne with the world and extended to all beleevers of all ages who onely diversly apprehend it IV. Observ. The lamb must be slain between two evenings 1. to put them in remembrance of their deliverance in Aegypt which was in the evening 2. to note that our Paschall lambe should be slaine towards the evening of the world that is in the last times Heb. 9. 26. 3. that Christs sacrifice was to succeed in the same time of their evening sacrifices which were daily to be offered Exod. 29. 41. and so to put end to them Dan. 12. 4. to note the very houre as well as the day of Christs suffering on the Crosse. To understand which we must know that the Jewes distinguished their artificiall day into foure parts From sixe to nine from nine to twelve from twelve to three from three to sixe This last part was counted the evening of the day and the next three houres the evening of the night In this fourth part of the day used the Paschall lamb to be slaine and the rest of and all their heaviest burthens 3. All that sprinkling of blood in their houses so long as they despise the blood of Jesus Christ shall never get them protection from the revenging Angel We must pray that God would please at length to remove their vaile from their hearts that they may submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3 that so all Israel may bee saved by acknowledging the deliverer out of Zion of whom was prophecied Isai. 59. 20 That he shall turne away the ungodlinesse from Iacob Sect. III. III. The Paschall lamb directly aimed at Christ our true Passeover in respect of the blood and actions about it which were three 1. The blood of the lamb must be saved in a basen verse 22. It must not bee shed upon the ground to
is the scope of the Apostle in describing Melchizedeks Priesthood so largely For the Leviticall Priests were homagers to this yea to the shadow of it in Melchizedek while they were in Abrahams loynes 1. They were men onely of men Christ the Sonne of God true God and man 2. They were sinfull men and must offer first for themselves and then for others Heb. 5. 3. But Christ was sinlesse he needed not offer for his owne sinnes Heb. 7. 26. 27. 3. For their office they were but ministers of holy things and of salvation propounded in them Christ because of this order was author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 10. 4. They were many and all ministers of a temporary covenant but he is but one who hath obtained a more excellent office in that he is Mediator of a better testament established upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. For the promises of the covenant of grace are more excellent then those of the Legall covenant 5. They offered often and the repetition of sacrifices argued their invalidity and imperfection but he offered but once and needed not do it daily Heb. 7. 27. which argued the perfection Heb. 9. 28. 6. They offered the blood of beasts which could not expiate sinne nor wash the conscience of the sinner farther then purifying the flesh but he not with blood of bulls and goats but with his owne blood entred once into the holy place having obtained an eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. and this blood purgeth the conscience from dead works verse 14. 7. They served in an earthly fading Sanctuary made with hands and entred into an holy place which perished and fayled according to that elementary and temporary worship but he is minister of the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man Heb. 8. 2. this tabernacle is his owne blessed body in which he performed all his service called chap. 9. 11. a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and vers 24. is now entred not into holy places made with hands but into the very Heaven to appeare in the sight of God for us 8. They all ceased dyed one succeeded another as mutable was their whole service which also ceased and deceased and gave place to the truth of it when the fulnesse of time came but this true Melchizedek being without beginning or end of daies hath an eternall Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. and therefore neither hath nor needeth any successor in earth Whence every repetition of his sacrifice bloodily or unbloodily in the Masse is an high and hatefull blasphemy a denyall of Christs person to be above the person of Melchizedek and of his sacrifice to be above Aarons or that it was offered by the eternall spirit of his Deity VI. The excellency of the person shewes the greatnesse of the Sacrifice the greatnesse of the sacrifice the greatnesse of the sinne Melchizedek because he was but likened to the Sonne of God Heb. 7. 3. could not offer a Sacrifice to take away sinne he must be the Sonne of God indeed and God himselfe that must doe that The least sinne which wee account so light could never be expiated but by the blood of him that is God as well as man All created strength cannot stand under the burthen of the least sinne Therefore in the worthinesse of this person see the unworthinesse of thy sinne to hate and abhorre it and thy selfe in dust and ashes for it An haynous and execrable offence were that which nothing could take away but the death of the Prince CHAP. V. 4. Isaac a type of Christ. I. IN his birth Isaac the sone of Abraham the father of the faithfull a promised seed long before he was borne in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Yea so strange was his birth as that he was not to be borne by the strength of nature but of Sarahs dead womb when it was not with her as with other women insomuch as when the Angell foretold it to her she thought it impossible Gen. 18. 12. So Christ the sonne of Abraham commonly so called The onely Sonne of God by nature who is the father of all the faithfull who are taught to say Our father c. The onely true promised seed long before prophecied of and expected of beleevers before his manifestation about foure thousand yeares Borne and incarnate not by the strength of nature but by the power of the holy Ghost after an unconceivable manner so as when the Angell told his mother Mary of his miraculous manner of birth she thought it impossible and said How can this be Luk. 1. 34. And in him onely the whole spirituall seed of Abraham all Gods people of Jewes and Gentiles were blessed Psa. 72. 17. the Nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Which Prophecy cannot be understood of Salomon for scarce his owne nation was blessed in him who by his sinne lost tenne tribes of twelve from his owne sonne and verse 5. they shall feare him so long as the Sunne and Moone endure from one generation to another vers 11. all Kings shall worship him and serve him and vers 17. his name shall be for ever all these are true in Christ onely Thus as Isaac was founder of a mighty state so Christ of all the Church of God in all nations onely blessed in him As Isaac was his fathers heire So Christ heire of all things Isaac hath goods onely II. In his suffering 1. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day so was Christ. Luk. 2. 2. Isaac in his infancy was persecuted by Ishmael Gal. 4. 29 So Christ by Herod Mat. 2. 3. Isaac carryed the wood of the burnt offering upon his shoulders even to mount Moriah Gen. 22. 6 So Christ carryed the Crosse on which he was to be nayled even to Golgotha 4. Isaac was led away as a Lamb to the slaughter So Christ was led away Ioh 19. 16. to death 5. Isaac without reply submitted himself to his father even to the death suffered himselfe to be bound on the wood and yeelds himselfe a burnt offering unto the Lord Even so Christ without reply was obedient unto his father unto the death and was content to be bound not as Isaac for himselfe alone but for us and them and laid downe his life a whole burt offering and a ransome for many Ioh. 16. 28. Thus were both Lamb-like sufferers both beare their Crosse both without reply led away both bound and fastened on the wood both willingly obedient to the death III. In his offering 1. Both sonnes onely sons innocent beloved of their fathers Abraham did al at Gods Commandement and lifted up his hand So Christ by the determinate counsell of God was delivered by wicked hands Abraham offers his Sonne freely God more freely offers his sonne out of his bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission riseth early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne and Isaac riseth as early to obey his
prayer prayses duty endeavour Be encouraged Ioseph will accept small and meane gifts from brethren although he need them not Gen. 43. 15. Our Ioseph despiseth not a graine of grace not smoaking flax CHAP. VII 6. Moses a type of Christ 4. waies MOses was a type of Christ. Deut. 18. 18. A Prophet will I raise up like unto thee Here is a similitude a likenesse no parity no equality This is the difference Christ is worthy of more glory then Moses Heb. 3. 3. For Moses was meere man Christ God as well as man Christ the builder of Gods house Moses but a stone in it Christ a sonne in the house Moses but a servant Christ the Lord of his owne house being the Church Moses a servant in his Lords house Now let us see wherein the similitude is I. In his person and estate 1. Moses was of meane parents and birth So was Christ of a poore decayed and dryed stocke and borne of a poore Virgin who at her purification brought a payre of Doves a gift appointed for poore persons Luk. 2. 24. Whereas rich folkes must bring a Lamb of a yeare old Lev. 12. 6. 2. Moses was no sooner borne but he was exposed to the cruelty of King Pharaoh and sought out to death So Christ in his infancy was sought by Herod to bee slaine But both by Gods extraordinary and especiall providence saved and delivered that both might bee saviours and deliverers the one by her whose sonne he was reputed the other by him whose sonne he was reputed 3. Moses was a shepheard he kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in law Exod. 3. and while Moses was in that private estate wee read of little concerning his life expressed till he was fourty yeares old So Christ was a shepheard sent to seeke and save the lost sheepe of his Fathers fold of whose private life wee read as little as of Moses till he was thirty yeares old 4. Moses was of a most meeke and sweet disposition above al men living yet full of zeale and indignation against sin as at the erecting of the calfe Exod. 32 So Christ a patterne of meekenesse Learne of me for I am meeke but most zealous and earnest at the abuse of the Temple Mar. 11. II. In his office and function 1. Both appointed by God Moses sent and raysed to deliver Israel out of Pharaohs bondage Christ sent to deliver all the Israell of God from the Pharaoh of hell and all his oppression of sinne curse damnation the most heavy taskes and burthens Moses was appoynted to lead Israell towards Canaan So Christ to lead the Church the Israell of God into heaven And whereas Moses was to lead them but into the sight of Canaan and the borders Our Moses leads us into the heavenly Canaan and gives us possession 2. Both were furnished by God to their office 1. Moses was learned in all the learning of Aegypt Christ was learned to admiration His enemies asked whence hath he all this great learning Ioh. 7. 15. And Never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. And at twelve yeares old he sate among the Doctors conferring with them Luk. 2. 46. 2. Moses was furnished with many mighty miracles in Aegypt in the red sea and in the wildernesse for the confirming of his calling all types of the miracles of Christ by sea and land in townes and deserts to manifest his glory Ioh. 2. 11. But with difference Christ wrought by his owne power Moses by Christ. 3. Both joyfully executed their office whether we consider the matter or the manner 1. For the matter 1. Moses brings glad tidings to the Israelites of their deliverance out of Aegypt and that from God Exod. 29. 30. Christ brings from God the glad tidings of eternall salvation and deliverance from the spirituall Aegypt and bondage under Pharaoh of hell to all the elect of God 2. Moses received from God and delivered to his people the Law and was a Mediator betweene God and his people Gal. 3. 19. the Law was delivered in the hand of a Mediator that is Moses as Acts 7. 38. Now Moses was Mediator of the Old Testament not a mediator of redemption but of receiving the law and delivering it to the people standing betweene God and them as his mouth to them and theirs to him But Christ our true Moses 1. not onely receives the Law but fulfils it 2. When Moses had broken the tables to shew how wee in our naturne had broken the Law our true Moses repaires it againe 3. He writes the Law not in tables of stone but in the tables of the hearts of beleevers Iohn 1. 17. the Law was given by Moses but grace by Christ. Moses could not pearce the heart nor supply grace to keep the Law 4. He is Mediator of a new Covenant and surety of a better testament Heb. 7. 22. and 9. 15. 3. Moses gives Israel an excellent patterne of the Tabernacle and all the utensils to the very least pinns about it But our Moses delivers a perfect doctrin from heaven and certaine and perpetual rules for the worship of God to his Church and the wel ordering of it even in the smallest things And as nothing was left which must not be framed to the patterne seene in the mount So hath not Christ left the worship of God in whole or part in great or small matters to the liberty of men for then he should have beene lesse faithfull then Moses 4. Moses instituted the Passeover and sacrifices from God offers the blood of beasts sprinkles the houses of the Israelites with the blood of the Lambe Exod. 12. by which they were saved from a temporall death and the revenging Angell But Christ the true Moses instituted the supper of the Lord sacrificeth himselfe offers his owne blood being the Paschall Lambe who purgeth and saveth from death eternall And as that house onely was exempted which was sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb So in the Church salvation is assured onely where the blood of Christ is sprinkled and apprehended by faith 5. Moses prayeth for Israel with his hands stretched out till the evening and while he prayeth Israel overcommeth Amalek Exod. 17. At Moses prayer Gods wrath is turned away Numb 14. Christ stretcheth out his hands for the elect upon the Crosse and made intercession for them in earth and now continues so to doe in heaven whereby we are both enabled to conquer our spirituall enemies as also Gods wrath is appeased and grace and favour returned Heb. 8. Thus both for the matter faithfully discharged their office in these five things 2. For the manner containing the difference it is in Heb. 3. 5. 6. Moses was faithfull in all the house of God as a servant but Christ as the sonne Moses in his masters house Christ in his owne house Moses by delegate authority Christ by proper power Moses as a servant foretells his masters comming Christ declared the Lord
a Minister of the Circumcision was also to receive Circumcision himselfe which was shadowed in all their Circumcisions 2. in their shedding of blood by Circumcision was represented to their eyes the shedding of Christs blood not onely in the first fruits of his bloodshed in his Circumcision which was a part of his humiliation and a parcell of the price payed for our sins but also the full powring out of all his blood in sacrifice upon the Crosse wherein the Circumcision of Christ was fully accomplished 3. was shadowed their duty also that having shed the first fruits of their blood in Circumcision in obedience to God they should be ready to shed all their blood for him whom they expected to shed all his blood for them 3. A distinguishing signe of the Jewes from all other people who were without God without Christ and they onely a chosen seed in that blessed seed in whom all their prerogatives were conferred and established 4. A demonstrative signe 1. of the naturall sinne and disease of man and therefore it was placed in the generative part to admonish Abraham and his posterity of their uncleannesse for things cleane need no Circumcision nor ablution Abraham and his seed must be led out of themselves 2. to demonstrate the cure and remedy by the Messiah to come cleansing our natures two waies 1. by bearing upon himselfe the imputation of our impurities 2. by healing them in us partly by his merit and bloody death bestowing a perfect righteousnesse upon us partly by his Spirit daily sanctifying and circumcising our hearts thus hath this Sacrament preached Christ unto us Now the observations to make it usefull I. Take notice of our owne estate to humble us both in state of nature and in state of grace I. In our nature wee are all sprung out of a corrupted seed which although we would forget yet the Lord in this Sacrament tooke care that his people should carry upon their bodies the signe of sinne and death seazing upon their whole nature In place of which comes our Baptisme presently after our birth shewing that a man in his very first frame is filthily polluted and goeth astray even from the wombe Psa. 58. 3. Whence also it is called Originall sinne 1. because it hath beene from the beginning of the world 2. because it is the originall and beginner of all sinne in us it is the first of all our sinnes 3. from our beginning even from our conception Psa. 51. I was conceived in iniquity and we from it called the children of wrath that is laid under wrath even from our childhood Eph. 2. 3. 2. After grace received see the weakenesse of our faith Abraham the father of the faithfull needeth this pledge and seale to support his weake and shaking faith Who can say my faith is strong enough which is ever imperfect in the best who know but in part and beleeve but in part Why else did the Lord appoynt the use of Sacraments to the strongest beleevers and that all their life long but to put them in minde of the weakenesse of their faith which needeth such continuall props and supports Neither is it marvell that men are so heavy to the reverent receiving of the Sacrament because they see no want no neede no benefit of faith they feele not the weakenesse of faith which would breed desire of strength and drive them to the diligent use of the meanes II. If Christ be the truth of circumcision then every Christian in the new Testament must be circumcised as necessarily as the Jewes in the old And though the ceremony and act of circumcision bee worne out yet the truth of circumcisiō as neerely belongs to us now adayes as of old it did unto them In whom wee are circumcised through the circumcision of Christ speaking of the Gentiles converted unto Christ. In which words the Apostle plainely distinguisheth between Jewish circumcision and Christian between legall circumcision and Evangelical between Moses his circumcision and Christs Here 1. What this Evangelicall circumcision is 2. the difference from Legall 3. the marks and notes of it 4. the motives This Christian Circumcision is described Col. 2. 11. to bee a putting off the sinfull body of the flesh that is in plaine termes the mortification of the body of sinnes that are in the flesh For the truth and kernell of Circumcision never stood in the cutting off a peece of skinne that was but the shell of it but in cutting off the lusts of the heart and life and parting from corruptions of nature which rebell against the Spirit And this wee have in Christ alone being as farre beyond the Circumcision of the old Testament as the truth useth to excell the type as far as Christ is beyond Moses or heaven above earth This renovation of minde was 1. signified by that Ceremony 2. promised by every Circumcised person The difference betweene this Evangelicall and that Legall Circumcision is 1. In the efficient That was appoynted by God to bee made with hands but this is a wonderfull worke without hands done by the finger of God himselfe The mortification of sinne is so honourable a worke as the hand of man and Angells cannot do it 2. In the subject That was wrought upon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh this onely upon Abrahams seed according to the faith upon beleevers and members of Christ. That upon the Jew without this upon the Jew within That upon Ismael as well as Isaac here no Ismaelite is circumcised That was Circumcision of the naturally borne and males onely of Jews onely this is of the supernaturally borne againe male or female Jew or Gentile for in Christ all are one 3. In the proper seat That was ceremoniall in the flesh this morall in the heart In that a naturall part was wounded in this the very corruption of nature That dealt with flesh in substance this with the body of flesh in quality 4. In the end In that every man was circumcised in himselfe and his blood shed to fulfill the rite of the Law in this all beleevers men and women are in Christs blood once circumcised to fulfil the rigour of the Law 5. In the effect By that the person was received into the society of Gods people according to externall profession by this the sinner is received into inward and eternall fellowship with God and into communion with Gods people 6. In the latitude or extent In that the Priest circumcised in one part of the body in this Christ our high Priest circumciseth the whole man In that one beloved part was cast away with griefe and sorrow in this the whole corruption of nature and all beloved sinnes with no lesse griefe and sorrow of heart for them 7. In the durance and continuance That was temporary but till the comming of Christ who razed the type and raised the truth but this is to continue for ever