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
David had a traine 1. Of poore men and received such to him as were in debt 1. Sam. 22. 2. The Sonne of David had a poore traine and not receiveth onely but calleth all unto him that are heavy laden with the burthen of sinnes called debts promising he will ease them 2. Afterwards David had his thirty seven Worthies that valiantly fought his battells 2. Sam. 23. and by their strength carried wonderfull victories So had the Sonne of David his twelve Apostles and seventy two disciples who as worthy and stout Champions fought the Lords spirituall battells and mightily subdued the world under the government of Jesus Christ in whose place are succeeded pastors and teachers to the end 2. His enemies 1. Open and manifest not onely Goliah that defied all Israel but Saul that casts a speare at him that hunts him as a Partridge that sends out for him to bring him to death and the house of Saul Shimei rayling on him and cursing him with an horrible curse besides Amalekites Philistims c. So our Lord Jesus had open hostility against the great Goliah of hell and encountered him hand to hand and conquers him in the wildernesse But Herod hunts his life every where the Pharisees revile him for a deceiver and Demoniack send out for him to take away his life and the people of the Jews pursuing him with all open hatred and hostility even to the death and all the wicked tyrants and enemies as so many Amalekites and Philistims 2. Secret and underhand enemies that should have beene loyall and loving to him even his owne people that flattered him with their mouths but imagined mischiefe against him Psa. 41. 9. Such as Doeg Achitophel Nay he which eat bread with him at his table his familiar that went up to the house of God with him And more then all this he that came out of his owne loynes his owne son Absalom besides the sonnes of his father 1 Sam. 17. 28. So our true David had not onely his owne Jewes and brethren hating him with an horrible hatred and calling his blood upon themselves but his owne Disciple that had beene so familiar with him that went to the house of God often with him that knew all his haunts and waies betraying him and delivering him to bee crucified And thus Christ himselfe expounds that in Psalme 41. 9. of himselfe and Iudas Luk. 22. 21. And therefore Interpretors expound such execrations as Psa. 59. 13. Consume them that they be no more not so much litterally against Saul and other enemies of David as against the Jewes and enemies of Christ shadowed by them and so conceive them as they be Propheticall predictions of Jerusalem and the Jewes forty yeares after Christs ascension and of the present wrath upon the hardened Jewes whose hatred against Christ liveth at this day as the curse liveth on them 3. His deliverances and victories with many of which the Lord honoured him As 1. Saul layes wait every where to take him and pursues him from place to place but Davids feet were made like Hinds feet in expedition to avoid his enemy whether Saul or Absalom who chased him as hunters the silly hare and he escapes them all though narrowly and strangely Christ Jesus was often sought after and laid for by his enemies no kind of snare was undevised to take him in his talke in his doctrine in his life and conversation no meanes unattempted to take his person but hee escaped their hands strangely Sometimes he went through the midst of them all who having strong purpose yet had no power to take him till the time waâ— come that he delivered himselfe 2. Saul having wearied himselfe in pursuit of David sent messengers to take him three severall times 1 Sam. 19. 20. but they among a company of Prophets began to prophecy the spirit of the Lord comming upon them and they went without him So the Pharisees sent messengers to apprehend Christ and bring him before them but comming to him as Sauls messengers to David and hearing his gracious words had no power to take him but went away preaching and proclaiming as they prophecying never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. 3. In the comparison between Saul and David David having slaine Goliah was sung Saul hath slaine his thousand but David his ten thousand 1. Sam. 18. 10. But there is no comparison betweene the victories of David and of this sonne of David who hath slaine the great Goliah the Devill who defied all the host of Israel and not destroyed the devill onely but overcame death hell the grave and chased before him all the armies of sinnes and bands of temptations which come out against the Israel of God 4. in that noble victory David cuts off Goliahs head with his owne sword So in the wildernesse the devill the great Goliah used Scripture against Christ and Christ overthrowes him and cuts off his head by the same sword of the Spirit the word of God And now daily he convinceth the wicked enemies by the testimony of their owne conscience Rom. 2. 15. He needeth no other sword or weapon against them then their owne IV. David was a type of Christ in his Kingdome first in respect of the entrance secondly of the administration thirdly of the continuance or eternity 1. David entred not without strong opposition much contempt and disdaine so our David For of both it was verified the stone which the builders refused is become chiefe stone of the corner No man was more despised of Sauls courtiers then David who was thought farre enough from the Kingdome so no man so much despised and rejected of the Scribes Pharisees chiefe Priests and people as Christ. Barrabas an honest man to him and yet was mightily and unexpectedly invested into his Kingdome by his glorious rising from the dead 2. In his administration David will judge uprightly and sing mercy and judgement he will endure no hatefull person in his presence But our David is the just and righteous Judge of all the world and most sincerely disspenceth mercy to the penitent sinner but feedes the impenitent with judgement 3. In the continuance or eternity God promised mercy to David and his seed for ever which promises are not to be extended to his carnall succession for the princely dignity is taken from them Their glory was eclipsed in the captivity and where be now any of Davids race according to the flesh But the everlasting seed of David is to bee meant 1. Christ himselfe in whom his kingdome is perpetuated 2. The true Israel as well of Gentiles as of Jewes by faith ingrafted into the Messiah in respect of whom shal be no end of his Kingdome Thus in all those speeches wherein David professeth he will praise the Lord among the Gentiles David must be taken as a type of Christ who by his Spirit set forth the praise and true worship of God among
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
But we are sure of better meanes or better things without meanes in the hope and expectation of which we must persevere in the faith and walke in hope through our wildernesse The fruits of that good land will be worth all our labour 6. Ioshua brings none into the land but conquerours and divides the land to a conquering people So our Ioshua gives the land onely to him that overcommeth And he that persevers to the end shall be saved CHAP. IX 8. Sampson a type of Christ. 1. IN person and condition 1. His conception foretold by the Angell of God Iudg. 13. 5. So was Christs His office foretold he must be a Saviour So Christ. Borne beyond strength of nature of a mother long before barren Iud. 13. 3. So was Christ. His mother saluted by the Angell as Mary was that though she was barren she should conceive a sonne a saviour the one shall begin to save Israel out of the hands of the Philistims vers 5. the other must save his people from their sinnes And this promise confirmed by a signe to both the mothers Iud. 13. 4. Luk. 1. 30. 2. Both must be Nazarites Sampson by the Law of Nazarites Numb 6. 2. Christ by occasion of the place in which he was educated not by that Law But as a Nazarite signified one that was seperated and severed from the common course of men to a more holy profession of sanctity and to a stricter care to avoid all manner of impurity such a one the Prophets signified Christ should be not onely holy and seperate from sinners but the author of holinesse And as Sampson was sanctified from the womb So was Christ much more So the Angell The holy thing that is in thee is of the holy Ghost And herein beyond Sampson for in Christ are all sanctified 3. Sampson grew and the spirit waxed strong in him so as he became a Saviour of incomparable strength So Christ grew every way in stature in favour with God and man and the Spirit was so strong in him because it was not measured unto him as unto Sampson as he became a Saviour stronger then the strong armed man He was the true Sampson that overcame many enemies and slew heaps upon heaps And although Sampson the type was at last overcome by his enemies our true Sampson is invincible and hath gloriously triumphed over them all Both of them were great deliverers the one from great thraldome and temporall misery the other from a greater spirituall and eternall thraldome under sinne the Law Satan hell c. II. Sampson was a type of Christ in three especiall actions 1. He found meat in the eater and from the strong sweetnesse and brought some of it to his parents Christ by his death which seemed to eate him up brings us meat the bread of life sweeter then hony and out of this dead Lyons mouth that is Christ dead comes sweetnes Thence sprang whole flocks of Christians like so many swarmes of bees 2. Sampson loved strange women and went among the enemies of God for a wife which might seeme a sinne in him but that the text saith It came of God Iudg. 14. 4. A type of Christs love to the Gentiles casting his love on her that was not beloved to make his dispised and dispersed of the Gentiles his spouse and wife as Hos. 2. 23 I will have mercy on her c. Where the whole contract on both parties is set downe at large 3. Sampson put forth his mind in parables and riddles so did Christ his doctrine to the Pharises Mat. 13. 34. III. In passion and suffering they were very like in many passages 1. Both sold for money Sampson by Delilah to the Princes of the Philistims Iudg. 16. 5. Christ for thirty peeces of siluer unto the chiefe Priest Both betrayed by their most familiar the one to the Philistims the other to the Pharisees Both under pretence of love Sampson by Delilah Iudg. 16. 15. Christ by Iudas with a kisse Both apprehended by their enemies both led away both bound both brought forth at a great feast both blinded both scorned both fastened to a post the one of the house the other of the crosse 2. As Sampson offered himselfe freely unto death among wicked men as a most valiant Captaine being called to be a revenger of Gods enemies and therfore it is said Heb. 11. he died not as a selfemurtherer but in faith that is as a faithfull servant of God adventured his owne life for the destruction of the enemies of God and his Country as every good subject and souldier pressed to the field ought to do So Jesus Christ voluntarily offered himself to death and went out to meet the apprehendors and was content to dye among wicked men and to be hanged betweene two theeves that he might destroy and scatter the powers of the enemies of his Churches salvation IV. In victory and fortitude 1. His first stratagem which was as a praeludium to his calling in which he assayed his power was that he overcame a stout Lyon in the desert and slew him with his owne hand ch 14. 6. and tare him as one should have rent a Kid So the first powerfull worke in which our Sampson shewed himselfe was the conquering of the devill that roaring Lyon hand to hand who assaulted him in the wildernesse by three horrible and hellish temptations 2. Sampson slew with his owne hand being alone above a thousand men at once having nothing but the Jawbone of an Asse a weake base and insufficient weapon for so great a warre and victory and as it was unfit so it was an uncleane weapon of an uncleane beast by the Law which his strict profession of a Nazarite should not have touched had it beene out of case of necessity So our true Sampson by as weake and vile instruments and as contemptible in the eyes of flesh conquers thousands daily while by the foolishnesse of preaching by the doctrine of the Crosse by weake earthen vessells he subdues whole countries and kingdomes unto him that the worke may bee knowne to be his owne hand and power and not the instruments 3. Sampson slew more of Gods enemies at his death then in all his life Iudg. 16. 30. And this was the effect of the death of Christ when sinne Satan hell the grave and his enemies seemed to triumph over him and make themselves merry with the Philistims as having in their power their greatest enemie but suddenly he afflicted them more in his death then in all his life This death of Christ pulled Satans house over his head it was the death of death and squeasing of all enemies at once 4. Sampson being in the Citty Azzah and the Citizens now lying in wait to kill him and to make an end of so furious an enemy whom they had sure within their gates he arose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the City and
must not bee privately performed and figured our entrance by Christ the doore 3. One must bee made a sinne offering the other a burnt offering The sacrifices were types of that onely sacrifice of the Sonne of God our Redeemer performed upon the Altar of his Crosse for the expiating the sinnes and foule issues of the whole world In them both 1. what they were 2. what were the ceremonies about them 1. The sinne offering was a sacrifice in which the whole beast or bird was not consumed with fire as the burnt offering was but slaine for the expiation of sinne The use of which was to figure and seale up to the Jews the expiation of their sinnes in Christ. Now Christ is made manifest for the doing away of sinne by the slaine sacrifice of himselfe and see verse 28. The burnt offering was a sacrifice in which the whole beast or bird was consumed with fire offered up therein to God for a savour of rest namely to appease and pacifie Gods wrath for some sin or sinnes committed Which signified that Christ was to bee a whole burnt offering and to bee wholly consumed in soule and body with the fire of his Fathers wrath that hee might bee a sweet smelling savour for us Hee gave himselfe for us a sacrifice and oblation for a sweet smelling savour Neither did the beleeving Jews thinke that God was appeased by any vertue in the burnt offering but through the eternall sacrifice of Christ shadowed therein 2. What were the ceremonies about these fowles for they all pointed at Christ. 1. For the sinne offering of fowles the ceremonies are appointed Levit. 5. 8 9. and they bee three 1. Rite The Priest must wring the necke of the Dove asunder but not plucke it cleane off and the same rite in the burnt offering The necke must bee pincht with the naile of the Priest to let out the blood but the head must not bee pluckt off from the body Signifying 1. That although Christ was to die yet his divinity and humanity should not bee severed 2. That the death of this innocent Dove should not interrupt his head-ship of the Church Hee was to bee pinched to death but his head should not bee severed from his body and members which is his Church 3. That Christ should die indeed but no bone of him must be broken Ioh. 19. 36. shadowed also in the Passeover 2. Rite The Priest must sprinkle the blood of the sinne offering upon the side of the Altar vers 9. and the like in the burnt offering Chap. 1. 15 signifying that all the vertue and merit of Christs blood for the purging of sinne was drawen from the Altar of his Deity He must be God that must purchase the Church with his blood and 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ. 3. Rite All the rest of the blood must be powred out at the foot of the Altar signifying not onely the powring out of the blood of Jesus Christ our true sinne offering upon the Altar of the Crosse without which shedding of blood can bee no remission of sinnes but also the blood powred at the foot of the Altar that is those clots and drops of blood plentifully flowing from him in his agony before his passion Luke 22. 44. as hee was going up to the Crosse. 2. For the Dove appointed for the burnt offering besides the former rites some other are appointed 1. The Priest must plucke out the maw with his feathers and cast them besides the Altar on the East side in the place of the ashes For these were things uncleane and signified that Christ should bring no uncleane thing to his suffering but present a most spotlesse and holy oblation to the Lord for else had it not beene of sweet smell 2. The Priest must divide and cleave the bird with his wings but not asunder signifying Christ who seemed by his death to bee burnt extinct and perished for so he was in the esteeme of his owne disciples as they were going to Emmaus but yet hee was not quite sundred but rose againe by his owne power and ever liveth sittting at his Fathers right hand to make requests for us Yea his owne words might seeme to imply a sundring when he saith Why hast thou forsaken mee but that the ingemination of his former words my God my God doth strongly prove the contrary 3. This bird must bee throughly consumed to ashes to make it a sweet savour to the Lord Levit. 1. 17 signifying that never was any thing so gratefull and acceptable to the Lord as the whole burnt sacrifice of his Sonne in which hee smelled a savour of eternall rest To which the Psalmist alludeth Let him smell a savour of all thy oblations and turne thy burnt offerings into ashes 4. When all these rites were observed the party that was uncleane shall bee cleane Levit. 12. 8. and Chap. 15. 13 28 signifying that a party justified by Christs blood and exercising true repentance and the study of holinesse and new life is brought in againe into the right and fellowship of God and his people whatsoever his uncleannesse formerly hath beene And thus hath the legall cleansing of this person brought us to the Evangelicall in Jesus Christ. I. Sundry grounds of consolation to the Church and people of God 1 As Christ seemed cleane divided and sundred from his Father and from his Church but was not so his members often seeme quite sundred from God and all comfort but are not 2. Cor. 4. 8. and Chap. 6. 9. A godly man may bee in such a straight as David was when thus he brake forth to Ionathan As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but one step betweene me and death and yet when hee can see no passage God makes a passage forth Hence may a Christian with Paul challenge all perills and dangers and contemne them as too weake to separate us from Christ Rom. 8. 39. yea in all things wee are not onely conquerours but more then conquerours So was Christ in death and from under the grave more then a conquerour Let a Christian be slaine it hinders him not from being a conquerour and what ever hee may lose he loseth not the love of God who loveth him to the end whom hee once loveth and therefore onely the sound Christian is in a sure estate If sorrow be for a night joy will returne in the morning after darkenesse as sure to see light As Jesus Christ keepes his headship and death cannot sever him quite so the members may bee pinched yet not quite off but abide members still 2. As the speciall providence of God watched his owne sonne that though hee was in wicked hands that wanted no will yet they were kept from breaking one bone of him soe doth the same prouidence watch over his members that howsoever the wicked of the world pinch and presse them yet the promise is made to them He keepes all their
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