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 battels 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 so many Amalekites and Philistima 2. Secret and underhand enemies that should have been loyall and loving to him even his own people that flattered him with their mouths but imagined mischief against him Ps. 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 than all this he that came out of his own loynes his own son Absalom besides the sonnes of his Father 1 Sam. 17. 28. So our true David had not onely his own Jewes and brethren hating him with an horrible hatred and calling his bloud upon themselves but his own Disciple that had been 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 be crucified And thus Christ himselfe expounds that in Psalm 41. 9. of himselfe and Judas Euk. 22. 21. And therefore Interpretors expound such exectations as Psal. 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 oâ— the present wrath upon the hardned Jewes whose hatred against Christ liveth at this day as the cuâ—se 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 layd 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 he escaped their hands strangely Sometimes he went through the middest of them all who having strong purpose yet had no power to take him till the time was come that he delivered himselfe 2. Saul having wearied himself 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 hearing his gracious words had no power to take him but went away preaching and proclalming as they prophecying never man spake like this man Joh. 7. 46. 3. In the comparison between Saul and David David having ssaine Goliah was sung Saul hath slaine his thousand but David his ten thousand 1. Sam 18. 10. But there is no comparison between the victories of David and the Son of this 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 own 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 fame 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 than their own 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 entered 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 the chiefe stone of the corner No man was more despised of Sauls Courtiers than 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 dispenseth mercy to the penitent sinner but seedes the impenitent with judgement 3. In the continuance or eternity God promised mercy to David and his seed forever 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 be 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 shall 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 the Nations to the end of the world And so Paul Rom. 15 9. interprets it of the calling of the Gentiles For David could not do this litterally and in person among whom he never dwelt nor came but onely in him whose type he was V. David was a type of Christ in respect of Christ his prophesticall and Priestly office 1. David by his sweet musick allayes Sauls madnesse 1
cleannesse Sect. VIII Now followes the oblation for the uncleannesse of leprosie The cleansing of the Leper is in Lev. 14. where we read of two sorts of oblations prescribed 1. For the cleansing of him that he might come into the tent 2. After his cleansing and comming into the tent he must offer three Lambes one for a trespasse offering one for a sinne offering another for a burnt offering with a number of ceremonies about the Lambes all leading to Christ. But in this place we are onely to speak of the former concerning his cleansing Lev. 14. from ver 2. to 8. Where 1. The Leper to be cleansed must be brought to the Priest For he onely must discern and pronounce of it whether it be cured or unclean signifying that the sinner that desires to be cleansed must hasten to Jesus Christ the onely high Priest of the new Testament who onely is able to cleanse and heal our leprosie of sinne and herein is farre beyond all those types The Priest could discerne of bodily leprosie and pronounce them cleane if they were so but he could not make them clean if they were not But Jesus Christ can properly forgive sinne the soules leprosie being the healing God and onely Physitian of soules 2. The Priest must go out of the campe unto him to consider him to signifie how Jesus Christ finds us when he first comes unto us namely such as having the most loathsome leprosie running upon us have no right to the communion of Saints nor to any of the priviledges or Gods people but out-casts and aliens from God from the faith and from the common-wealth of Israel Ephes. 2. 12. 3. The Priest must first see him healed and then proceed to the exact cleansing vers 3. signifying a twofold action of Jesus Christ in the curing of the leprosie of sinne For 1. He must heal the sinner by the grace of justification and sound conversion but this is not all for there remaines a great deal to do before we can be soundly cleansed And therefore 2. he must bestow on us his spirit to work in us a daily growth and proceeding in sanctification before we can be pronounced clean 4. The Priest must prepare 1. two little live birds of the clean kind vers 4. 1. two birds to note the twofold nature of Jesus Christ his deity and humanity 2. Two little birds to note the humility and mean esteem of our Lord and Saviour Christ. 3. Two cleane birds to note the unspotted and surpassing purity of both his natures 4. Two live birds one to die and the other to live to note that Christ had one nature to die in another not subject to death As also the twofold estate of our Lord Jesus his suffering and dying estate and his glorious exalted estate 2. He must prepare Cedar wood scarlet and hysope noting as we have heard the excellent graces that Christ brings to his oblation both in regard of himselfe his Church and his Father And signifying that Christ and his graces are inseparable And teacheth that no man can think to be cleansed by the bloud of Christ that is carelesse to receive his graces which thou must as eagerly desire as himselfe 5. The use of these materialls of cleansing concern 1. the dying bird 2. The living bird 3. The party to be cleansed First concerning the dying bird 1. One of the birds must be slaine pointing at the death of Christ without which is no purging or cleansing of sinne Heb. 9. 22. But one bird onely dyed so Christ was put to death concerning the flesh 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. It must be slaine over running water that the bloud might fall into the water The bloud falling into the water signified 1. That a fountaine of grace by the death of Christ is opened both for justification and sanctification For water and bloud here meet shadowing the streames of water and bloud issuing from the side of Christ in his passion 1 Joh. 5. 6. 2. The bird slain over running water signified the innocency of the death of Christ for though he must die yet his bloud is in pure streames as running water is 3. That this water must be running water not standing signifying that there is a continuall cock and conduit of grace overflowing from this fountaine ever runing and issuing from Christ to the refreshing of thirsty and weary soules believing in his name 4. By the falling of the bloud into running water might also be signified that the death of Christ should run into the Ministery of the Gospel as the waters from under the Sanctuary every way As Christ spake of Maries fact preparing him to his death so much more of his death it self what he hath done and suffered shall be every where preached to the worlds end 3. This water must be in an earthen vessel Not onely to signifie that Christ must sweat and powre forth in his death water and bloud according to his humane nature which for the time of his abasement was a fraile and brittle vessell subject to infirmities and contempt and in all things like unto ours onely sinne excepted but also that this blessed treasury of the Church should be retained and held in earthen vessels that is the faithfull Ministers of Christ how contemptible so ever they are in the world yet these shall carry and disperse these blessed misteries unto men as 2 Cor. 4. 7. Secondly concerning the live Sparrow The generall signification of it was Christ now alive raised from the dead who can die no more but ever liveth and sitteth at the right hand of God and that by the power of his divinity And 1. This Sparrow must be used also to the cleansing of the Leper For neither the humanity of Christ without his deity nor his deity without his humanity can cleanse or justifie the sinner Neither the life of Christ without his death nor his death without his life can availe us to righteousnesse Act. 20. 28. God shed his bloud to purchase the Church to himself 2. The Priest must dip the live bird and the Cedar and scarlet lace and hysope in the bloud of the Sparrow slaine and pure water vers 6. Signifying 1. That the deity of Christ which is impassible in it selfe can yeeld us no comfort alone had it not been joyned to an humanity subject to passion which is plainly meant by dipping the live bird in the bloud of the slaine For therefore the sonne of God must take our nature to better our nature and take our flesh that by death he might destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. 2. The scarlet cedar and hysope must be dipped also to shew that all the graces we receive from him must be dipped in his bloud by which alone we have both accesse unto grace and acceptation into grace For by the dipping and union of this live bird and slaine we come into the grace and favour of God being united first to his
is an Orphane the Widow desires it should be your Ward who in your love can best tender it and by your authority defend it sufficiently The God of heaven increase all heavenly graces and comforts in your noble heart abundantly and adde unto your dayes honours and blessings of all sorts till these shadowes flie away and the true Day-star arise upon you in glory the hearty prayer of one who is and desires to be reckoned among Isleworth June 29. 1635. Your Wo truest friends in every good service WILLIAM JEMMAT To the CHRISTIAN READER I Have heard of a demur made as though something were put forth under this Authors name which is none of his I assure thee in the word of a Minister that for the workes that have my Epistle prefixed and I hear of no other published with his name there is not one note nor notion which is not the Authors own according to his papers And the like I affirm concerning this Treatise of Types which now I publish The use of it is manifold To open divers places of Scripture To shew the meaning of legal shadowes and ceremonies To declare the faith of the Elders who received a good report To manifest our faith one with theirs one Faith one Lord one Baptisme one salvation To magnifie and commend Christ to every soul that it may be saved and he honoured To discern and bewail the blindnesse of Gods ancient people the Jewes and pray for their return to the truth not â—atching at shadowes Of whom in present I may say with detestation of their madnesse as he said against the Philosophers Nos qui non habitu c. We Christians whose excellency stands not in outward things but spirituall glory that we have found what they with all their diligence have sought and could not finde Why are we unthankfull Why doe we stand in our own light if the truth of the Deitie hath in this our age attained to maturity Let us enjoy and make use of our own good and follow the truth in truth avaunt superstition be packing all impiety let true religion be preserved and flourish Yet withall seeing there is a promise that all Israel shall be saved let us pray for the performance and that with all earnestnesse as that converted Jew gave exhortation to his son So long pour forth thy prayers for the remnant of Israel till God look from his high habitation and see and have mercy on his people for the Lords sake his Annointed that in our dayes Judah may be saved and the children of Israel may dwell safely in their own land and spend their dayes in good the Lord making his good Spirit to rest upon them WILLIAM JEMMAT A Table of the Contents of this Treatise I. THe Introduction containing five Propositions of the Church Salvation Covenant of grace Christ and the ancient Ceremonies p. 1 Five reasons for those Ceremonies 2 Grace in the new Testament specially how 3 Ceremonies called shadowes for four reasons ibid. Threefold use of them to the Jewes 4 Gods wisdome in appointing them three wayes ibid. II. The Treatise shewing Christ prefigured by holy persons and things 5 I. Adam a type of Christ in creation office soveraignty conjugation propagation 6 The Ministery reverend for antiquitie 8 Antiquity of the doctrine of free grace ibid. Seek life by Christs death 8 Get into Christ the second Adam as thou art surely of the first Motives ibid. II. Noah a type for salvation righteousnesse preaching Ark repairing the world sacrifice of rest and a dove sent out of the Ark. 9 Preserve integrity in the worst times 13 Sinnes which are signes of judgement approaching ibid. Comfort to be had in Christ our Noah 14 III. Melchizedek a type in Etymâ—logiâ— office originall excellency of person and Priesthood 15 16 17 Christ greater than Abraham 18 Comfort by Christ our Melchizedek ibid. We are blessed by our Melchizedek 19 By our Melchizedek the Church abides for ever ibid. Excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall eight wayes 20 Sin not to be accounted slight whose sacrifice is so costly 21 IV. Isaac a type in birth suffering offering escape marriage ibid. A pattern of obedience in 5. things ib. How Christ doth meet his Church 25 Two Rules 26 A type of our resurrection 27 Matter of sweet consolation 28 Look for help though the case be desperate ibid. V. Joseph a type in his person actions â—…ssions advancement 29 No newes for good men to be hated for their excellency 32 All sufferings of the godly come of God ordained and ordered 33 Comfort by Christ our Joseph four wayes 34 Doe to Christ as Joseph's brethren to him 35 VI. Moses a type in person estate office 〈◊〉 suffering sundry actions ib. Our doctrine is of God 40 Be faithfull in doing thy office ibid. Shew faith in the fruit of it contrary to four sorts of men 41 Assurance of our resurrection ibid. VII Joshua a type in saving calling miracles valour actions 42 A fearfull thing to be an enemy of the Church 45 Comfort in our salvation accomplished ibid. Duties we owe to Christ our Joshua 46 Conditions to be observed in going to heaven Six ibid. VIII Sampson a type in person condition actions sufferings stratagems victories 48 Judge none by outward calamities 51 Strange meanes used by God for the Churches good 52 Our victory stands in patience and passion ibid. Fourfold comfort to Gods people 53 In Gods cause contemn greatest perill and prepare for death approaching 54 IX David a type in person vocation wars kingdome office Propheticall and Priestly 55 Enter upon no office without assistance of the Spirit A note of it 61 Christ the true King of the Church Nine wayes more excellent than David 62 How God brings his servants to honour 65 Church ever pestered with home-bred enemies 66 Comfort to the Church in 3. things ib. X. Salomon a type in person condition peace-making wisdome glory temple justice 68 Duties to Christ our Salomon two 73 Fourfold comfort in our Salomon 74 XI Jonah a type in name office death buriall resurrection 75 Repent at the Ministery of Christs servants 77 Motives ibid. Vocation of the Gentiles 78 Our resurrection assured to us 79 Power and wisdome of God to be admired ibid. Terror of sinne even in Gods own children and comfort 80 XII The First-born types as Gods peculiar fathers of the family preferred before brethren double portion 82 Every mercy is the greater engagement unto God 85 Honour Christ as the first-born of God and how ibid. Threefold comfort in the birthright 86 Forfeit not the birthright by sin 87 Resemble Christ our elder brother 88 XIII Priests types in deputation to office and execution choice consecration apparell actions 88 A cover for us in Christ for all deformities of soul and body 90 Qualities requisite in Ministers ib. Eminency of Christ above all creatures 93 Ministers must increase their gifts 94 Duties of private believers ibid.
honoured think it too base for thy self to attend for thy sonnes to intend Neither the first Adam Lord of the earth nor the second Adam Lord of Heaven and earth did so II. To note the antiquity and authority of the doctrine of free grace by the merit of the Messiah which both the first and second Adam taught neither of them ever dreamed of the doctrine of workes and humane merits What Adam learned of God in Paradise he taught to his posterity what his posterity heard of him the same they delivered and left to their children but they never heard nor taught any other way to salvation but by the promised seed so also what the Disciples heard of the second Adam that they taught to the Churches but they heard the same of him Act. 4. 12. And our doctrine being the same with theirs is not new but more ancient then any other For as this is the honour of all truth to be before error and falshood so of this truth to have precedency of all truthes It truely pleadeth antiquity therefore verity III. In that the Church comes out of Christs side being in the sleep of death as Eve out of Adams he sleeping we learn to seek our life in Christs death That death should be propagated by the sinne of the first Adam was no marvell but that life by the death of the second is an admired mystery Here is the greatest work of Gods power fetched out of his contrary of ranke poyson a soveraigne remedy by the most skilfull Physitian of hearts Let the Jewes scorn a crucified God and refuse the life offered by a dead man they know not the Scriptures nor the power of God who can and doth command light out of darknesse life out of death all things out of nothing How easily can he repaire all things out of any thing who can fetch and frame all things out of nothing He is of power to make of clay and spittle fit to put out the sight a remedy to restore sight He can as easily save a world by the death of his Sonne as multiply a world by the sleep of Adam IV. Labour to be ingrafted into the second Adam that as thou hast born the image of the earthly so thou maist bear the image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. 1. Because the second Adam repaires whatsoever we lost in the first By the first we are enemies to God by the second we are reconciled to him By the first we all dye by the second we are all made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. By the first we are left to Sathans power by the second we are guided by the spirit of God By the first we lost all the Creatures by the second we are restored to the holy use of all By the first a necessity of death is brought in Heb. 9. 27. it is appointed for all men once to dye and then commeth judgement but by the second we have a recovery of the blessing of immortality and life Whatsoever the first Adam brings into the world by sinne the second carries out by his righteousnesse 2. Because by Christ the truth we recover more than we lost or ever should have by the Type For so the Apostle Rom. 5. 16. the gift by the second Adam hath exceeded the offence of the first That as the first Adam by eating the forbidden fruit hath powred all evill into the souls and bodies of all men though they eat not of the forbidden tree So the second Adam by regeneration is made righteousnesse to those who had wrought no righteousnesse and powred all good things into the souls and bodies of his members The first Adam by sinne helps us into misery but the second Adam not onely helps us out of misery but advanceth us to the highest dignity to be of sons of wrath sons of God brethren of Christ members of his body heires of the kingdome of heaven By Adams sinne we are all driven out of Paradise and earthly pleasure in which we should have enjoyed an inconstant happinesse but by Christ we are brought into the heavenly Paradise our Fathers house By Adams sinne we became unjust but by Christs holinesse we are not just onely but sanctified graced confirmed glorified into whom by faith we come to be ingrafted CHAP. III. 2. Noah a type of Christ 7. wayes THe second instance is Noah a manifest type of the true Noah and that in seven respects I. Both were fore-prophesied of to be Saviours Gen. 5. 29. Lamâ—ch begat a son and called his name Noah saying This shall comfort us concerning our workes and sorrow and curse of the earth therefore he called him by a name signifying ceasing or rest So of Christ Mat. 1. 21. thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people He shall be the true Noah that shall cause Gods wrath to cease and bring the afflicted soule to true rest and tranquility II. Both are said to be just and perfect both said to walk with God and both to finde grace and favour with God 1. Noah was just in his generation So was Christ have nothing to do with that just man saith Pilates Wife Mat. 27. 19. But with difference Noahs righteousnesse was imputed being righteousnesse of faith Heb. 11. 7. Christs was inherent a righteousnesse of nature person and heart 2. Noah was a perfect and upright man Gen. 6. 9. that is not defiled with Idolatry false religion opinions or externall crimes but Christ was perfect simply and absolutely Noah but comparatively Noah was perfect but in part Christ perfectly perfect Christ Legally Noah Evangelically Noah perfect by the perfection of another Christ by his own Noah perfect because without open crime Christ being without sinne 3. Both walking with God found grace with God Noah Gen. 6. 8. Christ Luke 2. 40. 52. But Noah found grace by acceptation and imputation Christ by compleat merit and satisfaction Christ found grace by his own perfection and justice but Noah cloathed with Christs III. Both of them were Preachers of righteousnesse But Christ preached his own doctrine Noah Christs Both invited unto repentance Both called men to avoid the Judgement to come Both lived and preached in a most corrupt age when there was a generall defection both in doctrine and manners Both their Ministeries were despised and that despight of both fearfully revenged the one by water the other by fire and sword both by utter desolation as the like never heard of before IV. Both of them makers of an Ark and Masters of it But Noah of a materiall Christ of a spirituall the Church Noah to save sinners from the deluge of waters temporall Christ to save sinners from the deluge of Gods wrath eternall In the making of their Arkes they are very like 1. Both doe all about their Arkes at Gods commandement For as the Lord did not hide from Noah his decree Gen. 6. 13. So he
obedience Let the word command an angry furious natural man to forgive his neighbour that wrongs him and blesse him that curseth him and doe good for evill and recompence love for hatred Oh this is an impossible commandment and flesh and bloud cannot possibly brooke it and indeed he must be more than flesh and bloud that can heare it he must have a spirit subduing his will unto the will of God Let God speake as he did to Abraham to a man unconverted Offer me up now not thy sonne but thy sin thy dear lusts thy Usury thy Revenge Swearing Lying thy Herodias thy Dalilah thy Darling thy Pride take the knife into thy hand and with thine own hands kill it sacrifice it let out the life bloud of it Oh what grutching gainesaying rising up against the word and him by whom God commandeth Every naturall mans sinne is his Isaac his childe his best beloved his joy and laughter he cannot spare him he cannot part with him Though the Lord be in never so great haste and earnest they be not so hasty to rise up with Abraham early in the morning to offer up their sinnes a plain evidence that as yet their nature was never changed but they are in their sinnes Rule II. In dangerous and difficult or costly commandements prop up thy faith with consideration of Gods power and truth So did Abraham in this difficult commandement when he might have considered of a thousand strong hinderances he strengthened his faith by this Heb. 11. 19. he considered that God was able to raise him up even from the dead whence after a sort he received him Thus he supported his faith in that word of promise Rom. 4. 20 21. he considered not Sarahs dead body but was fully assured that God whom he beleeved who quickneth the dead verse 17. who hath promised was also able to do it These two props upheld him even the full assurance of Gods truth in promises and power in performing them In duties of apparant danger the casting an eye on Gods truth and power will bring them forward else they never come on Dan. 3. 17. Our God is able to deliver us and he will but if not c. So in the time of danger and deep distrhsse cast thy selfe on the might and truth of God who quickneth the dead who can say to the dead live and they shall live In duties chargeable if thy obedience must cost thee some part or the whole of thy estate looke on Gods power and goodnesse So the prophet to Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 9. what shall we do for the hundreth talents The Lord is able to give thee more than this Object But I know not whether he will Sol. Faith assures it self there is never any losse in obeying God It knowes the way to keep Isaac is to give up Isaac It hath a promise whosoever forsaketh house lands c. for Christ he shall have an hundreth fold II. In both we have a nolable type of our resurrection Isaac was raised the third day as from the dead but Christ indeed raised not as Isaac for himselfe but as an head for his body and members Which assureth us 1. That we shall rise out of all petty deathes and dangers for our head is above water Though the billowes of afflictions inward and outward may rinse us and run over us yet they shall not drown us because our head is aloft They may threaten and affright us but shall not drown and destroy us we shall wade out well enough because they can never go over our head any more 2. That we shall at the last day rise from all the death of mortality and corruption in which argument the Apostle is large to prove that because Christ the head is risen the members must also rise againe For 1. Can or will a living and powerful head be always dismembred and sundered from the body 2. Because Christ rose not as a private person as Isaac did but as the first fruits of them that slept v. 20. 3. Because Christ in his resurrection is opposed to the first Adam v. 21. For as by the first Adam comes death on all so by the second Adam resurrection from the dead This is a sure prop and stay against all the miseries occurrences of this life against the bitternes of death and horror of the grave that we are assured of a better resurrection else were we of all men most miserable verse 19. III. A sweet consolation God watched every motion in both these Isaac's offering how farre Abraham should go how long to the lifting up of the knife and where he should stay and when was fit to say do the boy no hurt So he watched the executioners the crucifiers how farre they should proceed with Christ but stayed them from breaking his bones and kept him from seeing corruption So when Gods time and terme is come the affliction and afflicter shall goe no farther a voyce at length shall come and say Stay thy hand do him no hurt IV. Both were delivered but not till the third day the one when the knife was up the other being dead and hopeles at least in the account of men as appeared by the words of the disciples which were going to Emmaus Hence we learn to make this use for the strengthening of our faith Then to look for helpe and deliverance when the case is desperate and in humane sence we are gone There is life in this comfort which assureth us of life even in death as Hos. 6. 2. After two days he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight In all wants and extreamities let Abrahams voice to Isaac comfort thee God will provide If Isaac see Abrahams sword in the one hand and fire in the other ready to devoure him yet a little while and the sword shall be put up and the fire shall take another object So the faithfull Sonnes of Abraham seeing God the Fathers sword of justice drawn against them and the fire of his fury ready to consume them yet at length shall see by Christ the sword put up and the fire of wrath turned againe into a flame of love and grace Faith hath a cheerfull voyce God will provide Unbeleefe is full of repinings and murmurings Oh how shall I be provided for in this or that I see no meanes c. Here the difference holds which was between the ten spies and the two Numbers 13. If thou see not the meanes for thy deliverance go to the Mountaine there is a Ramme for Isaac hasten thy obedience and God which set thee on work will hasten thy deliverance CHAP. VI. 5. Ioseph a type of Christ. 4. waies I. IN regard of his person 1. Joseph was the first borne of the beloved Rahel as Christ was the first borne of the freely beloved Mary 2. Best beloved of his father Gen. 37. 3.
figuring Christ who was declared the well-beloved in whom his Father delighted Matth. 3. 17. 3. He was very beautifull Gen. 39. 6. and his internall beauty was more than his externall Christ was more beautifull than the sons of men and making us beautifull in his beauty 4. Joseph was endued with such a measure of wisedome and understanding as none was like him in whom Gods Spirit was For which cause he was called Zaphnathpaaneah verse 45. that is an expounder of secrets figuring Christ in whom were treasures of wisedome and the Spirit beyond all measure who is therefore called the great Counseller and the Lambe onely worthy to open the book who onely hath the key of David to open the secret mysteries of salvation 5. In Jacobs last Testament Joseph is called a fruitful bough whose branches runne upon the wall because out of him branched two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh therein he was a type of Christ who is not a fruitfull bough onely but a root from whom all the tribes of God branch out and flourish And whereas those tribes are come to nothing Christ shall see his seed and prolong his dayes II. In his actions 1. Joseph was sent by his father to visite his brethren in the wildernesse So was Christ sent to seek his brethren wandering in the wildernesse he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel 2. As at thirty years Joseph was preferred to his Office by Phanaoh so at thirty years Christ entered his Office 3. As by Pharaoh a virgin was given Joseph to wife verse 45. So is the Church as a pure Virgin given by the Father to Jesus Christ as his spouse to sanctifie and save All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out 4. As Joseph out of Pharaohs garners feeds all Egypt all his fathers house and the nations whence in Gen. 49. 24. he is called the feeder of Israel and a stone that is a rocke or refuge to his brethren So Jesus Christ is the feeder of Israel and of all the family of God in all Nations of the earth not with temporall food onely but with the Manna from heaven the word and Sacraments and his owne flesh and bloud the incorruptible and indeficient bread and water of life 5. As Joseph in his lowest estate was both a Lord in the prison and a comforter of the prisoners assuring the Butler of his life and recovery of his place So Jesus Christ at his lowest abasement was Lord over death and the grave having command of them and his last breath on the Crosse almost comforted the poor thiefe promising him both life and glory 6. As Joseph doth all the good he can for his brethren that had ill deserved it For 1. He teacheth them how to live together and commends brotherly love and concord fall not out by the way 2. Teacheth them how to speake to Pharaoh and what to demand 3. Goes to Pharaoh and speaks and obtaines for them whatsoever he would and placeth them in Goshen the fat of the land till they come to Canaan So Jesus Christ above all lessons commended to us the new Commandement of love a badge of his disciples teacheth us how to pray and what in the Lords prayer himselfe intercedes for us and obtaineth all that good is and provides for us in earth till we come to Canaan III. In his sufferings and passions 1. The archers grieved him Gen. 49. 23. that is not his Mistris onely and Master but his brethren also conspire against him although sent from his father in love and comes in love to see how they do and to know their wants yet they scorne him behold yonder dreamer comes they consult to kill him let us kill him and see what will become of his dreams So Jesus Christ came among his own sent from his Father in love pitying the wanderings and wants of men but the Jewes scorn him for a deceiver plot to kill him conspire against his life 2. As his brethren sold him for twenty pieces stript him naked and cast him into a pit sent hin as a slave into Egypt where he being indeed free became a servant So Jesus Christ in his infancy was sent into Egypt sold by the Jewes for thirty pieces stript naked of his apparrel and in the form of a servant cast into the pit of death and the grave whence they thought never to have heard more of him as Josephs brethren did 3. As in this service Joseph was tempted to whoredome by his wanton Mistris when they were alone and that often and daily but by strength of grace stoutly resisted yea conquered her and himself So was Jesus Christ in the enterance of his Ministery strongly assailed by Satan to spiritual whoredome when he was alone in the wildernesse and that often set upon yet by the power of the Spirit overcame and conquered so as the evill one found nothing in him 4. As in this service notwithstanding his faithfulnesse and innocency Joseph was falsely accused condemned cast into prison with the Butler and Baker So was Jesus Christ notwithstanding all his innocency falsely accused they lay things to his charge he never knew as falsly condemned bound yea fastned to the crosse between the theeves and cast into the grave as into a prison till the time of his deliverance came that he was taken out from prison and judgement as Isai. 53. 8. IV. In his advancement and preferment For 1. As Joseph was separate from his brethren Gen. 49. 26. that is advanced by God to honour above them all So Christ was separate and advanced in glory above men and Angels Heb. 1. 4. hath obtained a farre more excellent name than the Angels 2. Though Joseph was shot at by the archers yet his arme was strengthened the bonds and fetters were loosed and he not onely brought out of prison but advanced to be Lord over the whole Land and next unto Pharaoh having all administration delivered unto him So Jesus Christ although he was a But or signe of contradiction yet his arme was strengthened to raise himselfe out of the grave to loose all chaines of sinne to loose all sorrowes of death and being risen againe was advanced and exalted above all creatures all power given him in heaven and earth his throne set next unto his Fathers the Lord of his Church and ruler of the whole earth to him is committed the government and his bounds are the utmost hills Psal. 2. yea the whole Church in heaven and earth is his to whom all power belongs 3. As Pharaoh every way honoured Joseph As 1. He richly decks and attires him puts a golden chaine on his neck Gen. 41. 42. 2. They must cry before him Abrech that is every man must bow to him 3. Every man must depend on his word Gen. 41. 55. Goe to Joseph saith Pharaoh and what he saith to you do yee
Ioshua gives the land onely to him that overcommeth And he that perseveres to the end shall be saved CHAP. IX 8. Sampson a type of Christ. I. IN person and condition 1. His conception foretold by the Angel of God Judg. 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 Iudg. 13. 3. So was Christ. His mother saluted by the Angel 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 hand of the Philistims verse 5. the other must save his people from their sinnes And this promise confirmed by a signe to both the mothers Iudg. 13. 4. Luke 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 separate 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 Angel 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 than the strong armed man He was the true Sampson that overcame many enemies and slew heapes upon heapes 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 especial 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 eat him up brings us meat the bread of life sweeter than honey and out of this dead Lyons mouth that is Christ dead comes sweetnesse 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 despised and dispersed of the Gentiles his spouse and wife as Hosea 2. 23. I will have mercy on her c. Where the whole contract on both parties is set down at large 3. Sampson put forth his minde in parables and riddles So did Christ his doctrine to the Pharisees Matth. 13. 34. III. In passion and suffering they were very like in many passages 1. Both sold for money Sampson by Dalilah to the Princes of the Philistims Iudg. 16. 5 Christ for thirty pieces of silver 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 Dalilah 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 therefore it it is said Heb. 11. he dyed not as a self-murtherer 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 Countrey as every good subject and souldier pressed to the field ought to do So Jesus Christ voluntarily offered himselfe to death and went out to meet the apprehendors and was content to dye among wicked men and to be hanged between 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 own hand Chap. 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 wildernesle by three horrible and hellish temptations 2. Sampson flew 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 unclean weapon of an unclean beast by the Law which his strict profession of a Nazarite should not have touched had it been out of case of necessity So our true Sampson by as weake 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 weak earthen vessells he subdues whole countries and kingdomes unto him that the work may be knowne to be his own hand and power and not the instruments 3. Sampson slew more of Gods enemies at his death than 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 enemy but suddenly he afflicted them more in his death than 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 City Azzah and the Citizens nowlying 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 the two posts and lift them away with the barres and layd them on his shoulders and departed Chap. 16. 3. So when satan and sinners had buried Christ laid a stone on him sealed it and watched him thinking they had him sure enough never to molest them more he like another mighty Sampson rose in his might carried away the gates and barres of death from
himself and all his members All the bonds of death and sinne with which he was bound in our steed he shooke off as Sampson did the seaven green cords and broke their power as towe is broken when it feeleth fire 5. Sampson never had help from any other in slaying the Lyon the enemies but with his own hands without any other second or weapon So Christ in the wildernesse alone in the garden at prayer alone before Pilate alone all the disciples fled on the Crosse alone No other must tread the winepresse none must share in the honour nor conquest with him 1. Not to judge of the piety or impiety of Gods children by their calamities Sampson hath many enemies many conslicts many dangers by the Lyon the Philistims the Azzhites and his own wife his life painfull his death violent Jesus Christ himselfe beset with enemies on all sides as the sunne with moats never free from conflicts with the Lyon the devill with his owne Jewes with Pharaoh Sadduces Herodians his person despised his miracles traduced his life painfull his death shamefull and accursed Yet may we not judge either of them forsaken of God who still assisted them with his own strength and was strongest in them when they seemed weakest Neither may we mis-judge the generation of Gods children in their conflicts with satan with temptations with sinners or with the terrors of their own hearts If they shall cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me waite a while and Gods strength shall do great things in their weaknesse II. God can and usually doth use strange weake and unexpected meanes to overthrow his enemies and the enemies of his Church his strength is most seen in weake things his wisedome working by the most foolish When a thousand enemies set upon Sampson at once without any weapon or meanes of defence he can use a jawbone to kill a thousand of them when they thinke him farre enough from any weapon and if Sampson wants a better and readier meanes against Gods enemies he can by two hundred Foxes a most unexpected meanes burne up their graine and fields at harvest time Our Lord by the foolishnesse of preaching can doth overcome his enemies nay God can and doth by contrary meanes wrack his foes Sampson shall marry a wife among the Philistims to be an occasion of warre and revenge and this came of God whereas marriages among Princes ordinarily are made to compose and make up differences not to make them Our Lord Jesus overcomes sinne death hell grave by suffering by death by descending into hell by lying in the grave most unlikely or contrary meanes Let Gods enemies fear revenge by every thing even where no fear is An enemy of God and his Church is never safe seeme he never so secure An Army of frogs shall drive Pharaoh out of his bed chamber in the middest of his greatnesse a fly shall choake Pope Adrian if other meanes be wanting and proud Herod shall be eaten up not by any army of men but of lice III. The greatest victory against the enemies of the Church is by passion and patience submitting our selves meekly unto God in obedience walking in our callings and doing the work of God Thus did these two mighty Sampsons most overcome their enemies when they seemed most overcome by them Our warre saith Isidore is contrary to the striving of the Olympicks There he gets the garland which striketh and overcommeth here he which is strooke and suffereth There he which being strooke striketh againe here he which offereth his cheeke to the striker And thus he concludeth Our victory consisteth not in revenging but in suffering Oh let the children of the Church lay aside worldly weapons clamour reviling revenging speeches or actions and betake themselves to the weapons of the Church prayers teares patience weapons mighty under God The power of a Christian is patience who must overcome evill with goodnesse IV. In that Christ is the true Sampson here is much consolation and many comforts to the Israel of God 1. Comfort As Sampson revenged the wrong offered him in his wife So will Christ Matth. 25. In that ye did it to one of these little ones ye did it to me And though Sampsons wife may be taken from him and given to another Christs cannot Ioh. 10. 28. none shall pluck them out of my hand 2. Comfort A mightier deliverer is here than Sampson for Israel For 1. Though Sampson was strong to overcome a Lyon our Sampson is stronger to overcome the Devill not in himselfe onely but for us in us and by us 2. Sampson was stronge but might abuse his strength as he did in whoring and wantonnesse which in prison he repented But Jesus Christ used all his strength for God against sinne and his enemies 3. Sampson abusing it might loose his strength for it was not the parting with his haire but his sinne grieving the Spirit that weakned him but Christ could not loose his strength because he could not loose his obedience 4. Sampson was so strong as the Philistims thought it bootlesse to assay him with power but by pollicy and indirect meanes they conquer him but our Sampson cannot be conquered neither by power nor by pollicy for he is stronger than all and in him are treasures of wisdome 5. Sampson overthrew the enemies but that was his owne overthrow but Christ not so his conquest was to his most glorious exaltation 6. Sampson as a type onely began the deliverance of the Church but hindered by death could not perfect it Our Sampson perfected the deliverance and salvation of the whole Church and did more after death than in his life or death and will most fully perfect it for all his members in the resurrection 3. Comfort The glory of Gods children appeares not yet but shall when he shall appeare 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Sampsons strength for a time lurked in the prison the glory of Christs Deity lay hid a while in the grave but both most powerfully brake forth So shall the glory of the despised Saints Psal. 37. 6. 4. Comfort We shall never doubt of meanes to comfort and supply us in want The same God that supplied Sampson a jawbone against his enemies supplied him out of the same jawbone a well of water to drinke when he was ready to faint Trust thy selfe with God in thy wants reserve to him all meanes instruments and wayes of bringing thee help If thou see no apparant or great meanes of thy comfort and supply he can use weak and unexpected meanes onely walk in thy calling and the rock shall yeeld thee water rather than thou shalt be destitute in Gods way or work V. In both learne to contemne the greatest and extreamest perill in Gods causes Sampson offered himselfe to death so did Christ he went out to meet his enemies so must thou learne not to love thy life to the death Revel 12. 11. and with Paul
Sam. 16. 23 Christ by the sweet voyce of the Gospel stills the evill spirits which molest and vexe men and gives them peace and quietnesse in mind and conscience And in the dayes of his flesh how he sought to cure and allay the spirituall madnesse of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees against him is plaine in the story 2. David brings back the Arke to his right place 2 Sam. 6. So did Christ the truth of Gods Law obscured by the false glosses of Scribes and Pharisees and reduced the true sence and meaning of it And freed his Church signified by the Arke from the spirituall thraldome and captivity of the Law 3. David buildes an Altar in the grounds of a stranger 2 Sam. 24. 24. namely Araunah the Jebusite The true David builds up a Church among the Gentiles and sets up Gods worship among them that were strangers from the Covenant 4. David offers a sacrifice and the Lord accepts it sending fire from heaven to consume it 2 Sam 24. 25. Christ offers the most acceptable sacrifice that ever was in which both Davids and all ours must be accepted and in which alone the Lord smels a savour of rest I. As the Spirit of God came on David after his anoynting 1 Sam. 16. 13. So did it on our true David after his baptizing to fit them to their waighty offices Learne 1. That he that is not fitted and furnished with gifts of the spirit in some measure and attempteth any office in the Church or common-wealth is not called by God whose wisedome will not send a blind man for a Seer nor a dumb man on his message or errand Would a man know whether he have received of this spirit for his office A note is when God stirres up his will in that office to performe all the desire of God Isai. 44. 28. he saith to Cyrus Thou art my Shepheard thou shalt performe all my desire The Magistrate is a shepheard he must do in judgement what God himselfe would do in repressing vice and cherishing religion else the spirit who is not contrary to himselfe leads him not The Minister is a shepheard he must speake nothing but what God would speak for the incouraging of grace and disgrace of sinne and sinners God speakes peace to his people and feeds the impenitent with judgenent and he that in his ministery doth speak sweetly to wicked men and broacheth aÌ„ vessell of gall and wormewood for godly men to drink is not sent by God on that errand he crosseth the spirit which he pretendeth 2. Art thou a private Christian see that the same spirit rest on thee and that thou hast received of the same anointing For 1. he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs and 2. wâ—â—t is it to us that the spirit rest and light upon Christ if he should determine all his fruits and graces upon him But in that the sweete oyntment and Balsame poured upon the head of our high Priest runnes down to the skirt of his garment that is to the lowest member of his Church Psal. 133. 2. hence are we sweetly and admirably refreshed Findest thou emptinesse or want of grace fly to this fullnesse but observe the diverse manner To the head is given the spirit in all fullnesse to us members of that fulnesse Joh. 1. 16. To him beyond all measure to us according to measure II. That Jesus Christ is the right and undoubted King of his Church of whom David was but a shadow And it will be worth our labour to enquire how farre the truth exceeds the type 1. For originall Davids kingdome and all other Kings and kingdomes are mediately from men either from some meane family as Jshais or some greater house in some corner of the earth But the kingdome of Christ is immediately and unchangeably from heaven Dan. 2. 44. the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdome that is immediately for mediately all kingdomes Kings and power is from him 2. In respect of unction All they are anoynted 1. by men 2. with materiall oyle 3. to be temporary Saviours 4. from temporary dangers But Christs anointing was by the Spirit of God with more divine and excellent oyle above all his fellowes Psal. 45. 7. that he might be a spirituall and and eternall Saviour a Jesus saving his people from their sinnes and such spirituall evils as pertaine to the life to come 3. Their titles are stately and glorious David as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said so Caesar Augustus Charles the great Constantine and Alexander the great to set out their glory But all these are nothing to the true and undoubted title of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. And if this were too little he hath another for he is God and man in one Person our Emmanuel a stile too high for Pope or Potentate for men or Angels Isai. 7. 14. 4. Their Scepters are of metal gold or silver which they hold in their hands and by them they save or slay innocent or nocent But his Scepter is but verball which he holds in his mouth the word and breath of his mouth more pure than the gold of Ophir more potent than all the Scepters of all Kings put together By this he slayes the wicked Hos. 6. 5. I slew them with the word of my mouth 2 Thes. 2. 8. He shall slay that wicked man of sinne with the breath of his mouth Other Kings by their Scepters can kill men but cannot make them alive againe when they have done but Christ by his word can quicken and make alive dead soules and bodies They by theirs can be dreadfull to men Christ by his drives back devils diseases death and all adversary power 5. In port and state 1. Their banners and ensigns exprese their noble acts and the honourable exployts of them and their progenitors which are glorious in the eyes of men Christs banner for his kingdome of grace is his Crosse or rather the Gospel a doctrine of the Crosse to the world foolishnesse or basenesse but in his kingdome of glory the signe of the sonne of man that is such glory and power as agrees to none else 2. Their servants and attendants must be rich stately noble and the sonnes of great Princes must be nearest to attend them Christ Jesus in contempt of what the world admireth will have his servants poor meek lowly not such losty Lords as so farre excell the Emperour in worldly glory as the Sunne the Moone the Popes ridiculous claime and yet they be Sonnes of God heires of heaven brethren of Christ and of the royalest bloud that ever was 3. When they ride in progresse they shew their state pompe and worldly glory Great Alexander gets upon his Bucephalus Pompey triumphs upon an Elephant Anthony rides upon Lyons Aurelianus upon Harts and Bucks Christ had his kingdome been of this world
against this generation For she 1. a woman of weak sexe 2. A Queen enjoying pleasures at home 3. Undertooke a long journey from the ends of the earth Matth. 12. 42. 4. Set aside the weighty affaires of her kingdome the charge of her journey and gifts to Salomon not small 1 King 10. 10. the dangers wearinesse and all to hear the wisdome of Salomon yet as a Gentile did all this But many men and women professing Christianity will not step over their thresholds to hear the wisdome of a greater than Salomon Object If Salomon or Christ were here we would Sol. 1. The Jewes would say so but would not 2. He that heares you heareth me 3. He that will not hear us would not hear Christ himselfe Object We have businesse and occasions Sol. 1. Many make occasions which might be avoided 2. Many pretend occasions 3. Many have occasions but so had this Queen who would not be hindered from Salomon by the weighty affaires of a kingdome 4. Whose occasions ordinarily hinder them they shall never taste of the supper 2. Hence we must labour to account it our happinesse that we may have liberty to wait on the true Salomon So the Queen of Saba Happy are thy servants that may attend on thee and heare thy wisedome So our Saviour himself Happy are they that hear the word and keep it Happy we if we saw our happinesse that we need not with such cost and toyle seek after our Salomon For he comes to us and knocks at the doors of our hearts and offers to enrich us with treasures of wisedome Let us open our gates that this king of glory may enter in Let us receive the rules of wisedome from his mouth and consider how unhappy they are that despise the word of which both the Salomons were preachers II. Comfort that Christ is the true Salomon 1. Great were the blessings which Salomon procured to Israel but all temporary and outward but our Salomon procures greater spirituall and eternall 2. Salomon prayes and is heard of all that pray in the Temple 1 King 8. Christ prayes and merits that all prayers of Saints be heard Joh. 17. 3. Salomon could not be present in all his kingdome at once Cant. 8. 11. Salomon had a Vineyard and let it out to dressers vers 12. but my Vineyard is set before mine eyes Himself still walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks and watcheth for the good of it 4. All the excellencies which now we see and enjoy in Christ are nothing to them we shall see as the Queen of Saba halfe was not told me in my country So as the glory delight pleasure which our Salomon now gives us must affect our hearts to renonunce carnall delights and pursue those that are above What is earth to heaven that is faith to fruition This is that Cant. 3. 7. Behold his bed is better than Salomons which was for price and safety most excellent for threescore valiant men stood about it every night But the spirituall marriage-bed in the marriage chamber the kingdome of glory surpasseth all comprehension all sweetned with incense of holynesse happinesse glory immortality better than the best perfumes there is perfect security and lasting joy on their heads for ever CHAP. XII 11. Jonah a type of Christ in 4. respects IOnah was a type of Christ as Matth. 12. 39. No signe shall be given them but the signe of the Prophet Jonah I. In his name and office Both Jonahs both doves one in name the other in nature Both mournfull one in a sea of sorrowes shut in the whales belly the other a man of sorrowes and such as no man ever sustained and overcame Both Prophets Jonah sent to preach repentance to Niniveh Christ the true Jonah the great Prophet of the Church was sent to preach the same doctrine to the world Mat. 4. 17 Then Jesus began to preach and say Amend your lives c. Both of them in expresse words must signifie to their hearers that without repentance they were in state of perdition II. In respect of his death and suffering In the 1. kind 2. manner 3. fruit 1. The kinde it was a willing death a free will offering For as Jonah when the tempest was raised freely offered himselfe to death when the Marriners would faine have saved him Ion. 1. 12. take me and cast me into the sea that the tempest may cease So when the storm of Gods wrath was boystrous against the sinnes of mankind Jesus Christ our Jonah offered himselfe to the death for he had power either to lay down his life or to retaine it Joh. 10. 18. No man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my selfe Joh. 18. 5. I am he 2. The terrible and dreadfull manner For as Jonah was swallowed up of the Whale who made but one morsel of him So Christ was swallowed up of death and seemed wholy devoured of the curse of God As the one cryed in the Whales belly and out of the belly of hell Ion. 2. 2. and vers 4. I am cast away out of thy sight So the other cries upon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Both of them were in so extraordinary death as in their sence they were in the deepest hell 3. The fruit of it 1. The appeasing of the wrath of God his Father For as Jonah once cast into the Sea the windes were stilled the sea ceased from hâ—r raging Chap. 15. 1. and there was a great calme So Christ by his death pacified his Fathers wrath stilled the rage of Satan abolished the horror of death which otherwise had never been still and calme towards us 2. To save his fellowes For as Jonah must be cast into the sea to save his fellowes from drowning Chap. 1. 12. So must Christ be overwhelmed with the waves of his Fathers displeasure and as Jonah be put to death by those that should have preserved him but not for any desert of his owne but to save his companions and brethren in the same ship with him from death and drowning For so was the signification of his name Jesus so himself affirmed Matt. 20. 28. The Sonne of man came to give his life a ransome for many So also Caiaphas prophecies It is fit that one man die for the people and that the whole Nation perish not Joh. 11. 50. III. In Jonah we have a type of Christs buriall noted by Christ himself For as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights Matth. 12. 40. So must Christ be detained in the grave and lie under buriall three dayes and three nights parts put for the whole as perhaps also in Jonah till the case seemed desperate in both not onely in their own apprehensions as 〈◊〉 have before shewed but in the disciples apprehension Luke 24. 21. We thought this should have been he that should have delivered Israel and behold
this is the third day IV. Jonah was a manifest type of Christ in his resurrection For 1. As Jonah was taken into the belly of the Whale whole passed through the ranges armies of teeth as sharpe as speares without breaking or crushing one bone of him or the least limb of his body So Jesus Christ passed through the straight gate of death but as one bone of him was not broken the special and extraordinary providence of God in both of them watching the whole businesse 2. As the Lord spake unto the fish and the fish against his will must cast up Jonah on dry ground So the belly of the earth can keep Christ no longer than the third day no more than the belly of the Whale could keep Jonah his blessed body must see no corruption 3. As Jonah returned from his grave with a song of praise and thanksgâ—ving Chap. 2. So Jesus Christ returned to life from his grave with a song of triumph and victory fore-prophecyed Hos. 13. 14. and accomplished 1 Cor 15. 55. O death where 〈◊〉 thy sting O grave where is thy victory 4. As Jonah an Hebrew goes not to preach to the Ninivites being Gentiles till after his resurrection out of the belly of the Whale So Jesus Christ an Hebrew not till after his resurrection leaves the obstinate Jewes and by his Apostles Ministery and preaching turnes himselfe to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. 5. As Jonah after his delivery went and preached the doctrine of repentance with great fruit and successe to the conversion of all Niniveh and preventing the fearfull wrath denounced to come within forty dayes So our Lord Jesus after his resurrection and ascension sending out his Apostles to preach repentance and remission of sinnes mightily prevailed and suddenly converted many nations of the heathen and brought them to faith and repentance For Application I. Let us acknowledge a greater than Jonah here Matth. 12. 41. Least as the Ninivites shall rise up against the Jewes they rise also against us if we convert not nor repentat Christs doctrine as they did at Jonahs For 1. Who are they to us They barbarous Heathens and Gentiles never instructed before we have been trained in the Scriptures from childhood 2. What were their meanes to ours Jonah preached but three dayes to them Christ hath preached not three days as he nor three yeares as to the Jewes but above threescore yeares He preached one Sermon Christ a thousand 3. What was this Preacher to ours 1. Jonah was a weak man Christ is God and man 2. Jonah a sinfull man cast into the sea for his own sinne Christ an innocent man cast into the sea for our sinne 3. Jonah a Prophet a servant Christ the Lord of all the holy Prophets therefore of Jonah 4. Jonah a stranger to them Christ of our own kindred and family 5. Jonah preached unwillingly Christ preached freely and spent himself for us 6. Jonah preached nothing but destruction of them and their City Christ a sweet doctrine of grace salvation and the promise of a kingdome of heaven 7. Jonah came indeed out of the belly of the Whale but did no miracle for confirmation of his doctrine Christ came both from the bosome of the Father and from the heart of the earth and did innumerable signes and miracles in which we see his glory 8. Jonah a most angry impatient man would faine die because he Ninivits did not Christ a mirrour of patience will die least his hearers should 9. To Jonah no prophet gave witnesse or foretold of him To Christ all the Prophets gave witnesse Act. 10 43. and spake before of him Shall now Niniveh repent in sackcloth and ashes by Jonahs Ministery of three days and shall not we by Christs constant Ministery of threescore yeares Shall Niniveh condemne Judea for not acknowledging a greater than Jonah and shall it not condemne us not repenting whose sinne shall be farre greater than that of the Jewes who rejected Christ in his abasement and humiliation but we reject the Lord of glory now exalted II. In the type and truth the freedome of Gods favour in the calling of the Gentiles Jonah was a preacher of grace to the Gentiles and Christ was a preacher of grace not to Jewes onely but the Gentiles also being given for a light to the Gentiles that he might be the salvation of Gentiles to the farthest parts of the earth For 1. God is not the God of Jewes onely but of Gentiles also Rom. 3. 29. 2. Christ was the promised seed in whom all nations must be blessed Gen. 22. 18 Hence comes in our title to grace and not from any desert of ours For what is amiable in the wilde olive It is onely Gods free calling who calls her that was not beloved to be beloved Object If we be grafted into Christ and received into grace all is well we are in state good enough Sol. Some are grafted into the Church by profession of mouth onely as all were not Israel that were of Israel and some planted into it by the faith of the heart The former are not altered from their wilde nature the other are renewed to the Image of Christ. Therefore let none content themselves with externall profession joyning in the word sacraments and prayer but labour for soundnesse of faith and grace by which onely we become branches of the true Olive whereas to be hanged as a scien by a thred of profession will not keep it from withering III. In both we have a certaine Emblem and proofe of our resurrection Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jonah and Jesus be in us he shall also quicken our mortall bodies and if the head be risen the members must rise also For as God spake to the Fish and the fish gave up Jonah as from the dead so shall God speak to the earth and Sea and all creatures and they shall give up their dead Isai. 26. 19. he shall say to the earth give and to the sea restore my sonns and daughters and they that are as seed under clods shall awake and sing And these dry bones shall be againe covered with sinewes flesh and skin aâ— Ezek. 37. 6. For as it was impossible for Christ to be held ever under death Act. 2 24. as impossible is it for his members Let us comfort our selves in the approach of death to our selves or our friends and by rising before hand from the grave of our sinnes provided for a blessed and joyfull resurrection 2. King 13. 21. a dead body cast into Elisha's grave quickned so our soules and bodies IV. The wonderful power and wisdome of God that can draw light out of darknesse Jonahs casting over board into the sea was the occasion of converting the Marriners Even so Christs death converted many of them that were causes and authors of it Act. 2. 36 41. And as the Marriners lives were saved by casting Jonah into
2. For undertaking his office 1. In his incarnation he was the first-born of his Mother Matth. 1. 25. till she had broughtforth her first-born Son not in respect of any that his mother had after him but because she had none before 2. For the stranger manner He was the first-born of a virgin and so never had brother 3. He was the first born without sinne 3. For accomplishing his office in his resurrection He is called the first-begotten or first born 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 Acts 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 soul into heaven Thus consider Christ as God as Mediator as incarnate as raised and ascended he is the Lords first-born and the birth-right 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 performes all offices of a careful 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 He nurtures and teacheth his Church 3. He 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 Jacob for Esau supposing him the first-born one part of it was Be Lord over thy brethren and let all thy mothers children honour thee So all the sheaves must bow to Josephs And Gen. 49. 8. when Jacob blessed Judah this is added as his right Thy fathers sonnes shall bow down unto thee Herein 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 Jesus 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-born had a double portion in goods Deut. 21. 17. Signifying 1. The plenitude of the spirit and grace in Christ who was anointed with oyle of gladnesse above all his fellowes 2. The preheminency 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-born learn 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 chalengeth in him For therefore the first-born were his by a speciall right because he had not onely delivered them out of Egypt as others but from the speciall plague of Egypts 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 be a great load-stone 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 dutyfull Hath God multiplied blessing on thy head that thou shouldest blesse thy self in wickednesse Hath God continued mercy that thou shouldst 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 Josephs 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 do this great wickednesse and sinne against God II. If Christ be the true first-born of whom all they are but types we must give him the honour 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 bow 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 Jewes at this day but acknowledge him the first-born esteeming him as doth the Church the chiefe of ten thousand and with the Apostle esteem to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Question How shall we honour Christ as the first-born Sol. 1. If we honour him with the same honour that is due to the Father Job 5. 23. 2. Advance his estate above our own 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. Grieve to offend him by sinne How pitifully can men women grieve for the death of their first-born So much more should we that our sinns have pierced Gods first-born Zach. 12. 10. III. Here is a ground of much consolation 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first-born from him the birth-right is derived unto us believers as it was from Reuben unto Judah and we partake of the same birth-right with our head For here is a difference between the type and truth of the first-born They had all their priviledges for themselves but Christ not for himselfe but for us Whence his elect members are called the Congregation of the first-born written in heaven that is whose names are written in the book of life And farther the more those first-born had the lesse had the other brethren but the more Christ hath
enjoyning single life to the Clergy sent for fish to his ponds and had six thousand heads whereupon sighing he said it is better to marry than to burn Bede denies the story although of Huldericus Bishop of Augusta to Pope Nicholas III. A third Law for common actions He must be very moderate in mourning for the dead Levit. 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 verse 4. Qu. Might he not mourne for his wife For some think not because she is not named neither in that Law nor in the repetition of it Ezech. 44. 25. Answ. I think he might but the wife is not named because 1. she is one with himselfe 2. If for our 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 seems an exception from the ordinary manner But for the high Priest Levit. 21. 12. he might not mourne for any of them named neither in likelyhood for his wife nor uncover his head nor rent his clothes nor go to any dead body nor go out of the Sanctuary for the crown 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 mourn for the dead 1. Because mourning for the dead was counted a Legall uncleannesse vers 11. 2. The oyle of holy ointment was upon his head being oyle of gladnesse 3. They must be 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 shew no such sign of weaknesse and corruption as weeping is Hence it is that we 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 Phinias Numb 20. 28. Hence it is that we read not of their raignes and times and how long or how 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 had 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 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 weak 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 Crown and oyle of God is upon him For as in his life he being mosth oly was not subiect 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 Revel 4. 9 10. 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 moderation and well wielding of affections and to be patterns of patience and holy obedience in suffering extream adversities as well as in the actions and exercise of practick virtues 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 1 Thes. 4. 13. 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 tranquility of their mindes as any part might be hindered 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 Mat. 8. 22. And the Lord is so strict in this case Levit. 10. 6. that when Aarons sonnes were so strangely slaine before his face he must not mourne nor stir a foot out of his Ministery least he dye and therefore the text saith Aaron held his peace vers 3. So no outward respect of duty to friends must call us from duty to God Object If the Priest must not weep how could they seriously repent of their sins Answ. The Priest must not weep for any temporal losses nor for personall losses and in naturall regards he must be impassionate but for his sinnes he might Jeremy a Prophet and Priest wisheth his head a fountaine of tears Jer. 9. 1. The high priest must weep for his own and the peoples sinnes in the day of expiation and if he weep not he must die So Joel 2. 17. all the Priests must howle and cry and weep between the porch and the Altar Christ wept often and all for sinne as for Lazarus on the Crosse over Jerusalem 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 sinne upon paine of death Oh that they would think of this that glory in their sinne 2. Let us so order our affections as that our principall mourning may be for our sinnes and bind up our affections for outward and naturall losses and crosses so as we may have them loosed in spirituall This Law tells us that sorrow for our onely sonne or brother or the deare wife that lieth in our bosome ought to be no sorrow in comparison of sorrow for sinne Which 1. Separates from God 2 Makes Christ absent and stand aloofe 3. Grieves the the Spirit and makes him heavy towards us 4. Separates soule from body yea without repentance soule and body from heaven and happinesse Let us who have been excessive in worldly
and office submitting himselfe to sorrow curse c. Besides what courage and fortitude did he express through his whole function and office in overcomming Sinne Death Satan the Crosse Hell and all adversaries Sampson the strongest of all Nazarites was but a weakling to him his adversaries flesh not spirit his power faint and failing yea changed into weaknesse IV. Nazrrites must not come near the dead to touch them nor defile themselves by them nor meddle with the funerall of father mother brother sister or any of their kindred though they might pretend never so much piety affection or good nature By which Law the Lord would teach them two things 1. That no changes of this life nor losses of their dearest friends should turne them aside from their duty or from the observation of the Law of their profession 2. To teach them constancy patience and magnanimity of spirit in the greatest outward afflictions and not to shew a weaknesse or passion in open and excessive lamentation Our Lord although he did touch the dead and was at funeralls and wept at the raising of Lazarus and so observed not the ceremony of Nazarites because he was no Legall Nazarite but was called a Nazarite as being the truth and substance of all the Legall Nazarites as in all other things so in this For he onely was the Master and had the true command of all his affections never exceeded measure in any thing never was defiled by any person dead in sinne never by any dead work never touched or came neare any such defilement which Legall Nazarites could not avoide V. The Nazarites must be absolved and released from their Vow by comming to the doore of the tabernacle of the Congregation with their offering Numb 6. 13. plainely by that figure leading us unto Christ the onely doore by which we enter and have liberty to come into the presence of God and obtaine freedome from the sinne and weakness of any duty we performe before him Now for Applycation I. Acknowledge Christ the true Nazarite Upon his head let his Crowne flourish As it was said of Joseph Gen. 49. 26 he was separate from his brethren so was Jesus Christ separated from all other men and Angels 1. In holinesse and purity being advanced in holinesse above all creatures He alone in propriety and perfection is a Nazarite purer than snow and whiter than milk yea his measure runs over to his Church Ephes. 5. 26. 2. In excellency and perfection of all virtues and graces he is that Netser Isai. 11. 1. the branch or flower which alwaies flourished in all kinds and perfections of virtue and graces and casts from him farre and near a most sweet smell sweet and acceptable to God and men 3. In power and authority The kingdome is his and power and glory all power is given him in heaven and in earth He hath power 1. To do us good 2. To withstand our evill 3. To tread down Satan sinne death 4. To rescue his Church to confound Antichrist and all enemies 5. To finish the grace and glory of his Saints Object Why must Christ be so pure a Nazarite Answ. 1. Because his passion could not have been acceptable if his person had not been as pure as the sunne 2. He was to be not onely righteousnesse in himselfe as other Nazarites or righteousnesse in part but he must be a perfect righteousnesse unto many Ob. But how could he be so pure comming of Adam as they did Sol. He came of Adam not by Adam as they did that is he came not by naturall propagation from Adam but was conceived by the holy Ghost and so all originall impurity was stopped in the very first moment of his holy conception Ob. But did not he take the same infirmities comming of Adam as they did Answ. No he tooke such infirmities as he pleased to fit him for a mercifull high Priest not to hinder him and therefore he took such infirmities from Adam as were miserable but not damnable and so remained a pure Nazarite without all sinfull frailty II. Christ the true Nazarite being come all shadowes must fly away and therefore this order of Nazarites gives no colour or approbation to any order of Popish votaries or monasticall persons now in the new Testament Besides that white is not more contrary to black than monasticall vowes to this For 1. The Nazarites were appointed by God himselfe their 's devised by themselves 2. Their vowes were of things possible in their power and temporary these are of things impossible without their power and during life be the party never so unable to endure it 3. Their vowes though appointed by God were not able to merit remission of sinne and eternall life but these say that they merit for themselves and others that their vowes are parts of Gods worship which never came in his mind or book and a state of great perfection Whereas a Nazarite was not more righteous than others but better fitted for his duty 4. Nazarites might not cut their haire their order stands in cutting and shaving that they may still look neate and effeminate 5. Nazarites drink no wine nor strong drink and they are very temperate in their diet these Belly gods eat up the fat and poure in the sweet till they be monsters that the very fasts of â—riers for the delicacy and abundance is become a proverbe 6. Nazarites might not come at funeralls these follow them as flyes do fat meat and suck out thence their greatest profit and sweetest morsels 7. Nazarites notwithstanding their vow lived in holy wedlock but Popish Votaries abhorre marriage not lust or whoredome Yet from this order they would establish their disordered orders as contrary as darknesse to light III. The shadow of the Law is vanished away and the truth of the Gospell is broken forth as the light saith the Canon Law Every Christian must be a Nazarite not by vow of separation but by imitation and resemblance of Christ the true Nazarite For I. He must be separate from others 1. He must see that â—e be separate from ungodly ones as one advanced to a happy estate in Christ. 2. That now his mind affections speeches and whole course be contrary to the course of the world and so as Joseph separate himselfe from the evill behaviour and manners of his brethren yea complaine of them to his father 3. He must be content if his brethren separate from him as did Josephs brethren when they sold him into Egypt This is to be a Christian Nazarite II. This Christian Nazarite must strictly keep the rules of his profession i. e. he must labour 1. To preserve the vow of holinesse made in Baptisme study and follow after sanctification This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thes. 4. 3. he must resigne himselfe wholy to God 2. Carefully to avoid the least defilement of sinne The Lord made a Law Numb 6. 9.
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 Heb. 9. 26. and see vers 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 sinne or sinnes committed Which signified that Christ was to be a whole burnt offering and to be wholly consumed in soule and body with the fire of his Fathers wrath that he might be a sweet smelling savour for us He gave himselfe for us a sacrifice and oblation for a sweet smelling savour Neither did the believing Jewes think that God was appeased by any virtue in the burnt-offering but through the eternall sacrifice of Christ shadowed therein 2. What were the ceremonies about these foules for they all pointed at Christ. 1. For the sinne offering of foules the ceremonies are appointed Levit. 5. 8 9. and they be three 1. Rite The Priest must wring the neck of the Dove asunder but not pluck it clean off and the same rite in the burnt-offering The neck must be pincht with the naile of the Priest to let out the bloud but the head must not be pluckt off from the body Signifying 1. That although Christ was to die yet his divinity and humanity should not be severed 2. That the death of this innocent Dove should not interrupt his headship of the Church He was to be pinched to death but his head should not be severed from his body and members which is the Church 3. That Christ should die indeed but no bone of him must be broken Joh. 19. 36. Shadowed also in the Passover 2. Rite The Priest must sprinkle the bloud 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 virtue and merit of Christs bloud for the purging of sinne was drawn from the Altar of his Deity He must be God that must purchase the Church with his bloud Act. 20. 28. and 〈◊〉 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ. 3. Rite All the rest of the bloud must be powred out at the foot of the Altar Signifying not onely the powring out of the bloud of Jesus Christ our true sinne offering upon the Altar of the Crosse without which shedding of bloud can be no remission of sinnes but also the bloud powred at the foot of the Altar that is those clots and drops of bloud plentifully flowing from him in his agony before his passion Luke 22. 44. as he 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 pluck 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 unclean and signified that Christ should bring no unclean thing to his suffering but present a most spotlesse and holy oblation to the Lord for else had it not been of sweet smell 2. The Priest must divide and cleave the bird with his winges but not asunder signifying Christ who seemed by his death to be burnt extinct and perished for so he was in the esteem of his own disciples as they were going to Emaus but yet he was not quite sundered but rose againe by his own power and ever liveth sitting at his Fathers right hand to make request for us Yea his own words might seem to imply a sundering when he saith Why hast thou for saken me but that the ingemination of his former words my God my God doth strongly prove the contrary 3. This bird must be 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 he smelled a savour of eternall rest To which the Psalmist alludeth Let him smell a savour of all thy oblations and turn thy burnt offerings into ashes Psal. 20. 3. 4. When all these rites were observed the party that was unclean shall be clean Levit. 12. 8. and Chap. 15. 13 28. signifying that a party justified by Christs bloud 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 been 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 clean divided and sundered from his Father from his Church but was not so his members often seem quite sundered from God and all comfort but are not and Ch. 6. 9. A godly man may be in such a streight as David was when thus he brake forth to Jonathan As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth there is but one step between me and death And yet when he 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 weak to separate us from Christ Rom. 8. 39. yea in all things we are not onely conquerours but more than conquerours So was Christ in death and from under the grave more than a conquerour Let a Christian be slain it hinders him not from being a conquerour and what ever he may loose he looseth not the love of God who loveth him to the end whom he 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 keeps his headship and death cannot sever him quite so the members may be pinched yet not quite off but abide members still 2. As the speciall providence of God watched his own sonne that though he was in wicked hands that wanted no will yet they were kept from breaking one bone of him so doth the same providence watch over his members that howsoever the wicked of the world pinch and presse them yet the promise is made to them Psal. 34. 20. He keeps all their bones not one of them is broken that is without the will of our heavenly Father as Matth. 10. 29. Not an haire shall fall for the same providence watcheth the head and members This consideration is used by Christ to remove excessive fear of men If thou see thine enemies encrease as bees about thee ready to strike and sting Let thy waies please the Lord he can 1. turne their hearts to peace as Esaus to Jacob when he purposed his death and Labans to
humanity then to his divinity and so are knit to his whole person and by him we come to the father 3. The Priest must let the live bird go into the broad field vers 7. Signifying 1. Christs escape and deliverance from death and the power of the grave 2. His exaltation after he was once consecrated his ascending on high and being made higher than the heavens Heb. 7. 26. 3. The publication and manifestation of righteousnesse purchased by the death of Christ in the broad and open field of the Church and this in the daily ministery of the Gospel Thirdly concerning the party to whom this cure must be applied The Priest must sprinkle on him that is to be cleansed this bloud seven times Signifying 1. That onely Christ Jesus doth sprinkle his bloud on penitent soules from whom onely they must expect pardon and purging from sinnes 2. That Christs bloud must be particularly applyed to every believer to every thing that is to be cleansed partly by Gods imputation of Christ and his merits to the penitent sinner Partly by his Ministers in the publishing and speciall applying the particular promises to every soule that is weary 3. Seven times sprinkling noteth 1. Perfect justification by the bloud of Christ the number of seven times perfect sprinkling he is able perfectly to save Heb. 7. 23. all that come unto him and needeth no other seeking of other merits to satisfie or justifie 2. To put the unclean person in mind how hardly he parts from his foulenesse and us that it is no easie thing to be rid of sinne 3. How weak and imperfectly our selves apply the bloud of Christ that have need of so many sprinklings to humble us for our weaknesse of faith and slow progresse in sanctification Sect. IX I. All these ordinances and ceremonies in discerning and curing this disease in generall teach us two things I. That it is no small businesse to be rid of the leprosie of the soule and the infection of sinne which was but shadowed in that as that was occasioned by this For whence is bodily leprosie but from leprosie of the soule Or what is it that strikes the body with such contagious sickness but the infection and sicknesse of the soule As in Gehezi Miriam Uzziah Whose bodies were so fouly infected and deformed by the leprosie of the soule and corruption of heart And who sees not how the Lord would lead them and us to take speciall notice hereby of the souls leprosie by sinne in that he committeth the knowledge and discerning of this disease of leprosie to the Priests sending them to the Physitians of their souls and not to the Physitians of their bodies whom one would think it more specially and properly concerned This should admonish us all that if there be so much adoe to get clean bodies clean faces clean skins how great our care and businesse should be to get clean souls the soile of which cleaves not to the skin onely but sticks closer to us than our skin or bones and yet we think every slight sigh or Lord have mercy or three words at our death sufficient to rid us of our sinnes and soules leprosie II. How careful the Lord is to sever the clean from the unclean for fear of generall infection Teaching 1. The Magistrate that as the Lord puts difference between him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath so should they to incourage and countenance the clean person that is the godly and faithfull David set his eyes on the godly in the land not to maligne or wrong them but to cherish their persons and help up religion and the fear of God in them As also to discountenance and terrifie the foule blasphemer the drunkard Sabbath breaker idle persons and gamesters that thrust themselves out of their calling all the week long But if a man by his course shuffle clean and unclean together nay run with the unclean countenance gamesters swearers bibbers how doth he execute the judgements of God 2. A good Minister then stands in the counsell of God when he severs the precious from the vile Jer. 15. 19. The Priest in the Law must pronounce him clean that is so indeed He durst not pronounce a foule person to be clean nor a clean person foule Then how dares a man that stands to judge between the Lord and his people scandalize or scorn such as endeavour most to be clean How comes it that we do not hear drunkards adulterers theeves swearers blasphemers so rated and disgraced as them Or how dare men sell praises of religion to foule Atheists swearers haters and despisers of goodnesse as if men should gild rotten posts or wash dead bricks making them at their death seem as white as lawne who all their life were white as Lepers Well let not the despised members of Christ be discouraged we know that the judgement of Christ shall passe righteously between the cleane and uncleane If thy heart be upright let all men cast the foule brand of an hypocrite on thee Jesus Christ shall pronounce thee clean 3. Every good man must and will be glad of this separation rejoyce in that arbitrement that differenceth cleane and uncleane as most savoury Wicked men can abide nothing lesse than this shedding and differencing of men Whence are so many tumults Oh you are more holy than all other you are the pure ones you are all clean c. but because they have learned a trick to deceive themselves and to hide their foulenesse as they think by crowding all into one confusion Now is that doctrine onely intolerable that fetcheth them out of their holes and casts them out among their uncleane fellowes for whose company they be a great deale fitter than for the society of Saints and beleevers II. Note in speciall 1. In that the Leper must bee sent to the Priest to have his leprosie discerned we see that our Lord Jesus who was typified by the high Priest can discerne our leprosie Thou maist hide thy sinne from man but thou canst not deceive him no idle excuse or fig-leaf can cover thee If he see thee an adulterer a swearer an unjust person a covetous or proud person if he see thee an enemy a prophane person he will judge thee a Leper Thou canst not sin though never so secretly but thou art sure to be discerned and tried by him whose eyes are as a flame of fire And if he judge thee a Leper he will pronounce thee a Leper and thou canst not apeale from but must stand to his judgement What if a man applaud and commend thee for an honest man a good neighbour a just man if He judge thee a Leper What had it been better if all the congregation had taken part with a Leper if the Priest pronounced him uncleane And if he pronounce thee uncleane he will shut thee out of the campe out of the society of God and his Saints till thou beest seasonably cleansed Men may
circumcision made with hands and were so farre unworthy of Abrahams seed as that they are called Witches children seed of the whore Isai. 57. 3. and Act. 7. 51. So art thou not circumcised which art onely outwardly Rom. 2. 28. A Jew without or outward is as good a worshiper as thou 2. If We cannot say truely that now not the Jewes but we are the circumcision Col. 2. 11. our persons are no better before God than an uncircumcised person in the Law Therefore if thou art not thus circumcised thou art 1. An exceeding hatefull person So David of Goliah by way of reproach and contempt This uncircumcised Philistime 2. Thou hast no part in the promised Messiah no more than he 3. No portion in Canaan not a foot in Heaven all thy portion is in Earth 4. No member of the true Churth but without the Communion of Saints 5. As he was in state of death and judgement Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 4. 4 14. so thou shalt be condemned as surely for want of a sanctified and circumcised heart as he for contemning circumcision of his flesh Col. 2. 13. Ye were dead in the circumcision of the flesh without the life of God in grace without hope of the life of glory CHAP. XIX The Passeover a type THe second ordinary Sacrament of the Jewes lively representing Jesus Christ was the Passeover instituted Exod. 12. to be a lively type of Christ. 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us The name of this Sacrament hath in it the occasion for it was by God therefore instituted in memoriall of their great deliverance in Egypt when the destroying angell who slew all the first born in Egypt in one night passed over all the Israelites houses whose doors and posts were striked with the bloud of the Pascall Lamb slain and eaten in that house wherein the godly Jewes were not to fix their eyes in that externall signe or the temporary deliverance signified but to cast their eye of Faith upon the Messiah and true Paschal Lamb by means of whom the wrath and revenge of God passed over all those whose soules are sprinkled with his bloud and who by true faith feed upon him And therefore howsoever the word Passeover hath in Scripture many significations both proper and figurative I understand by it the whole institution of God concerning the Lamb called Paschall In which we shall see Jesus Christ most lively pourtrayed before us and that this one legall Sacrament preached not obscurely to the ancient Jews the whole doctrine of the Gospel and grace of salvation by the onely suffering of Jesus Christ. This will appear in five things 1. In the choice of the Sacrifice 2. In the preparing of it 3. In the effusion of bloud and actions about it 4. In the eating and conditions therein 5. In the fruits and use Sect. I. I. In the choice of the Sacrifice The Lord appointed it to be a Lamb or a Kidd notably signifying Jesus Christ whom John Baptist called the Lamb of God taking away the sinnes of the world Joh. 1. 29. Christ is a Lamb. 1. In name Revel 5. 6. In the midst of the Elders stood a Lamb. 2. In qualities in respect of innocency patience meekness humility obedience to the will of his Father to the death not opening his mouth Isai. 53. 7. in fruitfulnesse and profitablenesse to feed us with his flesh and cloath us with his fleece of righteousnesse 3. In shadows being figured in all those lambs slain especially in the Paschall Lamb. In which shadowes or figures he was not yearly onely but daily held before the eyes of beleevers and so here we consider him In this Lamb for his choice must be four conditions I. Condition It must be a Lamb without blemish ver 5 every way perfect without any spot or defect signifying the most absolute perfection of Jesus Christ who was both in respect of his person and actions without all spot and exception 1 Pet. 1. 19. as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot Heb. 7. 26 Such an high Priest it became us to have as is holy undefiled separate from sinners The reasons are two 1. Because else his ransome were insufficient 2. He must be perfectly righteous that must become a righteousnesse to many II. Condition It must be a male for three reasons 1. Reason To note the excellency strength and dignity of Christ proper to that sex For although he seemed a most weak man in the state of his humiliation yet must he be not effeminate but masculine strong stout and potent to destroy sinne and death and to foile all the enemies of mans salvation Christ indeed must be the seed of the woman but the woman must bring forth a man-child Rev. 12. 5. And though he must be borne of a Virgin yet the Virgin must bring forth a sonne Isa. 9. 6. For he must divide the spoile with the strong Isa. 5. 3. 12. 2. Reason Consider Christ in both his natures it was fit he should be a male as the Lambe was 1. As he was the Sonne of God it was meet he should be of the more worthy sex of men for it was unfit that the Sonne of God should be the daughter of man 2. As being man he was to be the Messiah the seed of Abraham the Sonne of David and so to be circumcised to be a fit Minister of Circumcision 3. Reason Consider him in his office He was to be a King a Priest and a Prophet of his Church all which necessarily require him to be a man a male a the Lamb was We conclude therefore hence that being the head of the whole Church he must be of as worthy sex as any of his members III. Condition The Lambe must be of a year old ver 5. to signifie that Christ dyed at a full and perfect age in his strength and therefore had experience also of our infirmities For a Lambe of a year old is at his state and growth and a Lamb of a year old is acquainted with many miseries Even so our Saviour living to the full strength of a man was a man full of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities See Heb. 4. 15. we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted like us yet without sin IV. Condition He must be taken out of their own flocks and folds For so Moses to Pharaoh Exod. 10. 25. thou must allow us our beasts for sacrifice to offer to the Lord. Plainly signifying that Christ was to be an Israelite and within the fold of Gods own people for he was to be of the seed of Abraham and salvation was of the Jewes Joh. 4. 22. Yea and the Lords own Law requires that the King should be taken from among his brethren Deut. 17. 15. and much more the King of the Church being King of all Kings Sect. II. II. Jesus Christ was as
safe and sound 4. When they did see themselves by the benefit of the Red Sea freed from Pharaohs servitude how easily might they gather that by the bloud of Christ every believer of Jewes and Gentiles are freed from the slavery of hellish Pharaoh and all his Armies of sinnes and corruptions And when they did see how the Egyptians once dead and slain could hurt them no more how could they but gather that all the armies of sin once remitted and buried in the death of Christ can no more rise up to condemnation than a drowned Egyptian to drown an Israelite I. To note the mighty power of God who can still and over-master the mighty raging of the Sea which we see here in that its water dry land sands and shoare observe the providence of God and serve for his peoples safety Israel saw the mighty power of God herein Exod. 14. 31. Let us also behold the glory of God herein and fear before him as they did Let not us be more senseless than the senselesse creatures but hear his voice runne out of our own nature to observe his voice sounding in the Scriptures and Ministry of the Gospel II. To see and consider the state of the Church and people of God Canaan whither they goe is a fine and fertile countrey but the way is asperous and dangerous They are still as it were in the bottome of the sea enemies implacable at their heeles in infinite numbers Seas of waters dreadful to behold on both hands yea rising over their heads as mountaines threatning to fall over them and after a deep sea a terrible wildernesse takes them in which is no meanes for meat drink nor cloath A man would think no man could deal so with his children and yet Gods wisdom sees this the fittest way to Canaan He sees how 1. Every small content glewes us to our Egypt 2 What sluggs we are in the way farther than we are chased out 3. How little we care for dependance on himself when we are full of naturall comforts 4. That Canaan is so rich a land as is worthy all our labour and suffering Apply this note to awake thee out of thy ease and carnall slumber If thy way be so easie and pleasing to flesh sure it leads not to Canaan suspect it The Israelites going into Egypt had no enemies nor troubles meeting them but going into Canaan they had nothing else Strait is the way that leads to life and all the way to heaven is strowed with crosses Apply it also to secure thee in thy troubles Art thou in a deep danger or sorrow like the bottome of the sea It is no worse with thee than with the rest of the people of God No affliction overtakes thee but the same hath befaln the Saints in the world Hold on to Canaan and all is safe Canaan is worth all Happy thou if thou canst get to Canaan though thy passage be through the bottome of the sea III. To observe what a many comforts this great work of God will load us withal that are willing to carry them away For. I. The Lord in strange and unwonted dangers can work new and unwonted remedies for his children As we heard before that fire shall not burn them so here the Sea at his word of restraint shall not drown them He can make a wall of water more strong for them than a wall of Adamant yea himself according to their need will be to them either a wall of fire or water II. What danger can prevail against the Church if all these dangers on all hands above them below them afore them behind them at once cannot sinke them No All the gates of hell cannot prevail against it Every main affliction is like a main Red Sea which threatens to swallow us up but it shall in the issue onely preserve the Church What we have most cause to fear the Lord maketh most helpful and soveraign The very raging Sea rather than they shall perish shall open her lap as a tender mother to recieve them from the rage of Pharaoh and his pursuing army Nay the land of Goshen shall not be half so bountiful to them as these waters which gave them freedome victory and the spoiles and riches remaining upon the dead bodies of their enemies III. How unweariably the Lord sets himself to overcome all difficulties for his servants What had it been to have passed the oppressours of Egypt and to have been swallowed up of the sea Therefore he makes a new way where never any way lay before in the bottome of the Sea Afterwards he makes a dry and barren wildernesse comfortable to them dryes up Jordan as strangely for their passage gives them a daily harvest of Manna from heaven breaks a Rock to give them water and happily in time finisheth their long and tedious journey Even so the godly going out of Egypt departing from the kingdome of the devill and hastning out of the world towards heaven come presently into a deep sea not pursued onely by the fury of tyrants and enemies but every where threatned with dangers wants and death it self yet the Lord breakes for them one toyle after another and happily guides them through a deep sea of miseries and never leaves them till they recover the shoare and arrive safely at the haven of salvation where their songs shall be louder than their cryes were and a mighty deliverance shall swallow up all their danger IV. Here is comfort against the fear of enemies 1. Spiritual enemies For here we have both a confirmation and resemblance of the eternal delivery of the Church from the tyranny of the hellish Pharaoh which in spight of him is led through a sea of tribulation every where ready to overwhelme it into the promised rest of everlasting life Again we see here our sinnes also cast into and drowned in the bottome of the Red Sea Mic. 7. 19. These are the strongest and fiercest enemies that pursued us to death but these our furious sinnes as so many Egyptians are drowned in the sea of Christs bloud and extinct in the waters of Baptisme Aug. Psal. 113. 2. Temporal enemies How can the Egyptians hope to stand before Israel to whom the waters give way so strangely The enemy shall find the same sea a wall and a well a safety and a death Let enemies look here as the heathen did and let their hearts faint as theirs to see God make the Sea a wall a lane yea a lap for his people Let them behold the ordinary work of God who commonly joynes the salvation of his Church with the destruction of the enemies So for Mordecaies advancement and the Churches deliverance Haman must be hanged and his posterity destroyed as in a ballance if one scoal goes up down goes the other IV. The godly to partake of these comforts must learn 1. To labour for increase of faith for by faith they passed thorough the Red Sea Heb. 11. 29.
So must thou get faith for thy vessel to passe thee through Faith in tryall is a great victory in the bottome of the Sea in deepest afflictions it is most glorious It is nothing to believe in prosperity but in desperation to believe in the bottome of the Sea to stand still yea in the bottome of hell to hope for heaven there is faith 2. To joyn to Gods people Let not the Egyptian think the way is made for him Except thou goest out with Israel as Exod. 12. 38. the sea will know thee for an Egyptian and cover thee 3. To get God their guide and to follow him Neither Noah upon the top of a world of seas nor Israel in the bottome of the sea shall miscarry if â—od become the Pilot. Follow thy guide goe on forward fear not rest in God for safety in extream danger and thou art the fittest for his help and deliverance See 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee CHAP. XXII Manna a type of Christ. THere were among the Jewes two extraordinary Sacraments which sealed up unto believers their continual nourishment and preservation in grace by the free Covenant of God in the Messiah The former was Manna from heaven the latter the water out of the Rock Both of them most lively setting forth Jesus Christ the true bread and water of life to ancient and present believers In which sense the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. calleth them spirituall meat and spirituall drink The Story of Manna is recorded Exod. 16. 14. The proper application of which is in Joh. 6. 32. 48. where our Saviour shewes that he is the true Manna of which the other in the wildernesse was but a shadow and dark resemblance Now for opening this type we shall fruitfully consider two things I. Christ prefigured by it where we shall see an admirable and pleasant correspondence of the type with the truth and how Christ was not obscurely preached even in this one shadow to old believers II. Christ far preferred before this figure as became the truth to be set above the type I. For the resemblance consider Manna 1. in it self in 1. Quality 2. Quantity 2. in the Jews in their 1. Gathering 2. Use. Sect. I. I. The qualities of Manna considered in it self were six many of them miraculous 1. The Manna came down from heaven God in heaven prepared this food to satisfie the Jewes hunger so Jesus Christ is the true bread that came down from heaven all other bread is from earth but Christ is from heaven he hath God for his Father from whose bosome he is sent into the wildernesse of this world to satisfie the spiritual hunger of his people And as that was an admirable gift prepared by God for them and therefore they called it Manna so nothing was more freely prepared and given by God than Jesus Christ for the life of the world he came without the worlds seeking without merit and deserving yea or accepting for he came to his own and his own received him not And was not this miraculous above that that he which sent the Manna was the Manna which he sent 2. The taste of Manna was sweet and tasted like fresh oyle Numb 11. 8. or wafers baked with honey Exod. 16. 31. So nothing is so sweet as Jesus Christ to an afflicted and hungry heart The sweet promises of grace are sweeter than honey Psal. 19. 10. No fresh and sweet oyle can so cherish the face as they doe the heart which is able to apprehend the sweet consolations and joyes of the Spirit And as Manna tasted alike to all tastes and every whit of it was sweet and every mouth tasted the same sweetnesse as it never was in any other food in the world So onely Christ is the same to all that taste him and every whit of him is sweet even his yoak his Crosse and every mouth that tastes him can confesse him so to be 3. The figure of it was round a figure of perfection signifying Jesus Christ without beginning or end the first and the last most simple and sincere without any guileful corner or angle most infinite most perfect and fit to contain all perfections of grace meet for the head of the Church 4. The colour was white Exod. 16. 31. signifying the most holy and immaculate purity of Jesus Christ in his nature person and actions The holy One of God fairer than all the sonnes of men Psal. 45. 2. 5. The generality It was common to all the Israelites of what state soever So Jesus Christ is the common Saviour to rich and poor to master and servant bond and free and to all believing in his Name without respect of persons Acts 10. 34. There is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. 6. The continuance of it This was all the while they were in the wildernesse So Christ continues alwayes with his Church to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. But when they came into Canaan it ceased for where ordinary bread was was no need of miraculous So when we come to our Canaan we shall gather no more Manna by the meanes of the Word and Sacraments neither yet shall we lose our Manna but mmediately enjoy Christ and see him face to face which the Apostle calls an open face 1 Cor. 13. 12. II. The quantity of Manna considered in itself resembled Christ in four particulars 1. It was a small grain as a little seed of Coriander verse 14. but full of yeald sweetnesse and nourishment So Jesus Christ was little and humble in his own eyes and in other mens eyes liker a worm than a man Little in his birth in his life in his death in his followers Very weak in shew and appearance but full of power strength and grace to sustain and uphold his Church full of nourishment sweetnesse and comfort to refresh his Church to eternal life 2. It was freely and abundantly given to Israel as the rain and fell down with the dew So Jesus Christ is freely given to the Church and in him abundant grace and plentiful redemption God never expressed such bounty nor ever opened the treasury of his rich grace in any thing so much as in giving his Christ who never comes any where without the sweet dewes of comfort joy and happy graces which distil from him into every believing heart 3. Manna fell every morning round about the campe and no where else and so much every morning as was sufficient for six hundred thousand men besides women and children signifying that Jesus Christ is no where to be found without the campe and bounds of the Church and that of his fulnesse all believers receive grace for grace and that in Christ is sufficiency of merit for all his Church and there need other supply for health and safety of soule but out of this heap 4. It fell on the
whom it is not removed by Jesus Christ. 4. The Rock 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 stroak 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 bloud nor the striking on this Rock before mens eyes in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments that can bring one drop of true water of comfort but by the presence and word of Gods blessing The efficacy of grace depends not on any meanes or work wrought but it is Gods word and presence that doth all in them Object Then we may give up the use of all meanes and pray at home for grace Sol. Not so for meanes must be used Moses must speak to the Rock God appoints no meanes in vain but we must not insist and dwell in them but look beyond them to Gods blessing and successe Moses must use the Rod though a word without the rod might have done it so we must use the meanes as being tyed to them though God be not but not stick in them seeing the abuse of them may make them hurtful not helpful The people of Moses the Jewes struck this Rock pearced him with thornes and speares saw with their eyes the precious fountain opened in his side a priviledge in which they were beyond all people of the earth but partly ignorant what they did partly malitious treading this pretious bloud under foot not attending not believing the Word this real striking of this Rock was unprofitable yea and damnable unto them 5. The waters of the Rock smitten followed the Israelites 1. Noting the abundance of water not onely for their present supply but also for future so in Christ and his bloud 〈◊〉 abundant and plentiful redemption and consolation 2. The Rock following them that is following or satisfying their desires It followed them every where where they desired followed their necessities followed their desires So Christ Jesus is to the faithful heart all it can desire He followes them with all sweet and needful desires He is above all that heart can think alwayes present with us through our wildernesse especially in most needful times 3. It followed them in signifying the truth which was to follow It signified plainly that Christ was to follow it as the truth the tppe and so it followed them with instruction and admonition so Christ the true Rock followes the Church with instruction His whole life ministery miracles actions passion and speeches was a real instruction And now by his Ministery he followes us with daily directions 4. It followed them through the wildernesse even unto Canaan All the drynesse of that dry and barren wildernesse could not dry it up So the waters of grace streaming from the Rock Jesus Christ follow the believing Israel of God through the wildernesse of the world to the heavenly Canaan All the persecutions and parching heats and droughts in the world can never dry it up Let all the wildernesse besides want water in Israels Campe is enough Where God begins with a man in sound and saving grace here it will carry him into the land of promise True grace must end in glory Hence arise observations twofold I. In respect of God to confirme our faith in the assurance of his 1. Presence 2. Power 3. Mercy to the Church I. His Presence He that before was present in the Pillar of the Cloud and Fire for their safety and in the Manna for their sustenance is now present in the Rock for their satiety in their extreme thirst The presence of Christ is all in all to the Church his presence is a present supply of all wants His eye is alwayes present for although it goe over all the world yet it is alwayes fixed on the Church His ear is present they cannot call to Moses for bread or water but he heares and supplies His hand is ever present with and for his Church and is not shortned Himself is ever present with his in life in death and after for good for grace and glory Onely keep thou these conditions 1. Be with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. that is walk with him as Henoch 2. Keep in thy wayes for so long he hath promised his comfortable presence 3. Rejoyce in his presence in the presence of his spirit in the signes and meanes of his presence And then fear not want sicknesse nor to walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death for God is with thee Psal. 23. 4. He will also prepare a table for thee in the sight of the adversarie ver 5. II. Here is a testimony of such mighty and miraculous power in God for his people that even Moses himself staggered and could scarce conceive a work of such power from God Here is a work of omnipotency in cleaving the hard Rock Psal. 78. 15. To shew 1. That he is a free worker not tied to second causes but at his pleasure can hinder alter or change the power of nature Psal. 115. 3. 2. That he can work by contraries and out of most unlikely yea contrary meanes effect his own pleasure Luke 1. 37. Is any thing impossible to God 3. That we should cast our eyes on this power Psal. 62. 11. Once have I heard it yea twice that power belongeth to God And hence learn 1. Not to limit the holy one that made heaven and earth of nothing 2. Faithfully to depend on this power when we see no meanes of safety or supply but all the meanes contrary For the Rock shall yield water rather than thou shalt want what he seeth good for thee 3. In thy fainting and wearinesse when thy weaknesse tells thee thou art not able to goe on in this wildernesse for want of water of comfort and consolation nay art hopelesse in thy self or any meanes thou canst make now hope above hope Gods power is sufficient in thy weaknesse Sampson shall get both victory and water by a jaw-bone the most unlikely thing in the world for either And though this power now worketh not miracles ordinarily yet before thou that waitest on him shalt miscarry he will miraculously sustain thee III. Here is a testimony of Gods admirable mercy to his people Israel deserved to be smitten for their murmuring and rebellion but the Rock is smitten for them The Rock is not smitten for itself but for Israel In stead of a revenging power which they might have expected they find a gracious power which they could not expect Even so all mankind was to be smitten by the Law but the Rock must be smitten for us Our Rock suffered nothing for his own sinnes who was purer in his nature and actions than all the Angels of God but all the stroke he suffered was for the Israel of God that they
This way of remedy and cure could be no devise of man nor Angel For 1. The Angels stand still admiring and amazed at it 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2. Men without a superior teacher cannot conceive it 1 Cor. 2. 14. much lesse invent it Secondly The thing appointed a Serpent of brasse resembling Christ in the matter and the form 1. The matter was of Brasse not Gold for five reasons 1. God ties not himself to the excellency of meanes but by weak and unlikely meanes effects his great works And therefore that which had no power of cure in it self must cure and heal that the work may be known to be his and not the meanes 2. The lower and baser the meanes are the better may the Israelites be led through them and so beyond them It was not the will of God that they should rest in the brazen Serpent which had no power of cure but through it be led by faith unto the Messiah who onely could cure them 3. Though it was of brasse yet it was strong and signified Jesus Christ how weak soever in mens eyes yet was he First the mighty and strong God Secondly powerful and able to deliver his people Thirdly most invincible and potent also against all his enemies he is a wall of brasse and his strength is as the strength of brasse Rev. 1. 15. 4. Being of brasse as it was strong so was it shining and bright signifying Christ in respect of his divine and eternal generation truly shining and glorious He was the brightnesse of his Father Heb. 1. 3. the very brightnesse of the glory of God excelling all the Angels in heaven in their clearest glory and brightnesse Rev. 1. 16. 5. As that Serpent so shined that the Israelites might look upon it and their eyes not dazled so this great glory was so veiled by his flesh and humility as we the Israel of God might behold it yea approach it and fetch our salvation and happinesse from it 2. It resembled Christ in the form for the form was of a Serpent 1. A Serpent is of an hateful and contemptible shape and appearance so was Christ in his own habit Isai. 53. a despised man a worm rather than a man men saw no beauty in him but hid their eyes 2. The Serpent was accursed of God so Christ lay under the curse of sin for us Gal. 3. 13. 3. That was but like a Serpent in the form of a Serpent not a Serpent it had onely the shape not the life sting nor poyson of a Serpent So Jesus Christ was the similitude of sinful flesh but no sinner No venome or poyson of sin was found in him neither in his nature nor actions Rom. 8. 3. he was in the similitude of sinfull flesh as that of a Serpent but without all sting or spot of sin The third thing in the appointment is the end or use of the Serpent It must be lift up upon a pearch that all Israel might see it Which plainly noteth both the kind of death which Christ must suffer as also the proper end and vertue of it as in these particulars 1. Both must be lifted up So Christs crucifying is called an exaltation from the earth Joh. 12. 32. 2. Both must be exalted upon wood the Pole a type of the Crosse of Christ. 3. Both among the Jewes out of the Church is no salvation 4. Both to be looked upon one with the eye of the body the other with the eye of faith 5. Both to recover health and life one of body the other of soul one frees from corporal death the other from spiritual and eternal II. The applying of this remedy was nothing but the looking upon the brazen Serpent which signified the sinners beholding of Jesus Christ for his cure The meanes of application of the remedy was the eye of the Israelite So the instrument of applying the remedy by Jesus Christ is the eye of faith which is the eye of the soul. So our Saviour Christ himself expoundeth it Joh. 3. As the brazen Serpent was lift up so shall the Son of man that whosoever believeth in him c. That which Moses calls looking on the type Christ calls believing in himself the truth Which if the Lord had not purposed to expresse he could as easily have removed the Serpents as appointed the making of another and as easily have healed them by his word as by this sign but hereby affords them a double mercy and cure one of the body by the sign another of their soules by the thing and truth thereby signified III. From this application follows a saving effect The Israelite by looking lived and received present ease with freedome from pain and poyson So the believer looking on Christ by the eye of faith hath an heavenly life restored present ease from the pain of a guilty and accusing conscience freedome from the poyson of sin both the guilt and stain of it But herein the truth is advanced above the type 1. That brazen Serpent had not power in it self to cure this hath power in it self 2. Whereas they were cured to dye again believers attain a sound cure never to dye more Joh. 11. 26. 3 Whereas that did not alwayes retain the vertue of curing our brazen Serpent doth ever retain power and vertue for the salvation of believers looking towards him to the end of the world 4. Whereas this brazen Serpent now a remedy against poyson was after turned to poyson the Israelites in Hezekiahs time which made him stamp it to powder our brazen Serpent ever remaineth the soveraign and healing God as unchangeable in his goodnesse as he is in his most holy and divine nature 5. That remained a great while about seven hundred and threescore yeares but after was defaced and destroyed Our brazen Serpent can never be defaced or destroyed but abides the Saviour of sinners to all eternity Oh now what a sweet Sermon doth this one type contain of the whole sum and marrow of the Gospel what a pregnant testimony and vaticinie is it alone of the death and passion of Jesus Christ as also of the vertue and merit of the same and consequently what a prop and stay of our faith what a goade and spurre to drive us to Jesus Christ in whose name alone we can be saved Sect. III. I. Note What weak unlikely and contrary meanes the Lord useth to effect great things for his Church and in his Church Was there any sence or reason to be conceived in all this counsel and ordinance of God in healing thus his people 1. Could a Serpent of brasse a shape onely more heal than hurt them 2. Could a dead Serpent prevail against so many living and fiery Serpents 3. Shall not this shape and image of a Serpent be so much as touched or applied to the wound but the sight of it onely afar off cure a mortal wound really inflicted How inconceivable is this to humane