But we are sure of better meanes or better things without meanes in the hope and expectation of which we must persevere in the faith and walke in hope through our wildernesse The fruits of that good land will be worth all our labour 6. Ioshua brings none into the land but conquerours and divides the land to a conquering people So our Ioshua gives the land onely to him that overcommeth And he that persevers to the end shall be saved CHAP. IX 8. Sampson a type of Christ. 1. IN person and condition 1. His conception foretold by the Angell of God Iudg. 13. 5. So was Christs His office foretold he must be a Saviour So Christ. Borne beyond strength of nature of a mother long before barren Iud. 13. 3. So was Christ. His mother saluted by the Angell as Mary was that though she was barren she should conceive a sonne a saviour the one shall begin to save Israel out of the hands of the Philistims vers 5. the other must save his people from their sinnes And this promise confirmed by a signe to both the mothers Iud. 13. 4. Luk. 1. 30. 2. Both must be Nazarites Sampson by the Law of Nazarites Numb 6. 2. Christ by occasion of the place in which he was educated not by that Law But as a Nazarite signified one that was seperated and severed from the common course of men to a more holy profession of sanctity and to a stricter care to avoid all manner of impurity such a one the Prophets signified Christ should be not onely holy and seperate from sinners but the author of holinesse And as Sampson was sanctified from the womb So was Christ much more So the Angell The holy thing that is in thee is of the holy Ghost And herein beyond Sampson for in Christ are all sanctified 3. Sampson grew and the spirit waxed strong in him so as he became a Saviour of incomparable strength So Christ grew every way in stature in favour with God and man and the Spirit was so strong in him because it was not measured unto him as unto Sampson as he became a Saviour stronger then the strong armed man He was the true Sampson that overcame many enemies and slew heaps upon heaps And although Sampson the type was at last overcome by his enemies our true Sampson is invincible and hath gloriously triumphed over them all Both of them were great deliverers the one from great thraldome and temporall misery the other from a greater spirituall and eternall thraldome under sinne the Law Satan hell c. II. Sampson was a type of Christ in three especiall actions 1. He found meat in the eater and from the strong sweetnesse and brought some of it to his parents Christ by his death which seemed to eate him up brings us meat the bread of life sweeter then hony and out of this dead Lyons mouth that is Christ dead comes sweetnes Thence sprang whole flocks of Christians like so many swarmes of bees 2. Sampson loved strange women and went among the enemies of God for a wife which might seeme a sinne in him but that the text saith It came of God Iudg. 14. 4. A type of Christs love to the Gentiles casting his love on her that was not beloved to make his dispised and dispersed of the Gentiles his spouse and wife as Hos. 2. 23 I will have mercy on her c. Where the whole contract on both parties is set downe at large 3. Sampson put forth his mind in parables and riddles so did Christ his doctrine to the Pharises Mat. 13. 34. III. In passion and suffering they were very like in many passages 1. Both sold for money Sampson by Delilah to the Princes of the Philistims Iudg. 16. 5. Christ for thirty peeces of siluer unto the chiefe Priest Both betrayed by their most familiar the one to the Philistims the other to the Pharisees Both under pretence of love Sampson by Delilah Iudg. 16. 15. Christ by Iudas with a kisse Both apprehended by their enemies both led away both bound both brought forth at a great feast both blinded both scorned both fastened to a post the one of the house the other of the crosse 2. As Sampson offered himselfe freely unto death among wicked men as a most valiant Captaine being called to be a revenger of Gods enemies and therfore it is said Heb. 11. he died not as a selfemurtherer but in faith that is as a faithfull servant of God adventured his owne life for the destruction of the enemies of God and his Country as every good subject and souldier pressed to the field ought to do So Jesus Christ voluntarily offered himself to death and went out to meet the apprehendors and was content to dye among wicked men and to be hanged betweene two theeves that he might destroy and scatter the powers of the enemies of his Churches salvation IV. In victory and fortitude 1. His first stratagem which was as a praeludium to his calling in which he assayed his power was that he overcame a stout Lyon in the desert and slew him with his owne hand ch 14. 6. and tare him as one should have rent a Kid So the first powerfull worke in which our Sampson shewed himselfe was the conquering of the devill that roaring Lyon hand to hand who assaulted him in the wildernesse by three horrible and hellish temptations 2. Sampson slew with his owne hand being alone above a thousand men at once having nothing but the Jawbone of an Asse a weake base and insufficient weapon for so great a warre and victory and as it was unfit so it was an uncleane weapon of an uncleane beast by the Law which his strict profession of a Nazarite should not have touched had it beene out of case of necessity So our true Sampson by as weake and vile instruments and as contemptible in the eyes of flesh conquers thousands daily while by the foolishnesse of preaching by the doctrine of the Crosse by weake earthen vessells he subdues whole countries and kingdomes unto him that the worke may bee knowne to be his owne hand and power and not the instruments 3. Sampson slew more of Gods enemies at his death then in all his life Iudg. 16. 30. And this was the effect of the death of Christ when sinne Satan hell the grave and his enemies seemed to triumph over him and make themselves merry with the Philistims as having in their power their greatest enemie but suddenly he afflicted them more in his death then in all his life This death of Christ pulled Satans house over his head it was the death of death and squeasing of all enemies at once 4. Sampson being in the Citty Azzah and the Citizens now lying in wait to kill him and to make an end of so furious an enemy whom they had sure within their gates he arose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the City and
the blood of this red cow he leads us to the blood of Christ saying If the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are uncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead workes wherein he not onely compareth but infinitely advanceth the truth above the type For 1. that was symbolicall and figurative this spirituall and substantiall 2. that was externall and temporary this internall and eternall 3. that onely a purifying of the flesh this of the Spirit and conscience 4. that cleansed from legall and bodily pollution this from morall called dead works 1. because they proceed from death of sinne 2. because they lead to eternall death For the explaining of this ordinance consider foure things 1. whence the Cow must be 2. the properties or qualities 3. the actions about her 4. the use and end of it I. All the congregation must bring an heifer to Moses out of the heard 1. All the congregation for not one in the congregation but needs a meanes of purging 2. This meanes must be a Cow not an Oxe or Bull. The imbecillity of the sexe noteth the great humility of our Lord Jesus who being the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah would so abase and weaken himselfe for our sakes 3. They must take her from the heard so our cleanser must be taken from among our selves being true and perfect man taking our nature and our flesh yea our infirmities as the weak sexe importeth in all things save sinne like unto us II. The properties required in this Cow are foure 1. She must be an heifer in her youth and strength Christ offers himselfe and must be taken for a sacrifice in the flower of his strength at three and thirty yeares He offers his best gifts and dyes in his strength and so his offering was more free and acceptable And wee also should offer up our youth strength best times and gifts to Jesus Christ who offered himselfe in his best strength to death for us 2. The Cow must be red Signifying 1. the truth of Christs humane nature being of the same red earth that the first Adams body was 2. the grievousnesse of sinne which he was to undertake and the scarlet staine of it 3. the bitter and bloody passion of Christ and his cruell death The red skin of the Cow resembled the red garments of Christ all besprinkled 1. With his owne blood 2. with the blood of his conquered enemies 3. presented unto his father like the coat of Ioseph all stained with blood 3. The Cow must be without spot or blemish to signifie the purity of our Lord Iesus in whom was never any spot or staine of sinne Though he was contented to be counted a sinner yet he was no sinner And though he had sinne on himselfe he had none in himselfe as the Cow was slain for sin not being sinfull Christ was ruddy through his passion yet most white and spotlesse by his most perfect and absolute righteousnesse She must be without yoke on which never yoke came signifying 1. that Christ not necessarily but voluntarily tooke our nature that he might free us from our yoke 2. his absolute freedome from all the yoke of sinne farther then he voluntarily undertooke the burthen of it 3. that he was never subject to the yoke of humane precepts and commandement being the Law-giver to prescribe Lawes to all not to receive Lawes from any 4. that none could compell him to suffer for sinne but his whole obedience active and passive was a freewill offering hee having power to lay downe his life and to take it up againe 5. he was more free from the yoke then any red heifer could be She indeed must be free in her selfe he not onely free in himselfe but he must free all beleevers from the yoke whom the sonne sets free they are free indeed III. The actions about the Cow were five ver 5. 1. Action 1. The congregation must deliver the Cow to be slaine so was Christ delivered to be slaine by the whole body of the Iews 2. She must not be delivered to Aaron but to Eleazer his successor signifying that the death of Christ serveth all the successions and ages of the Church and must be taught by the ministers of all ages 2. Action She must be led out of the Camp and there burnt whole to ashes her skin flesh blood and dung ver 5. Signifying 1. that Christ must be led out of the gate of Ierusalem to suffer Heb. 13. and there 2. must be crucified by which he was made a whole burnt offering 3. that whole Christ is our comfort his flesh our meate his blood our drinke yea the very base dung of those contumelies cast upon him were a part of his sacrifice offered up in the fire of his passion for us to sweeten and sanctifie ours 3. Action Eleazer must take of the blood with his finger and sprinkle towards the foreside of the Tabernacle of the assembly seven times ver 4. Signifying 1. the purging of us by the blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience 2. that Christs death profits none to whom it is not specially applyed for the Cowes blood must be not shed onely but sprinkled 3. that onely the people and congregation of God have benefit of the death and blood of Christ for it was sprinkled directly before the Tabernacle 4. the seven times sprinkling noteth 1. that that one oblation hath vertue and merit enough 2. the perfection of justification 3. the need of often application of Christs death 4. the duration of it to all ages 4. Action She must bee burnt with Cedar wood scarlet lace and hysope all which must be cast into the fire with her ver 6. signifying 1. three things in Christ. 1. the Cedar of uncorrupt life 2. the scarlet of fervent love to mankinde 3. the hysope of savoury obedience in all things to his father all which were in all his sufferings and fire of his passion sweetning it 2. they noted three things arising from Christs sufferings 1. immortality signified by the Cedar which is not subject to putrefaction 2. the scarlet the merit of his blood applyed to justification 3. the hysope of mortification healing our corruptions as hysope hath an healing quality All these three properly arise from the passion of Christ. 5. Action A cleane person must gather the ashes of the heifer and lay them without the Campe in a clean place ver 9. signifying 1. the buriall of Christ in a cleane and new tombe wherein never man lay a cleane place never used before 2. that the merit of Christs death is ever laid before God in the highest and holiest heavens 3. the Christians account of Christs merit and passion who layeth them up as his chiefe treasure in the cleane place of a pure heart and conscience an onely fit closet to keep the mystery
take heed of prophaning this precious blood take heed of sinning against it Consider of that sore punishment which he is worthy of that treads under foot the sonne of God and counteth the blood of the Testament unholy Heb. 10. 29 He cannot expresse the greatnesse of the punishment in words but leaves it to all mens mindes to consider of Quest. How may a man prophane this blood Answ. 1. By undervaluing it as Papists who thinke it insufficient to ratifie the Covenant unto them without other additions and supplies from themselves and others yea ascribe as much to the blood of Thomas Becket and other traytors as to this blood 2. To be ashamed of Christ and his sufferings The Jewes must strike the lintells of their doores with the blood of the Paschall Lambe that all might see they were Israelites signifying that we must openly professe Christ and not be ashamed of his death and ignominy which is the life of the world at which notwithstanding the greatest part of the world stumbleth at this day To shame at the profession of Christ is to contemne his blood 3. To contemne it in the meanes in which the Lord would hold it before our eyes To reject or neglect the preaching of the word wherein Christ is crucified before our eyes as he was to the Galatians chap. 3. 1. To neglect and despise the Sacrament in which his blood is after a sort powred out to the mind and sences Or unpreparedly to receive the Sacrament and in the unworthinesse of a guilty conscience is to make ones selfe guilty of the blood of Christ as Pilate Iudas and the soldiers were 4. To despise and wrong the godly descended of the blood of CHRIST redeemed with the blood of CHRIST To hate the Church of God and abuse the members of Christ is to crucifie againe the sonne of God and despise the price of our purchase In that ye do it to one of these little ones ye did it to me Thou canst not draw blood of the Saints but thou sinnest against the blood of Christ. 5. To prophane it in gracelesse swearing as those branded bell-hounds that sweare commonly by wounds or blood as if this precious blood were to be engaged on every base occasion Well they carry wounds in their consciences and powre out the life blood of their soules Sect. IV. IV. In eating the Paschall Lambe Jesus Christ was typified To this eating many conditions are required concerning 1. time 2. place 3. persons 4. manner 5. measure The time It must be eaten at the same time and in one evening must all Israell eat the Passeover 1. In the evening to signifie our estate of darkenesse and misery by sinne and death till Christ came and when Christ came to be our ransome 2. In one and the same evening to note the holy agreement and consent of the whole Church in the faith of Christs death and passion to which well agrees the constitution of our Church ordaining the supper succeeding it in the same time so all superstition and formality be avoided The place 1. Every particular Lambe must be eaten in one house to signifie the unity of the Church of God the house of the living God and the spirituall conjunction and agreement of all the faithfull in one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10. 17. 2. If one house sufficed not to eate up one Lambe they might call in their neighbours to a competent number which might bee about a dozen as in our Saviours family to signifie 1. that the Gentiles in time by the voice of the Gospell should be called in to the participation of Christ the lambe of God and to the fruition and feeding of the same lambe with the Israelites 2. no number is assigned because the Lord onely knowes who are his 3. because there were many lambes to bee slaine they must be eaten in many houses so as no man must abstaine from the Passeover in paine of death signifying the speciall application of the same Christ to severall persons families and the Church is no salvation 3. In the night of errors heresies afflictions and persecutions for the truth when God revengeth the worlds contempt of his grace if we would bee safe wee must keepe our selves within the Church not departing from the particular house or Church in which we are to joyne to Idolatry or errors least Gods revenge overtake us as the waters overwhelmed all that were without the Arke II. The manner prescribed to all Passeovers ensuing stood in three observations 1. They must eate it with unleavened bread signifying that if we would feed on Christ our Passeover wee must purge out all old leaven and become a new lumpe 1 Cor. 5. 7. This old leaven is the fusty swelling and spreading corruption of our owne wicked nature the leaven of sinne false doctrine heresie corruption of manners sowre and tart affections that will not stand with the receiving of Christ and his benefits All this we must purge out and study for sincerity and truth in judgement in affection in action 2. They must eate the Passeover with sower herbs as sawce signifying 1. true repentance and godly sorrow of heart to bee inseperable with the true apprehender of Jesus Christ 2. that Christ and his Crosse are inseperable and that afflictions as sowre herbs are the most whole some sawce of Christianity Sowre indeed and unpleasing to the flesh but profitable 1. to prepare and provoke the appetite with more cheerefulnesse and ardency to all godly duties of prayer hearing Sacraments mercy patience hope c. Rom. 5. 3 4. 2. to whet and provoke to the practise of all Christian duties of mercy and love 3. to excite the desire to bee fully fed with that sweet tree of life and that blessed Mannah in which is no sowrenesse in the kingdome of glory Rev. 2. 17. 3. They must alwaies in eating repeate and conferre of their deliverance out of Aegypt and in memory of that benefit provoke their thankfulnesse of God ver 26. 27. adding as it were to the Sacrament a word of instruction signifying 1. that we should alwaies remember the death and passion of Christ with due thankefullnesse for so great a deliverance by it if they must still speake of their temporall deliverance much more we of so great and eternall deliverance by it from the spirituall servitude of sinne death the divell and damnation 2. it shadowed herein its successor in the new Testament for the Sacrament of the Supper was therefore instituted to keepe in remembrance the death of Iesus Christ. 1 Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come 3. to be a rule for all Sacraments wherein it is necessary that the word be ioyned to the Element I meane the word of Institution and if it may be conveniently of exhortation that the seale may goe with the Charter as
Aegyptian to drowne 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 Exo. 14. 31. Let us also behold the glory of God herein and feare before him as they did Let not us be more senselesse than the senselesse creatures but heare his voice runne out of our owne nature to observe his voice sounding in the Scriptures and Ministery of the Gospell II. To see and consider the state of the Church and people of God Canaan whither they goe is a fine and fertile country 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 dreadfull to behold on both hands yea rising over their heads as mountaines threatning to fall over them and after a deepe sea a terrible wildernesse takes them in which is no meanes for meat drinke nor cloath A man would thinke no man could deale so with his children and yet Gods wisedome sees this the fittest way to Canaan He sees how 1. Every small content glewes us to our Aegypt 2. What sluggs we are in the way farther then we are chased out 3. How little we care for dependance on himselfe 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 Aegypt 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 deepe danger or sorrow like the bottome of the sea It is no worse with thee then with the rest of the people of God No affliction overtakes thee but the same hath befalne 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 worke of God will load us withall that are willing to carry them away For I. The Lord in strange and unwonted dangers can worke new and unwonted remedies for his children As we heard before that fire shall not burne them so here the sea at his word of restraint shall not drowne them He can make a wall of water more strong for them than a wall of Adamant yea himselfe according to their need will be to them either a wall of fire or water II. What danger can prevaile 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 prevaile against it Every maine affliction is like a maine Red sea which threatens to swallow us up but it shall in the issue onely preserve the Church What we have most cause to feare the Lord maketh most helpfull and soveraigne The very raging sea rather then they shall perish shall open her lappe as a tender mother to receive them from the rage of Pharaoh and his pursuing army Nay the land of Goshen shall not be halfe so bountifull 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 himselfe to overcome all difficulties for his servants What had it beene to have passed the oppressors of Aegypt and to have beene swallowed up of the sea Therefore hee 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 Mannah 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 Aegypt departing from the kingdome of the devill and hastning out of the world towards heaven come presently into a deepe sea not pursued onely by the fury of tyrants and enemies but every where threatned with dangers wants and death it selfe yet the Lord breakes for them one toyle after another and happily guides them through a deepe 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 then their cryes were and a mighty deliverance shall swallow up all their danger IV. Here is comfort against the feare of enemies 1. Spirituall enemies For here we have both a confirmation and resemblance of the eternall 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 Againe wee 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 Aegyptians are drowned in the sea of Christs blood and extinct in the waters of Baptisme Aug Psal. 113. 2. Temporall enemies How can the Aegyptians hope to stand before Israell 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 looke here as the heathen did and let their hearts saint as theirs to see God make the sea a wall a lane yea a lappe for his people Let them behold the ordinary worke 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 scoale goe up downe goes the other IV. The godly to partake of these comforts must learne 1. To labour for increase of faith for by faith they passed through the Red sea Heb. 11. 29. So must thou get faith for thy vessell 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 beleeve in prosperity but in desperation to beleeve in the bottome of the sea to stand still yea in the bottome of hel to hope for heaven there is faith 2. To joyne to Gods people Let not the Aegyptian thinke the way is made for him Except thou goest out with Israell as Exod. 12. 38. the sea will know thee for an
and poyson so the devill casts out nothing but virulent words against God and his Saints and spewes out after the Church a flood of poyson to drowne her How hee blasphemed Iob how he is the accuser of the brethren how of the head Christ himselfe the Scripture declares Fiftly as a serpent is cursed above all beasts so is the devill The first cursed creature in the world was this serpent and hath ever since remained the cursed head of all cursed rebells and wicked ones to whose custody and condemnation they shall all be gathered in the last day Mat. 25. 41. goe ye cursed c. 2. Why called fiery serpents Answ. 1. From their colour Through abundance of poison they had a shining and glistring skinne and they seemed as if they had been made of fire A resemblance wee have in our snakes that seeme to shine and sparkle against the Sunne 2. From their effect For with their sting they infused such poison into the bodies of the Israelites as stirred up in them an outragious heat and fire Now these diseases are most painfull and so tormentfull as if a wild-fire were in the bowels feeding upon the bones marrow and members 3. From their end First because they were appointed by God and after a sort inflamed and kindled with desire of revenge of the Lords wrongs and they so fiercely assaulted the Israelites as if a raging and devouring fire had seased upon them which no way they could avoid Secondly that in their punishment they might bee admonished both what a fearefull fire of Gods wrath they had kindled by their sin against themselves as also that they had deserved a more fearefull fire in hell to seize upon their whole man everlastingly 3. Why stinging serpents Answ. To imply unto us First that sinne is the sting of this old serpent even a poisoned sting that hee hath thrust into all mankind But with this difference in that this poison is farre more generall and the wounds infinitely more mischievous then were those of the fiery serpents For 1. They stung a few Israelites but not all but this serpent hath stung all mankind none excepted 2. They stung the bodies onely but these soules and bodies also 3. They stung one part of the body this serpent all parts and whole man 4. They to a temporall death this to an eternall Secondly to imply that sinne is the sting of a fiery serpent 1. Set on fire with wrath and cruelty and desire to poison and destroy us Revel 12. 17. 2. Setting on us with fiery darts For so his temptations are called Ephes. 6. 16. for three reasons 1. From the manner and custome of souldiers in times past which cast poisoned darts the poison of which inflamed the wounded bodies and made the wounds incurable As now many out of desperate malice poison their weapons and bullets to make sure with their enemy So doth Satan by all meanes poison his darts to speed the Christians soule 2. Because as fiery darts they inflame and kindle in the heart all manner of burning lusts and sinnes one of them being but as a sparke or firebrand to kindle another 3. Because they leave for most part a cauterized and seared conscience behind them as if they were burnt with an hot iron which makes the sinner stung senslesse of his wound Whence is another miserable difference betweene the stung Israelite and the stung sinner The former was alwayes felt with griefe and paine but this often not felt and so more desperate Thirdly the effect of this stinging was death in many And so the effect of sinne is death in all The stung Israelite had death in his bosome and no other could be expected so the guilty sinner is stung to death In his nature is every man the sonne of death and can expect nothing but death every moment And as the stung person in the wildernesse had no meanes in himselfe nor from others to avoid either the serpent or death from it till God appointed them the brazen serpent So the poore sinner was destitute of all helpe in himselfe and others till the Lord appointed Jesus Christ the promised seed to breake the serpents head There is given no name else whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. First note hence how deceitfull are the pleasures of sinne It is as a sweet poison Iob 20. 12. sweet in the mouth but poison in the bowels What wise man would drink a draught of poison for the sweet taste of it Wicked men hold sinne as a sweet morsell but sower sauce followes it Secondly what little cause we have to love our sinnes for that is to love our owne bane Prov. 8. 35. Hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death No sinne but the more pleasing the more poisoning the more delicate the more deadly Sinne never so much disguised never the lesse deadly Thirdly that sinners are but dead men while they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. An Israelite stung was but a dead man So although the reasonable soule in a sinner makes him a man yet the want of the Spirit of grace makes him a dead man Death waits upon sinne as the wages on the worke and hell upon death that comes before repentance Fourthly A foole hee is that makes a mocke of sinne Who would play with a deadly serpent or make a jest of his owne death or drink up the poison of a serpent in merriment or cast darts firebrands about him to burne himselfe and others and say Am I not in sport See Prov. 26. 18. and 10. 23. and 14. 9. Oh that wee could discerne our wounds as sensibly as we are certainly stung It would make us runne to God and get Moses to goe to God for us and pray that these serpents and painfull wounds might be removed If wee saw death as present and as ghastly in our sins as Israel did in their stinging we would hasten our repentance and seeke after meanes of cure Sect. II. The remedy is First prescribed Num. 21. 8. Secondly applied vers 9. Thirdly in the same verse is the effect they recovered and lived So then in the remedy are I. ordination 2. application 3. sanation or cure 1. The appointing hath First the person appointing which was God himselfe who devised it and prescribed it to Moses for God will save onely in his owne meanes So God himselfe so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Ioh. 3. 16. This way of remedy and cure could bee no devise of man nor Angel For 1. The Angels stand still admiring and amazed at it 1. Pet. 1. 12. 2. Men without a superiour teacher cannot conceive it 1. Cor. 2. 14. much lesse invent it Secondly the thing appointed a serpent of brasse resembling Christ in the matter and the forme 1. The matter was of brasse not gold for five reasons 1. God ties not himselfe
religious persons when times do else not To avoid pernicious and dangerous sinnes which law revengeth as murder adultery theft but not covetousnesse not usury not swearing not uncleane lusts Herod will not part with his Herodias Ahab hath no reason to respect Micah when he prophecies evill to him 3. Trades men oppresse cosen lye deceive c because they have reason to make the best of their owne What reason but they may serve a Customer upon the Sabbath so they come to Church They have reason to slip all opportunities of grace all the weeke because they must walke diligently in their callings the sixe dayes Thus reason steps in and thrusts aside the practise of that which men in judgement hold not for good and necessary and like Evah still longing after forbidden fruit Thus of the second observation Sect. VI. III. Seeing all of us in this wildernesse are stung with the old Serpent what are we to doe to be cured Answ. we are to doe five things 1. We must feele our selves stung with our sinnes and confesse our selves stung for so must the Israelite before he could be cured We must feele the poyson and paine of sinne and First that this poyson hath not seated it selfe in one place but hath crept and diffused it selfe through all our parts For therefore it is called venenum quod per venas eat And as the vaynes and blood runne through every part of the body so sinne through every part of the man Secondly as poyson never rests till it come to the heart and there strikes and corrupts the fountaine of life So our sinne hath mortally wounded our very hearts and strikes at the life of grace in the soule Thirdly as poyson inflames the party with an incredible thirst having overcome naturall moysture and eaten up the spirits so sinne in the soule workes an utter defect and dryes up all waters of grace and makes the sinner insatiable in drinking up iniquity like water Fourthly as poyson not prevented brings speedy and certaine death but not without extreame paine and intolerable torture so the poyson of sinne unconquered brings certaine and eternall death attended with horrour of conscience desperate feares and torments most exquisite Thus must we labour to feele the sting of our sin in all parts far more mortall then the most venemous stings of most direfull Serpents 2. When this people felt themselves stung so deadly they come to Moses for counsell so must thou depend upon the Minister for direction as they upon Moses Never was man sensible of this sting but he would runne to the Ministers Act. 2. 37 when they were pricked in their hearts they said to Peter and the rest Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 16. 30 the poore Jaylor being stung and sensible of his paine came trembling and humbling himselfe to Paul and Silas prisoners saying Sirs what must I doe to bee saved A conscience truely wounded will seeke to God to his word and Ministers for it knowes that God woundeth and healeth The feet of him that brings good tidings are beautifull to an humbled heart even as an experienced Physitian to a sicke party who else were sure to be lost for want of meanes What marveile if a soule truely sensible of his sting and paine can runne to Gods Ministers when a counterfeit humiliation can make as hard hearted a King as Pharaoh runne to Moses and Aaron and beg prayers of them A marveilous thing then that of so many thousands stung so deadly so few are sensible that so few trouble Moses or the Ministers with questions concerning their estates Some stung and guilty consciences not supported by faith in touch of sinne and sence of paine like a Doe shot with an arrow runne every way but the right for ease Some with Asa send to the Physitian to purge away melancholy Some with Saul send for musick esteeming soules sicknesse but a sottish lumpishnesse Some runne into the house of laughter and wicked playhouses to see and heare the Lords Sampsons and worthies derided not without haynous blasphemy Others fall a building with Cain or set upon other imployments perhaps it is but an idle fancy Some runne perhaps to the Witch of Endor in the meane time send away Paul as Felix or runne against Moses and his Ministers But comfort can they have none but from God and his word had not thy word saith David beene my comfort I had perished in my trouble All the Physitians in the world all the Musitians and Magicians put together nor any other meanes could helpe a stunge Israelite he must come to Moses when hee had done all hee could All other by-comforts are worme eaten and as cold water to cure a dropsie or as a cold draught to cure a poyson Some few there are that come unto us who we are sure had never sought to us more then others had they had so little sence of their sting as other have as the Israelites had never come at Moses had they not beene slung Let them be comforted in that they have gone the right way to fetch their comforts which is from God and his word and not from carnall men or councels The Lord in mercy hath brought them light out of darkenesse for pittie had it beene they had wanted the sting of affliction that hath driven them to God and to his word and servants 3. Comming to Moses wherein do they imploy them what questions move they to him Numb 21. 7. Oh their sinne troubles them which they confesse in generall we have sinned and in particular wee have spoken against the Lord and against thee and then pray him to helpe them in removing the Serpents So thou being stung when thou comest to Gods Ministers wilt be conversant in fruitfull and edifiable questions thou must be free in confession of such sinnes as are the likely cause of thy trouble and intent and busie how to be rid of the Serpents and the sting and poyson of thy sinnes Thou will be carefull to know how to get ease of heart and quietnesse of conscience from the paine and sting of sinne So the converts Act. 2 and so the Jaylor What shall I do to be saved The fault of many is when they have meanes of counsell and cōfort present with them to waste their time in trifling and curious questions and impertinent to the cure of the sting of the Serpent Questions which are like Crafishes in which is more picking then meat Questions meerely idle the resolution of which helps them no whit to ease or to heaven An humbled heart will not so lose his time nor dwell in toyes and unnecessaries to thrust out things more profitable A wise heart will not for a shadow forgoe the substance but will be much in that question of the young man Mr. what may I doe to inherit eternall life what may I doe to be saved what may I doe to be rid of this Serpent and
seeing he was before all worlds eternally begotten of his Father And whereas Melchizedek onely had no beginning or end of life expressed Christ is onely truely without beginning neither shall have any end for hee is the beginning and the ending And although his humanity had genealogie beginning and ending of life yet as he was the word hee had none And although as the Sonne he was from the father yet as God hee was from none but as the word was of himselfe Here also is a difference Melchizedek was without genealogy according to Scripture Christ according to nature IV. In the excellency of his 1. Person 2. Priesthood 1. For excellency of Person 1. Melchizedek was greater then Abraham for he blessed Abraham and the greater blesseth the lesser Heb. 7. 7. signifying Christ the fountaine and originall of all blessing in heavenly and earthly things Ephes. 1. 3. 2. Melchizedek refreshed Abraham and his Army returning weary from the battell and journey with bread and wine Here Abraham was a receiver Melchizedek a giver a manifest type of Iesus Christ refreshing and comforting all his followers and members of his militant Church in their journey and wearinesse with his word and Sacraments Matthew 11. 28. I will refresh you 3. Melchizedek was man onely and sinfull Christ God and man without sinne Melchizedek as the sonne of God Christ indeed the Sonne of God 2. For the excellency of his Sacrifice or his Priesthood which was greater then Aarons For 1. Levi and Aaron paid tythes in Abrahams loines to Melchizedek Heb. 7. 9. and the inferiour payes tythes to the Superiour Such is the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek not of Aaron 2. In regard of the entrance Melchizedek was not anointed with materiall oile as Aaron nor received his Priesthood from any other but onely so declared by the mouth of God So Christ succeeded none received his Priesthood from none but anointed by the Spirit of God Luke 4. 18. and made a Priest by the Oath of God Psal. 110. 4. The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek 3. In regard of the continuance of his Priesthood For as hee receives it from none so hee passeth it not to any other nor any can succeed him but hee endureth ever having an everlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. The Leviticall Priesthood ended particularly in the death of every high Priest and universally and finally in the death of our high Priest But Christ is eternall who died but rose againe figured in Melchizedek I. If Christ bee the true Melchizedek then must he needs bee greater then Abraham though the Jewes vainely gainesay it Ioh. 8. 53. To him all our tythes and offerings our sacrifice of praises are due as tythes and offerings due from Abraham to Melchizedek Hee is blessed and Prince onely the King of kings and Lord of lords unto him be honour and power everlasting 1. Tim. 6. 15 16. So the foure and twenty Elders Revel 11. 15 17. And Angels Beasts Elders and all creatures Revel 5. 11 12 13. II. For the comfort of the Church that Christ is the true Melchizedek both a Priest and a King 1. As he is a Priest wee are assured of a perfect reconciliation by his all-sufficient Sacrifice 2. Of sound instruction for the Priest must teach the Law his lips must present knowledge Ioh. 4. 25. When the Messiah is come hee will tell us all things Wee detest the blasphemy therefore that tells us that he hath left an imperfect doctrine that must bee eeked with traditions 3. Of his blessed intercession which is meritorious and acceptable Samuel out of his love to the people 1. Sam. 12. 23. saith thus God forbid that I should sinne and cease to pray for you but I will teach you the good way Christs love to the Church is no lesse therefore he will both teach and pray 4. Of powerfull protection and safety For he is not our Priest onely but our King not our Doctor onely but our defendor not a Priest onely to pray but a King to obtaine for us and bestow on us what he prayes for What if he had never so much power in teaching if he were impotent in defending But he is King of peace in himselfe and unto us We haue a powerfull aduocate in heaven They never tasted the sweetnesse of this doctrine that seeke after any other Mediator III. Hence is the happinesse of the Church As Melchizedek blessed Abraham So Christ our Melchizedek hath blessed all the faithfull posterity of Abraham Eph. 1. 3. with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus But with difference Melchizedek onely pronounced blessing Gen. 14. 19. blessed art thou of God possessor of heaven and earth But our Melchizedek meriteth and bestoweth blessings of higher kind also then could Melchizedek For 1. Christ blesseth by meriting blessing through his most perfect sacrifice pacifying his Fathers wrath Melchizedek offered no such sacrifice to no such effect his was accepted by mercy not for merit not for his owne sacrifice but for Christs 2. By actuall procuring the blessing of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse restored a more effectual blessing then Melchidek could procure His sacrifices could onely signifie these in the Messiahs not actually apply them 3. By gathering calling ruling and preserving in spirituall life his whole Church as members of his owne body and by the donation of his spirit none of which blessings Melchizedek could give 4. By bestowing eternall life on beleevers here in the first fruits heereafter in the harvest whereof Melchizedek must be a receiver from him the fountaine not a giver 5. By publishing and pronouncing on beleevers all this blessing in the preaching of the Gospell and sealing it to the hearts of the elect by the daily effectuall voyce of his spirit by the word which Melchizedek could not doe Therefore a greater then Melchizedek is here and a greater blessing then Abraham received from him Let the world curse wicked ones rage and revile against the Church and members yet as Isaac said of Iacob Gen. 27. 33. I have blessed him and therefore he shall be blessed the same will Christ not say onely but accomplish to them IIII. Hence is the stability and perpetuity of the Church and members That Christ is the true Melchizedek that is an eternall Priest the Church must be eternall For a Priest cannot be without a Church nor an eternall Priest without an eternall Church but of Christ it is said thou art a Priest for ever Therefore Tyrants shall not wast it time shall not outlast it death shall not hinder the being and happinesse of it no more then it could the eternity of the Priest himselfe who rose gloriously from the dead so shall the members How happy a thing is it to be of this houshold V. The excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall This
of faith in IV. The use and end of these ashes was twofold ver 9. 1. They must be kept for the Congregation signifying that there shall never want supply of grace and merit from the death of Christ to any beleever that sees his need of them 2. Of them was made a water of seperation thus A cleane person tooke of the ashes of the red Cow burnt and put pure water into a vessell and taking hysope dipped it and sprinkled it upon the tent the persons and vessels and upon the uncleane person the third and seventh day and so he washing his clothes and flesh with water was cleane at even ver 18 19. signifying 1. that the blood of Christ is the onely water of seperation for persons separate to seperate them from their uncleannesse The water made of the ashes of Christs death bloodshed sprinkled upon the unclean can onely purge the conscience from dead workes 2. that this blood of Christ must be sprinkled with hysope of faith and mortification For hysope hath a cleansing quality and is put sometimes for that which onely and properly cleanseth purge me with hysope that is with the blood of that eternall sacrifice figured by that which is sprinkled with hysope 3. that this blood of Christ must bee often applied the third day and the seventh day The death and merit of Christ must be often meditated and applied to the heart For it is a perpetuall and eternall purging and sprinkling water in the Church and we must have daily recourse unto it I. That the Lord hath appointed meanes for cleansing all kind of impurity 1. That his people and we might know that by no infirmity and frailty we shall fall quite out of the grace of God 2. That the Lord takes not the forfeit of all the scapes and foule falls of his children utterly to forsake them seeing the Jew that was legally polluted seventy times seven times was as often received in againe as he was cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 3. That we should not despaire nor the weake Christian bee quite dejected in the sence of the multitude of his frailties and foule touches seeing the Gospel affoords us the remedy and meanes to cleanse all morall uncleannesse no lesse certainly and fully then the Law to the Jews to purge their legall II. As the Jew was no sooner defiled by touching a dead man or bone or grave or tent or any thing about him but hee must presently repaire to the meanes of legall cleansing So every Christian defiled by the least touch of any dead worke must have recourse to the remedy appointed in the Gospel The Law appointed the water of the ashes of a redd Cow but the Gospel appoints the redd blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled and applied by faith as by hyssope upon the conscience Consider 1. The necessity The person defiled not having this sprinkling upon him shall be cut off from Israel verse 13. So whosoever hath not the blood of Christ sprinkled upon his soule shall bee cut off from the number and inheritance of the Saints Mark 16. 16 hee that beleeves not shall be damned 2. Every sinne is a separation from God who being a God of pure eyes cannot abide the filth of it and therefore wee had need continually to have this water of separation for the washing of our hearts daily and often every day because it is gathering some uncleannesse every houre yea every moment 3. An uncleane creature or vessell could not bee of any service to man for hee must not touch it till it be cleansed So a sinner so long as he is uncleane and impenitent cannot be of any good use nor present any acceptable service to God And therefore the Prophet Wash you and cleanse you and then come No man dare present any thing to a King with a foule hand the Lord will accept no such present 2. Cor. 6. 17 18. touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you and bee a father unto you Implying that the Lord will not receive him that any way communicats with sinne if obstinate and impenitent 4. Nothing else can recover our beauty and first estate of holinesse and happinesse but this laver A cloth once soiled never recovers the beauty and whitenesse but by washing This laver onely brings backe a white and unspotted innocency All the holy water in the Sea of Rome cannot wash one sinne for that hath no commandement no institution no promise Besides all legall Ceremonies are dead which in their life time could not cleanse by the meere deed done as they say theirs doth 5. How vaine is it to see men and women curious and carefull in washing their bodies and clothes they will not suffer the least spot on them but wash them weekely and yet goe on yeare by yeare in the foule defilements of sinne and never desire to be washed and rinsed in the water of separation nay nothing more troubles them then to be called to reformation A cleanly man will have his clothes washed weekely but his hands and face every day A cleanly Christian will not be lesse carefull of his heart III. Seeing there was so much businesse in legall cleansing of the least foulenesse how carefull were the Jews to avoid those foulenesses and how much more should Christians bee to avoid the morall 1. In themselves A good heart will be affected with the least touch of sinne as David to cut Sauls lappet and to avoid appearance as well as evill it selfe 2. From others For the Jew might bee impured from others as well as by himselfe We must not communicate in other mens sinnes 1. Tim. 5. 22. The just man bewareth not onely sinne it selfe but even the contagion and infection of sinne Watch thy selfe as privie to thine own weaknesse and thy adversaries subtlety and strength Watch against others sinnes as being beset with snares Resolve with good Iacob Gen. 49 6. Into their secret my soule shall not come This strict watching is counted commonly foolish precisenesse nicety hatefull purity but God esteemes it otherwise It is an apparant losse of mens favour preferments and worldly helps but hee onely finds the favour of God and the happinesse to see God Sect. VII The oblation for uncleane issues leading us to Christ is appointed Levit. 15. 14 15. In this 1. What fowles must bee prepared for the offering two Turtles or two young Pigeons and so for the womans vers 29. Of the cleane kind of birds signifying and resembling the purity of Christs humane nature Besides his innocencie simplicity meeknesse chastity charity fruitfulnesse of all which vertues these Doves were expresse Emblems 2. What was the use of these fowles 1. They must bring them to the Priest No man must offer his owne sacrifices but must present them to God by Christ the onely high Priest 2. They must bring them to the doore of the Tabernacle for publicke service
a folid wall on both sides which are naturally fluid and seeing nothing is so hardly contained within bounds as liquid waters it was exceeding miraculous And that the bottome of the sea should on the suddaine become firme and dry ground Exod. 14. 22 and even as an high way was not the least of these miracles 4. That the same sea at the same time should be both calme and tempestuous For the mighty winds and tempests were so strong against the Aegyptians that it brake their Chariot wheeles and they could hardly moove or stirre against it yet all the same time it was a peaceable calme to Israel who were very neere them 5. The time of the standing of the waters on so vast an heape whereon learned men agree not any way concluded is most miraculous Some thinke as Chytraeus that for so many thousands yea hundred thousands of men women and children to walke a soft pace and to drive their cattell so many miles must needs take them foure or five dayes time and then the waters to stand so long was admirable Others thinke they went through in one night for the text mentioneth but one night and then was it no lesse miraculous to convey so much people and cattell so much way in so small time 6. That the same Sea at the same time should be both a gulfe and devourer and yet a saver from devourers That the same sea at the same time should both retire back yet return to its course for the waters returned upon the Aegyptians on the one side of the sea when Israel was not fully over on the other as appeareth by comparing ver 26. with ver 29. that the same sea at the same time should moove stand with such judgment and distinction as not one Aegyptian was saved ver 28. not one Israelite drowned ver 30. II. Now consider this great worke of God as a signification and type of Christ which it must needs be as it is a Sacrament which we must consider both in the constitution and in the consequents or effects of it in all directly poynting us to Jesus Christ hereby typified In the first to the Cor. 10. 2 the Apostle saith that all the Fathers were baptized in the sea whence I gather three conclusions I. Conclusion That this was a Sacrament figuring our baptisme and that all necessary institutions of a Sacrament concurre in it As 1. the author was God the Institutor both of the Covenant and seales Exod. 14. 30. 2. the Minister was Moses ver 31. 3. the Covenant sealed was Gods promise and word for their deliverance ver 15. 4. the signe of the Covenant was Moses stretching of his hand both for the deviding of the sea ver 16 and the returning of it againe ver 27. 5. the thing signified was salvation by the Messiah and all spirituall and eternall benefits and deliverances procured by him sealed up in this miracle 6. the faith of the Israelites was the same hand with ours to receive the same benefits and things signified ver 31. they beleeved God Heb. 11. 29. by faith they passed through the red sea c II. Conclusion There was not one of these actions in this temporall deliverance but it signified and sealed such actions to the beleeving Israelites as both confirmed their faith in the Covenant and set forward their salvation merited by the Messiah and so still led them to Christ As in these examples 1. God in leading his people to Canaan made them a safe way through the sea signifying to their faith that God offered them Jesus Christ the promised Messiah through the red sea of whose death and passion they should find a sure and safe way to passe them through a full sea of troubles to the true celestiall Canaan and by him as by a firme way to walke forward to eternall life 2. When they saw the same Jehovah to divide the sea into his division Iunius calleth them cuttings off and to drive away the raging waters from overflowing them this action signified to their faith that the son of God by his merit and mediation would carry them through all difficulties and dangers as deepe as the bottome of the sea unto eternall rest and so rebuke the seas of their sorrows and drive back the raging waves of terrors and temptations that threaten their destruction that they shall safely and happily passe through the sea as it were on dry land 3. When they saw Jehovah the Sonne of God present with them in the voyage and that he made the sea returne to his force againe both to save themselves and to overthrow the Aegyptians It signified to their faith the action of Christ freeing his elect from all spirituall forces and armies pursuing them as also by a mighty overthrow swallowing up and devouring in the bottomlesse sea of his wrath all those that come out and stand against them III. Conclusion There is no Evangelicall blessing by Christ sealed to us by baptisme which was not signified and sealed to them in the Red sea So as Christ was as truely represented to them as to us though not so cleerely and the truth and substance of his merits exhibited to them as to us onely in a manner more obscure and clouded As in examples 1. If the waters of Baptisme seal up to beleevers that the blood of Christ alone saveth and defendeth the people of God from eternall death and damnation What could be more plainely signified by the waters of the Red sea saving Israel from present death and destruction 2. Baptisme signifieth to us that by the blood of Christ in which Red sea all beleevers must be baptised there is dying and a buriall unto sinne and a rising unto newnesse of life What could be more plainely signified by the Baptisme of the fathers in the Red sea who were after a sort buried in the waters but after raised to the shoare and restored to land and life 3. By the benefit of Baptisme in which the Red sea of Christs blood is truely applyed our old man and flesh is truely mortified buried and destroyed but the new man is quickned and repaired and now new motions desires affections are stirred up and preserved in the hearts of beleevers what could be more expresly signified to the Fathers by the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hoste in the Red sea and the escape of the Israelites 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 blood of Christ every beleever 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 Aegyptians once dead and slaine could hurt them no more how could they but gather that all the armies of sinne once remitted and buried in the death of Christ can no more rise up to condemnation then a drowned