Because he covered himself with a Serpent when he first stung and deceived mankind 2. He is more subtle than any Serpent crafty to insinuate and deceive 2 Cor. 11. 3. 14. 3. As a Serpent dwels and lies among thornes bushes bryars and feeds upon dust so the devill reigns in the thickets and bushes of worldly cares and lusts and feeds upon worldings exercising his chief power against them 4. As a Serpent casts out of his mouth venome 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 drown her How he blasphemed Job how he is the accuser of the brethren how of the head Christ himself the Scripture declares 5. 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 rebels and wicked ones to whose custody and condemnation they shall all be gathered in the last day Mat. 25. 41. goe yee cursed c. 2. Why called fiery Serpents Answ. 1. From their colour Through abundance of poyson they had a shining and glistering skinne and they seemed as if they had been made of fire A resemblance we have in our Snakes that seem to shine and sparkle against the Sun 2. From their effect For with their sting they infused such poyson into the bodies of the Israelites as stirred up in them an outragious heat and fire Now these diseases are most painful and so tormentful as if a wild-fire were in the bowels feeding upon the bones marrow and members 3. From their end 1. 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 seised upon them which no way they could avoid 2. That in their punishment they might be admonished both what a fearful fire of Gods wrath they had kindled by their sin against themselves as also that they had deserved a more fearful fire in hell to seize upon their whole man everlastingly 3. Why stinging Serpents Answ. To imply unto us 1. That sin is the sting of this old Serpent even a poysoned sting that he hath thrust into all mankind But with this difference in that this poyson is far more general and the wounds infinitely more mischievous than 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 souls and bodies also 3. They stung one part of the body this Serpent all parts and whole man 4. They to a temporal death this to an eternal 2. To imply that sin is the sting of a fiery Serpent 1. Set on fire with wrath and cruelty and desire to poyson and destroy us Rev. 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 poysoned darts the poyson of which inflamed the wounded bodies and made the wounds incurable As now many out of desperate malice poyson their weapons and bullets to make sure with their enemy So doth Satan by all meanes poyson his darts to speed the Christians soul. 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 spark 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 between the stung Israelite and the stung sinner The former was alwayes felt with grief and pain but this often not felt and so more desperate 3. The effect of this stinging was death in many And so the effect of sin 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 son of death and can expect nothing but death every moment And as the stung person in the wildernesse had no meanes in himself nor from others to avoid either the Serpent or death from it till God appointed them the brazen Serpent So the poor sinner was destitute of all help in himself and others till the Lord appointed Jesus Christ the promised seed to break the Serpents head There is given no name else whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. First Note hence how deceitful are the pleasures of sin It is as a sweet poyson Job 20. 12. sweet in the mouth but poyson in the bowels What wise man would drink a draught of poyson for the sweet taste of it Wicked men hold sin as a sweet morsel but sour sauce follows it Secondly What little cause we have to love our sinnes for that is to love our own bane Prov. 8. 35. He that sinneth against me hurteth his own soul and all that hate me love death No sin but the more pleasing the more poysoning the more delicate the more deadly Sin 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 soul in a sinner makes him a man yet the want of the Spirit of grace makes him a dead man Death waits upon sin as the wages on the work and hell upon death that comes before repentance Fourthly A fool he is that makes a mock of sin Who would play with a deadly Serpent or make a jest of his own death or drink up the poyson of a Serpent in merriment or cast darts and fire-brands about him to burn himself and others and say Am I not in sport See Prov. 26. 18. and 10. 23. and 14. 9. Oh that we could discern our wounds as sensibly as we are certainly stung It would make us run to God and get Moses to goe to God for us and pray that these Serpemts and painful wounds might be removed If we saw death as present and as ghastly in our sins as Israel did in their stinging we would hasten our repentance and seek after meanes of cure Sect. II. The Remedy is First prescribed Numb 21. 8. Secondly applied vers 9. Thirdly in the same verse is the effect they recovered and lived So then in the Remedy are 1. Ordination 2. Application 3. Sanation or Cure I. The appointing hath First the person appointing which was God himself who devised it and prescribed it to Moses for God will save onely in his own meanes So God himself so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son c. Joh. 3. 16.
them as despised as himself is Alas that the wisdome of God shall be a rule onely for our judgements but reason must guide our practise 2. Ordinary hearers think they have reason to professe religion so farre as they may thrive by it and prosper in the world whose godlinesse is gain To trust God so farre as they see him in some sort else not To favour religion and religious persons when times doe else not To avoid pernicious and dangerous sinnes which law revengeth as murther adultery theft but not covetousnesse not usury not swearing not unclean lusts Herod will not part with his Herodias Ahab hath no reason to respect Micah when he prophecies evil to him 3. Tradesmen oppresse cosen lye deceive c. because they have reason to make the best of their own 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 week because they must walk diligently in their callings the six 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 feel our selves stung with our sinnes and confesse our selves stung for so must the Israelite before he could be cured We must feel the poyson and pain of sin and First That this poyson hath not seated it self in one place but hath crept and diffused it self through all our parts For therefore it is called venenum quod per venas eat And as the veines and bloud run through every part of the body so sin through every part of the man Secondly As poyson never rests till it come to the heart and there strikes and corrupts the fountain of life So our sin hath mortally wounded our very hearts and strikes at the life of grace in the soul. Thirdly As poyson inflames the party with an incredible thirst having overcome natural moisture and eaten up the spirits so sin in the soul workes an utter defect and dries up all waters of grace and makes the sinner insatiable in drinking up iniquity like water Fourthly As poyson not prevented brings speedy and certain death but not without extream pain and intolerable torture so the poyson of sin unconquered brings certain and eternal death attended with horrour of conscience desperate feares and torments most exquisite Thus must we labour to feel the sting of our sin in all parts farre more mortal than the most venomous stings of most direful Serpents 2. When this people felt themselves stung so deadly they come to Moses for counsel so must thou depend upon the Minister for direction as they upon Moses Never was man sensible of this sting but he would run to the Ministers Acts 2. 37. when they were pricked in their hearts they said to Peter and the rest Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 16. 30. the poor Jaylor being stung and being sensible of his pain came trembling and humbling himself to Paul and Silas prisoners saying Sirs what must I doe te be saved A conscience truly wounded will seek to God to his Word and Ministers for it knowes that God woundeth and healeth The feet of him that brings good tidings are beautiful to an humbled heart even as an experienced Physitian to a sick party who else were sure to be lost for want of meanes What marvel if a soul truly sensible of his sting and pain can run to Gods Ministers when a counterfeit humiliation can make as hard hearted a King as Pharaoh run to Moses and Aaron and beg prayers of them A marvellous 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 sin and sence of pain like a Doe shot with an arrow run 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 run into the house of laughter and wicked play-houses to see and hear the Lords Sampsons and Worthies derided not without haynous blasphemy Others fall a buildding with Cain or set upon other imployments perhaps it is but an idle fancy Some run perhaps to the Witch of End or in the mean time send away Paul as Felix or run against Moses and his Ministers But comfort can they have none but from God and his Word had not thy Word saith David been 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 help a stung Israelite he must come to Moses when he had done all he could All other by-comforts are worm-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 than others had they had so little sence of their sting as others have as the Israelites had never come at Moses had they not been stung 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 carnal men or councels The Lord in mercy hath brought them light out of darknesse for pitty had it been they had wanted the sting of affliction that hath driven them to God and to his Word and Servants 3. Coming to Moses wherein doe they imploy them what questions move they to him Numb 21. 7. Oh their sinne troubles them which they confesse in general we have sinned and in particular we have spoken against the Lord and against thee and then pray him to help them in removing the Serpents So thou being stung when thou comest to Gods Ministers must be conversant in fruitful and edifiable questions thou must be free in confession of such sins 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 sins Thou will be careful to know how to get ease of heart and quietnesse of conscience from the pain and sting of sin So the converts Act. 2. and so the Jaylor What shall I doe to be saved The fault of many is when they have meanes of counsel and comfort 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 than meat Questions meerly idle the resolution of which helps them no whit to ease or to heaven An
body with the Actions and motions So those rites and Ceremonies resemble Christ in all his actions passions motions as after we are to hear 3. As the shaddow is but an obscure resemblance in respect of the body So the Ministery of the old Testament in rites and Ceremonies is a dark representation of the body namely Christ and his spirituall worship 4. As the body is solid firme and of continuance even when the shadow is gone So the Ceremonies as shadows are flown away but Christ the body and his true worship lasteth for ever In all which Christ and his grace are advanced as the publisher and perfecter of our salvation without any shadows whereas of the Law it is said It made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. III. Those Ceremonies were not given to merit remission of sinnes by them nor to appease Gods anger nor to be an acceptable worship by the worth of the work done nor to justifie the observer but to shew justification by Jesus Christ the truth and substance of them to be types of him pointing at him in whom the Father is pleased to be Allegories and resemblances of the benefits of Christ exhibited in the new Testament to be testimonies of the promise and Covenant on Gods part to be Sacraments and seales of faith on the part of the beleeving Jew exciting and confirming his faith in the Messiah IV. God would have this heap of Ceremonies 1. As bonds and sinewes of the ministery and publike meetings in which the voyce of the promised seed and the sound of wholesome and saving doctrine might be preserved in the Church and propagated to posterity 2. To be externall signes of their profession by which God would have his Church distinct from all nations of the earth 3. To be to the unbeleeving Jewes an externall discipline to bridle them and an exercise to frame them at least in externall conversation to the Policy and Common-wealth of Moses for else they must be cut off and excluded V. Gods wisedome in appointing these Ceremonies 1. Appointed a certaine observation of the line tribe whence the Messiah should come according to the promise 2. Enjoined a certaine provision for the Ministery which had no certaine part of the Land allotted to them 3. That the poore might be so provided for as that there might not be a beggar in Israel The former propositions and reasons being delivered by way of Preface we now come to shew that which our Text properly calleth for that is wherein or how Christ is the truth of those figures and the body of those shadows of the Ceremoniall Law Christ was figured in the old Testament by holy Persons and by holy Things Of the most holy and eminent Persons who were figures of Christ I will propound some instances CHAP. II. 1. Adam a type of Christ. THe first of them is the first Adam who was so lively a representation of Christ as that Christ is often called the second Adam Rom. 5. 14. Adam was a figure of him that was to come We will gather the resemblances between them into four generall heads I. In respect of Creation 1. Both of them were Sons of God the one by eternall generation the other by grace of creation 2. Both were men Adams red earth the first in his matter the second not in his matter onely but also in his bloudy passion 3. Both were Sons of one Father and both men but of no man their father neither of them having any other father but God 4. Both created in the Image of God the former Gen. 1. 27. the latter the ingraven forme of his Fathers person Heb. 1. 3. 5. Both endowed with perfect wisedome and knowledge the first Adam so wise as that he gave fit names to all Creatures according to their natures in the second Adam dwelt treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. 6. Both possessed of a most happy and innocent estate in which the one had power to persever but not will the other had both power and will 7. The first Adam was made in the sixth day of the week to the Image of God the second Adam towards the sixth age of the world appearing to restore that Image which the first Adam quickly lost II. In respect of office and soveraignty 1. The first Adam was owner of Paradise the heir of the world soveraigne Lord of all Creatures to whom they came for their names the second Adam is Lord of heaven as well as earth heir of the outmost bounds of the earth Psal. 2. 8. Commander of all Creatures whom the winds and sea obey whose word the divels tremble at and he keeps his soveraignty which the first Adam lost 2. Adam was appointed to keep the Garden and dresse it Gen. 2. 15. Christ the second Adam was set apart to sanctifie and save his Church the Garden and Paradise of God Ephes. 5. 26. 3. Adam was King Priest and Prophet in his family so is Christ in the Church the family and houshold of faith Rev. 1. 5. As Adam was the first Minister of the word in the Church delivering the promise of the blessed seed with certaine rites and Ceremonies to his Children and they to their posterity So the second Adam is the chief Prophet and Doctor of his Church who alwaies prescribed the pure worship of God for matter and manner in the Churches of all ages III. In respect of Conjugation 1. Adam sleeping Eve is formed Christ dying the Church is framed Eve is taken out of Adams side while he sleeps out of the second Adams side while he was in the sleepe of death issueth the Church 2. Eve was no sooner framed but as a pure and innocent spouse she was delivered by God to Adam yet in innocency so God the Father delivered the Church as a chaste and innocent spouse to be married to the second Adam for ever to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh 3. Of Eve marryed to Adam he receives both a Cain and an Abel into his house so the second Adam had in his visible Church both elect and reprobates sound and hypocrits as by many parables is signified as of the field the net c. IIII. In respect of propagation 1. Both of them are rootes both have a posterity and seed Isai. 53. 10. 2. Both of them convey that they have unto their posterity Rom. 5. 12 14. As by the first Adam sinne and by sinne death came over all men so by the second Adam came righteousnesse and by righteousnesse life on all beleevers and herein especially was the first Adam a figure of him that was to come 3. As the first Adam merited death for his posterity so the second Adam life for all his Application followes I. To note the honour and antiquity of the Ministery which not the first Adam onely but the second also exercised Despise at thy perill what they so
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
of God true God and man 2. They were sinfull men and must offer first for themselves and then for others Heb. 5. 3. But Christ was sinlesse he needed not offer for his own sinnes Heb. 7. 26 27. 3. For their office they were but ministers of holy things and of salvation propounded in them Christ because of this order was author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 10. 4. They were many and all ministers of a temporary covenant but he is but one who hath obtained a more excellent office in that he is Mediator of a better testament established upon better promises Heb 8. 6. For the promises of the covenant of grace are more excellent than those of the Legall covenant 5. They offered often and the repetition of sacrifices argued their invalidity and imperfection but he offered but once and needed not doe it daily Heb. 7. 27. which argued the perfection Heb. 9. 28. 6. They offered the bloud of beasts which could not expiate sinne nor wash the conscience of the sinner farther than purifying the flesh but he not with bloud of bulls and goats but with his own bloud entred once into the holy place having obtained an eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. and this bloud purgeth the conscience from dead works verse 14. 7. They served in an earthly fading Sanctuary made with hands and entred into an holy place which perished and failed according to that elementary and temporary worshipâ— but he is minister of the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man Heb. 8. 2. this tabernacle is his own blessed body in which he performed all his service called chap. 9. 11. a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and verse 24 is now entred not into holy places made with hands but into the very Heaven to appear in the sight of God for us 8. They all ceased dyed one succeeded another as mutable was their whole service which also ceased and deceased and gave place to the truth of it when the fulnesse of time came but this true Melchizedek being without beginning or end of dayes hath an eternall Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. and therefore neither hath nor needeth any successor in earth Whence every repetition of his sacrifice bloudily or unbloudily in the Masse is an high and hatefull blasphemy a denyall of Christs person to be above the person of Melchizedek and of his sacrifice to be above Aarons or that it was offered by the eternall spirit of his Deity VI. The excellency of the person shewes the greatness of the Sacrifice the greatness of the sacrifice the greatness of the sinne Melchizedek because he was but likened to the Sonne of God Heb. 7. 3. could not offer a Sacrifice to take away sinne he must be the Sonne of God indeed and God himself that must doe that The least sinne which we account so light could never be expiated but by the bloud of him that is God as well as man All created strength cannot stand under the burthen of the least sinne Therefore in the worthiness of this person see the unworthiness of thy sinne to hate and abhorre it and thy self in dust and ashes for it An hainous and execrable offence were that which nothing could take away but the death of the Prince CHAP. V. 4. Isaac a type of Christ. I. IN his birth Isaac the sonne of Abraham the father of the faithfull a promised seed long before he was born in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Yea so strange was his birth as that he was not to be born by the strength of nature but of Sarahs dead womb when it was not with her as with other women Insomuch as when the Angel fore-told it to her she thought it impossible Gen. 18. 12. So Christ the sonne of Abraham commonly so called the onely Sonne of God by nature who is the Father of all the faithfull who are taught to say Our father c. The onely true promised seed long before prophecied of and expected of beleevers before his manifestation about four thousand yeares Borne and incarnate not by the strength of nature but by the power of the holy Ghost after an unconceiveable manner so as when the Angell told his mother Mary of his miraculous manner of birth she thought it impossible and said How can this be Luk. 1. 34. And in him onely the whole spirituall seed of Abraham all Gods people of Jewes and Gentiles were blessed Psal. 72. 17. the Nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Which Prophecy cannot be understood of Salomon for scarce his own nation was blessed in him who by his sinne lost tenne tribes of twelve from his own sonne and verse 5. they shall fear him so long as the Sunne and Moone endure from one generation to another verse 11. all Kings shall worship him and serve him and verse 17. his name shall be for ever all these are true in Christ onely Thus as Isaac was founder of a mighty state so Christ of all the Church of God in all nations onely blessed in him As Isaac was his fathers heire So Christ heire of all things Isaac hath goods onely II. In his suffering 1. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day so was Christ. Luk. 2. 2. Isaac in his infancy was persecuted by Ishmael Gal 4. 29. So Christ by Herod Mat. 2. 3. Isaac carried the wood of the burnt offering upon his shoulders even to mount Moriah Gen. 22. 6. So Christ carryed the Crosse on which he was to be nayled even to Golgatha 4. Isaac was led away as a Lamb to the slaughter So Christ was lead away Joh. 19. 16. to death 5. Isaac without reply submitted himself to his father even to the death suffered himself to be bound on the wood and yeelds himself burnt offering unto the Lord Even so Christ without reply was obedient unto his father unto the death and was content to be bound not as Isaac for himselfe alone but for us and them and layd down his life a whole burnt offering and a ransome for many Joh. 16 28. Thus were both Lamb-like sufferers both bear their Crosse both without reply led away both bound and fastned on the wood both willingly obedient to the death III. In his offering 1. Both sonnes onely sonnes innocent beloved of their fathers Abraham did all at Gods Commandement and lifted up his hand So Christ by the determinate counsel of God was delivered by wicked hands Abraham offers his sonne freely God more freely offers his sonne out of his bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission riseth early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne and Isaac riseth as early to obey his Father So the Jewes by Gods permission break their sleep and early in the morning proceed to the condemning of Christ who is called the Hinde of the morning Psal. 22. 1. compassed with dogges that hunted his life and Christ as another Isaac after
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
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
the sea so all beleevers by the death of Jesus Christ. 1. Let us not measure Gods works by carnall senses This made the two disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24. to make but a bad argument He is crucified and behold this is the third day therefore though we thought he should have redeemed Israel we are deceived Whereas faith would have made a clean contrary conclusion He is crucified and this is the third day therefore he is the Redeemer The Jewes not knowing the Scriptures and power of God are hardned against Jesus Christ expecting a great Emperour as Julius Caesar or some great Monarch not able to see that by so base a death life could be procured The carnall protestants are held off from the true embracing of Christ because they see the truth and sincerity of Christ every where so resisted and hated by great Rulers and Doctors as if it had not been so in Christs own person and Ministery or as if Christ was not set as a signe or butt of contradiction whereas therefore it must needs be he 2. Let us admire Gods power and wisedome and patiently with Jonah expect after darknesse light And seeing God can turne the greatest evill into the greatest good of his Church let us labour to make benefit of all evils hapning to our selves and others 1. Even of our sinnes themselves to make us more humble watchful for time to come 2. Of our sufferings as Jonah and Christ learned obedience by the things they suffered V. In the type and truth we have first terror on the one hand secondly comfort on the other 1. We see the weight of sinne committed pressed Jonah into the deepest sea of evills and sinne imputed thrust Christ into a deeper sea even the deepest hell Both seem left of God in the hands of death both cry out as left in the depth of hell 1. Do thou run from God and duty and though thou beest Gods childe thou maist find God pursuing thee as if he were an utter and irreconcileable enemy 2. Make as light a reckoning of sinne as thou canst the least of them shuts us or Christ out of heaven Doth Christ undertake thy sinne he sees not heaven till he die for it Sinne imputed will not let Christ enter into heaven but by his own bloud yea through hell Thy sinne repented of held Christ an innocent out of heaven till he died for it but where shall ungodly and impenitent sinners appear 2. This same collation affords us sundry grounds of comfort First both seem forsaken neither of them was so but both of them go to his God There is no time nor place wherein the child of God may not boldly goe to God and pray to his God and say My God my God Secondly no deepe is so deepe but Gods hand can reach helpe into it even into the Whales belly and heart of the earth Thirdly the extreamest misery and death it selfe work to good to the godly See it in Jonah Where was feared perdition there was found preservation The Whales belly was a prison indeed but to preserve him alive a deepe gulfe and a sea but to save him from drowning Can any man save a man from drowning by casting him into the Sea but God can Fourthly when the case seems most desperate then the Lord steps in to help When no helpe can be expected any other way after three dayes and three nights Jonah must be cast up and Christ raised up Never feare extreamities but then exercise thy faith most for then is God the nearest howsoever trust in him though he kill thee Job 13. 15. Fifthly the deepest sorrowes of Gods children end in greatest joy God hath a dry ground for Jonah after a sea of misery a glorious ascending for Christ after his lowest descent Whatsoever the sorrowful songs be that Gods people sing here in Egypt or Babel they shall end in songs of joy and victory and be changed into the songs of Moses and the Lambe Rev. 15. 3. CHAP. XIII The first-born Types of Christ 4. waies HAving spoken of holy types in sundry speciall persons now of personal types in some rankes and orders of men sanctified and specially separated to the Lord. Of whom 1. Some were sanctified by birth the first-borne 2. Some by office Priests especially the High-Priest 3. Some by vow as Nazarites 4. Some by ceremony as cleane persons legally cleansed from uncleanenesse Of these the first-borne were speciall types of Jesus Christ. 1. As they were Gods peculiar Exod. 13. 2. Sanctifie unto me all the first-born for it is mine Quest. How were they Gods Answ. 1. By common nature But so were all both first and last borne through the world For all the world and inhabitants of it are his Psal. 24. 1. 2. By common grace So all the people of the Jewes by reason of common grace were his with whom God had plighted his gratious covenant which was made to Abraham and all his seed wheresoever they were borne of whom he made choice as his peculiar though all the earth was his Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first-borne that is not onely the first people and nation that first professed the true worship of God and had priority of the Gentiles who were younger brethren but the first-born by a special election and choice of that from all other people whom he would accept as his beloved in the Messiah the first-born of all creatures and among whom he would stablish his covenant and raise up his worship thus he dealt not with other nations 3. By a speciall right The first-born of Israel were Gods by a singular right as no other Children of any other family were namely by right of that singular deliverance of all the first-born when he destroyed all the first-born of Egypt And therefore presently after that destruction he makes challenge of them Exod. 13. 2. Thus is Jesus Christ the Lords first-born by a singular right not common to man or Angell whether we respect his nature or office 1. In his nature he is first-born as sonne of God the first begotten of all creatures Col. 1. 15. begot before all Creation And thus he is not onely the first begotten before whom there was none but the onely begotten after whom is none Joh. 1. 14. the onely begotten Sonne of the Father the first-born without a second or brother 2. In his office he was first-born by speciall prerogative 1. For the kind 2. For the undertaking 3. For the accomplishing 1. For the kind in that he was Mediator God and man in unity of person and the onely redeemer of his Church In this regard Rom. 8. 29. he is called the first-born among many brethren Which phrase noteth quality not equality with him some similitude but no parity between him and beleevers He holds his birth-right as the Sonne of God by nature and we by grace made the Sons of God he disdaines not to call us brethren
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
all the members of his mysticall body the Catholike Church First the Spirit descends and sits on Christs head then on the Apostles in likenesse of fiery tongues running down as it were by Aarons beard and from them upon other inferior persons beleeving their word as unto the skirts of his garment Psal. 133. 2. Now a threefold Application hereof I. In the anointing of the high Priest the eminency of Jesus Christ above all creatures whose very name carrieth in it a note of principality being called the high Priest of our profession And in that this whole consecration of the high Priest in most solemne and stately manner was but a dark shadow of his selemne inauguration into his Office And by this anointing Christ is differenced from the most excellent Priests and Prophets that ever were Aaron Moses Elias Some of them had a most glorious vocation as Moses and in the entry of their callings graced with most divine and powerfull miracles but never any had the spirit sitting on his head but he None of them by their anointing had all graces nor any grace in perfection but onely begun and in small degree Moses a beleever wanted faith sometime as when he smote the Rock which he should have spoken to and the meekest man in the world was sometime to seek of his meknesse Aaron though the oyle was powred on his head was weak as in murmuring against Moses in making the calf But in our high Priest all graces virtues were not inchoate onely but perfect In him knowledge of God was most perfect holiness most perfect and all kind of graces in highest degrees Grace sits in his lips not onely to move the mind but to change it None of them by anointing could receive graces for others but for themselves onely but he receives such a measure as runns over to the sanctifying of the lowest and meanest of his members Hence 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing which we have of him dwels in you and teacheth you all things And 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. It is God that anointeth us in Christ and sealeth and giveth us the earnest of the Spirit Thus our Lord Jesus is advanced above all his oyle shines brightest and swimmes aloft above all others II. In Aaron's and Christs anointing and furnishing to their Office Ministers must labour for a greater measure of this ointment than others to run down from them to their skirts They must pray by the Spirit watch by the Spirit walk by the Spirit An unconverted Minister may do another good but he hath no prmise of blessing nor doth any good to himselfe As the holy ointment was kept in the Sanctuary So Christ is the Sanctuary whence this oyle comes The pipes are the Word preached Sacraments Prayer societies of the Saints and Gods people And such Ministers as contemptuously contemne the conduit-pipes through which this oyle drops and flowes scorne to come to Sermons and joyne in holy exercises how doth their oyle dry away Instead of this oyle that should fall from them a deale of pitch and slime froth and filthinesse falls on their skirts III. In the communication of this ointment unto us the skirts we learn that Christ is not for himselfe but for us And therefore 1. Examine if thou beest anointed This is to be a Christian to be anointed as Christ was Scornest thou this holy oyle in thy selfe or others Know thou shalt one day wish the mountaines to fall on thee on whom this oyle falls not 2. Hence draw strength in temptation Remember If sollicited to sinne Oh I have the anointing I am taken up and set apart to Gods use I am for God and his glory Neh. 6. 11. 3. Use meanes to attaine a farther measure and be liker Christ. Thou missest a Sermon or the Sacrament thou knowest not what drops of oyle thou hast missed 4. Have a care to walk as such as are anointed smelling sweet every where in holy lives speeches prayers in all things edifying thy self and others Leave a sweet smell every where behind thee Let it drop down from us to others round about us The third thing in the high Priests consecration was sacrificing Exod. 29 1 2. In which 1. Observe in general that the Priests must be consecrated by offering all sorts of sacrifices for them and therefore they must take a calfe two rammes unleavened bread cakes and oyle verse 1 2. 1. Because of the speciall holinesse and honour of their calling who are to come so near unto God who will be specially sanctified in all that come near him 2. Because sinne in them is more hatefull than in any other and in expiating their sinnes as much is required as for the sins of all the congregation 3. Because they were to offer unto God all the gifts and sacrifices of all the people of all sorts and therefore for them must be offered all sorts to sanctifie them not onely in generall but to their speciall services between God and his people 2. In particular The first of these sacrifices must be a sinne offering verse 10. For which they must 1. Take a calfe and offer him for the expiation of sinne verse 14. This young calfe was a type of Christ who onely by his own oblation expiated our sinne which otherwise made our selves and duties most hatefull 2. This calfe must be presented before the Lord and his Congregation signifying the willingnesse of Christ to offer up himselfe for the sinnes of men Joh. 19. 11. 3. Aaron and his sonnes must put their hands on the head-of the calfe verse 10. not onely to confesse they were worthy to die for their own sins but to professe also that the death which they deserved was by the death of the Messiah the high Priest of the new Testament removed off them and transferred upon the beast And not onely the imputation of our sinnes upon Christ but also is signified that we must lay our hand by a true faith upon Christ our head if we expect any comfort from his death and passion 4. The calfe must be killed before the Lord at the doore of the Tabernacle verse 11. signifying both the death and crucifying of Christ as also the fruit of it by the place That by his death as by a doore an entry is made for us into the Church both militant and triumphant Heb. 10 20. 5. The bloud of that sinne-offering for the Priest must be put on the hornes of the Altar and the rest powred at the foot of the Altar verse 12. signifying 1. The sufficiency of Christs death to purge and reconcile us to God 2. The plenty of grace and merit in it for many more than are saved by it For being sufficient for all it is not helpfull to all nor to any that tread under foot this pretious bloud the extent of the benefit is to all the elect 3. The large spreading and preaching of the Gospel of salvation by Christs bloud through
all corners of the world as that sacrifice was shaken every way East West North and South 4. This sacrifice must alwaies be offered up with cakes of unleavened bread tempered with oyle vers 23. Signifying 1. The most perfect purity of Christs life and doctrine without all leaven of sin 2. That Priest and people must in service to God lay aside all leaven of maliciousness 3. The oyle notes the soft and loving kindness of God Jesus Christ chearing suppling the conscience by the sweet meditation of it as also how joyfully gladly we ought to serve the Lord and with cheerefullness present before him all the parts of his worship Note hence as the eare hands and feet of the high Priest must be touched with bloud before he attempt any part of his office so our care must be that all our parts all our actions and affections be touched and purged with the bloud of Christ. So David Psal. 51. 2. Wash me throughly Reason 1. Because sinne hath defiled the whole man all his parts all his actions all within him all without him 2. This foulnesse sticks so fast as it is no easie matter to be cleansed Nothing in the world can fetch out this soile but the bloud of Christ. Not all the water in the sea nor all the holy water in the Sea of Rome can wash away one sinne 3. All thou doest or performest depends upon the merit of this bloud and dignity of this person and passion for acceptance The knowledge of thy duty must be sprinkled with this bloud for that is signified by the eare The undertaking of duty by the hand The progresse and perseverance in it by the foot All must be presented in him and by him and find grace and acceptance If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me Qu. How may I know that the bloud of Christ hath touched and purged me Answ. 1. It is not enough that Christs bloud be shed but it must also be sprinkled If thou contentest not thy selfe that Christ hath died for all but seest how necessary it is to apply it to thy self 2. If thou hast an hand to lay hold on Christs bloud and besprinkle thy self with it A man washeth his face with his hand This hand is faith which takes up the bloud of Christ and applies it to ones selfe as did Paul who dyed for me 3. If it wash the whole man within and without which no others bloud could do The bloud of sacrifices under the Law could not sanctisie the conscience but onely the outside Heb. 9. 9. but this can and must purge the conscience from dead workes verse 14. And under conscience is contained the whole inner man purged by the merit of his satisfying bloud and by his spirit renewing our nature And for the outward man 1. If thy right eare be touched thou hast the hearing eare rightly to hear the word of God Thou hearest to learn for to harken is better than the fat of Rammes 2. If thy right hand be touched that thou art an active Christian not an hearer onely of the word but a doer and unto knowledge of the doctrine of faith joynest obedience of faith thou keepest the faith working as knowing that obedience is better than sacrifice thou darest not doe what seemes good to thy self or is right in thine owne eyes but what is rightly ruled by Gods word for that is the right hand touched 3. If thy right foot be touched that thou walkest in the right way with a right foot not making crooked pathes to thy feet but ordering thy conversation aright And all this with right ends and affections the feet of the soule laying aside all sinister ends and intentions in all thy obedience and directing all to the honour of the true Aaron and high Priest Jesus Christ. 4. If thou findest the effects of Christs bloud sprinkled 1. Pacification of conscience for this bloud speakes better things than Abels for us and in us for us to God by intercession in us by perswasion that the Lord looking on the bloud of Christ rests wholly in it as a full satisfaction for all our sinnes for this is the end of shedding remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. therefore of sprinkling 2. Daily sanctification through this sprinkling 1 Pet. 1. 2. For out of the side of Christ issues water as well as bloud the one redeeming from condemnation the other from vaine conversation the one purgeth from the death of works the other from dead workes themselves The sprinkling of this bloud admits not security or idleness and carelessnesse nor suffers a man to sinne against this bloud by impenitency unbeliefe despising of grace horrible swearing and foul lusts But makes the Christian truely noble as one now descended of the bloud of Christ scorning the base and foule courses he formerly affected Find these markes and comfort thy selfe thou art sprinkled with Christs bloud Thy whole course is sanctified all thy hearing all thy obedience be it never so weak in it self be thy unworthinesse never so great it shall be no barre to thine acceptance with God For every thing sprinkled with this precious bloud is sweetned and accepted Sect. III. III. The third thing in the deputation of the Priest to his office is his apparrell appointed by God and called holy garments glorious and beautifull farre differing from all other mens And they signified 1. The function to be glorious and excellent 2. The fitnesse of their persons to that office 3. The glory of the true high Priest Jesus Christ of whom Aaron was but a figure For all the glistering shew of these Priestly garments set forth the more Angelicall brightnesse of all the virtues which should shine in Jesus Christ. The Priestly garments appointed by God were ten in number of which four belonged to the inferiour Priests Exod. 28. 40 42. 1. A linnen garment Which signified the white garment of Christs righteousnesse and innocency which they were to appeare in before the Lord if they would be acceptable in their persons or duties Noting to us by the way that every godly Minister weares a white linnen garment not woven and made by men but by God not without him but within him not a shaddow oâ— ceremony but the substance and truth to which all shadowes give place Nay there is no private man that is godly but he must weare this white linnen garment having put it on in the laver of regeneration as Gal. 3. 27. Whosoever are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 2. A girdle verse 40. which signifies constancy and stability in the truth both in our high Priest Jesus Christ who was not a reed shaken but a firme rock as also in his members who are commanded to stand fast their loines girt with verity Ephes. 6. 14. Hence followes That the Ministers word must not be yea and nay his course must be constantly gracious and watchfull And for
that is fixed in that rocke and stone of Israel 7. Their use That Aaron who before bare the names of Israel on his shoulders before the Lord might now bear them on his heart continually for a remembrance before the Lord when he goeth into the holy place vers 29. signifying 1. The ardent love of Jesus Christ towards his Church who beares it not onely on his shoulders as a shepheard nor onely in his armes as a nurse but upon his heart and in his heart never to forget our good If Aaron may forget the names he carries upon his shoulders he cannot the names upon his brest or heart so cannot Christ forget the Church he hath taken into his heart Isai 49. 15. Can a woman forget her childe and not have compassion on the sonne of her womb though they should forget yet will I not forget thee 2. Bearing of the names continually before the Lord on his heart signifieth the continuall mindfulnesse and intercession of Jesus Christ for his Church in that heavenly sanctuary Heb. 7. 25. By vertue of which all our prayers get audience and acceptance 8. The quantity As all the names of Israel were gathered into a narrow compasse so Jesus Christ our Mediator shall gather together into one all the despersed sonnes of God and present them before God as the most beautifull and precious parts of the world Joh. 11. 52. He shall make a short account in the earth in comparison of the wicked who will take up more roome II. In respect of the Urim and Thummim which were put in the brest-plate of Judgement vers 30. Of which Rabbi David a Jew saith It is unknown to us what these signifie And what this precious monument was put by Gods appointment into the fold of the Pectorall no man living can tell I take it to be no workmanship of man but a sacred monument immediately received from God But expresly they signified Jesus Christ 1. In their names 2. In their use 1. Their names Urim and Thummin Urim signifieth lights in the plurall number Note that there were not lights and shining before in the Pectorall by the many precious stones but here is a glorious light shining above them all to which their light is obscurity Plainly signifying Jesus Christ in whom are hid treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. He is the light of the world Joh. 9. 5. Which enlightneth every one that commeth into the world Joh. 1. 9. There are many lights as stones and stars in the world but he is the sun nay he is lights With him is many-fold wisdome And without him is nothing but darknesse sinne death inner darknesse and utter Joh. 8. 12. Thummim signifieth perfections And to whom can this point us but unto Christ in whom alone are all perfections of holinesse and graces There is illumination in the twelve stones the Church but not any perfection there is some purity in the stones but farre from perfection of it In Christ is perfection in all parts and from him alone we must expect our perfection II. The use of them was to receive by them answer from God when the high Priest consulted with him vers 30. For when the Priest asked counsell of God God is said to answer by Urim that is not by the colour of the stones nor the changing of colour by brightnesse blacknesse or bloudinesse of them as some Jewes but the Lord answered by voice Numb 7. 89. And therefore it is called the Urim of Judgement not because it selfe gave Judgement or decided causes but because the Lord answered when the Priest applyed the Urim and Thummim This directly looked at Christ as to whom 1. All secrets and Mysteries are perfectly known He is the Lamb with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. Onely worthy to open the booke vers 9. because of his abundant grace and wisedome signified by the seven spirits 2. Who makes known and continually reveales to his Church and members as their need requires whatsoever is meet for them to know by such meanes as himselfe hath sanctified Now although this was a great priviledge of the first Temple and the second did want it that they might not be kept from desire and expectation of the true Urim and Thummim yet we in the new Testament are farre beyond them For as the Oracle by Urim was certaine for direction so Christ is the most perfect rule and direction shadowed by that As the Urim answered by voice so Christ by his word preached As God spake then by Urim to the Priest So now by his own Sonne Heb. 1. 2. Wouldest thou have God answer thee goe to the Urim 1. Frequent his ordinance God then answered when the Priest consulted 2. Pray for wisdome If any man want wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him Jam. 1. 5. 3. Feare God Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 4. Follow and obey the voice Joh. 14. 21. If any love me and obey my commandements I will love him and reveale my self unto him Joh. 7. 17. If any man doe the will of God he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God The third peculiar garment of the high Priest was the robe of the Ephod Exod. 28. 5 31. On the skirts of which were fastned 1. The Pomegranates of blue silke and purple and skarlet round about This fruit hath a most pleasant smell sweet in it selfe and sweetning other things round about it and is full of precious juyce and liquor 2. Bells of gold between them round about a golden Bell and a Pomegranate the use of which was that his sound might he heard round about when he went into the Sanctuary and holy of Holies The whole garment signified the righteousnesse of Christs humane nature which is 1. Most sweet it selfe having a most pleasant savour as the Pomegranate 2. Full of most precious juyce and vertue to qualifie and abate the raging heat of Gods displeasure as the juyce of Pomegranats doth allay the burning heat of an ague that would shake the body to pieces 3. Casts upon us a sweet savour being wrapped in it For wee by nature stinking in our sinnes and rottennesse are loathsome to the Lord but once covered with this mantle we are a sweet savour to God who now speakes of us as Isaac of Iacob covered in his elder brothers garments My sonne is as the savour of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. 3. This garment hath a sweet sound as of golden Bells which to hear were most delectable because the garment of Christs righteousnesse brings grace to us no otherwise than by the sound of the Gospell For Faith by which we put on Christ is wrought by hearing the sweet sound and golden Bell of the Gospell Whence some have thought that by this part of the Priests Attire is shadowed the Propheticall
with filthy clouts and raggs of sinne and the apparel of death should have these taken away Zach. 3. 4. But to be thus arrayed covered yea decked and adorned with such beauty and glory is more cause of joy and comfort II. In their parts they assure our happinesse and seale up our comfort I. The Pectorall shewes how God esteemes of believers that they are the precious parts of the earth signified by the twelve pretious stones 1. For price A great summe of money will not buy one of these precious stones For we are not redeemed with gold silver or corruptible things but with precious bloud He must be some great King that must buy an Union but he must be the great God that can purchase one of these precious stones Acts 20. 2. For shining and beauty If a man were clothed with the Sunne he must needs shine gloriously The meanest beleever is clothed with the Sunne Revel 12. 1. and shineth in the firmament of the Church with the beames of Christs righteousnesse as the Sunne in his strength 3. For hidden virtues and secret operation The godly have not a shine and shew but the true substance of many virtues and graces secretly layd up in their hearts and working mightily in them the stones out of common Quarries that is common men have not such things 4. For rarenesse It is an hard thing to find a godly man these are rarer than most pretious stones Elias could not see one in the world besides himselfe though there were many 5. For their estimation and the reckoning of them with God and good men Although the world out of ignorance and malice scorne this pearle and as swine tread them under foot yet the Jeweller knowes them our high Priest placeth them upon his breast And a wise merchant knowes that a pearle troden under foot is a pearle and in it selfe a pearle lying in the quarry or sands unknown or trampled in the dirt or myre is as good as when it is taken out Thou that art an enemy to good men 1. See how farre thou art from Gods judgement 2. If thou knewest their worth where now thou tramplest them thou wouldest take them into thy heart 3. One day thou shalt desire their glory but too late II. The robe of the Ephod hath comfort for the poor despised members of Christ whose estate is figured by the Pomegranates Which 1. In themselves have no great beauty without or on the outside 2. Their place is below and they hang in the skirt of the garment But within 1. They carry the colour of bloud are washed in the bloud of Christ. 2. They are full of excellent juyce and liquor of grace and piety 3. They cast a sweet smell from them and leave a pleasant savour behind them and therefore Christ fastens them to himselfe inseparably as the Pomegranates were fastened to the high Priests garment Be thou a fruitfull Christian no matter what place thou art in or in what account among men Our high Priest hath use of thee and must not go into the sanctuary of heaven without thee though thou hangest in the skirts of his garment III. The Miter or crown of our high Priest assureth us that we by his anointing shall attaine the like crown For he hath trodden all our enemies not onely under his feet but under ours also Rom. 16. 20. Let us not cast down our hopes and hearts our high Priest is stronger than all the enemies that can rise up against the Church And we may couragiously combate against sinne errours hereticks being sure of victory through the Crown and Miter of Jesus Christ. This Miter of Christ shall fetch down the Miter of Antichrist for us This Crown of our high Priest shall shake down his tripple Crown and hath already blasted him And though these Babylonians begin to wriggle as a snake deadly wounded with hope to raigne in these Churches as sometime they did and for the sinnes of the Land they may recover power by their craftinesse to surprize some ignorant silly and unstable persons yet shall they prevaile against none whose names are written in the book of life but by the power of our Captaine we shall tread down both Satans and Antichrists kingdome and prevaile against all that riseth up against the power of Christ. Sect. VI. Priests types in the execution of their Office Having declared how the high Priest and Priests of the old Testament resembled our high Priest of the new Testament Jesus Christ in respect of his solemne inauguration and investure into his Office Now we are to shew how he farther typified our Lord in respect of his administration and execution of it Many are the speciall Lawes which the Lord gave to the Priests concerning their careful carriage of themselves above others and these may be reduced to two heads 1. As concerning their common actions 2. As concerning their actions ministeriall Concerning his common actions he was prohibited diverse things which were lawfull in other men I will mention three I. The Priests must keep an holy abstinence from wine and strong drink for the time they entered into the Tabernacle Levit. 10. 9. a Law was made for all the Priests upon occasion of Nadabs and Abihues punishment who being as it seems drunk offered strange fire and were burnt by fire before the Lord. And the Lord gives a reason of this Law least their mindes or sences might be distracted or disturbed so as they could not rightly discerne or execute the thing pertaining to God and things pertaining to men Heb. 5. The use of the Law was 1. Typicall shadowing out the most holy and sober course of our high Priest Jesus Christ who was never unready or unfit for any part of his Office but in all perfection of judgement and understanding faithfully performed and fulfilled all righteousnesse 2. Perpetuall carrying in it a perpetual equity for all Christian Pastors and Ministers who must use such creatures and liberties sparingly as they help their naturall infirmities by them and help themselves forward in the exercise of prayer study preaching and other Ministeriall duties but not to dull or to make themselves grosse or distempered by them And hence is the same law repeated in the new Testament Tit. 1. 7. A Minister must not be a lover of wine Not inhibiting all use of wine and strong drink in case of necessity as in griefe of heart or for healths sake Prove 31. 6. Timothy may drink a little 1 Tim. 5. 23. yea and for honest delight at Feasts and Marriages may be a more liberall use of wine as Joh. 2. where Christ himselfe was present But he may not be a quaffer or wine-bibber one that sits at the wine or pot swilling in wine or strong drink because this is as great an hinderance to the faithfull performance of Ministeriall duties as may be For 1. It troubles the understanding Hos. 4. 11. wine
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.
understanding will conscience memory in all affections in all sences in all parts no man no part of man exempted or excepted 3. No disease is more stinking and hatefull to men than leprosie So nothing is so hatefull and abhominable to God as sinne his eyes cannot abide to behold it he will not endure it in his dearest servants no nor Angels themselves unrevenged he esteems the sinner as dung 4. No disease more contagious and infectious A leper must meddle with nothing unlesse he would defile it All he can doe is to make others unclean by breathing touching conversing The plague of pestilence is not so infectious as the plague of leprosie so called Levit. 13. 20. infecting houses walls vessells garments Nothing is so infectious as sinne which not onely foules the person or house but heaven and earth and all creatures are subject to the vanity of it Neither can an impenitent sinner doe any thing but make himselfe and others unclean by the filthy breath of his corrupt communication by his wicked example and conversation No leaven is so spreading no pitch so cleaving 5. Leaprosie of all diseases separated the infected persons from the fellowship of all men both in civill and divine ordinances for many dayes and if they proved incurable suppose them Kings they were utterly and for ever excluded the host as Uzziah 2 King 15. 5. Neither might they come to the Temple to joyne in holy things for the Temple was legally the most holy place and no polluted thing might enter into it So in our sinne unrepented we are out of the campe aliens from God Sinne shuts out of the communion of faith and Saints shuts out of the state of grace and Salvation it shuts out of the Congregation of God in earth and heaven No fellowship place or reward with them 6. Of all diseases none is more painfull sorrowfull mortall or incurable and therefore they were enjoyned to put on mournfull garments seeing God had inflicted so lamentable a disease on them so hardly and seldome cured as most did cary it unto death as Gehezi and Azariah In which the Lord as in a glasse would shew us the extream sorrowes and paines that wait on sinne unpardoned sorrowes of this life and of the life to come And that we should put on mourning garments of timely sorrow and afflict our selves for our sinnes seeing we are all poisoned with so incurable a disease as there is no hope to expect any cure in this life for every man carries the running issues of sinne to his death naturall the most to the death eternall 7. The signes and symptomes of leprosie are most correspondent to the symptomes and effects of sinne in the soul. 1. As there is a debility and weaknesse of all parts becuase the spirits are exhausted so sinne weakens all faculties because the spirit of grace is resisted and driven out 2. There is a tumour and swelling in the flesh here a tumour and proud swelling of mind none more proud than he who hath least cause 3. There is burning and thirst through the adust and burnt bloud by melancholy whereof it ariseth here is inflammation and burning of anger of lust and thirst after the world after revenge after prefermentst and this insatiable as every sinne is 4. There is filthy putred matter still breaking forth most loathsomely so here from within breaks out corrupt matter of envie of hatred of goodnesse of uncleanenesse in speeches and behaviour 5. There is an hoarse and weake voice here the voice so weake as it cannot pray or cannot be heard God heares not sinners for either they pray not at all or they are in their sinnes 6. There is a filthy stinking breath and therefore they must cover their lips that by their breath they might not infect others So here is a filhy breath of corrupt communication of uncleane and adulterous speeches swearing and cursing speeches lying and false speeches slanderous and uncharitable speeches and seldome doe such cover their lips being like the uncleane vessells of the Law which were ever open to the corrupting and poisoning of numbers Sect. IV. 1. From the former description of legall uncleannesses note the state of Gods Church and people here upon earth subject unto many sorts of defilements and pollutions within them without them and on every hand of them by foule and uncleane creatures and persons by foule courses and actions which a godly man may not touch or taste but he is presently defiled as he that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled with it Where be they that will see no Church if they see any uncleannesse Or who say that God is in no such society where any pollution is seeing God vouchsafeeth to walk among his owne people who were daily subject to so many legall and morall pollutions God might if it pleased him wholly purge his floore here upon earth but it makes more for his glory to suffer sinne and evill and to set the Saints in the middest of defilements here below 1. There must be a difference between this heaven and earth and the new heaven and new earth in which dwells nothing but righteousnesse for had the Saints no warre there needed no watch there could be no victory if no seed time no harvest 2. Gods mighty power is more manifest in gathering and preserving a Church to himselfe out of sinners and among sinners and he magnifieth his mercy both in covering and curing so great and many corruptions 3. The godly in sence of their uncleanenesse are kept low in their owne eyes and watchfull of their own waies and so are driven out of themselves unto Christ for righteousnesse and unto God for strength continually as privy unto their own continuall weaknesse So to subdue presumption Paul must have a buffeter and to way-lay security comming on Israel all the Canaanites must not be subdued 4. In that they cannot expect freedome from foulenesse and uncleannesse here below they may the rather desire and aspire to that heavenly Tabernacle into which no uncleane thing can enter Rev. 21 27. and wish to be translated thither where righteousnesse shall dwell yea the righteous and holy God shall dwell immediately in the middest of his Saintes and all things together with themselves shall be most absolutely clean and holy II. The Lord by so large a description of legall uncleannesse would have them and us look more nearly and seriously upon our own misery by sinne both in the cause and in the effects of it The former by bringing us to the contemplation of the foulnesse of our natures and uncleannesse even in our birth and originall For howsoever men little esteem or bewaile this uncleanenesse of nature and original sin yet the Apostle better acquainted with the nature of it calls it The sinne and the sinning sinne and the sinne which dwelleth in us and compasseth us about Rom. 7. 17. Neither can a man ever be
truely humbled and prepared for Christ nor can expect a good estate in him whose daily corrupt issues from an overflowing fountaine make him not seem marvellous filthy and unclean in his own eyes 1. What is the reason that so many do Pharisaically pride themselves if not in the goodnesse of their persons yet in some blind hopes and presumptions that they be not so bad as they are or as some others be but because they never saw themselves in this glasse which onely lets a man see himselfe a masse of sinne a lump of uncleannesse and that no good thing is in his nature which in no part is free from the running issues of that festred and inbred sinne 2. Why do many doat upon their own works and sightly actions either to Popish confidence in them as meritorious or at least with many Protestants to rest in the civility and morality of them without farther pursuit of the power of religion but that they see not that so evill trees cannot send forth any good fruit nor so bitter fountaines any sweet water which could they but discerne they would be weary of the best of their righteousnesse and cast it away with Paul as dung and conclude that when Aloes and wormwood yeeld a sweet taste then might their fruits be sweet and tastfull to God and themselves 3. Why do so many thousands contest against grace stand upon their honesty good neighbourhood hospitality charity they thanke God they are no blasphemers no drunkards adulterers murderers they wash the outside come to Church hear sermons are outwardly clean and formall no man can challenge them no nor they themselves but because they never saw the infection of their soules nor the inordinacy of their inner man which is a fountaine ever overflowing all the banks most dangerous most secret hardest to find out and hardest to cure and this deceives thousands in their reckonings 4. Why is the righteousness of faith in the bloud of Christ so much undervalued and men so hardly driven out of themselves to seek righteousnesse by him But because they see not their own uncleannesse and therein their hatefull estate before God untill Christ the high Priest have made atonement for them For as that man who being sick to death feels not his sicknesse nor discerns the depth and dangers of it seeks not greatly after the Physitian he applies either no meanes or some idle and impertinent things to small purpose so he that sees not the misery of his disease of sinne sees not the need of Christ neglects the right meanes and contentedly deludes himselfe running any whether but to the right remedy It is fit and fruitfull to look a little nearer this disease of nature that we may not onely make conscience of the foulnesse of nature but be thrust out of our selves to the meanes of our cleansing Considering 1. That this uncleane issue which the Legall issues point us unto is a sinne against the whole Law of God in all branches of it whereas other sinnes are against one of the Tables and one of the Commandements 2. This poyson of nature is the same in all men that all may be humbled who are born children of the devill enemies to righteousnesse all of us being in our very birth sonnes of death for in Adam all are dead And as an image of rotten wood must needs be rotten so we hewn out of so rotten a stock Who is it that is not a Leper from the wombe Let any man thrust his hand into his bosome as Moses did Exod. 4. 6. and he shall pull it out againe leprous and as white as snow Every man hath cause to cry with the Leper I am uncleane I am uncleane The spawne of a Serpent are Serpents and what are we but the spawn the seed of Adam 3. This Issue is a generall disorder of the whole man and of all parts Neither is bodily leprosie more generall and universally spread over all the members than sinne in the soule which is seated in all the members so as from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing sound but ataxy or disorder in want of all goodnesse in all parts and pronenesse to all evill 4. Miserable are the effects of this close uncleanenesse As 1. In this Image of sinne no ugly toad can be so hatefull to us as we unto God 2. The whole man lies subject under the curse and wrath of God Rom. 5. 18. the fault came on all men to condemnation 3. Nothing can proceed from us but what is foule and damnable What can a Serpent cast out but poyson Whatsoever our own strength or will can bring forth is tainted with this leprosie for free will remaineth onely to evill 4. Nothing without us that we can touch but we taint till we be cleansed noted in the infection of houses vessels garments Both earthly things all the creatures all our comforts actions to the unpure all is so yea divine actions the word Sacraments prayer almes all polluted by us and to us so long as we be unconverted and in our uncleane nature 5. An unregenerate man can converse with no man but as a Leper he infects him by example provocation corrupt opinions frothy speeches fruitlesse behaviour And if they that poyson mens bodies are worthy extreame punishment and every man detests them how much more severe wrath of God are they liable unto that do nothing but poison mens soules 6. No Leper was so worthily cast out of the campe as all of us by nature are worthily cast out of the society of Saints in earth and in heaven yea from the presence and fellowship of God and Jesus Christ and that for ever Sinne properly shuts out of heaven no unclean thing comes there nothing more hateful to God nothing but that hated by him 7. All this misery we our selves can neither discerne nor remedy It makes us pure in our owne eyes though we be not washed Prov. 30. 12. We lie wallowing in our filthinesse and delight in it as the swine in the myre and never are cured till we get out of our selves to the high Priest in whom onely it is perfectly to cleanse and cure us Now seeing in this glasse our own disease and need of cure let us returne to the meanes of our cure in these three severall sorts of uncleanenesse and in the legall be led to the cure of morall uncleannesse Thus of the kinds of legall uncleanenesse Next all Legall uncleanenesse was to be cured two waies 1. By ablution or washing 2. By oblation or offering Both these were appointed for all kinds as in particular 1. For uncleane touchings and tastings the parties must wash their clothes Lev. 11. 40. 2. For unclean issues they must wash themselves and their clothes Lev. 15. 13. 3. For uncleanness of Leprosie they must wash themselves their clothes and besides shave off all their haire and stay seven daies without the camp
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 proceeded from death of sinne 2. Because they lead to eternall death For the explaining of this ordinance consider four 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 humillity of our Lord Jesus who being the mighty Lyon 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 four 1. She must be an heifer in her youth and strength Christ offers himself and must be taken for a sacrifice in the flower of his strength at three and thirty yeares He offers his best gifts and dies in his strength and so his offering was more free and acceptable And we 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 bloudy passion of Christ and his cruell death The red skin of the Cow resembled the red garments of Christ all besprinkled 1. With his own bloud 2. With the bloud of his conquered enemies 3. Presented unto his father like the coat of Joseph all stained with bloud 3. The Cow must be without spot or blemish to signifie the purity of our Lord Jesus 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 slaine for sinne not being sinful Christ was ruddy through his passion yet most white and spotlesse by his most perfect and absolute righteousnesse 4. She must be without yoke on which never yoke came Signifying 1. That Christ not necessarily but voluntarily took our nature that he might free us from our yoke 2. His absolute freedome from all the yoke of sinne farther than he voluntarily undertook the burthen of it 3. That he was never subject to the yoke of humane precepts and commandements 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 free-will offering he having power to lay down his life and to take it up againe 5. He was more free from the yoke than any red heifer could be She indeed must be free in her selfe He not onely free in himselfe but he must free all believers 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 Jewes 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 bloud and dung ver 5. Signifying 1. That Christ must be led out of the gate of Jerusalem 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 meat his bloud our drink 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 bloud with his finger and sprinkle towards the foreside of the Tabernacle of the assembly seven times vers 4. Signifying 1. The purging of us by the bloud of Christ sprinkled on the Conscience 2. That Christs death profits none to whom it is not specially applied for the Cowes bloud must be not shed onely but sprinkled 3. That onely the people and Congregation of God have benefit of the death and bloud of Christ for it was sprinkled directly before the tabernacle 4. The seven times sprinkling noteth 1. That that one oblation hath virtue 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 be burnt with Cedar wood scarlet lace and hysope all which must be cast into the fire with her vers 6. Signifying 1. Three things in Christ. 1. The Cedar of uncorrupt life 2. The scarlet of fervent love to mankind 3. The hysop 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 bloud applyed to justification 3. The hysope of mortification healing our corruptions aâ— hysope hath a healing quality All these three properly arise from the passion of Christ. 5. Action A clean person must gather the ashes of the heifer and lay them without the Camp in a clean place vers 9. Signifying 1. The buriall of Christ in a cleane and new tombe wherein never man lay a clean 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 clean place of a pure heart and conscience an onely fit closet to keep the mystery of faith in IV. The use and end of these ashes was twofold vers 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 believer that sees his need of them 2. Of them was made a water of separation thus A clean person took 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
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 the same in both and the faith of believers the same in substance onely differing in the manner of exhibition and publication A man that superficially looks over the books of Moses and sees so great an heape of ceremonies and ordinances would wonder what the Lord meant to enjoyne so many and as reason would judge so needlesse institutions to his own people of which they can make nothing by cursory scarce by considerate reading and hence whereas the Jews were so superstitiously observant of the books of Moses as that they had at their fingers ends a great number not of the precepts onely but of the letters and pricks of every book and chapter Christians unlesse it be in point of history almost reject the books of Moses not for their credit and truth but for their utility and use as not touching them But to him that readeth and considereth will appear 1. How truely our Saviour affirmeth Joh. 5. 46. that Moses wrote of him partly by promises and prophecies and partly describing him in figures and shadowes so as had the Jewes believed Moses they had also believed in him but rejecting Moses not in the generall for generally they believed him and magnified him as their greatest Prophet but in the special prophecies and promises concerning the individual person of Christ therefore they could not believe in Jesus Christ. 2. How aptly and wisely the most wise God did accommodate himselfe to this people in loading them with so many burthensome ceremoniall constitutions and yet not one of them in vaine For 1. Consider the nature of the people it was rude and dull and needed corporall and externall elements and rudiments to help them Besides it was not onely naturally superstitious and addicted to idolatry but had lived some Centuries of yeares in Egypt and was infected with Egyptian rites And further they were now to go into the land of the Canaanites and were in danger to learn their fashions Deut. 4. 16. And therefore the Lord would prescribe to their whole life both in sacred and civill things abundance of Ceremonies whereby their senses should be exercised their faith excited their obedience preserved and themselves restrained from devising on their own heads or appointing to themselves any other worship or form of service than that of the Lords owne prescribing which should find them work enough and take up their minds sufficiently 2. If we look on the many kindes of rites and ordinances and compare them with the many ends which the Loâ—d had in ordaining them we shall conclude none of them were idle or superfluous For 1. God would have the glory of Christs Kingdome shadowed and his own religion gloriously propounded and reverently received not exposed to any contempt and therefore appoints the erection and sanctification of a stately Tabernacle with all the costly vessells and holy persons garments 2. He would traine up that people in piety and stirre up in their hearts an earnest sence of sinne and hunger after mercy and this he will do by appointing so many kinds of sacrifices and rites about them 3. He would frame them to purity and sanctimony of heart and life and will help them hereto by the many lavers purifications cleansings and sanctifications of which we have heard in part 4. He would nourish naturall love among his people and for this end appointes many feasts meat and drink offerings and many solemnities to appear and rejoyce before God 5. He would have them testifie their thankfullnesse for his great bounty and acknowledge themselves homagers as was fit And therefore ordaines a number of oblations first fruits tithes vowes first-born and many moe institutions to testifie their gratitude 6. Many of Gods great works must be held in their eyes and must not be suffered to slip out of memory And for this purpose served many of those institutions As Deut. 6. 20. when thy sonne shall aske thee in time to come c. For this end the Passeover must be yearely celebrated Exod. 12. 14. and Chap. 13. 14. So also the feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23. 42 43. 7 The Lord so ordered as the Jewes could not cast their eyes any way within doors or without but some shadow or other should meet them and preach unto them either Christ or some grace by Christ or some duty unto Christ. In the fields they had first fruites first borne of cattell In their houses the lintels must have the Law written In their bodies Circumcision was a teacher on their cloathes fringes If at their tables choyce of meats If on their children the first borne a type of Christ. So for times places and the rest But that we may propound to our selves some good order and familiar method in which we must bound our discourse We must know that all the holy things in the old Testament pointing at Christ were 1. Substantiall 2. Circumstantiall Substantiall are such as concern the parts and substance of Gods worship Circumstantiall are such as concerne some inferiour things about that worship The former may be referred to two heads 1. Sacraments 2. Sacrifices The difference In Sacraments we see God giving us all good things in Jesus Christ. In Sacrifices we present all our duty to God by Jesus Christ. Now for the Sacraments of the old and new Testament in generall we must in one word know that they are outward signes seales and confirmations of Gods word and promise of grace For the Lord knowing and tendering the weaknesse of man would informe him of his good will and pleasure two waies 1. He would speake to his minde and understanding by his word and promise 2. To his outward sences by externall signes and Sacraments called by some of the Fathers visible words He is not contented by his word to declare his will but also by Sacraments to witnesse and signe that word for our more full instruction If before the fall he covenanteth by his word life upon condition of works he addeth a twofold signe to the sences of Adam the tree of life and the tree of knowledge If after the fall he give a promise of the blessed seed Gen. 3. 15. he enjoyneth to Adam outward sacrifices and signes of that his Word If to antient believers before Christ he promise deliverance from sinne death and hell on condition of faith in the Messiah to come he sealeth up this promise by two standing Sacraments Circumcision and the Passeover If to believers of the new Testament he accomplish in his Sonne all those ancient promises and now preach salvation to all that believe in the name of Christ crucified dead buried raised ascended and sitting at the right hand of his Father as Joh. 3. 16. This promise he confirmeth with two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper as speciall seales of his grace Thus is the Lord still like himselfe in all ages and provideth fully for our direction and consolation for our strength and assurance in
upon the Crosse wherein the Circumcision of Christ was fully accomplished 3. Was shadowed their duty also that having shed the first fruits of their bloud in Circumcision in obedience to God they should be ready to shed all their bloud for him whom they expected to shed all his bloud for them 3. A distinguishing signe of the Jewes from all other people who were without God without Christ and they onely a chosen seed in that blessed seed in whom all their prerogatives were conferred and established 4. A demonstrative signe 1. Of the naturall sinne and disease of man and therefore it was placed in the generative part to admonish Abraham and his posterity of their uncleannesse for things clean need no Circumcision nor ablution Abraham and his seed must be led out of themselves 2. To demonstrate the cure and remedy by the Messiah to come cleansing our natures two waies 1. By bearing upon himselfe the imputation of our impurities 2. By healing them in us partly by his merit and bloudy death bestowing a perfect righteousnesse upon us partly by his Spirit daily sanctifying and circumcising our hearts thus hath this Sacrament preached Christ unto us Now the observations to make it usefull 1. Take notice of our own estate to humble us both in state of nature and in state of grace 1. In our nature we are all sprung out of a corrupted seed which although we would forget yet the Lord in this Sacrament took care that his people should carry upon their bodies the signe of sinne and death seizing upon their whole nature In place of which comes our Baptisme presently after our birth shewing that a man in his very first frame is filthily polluted and goeth astray even from the womb Psal. 58. 3. Whence also it is called Originall sin 1. Because it hath been from the beginning of the world 2. Because it is the originall and beginner of all sinne in us it is the first of all our sinnes 3. From our beginning even from our conception Psal. 51. I was conceived in iniquity and we from it called the childeren of wrath that is laid under wrath even from our childhood Eph. 2. 3. 2. After grace received see the weaknesse of our faith Abraham the father of the faithfull needed this pledge and seale to support his weak and shaking faith Who can say my faith is strong enough which is ever imperfect in the best who know but in part and believe but in part Why else did the Lord appoint the use of Sacraments to the strongest believers and that all their life long but to put them in mind of the weaknesse of their faith which needeth such continuall props and supports Neither is it marvel that men are so heavy to the reverent receiving of the Sacrament because they see no want no need no benefit of faith they feel not the weaknesse of faith which would breed desire of strength and drive them to the diligent use of the meanes II. If Christ be the truth of Circumcision then every Christian in the new Testament must be circumcised as necessarily as the Jewes in the old And though the ceremony and act of Circumcision be worn out yet the truth of circumcision as neerly belongs to us now a dayes as of old it did unto them In whom we are circumcised through the circumcision of Christ speaking of the Gentiles converted unto Christ. In which words the Apostle plainly distinguisheth between Jewish circumcision and Christian between Legall circumcision and Evangelicall between Moses his circumcision and Christs Here 1. What this Evangelicall circumcision is 2. The difference from Legall 3. The marks and notes of it 4. The motives This Christian Circumcision is described Col. 2. 11. to bee a putting off the sinfull body of the flesh that is in plaine tearmes the mortification of the body of sinnes that are in the flesh For the truth and kernell of Circumcision never stood in the cutting off a piece of skin that was but the shell of it but in cutting off the lusts of the heart life parting from corruptions of nature which rebell against the Spirit And this we have in Christ alone being as farre beyond the Circumcision of the old Testament as the truth useth to excell the type as farre as Christ is beyond Moses or heaven above earth This renovation of mind was 1. Signified by that Ceremony 2. Promised by every Circumcised person The difference between this Evangelicall and that Legall Circumcision is 1. In the efficient That was appointed by God to be made with hands but this is a wonderfull work without hands done by the finger of God himselfe The mortification of sinne is so honourable a work as the hand of man and Angels cannot do it 2. In the subject That was wrought upon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh this onely upon Abrahams seed according to the faith upon believeres and members of Christ. That upon the Jew without this upon the Jew within That upon Ismael as well as Isaac here no Ismaelite is circumcised That was Circumcision of the naturally born and males onely of Jewes onely this is of the supernaturally born againe male or female Jew or Gentile for in Christ all are one 3. In the proper seat That was ceremoniall in the flesh this morall in the heart In that a natural part was wounded in this the very corruption of nature That dealt with flesh in substance this with the body of flesh in quality 4. In the end In that every man was circumcised in himselfe and his bloud shed to fulfill the rite of the Law In this all believers men and women are in Christs bloud once circumcised to fulfil the rigour of the Law 5. In the effect By that the person was received into the society of Gods people according to externall profession by this the sinner is received into inward and eternall fellowship with God and into communion with Gods people 6. In the latitude or extent In that the Priest circumcised in one part of the body in this Christ our high Priest circumciseth the whole man In that one beloved part was cast away with griefe and sorrow in this the whole corruption of nature and all beloved sinnes with no lesse griefe and sorrow of heart for them 7. In the durance and continuance That was temporary but till the coming of Christ who razed the type and raised the truth but this is to continue for ever till the second coming of Christ and is most perfectly finished and consummate in heaven The notes or markes to know inward circumcision attained by Christ are these 1. The party to be circumcised was presented and offered to this ordinance of God as willing and contenttd to part with his flesh and bloud in obedience to God so here thou hast begun thy circumcision if thou hast offered up thy soul body and all a
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
Lord Jesus Christ and be saved Our Lord himselfe was wont to say to distressed persons According to thy Faith be it unto thee 4. It was fitter than other herbes for the receiving and sprinkling of liquor so Faith although a low and weak plant is onely fit to receive the precious liquor of the bloud of Christ. Onely faith drawes virtue from Christ as in the poor woman that stood behind Christ Mark 5 31. And the want of this bunch of hyssope disables Christ from doing thee any good Christ could do nothing in Capernaum for their unbelief I. Note hence how we are to prize and magnifie the bloud of Christ. For if the shadow of this precious bloud must be so preserved so carefully saved in a costly vessel how much more ought the bloud it self Quest. How may I prize the bloud of Christ Answ. 1. Consider with the dignity of the person the infinite value of it That it is able to purchase the whole Church of God Act. 20. 28. which a thousand worlds of wealth could not do No wealth in heaven or earth besides this can redeem one soule And therefore the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 19. sets this precious bloud against all corruptible things as gold and silver and things so much set by amongst men 2. Consider the precious things which it procures us both in earth and in heaven 1. Here below it procures us four things 1. Reconciliation and peace with God Rom. 3. 25. and Ephes. 2. 13. we which were farre off are made near by the bloud of Christ. 2. A sweet tranquility of mind peace of conscience which all worldly treasure caÌ„not purchase because now we are within the Covenant of God living in his love which is better than life and in this love is no lack but an abundant supply of all needfull things All which Covenant of grace is made and ratified by this bloud therefore called the bloud of the Covenant Heb. 9. 3. Victory against all the malignity of our spirituall enemies even the greatest Satan himself who is overcome by the bloud of the lamb Rev. 12. 11. 4. Immunity and safety from all the judgements and dangers threatned against our sinnes else had we died without mercy for despising Moses law Heb. 10. 28. For if there were such force in the bloud of the type that by the effusion of it the Israelites lay safe and untouched of the revenging Angel Heb. 11. 28. much more in this bloud of Jesus Christ to cover belieuers in his Name from the hand of Gods revenge due to our transgressions 2. This precious bloud now in heaven procures us the most needfull and excellent good things above all that we can imagine Especially two waies 1. By opening heaven for our prayers for this bloud pleades for us now in heaven and speaks better things for us than the bloud of Abel Heb. 12. 24. That called for vengeance against the sinner this intreateth for daily grace for daily sinnes and procures daily mercies for daily supplies 2. As to our prayers so this bloud openeth heaven to our persons This bloud onely rents the vaile asunder and makes a way into the holy of holies and gives entrance into the kingdome of heaven Heb. 10. 19. by the bloud of Jesus we are bold to enter into the holy place This bloud is the onely key that unlocks heaven for else the Lord dwels in light which no flesh can have accesse to 1 Tim. 6. 16. namely without Christ and the shedding of his bloud II. Is the bloud of Christ so precious take heed of prophaning this precious bloud 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 bloud of the Testament unholy Heb. 10. 29. He cannot expresse the greatnesse of the punishment in words but leaves it to all mens minds to consider of Quest. How may a man prophane this bloud Answ. 1. By undervaluing it as Papists who think it insufficient to ratifie the Covenant unto them without other additions and supplies from themselves and others yea ascribe as much to the bloud of Thomas Beckâ—t and other traytors as to this bloud 2. To be ashamed of Christ and his sufferings The Jewes must strike the lintels of their doors with the bloud 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 contemn his bloud 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 bloud is after a sort poured out to the mind and senses Or unpreparedly to receive the Sacrament and in the unworthinesse of a guilty conscience is to make ones self guilty of the bloud of Christ as Pilate Judas and the Souldiers were 4. To despise and wrong the godly descended of the bloud of Christ redeemed with the bloud of Christ To hate the Church of God and abuse the members of Christ is to crucifie again the Son of God and despise the price of our purchase In that yee doe it to one of these little ones yee did it to me Thou canst not draw bloud of the Saints but thou sinnest against the bloud of Christ. 5. To prophane it in gracelesse swearing as those branded hell-hounds that swear commonly by wounds or bloud as if this precious bloud were to be engaged on every base occasion Well they carry wounds in their consciences and poure out the life bloud of their souls 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 sametime and in one evening must all Israel eat the Passeover 1. In the evening to signifie our estate of darknesse 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 eat up one Lambe
it from the spirituall servitude of sinne death the devill and damnation 2. It shadowed herein its successor in the new Testament for the Sacrament of the Supper was therefore instituted to keep in remembrance the death of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11. 26. As often as yee shall eat this bread and drink this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come 3. To be a rule for all Sacraments wherein it is necessary that the word be joyned to the Element I mean the word of Institution and if it may be conveniently of exhortation that the seal may goe with the Charter as even in these shadowes the Lord himself straitly enjoyned these were the Lawes prescribed for the Anniversary Passeover both in Exod. 12. 14. and Numb 9. in neither of which is any mention of any of the former Laws proper to the first Passeover The last condition in eating concerned the measure The Lambe must be whole eaten signifying 1. Our perfect communion with Christ who are as nearly united unto Christ as the meat we eat which is turned into our own substance 2. That nothing in Christ is unprofitable 3. That Christ must be received wholly without dividing of his natures or destroying any of his offices Arrius divides the Lambe in denying his Godhead Manichees impugned his humanity Neither eat the whole Lambe The Papists destroy all his Offices Whosoever deny any fundamentall Article of Religion they divide the Lambe To eat the whole Lamb is to believe whole Christ according to the rule Faith is but one yet a copulative Deny one overthrow all Hitherto served that Injunction that no part of the Lambe must be reserved till the morrow but if any remained it must be burnt with fire verse 10. The Lord in his infinite wisdome would prevent all the occasions of idolatry which is easily admitted in the reservations of holy things As in Popery what a deal of idolatry is crept into the Church by reserving superstitious relicks and especially their consecrated or conjured bread as if this condition did not condemn expresly that Popish reservation of the hoast or breaden god Add hereunto that the Jewes requiring the body of Christ on the Crosse to be taken away that night before the Sabbath Joh. 19. 31. fulfilled against their knowledge this Prophecy Nothing of the Paschall Lambe must be left till the morning Sect. V. V. The Paschall Lambe is an expresse type of Christ in respect of the fruit and use of it which is security and safety from Gods revenge ver 23. For as by the sprinkling of the bloud and eating of the flesh the Jewes were defended from the revenging Angel and the destroyer passed over the house where he espied the bloud sprinkled So the bloud of Christ applied to the conscience causeth the wrath of God to passe by those that are so sprinkled And as they could sit in the house safe and not fear the stroke of the destroyer because of the bloud sprinkled so whosoever by true faith feeds upon Jesus Christ and are died with his bloud rest secure and fear not the destruction and revenge due to wicked men Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience 1. As the Jewes dwelling in Egypt were in great danger of the revenging Angel who was to passe through the land So all the Israel ot God dwelling in the midst of the Egypt of the world and too too much tainted with the fashions of it have no small cause to fear the judgements and revenge of God which must pursue the sinnes of it and also to use meanes for their own safety in the night of trouble and revenge as the Israelites did Quest. What meanes Answ. The same that Israel did We must 1. Sprinkle the house of our hearts with the bloud of the Lambe Heb. 10. 22. sprinkled in our hearts c. Whosoever were sprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe were safe Was there so much power in the bloud of the type and not much more in the bloud of the truth 2. Get into the house of the Church and fellowship of the faithfull for such as are true members of the Church which is the house of Saints are secure from the plagues of wicked men Isai. 27. 3. I the Lord doe keep the vineyard I will water it every momâ—nt lest any assaile it I will keep it night and day and â—sai 37. â—8 My people shall dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Noah can be safe no where in the deluge but in the Ark And out of the Church is no salvation or safety 3. Thou must abide in the house all night and goe not forth Except the Israelites abide in the house they cannot be safe except thou abidest in the ship of the Church thou canst not be safe no more than any of Noahs company if they had stepped out of the Ark. We must adhere constantly to the true Church and not forsake the fellowship or depart from it by Apostacy or revolt which brings certain shipwrack of faith Consider Heb. 10. 25. 4. Patiently wait for the morning even the bright rising and appearing of Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse coming again to our deliverance whether publikely to generall judgement or personally in speciall to our selves For he shall bring health under his wings Mal. 4. 2. II. In the whole precedent discourse is a fruitfull direction for Christians for their holy use of the Sacrament of the Supper which is come in place of the Passeover 1. As he must be circumcised that must eat the Passeover so must he be baptized that must be admitted to the Supper that is a reverent professed Christian. For holy things must not be cast to dogs Mat. 7. 6. The Word and Sacraments are childrens bread and must not be cast to dogs that is obstinate enemies scorners blasphemers to men of uncircumcised lips and eares who wilfully repell the meanes of their cleansing So much the more pity is it that all sorts of notorious evill men thrust into the presence chamber of the great King yea sit down at the Lords Table and like swine swill in his cup without controul or any rebuke in many places Open blasphemers common-drunkards scoffing Ishmaels noted adulterers obstinate sinners And where is the care to preserve the holythings of God from pollution contempt and prophanation Would a man spread a table for dogs or swine If the shadows of these holy things might not be cast to dogs is it nothing to expose to them the body and substance it self 1 Cor. 11. 30. for this cause many are weak and sick among you and many sleep 2. As the Lamb was taken in the tenth day but was not slain till the fourteenth that it might be before their eyes all the four dayes before for the helping of their meditation and due
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.
even in that humanity now glorified he is set in the Holy of holies as the Manna in the golden pot before the Lord for ever Exod. 16. 33. and abides for ever in the heavens for all eternity not subject to corruption any more as that golden pot of Manna was Sect. III. II. Now let us see how Christ is infinitely preferred before this type or figure in six severall advancements 1. That Manna had no life in it self but this hath Joh 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Sonne to have life in himself Joh. 6. 35. I am that bread of life 2. That Manna not having life in it self cannot give to others what it self hath not it could onely preserve life given of God But this can convey and give life to others John 6. 33. The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world 3. That Manna preserved onely natural and temporal life as other bread but this preserves spiritual and eternal life in the soul and inward man 4. That Manna could not preserve this temporal life for ever Joh. 6. 49. Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead nay it could not keep them from hunger above one day to an end But this bread once tasted makes a man live for ever he shall not die ver 50. yea he shall never hunger more verse 35. 5. If a man were dead that Manna could not raise him again to life but this raiseth dead to life as Lazarus which all the food physick and meanes on earth cannot doe Joh. 11. 25. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live 6. That Manna did corrupt it melted daily when the Sun arose it lasted not beyond a day it continued not beyond the wildernesse and that small portion which the Lord reserved in the Holies of holies perished and was lost after the captivity But this Manna is not subject to corruption but abideth sweet and precious to every hungry heart nor subject to violence but abides in the Holy of holies without all change or fear of danger nor onely lasts in this journey through our wildernesse but is the sweetest and most delicious in our Canaan when he shall be food physick raiment delight and all in all to all the Saints and sonnes of God Sect. IV. Now to Application I. To note God in four things 1. Patience and love 2. Watchfulnesse and care 3. Bountifulnesse and beneficence 4. Wisedome and judgement And all these to his Church both Jewish and Christian and to all the Israel of God Legal and Evangelical Every one of these affordeth us special matter of instruction I. His grace and patience appears in the time of his giving both the typical and the true Manna from heaven Then he pleased to give the Manna to Israel 1. When Israel had great need of Gods help and had no power to help themselves when they were even ready to starve Even so when the Church was in extream need of Christ and altogether helplesse in her self it pleased God to give his Sonne from heaven to save and refresh her Which the Apostle notes Rom. 5. 6. For Christ when we were yet of no strength at his time died for the ungodly 2. Then God gave Israel Manna when Israel murmuring had deserved nothing but wrath and vengeance when they could look for nothing but fire from heaven he gives them food from heaven and such food as was Angels food sweet as honey Oh what a tender Nurse is the Lord become to a froward people he will still the frowardnesse of his first-born rather with the breast than with the rod Even so when by our hateful sinnes of many sorts we could neither deserve nor expect any thing but revenge from heaven God sent his Sonne from heaven the true Manna and bread of life who hath more sweetnesse in him than the honey comb which one gift sweetneth all blessings which else had been so many curses For what had the Israelites deliverance victory lives been worth in the wildernesse without food and Manna which kept them in life and strength Even so had all our outward blessings been to us without Jesus Christ onely a lingring death and misery Oh who would deal thus with his enemy but he that hath an Ocean of mercy Which the same Apostle in the same Chapter ver 8. leadeth us unto where he magnifieth and heightneth Gods love unto us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us yea while we were yet enemies ver 10. he sent us this Manna by whom he reconciled himself unto us Let this consideration be of use 1. To stir up in us a fervent love of God who loved us with a pittifull love when we were in so pitifull a case as also with so seasonable love when our extream need urged us yea with such effectuall love as spared us the greatest gift of love and the richest mercy that heaven and earth can contain to relieve our want 2. To labour to love our enemies as God did us being his enemies For naturall men and hypocrites can love those that love them Mat. 5. 45. but if we love them that hate us we shall be the sonnes of our heavenly Father 3. To move us to cease from our sinnes for who would goe on to provoke so good a God that still prevents us with love and mercy And if he please to reserve love for us while we are yet in our sinnes and in love with them how sweet will his love be when we cease to love them How strong will it be and how constant For doth he not cast us off when we are enemies and deserve hatred and will he ever cast off those whom he thus loveth This love shall be stronger than death for that shall not quench it II. See the watchfulnesse and care of God over his Church The Manna fell with the dew and while the people of Israel slept the Lord watched to spread a table for them because 1. He that keepeth Israel slumbreth not nor sleepeth The eye of the Lord saith Basil is without all sleep ever watchfull 2. Because he is a tender father and Israel is his son and first born A carefull father is waking for his childes good while it sleeps and takes no care In like manner hath this watchful eye kept it self waking from the beginning of the world till this day How did it watch over Abraham and all his believing posterity whilest he and we were all in the night of sin and death And whilest we were in a dead sleep how carefully did he provide this heavenly Manna and spread it about the tents of the Church in all ages 1. In the promise of the blessed seed 2. In the types and shadowes signifying and exhibiting Jesus Christ. 3. In the holy Ministery of Prophets and Apostles in which it was plentifully showred 4.
In the spirituall worship of believers both in the old and new Testament 5. In the blessed Incarnation and appearance of the truth it self who rose as a glorious sun of righteousnesse but as it were at midnight when the world lay in such palpable darknesse as was thicker than the darknesse of Egypt as Manna fell in the night and was readier for them every morning than they were for it Apply this observation for thy particular comfort If thou beest an Israelite no night shall befall thee nor sleep in any night but this carefull eye of God shall watch to supply thee As in three instances 1. The godly passing through this wildernesse of this world although they be in Covenant with God as Israel was yet often are cast into the night of sin and in this night they often nod and slip into a sounder sleep of sinne sometimes than they think of but then this eye watcheth them that they sleep not in death and so fall into extream ruine For they being written on the palm of the Lords hand being as a signet upon his finger as a jewel on his heart and which is nearer as the apple of his eye he watcheth a season to waken them to raise them and erect them in faith to watchfulnesse and salvation 2. Many times the godly fall into the night of affliction and are cast into the dark of many deadly dangers which they should never by themselves be won'd out of Now while they are thus surprised with a dead and dangerous sleep the Lord watcheth to prepare some meanes of evasion which they never dream of How did the Lord watch over Jonah while he slept under hatches not dreaming of so present a danger Nay when he seemes dead and buried in the Whales belly as in a grave of silence how miraculously did the Lord watch to bring him to dry land as sound and safe as if he had been kept in a strong Castle How did the Lord watch Mordecai while he slept Hest. 6. 1. he slept but the King shall not sleep till he have advanced Mordecai How did he warth over Peter Acts 12. 7. whilst he slept so fast in the night as scarce an Angel could waken him and brought him through the sleepie watch Our experience can tell us every morning how the Lord keepes our houses our selves without fear against robbers fires dangers in the night he makes us sleep in safety and while we are helplesse naked sencelesse becomes a wall of protection round about us 3. In the night of death he gives not over his watch but watcheth the very bones of the Saints that in the morning of the resurrection they may more fully enjoy Christ the true Manna and attain a full measure and Gomer and a perfect satiety and fulnesse of this sweet bread of life Psal. 17. 15. David calls it a satisfying with Gods Image when he shall awake Sect. V. III. See in this gift Gods bountifulnesse and freenesse to his Church in three things 1. He offers Israel Manna without the asking seeking or buying it costs them nothing but gathering even so he offers us salvation by Jesus Christ while we ask not after him He is found of them that seek him not The first Adam runs away from Gods presence the second Adam runs after him to seek and recall him out of his bushes Now what desert or merit could there be in the first Adam to be followed with grace in his flying from it And if there be none in him how come we his posterity to more possibility to merit any thing but death more than he No here is no merit no buying of Manna but onely a faithfull and thankful acceptance of it 2. He raines it down in abundance his hand is not short he opened the windows of heaven and rained down Manna to eat Psal. 78. 14. For 1. It is for the honour of God to be bountiful and rich in mercies and to pour down his blessings upon his people 2. Israel needed daily abundance and store of Manna which need he is careful to supply But oh what great goodnesse hath God stored for them that love him In his Son Jesus Christ he hath rained down bread of life the greatest arme and stream that ever flowed from that Ocean A mercy covering all the tents of believers A mercy that lets the true Manna fall enough for a whole world of believers not on one Nation of Israel onely but on all the Nations of the world For he did not so then to any other Nation but now to all Nay in this Manna is a mercy not onely covering the earth but a mountain of mercy reaching to heaven 3. His hand is not weary but every morning le ts fall enough to feed and fill so many hundred thousands of mouths and bellies so the grace of God in Christ is an unweariable grace As he gave more Manna than all the Israelites were able to gatherâ— so he is more infinitely able to give than all believers are able to receive Hence we may with David stir up our selves to blesse the Lord that loadeth us with blessings daily IV. The wisdome of God in administring his mercy to his Church 1. In that he gives them Manna from heaven not from earth they cannot now expect an annuall harvest of corne from the earth but must expect every day an heavenly showre to be fed by because the Lord will not have them fix their eyes and sences on earth but know they were now to live of Gods allowance and for their whole means depend on his hand Let it teach us Christians to lift up our eyes and sences from earth and earthly desires and affect that Manna which is from heaven every day desire to be fed with some heavenly shower for the nourishment of the soul and preserving the life of grace in it Let it teach us to acknowledge the hand of our heavenly father in the gathering of the Manna and good things for our temporall life He is the Father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift The Israelite must look to heaven for every morsell of bread that he puts in his mouth shall the Christian like swine eat up the mast and never look up to the Tree from whence it falls II. In that he gives them Manna every day He might have given them an harvest of it once a year or he might have rained it once a moneth but he gives it daily To shew 1. that he had undertaken for their daily maintenance whose continuall supplies challenged the continuall dependance upon his providence 2. that they must be content with daily bread 3. that it should be a part of their calling and exercise in the wilderness where other temporall business had they none Let us hence learn 1. To acknowledge Gods wisdome if he give us earthly Manna and meanes but from hand to mouth he knows how to supply it with true
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
brazen Serpent though he had no reason for it And the people having a word of commandement and promise shut the eye of their reason and open the eyes of their faith and by beholding this shape of a Serpent were cured and found life restored not by a thing having life but by a dead thing Learn how the eye of faith must shut up the eye of our reason and having a word of God look confidently upon it be it never so unreasonable or improbable There be four things which a man shall never attain till the eye of his faith close up the eye of his reason 1. He shall never attain the true knowledge of divine things Gods wisdome hath no greater enemy than humane wisdome not sanctified No men hardlier nor seldomer converted than worldly wise men as the Scriptures which say not many wise and experience shews daily What wiser men in the world than the Philosophers and Stoicks of Athens but when Paul came to dispute among them of doctrine of religion he was called a babler Act. 17. 18. What will this babler fay and reasoning among them of the resurrection he was derided and mocked verse 32. Was not Festus a wise man and a prudent Governour and yet when Paul preached to him no other things than Moses and the Prophets had foretold of those sufferings death and resurrection Festus tells him too much learning had made him mad Acts 26. 24. John 9. 6. Christ to cure a blind man tempered clay and spittle together and applyed it to his eyes and bids him goe to Siloe A remedy likelier to put out a mans eyes than to recover sight There was no reason in the earth of the remedy but onely to try whether the blind man did constantly believe Yet if the blind man had not wholly resigned himself to Christ and shut up his own reason had not he acknowledged Christ able to doe what he would by what he would and to be the same God who at first put all sences into a piece of clay and now by a piece of clay would recover his sence he had never seen but remained blind still So every naturall man born as blind as he in spiritual things till he wholly submit himself and subdue his reason to the meanes appointed shall never see any thing to salvation but a bide in natural blindnesse still What hope hath he to be taught by the Spirit that must give lawes to the Spirit of God or what a short â—et-wand is natural reason to measure divine things by 1 Cor. 1. 21. and 1 Cor. 2. 14. Why else did these Jews esteem the doctrine of the Gospel scandal but that reason of flesh would not nor could behold life and glory in such a base life and ignominious death as Christs was nor could hold him the Messiah who was made a curse upon the Crosse as if he had been crucified through infirmity and this vail as to them remaineth at this day unremoved And why was Christ foolishnesse to the Grecian but that reason would not yeild that life should be fetched out of death or salvation to be sought in curse and malediction 2. He that shuts not the eye of reason can never attain faith There be six things which a man cannot believe so long aâ— he sticks to natural reason First He cannot believe the Word of God nor depend upon but scorn the Ordinances of God in the Word preached and Sacraments administred which is the visible word Reason unrenewed cares not for this foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1. 21. And to a carnal man the threatnings of God are like Lots warning to his kinsmen he was as one that mocked or jested A promise to a carnal heart is as tastelesse as the white of an egge The wiser men are the further off they are from believing in a crucified God or conceiving that by the foolishnesse of preaching God will save such as believe Flesh and bloud revealeth nothing Secondly He cannot believe the main promises of God which cannot be comprehended but by the eye of faith and not by that till the eye of reason be shut up God hath promised his presence favour and love with his children how can reason conceive the truth of this promise seeing them in hunger thirst wants hearing them reviled slandered disgraced observing them cast out of companies and societies as refuse and out-sweeping that were their hopes here onely they were of all men most miserable Reason will not be perswaded that God can send us by hell to heaven yet that is his promise Humane reason will never pray My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How could Abraham have believed the promise of a son by Sarah had he looked to natural reason Thirdly He cannot believe the main Articles of faith that hath not resigned up his reason Example Reason will not believe an happy resurrection seeing the body raked up in dust and corruption but denies this Article Reason cannot conceive or believe an eternal life because it sees it not given but to dead men It cannot apprehend how the Son of God should become the son of man or that this Son of man was born of a Virgin without man And so of the rest Fourthly He cannot believe the miracles of Scripture for confirmation of Gods truth and our faith Natural reason cannot believe that the Sun ever stood still as in Gibeah much lesse went back ten degrees as in Hezekiahs time 2 King 20. 11. Or that fire should descend which naturally ascendeth and feed upon water contrary to nature as at Elias prayer 1 King 18. 39. Or that fire should rain down as on Sodome which is proper to water Or that fire should not burn the three children Or that water should stand as a wall as in the Red sea and in the river Jordan whose property is to be fluid Fiftly He cannot believe the work of creation if he will believe reason the universal consent of which is That of nothing nothing can be made and not anything much lesse all things out of nothing To reason therefore it will be incredible that there should be light before the Sun or fruits before any rain as in the Creation Heb. 11. 3 By faith we know not by reason that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which doe appear Sixtly He cannot believe the great work of Redemption For natural reason thinks it unreasonable that the life of the Church can be fetched out of the death of Christ. That a man can be justified by the imputed righteousnesse of another and yet there dwell so many sinnes in him Reason will not believe that one man can recover life by anothers death no more than one man can live by anothers soul or be wise by anothers learning or be cured and brought to health by anothers disease 3. So long as the eye of reason is open a
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 Master 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 of that of this sin and of that How may I doe to get mastery of my corruptions In going to Gods Ministers let thy errand be the same with the Israelites in their going to Moses how to be rid of the Serpents 4. Moses directs them to the brâ—zen Serpent erected for their cure for Moses himself cannot help them Moses law cannot cure them that rather sharpens the sting and thrusts it deeper into the flesh and spirit He directs them to no merits or works of their own to cure them for their merits brought in those poysoned stings among them but he sends them quite out of themselves to Gods ordinance which was the brazen Serpent Thou art never in the way of cure till thou art sent out of thy self out of the Law and works of it which now cannot justifie till thou comest to the Evangelical brazen Serpent there is no hope of cure As the Israelite could never be cured till he acknowledged the brazen Serpent the onely meanes so no more canst thou till thou acknowledge Jesus Christ the onely healing God and that there is no other name in heaven or earth to be saved by but the name Jesus Onely Christ onely Christ said that Martyr for he onely can give a perfect righteousnesse he onely can cover our imperfections he onely being no sinner could conquer sin he onely by dying could conquer death he onely by entring into the grave could sweeten it he onely by sustaining the sorrows of hell could shut hell for all believers Had Moses sent the Israelites any whither but to the brazen Serpent he had deluded them and they had lost all their labour Who now is so void of judgement that cannot discern whether our Religion or the Roman be the antient and true Religion of Moses and the people of God If a man stung with the Serpent come to us for counsel and cure as they to Moses we send him as Moses out of himself to Christ onely the true brazen Serpent Our doctrine leads him out of himself out of his own merits out of external works and ceremonies unto Christ who is our peace and left his peace unto believers and by this meanes through Gods blessing the Patient attaines true tranquility of mind and inward peace of conscience and rejoyceth with an unspeakable and glorious joy for his recovery as the Israelites did in theirs But let a man stung in conscience goe to a Roman teacher he leads him any way but the right any whither so not to Christ. Instead of Gods certain direction in the words of the Prophets and Apostles which testifie of Christ the onely brazen Serpent they send him to unsound and uncertain speculations fables traditions equal say they to Scripture and some of them say far better Instead of Christs satisfaction and merit they send him home to his own merits and satisfactions by which say they he may apply the satisfaction and merit of Christ. But in case he be so bad as he have no merits of his own the Church hath a Treasury of other mens merits to dispense by taile so he will come to the price So he may buy oyle enough to fill his lamp out of the Popes Exchequer or Burse filled to the top with works of supererogation But if he make some scruple of this least the wise Virgins have not enough for themselves and others then they may have the sacrifice of the Masse not to fail but never apply that one and onely sacrifice upon the Crosse it self Now whether of us agree with Moses 5. As the Israelite must look up to the Serpent lifted up so must thou look up and behold Christ lifted up This must thou doe two wayes First on the wood of the Crosse Secondly on the Throne of the Kingdome both of grace and glory Behold Christ lifted up not in his abasement onely but in his advancement First in the Kingdome of grace as he is lifted up in the Word and Sacraments In which Christ is mightily declared the Son of God and preached the Saviour of the world Gal. 3. 1. among whom Christ was crucified Secondly in his Kingdome of glory raised from the dead ascended into heaven and exalted at the right hand of God above all principalities and powers Phil. 2. 9. God hath given him a Name which is above every name Now the looking on Christ thus lifted up is the act of faith not a bare intuition sight or vision as to believe that Christ was thus exalted on the Crosse and in his Kingdome but it is apprehensive and applicatory and to believe in Christ crucified and glorified This looking hath three things in it 1. To believe that he was the Son of God and son of man our Immanuel 2. That he being so was lift up for the salvation of believers 3. That my self assuredly trust and depend on him alone as the onely author meritour and bestower of salvation This is Evangelical looking on the Serpent Now because this looking is the principal thing in the cure we will consider 1. How this looking cures us 2. How we know we are cured by our looking 3. Motives to stir us up still to look on our Serpent Sect. VII I. When the Israelite comes to Moses and asketh Oh what shall I doe to be saved from death being so deadly stung A full answer to this question was goe look upon the brazen Serpent thou shalt be whole So if an humble soul suppose the Jaylor shall come to the Minister as Paul or Silas Sirs what may I doe to be saved the direct answer to this question is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. and yee are saved by faith and Thy faith hath made the whole Quest. But how doth faith save us Answ. Not as it is an excellent grace nor as any work of ours We are not saved and cured for believing but by believing 1. Because faith is the condition of the Covenant and of our cure as looking was the condition of the cure of the Israelite For it was not the having of a Brazen Serpent nor the lifting it up could cure but the Israelites looking upon it so it is not the hearing of Christ nor the lifting of him up in the Ministery nor knowledge of his merits can save unlesse they be received by faith A potion never so vertuous is fruitlesse if not taken As meat uneaten so is Christ not digested and applyed by faith 2. Faith cannot cure considered simply in it self as a quality or vertue or gift or
be a prayer of faith that is available Jam. 5. 15. If to good works and good life it must be a life of faith led by faith for the just must live by his faith If to the Church of God he must be of the houshold of faith else he shall be but as Judas among the Disciples Faith must be every where diffused to walk by faith live by faith and die in faith as the Saints in former ages have done for our imitation 3. We must hold on this expectation on our Serpent as the Israelites did till they were perfectly cured And because we can never be perfectly cured in this life but onely in part we must still look up to Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. till we be fully and perfectly healed Hence it is that the Lord will never have this Brazen Serpent taken down as the other was after a short time but hath appointed the Ministery to lift him up and hold him perpetually before our eyes so long as we are here below and enjoyned us the constant use of it all the while we are in this wildernesse which were needlesse if we had once attained our perfect cure This is a strong motive to hold our eyes fast fixed upon Jesus Christ till we come to enjoy him as he is when all Ministery shall cease and the Lamb shall be all in all Sect. VIII From this so excellent a figure ariseth a bright Sun of light and comfort for all the faithful 1. The Israelite that could look to the Serpent if his eye were never so tender weak or dim yet was cured Thou that art the weakest believer be comforted thy weak faith shall save thee thy smoaking flax shall not be quenched but cleared to farther brightnesse Thy weak hand shall be able to receive and hold the gift of righteousnesse and eternal life It is not the greatnesse of thy faith that saves thee but the truth of it Yet with this caution If it be true it will strive to encrease And if there be so much comfort in weak faith how much is there in strong 2. The Israelite stung never so often if so often he did look on the Serpent so often he was cured Oh singular comfort Thou that renewest thy sins every day and every day goest over the same frailties renew also thy faith daily and thy repentance and thou art safe That brazen Serpent lost his vertue of healing but our Brazen Serpent never loseth his If thou sinnest seventy times seven and so many times returnest by faith in Christ and say It repents me by this looking upon the brazen Serpents all those wounds shall be cured Yet with this caution That as he had been a mad Israelite who because there was a Serpent set up to cure him would therefore run of purpose among Serpents to be stung by them So is he no lesse witlesse a Christian who therefore willingly makes his sin abound because grace hath abounded A mad man he is that will therefore break his head or wound his members because he hath a soveraign plaister by him 3. The Israelites stung never so deadly never so desperately never so long wounded yet looking on the Serpent were cured If thy sins be as red as scarlet and never so great if in thy sense some one of them deserve a thousand hells and the guilt of it or them rings continually in the eares of thy conscience frighted with feares of hell and death if thy sins be festered and of long continuance Now come to the Brazen Serpent Never was any Israelite that could look on the Serpent sent away uncured But there is ten thousand times more vertue in Jesus Christ than in ten millions of brazen Serpents onely look on this Serpent by the eye of faith turn from all thy sins and be saved 4. The Israelites looking on the Serpent brought present cure and ease and they went away rejoycing If thou believest in Jesus Christ thou art perfectly cured As Christ was wont to say to his Patients so I say to thee Goe in peace Thy faith hath made thee whole Onely this grace can quiet the heart distressed and can keep it from sinking as once it did Peter Mat. 14. 29. In this is the beginning and accomplishment of thy happinesse The converted Gaolor went away rejoycing that he and his house believed Act. 16. 34. Now if one sight of faith in this our absence from Christ be so joyful a thing what shall the sight of fruition doe in his presence 5. The Israelites having once the brazen Serpent cared not for the fiery Serpents They might sting them now but not much hurt them they might now poyson them but not kill them So the believer looking to the true Brazen Serpent may triumph over the old Serpent and all the serpentine seed and say as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 15. 55. Oh sin where is thy sting Oh hell where is thy victory Nay Thanks be to God who hath given us victory by our Lord Jesus Christ. Great was the power of the Israelites looking upon that Serpent for when the fiery Serpents were present it made them powerlesse and not hurtful Greater is the power of faith in the Lord Jesus which though our sinnes in themselves are most venomous and poysonful stings and such as we cannot be rid of them yet it so blunts them and makes them so powerlesse that they kill us not nay that they hurt us not nay more that they help us and make us better more humble more wise more watchful Thus our good God who out of the most infinite curse of Christ his Son on the Crosse brought forth to us the most infinite blessing which fills heaven and earth doth out of our cursed sins bring forth his own glory joyned with our greatest good For which as for all other his unspeakable mercies unto us be praise given in all Churches and from henceforth to all eternities Amen FINIS J. Lambert Martyr Epist. ad Romanos 1. 2. Rom. 10. 4. Cont. Jul. 9. De cibis Jud. c. 5. Cont. Faust. Advers Jud. Heb. 13. 8 John 14. 6. Heb. 11. 2. Eph. 4. 5. M. Min. Fel. Octav. Rom. 11. 26. Ludov. Coeretus 1553. Christ the truth of legall shadows Introduction to this Treatise 1. 2. 3. 4. Sacramenta sunt mutata non sides August 5. God appointed a multitude of ceremonies to the Iewes for 5. reasons 1. Velata sunt ista doneâ— aspiraret dies removerentur umbrae Aug. 2. Grace in the new Testament specially how Ceremonies called shadows for 4. reaseus 3. Non ex opereoperato 4. Use of them to the Iews 5. Gods wisdome in appointing them The generall division of this Treatise Adam a type of Christ in four things 1. Uterque ad imaginem Dei conditus uterque Deo charissimus 2 Primus ecclesiae doctor audiens immediate a Deo quae ecclesiae erant proponenda ita et Christus 3. 4. Use