take heed of prophaning this precious blood take heed of sinning against it Consider of that sore punishment which he is worthy of that treads under foot the sonne of God and counteth the blood of the Testament unholy Heb. 10. 29 He cannot expresse the greatnesse of the punishment in words but leaves it to all mens mindes to consider of Quest. How may a man prophane this blood Answ. 1. By undervaluing it as Papists who thinke it insufficient to ratifie the Covenant unto them without other additions and supplies from themselves and others yea ascribe as much to the blood of Thomas Becket and other traytors as to this blood 2. To be ashamed of Christ and his sufferings The Jewes must strike the lintells of their doores with the blood of the Paschall Lambe that all might see they were Israelites signifying that we must openly professe Christ and not be ashamed of his death and ignominy which is the life of the world at which notwithstanding the greatest part of the world stumbleth at this day To shame at the profession of Christ is to contemne his blood 3. To contemne it in the meanes in which the Lord would hold it before our eyes To reject or neglect the preaching of the word wherein Christ is crucified before our eyes as he was to the Galatians chap. 3. 1. To neglect and despise the Sacrament in which his blood is after a sort powred out to the mind and sences Or unpreparedly to receive the Sacrament and in the unworthinesse of a guilty conscience is to make ones selfe guilty of the blood of Christ as Pilate Iudas and the soldiers were 4. To despise and wrong the godly descended of the blood of CHRIST redeemed with the blood of CHRIST To hate the Church of God and abuse the members of Christ is to crucifie againe the sonne of God and despise the price of our purchase In that ye do it to one of these little ones ye did it to me Thou canst not draw blood of the Saints but thou sinnest against the blood of Christ. 5. To prophane it in gracelesse swearing as those branded bell-hounds that sweare commonly by wounds or blood as if this precious blood were to be engaged on every base occasion Well they carry wounds in their consciences and powre out the life blood of their soules Sect. IV. IV. In eating the Paschall Lambe Jesus Christ was typified To this eating many conditions are required concerning 1. time 2. place 3. persons 4. manner 5. measure The time It must be eaten at the same time and in one evening must all Israell eat the Passeover 1. In the evening to signifie our estate of darkenesse and misery by sinne and death till Christ came and when Christ came to be our ransome 2. In one and the same evening to note the holy agreement and consent of the whole Church in the faith of Christs death and passion to which well agrees the constitution of our Church ordaining the supper succeeding it in the same time so all superstition and formality be avoided The place 1. Every particular Lambe must be eaten in one house to signifie the unity of the Church of God the house of the living God and the spirituall conjunction and agreement of all the faithfull in one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10. 17. 2. If one house sufficed not to eate up one Lambe they might call in their neighbours to a competent number which might bee about a dozen as in our Saviours family to signifie 1. that the Gentiles in time by the voice of the Gospell should be called in to the participation of Christ the lambe of God and to the fruition and feeding of the same lambe with the Israelites 2. no number is assigned because the Lord onely knowes who are his 3. because there were many lambes to bee slaine they must be eaten in many houses so as no man must abstaine from the Passeover in paine of death signifying the speciall application of the same Christ to severall persons families and the Church is no salvation 3. In the night of errors heresies afflictions and persecutions for the truth when God revengeth the worlds contempt of his grace if we would bee safe wee must keepe our selves within the Church not departing from the particular house or Church in which we are to joyne to Idolatry or errors least Gods revenge overtake us as the waters overwhelmed all that were without the Arke II. The manner prescribed to all Passeovers ensuing stood in three observations 1. They must eate it with unleavened bread signifying that if we would feed on Christ our Passeover wee must purge out all old leaven and become a new lumpe 1 Cor. 5. 7. This old leaven is the fusty swelling and spreading corruption of our owne wicked nature the leaven of sinne false doctrine heresie corruption of manners sowre and tart affections that will not stand with the receiving of Christ and his benefits All this we must purge out and study for sincerity and truth in judgement in affection in action 2. They must eate the Passeover with sower herbs as sawce signifying 1. true repentance and godly sorrow of heart to bee inseperable with the true apprehender of Jesus Christ 2. that Christ and his Crosse are inseperable and that afflictions as sowre herbs are the most whole some sawce of Christianity Sowre indeed and unpleasing to the flesh but profitable 1. to prepare and provoke the appetite with more cheerefulnesse and ardency to all godly duties of prayer hearing Sacraments mercy patience hope c. Rom. 5. 3 4. 2. to whet and provoke to the practise of all Christian duties of mercy and love 3. to excite the desire to bee fully fed with that sweet tree of life and that blessed Mannah in which is no sowrenesse in the kingdome of glory Rev. 2. 17. 3. They must alwaies in eating repeate and conferre of their deliverance out of Aegypt and in memory of that benefit provoke their thankfulnesse of God ver 26. 27. adding as it were to the Sacrament a word of instruction signifying 1. that we should alwaies remember the death and passion of Christ with due thankefullnesse for so great a deliverance by it if they must still speake of their temporall deliverance much more we of so great and eternall deliverance by it from the spirituall servitude of sinne death the divell and damnation 2. it shadowed herein its successor in the new Testament for the Sacrament of the Supper was therefore instituted to keepe in remembrance the death of Iesus Christ. 1 Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come 3. to be a rule for all Sacraments wherein it is necessary that the word be ioyned to the Element I meane the word of Institution and if it may be conveniently of exhortation that the seale may goe with the Charter as
militant and triumphant Heb. 10. 20. 5. The blood 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 vers 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 then are saved by it For being sufficient for all it is not helpfull to all nor to any that tread under foot this precious blood the extent of the benefit is to all the elect 3. The large spreading and preaching of the Gospel of salvation by Christs blood through all the coasts and corners of the earth as the blood sprinckled on the foure corners and that by the finger hand and ministery of men 6. The fat must bee offered unto God but the flesh skinne and dung must be burnt with fire without the host signifying 1. That Christ offered himselfe and the best parts he had suffering in soule and body 2. That hee must suffer without the host without the gate of Jerusalem Heb. 13. 12. and carried out our sinnes out of Gods sight 3. That nothing but blood comes on the Altar For onely the blood of Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sinne Note hence that the Priests in the Law must bee put in mind that they were sinners and needed a sacrifice for themselves By which they were to take notice of a difference betweene themselves and our high Priest 1. There was no perfection in their persons for they must offer and lay their hands on the head of the sacrifice confessing guiltinesse 2. Nor in their Ministery in which the high Priest need offer for his owne sins 3. Nor in all their Consecration they could offer no sacrifice to wash away any sinne their owne nor others onely they did point at the sacrifice of Christ but by his consecration he could offer himselfe a meritorious and sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of his elect Thus is our high Priest advanced above them all The second of these sacrifices in the Consecration of the high Priest was to be a burnt offering or Holocaust The use of which was to signifie the dedication of himselfe and all that he had to be purified by the Spirit as by fire to the use of God in his service as that Holocaust was ver 15 and 19. Most things in this were common with the former 1. The blood must be sprinkled on the Altar round about signifying the full remission of sinnes purchased by the blood of Christ and the communication of all his benefits and the vertue of his whole passion to be applyed to the whole Church for sprinkling still betokens application 2. The inwards and legs must be washed in water ver 17. signifying that Christ should bring no uncleane thing in his offering but he should be absolutely pure within and without in his minde thoughts affections signified by the inwards and in his conversation motions and walkings signified by the legs 3. The burning of the offering wholly ver 18. signified 1. the ardent love of Iesus Christ who was all consumed as it were with the fire of love and zeale towards mankinde upon the Crosse. 2. The bitternesse of his passion in his whole man who was as it were consumed wholly with the fire of his fathers wrath due to the sinnes of man 4. As the burnt offering ascended up to heaven in fire So Iesus Christ having offered himselfe a whole burnt offering ascended up into heaven so obtained an everlasting redemption for his Church From whence also he sends the fire of his Spirit as on the Apostles so on all beleevers in their measure Iohn 14. Note from this sacrifice for the high Priest that first he must offer the sinne-offering and then the other sacrifices for consecration This burnt offering nor the others following could never have been acceptable if the sinne-offering had not gone before and sinne by it expiated Learne hence that so long as we are in our sinnes all our sacrifices and service are abominable Sinne unremoved lyes in the way of thy prayer The blinde man could say God heares not sinners And David If I have delight to sinne God will not heare my prayer Sinne unrepented and unpardoned makes thee hatefull in the house of God thy hearing doth but more harden thee the sacraments become poyson unto thee for thou by thy sinne castest poyson into the Lords Cup and so eatest and drinkest thy owne damnation Let this be our wisdome first to offer our sinne-offering It is the Lords owne counsell Isa. 1. Wash you cleanse you and then come and let us reason And as our Lord advised us in case of reconciliation with man wee must much more practice in case of our recōciliation with God If thou hast brought thy gift to the Altar and thou remembrest that God hath ought against thee first reconcile thy selfe to God and then to man and so bring thy gift There be two graces which we must bring before God in all our services in which we would finde acceptance The former of preparation that is repentance which prepareth aright to the performance of good duties The latter of disposition and that is faith which disposeth the party aright in the whole cariage of them for this purifieth the heart exciteth the will sees the weaknesse seekes a cover and findes acceptance The third sacrifice in the consecration of the high Priest was the peace-offering or the Eucharisticall sacrifice the use of which was both that Aaron should shew his thankfulnesse to God who had advanced him to so high an office as also to obtaine of God by prayer such high and excellent gifts as were needfull for the execution of the same and this pointeth directly at Jesus Christ. 1. The blood of this Lambe was to be put on the lap of Aarons eare upon the thumbe of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot Signifying 1. That all the actions of Christ his hands feet and parts were red with his passion Psal. 22. 16. they pierced my hands and feet 2. The whole obedience of Jesus Christ to his father even to the death called a piercing or boaring of the eare 3. That it is Christ who sanctifieth the eares hands and feet of the Priest and people The eare to heare divine Oracles the Priests must first learne then teach The hands to worke the actions of grace and holinesse The feet to direct and lead into all holy motions and conversation all must be washed by the blood of Christ that we may be wholly cleane As both our Saviour teacheth by the washing of the disciples feet Iohn 13. 5 6. As also in Peters request Lord not my feet onely but my hands and head Iohn 13. 9. 2. A part of this sacrifice went to the Priest part to the offerer signifying that both Priest and people have part and
Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse Here we have Christ himselfe the true water out of the Rock who onely refresheth dry and weary soules and comforteth the fainting heart with the sweet promises flowing from the Gospell And that wee may see the excellency and benefit of this fountaine we will a little compare this Rock with the other and set the truth above the type to draw our eyes and desires after it 1. In that rocke the rocke was one thing the water another here Christ is both the rocke and water both the giver and water given 2. That rock refreshed wicked men and beasts this is bestowed upon and comforteth onely beleevers 3. That rock refreshed bodyes onely this both soules and bodies That preserved naturall life but this torrent preserves the supernaturall life of grace so as a leafe withers not nor falls from a tree of righteousnesse planted by this river of water Psa. 1. 3. 4. That rock might preserve and comfort the living but could not helpe a dead man but this quickneth the dead soule with new and heavenly life 5. The waters of that rock quenched natural thirst but this quencheth all unnaturall One drop of it tasted by Zacheus quenched all his unnaturall thirst after the world and in Paul all the thirst of revenge and furie against the Saints 6. The rock gave water twice this rock gives waters of comfort alwaies The water of that rock followed them a great while but at length were dryed up but the waters of this rock are never dried up The blood of CHRIST is alwaies running and a fresh fountaine never dry 7 The Israelites dranke of that water and were contented for a little while but by and by did thirst againe But he that drinkes of this water shall never thirst againe Ioh. 4. 14. that is miserably as they however he shall desire it still yet his very desire is his happinesse and saciety II. How we are to carry our selves to this rock and fountaine namely as Israel to that rock 1. The Israelites thirst and call for water they see and feele their need and want so we must feele our want of Christ and get a fervent desire after Christ and his graces because onely the thirsty are called Isa. 55. 1. and onely they in want see the worth of the thing wanting Now we may not thinke that every wish after Christ is this thirst for the worst can wish a part in Christ but this thirst and desire must have three conditions 1. It must be fervent and eager as Sampsons Give me water or I die Iud. 15. 18. As the chased Hart panteth after the rivers of water so doth my soule after thee Ps. 42. 1. 2. It must be faithfull We must not thirst with repining and diffidence as the Israelites but with faith and confidence This drawes vertue from Christ According to thy faith be it to thee 3. It must be constant The Israelites thirst still till they obtaine their desire so we must not content our selves with desire or to come where this water is and goe without it but we must never be content with our estate though it be never so well with us for the world till we taste the sweet comfort strength of Christ and his merits To continue thy thirst observe two rules 1. So long as God hath any grace to give or is not weary of giving thou must not be weary of thirsting begging asking 2. So long as thou wantest any grace or any measure of grace received thou must thirst still Ever be desiring one good thing after another and one measure of grace after another till thou beest compleat and then shalt thou never give over this thirst while thou livest here 2. Israel thirsty runs to the rock so in thy thirst run thou to the rock Dost thou thirst for pardon of sinne for grace of sanctification for sence of Gods love for assurance of eternall life come to this Rock for supply Art thou ready to faint in thy soule for want of grace and comfort art thou ready to sinke in sorrows feares faintings wants dangers runne to this fountaine which God hath opened for thee To move thee hereto consider 1. the rock it selfe calls thee which art thirsty which that rock could not doe Ioh. 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke 2. That to runne any whither else is to forsake the fountaine of living waters and dig pits that will hold no water Let Papists runne to the puddle waters of their owne merits or seek other Mediators or Intercessors say thou with the Apostles Lord thou hast the words of eternall life and whither should we goe Let others runne to humane helpes and remedies in their sorrowes to cards dice merry company let them runne to devils and witches and make them their rock Let thy heart say The Lord is my Rock and if the word were not my comfort I were sure to sinke in my trouble 3. Israel comming to the rock did not onely draw from thence but drinke heartily so we must not onely come to the place where Christ is preached but we must beleeve in him and specially apply to our selves the merit of his death For as drinking is a speciall application of water to the thirsty body so by beleeving in Christ we specially apply the waters of grace to the refreshing of the soule To beleeve is to drinke this water Ioh. 7. 38. with Ioh. 4. 14. Nothing could quench Israels thirst being bodily but water and onely faith quencheth our spirituall thirst And therefore as they to Moses we must say to Christ Lord give us faith to quench our spirituall thirst Let these motives provoke us to drinke these waters 1. As Israel was by drinking that water revived and refreshed so onely these waters from Christ quicken us with new life and coole the heat of raging and accusing consciences Every beleever hath true tranquillity of heart and joyes of the holy Ghost within him yea so plentifully doe these waters of consolation rise from the Rock that he that drinkes them is said to have the kingdome of God in him which stands in righteousnesse peace joy c. 2. What madnesse and folly is it to lay about us so eagerly for this puddle water in comparison and catching with all greedinesse at the bitter-sweet comforts of this life which prove poyson to the most and neglect the sweet and pure streames of saving waters of grace flowing from the true Rock JESUS CHRIST Wee reade what strife and contention was among the Jewes for wells of spring water and now no man will lose a dishfull of well water but he will know to whom and shall we onely not care for the water of saving grace which cost Christ so deare before he could open the well of it for us 3. When the woman of Samaria heard Christ say that he that dranke of this water should
ungodly religious with the superstitious beleevers with infidels 2. Horrible contempt of the word As Noah preached by the power of the Spirit and Christ himselfe by the Spirit so as never man spake yet both were despised and the Spirit resisted whereby they spake So now godly Ministers must not thinke much to bee despised in their Ministery For as it was in the dayes of Noah and of Christ So Christ hath told us it must be 3. Profanenesse of the Ministery and generall malice against sincerity As in the dayes of Noah many Wrights and workemen were busie to prepare an Arke for others but themselves neither entred into the same nor saved by the same And as in the dayes of Christ the Scribes and Pharisees professed themselves chiefe builders but refused the corner stone and neither entred themselves nor suffered others but envy Christ they could So shall it be in the daies of the Sonne of man 4. In the Common-state and men apostacy security sensuality men eate drinke marry but know nothing of judgement that is will not know So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Mat. 24. 39. III. In that Christ is the true Noah all the true members of Christ who are carefull to prepare them an Arke and to get within the Arke of the Church have solid and strong comfort For 1. He is ready to receive all that come unto him who calls all the weary as Noah readily received all that offered themselves unto him Let not thy sinne discourage thee bee thou never so uncleane get once into the Arke and thou art safe 2. As Noah himselfe entred into the Arke and abode there all the time of danger and tossing by the waters So our Lord still abides in the same ship of the Church with us he is so much the more compassionate to us as hee is acquainted with our sorrowes and though the danger and feare bee never so much wee shall fare no worse then himselfe will who in all our troubles is troubled with us and for us 3. As Noah pitched the Arke within and without and so fenced it against the waues and raging billowes and surges of a world of seas So doth our true Noah strengthen his Arke and Church partly with his promise partly with his prayers that their faith faile not as with pitch within and without so firme and sure as let this little Arke of the Church be tossed upon the waters of affliction and tried by never so many temptations and persecutions in this sea of the world it is so fenced and pitched that it shall never miscarry Noahs Arke indeed by tossing and beating of the waters may bee weakened and made worse but Christs Arke the Church is made better and stronger by trialls and afflictions Psal. 119. 71. It is good for mee that I have beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes Noahs Arke at last shall putrifie and perish but Christs Arke shall never perish but at last bee more perfect and glorious 4. As Gods Covenant with Noah was his safety in the Arke for looke upon the Arke floating above water laden with heavy burthen fenced against the waters with a little pitch perhaps not very skilfully that being the first vessell that ever was made for the water without Anchor mast sterne Pylot or Master to governe it for Noah was shut in by God how should it be but carried by winds and waves upon rockes or hills or sands or trees or buildings and so in an instant split all too pieces but that the Lord was Stearsman in all that voyage So the safety of the Church is that it hath so faithfull a Pylot whose Covenant made in his Church is the wall and defence of his people more stable then the foundation of the earth Which made David to glory Though the earth bee mooved and the mountains tumbled into the sea yet the Church may glory in the salvation of her God In our lesser trials stormes oppositions looke to God our safety be within the Arke God will provide for thy safety 5. The Arke had a time to be freed from the deluge of waters So the Church hath a time for her deliverance Rev. 7. 14. Psal 55. 22. 6. When the flood of waters bated the Arke rested on a mountaine of Ararat Gen. 8. 4. So when the waters of affliction are dried up the Church hath her rest in the holy mountain of God Ps. 15. CHAP. IV. 3. Melchizedek a type of Christ. HEbrews 7. 3. Hee was likened to the Sonne of God Wee must search wherein and how Christ was the truth of that figure I. In the notation of his name Melchizedek signifieth King of righteousnesse Our Saviour was indeed properly King of righteousnesse Heb. 7. 2. Isai. 11. 4. Psal. 45. 6 7. thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse thou lovest righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise From him all have righteousnesse as from a fountaine II. In his Office 1. Hee was King of Salem of peace So Christ is called the Prince of peace Isa. 9. 6. not of a corner but of all the world and of Salem that is of Ierusalem Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King on Sion On his shoulders was the governement laid Of whom Zach. 9. 9. O Ierusalem behold thy King commeth unto thee hee is just and saved himselfe poore and riding upon an asse But with this difference Melchizedek brings peace earthly temporall but Christ is our peace Ephes. â— 14. by whom we have peace with God hee guides our feete into the way of peace and leades us to peace eternall So he was true king of true peace so was not Melchizedek 2. Melchizedek was not onely a King but Priest of the high God Gen. 14. 18. So Christ was both King and Priest King Revel 1. 5. Prince of all the kings of the earth Priest Heb. 4. 14. Our great high Priest This was not usuall in the Iewes Policy or progeny of David to whom onely the kingdome was promised neither would God admit the mingling of these Offices among them as in Vzziah 2. Chron. 26. But as this dignity was reserved unto Christ so was it dispensed with in his speciall figure to bee both a great King and Priest III. In his originall Without father or mother genealogy beginning or end of dayes without kindred that is none of these mentioned in Scripture or in the story of his life Although he had both father mother kindred birth death yet the Lord of set purpose would have all these concealed in Scripture that hee might be a more expresse type of Iesus Christ who was truely without father as man Luke 1 35. that holy thing which shall bee borne of thee shall bee called the Sonne of God without mother as God without kindred according to his Deity in respect of his divine nature without generation for who can declare his generation Isai. 53. 8.
is the scope of the Apostle in describing Melchizedeks Priesthood so largely For the Leviticall Priests were homagers to this yea to the shadow of it in Melchizedek while they were in Abrahams loynes 1. They were men onely of men Christ the Sonne of God true God and man 2. They were sinfull men and must offer first for themselves and then for others Heb. 5. 3. But Christ was sinlesse he needed not offer for his owne sinnes Heb. 7. 26. 27. 3. For their office they were but ministers of holy things and of salvation propounded in them Christ because of this order was author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 10. 4. They were many and all ministers of a temporary covenant but he is but one who hath obtained a more excellent office in that he is Mediator of a better testament established upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. For the promises of the covenant of grace are more excellent then those of the Legall covenant 5. They offered often and the repetition of sacrifices argued their invalidity and imperfection but he offered but once and needed not do it daily Heb. 7. 27. which argued the perfection Heb. 9. 28. 6. They offered the blood of beasts which could not expiate sinne nor wash the conscience of the sinner farther then purifying the flesh but he not with blood of bulls and goats but with his owne blood entred once into the holy place having obtained an eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. and this blood purgeth the conscience from dead works verse 14. 7. They served in an earthly fading Sanctuary made with hands and entred into an holy place which perished and fayled according to that elementary and temporary worship but he is minister of the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man Heb. 8. 2. this tabernacle is his owne blessed body in which he performed all his service called chap. 9. 11. a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and vers 24. is now entred not into holy places made with hands but into the very Heaven to appeare in the sight of God for us 8. They all ceased dyed one succeeded another as mutable was their whole service which also ceased and deceased and gave place to the truth of it when the fulnesse of time came but this true Melchizedek being without beginning or end of daies hath an eternall Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. and therefore neither hath nor needeth any successor in earth Whence every repetition of his sacrifice bloodily or unbloodily in the Masse is an high and hatefull blasphemy a denyall of Christs person to be above the person of Melchizedek and of his sacrifice to be above Aarons or that it was offered by the eternall spirit of his Deity VI. The excellency of the person shewes the greatnesse of the Sacrifice the greatnesse of the sacrifice the greatnesse of the sinne Melchizedek because he was but likened to the Sonne of God Heb. 7. 3. could not offer a Sacrifice to take away sinne he must be the Sonne of God indeed and God himselfe that must doe that The least sinne which wee account so light could never be expiated but by the blood of him that is God as well as man All created strength cannot stand under the burthen of the least sinne Therefore in the worthinesse of this person see the unworthinesse of thy sinne to hate and abhorre it and thy selfe in dust and ashes for it An haynous and execrable offence were that which nothing could take away but the death of the Prince CHAP. V. 4. Isaac a type of Christ. I. IN his birth Isaac the sone of Abraham the father of the faithfull a promised seed long before he was borne in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Yea so strange was his birth as that he was not to be borne by the strength of nature but of Sarahs dead womb when it was not with her as with other women insomuch as when the Angell foretold it to her she thought it impossible Gen. 18. 12. So Christ the sonne of Abraham commonly so called The onely Sonne of God by nature who is the father of all the faithfull who are taught to say Our father c. The onely true promised seed long before prophecied of and expected of beleevers before his manifestation about foure thousand yeares Borne and incarnate not by the strength of nature but by the power of the holy Ghost after an unconceivable manner so as when the Angell told his mother Mary of his miraculous manner of birth she thought it impossible and said How can this be Luk. 1. 34. And in him onely the whole spirituall seed of Abraham all Gods people of Jewes and Gentiles were blessed Psa. 72. 17. the Nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Which Prophecy cannot be understood of Salomon for scarce his owne nation was blessed in him who by his sinne lost tenne tribes of twelve from his owne sonne and verse 5. they shall feare him so long as the Sunne and Moone endure from one generation to another vers 11. all Kings shall worship him and serve him and vers 17. his name shall be for ever all these are true in Christ onely Thus as Isaac was founder of a mighty state so Christ of all the Church of God in all nations onely blessed in him As Isaac was his fathers heire So Christ heire of all things Isaac hath goods onely II. In his suffering 1. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day so was Christ. Luk. 2. 2. Isaac in his infancy was persecuted by Ishmael Gal. 4. 29 So Christ by Herod Mat. 2. 3. Isaac carryed the wood of the burnt offering upon his shoulders even to mount Moriah Gen. 22. 6 So Christ carryed the Crosse on which he was to be nayled even to Golgotha 4. Isaac was led away as a Lamb to the slaughter So Christ was led away Ioh 19. 16. to death 5. Isaac without reply submitted himself to his father even to the death suffered himselfe to be bound on the wood and yeelds himselfe a burnt offering unto the Lord Even so Christ without reply was obedient unto his father unto the death and was content to be bound not as Isaac for himselfe alone but for us and them and laid downe his life a whole burt offering and a ransome for many Ioh. 16. 28. Thus were both Lamb-like sufferers both beare their Crosse both without reply led away both bound and fastened on the wood both willingly obedient to the death III. In his offering 1. Both sonnes onely sons innocent beloved of their fathers Abraham did al at Gods Commandement and lifted up his hand So Christ by the determinate counsell of God was delivered by wicked hands Abraham offers his Sonne freely God more freely offers his sonne out of his bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission riseth early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne and Isaac riseth as early to obey his
which set thee on worke will hasten thy deliverance CHAP. VI. 5. Ioseph a type of Christ 4. wayes I. IN regard of his person 1. Ioseph was the first borne of the beloved Rahel as Christ was the first borne of the freely beloved Mary 2. Best beloved of his father Genes 37. 3. figuring Christ who was declared the welbeloved in whom his Father delighted Matth. 3. 17. 3. Hee was very beautifull Gen. 39. 6. and his internall beauty was more then his externall Christ was more beautifull then the sonnes of men and making us beautifull in his beauty 4. Ioseph was endued with such a measure of wisedome and understanding as none was like him in whom Gods Spirit was For which cause hee was called Zaphnath-paaneah 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 booke who onely hath the key of David to open the secret mysteries of salvation 5. In Iacobs last Testament Ioseph is called a fruitfull bough whose branches runne upon the wall because out of him branched two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh therein hee 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. Ioseph was sent by his father to visite his brethren in the wildernesse So was Christ sent to seeke his brethren wandring in the wildernesse he was sent to the lost sheepe of Israel 2. As at thirty yeares Ioseph was preferred to his Office by Pharaoh So at thirty yeares Christ entred his Office 3. As by Pharaoh a virgin was given Ioseph to wife verse 45 So in 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 Ioseph 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 blood the incorruptible and indeficient bread and water of life 5. As Ioseph 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 all most comforted the poore thiefe promising him both life and glory 6. As Ioseph doth all the good he can for his brethren that had ill deserved it For 1. Hee 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 far 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 doe and to know their wants yet they scorn him behold yonder dreamer comes they consult to kill him let us kill him and see what will become of his dreames So Jesus Christ came among his owne sent from his Father in love pitying the wandrings and wants of men but the Jews scorne him for a deceiver plot to kill him conspire against his life 2. As his brethren sold him for twenty pieces stript him naked cast him into a pit sent him as a slave into Egypt where hee being indeed free became a servant So Jesus Christ in his infancy was sent into Egypt sold by the Jews for thirty pieces stript naked of his apparrell and in the forme of a servant cast into the pit of death and the grave whence they thought never to have heard more of him as Iosephs brethren did 3. As in this service Ioseph was tempted to whoredome by his wanton Mistris when they were alone and that often and dayly but by strength of grace stoutly resisted yea conquered her and himselfe So was Jesus Christ in the entrance of his Ministery strongly assailed by Satan to spirituall 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 Ioseph 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 falsely condemned bound yea fastened to the Crosse betweene the thieves 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 Ioseph 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 then the Angels 2. Though Ioseph 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 bee 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 sin to loose all sorrowes of death and being risâ—n 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 governement and his bounds are the utmost hills Psalm 2. yea the whole Church in heaven and earth is his to whom all power belongs 3. As Pharaoh every way
prayer prayses duty endeavour Be encouraged Ioseph will accept small and meane gifts from brethren although he need them not Gen. 43. 15. Our Ioseph despiseth not a graine of grace not smoaking flax CHAP. VII 6. Moses a type of Christ 4. waies MOses was a type of Christ. Deut. 18. 18. A Prophet will I raise up like unto thee Here is a similitude a likenesse no parity no equality This is the difference Christ is worthy of more glory then Moses Heb. 3. 3. For Moses was meere man Christ God as well as man Christ the builder of Gods house Moses but a stone in it Christ a sonne in the house Moses but a servant Christ the Lord of his owne house being the Church Moses a servant in his Lords house Now let us see wherein the similitude is I. In his person and estate 1. Moses was of meane parents and birth So was Christ of a poore decayed and dryed stocke and borne of a poore Virgin who at her purification brought a payre of Doves a gift appointed for poore persons Luk. 2. 24. Whereas rich folkes must bring a Lamb of a yeare old Lev. 12. 6. 2. Moses was no sooner borne but he was exposed to the cruelty of King Pharaoh and sought out to death So Christ in his infancy was sought by Herod to bee slaine But both by Gods extraordinary and especiall providence saved and delivered that both might bee saviours and deliverers the one by her whose sonne he was reputed the other by him whose sonne he was reputed 3. Moses was a shepheard he kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in law Exod. 3. and while Moses was in that private estate wee read of little concerning his life expressed till he was fourty yeares old So Christ was a shepheard sent to seeke and save the lost sheepe of his Fathers fold of whose private life wee read as little as of Moses till he was thirty yeares old 4. Moses was of a most meeke and sweet disposition above al men living yet full of zeale and indignation against sin as at the erecting of the calfe Exod. 32 So Christ a patterne of meekenesse Learne of me for I am meeke but most zealous and earnest at the abuse of the Temple Mar. 11. II. In his office and function 1. Both appointed by God Moses sent and raysed to deliver Israel out of Pharaohs bondage Christ sent to deliver all the Israell of God from the Pharaoh of hell and all his oppression of sinne curse damnation the most heavy taskes and burthens Moses was appoynted to lead Israell towards Canaan So Christ to lead the Church the Israell of God into heaven And whereas Moses was to lead them but into the sight of Canaan and the borders Our Moses leads us into the heavenly Canaan and gives us possession 2. Both were furnished by God to their office 1. Moses was learned in all the learning of Aegypt Christ was learned to admiration His enemies asked whence hath he all this great learning Ioh. 7. 15. And Never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. And at twelve yeares old he sate among the Doctors conferring with them Luk. 2. 46. 2. Moses was furnished with many mighty miracles in Aegypt in the red sea and in the wildernesse for the confirming of his calling all types of the miracles of Christ by sea and land in townes and deserts to manifest his glory Ioh. 2. 11. But with difference Christ wrought by his owne power Moses by Christ. 3. Both joyfully executed their office whether we consider the matter or the manner 1. For the matter 1. Moses brings glad tidings to the Israelites of their deliverance out of Aegypt and that from God Exod. 29. 30. Christ brings from God the glad tidings of eternall salvation and deliverance from the spirituall Aegypt and bondage under Pharaoh of hell to all the elect of God 2. Moses received from God and delivered to his people the Law and was a Mediator betweene God and his people Gal. 3. 19. the Law was delivered in the hand of a Mediator that is Moses as Acts 7. 38. Now Moses was Mediator of the Old Testament not a mediator of redemption but of receiving the law and delivering it to the people standing betweene God and them as his mouth to them and theirs to him But Christ our true Moses 1. not onely receives the Law but fulfils it 2. When Moses had broken the tables to shew how wee in our naturne had broken the Law our true Moses repaires it againe 3. He writes the Law not in tables of stone but in the tables of the hearts of beleevers Iohn 1. 17. the Law was given by Moses but grace by Christ. Moses could not pearce the heart nor supply grace to keep the Law 4. He is Mediator of a new Covenant and surety of a better testament Heb. 7. 22. and 9. 15. 3. Moses gives Israel an excellent patterne of the Tabernacle and all the utensils to the very least pinns about it But our Moses delivers a perfect doctrin from heaven and certaine and perpetual rules for the worship of God to his Church and the wel ordering of it even in the smallest things And as nothing was left which must not be framed to the patterne seene in the mount So hath not Christ left the worship of God in whole or part in great or small matters to the liberty of men for then he should have beene lesse faithfull then Moses 4. Moses instituted the Passeover and sacrifices from God offers the blood of beasts sprinkles the houses of the Israelites with the blood of the Lambe Exod. 12. by which they were saved from a temporall death and the revenging Angell But Christ the true Moses instituted the supper of the Lord sacrificeth himselfe offers his owne blood being the Paschall Lambe who purgeth and saveth from death eternall And as that house onely was exempted which was sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb So in the Church salvation is assured onely where the blood of Christ is sprinkled and apprehended by faith 5. Moses prayeth for Israel with his hands stretched out till the evening and while he prayeth Israel overcommeth Amalek Exod. 17. At Moses prayer Gods wrath is turned away Numb 14. Christ stretcheth out his hands for the elect upon the Crosse and made intercession for them in earth and now continues so to doe in heaven whereby we are both enabled to conquer our spirituall enemies as also Gods wrath is appeased and grace and favour returned Heb. 8. Thus both for the matter faithfully discharged their office in these five things 2. For the manner containing the difference it is in Heb. 3. 5. 6. Moses was faithfull in all the house of God as a servant but Christ as the sonne Moses in his masters house Christ in his owne house Moses by delegate authority Christ by proper power Moses as a servant foretells his masters comming Christ declared the Lord
David had a traine 1. Of poore men and received such to him as were in debt 1. Sam. 22. 2. The Sonne of David had a poore traine and not receiveth onely but calleth all unto him that are heavy laden with the burthen of sinnes called debts promising he will ease them 2. Afterwards David had his thirty seven Worthies that valiantly fought his battells 2. Sam. 23. and by their strength carried wonderfull victories So had the Sonne of David his twelve Apostles and seventy two disciples who as worthy and stout Champions fought the Lords spirituall battells and mightily subdued the world under the government of Jesus Christ in whose place are succeeded pastors and teachers to the end 2. His enemies 1. Open and manifest not onely Goliah that defied all Israel but Saul that casts a speare at him that hunts him as a Partridge that sends out for him to bring him to death and the house of Saul Shimei rayling on him and cursing him with an horrible curse besides Amalekites Philistims c. So our Lord Jesus had open hostility against the great Goliah of hell and encountered him hand to hand and conquers him in the wildernesse But Herod hunts his life every where the Pharisees revile him for a deceiver and Demoniack send out for him to take away his life and the people of the Jews pursuing him with all open hatred and hostility even to the death and all the wicked tyrants and enemies as so many Amalekites and Philistims 2. Secret and underhand enemies that should have beene loyall and loving to him even his owne people that flattered him with their mouths but imagined mischiefe against him Psa. 41. 9. Such as Doeg Achitophel Nay he which eat bread with him at his table his familiar that went up to the house of God with him And more then all this he that came out of his owne loynes his owne son Absalom besides the sonnes of his father 1 Sam. 17. 28. So our true David had not onely his owne Jewes and brethren hating him with an horrible hatred and calling his blood upon themselves but his owne Disciple that had beene so familiar with him that went to the house of God often with him that knew all his haunts and waies betraying him and delivering him to bee crucified And thus Christ himselfe expounds that in Psalme 41. 9. of himselfe and Iudas Luk. 22. 21. And therefore Interpretors expound such execrations as Psa. 59. 13. Consume them that they be no more not so much litterally against Saul and other enemies of David as against the Jewes and enemies of Christ shadowed by them and so conceive them as they be Propheticall predictions of Jerusalem and the Jewes forty yeares after Christs ascension and of the present wrath upon the hardened Jewes whose hatred against Christ liveth at this day as the curse liveth on them 3. His deliverances and victories with many of which the Lord honoured him As 1. Saul layes wait every where to take him and pursues him from place to place but Davids feet were made like Hinds feet in expedition to avoid his enemy whether Saul or Absalom who chased him as hunters the silly hare and he escapes them all though narrowly and strangely Christ Jesus was often sought after and laid for by his enemies no kind of snare was undevised to take him in his talke in his doctrine in his life and conversation no meanes unattempted to take his person but hee escaped their hands strangely Sometimes he went through the midst of them all who having strong purpose yet had no power to take him till the time waâ— come that he delivered himselfe 2. Saul having wearied himselfe in pursuit of David sent messengers to take him three severall times 1 Sam. 19. 20. but they among a company of Prophets began to prophecy the spirit of the Lord comming upon them and they went without him So the Pharisees sent messengers to apprehend Christ and bring him before them but comming to him as Sauls messengers to David and hearing his gracious words had no power to take him but went away preaching and proclaiming as they prophecying never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. 3. In the comparison between Saul and David David having slaine Goliah was sung Saul hath slaine his thousand but David his ten thousand 1. Sam. 18. 10. But there is no comparison betweene the victories of David and of this sonne of David who hath slaine the great Goliah the Devill who defied all the host of Israel and not destroyed the devill onely but overcame death hell the grave and chased before him all the armies of sinnes and bands of temptations which come out against the Israel of God 4. in that noble victory David cuts off Goliahs head with his owne sword So in the wildernesse the devill the great Goliah used Scripture against Christ and Christ overthrowes him and cuts off his head by the same sword of the Spirit the word of God And now daily he convinceth the wicked enemies by the testimony of their owne conscience Rom. 2. 15. He needeth no other sword or weapon against them then their owne IV. David was a type of Christ in his Kingdome first in respect of the entrance secondly of the administration thirdly of the continuance or eternity 1. David entred not without strong opposition much contempt and disdaine so our David For of both it was verified the stone which the builders refused is become chiefe stone of the corner No man was more despised of Sauls courtiers then David who was thought farre enough from the Kingdome so no man so much despised and rejected of the Scribes Pharisees chiefe Priests and people as Christ. Barrabas an honest man to him and yet was mightily and unexpectedly invested into his Kingdome by his glorious rising from the dead 2. In his administration David will judge uprightly and sing mercy and judgement he will endure no hatefull person in his presence But our David is the just and righteous Judge of all the world and most sincerely disspenceth mercy to the penitent sinner but feedes the impenitent with judgement 3. In the continuance or eternity God promised mercy to David and his seed for ever which promises are not to be extended to his carnall succession for the princely dignity is taken from them Their glory was eclipsed in the captivity and where be now any of Davids race according to the flesh But the everlasting seed of David is to bee meant 1. Christ himselfe in whom his kingdome is perpetuated 2. The true Israel as well of Gentiles as of Jewes by faith ingrafted into the Messiah in respect of whom shal be no end of his Kingdome Thus in all those speeches wherein David professeth he will praise the Lord among the Gentiles David must be taken as a type of Christ who by his Spirit set forth the praise and true worship of God among
the Moone the Popes ridiculous claime and yet they be sonnes of God heires of heaven brethren of Christ and of the royallest blood that ever was 3. When they ride in progresse they shew their state pompe and worldly glory Great Alexander gets upon his Bucephalus Pompey triumphs upon an Elephant Anthony rides upon Lyons Aurelianus upon Harts and bucks Christ had his kingdome beene of this world could have imitated them But while he was in the world to shew that his kingdome had no similitude nor correspondency with the pomps of earthly kingdomes in his progresse hee gets on an asse and instead of a saddle of state he had poore mens clothes spread under him But when he shall shew his glory he shall ride upon the Clouds as on an horse with such attendants and majesty as all the Potentates on earth were never capable of nor shal be able to behold 6. In amplitude and absolutenesse They will be free Monarchs and commanders their will and every word of theirs must be a Law But never was any kingdome absolutely Monarchicall but Christs al earthly Kings ever held in fee of him By me Kings raigne Never any other included all kingdomes of the world in it and under it but this Never any to whom all Princes were subiect but this Never was there any of them which shall not be broken to peeces by this little stone if it stand in opposition against him Dan. 2. 45. 7. In dispensing justice 1. They must judge by evidence and proofe by the sight of their eyes and hearing of their eares but he shall not doe so Isa. 11. 3. For he shall try and discerne the reynes and secrets of all hearts and shall judge things as they be not as they seeme David judged according to the hearing of his eare rashly against Mephibosheth Christ shall not doe so 2. They can pronounce their subjects just and innocent but he can make them innocent and just communicating his owne righteousnesse to them which no Prince can doe 1. Cor. 1. 30. He is made to us righteousnesse 8. In meanes of upholding and maintaining 1. They must winne holds as David Sions for t and enlarge themselves by force of armes dint of sword multitude of souldiers But Christ sends but twelve unarmed poore men who wonne and subdued the whole world with the word onely in their mouths such a word as was the greatest enemy to the world and corrupt fashions of it This is the weapon mighty under God to cast downe holds 2. They if they want men money munition must despaire of attaining or retaining their rights But Christs kingdome being neither set up nor held up by military power shall be upheld by the invisible and secret power of the spirit If all worldly power be against it never despaire it thrives best in opposition 9. In things to be attained In them the best things are honour pleasure externall prosperity and this for a time But Christs Kingdome stands not in meat or drink but in righteousnesse peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost in grace here and glory hereafter The wealth of Christs subject is to be rich in grace rich in good works his honour to be of the stock and linage of Christ his pleasure a patient and painfull expectation of the pleasures at Gods right hand And these being eternall the kingdome of Christ must needs be eternal now this being the glory of the kingdom of Christ we have need of faith to discerne it and a great measure of humility before wee can resolve to become subjects of it The theefe on the Crosse asking Christ to remember him in his Kingdome Augustine askes him What Royalty doest thou see Seest thou any other crowne then that of thornes any other Scepter then Iron nayles any other purple then blood any other Throne then a wooden Crosse any other gard then executioners Was there now so great faith in Israel Let our faith touch the top of this Scepter let us submit our selves to his word for the present and cast our eye beyond the present upon his second comming when wee shall see him ride upon a white horse not upon garments but upon the Clouds in power and great glory entring not Jerusalem but the stage of the whole world to render unto every man even Kings according as they have done in the flesh good or evill III. David was called and annoynted to bee King but betweene that and the installing or enjoying of his Kingdome he had many troubles doubts and feares that made him stagger and say I shall surely one day fall by the hand of Saul So was the true David Jesus Christ annoynted with the fulnesse of the Spirit and called to be King of his Church but before his installation into his Kingdome many afflictions persecutions feares yea death it selfe overtooke him for our sakes Isa. 53. Wherein he said My God why hast thou forsaken me So must it be with us who must be content to suffer before we can raigne to be crowned first with thornes as Christ was and stand with Christ on Mount Golgotha before we come to Mount Olivet see Acts 14. 22. It is so ordained by God that we should make our way through a straite to state through thornes to Roses through troubles to rest through stormes to the haven through vertue to glory through conquest to triumph through warre to peace through the Crosse to heaven And this processe God the father strictly observed with his beloved son as was necessary Luk. 24. 26. Phil. 2. 8 9 he was humbled therefore God exalted him And this is the Lords honour to honour his servants raised from the dunghill that they may know the way to glory lyes by humility IV. It was ever the lot of the Church to have in it secret and inbred enemies as David and Christ had even such as eat bread at his table and dipped in the dish and these have alwaies prooved more mischievous then open and forraigne enemies The Church ever had hypocrites and false brethren Satans spyes who professing the same Christ and religion eating bread at the same table of the Lord and making shew of friendship in the communion of Saints joyning in the hearing of the word and prayer yet watch the haunts of Gods servants to spy their weakenesse and where they lye open to advantage Every one sees they advantage not themselves but by all meanes undermine the Gospell and professors so as the silly dove of Christ can find no rest for the soale of her foot And never was the Church so wounded as in the house of her friends Cant. 1. 5. The sonnes of my mother were angry against me This being the estate of the Church to be hunted as the silly hare from one Mush to another and no where safe it must make us 1. more wary 2. desire our rest 3. love that promise Come with me from Lebanon
Christ bee detained in the grave and lie under buriall three dayes and three nights parts put for the whole as perhaps also in Ionah till the case seemed desperate in both not onely in their owne apprehensions as I have before shewed but in the disciples apprehension Luk. 24. 21. Wee thought this should have beene hee that should have delivered Israel and behold this is the third day IV. Ionah was a manifest type of Christ in his resurrection For 1. As Ionah was taken into the belly of the Whale whole and passed through the ranges and armies of teeth as sharpe as speares without breaking or crushing one bone of him or the least limb of his body So Jesus Christ passed through the strait gate of death but as one bone of him was not broken the speciall and extraordinary providence of God in both of them watching the whole businesse 2. As the Lord spake unto the fish and the fish against his will must cast up Ionah on dry ground So the belly of the earth can keepe Christ no longer then the third day no more then the belly of the Whale could keepe Ionah his blessed body must see no corruption 3. As Ionah returned from his grave with a song of praise and thankesgiving Chap. 2 So Jesus Christ returned to life from his grave with a song of triumph and victory fore-prophecied Hos. 13. 14. and accomplished 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 4. As Ionah an Hebrew goes not to preach to the Ninivites being Gentiles till after his resurrection out of the belly of the Whale So Jesus Christ an Hebrew not till after his resurrection leaves the obstinate Jewes and by his Apostles ministery and preaching turnes himselfe to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. 5. As Ionah after this delivery went and preached the doctrine of repentance with great fruit and successe to the conversion of all Niniveh and preventing the fearefull wrath denounced to come within fourty dayes So our Lord Jesus after his resurrection and ascension sending out his Apostles to preach repentance and remission of sinnes mightily prevailed and suddenly converted many nations of the Heathen and brought them to faith and repentance For Application I. Let us acknowledge a greater then Ionah here Matth. 12. 41. Lest as the Ninivits shall rise up against the Jewes they rise also against us if wee convert not nor repent at Christs doctrine as they did at Ionahs For 1. Who are they to us They barbarous Heathens and Gentiles never instructed before wee have beene trained in the Scriptures from childhood 2. What were their meanes to ours Ionah preached but three dayes to them Christ hath preached not three dayes as he nor three yeeres as to the Iewes but aboue threescore yeares He preached one sermon Christ a thousand 3. What was their Preacher to ours 1. Ionah was a weake man Christ is God and man 2. Ionah a sinful man cast into the sea for his owne sinne Christ an innocent man cast into the sea for our sinne 3. Ionah a Prophet a servant Christ the Lord of all the holy Prophets therefore of Ionah 4. Ionah a stranger to them Christ of our owne kindred and family 5. Ionah preached unwillingly Christ preached freely and spent himselfe for us 6. Ionah preached nothing but destruction of them and their City Christ a sweet doctrine of grace salvation and the promise of a kingdome of heaven 7. Ionah came indeed out of the belly of the Whale but did no miracle for confirmation of his doctrine Christ came both from the bosome of the Father and from the heart of the earth and did innumerable signes and miracles in which wee see his glory 8. Ionah a most angry and impatient man would faine die because the Ninevits did not Christ a mirrour of patience will die least his hearers should 9. To Ionah no Prophet gave witnesse or foretold of him To Christ all the Prophets gaue witnesse Act. 10. 43. and spake before of him Shall now Nineveh repent in sackcloth and ashes by Ionahs Ministery of three dayes and shall not wee by Christs constant Ministery of threefore yeares Shall Nineveh condemne Judea for not acknowledging a greater then Ionah and shall it not condemne us not repenting whose sinne shall bee farre greater then that of the Jews who rejected Christ in his abasement and humiliation but we reject the Lord of glory now exalted II. In the type and truth the freedome of Gods favour in the calling of the Gentiles Ionah was a preacher of grace to the Gentiles and Christ was a preacher of grace not to Jews onely but the Gentiles also being given for a light to the Gentiles that he might be the salvation of Gentiles to the farthest parts of the earth For 1. God is not the God of Iews onely but of Gentiles also Rom. 3. 29. 2. Christ was the promised seed in whom all nations must be blessed Gen. 22. 18. Hence comes in our title to grace and not from any desert of ours For what is amiable in the wilde Olive It is onely Gods free calling who calls her that was not beloved to bee beloved Object If we bee grafted into Christ and received into grace all is well we are in state good enough Sol. Some are grafted into the Church by profession of mouth onely as all were not Israel that were of Israel and some planted into it by the faith of the heart The former are not altered from their wilde nature the other are renewed to the Image of Christ. Therefore let none content themselves with externall profession joyning in the word sacraments and prayer but labour for soundnesse of faith and grace by which onely wee become branches of the true Olive whereas to be hanged as a scien by a thred of profession will not keep it from withering III. In both we have a certaine Embleme and proof of our resurrection Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Ionah and Jesus be in us he shall also quicken our mortall bodies and if the head be risen the members must rise also For as God spake to the fish and the fish gave up Ionah as from the dead so shall God speake to the earth and sea and all creatures and they shall give up their dead Isa. 26. 19. he shall say to the earth give and to the sea restore my sonnes and daughters and they that are as seed under clods shall awake and sing And these dry bones shall be againe covered with sinews flesh and skin as Ezek. 37. 6. For as it was impossible for Christ to be held ever under death Acts 2. 24. as impossible is it for his members Let us comfort our selves in the approach of death to our selves or our friends and by rising before hand from the grave of our sinnes provide for a blessed and joyfull resurrection 2 King 13. 21. a dead
head Not dropped but powred signifying the abundance of gifts and graces most plentifully conferred upon Christ our head For as it was proper to the high Priest to bee anointed on the head whereas the common Priests were anointed but in their hands not on their heads So was Christ as the head anointed with oile above all his fellowes and received the spirit beyond measure signified by powring on the head 3. The communication of this oile It stayed not on Aarons head but ranne downe his beard even to the skirts of his garments signifying that the Spirit of grace distills from the head unto 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 downe as it were by Aarons beard and from them upon other inferiour persons beleeving their word as unto the skirts of his garment 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 darke shadow of his solemne 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 hee None of them by their anointing had all graces nor any grace in perfection but onely begunne and in small degree Moses a beleever wanted faith sometime as when he smote the Rocke which he should have spoken to and the meekest man in the world was sometimes to seeke of his meeknesse Aaron though the oyle was powred on his head was weake as in murmuring against Moses and in making the calfe But in our high Priest all graces and vertues were not inchoate onely but perfect In him knowledge of God was most perfect holinesse most perfect and all kinde of graces in highest degrees Grace sits in his lips not only to move the mind but to change it None of them by anointing could receive graces for others but for themselves onely but hee receives such a measure as runnes over to the sanctifying of the lowest and meanest of his members Hence 1. Ioh. 2. 27. the anointing which wee have of him dwells 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 oile shines brightest and swims aloft above all others II. In Aarons and Christs anointing and furnishing to their Office Ministers must labour for a greater measure of this ointment then others to runne downe from them to their skirts They must pray by the Spirit watch by the Spirit walke by the Spirit An unconverted Minister may doe another good but hee hath no promise of blessing nor doth any good to himselfe As the holy ointment was kept in the Sanctuary So Christ is the Sanctuary whence this oile 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 oile drops and flowes scorne to come to Sermons and joyne in holy exercises how doth their oile drie 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 learne that Christ is not for himselfe but for us And therefore 1. Examine if thou beest anointed This is to bee a Christian to bee anointed as Christ was Scornest thou this holy oile in thy selfe or others Know thou shalt one day wish the mountaines to fall on thee on whom this oile 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 oile thou hast missed 4. Have a care to walke as such as are anointed smelling sweet every where in holy lives speaches prayers in all things edifying thy selfe and others Leave a sweet smell every where behinde thee Let it drop downe 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 generall 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 oile vers 1 2. 1. Because of the speciall holinesse and honour of their calling who are to come so neere unto God who will bee specially sanctified in all that come neere him 2. Because sinne in them is more hatefull then in any other and in expiating their sinnes as much is required as for the sinnes 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 betweene 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 yong calfe was a type of Christ who onely by his owne 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 Iohn 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 sinnes 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 wee 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 ver 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
interest in the death of Christ as also that Christ did not onely deliver himselfe to death for us as this Ram but also giveth himselfe to feed us to eternall life Iohn 6. 55. My flesh is meate indeed 3. It must be heaved up before the Lord aud shaken too and fro every way ver 26. Signifying 1. The lifting up and heaving of Christ upon the Crosse. 2. The heaving up of our hearts in thankfulnesse to God for so great benefits 3. That the merits of Christ our true sacrifice and benefits of his death should by the preaching and publication of the Gospell be spred abroad into all corners of the world as that sacrifice was shaken every way East West North and South 4. This sacrifice must alwayes be offered up with cakes of unleavened bread tempred with oyle ver 23. Signifying 1. the most perfect purity of Christs life and doctrine without all leaven of sinne 2. That Priest and people must in service to God lay aside all leaven of maliciousnesse 3. The oyle notes the soft and loving kindnesse of God and Iesus Christ chearing and suppling the conscience by the sweet meditation of it as also how joyfully and gladly we ought to serve the Lord and with cheerefulnesse present before him all the parts of his worship Note hence as the eare hands and feete of the high Priest must be touched with blood before he attempt any part of his office so our care must be that all our parts all our actions and affections bee touched and purged with the blood of Christ. So David Psal. 51. 2. Wash me throughly Reason 2. Because sinne hath defiled the whole man all his parts all his actions all within him all without him 2. This foulenesse sticks so fast as it is no easie matter to bee cleansed Nothing in the world can fetch out this soile but the blood 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 blood and dignity of this person and passion for acceptance The knowledge of thy duty must be sprinkled with this blood 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 bee presented in him and by him and finde grace and acceptance If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me Qu. How may I know that the blood of Christ hath touched and purged me Ans. 1. It is not enough that Christs blood 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 blood and besprinkle thy selfe with it A man washeth his face with his hand This hand is faith which takes up the blood of Christ and applyes it to ones selfe as did Paul who dyed for me 3. If it wash the whole man within and without which no other blood could do The blood of sacrifices under the Law could not sanctifie the conscience but onely the outside Heb. 9. 9. but this can and must purge the conscience from dead workes ver 14. And under conscience is contained the whole innerman purged by the merit of his satisfying blood and by his spirit renewing our nature And for the outward man 1. If thy right eare bee touched thou hast the hearing eare rightly to heare the word of God Thou hearest to learne for to hearken is better then 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 then sacrifice thou darest not doe what seemes good to thy selfe or is right in thy 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 blood sprinckled 1. Pacification of conscience for this blood speakes better things then Abels for us and in us for us to God by intercession in us by perswasion that the Lord looking on the blood of Christ rests wholly on it as a full satisfaction for all our sinnes for this is the end of shedding remission of sinnes Mat. 26. 28 therefore of sprinkling 2. Daily sanctification through this sprinckling 1 Pet. 1. 2. For out of the side of Christ issues water as wel as blood the one redeeming from condemnation the other froÌ„ vaine conversation the one purgeth froÌ„ the death of works the other from dead works themselves The sprinkling of this blood admits not security or idlenesse and carelesnesse nor suffers a man to sinne against this blood by impenitency unbeleefe despising of grace horrible swearing and foule lusts But makes the Christian truely noble as one now descended of the blood of Christ scorning the base and foule courses he formerly affected Find these markes and comfort thy selfe thou art sprinkled with Christs blood Thy whole course is sanctified all thy hearing all thy obedience be it never so weake in it selfe bee thy unworthinesse never so great it shall bee no barre to thine acceptance with God for every thing sprinkled with this precious blood 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 the Angelicall brightnesse of all the vertues which should shine in Jesus Christ. The Priestly garments appointed by God were tenne in number of which â—oure 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 shadow or ceremony but the substance and truth to which all
that our principall mourning may be for our sinnes and binde up our affections for outward and naturall losses and crosses so as wee may have them loosed in spirituall This law tells us that sorow for our onely sonne or brother or the deare wife that lieth in our bosome ought to be no sorow in comparison of sorow for sinne Which 1. separates from God 2. makes Christ absent and stand aloofe 3. grieves the Spirit and makes him heavy towards us 4. seperates soule from body yea without repentance soule and body from heaven and happinesse Let us who have beene excessive in worldly sorow turne the streame against our sinnes and in all crosses set our heavinesse rather upon some sinne in our selves which might cause the crosse then on the crosse it selfe Sect. VII Now it followeth that we shew how the Priests figured Christ in their ministeriall actions Of these kinde of actions some were common to inferiour Priests some proper to the high Priest I. Common actions were six 1. The Priest must kill the sacrifices and none but he signifying Jesus Christ his voluntary action in laying downe his life for beleevers none could take away his life from him And hee was to be aswell the Priest as the sacrifice Iohn 10. 18. I have power to lay downe my life 2. The priests offred the blood of the sacrifices to God and sprinkled it on the Altar for they were ordained for men in things of God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes No man might offer his owne sacrifice but hee must bring it to the Priest there was no comming to God but by the priest Figuring out Iesus Christ who offers up himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world upon the Altar of his Deity which gives both vertue and merit unto it No other can offer to God bloody or unbloody sacrifice upon this Altar but himselfe Iohn 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe for them even as the Altar sanctifieth the gift 3. The Priests prepared the body of the sacrifice Lev. 1. 6. flayed it divided it into severall parts washed the intrailes put fire unto the burnt offering consumed the fat cast the filth and dung into the place of ashes Signifying that Christ himselfe alone did the whole worke of redemption He suffered the heate of Gods wrath and justice he puts away all our filth and covers it in his owne ashes he burnes up our fat that is the senselessenesse of our sin and all that savoureth of the flesh by the fire of his Spirit and inwardly purgeth and wholly washeth us in the fountaine of his owne blood 4. The Priest must teach the people His lippes must preserve knowledge and the people must depend on his mouth signifying the action of this great teacher of the Church who brought to us from the bosome of his father the whole counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankinde which could never have entred into the heart of man but by the teaching of this great Prophet Deut. 18. 15. He hath the learned tongue and Grace is poured into his lippes Hee therefore having the words of eternall life we must depend on him and heare him 5. The Priest must pray for the people and blesse them A forme of blessing is prescribed for Aaron and his sonnes laying their hands on the children of Israel signifying the strong prayers and intercessions of Iesus Christ for his Church who was heard in all things as himselfe witnesseth Iohn 11. 42. Father I knowâ— thou hearest me alwaies And accomplished not only in his holy intercession upon earth and now in heaven but manifestly in that blessing of his disciples by laying his hands upon them which was his last action upon earth Luke 24. 50. 6. The Priests were to preserve the Oyle for lights and the incense and for the daily meat offering and the anointing oyle And the oversight of the whole Tabernacle and all in the Sanctuary and all the instruments belonged to their care for the safety in moving carying standing c. signifying Iesus Christ the preserver of all grace in his Church He onely watcheth for the safety of his Church for the upholding of his holy ministery and all holy constitutions which else would quickly be broken up He plants the Ministery and he removes it at his pleasure He hath the seven stars in his right hand Hee is the great Archbishop of soules to the whole Church and no other in this kinde but hee So much of common actions ministeriall II. Actions more peculiar to the high priest were 1. daily 2. weekely 3. yearely 4. continually I. Hee must daily 1. dresse the holy lamps and lights morning and evening before the Lord Lev. 24. 2 3. to preserve the lights from going out Shadowing Christ the true light by whom the light of true doctrine must ever shine in the Church and never goe out by which the true beleevers shall bee delivered from darkenesse and death This was formerly figured by Goshen there was light when three dayes darknesse was over all Aegypt And this was figured by the pillar of fire that never failed till they came to Canaan 2. he must daily burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume signifying Christ our high Priest daily offering up 1. our duties and services done by his appointment and which through him smell as a sweete incense acceptable to God 2. our prayers called odours of the Saints and a sweet incense And as no incense pleased God but that which was offered upon that golden Altar so no duty or prayer of ours is farther accepted then offered up by him and from him whose golden purity gives merit and worth unto them And as the incense must be offered up by the high Priest morning and evening so the continuall vertue of Christs merit ascendeth daily before God and perfumeth all the Sanctuary neither is there any other way to the father but by him II. He must weekly make the shewbread and set it before the Lord continually Exod. 25. 30. And more expresly Levit. 24. 5 6. Every Sabbath he must set on the table twelve loaves according to the twelve tribes and take the old away to the maintaining of his family for which use they might well suffice every loafe weighing about seven or eight pounds Here was a figure of Christ the true bread of life who sets himselfe in the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments before the face of God that is in the assemblies gathered together every Sabbath the most sufficient food and refreshing of the Church to continue it in life strength and good estate from Sabbath to Sabbath till that eternall Sabbath come III. He must yearely once and that in the day of expiation goe into the Holy of Holies Exod. 30. 10. and Lev. 16. 2. and 34. to make an attonement for himselfe for all his
this is a guilt And who can deny but the corruption and poison of the soule and spirit is farre more poison full and mortall then poison of the flesh 2. Bodily leprosie is a disease of some men sinne is of all men and of all the man Bodily leprosie spreads over all parts of the body but cannot reach the soule but this spreads over the whole man the soule and all the faculties are weakened and tainted there is not a debility onely but a corruption in the 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 then leprosie So nothing is so hatefull and abominable to God as sinne his eyes cannot abide to behold it hee will not endure it in his dearest servants no nor Angels themselves unrevenged hee esteemes the sinner as dung 4. No disease more contagious and infectious A leper must meddle with nothing unlesse hee would defile it All hee can doe is to make others uncleane 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 uncleane by the filthy breath of his corrupt communication by his wicked example and conversation No leaven is so spreading no pitch so cleaving 5. Leprosie 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 Vzziah 2. King 15. 5. Neither might they come to the Temple to joine 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 extreme sorrowes and paines that wait on sinne unpardoned sorrows 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 wee 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 symptoms and effects of sinne in the soule 1. As there is a debility and weaknesse of all parts because 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 minde none more proud then hee who hath least cause 3. There is burning and thirst through the adust and burnt blood by melancholy whereof it ariseth here is inflammation and burning of anger of lust and thirst after the world after revenge after preferments 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 envy of hatred of goodnesse of uncleannesse in speaches 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 filthy breath of corrupt communication of uncleane and adulterous speaches swearing and cursing speaches lying and false speaches slanderous and uncharitable speaches 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. I. 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 tast but hee is presently defiled as hee that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled with it Where bee 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 vouchsafeth 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 betweene this heaven and earth and that new heaven and new earth in which dwells nothing but righteousnesse for had the Saints no warre there needed no watch there could bee no victory if no seede 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 hee magnifieth his mercy both in covering and curing so great and many corruptions 3. The godly in sence of their uncleannesse are kept low in their owne eyes and watchfull of their waies and so are driven out of themselves unto Christ for righteousnesse and unto God for strength continually as privy unto their owne continuall weakenesse 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 heere 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 bee translated thither where righteousnesse shall dwell yea the righteous and holy God shall dwell immediately in the midst of his Saints and all things together with themselves shall be most absolutely cleane and holy II. The Lord by so large a description of legall uncleannesse would have them and us looke more neerely and seriously upon
kinds of legall uncleannesse Next all Legall uncleannesse was to bee cured two waies 1. by ablution or washing 2. by oblation or offering Both these were appoynted for all kinds as in particular 1. for uncleane touchings and tastings the parties must wash their cloathes Levit. 11. 40. 2. for uncleane issues they must wash themselves and their cloathes Levit. 15. 13. 3. for uncleannesse of Leprosie they must wash themselves their cloathes and besides shave off all their haire and stay seven dayes without the campe Lev. 14. 8 9. Sect. V. I. The first meanes of purging Legall uncleannesse is washing which shadowed out the washing of the sinner in the laver of Christs blood All the water in the sea cannot wash away the least sinne that great worke is appropriated to the blood of Christ 1 Ioh. 1. 7 the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth us from all sinne Rev. 1. 5 who loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood which blood is opposed to all legall washings Heb. 9. 9. Object Lev. 11. 44 this washing is called a sanctification Answ. Sanctification is twofold 1. by the outward signe 2. by the inward truth They by washing symbolically and in outward profession by these rites sanctified themselves but thereby beleevers were led to the internall truth and the laver of the blood of Christ. All this washing then leads us to the blood of Christ by which is meant his whole passion and obedience by the merit whereof he hath procured both remission of our sinnes and mortification of them And herein is no small resemblance 1. Washing is an applying of water to foule parts so in the cleansing of sinne must be a speciall application of the blood of Christ called Heb. 9. 14 the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the conscience Which is nothing else on Gods part but the imputation of Christs sufferings to us and on our owne part the application of them to our selves by the hand of faith 2. In Washing is a rubbing and scowring off of uncleanenesse which will not easily off and in some foulenesse they must wash often for the surenesse of the worke noting the paines and true indeavour of the repentant heart in mortification and afflicting it selfe It is well contented with any beating and wringing so hee may fetch out the stayne of sinne which sticks as close as his flesh to his bones 3. The uncleane party was to wash himselfe that is his whole man and every part which noteth totall sanctification in the whole man and all parts and members that the washing may be as large and generall as the foulenesse is For whatsoever part is not washed by Christ hath no part in Christ which made Peter say not my feet onely Lord but mine hands and head 4. In the foulenesse of Leprosie hee must wash againe and againe to note that after our justification by the death of Christ we must looke to a second washing of sanctification by his spirit And because we have still washing worke with us wee must be still washing our selves by daily labour in our owne reformation This was more lively signified in that other ceremony added to washing in the Leper that hee must shave his haire againe and again signifying the paring away of superfluities and lusts as fast as they grew and a voluntary departing from his owne secret corruptions which were as many as the haires of his head and no lesse rooted in him that well he might shave and loppe them but hee was out of hope quite to unroot them as long as he lived He must keepe them under but cannot be rid of them Hee must shave the first day and the seventh day and resist his lusts which daily grow up on him as haire cut quickly growes againe 5. The uncleane person must wash his clothes as well as himselfe signifying that we must part with all impurity even the least at least in endeavour cherishing none favouring none He must hate the very garment spotted by the flesh all occasions and appearances of evill esteeming the least spot of sinne foule and filthy enough And all this is requisite in purifying of the soule I. Labour against the smallest sinnes Be not a mental adulterer banish unchastity in the eye and mouth avoid wanton company as did Ioseph that of his Mistris Thou art no drunkard or great swearer but art thou a companion of such not reproving them No Papist but a friend and patron as seeing no great harme in their superstition No Atheist but a scorner of the persons and doctrine of godly teachers what doest thou but foame out thy owne shame If thou shouldst keepe thy selfe never so pure but partakest in other mens sinnes thou art unclean This reproveth Magistrates who though they themselves come to Church yet suffer others in time of divine worship to lye in streets houses fields openly c. prophaning thus the day of the Lord which is to bee kept holy to our God Or if they be ordinary abettors of idle persons and gamesters by example This brandeth Ministers openly pleading for drunkards and hatefull blasphemers This defileth masters parents husbands that suffer their families to runne into prophanenesse or ryot II. In all these touches goe to the fountaine opened Zach. 13. 1. Every Iew had his waterpots to keep water for daily purification Iohn 2. 6. but now the house of David and Ierusalem that is all the godly have a fountaine opened by the death of Christ. We must every day be washing and cleansing our selves in that fountaine from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit Sect. VI. II. The second meanes of purging legall uncleannesse is oblation or offering some attonement to the Lord this directly leads us to Christ. For howsoever an uncleane person must wash himselfe and his clothes yet no Iew could make an attonement for himselfe but this was common to all uncleannesses legall the Priest must make an attonement for the uncleane person For all uncleannesse in generall Lev. 16. 30. In speciall for uncleannesse in touchings Numb 19. 4. In issues Lev. 12. 8. and 15. 15. In leprosie Lev. 14. 53. Noting by the way that all that we can doe cannot make attonement for the least spot of sinne Let us wash our selves as often as Naaman in Iordan yea let us take snow water to us and wash our hands most cleane yet our owne cloths will make us foule and God will plunge us in the pit if our Lord Iesus the high Priest of the new covenant make not attonement for us A fit note against all humane satisfaction and merits The offering for the legall uncleannesse by touching was done by the sacrifice of a red cow and the sprinkling water made of the ashes of that red Cow prescribed by God to this purpose Numb 19. called water of expiation That all this ordinance typified Christ to the Iews the Apostle expresseth Heb. 9. 13 14. when from
of faith in IV. The use and end of these ashes was twofold ver 9. 1. They must be kept for the Congregation signifying that there shall never want supply of grace and merit from the death of Christ to any beleever that sees his need of them 2. Of them was made a water of seperation thus A cleane person tooke of the ashes of the red Cow burnt and put pure water into a vessell and taking hysope dipped it and sprinkled it upon the tent the persons and vessels and upon the uncleane person the third and seventh day and so he washing his clothes and flesh with water was cleane at even ver 18 19. signifying 1. that the blood of Christ is the onely water of seperation for persons separate to seperate them from their uncleannesse The water made of the ashes of Christs death bloodshed sprinkled upon the unclean can onely purge the conscience from dead workes 2. that this blood of Christ must be sprinkled with hysope of faith and mortification For hysope hath a cleansing quality and is put sometimes for that which onely and properly cleanseth purge me with hysope that is with the blood of that eternall sacrifice figured by that which is sprinkled with hysope 3. that this blood of Christ must bee often applied the third day and the seventh day The death and merit of Christ must be often meditated and applied to the heart For it is a perpetuall and eternall purging and sprinkling water in the Church and we must have daily recourse unto it I. That the Lord hath appointed meanes for cleansing all kind of impurity 1. That his people and we might know that by no infirmity and frailty we shall fall quite out of the grace of God 2. That the Lord takes not the forfeit of all the scapes and foule falls of his children utterly to forsake them seeing the Jew that was legally polluted seventy times seven times was as often received in againe as he was cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 3. That we should not despaire nor the weake Christian bee quite dejected in the sence of the multitude of his frailties and foule touches seeing the Gospel affoords us the remedy and meanes to cleanse all morall uncleannesse no lesse certainly and fully then the Law to the Jews to purge their legall II. As the Jew was no sooner defiled by touching a dead man or bone or grave or tent or any thing about him but hee must presently repaire to the meanes of legall cleansing So every Christian defiled by the least touch of any dead worke must have recourse to the remedy appointed in the Gospel The Law appointed the water of the ashes of a redd Cow but the Gospel appoints the redd blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled and applied by faith as by hyssope upon the conscience Consider 1. The necessity The person defiled not having this sprinkling upon him shall be cut off from Israel verse 13. So whosoever hath not the blood of Christ sprinkled upon his soule shall bee cut off from the number and inheritance of the Saints Mark 16. 16 hee that beleeves not shall be damned 2. Every sinne is a separation from God who being a God of pure eyes cannot abide the filth of it and therefore wee had need continually to have this water of separation for the washing of our hearts daily and often every day because it is gathering some uncleannesse every houre yea every moment 3. An uncleane creature or vessell could not bee of any service to man for hee must not touch it till it be cleansed So a sinner so long as he is uncleane and impenitent cannot be of any good use nor present any acceptable service to God And therefore the Prophet Wash you and cleanse you and then come No man dare present any thing to a King with a foule hand the Lord will accept no such present 2. Cor. 6. 17 18. touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you and bee a father unto you Implying that the Lord will not receive him that any way communicats with sinne if obstinate and impenitent 4. Nothing else can recover our beauty and first estate of holinesse and happinesse but this laver A cloth once soiled never recovers the beauty and whitenesse but by washing This laver onely brings backe a white and unspotted innocency All the holy water in the Sea of Rome cannot wash one sinne for that hath no commandement no institution no promise Besides all legall Ceremonies are dead which in their life time could not cleanse by the meere deed done as they say theirs doth 5. How vaine is it to see men and women curious and carefull in washing their bodies and clothes they will not suffer the least spot on them but wash them weekely and yet goe on yeare by yeare in the foule defilements of sinne and never desire to be washed and rinsed in the water of separation nay nothing more troubles them then to be called to reformation A cleanly man will have his clothes washed weekely but his hands and face every day A cleanly Christian will not be lesse carefull of his heart III. Seeing there was so much businesse in legall cleansing of the least foulenesse how carefull were the Jews to avoid those foulenesses and how much more should Christians bee to avoid the morall 1. In themselves A good heart will be affected with the least touch of sinne as David to cut Sauls lappet and to avoid appearance as well as evill it selfe 2. From others For the Jew might bee impured from others as well as by himselfe We must not communicate in other mens sinnes 1. Tim. 5. 22. The just man bewareth not onely sinne it selfe but even the contagion and infection of sinne Watch thy selfe as privie to thine own weaknesse and thy adversaries subtlety and strength Watch against others sinnes as being beset with snares Resolve with good Iacob Gen. 49 6. Into their secret my soule shall not come This strict watching is counted commonly foolish precisenesse nicety hatefull purity but God esteemes it otherwise It is an apparant losse of mens favour preferments and worldly helps but hee onely finds the favour of God and the happinesse to see God Sect. VII The oblation for uncleane issues leading us to Christ is appointed Levit. 15. 14 15. In this 1. What fowles must bee prepared for the offering two Turtles or two young Pigeons and so for the womans vers 29. Of the cleane kind of birds signifying and resembling the purity of Christs humane nature Besides his innocencie simplicity meeknesse chastity charity fruitfulnesse of all which vertues these Doves were expresse Emblems 2. What was the use of these fowles 1. They must bring them to the Priest No man must offer his owne sacrifices but must present them to God by Christ the onely high Priest 2. They must bring them to the doore of the Tabernacle for publicke service
my selfe Sol. 1. Therefore as the woman having the bloody issue thrust in daily to touch the hemme of Christs garment Marc. 5. that his blood may heale thy bloody issues 2. As seeing need of daily mercy to true watch joyne prayer as Hezekiah The good Lord be mercifull to him that is sanctified although not according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord heard him So will he thee where he findes a true endeavour after 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 hee might come into the tent 2. After his cleansing and comming into the tent hee 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 speake of the former concerning his cleansing Lev. 14. from ver 2. to 8. Where 1. The Leper to be cleansed must bee brought to the Priest For he onely must discerne and pronounce of it whether it be cured or uncleane 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 heale our leprosie of sinne and herein is farre beyond all those types The Priest could discern of bodily leprosie and pronounce them cleane if they were so but hee could not make them cleane if they were not But Iesus Christ can properly forgive sinne the soules leprosie being the healing God and onely Physitian of soules 2. The Priest must goe out of the campe unto him to consider him to signifie how Iesus Christ findes 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 of Gods people but outcasts 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 ver 3. signifying a twofold action of Iesus Christ in the curing of the leprosie of sin For 1. he must heale the sinner by the grace of justification and sound conversion but this is not all for there remains a great deal to do before we can be fouÌ„dly cleansed And therefore 2. he must bestow on us his Spirit to worke in us a daily growth and proceeding in sanctification before we can be pronounced cleane 4. The Priest must prepare 1. two little live birds of the clean kinde ver 4. 1. two birds to note the twofold nature of Iesus Christ his deity and humanity 2. two little birds to note the humility and meane esteeme 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 dye in another not subject to death As also the twofold estate of our Lord Iesus his suffering and dying estate and his glorious and exalted estate 2. he must prepare Cedar wood scarlet and â—ysope 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 inseperable And teacheth that no man can thinke to bee cleansed by the blood 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 concerne 1. the dying bird 2. the living bird 3. the party to bee cleansed First concerning the dying birde 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 bee slaine over running water that the blood might fall into the water The blood 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 blood here meet shadowing the streames of water and blood issuing from the side of Christ in his passion 1 Iohn 5. 6. 2. The bird slaine over running water signified the innocency of the death of Christ for though he must dye yet his blood is in pure streames as running water is 3. That this water must be running water not standing signifying that there is a continuall cocke and conduit of grace overflowing from this fountaine ever running and issuing from Christ to the refreshing of thirsty and weary soules beleeving in his name 4. By the falling of the blood into running water might also be signified that the death of Christ should run into the Ministery of the Gospell 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 selfe what he hath done and suffered shall bee every where preached to the worlds end 3. This water must be in an earthen vessell Not onely to signifie that Christ must sweat and powre forth in his death water and blood 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 bee retained and held in earthen vessells that is the faithfull ministers of Christ how contemptible soever they are in the world yet these shall cary and disperse these blessed mysteries 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 dye 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 Acts 20. 28. God shed his blood to purchase the Church to himself 2. The Priest must dip the live bird and the Cedar and scarlet lace and hysope in the blood of the Sparrow slaine and pure water ver 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 blood 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 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 blood 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 humanity then to his divinity and so are knit to his whole person and by him we come to the father 3. The Priest must let the live bird goe into the broad field ver 7. signifying 1. Christs escape and deliverance from death and the power of the grave 2. His exaltation after he was once consecrated his ascending on high and being made higher then the heavens Heb. 7. 26. 3. The publication and manifestation of righteousnesse purchased by the death of Christ in the broad open field of the Church and this in the daily ministery of the Gospell Thirdly concerning the party to whom this cure must be applyed The Priest must sprinkle on him that is to be cleansed this blood seven times signifying 1. That only Christ Jesus doth sprinkle his blood on penitēt soules from whom only they must expect pardon purging from sins 2. That Christs blood must be particularly applyed to every beleever to every thing that is to be cleansed Partly by Gods imputation of Christ and his merits to the penitent sinner Partly by his Ministers in the publishing and speciall applying the particular promises to every soule that is weary 3. Seven times sprinkling noteth 1. Perfect justification by the blood of Christ the number of seven times perfect sprinkling he is able perfectly to save all that come unto him and needeth no other seeking of other merits to satisfie or justifie 2. To put the uncleane person in minde how hardly he parts from his foulenesse and us that it is no easie thing to be rid of sinne 3. How weakly and imperfectly our selves apply the blood of Christ that have need of so many sprinklings to humble us for our weaknesse of faith and slow progresse in sanctification Sect. IX I. All these ordinances and ceremonies in discerning and curing this disease in generall teach us two things I. That it is no small businesse to be rid of the leprosie of the soule and infection of sinne which was but shadowed in that as that was occasioned by this For whence is bodily leprosie but from leprosie of the soule Or what is it that strikes the body with such contagious sicknesse but the infection and sicknesse of the soule As in Gehezi Mariam Vzziah whose bodies were so fouly infected and deformed by the leprosie of the soule and corruption of heart And who sees not how the Lord would lead them and us to take speciall notice hereby of the soules leprosie by sinne in that hee committeth the knowledge and discerning of this disease of leprosie to the Priests sending them to the Physitians of their soules and not to the Physitians of their bodies whom one would thinke it more specially and properly concerned This should admonish us all that if there be so much adoe to get cleane bodies cleane faces cleane skins how great our care and businesse should be to get clean soules the soile of which cleaves not to the skin onely but sticks closer to us then our skin or bones and yet wee thinke every slight sigh or Lord have mercy or three words at our death sufficient to rid us of our sinnes and soules leprosie II. How carefull the Lord is to sever the cleane from uncleane for feare of generall infection Teaching 1. the Magistrate that as the Lord puts difference betweene him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath so should they to incourage and countenance the clean person that is the godly and faithfull David set his eyes on the godly in the land not to maligne or wrong them but to cherish their persons and help up religion and the feare of God in them As also to discountenance and terrifie the foule blasphemer the drunkard Sabbath breaker idle persons and gamesters that thrust themselves out of their calling all the week long But if a man by his course shuffle cleane and uncleane together nay runne with the uncleane and countenance gamesters swearers bibbers how doth he execute the judgements of God 2. A good minister then stands in the counsell of God when he severs the precious from the vile Ier. 15. 19. The Priest in the Law must pronounce him cleane that is so indeed He durst not pronounce a foule person to bee cleane nor a cleane person foule Then how dares a man that stands to judge between the Lord and his people scandalize or scorne such as endeavour most to be clean How comes it that we doe not heare drunkards adulterers theeves swearers blasphemours so rated and disgraced as them Or how dare men sell praises of religion to foule Atheists swearers haters and despisers of goodnesse as if men should gild rotten posts or wash dead bricks making them at their death seeme as white as lawne who all their life were white as Lepers Well let not the despised members of Christ be discouraged we know that the judgement of Christ shall passe righteously betweene the cleane and uncleane If thy heart be upright let all men cast the foule brand of an hypocrite on thee Jesus Christ shall pronounce thee cleane 3. Every good man must and will be glad of this separation rejoyce in that arbitrement that differenceth clean and uncleane as most savoury Wicked men can abide nothing lesse then this shedding differencing of men Whence are so many tumults Oh you are more holy then all other you are the pure ones you are all cleane c but because they have learned a trick to deceive themselves and to hide their foulenesse as they thinke by crowding all into one confusion Now is that doctrine onely intolerable that fetcheth them out of their holes and casts them out among their uncleane fellowes for whose company they be a great deale fitter then for the society of Saints and beleevers II. Note in speciall 1. In that the Leper must bee sent to the Priest to have his leprosie discerned we see that our Lord Jesus who was typified by the high Priest can discerne our leprosie Thou maist hide thy sinne from man but thou canst not deceive him no idle excuse or fig-leafe can cover thee If he see thee an adulterer a swearer an unjust person a covetous or proud person if he see thee an enemy a profane person he will judge thee a Leper Thou canst not sinne though never so secretly but thou art sure to be discerned and tryed by him whose eyes are as a flame of fire And if he judge thee a leper he will pronounce thee a leper and thou canst not appeale from but must
even in these shadowes the Lord himselfe 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 Lawes 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 neerely united unto Christ as the meat we eate which is turned into our owne 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 Manichoes impugned his humanity Neither eate the whole lamb The Papists destroy all his Offices Whosoever deny any fundamentall Article of Religion they divide the lamb To eate the whole lamb is to beleeve whole Christ according to the rule Faith is but oâ—â— yet a copulative Deny one overthrow all Hitherto served that Iniunction that no part of the lamb must bee reserved till the morrow but if any remained it must bee burnt with fire vers 10. The Lord in his infinite wisedome would prevent all the occasions of idolatry which is easily admitted in the reservations of holy things As in Popery what a deale of idolatry is crept into the Church by reserving superstitious relicks and especially their consecrated or conjured bread as if this condition did not condemne 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 Ioh. 19. 31. fulfilled against their knowledge this Prophecy Nothing of the Paschall lamb must be left till the morning Sect. V. V. The Paschall Lamb 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 blood and eating of the flesh the Jews were defended from the revenging Angel and the destroyer passed over the house where hee espied the blood sprinkled So the blood 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 feare the stroke of the destroyer because of the blood sprinkled so whosoever by true faith feeds upon Jesus Christ and are died with his blood rest secure and feare not the destruction and revenge due to wicked men Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience I. As the Jews dwelling in Aegypt were in great danger of the revenging Angel who was to passe through the land So all the Israel of God dwelling in the midst of the Aegypt of the world and too too much tainted with the fashions of it have no small cause to feare the judgements and revenge of God which must pursue the sinnes of it and also to use meanes for their owne 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 blood of the Lamb Heb. 10. 22. sprinkled in our hearts c. Whosoever were sprinkled with the blood of the lamb were safe Was there so much power in the blood of the type and not much more in the blood of the trueth 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 do keep the vineyard I will water it every moment lest any assaile it I will keepe it night and day and Isai. 37. 18. My people shall dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Noah can bee safe no where in the deluge but in the Arke 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 bee safe no more then any of Noahs company if they had stepped out of the Arke Wee must adhere constantly to the true Church and not forsake the fellowship or depart from it by Apostacy or revolt which brings certaine shipwrack of faith Consider Heb. 10. 25. 4. Patiently await for the morning even the bright rising and appearing of Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse comming againe to our deliverance whether publikely to generall judgement or personally in speciall to our selves For hee shall bring health â—â—der hir 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 hee must bee circumcised that must eate the Passeover so must hee be baptized that must be admitted to the Supper that is a reverent professed Christian. For holy things must not bee cast to dogs Matt. 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 downe at the Lords Table and like swine swill in his cup without controll or any rebuke in many places Open blasphemers common-drunkards scoffing Ishmaels noted adulterers obstinate sinners And where is the care to preserve the holy things of God from pollution contempt and profanation Would a man spread a table for dogs or swine If the shadows of these holy things might not bee cast to doggs is it nothing to expose to them the body and substance it selfe 1. Cor. 11. 30. for this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 2. As the Lamb was taken in the tenth day but was not slaine till the fourteenth that it might be before their eyes all the foure dayes before for the helping of their meditation and due preparation to the eating of it So no man must come to the Supper without due preparing himselfe For if so long preparation was by God thought fit for the shadow what preparation can be thought fit and sufficient for the substance 1. Chron. 35. 6 It was the counsell of Solâ—mon Prov. 23. 1. When thou sittest downe at a great mans table consider diligently what is set before thee Much more here at the great Gods Table no consideration of the Author matter maner end fruit and use can be sufficient What a fearefull thing is it to come as most men doe not considering
the Lords body How miserable was the sentence of that guest that sate down at the Kings table without his wedding garment Our common preparation is to put on our best clothes and to cover our bodily nakednesse in most curious manner In the meane time the Lord seeth and mens owne consciences witnesse against them how naked their soules lie and filthily discovered The due preparation to this ordinance would be attended with more comfort within and more reformation without then wee can espie in most communicants 3. As the Paschall lamb must never bee eaten without sower herbes so we must never come to the Sacrament without true humiliation and sorrow for sinne There can bee no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ till the heart bee full of bitternesse for sinne For as sower sawces whet the stomacke and provoke the appetite so true sorrow for sinne stirreth up our desire and appetite after Jesus Christ and prepares us to all good duties and holds us in a fitnesse to pray to heare the word to the Sacrament to works of mercy c. What a sweet sowernesse and bitternesse is that which brings such delectable sweetnesse and refreshing after it Any man of reason would make hard shift to drinke downe a bitter potion to helpe his bodily health and much more a godly man will be contented to digest godly sorrow for the procuring of heavenly joy and the sweet comforts of Gods salvation 4. As the Jew might not eate the lamb till he had purged all leaven out of his house So we must not come to the Sacrament without the forsaking of our sinne Never can a man expect any comfort by Christs Sacrifice that hideth the old leaven in the corners of his heart Whence the Apostle 1. Cor. 5. 7. exhorteth the Saints to purge out the old leaven because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Here is to bee considered 1. What this leaven is 2. What is the purging of it 1. This leaven is not onely the leaven of corrupt doctrin which suddenly sowreth the truth and lumpe of the Gospel as leaven doth a lump of dowe but also the leaven of sin both in the corruption of nature which is the old leauen in our selves and hath sowred all the lump of whole mankind and every man and every faculty of man as also in corrupt and vicious conversation which sowreth and leaveneth others with himselfe in societies 2. The purging of this leaven is 1. In correcting and repenting sinne past when a constant care is nourished to find it out and to cast it out 2. In serious conversion and turning to God both which are expressed in Ps. 34. 14. Sect. VI. Quest. How may we purge out this leaven Answ. Imitate the Jew For why should a Jew be more careful in the shadow and ceremony then a Christian in the truth and substance I. The Jew begins to purge within and banish it out of his house So begin thou to purge the inside first Ier. 4. 4. Wash thy heart O Ierusalem An hypocrite can wash his face but a sound Christian looks to his heart Many can purge their mouthes and outward man about the time of the Sacrament but the heart is stuffed with maliciousnes envie profaneneâ—se and ungodlinesse Many can bee busie to purge other mens houses but the Jew must purge his owne house II. The Jew purged out all leaven and spared none not a morsell or a crumme And shall not a Christian count every sinne a pollution and hatefull to God Shall any say Is it not a little one I may sweare a little be drunke if sildome I may not kill but raile and revile and speake my mind I may not be an adulterer but wanton in speeches looks behaviours and in my company I may not goe to plough on the Sabbath but may buy and sell ride abroad or be idle at home Why Is not a little serpent a serpent or a little poison poison Is not a little leaven enough to sower a whole lump III. The Jew carefully and narrowly searched and swept every corner and cranny of his house that not the least crumme might escape him And shall not we as carefully throw out this leaven out of every power of the soule and every part and member of our bodies That every one may possesse his whole house in holinesse and honour 1 Thess. 4. 4. How doth the Scripture teach us to purge this leaven out of all corners As 1. Out of the conscience to serve God with a pure conscience 2. Tim. 1. 3 2. Out of the affections prescribing love out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1. 5. and to take heed to our feete comming to the house of God 3. Out of our senses Psal. 119. 37. turne away mine eyes from regarding vanities Job 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes So to shut the eare from hearing blasphemy against God or men and not to be agents and abetters of blasphemers 4. Out of our speaches Psal. 39. 1. I said I will looke to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue And in stead of this leaven to accustome our selves to the language of Canaan and gracious speaches tending to edification ministring grace to the hearers IV. A Jew must begin his purging seven dayes before and hold on all the feast on paine of death How much more should wee beginne to purge our selves betimes and hold on so long as our Passeover lasts And because our Passeover is not annuall as that was but continuall wee must continue our cleansing and separating from this leaven which is not easily washed out Thou haste but trifled in this businesse that hangest downe thy head for a day and art penitent for the time of the Sacrament unlesse thou continuest to reforme and renew thy heart and life and conscionably avoidest all leaven of sin all thy life which is or ought to be a continuall Christian Passeover V. As the â—ews must eate the Passeover with their loines girt with staves in their hands eating in haste as tending to their Countrey So we must never come to the Sacrament but with holy hearts and meditations 1. Seriously considering what strangers and pilgrims we are here below not having any continuing City here but are seeking a Countrey Heb. 13. 14 Hee that is a true eater of our Paschall Lamb must not pitch downe his staffe here but as Christian Rechabites Ier. 35. esteeme themselves strangers content themselves to dwell in tents ever ready to remove not distracting themselves in building houses or planting vineyards or seeking great things for themselves Hence was that commendable admonition of the ancient Church in the time of the Sacrament used in our Liturgie Lift up your hearts 2. Wee must eate the Lamb hastily hastning unto Christ the true Passeover and not insist in these Sacraments of ours which are still but as shadows of good things to come yet serving us through this our strange Countrey and speeding
us into our owne Canaan and countrey and that with all expedition seeing that to be dissolved hence and to be with Christ is best of all Phil. 2. 23 3. We must celebrate our Passeover with staves in our hands that is the doctrine of the Law and Gospel held in our hearts as a staffe to defend our selves in the right track and path of holy doctrine and holy conversation to repulse our adversaries that come out against us for it is the sword oâ— the Spirit and to leane upon as a staffe in our weaknesse and wearinesse This staffe must not lie by us in our books but be held in our hands and hearts and bee not in our possession onely but in our daily use Hee hath no comfort of this Sacrament that hath not this staffe in his hand VI. As the Jewes in eating the Passeover must repeate and recite the memory of that great deliverance out of Aegypt by a mighty and miraculous power so must we in our Sacrament commemorate and remember our great deliverance from hell and that spirituall Pharaoh wrought by the blood of our Paschall lambe 1 Cor. 11. 26 so often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come And therefore it is very fit the word and Sacrament should goe together as the seale together with the deed and Indenture Hence those that are so devoute at the Sacrament and neglect or despise the Word are meere hypocrites and ignorants their folly is like his that makes much of a seale but teares the Indenture all to peeces which onely can convey his inheritance unto him VII As the Jewes came together to eate the whole Lambe so must wee to receive whole Christ. Quest. When do we receive whole Christ Answ. First when we reverently receive the signes appointed by Christ according to his owne institution Secondly when we receive faithfully the thing signified which is Christ and all his merits I. For the former 1. as it had beene a great sin for the Jewes to divide the Lambe which God commanded to be eaten whole no lesse grievous a sinne is it in Popery to administer the bread without the cup of which Christ hath said expressely Drinke ye all of this 2. as the Lambe was appointed to no other use by Moses but to be eaten so was the bread and wine in the Sacrament ordained to no other end by Christ but to be eate and drank all other holy use of them out of the action of the Sacrament is Idolatrous superstitious and unlawfull 3. as it had beene a grievous sinne to reserve any of the lambe till the morning against so expresse a commandement appointing it to be wholly eaten so grievous a sinne is it to reserve the consecrated host as they foolishly call it either to boxe up or to hang up or to worship and adore it or pray unto it or carry it in procession or lift it up with both hands above the Priests head that it may be worshipped with divine and Idolatrous worship or yet if it be possible with more blasphemy to offer it upon an Altar as an unbloody sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and dead which abolisheth at once the whole Priesthood of Christ. All which the Lord would prevent in this constitution that no part of the lambe must be reserved but if any were left it must be burnt with fire II. Wee eate the whole lambe when with the signes we receive the thing signified which is Christ and all his merits Wee must feede upon and digest whole Christ that is bee united so straitly and undividedly to Iesus Christ as the meat which is changed into the same substance with our bodies and this by the faith of our hearts which so straitly knits us to Christ as a marriage bonde and he becomes a perfect nourishment to us unto eternall life Neither could our Lord fitlier expresse this strait union then by feeding and eating seeing there cannot be a straiter union in nature then betweene the thing nourishing and nourished Quest. What may I doe thus to receive the whole lambe Answ. 1. Come hungry in sence of the want of faith and desire of supply 2. Labour to feele the sweetnesse of Christ take heed of despising this sweet Mannah Let not the hunger of the Onyons garlick and flesh pots of Aegypt thrust downe the desire of this Mannah which comes downe from heaven to which the other Mannah was not halfe so sweet 3. Thinke it not enough to eate the flesh of Christ Sacramentally if not spiritually Conceive what a fearefull delusion it is to eate the Sacrament of the flesh of Christ in the Supper and not eate the flesh of Christ by the Sacrament Thou hast beene at the Supper of the Lord but hast not tasted of his Supper CHAP. XX. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire a type OF the ordinary Sacraments of the Iewes pointing at Christ we have spoken Now of the extraordinary Of these some are answerable to the Iewes circumcision and our Baptisme as 1. the Pillar of Cloud 2. the red Sea Some to the Iewes Passeover and our Supper as 1. Mannah from Heaven 2. water out of the Rocke The ground of this distinction we have in 1 Cor. 10. 2 3 where the Apostle leads us by the hand to the distinct consideration of these Sacraments First of the Pillar of Cloud and fire under which the Fathers of the old Testament were baptised When the Lord in his wise providence appointed to lead the children of Israel for the space of forty yeares through a dry uncouth and terrible wildernesse himselfe undertooke to be their guide and for their certaine direction in their way appointed them this visible signe of his presence for their motion or station by night or by day through all their pilgrimage concerning this Cloud let us enquire 1. of the kind 2. of the difference betweene it and other clouds 3. of the use of his cloudy Pillar 4. how a type of Christ. 1. Quest. What kinde of Cloud was this Answ. Not naturall but supernaturall and miraculous yea one of the foure great miracles that the Lord continued all the while of their Iourney which was forty yeares Those foure great miracles were 1. the not swelling of their feet Deut. 8. 4. 2. their apparrells not wearing or not waxing old Deut. 8. 4. 3. the feeding of them with daily Mannah ver 3. and 16 and water out of a rock ver 15 4. this Pillar 2. Quest. Was there any difference between this and other Clouds Answ. Yes in five things 1. the matter 2. the fashion 3. the motion 4. the properties 5. the durance 1. The matter of it was not of vapours as other clouds nor apt to engender raine but framed by the Lord besides and above the ordinary course of nature 2. The fashion It kept still the figure of a Pillar whereas other clouds continually alter the
Aegyptian to drowne an Israelite I. To note the mighty power of God who can still and over-master the mighty raging of the sea which we see here in that its water dry land sands and shoare observe the providence of God and serve for his peoples safety Israel saw the mighty power of God herein Exo. 14. 31. Let us also behold the glory of God herein and feare before him as they did Let not us be more senselesse than the senselesse creatures but heare his voice runne out of our owne nature to observe his voice sounding in the Scriptures and Ministery of the Gospell II. To see and consider the state of the Church and people of God Canaan whither they goe is a fine and fertile country but the way is asperous and dangerous They are still as it were in the bottome of the sea enemies implacable at their heeles in infinite numbers seas of waters dreadfull to behold on both hands yea rising over their heads as mountaines threatning to fall over them and after a deepe sea a terrible wildernesse takes them in which is no meanes for meat drinke nor cloath A man would thinke no man could deale so with his children and yet Gods wisedome sees this the fittest way to Canaan He sees how 1. Every small content glewes us to our Aegypt 2. What sluggs we are in the way farther then we are chased out 3. How little we care for dependance on himselfe when we are full of naturall comforts 4. That Canaan is so rich a land as is worthy all our labour and suffering Apply this note to awake thee out of thy ease and carnall slumber If thy way be so easie and pleasing to flesh sure it leads not to Canaan suspect it The Israelites going into Aegypt had no enemies nor troubles meeting them but going into Canaan they had nothing else Strait is the way that leads to life and all the way to heaven is strowed with crosses Apply it also to secure thee in thy troubles Art thou in a deepe danger or sorrow like the bottome of the sea It is no worse with thee then with the rest of the people of God No affliction overtakes thee but the same hath befalne the Saints in the world Hold on to Canaan and all is safe Canaan is worth all Happy thou if thou canst get to Canaan though thy passage be through the bottome of the sea III. To observe what a many comforts this great worke of God will load us withall that are willing to carry them away For I. The Lord in strange and unwonted dangers can worke new and unwonted remedies for his children As we heard before that fire shall not burne them so here the sea at his word of restraint shall not drowne them He can make a wall of water more strong for them than a wall of Adamant yea himselfe according to their need will be to them either a wall of fire or water II. What danger can prevaile against the Church if all these dangers on all hands above them below them afore them behind them at once cannot sinke them No All the gates of hell cannot prevaile against it Every maine affliction is like a maine Red sea which threatens to swallow us up but it shall in the issue onely preserve the Church What we have most cause to feare the Lord maketh most helpfull and soveraigne The very raging sea rather then they shall perish shall open her lappe as a tender mother to receive them from the rage of Pharaoh and his pursuing army Nay the land of Goshen shall not be halfe so bountifull to them as these waters which gave them freedome victory and the spoiles and riches remaining upon the dead bodies of their enemies III. How unweariably the Lord sets himselfe to overcome all difficulties for his servants What had it beene to have passed the oppressors of Aegypt and to have beene swallowed up of the sea Therefore hee makes a new way where never any way lay before in the bottome of the sea Afterwards he makes a dry and barren wildernesse comfortable to them dryes up Jordan as strangely for their passage gives them a daily harvest of Mannah from heaven breaks a rock to give them water and happily in time finisheth their long and tedious journey Even so the godly going out of Aegypt departing from the kingdome of the devill and hastning out of the world towards heaven come presently into a deepe sea not pursued onely by the fury of tyrants and enemies but every where threatned with dangers wants and death it selfe yet the Lord breakes for them one toyle after another and happily guides them through a deepe sea of miseries and never leaves them till they recover the shoare and arrive safely at the haven of salvation where their songs shall be louder then their cryes were and a mighty deliverance shall swallow up all their danger IV. Here is comfort against the feare of enemies 1. Spirituall enemies For here we have both a confirmation and resemblance of the eternall delivery of the Church from the tyranny of the hellish Pharaoh which in spight of him is led through a sea of tribulation every where ready to overwhelme it into the promised rest of everlasting life Againe wee see here our sinnes also cast into and drowned in the bottome of the Red sea Mic. 7. 19. These are the strongest and fiercest enemies that pursued us to death but these our furious sinnes as so many Aegyptians are drowned in the sea of Christs blood and extinct in the waters of Baptisme Aug Psal. 113. 2. Temporall enemies How can the Aegyptians hope to stand before Israell to whom the waters give way so strangely The enemy shall find the same sea a wall and a well a safety and a death Let enemies looke here as the heathen did and let their hearts saint as theirs to see God make the sea a wall a lane yea a lappe for his people Let them behold the ordinary worke of God who commonly joynes the salvation of his Church with the destruction of the enemies So for Mordecaies advancement and the Churches deliverance Haman must be hanged and his posterity destroyed as in a ballance if one scoale goe up downe goes the other IV. The godly to partake of these comforts must learne 1. To labour for increase of faith for by faith they passed through the Red sea Heb. 11. 29. So must thou get faith for thy vessell to passe thee through Faith in tryall is a great victory in the bottome of the sea in deepest afflictions it is most glorious It is nothing to beleeve in prosperity but in desperation to beleeve in the bottome of the sea to stand still yea in the bottome of hel to hope for heaven there is faith 2. To joyne to Gods people Let not the Aegyptian thinke the way is made for him Except thou goest out with Israell as Exod. 12. 38. the sea will know thee for an
supply enough of all grace without labour and gathering when Christ shall be all in all to all Israel gathered unto him Sect. II. Now wee are to consider this miraculous food both in the Jews gathering of it as also in their use of it I. In their gathering are three things the place the time the measure 1. The place where It was about the campe and tents of the Jews in the wildernesse signifying that Christ the heavenly Manna is given to us in this our wildernesse and while we are in this world wee must procure him to our selves or never And farther that his grace is rained downe in the Church and no where else is saving grace ordinarily to bee found Onely the Israel of God enjoy Christ in the meanes his abode is among the tents of shepherds 2. The time of gathering is 1. The weeke day the sixe dayes not the Sabbath for it came not on the Sabbath but as knowing and distinguishing times it would as feed them so teach them namely to rest on the Sabbath day as it did and signified that in that eternall Sabbath wee shall enjoy Manna without meanes and shall eate our fill of that hidden Manna laid up and prepared for the Saints Revel 2. 17. 2. Every day in the weeke to signifie that we must daily feed on Christ and his grace and that wee must daily renew the care of the salvation and sustenance of our soules 3. Every morning of every day early must they gather it the first thing they did To signifie that wee must embrace Christ speedily while the meanes last and offer themselves Christ is worth our first care and his commandement is first to seeke the kingdome of God The foolish virgins sought Oile and Manna too late 3. The measure 1. Every man hath a measure out of the common heape signifying that Christ is the same treasury to poore and rich small and great and every beleever and Israelite hath his portion and measure measured out unto him for he must live by his owne faith and a severed measure of knowledge and sanctification from others 2. Every man hath the same measure There was one measure for all a Gomer for every person So every Christian hath his Gomer and the same measure For although there is difference in the graces of sanctification some being in the higher formes of knowledge some in lower some of little faith some of great faith some whose zeale is as a smoaking flaxe in some a bright flame yet justification by Christ is equall to all and doth not admit a more or a lesse The youngling in grace is as truely and fully justified as the ancient beleever though not so fully sanctified 3. Every man hath a full Gomer a full measure to signifie that in Christ is no want but wee are compleat in him Col. 2. 10. And as the gathering Israelite though he gathered lesse then some other had his Gomer full so hee that hath the weakest grace and weakest faith if true and sound shall attaine the same salvation which the stronger beleever attaines For the same precious faith attaines the same common salvation II. Wee must consider this Manna in the Jews use of it 1. In respect of the dressing It must be ground and baked before it could bee fit food for the Israelites signifying that Jesus Christ must first be ground and broken upon the Crosse and pounded with passion before hee could become a â—it food and Saviour of his Church Every graine of Manna must be ground and broken so must Christ bee broken and bruised in the wine presse of Gods wrath Every graine of Manna must bee baked in the Oven so must Christ bee parched and baked yea and dried up in the Oven of his Fathers displeasure And this was extraordinary and above nature in it that one heate namely of the Sunne melted it another heate namely of fire baked it very strange but significative of the same in Christ. The heat of his love to mankind melted him but the heat of his Fathers wrath as hot as fire baked him and fitted him for our spirituall food 2. The Manna being dressed must be eaten that is applied to their substance and digested for their nourishment signifying Jesus Christ who although like the Manna he must be gathered in common and must bee received whole as Manna must bee gathered whole yet he must be eaten in severall that is specially applied to every beleever for his food and strength by which application hee becomes food in our hunger and physicke in our weakâ—â—esse as the Manna was to them and other had they none 3. They must use it all and reserve none till the morning for if they did it putrified and wormes grew in it vers 19. 20 To signifie that not the profession of Christ profits any thing without faithfull applying of him Yea and as Manna reserved putrified so Christ becomes a scandall and a rocke of offence to the unbeleeving of the world that content themselves to heareof Christ and have the word among them but apply it not to their hearts and lives The sweetest Manna becomes a rottennesse and a favour of death to carnall professours Quest. But why did the Lord cause the Manna daily to putrifie if kept Answ. 1. He will have them daily depend upon his hands and provision that was no time nor place to shift covetously for themselves neither was there any need seeing every day supplied them with a new harvest 2. To signifie to them that man lived not by bread onely but by every word of God How could they thinke that such corruptible food could preserve them that it selfe could not be preserved above a few houres but by Gods institution 3. That they might acknowledge God a free and extraordinary worker in all his administration with them For even this Manna which kept an houre beyond a day suddenly rotted if God command to keep it two dayes every weeke for his worship sake it shall bee miraculously preserved sweet and savoury Yea if for a monument of his mercy he shall command to lay a sample of it in the Arke it shall last and bee kept in the Holy of holies many ages yea many hundreds of yeares sweet and savoury as at first And all this not without signification that although Jesus Christ was in his flesh and humane nature subject to sorrow death and passion yet 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 sixe severall advancements 1. That Manna had no life in it selfe but this hath Ioh. 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he
given to the Sonne to have life in himselfe Ioh. 6. 35. I am that bread of life 2. That Manna not having life in it selfe cannot give to others what it selfe hath not it could onely preserve life given of God But this can conuey and give life to others Ioh. 6. 33. The bread of God is he which commeth downe from heaven and giveth life unto the world 3. That Manna preserved onely naturall and temporall life as other bread but this preserves spirituall and eternall life in the soule and inward man 4. That manna could not preserve this temporall life for ever Ioh. 6. 49. Your father did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead nay it could not keepe them from hunger above one day to an end But this bread once tasted makes a man live for ever hee shall not die vers 50. yea he shall never hunger more vers 35. 5. If a man were dead that manna could not raise him againe to life but this raiseth dead to life as Lazarus which all the food physicke and meanes on earth cannot doe Iob. 11. 25. He that beleeveth in me though hee were dead yet shall hee liue 6. That manna did corrupt it melted daily when the Sunne arose it lasted not beyond a day it continued not beyond the wildernesse and that small portion which the Lord reserved in the Holy 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 feare of danger nor onely lasts in this journey through our wildernesse but is the sweetest and most delicious in our Cannan when hee shall bee food physick raiment delight and all in all to all the Saints and sonnes of God Sect. IV. Now to application I. To note in God foure things 1. Patience and love 2. Watchfulnesse and care 3. Bountifulnesse and benificence 4. Wisedome and judgement And all these to his Church both Jewish and Christian and to all the Israel of God Legall and Evangelicall Every one of these affordeth us speciall matter of instruction I. His grace and patience appeares in the time of his giving both the typicall and the true manna from heaven Then hee pleased to give the manna to Israel 1. When Israel had great need of Gods helpe and had no power to helpe themselves when they were even ready to starve Even so when the Church was in extreme need of Christ and altogether helplesse in herself 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 looke for nothing but fire from heaven hee 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 hee will still the frowardnesse of his first borne rather with the breast then with the rod Even so when by our hatefull sinnes of many sorts wee 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 then the honey combe which one gift sweetneth all blessings which else had beene 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 deale thus with his enemy but hee that hath an Ocean of mercy Which the same Apostle in the same Chapter ver 8 leadeth us unto where hee magnifieth and heightneth Gods love unto us that while wee were yet sinners Christ died for us yea while we were yet enemies ver 10. he sent us this manna by whom he reconciled himselfe unto us Let this consideration be of use 1. To stirre up in us a fervent love of God who loved us with a pitifull love when wee were in so pitifull a case as also with so seasonable love when our extreme 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 containe 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 Matt. 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 hee please to reserve love for us while wee 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 bee and how constant For doth hee not cast us off when wee are enemies and deserve hatred and will hee ever cast off those whom he thus loveth This love shall be stronger then 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 sleepe ever watchfull 2. because hee is a tender father and Israel is his sonne and first borne A carefull father is waking for his childs good while it sleeps and takes no care In like maner hath this watchfull eye kept it selfe waking from the beginning of the world till this day How did it watch over Abraham and all his beleeving posterity whilest he and we were all in the night of sinne and death And whilest wee were in a dead sleepe how carefully did hee 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 beleevers both in the old and new Testament 5. In the blessed incarnation and appearance of the truth it selfe who rose as a glorious sunne of righteousnesse but as it were at midnight when the world lay in such palpable darkenesse as was thicker then the darkenesse of Aegypt as manna fell in the night and was readier for them every morning then 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 sinne and in this night they often nod and slip into a sounder sleepe of sinne sometimes then they thinke off but then this eye watcheth them that they sleepe not in death and so fall into extreame ruine For they being written on the palme of the Lords hand being as a signet upon his finger as a jewell on his heart and which is neerer 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 darke of many deadly dangers which they should never by themselves be wound out off Now while they are thus surprised with a dead and dangerous sleep the Lord watcheth to prepare some meanes of evasion which they never dreame off 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 beene kept in a strong castle How did the Lord watch Mordecai while he slept Hest. 6. 1. he slept but the King shall not sleepe till he have advanced Mordecai How did he watch over Peter Act. 12. 7. whilst he slept so fast in the night as scarce an Angell 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 feare against robbers fires dangers in the night he makes us sleepe 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 mory fully enjoy Christ the true Manna and attaine a full measure and gomer and a perfect satiety and fulnesse of this sweet bread of life Psa. 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 Mannah without the asking seeking or buying it costs them nothing but gathering even so he offers us salvation by Jesus Christ while wee aske not after him He is found of them that seeke him not The first Adam runs away from Gods presence the second Adam runnes after him to seeke and recall him out of his bushes Now what desert or merit could there bee in the first Adam to be followed with grace in his flying from it And if there be none in him how come wee his posterity to more possibility to merit any thing but death more then he No here is no merit no buying of Mannah but onely a faithfull and thankfull acceptance of it 2. He raines it downe in abundance his hand is not short he opened the windowes of heaven and rained downe manna to eate Psal. 78. 24. For 1. It is for the honour of God to be bountifull and rich in mercies and to powre down his blessings upon his people 2. Israel needed daily abundance and store of mannah which need he is carefull to supply But oh what great goodnesse hath God stored for them that love him In his Sonne Jesus Christ he hath rayned downe bread of life the greatest arme and streame that ever flowed from that Ocean A mercy covering all the tents of beleevers A mercy that lets the true Mannah fall enough for a whole world of beleevers 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 mannah is a mercy not only covering the earth but a mountaine 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 At he gave more mannah then all the Israelites were able to gather so he is more infinitely able to give then all beleevers are able to receive Hence wee may with David stirre up our selves to blesse the Lord that lodeth 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 bee fed by because the Lord will not have them fixe their eyes and sēces on earth but know they were now to live of Gods allowance and for their whole meanes 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 soule 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 mannah and good things for our temporall life Hee is the father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift The Israelite must looke to heaven for every morsell of bread that hee puts in his mouth and shall the Christian as the swine eate up the mast and never looke up to the tree whence it falls II. In that hee gives them manna every day Hee might have given them an harvest of it once a yeere or hee might have rained it once a month but hee gives it daily To shew 1. that hee had undertaken for their daily maintenance whose continuall supplyes challenged the continuall dependance upon his providence 2. that they must bee content with daily bread 3. that it should bee a part of their calling and exercise in the wildernesse where other temporall businesse 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 to supply it with true manna He allowes us to pray but for daily bread and if we have food and rayment we must be content 1 Tim. 6. 8. 2. to confine our cares within the day not so solicitous to lay up for many yeeres as the rich glutton Care not for to morrow that is inordinatly distrustfully 3. to take notice of our daily need of the true mannah whereof seeing God hath given us daily meanes wee must not erosse Gods wisdome to thinke the reading of Gods word once in a yeare or month or weeke
enough but be daily gathering and answering the daily meanes afforded by Gods gracious wisdome as did the Jews III. His wisdome is seene in that he giveth them no manna on the Sabbath but for the Sabbath a double portion on the day before For 1. the Sabbath day is not to seeke temporall food and manna but spirituall and eternall 2. He will not have his Sabbath and service interrupted therefore he gives them a double portion the day before 3. Hee will not have them losers by being intent in his service but as a liberall paymaster allowes them as largely as any other day Let this teach us 1. to nourish the care of Gods worship above the care of our life and more intend the businesse of the soule then of the body So our Saviour first seeke the kingdome of God and then other things 2. to become more conscionable in the keeping of the Sabbath not seeking this day after earthly but heavenly things alone For consider 1. The Lords liberality in giving thee not a sixt day but sixe whole daies wherein to gather earthly manna and wilt thou encroach his day too 2. his liberality in giving thee manna for the seaventh day blessing the labour of the sixe daies and thereby binding thy hands from labour on the seventh IV. His wisedome is seene in giving to every man his Gomer and every man hath his measure 1. to measure their desires by Gods measure 2. that no man should have just cause of discontent for hee had a sufficient measure for necessity and God was not bound to provide for their wantonnesse 3. that no man might envy another mans disproportion seeing no man had want no man might have superfluity Let us learne hence 1. To gather no more of this earthly Manna then God would have us to gather Quest. How shall I know Gods measure for me Answ. 1. That which his blessing by good and warrantable meanes affordeth is his measure and to transgresse Gods word in seeking or getting wealth is to goe beyond Gods measure 2. Neither to lay up nor to keep any of this manna without or against God Goods well gotten shall stand and prosper as manna gathered in the sixe dayes But gather this manna on the seaventh day or lay up without and against Gods commandement that is to say that which thou gettest falsly or well gotten which thou shouldst expend for Gods glory and the charitable reliefe of the poore members of Jesus Christ but doest not all that shall rot and stinke as stolen manna did Sect. 6. II. In respect of our selves also we learne sundry instructions from the consideration of both the mannahs the typicall and the true manna These instructions concerne 1. our estate 2. our duty 1. Concerning our estate To note how senselesse and void of understanding every man is by nature in the things of God and Jesus Christ Exod. 16. 15. None of the Jewes knew what the manna was No more doth any man know by nature the things of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God If he perceive them not in his understanding much lesse can he receive them in his affection Tell the Jew of Christ or let the Jew heare Christ himselfe speaking of himselfe the manna and bread of life they conceive he is bread for the belly they must eate him up straight Ioh. 6. 52. Tell Nicodemus of the new birth he can conceive no second nativity but of going into his mothers wâ—mbe againe being old Ioh. 3 4. Tell the Samaritan of the water of life she cannot conceive whence to have it if not out of Iacobs well which hee and his cattell dranke Ioh. 4. 12. Nay such is our palpable blindnesse in spirituall things as we cannot onely not finde them but even offered unto us as the manna to them we cannot apprehend them nay wee cannot but reject them as that woman of Samaria Jesus Christ offers himselfe unto her she scorns him and will not make nor meddle with him Ioh. 4. 9. The reason whereof is partly in the things themselves and partly in our selves 1. The things are things of Gods spirit and cannot be reached or judged by any rule in nature For the things of creation the heathen knew them in part from God as God Rom. 1. 19 But for the things of Sanctification as that God the Father by his Sonne made the world or that God the Sonne by his Spirit made a new world here they are blind as moles Nay even in this part of knowledge the naturall man asketh what engines or tooles could God get to reare such a frame and will not beleeve it could be made with a word It will aske of what prejacent matter and will not beleeve that so great a thing could be made of nothing whereas we by faith understand that the world was framed by the word of God Heb. 11. 3. How blind then must they needs be in spirituall things that are blind in things naturall 2. The reason in our selves is that we are wedded to our own apprehensions and not easily led out of our conceits as vessels hardly let goe the savour of the first liquor wee will measure all by the standard of naturall reason and by the scantling of our owne senses Apply this observation 1. To see our impotency nay the contrariety of our nature to Gods grace Where is our free will to good In what disposition stands darknesse to entertaine light which fights against it But yee were darknesse saith the Apostle not darke or darkned but darknesse it selfe Nay yee were dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2. 5. not halfe dead as the Samaritan but whole dead Now let all the Papists in the world teach us how a dead man can dispose and prepare himselfe to life And let us know how a privation of it selfe can regresse to an habit 2. To see what neede wee have of the Ministery to helpe us unto the true Manna Moses must tell the people Exod. 16. 15. This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eate So must the ministers of the Gospell acquaint all the Israel of God with Christ the true manna by the word preached and say This is the bread of life which came downe from heaven in whom aloneis full nourishment to eternall life Nothing is good to salvation but by Gods revelation If the word preached doe not teach thee Christ the true manna thou never knowst him of thy selfe Let us pitty and pray for the lamentable blindnesse not of Popish recusants only but of wilfull and carelesse absenters of themselves from the house of God whose Judgement is just if they never come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 3. Hath Christ beene made knowne to thee that thou hast tasted the sweetnesse of him in the Gospell As Christ said to Peter so I say to thee Happy art thou for flesh and blood hath
thirst no more Lord faith she give mee this water that I may no more thirst nor come hither to draw Ioh. 4. 15. So let it stir up our desires after it also that wee may get within the well that springeth up to eternall life 3. What meanes may we use for the attaining of water out of this rock Answ. 1. Be an Israelite That rock was smitten onely for them This rock is laid in Sion not in Aegypt No Aegyptian no Canaanite no Romish Aegyptian that drinkes of that Popish puddle no profane worldlings taste of these waters swill and draffe is good enough for such swine 2. Come to the place Israel must goe out of their houses as well to fetch water out of the rock as to gather Manna The place whence the rock sends water is the threshold of the Sanctuary Ezech. 47. If wee will not stirre out of our dores wee may justly starve 3. Avoid letts and hindrances that damme up these waters As 1. Ignorance of their worth and of thy owne neede Ioh. 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God thou wouldest have asked c. Good reason thou want it who thinkest it a thing thou mayst best want Many among us like Tantalus in the midst of water die for thirst 2. Hardnesse of heart which keepes the soule dry and barren and abiding in the naturall hardnesse of a rock all the waters of this spirituall rock are lost upon it 3. A quenching and grieving of the spirit this turns the stream another way that it finds another channell Greeve not the spirit but grieve rather that thy selfe art so strait-necked a vessell 4. Secure neglect of meanes A man that will be rich followes the meanes so he that meaneth to be rich in grace whereas he that meaneth to die a begger casts up all and makes holy day at his pleasure 4. Provide 1. the bucket of faith to draw for the well is deepe and without this bucket thou gettest none Ioh. 4. 11. 2. Find a fit vessell to put these waters in As 1. a cleane vessell of a pure heart Who would put Aquavitae or Balme water in a fusty and stinking bottle 2. a whole vessell that it leake not out againe This whole vessell is a whole and sincere heart but broken all to pieces No vessel here can hold but a broken and contrite heart God fils the humble the haughty and proud are sent away empty CHAP. XXIV The Brazen Serpent a Type THe History of the Brazen Serpent is in Numb 21. 6 7 8. where are two things I. The disease II The remedy The disease is set downe 1. in the occasion ver 5. 2. in the kind by fiery Serpents sent by God to sting them 3. in the effect many dyed In all which Story wee must not stick in the letter or barke but breake through to the kernell and truth The rather because our Lord Jesus an interpreter beyond all exception brings us hereby to himselfe and to the consideration both of our disease and of the remedy and the application of it Ioh 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift up the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lift up that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life It will be now both pleasant and profitable to looke a little while upon the apt resemblance of the type with the truth both in the disease and remedy and first of the occasion of the disease Sect. I. I. The occasion of the disease was the peccant humor of ingratitude and murmuring against the grace of God miraculously manifested in the wildernesse Never had any people upon the face of the earth the like mercies from God the like experience of God Never any fed and feasted with so many miracles as it were in ordinary They have water following them every where out of a rock They have read from heaven delicate even to a miracle but this Angels food is too light and no bread will serve them but from earth God gave them abundance of it for the gathering he rained it most bountifully round about their tents but their unthankfull souls loathe it and tread it under foot And therefore rising up against God and tempting him they were destroyed of Serpents 1. Cor. 10. 9. Note here by the way 1. The Justice of God Hee that brought Manna from heaven to feed them for contempt of his grace now brings serpents out of the earth to revenge and destroy them Rom. 2. 4. 5. The despising of Gods bountifulnesse treasureth up wrath See the same Justice on our selves How lightly did wee in our first parents regard that upheaped measure of bounty and grace conferred by God in our Creation and innoceny And how justly were we stung to death by the old serpent for it The unthankfull person is the greatest robber that is 2. See the equity of this Justice on the Israelites They not contented to murmur against the Lord set also upon Moses and Aaron his servants Why have ye brought us into the wildernesse to die Now their punishment is answerable to their sinne They transgresse in hot and fiery tongues and are punished by hot and fiery stings Venemous words against God and his servants are revenged by the mouthes of poysoned and venemous serpents Doe thou at thy perill sting God and his servants with bitter words God will have some serpent or other to sting thee I am out of doubt that many great plagues have lingred and doe amongst us in this land for the poysoned and reviling speeches cast against God and his servants every where We sting his holy profession and servants incessantly and he stings us with the scorpions of his Judgements 3. Beware of being weary of manna Never did man complaine of plenty of manna but was justly stung with want of it Doe thou complaine without cause and thou shalt have cause to complaine Israel that complaines of too much manna shall shortly change their note and cry out of too many serpents II. The kind of the disease The Lord sent fiery serpents to sting them Where 1. why serpents 2. why fiery 3. why stinging 1. This disease by serpents lively resembles our disease of soule which is no other then the fiery sting of the old serpent which is the devill Rev. 12. 9. Our spirituall disease is hence noted to come from that old serpent at first Now satan is aptly compared to a serpent in five respects First because he covered himselfe with a serpent when he first stung and deceived mankind Secondly he is more subtle then any serpent crafty to insinuate and deceive 2 Cor. 11. 3. 14. Thirdly as a serpent dwels and lies among thornes bushes bryars and feeds upon dust so the devill raignes in the thickets and bushes of worldly cares and lusts and feeds upon worldlings exercising his chiefe power against them Fourthly as a serpent casts out of his mouth venime
and poyson so the devill casts out nothing but virulent words against God and his Saints and spewes out after the Church a flood of poyson to drowne her How hee blasphemed Iob how he is the accuser of the brethren how of the head Christ himselfe the Scripture declares Fiftly as a serpent is cursed above all beasts so is the devill The first cursed creature in the world was this serpent and hath ever since remained the cursed head of all cursed rebells and wicked ones to whose custody and condemnation they shall all be gathered in the last day Mat. 25. 41. goe ye cursed c. 2. Why called fiery serpents Answ. 1. From their colour Through abundance of poison they had a shining and glistring skinne and they seemed as if they had been made of fire A resemblance wee have in our snakes that seeme to shine and sparkle against the Sunne 2. From their effect For with their sting they infused such poison into the bodies of the Israelites as stirred up in them an outragious heat and fire Now these diseases are most painfull and so tormentfull as if a wild-fire were in the bowels feeding upon the bones marrow and members 3. From their end First because they were appointed by God and after a sort inflamed and kindled with desire of revenge of the Lords wrongs and they so fiercely assaulted the Israelites as if a raging and devouring fire had seased upon them which no way they could avoid Secondly that in their punishment they might bee admonished both what a fearefull fire of Gods wrath they had kindled by their sin against themselves as also that they had deserved a more fearefull fire in hell to seize upon their whole man everlastingly 3. Why stinging serpents Answ. To imply unto us First that sinne is the sting of this old serpent even a poisoned sting that hee hath thrust into all mankind But with this difference in that this poison is farre more generall and the wounds infinitely more mischievous then were those of the fiery serpents For 1. They stung a few Israelites but not all but this serpent hath stung all mankind none excepted 2. They stung the bodies onely but these soules and bodies also 3. They stung one part of the body this serpent all parts and whole man 4. They to a temporall death this to an eternall Secondly to imply that sinne is the sting of a fiery serpent 1. Set on fire with wrath and cruelty and desire to poison and destroy us Revel 12. 17. 2. Setting on us with fiery darts For so his temptations are called Ephes. 6. 16. for three reasons 1. From the manner and custome of souldiers in times past which cast poisoned darts the poison of which inflamed the wounded bodies and made the wounds incurable As now many out of desperate malice poison their weapons and bullets to make sure with their enemy So doth Satan by all meanes poison his darts to speed the Christians soule 2. Because as fiery darts they inflame and kindle in the heart all manner of burning lusts and sinnes one of them being but as a sparke or firebrand to kindle another 3. Because they leave for most part a cauterized and seared conscience behind them as if they were burnt with an hot iron which makes the sinner stung senslesse of his wound Whence is another miserable difference betweene the stung Israelite and the stung sinner The former was alwayes felt with griefe and paine but this often not felt and so more desperate Thirdly the effect of this stinging was death in many And so the effect of sinne is death in all The stung Israelite had death in his bosome and no other could be expected so the guilty sinner is stung to death In his nature is every man the sonne of death and can expect nothing but death every moment And as the stung person in the wildernesse had no meanes in himselfe nor from others to avoid either the serpent or death from it till God appointed them the brazen serpent So the poore sinner was destitute of all helpe in himselfe and others till the Lord appointed Jesus Christ the promised seed to breake the serpents head There is given no name else whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. First note hence how deceitfull are the pleasures of sinne It is as a sweet poison Iob 20. 12. sweet in the mouth but poison in the bowels What wise man would drink a draught of poison for the sweet taste of it Wicked men hold sinne as a sweet morsell but sower sauce followes it Secondly what little cause we have to love our sinnes for that is to love our owne bane Prov. 8. 35. Hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death No sinne but the more pleasing the more poisoning the more delicate the more deadly Sinne never so much disguised never the lesse deadly Thirdly that sinners are but dead men while they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. An Israelite stung was but a dead man So although the reasonable soule in a sinner makes him a man yet the want of the Spirit of grace makes him a dead man Death waits upon sinne as the wages on the worke and hell upon death that comes before repentance Fourthly A foole hee is that makes a mocke of sinne Who would play with a deadly serpent or make a jest of his owne death or drink up the poison of a serpent in merriment or cast darts firebrands about him to burne himselfe and others and say Am I not in sport See Prov. 26. 18. and 10. 23. and 14. 9. Oh that wee could discerne our wounds as sensibly as we are certainly stung It would make us runne to God and get Moses to goe to God for us and pray that these serpents and painfull wounds might be removed If wee saw death as present and as ghastly in our sins as Israel did in their stinging we would hasten our repentance and seeke after meanes of cure Sect. II. The remedy is First prescribed Num. 21. 8. Secondly applied vers 9. Thirdly in the same verse is the effect they recovered and lived So then in the remedy are I. ordination 2. application 3. sanation or cure 1. The appointing hath First the person appointing which was God himselfe who devised it and prescribed it to Moses for God will save onely in his owne meanes So God himselfe so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Ioh. 3. 16. This way of remedy and cure could bee no devise of man nor Angel For 1. The Angels stand still admiring and amazed at it 1. Pet. 1. 12. 2. Men without a superiour teacher cannot conceive it 1. Cor. 2. 14. much lesse invent it Secondly the thing appointed a serpent of brasse resembling Christ in the matter and the forme 1. The matter was of brasse not gold for five reasons 1. God ties not himselfe