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
behaviours as the fame of your sweet savour goes forth in the Church of God to which I doubt not but this Treatise will be the more welcome because of your worthy name prefixed It is an Orphane and the Widow desires it should be your Ward who in your love can best tender it and by your authority defend it sufficiently The God of heaven increase all heavenly graces and comforts in your noble heart abundantly and adde unto your dayes honours and blessings of all sorts till these shadowes flie away and the true Day-starre arise upon you in glory the hearty prayer of one who is and desires to be reckoned among Isleworth Iune 20. 1635. Your Wo truest friends in every good service WILLIAM IEMMAT TO THE CHRISTIAN READER I Have heard of a demurre made as though something were put forth under this Authors name which it none of his I assure thee in the word of a Minister that for the workes that have my Epistle prefixed and I heare of no other published with his name there is not one note nor notion which is not the Authors owne according to his papers And the like I affirme concerning this Treatise of Types which now I publish The use of it is manifold To open divers places of Scripture To shew the meaning of legall shadows and ceremonies To declare the faith of the Elders who received a good report To manifest our faith one with theirs one faith one Lord one Baptisme one salvation To magnifie and commend Christ to every soule that it may be saved and he honoured To discerne and bewaile the blindnesse of Gods ancient people the Iewes and pray for their returne to the truth not catching at shadowes Of whom in present I may say with detestation of their madnesse as he said against the Philosophers Nos qui non habitu c. Wee Christians whose excellencie stands not in outward things but spirituall glorie that we have found what they with all their diligence have sought and could not finde Why are we unthankâ—full Why doe we stand in our owne light if the truth of the Deitie hath in this our age attained to maturitie Let us enjoy and make use of our owne good and follow the truth in truth avaunt superstition be packing all impietie let true religion be preserved and flourish Yet withall seeing there is a promise that all Israel shall be saved let us pray for the performance and that with all earnestnesse as that converted Iew gave exhortation to his sonne So long poure forth thy prayers for the remnant of Israel till God looke from his high habitation and see and have mercy on his people for the Lords sake his Anointed that in our daies Iudah may be saved and the children of Israel may dwell safely in their owne land and spend their daies in good the Lord making his good Spirit to rest upon them William Jemmat A Table of the Contents of this Treatise I. THe Introduction containing five Propositions of the Church salvation covenaÌ„t of grace Christ the ancieÌ„t ceremonies p. 1 Five reasons for those ceremonies 2 Grace in the New Testament specially how 3 Ceremonies called shadowes for foure reasons 4 Threefold use of them to the Iews 5 Gods wisedom in appointing them three wayes ibid. II. The Treatise shewing Christ prefigured by holy persons and things 5 I. Adam a type of Christ in creation office soveraignty conjugation propagation 6 The Ministery reverend for antiquitie 8 Antiquity of the doctrine of free grace ibid. Seeke life by Christs death ibid. Get into Christ the second Adam as thou art surely of the first Motives 9 II. Noah a type for salvation righteousnesse preaching Arke repairing the world sacrifice of rest and a dove sent out of the Arke 10 Preserve integrity in the worst times 14 Sinnes which are signes of judgement approaching 15 Comfort to bee had in Christ our Noah 16 III. Melchizedek a type in Etymologie office originall excellency of person and Priesthood 17 Christ greater than Abraham 20 Comfort by Christ our Melchizedek ibid. We are blessed by our Melchizedek 21 By our Melchizedek the Church abides for ever 22 Excellencie of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall eight waies ibid. Sin not to be accounted slight whose sacrifice is so costly 24 IV. Isaac a type in birth suffering offering escape marriage 24 A patterne of obedience in 5. things 28. Two rules 29 A type of our resurrection 31 Matter of sweet consolation 32 Look for helpe though the case bee desperate ibid. V. Joseph a type in his person actions passions advancement 33 No newes for good men to be hated for their excellencie 37 All sufferings of the godly come of God ordained and ordered 37 Comfort by Christ our Ioseph foure wayes 38 Do to Christ as Iosephs brethren to him 39 VI. Moses a type in person estate office suffering sundry actions 40 Our doctrine is of God 45 Be faithfull in doing thy office 46 Shew faith in the fruit of it contrary to foure sorts of men 47 Assurance of our resurrection 47 VII Joshua a type in saving calling miracles valour actions 48 A fearfull thing to be an enemy of the Church 51 Comfort in our salvation accomplished 52 Duties wee owe to Christ our Joshua 53 Conditions to be observed in going to heaven 53. Six 54 VIII Sampson a type in person condition actions sufferings stratagems victories 55 Iudge none by outward calamities 58 Strange meanes used by God for the Churches good 59 Our victorie stands in patience and passion 60 Fourefold comfort to Gods people ibid. In Gods cause contemne greatest perill and prepare for death approching 62 IX David a type in person vocation warres kingdome office Propheticall and Priestly 62 Enter upon no office without assistance of the Spirit A note of it 70 Christ the true King of the Church Nine wayes more excellent than David 71 How God brings his servants to honour 74 Church ever pestered with home-bred enemies 75 Comfort to the Church in 3. things 76 X. Salomon a type in person condition peace-making wisedome glory temple justice 77 Duties to Christ our Salomon two 83 Fourefold comfort in our Salomon 84 XI Jonah a type in name office death buriall resurrection 85 Repent at the Ministery of Christs servants 87. Motives 88. Vocation of the Gentiles 89 Our resurrection assured to us 89 Power and wisedome of God to bee admired 90 Terror of sin euen in Gods own children and comfort 91 XII The First-borne types as Gods peculiar fathers of the family preferred before brethren double portion 92 Every mercy is the greater engagement unto God 95 Honour Christ as the first-borne of God and how 96 Threefold comfort in the birthright 97 Forfeit not the birthright by sin 98 Resemble Christ our elder brother 99 XIII Priests types in deputation to office and execution choice consecration apparell actions 100 A cover for us in Christ for all deformities of soule and body
Both doe all about their Arkes at Gods commandement For as the Lord did not hide from Noah his decree Gen. 6. 13 So he communicated his whole will and counsell to his Sonne concerning the salvation of the Church Ioh. 8. 26. 2. As Noah takes many trees at Gods commandement and strongly closeth them together and pitcheth them within and without against the waters So doth Christ make choice of trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and compacts them together by the bond of the Spirit glewes and fastens them together by the glew of Christian love and pitcheth them within and without fortifies and strengthens them against the waters of affliction temptation persecution that none shall drowne or overwhelme them 3. As Noah prepared divers roomes in the Arke for divers creatures So Christ in his Arke appoints divers places and functions for beleevers here and prepares in his Fathers house many mansions for them hereafter Ioh. 14. 2. And as Noah receives into the Arke cleane and uncleane creatures and persons a Sem and a Cham So the Lord Christ into his militant Church all sorts of Nations sexes persons conditions Jewes Gentiles men women noble ignoble beleevers and unbeleevers hypocrites and sound Christians On this floore is wheat and chaffe 4. As Noah made a window into his Arke to give light to the creatures within So Christ by the Gospel preached in the Church enlighteneth the mindes of those that are within without which light let in they should sit in everlasting darkenesse 5. As Noah by the same direction makes a doore to enter into the Arke and but one doore for so very great a building So there is but one doore to the great building of the Church dispersed farre and wide and this is Christ himselfe Ioh. 10. 7 9. 6. As Noah the Master of the Arke enters into it and receaves and saves all that enter in with him for which purpose hee is contented to bee tossed up and downe by those most raging waters and had no more freedome from feare and danger then others in the Arke So Christ the Master of his Church to save his Church himselfe enters into it and is admitted into it by the waters of Baptisme and was contented for the saving of others to bee tossed with waves and billowes of affliction ignominy shame sinne curse yea the torments of hell That his Church might be in safety with him he will bee in danger with her and every way to helpe her will bee every way like her in all things sinne excepted V. Both of them were repayrers of the world From Noah descended all the inhabitants of the earth from Christ all the inhabitants of heaven The world againe was re-peopled and replenished by Noahs posterity the Church and every member is Christs posterity Both of them were preservers and providers for all sorts of Creatures But Noah as a steward Christ as Lord and owner of them Noah for a few Christ for all Noah for a yeare and a little more Christ perpetually To both of them the creatures came in and were obedient to them Though never so fierce and savage out of the Arke yet in the Arke they were mild and tame So to Christ the windes seas divels obey and if Lyons and Cockatrices come into the Arke and Church they become as Lambs and little children putting off all fiercenesse Isa. 11. 6. VI. Both of them offered a sacrifice of rest and sweet savour to the Lord Noah Gen. 8. 21. As men are delighted with sweet savours so was Noahs sacrifice pleasing to God But his was a sacrifice but of testification witnessing his faith and thankfulnesse The sacrifice of Christ was a perfect satisfaction in which he offered not the bodies of cleane beasts as Noah but his owne body as a Lamb without spot not upon an Altar built by Noahs hand but upon the Altar of his Deity not ascending to heaven by ordinary fire but offered through his eternall spirit compard to fire Heb. 9. 14. And therefore must fully satifie his Fathers justice appease his wrath and be most acceptable in it selfe and must bring Noahs and all other sacrifices into acceptance And from hence it was that with both of them God did make a covenant of grace for their posterities that he would never breake out in such wrath against them confirming the same unto the posterity of Adam by the signe of the Raynebow and to the posterity of Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper VII Both of them sent a Dove out of the Arke Noah when the waters asswaged and much of his feare and daunger was past sends out the Dove who brought an Olive branch a signe of joy comfort and abating of the waters So Christ Jesus his sufferings and labours being ended sent his Spirit forth which had lighted as a Dove on him and brings joy and peace and comfort into the hearts of all beleevers bringing in a testimony that Gods wrath is appeased the waters are diminished his love and favour returned which is better then life Now to application I. In the type and truth learne If all the world about us be given to wickednesse and wee be cast into never so wicked an age then to labour to shine in the middest of a naughty generation Phil. 2. 15. It is a singular praise to be a Lot in Sodom and in a corrupt age to bee unlike sinners For light to shine and shew it selfe in darkenesse is beautifull and glorious Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven To shew our selves sonnes of God and children of light among enemies of God and light is a singular honour Noah fashioned not himselfe to those corrupt times nor Christ to the evill behaviour of that age Never had Christians more need among so many wicked fashions to be exhorted not to fashion themselves to the world If a Preacher hold on a preacher of righteousnesse in singlenesse and sincerity of heart not fashioning himselfe to the present temporizers and men-pleasers Let all the world scorne oppose traduce him If a private man hold forth the word of life and in blamelesse and pure conversation walke in a way which leadeth against the streame and common current of the corrupt age Both the one and the other have here the type and the truth Noah and Christ presidents for the like actions precedents in the same way II. In them both learne That these are the dayes in which we must expect our Lord to judgement As it was in the dayes of Noah c So shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee As those sinnes in Noahs time brought the deluge of water the same sinnes now reigning shall bring and hasten the destruction by fire prophecyed 2. Pet. 3. The sinnes are these 1. The sonnes of God marry with the daughters of men that is the godly with the
seeing he was before all worlds eternally begotten of his Father And whereas Melchizedek onely had no beginning or end of life expressed Christ is onely truely without beginning neither shall have any end for hee is the beginning and the ending And although his humanity had genealogie beginning and ending of life yet as he was the word hee had none And although as the Sonne he was from the father yet as God hee was from none but as the word was of himselfe Here also is a difference Melchizedek was without genealogy according to Scripture Christ according to nature IV. In the excellency of his 1. Person 2. Priesthood 1. For excellency of Person 1. Melchizedek was greater then Abraham for he blessed Abraham and the greater blesseth the lesser Heb. 7. 7. signifying Christ the fountaine and originall of all blessing in heavenly and earthly things Ephes. 1. 3. 2. Melchizedek refreshed Abraham and his Army returning weary from the battell and journey with bread and wine Here Abraham was a receiver Melchizedek a giver a manifest type of Iesus Christ refreshing and comforting all his followers and members of his militant Church in their journey and wearinesse with his word and Sacraments Matthew 11. 28. I will refresh you 3. Melchizedek was man onely and sinfull Christ God and man without sinne Melchizedek as the sonne of God Christ indeed the Sonne of God 2. For the excellency of his Sacrifice or his Priesthood which was greater then Aarons For 1. Levi and Aaron paid tythes in Abrahams loines to Melchizedek Heb. 7. 9. and the inferiour payes tythes to the Superiour Such is the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek not of Aaron 2. In regard of the entrance Melchizedek was not anointed with materiall oile as Aaron nor received his Priesthood from any other but onely so declared by the mouth of God So Christ succeeded none received his Priesthood from none but anointed by the Spirit of God Luke 4. 18. and made a Priest by the Oath of God Psal. 110. 4. The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek 3. In regard of the continuance of his Priesthood For as hee receives it from none so hee passeth it not to any other nor any can succeed him but hee endureth ever having an everlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. The Leviticall Priesthood ended particularly in the death of every high Priest and universally and finally in the death of our high Priest But Christ is eternall who died but rose againe figured in Melchizedek I. If Christ bee the true Melchizedek then must he needs bee greater then Abraham though the Jewes vainely gainesay it Ioh. 8. 53. To him all our tythes and offerings our sacrifice of praises are due as tythes and offerings due from Abraham to Melchizedek Hee is blessed and Prince onely the King of kings and Lord of lords unto him be honour and power everlasting 1. Tim. 6. 15 16. So the foure and twenty Elders Revel 11. 15 17. And Angels Beasts Elders and all creatures Revel 5. 11 12 13. II. For the comfort of the Church that Christ is the true Melchizedek both a Priest and a King 1. As he is a Priest wee are assured of a perfect reconciliation by his all-sufficient Sacrifice 2. Of sound instruction for the Priest must teach the Law his lips must present knowledge Ioh. 4. 25. When the Messiah is come hee will tell us all things Wee detest the blasphemy therefore that tells us that he hath left an imperfect doctrine that must bee eeked with traditions 3. Of his blessed intercession which is meritorious and acceptable Samuel out of his love to the people 1. Sam. 12. 23. saith thus God forbid that I should sinne and cease to pray for you but I will teach you the good way Christs love to the Church is no lesse therefore he will both teach and pray 4. Of powerfull protection and safety For he is not our Priest onely but our King not our Doctor onely but our defendor not a Priest onely to pray but a King to obtaine for us and bestow on us what he prayes for What if he had never so much power in teaching if he were impotent in defending But he is King of peace in himselfe and unto us We haue a powerfull aduocate in heaven They never tasted the sweetnesse of this doctrine that seeke after any other Mediator III. Hence is the happinesse of the Church As Melchizedek blessed Abraham So Christ our Melchizedek hath blessed all the faithfull posterity of Abraham Eph. 1. 3. with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus But with difference Melchizedek onely pronounced blessing Gen. 14. 19. blessed art thou of God possessor of heaven and earth But our Melchizedek meriteth and bestoweth blessings of higher kind also then could Melchizedek For 1. Christ blesseth by meriting blessing through his most perfect sacrifice pacifying his Fathers wrath Melchizedek offered no such sacrifice to no such effect his was accepted by mercy not for merit not for his owne sacrifice but for Christs 2. By actuall procuring the blessing of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse restored a more effectual blessing then Melchidek could procure His sacrifices could onely signifie these in the Messiahs not actually apply them 3. By gathering calling ruling and preserving in spirituall life his whole Church as members of his owne body and by the donation of his spirit none of which blessings Melchizedek could give 4. By bestowing eternall life on beleevers here in the first fruits heereafter in the harvest whereof Melchizedek must be a receiver from him the fountaine not a giver 5. By publishing and pronouncing on beleevers all this blessing in the preaching of the Gospell and sealing it to the hearts of the elect by the daily effectuall voyce of his spirit by the word which Melchizedek could not doe Therefore a greater then Melchizedek is here and a greater blessing then Abraham received from him Let the world curse wicked ones rage and revile against the Church and members yet as Isaac said of Iacob Gen. 27. 33. I have blessed him and therefore he shall be blessed the same will Christ not say onely but accomplish to them IIII. Hence is the stability and perpetuity of the Church and members That Christ is the true Melchizedek that is an eternall Priest the Church must be eternall For a Priest cannot be without a Church nor an eternall Priest without an eternall Church but of Christ it is said thou art a Priest for ever Therefore Tyrants shall not wast it time shall not outlast it death shall not hinder the being and happinesse of it no more then it could the eternity of the Priest himselfe who rose gloriously from the dead so shall the members How happy a thing is it to be of this houshold V. The excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall This
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
in thy calling and the rocke shall yeeld thee water rather then thou shalt be destitute in Gods way or worke V. In both learne to contemne the greatest and extreamest perill in Gods causes Sampson offered himselfe to death so did Christ hee went out to meet his enemies so must thou learne not to love thy life to the death Revel 12. 11. and with Paul not count thy life deare to finish thy course with joy For a man to thrust himselfe in hazard or venture his life without warrant from God or by his owne private motion is rash but God calling in standing against the enemies of the Church it is honourable In both learne to prepare for death approaching by faithfull and fervent prayer So did both these Sampsons And the issue will bee comfortable as theirs that all thy life and combat shall not give such an overthrow to thy enemies as such a death though enemies seeme never so much to prevaile CHAP. X. 9. David a type of Christ in 5. respects AS all the Kings of Israel were expresse types of Jesus Christ the head of his Kingdome and of all the people of God as they in their times were So were there two of them that were more manifest figures of him then all the rest I meane David and Solomon Of both which wee are to enquire wherein the resemblance consisteth David was so speciall a type of Christ as scarce is any thing noted of Christ but some shadow of it might be observed in David I. For his person David the son of Iesse Christ the true rod out of the stocke of Iesse Isai. 11. 1. Both of obscure and low parentage Both out of dry and despicable roots Both Kings Both Kings of Israel Both their Kingdomes raised out of humility Both men after Gods owne heart Both Davids for even this roote of Iesse was not onely commonly called by the name of the sonne of David but of the name of David himselfe Ezech. 34. 24. My servant David shall bee the Prince among them which was longafter David was dead Ieremiah 30. 9. they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Hosea 3. 5. they shall seeke the Lord their God and David their King that is not the typicall King David dead long before but the Messiah the true David to whom onely prayer and spirituall worship belongs II. For his vocation and calling 1. Both called to be the head of nations Psal. 18. 43. thou hast made me the head of nations which was not literally true of David who was properly King of one little corner in Iudea but of Christ the true David whose Kingdome was from sea to sea and to the worlds end David of a shepherd of sheepe was raised to bee a shepherd of men even of Gods people So was Christ raised of God to be the chiefe shepherd of the flocke 1. Pet. 5. 4. And not of bodies as David but of soules 1. Pet. 2. 25. 2. The time when David was anointed about the thirtieth yeare of his life 2. Sam. 5. 4 and Christ was baptized at thirty yeares and invested into his Office 3. The place where David made choice of Ierusalem for his royall seate and Metropolis being anointed of God to the Kingdome of Israel So Christ being anointed the everlasting King of all the Israel of God makes choice of Ierusalem there to rule and shew his power upon the Crosse his chariot of triumph crowned with a crowne of thornes and after in his glorious resurrection ascension sending the Spirit the Gospel And as David added some of the borderers to the kingdome of Israel as himselfe saith strangers were subdued to him So the true David adds to the Church the whole body of the Gentiles and hath by the preaching of the Gospel the sword of his mouth subdued the world to himselfe 4. The gifts fitting him to this function As when David was anointed the Spirit of God came upon him 1. Sam 16. 13. and fitted him to the governement of Gods people So our true David Jesus Christ anointed with oyle above all his fellowes had the Spirit of God descending upon him in a visible shape and by that anointing filled and furnished with the Spirit and all needfull graces for the administring of his Kingdome 5. As David was preferred above all his brethren in foure speciall graces So was Jesus Christ above David himselfe 1. In wisedome and prudence 1. Sam. 16. 18. the servants of Saul observed David to bee wise in matters and the Lord was with him and Chap. 18. verse 14 15. when Saul saw that David was very wise hee was afraid of him Our true David had all treasures of wisedome and knowledge the Spirit of wisedome and understanding the Spirit of counsel rested upon him Isai. 11. 2. who is therefore called the great Counseller Isai. 9. 6. whose counsels are farre beyond Ahitophels his werâ— as the Oracles of God Christs were so And our true David gets beyond his type David in many things by his owne confession did very foolishly Our true David never did any thing but the wisedome of God shined in it with whom not onely God was but because hee was God 2 In fortitude and magnanimity without which counsell were bootlesse by which hee was able to encounter with a Lion a Beare with Goliah and all that rose up against him or his people A man fitted for peace or warre with counsell and strength Whose description in part is contained in the forecited place 1. Sam. 16. 18. strong valiant a man of warre and wise in matters A type of our true David who for fortitude is the invincible Lion of the tribe of Iudah and not a valiant man onely but the strong God Isai. 9. 6. the mighty God See Tit. 2. 13. 3. In gifts of prophecy He was able to sing divine Psalmes and hymnes to the praise of God an holy pen-man of the Scripture A type of Christ the true Prophet of his Church not a pen-man but the Authour of all the holy Scriptures David a Prophet Christ the Lord of all holy Prophets 4. In gifts of true sanctification and holinesse being a man after Gods owne heart commended for his uprightnesse in all matters save that of Vriah A type of Jesus Christ who by the devils confession was the holy One of God 1. Himselfe being sanctified beyond all measure 2. Being the sanctifier of his people the Authour meritour and applier of all sanctifying graces to his members of whom himselfe is head 3. In his type were many foule spots In him no spot nor staine Therefore the Church sings out his holinesse from topp to toe Cant. 5. 10. and concludes him wholly faire and delectable verse 16. III. David was a type of Christ in his warres First in respect of his followers secondly of his enemies thirdly of his victories 1. His followers
the Nations to the end of the world And so Paul Rom. 15. 9. interprets it of the calling of the Gentiles For David could not doe this literally and in person among whom he never dwelt nor came but onely in him whose type he was V. David was a type of Christ in respect of Christ his propheticall and Priestly office 1. David by his sweet musick allayes Sauls madnesse 1. Sam. 16. 23. Christ by the sweet voyce of the Gospell stills the evill spirits which molest and vexe men and gives them peace and quietnesse in mind and conscience And in the dayes of his flesh how he sought to cure and allay the spirituall madnesse of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees against him is plaine in the story 2. David brings back the Arke to his right place 2. Sam. 6. So did Christ the truth of Gods Law obscured by the false glosses of Scribes and Pharisees and reduced the true sense and meaning of it And freed his Church signified by the Arke from the spirituall thraldome and captivity of the Law 3. David builds an Altar in the grounds of a stranger 2. Sam. 24. 24 namely Araunah the Jebusite The true David builds up a Church among the Gentiles and sets up Gods worship among them that were strangers from the Covenant 4. David offers a sacrifice and the Lord accepts it sending fire from heaven to consume it 2. Sam. 24. 25. Christ offers the most acceptable sacrifice that every was in which both Davids and all ours must be accepted and in which alone the Lord smels a savour of rest I. As the spirit of God came on David after his anoynting 1. Sam. 16. 13 So did it on our true David after his baptizing to fit them to their waighty offices Learne 1. That he that is not fitted and furnished with gifts of the spirit in some measure and attempteth any office in the Church or commonwealth is not called by God whose wisdome will not send a blind man for a seer nor a dumb man on his message or errand Would a man know whether hee have received of this spirit for his office A note is when God stirres up his will in that office to performe all the desire of God Isa. 44. 28 he saith to Cyrus Thou art my shepheard thou shalt performe all my desire The Magistrate is a shepheard he must doe in judgement what God himselfe would doe in repressing vice and cherishing religion else the spirit who is not contrary to himselfe leads him not The Minister is a shepheard hee must speake nothing but what God would speake for the incouraging of grace and disgrace of sinne and sinners God speaks peace to his people and feeds the impenitent with judgement and he that in his ministery doth speake sweetly to wicked men and broacheth a vessell of gall and wormewood for godly men to drinke is not sent by God on that errand hee crosseth the spirit which hee pretendeth 2. Art thou a private Christian see that the same spirit rest on thee and that thou hast received of the same anoynting For 1. he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs and 2. what is it to us that the spirit rest and light upon Christ if he should determine all his fruits and graces upon him But in that the sweete oyntment and Balsame poured upon the head of our high Priest runnes downe to the skirt of his garment that is to the lowest member of his Church Psa 133. 2 hence are we sweetly and admirably refreshed Findest thou emptinesse or want of grace fly to this fulnesse but observe the diverse manner To the head is given the spirit in all fulnesse to us members of that fulnesse Ioh. 1. 16. To him beyond all measure to us according to measure II. That Jesus Christ is the right and undoubted King of his Church of whom David was but a shadow And it will be worth our labour to enquire how farre the truth exceeds the type 1. For originall Davids kingdome and all other Kings and kingdomes are mediately from men either from some meane family as Jshais or some greater house in some corner of the earth But the kingdome of Christ is immediatly and unchangeably from heaven Dan. 2. 44. the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdome that is immediately for mediatly all kingdomes Kings and power is from him 2. In respect of unction All they are annoynted 1. by men 2. with materiall oyle 3. to be temporary Saviours 4. from temporary dangers But Christs annoynting was by the Spirit of God with more divine and excellent oyle above all his fellowes Psal. 45. 7. that he might be a spirituall and eternall Saviour a Jesus saving his people from their sinnes and such spirituall evills as pertaine to the life to come 3. Their titles are stately and glorious David as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said so Caesar Augustus Charles the great Constantine Alexander the great to set out their glory But all these are nothing to the true and undoubted title of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. And if this were too little he hath another for he is God and man in one Person our Immanuel a style too high for Pope or Potentate for men or Angels Isay 7. 14. 4. Their Scepters are of metal gold or silver which they hold in their hands and by them they save or slay innocent or nocent But his Scepter is but verball which he holds in his mouth the word and breath of his mouth more pure then the gold of Ophir more potent then all the Scepters of all Kings put together By this he slayes the wicked Hos. 6. 5. I slew them with the word of my mouth 2. Thes. 2. 8. he shall slay that wicked man of sinne with the breath of his mouth Other Kings by their Scepters can kill men but cannot make them alive againe when they have done but Christ by his word can quicken and make alive dead soules and bodies They by theirs can be dreadfull to men Christ by his drives backe devils diseases death and all adversary power 5. In port and state 1. Their banners and ensignes expresse their noble acts and the honourable exployts of them and their progenitors which are glorious in the eyes of men Christs banner for his kingdome of grace is his Crosse or rather the Gospell a doctrine of the Crosse to the world foolishnesse or basenesse but in his kingdome of glory the signe of the sonne of man that is such glory and power as agrees to none else 2. Their servants and attendants must be rich stately noble and the sonnes of great Princes must be nearest to attend them Christ Jesus in contempt of what the world admireth will have his servants poore meeke lowly not such lofty Lords as so farre excell the Emperour in worldly glory as the Sunne
1. For the kinde in that he was Mediator God and man in unity of person and the onely redeemer of his Church In this regard Rom. 8. 29. he is called the first borne among many brethren Which phrase noteth quality not equality with him some similitude but no parity betweene him and beleevers He holds his birth-right as the Sonne of God by nature and wee by grace made the sonnes of God he disdaines not to call us brethren 2. For undertaking his office 1. In his incarnation he was the first borne of his Mother Mat. 1. 25. till she had brought forth her first borne Son not in respect of any that his mother had after him but because she had none before 2. For the strange maner He was the first borne of a virgine and so never had brother 3. He was the first borne without sinne 3. For accomplishing his office in his resurrection He is called the first begotten or first borne of the dead two wayes 1. In respect of his father who first begot him from the dead Whence his resurrection is called a begetting Act. 13. 33. thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee the Apostle applying it to the resurrection of Christ. And had not the Father thus begotten his sonne from the dead we had never been raised from death 2. In regard of himselfe whose priviledge it was to raise up himselfe from the dead by his owne power Rom. 1. 4. As himselfe said I have power to take up my life againe And being risen he was the first that ascended in body and soule into heaven Thus consider Christ as God as Mediator as incarnate as raised and ascended he is the Lords first born and the birthright belongs to no other II. The first borne of Israel was the second and next to the father of the family yea after the father instead of the father So is Christ to his family the Church he performes all offices of a carefull and tender father and takes on him not the affection onely of a father but even 1. the name of a father Isa. 9. 6. Father of eternity 2 the office of a father 1. He supplies the meanes of spirituall life as they of naturall 2. Hee nurtures and teacheth his Church 3. Hee provides for the present and bestowes the inheritance of eternall life III. The first born had the preheminence among the brethren and were chiefe in office and authority rulers in the house after their fathers and Priests in the family before the Leviticall order was established Gen. 27. 29. when Isaac blessed Iacob for Esau supposing him the first borne one part of it was Be Lord over thy brethren and let all thy mothers children honour thee So all the sheaves must bowe to Iosephs And Gen. 49. 8. when Iacob blesseth Iudah this is added as his right Thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe unto thee Here in they were speciall types of Christ who in all things must have the preheminence as first in time in order in precedency first in the excellency and dignity of his person Of whom comming into the world was said Let all the Angels of God worship him And for glory and authority he sits on his fathers throne the onely King of kings who hath a name above all names Phil. 2. 9. And Heb. 2. 9. we see Iesus crowned with glory and honour the head of the mysticall body the Prince and head of all his brethren And besides he is the high Priest of our profession by offering up himselfe a sacrifice for us Thus Christ is first in order in glory in Priesthood IV. The first borne had a double portion in goods Deut. 21 17. Signifying 1. The plenitude of the spirit grace in Christ who was anointed with oyle of gladnesse above all his fellowes 2. The preheminence of Christ in his glorious inheritance advanced in glory and majesty incomprehensible by all creatures I. Out of the occasion of the Law of the first borne learne that the more God doth for any man the more he ought to conceive himselfe to be the Lords and the more right and interest the Lord challengeth in him For therefore the first borne were his by a speciall right because he had not onely delivered them out of Aegypt as others but from the speciall plague of Aegypts first borne Speciall mercies call for speciall service More mercies are more bonds of obedience And new mercies are so many new cords to draw and fasten us to God and duty Is it not reason that the more it pleaseth the Lord to become ours the more we should become his Ought not great benefits become great binders And should not great love bee a great loadstone of love Should not strong cords of Gods love draw us strongly to love our God Examine the encrease of Gods mercies on thee in all kindes and whether they have had this fruit to make thee more dutifull Hath God multiplied blessing on thy head that thou shouldest blesse thy selfe in wickednesse Hath God continued mercy that thou shouldest continue sinne Art thou the Lords by Creation providence redemption stored with all personall kindnesses pertaining to life and godlinesse to continue a slave to sinne and Satan Remember good Iosephs conclusion Gen. 39. 8 9. My master hath dealt thus and thus with me advanced me from nothing to this estate committed all to my trust kept nothing from me but thee How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God 2. If Christ be the true first borne of whom all they are but types we must give him the honor of his birth-right The whole Church and all the sonnes of that mother must honour him all the sheaves of the brethren must vaile and bowe to his sheave Let not the basenesse of his birth the humility of his life the ignominy of his death the shame of his crosse the poverty of his professors the weaknesse and frailty of his followers draw our eyes aside from him as the Jews at this day but acknowledge him the first borne esteeming him as doth the Church the chiefe of ten thousand and with the Apostle esteeme to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Quest. How shall we honour Christ as the first born Sol. 1. If we honour him with the same honor that is due to the Father Iohn 5. 23. 2. Advance his estate above our owne or other mens confesse and professe his name though with losse and disfavour 3. Depend upon him and make him our chiefe refuge for all the family depended on the first borne for protection so doe members on the head 4. Greeve to offend him by sin How pitifully can men and women grieve for the death of their first borne So much more should we that our sins have pierced Gods first borne Zach. 12. 10. III. Here is a ground of much consolation 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first borne from him the birthright is
derived unto us beleevers as it was from Reuben unto Iudah and wee partake of the same birth-right with our head For here is a difference betweene the type and truth of the first borne They had all their priviledges for themselves but Christ not for himselfe but for us Whence his elect members are called the Congregation of the first borne written in heaven that is whose names are written in the booke of life And farther the more those first borne had the lesse had the other brethren but the more Christ hath the more have we seeing of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace If he be strong he is strong for us if rich he is so to us If he be Prince and Priest of his family the Church hereby we recover the dignity we had lost by sinne and of slaves and vassalls of corruption are made Kings and Priests that is the first borne to God Rev. 1. 6. If he have a double portion of the spirit so have wee by him Isa. 40. 2. speake to the heart of Ierusalem her iniquity is forgiven she hath received double at the Lords hand for all her sinnes that is a double portion of grace and favour As Ioseph made Benjamins messe to be doubled so our Jesus doubles his spirit on the elect If he have a double portion of glory immortality and heavenly inheritance so have we in him being coheires with him in the same inheritance Rom. 8. 17. 2. Comfort Being Gods first borne through Christ wee are deare unto God So Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first borne that is deare unto me as the first borne commonly are dearest to their Parents Israel before his receiving into the Covenant was the worst of all people and smallest in it selfe and in Gods eyes Deut. 7. and 9. 4. But afterwards being in the right of the Messiah Gods first borne became deare to him as the apple of his eye Now what a joy is it to the beleeving soule to see God a father looke towards it as a father to his first borne So fareth it now with us being so made in Christ. 3. Comfort God takes notice and revengeth all the wrongs done to the Saints because they are his first borne Let Aegypt offer injury to Gods first borne God will say Slay every first borne of man and beast in Aegypt let them see in the punishment their sinne For can a tender father see an arme or a legge of his first borne cut off Would it not go to his heart to see him dismembred And can the Lord Jesus endure any wrongs and cruelties done to his members and this not pierce his bowels A man may sometime see his child in want and correct his first borne for his farther good send him to bee schooled and trayned in some course under a sharpe discipline but to see him wounded to see him bleed cast off troden under fee◠he cannot endure No more the Lord. Let no man never so great dare to wrong the godly for he will rebuke Kings for their sakes IV. Seeing in Christ the first borne wee attaine the birthright let every Christian beware of prophanenesse and passing away his birthright as Esau who sold his birthright for pottage Heb. 12. 16. and therefore called prophane So doe they that exchange spirituall things for temporall earth for heaven As many who pretend a part in Christ but in Esaus language say Give me my pottage my silver my honour my profit my pleasure let them take their religion their preaching praying and precisenesse a bird in hand is worth two in the bush This contempt of their priviledges robbed the Jewes of them who being cast out of favour of first borne become the last of all people and now wee Gentiles are stept into their birthright Let us be wise in the entertayning our prerogative conscionably expresse our love to Christ and his Gospell not hatred as they least provoking the Lord he deale with us in justice as he did with them For if he spared not the naturall branches Rom. 11. 21. What reason hath he to spare us V. Learne to grow in conformity with our elder brother Christ with whom wee cannot be equall but like as brothers All must have one father one flesh one spirit For the brotherhood stands not in communion of flesh and blood for so every man were his brother but in the spirituall union by regeneration Ioh. 1. 13. We must be like him in affection like him in affliction like him in the combat and like him in the Crowne How like unto Christ is he that resists and despises the spirit of grace that having onely humane nature hath no whit of that divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. When heardest thou this first borne brother to sweare or lye Or be idle in speech wanton in behaviour carelesse of his course or company When was he ashamed of thy cause of thy Crosse yea or curse But thou art ashamed of his Crosse and cause When did he revile rebuke hate Would he be like us in every thing even in our evills sinne onely excepted should not we be like him in grace to be like him in glory CHAP. XIV Priests Types in the deputation to their office OF the rankes and orders of holy persons some were sanctified and seperated to the Lord by office or function As the Priests and high Priests who of all other were most expresse types of Jesus Christ. Heb. 4. 14. We have a great high Priest which is entred into heaven even Iesus the Son of God The Priest a type of Christ 1. In deputatiō to his office wherein 1. his choice 1. for his tribe 2. for his perfections 2. his consecration 3. his apparrell 2. In execution of it Actions 1. Common 2. Ministeriall Sect. I. I. The Choise had respect 1. To the tribe He must come of one onely tribe of Levi which was by God of all the tribes seperated and appointed by God to exercise the Priesthood in the Tabernacle and to performe whatsoever belonged to the holy Ministery This signified Christ our Mediator who must bee a speciall and singular man taken from among men Heb. 5. 1. as they true man as they For he must be true man in nature and affection that must mediate and negotiate mans cause with God and so taken from men to stand in the midst betweene God and man True it is our Lord came not of Levi but out of Iudah Heb. 7. 14. with the reason for he was not to be after the manner of Aaron but of Melchizedek verse 15 and because hee was to change the Priesthood and would doe it in the tribe and was to bee a Priest not after the carnall commandement but after the power of endlesse life verse 16. But yet he was expressely typed by those Priests Neither was it without a spirituall signification that Aaron the first of those high Priests should bee Moses brother For what more brotherly league then of
Christ to Moses of grace to the Law and of the new Testament to the Old 2. To the perfections For in the choice of the Priest were requisite many externall perfections Levit. 21. 17. Whosoever of thy seed hath any blemishes shall not prease to offer the bread of his God Hee must not be blind lame nor mishapen Wherein the Lord would not onely provide for the dignity of that calling in that infancy of the Church which otherwise if the Priesthood had beene in outward shew contemptible many might have drawen not their persons onely into contempt but even all such holy things as they handled But especially to signifie Jesus Christ our high Priest to bee without all blemish the onely immaculate Lambe that takes away the sinnes of the world For although no other mortall man could be without some blemish of sinne or other yet it became us to have such an high Priest as is holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7. 26. And as our Lord was spotlesse and without all blemish so also perfect in all parts and perfections He wanted no part no gift no sufficiency to discharge that function too weighty for men and Angels I. In this our unblemished high Priest wee have a sufficient cover for all our blemishes both of soule and body 1. If never so blemished in soule by sinne by infirmity if wee have a thousand wants and eye-sores if we bewaile and resist them here is helpe and remedy in our high Priest against them all For as those persons that had such blemishes might not stand at the Altar to doe duties there yet they were allowed in the Congregation and to eate from the Altar of the sacrifices as the Preists did Levit. 21. 22 So all defects and weaknesses which the Saints carry as a burthen shall not hinder them from participating in the good things purchased by Christs sacrifice nor cast them out of place of the elect neither here nor for ever 2. Be thou never so blemished and deformed or maimed in body now the truth being come God respects not according to the outward appearance And although the honour of the Ministery must bee respected and the choisest of our children are not too good for Gods service yet now it is farre better a good Minister without an eye or a hand or foot then a Congregation without a good Minister II. All these outward perfections of the body in all the Priests high and low point us to such endowments and gifts of minde which the Lord expects in Ministers before they attempt this high calling 1. He of all men must not bee blind or ignorant Hos. 4. 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge thou art rejected from being a Priest to me How should he be a light to others that himselfe is in darknesse If the eye bee darke so is all the body 2. Hee must not have either a blind or a blemished eye an eye filled with envie at another mans gifts and prosperity Nor a squint eye looking indirectly upon every thing not aiming at Gods glory or the building of Christs Kingdome but his owne glory wrath lusts ends 3. He must not be lame or cripled in his feet but make right steps to his feet Heb. 12. 13. Upright in his way not right doctrine onely but right life also 4. Hee must not have a flat nose that is without discretion or judgement to discerne truth and falsehood good and evill things fit and unfit As the nose discernes smells so to discerne companies and courses 5. Hee must not have a crooked backe bended downwards and almost broken with earthly cares hindering his eye from looking towards heaven and interrupting heavenly contemplations and studye And so in the rest Would God such care were had in the choice and permission of Evangelicall Ministers as in the Old We should not see the Churches pestered with so many unworthy illiterate men fitter for any trade then this so holy calling Sect. II. II. His consecration set downe Exo. 29. 1. wherein were three thiâ—gs 1. Washing 2. Anointing 3. â— Sacrificing and purifying with blood And this consecration to continue seven dayes together Which in generall shadowed the surpassing sanctity and purity of Christ above all other men and Angels Whom the devills themselves call that holy One of God Mark 1. 24. In speciall verse 4. the washing did not onely admonish them to cleanse and purge themselves from the inward defilement of their sinnes before they undertooke that holy calling but plainly pointed at the washing and Baptisme of Christ who undertaking his Ministery went into the water and was baptized Mat. 3. The anointing by the holy Oyle verse 7. signified the anointing of Christ with the holy Spirit without measure Isai. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach Psal. 45. 7. God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above all thy fellowes In which regard Christ was called by eminency the anointed of God and the Priests as types touch not mine anointed In this anointing 1. The matter holy Oile signifying the Spirit of God and his gifts for much similitude and agreement betweene them 1. That was made of the most precious things in all the world Exod. 30. 25 So the holy graces of the Spirit are the best things in the world Luk. 11. 13. there is no gift to this Oile swimmes aloft So the Spirit and graces are highest 2. No stranger had that Oile but onely persons and things sanctified So none but Gods Elect have these precious and saving mercies Ioh. 14. 17. The world cannot receive it that is gifts not common but of sanctification 3. That perfumd all the place where it was It is the Spirit of God that sweetens and perfumes all our actions and natures otherwise most corrupt and loathsome to God 4. That sanctified the thing to which it was applied and set it aside to an holy use Without this Oile the sacrifice of the Jew was as if hee had killed a dog It is the Spirit that sets us apart and sanctifieth to the Lord us our persons our actions 2. Tim. 2. 21. The service that wants the spirit is hatefull to God 5. Oile is cleare and shining and makes other things anointed to shine The holy Ghost within enlightneth the mind and brings in the true light and knowledge of God 1. Ioh. 2. 27. the anointing shall teach you all things 6. Oile hath the force of fire in penetrating and subtly pearcing and is the fuell and feeder of fire and flames So the Spirit of God is a pearcing fire in the heart and kindles and maintaines in it the ardent flames of the love of God Holy thoughts as sparkes flie upward 7. Oile suppleth cherisheth comforteth So the Spirit of consolation anoints with oile of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. It is he that brings peace and tranquillity into consciences 2. The measure powred in abundance upon Aarons
be perfected Heb. 11. 40. 5. Their order They stand in foure rowes in a comely quadrangle signifying the comely order that Christ hath stablished in the Church some in higher place some in lower some of one ranke and vertues some of another as those stones but all stand seemely and fitly And this order wee must maintaine keepe our rankes as they did 6. The figure The foure square ver 16 signifying the stability and firmenesse of the Church as a foure square turne it any way is firme Satan and all deceivers shall not pick one stone out of Christs Pectorall The gates of hell shall not prevaile against him that is fixed in that rocke and stone of Israel 7. Their use That Aaron who before bare the names of Israel on his shoulders before the Lord might now beare them on his heart continually for a remembrance before the Lord when he goeth into the holy place ver 29 signifying 1. The ardent love of Jesus Christ towards his Church who beares it not onely on his shoulders as a shepheard nor onely in his armes as a nurse but upon his heart and in his heart never to forget our good If Aaron may forget the names he carries upon his shoulders he cannot the names upon his breast or heart so cannot Christ forget the Church he hath taken into his heart Isa. 49. 15 Can a woman forget her child and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee 2. Bearing of the names continually before the Lord on his heart signifieth the continuall mindfulnesse and intercession of Jesus Christ for his Church in that heavenly sanctuary Heb. 7. 25. By vertue of which all our prayers get audience and acceptance 8. The quantity As all the names of Israell were gathered into a narrow compasse so Jesus Christ our Mediator shall gather together into one all the despersed sonnes of God and present them before God as the most beautifull and precious parts of the world Ioh. 11. 52. He shall make a short account in the earth in comparison of the wicked who will take up more roome II. In respect of the Urim and Thummim which were put in the brestplate of Judgement ver 30. Of which Rabbi David a Jew saith It is unknowne to us what these signifie And what this precious monument was put by Gods appointment into the fold of the Pectorall no man living can tell I take it to be no workemanship of man but a sacred monument immediately received from God But expresly they signified Jesus Christ 1 in their names 2 in their use 1. Their names Urim and Thummim Urim signifieth lights in the plurall number Note that there were not lights and shining before in the Pectorall by the many precious stones but here is a glorious light shining above them all to which their light is obscurity Plainly signifying Jesus Christ in whom are hid treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. He is the light of the world Ioh. 9. 5. Which enlighteneth every one that commeth into the world Ioh. 1. 9. There are many lights as stones and stars in the world but he is the sun nay he is lights With him is many-folded wisdome And without him is nothing but darkenesse sinne death inner darkenesse and utter Ioh. 8. 12. Thummim signifieth perfections And to whom can this point us but unto Christ in whom alone are all perfections of holinesse and graces There is illumination in the twelve stones the Church but not any perfection there is some purity in the stones but farre from perfection of it In Christ is perfection in all parts and from him alone wee must expect our perfection II. The use of them was to receive by them answer from God when the high Priest consulted with him vers 30. For when the Priest asked counsell of God God is said to answer by Urim that is not by the colour of the stones nor the changing of colour by brightnesse blacknesse or bloodinesse of them as some Jews but the Lord answered by voyce Numb 7. 89. And therefore it is called the Urim of Judgement not because it selfe gave judgement or decided causes but because the Lord answered when the Priest applyed the Urim and Thummim This directly looked at Christ as to whom 1. all secrets and Mysteries are perfectly knowne He is the Lamb with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. Onely worthy to open the booke ver 9. because of his abundant grace and wisdome signified by the seven spirits 2. Who makes knowne and continually reveales to his Church and members as their need requires whatsoever is meete for them to know by such meanes as himselfe hath sanctified Now although this was a great priviledge of the first Temple and the second did want it that they might not be kept from desire expectation of the true Urim and Thummim yet we in the new Testament are farre beyond them For as the Oracle by Urim was certaine for direction so Christ is the most perfect rule and direction shadowed by that As the Urim answered by voice so Christ by his word preached As God spake then by Urim to the Priest So now by his owne sonne Heb. 1. 2. Wouldst thou have God answer thee goe to the Urim 1. Frequent his ordinance God then answered when the Priest consulted 2. Pray for wisedome If any want wisedome let him aske of God and it shall be given him Iam. 1. 5. 3. Feare God Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him 4. Follow and obey the voice Iohn 14. 21. If any love me and obey my commandements I will love him and reveale my selfe unto him Iohn 7. 17. If any man doe the will of God he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God The third peculiar garment of the high Priest was the robe of the Ephod Exod. 28. 5 31 On the skirts of which were fastened 1. The Pomegranats of blue silke and purple and skarlet round about This fruit hath a most pleasant smell sweet in it selfe and sweetning other things round about it and is full of precious iuyce and liquor 2. Bells of gold between them round about a golden Bell and a Pomegranat the use of which was that his sound might be heard round about when hee went into the Sanctuary and holy of Holies The whole garment signified the righteousnesse of Christs humane nature which is 1. Most sweet it selfe having a most pleasant savour as the Pomegranate 2. Full of most precious iuyce and vertue to qualifie and abate the raging heat of Gods displeasure as the iuyce of Pomegranats doth allay the burning heat of an ague that would shake the body to pieces 3. Casts upon us a sweet savour being wrapped in it For wee by nature stinking in our sinnes and rottennesse are loathsome to the Lord but once covered with
this 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
bones not one of them is broken that is without the will of our heavenly Father as Mat. 10. 29. Not an hayre shall fall for the same providence watcheth the head and members This consideration is used by Christ to remoove excessive feare of men If thou see thine enemies encrease as bees about thee ready to strike and sting Let thy waies please the Lord he can 1. turne their hearts to peace as Esaus to Iacob when he purposed his death and Labans to Iacob when he intended evill intreaty towards him 2. He can turne their counsell to folly and bring it on their owne heads as in Haman and Achitophel 3. He can turne their evill to thy good and salvation according to the saying of Ioseph to his brethren Yee intended evill against me but God turned it to good as this day 4. He can take them off at his pleasure he hath an hooke for Zenacherib and Balaam shall not curse though he would never so faine 3. In that Christ brought no uncleane thing to his sacrifice figured in pulling out the maw and feathers and casting them beside the Altar in the place of ashes wee have comfort in the offering of all our service and sacrifices of prayer prayses almes duties all unclean in and from us but presented in Christs sacrifice no uncleannesse is in them II. How carefull the Lord is that his people preserve purenesse among them that the holy God may walke amongst an holy people And teacheth how carefull we Christians should be to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. And that we should be ever stopping up those uncleane issues which disturbe our chastity of body or mind which these Legall issues specially aime at Oh this chastity of minde and body is a singular grace For 1. It stands with the will of God 1 Thes. 4. 3 4 This is the will of God even your sanctification and that every one possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour 2. It stands with the nature of God which is most holy and pure God is a pure chast Spirit and will bee prayed unto with a pure and chast heart How can foule fornicators and adulterers thinke that their prayers can get into heaven and themselves shut out 3. By holinesse and chastity of mind and body thou becommest a Temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19 Without which thou art no better then a swinesty fit for foule spirits and devils that delight in uncleannesse to harbour in 4. It stands with the honour of the body which 1. is for the Lord that is created for the glory of the maker 2. the Lord is for the body namely to redeeme it so as the body also is a part of Gods purchase 3. the Lord is the head and the bodies are members of Christ. Oh what a great wickednesse as Ioseph calls it Gen. 39. 9. to make it a member of an harlot 5. Follow holinesse and chastity without which thou shall never see God either in grace or in glory Heb. 12. 24. What makes the harlots so sottish so gracelesse in the middest of powerfull meanes but that their hearts are taken away Gods plague hath already seised upon them in great part for they cannot see God in grace offering repentance and therefore they shall never see him in glory Now the best directions for stopping these running issues are I. Direction Begin at the fountaine labour for inward purity first For 1. Whence issue these but from a wicked and impenitent heart 2. God lookes first at the cleannesse of the heart knowing that if hee find that uncleane nothing is cleane 3. Morality and cleanlinesse make a man care for the cleannesse of his face but grace and religion must make him looke to the cleannesse of his heart Ier. 4. 14. Because he knowes that no beauty of the face can allure a man so much as the cleannesse of heart allureth 4. Get grace into thy heart and it cannot choose but send out as Christ saith According to that which is within According to the abundance of the heart the mouth will speake the eye will looke the hand will worke the foot will walke Get thy heart purged and washed and it is impossible that thy life should be foule 5. In vaine do men struggle and strive to cast off some wast boughs of sinfull actions if they seeke not to strike up the roote Thou wouldst avoyd oathes and lyes in thy tongue but shalt never doe it while thou hast a swearing and lying heart Thou wouldst avoid fornication and adultery in the act in the eye in the speech but never shalt thou stop this issue if thou hast an adulterous heart And so in other sinnes Quest. How may I cleanse my heart Answ. Cleannesse of heart is in two things 1. Justification by the blood of Christ imputed and applyed Ioh. 15. 8. 10. 2. Sanctification by the spirit which stands in two things 1. In parting with our filthinesse as evill thoughts pride hypocrisie stubbornnesse malice in a mortification of all inward lusts 2. In attaining a new estate in all the inward faculties a planting and cherishing of all graces Thus as our Saviour saith he that is washed is all cleane II. Direction From the foundation come to the streams If the heart at any time be inflamed with the fire of concupiscence and begin to boyle over stay the issue with all expedition Quest. How Answ. 1. Covenant with all thy parts that none of them shall fulfill the lusts of the flesh Specially covenant with thine eye as Iob with thy tongue not to name any filthinesse as it becommeth Saints Eph. 5. 3 with thy hand not to execute any inordinate desires 2. Threaten thy members that thou wilt plucke out thine eye cut off thy hand and foot rather then by them offend God and thy conscience If this will not serve beat downe thy rebellious members as Paul with labour 3. Direction Avoid occasions of defilements by the uncleane issues of others so did the Jewes As 1. Come not neere uncleane persons 2 Cor. 6. 17. Avoid swearers drunkards gamesters wantons Prov. 4. 14. 2. Avoid the seate they sit on A place of shorter rest Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is he that sits not in the seat of wicked men Lev. 15. 6. 3. Shunne the bed they lye on Lev. 15. 5 A place of longer rest with them as one delighting in their fellowship and tumbling with them in filthinesse 4. Beware of their spittle ver 8. Words are cast out of the mouth as spittle Neither assent to their speeches and perswasions which are still against God nor be dismaid from good things by their threats and reproches This filthy froth and spittle daily pollutes many that are carelesse to avoid it Object Alas it is impossible then to avoid uncleane issues I cannot but daily and hourely touch some filthinesse unlesse I runne out of the world and from
a Minister of the Circumcision was also to receive Circumcision himselfe which was shadowed in all their Circumcisions 2. in their shedding of blood by Circumcision was represented to their eyes the shedding of Christs blood not onely in the first fruits of his bloodshed in his Circumcision which was a part of his humiliation and a parcell of the price payed for our sins but also the full powring out of all his blood in sacrifice upon the Crosse wherein the Circumcision of Christ was fully accomplished 3. was shadowed their duty also that having shed the first fruits of their blood in Circumcision in obedience to God they should be ready to shed all their blood for him whom they expected to shed all his blood for them 3. A distinguishing signe of the Jewes from all other people who were without God without Christ and they onely a chosen seed in that blessed seed in whom all their prerogatives were conferred and established 4. A demonstrative signe 1. of the naturall sinne and disease of man and therefore it was placed in the generative part to admonish Abraham and his posterity of their uncleannesse for things cleane need no Circumcision nor ablution Abraham and his seed must be led out of themselves 2. to demonstrate the cure and remedy by the Messiah to come cleansing our natures two waies 1. by bearing upon himselfe the imputation of our impurities 2. by healing them in us partly by his merit and bloody death bestowing a perfect righteousnesse upon us partly by his Spirit daily sanctifying and circumcising our hearts thus hath this Sacrament preached Christ unto us Now the observations to make it usefull I. Take notice of our owne estate to humble us both in state of nature and in state of grace I. In our nature wee are all sprung out of a corrupted seed which although we would forget yet the Lord in this Sacrament tooke care that his people should carry upon their bodies the signe of sinne and death seazing upon their whole nature In place of which comes our Baptisme presently after our birth shewing that a man in his very first frame is filthily polluted and goeth astray even from the wombe Psa. 58. 3. Whence also it is called Originall sinne 1. because it hath beene from the beginning of the world 2. because it is the originall and beginner of all sinne in us it is the first of all our sinnes 3. from our beginning even from our conception Psa. 51. I was conceived in iniquity and we from it called the children of wrath that is laid under wrath even from our childhood Eph. 2. 3. 2. After grace received see the weakenesse of our faith Abraham the father of the faithfull needeth this pledge and seale to support his weake and shaking faith Who can say my faith is strong enough which is ever imperfect in the best who know but in part and beleeve but in part Why else did the Lord appoynt the use of Sacraments to the strongest beleevers and that all their life long but to put them in minde of the weakenesse of their faith which needeth such continuall props and supports Neither is it marvell that men are so heavy to the reverent receiving of the Sacrament because they see no want no neede no benefit of faith they feele not the weakenesse of faith which would breed desire of strength and drive them to the diligent use of the meanes II. If Christ be the truth of circumcision then every Christian in the new Testament must be circumcised as necessarily as the Jewes in the old And though the ceremony and act of circumcision bee worne out yet the truth of circumcisiō as neerely belongs to us now adayes as of old it did unto them In whom wee are circumcised through the circumcision of Christ speaking of the Gentiles converted unto Christ. In which words the Apostle plainely distinguisheth between Jewish circumcision and Christian between legall circumcision and Evangelical between Moses his circumcision and Christs Here 1. What this Evangelicall circumcision is 2. the difference from Legall 3. the marks and notes of it 4. the motives This Christian Circumcision is described Col. 2. 11. to bee a putting off the sinfull body of the flesh that is in plaine termes the mortification of the body of sinnes that are in the flesh For the truth and kernell of Circumcision never stood in the cutting off a peece of skinne that was but the shell of it but in cutting off the lusts of the heart and life and parting from corruptions of nature which rebell against the Spirit And this wee have in Christ alone being as farre beyond the Circumcision of the old Testament as the truth useth to excell the type as far as Christ is beyond Moses or heaven above earth This renovation of minde was 1. signified by that Ceremony 2. promised by every Circumcised person The difference betweene this Evangelicall and that Legall Circumcision is 1. In the efficient That was appoynted by God to bee made with hands but this is a wonderfull worke without hands done by the finger of God himselfe The mortification of sinne is so honourable a worke as the hand of man and Angells cannot do it 2. In the subject That was wrought upon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh this onely upon Abrahams seed according to the faith upon beleevers and members of Christ. That upon the Jew without this upon the Jew within That upon Ismael as well as Isaac here no Ismaelite is circumcised That was Circumcision of the naturally borne and males onely of Jews onely this is of the supernaturally borne againe male or female Jew or Gentile for in Christ all are one 3. In the proper seat That was ceremoniall in the flesh this morall in the heart In that a naturall part was wounded in this the very corruption of nature That dealt with flesh in substance this with the body of flesh in quality 4. In the end In that every man was circumcised in himselfe and his blood shed to fulfill the rite of the Law in this all beleevers men and women are in Christs blood once circumcised to fulfil the rigour of the Law 5. In the effect By that the person was received into the society of Gods people according to externall profession by this the sinner is received into inward and eternall fellowship with God and into communion with Gods people 6. In the latitude or extent In that the Priest circumcised in one part of the body in this Christ our high Priest circumciseth the whole man In that one beloved part was cast away with griefe and sorrow in this the whole corruption of nature and all beloved sinnes with no lesse griefe and sorrow of heart for them 7. In the durance and continuance That was temporary but till the comming of Christ who razed the type and raised the truth but this is to continue for ever
hee that comes from heaven is above all His person is above all for God hath exalted him and given him a Name above al names Phil. 2. 9. His worke is above all that men and Angels can comprehend in power and merit His place is above all the head of the Church eminent above all men and Angels 3. A Rock for firmnesse and stability Hee is the strength of Israel on this Rock as on a sure and firme foundation the whole Church is laid and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Matt. 16. 18. Hence he is a Rock of defence and safety to his chosen and every wise man builds his house on this Rock 4. A Rock of scandall and offence to wicked men Rom. 9. 32. Not in himselfe and his nature for hee is a precious corner stone but accidentally and passively because men dash themselves against him as many at this day bark like doggs against the wholesome doctrine of justification by Christ without the works of the Law Many loose and formall Gospellers scorne the basenesse and meannesse of Preachers and true professours of the Gospel because their darknesse can abide no light to come neere it To all these and thousands moe Christ is a rock of scandall by their owne default 5. A Rock for waight and danger and inayoidable judgement upon his adversaries which on whomsoever it falls it crusheth him all to pieces Matt. 21. 44. If any rise against it they doe but tire and teare themselves but if this Rock rise against any man and fall upon him it breaks him to pouder Witnesse the greatest enemies of Jesus Christ which the world ever had Herod Iudas Iulian Iews Pilate as unable to rise from under his revenge as a man pasht to pieces unable to rise from under a Rock II. It was a type of Christ as it sent out water in abundance to the people of Israel ready to perish for thirst For so Jesus Christ is the onely Rock that sends from himselfe all the sweet waters of life for the salvation of his elect otherwise ready to perish eternally For explanation whereof marke 1. As from that Rock issued waters to wash and cleanse themselves and their garments so from this Rock streame waters of ablution or washing which serve to wash away both the guilt of sinne and staine of sinne For the former the precious blood of Christ streaming out of his side is the onely mundifying water in the world to wash the soule from the guilt of sinne and to scowre away all the execration of sinne from the sight of God 1. Ioh. 1. 7. the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne For the latter from the same side of Christ our Rock issueth water as well as blood even the waters of regeneration called Tit. 3. 5. the washing of the new birth by the Spirit of grace and holinesse which daily cleanse the staine and filthinesse of sin Of these waters reade Ioh. 7. 38. He that beleeveth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of water of life This hee spake of the Spirit which he would give 2. As from that rocke issued waters to coole and comfort Israel in their wearinesse and wandrings so from Jesus Christ do issue the waters of refrigeration and comfort to coole and refresh the dry and thirsty soule to allay the heat of a raging and accusing conscience and to revive with new strength the fainting soule in temptation or persecution And therefore the tryed traveller and thirsty passenger is called to these waters Mat. 11. 28 Isa. 55. 1. For nothing but sound grace from Jesus Christ can quench the tormenting thirst of an accusing or distressed conscience 3. As from that rocke streamed abundance of waters to make fruitfull that barren wildernesse wheresoever they ranne so onely from the true rock issue plentifull waters of grace to make our dry and barren hearts fruitfull in all workes of righteousnesse Isa. 44. 3 4 I will poure water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will poure my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy buds and they shall grow as among the grasse and as willowes by the rivers of waters All this blessing of fruitfulnesse is from the Rocke See Eph 1. 4. III. In the manner of attaining this water are many sweet resemblances 1. The people might aske Moses water but Moses cannot give it It is God must give it and miraculously fetch it out of a rocke which how it should be Moses cannot conceive So men may seeke justification and to drink waters of salvatiō in themselves either by nature as Pelagians or by merit as Popish justiciaries do either in the Law of Moses as the Jews or in Evangelical Counsells as the fond votaries of the Church of Rome But no Jew can tell how to procure any water to himself neither can Moses give it By the Law of Moses no man can bee justified nor by any fond devises beyond the Law But God of his grace hath devised a way and poynted to us a rocke of living waters to supply unto us that which was impossible to Moses Law because of our infirmitie Rom. 8. 3. 2. The rocke gives water but not till it bee smitten Exod. 17. 6. so Christ the true rock must be smitten with passion he must be smitten with the wrath of his Father and made a curse for us before there can issue out of his side that bloody streame by which the thirst of beleevers can be quenched And as the rocke was smitten twice and waters gushed out both times so Christ was twice smitten first actually in himselfe secondly virtually in the saith of beleevers of all ages the faithfull before him beleeving in the rock that was to bee smitten and suffer death for sinne the faithfull after him beleeving in the rock that was smitten dead and raised already 3. It was the Rod in Moses hand that smites and breakes the rocke Even so it was the Law given by Moses hand and our transgression against it that breaks the true Rock Isa. 53. 5. Gal 3. 13. he was made a curse for us and our transgression of the Law was laid upon him that we might be freed from it And as this was the same Rod that smote the River to bring destruction on the Aegyptians and enemies of the Church so this same Law and Rod of Moses brings the curse and damnation upon all the enemies of God from whom it is not remooved by Jesus Christ. 4. The rocke was smitten but it was not so much the striking on the rock but the Lords standing upon it that gets water for Israel Exod. 17. 6. There was no vertue in the stroake but all depended on Gods commandement and precept and presence even so it is not the death of Christ nor the abundance of price and merit of his blood nor the striking on this rock before mens eyes in the ministery of the word and
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
preach that doctrine which hee had persecuted had hee consulted with flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16 What other reason can bee given that the word powerfully preached is so generally fruitlesse but that men think they have reason not to obey it at least not in all things They see no reason to bee so precise nor is there any wisdome to bee so forward Reason tells them they see few great men so strict and but a few despised men are so earnest 4. Hee shall never attaine heaven 1. Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption By flesh and blood is meant the vitiate and corrupt estate of man or flesh and blood severed from the spirit and grace of God or the man unregenerate having onely flesh and blood So Matt. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reveiled it unto thee but my Father So as here is not required an abolition of flesh and blood in the being and substance of it but an addition of new qualities As in Christs transfiguration was not an extinction of his body but an accesse of incredible glory without which change none can get to heaven Ioh. 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God The Apostle adds the reason 1. Cor. 15. â—0 Gods kingdome is incorruptible flesh and blood in it selfe is corrupted and so not capable of that kingdome Therefore to come to heaven thou must bee changed in thy will reason wisedome and all Sect. V. To apply this I. Labour to bring the eye of faith to the word else shall we be ready to reject holy doctrine as absurd and impossible as Nichodemus did the doctrine of regeneration Why else doe most men live no other then a naturall life in the midst of so many supernaturall and divine meanes but that their reason resists the Spirits perswasions Why are many wholesome doctrines daily distasted and quarelled against by our witty men but that they think they have better reason to do as they do then any that we can bring out of Gods booke Why else doe so many fall back to Popery and idolatry but because they cast off the teaching of the Spirit and give themselves to another teacher agreeing with naturall corruption and reason If a man were to bee led onely by reason and it were lawfull to cast off religion I would choose to bee a Papist by which doctrine it is lawfull to be every thing but a sound Christian. Therefore though some Apostats are gone from us wee need not care how many such turne Papists for such were and are their gracelesse and lawlesse courses that it were pity they should bee of any other religion then that which yeelds men so much liberty II. Pray for that eyesalve wherewith to anoint our eyes that wee may see Revel 3. 18. This eyesalve is nothing but the spirit of illumination working sound and saving knowledge in the mind by which their naturall darknesse is enlightned as eyesalve sharpens and cleares the dim sight This is proper to the regenerate that they have received the anointing which teacheth them all things that is al needfull things III. See what need we have to captivate our owne wisedome and reason being one of the highest turrets and holds in us exalted against God 2. Cor. 10. 5. If this be not brought into subjection unto God we can never become his servants The Apostle in the same verse sheweth what must be cast downe and captivated his words are Casting downe reasonings and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. These reasonings and cogitations the froth of humane reason must bee resisted yea removed Thou must become a foole to be wise As a full vessell cannot hold any more and no wise man will offer to powre any thing into it if hee would not spill it So an heart filled with carnall wisedome is an uncapable vessell for the Lord to powre his wisedome into He fils the empty vessell and teacheth the humble Obey without reasoning or disputing though the commandement bee never so difficult or seeme unreasonable Abraham left his owne countrey and went hee knew not whither at Gods commandment One would have thought that this had been folly in him but that the Scripture acquits him and saith hee did it by faith Heb. 11. 8. And in a more difficult commandement hee rose early to slay his sonne not reasoning the case with himselfe nor with Sarah nor his sonne nor his servants The disciples when Christ bade them leave all and follow him did so presently Here let us consider 1. How reasoning with flesh resists the commandement 2. King 5. 12. Naaman being commanded to wash seven times in Iordan growes angry and falls into comparison of the waters of Israel and Damascus Are not Arbana Pharphar better then al the waters in Israel c. But had not his servants been wiser then hee to perswade him to so small a thing his reason had returned him without his errand The yong man that came so hastily to Christ hearing a commandement goe sell all and give to the poore went and consulted with himselfe but Christ heares no more of him 2. To follow reason is to follow a crooked rule But admit it were straight yet is it defective and too short for mysteries above reason And if it were straight and large enough yet it is a party and so unfit to be a Judge in cases betweene God and man And therefore there is no fit Judge in divine things but the word which stands equally affected betweene God and man 3. Wee reade much of the blinde obedience of Papists in their works to their rules and Superiours of things scarce credible but that themselves have published them in writing One Masseus a Franciscan tumbled himselfe in the dust and crawled like a childe because St. Francis said they could not bee converted unlesse they were as little children Another of our Countrey called Throkmorton even in the Article of death was so dutifull to his Superiour as he would not die without his leave asked as Everard a Papist writeth in his commendation Another called Barcen as Diego a great Jesuit relates was so humble and dutifull that when the Devill appeared unto him hee ranne to meet him and prayed him to sit downe in his chaire because hee was more worthy then himselfe The Jesuits are so formed to obedience by Ignatius his rules that whatsoever service they are set upon by their Superiour suppose it never so mischievous they must fly upon it without question asked So as if one of them were talking with an Angel if his Superiour call him he must instantly come away Yea if the blessed Virgin vouchsafe her presence to one of the brethren if his Superiour call him hee must presently break away from her and obey him as he writes to the brethren of Lusitania
religious persons when times do else not To avoid pernicious and dangerous sinnes which law revengeth as murder adultery theft but not covetousnesse not usury not swearing not uncleane lusts Herod will not part with his Herodias Ahab hath no reason to respect Micah when he prophecies evill to him 3. Trades men oppresse cosen lye deceive c because they have reason to make the best of their owne What reason but they may serve a Customer upon the Sabbath so they come to Church They have reason to slip all opportunities of grace all the weeke because they must walke diligently in their callings the sixe dayes Thus reason steps in and thrusts aside the practise of that which men in judgement hold not for good and necessary and like Evah still longing after forbidden fruit Thus of the second observation Sect. VI. III. Seeing all of us in this wildernesse are stung with the old Serpent what are we to doe to be cured Answ. we are to doe five things 1. We must feele our selves stung with our sinnes and confesse our selves stung for so must the Israelite before he could be cured We must feele the poyson and paine of sinne and First that this poyson hath not seated it selfe in one place but hath crept and diffused it selfe through all our parts For therefore it is called venenum quod per venas eat And as the vaynes and blood runne through every part of the body so sinne through every part of the man Secondly as poyson never rests till it come to the heart and there strikes and corrupts the fountaine of life So our sinne hath mortally wounded our very hearts and strikes at the life of grace in the soule Thirdly as poyson inflames the party with an incredible thirst having overcome naturall moysture and eaten up the spirits so sinne in the soule workes an utter defect and dryes up all waters of grace and makes the sinner insatiable in drinking up iniquity like water Fourthly as poyson not prevented brings speedy and certaine death but not without extreame paine and intolerable torture so the poyson of sinne unconquered brings certaine and eternall death attended with horrour of conscience desperate feares and torments most exquisite Thus must we labour to feele the sting of our sin in all parts far more mortall then the most venemous stings of most direfull Serpents 2. When this people felt themselves stung so deadly they come to Moses for counsell so must thou depend upon the Minister for direction as they upon Moses Never was man sensible of this sting but he would runne to the Ministers Act. 2. 37 when they were pricked in their hearts they said to Peter and the rest Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 16. 30 the poore Jaylor being stung and sensible of his paine came trembling and humbling himselfe to Paul and Silas prisoners saying Sirs what must I doe to bee saved A conscience truely wounded will seeke to God to his word and Ministers for it knowes that God woundeth and healeth The feet of him that brings good tidings are beautifull to an humbled heart even as an experienced Physitian to a sicke party who else were sure to be lost for want of meanes What marveile if a soule truely sensible of his sting and paine can runne to Gods Ministers when a counterfeit humiliation can make as hard hearted a King as Pharaoh runne to Moses and Aaron and beg prayers of them A marveilous thing then that of so many thousands stung so deadly so few are sensible that so few trouble Moses or the Ministers with questions concerning their estates Some stung and guilty consciences not supported by faith in touch of sinne and sence of paine like a Doe shot with an arrow runne every way but the right for ease Some with Asa send to the Physitian to purge away melancholy Some with Saul send for musick esteeming soules sicknesse but a sottish lumpishnesse Some runne into the house of laughter and wicked playhouses to see and heare the Lords Sampsons and worthies derided not without haynous blasphemy Others fall a building with Cain or set upon other imployments perhaps it is but an idle fancy Some runne perhaps to the Witch of Endor in the meane time send away Paul as Felix or runne against Moses and his Ministers But comfort can they have none but from God and his word had not thy word saith David beene my comfort I had perished in my trouble All the Physitians in the world all the Musitians and Magicians put together nor any other meanes could helpe a stunge Israelite he must come to Moses when hee had done all hee could All other by-comforts are worme eaten and as cold water to cure a dropsie or as a cold draught to cure a poyson Some few there are that come unto us who we are sure had never sought to us more then others had they had so little sence of their sting as other have as the Israelites had never come at Moses had they not beene slung Let them be comforted in that they have gone the right way to fetch their comforts which is from God and his word and not from carnall men or councels The Lord in mercy hath brought them light out of darkenesse for pittie had it beene they had wanted the sting of affliction that hath driven them to God and to his word and servants 3. Comming to Moses wherein do they imploy them what questions move they to him Numb 21. 7. Oh their sinne troubles them which they confesse in generall we have sinned and in particular wee have spoken against the Lord and against thee and then pray him to helpe them in removing the Serpents So thou being stung when thou comest to Gods Ministers wilt be conversant in fruitfull and edifiable questions thou must be free in confession of such sinnes as are the likely cause of thy trouble and intent and busie how to be rid of the Serpents and the sting and poyson of thy sinnes Thou will be carefull to know how to get ease of heart and quietnesse of conscience from the paine and sting of sinne So the converts Act. 2 and so the Jaylor What shall I do to be saved The fault of many is when they have meanes of counsell and cōfort present with them to waste their time in trifling and curious questions and impertinent to the cure of the sting of the Serpent Questions which are like Crafishes in which is more picking then meat Questions meerely idle the resolution of which helps them no whit to ease or to heaven An humbled heart will not so lose his time nor dwell in toyes and unnecessaries to thrust out things more profitable A wise heart will not for a shadow forgoe the substance but will be much in that question of the young man Mr. what may I doe to inherit eternall life what may I doe to be saved what may I doe to be rid of this Serpent and