Jericho's City with the blasts thereof Josh 6.4 5 c. So the Weapons of the Word in the Ministry though weak seemingly as those Priests Trumpets and in respect of the Flesh yet are they Mighty through God and his Spirit for pulling down the strong bolds of Satan and for casting down Imaginations c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As the Fasting Spittle that cometh out of Man's Mouth is said to kill Serpents so doth that which proceedeth out of the Mouths of God's faithful Ministers quell and kill evil Thoughts and carnal Reasonings which are that Legion of Domestick Devils that hold a constant correspondency and intimate intelligence with the Old Serpent in us This weak Word is made strong to overthrow captivate and subdue a sinful Soul into the obedience of Christ and of that small Seed arise those goodly Trees of Righteousness which are not of the Devils but of the Lord 's Planting and Watering Isa 61.3 The Second Congruity is As Seed must be Harrowed into the Earth it must be cast not only on but into the ground Mar. 4.26 so the Word must be hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 or it will not fructifie Job 22.22 23. Thus as David so Mary kept all pondering in her Heart Luke 2.19 when the Word is well covered with a moisty Moul in the hidden Man of the Heart it takes Root downward and springeth in Branches upward first the Blade then the Ear after that the full Corn Mark 4.28 were but our Minds as the Holy Ark wherein were hid the two Tables of God's Testimony and our Memories as Aaron's Golden Pot wherein was kept the Heavenly Manna Heb. 9.4 Rev. 2.17 preserving Divine Truths of the Gospel and remarkable occurrencies of Providence God would bless our buds Isa 44.3 while we strive to better that Blessing The first springings in the Womb of Grace are precious to God Ephes 2.1 The Third Parallel is As Seed requires a good Soil without which though never so good in it self it cannot be successful So the Word unless received into an Honest and Good Heart Luke 8.15 proves unprosperous Oh that our Hearts may be as Isaac's Soil Gen. 26.12 to bring forth an hundred fold The Fourth Parallel is Though Seed be sown in a good Soil yet no success can be expected without Heaven's Influence Hos 2.21 22. nothing but an Harvest of Weeds can be had when God Rains no Rain upon it Isa 5.6 c. Thus though Paul Plant and Apollos Water yet all is nothing If God give not the Increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. without this Men will rush on in their own Sins and run Headlong to Hell though great be the Company of good Preachers Psal 68.11 The Fifth Parallel is As the Hope of a good Harvest lies potentially in the Seed that is sown so doth Eternal Life in the Word that is preached Rom. 1.16 This honour is given to that Ordinance above others As the Rain from Heaven hath a greater fatness and a more peculiar fructifying Vertue in it than any other standing or running Waters on Earth so there is not the like life found in any other means of Grace as in this which like Goliah's Sword hath none like it for Converting Work Secondly The Disparity As 1. This is not Corruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 2 'T is not for food to the Body but to the Soul Angels food that nourishes up to to Eternal Life 3. This brings forth the best Harvest where Angels shall be Reapers and the Joy of the Harvest is Everlasting Vse I. Is there any Seed of God in you though but as a Grain of Mustard-seed very little yet if true God looks at Truth more than Measure If born from above or again John 3.3 and the Heart be sound in God's Statutes Psal 119.80 having the spirit of a sound Mind 2 Tim. 1.7 the Acorn now may become an Oak in time a small beginning may have at latter end a greater Increase Job 8.7 It may be you have not vast Heards and Flocks of Graces to offer unto God as Solomon did 1 Kin. 8.63 yet may have a Lamb to send unto the Ruler of the People Isa 16.1 Jacob in a time of scarcity had not much to send as a present to the Lord over the Land of Egypt yet he bids Take a little of each the best of the best Gen. 43.11 Though Nehemiah had not his three thousand Talents of Gold of the Gold of Opher nor his seven thousand Talents of refined Silver as David had to Beautifie the Temple with 1 Chron. 29.4 yet had he a thousand Drams of Gold c. to give for Repairing the Temple Neh. 7.71 and his Drams were acceptable as well as David's Talents For if there be first a willing Mind it is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 The Lord looks more at the willingness of the Offerer than at the worthiness of the Offering Artaxerxes was exceedingly affected with an handful of Water which one of his Common Souldiers brought him because it was the best present in his power to procure Oh that sweet Gospel in the Law but if he be not able to bring a Lamb c. Lev. 5.7 or two Turtles ver 11. let him bring the Tenth part of an Ephah And if he be not able and cannot get so much let him bring such as he is able to get Lev. 14.21 22. Goats Hair was accepted for the Tabernacle as well as better things Exod. 25.3 4 c. so was the Widows Mite for the Treasury Mark 12.41 to 44. Pence be accepted where Pounds are not and Drams where Talents are not and sure I am a dram of saving Grace is better than a pound of Notional knowledge Vse 2. Ask your hearts those sew questions about this Seed though but small Mat. 13.31 17.20 Mark 4.31 Luke 13.19 First Are any Furrows prepared in your Hearts for the Reception of this Holy Seed Have you had compunctions in Vend Cordis Acts 2.37 making you cry out What shall we do to be Saved Unless your Hearts be Plowed with Gods Heifer as Judg. 14.18 to see the eagerness of others for Heaven will be a Riddle you understand not Secondly Hath this Sower cast his Seed into these prepared Furrows Man may forfeit or neglect his Sowing season but this Sower cannot do so for all seasons are the Lord's first Furrows are prepared then the Seed is sown both in their season not by any natural power it pertains to the power of the World to come Thirdly How hath that Holy Seed succeeded after Sowing One may taste of the Power of the World to come in the Word of God Heb. 6.5 yet bring not forth an Harvest of Holiness without which notwithstanding all bedewings that soak not deep enough no harvest of happiness can be expected Heb. 12.14 c. The Third Part is the Soil Wherein First the Congruity As First much ground lyes fallow where the Plow
Corn. Thirdly 'T is likened to Wafer-Cakes made of Honey v. 31. to shew the sweetness of its taste Fourthly 'T is compared to fresh Oyl Numb 11.7 for such was its savour when dress'd tho' before its dressing or baking it tasted like sweet Wafers and Fifthly it was like Bdellium Numb 11.7 a transparent Gumm for colour but the Talmudists will have it the white Precious Pearl No wonder then if such Rich and unparallel'd food as precious Pearl was call'd the food of Angels so delicate as might not unbecome Angels to eat if they did eat any at all such as Poets feign their Nectar and Ambrosia was to their Dunghil Gods and as the Jews say it had Saporem omnimodum a particular taste to please every palate yet those murmuring miscreants loath'd it complaining that they were dryed up with it preferring Garlick and Onions before it The Fifteenth Remark is As those that laboured hard upon the sixth day to gather a double quantity of Manna were well provided with what to eat upon the Sabbath-day So all such as do labour hard in Christ in this life while God giveth time to work shall have in the life to come the fruition of their labours with an eternal Sabbath of Rest in Heaven John 6.27 29 58. Gal. 6.7 10. Revel 14.13 Heb. 4.3 4 9 c. This present Life and World is the time and place of working the Life and World to come is the time and place of receiving wages and reward for our work 2 Cor. 5.10 c. If we have gathered no Manna before it will then be too late to seek for it Mat. 25.8 9 10. The Sixteenth Remark is Monuments and Memorials of God's great Mercies are to be erected that the loving kindness of God may be kept in everlasting Remembrance Hence was it commanded here fill an Omer with this Manna put it into a Golden Pot to be kept for the use of succeeding Ages in the Most Holy places v. 32 33 34. Heb. 9.4 lest it should fare with them as it frequently fareth with Children Bread eaten is as soon forgotten Thus Christ Commanded that when he had fed the Multitude with a few Loaves c. the remainder of the broken bread c. might be reserved in baskets that such a signal and singular miracle of mercy might be preserved in a thankful remembrance How much more worthy to be remembred was this unparallel'd Miracle of Mercy wherein Christ sed so many hundred thousand with such dainty diet as was Manna which had such a nourishing vertue above other food in it that where sin hindred not it would draw out a Man's Life rather to an Angelical than to an Humane Duration Thus it kept Moses and Caleb in a continual equality of Strength and Health Deut. 34.7 and Josh 14.11 And that Christ fed them herewith full Forty Years till they came to the Corn of Canaan Josh 5.12 Teaching us two great Truths 1. We shall need Ordinances till we come to Heaven And 2. Where God grants ordinary means there extraordinary Miracles are not to be expected 't is Tempting God But the grand Reason why this Omer of Manna was kept in a Golden Pot was because it was a most pregnant Type of our blessed Messiah as He himself affirmeth Joh. 6.33 48 49 50 51 c. and this is farther Asserted by the great Apostle 1 Cor. 10.3 4 c. N.B. 'T is call'd Angels Food not by way of Position but of Supposition for Angels being Spiritual Substances need no Food at all nor do they eat any unless when they take upon them Humane Shapes as Gen. 18.8 and 19.3 c. but suppose they were to be nourished as Men are they needed not any other dainty Diet than this Manna that came from the Habitation of Angels in whose Name it is commended There is much Congruity betwixt the Type Manna and the Antitype the Messiah yet some Disparity also First Of the Congruity which brancheth it self out in these Particulars 1st In the Causes of sending this Manna which was 1. The Moving Cause God's Compassion to his People when almost famish'd in the Wilderness So God loved the World in sending Christ to nourish Hungry Souls Joh. 3.16 2. The Final Cause of giving Manna was to prove Israel ver 4. Whether his Favours would work them to Obedience unto his Law Thus the Lord trieth the World whether they will receive the Law of his Son to wit the Gospel which Reprobates reject Luk. 7.30 2ly In it's Qualities which are many As 1. Both came from above 2. As Manna descended in the Dew so Christ the Bread of Life comes down in the dew of God's Word Deut. 32.2 Rom. 1.16 17. and 10.8 14. Gal. 3.1 2. Psal 110.3 Falling like dew upon mowen Grass Psal 72.3 The dew that water'd Paradise Gen. 2.6 3ly Israel knew not what Manna was having dew both under it and above it so lying clean betwixt two coverings and appear'd not till the Dew vanish'd ver 14. Thus Christ is an unknown Mystery wrap'd up in Types and Figures the Holy Child Jesus in Swadling Bands yet is God manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 when those shadows wherewith he was wrapped are done away 4ly Manna was but a very small thing like Coriander-seed yet had it a great and most Soveraign Vertue in it for preserving of Health so that there was not one feeble Person among that vast Host Psal 105.37 Thus though Christ came under a small figure in the form of a Servant c. yet is he of such a powerful Efficacy as to begin and beget being the Bread of Life Joh. 6.48 all Spiritual Life in us and not only so but also to uphold and maintain it yea and to nourish us up to Eternal Life ver 68. 5. Manna is said to have all sorts of good Tastes in it pleasing every Palate of them that made a right use of it So hath Christ to all given unto him whether Jew or Gentile Barbarian Scythian Male or Female Bond or Free Gal. 3.28 All are one to him and he all and one to them Col. 3.11 6. As Manna was sweet as Hony Glorious as Bdellium that shining Pearl and wholesome as Oil that makes the Face to shine so and much more than so is Christ to all his Redeemed 7. As this Manna was ground in the Mill beaten in a Mortar boil'd in a Pot or baked in an Oven So was Christ beaten and bruised for us Isa 53.4 5. The Heat of God's Justice was upon him c. 8. As Manna fell every Day and that with the Dew which was extraordinary in this respect for all Dews naturally fall at the Evening but this fell in the Morning so Christ is the Morning Dew Psal 110.3 That falls daily promising to be with his Church to the Worlds end Math. 28.20 in the dew of Grace and Spirit 3ly The Congruity holds in the Circumstances of gathering it As 1. The Time when it must be gather'd in
And as for the latter he prays that God would not shew any sign of accepting the Offering of those presumptuous Levites the two hundred and fifty that intruded into the Priest's Office which God did by sending fire from Heaven to consume the Oblation Then Moses committed the deciding of the Controversie to God himself So 2. The Divine Correction follows the Humane of Moses from ver 16 to 35. No sooner had those Intruders taken their Censers which they had ready provided upon their first Combination to thrust themselves into the Priest's Office and prepared to offer but presently the Glory of the Lord shining in the Cloud over the Sanctuary appeared unto Moses and Aaron standing on one side and these two hundred and fifty on the other side who most impudently stood stouting it out in defiance of God and making an open profession of their gross profaneness in the sight of the Sun ver 17 18 19. They declared their sin as Sodom Isa 3.9 there was no need of digging to find it out as a thing hid Jer. 2.34 for they set it as it were upon the cliff of the Rock Ezek. 24.7 The Rock of Ages now resolves to ruine them commands the credulous of the Congregation whom Korah had wheadled in to countenance his Conspiracy to withdraw from all familiarity with the Rebels ver 20 21 24 26. Moses denounces their Doom to be extraordinary ingageth the honour of his Office upon a Miracle to be wrought by God ver 29 30 c. for the utter Ruine of those presumptuous Rebels and that presently to be done as he had declared ver 5. in the very view of many hundred thousands of People who were all generally over-ready to comply with Korah's Conspiracy and to favour his Attempt he persuading them that God would favour it also His design being to introduce an equal popularity could not want many favourers among the common People yet those that would depart from the society of those sinners ver 24 26 27. were spared at Moses's Mediation for them praying The God of the spirits of all flesh as Zech. 12.1 Heb. 12.9 Job 12.10 Act. 17.25 El Elohei Haruchoth c. All this People have not sinned like Korah the principal Incendiary who hath inflamed so many into this hot Rebellion Thou Lord knows hearts Numb 27.16 that the People have not sinned out of malice but are only coaxed in by Korah 't is convenient for thy Glory to distinguish betwixt the greater and the lesser Sinners c. Thus Moses intercedes ver 22. and the Lord accepts of his Intercession for all those that would save themselves from that untoward Generation Act. 2.40 Rev. 18.4 In the next place follows the Execution of this Divine Correction The Conspirators all perish they and theirs Dathan Abiram and their Accomplices by the opening of the Earth under them ver 31 32 33. and Korah with his Company by fire from Heaven ver 35. This must needs be an undoubted evidence of God's concurrence with the Ministry of Moses and that he had not out of any private affection to his Brother Aaron preferr'd him to the Priesthood and therewithal it was an undoubted Assurance of the Divine Truth of Moses's Writings in the Pentateuch N.B. Moses here had no sooner spoke the word but God made it good by his deed dictum factum at once avouching Moses and Aaron's Authority and Integrity and avenging his own and their Cause in the just and miraculous punishment of the Rebels notorious Impiety Dathan Abiram c. stood impudently in their Tent-doors out-facing Moses and scorning the Judgment threatned ver 27. then they and their whole housholds went down into Sheol a great Grave of God's own making not into Hell as the Papists say for how could their Tents and Goods go down thither Yea their little Infants were not excepted who tho' not guilty of their Parents sin had sin enough in their Nature to deserve the shortning of their Lives and while God in Justice kill'd their Bodies he might in mercy save their Souls Yet their Parents were punished in their deaths in whose well led lives their memory might have flourished but Korah and his two hundred and fifty were kill'd by fire out of the shining Cloud as they sinn'd by fire as Levit. 10.1 2. Psal 106.18 but Kōrah's Children were not kill'd Numb 26.10 11. for either they consented not to their Father's Rebellion or they repented at the warning given by Moses Numb 16.5 their Genealogy is reckoned 1 Chron. 6.22 38. They were singers in the House of God ver 32. and of them came Samuel ver 33. Thus Children by Repentance cut off the Intail of a Curse from sinful Parents c. Lastly The Consequents of this Conspiracy and of God's Correction of the Conspirators which are twofold First A monument and lasting memorial of God's Judgments upon those presumptuous Sinners against their own Souls and of his Vindication of the Innocency of his most faithful Servants is appointed by the Lord that Israel might be warned there by and that none hereafter should dare to sin so presumptuously ver 37 38 39 40 Wherein 1. Eleazar is bid to take up the Censers of those sinners now slain and to scatter the fire out into an unclean place to shew that the Lord rejected their service as profane Aaron must not do this because he was one of the right Offerers ver 17. and must not be polluted by stepping among the dead but Eleazar as a confirmation of his succeeding him in the Priesthood must do it 2. Those Censers must not be converted to common use because they were consecrated not only as they had been offered up to the Lord as Vessels of the holy Ministry but more especially as now God sanctified them to be beaten out into broad Plates to make a covering for the Brazen Altar and so to be a lasting holy sign of this Rebellious sin c. 3. Hereby Israel must be minded that sin is the Soul's Poison as it was in those Sinners against their own Souls and such are all such as spend the span of this transitory Life after the ways of their own hearts and thereby perish for ever Alas how heartily do sinners feed upon this Poison as the Maid in Pliny did upon Spiders and the Turkish Gally-slaves upon Opium as Bread 4. This Monument and Memorial was to make Israel remember the Transgression of those Sinners God cannot abide to be forgotten and they are worthily made Examples that will not be warned to take them Alterius perditio tua fit cautio And Foelix quem facium aliena pericula cautum N.B. The second Captain deservedly perish'd by fire who took no warning by the so perishing of the first 2 King 1.10 11. as being more impudent and obstinate than the former the third was wiser ver 13. 5. Not only the Israelites in general but also all the Levites in particular save Aaron's Sons only are counted strangers in