man shall never attain sound obedience unto God For much of that obedience required at our hands is clean against corrupt nature As the whole doctrine of repentance of mortification or watchful and careful conversation of restraining our selves in unlawful liberties yea and in lawful all crosses reason Had Abraham ever sacrificed his son had he consulted with reason Had Paul ever joyned to the Disciples to preach that doctrine which he had persecuted had he consulted with flesh and bloud Gal. 1. 16 What other reason can be 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 be so precise nor is there any wisdome to be so forward Reason tells them they see few great men so strict and but a few despised men are so earnest 4. He shall never attain heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption By flesh and bloud is meant the vitiate and corrupt estate of man or flesh and bloud severed from the spirit and grace of God or the man unregenerate having onely flesh and bloud So Mat. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon Jonas for flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father So as here is not required an abolition of flesh and bloud 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 John 3. 3. Exâ—ept a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdome of God The Apostle adds the reason 1 Cor. 15. 50. Gods kingdome is incorruptible flesh and bloud in it self is corrupted and so not capable of that kingdome Therefore to come to heaven thou must be 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 Nicodemus did the doctrine of regeneration Why else doe most men live no other than a natural life in the midst of so many supernatural and divine meanes but that their reason resists the Spirits perswasions Why are many wholsome doctrines daily distasted and quarrelled against by our witty men but that they think they have better reason to doe as they doe than any that we can bring out of Gods book 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 natural corruption and reason If a man were to be led onely by reason and it were lawful to cast off religion I would choose to be a Papist by which doctrine it is lawful to be every thing but a sound Christian. Therefore though some Apostates are gone from us we need not care how many such turn Papists for such were and are their gracelesse and lawlesse courses that it were pity they should be of any other religion than that which yeilds men so much liberty II. Pray for that eye-salve wherewith to annoint our eyes that we may see Revel 3. 18. This eye-salve is nothing but the spirit of illumination working sound and saving knowledge in the mind by which their natural darknesse is enlightned as eye-salve sharpens and cleares the dim sight This is proper to the regenerate that they have received the â—…ointing which teacheth them all things that is all needful things III See what need we have to captivate our own wisdome and reason being one of the highest 〈◊〉 and holds i◠〈◊〉 â—…ed againstâ— God 2 Cor. â—0 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 down and captivated his words are Casting down reasonings and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. These reasonings and cogitations the froth of humane reason must be resisted yea remoued Thou must become a foâ—â— to be wise As a full vessel cannot hold any more and no wise man will offer to pour any thing into it if he would not spill it So an heart filled with carnal wisedome is an uncapable vessel for the Lord to pour his wisdome into He fils the empty vessel and teacheth the humble Obey without reasoning or disputing though the commandement be never so difficult or seem unreasonable Abraham left his own countrey and went he knew not whether at Gods commandment One would have thought that this had been folly in him but that the Scripture acquits him and saith he did it by faith Heb. 11. 8. And in a more difficult commandment he rose early to slay his son not reasoning the case with himself nor with Sarah nor his son nor his servants The Disciples when Christ bad 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 Jordan grows angry and falls into comparisons of the waters of Israel and Damascus Are not Arbaâ—a and Pharphar better than all the waters in Israel c. But had not his servants been wiser than he to perswade him to so small a thing his reason had returned him without his 〈◊〉 The young man that came so hastily to Christ hearing a commandement goe sell all and give to the poor 〈◊〉 and consulted with himself 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 between God and man And therefore there is no fit Judge in divine things but the Word which stands equally affected between God and man 3. We read much of the blind obedience of Papists in their workes to their rules and Superiours of things scarce credible but that themselves have published them in writing One Masseus a Franciscan tumbled himself in the dust and crawled like a childe because St. Francis said they could not be converted unlesse they were as little children Another of our Countrey called Throckmorton even in the Article of dâ—â—th was so dutiful 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 dutiful that when the Devil appeared unto him he ran to meet him and prayed him to sit down in his chaire because he was more worthy than himself The Jesuites are so formed to obedience by Ignatius his rules that whatsoever service they are set upon by their
alone Christ being to preach the Gospel fasted so long in the Wildernesse alone 2. Moses comming armed with authority for the Hebrews good was rejected both in his person and doctrine and message The Hebrew could say who made thee a judge And Pharaoh will not hearken Exod. 7. 4. Nay Pharaoh raged and oppressed the more Our true Moses comming to save the Jewes sped no better for thus they protested against him We have no King but Caesar Joh. 19. 15. And we will not have this man to raigne over us Yea his gracious words and potent works were still contemned and envied by the wicked Scribes and Pharisees as at this day by all the wicked in the world and there is no stilling of the rage of the Devil and his instruments where Christ is truly preached 3. Moses refused to be call'd the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and left the Court of Pharaoh to be partaker of the afflictions of Gods people Heb. 11. Christ descended from the Glory of heaven to save his elect and to suffer with them and for them as Moses could not do Yea he tooke on him our infirmities and sorrowes and on earth refused his right to be a King when they would have made him because his Kingdome was not of this world 4. Both were willing to dye at Gods commandement both went up into a mount to dye Moses on mount Abarim Christ on Golgotha Both carefull to supply their absence to their people Moses by appointing Joshua his successor Christ by sending his spirit to lead his people into all truth IV. In sundry particular actions 1. Moses lift up the serpent in the wildernesse So was Christ lift up Joh. 3. 14. 2. Moses obtained flesh in the wildernesse to feed many thousands So Christ in the desert fed many thousands with a few loaves and fishes 3. Moses married an AEthiopisse a stranger blacke Christ marrieth the Gentiles strangers and in the Encomium of his Church it is said I am blacke but comely Cant 1. 4. 4. Moses sweetned the bitter waters of Marah by the tree cast in Exod. 15. 25. Christ sweetens our afflictions by the wood of his Crosse Hebr. 2. 10. 5. Moses was called a God Aarons God for directing him in things of God Exod. 4. 16. and Pharaohs God Exod. 7. 1. For executing on him as God Gods judgements But Christ is indeed God most wise in counsell most potent in revenge 6. Moses delivered Israel through the Red-sea by his Rod Exod. 14. So Christ his Church from death by his Crosse through the red-sea of his bloud 7. Never was God so clearly seen by the eve of flesh as to Moses who talked face to face But never did Creature see his face but Christ Joh. 1. 18. 8. As Moses was transfigured on an hill Sinai and so glorious as Israel could not behold his face So was Christ on mount Tabor so as his disciples were amazed and wist not what they said 9. As Christ after death rose most gloriously So Moses body after his death was most gloriously raised in which he was talking with Christ on the mount in his transfiguration Matth. 17. 2. 10. Moses face was covered with a vaile Our Moses with the vaile of his flesh hid the glory of his Deity and put on vilenesse in stead of majesty that men might behold him and see and hear him and beleeve I. The doctrine of Religion which we teach is of God For 1. We teach no other than what Moses taught nor no other than what Jesus Christ taught the one being faithfull as a servant the other as the sonne in the house For as there were not two Churches of the old and new Testament So is there but one faith one doctrine in substance onely differing in manner of delivery 2. This doctrine was perfectly fully and faithfully delivered to the Church seeing both were so faithfull If there be a doctrine of traditions unwritten If a doctrine of merits of purgatory of intercession of Saints then was Christ unfaithful and did not reveale the whole will of his father Paul a servant revealed the whole will of God Acts 20. 27. Was the Sonne lesse faithfull 3. This doctrine is fully and sufficiently confirmed by many and mighty miracles both in Moses the servant and in Christ the Sonne and being no new doctrine it needs no new miracles It is too idle to call for other miracles when they cannot prove that we bring any other doctrine If we should bring in strange and lying doctrines never known to Moses or Christ as they do we would cast about for lying wonders and pretend fabulous miracles to proove them as they do II. Whatsoever office or function God sets thee in be faithfull so was Moses the servant so was Christ the Sonne Hast thou an high place in Gods house as Moses be faithfull see 1 Tim. 1. 12. Art thou but a door-keeper in Gods house be faithfull in faithfull performing of whatsoever God reveales to be his will Hast thou received any talent lay it out to thy Lords advantage else canst thou not be faithfull Let thy care and study be to be found not onely faultlesse but faithfull in all things according to thy Christian profession that faithfullnes may be thy praise and crown in Magistracy Ministery private life in the whole practise of religion and also thy comfort living and dying when the Lord shall witnesse unto thee as to Moses in his life time Numb 12. 7 8. and dead Deutremon 34. 5 10. Moses the servant of the Lord died and there arose no such Prophet III. Labour to expresse the fruit of faith Heb. 11. 26. to preferre the state of Gods people above all earthly profits and prerogatives account the despised condition of the Saints above the admired happinesse of wicked men Moses would joyne himselfe to them when he might have been in the height of honour Christ would not be in heaven without them but endured more affliction than Moses could to enjoy them Hence observe four sorts of people that are not of Christs nor of Moses minde 1. Polititians who take the honour and profit of the Gospel but will none of the afflictions of Christ. 2. Proud persons who will not looke so low as on afflicted Christians 3. Temporizers that looke a squint on them if any suffer for well-doing 4. Scorners that despise the society and exercises of Gods people as too base company and courses for them Let all such know 1. That Christ in heaven scornes them not nor withdrawes himself from them yea heaven would not please him without them 2. That the fellowship of a Kings Court such as Pharaohs in riot feasting drinking gaming is hatefull to a sound mind in comparison of the society of the miserable and persecuted Saints though a fleshly eye cannot see it 3. That it will be no great comfort to beleeve the Communion of Saints and not enjoy it 4. That they which despise it here
upon the Crosse wherein the Circumcision of Christ was fully accomplished 3. Was shadowed their duty also that having shed the first fruits of their bloud in Circumcision in obedience to God they should be ready to shed all their bloud for him whom they expected to shed all his bloud for them 3. A distinguishing signe of the Jewes from all other people who were without God without Christ and they onely a chosen seed in that blessed seed in whom all their prerogatives were conferred and established 4. A demonstrative signe 1. Of the naturall sinne and disease of man and therefore it was placed in the generative part to admonish Abraham and his posterity of their uncleannesse for things clean need no Circumcision nor ablution Abraham and his seed must be led out of themselves 2. To demonstrate the cure and remedy by the Messiah to come cleansing our natures two waies 1. By bearing upon himselfe the imputation of our impurities 2. By healing them in us partly by his merit and bloudy death bestowing a perfect righteousnesse upon us partly by his Spirit daily sanctifying and circumcising our hearts thus hath this Sacrament preached Christ unto us Now the observations to make it usefull 1. Take notice of our own estate to humble us both in state of nature and in state of grace 1. In our nature we are all sprung out of a corrupted seed which although we would forget yet the Lord in this Sacrament took care that his people should carry upon their bodies the signe of sinne and death seizing upon their whole nature In place of which comes our Baptisme presently after our birth shewing that a man in his very first frame is filthily polluted and goeth astray even from the womb Psal. 58. 3. Whence also it is called Originall sin 1. Because it hath been from the beginning of the world 2. Because it is the originall and beginner of all sinne in us it is the first of all our sinnes 3. From our beginning even from our conception Psal. 51. I was conceived in iniquity and we from it called the childeren of wrath that is laid under wrath even from our childhood Eph. 2. 3. 2. After grace received see the weaknesse of our faith Abraham the father of the faithfull needed this pledge and seale to support his weak and shaking faith Who can say my faith is strong enough which is ever imperfect in the best who know but in part and believe but in part Why else did the Lord appoint the use of Sacraments to the strongest believers and that all their life long but to put them in mind of the weaknesse of their faith which needeth such continuall props and supports Neither is it marvel that men are so heavy to the reverent receiving of the Sacrament because they see no want no need no benefit of faith they feel not the weaknesse of faith which would breed desire of strength and drive them to the diligent use of the meanes II. If Christ be the truth of Circumcision then every Christian in the new Testament must be circumcised as necessarily as the Jewes in the old And though the ceremony and act of Circumcision be worn out yet the truth of circumcision as neerly belongs to us now a dayes as of old it did unto them In whom we are circumcised through the circumcision of Christ speaking of the Gentiles converted unto Christ. In which words the Apostle plainly distinguisheth between Jewish circumcision and Christian between Legall circumcision and Evangelicall between Moses his circumcision and Christs Here 1. What this Evangelicall circumcision is 2. The difference from Legall 3. The marks and notes of it 4. The motives This Christian Circumcision is described Col. 2. 11. to bee a putting off the sinfull body of the flesh that is in plaine tearmes the mortification of the body of sinnes that are in the flesh For the truth and kernell of Circumcision never stood in the cutting off a piece of skin that was but the shell of it but in cutting off the lusts of the heart life parting from corruptions of nature which rebell against the Spirit And this we have in Christ alone being as farre beyond the Circumcision of the old Testament as the truth useth to excell the type as farre as Christ is beyond Moses or heaven above earth This renovation of mind was 1. Signified by that Ceremony 2. Promised by every Circumcised person The difference between this Evangelicall and that Legall Circumcision is 1. In the efficient That was appointed by God to be made with hands but this is a wonderfull work without hands done by the finger of God himselfe The mortification of sinne is so honourable a work as the hand of man and Angels cannot do it 2. In the subject That was wrought upon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh this onely upon Abrahams seed according to the faith upon believeres and members of Christ. That upon the Jew without this upon the Jew within That upon Ismael as well as Isaac here no Ismaelite is circumcised That was Circumcision of the naturally born and males onely of Jewes onely this is of the supernaturally born againe male or female Jew or Gentile for in Christ all are one 3. In the proper seat That was ceremoniall in the flesh this morall in the heart In that a natural part was wounded in this the very corruption of nature That dealt with flesh in substance this with the body of flesh in quality 4. In the end In that every man was circumcised in himselfe and his bloud shed to fulfill the rite of the Law In this all believers men and women are in Christs bloud once circumcised to fulfil the rigour of the Law 5. In the effect By that the person was received into the society of Gods people according to externall profession by this the sinner is received into inward and eternall fellowship with God and into communion with Gods people 6. In the latitude or extent In that the Priest circumcised in one part of the body in this Christ our high Priest circumciseth the whole man In that one beloved part was cast away with griefe and sorrow in this the whole corruption of nature and all beloved sinnes with no lesse griefe and sorrow of heart for them 7. In the durance and continuance That was temporary but till the coming of Christ who razed the type and raised the truth but this is to continue for ever till the second coming of Christ and is most perfectly finished and consummate in heaven The notes or markes to know inward circumcision attained by Christ are these 1. The party to be circumcised was presented and offered to this ordinance of God as willing and contenttd to part with his flesh and bloud in obedience to God so here thou hast begun thy circumcision if thou hast offered up thy soul body and all a
all mankind to the bottome of hell had not Christ endured it 3. Wholly roasted to signifie that Christ endured the whole wrath of God which is a consuming fire both in soul and body as that bitter agony in the garden witnesseth which made him sweat drops of water and bloud and complaine that his soule was heavie unto the death VI. Observation Though the lamb must be wholly drest yet a bone of it shall not be broken Noting that wonderfull accident in the passion of Christ that when the souldiers came purposely to break his legs as they had done the others that were crucified with him yet by Gods secret providence they were restrained so as the antitype might exactly answer to the type as the Evangelist applieth it Joh. 19. 36. This lamb by dying when he would hindered the breaking of his bones For 1. His body was most holy and must not be prophaned and torne ignominiously as if it were the body of a thiefe or malefactor 2. His Fathers care that keeps the bones of the Saints that not one of them is broken Psal. 34. 20. will much more keep safe the bones of his onely Sonne 3. His bones were to be whole buried because he was to rise againe with his whole body and so the faith of believers in the article of his resurrection was more easily confirmed We must cast our eyes upon Jesus Christ the true Paschall lamb in all the worship of the old Testament For further than Christ was found and seen in it it was then but as an empty shell without a kernell and how much more now The Jews at this day celebrate the Passeover kill the Lamb sprinkle the bloud eat the flesh observe the rites but refusing Jesus Christ what sweetnesse can be in that feast What do they else than cast away the kernell to gnaw upon the shell or as a mad man who casts away the graine and choakes himselfe with the husks Oh how is the wrath of God come upon them to the uttermost who think that they have done a good service when they have slain a number of lambs taken from earth rejecting the Lamb of God who came from heaven from the bosome of his Father infinitely surpassing them all For their madnesse 1. What sence or what spirituall worship is it to feed their bodies with the flesh of lambs and to refuse Christ the lamb of God separated from all the flock for the food and refreshing of the soule 2. What weak and cold comfort to eat a number of lambs in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt and the thraldome of Pharaoh and yet not endure to hear of much lesse to taste of that lamb that hath wrought a more powerfull deliverance from the Pharaoh of Hell from sinne from damnation and all their heaviest burthens 3. All that sprinkling of bloud in their houses so long as they despise the bloud of Jesus Christ shall never get them protection from the revenging Angel We must pray that God would please at length to remove their vaile from their hearts that they may submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. that so all Israel may be saved by acknowledging the deliverer out of Zion of whom was prophecied Isai. 59. 20. That he shall turne away the ungodlinesse from Jacob. Sect. III. III. The Paschall lamb directly aimed at Christ our true Passeover in respect of the bloud and actions about it which were three 1. The bloud of the Lamb must be saved in a Basen vers 22. It must not be shed upon the ground to be troden under foot signifying the preciousnesse of the bloud of Christ. 1. In respect of God 2. Of Christ. 3. Of the Church For 1. God the Father highly prizeth this bloud and saves it in a golden vessell that it may be ever before him and that the streames of it may pacifie his displeasure and confirme the Covenant of grace with his Church Whence it is called the bloud of the Covenant Heb. 9. 18. 2. It was precious in regard of Jesus Christ seeing every drop of it was the bloud not of an innocent man onely but of one that was God as well as man Act. 20. 28. God with his own bloud purchased the Church and therefore it was a bloud of infinite vertue and infinite merit 3. Every true member of the Church doth most highly esteem it as the most precious thing in all the world and with great care and reverence receives it into the vessell of precious and saving faith and there keeps it safely as men do their most precious commodities 2. The bloud of the Lamb must be sprinkled upon the lintle and side posts of the doores of the Israelites vers 22. 1. In that it must be sprinkled it signified that the bloud of Christ must be applied unto us for our righteousnesse stands not in the shedding of Christs bloud but in sprinkling and application of Christs bloud shed and sprinkled upon our soules and consciences to purge them from dead works 2. It must be sprinkled upon the posts and doores so as the Israelites could neither go out of doores nor in but they must see on all sides the bloud of the lamb signifying that they and we should both at home and abroad going forth and comming in and on all occasions have the passion of Jesus Christ before our eyes in the holy meditation and deep contemplation of it 3. It was not enough for the Jew that the lamb was slain the bloud shed within the house but it must be sprinkled without doores that every man might see it and signified that if Christs bloud and the merit of it be shed in the houses of our hearts for justification and righteousnesse the sprinkling of it will appear and be seen without in holy life and practise of sanctification 3. This bloud of the lamb must not be sprinkled with the bare hands but with a bunch of hyssope dipt in the bloud vers 22. which signifyed that every one which puts forth his hand is not sprinkled with Christs bloud unlesse he have provided this bunch of hyssope Hyssope is Faith and Faith resembles this herbe in four things 1. It is a ground herbe low and weake so Faith in it selfe and in us is weak fraile feeble and of most despised Neither hath every man that hath hysope in his garden this bunch of hysope in his heart 2. Rooting in a rocke for so it used among the Jewes whence some thought it to be Pellitory of the wall Faith roots it selfe upon the rock Jesus Christ and cannot grow or prosper in any other soile Other hysope roots in earth this in heaven 3. It is an herb cleansing and curing Faith onely is an herbe of soveraigne virtue both to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9. and to heal all the wounds of conscience Act. 16. 31. the Goaler wounded and pricked in heart must believe in the
Three sacrifices ibid. No perfection but onely in Christ. 96 Sin unpardoned all service is abominable 97 Wash and purge all with the bloud of Christ. 99 Notes of it 100 Effects of being so washed and purged 101 Priests garments common and peculiar to the High Priest 102 Seven uses thereof for Ministers 112 Three uses for the people Twofold instruction 115 Comfort to the godly in respect of their head and themselves 117 Believers highly esteemed as precious stones 119 Sin to slight them ibid. Temperance of Ministers 122 Marriage ibid. Mourning for the dead 125 Ministers duty 130 Private Christians duty as Priests to God 131 XIV Nazarites types as set apart for God abstemious nourishing the hair not to touch the dead and released of their vow 133 Christ and his excellency to be acknowledged and power wherein 137 Difference of the Nazarites vow and Papists 138 Be Nazarites unto God in five things 139 XV. Clean Persons types three sorts of legall uncleannesse 141 Meats and unclean how and why ib. Two markes ibid. Issues unclean corporal and spiritual 144 Leprosie of body and of sin 146 Signes ibid. Church and members subject to many defilements 149 Look narrowly on the misery of sin ib. Good fruit thereof 150 Miserable effects of inward uncleannesse 152 Washing legall and of Christs bloud 153 Smallest sinnes to be put away 154 And how 155 Offering purgeth the unclean so of Christ typified 156 There is a way to cleanse every uncleannesse 160 Have recourse to the meanes 161 Motives ibid. Be very carefull to avoid spirituall uncleannesse 162 Oblation of Birds 163 Comfort to the godly 166 Affect purity of heart and life Motives 167 Directions 169 Avoid all occasions of defilement ib. No easie matter to be rid of sin 174 Separate between the precious and the vile who must 175 Christ discernes the leprosie of sin 176 Onely they are cleansed from sin whom Christ accounts so to be 177 Markes of one cleansed from sin ibid. What is to be done before this cure 178 And what afterward 179 XVI Holy things types of Christ. 180 Use of legall Ceremonies 181 Their fitnesse to the Jews nature ib. Ends. ibid. Sacraments and Sacrifices distinguished 183 Sacraments ordinary and extraordinary 184 Circumcision described in parts 185 A sign of Christ and seal of righteousnesse how 186 Be humbled for naturall corruption 188 And imperfection of grace 189 Be circumcised spiritually ibid. What it is ib. Notes 191 Mortification if right is painful 192 Motives to get the spiritual circumcision 194 XVII Passeover a type in the choice preparation effusion of bloud eating fruits 195 Christ a Lamb and his perfection 196 Christ two wayes set apart to be a Mediator 198 The time of his ministery and passion ordered 199 Christ must dye a violent death time of it 200 Jewes division of the day into four parts 201 How Christ is to be conceived and received ibid. In all worship look to Christ. 202 The pretiousnesse of Christs bloud 203 Applied 204 Faith resembled by hyssope how ib. Christs bloud to be highly prized 205 Precious things procured by it ibid. Profane not the bloud of Christ. 206 How 207 Feeding on the Lamb and Christ five conditions 208 Danger of the soul and how it is to be avoided 213 Directions for receiving the holy Communion 214 Similitude of purging out leaven and sin 216 Entire purging of the soul. 217 Whole Christ must be received 219 And how ibid. Popish abuses taxed about the Lords Supper ibid. XVIII Pillar of Cloud and Fire a type of Christ. 221 How 223 Four constant miracles to Israel in the wildernesse 224 Comfort by Christ as our guide 226 In seven things ibid. Confidence and security by Christ. 228 Notes of them that receive comfort by this Pillar 230 And how this comfort is to be esteemed 231 Mercy and Justice met in this type ib. Follow Christ as a guide 232 And how 233 XIX The Red Sea a type 234 In three conclusions ibid. Miracles in the miraculous dividing of the Sea ibid. Benefits sealed up by Baptisme four 237 Observe the power of God 238 The way to heaven filled with difficulties and why 239 Many comforts by that great work of God ibid. Duty of them that will enjoy these comforts 241 XX. Manna a type of Christ. 242 Matters of resemblance ibid. Why Manna putrified if reserved 247 Christ infinitely better than Manna 248 Gods patience and love to be noted 250 How it should work in us ibid. Gods watchfulnesse and care over his Church to be noted 251 Comfort thereby and instances 252 Gods bounty towards his Church to be noted 253 His wisdome in ministring to his Church to be noted 254 Manna why given daily yet not on the Sabbath ibid. Moderation in naturall things 255 And what is Gods measure 256 Man of himself is senselesse of the things of Jesus Christ. ibid. Whence this comes ibid. And of what use 257 Hunger and thirst for Christ motives 258 Take pains for him motives 259 Observe times and places to meet with Christ. 260 Apply and feed on Christ. 261 And how ibid. Be never weary of this Manna ib. Motives 262 Prize and magnifie this Manna ib. XXI Water out of the Rock a type of Christ. 263 In three respects ibid. Christ resembled by a Rock and waters 264 Christ ever present with his Church 269 Our duty ibid. An almighty power in Christ for his Church 270 Our duty ibid. Gods mercy to his people admirable ib. See the fountain of grace opened and its superexcellency 271 Thirst for Christ and conditions of it 272 Continue it two rules ibid. Have reâ—…rse to Christ in this thirst motives 273 Quench thy thirst and be satisfied ib. Motives 274 Meanes to get water out of this Rock hindrances helpes ibid. XXII The Brazen Serpent a type of Christ. 275 Gods justice here to be noted and equity of it 276 Of fiery Serpents and the old Serpent the devill 278 Temptations called fiery darts why 279 Observations about sin deceit folly poyson danger of loving it ibid. God appoints the meanes of health to soul and body 280 A brazen Serpent not golden five reasons 281 Christ lifted up before us how 282 Application of Christ a saving remedy far most excellent ibid. God helps his people by weak unlikely and contrary meanes and why 284 Grounds for faith in these troubles of the Churches 286 Kingdome of Antichrist how fit for destruction ibid. The eye of faith must shut the eye of reason 287 Four things cannot otherwise be obtained ibid. Believe the Word absolutely 291 Pray for eye-salve and what it is 292 Captivate thine own reason and wisdome ibid. Motives 293 Mans reason the mother of heresies 294 Naturall reason an enemy to the power of godlinesse 296 What is to be done to be cured spiritually 298 Wounds of sinne compared to deadly poyson in four things ibid Come for counsel to spiritual Physitians ibid. Who reproved 299 Confess special sins and go
of God true God and man 2. They were sinfull men and must offer first for themselves and then for others Heb. 5. 3. But Christ was sinlesse he needed not offer for his own sinnes Heb. 7. 26 27. 3. For their office they were but ministers of holy things and of salvation propounded in them Christ because of this order was author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 10. 4. They were many and all ministers of a temporary covenant but he is but one who hath obtained a more excellent office in that he is Mediator of a better testament established upon better promises Heb 8. 6. For the promises of the covenant of grace are more excellent than those of the Legall covenant 5. They offered often and the repetition of sacrifices argued their invalidity and imperfection but he offered but once and needed not doe it daily Heb. 7. 27. which argued the perfection Heb. 9. 28. 6. They offered the bloud of beasts which could not expiate sinne nor wash the conscience of the sinner farther than purifying the flesh but he not with bloud of bulls and goats but with his own bloud entred once into the holy place having obtained an eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. and this bloud purgeth the conscience from dead works verse 14. 7. They served in an earthly fading Sanctuary made with hands and entred into an holy place which perished and failed according to that elementary and temporary worshipâ— but he is minister of the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man Heb. 8. 2. this tabernacle is his own blessed body in which he performed all his service called chap. 9. 11. a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and verse 24 is now entred not into holy places made with hands but into the very Heaven to appear in the sight of God for us 8. They all ceased dyed one succeeded another as mutable was their whole service which also ceased and deceased and gave place to the truth of it when the fulnesse of time came but this true Melchizedek being without beginning or end of dayes hath an eternall Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. and therefore neither hath nor needeth any successor in earth Whence every repetition of his sacrifice bloudily or unbloudily in the Masse is an high and hatefull blasphemy a denyall of Christs person to be above the person of Melchizedek and of his sacrifice to be above Aarons or that it was offered by the eternall spirit of his Deity VI. The excellency of the person shewes the greatness of the Sacrifice the greatness of the sacrifice the greatness of the sinne Melchizedek because he was but likened to the Sonne of God Heb. 7. 3. could not offer a Sacrifice to take away sinne he must be the Sonne of God indeed and God himself that must doe that The least sinne which we account so light could never be expiated but by the bloud of him that is God as well as man All created strength cannot stand under the burthen of the least sinne Therefore in the worthiness of this person see the unworthiness of thy sinne to hate and abhorre it and thy self in dust and ashes for it An hainous and execrable offence were that which nothing could take away but the death of the Prince CHAP. V. 4. Isaac a type of Christ. I. IN his birth Isaac the sonne of Abraham the father of the faithfull a promised seed long before he was born in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Yea so strange was his birth as that he was not to be born by the strength of nature but of Sarahs dead womb when it was not with her as with other women Insomuch as when the Angel fore-told it to her she thought it impossible Gen. 18. 12. So Christ the sonne of Abraham commonly so called the onely Sonne of God by nature who is the Father of all the faithfull who are taught to say Our father c. The onely true promised seed long before prophecied of and expected of beleevers before his manifestation about four thousand yeares Borne and incarnate not by the strength of nature but by the power of the holy Ghost after an unconceiveable manner so as when the Angell told his mother Mary of his miraculous manner of birth she thought it impossible and said How can this be Luk. 1. 34. And in him onely the whole spirituall seed of Abraham all Gods people of Jewes and Gentiles were blessed Psal. 72. 17. the Nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Which Prophecy cannot be understood of Salomon for scarce his own nation was blessed in him who by his sinne lost tenne tribes of twelve from his own sonne and verse 5. they shall fear him so long as the Sunne and Moone endure from one generation to another verse 11. all Kings shall worship him and serve him and verse 17. his name shall be for ever all these are true in Christ onely Thus as Isaac was founder of a mighty state so Christ of all the Church of God in all nations onely blessed in him As Isaac was his fathers heire So Christ heire of all things Isaac hath goods onely II. In his suffering 1. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day so was Christ. Luk. 2. 2. Isaac in his infancy was persecuted by Ishmael Gal 4. 29. So Christ by Herod Mat. 2. 3. Isaac carried the wood of the burnt offering upon his shoulders even to mount Moriah Gen. 22. 6. So Christ carryed the Crosse on which he was to be nayled even to Golgatha 4. Isaac was led away as a Lamb to the slaughter So Christ was lead away Joh. 19. 16. to death 5. Isaac without reply submitted himself to his father even to the death suffered himself to be bound on the wood and yeelds himself burnt offering unto the Lord Even so Christ without reply was obedient unto his father unto the death and was content to be bound not as Isaac for himselfe alone but for us and them and layd down his life a whole burnt offering and a ransome for many Joh. 16 28. Thus were both Lamb-like sufferers both bear their Crosse both without reply led away both bound and fastned on the wood both willingly obedient to the death III. In his offering 1. Both sonnes onely sonnes innocent beloved of their fathers Abraham did all at Gods Commandement and lifted up his hand So Christ by the determinate counsel of God was delivered by wicked hands Abraham offers his sonne freely God more freely offers his sonne out of his bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission riseth early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne and Isaac riseth as early to obey his Father So the Jewes by Gods permission break their sleep and early in the morning proceed to the condemning of Christ who is called the Hinde of the morning Psal. 22. 1. compassed with dogges that hunted his life and Christ as another Isaac after
all the coasts and corners of the earth as the bloud sprinckled on the four corners and that by the finger hand and ministery of men 6. The fat must be offered unto God but the flesh skin and dung must be burnt with fire without the host signifying 1. That Christ offered himselfe and the best parts he had suffering in soule and body 2. That he must suffer without the host without the gate of Jerusalem Heb. 13. 12. and carried out our sinnes out of Gods sight 3. That nothing but bloud comes on the Altar For onely the bloud of Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sin Note hence that the Priests in the Law must be put in mind that they were sinners and needed a sacrifice for themselves By which they were to take notice of a difference between themselves and our high Priest 1. There was no perfection in their persons for they must offer and lay their hands on the head of the sacrifice confessing guiltinesse 2. Nor in their Ministery in which the high Priest need offer for his own sinnes 3. Nor in all their Consecration they could offer no sacrifice to wash away any sinne their owne nor others onely they did point at the sacrifice of Christ but by his consecration he could offer himself a meritorious and sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of his elect Thus is our high Priest advanced above them all The second of these sacrifices in the Consecration of the high Priest was to be a burnt offering or Holocaust The use of which was to signifie the dedication of himselfe and all that he had to be purified by the Spirit as by fire to the use of God in his service as that Holocaust was verse 15 and 19. Most things in this were common with the former 1. The bloud must be sprinkled on the Altar round about signifying the full remission of sinnes purchased by the bloud of Christ and the communication of all his benefits and the virtue of his whole passion to be aplyed to the whole Church for sprinkling still betokens application 2. The inwards and legs must be washed in water vers 17. signifying that Christ should bring no unclean thing in his offering but he should be absolute pure within and without in his mind thoughts affections signified by the inwards and in his conversation motions and walkings signified by the legs 3. The burning of the offering wholy ver 18. signified 1. The ardent love of Jesus Christ who was all consumed as it were with the fire of love and zeale towards mankinde upon the Crosse. 2. The bitternesse of his passion in his whole man who was as it were consumed wholly with the fire of his fathers wrath due to the sinnes of man 4. As the burnt-offering ascended up to heaven in fire So Jesus Christ having offered himselfe a whole burnt offering ascended up into heaven and so obtained an everlasting redemption for his Church From whence also he sends the fire of his Spirit as on the Apostles so on all beleevers in their measure Joh. 14. Note from this sacrifice for the high Priest that first he must offer the sinne-offering and then the other sacrifices for consecration This burnt-offering nor the others following could never have been acceptable if the sinne-offering had not gone before and sinne by it expiated Learne hence that so long as we are in our sinnes all our sacrifices and services are abominable Sinne unremoved lyes in the way of thy prayer The blind man could say God heares not sinners Joh. 9. 31. And David If I have delight to sinne God will not hear my prayer Sinne unrepented and unpardoned makes thee hatefull in the house of God thy hearing doth but more harden thee the Sacraments become poyson unto thee for thou by thy sinne castest poyson into the Lords Cup and so eatest and drinkest thy owne damnation For Applycation Let this be our wisedome first to offer our sinne-offering It is the Lords own counsell Isai. 1. Wash you cleanse you and then come and let us reason And as our Lord advised us in case of reconciliation with man we must much more practice in case of our reconciliation with God If thou hast brought thy gift to the Altar and thou remembrest that God hath ought against thee first reconcile thy selfe to God and then to man and so bring thy gift There be two graces which we must bring before God in all our services in which we would find acceptance The former of preparation that is repentance which prepareth aright to the performance of good duties The latter of disposition and that is faith which disposeth the party aright in the whole carriage of them for this purifieth the heart exciteth the will sees the weaknesse seeks a cover and finds acceptance The third sacrifice in the consecration of the high Priest was the peace-offering or the Eucharisticall sacrifice the use of which was both that Aaron should shew his thankfullnesse to God who had advanced him to so high an office as also to obtaine of God by prayer such high and excellent gifts as were needfull for the execution of the same and this pointeth directly at Jesus Christ. 1. The bloud of this Lamb was to be put on the lap of Aarons eare upon the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot Signifying 1. That all the actions of Christ his hands feet and parts were red with his passion Psal. 22. 16. they pierced my hands and feet 2 The whole obedience of Jesus Christ to his father even to the death called a piercing or boaring of the eare 3. That it is Christ who sanctifieth the eares hands and feet of the Priest and people The eare to hear divine Oracles the Priest must first learne then teach The hands to work the actions of grace and holinesse The feet to direct and lead into all holy motions and conversation all must be washed by the bloud of Christ that we may be wholy clean As both our Saviour teacheth by the washing of the disciples feet Joh. 13. 5 6. As also in Peters request Lord not my feet onely but my hands and head Joh. 13. 9. 2. A part of this sacrifice went to the Priest part to the Offerer signifying that both Priest and people have part and interest in the death of Christ as also that Christ did not onely deliver himselfe to death for us as this Ram but also giveth himselfe to feed us to eternall life Joh. 6. 55. My flesh is meat indeed 3. It must be heaved up before the Lord and shaken too and fro every way vers 26. Signifying 1. The lifting up and heaving of Christ upon the Crosse. 2. The heaving up of our hearts in thankfullnesse to God for so great benefits 3. That the merits of Christ our true sacrifice and benefits of his death should by the preaching and publication of the Gospell be spread abroad into
all corners of the world as that sacrifice was shaken every way East West North and South 4. This sacrifice must alwaies be offered up with cakes of unleavened bread tempered with oyle vers 23. Signifying 1. The most perfect purity of Christs life and doctrine without all leaven of sin 2. That Priest and people must in service to God lay aside all leaven of maliciousness 3. The oyle notes the soft and loving kindness of God Jesus Christ chearing suppling the conscience by the sweet meditation of it as also how joyfully gladly we ought to serve the Lord and with cheerefullness present before him all the parts of his worship Note hence as the eare hands and feet of the high Priest must be touched with bloud before he attempt any part of his office so our care must be that all our parts all our actions and affections be touched and purged with the bloud of Christ. So David Psal. 51. 2. Wash me throughly Reason 1. Because sinne hath defiled the whole man all his parts all his actions all within him all without him 2. This foulnesse sticks so fast as it is no easie matter to be cleansed Nothing in the world can fetch out this soile but the bloud of Christ. Not all the water in the sea nor all the holy water in the Sea of Rome can wash away one sinne 3. All thou doest or performest depends upon the merit of this bloud and dignity of this person and passion for acceptance The knowledge of thy duty must be sprinkled with this bloud for that is signified by the eare The undertaking of duty by the hand The progresse and perseverance in it by the foot All must be presented in him and by him and find grace and acceptance If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me Qu. How may I know that the bloud of Christ hath touched and purged me Answ. 1. It is not enough that Christs bloud be shed but it must also be sprinkled If thou contentest not thy selfe that Christ hath died for all but seest how necessary it is to apply it to thy self 2. If thou hast an hand to lay hold on Christs bloud and besprinkle thy self with it A man washeth his face with his hand This hand is faith which takes up the bloud of Christ and applies it to ones selfe as did Paul who dyed for me 3. If it wash the whole man within and without which no others bloud could do The bloud of sacrifices under the Law could not sanctisie the conscience but onely the outside Heb. 9. 9. but this can and must purge the conscience from dead workes verse 14. And under conscience is contained the whole inner man purged by the merit of his satisfying bloud and by his spirit renewing our nature And for the outward man 1. If thy right eare be touched thou hast the hearing eare rightly to hear the word of God Thou hearest to learn for to harken is better than the fat of Rammes 2. If thy right hand be touched that thou art an active Christian not an hearer onely of the word but a doer and unto knowledge of the doctrine of faith joynest obedience of faith thou keepest the faith working as knowing that obedience is better than sacrifice thou darest not doe what seemes good to thy self or is right in thine owne eyes but what is rightly ruled by Gods word for that is the right hand touched 3. If thy right foot be touched that thou walkest in the right way with a right foot not making crooked pathes to thy feet but ordering thy conversation aright And all this with right ends and affections the feet of the soule laying aside all sinister ends and intentions in all thy obedience and directing all to the honour of the true Aaron and high Priest Jesus Christ. 4. If thou findest the effects of Christs bloud sprinkled 1. Pacification of conscience for this bloud speakes better things than Abels for us and in us for us to God by intercession in us by perswasion that the Lord looking on the bloud of Christ rests wholly in it as a full satisfaction for all our sinnes for this is the end of shedding remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. therefore of sprinkling 2. Daily sanctification through this sprinkling 1 Pet. 1. 2. For out of the side of Christ issues water as well as bloud the one redeeming from condemnation the other from vaine conversation the one purgeth from the death of works the other from dead workes themselves The sprinkling of this bloud admits not security or idleness and carelessnesse nor suffers a man to sinne against this bloud by impenitency unbeliefe despising of grace horrible swearing and foul lusts But makes the Christian truely noble as one now descended of the bloud of Christ scorning the base and foule courses he formerly affected Find these markes and comfort thy selfe thou art sprinkled with Christs bloud Thy whole course is sanctified all thy hearing all thy obedience be it never so weak in it self be thy unworthinesse never so great it shall be no barre to thine acceptance with God For every thing sprinkled with this precious bloud is sweetned and accepted Sect. III. III. The third thing in the deputation of the Priest to his office is his apparrell appointed by God and called holy garments glorious and beautifull farre differing from all other mens And they signified 1. The function to be glorious and excellent 2. The fitnesse of their persons to that office 3. The glory of the true high Priest Jesus Christ of whom Aaron was but a figure For all the glistering shew of these Priestly garments set forth the more Angelicall brightnesse of all the virtues which should shine in Jesus Christ. The Priestly garments appointed by God were ten in number of which four belonged to the inferiour Priests Exod. 28. 40 42. 1. A linnen garment Which signified the white garment of Christs righteousnesse and innocency which they were to appeare in before the Lord if they would be acceptable in their persons or duties Noting to us by the way that every godly Minister weares a white linnen garment not woven and made by men but by God not without him but within him not a shaddow oâ— ceremony but the substance and truth to which all shadowes give place Nay there is no private man that is godly but he must weare this white linnen garment having put it on in the laver of regeneration as Gal. 3. 27. Whosoever are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 2. A girdle verse 40. which signifies constancy and stability in the truth both in our high Priest Jesus Christ who was not a reed shaken but a firme rock as also in his members who are commanded to stand fast their loines girt with verity Ephes. 6. 14. Hence followes That the Ministers word must not be yea and nay his course must be constantly gracious and watchfull And for
sorrow turne the streame against our sinnes and in all crosses set our heaviness rather upon some sinne in our selves which might cause the crosse than on the crosse it selfe Sect. VII Now it followeth that we shew how the Priests figured Christ in their ministeriall actions Of these kinds of actions some were common to inferiour Priests some proper to the high Priest I. Common actions were six 1. The Priests must kill the sacrifices and none but he signifying Jesus Christ his voluntary action in laying downe his life for beleevers none could take away his life from him And he was to be as well the Priest as the sacrifice Joh. 10. 18. I have power to lay down my life 2. The priest offered the bloud of the sacrifices to God and sprinkled it on the Altar for they were ordained for men in things of God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes Heb 5. 1. No man might offer his owne sacrifice but he must bring it to the Priest Levit. 7. 4. there was no comming to God but by the Priest Figuring out Jesus Christ who offers up himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world upon the Altar of his Deity which gives both vertue and merit unto it No other can offer to God bloudy or unbloudy sacrifice upon this Altar but himselfe Joh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe for them even as the Altar sanctifieth the gift 3. The Priests prepared the body of the sacrifice Lev. 1. 6. fleyed it divided it into severall parts washed the intrailles put fire unto the burnt offering consumed the fat cast the filth and dung into the place of ashes Sgnifying that Christ himselfe alone did the whole worke of redemption He suffered the heat of Gods wrath and justice he puts away all our filth and covers it in his owne ashes he burnes up our fat that is the senselessenesse of our sinne and all that savoureth of the flesh by the fire of his Spirit and inwardly purgeth and wholy washeth us in the fountaine of his own bloud 4. The Priest must teach the people His lipps must preserve knowledge Mal. 2. 7. and the people must depend on his mouth Signifying the action of this great teacher of the Church who brought to us from the bosome of his father the whole counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankind which could never have entered into the heart of man but by the teaching of this great Prophet Deut. 18. 15. He hath the learned tongue and Grace is powred into his lippes He therefore having the words of eternall life we must depend on him and hear him 5. The Priest must pray for the people and blesse them A forme of blessing is prescribed for Aaron and his sonnes laying their hands on the childeren of Israel fignifying the strong prayers and intercessions of Jesus Christ for his Church who was heard in all things Hebr. 5. 7. as himselfe witnesseth Joh. 11. 42. Father I know thou hearest me alwaies And accomplished not onely in his holy intercession upon earth and now in heaven but manifestly in that blessing of his disciples by laying his hands upon them which was his last action upon earth Luke 24. 50. 6. The Priests were to preserve the Oyle for lights and the incense and for the daily meat-offering and the anointing oyle And the over-sight of the whole Tabernacle and all in the Sanctuary and all the instruments belonged to their care for the safety in moving carrying standing c. Signifying Jesus Christ the preserver of all grace in his Church He onely watcheth for the safety of his Church for the upholding of his holy ministery and all holy constitutions which else would quickly be broken up He plants the Ministery and he removes it at his pleasure He hath the seven stars in his right hand He is the great Arch-bishop of soules to the whole Church and no other in this kind but he So much of common actions ministeriall II. Actions more peculiar to the High priest were 1. daily 2. weekly 3. yearly 4. continually I. He must daily 1. dresse the holy lamps and lights morning and evening before the Lord Lev 24. 2 3. to preserve the lights from going out Shadowing Christ the true light by whom the light of true doctrine must ever shine in the Church and never go out by which the true believers shall be delivered from darknesse and death This was formerly figured by Goshen there was light when three days darknesse was over all Egypt And this was figured by the pillar of fire that never failed till they came to Canaan 2. He must daily burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume Signifying Christ our high Priest daily offering up 1. Our duties and services done by his appointment and which through him smell as a sweet incense acceptable to God 2. Our prayers called odours of the Saints and a sweet incense Rev. 5. 8. And as no incense pleased God but that which was offered upon that golden Altar so no duty or prayer of ours is farther accepted than offered up by him and from him whose golden purity gives merit and worth unto them And as the incense must be offered up by the high Priest morning and evening so the continuall virtue of Christs merit ascendeth daily before God and perfumeth all the Sanctuary neither is there any other way to the father but by him II. He must weekly make the shew-bread and set it before the Lord continually Exod 25. 30. And more expressely Lev. 24. 5 6. Every Sabbath he must set on the table twelve loaves according to the twelve tribes take the old away to the maintaining of his family for which use they might well suffice every loafe weighing about seven or eight pounds Here was a figure of Christ the true bread of Life who sets himself in the preaching of the Gospel and administration of the Sacraments before the face of God that is in the assemblies gathered together every Sabbath the most sufficient food and refreshing of the Church to continue it in life strength and good estate from Sabbath to Sabbath till that eternall Sabbath come III. He must yearly once and that in the day of expiation go into the Holy of Holies Exo. 30. 10. and Lev. 16. 2 24. to make an attonement for himselfe for all his house and for all the people but not without bloud Signifying that Christ by one alone sacrifice of himselfe hath opened the Sanctuary of heaven and by his ascension hath made enterance into it on our behalfe and there appeares before God once for all to make intercession for us See Heb. 10. 12 19. And as he must goe alone without all attendants so Christ must tread the wine presse alone Isai. 63. 3. No friend no disciple stands with him no fellow no companion goes with him to make attonement but all feare and flye that we might cast our eye
truely humbled and prepared for Christ nor can expect a good estate in him whose daily corrupt issues from an overflowing fountaine make him not seem marvellous filthy and unclean in his own eyes 1. What is the reason that so many do Pharisaically pride themselves if not in the goodnesse of their persons yet in some blind hopes and presumptions that they be not so bad as they are or as some others be but because they never saw themselves in this glasse which onely lets a man see himselfe a masse of sinne a lump of uncleannesse and that no good thing is in his nature which in no part is free from the running issues of that festred and inbred sinne 2. Why do many doat upon their own works and sightly actions either to Popish confidence in them as meritorious or at least with many Protestants to rest in the civility and morality of them without farther pursuit of the power of religion but that they see not that so evill trees cannot send forth any good fruit nor so bitter fountaines any sweet water which could they but discerne they would be weary of the best of their righteousnesse and cast it away with Paul as dung and conclude that when Aloes and wormwood yeeld a sweet taste then might their fruits be sweet and tastfull to God and themselves 3. Why do so many thousands contest against grace stand upon their honesty good neighbourhood hospitality charity they thanke God they are no blasphemers no drunkards adulterers murderers they wash the outside come to Church hear sermons are outwardly clean and formall no man can challenge them no nor they themselves but because they never saw the infection of their soules nor the inordinacy of their inner man which is a fountaine ever overflowing all the banks most dangerous most secret hardest to find out and hardest to cure and this deceives thousands in their reckonings 4. Why is the righteousness of faith in the bloud of Christ so much undervalued and men so hardly driven out of themselves to seek righteousnesse by him But because they see not their own uncleannesse and therein their hatefull estate before God untill Christ the high Priest have made atonement for them For as that man who being sick to death feels not his sicknesse nor discerns the depth and dangers of it seeks not greatly after the Physitian he applies either no meanes or some idle and impertinent things to small purpose so he that sees not the misery of his disease of sinne sees not the need of Christ neglects the right meanes and contentedly deludes himselfe running any whether but to the right remedy It is fit and fruitfull to look a little nearer this disease of nature that we may not onely make conscience of the foulnesse of nature but be thrust out of our selves to the meanes of our cleansing Considering 1. That this uncleane issue which the Legall issues point us unto is a sinne against the whole Law of God in all branches of it whereas other sinnes are against one of the Tables and one of the Commandements 2. This poyson of nature is the same in all men that all may be humbled who are born children of the devill enemies to righteousnesse all of us being in our very birth sonnes of death for in Adam all are dead And as an image of rotten wood must needs be rotten so we hewn out of so rotten a stock Who is it that is not a Leper from the wombe Let any man thrust his hand into his bosome as Moses did Exod. 4. 6. and he shall pull it out againe leprous and as white as snow Every man hath cause to cry with the Leper I am uncleane I am uncleane The spawne of a Serpent are Serpents and what are we but the spawn the seed of Adam 3. This Issue is a generall disorder of the whole man and of all parts Neither is bodily leprosie more generall and universally spread over all the members than sinne in the soule which is seated in all the members so as from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing sound but ataxy or disorder in want of all goodnesse in all parts and pronenesse to all evill 4. Miserable are the effects of this close uncleanenesse As 1. In this Image of sinne no ugly toad can be so hatefull to us as we unto God 2. The whole man lies subject under the curse and wrath of God Rom. 5. 18. the fault came on all men to condemnation 3. Nothing can proceed from us but what is foule and damnable What can a Serpent cast out but poyson Whatsoever our own strength or will can bring forth is tainted with this leprosie for free will remaineth onely to evill 4. Nothing without us that we can touch but we taint till we be cleansed noted in the infection of houses vessels garments Both earthly things all the creatures all our comforts actions to the unpure all is so yea divine actions the word Sacraments prayer almes all polluted by us and to us so long as we be unconverted and in our uncleane nature 5. An unregenerate man can converse with no man but as a Leper he infects him by example provocation corrupt opinions frothy speeches fruitlesse behaviour And if they that poyson mens bodies are worthy extreame punishment and every man detests them how much more severe wrath of God are they liable unto that do nothing but poison mens soules 6. No Leper was so worthily cast out of the campe as all of us by nature are worthily cast out of the society of Saints in earth and in heaven yea from the presence and fellowship of God and Jesus Christ and that for ever Sinne properly shuts out of heaven no unclean thing comes there nothing more hateful to God nothing but that hated by him 7. All this misery we our selves can neither discerne nor remedy It makes us pure in our owne eyes though we be not washed Prov. 30. 12. We lie wallowing in our filthinesse and delight in it as the swine in the myre and never are cured till we get out of our selves to the high Priest in whom onely it is perfectly to cleanse and cure us Now seeing in this glasse our own disease and need of cure let us returne to the meanes of our cure in these three severall sorts of uncleanenesse and in the legall be led to the cure of morall uncleannesse Thus of the kinds of legall uncleanenesse Next all Legall uncleanenesse was to be cured two waies 1. By ablution or washing 2. By oblation or offering Both these were appointed for all kinds as in particular 1. For uncleane touchings and tastings the parties must wash their clothes Lev. 11. 40. 2. For unclean issues they must wash themselves and their clothes Lev. 15. 13. 3. For uncleanness of Leprosie they must wash themselves their clothes and besides shave off all their haire and stay seven daies without the camp
consumed with fire as the burnt offering was but slaine for the expiation of sinne The use of which was to figure and seale up to the Jews the expiation of their sinnes in Christ. Now Christ is made manifest for the doing away of sinne by the slaine sacrifice of himselfe Heb. 9. 26. and see vers 28. The burnt offering was a sacrifice in which the whole beast or bird was consumed with fire offered up therein to God for a savour of rest namely to appease and pacifie Gods wrath for some sinne or sinnes committed Which signified that Christ was to be a whole burnt offering and to be wholly consumed in soule and body with the fire of his Fathers wrath that he might be a sweet smelling savour for us He gave himselfe for us a sacrifice and oblation for a sweet smelling savour Neither did the believing Jewes think that God was appeased by any virtue in the burnt-offering but through the eternall sacrifice of Christ shadowed therein 2. What were the ceremonies about these foules for they all pointed at Christ. 1. For the sinne offering of foules the ceremonies are appointed Levit. 5. 8 9. and they be three 1. Rite The Priest must wring the neck of the Dove asunder but not pluck it clean off and the same rite in the burnt-offering The neck must be pincht with the naile of the Priest to let out the bloud but the head must not be pluckt off from the body Signifying 1. That although Christ was to die yet his divinity and humanity should not be severed 2. That the death of this innocent Dove should not interrupt his headship of the Church He was to be pinched to death but his head should not be severed from his body and members which is the Church 3. That Christ should die indeed but no bone of him must be broken Joh. 19. 36. Shadowed also in the Passover 2. Rite The Priest must sprinkle the bloud of the sinne offering upon the side of the Altar vers 9. and the like in the burnt offering Chap. 1. 15. Signifying that all the virtue and merit of Christs bloud for the purging of sinne was drawn from the Altar of his Deity He must be God that must purchase the Church with his bloud Act. 20. 28. and 〈◊〉 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ. 3. Rite All the rest of the bloud must be powred out at the foot of the Altar Signifying not onely the powring out of the bloud of Jesus Christ our true sinne offering upon the Altar of the Crosse without which shedding of bloud can be no remission of sinnes but also the bloud powred at the foot of the Altar that is those clots and drops of bloud plentifully flowing from him in his agony before his passion Luke 22. 44. as he was going up to the Crosse. 2. For the Dove appointed for the burnt offering besides the former rites some other are appointed 1. The Priest must pluck out the maw with his feathers and cast them besides the Altar on the East side in the place of the ashes For these were things unclean and signified that Christ should bring no unclean thing to his suffering but present a most spotlesse and holy oblation to the Lord for else had it not been of sweet smell 2. The Priest must divide and cleave the bird with his winges but not asunder signifying Christ who seemed by his death to be burnt extinct and perished for so he was in the esteem of his own disciples as they were going to Emaus but yet he was not quite sundered but rose againe by his own power and ever liveth sitting at his Fathers right hand to make request for us Yea his own words might seem to imply a sundering when he saith Why hast thou for saken me but that the ingemination of his former words my God my God doth strongly prove the contrary 3. This bird must be throughly consumed to ashes to make it a sweet savour to the Lord Levit. 1. 17. signifying that never was any thing so gratefull and acceptable to the Lord as the whole burnt sacrifice of his Sonne in which he smelled a savour of eternall rest To which the Psalmist alludeth Let him smell a savour of all thy oblations and turn thy burnt offerings into ashes Psal. 20. 3. 4. When all these rites were observed the party that was unclean shall be clean Levit. 12. 8. and Chap. 15. 13 28. signifying that a party justified by Christs bloud and exercising true repentance and the study of holinesse and new life is brought in againe into the right and fellowship of God and his people whatsoever his uncleannesse formerly hath been And thus hath the legall cleansing of this person brought us to the Evangelicall in Jesus Christ I. Sundry grounds of consolation to the Church and people of God 1. As Christ seemed clean divided and sundered from his Father from his Church but was not so his members often seem quite sundered from God and all comfort but are not and Ch. 6. 9. A godly man may be in such a streight as David was when thus he brake forth to Jonathan As the Lord liveth and as thy soul liveth there is but one step between me and death And yet when he can see no passage God makes a passage forth Hence may a Christian with Paul challenge all perills and dangers and contemne them as too weak to separate us from Christ Rom. 8. 39. yea in all things we are not onely conquerours but more than conquerours So was Christ in death and from under the grave more than a conquerour Let a Christian be slain it hinders him not from being a conquerour and what ever he may loose he looseth not the love of God who loveth him to the end whom he once loveth and therefore onely the sound Christian is in a sure estate If sorrow be for a night joy will returne in the morning after darkenesse as sure to see light As Jesus Christ keeps his headship and death cannot sever him quite so the members may be pinched yet not quite off but abide members still 2. As the speciall providence of God watched his own sonne that though he was in wicked hands that wanted no will yet they were kept from breaking one bone of him so doth the same providence watch over his members that howsoever the wicked of the world pinch and presse them yet the promise is made to them Psal. 34. 20. He keeps all their bones not one of them is broken that is without the will of our heavenly Father as Matth. 10. 29. Not an haire shall fall for the same providence watcheth the head and members This consideration is used by Christ to remove excessive fear 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 Jacob when he purposed his death and Labans to
Jacob when he intended evill intreaty towards him 2. He can turn their counsel to folly and bring it on their own heads as in Haman Architophel 3. He can turn their evill to thy good salvation according to the saying of Joseph to his brethren Ye intended evill against me but God turned it to good as this day 4. He can take them off at his pleasure he hath a hook for Zenacherib and Balaam shall not curse though he would never so faine 3. In that Christ brought no unclean thing to his sacrifice figured in pulling out the maw and feathers and casting them besides the Altar in the place of ashes we have comfort in the offering of all our service and sacrifices of prayer praises 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 walk amongst an holy people And teacheth how carefull we Christians should be to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. And that we should be ever stopping up those unclean issues which disturbe our chastity of body or mind which these legall issues specially ayme at Oh this chastity of mind 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 be praied unto with a pure and chaste heart How can foule fornicators and adulterers think that their praiers 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 than a swine-sty 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 redeem 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 Joseph calls it Gen. 39. 9. to make it a member of an harlot 5. Follow holinesse and chastity without which thou shalt never see God either in grace or in glory Heb. 12. 24. What makes the harlot so sottish so gracelesse in the middest of powerfull meanes but that their hearts are taken away Hos. 4. 12. 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 looks first at the cleannesse of the heart knowing that if he find that unclean nothing is clean 3. Morality and cleanliness make a man care for the cleanness of his face but grace and religion make him look to the cleannesse of his heart Jer. 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 speak the eye will look the hand will work the foot will walk 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 boughes of sinfull actions if they seek not to strike up the root Thou wouldst avoid oathes and lyes in thy tongue but shall never do 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 the heart is in two things 1. Justification by the bloud of Christ imputed and applied Joh. 15. 8 10. 2. Sanctification by the Spirit which stands in two things 1. In parting with our filthinesse as evill thoughts pride hypocrysie stubbornnesse mallice 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 clean II. Direction From the foundation come to the streames If the heart at any time be inflamed with the fire of concupiscence and begin to boile 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 Job 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 pluck out thine eye cut off thy hand and foot rather than by them offend God and thy conscience If this will not serve beat down thy rebellious members as Paul with labour 3. Direction Avoid occasions of defilements by the unclean issues of others so did the Jews As 1. Come not near unclean persons 2 Cor. 6. 17. Avoid swearers drunkards gamesters wantons Proverb 4. 14. 2. Avoid the seat 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 v. 8. words are cast out of the mouth spittle Neither assent to their speeches and perswasions which are still against God nor be dismaied from good things by their threats and reproaches This filthy froth and spittle daily pollutes many that are carelesse to avoid it Object Alas it is impossible then to avoide unclean issues I cannot but daily and hourly touch some filthinesse unlesse I run out of the world and from my selfe Sol. 1. Therefore as the woman having the bloody issue thrust in daily to touch the hemme of Christs garment Mar. 5. that his bloud may heal thy bloudy issues 2. As seeing need of daily mercy to true watch joyne prayer as Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. The good Lord be mercifull to him that is sanctified although net according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord heard him So will he thee where he findes a true endeavour after
faile in their censures and shut out the clean for unclean as Joh. 9. 34. the Jewes did the man that was born blind and hold in the uncleane for base respects but Jesus Christ he shuts him out unpartially whom he pronounceth a leper II. Then was the leper healed when in the judgement of the Priest he was so and then the Priest must pronounce him so The Priest could not make him clean but pronounce him clean Even so thou art then cleansed from thy sin when in the judgement of Christ our high Priest thou art so who not onely can pronounce thee cleane but make thee so Quest. But how may I know that Christ accounts me clean Answ. When his word by the mouth of his servant pronounceth thee clean he accounts thee so Whatsoever yee bind or loose in earth shall be bound or loosed in heaven Mat. 16. 19. with Joh. 20. 23. Christ onely properly pardons sin and remits it 1. By merit 2. By efficacy of conferring and no Minister can thus remit sinne But every Minister must pronounce declare pardon to penitent sinners and when he doth this in Christs Name Christ from heaven pronounceth the leper to be clean Ob. But there may be errour in the Priests sentence and the Ministers judgement is not infallible Sol. The sentence of the Priest was infallible if he kept him to the rules of inquisition And the Minister pronouncing pardon upon penitent sinners cannot be deceived though thou maiest deceive thy selfe in applying promises and grants of pardon not belonging unto thee Question What are the rules of inquisition or direction A. 1. If by rubbing the place he see it grow red the leprosie is in the way of cure if it be not red by rubbing it is incurable So if the sinner be ashamed and blush at his sin if godly abashment hath begun his repentance it is a good signe of cure 2. If the spot pricked with a needle there come forth bloud it is in the way of cure So sinners pricked with the needle of the Law if they have sence of pain which makes them cry out of themselves and see the need of Christ it is a good sign Men pricked now adayes stir up their bloud against the Physician but such are far from cure 3. A leper was healed when his leprosie was stayed and went no further So he is to be pronounced clean who truly turnes to God sinne hath lost dominion in him sinne growes lesse and lesse the stirrings of corruptions are abated he cannot doe as he hath done or would doe nor forget that he was cured 4. When the conscience is bathed in that fountain in which water and bloud have met then is the leper clean When by the merit of Christ the sinner is fully justified and by the Spirit of Christ he is in part sanctified and riseth up towards full sanctification then is he truly pronounced clean Object Alas I am then unclean still I find much foulness and folly present with me Sol. 1. The leper and sinner may be truly cleansed never fully in this life for every day will make him foul even after true repentance but we must daily renue our repentance for daily cleansing 2. Remember that the leper must shave his hair again and again but he leaves the roots behind yet he was pronounced clean though the hair was still growing and for all the roots 3. The running water in the basen for the cure of the leper signified a continuall flowing of a fountain of grace from Christ to the heart of the sinner for his continuall washing III. What every man must doe in sence of his spirituall leprosie Something is to be done before the cure something after I. Before the cure 1. As the leper discerning his own misery esteemed him an happy man that was clean So thou seeing this disease must judge thy self most unhappy and miserable of all men as Paul Rom. 7. and never think thy self happy till thou hast got a cure Psal. 32. 1. Every leper cried out I am unclean the same must be thy complaint and cry 2. Get thee to the Priest Go to Christ in humility as that leper Matth. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean and the least touch of Christ shall make thee clean vers 3. 3. Naaman being struck with leprosie must wash and be clean So must thou bewaile and lament thy estate wash thy selfe in the salt sea of teares that God may wash thee with the sea of mercy Especially in greater sinnes as in a deeper leprosie take up deeper humiliation and repentance as David washed his couch with teares II. After the cure 1. If God have healed thy leprosie be thou thankfull so Naaman 2 King 5. 15. Not as the nine lepers of whom none returned back to give thankes Would to God one of ten were as thankfull as we ought for so great a cure 2. Bring thy gift to the Lord for the curing for so the lepers were enjoyned that is pay thy vowes offer up thy selfe and all thy obedience an acceptable sacrifice to God Rom. 12. 1. Resigne unto God present all thy sacrifices by the high Priest Jesus Christ in whom alone thou canst finde acceptance Objection Alas I have nothing worthy giving unto God Sol. 1. Thou canst give no lesse than true endeavours of obedience and then be they never so weak he that accepts the will for the deed will accept them 2. God prescribed a smaller offering for the poor than for the rich the poor man must provide a sacrifice according to the labour of his hands To comfort the weake Christian who offering according to his ability is respected according to that he hath not according to that he hath not 3. The third thing after the cure is to avoid the company of lepers 1 Cor. 5. 11. If a man be an incorrigible sinner let him be to thee as an heathen or Publican Matth. 18. 17. A good lesson for the Masters of families to cast out leprous persons from the rest It is incredible what mischief one swearer one drunkard one wanton one prophane beast may do in an house We have not more usually seen an whole house infected and poisoned up by one plaguie person than whole houses corrupted by some one leud person which suffered as one swine in a garden roots up all that is good So much of holy persons Now follow holy things CHAP. XVII Holy things types of Christ. HAving now intreated at large of such holy persons as we have seen expresse types of Christ The second generall head ensueth which is to speak of holy things All which in the old Testament and Jewish pollicy did especially ayme at and point out Christ after a farre clearer manner than did the former And therefore for the confirming of our faith in the new Covenant we must go on to shew the correspondence and agreement of the Scriptures in both Testaments and that Christ
reasonable sacrifice to God Rom. 12. 1. willingly mortifying all the deeds of the flesh and denying and renouncing all fleshly lusts and affections which are as neat and as dear unto thee as the parts of the body So Col. 2. 11. it must be a putting off the sinnefull body implying not a suffering it onely to be violently taken and cut away but a voluntary putting away and parting with it Indeed in legall Circumcision the infant could not cut away the flesh of his body but in Evangelicall Circumcision thy selfe must put off this sinnefull body of flesh and be more than a meer patient 2. As there the whole body was wounded in one part so see the whole body of sinne be wounded in all parts not one member spared Col. 2. 11. put off the sinnefull body No sinne must raigne none unresisted And therefore 1. Labour for an heart circumcised There the Lord begins this work Deut. 30. 6. and Chap. 10. 16. there see thou hast begun See thy desires be sanctified that the thoughts of thy heart and inward affections be watched and guarded not suffered to be earthly wanton impious disordered or unfruitfull This purging of carnall affections and fastning them on the right object is a note of inward circumcision Deut. 30. 6. 2. See thine eare be circumcised Act. 7. 51. the Jewes are reproved for uncircumcised eares All sinnes of the eare must be circumcised and that is done in opening them to hear God and good instruction and shutting them against slanders false tales wicked counsels doctrines of liberty and the like 3. Circumcise thy lips which then are so when they are able to speak for God Moses in Exod. 6. 12. complaines that his lips were not enough circumcised All the sinnes of the tongue must be cut off This circumcision admits not a lie an oath a slander a deceitfull or filthy or unclean speech unmortified 4. All sinnes of the eye must be circumcised by making Covenant with this member not suffering the eye to be envious covetous wanton scornfull adulterous And so examine all the parts that no sinne be peaceably admitted without drawing bloud upon it as was in circumcision 3. As in that Circumcision was sence of much paine and griefe in the body as we see in the Shechemits Gen. 34. 25. So in this where ever it is is affliction of conscience pain of spirit pricking in the heart as in the Converts Act. 2. 37. which makes the circumcised mourn and cry out of himselfe judging himselfe and breaking his heart with godly sorrow for sinne The Priest could not take the knife and cut off the piece of flesh without paine and sorrow of the child Neither can the Minister take the sharpe weapon of the Law to wound and cut the body of flesh in any part but it will be painfull and sorrowfull to the child of God who will judge and condemne himselfe and dares not stand out the threats of the Law as many contemptuous rebels do An hard and secure heart is an uncircumcised heart good Josiah will tremble at the word but all Gods words and plagues stirre not Pharaoh 4. As that part cut off was never set to the body againe but was taken quite away for ever So in this circumcision of Christ is not a parting with sinne onely for a time but a ceasing of sinne that is a constant endeavour to forsake all sinnes inward outward secret open A parting from pleasing profitable deare and bosome sinnes saying to them as Ephraim to his idols Hos. 14. 9. get ye hence what have ye to do here with resolute purpose never to give them entrance or entertainment more Those that fall to their former sinnes as who forget they were washed like dogs and swine were never circumcised The skin once cut off died for ever such a dying to sinne must be in this circumcision 5. In that was a joyning to Gods people and a receiving of the party into the Church and family of God See if thou beest joyned to Gods people not in outward profession but in sincere affection embracing them that feare God delighting in their society giving them the right hand of fellowship and with the hand the heart separating from the fellowship of the uncircumcised and prophane as the Jewes medled not with the Samaritanes Doest thou professe circumcision and grace by Christ but oppose and pursue the professours of Christian religion as Ismael him that was born after the promise A plaine signe all thy circumcision was made with hands Thy body was washed with water of Baptisme but thy heart is unwashed untouched with any water of saving grace 6. In that was a joyning and admittance to the outward worship of God and externall communion in all holy things so here thou art become a true worshiper not outwardly in the letter and ceremony but inwardly in spirit and truth A Jew within Rom. 2. 29. Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit He that worships formally for fashion for Law and in the mean time can contemne the power of godlinesse cannot away with inward watchfullnesse sincerity strictnesse though by Baptisme he be brought to the externall communion of the Church in holy things all is but in the letter without all circumcision of the heart 7. In that was much rejoycing as in a great priviledge and the Jew did much boast and beare himselfe upon this prerogative partly upon the externall worke partly on their distinction by it partly because it manifested them sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh and much was their praise among men But true circumcision rejoyceth not in Abraham but in Christ hath no confidence in the flesh but renounceth all outward things and settles his rejoycing in Christ alone and his merits counting all other things dross and dung in comparison of him Let the Jew trust in Circumcision by the work wrought as our Judaizing Papists do in their Sacraments Let him glory of Abraham his father Joh. 8. 33. that he is beloved because the seed of Abraham We are chosen in Christ not in Abraham In him we have atonement and become a beloved people and not in Abraham In him we come boldly to the Throne of grace and speed in our suits In him we glory all day long We trust not in good meanings as simple ignorant persons nor in merits as wilfull blinded Papists nor in any thing within us nor without us nor without Christ. All our joy and trust is in himselfe alone And this is the true inward Circumcision Phil. 3. 3. The Motives are 1. All outward service and Ceremony without this is rejected as preaching hearing praying fasting weeping All thy service and labour is lost if by the Spirit of God thy mind be not renewed and faith and conversion wrought in the heart For as the Jewes being circumcised were chalenged to be uncircumcised though they had the fore-skinne of the flesh cut off and had the
circumcision made with hands and were so farre unworthy of Abrahams seed as that they are called Witches children seed of the whore Isai. 57. 3. and Act. 7. 51. So art thou not circumcised which art onely outwardly Rom. 2. 28. A Jew without or outward is as good a worshiper as thou 2. If We cannot say truely that now not the Jewes but we are the circumcision Col. 2. 11. our persons are no better before God than an uncircumcised person in the Law Therefore if thou art not thus circumcised thou art 1. An exceeding hatefull person So David of Goliah by way of reproach and contempt This uncircumcised Philistime 2. Thou hast no part in the promised Messiah no more than he 3. No portion in Canaan not a foot in Heaven all thy portion is in Earth 4. No member of the true Churth but without the Communion of Saints 5. As he was in state of death and judgement Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 4. 4 14. so thou shalt be condemned as surely for want of a sanctified and circumcised heart as he for contemning circumcision of his flesh Col. 2. 13. Ye were dead in the circumcision of the flesh without the life of God in grace without hope of the life of glory CHAP. XIX The Passeover a type THe second ordinary Sacrament of the Jewes lively representing Jesus Christ was the Passeover instituted Exod. 12. to be a lively type of Christ. 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us The name of this Sacrament hath in it the occasion for it was by God therefore instituted in memoriall of their great deliverance in Egypt when the destroying angell who slew all the first born in Egypt in one night passed over all the Israelites houses whose doors and posts were striked with the bloud of the Pascall Lamb slain and eaten in that house wherein the godly Jewes were not to fix their eyes in that externall signe or the temporary deliverance signified but to cast their eye of Faith upon the Messiah and true Paschal Lamb by means of whom the wrath and revenge of God passed over all those whose soules are sprinkled with his bloud and who by true faith feed upon him And therefore howsoever the word Passeover hath in Scripture many significations both proper and figurative I understand by it the whole institution of God concerning the Lamb called Paschall In which we shall see Jesus Christ most lively pourtrayed before us and that this one legall Sacrament preached not obscurely to the ancient Jews the whole doctrine of the Gospel and grace of salvation by the onely suffering of Jesus Christ. This will appear in five things 1. In the choice of the Sacrifice 2. In the preparing of it 3. In the effusion of bloud and actions about it 4. In the eating and conditions therein 5. In the fruits and use Sect. I. I. In the choice of the Sacrifice The Lord appointed it to be a Lamb or a Kidd notably signifying Jesus Christ whom John Baptist called the Lamb of God taking away the sinnes of the world Joh. 1. 29. Christ is a Lamb. 1. In name Revel 5. 6. In the midst of the Elders stood a Lamb. 2. In qualities in respect of innocency patience meekness humility obedience to the will of his Father to the death not opening his mouth Isai. 53. 7. in fruitfulnesse and profitablenesse to feed us with his flesh and cloath us with his fleece of righteousnesse 3. In shadows being figured in all those lambs slain especially in the Paschall Lamb. In which shadowes or figures he was not yearly onely but daily held before the eyes of beleevers and so here we consider him In this Lamb for his choice must be four conditions I. Condition It must be a Lamb without blemish ver 5 every way perfect without any spot or defect signifying the most absolute perfection of Jesus Christ who was both in respect of his person and actions without all spot and exception 1 Pet. 1. 19. as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot Heb. 7. 26 Such an high Priest it became us to have as is holy undefiled separate from sinners The reasons are two 1. Because else his ransome were insufficient 2. He must be perfectly righteous that must become a righteousnesse to many II. Condition It must be a male for three reasons 1. Reason To note the excellency strength and dignity of Christ proper to that sex For although he seemed a most weak man in the state of his humiliation yet must he be not effeminate but masculine strong stout and potent to destroy sinne and death and to foile all the enemies of mans salvation Christ indeed must be the seed of the woman but the woman must bring forth a man-child Rev. 12. 5. And though he must be borne of a Virgin yet the Virgin must bring forth a sonne Isa. 9. 6. For he must divide the spoile with the strong Isa. 5. 3. 12. 2. Reason Consider Christ in both his natures it was fit he should be a male as the Lambe was 1. As he was the Sonne of God it was meet he should be of the more worthy sex of men for it was unfit that the Sonne of God should be the daughter of man 2. As being man he was to be the Messiah the seed of Abraham the Sonne of David and so to be circumcised to be a fit Minister of Circumcision 3. Reason Consider him in his office He was to be a King a Priest and a Prophet of his Church all which necessarily require him to be a man a male a the Lamb was We conclude therefore hence that being the head of the whole Church he must be of as worthy sex as any of his members III. Condition The Lambe must be of a year old ver 5. to signifie that Christ dyed at a full and perfect age in his strength and therefore had experience also of our infirmities For a Lambe of a year old is at his state and growth and a Lamb of a year old is acquainted with many miseries Even so our Saviour living to the full strength of a man was a man full of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities See Heb. 4. 15. we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted like us yet without sin IV. Condition He must be taken out of their own flocks and folds For so Moses to Pharaoh Exod. 10. 25. thou must allow us our beasts for sacrifice to offer to the Lord. Plainly signifying that Christ was to be an Israelite and within the fold of Gods own people for he was to be of the seed of Abraham and salvation was of the Jewes Joh. 4. 22. Yea and the Lords own Law requires that the King should be taken from among his brethren Deut. 17. 15. and much more the King of the Church being King of all Kings Sect. II. II. Jesus Christ was as
Lord Jesus Christ and be saved Our Lord himselfe was wont to say to distressed persons According to thy Faith be it unto thee 4. It was fitter than other herbes for the receiving and sprinkling of liquor so Faith although a low and weak plant is onely fit to receive the precious liquor of the bloud of Christ. Onely faith drawes virtue from Christ as in the poor woman that stood behind Christ Mark 5 31. And the want of this bunch of hyssope disables Christ from doing thee any good Christ could do nothing in Capernaum for their unbelief I. Note hence how we are to prize and magnifie the bloud of Christ. For if the shadow of this precious bloud must be so preserved so carefully saved in a costly vessel how much more ought the bloud it self Quest. How may I prize the bloud of Christ Answ. 1. Consider with the dignity of the person the infinite value of it That it is able to purchase the whole Church of God Act. 20. 28. which a thousand worlds of wealth could not do No wealth in heaven or earth besides this can redeem one soule And therefore the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 19. sets this precious bloud against all corruptible things as gold and silver and things so much set by amongst men 2. Consider the precious things which it procures us both in earth and in heaven 1. Here below it procures us four things 1. Reconciliation and peace with God Rom. 3. 25. and Ephes. 2. 13. we which were farre off are made near by the bloud of Christ. 2. A sweet tranquility of mind peace of conscience which all worldly treasure caÌ„not purchase because now we are within the Covenant of God living in his love which is better than life and in this love is no lack but an abundant supply of all needfull things All which Covenant of grace is made and ratified by this bloud therefore called the bloud of the Covenant Heb. 9. 3. Victory against all the malignity of our spirituall enemies even the greatest Satan himself who is overcome by the bloud of the lamb Rev. 12. 11. 4. Immunity and safety from all the judgements and dangers threatned against our sinnes else had we died without mercy for despising Moses law Heb. 10. 28. For if there were such force in the bloud of the type that by the effusion of it the Israelites lay safe and untouched of the revenging Angel Heb. 11. 28. much more in this bloud of Jesus Christ to cover belieuers in his Name from the hand of Gods revenge due to our transgressions 2. This precious bloud now in heaven procures us the most needfull and excellent good things above all that we can imagine Especially two waies 1. By opening heaven for our prayers for this bloud pleades for us now in heaven and speaks better things for us than the bloud of Abel Heb. 12. 24. That called for vengeance against the sinner this intreateth for daily grace for daily sinnes and procures daily mercies for daily supplies 2. As to our prayers so this bloud openeth heaven to our persons This bloud onely rents the vaile asunder and makes a way into the holy of holies and gives entrance into the kingdome of heaven Heb. 10. 19. by the bloud of Jesus we are bold to enter into the holy place This bloud is the onely key that unlocks heaven for else the Lord dwels in light which no flesh can have accesse to 1 Tim. 6. 16. namely without Christ and the shedding of his bloud II. Is the bloud of Christ so precious take heed of prophaning this precious bloud take heed of sinning against it Consider of that sore punishment which he is worthy of that treads under foot the sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament unholy Heb. 10. 29. He cannot expresse the greatnesse of the punishment in words but leaves it to all mens minds to consider of Quest. How may a man prophane this bloud Answ. 1. By undervaluing it as Papists who think it insufficient to ratifie the Covenant unto them without other additions and supplies from themselves and others yea ascribe as much to the bloud of Thomas Beckâ—t and other traytors as to this bloud 2. To be ashamed of Christ and his sufferings The Jewes must strike the lintels of their doors with the bloud of the Paschall Lambe that all might see they were Israelites signifying that we must openly professe Christ and not be ashamed of his death and ignominy which is the life of the world at which notwithstanding the greatest part of the world stumbleth at this day To shame at the profession of Christ is to contemn his bloud 3. To contemne it in the meanes in which the Lord would hold it before our eyes To reject or neglect the preaching of the word wherein Christ is crucified before our eyes as he was to the Galatians chap. 3. 1. To neglect and despise the Sacrament in which his bloud is after a sort poured out to the mind and senses Or unpreparedly to receive the Sacrament and in the unworthinesse of a guilty conscience is to make ones self guilty of the bloud of Christ as Pilate Judas and the Souldiers were 4. To despise and wrong the godly descended of the bloud of Christ redeemed with the bloud of Christ To hate the Church of God and abuse the members of Christ is to crucifie again the Son of God and despise the price of our purchase In that yee doe it to one of these little ones yee did it to me Thou canst not draw bloud of the Saints but thou sinnest against the bloud of Christ. 5. To prophane it in gracelesse swearing as those branded hell-hounds that swear commonly by wounds or bloud as if this precious bloud were to be engaged on every base occasion Well they carry wounds in their consciences and poure out the life bloud of their souls Sect. IV. IV. In eating the Paschall Lambe Jesus Christ was typified To this eating many conditions are required concerning 1. Time 2. Place 3. Persons 4. Manner 5. Measure The Time It must be eaten at the sametime and in one evening must all Israel eat the Passeover 1. In the evening to signifie our estate of darknesse and misery by sinne and death till Christ came and when Christ came to be our ransome 2. In one and the same evening to note the holy agreement and consent of the whole Church in the faith of Christs death and passion to which well agrees the constitution of our Church ordaining the Supper succeeding it in the same time so all superstition and formality be avoided The Place 1. Every particular Lambe must be eaten in one house to signifie the unity of the Church of God the house of the living God and the spirituall conjunction and agreement of all the faithfull in one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10. 17. 2. If one house sufficed not to eat up one Lambe
safe and sound 4. When they did see themselves by the benefit of the Red Sea freed from Pharaohs servitude how easily might they gather that by the bloud of Christ every believer of Jewes and Gentiles are freed from the slavery of hellish Pharaoh and all his Armies of sinnes and corruptions And when they did see how the Egyptians once dead and slain could hurt them no more how could they but gather that all the armies of sin once remitted and buried in the death of Christ can no more rise up to condemnation than a drowned Egyptian to drown an Israelite I. To note the mighty power of God who can still and over-master the mighty raging of the Sea which we see here in that its water dry land sands and shoare observe the providence of God and serve for his peoples safety Israel saw the mighty power of God herein Exod. 14. 31. Let us also behold the glory of God herein and fear before him as they did Let not us be more senseless than the senselesse creatures but hear his voice runne out of our own nature to observe his voice sounding in the Scriptures and Ministry of the Gospel II. To see and consider the state of the Church and people of God Canaan whither they goe is a fine and fertile countrey but the way is asperous and dangerous They are still as it were in the bottome of the sea enemies implacable at their heeles in infinite numbers Seas of waters dreadful to behold on both hands yea rising over their heads as mountaines threatning to fall over them and after a deep sea a terrible wildernesse takes them in which is no meanes for meat drink nor cloath A man would think no man could deal so with his children and yet Gods wisdom sees this the fittest way to Canaan He sees how 1. Every small content glewes us to our Egypt 2 What sluggs we are in the way farther than we are chased out 3. How little we care for dependance on himself when we are full of naturall comforts 4. That Canaan is so rich a land as is worthy all our labour and suffering Apply this note to awake thee out of thy ease and carnall slumber If thy way be so easie and pleasing to flesh sure it leads not to Canaan suspect it The Israelites going into Egypt had no enemies nor troubles meeting them but going into Canaan they had nothing else Strait is the way that leads to life and all the way to heaven is strowed with crosses Apply it also to secure thee in thy troubles Art thou in a deep danger or sorrow like the bottome of the sea It is no worse with thee than with the rest of the people of God No affliction overtakes thee but the same hath befaln the Saints in the world Hold on to Canaan and all is safe Canaan is worth all Happy thou if thou canst get to Canaan though thy passage be through the bottome of the sea III. To observe what a many comforts this great work of God will load us withal that are willing to carry them away For. I. The Lord in strange and unwonted dangers can work new and unwonted remedies for his children As we heard before that fire shall not burn them so here the Sea at his word of restraint shall not drown them He can make a wall of water more strong for them than a wall of Adamant yea himself according to their need will be to them either a wall of fire or water II. What danger can prevail against the Church if all these dangers on all hands above them below them afore them behind them at once cannot sinke them No All the gates of hell cannot prevail against it Every main affliction is like a main Red Sea which threatens to swallow us up but it shall in the issue onely preserve the Church What we have most cause to fear the Lord maketh most helpful and soveraign The very raging Sea rather than they shall perish shall open her lap as a tender mother to recieve them from the rage of Pharaoh and his pursuing army Nay the land of Goshen shall not be half so bountiful to them as these waters which gave them freedome victory and the spoiles and riches remaining upon the dead bodies of their enemies III. How unweariably the Lord sets himself to overcome all difficulties for his servants What had it been to have passed the oppressours of Egypt and to have been swallowed up of the sea Therefore he makes a new way where never any way lay before in the bottome of the Sea Afterwards he makes a dry and barren wildernesse comfortable to them dryes up Jordan as strangely for their passage gives them a daily harvest of Manna from heaven breaks a Rock to give them water and happily in time finisheth their long and tedious journey Even so the godly going out of Egypt departing from the kingdome of the devill and hastning out of the world towards heaven come presently into a deep sea not pursued onely by the fury of tyrants and enemies but every where threatned with dangers wants and death it self yet the Lord breakes for them one toyle after another and happily guides them through a deep sea of miseries and never leaves them till they recover the shoare and arrive safely at the haven of salvation where their songs shall be louder than their cryes were and a mighty deliverance shall swallow up all their danger IV. Here is comfort against the fear of enemies 1. Spiritual enemies For here we have both a confirmation and resemblance of the eternal delivery of the Church from the tyranny of the hellish Pharaoh which in spight of him is led through a sea of tribulation every where ready to overwhelme it into the promised rest of everlasting life Again we see here our sinnes also cast into and drowned in the bottome of the Red Sea Mic. 7. 19. These are the strongest and fiercest enemies that pursued us to death but these our furious sinnes as so many Egyptians are drowned in the sea of Christs bloud and extinct in the waters of Baptisme Aug. Psal. 113. 2. Temporal enemies How can the Egyptians hope to stand before Israel to whom the waters give way so strangely The enemy shall find the same sea a wall and a well a safety and a death Let enemies look here as the heathen did and let their hearts faint as theirs to see God make the Sea a wall a lane yea a lap for his people Let them behold the ordinary work of God who commonly joynes the salvation of his Church with the destruction of the enemies So for Mordecaies advancement and the Churches deliverance Haman must be hanged and his posterity destroyed as in a ballance if one scoal goes up down goes the other IV. The godly to partake of these comforts must learn 1. To labour for increase of faith for by faith they passed thorough the Red Sea Heb. 11. 29.
is an Orphane 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-star arise upon you in glory the hearty prayer of one who is and desires to be reckoned among Isleworth June 29. 1635. Your Wo truest friends in every good service WILLIAM JEMMAT To the CHRISTIAN READER I Have heard of a demur made as though something were put forth under this Authors name which is none of his I assure thee in the word of a Minister that for the workes that have my Epistle prefixed and I hear of no other published with his name there is not one note nor notion which is not the Authors own according to his papers And the like I affirm 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 legal shadowes 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 soul that it may be saved and he honoured To discern and bewail the blindnesse of Gods ancient people the Jewes and pray for their return to the truth not â—atching 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. We Christians whose excellency stands not in outward things but spirituall glory that we have found what they with all their diligence have sought and could not finde Why are we unthankfull Why doe we stand in our own light if the truth of the Deitie hath in this our age attained to maturity Let us enjoy and make use of our own good and follow the truth in truth avaunt superstition be packing all impiety 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 Jew gave exhortation to his son So long pour forth thy prayers for the remnant of Israel till God look from his high habitation and see and have mercy on his people for the Lords sake his Annointed that in our dayes Judah may be saved and the children of Israel may dwell safely in their own land and spend their dayes 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 Covenant of grace Christ and the ancient Ceremonies p. 1 Five reasons for those Ceremonies 2 Grace in the new Testament specially how 3 Ceremonies called shadowes for four reasons ibid. Threefold use of them to the Jewes 4 Gods wisdome 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. Seek life by Christs death 8 Get into Christ the second Adam as thou art surely of the first Motives ibid. II. Noah a type for salvation righteousnesse preaching Ark repairing the world sacrifice of rest and a dove sent out of the Ark. 9 Preserve integrity in the worst times 13 Sinnes which are signes of judgement approaching ibid. Comfort to be had in Christ our Noah 14 III. Melchizedek a type in Etymâ—logiâ— office originall excellency of person and Priesthood 15 16 17 Christ greater than Abraham 18 Comfort by Christ our Melchizedek ibid. We are blessed by our Melchizedek 19 By our Melchizedek the Church abides for ever ibid. Excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall eight wayes 20 Sin not to be accounted slight whose sacrifice is so costly 21 IV. Isaac a type in birth suffering offering escape marriage ibid. A pattern of obedience in 5. things ib. How Christ doth meet his Church 25 Two Rules 26 A type of our resurrection 27 Matter of sweet consolation 28 Look for help though the case be desperate ibid. V. Joseph a type in his person actions â—…ssions advancement 29 No newes for good men to be hated for their excellency 32 All sufferings of the godly come of God ordained and ordered 33 Comfort by Christ our Joseph four wayes 34 Doe to Christ as Joseph's brethren to him 35 VI. Moses a type in person estate office 〈◊〉 suffering sundry actions ib. Our doctrine is of God 40 Be faithfull in doing thy office ibid. Shew faith in the fruit of it contrary to four sorts of men 41 Assurance of our resurrection ibid. VII Joshua a type in saving calling miracles valour actions 42 A fearfull thing to be an enemy of the Church 45 Comfort in our salvation accomplished ibid. Duties we owe to Christ our Joshua 46 Conditions to be observed in going to heaven Six ibid. VIII Sampson a type in person condition actions sufferings stratagems victories 48 Judge none by outward calamities 51 Strange meanes used by God for the Churches good 52 Our victory stands in patience and passion ibid. Fourfold comfort to Gods people 53 In Gods cause contemn greatest perill and prepare for death approaching 54 IX David a type in person vocation wars kingdome office Propheticall and Priestly 55 Enter upon no office without assistance of the Spirit A note of it 61 Christ the true King of the Church Nine wayes more excellent than David 62 How God brings his servants to honour 65 Church ever pestered with home-bred enemies 66 Comfort to the Church in 3. things ib. X. Salomon a type in person condition peace-making wisdome glory temple justice 68 Duties to Christ our Salomon two 73 Fourfold comfort in our Salomon 74 XI Jonah a type in name office death buriall resurrection 75 Repent at the Ministery of Christs servants 77 Motives ibid. Vocation of the Gentiles 78 Our resurrection assured to us 79 Power and wisdome of God to be admired ibid. Terror of sinne even in Gods own children and comfort 80 XII The First-born types as Gods peculiar fathers of the family preferred before brethren double portion 82 Every mercy is the greater engagement unto God 85 Honour Christ as the first-born of God and how ibid. Threefold comfort in the birthright 86 Forfeit not the birthright by sin 87 Resemble Christ our elder brother 88 XIII Priests types in deputation to office and execution choice consecration apparell actions 88 A cover for us in Christ for all deformities of soul and body 90 Qualities requisite in Ministers ib. Eminency of Christ above all creatures 93 Ministers must increase their gifts 94 Duties of private believers ibid.