this darke cloud in which wee see him as wee are able His Majesty hath attempered himselfe to our debility and weaknesse For such is our infirmity here below that unlesse the glory of God be vailed and covered wee can never bee able to behold it no more then the Priests could stand before the brightnesse of the cloud that filled the Temple 1. King 8. 11. nor the Disciples abide the brightnesse of Christ when a bright cloud shadowed them in his transfiguration For as no man can endure to see the Sunne in his brightnesse and strength but in and through a cloud hee may so no man can behold the glorious Majestie of God and live Hence hath hee pleased to let us behold him here not in his owne glory but in his Christ in whom his excellent Majesty is vailed and covered with our humanity This is his mercy that we see now as wee may as in a glasse or mirrour preparing us to a farther mercy then which no mercy goeth farther namely to see him as wee would and face to face when with our frailty and corruption all clouds and vailes shall be removed 2. His justice against sinners whose misery it is that there is alwayes a cloud betweene God and them A cloud of ignorance that hinders them from the knowledge of God and holy things they see no true light A cloud of darknesse and misery that suffers them not to enjoy one spark of sound comfort or consolation A thick cloud of lusts and sins which hinders the passage of their prayers They may truely use that speach of the Church Lam. 3. 44. Thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayer should not passe through As this cloud was a meanes of greatest mercy to Israel so was it of extreme misery and destruction to the Aegyptians V. Is Christ this Pillar of Cloud and fire Then we must follow Christ our guide The Saints in earth are as Israel in their pilgrimage marching out of Aegypt into the promised land God of his mercie affords us as hee did them a comfortable cloud to lead us through to Canaan Wee must depend on this Pillar For light of instruction against the blindnesse of our minds For light of consolation in sorrows and terrours of heart that we may say with the Church Mic. 7. 8. When I shall sit in darknesse the Lord is my light For spirituall heat and warmth seeing this Pillar onely can kindle true love of God true zeale for God and his glory fervency in prayer and inflame us with all ardent desires after God Wee must follow this Pillar for safety security direction c. Quest. How may we follow this Pillar Sol. As the Israelites carefully followed the cloud in this manner 1. Because the clould was placed on high they must still looke upwards So must wee still looke upwards not fixing our eye on any other direction about us or beside us We must not walke by examples of men never so great never so wise never so rich never so neere us but onely so farre as they follow this Cloud The Sunne of the world and the Sonne of the Church herein agree that both of them are set infinitely above our heads that wee should expect our direction from above not from below from the heavens not from the earth 2. As the Israelites contented themselves with that Pillar as being sufficient So must wee with the light from Christ our Pillar They needed no artificiall lights of their owne devising the Pillar of fire was sufficient although at midnight to enlighten them The Sunne at noone day was not more usefull to them then this Pillar at midnight So Christ in the Scriptures is a most bright and shining light not as the Papists say obscure dark imperfect unlesse there bee an addition of traditions Fathers and mens devises As that cloud was no naturall direction so wee must not walke by direction of nature dictate of reason or command of our owne wills and senses Follow this Pillar onely and as Goshen was light when all Aegypt was darkenesse thou shalt have light when all the world else sits in darknesse Ioh. 8. 12. But as for such as kindle themselves a fire or set up a Pillar to themselves and walk in the light of it and in the sparks themselves have kindled the Lord threatens what they may expect from his hands They shall lie downe in sorrow Isai. 50. 10. 3. As Israel must watch this Pillar night and day and frame their whole course unto it for motion or station for action or for rest so must we to Christ our Pillar in the Scripture Blessed is the man that meditates in the Law of the Lord night and day And as they must give diligent heed both day and night to be ready for their journey whensoever the cloud should moove and therefore are said to keepe the Lords watch Num 9. 19. so must we alwaies watch and be in a readinesse because we know not when the Master of the house will come at even or at midnight at the cockcrowing or in the dawning Mar. 13. 35. Remember for conclusion that blessed shall that servant be and he onely whom his Master when he commeth findeth well doing CHAP. XXI The Red Sea a type THe second extraordinary Sacrament of the Old Testament poynting unto Jesus Christ was the Red Sea which being miraculously divided by God the Israelites pursued by the Aegyptians passed thorough the midst of it Exod. 14. 22. Now for our profitable and fruitfull beholding this great worke of God wee will consider it 1. as a miracle in it selfe 2. as a type and signification of Christ. 3. as applyable to our selves in some profitable observations I. In this great miracle are many miracles As 1. That so vast a sea should bee devided with the lifting up of a rod. For the breadth of that Sea where Israel went over was by computation of Ptolomy and other Geographers twelve or fifteene Germane miles at least thirty sixe of ours so Chytraeus upon this place 2. That the Lord should open a way and lead Israel through the deepe as in the wildernesse for their passage was not over the Sea but through it Neither did they walke upon the waters as upon the land which had not beene so much for in cold countries it is ordinary for men and cariages to passe upon the Ice and congealed water as upon firme land but they walked in the bottome of the Sea as on dry land Who could deny but it had beene a worke of omnipotency for the Lord to have made the sea on a sudden a pavement for Israell as hard as Christall to have walked firme upon but because every strong frost congeales the water according to nature that had beene lesse glorious more questionable But he provides for the clearnesse of his owne glory by effecting a worke above yea against the whole frame of nature 3. That the waters should stand as
that our principall mourning may be for our sinnes and binde up our affections for outward and naturall losses and crosses so as wee may have them loosed in spirituall This law tells us that sorow for our onely sonne or brother or the deare wife that lieth in our bosome ought to be no sorow in comparison of sorow for sinne Which 1. separates from God 2. makes Christ absent and stand aloofe 3. grieves the Spirit and makes him heavy towards us 4. seperates soule from body yea without repentance soule and body from heaven and happinesse Let us who have beene excessive in worldly sorow turne the streame against our sinnes and in all crosses set our heavinesse rather upon some sinne in our selves which might cause the crosse then on the crosse it selfe Sect. VII Now it followeth that we shew how the Priests figured Christ in their ministeriall actions Of these kinde of actions some were common to inferiour Priests some proper to the high Priest I. Common actions were six 1. The Priest must kill the sacrifices and none but he signifying Jesus Christ his voluntary action in laying downe his life for beleevers none could take away his life from him And hee was to be aswell the Priest as the sacrifice Iohn 10. 18. I have power to lay downe my life 2. The priests offred the blood of the sacrifices to God and sprinkled it on the Altar for they were ordained for men in things of God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes No man might offer his owne sacrifice but hee must bring it to the Priest there was no comming to God but by the priest Figuring out Iesus Christ who offers up himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world upon the Altar of his Deity which gives both vertue and merit unto it No other can offer to God bloody or unbloody sacrifice upon this Altar but himselfe Iohn 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe for them even as the Altar sanctifieth the gift 3. The Priests prepared the body of the sacrifice Lev. 1. 6. flayed it divided it into severall parts washed the intrailes put fire unto the burnt offering consumed the fat cast the filth and dung into the place of ashes Signifying that Christ himselfe alone did the whole worke of redemption He suffered the heate of Gods wrath and justice he puts away all our filth and covers it in his owne ashes he burnes up our fat that is the senselessenesse of our sin and all that savoureth of the flesh by the fire of his Spirit and inwardly purgeth and wholly washeth us in the fountaine of his owne blood 4. The Priest must teach the people His lippes must preserve knowledge and the people must depend on his mouth signifying the action of this great teacher of the Church who brought to us from the bosome of his father the whole counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankinde which could never have entred into the heart of man but by the teaching of this great Prophet Deut. 18. 15. He hath the learned tongue and Grace is poured into his lippes Hee therefore having the words of eternall life we must depend on him and heare him 5. The Priest must pray for the people and blesse them A forme of blessing is prescribed for Aaron and his sonnes laying their hands on the children of Israel signifying the strong prayers and intercessions of Iesus Christ for his Church who was heard in all things as himselfe witnesseth Iohn 11. 42. Father I knowâ— thou hearest me alwaies And accomplished not only in his holy intercession upon earth and now in heaven but manifestly in that blessing of his disciples by laying his hands upon them which was his last action upon earth Luke 24. 50. 6. The Priests were to preserve the Oyle for lights and the incense and for the daily meat offering and the anointing oyle And the oversight of the whole Tabernacle and all in the Sanctuary and all the instruments belonged to their care for the safety in moving carying standing c. signifying Iesus Christ the preserver of all grace in his Church He onely watcheth for the safety of his Church for the upholding of his holy ministery and all holy constitutions which else would quickly be broken up He plants the Ministery and he removes it at his pleasure He hath the seven stars in his right hand Hee is the great Archbishop of soules to the whole Church and no other in this kinde but hee So much of common actions ministeriall II. Actions more peculiar to the high priest were 1. daily 2. weekely 3. yearely 4. continually I. Hee must daily 1. dresse the holy lamps and lights morning and evening before the Lord Lev. 24. 2 3. to preserve the lights from going out Shadowing Christ the true light by whom the light of true doctrine must ever shine in the Church and never goe out by which the true beleevers shall bee delivered from darkenesse and death This was formerly figured by Goshen there was light when three dayes darknesse was over all Aegypt And this was figured by the pillar of fire that never failed till they came to Canaan 2. he must daily burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume signifying Christ our high Priest daily offering up 1. our duties and services done by his appointment and which through him smell as a sweete incense acceptable to God 2. our prayers called odours of the Saints and a sweet incense And as no incense pleased God but that which was offered upon that golden Altar so no duty or prayer of ours is farther accepted then offered up by him and from him whose golden purity gives merit and worth unto them And as the incense must be offered up by the high Priest morning and evening so the continuall vertue of Christs merit ascendeth daily before God and perfumeth all the Sanctuary neither is there any other way to the father but by him II. He must weekly make the shewbread and set it before the Lord continually Exod. 25. 30. And more expresly Levit. 24. 5 6. Every Sabbath he must set on the table twelve loaves according to the twelve tribes and take the old away to the maintaining of his family for which use they might well suffice every loafe weighing about seven or eight pounds Here was a figure of Christ the true bread of life who sets himselfe in the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments before the face of God that is in the assemblies gathered together every Sabbath the most sufficient food and refreshing of the Church to continue it in life strength and good estate from Sabbath to Sabbath till that eternall Sabbath come III. He must yearely once and that in the day of expiation goe into the Holy of Holies Exod. 30. 10. and Lev. 16. 2. and 34. to make an attonement for himselfe for all his
Both doe all about their Arkes at Gods commandement For as the Lord did not hide from Noah his decree Gen. 6. 13 So he communicated his whole will and counsell to his Sonne concerning the salvation of the Church Ioh. 8. 26. 2. As Noah takes many trees at Gods commandement and strongly closeth them together and pitcheth them within and without against the waters So doth Christ make choice of trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and compacts them together by the bond of the Spirit glewes and fastens them together by the glew of Christian love and pitcheth them within and without fortifies and strengthens them against the waters of affliction temptation persecution that none shall drowne or overwhelme them 3. As Noah prepared divers roomes in the Arke for divers creatures So Christ in his Arke appoints divers places and functions for beleevers here and prepares in his Fathers house many mansions for them hereafter Ioh. 14. 2. And as Noah receives into the Arke cleane and uncleane creatures and persons a Sem and a Cham So the Lord Christ into his militant Church all sorts of Nations sexes persons conditions Jewes Gentiles men women noble ignoble beleevers and unbeleevers hypocrites and sound Christians On this floore is wheat and chaffe 4. As Noah made a window into his Arke to give light to the creatures within So Christ by the Gospel preached in the Church enlighteneth the mindes of those that are within without which light let in they should sit in everlasting darkenesse 5. As Noah by the same direction makes a doore to enter into the Arke and but one doore for so very great a building So there is but one doore to the great building of the Church dispersed farre and wide and this is Christ himselfe Ioh. 10. 7 9. 6. As Noah the Master of the Arke enters into it and receaves and saves all that enter in with him for which purpose hee is contented to bee tossed up and downe by those most raging waters and had no more freedome from feare and danger then others in the Arke So Christ the Master of his Church to save his Church himselfe enters into it and is admitted into it by the waters of Baptisme and was contented for the saving of others to bee tossed with waves and billowes of affliction ignominy shame sinne curse yea the torments of hell That his Church might be in safety with him he will bee in danger with her and every way to helpe her will bee every way like her in all things sinne excepted V. Both of them were repayrers of the world From Noah descended all the inhabitants of the earth from Christ all the inhabitants of heaven The world againe was re-peopled and replenished by Noahs posterity the Church and every member is Christs posterity Both of them were preservers and providers for all sorts of Creatures But Noah as a steward Christ as Lord and owner of them Noah for a few Christ for all Noah for a yeare and a little more Christ perpetually To both of them the creatures came in and were obedient to them Though never so fierce and savage out of the Arke yet in the Arke they were mild and tame So to Christ the windes seas divels obey and if Lyons and Cockatrices come into the Arke and Church they become as Lambs and little children putting off all fiercenesse Isa. 11. 6. VI. Both of them offered a sacrifice of rest and sweet savour to the Lord Noah Gen. 8. 21. As men are delighted with sweet savours so was Noahs sacrifice pleasing to God But his was a sacrifice but of testification witnessing his faith and thankfulnesse The sacrifice of Christ was a perfect satisfaction in which he offered not the bodies of cleane beasts as Noah but his owne body as a Lamb without spot not upon an Altar built by Noahs hand but upon the Altar of his Deity not ascending to heaven by ordinary fire but offered through his eternall spirit compard to fire Heb. 9. 14. And therefore must fully satifie his Fathers justice appease his wrath and be most acceptable in it selfe and must bring Noahs and all other sacrifices into acceptance And from hence it was that with both of them God did make a covenant of grace for their posterities that he would never breake out in such wrath against them confirming the same unto the posterity of Adam by the signe of the Raynebow and to the posterity of Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper VII Both of them sent a Dove out of the Arke Noah when the waters asswaged and much of his feare and daunger was past sends out the Dove who brought an Olive branch a signe of joy comfort and abating of the waters So Christ Jesus his sufferings and labours being ended sent his Spirit forth which had lighted as a Dove on him and brings joy and peace and comfort into the hearts of all beleevers bringing in a testimony that Gods wrath is appeased the waters are diminished his love and favour returned which is better then life Now to application I. In the type and truth learne If all the world about us be given to wickednesse and wee be cast into never so wicked an age then to labour to shine in the middest of a naughty generation Phil. 2. 15. It is a singular praise to be a Lot in Sodom and in a corrupt age to bee unlike sinners For light to shine and shew it selfe in darkenesse is beautifull and glorious Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven To shew our selves sonnes of God and children of light among enemies of God and light is a singular honour Noah fashioned not himselfe to those corrupt times nor Christ to the evill behaviour of that age Never had Christians more need among so many wicked fashions to be exhorted not to fashion themselves to the world If a Preacher hold on a preacher of righteousnesse in singlenesse and sincerity of heart not fashioning himselfe to the present temporizers and men-pleasers Let all the world scorne oppose traduce him If a private man hold forth the word of life and in blamelesse and pure conversation walke in a way which leadeth against the streame and common current of the corrupt age Both the one and the other have here the type and the truth Noah and Christ presidents for the like actions precedents in the same way II. In them both learne That these are the dayes in which we must expect our Lord to judgement As it was in the dayes of Noah c So shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee As those sinnes in Noahs time brought the deluge of water the same sinnes now reigning shall bring and hasten the destruction by fire prophecyed 2. Pet. 3. The sinnes are these 1. The sonnes of God marry with the daughters of men that is the godly with the
wondrous workes of the Sonne of God in the working out of mans salvation and leading them to the heavenly Canaan I. What a fearefull thing it is to bee an enemy of God and his Church Never was Ioshua so mighty against the enemies of Israel not one of whom were he never so strong could stand before him as our Ioshua is to roote out at once all his enemies Art thou an enemie to Jesus an hindrer of any of his people in their way to Canaan looke to thy selfe Suppose thou hadst power above Ioshua the type art thou stronger then the true Ioshua Hee carries victory in his banner Iulian shall cry with his guts in his armes O Galilean thou hast the victory The proudest enemy shall be as lambs greace before a consuming fire Our great Ioshua shall set his feet upon thy necke and make thee the dust of his footstoole nay hee shall set the feet of his despised servants upon thy necke as Ioshua did The power of one and thirty Kings shall not carry it against him If thou art an enemy hasten thy repentance else thou hastenest thy destruction If thou worke not the will of God God will worke his will on thee And what need any man bee offended at the present prosperity of Gods enemies be they never so great seeing our Ioshua shall suddenly blast their power and glory and dash them asunder as earthen vessells II. Comfort All the good word of God for the salvation of his people shall bee accomplished 1. Though the promise may seeme out of minde Ioshua shall performe every word and syllable of that promise made three hundreth yeeres before 2. Though there be never so many hindrances and mighty lets they shall not hinder God promiseth the good land but how should they get thorow Iordan seeing there is no other way Now rather then his promise shall faile he will invert the order of nature Iordan shall stop his course nay runne backward The like in their comming out of Egypt God had said that night they must out and the sea must give way to the promise God promiseth Ioshua to overcome 5. Kings at once an hard taske and one day is too little for it but rather then the night approaching shall dissolve the battell and any of them escape hee will command the Sunne to stand still and lengthen the day that his word may bee accomplished Israel in passing to Canaan must passe the huge and terrible wildernesse fourty yeares Alas what shall they eate or drinke Can a barren wildernesse afford any food or if any for so many hundred thousand men But before the promise faile heaven shall raine Manna the rocke shall give abundance of water Hath God promised thee daily bread helpe in affliction refreshing in wearinesse remission in sense of sinne a blessed issue in every triall Let thy faith give God the honour of truth Heaven shall fall and earth ascend before thou beleeving shalt be frustrate Isai. 54. 10. Hath hee promised thee the heavenly Canaan what if thou seest armies of enemies of discouragements thou being an Israelite shalt not faile For 1. Nothing in nature is so strong as the promise 2. God hath after a sort captivated himselfe and all his creatures to thy faith 3. He may deferre the promise but never deny it or himselfe Wait still III. Is Christ the true Ioshua 1. Acknowledge him our Captaine and head 2. Submit our selves unto him as Israell unto Ioshua Iosh. 1. 11. 17. All that thou commandest us we will doe and whether thou sendest us we will goe as we obeyed Moses in all things so will we obey thee 3. Follow him as our guide into that eternall rest and depend on him for our inheritance there Moses cannot carry us in for himselfe must onely see the land So wee may see the land of promise a farre off in the Law but onely Jesus can bring us in For 1. He alone is entred already to take possession for us 2. He hath undertaken to carry us through our wildernesse to our Canaan IV. What conditions we must observe in comming to heaven as they in comming to the good land 1. The land is theirs and possession given but many Canaanites and Jebusites must dwell in the Land under tribute still ch 15. 63. and 16. 10. So notwithstanding all our promises of rest and possession of peace of conscience in this world are some yea may Canaanites and Jebusites to molest Gods people But at last our Ioshua leaves never an enemy unsubdued There shall nothing which is unholy get within the walls of that City hee sees the last enemy destroyed 2. They must not come into that land till they were circumcised for all the forty yeares in the wildernesse they were not circumcised ch 5. 3. 7. Till the shame of Aegypt was remooved vers 9 Ioshua cannot bring them into the promised land Which shame as Iunius thinks was the prophanenesse of their fathers contracted in Aegypt whereby they grew carelesse of Gods ordinances Our Ioshua brings not us into our Canaan so long as wee are prophane and uncircumcised till he have circumcised our hearts and we be holy and sanctified for without shall be dogs 3. Ioshua must divide their inheritance by lot and so every one must receive it not by right or desert ch 14. 2. And so God commanded Moses Numb 26. 55 So our Ioshua divides to the elect their inheritance in the heavenly countrey not for their merits and deserts but by his rich and free gift If no Israelite could claime of Ioshua one foot out of merit and desert but all of promise and grace much lesse may we our childs part in heaven Gods mercy is mans merit 4. Ioshua gives them the land with this condition that for so great labour and travell in preparing so good a land they affoord him an inheritance among them ch 19. 49. Our Ioshua was not inferiour in labour and paines to Ioshua in purchasing us a better land and we must give him the inheritance he asketh so they did to Ioshua that he may dwell among us or in the midst of us Now the inheritance he asketh among us is our hearts purged by faith He desires no more of thee for all his paines but a little roome in the midst of thee which himselfe will build and dwell in If thou dost not give him his demand besides thy unkindnesse and unthankfulnesse thy heart shall lie as a ruinous wast as a nasty and stinking hoale a cage of uncleane beasts and lusts yea an habitation of Devils 5. Ioshua brings them into the good land and as soone as they eate the corne of the land the Manna ceaseth the next morrow ch 5. 12. So when our Ioshua shall bring us into our good land to eate the fruit of it the good things and meanes of this world shall cease The Manna the preaching of the word celebration of Sacraments faith and hope c.
this mantle wee are a sweet savour to God who now speaks of us as Isaac of Iacob covered in his elder brothers garments My sonne is as the savour of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. 3. This garment hath a sweet sound as of golden Bells which to heare were most delectable because the garment of Christs righteousnesse brings grace to us no otherwise then by the sound of the Gospel For faith by which wee put on Christ is wrought by hearing the sweet sound and golden Bell of the Gospel Whence some have thought that by this part of the Priests Attire is shadowed the Propheticall Office of Christ. Sweet is the Proclamation of the Gospel of peace 4. The use That by these Bells the Priests must bee heard when hee goeth into the Sanctuary signifying the power of Christ our high Priests perpetuall intercession being entred into the Sanctuary of heaven for his elect and chosen The fourth peculiar garment was the Miter or bonnet upon his head verse 36. 1. Made of blue silke and fine linnen verse 39. like as it seemes to an halfe coronet 2. Beautified with a golden plate on which was written Holinesse to the Lord. 3. The use Aaron must ever have it on his forehead while he beares the iniquity of their offerings to make the people acceptable before the Lord verse 38. 1. The miter and crowne on the Priests head signified 1. The Deity of Christ our head which as a crowne or circle wants beginning and end 2. The Kingly Office of Christ with all that honour and crowne of glory set on the head of our Redeemer to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth And according to his power is his name for God hath exalted him and given him a Name above all names Phil. 2. 9. His stile is not onely King of Saints Revel 15. 3 But King of kings and Lord of lords Chap. 19. 16. 2. The golden plate in which was written Holinesse to the Lord did not onely distinguish it from the miters of the ordinary Priests which wanted such a plate but specially typified Iesus Christ our head in whom was most conspicuous as in a mans forehead a most divine and perfect holinesse purer then the gold of that plate Who was not holy onely as other sanctified persons but holinesse it selfe Holinesse in his person holinesse in his nature holinesse in all his actions and passions holinesse in the fountaine and originall whence all streames of holinesse issue forth to his elect members So Ioh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe that they may be sanctified Never was there so pure a plate such shining holinesse so deeply ingraved as nothing can raze it out for ever 3. The use was significant that as the high Priest having on this plate with this inscription got the iniquities of the people pardoned which he bare before the Lord So our high Priest Jesus Christ presenting before his Father his most absolute holinesse gets a pardon for all our sinnes which he beares upon himselfe And as their sinnes were pardoned in respect of the high Priest who represented Christ So both theirs and ours are indeed and truth pardoned for the true and eternall high Priest who is Christ himselfe The fifth peculiar garment was the embroydered Coate of fine linnen verse 39. which was a beautifull costly and large garment reaching downe to his feet covering most of his body curiously wrought with most precious matter and cunning workmanship which noted the dignity of the person and office of the high Priest For in old time long white garments appertained to men of high place and excellent in wisedome As in Iosephs advancement Gen. 41. 42. hee was clothed with white fine linnen when he was to bee Vice-roy and next in authority to the King See Ester 6. 8. how Merdecai was apparalled by the Kings command This garment was most proper to our high Priest of the new Testament Jesus Christ who is by it described Revel 1. 13. clothed with a robe downe to his feet Noting 1. The excellencie of his person who is Prince of peace Isai. 9. 6 For so long white garments ever betokened peace both within the Church and without 2. That hee excelled in wisedome and counsell being the great Counseller and the spirit of counsell and understanding resting in his brest Isai. 11. 2 For to such also these garments belonged Dan. 5. 7 16. 3. The lovely and beautifull connexion and conjunction of his Propheticall Priestly and Princely Offices sincerely and perfectly fulfilling them and appearing before God in them as in a most costly embroydered garment consisting of many pieces and many colours fitly couched and laid together And this garment hee ware not onely in earth as the Priests did but now after his ascension he continues to performe the Offices of the high Priest for his Church in the same embroydered garment presenting before God the merit of his onely sacrifice and making intercession to the Father for it The sixth garment is the girdle of needle worke verse 39. Of diverse matter linnen blue silke purple and scarlet and of diverse colours Chap. 39. 29. The use of it was to fasten the Priests garments unto him that they might not hang loose upon him in his Ministration And specially points out unto us our high Priest Jesus Christ described after his ascension Revel 1. 13. to bee girded about the paps with a golden girdle Noting in Christ foure things 1. The truth and constancy in accomplishing all the gracious promises of the Gospel seeing our high Priest is girt about with the girdle of verity 2. His justice integrity pure and uncorrupt judgement as gold Isai. 11. 5. Iustice shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines 3. His readinesse to doe the office of a Mediatour Girding of the attire hath ever beene a signe of readinesse and diligence in businesse undertaken So Luke 12. 35. Let your loines be girded about 4. His mindfulnesse and care in performing his office For as not girding is a signe of carelessenesse and negligence So girding of care and industry So our Lord and high Priest never carelessely cast off any poore and penitent sinner But in the dayes of his flesh minded their misery and now in heaven keeps on his girdle casts not off the care of his Church but perpetually accomplisheth whatsoever is needfull for her salvation Sect. IIII. I. In these garments some things necessary for Ministers some things for the people 1. All about the Priest must bee gold silver precious stones curious colours signifying that no vile or base thing must be in the Ministers cariage or behaviour But as the Priests costly garments covered the frailty of their bodies and graced them in their office so the graces of their mindes must not onely hide their weaknesse but adorne and beautifie them for the honour and prosperity of their function And
bee troden under foot signifying the preciousnesse of the blood of Christ 1. in respect of God 2. of Christ 3. of the Church For 1. God the Father highly prizeth this blood 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 blood of the Covenant Heb. 9. 18 2. It was precious in regard of Jesus Christ seeing every drop of it was the blood not of an innocent man onely but of one that was God as well as man Act. 20. 28. God with his owne blood purchased the Church and therefore it was a blood of infinite vertue and infinite merit 3. Every true member of the Church doth most highly esteeme 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 keepes it safely as men doe their most precious commodities 2. The blood of the lamb must be sprinkled upon the lintell and side posts of the doores of the Israelites vers 22. 1. In that it must be sprinkled it signified that the blood of Christ must be applied unto us for our righteousnesse stands not in the shedding of Christs blood but in sprinkling and application of Christs blood 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 blood of the lamb signifying that they and wee 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 slaine and the blood shed within the house but it must be sprinkled without doores that every man might see it and signifyed that if Christ blood and the merit of it be shed in the houses of our hearts for justification and righteousnesse the sprinkling of it will appeare and bee seene without in holy life and practise of sanctification 3. This blood of the lamb must not bee sprinkled with the bare hands but with a bunch of hyssope dipt in the blood vers 22 which signified that every one which puts forth his hand is not sprinkled with Christs blood unlesse he have provided this bunch of hyssope Hyssope is faith and faith resembles this herbe in foure things 1. It is a ground herbe low and weake so faith in it selfe and in us is weake fraile feeble and of most despised Neither hath every man that hath hyssope in his garden this bunch of hyssope in his heart 2. Rooting in a rocke for so it used among the Jews whence some thought it to bee Pellitory of the wall Faith roots it selfe upon the rocke Jesus Christ and cannot grow or prosper in any other soile Other hyssope roots in earth this in heaven 3. It is an herbe cleansing and curing Faith onely is an herbe of soveraigne vertue both to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9 and to heale all the wounds of conscience Act. 16. 31. the Gaoler wounded and pricked in heart must beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and bee saved Our Lord himselfe was wont to say to distressed persons According to thy faith bee it to thee 4. It was fitter then other herbes for the receiving and sprinkling of liquor so faith although a low and weake plant is onely fit to receive the precious liquor of the blood of Christ. Onely faith draws vertue from Christ as in the poore woman that stood behind Christ Marke 5. 34. And the want of this bunch of hyssope disables Christ from doing thee any good Christ could doe nothing in Capernaum for their unbelief I. Note hence how wee are to prize and magnifie the blood of Christ. For if the shadow of this precious blood must be so preserved so carefully saved in a costly vessell how much more ought the blood it selfe Quest. How may I prize the blood 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 doe No wealth in heaven or earth besides this can redeeme one soule And therefore the Apostle 1. Pet. 1. 19. sets this precious blood 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 foure things 1. Reconciliation and peace with God Rom. 3. 25. and Ephes. 2. 13. wee which were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ. 2. A sweet tranquillity of mind and peace of conscience which all worldly treasure cannot purchase because now wee are within the Covenant of God living in his love which is better then life and in this love is no lacke but an abundant supply of all needfull things All which Covenant of grace is made and ratified by this blood therefore called the blood of the Covenant Heb. 9. 3. Victory against all the malignity of our spirituall enemies even the greatest Satan himselfe who is overcome by the blood of the lamb Revel 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 blood 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 blood of Jesus Christ to cover beleevers in his Name from the hand of Gods revenge due to our transgressions 2. This precious blood now in heaven procures us the most needfull and excellent good things above all that wee can imagine Especially two wayes 1. By opening heaven for our prayers for this blood pleads for us now in heaven and speaks better things for us then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. That called for vengeante 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 blood openeth heaven to our persons This blood 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 blood of Jesus we are bold to enter into the holy place This blood is the onely key that unlocks heaven for else the Lord dwells in light which no flesh can have accesse to 1 Tim. 6. 16. namely without Christ and the shedding of his blood II. Is the blood of Christ so precious