the more have we seeing of his fullnesse we receive grace for grace If he be strong he is strong for us if rich he is so to us If he be Prince and Priest of his family the Church hereby we recover the dignity we had lost by sinne and of slaves and vassals of corruption are made Kings and Priests that is the first-born to God Rev. 1. 6. If he have a double portion of the spirit so have we by him Isai. 40. 2. speake to the heart of Jerusalem her iniquity is forgiven she hath received double at the Lords hand for all her sinnes that is a double portion of grace and favour As Joseph made Benjamins messe to be doubled so our Jesus doubles his spirit on the elect If he have a double portion of glory immortality and heavenly inheritance so have we in him being coheires with him in the same inheritance Rom. 8. 17. 2. Comfort Being Gods first-born through Christ we are dear unto God So Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first-born that is dear unto me as the first-born commonly are dearest to their Parents Israel before his receiving into the Covenant was the worst of all people and smallest in it selfe and in Gods eyes Deut. 7. and 9. 4. But afterwards being in the right of the Messiah Gods first-born became dear to him as the apple of his eye Now what a joy is it to the beleeving soule to see God a father look towards it as a father to his first-born So fareth it now with us being so made in Christ. 3. Comfort God takes notice and revengeth all the wronges done to the Saints because they are his first-born Let Egypt offer injury to Gods first-born God will say slay every first-born of man and beast in Egypt let them see in the punishment their sinne For can a tender father see an arme or a legge of his first-born cut off Would it not go to his heart to see him dismembred And can the Lord Jesus endure any wrongs and cruelties done to his members and this not pierce his bowels A man may sometime see his child in want and correct his first-born for his farther good send him to be schooled and trained in some course under a sharpe discipline but to see him wounded to see him bleed cast off trodden under feet he cannot endure No more the Lord. Let no man never so great dare to wrong the godly for he will rebuke kings for their sakes IV. Seeing in Christ the first-born we attaine the birth-right let every Christian beware of prophanenesse and passing away his birth-right as Esau who sold his birth-right for pottage Heb. 12. 16. and therefore called prophane So do they that exchange spirituall things for temporall earth for heaven As many who pretend a part in Christ but in Esaus language say Give me my pottage my silver my honour my profit my pleasure let them take their religion their preaching praying and precisenesse a bird in hand is worth two in the bush This contempt of their priviledges robbed the Jewes of them who being cast out of favour of first-born become the last of all people and now we Gentiles are stept into their birth-right Let us be wise in the entertaining our prerogative conscionably expresse our love to Christ and his Gospell not hatred as they least provoking the Lord he deal with us in justice as he did with them For if he spared not the naturall branches Rom. 11. 21. What reason hath he to spare us V. Learn to grow in conformity with our elder brother Christ with whom we cannot be equall but like as brothers All must have one Father one flesh one spirit For the brotherhood stands not in communion of flesh and bloud for so every man were his brother but in the spirituall union by regeneration We must be like him in affection like him in affliction like him in the combat and like him in the Crown How like unto Christ is he that resists and despises the spirit of grace that having onely humane nature hath no whit of that divine nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. When heardest thou this first-born brother to swear or lye Or be idle in speech wanton in behaviour carelesse of his course or company When was he ashamed of thy cause of thy Crosse yea or curse But thou art ashamed of his Crosse and cause When did he revile rebuke hate Would he be like us in every thing even in our evils sinne onely excepted should not we be like him in grace to be like him in glory CHAP. XIV PRIESTS Types in the deputation of their office OF the rankes and orders of holy persons some were sanctified and seperated to the Lord by office or function As the Peiests and high Priests who of all other were most expresse types of Jesus Christ. Hebr. 4. 14. We have a great high Priest which is entered into heaven even Jesus the Sonne of God The Priest a type of Christ 1. In deputation to his office wherein 1. his choice 1. for his tribe 2. for his perfections 2. his consecration 3. his apparrell 2. In execution of it Actions 1. Common 2. Ministerial Sect. 1. 1. The Choise had respect 1. To the tribe He must come of one onely tribe of Levi which was by God of all the tribes separated and appointed by God to exercise the Priesthood in the Tabernacle and to performe whatsoever belonged to the holy Ministery This signified Christ our Mediator who must be a speciall and singular man taken from among men Hib. 5. 1. as they true man as they For he must be true man in nature and affection that must mediate and negotiate mans cause with God and so taken from men to stand in the midst between God and man True it is our Lord came not of Levi but out of Judah Heb. 7. 14. with the reason for he was not to be after the manner of Aaron but of Melchizedek verse 15. and because he was to change the Priesthood and would do it in the tribe and was to be a Priest not after the carnall commandement but after the power of endlesse life verse 16. But yet he was expressely typed by those Priests Neither was it without a spirituall signification that Aaron the first of those high Priests should be Moses brother For what more Brotherly league than of Christ to Moses of Grace to the Law and of the New Testament to the Old 2. To the perfections For in the choice of the Priest were requisite many externall perfections Levit. 21. 17. Whosoever of the seed had any blemishes shall not presse to offer the bread of his God He must not be blind lame nor mishapen Wherin the Lord would not onely provide for the dignity of that calling in that infancy of the Church which otherwise if the Priesthood had been in outward shew contemptible many might have drawn not their persons onely into contempt but even all such holy
on no other Mediatour but him 1 Tim. 2. 5. IV. He must continually decide the highest controversies he must judge between the clean and unclean he must excommunicate the one out of the Congregation and receive in the other when he was legally cleansed Signifying Christ who in the Church and Scriptures is the supreame Judge of all controversies It is his word alone can binde or loose justifie or condemne According to his direction obstinate persons are to be cast out and penitent offendors received in As Pharaoh to Joseph so God to Christ Without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt Gen. 41. 44. I. Ministers of the new Testament must learn hence to attend diligently on their charges and know that the substance of all these duties lyeth as heavy on their shoulders as upon those Priests of the old Testament Every conscionable Minister is bound 1. To prepare sacrifices to the Lord. In the old Law the Priest presented dead sacrifices but we must offer living ones They dead beasts but we living men quickned by faith alive by the Spirit of God holy and acceptable They externall and unreasonable we reasonable and spirituall such as God who is a Spirit may accept and delight in They must first kill and then sacrifice so we can never present any man an acceptable sacrifice without killing his sin As the poore beast must be killed and cut in pieces and then offered so we must by the sharpe knife of the Law urging repentance and mortification cut asunder the heart-strings of sinne mangle the body of sinne and let out the life-bloud of mans lusts and corruptions And as they having slaine the beast must wash the intraile burne the fat cast the filth and dung into the place of ashes so the Minister after his labour in mortifying sinne must bring men to the labour of sanctification separate them from their foulenesse and bring them to the full holinesse in the feare of God 2. The Priest must preserve knowledge his lips must feed many he must stand in the counsell of God and be as his mouth And as Jesus Christ brought the whole will and counsell of God from the bosome of his Father So must his Minister declare that whole counsell to the Church and keep nothing back 3. The Minister must daily dresse the holy lamps and lights morning and evening and preserve the light from going out he must provide oyle for the continuall feeding of the lights that is by painfull and diligent study of the Scriptures and meditation he must furnish himselfe to the work of the Ministery that the light of holy doctrine may shine by him on all occasions that having the tongue of the learned he may be alwaies ready to speak a word to him that is weary and never want words of comfort which may be as oyle to the distressed soule 4. He must daily burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume that is offer daily prayers as sweet odours in the Name of Christ who is the Altar of sweet perfume both for himselfe and his people He must pray also for the people and blesse them as Samuel God forbid I should sinne against God and not pray for you For his office is to stand between God and his people Every man must be his own mouth to God but he must be the mouth of every man 5. He must weekly set the Shew-bread before the Lord that is propound Jesus Christ the true bread of life the Manna that came down from heaven the continuall strength nourishmēt of the Church of God both in the ministery of the Word Sacramēts which the ancient Church did weekly celebrate as the Priest did weekly set these loaves Nay he must not onely set them before others but himselfe must feed on them as the Priests did on the Shew-bread all the week and year long least it befal him as that Prince 2 King 7. 20. that saw plenty of food with his eyes but tasted not of it for being troden under foot he died II. Every Christian as a Priest unto God must 1. Daily labour in his owne mortification Every day kill some beast or other some lust or other that as wild beasts are untamed and dangerous to the soule 2. Morning and evening dresse his lights and look to the clearing of his lamps setting himselfe a task of daily reading the Scriptures for the clearing of his judgement and the informing of his minde and for the reforming of his heart and life that he may shine every day more clearly than other in holy conversation 3. Every day burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume both morning and evening Every Christian morning and evening must offer up daily prayers and praises as a sweet smell unto God That as the smoke of sweet incense goeth upwards and disperseth it selfe abroad in the ayre so the incense of prayer ascending may disperse it selfe abroad for the benefit of the person family Church at home and abroad What else calls the Apostle for saying Pray continually in all things give thanks but that the Lord should smell the sweet odours of our morning evening prayer especially when we rise and go to rest How this duty is neglected and with manifest contempt and losse every mans conscience can tell him Now in offering this incense 1. See no strange incense be offered that is no prayer without faith 2. None but upon the Altar of incense none but in the name of Christ. 4. Every week on the Sabbath day as the Priest in the Law provides himself of shew-bread to serve for his provision all the week that is make such conscionable use of the holy Ministery as he may preserve life of grace and strength of grace which falls to consumption in the soule except it be continually repayred even as the body wasteth without naturall food 5. Every yeare set apart a day of expiation to make an attonement for himselfe for his house and all the people This proportion shewes it not amisse once a yeare to set apart a day of humiliation in serious fasting and prayer to make attonement for our own and others sinnes The equity of which seemes not onely grounded in that Law Lev. 16. 29. which enjoynes the Jew a yearly standing fast wherein once a year every soule should humble it selfe with fasting before the Lord in one of the great assemblies and Chap. 23. 27. bindes all unto it But also in good reason seeing a yeares space might bring about many just occasions 1. Many sinnes might be committed to provoke the Lord 2. Many judgements let in or to be let in for those sinnes 3. many mercies wanting which by ours and others sinnes we are worthily deprived of And although we ought continually to humble our selves for our sinnes yet to help our infirmities and to do it throughly it shall availe us
MOSES AND AARON OR THE TYPES AND SHADOVVS Of our SAVIOUR in the old TESTAMENT Opened and Explained By T. TAYLOR D. D. Very usefull for the better understanding the whole Scripture And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24. 27. LONDON Printed for John Williams at the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard 1653. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir MILES FLEETWOOD Knight Receiver Generall of his Majesties Court of Wards and Liveries All welfare in Christ Jesus Noble Sir IT is a truth able to endure the most fiery times and trials None but Christ none but Christ. Ignatius expresseth as much drawing near to his Martyrdome Let come upon me fire crosse meetings of wilde beasts cuttings tearings breaking of bones rendings of members dissolutions of the whole body and all torments of the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely that I may gain Iesus Christ. Thus he intreated the Romans not to intercede for him and hinder his suffering for the Gospel And thus the servants of God in these last times when Romanists have thrust them into flames and other calamities Christ is all and in all said the Apostle Col. 3. 11. Look to the Church he supplies all defects of his people heales all their infirmities puts on all comfortable relations and procures all saving benefits In the golden chain of our salvation which reacheth from eternity to eternity we shall observe that Christ is the owke or closure that tyeth every linke together as in these lines He is the foundation of our Election Ephes. 1. 4. He is the price of our Redemption 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. He is the cause efficient of our regeneration Eph 2. 10. He is the author of our justification Jer. 33. 16. He is the beginner and perfecter of our sanctification Heb. 12. 2. John 15. 4 5. He is the matter of our consolation spiritual and temporal c. 16. 37. Rom. 5. 1. He is the sweetner and sanctifier of all our troubles Rom. 8. 37 c. He is the assurance and pledge of our resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 20. He is the procurer and producer of our glorification John 17. 22. Rev. 21. 23. All of them good grounds of comfort and set forth the happinesse of Gods people All of them disgrace merit and the worthinesse of the creatures Men and Angels All of them magnifie Gods love and wisdome call unto thankfulnesse and would make us content with little All invite labour to make sure of a portion in Christ without whom all is as nothing And finally all command those that are in Christ to be all unto him doe all for him give all suffer all speak live die rejoyce in all through him and with him expect all in his heavenly kingdome Look to the Word wherein all these things are revealed Christ is evidently the matter and sum of the Gospel and the Apostle affirmes the like concerning the Law Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth First by similitude saith Austin when a man is come to the end of a way he can goe no farther so when a Christian is come to Christ he hath no farther excellencie to seek or goe unto in Christ there is enough and enough to reconcile him to God and bring him to heaven Secondly for perfection saith Cyril when a thing is finished it is said to come to an end as namely in weaving a garment so Christ hath finished perfected and fulfilled the Law he came not to destroy but establish it so that in him we have a perfect righteousnesse to present God withall even as the Law required Gal. 2. 16. 21. Thirdly he is finis intentionis the Law bids us look to Christ in whom onely we can live both the Moral Law in the holy precepts of it impossible in this our weaknesse therefore have recourse to Christ Rom. 8. 3 4. together with the curses and threats of it whereby it is a sharp Schoolemaster leading to Christ Gal. 3. 24. As also the Ceremonial Law all whose shadows figure out Christ and his benefits Heb. 10. 1. Now is Christ come saith Tertullian who is the end of the Law opening all the dark matters of it anciently covered under the mists of Types and Sacraments An excellent Master an heavenly Teacher a setler of truth to the uttermost Austin calls Moses his Ceremonies prenunciative or foretelling Observations and saith We are not now constrained to observe things used in the Prophets time Non quia illa damnata sed quia in melius mutata sunt not for any evill in them but because they are changed for the better What they foretold and how they are changed for the better this Treatise in part discovereth and I purpose not now to discourse These glorious times of the Gospel shew evidently how much the truth excelleth the shadow the vertue common to the antient believers as well as unto us Christ Iesus yesterday and to day and the same for ever but as the manifestation is more clear so the grace is more plentiful and comfortable The same Testator made both Testaments and these differ not really but accidentally the Old infolding the New with some darknesse and the New unfolding the Old with joyous perspicuity This glorious dispensation of grace as it stands by the good pleasure of God so also by his manifold wisdome who in severall approaches of his mercy and goodnesse drawes still nearer to his Church and yet reserves the greatest for his Kingdome of glory Even now in this marvellous light of the Gospel we have our divine Ceremonies and Sacraments see him afar off know but in part darkly as in a glasse and receive our best contentment by the acts of faith while the Word and Spirit make us know the things freely given us of God in Christ Jesus But time shall be when to say nothing of the estate of the Church after the ruine of Antichrist and calling of the Jewes we shall in heaven see him whom we believed face to face clearly perfectly immediately without Sacraments or Types in the fullest vision nearest union and absolutest fruition Never till then shall we comprehend wholly what is the marrow of that text I am the Way the Truth and the Life To your Worship I commend this Treatise of that illuminate Doctor excellent sometime in following and opening an Allegory and now more excellent in enjoying the Truth it self of whom while here a Preacher you shewed your self a joyfull Hearer as of other faithfull Pastors at this day with obedience to the truth religious care of your family integrity in your office love of good men both in the Ministery and private estate and all Christian behaviours as the fame of your sweet savour goes forth in the Church of God to which I doubt not but this Treatise will be the more welcome because of your worthy name prefixed It
roote out at once all his enemies Art thou an enemie to Jesus an hinderer of any of his people in their way to Canaan look to thy self Suppose thou haddest power above Joshua the type art thou stronger than the true Joshua He carries victory in his banner Julian shall cry with his gutts in his armes O Galilean thou hast the victory The proudest enemy shall be as lambs greace before a consuming fire Our great Joshua shall set his feet upon thy neck and make thee the dust of his footstoole nay he shall set the feet of his dispised servants upon thy neck as Ioshua did The power of one and thirty kings shall not carry it against him If thou are an enemy hasten thy repentance else thou hastnest thy destruction If thou work not the will of God God will work his will on thee And what need any man be 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 be accomplished 1. Though the promise may seem out of minde Ioshua shall performe every word and syllable of that promise made three hundered years before 2. Though there be never so many hinderances 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 than 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 five Kings at once an hard taske and one day is too little for it but rather than the night approaching shall dissolve the battell and any of them escape he will command the Sunne to stand still and lengthen the day that his word may be accomplished Israel in passing to Canaan must passe the huge and terrible wildernesse forty years Alas what shall they eat 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 rock shall give abundance of water Hath God promised thee daily bread help 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 he 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 himself 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 Israel 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 guid into that eternal rest and depend on him for our inheritance there Moses cannot carry us in for himself must onely see the land So we may see the land of promise afarre off in the Law but onely Jesus can bring us in For 1. He alone is entered 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 Chap. 15. 63. and 16. 10. So notwithstanding all our promises of rest and possession of peace of conscience in this world are some yea many Canaanites and Jebusites to molest Gods people But at last our Joshua leaves never an enemy unsubdued There shall nothing which is unholy get within the walls of that City he 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 Chap. 5. 3 7. Till the shame of Egypt was remooved verse 9. Joshua cannot bring them into the promised land Which shame as Iunius thinks was the prophanenesse of their fathers contracted in Egypt whereby they grew carelesse of Gods ordinances Our Joshua brings not us into our Canaan so long as we 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 Chap. 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 wee 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 travel in preparing so good a land they afford him an inheritance among them Chap. 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 Joshua that he may dwell among us or in the middest 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 middest of thee which himselfe will build and dwell in If thou dost not give him his demand besides thy unkindnesse and unthankfullnesse thy heart shall lie as a ruinous wast as a nasty and stinking hole a cage of unclean beasts and lusts yea an habitation of Divels 5. Ioshua brings them into the good land and as soon as they eat the corne of the land the Manna ceaseth the next morrow Chap. 5. 12. So when our Ioshua shall bring us into our good land to eat 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. But we are sure of better meanes or better things without means in the hope and expectation of which we must persevere in the faith and walk in hope through our wildernesse The fruits of that good land will be worth all our labour 6. Ioshua brings none into the land but conquerours and divides the land to a conquering people So our
Sam. 16. 23 Christ by the sweet voyce of the Gospel stills the evill spirits which molest and vexe men and gives them peace and quietnesse in mind and conscience And in the dayes of his flesh how he sought to cure and allay the spirituall madnesse of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees against him is plaine in the story 2. David brings back the Arke to his right place 2 Sam. 6. So did Christ the truth of Gods Law obscured by the false glosses of Scribes and Pharisees and reduced the true sence and meaning of it And freed his Church signified by the Arke from the spirituall thraldome and captivity of the Law 3. David buildes an Altar in the grounds of a stranger 2 Sam. 24. 24. namely Araunah the Jebusite The true David builds up a Church among the Gentiles and sets up Gods worship among them that were strangers from the Covenant 4. David offers a sacrifice and the Lord accepts it sending fire from heaven to consume it 2 Sam 24. 25. Christ offers the most acceptable sacrifice that ever was in which both Davids and all ours must be accepted and in which alone the Lord smels a savour of rest I. As the Spirit of God came on David after his anoynting 1 Sam. 16. 13. So did it on our true David after his baptizing to fit them to their waighty offices Learne 1. That he that is not fitted and furnished with gifts of the spirit in some measure and attempteth any office in the Church or common-wealth is not called by God whose wisedome will not send a blind man for a Seer nor a dumb man on his message or errand Would a man know whether he have received of this spirit for his office A note is when God stirres up his will in that office to performe all the desire of God Isai. 44. 28. he saith to Cyrus Thou art my Shepheard thou shalt performe all my desire The Magistrate is a shepheard he must do in judgement what God himselfe would do in repressing vice and cherishing religion else the spirit who is not contrary to himselfe leads him not The Minister is a shepheard he must speake nothing but what God would speak for the incouraging of grace and disgrace of sinne and sinners God speakes peace to his people and feeds the impenitent with judgenent and he that in his ministery doth speak sweetly to wicked men and broacheth aÌ„ vessell of gall and wormewood for godly men to drink is not sent by God on that errand he crosseth the spirit which he pretendeth 2. Art thou a private Christian see that the same spirit rest on thee and that thou hast received of the same anointing For 1. he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs and 2. wâ—â—t is it to us that the spirit rest and light upon Christ if he should determine all his fruits and graces upon him But in that the sweete oyntment and Balsame poured upon the head of our high Priest runnes down to the skirt of his garment that is to the lowest member of his Church Psal. 133. 2. hence are we sweetly and admirably refreshed Findest thou emptinesse or want of grace fly to this fullnesse but observe the diverse manner To the head is given the spirit in all fullnesse to us members of that fulnesse Joh. 1. 16. To him beyond all measure to us according to measure II. That Jesus Christ is the right and undoubted King of his Church of whom David was but a shadow And it will be worth our labour to enquire how farre the truth exceeds the type 1. For originall Davids kingdome and all other Kings and kingdomes are mediately from men either from some meane family as Jshais or some greater house in some corner of the earth But the kingdome of Christ is immediately and unchangeably from heaven Dan. 2. 44. the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdome that is immediately for mediately all kingdomes Kings and power is from him 2. In respect of unction All they are anoynted 1. by men 2. with materiall oyle 3. to be temporary Saviours 4. from temporary dangers But Christs anointing was by the Spirit of God with more divine and excellent oyle above all his fellowes Psal. 45. 7. that he might be a spirituall and and eternall Saviour a Jesus saving his people from their sinnes and such spirituall evils as pertaine to the life to come 3. Their titles are stately and glorious David as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said so Caesar Augustus Charles the great Constantine and Alexander the great to set out their glory But all these are nothing to the true and undoubted title of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. And if this were too little he hath another for he is God and man in one Person our Emmanuel a stile too high for Pope or Potentate for men or Angels Isai. 7. 14. 4. Their Scepters are of metal gold or silver which they hold in their hands and by them they save or slay innocent or nocent But his Scepter is but verball which he holds in his mouth the word and breath of his mouth more pure than the gold of Ophir more potent than all the Scepters of all Kings put together By this he slayes the wicked Hos. 6. 5. I slew them with the word of my mouth 2 Thes. 2. 8. He shall slay that wicked man of sinne with the breath of his mouth Other Kings by their Scepters can kill men but cannot make them alive againe when they have done but Christ by his word can quicken and make alive dead soules and bodies They by theirs can be dreadfull to men Christ by his drives back devils diseases death and all adversary power 5. In port and state 1. Their banners and ensigns exprese their noble acts and the honourable exployts of them and their progenitors which are glorious in the eyes of men Christs banner for his kingdome of grace is his Crosse or rather the Gospel a doctrine of the Crosse to the world foolishnesse or basenesse but in his kingdome of glory the signe of the sonne of man that is such glory and power as agrees to none else 2. Their servants and attendants must be rich stately noble and the sonnes of great Princes must be nearest to attend them Christ Jesus in contempt of what the world admireth will have his servants poor meek lowly not such losty Lords as so farre excell the Emperour in worldly glory as the Sunne the Moone the Popes ridiculous claime and yet they be Sonnes of God heires of heaven brethren of Christ and of the royalest bloud that ever was 3. When they ride in progresse they shew their state pompe and worldly glory Great Alexander gets upon his Bucephalus Pompey triumphs upon an Elephant Anthony rides upon Lyons Aurelianus upon Harts and Bucks Christ had his kingdome been of this world
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
fire but is not consumed Exod. 3. 2. The members of this Church are not chaffe and stubble but pure metall the longer in the fire the better tryed and the purer 3. There is no Pillar of fire in the Church without the pillar of cloud God mingleth his corrections with consolations and in judgement remembreth mercy 4. Nature must run out of her self to doe homage to her Creator Fire must câ—ase to burn at his word Dan. 3. 27. The fire burnt onely the bonds of the three children but not their bodies it not onely saves their lives but sets them at liberty being cast in bound 5. The power of God makes all the creatures serviceable to his Church the love of God to his Church makes them comfortable and the presence of God with his Church makes them profitable as the presence of the Angell in the bush the presence of a fourth like the Sonne of God in the furnace Dan. 3. and the Pillar of fire was a sign of the presence of God in it who made a pillar of dreadfull and unmercifull fire a great mercy to his people yea and most beneficiall 6. The wisdome of God can put understanding into these senselesse creatures to distinguish between an Israelite and an Egyptian The fire shall give light to the Israelites and deny it to the Egyptians The sea shall give way to Israel but shut up the way to Egypt The cloud shall hide cover and comfort the Israelites but deny it to the Egyptians The fire shall come out and destroy the Captains and their fifties and send them to hell but a Chariot of fire shall hoyse Eliah to heaven Make use of this observation for the present in the greatest dangers remembring that gracious promise Isai. 43. 2. When thou passest through the fire I will be with thee and it shall not burn thee no more than the Pillar did the Israelites Doe the enemies come out against us as strong as pillars as furious and fiery as fire it self Never was there so not a Pillar of fire but there was a cooling and covering Cloud as near us The Cloud that makes the Red sea give way can conquer Canaanites too and all the furious enemies that come out against us Were it not for this Cloud of Gods gracious protection there were no standing against the heat and rage of such fiery enemies Lay up this meditation for time to come Time shall be when our Lord Jesus shall appear in flaming fire 2 Thess. 1. Heb. 10. 7. he comes with a violent fire Psal. 50. 3. a fire shall devour before him This shall burn up the studs of heaven and earth and now how shall any man be able to stand before these great burnings Now know 1. That that dreadfull fire shall attend Christ the head as a servant for the finall salvation of his members 2. It shall be commanded to be comfortable to the elect as most dreadfull to the wicked driving them to their wits end even as this Pillar of fire was And as the waters of the deluge which while they drowned the world of the ungodly lifted up the Ark and saved that from drowning III. Who they he that may expect to partake of all these comforts from this Pillar Answ. The Cloud is not the same to all But the same Cloud that lightned Israel cast darknesse on the Egyptians so Christ is not the same to all not sweet not comfortable to all But to such as are 1. Of mount Sion Isai. 4. 5. true members of the Church sonnes of the Church known by eleaving to the Assemblies Upon Sion and the Assemblies thereof shall be a cloud in Sion shall be deliverance And as the hills compass Jerusalem so doth the Lords protection his people 2. Such as be in the Lords wayes gotten out of the Egypt of their darkness and earthliness and moving still towards Canaan for so did the Israelites so Psal. â—1 11. they shall keep thee in all thy wayes All the while Israel was in Egypt they had no Pillar of Cloud and Fire and when they came into Canaan they had none nor needed any but while they were walking in the wilderness in unknown wayes in danger of enemies We are without protection while we are in the state of nature not called out of our Egypt and when we shall come into our Canaan we shall need none because we shall be set quite beyond danger and enemies But now in our moving towards heaven in so many dangerous wayes among so many mortall enemies we need the Cloud and the Lord supplies our need 3. Such as life up their eyes to this Cloud and Pillar for direction Had Israel refused to move according to the motion of it it would not have sheltred and comforted but revenged them Such onely shall obtain the mercy of God in Christ who obediently follow Christ and submit themselves to his direction If thou waitest upon him for duty thou mayest wait upon him for mercy for such onely shall attain it Gal. 6. 16. Psal. 121. 1. I will lift mine eyes up to the mountains and then verse 6. the Sun shall not smite thee by day nor the Moon by night alluding to this place in which the Cloud abates the heat of the Sun by day and the fire the coldness of the Moon by night 4. Such as persevere and goe on forward in grace For therefore was the Pillar light in the night to Israel that they might goe forward day and night And therefore was it a dark cloud to the AEgyptians that they might not hinder the Israelites in their way Gods favour and protection belongs to such as desire to prosper and profit in grace and get every day nearer their happiness Object But this seems to be the way to lose all peace and joy of our lives seeing none are more assailed by Satan and wicked men than godly men sonnes of the Church that walk in Gods wayes that take Gods directions and desire to proceed and persevere in godliness how then are all these promises accomplished Answ. 1. All promises of temporall good things are made with exception of the cross this exception impeacheth not the promise 2. It is a common condition of good and bad to sustain many evils and undergo many difficulties but with this difference that the wicked have no Pillar to sustain them no Cloud no refuge or hiding place but the godly hath God for his refuge his Pillar and Cloud 3. The Pillar still stands over the Tabernacle and saves the Army of Israel the whole Church is ever saved by Gods protection though some souldiers may fall in the battell as Martyrs who receive not alwayes corporall deliverance to receive a better resurrection 4. If this Pillar put not off some evils it ever supplies some greater good If it deliver not from death it delivers by death If our state seem not so good it will turn it to good Rom. 8. It led the Israelites to Marah a
have any end for he is the beginning and the ending And although his humanity had genealogie beginning and ending of life yet as he was the word he had none And although as the Soâ—â—e he was from the Father yet as God he was from none but as the word was of himself Here also is a difference Melchizedek was without genealogy according to Scripture Christ according to nature IV. In the excellency of his 1. Person 2. Priesthood 1. For excellency of Person 1. Melchizedek was greater than Abraham for he blessed Abraham and the greater blessith the lesser Heb. 7. 7. signifying Christ the fountain and originall of all blessing in heavenly and earthly things Ephes. 1. 3. 2. Melchizedek refreshed Abraham and his Army returning weary from the battell and journey with bread and wine Here Abraham was a receiver Melchizedek a giver a manifest type of Jesus Christ refreshing and comforting all his followers and members of his militant Church in their journey and wearinesse with his word and Sacraments Matthew 11. 28. I will refresh you 3. Melchizedek was man onely and sinfull Christ God and man without sinne Melchizedekas the sonne of God Christ indeed the Sonne of God 2. For the excellency of his Sacrifice or his Priesthood which was greater than Aarons For 1. Levi and Aaron paid tythes in Abrahams loines to Melchizedek Heb. 7. 9. and the inferiour payes tythes to the Superiour Such is the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek not of Aaron 2. In regard of the entrance Melchizedek was not annointed with materiall oyle as Aaron nor received his Priesthood from any other but onely so declared by the mouth of God So Christ succeeded none received his Priesthood from none but annointed by the Spirit of God Luke 4. 18. and made a Priest by the Oath of God Psal. 110. 4. The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek 3. In regard of the continuance of his Priesthood For as he receives it from none so he passeth it not to any other nor any can succeed him but he endureth ever having an everlasting Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. The Leviticall Priesthood ended particularly in the death of every high Priest and universally and finally in the death of our high Priest But Christ is eternall who died but rose again figured in Melchizedek I. If Christ be the true Melchizedek then must he needs be greater than Abraham though the Jewes vainly gainsay it Joh. 8. 53. To him all our tythes and offerings due from Abraham to Melchizedek He is blessed and Prince onely the King of kings and Lord of lords unto him be honour and power everlasting 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. So the four and twenty Elders Revel 11. 15 17. And Angels Beasts Elders and all creatures Revel 5. 11 12 13. II. For the comfort of the Church that Christ is the true Melchizedek both a Priest and a King 1. As he is a Priest we are assured of a perfect reconciliation by his all-sufficient Sacrifice 2. Of sound instruction for the Priest must teach the Law his lips must present knowledge Joh. 4. 25. When the Messiah is come he will tell us all things We detest the blasphemy therefore that tells us that he hath left an imperfect doctrine that must be eeked with traditions 3. Of his blessed intercession which is meritorious and acceptable Samuel out of his love to the people 1 Sam. 12. 23. saith thus God forbid that I should sinne and cease to pray for you but I will teach you the good way Christs love to the Church is no lesse therefore he will both teach and pray 4. Of powerfull protection and safety For he is not our Priest onely but our King not our Doctor onely but our Defendor not a Priest onely to pray but a King to obtain for us and bestow on us what he prayes for What if he had never so much power in teaching if he were impotent in defending But he is King of peace in himself and unto us We have a powerfull advocate in heaven They never tasted the sweetnesse of this doctrine that seek after any other Mediator III. Hence is the happinesse of the Church As Melchizedek blessed Abraham So Christ our Melchizedek hath blessed all the faithfull posterity of Abraham Ephes. 1. 3. with all spirituall blessings in Christ Jesus But with difference Melchizedek onely pronouncing blessing Gen 14. 19. Blessed art thou of God possessor of heaven and earth But our Melchizedek meriteth and bestoweth blessings of higher kind also than could Melchizedek For 1. Christ blesseth by meriting blessing through his most perfect sacrifice pacifying his Fathers wrath Melchizedek offered no such sacrifice to no such effect his was accepted by mercy not for merit not for his own sacrifice but for Christs 2. By actuall procuring the blessing of remission of sinnes and righteousnesse restored a more effectuall blessing than Melchizedek could procure His sacrifices could onely signifie these in the Messiah's not actually apply them 3. By gathering calling ruling and preserving in spirituall life his whole Church as members of his own body and by the donation of his spirit none of which blessings Melchizedek could give 4. By bestowing eternall life on beleevers here in the first fruits hereafter in the harvest whereof Melchizedek must be a receiver from him the fountain not a giver 5. By publishing and pronouncing on beleevers all this blessing in the preaching of the Gospel and sealing it to the hearts of the elect by the daily effectuall voyce of his spirit by the word which Melchizedek could not doe Therefore a greater than Melchizedek is here and a greater blessing than Abraham received from him Let the world curse wicked ones rage and revile against the Church and Members yet as Isaac said of Jacob Gen. 27. 33 I have blessed him and therefore he shall be blessed the same will Christ not say onely but accomplish to them IV. Hence is the stability and perpetuity of the Church and members That Christ is the true Melchizedek that is an eternall Priest the Church must be eternall For a Priest cannot be without a Church nor an eternall Priest without an eternall Church but of Christ it is said thou art a Priest for ever Therefore Tyrants shall not waste it time shall not out-last it death shall not hinder the being and happinesse of it no more than it could the eternity of the Priest himself who rose gloriously from the dead so shall the members How happy a thing is it to be of this houshhold V. The excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall This is the scope of the Apostle in describing Melchizedeks Priesthood so largely For the Leviticall Priests were homagers to this yea to the shadow of it in Melchizedek while they were in Abrahams loines 1. They were men onely of men Christ the Sonne
figuring Christ who was declared the well-beloved in whom his Father delighted Matth. 3. 17. 3. He was very beautifull Gen. 39. 6. and his internall beauty was more than his externall Christ was more beautifull than the sons of men and making us beautifull in his beauty 4. Joseph was endued with such a measure of wisedome and understanding as none was like him in whom Gods Spirit was For which cause he was called Zaphnathpaaneah verse 45. that is an expounder of secrets figuring Christ in whom were treasures of wisedome and the Spirit beyond all measure who is therefore called the great Counseller and the Lambe onely worthy to open the book who onely hath the key of David to open the secret mysteries of salvation 5. In Jacobs last Testament Joseph is called a fruitful bough whose branches runne upon the wall because out of him branched two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh therein he was a type of Christ who is not a fruitfull bough onely but a root from whom all the tribes of God branch out and flourish And whereas those tribes are come to nothing Christ shall see his seed and prolong his dayes II. In his actions 1. Joseph was sent by his father to visite his brethren in the wildernesse So was Christ sent to seek his brethren wandering in the wildernesse he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel 2. As at thirty years Joseph was preferred to his Office by Phanaoh so at thirty years Christ entered his Office 3. As by Pharaoh a virgin was given Joseph to wife verse 45. So is the Church as a pure Virgin given by the Father to Jesus Christ as his spouse to sanctifie and save All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out 4. As Joseph out of Pharaohs garners feeds all Egypt all his fathers house and the nations whence in Gen. 49. 24. he is called the feeder of Israel and a stone that is a rocke or refuge to his brethren So Jesus Christ is the feeder of Israel and of all the family of God in all Nations of the earth not with temporall food onely but with the Manna from heaven the word and Sacraments and his owne flesh and bloud the incorruptible and indeficient bread and water of life 5. As Joseph in his lowest estate was both a Lord in the prison and a comforter of the prisoners assuring the Butler of his life and recovery of his place So Jesus Christ at his lowest abasement was Lord over death and the grave having command of them and his last breath on the Crosse almost comforted the poor thiefe promising him both life and glory 6. As Joseph doth all the good he can for his brethren that had ill deserved it For 1. He teacheth them how to live together and commends brotherly love and concord fall not out by the way 2. Teacheth them how to speake to Pharaoh and what to demand 3. Goes to Pharaoh and speaks and obtaines for them whatsoever he would and placeth them in Goshen the fat of the land till they come to Canaan So Jesus Christ above all lessons commended to us the new Commandement of love a badge of his disciples teacheth us how to pray and what in the Lords prayer himselfe intercedes for us and obtaineth all that good is and provides for us in earth till we come to Canaan III. In his sufferings and passions 1. The archers grieved him Gen. 49. 23. that is not his Mistris onely and Master but his brethren also conspire against him although sent from his father in love and comes in love to see how they do and to know their wants yet they scorne him behold yonder dreamer comes they consult to kill him let us kill him and see what will become of his dreams So Jesus Christ came among his own sent from his Father in love pitying the wanderings and wants of men but the Jewes scorn him for a deceiver plot to kill him conspire against his life 2. As his brethren sold him for twenty pieces stript him naked and cast him into a pit sent hin as a slave into Egypt where he being indeed free became a servant So Jesus Christ in his infancy was sent into Egypt sold by the Jewes for thirty pieces stript naked of his apparrel and in the form of a servant cast into the pit of death and the grave whence they thought never to have heard more of him as Josephs brethren did 3. As in this service Joseph was tempted to whoredome by his wanton Mistris when they were alone and that often and daily but by strength of grace stoutly resisted yea conquered her and himself So was Jesus Christ in the enterance of his Ministery strongly assailed by Satan to spiritual whoredome when he was alone in the wildernesse and that often set upon yet by the power of the Spirit overcame and conquered so as the evill one found nothing in him 4. As in this service notwithstanding his faithfulnesse and innocency Joseph was falsely accused condemned cast into prison with the Butler and Baker So was Jesus Christ notwithstanding all his innocency falsely accused they lay things to his charge he never knew as falsly condemned bound yea fastned to the crosse between the theeves and cast into the grave as into a prison till the time of his deliverance came that he was taken out from prison and judgement as Isai. 53. 8. IV. In his advancement and preferment For 1. As Joseph was separate from his brethren Gen. 49. 26. that is advanced by God to honour above them all So Christ was separate and advanced in glory above men and Angels Heb. 1. 4. hath obtained a farre more excellent name than the Angels 2. Though Joseph was shot at by the archers yet his arme was strengthened the bonds and fetters were loosed and he not onely brought out of prison but advanced to be Lord over the whole Land and next unto Pharaoh having all administration delivered unto him So Jesus Christ although he was a But or signe of contradiction yet his arme was strengthened to raise himselfe out of the grave to loose all chaines of sinne to loose all sorrowes of death and being risen againe was advanced and exalted above all creatures all power given him in heaven and earth his throne set next unto his Fathers the Lord of his Church and ruler of the whole earth to him is committed the government and his bounds are the utmost hills Psal. 2. yea the whole Church in heaven and earth is his to whom all power belongs 3. As Pharaoh every way honoured Joseph As 1. He richly decks and attires him puts a golden chaine on his neck Gen. 41. 42. 2. They must cry before him Abrech that is every man must bow to him 3. Every man must depend on his word Gen. 41. 55. Goe to Joseph saith Pharaoh and what he saith to you do yee
I raise up like unto thee Here is a similitude a likenesse no parity no equality This is the difference Christ is worthy of more glory than Moses Heb 3. 3. For Moses was meer man Christ God as well as man Christ the builder of Gods house Moses but a stone in it Christ a sonne in the house Moses but a servant Christ the Lord of his own house being the Church Moses a servant in his Lords house Now let us see wherein the similitude is I. In his person and estate 1. Moses was of mean parents and birth So was Christ of a poor decayed and dryed stock and born of a poor Virgin who at her purification brought a pair of Doves a gift appointed for poor persons Luke 2. 24. Whereas rich folkes must bring a Lamb of a year old Lev. 12. 6. 2. Moses was no sooner born but he was exposed to the cruelty of King Pharaoh and sought out to death So Christ in his infancy was sought by Herod to be slain But both by Gods extraordinary and speciall providence saved and delivered that both might be saviours and deliverers the one by her whose sonne he was reputed the other by him whose sonne he was reputed 3. Moses was a shepheard he kept the sheep of Jethro his father in law Exod. 3. and while Moses was in that private estate we read of little concerning hsi life expressed till he was forty yeares old So Christ was a shepheard sent to seek and save the lost sheep of his Fathers fold of whose private life we read as little as of Moses till he was thirty yeares old 4. Moses was of a most meek and sweet disposition above all men living yet full of zeal and indignation against sinne as at the erecting of the Calf Exod. 32. So Christ a pattern of meeknesse Learn of me for I am meek but most zealous and earnest at the abuse of the Temple Mar. 11. II. In his office and function 1. Both appointed by God Moses sent and raised to deliver Israel out of Pharaohs bondage Christ sent to deliver all the Israel of God from the Pharaoh of hell and all his oppression of sinne curse damnation the most heavy taskes and burthens Moses was appointed to lead Israel towards Canaan So Christ to lead the Church the Israel of God into heaven And whereas Moses was to lead them but into the sight of Canaan and the borders Our Moses leads us into the heavenly Canaan and gives us possession 2. Both were furnished by God to their office 1. Moses was learned in all the learning of AEgypt Christ was learned to admiration His enemies asked whence hath he all this great learning Joh. 7. 15. And never man spake like this man Joh. 7. 46. And at twelve years old he sate among the Doctors conferring with them Luk. 2. 46. 2. Moses was furnished with many mighty miracles in Egypt in the red sea and in the wildernesse for the confirming of his calling all types of the miracles of Christ by sea and land in Townes and deserts to manifest his glory Ioh. 2. 11. But with difference Christ wrought by his owne power Moses by Christ. 3 Botl joyfully executed their office whether we consider the matter or the manner 1. For the matter 1. Moses brings glad tydings to the Israelites of their deliverance out of Egypt and that from God Exod. 29 30. Christ brings from God the glad tydings of eternall salvation and deliverance from the spirituall Egypt and bondage under Pharaoh of hell to all the elect of God 2. Moses received from God and delivered to his people the Law and was a Mediator between God and his people Gal. 3. 19. the Law was delivered in the hand of a Mediator that is Moses as Acts 7. 38. Now Moses was Mediator of the Old Testament not a mediator of redemption but of receiving the law and delivering it to the people standing between God and them as his mouth to them and theirs to him But Christ our true Moses 1 not onely receives the Law but fulfils it 2. When Moses had broken the tables to shew how we in our nature had broken the Law our true Moses repaires it againe 3. He writes the Law not in tables of stone but in the tables of the hearts of beleevers Joh. 1. 17. the Law was given by Moses but Grace by Christ. Moses could not pierce the heart nor supply grace to keep the Law 4. He is Mediator of a new Covenant and surety of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22 and 9. 15 3. Moses gives Israel an excellent pattern of the Tabernacle and all the utinsils to the very least pins about it but our Moses delivers a perfect Doctrine from heaven and certaine and perpetuall rules for the worship of God to his Church the well ordering of it even in the smallest things And as nothing was left which must not be framed to the pattern seen in the Mount So hath not Christ left the worship of God in whole or part in great or small matters to the libertie of men for then he would have been lesse faithfull than Moses 4 Moses instituted the Passover and sacrifices from God offers the bloud of beasts sprinkles the houses of the Israelites with the bloud of the Lamb Exod. 12. by which they were saved from a temporall death and the revenging Angel But Christ the true Moses instituted the supper of the Lord sacrificeth himselfe offers his own bloud being the Paschall Lambe who purgeth and saveth from death eternall And as that house onely was exempted which was sprinkled with the bloud of the Lamb So in the Church salvation is assured onely where the bloud of Christ is sprinkled and apprehended by faith 5. Moses prayeth for Israel with his hands stretched out till the evening and while he prayeth Israel overcometh Amalek Exod. 17. At Moses prayer Gods wrath is turned away Num. 14. Christ stretcheth out his hands for the elect upon the Crosse and made intercession for them in earth and now continues so to do in heaven whereby we are both enabled to conquer our spirituall enemies as also Gods wrath is appeased and grace and favour returned Heb. 8. Thus both for the matter faithfully discharged their office in these five things 2. For the manner containing the difference it is in Heb. 3. 5 6. Moses was faithfull in all the house of God as a servant but Christ as the sonne Moses in his Masters house Christ in his own house Moses by delegate authority Christ by proper power Moses as a servant foretels his Masters comming Christ declared the Lord present Moses in types shadowes Christ in body and truth Moses to one nation the Jewes Christ taught all nations the true worship Moses doctrine accuseth woundeth Christs doctrine justifieth healeth c. III. In his passion and suffering 1. Moses being to deliver the Law fasted forty days and forty nights in the Mountaine
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
shall never enjoy it in heaven IV. In the type and truth we have a sure argument of our resurrection Moses dead body hid in the valley of Moab none knew where appeared glorious on the hill Thabor in Christs transfiguration Christs body hid in the grave comes forth glorious and ascends glorious on mount Olivet Both teach that our boies are not lost but laid up and as sure as laid downe in basenesse shall rise in glory CHAP. VIII 7. IOSHUA A type of our true Joshua another Moses I. BOth Saviours For Joshua under the very same name is propounded a type of Christ. Both had the name Jesus both saved their people therefore Joshua is called Jesus Heb. 4. 8. the type from temporal and externall enemies the truth from spirituall and eternall II. In his calling 1. Both succeeded Moses who makes way to both 2. Both guides going before Gods people The type to the earthly Canaan the truth to the heavenly 3. Both led them into the land Joshua led the people not onely towards the land but into the promised land What was denied to Moses was granted to Joshua Moses might not enter nor those that had disobeyed but Joshua eâ—…eth and taketh possession for himself and for all the people So our Joshua hath taken possession and led us into the possession of our heavenly Canaan What Moses Law could not do for our infirmity Christ by his Gospel hath done for us That may shew us the way but this brings us to the ways eâ—d and gives us all our promised expectation Thus our Joshua carries us through from this wildernesse to our rest 4. Both divided the land and allotted to every man his portion Joshua having entered Canaan assignes everyone his portion Josh. 14. 1. Christ ascended unto heaven prepares for every beleever a place Joh. 14. 2. III. Both confirmed their calling with many miracles 1. Joshua being to passe over Jordan divides the waters and they gave way unto him Christ in the same Jordan divides the heavens Matth. 3. 16. and they testifie unto him verse 17. Joshua divides waters but he ascribes it to the power of the Lord of all the world Chap. 3. 13. But our true Joshua being that Lord and God of all the world by his owne power commanded the seas and they obeyed him 2. Joshua becompassing the walls of Jericho and the long blast of rammes hornes overthrew the walls of it Chap. 6. 5. Our Joshua by as weak and vile meanes in the eye of flesh even by the sound and blast of the Gospel shakes down dayly the high and thick walls of the Divell and Antichrists kingdome and of the Jericho of this world which resists the people of God in their passage to Canaan By the preaching of the Gospel typified by the sound of the trumpets our Joshua overthrowes the wisdome power seeming sanctity and whatsoever strength of flesh is opposed to the power of the Gospell 3. Whilst Joshua was destroying the enemies of God the Sunne in the heavens at his word stood still and stayd his course as a willing spectator of that businesse and deferred the night least he should want day to smite his enemies in Chap. 10. 12. So our Joshua whilst on the Crosse he was spoiling principalities and powers and opening the way to Canaan commanded the Sunne to stop his course and hide his face to witnesse to all the world the great work in hand that day Of both these dayes may be verified Josh. 10. 14. there was never before day like nor after it shall be IV. In his fortitude victory triumphs Both of them mightily miraculous miraculously triumphant 1. Joshua was the Judge and Captaine of Gods people the leader of his Armies the mighty conquerour of all the enemies that rose up and resisted them He subdued both princes and people of the Canaanites He set his foot on the necks of five Kings at once and slew them Chap. 10. 24. nay made his men of warre set their feete on their necks and trample them as dung and went on and in small time had slaine one and thirty kings with their armies Chap. 12. 10. Never had Israel so many enemies in their passage to Canaan as Gods people have unto that heavenly Canaan their countrey and rest typified by that Even all the gates of hell the rage of Satan the power of sinne the allurements of the world whole armies of temptations a troupe of pleasures honours profits on one hand a whole band of crosses and discouragements on the other a legion of lusts within our selves But our Joshua the mighty Captaine not onely of the Lords hosts but who is the Lord of hosts is described to sit on a white horse whose name is called Faithfull and true and he judgeth and fighteth righteously Rev. 19. 11. He hath valiantly triumphed over all enemies spoyled principalities and powers set his foot on their necks trodden Satan under his feet and made us tread him under our feet too If Joshua have slaine one and thirty kings Our Joshua hath slaine so many thousand Commanders 2. by meanes of Ioshuas faithfullnesse and fortitude not one word failed of all the good things which the Lord had said unto Israel but all came to passe Chap. 21. 45. and 23 14. So by meanes of our Ioshua all the promises of God concernig heaven and happinesse are accomplished which are all in him Yea and Amen Heaven and earth may faile but not one jote of Gods promise but his Ioshua will see it accomplished V. In sundry actions 1. Ioshua saved Rahabs house that had the red cord hung out at the window because they had saved the Spies Chap. 6. So Christ saves every penitent sinner that expresseth faith in his bloud and love to the true Israel of God especially his Ministers and Seers 2. He graciously accepted the Gibeonites when they humbly sued and intreated peace of him So a broken and a contrite heart our true Ioshua never despised He that offers repentant sinners grace before they seek it when they seek it will not deny it 3. When God by Ioshua had wrought that great miracle of stopping up the river Iordan till they passed over Chap. 4. 2. Ioshua commanded twelve men of Israel to gather twelve stones out of Iordan and set them up memorials of Gods great acts to all posterity So our Ioshua having wrought many mighty miracles for the confirmation of his holy doctrine commanded twelve men his twelve disciples by the preaching of the Gospel to erect through all the world a monument and memory of 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 fearfull thing it is to be an enemy of God and his Church Never was Joshua so mighty against the enemies of Israel not one of whom were he never so strong could stand before him as our Joshua is to
this is the third day IV. Jonah was a manifest type of Christ in his resurrection For 1. As Jonah was taken into the belly of the Whale whole passed through the ranges armies of teeth as sharpe as speares without breaking or crushing one bone of him or the least limb of his body So Jesus Christ passed through the straight gate of death but as one bone of him was not broken the special and extraordinary providence of God in both of them watching the whole businesse 2. As the Lord spake unto the fish and the fish against his will must cast up Jonah on dry ground So the belly of the earth can keep Christ no longer than the third day no more than the belly of the Whale could keep Jonah his blessed body must see no corruption 3. As Jonah returned from his grave with a song of praise and thanksgâ—ving Chap. 2. So Jesus Christ returned to life from his grave with a song of triumph and victory fore-prophecyed Hos. 13. 14. and accomplished 1 Cor 15. 55. O death where 〈◊〉 thy sting O grave where is thy victory 4. As Jonah an Hebrew goes not to preach to the Ninivites being Gentiles till after his resurrection out of the belly of the Whale So Jesus Christ an Hebrew not till after his resurrection leaves the obstinate Jewes and by his Apostles Ministery and preaching turnes himselfe to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. 5. As Jonah after his delivery went and preached the doctrine of repentance with great fruit and successe to the conversion of all Niniveh and preventing the fearfull wrath denounced to come within forty dayes So our Lord Jesus after his resurrection and ascension sending out his Apostles to preach repentance and remission of sinnes mightily prevailed and suddenly converted many nations of the heathen and brought them to faith and repentance For Application I. Let us acknowledge a greater than Jonah here Matth. 12. 41. Least as the Ninivites shall rise up against the Jewes they rise also against us if we convert not nor repentat Christs doctrine as they did at Jonahs For 1. Who are they to us They barbarous Heathens and Gentiles never instructed before we have been trained in the Scriptures from childhood 2. What were their meanes to ours Jonah preached but three dayes to them Christ hath preached not three days as he nor three yeares as to the Jewes but above threescore yeares He preached one Sermon Christ a thousand 3. What was this Preacher to ours 1. Jonah was a weak man Christ is God and man 2. Jonah a sinfull man cast into the sea for his own sinne Christ an innocent man cast into the sea for our sinne 3. Jonah a Prophet a servant Christ the Lord of all the holy Prophets therefore of Jonah 4. Jonah a stranger to them Christ of our own kindred and family 5. Jonah preached unwillingly Christ preached freely and spent himself for us 6. Jonah preached nothing but destruction of them and their City Christ a sweet doctrine of grace salvation and the promise of a kingdome of heaven 7. Jonah came indeed out of the belly of the Whale but did no miracle for confirmation of his doctrine Christ came both from the bosome of the Father and from the heart of the earth and did innumerable signes and miracles in which we see his glory 8. Jonah a most angry impatient man would faine die because he Ninivits did not Christ a mirrour of patience will die least his hearers should 9. To Jonah no prophet gave witnesse or foretold of him To Christ all the Prophets gave witnesse Act. 10 43. and spake before of him Shall now Niniveh repent in sackcloth and ashes by Jonahs Ministery of three days and shall not we by Christs constant Ministery of threescore yeares Shall Niniveh condemne Judea for not acknowledging a greater than Jonah and shall it not condemne us not repenting whose sinne shall be farre greater than that of the Jewes who rejected Christ in his abasement and humiliation but we reject the Lord of glory now exalted II. In the type and truth the freedome of Gods favour in the calling of the Gentiles Jonah was a preacher of grace to the Gentiles and Christ was a preacher of grace not to Jewes onely but the Gentiles also being given for a light to the Gentiles that he might be the salvation of Gentiles to the farthest parts of the earth For 1. God is not the God of Jewes onely but of Gentiles also Rom. 3. 29. 2. Christ was the promised seed in whom all nations must be blessed Gen. 22. 18 Hence comes in our title to grace and not from any desert of ours For what is amiable in the wilde olive It is onely Gods free calling who calls her that was not beloved to be beloved Object If we be grafted into Christ and received into grace all is well we are in state good enough Sol. Some are grafted into the Church by profession of mouth onely as all were not Israel that were of Israel and some planted into it by the faith of the heart The former are not altered from their wilde nature the other are renewed to the Image of Christ. Therefore let none content themselves with externall profession joyning in the word sacraments and prayer but labour for soundnesse of faith and grace by which onely we become branches of the true Olive whereas to be hanged as a scien by a thred of profession will not keep it from withering III. In both we have a certaine Emblem and proofe of our resurrection Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jonah and Jesus be in us he shall also quicken our mortall bodies and if the head be risen the members must rise also For as God spake to the Fish and the fish gave up Jonah as from the dead so shall God speak to the earth and Sea and all creatures and they shall give up their dead Isai. 26. 19. he shall say to the earth give and to the sea restore my sonns and daughters and they that are as seed under clods shall awake and sing And these dry bones shall be againe covered with sinewes flesh and skin aâ— Ezek. 37. 6. For as it was impossible for Christ to be held ever under death Act. 2 24. as impossible is it for his members Let us comfort our selves in the approach of death to our selves or our friends and by rising before hand from the grave of our sinnes provided for a blessed and joyfull resurrection 2. King 13. 21. a dead body cast into Elisha's grave quickned so our soules and bodies IV. The wonderful power and wisdome of God that can draw light out of darknesse Jonahs casting over board into the sea was the occasion of converting the Marriners Even so Christs death converted many of them that were causes and authors of it Act. 2. 36 41. And as the Marriners lives were saved by casting Jonah into
the sea so all beleevers by the death of Jesus Christ. 1. Let us not measure Gods works by carnall senses This made the two disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24. to make but a bad argument He is crucified and behold this is the third day therefore though we thought he should have redeemed Israel we are deceived Whereas faith would have made a clean contrary conclusion He is crucified and this is the third day therefore he is the Redeemer The Jewes not knowing the Scriptures and power of God are hardned against Jesus Christ expecting a great Emperour as Julius Caesar or some great Monarch not able to see that by so base a death life could be procured The carnall protestants are held off from the true embracing of Christ because they see the truth and sincerity of Christ every where so resisted and hated by great Rulers and Doctors as if it had not been so in Christs own person and Ministery or as if Christ was not set as a signe or butt of contradiction whereas therefore it must needs be he 2. Let us admire Gods power and wisedome and patiently with Jonah expect after darknesse light And seeing God can turne the greatest evill into the greatest good of his Church let us labour to make benefit of all evils hapning to our selves and others 1. Even of our sinnes themselves to make us more humble watchful for time to come 2. Of our sufferings as Jonah and Christ learned obedience by the things they suffered V. In the type and truth we have first terror on the one hand secondly comfort on the other 1. We see the weight of sinne committed pressed Jonah into the deepest sea of evills and sinne imputed thrust Christ into a deeper sea even the deepest hell Both seem left of God in the hands of death both cry out as left in the depth of hell 1. Do thou run from God and duty and though thou beest Gods childe thou maist find God pursuing thee as if he were an utter and irreconcileable enemy 2. Make as light a reckoning of sinne as thou canst the least of them shuts us or Christ out of heaven Doth Christ undertake thy sinne he sees not heaven till he die for it Sinne imputed will not let Christ enter into heaven but by his own bloud yea through hell Thy sinne repented of held Christ an innocent out of heaven till he died for it but where shall ungodly and impenitent sinners appear 2. This same collation affords us sundry grounds of comfort First both seem forsaken neither of them was so but both of them go to his God There is no time nor place wherein the child of God may not boldly goe to God and pray to his God and say My God my God Secondly no deepe is so deepe but Gods hand can reach helpe into it even into the Whales belly and heart of the earth Thirdly the extreamest misery and death it selfe work to good to the godly See it in Jonah Where was feared perdition there was found preservation The Whales belly was a prison indeed but to preserve him alive a deepe gulfe and a sea but to save him from drowning Can any man save a man from drowning by casting him into the Sea but God can Fourthly when the case seems most desperate then the Lord steps in to help When no helpe can be expected any other way after three dayes and three nights Jonah must be cast up and Christ raised up Never feare extreamities but then exercise thy faith most for then is God the nearest howsoever trust in him though he kill thee Job 13. 15. Fifthly the deepest sorrowes of Gods children end in greatest joy God hath a dry ground for Jonah after a sea of misery a glorious ascending for Christ after his lowest descent Whatsoever the sorrowful songs be that Gods people sing here in Egypt or Babel they shall end in songs of joy and victory and be changed into the songs of Moses and the Lambe Rev. 15. 3. CHAP. XIII The first-born Types of Christ 4. waies HAving spoken of holy types in sundry speciall persons now of personal types in some rankes and orders of men sanctified and specially separated to the Lord. Of whom 1. Some were sanctified by birth the first-borne 2. Some by office Priests especially the High-Priest 3. Some by vow as Nazarites 4. Some by ceremony as cleane persons legally cleansed from uncleanenesse Of these the first-borne were speciall types of Jesus Christ. 1. As they were Gods peculiar Exod. 13. 2. Sanctifie unto me all the first-born for it is mine Quest. How were they Gods Answ. 1. By common nature But so were all both first and last borne through the world For all the world and inhabitants of it are his Psal. 24. 1. 2. By common grace So all the people of the Jewes by reason of common grace were his with whom God had plighted his gratious covenant which was made to Abraham and all his seed wheresoever they were borne of whom he made choice as his peculiar though all the earth was his Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first-borne that is not onely the first people and nation that first professed the true worship of God and had priority of the Gentiles who were younger brethren but the first-born by a special election and choice of that from all other people whom he would accept as his beloved in the Messiah the first-born of all creatures and among whom he would stablish his covenant and raise up his worship thus he dealt not with other nations 3. By a speciall right The first-born of Israel were Gods by a singular right as no other Children of any other family were namely by right of that singular deliverance of all the first-born when he destroyed all the first-born of Egypt And therefore presently after that destruction he makes challenge of them Exod. 13. 2. Thus is Jesus Christ the Lords first-born by a singular right not common to man or Angell whether we respect his nature or office 1. In his nature he is first-born as sonne of God the first begotten of all creatures Col. 1. 15. begot before all Creation And thus he is not onely the first begotten before whom there was none but the onely begotten after whom is none Joh. 1. 14. the onely begotten Sonne of the Father the first-born without a second or brother 2. In his office he was first-born by speciall prerogative 1. For the kind 2. For the undertaking 3. For the accomplishing 1. For the kind in that he was Mediator God and man in unity of person and the onely redeemer of his Church In this regard Rom. 8. 29. he is called the first-born among many brethren Which phrase noteth quality not equality with him some similitude but no parity between him and beleevers He holds his birth-right as the Sonne of God by nature and we by grace made the Sons of God he disdaines not to call us brethren
things as they handled But especially to signifie Jesus Christ our high Priest to be without all blemish the onely immaculate Lamb that takes away the sinnes of the world For although no other mortall man could be without some blemish of sinne or other yet it became us to have such an high Priest as is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners Hebr. 7. 26. And as our Lord was spotlesse and without all blemish so also perfect in all parts and perfections He wanted no part no gift no sufficiency to discharge that function too weighty for men and Angels I. In this our unblemished high Priest we have a sufficient cover for all our blemishes both of soul and body 1. If never so blemished in soul by sinne by infirmity if we have a thousand wants and eye-sores if we bewaile and resist them here is help and remedy in our high Priest against them all For as those persons that had such blemishes might not stand at the Altar to doe duties there yet they were allowed in the Congregation and to eat from the Altar of the sacrifices as the Priests did Levit. 21. 22. So all defects and weaknesses which the Saints carry as a burthen shall not hinder them from participating in the good things purchased by Christs sacrifice nor cast them out of place of the elect neither here nor for ever 2. Be thou never so blemished and deformed or maimed in body now the truth being come God respects not according to the outward appearance And although the honour of the Ministery must be respected and the choysest of our children are not too good for Gods service yet now it is far better a good Minister without an eye or a hand or foot than a Congregation without a good Minister II. All these outward perfections of the body in all the Priests high and low point us to such endowments and gifts of mind which the Lord expects in Ministers before they attempt this high calling 1. He of all men must not be blind or ignorant Hos. 4. 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge thou art rejected from being a Priest to me How should he be a light to others that himselfe is in darknesse If the eye be dark so is all the body 2. He must not have either a blind or a blemished eye an eye filled with envie at another mans gifts and prosperity Nor a squint eye looking indirectly upon every thing not ayming at Gods glory or the building of Christs kingdome but his own glory wrath lusts ends 3. He must not be lame or cripled in his feet but make right steps to his feet Heb. 12. 13. Upright in his way not right doctrine onely but right life also 4. He must not have a flat nose that is without discretion or judgement to discerne truth and falshood good and evill things fit and unfit As the nose discerns smells so to discern companies and courses 5. He must not have a crooked back bended downwards and allmost broken with earthly cares hindering his eye from looking towards heaven and interrupting heavenly contemplations and study And so in the rest Would God such care were had in the choice and permission of Evangelicall Ministers as in the Old We should not see the Churches pestered with so many unworthy illiterate men fitter for any trade than this so holy calling Sect. II. II. His consecration set down Exod. 29. 1. wherein were three things 1. Washing 2. Anointing 3. Sacrificing and purifying with bloud And this consecration to continue seven dayes together Which in generall shadowed the surpassing sanctity and purity of Christ above all other men and Angels Whom the devils themselves call that holy one of God Mark 1. 24. In speciall verse 4. the washing did not onely admonish them to cleanse and purge themselves from the inward defilement of their sinnes before they undertooke that holy calling but plainly pointed at the washing and Baptisme of Christ who undertaking his Ministery went into the water and was baptized Matth. 3. The anointing by the holy Oyle verse 7. signified the anointing of Christ with the holy spirit without measure Isai. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach Psal. 45. 7. God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above all thy fellowes In which regard Christ was called by eminency the anointed of God and the Priests are types touch not mine anointed In this anointing 1. The matter holy oyle signifying the Spirit of God and his gifts for much similitude agreement between them 1. That was made of the most pretious things in all the world Exo. 30. 25. So the holy graces of the Spirit are the best things in the world Luk. 11. 13. there is no gift to this Oyle swimmes aloft So the Spirit and graces are highest 2. No stranger had that Oyle but onely persons and things sanctified So none but Gods Elect have these precious and saving mercies Joh. 14. 17. the World cannot receive it that is gifts not common but of sanctification 3. That perfumed all the place where it was It is the Spirit of God that sweetens and perfumes all our actions and natures otherwise most corrupt and loathsome to God 4. That sanctified the thing to which it was applied and set it aside to an holy use Without this oyle the sacrifice of the Jew was as if he had killed a dog It is the Spirit that sets us apart and sanctifieth to the Lord us our persons our actions 2 Tim. 2. 21. The service that wants the Spirit is hatefull to God 5. Oyle is cleare in shining and makes other things anointed to shine The holy Ghost within enlighteneth the mind and brings in the true light and knowledge of God 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing shall teach you all things 6 Oyle hath the force of fire in penetrating and subtly pearcing and is the fuell and feeder of fire and flames So the Spirit of God is a pearcing fire in the heart and kindles and maintaines in it the ardent flames of the Love of God Holy thoughts as sparkels flie upward 7. Oyle suppleth cherisheth comforteth So the Spirit of consolation anoints with oyle of gladnesse Psal. 55. 7. It is he that brings peace and tranquility into consciences 2. the measure powred in abundance upon Aarons head Not dropped but powred signifying the abundance of gifts and graces most plentifully conferred upon Christ our head For as it was proper to the high Priest to be anointed on the head whereas the common Priests were anointed but in their hands not on their heads So was Christ as the head anointed with oyle above all his fellowes and received the spirit beyond measure signified by powring on the head 3. The communication of this oyle It stayed not on Aarons head but ran down his beard even to the skirts of his garments signifying that the Spirit of grace distills from the head unto
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
understanding will conscience memory in all affections in all sences in all parts no man no part of man exempted or excepted 3. No disease is more stinking and hatefull to men than leprosie So nothing is so hatefull and abhominable to God as sinne his eyes cannot abide to behold it he will not endure it in his dearest servants no nor Angels themselves unrevenged he esteems the sinner as dung 4. No disease more contagious and infectious A leper must meddle with nothing unlesse he would defile it All he can doe is to make others unclean by breathing touching conversing The plague of pestilence is not so infectious as the plague of leprosie so called Levit. 13. 20. infecting houses walls vessells garments Nothing is so infectious as sinne which not onely foules the person or house but heaven and earth and all creatures are subject to the vanity of it Neither can an impenitent sinner doe any thing but make himselfe and others unclean by the filthy breath of his corrupt communication by his wicked example and conversation No leaven is so spreading no pitch so cleaving 5. Leaprosie of all diseases separated the infected persons from the fellowship of all men both in civill and divine ordinances for many dayes and if they proved incurable suppose them Kings they were utterly and for ever excluded the host as Uzziah 2 King 15. 5. Neither might they come to the Temple to joyne in holy things for the Temple was legally the most holy place and no polluted thing might enter into it So in our sinne unrepented we are out of the campe aliens from God Sinne shuts out of the communion of faith and Saints shuts out of the state of grace and Salvation it shuts out of the Congregation of God in earth and heaven No fellowship place or reward with them 6. Of all diseases none is more painfull sorrowfull mortall or incurable and therefore they were enjoyned to put on mournfull garments seeing God had inflicted so lamentable a disease on them so hardly and seldome cured as most did cary it unto death as Gehezi and Azariah In which the Lord as in a glasse would shew us the extream sorrowes and paines that wait on sinne unpardoned sorrowes of this life and of the life to come And that we should put on mourning garments of timely sorrow and afflict our selves for our sinnes seeing we are all poisoned with so incurable a disease as there is no hope to expect any cure in this life for every man carries the running issues of sinne to his death naturall the most to the death eternall 7. The signes and symptomes of leprosie are most correspondent to the symptomes and effects of sinne in the soul. 1. As there is a debility and weaknesse of all parts becuase the spirits are exhausted so sinne weakens all faculties because the spirit of grace is resisted and driven out 2. There is a tumour and swelling in the flesh here a tumour and proud swelling of mind none more proud than he who hath least cause 3. There is burning and thirst through the adust and burnt bloud by melancholy whereof it ariseth here is inflammation and burning of anger of lust and thirst after the world after revenge after prefermentst and this insatiable as every sinne is 4. There is filthy putred matter still breaking forth most loathsomely so here from within breaks out corrupt matter of envie of hatred of goodnesse of uncleanenesse in speeches and behaviour 5. There is an hoarse and weake voice here the voice so weake as it cannot pray or cannot be heard God heares not sinners for either they pray not at all or they are in their sinnes 6. There is a filthy stinking breath and therefore they must cover their lips that by their breath they might not infect others So here is a filhy breath of corrupt communication of uncleane and adulterous speeches swearing and cursing speeches lying and false speeches slanderous and uncharitable speeches and seldome doe such cover their lips being like the uncleane vessells of the Law which were ever open to the corrupting and poisoning of numbers Sect. IV. 1. From the former description of legall uncleannesses note the state of Gods Church and people here upon earth subject unto many sorts of defilements and pollutions within them without them and on every hand of them by foule and uncleane creatures and persons by foule courses and actions which a godly man may not touch or taste but he is presently defiled as he that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled with it Where be they that will see no Church if they see any uncleannesse Or who say that God is in no such society where any pollution is seeing God vouchsafeeth to walk among his owne people who were daily subject to so many legall and morall pollutions God might if it pleased him wholly purge his floore here upon earth but it makes more for his glory to suffer sinne and evill and to set the Saints in the middest of defilements here below 1. There must be a difference between this heaven and earth and the new heaven and new earth in which dwells nothing but righteousnesse for had the Saints no warre there needed no watch there could be no victory if no seed time no harvest 2. Gods mighty power is more manifest in gathering and preserving a Church to himselfe out of sinners and among sinners and he magnifieth his mercy both in covering and curing so great and many corruptions 3. The godly in sence of their uncleanenesse are kept low in their owne eyes and watchfull of their own waies and so are driven out of themselves unto Christ for righteousnesse and unto God for strength continually as privy unto their own continuall weaknesse So to subdue presumption Paul must have a buffeter and to way-lay security comming on Israel all the Canaanites must not be subdued 4. In that they cannot expect freedome from foulenesse and uncleannesse here below they may the rather desire and aspire to that heavenly Tabernacle into which no uncleane thing can enter Rev. 21 27. and wish to be translated thither where righteousnesse shall dwell yea the righteous and holy God shall dwell immediately in the middest of his Saintes and all things together with themselves shall be most absolutely clean and holy II. The Lord by so large a description of legall uncleannesse would have them and us look more nearly and seriously upon our own misery by sinne both in the cause and in the effects of it The former by bringing us to the contemplation of the foulnesse of our natures and uncleannesse even in our birth and originall For howsoever men little esteem or bewaile this uncleanenesse of nature and original sin yet the Apostle better acquainted with the nature of it calls it The sinne and the sinning sinne and the sinne which dwelleth in us and compasseth us about Rom. 7. 17. Neither can a man ever be
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
evidently expressed in the preparation of the Paschall Lamb wherein the Jewes were tyed to six observations I. Observation The Lamb must be severed from the flock v. 6. to signifie Jesus Christ separated by God the Father to the office of mediator and that two waies I. By Gods eternall decree he was a chosen servant of God to the most excellent service in heaven and earth Isai. 42. 1. My elect servant And thus is called a Lamb separarated from before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2. In due time actually separated from all the rest of the flock by 1. A supernaturall conception by the holy Ghost whereby he became an high Priest separated from sinners all the rest of Mankind remaining sinners 2. By a miraculous birth of a Virgin being the seed of the woman 3. By an unconceiveable union of the two natures divine and humane in one person by which he became our Immanuell God with us 4. By a solemne and heavenly inauguration into his office at the brinke of Jordan by which he was openly proclaimed the chiefe Doctor and Prophet of his Church Thus it became this Lamb of God to be actually separated from all the rest of the flock because for all the rest he was to pay a greater ransome and price than any other that could be found amongst all mankind II. Observation The Lamb thus separated must be reserved and kept alive four daies even from the tenth day of the first month till the fourteenth day of the same month vers 6. Wherein was signified the very particles of time of Christs both Ministery and passion 1. For his Ministery Christ must not be sacrificed presently so soon as he was born nor so soon as he is baptized and separated but after that separation must live about four years to preach the kingdome of God and then be offered up that his death might not be a seale to a blancke but might confirme all that holy doctrine delivered by his owne mouth and Ministery to the world 2. For his passion The time of it depended not on the will of man for his enemies sought many a time before to slay him as Herod in his infancy Matth 2. 16. the Jewes took up stones to stone him Joh. 8. 59. The Nazarites would break his neck from an hill Luk. 4. 29. And many other attempts were made against his life but his time was not then come the lamb must be reserved four daies And this very moment of time was determined and registred in Gods most certaine and unchangeable computation Act. 2. 23. being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God Whose wisdome so ordered that 1. As the lamb was taken in the tenth day of the first moneth so Christ came into Jerusalem about the tenth day of the same month to suffer as appeares Joh. 12. For upon the sixth day before his passion he came to Bethany vers 1. and the next day he went to Jerusalem which was the fifth day before his passion ver 12. 2. As the lamb must be slaine the fourteenth day of the first month which answereth to our March and at the full of the Moon So that no man might be deceived in our Paschall lamb he must be sacrificed at the Passeover the same day that the lamb must be slaine In the full Moon to note the fullnesse of time now come which was so long before appointed and in such a month as when light prevailes against darknesse and every thing revives and springs to signifie that Christ by his suffering chaseth away our darknesse and death and brings in light and life and a blessed spring of grace and glory III. Observation The Lamb must be slaine vers 6. signifying that Jesus Christ being as that Lamb of a year old in his vigour and strength who by reason of his age and strength might have lived longer must not onely die but by a violent death and that by Israel Noting 1. That Christ must be put to death by the Jewes 2. That the benefit aad merit of his death redounds to his Church onely The Redeemer must come unto Zion Isa. 59. 20. Objection How was he then a Lamb slaine from the beginning of the World before the Jewes were in being Sol. Two waies 1. In regard of Gods decree whereof a promulgation was made in promises and types and an acceptation as if it had been already done 2. In regard of man He was slaine onely one time as to the act but in all times as to the fruit because the perpetuall power and efficacie of Christs sacrifice was begun with the world and extended to all believers of all ages who onely diversly apprehend it IV. Observation The lamb must be slain between two evenings 1 To put them in remembrance of their deliverance in Egypt which was in the evening 2. To note that our Paschall lamb should be slain towards the evening of the world that is in the last times Heb. 9. 26. 3. that Christs sacrifice was to succeed in the same time of their evening sacrifices which were daily to be offered Exod 29. 41. and so to put an end to them Dan. 12. 4. to note the very houre as well as the day of Christs suffering on the Crosse. To understand which we must know that the Jewes distinguished their artificiall day into four parts From six to nine from nine to twelve from twelve to three from three to six This last part was counted the evening of the day and the next three houres the evening of the night In this fourth part of the day used the Paschal lamb to be slain and the rest of the time was little enough to dresse it whole for Supper even so the true Paschal lamb must be sacrificed the very same day and houre that the Mysticall lamb was For Christ at the third houre that is at three of the clock in afternoon between the evenings with a great voyce gave up the Ghost Matth 27. 50. V. Observation The lamb must be roasted with fire not raw not sod baked boyled or otherwise but all thoroughly roasted with fire vers 9. 1. Not eaten raw to signifie that we must not grossely conceive nor unpreparedly receive Christ in the Sacrament as the Capernaites did of the flesh of Christ Joh. 6. and the Papists of eating the raw flesh of Christ as it was born of a Virgine with their teeth 2. Roasted to Signifie two things 1 The manner of Christs death he was to be crucified and peirced As the lamb must be thrust through and fastened to a spit so must the lamb of God be peirced and fastened to the Crosse. As the brazen Serpent was fixed to a pole Joh. 3. 14. 2. That Jesus Christ was made fit food as that lamb for his people by enduring the fire of affliction but especially by suffering the hot burning fire of his Fathers wrath which had burnt up
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
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
So must thou get faith for thy vessel to passe thee through Faith in tryall is a great victory in the bottome of the Sea in deepest afflictions it is most glorious It is nothing to believe in prosperity but in desperation to believe in the bottome of the Sea to stand still yea in the bottome of hell to hope for heaven there is faith 2. To joyn to Gods people Let not the Egyptian think the way is made for him Except thou goest out with Israel as Exod. 12. 38. the sea will know thee for an Egyptian and cover thee 3. To get God their guide and to follow him Neither Noah upon the top of a world of seas nor Israel in the bottome of the sea shall miscarry if â—od become the Pilot. Follow thy guide goe on forward fear not rest in God for safety in extream danger and thou art the fittest for his help and deliverance See 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee CHAP. XXII Manna a type of Christ. THere were among the Jewes two extraordinary Sacraments which sealed up unto believers their continual nourishment and preservation in grace by the free Covenant of God in the Messiah The former was Manna from heaven the latter the water out of the Rock Both of them most lively setting forth Jesus Christ the true bread and water of life to ancient and present believers In which sense the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 3 4. calleth them spirituall meat and spirituall drink The Story of Manna is recorded Exod. 16. 14. The proper application of which is in Joh. 6. 32. 48. where our Saviour shewes that he is the true Manna of which the other in the wildernesse was but a shadow and dark resemblance Now for opening this type we shall fruitfully consider two things I. Christ prefigured by it where we shall see an admirable and pleasant correspondence of the type with the truth and how Christ was not obscurely preached even in this one shadow to old believers II. Christ far preferred before this figure as became the truth to be set above the type I. For the resemblance consider Manna 1. in it self in 1. Quality 2. Quantity 2. in the Jews in their 1. Gathering 2. Use. Sect. I. I. The qualities of Manna considered in it self were six many of them miraculous 1. The Manna came down from heaven God in heaven prepared this food to satisfie the Jewes hunger so Jesus Christ is the true bread that came down from heaven all other bread is from earth but Christ is from heaven he hath God for his Father from whose bosome he is sent into the wildernesse of this world to satisfie the spiritual hunger of his people And as that was an admirable gift prepared by God for them and therefore they called it Manna so nothing was more freely prepared and given by God than Jesus Christ for the life of the world he came without the worlds seeking without merit and deserving yea or accepting for he came to his own and his own received him not And was not this miraculous above that that he which sent the Manna was the Manna which he sent 2. The taste of Manna was sweet and tasted like fresh oyle Numb 11. 8. or wafers baked with honey Exod. 16. 31. So nothing is so sweet as Jesus Christ to an afflicted and hungry heart The sweet promises of grace are sweeter than honey Psal. 19. 10. No fresh and sweet oyle can so cherish the face as they doe the heart which is able to apprehend the sweet consolations and joyes of the Spirit And as Manna tasted alike to all tastes and every whit of it was sweet and every mouth tasted the same sweetnesse as it never was in any other food in the world So onely Christ is the same to all that taste him and every whit of him is sweet even his yoak his Crosse and every mouth that tastes him can confesse him so to be 3. The figure of it was round a figure of perfection signifying Jesus Christ without beginning or end the first and the last most simple and sincere without any guileful corner or angle most infinite most perfect and fit to contain all perfections of grace meet for the head of the Church 4. The colour was white Exod. 16. 31. signifying the most holy and immaculate purity of Jesus Christ in his nature person and actions The holy One of God fairer than all the sonnes of men Psal. 45. 2. 5. The generality It was common to all the Israelites of what state soever So Jesus Christ is the common Saviour to rich and poor to master and servant bond and free and to all believing in his Name without respect of persons Acts 10. 34. There is neither male nor female but all are one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. 6. The continuance of it This was all the while they were in the wildernesse So Christ continues alwayes with his Church to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. But when they came into Canaan it ceased for where ordinary bread was was no need of miraculous So when we come to our Canaan we shall gather no more Manna by the meanes of the Word and Sacraments neither yet shall we lose our Manna but mmediately enjoy Christ and see him face to face which the Apostle calls an open face 1 Cor. 13. 12. II. The quantity of Manna considered in itself resembled Christ in four particulars 1. It was a small grain as a little seed of Coriander verse 14. but full of yeald sweetnesse and nourishment So Jesus Christ was little and humble in his own eyes and in other mens eyes liker a worm than a man Little in his birth in his life in his death in his followers Very weak in shew and appearance but full of power strength and grace to sustain and uphold his Church full of nourishment sweetnesse and comfort to refresh his Church to eternal life 2. It was freely and abundantly given to Israel as the rain and fell down with the dew So Jesus Christ is freely given to the Church and in him abundant grace and plentiful redemption God never expressed such bounty nor ever opened the treasury of his rich grace in any thing so much as in giving his Christ who never comes any where without the sweet dewes of comfort joy and happy graces which distil from him into every believing heart 3. Manna fell every morning round about the campe and no where else and so much every morning as was sufficient for six hundred thousand men besides women and children signifying that Jesus Christ is no where to be found without the campe and bounds of the Church and that of his fulnesse all believers receive grace for grace and that in Christ is sufficiency of merit for all his Church and there need other supply for health and safety of soule but out of this heap 4. It fell on the
even in that humanity now glorified he is set in the Holy of holies as the Manna in the golden pot before the Lord for ever Exod. 16. 33. and abides for ever in the heavens for all eternity not subject to corruption any more as that golden pot of Manna was Sect. III. II. Now let us see how Christ is infinitely preferred before this type or figure in six severall advancements 1. That Manna had no life in it self but this hath Joh 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Sonne to have life in himself Joh. 6. 35. I am that bread of life 2. That Manna not having life in it self cannot give to others what it self hath not it could onely preserve life given of God But this can convey and give life to others John 6. 33. The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world 3. That Manna preserved onely natural and temporal life as other bread but this preserves spiritual and eternal life in the soul and inward man 4. That Manna could not preserve this temporal life for ever Joh. 6. 49. Your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead nay it could not keep them from hunger above one day to an end But this bread once tasted makes a man live for ever he shall not die ver 50. yea he shall never hunger more verse 35. 5. If a man were dead that Manna could not raise him again to life but this raiseth dead to life as Lazarus which all the food physick and meanes on earth cannot doe Joh. 11. 25. He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live 6. That Manna did corrupt it melted daily when the Sun arose it lasted not beyond a day it continued not beyond the wildernesse and that small portion which the Lord reserved in the Holies of holies perished and was lost after the captivity But this Manna is not subject to corruption but abideth sweet and precious to every hungry heart nor subject to violence but abides in the Holy of holies without all change or fear of danger nor onely lasts in this journey through our wildernesse but is the sweetest and most delicious in our Canaan when he shall be food physick raiment delight and all in all to all the Saints and sonnes of God Sect. IV. Now to Application I. To note God in four things 1. Patience and love 2. Watchfulnesse and care 3. Bountifulnesse and beneficence 4. Wisedome and judgement And all these to his Church both Jewish and Christian and to all the Israel of God Legal and Evangelical Every one of these affordeth us special matter of instruction I. His grace and patience appears in the time of his giving both the typical and the true Manna from heaven Then he pleased to give the Manna to Israel 1. When Israel had great need of Gods help and had no power to help themselves when they were even ready to starve Even so when the Church was in extream need of Christ and altogether helplesse in her self it pleased God to give his Sonne from heaven to save and refresh her Which the Apostle notes Rom. 5. 6. For Christ when we were yet of no strength at his time died for the ungodly 2. Then God gave Israel Manna when Israel murmuring had deserved nothing but wrath and vengeance when they could look for nothing but fire from heaven he gives them food from heaven and such food as was Angels food sweet as honey Oh what a tender Nurse is the Lord become to a froward people he will still the frowardnesse of his first-born rather with the breast than with the rod Even so when by our hateful sinnes of many sorts we could neither deserve nor expect any thing but revenge from heaven God sent his Sonne from heaven the true Manna and bread of life who hath more sweetnesse in him than the honey comb which one gift sweetneth all blessings which else had been so many curses For what had the Israelites deliverance victory lives been worth in the wildernesse without food and Manna which kept them in life and strength Even so had all our outward blessings been to us without Jesus Christ onely a lingring death and misery Oh who would deal thus with his enemy but he that hath an Ocean of mercy Which the same Apostle in the same Chapter ver 8. leadeth us unto where he magnifieth and heightneth Gods love unto us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us yea while we were yet enemies ver 10. he sent us this Manna by whom he reconciled himself unto us Let this consideration be of use 1. To stir up in us a fervent love of God who loved us with a pittifull love when we were in so pitifull a case as also with so seasonable love when our extream need urged us yea with such effectuall love as spared us the greatest gift of love and the richest mercy that heaven and earth can contain to relieve our want 2. To labour to love our enemies as God did us being his enemies For naturall men and hypocrites can love those that love them Mat. 5. 45. but if we love them that hate us we shall be the sonnes of our heavenly Father 3. To move us to cease from our sinnes for who would goe on to provoke so good a God that still prevents us with love and mercy And if he please to reserve love for us while we are yet in our sinnes and in love with them how sweet will his love be when we cease to love them How strong will it be and how constant For doth he not cast us off when we are enemies and deserve hatred and will he ever cast off those whom he thus loveth This love shall be stronger than death for that shall not quench it II. See the watchfulnesse and care of God over his Church The Manna fell with the dew and while the people of Israel slept the Lord watched to spread a table for them because 1. He that keepeth Israel slumbreth not nor sleepeth The eye of the Lord saith Basil is without all sleep ever watchfull 2. Because he is a tender father and Israel is his son and first born A carefull father is waking for his childes good while it sleeps and takes no care In like manner hath this watchful eye kept it self waking from the beginning of the world till this day How did it watch over Abraham and all his believing posterity whilest he and we were all in the night of sin and death And whilest we were in a dead sleep how carefully did he provide this heavenly Manna and spread it about the tents of the Church in all ages 1. In the promise of the blessed seed 2. In the types and shadowes signifying and exhibiting Jesus Christ. 3. In the holy Ministery of Prophets and Apostles in which it was plentifully showred 4.
the Word preached doe not teach thee Christ the true Manna thou never knowest him of thy self Let us pitty and pray for the lamentable blindnesse not of Popish recusants onely but of wilful and carelesse absenters of themselves from the House of God whose Judgement is just if they never come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 3. Hath Christ been made known to thee that thou hast tasted the sweetnesse of him in the Gospel As Christ said to Peter so I say to thee Happy art thou for flesh and bloud hath not revealed him to thee but the Father which is in heaven Sect. VII 2. Concerning our Duty we learn sundry instructions which may be reduced to six heads I. To get in us an hunger and thirst after Jesus Christ in whom alone is full nourishment and without whom we are far more miserable than Israel had been without Manna For 1. Onely this hunger makes us value him and see our need of him It is hunger that is the best sauce that makes Manna sweet and without hunger a full belly despiseth an honey comb It is hunger that makes the prodigal sonne look towards home 2. It is the note of a blessed man to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Mat. 5. 6. And this man will not rest till he be satisfied David was an happy man in such hungry desires when he desired after God as the chased Hart after the waters This thirst would eat out and thrust out the thirst after the world that dropsie-thirst after gold and silver which is never satisfied As also the thirst after the puddle water of earthly pleasures And this thirst would devoure and consume the thirst after revenge as Moses his rod consumed the rods of the Sorcerers II. To goe out of our tents and take paines to gather our Manna daily as Israel did theirs For 1. Christ enjoynes labour for this unperishing food Joh. 4. 14. and 2 Pet. 1. 10. give all diligence to make your election sure 2. It is worth much paines and cost to procure Christ to our selves and others In bodily famine how farre will men run and ride for Corn Jacob sends all his sonnes out of Canaan into AEgypt for food Gen. 42. 2. 3. Idlenesse is every where blame-worthy especially in matters of greatest importance God might have rained Manna into their laps or mouthes as well as about their tents if he had pleased but would not for the tryal of their diligence besides he is well acquainted with our corruptions who think that worth nothing which costs us nothing Give me leave to apply this to many idle Christians among us who have this sweet Manna round about their tents but will not stirre out of doores for it If it rain not down within their own tents though it doe â—ound about they will not stirre out of their tents Like idle husbandmen that would have a harvest but will not stirre out into the fields to plow nor sow nor reap unlesse it grew at their own doores or in their own streets Alas how lamentable and unanswerable to God is our high unthankfulnesse who with lesse labour than the Jewes may gather better food and have as expresse a commandement as they gather every man of this Manna according to his eating But in stead of gathering we ingratefully reject it yea thrust it off with both hands as the Jewes did Act. 13. 46. Take heed in time lest the doom come out against us as did against them Because you have made your selves unworthy of eternall life we turn from you to the Gentiles III. As Israel so must we daily and diligently observe the times and places of gathering Manna 1. The place is the wildernesse not Canaan and all the while that they are in the wildernesse they must gather Manna So we so long as we are in this world must gather this true Manna Many seem to gather when they be young but are weary and give up when they are elder But even the oldest man of the Israelites must gather if he would eat he must starve here that ceaseth to gather Many have gathered enough know as much as the best Preacher of them all have strong faith are sound Christians and so was the Church of Laodicea But be it known to thee thou canst scarce gather enough of this Manna for the day and he that sees his daily weaknesse will conclude with me that his faith hope love knowledge and all his graces need daily repairing and that he hath got but a little of Christ that feares to get too much Again the place of seeking true Manna is about the tents of the Israelites it is confined to the Camps of the true Church where two or three are gathered there is Christ to be found his parents found him in the Temple Therefore 1. It is no marvel if Christ be not to be met with among Antichristan Synagogues If men had learning to admiration and above the Angels they should not find the truth of Christ but among the tents and congregations of Christ. No marvel if an Egyptian misse of Manna be he never so learned 2. Let us learn to wait in the Temple as the antient beleivers Anna and Elizabeth if we would meet with the consolation of Israel 2. The time and season of gathering Manna was while it lay on the ground We must apprehend the season of grace that is while the Church hath peace make use of the peace of the Gospel as the Churches did Acts 9. 31. Little know we how soon the sunne of persecution may arise and melt away our Manna But Christ may make as pittiful a complaint over us and with weeping eyes as that over Jerusalem O Jerusalem Oh England if in this thy day thou knewest the time of thy visitation Oh how rich in grace hadst thou been by knowing this season but it hath been in great part hid from our eyes IV. As Israel must bring home the Manna and bake and grinde it and feed upon it for else what had it been better for them that Manna had lain about their tents in never so great abundance had they not brought it home and sustained their lives with it so must every Christian specially apply to himself Christ crucified and by the faithful application of Christ and all his merits become one with him as the meat or bread we eat becomes one with our bodies thus will an hungry Christian doe An hungry man is not content with onely comming to a Cooks shop where meat is it is not the sight smell or handling of meat which contents him he must eat and fill his belly So it is not a bare coming to the place of the Word and Sacraments which yet many doe not to see and hear and taste but thou must feed by faith or starve to death eternal Heb. 4. 2. The word they heard was unprofitable because not mingled with faith Quest. How may I know if I apply Christ
crucified to my self Answ. 1. The right application of Christ crucified is not to know that Christ was crucified but when we are crucified with him Gal. 2. 19 as Elisha 2 Kings 4 applyed his eyes face and hands to the dead child that it might quicken 2. So much as thou truly beleevest so much thou eatest of Christ saith August Look how much strength thou gettest by the Word so much nourishment thou receivest from Christ. And so much as thou refusest contemnest or neglectest that so much thou refusest Christ himself V. We must beware of being weary of this Manna The Jewes esteemed Manna sweet at first and went out cheerfully to gather it yea the Sabbath and all which was a prohibited time so greedy were they of it but within a little while although it retained the sweetnesse they waxed weary of it We must take heed of this ficklenesse in goodnesse which hath ever bewrayed it self in most forward people At the first building of the Tabernacle men brought too much but after took it away as fast again John was a burning and shining light Joh. 5. 35. and they rejoyced in his light but it was but for a season and few shining lights but find it so The Galatians at first received Paul as an Angel but soon revolted from him What flocking and thronging was there after Christs doctrine and miracles that the kingdome of God suffered violence but soon they had enough of him and in short time did tumult as fast against him The like was observed in our own land at the first falling of this Manna and beginnings of the Gospel men were earnest glad joyful forward then was a sweet time of the happy welcome of this Manna happy was he could get his Gomer first and fullest But now what voices hear we other than of the ungracious Israelites Oh our soules are dryed up with this Manna here is nothing but Manna so much preaching so many Sermons and it was better with the world in Egypt before all this preaching And whereas our fathers would have ridden far to a Sermon we their lazie off-spring will scarce step over our thresholds Let us consider here for our incitement 1. How hard it is to begin well but harder to hold out and not holding out we lose all our labour 2. That Manna is a sweet as ever though we see not our own need which if we did see we would be no more weary of Gods Word were it daily preached then we are of our bread we daily eat VI. We must be so farre from wearinesse as that we must highly esteem this true Manna as the sweetest gift that ever God gave from heaven and never forget so miraculous a mercy That Israel might not forget Gods extraordinary mercy in this type they must for ever keep a pot of Manna which was preserved so long as the Temple stood for many hundred yeares And that we might not forget this mercy in the true Manna he hath and doth for ever preserve his Word preached and instituted Sacraments in which he perpetually holdeth this mercy before the eyes of the Church Let us raise monuments of Gods mercies to our selves and not forget lesser favours if we would not forfeit them But such a mercy as this is in Jesus Christ the true Manna let it live in our hearts in our memories sences affections actions in walking worthy of it for thus it becometh the just to be thankfull CHAP. XXIII Water out of the Rock a type THe second extraordinary Sacrament sealing up to Israel their nourishment and strength in the Covenant was the Water out of the Rock After the Lord had brought Israel through the dangerous Sea he brings them to Elim a sweet and fruitful place where were twelve fountaines of water and seventy Palm trees there they camped and breathed Exod. 15. 27. Not long after they must come into the dry desart of Sin where they want both bread and patience for they murmure against God and exclaim against Moses and Aaron At this time the Lord feeds their bellies and fills them with miracles of which Manna was full Thence at Gods commandement must they come unto Rephidim Exod. 17. 1. Here have they bread from heaven but no water Now contend they as fast with Moses for water as before for bread And as thirst is the more eager appetite so it ineagers their affections that Moses complaines to God they are ready to kill him God sees their rebellion and puts it up and instead of revenge of their horrible obstinacy and ingratitude satisfies their thirst as miraculously as formerly he had done their famine and hunger He commands Moses to take his rod and speak to the Rock and then should issue waters in abundance to satisfie all the Campe both man and beasts and so he did Exod. 17. 6. Now we may not think that this fact concerned onely Israel in the wildernesse but even all the Church and Israel of God passing through the wildernesse of this world and that for these Reasons 1. The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 4. calleth it a spiritual Rock both for being miraculous in effects and for being a type of what was to come It was both miraculous and significant and therefore called spiritual 2. The same water which they drank we also drink as in the same Chap. and ver because in the holy Supper of the Lord the matter of our spiritual drink is the same with theirs and that is the bloud of Christ resembled by theirs The difference is onely in the manner of drinking 3. Including this water of the Rock the Apostle saith they are all types to admonish us and are written for us verse 6. and 11. 4. Most plainly he affirmeth verse 4. and that Rock was Christ not in substance but in signification saith Aquinas Now we having as much to doe with Christ as they we must farther enquire into this type 1. To parellel it with the truth by comparing them 2. By applying it in some fruitful observations to our selves The Rock was a type of Christ three wayes 1. As it was a Rock 2. As out of it issued water 3. In the manner of obtaining I. As a Rock it elegantly typed out Jesus Christ fitly compared to a Rock in five resemblances 1. For the despicable appearance The Rock is in appearance dry and barren the most unlikely thing in all the world to afford water so as it was incredible to Moses and Aaron themselves to fetch water out of a Rock If God had commanded them to have beaten fire out of a flinty Rock it had not been so unlikely but to distil water out of a flint or Rock must be miraculous Even so Jesus Christ was for outward form and appearance in the world most unlikely of all men to afford any such waters of grace and salvation Isai. 53. 2 3. He was as a dry root without form or beauty as an
whom it is not removed by Jesus Christ. 4. The Rock was smitten but it was not so much the striking on the Rock but the Lords standing upon it that gets water for Israel Exod 17. 6. There was no vertue in the stroak but all depended on Gods commandement and precept and presence even so it is not the death of Christ nor the abundance of price and merit of his bloud nor the striking on this Rock before mens eyes in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments that can bring one drop of true water of comfort but by the presence and word of Gods blessing The efficacy of grace depends not on any meanes or work wrought but it is Gods word and presence that doth all in them Object Then we may give up the use of all meanes and pray at home for grace Sol. Not so for meanes must be used Moses must speak to the Rock God appoints no meanes in vain but we must not insist and dwell in them but look beyond them to Gods blessing and successe Moses must use the Rod though a word without the rod might have done it so we must use the meanes as being tyed to them though God be not but not stick in them seeing the abuse of them may make them hurtful not helpful The people of Moses the Jewes struck this Rock pearced him with thornes and speares saw with their eyes the precious fountain opened in his side a priviledge in which they were beyond all people of the earth but partly ignorant what they did partly malitious treading this pretious bloud under foot not attending not believing the Word this real striking of this Rock was unprofitable yea and damnable unto them 5. The waters of the Rock smitten followed the Israelites 1. Noting the abundance of water not onely for their present supply but also for future so in Christ and his bloud 〈◊〉 abundant and plentiful redemption and consolation 2. The Rock following them that is following or satisfying their desires It followed them every where where they desired followed their necessities followed their desires So Christ Jesus is to the faithful heart all it can desire He followes them with all sweet and needful desires He is above all that heart can think alwayes present with us through our wildernesse especially in most needful times 3. It followed them in signifying the truth which was to follow It signified plainly that Christ was to follow it as the truth the tppe and so it followed them with instruction and admonition so Christ the true Rock followes the Church with instruction His whole life ministery miracles actions passion and speeches was a real instruction And now by his Ministery he followes us with daily directions 4. It followed them through the wildernesse even unto Canaan All the drynesse of that dry and barren wildernesse could not dry it up So the waters of grace streaming from the Rock Jesus Christ follow the believing Israel of God through the wildernesse of the world to the heavenly Canaan All the persecutions and parching heats and droughts in the world can never dry it up Let all the wildernesse besides want water in Israels Campe is enough Where God begins with a man in sound and saving grace here it will carry him into the land of promise True grace must end in glory Hence arise observations twofold I. In respect of God to confirme our faith in the assurance of his 1. Presence 2. Power 3. Mercy to the Church I. His Presence He that before was present in the Pillar of the Cloud and Fire for their safety and in the Manna for their sustenance is now present in the Rock for their satiety in their extreme thirst The presence of Christ is all in all to the Church his presence is a present supply of all wants His eye is alwayes present for although it goe over all the world yet it is alwayes fixed on the Church His ear is present they cannot call to Moses for bread or water but he heares and supplies His hand is ever present with and for his Church and is not shortned Himself is ever present with his in life in death and after for good for grace and glory Onely keep thou these conditions 1. Be with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. that is walk with him as Henoch 2. Keep in thy wayes for so long he hath promised his comfortable presence 3. Rejoyce in his presence in the presence of his spirit in the signes and meanes of his presence And then fear not want sicknesse nor to walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death for God is with thee Psal. 23. 4. He will also prepare a table for thee in the sight of the adversarie ver 5. II. Here is a testimony of such mighty and miraculous power in God for his people that even Moses himself staggered and could scarce conceive a work of such power from God Here is a work of omnipotency in cleaving the hard Rock Psal. 78. 15. To shew 1. That he is a free worker not tied to second causes but at his pleasure can hinder alter or change the power of nature Psal. 115. 3. 2. That he can work by contraries and out of most unlikely yea contrary meanes effect his own pleasure Luke 1. 37. Is any thing impossible to God 3. That we should cast our eyes on this power Psal. 62. 11. Once have I heard it yea twice that power belongeth to God And hence learn 1. Not to limit the holy one that made heaven and earth of nothing 2. Faithfully to depend on this power when we see no meanes of safety or supply but all the meanes contrary For the Rock shall yield water rather than thou shalt want what he seeth good for thee 3. In thy fainting and wearinesse when thy weaknesse tells thee thou art not able to goe on in this wildernesse for want of water of comfort and consolation nay art hopelesse in thy self or any meanes thou canst make now hope above hope Gods power is sufficient in thy weaknesse Sampson shall get both victory and water by a jaw-bone the most unlikely thing in the world for either And though this power now worketh not miracles ordinarily yet before thou that waitest on him shalt miscarry he will miraculously sustain thee III. Here is a testimony of Gods admirable mercy to his people Israel deserved to be smitten for their murmuring and rebellion but the Rock is smitten for them The Rock is not smitten for itself but for Israel In stead of a revenging power which they might have expected they find a gracious power which they could not expect Even so all mankind was to be smitten by the Law but the Rock must be smitten for us Our Rock suffered nothing for his own sinnes who was purer in his nature and actions than all the Angels of God but all the stroke he suffered was for the Israel of God that they
saving waters of grace flowing from the true Rock Jesus Christ. We read what strife and contention was among the Jewes for wells of spring water and now no man will lose a dishful of well water but he will know to whom and shall we onely not care for the water of saving grace which cost Christ so dear before he could open the well of it for us 3. When the woman of Sumaria heard Christ say that he that drank of this water should thirst no more Lord saith she give me this water that I may no more thirst nor come hither to draw Joh. 4. 15. So let it stir up our desires after it also that we may get within the well that springeth up to eternal life 3. What means may we use for the attaining of water out of this Rock Answ. 1. Be an Israelite That Rock was smitten onely for them This Rock is laid in Sion not in AEgypt No AEgyptian no Canaanite no Romish AEgyptian that drinkes of that Popish puddle no profane worldlings taste of these waters swill and draffe is good enough for such swine 2. Come to the place Israel must goe out of them houses as well to fetch water out of the Rock as to gather Manna The place whence the Rock sends water is the threshold of the Sanctuary Ezeck 47. If we will not stir out of our dores we may justly starve 3. Avoid letts and hinderances that dam up these waters As 1. Ignorance of their worth and of thy own need Joh. 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God thou wouldst have asked c. Good reason thou want it who thinkest it a thing thou mayst best want Many among us like Tantalus in the midst of water die for thirst 2. Hardnesse of heart which keeps the soul dry and barren and abiding in the natural hardnesse of a Rock all the waters of this spiritual Rock are lost upon it 3. A quenching and grieving of the spirit this turns the stream another way that it finds another chanell Grieve not the spirit but grieve rather that thy self art so strait-necked a vessel 4. Secure neglect of meanes A man that will be rich follows the meanes so he that meaneth to be rich in grace whereas he that meaneth to die a begger casts up all and makes holy-day at his pleasure 4. Provide 1. The bucket of faith to draw for the well is deep and without this bucket thou gettest none John 4. 11. 2. Find a fit vessel to put these waters in As 1. A clean vessel of a pure heart Who would put Aqua vitae or Balm water in a fusty and stinking bottle 2. A whole vessell that it leak not out again This whole vessell is a whole and sincere heart but broken all to pieces No vessell here can hold but a broken and contrite heart God fills the humble the haughty and proud are sent away empty CHAP. XXIV The Brazen Serpent a type THe History of the Brazen Serpent is in Numb 21. 6 7 8. where are two things I. The Disease II. The Remedy The Disease is set down 1. In the occasion ver 5. 2. In the kind by fiery Serpents sent by God to sting them 3. In the effect many dyed In all which Story we must not stick in the letter or bark but break through to the kernel and truth The rather because our Lord Jesus an interpreter beyond all exception brings us hereby to himself and to the consideration both of our disease and of the remedy and the application of it Joh. 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be lift up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life It will be now both pleasant and profitable to look a little while upon the apt resemblance of the type with the truth both in the disease and remedy and first of the occasion of the disease Sect. I. I. The occasion of the disease was the peccant humour of ingratitude and murmuring against the grace of God miraculously manifested in the wildernesse Never had any people upon the face of the earth the like mercies from God the like experience of God Never any fed and feasted with so many miracles as it were in ordinary They have water following them every where out of a Rock They have bread from heaven delicate even to a miracle but this Angels food is too light and no bread will serve them but from earth God gave them abundance of it for the gathering he rained it most bountifully round about their tents but their unthankful souls loath it and tread it under foot And therefore rising up against God and tempting him they were destroyed of Serpents 1 Cor. 10. 9. Note here by the way 1. The Justice of God He that brought Manna from heaven to feed them for contempt of his grace now brings Serpents out of the earth to revenge and destroy them Rom. 2. 4 5. The despising of Gods bountifulnesse treasureth up wrath See the same Justice on our selves How lightly did we in our first parents regard that upheaped measure of bounty and grace conferred by God in our Creation and innocency And how justly were we stung to death by the old Serpent for it The unthankfull person is the greatest robber that is 2. See the equity of this Justice on the Israelites They not contented to murmur against the Lord set also upon Moses and Aaron his servants Why have yee brought us into the wildernesse to die Now their punishment is answerable to their sin They transgresse in hot and fiery tongues and are punished by hot and fiery stings Venomous words against God and his servants are revenged by the mouthes of poysoned and venomous Serpents Doe thou at thy perill sting God and his servants with bitter words God will have some Serpent or other to sting thee I am out of doubt that many great plagues have lingred and doe amongst us in this land for the poysoned and reviling speeches cast against God and his servants every where We sting his holy profession and servants incessantly and he stings us with the Scorpions of his Judgements 3. Beware of being weary of Manna Never did man complain of plenty of Manna but was justly stung with want of it Doe thou complain without cause and thou shalt have cause to complain Israel that complains of too much Manna shall shortly change their note and cry out of too many Serpents II. The kind of the disease The Lord sent fiery Serpents to sting them Where 1. Why Serpents 2. Why fiery 3. Why stinging 1. This disease by Serpents lively resembles our disease of soul which is no other than the fiery sting of the old Serpent which is the devill Rev. 12. 9. Our spiritual disease is hence noted to come from that old Serpent at first Now Satan is aptly compared to a Serpent in five respects 1.
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
humbled heart will not so lose his time nor dwell in toyes and unnecessaries to thrust out things more profitable A wise heart will not for a shadow forgoe the substance but will be much in that question of the young man Master what may I doe to inherit eternall life what may I doe to be saved what may I doe to be rid of this Serpent and of that of this sin and of that How may I doe to get mastery of my corruptions In going to Gods Ministers let thy errand be the same with the Israelites in their going to Moses how to be rid of the Serpents 4. Moses directs them to the brâ—zen Serpent erected for their cure for Moses himself cannot help them Moses law cannot cure them that rather sharpens the sting and thrusts it deeper into the flesh and spirit He directs them to no merits or works of their own to cure them for their merits brought in those poysoned stings among them but he sends them quite out of themselves to Gods ordinance which was the brazen Serpent Thou art never in the way of cure till thou art sent out of thy self out of the Law and works of it which now cannot justifie till thou comest to the Evangelical brazen Serpent there is no hope of cure As the Israelite could never be cured till he acknowledged the brazen Serpent the onely meanes so no more canst thou till thou acknowledge Jesus Christ the onely healing God and that there is no other name in heaven or earth to be saved by but the name Jesus Onely Christ onely Christ said that Martyr for he onely can give a perfect righteousnesse he onely can cover our imperfections he onely being no sinner could conquer sin he onely by dying could conquer death he onely by entring into the grave could sweeten it he onely by sustaining the sorrows of hell could shut hell for all believers Had Moses sent the Israelites any whither but to the brazen Serpent he had deluded them and they had lost all their labour Who now is so void of judgement that cannot discern whether our Religion or the Roman be the antient and true Religion of Moses and the people of God If a man stung with the Serpent come to us for counsel and cure as they to Moses we send him as Moses out of himself to Christ onely the true brazen Serpent Our doctrine leads him out of himself out of his own merits out of external works and ceremonies unto Christ who is our peace and left his peace unto believers and by this meanes through Gods blessing the Patient attaines true tranquility of mind and inward peace of conscience and rejoyceth with an unspeakable and glorious joy for his recovery as the Israelites did in theirs But let a man stung in conscience goe to a Roman teacher he leads him any way but the right any whither so not to Christ. Instead of Gods certain direction in the words of the Prophets and Apostles which testifie of Christ the onely brazen Serpent they send him to unsound and uncertain speculations fables traditions equal say they to Scripture and some of them say far better Instead of Christs satisfaction and merit they send him home to his own merits and satisfactions by which say they he may apply the satisfaction and merit of Christ. But in case he be so bad as he have no merits of his own the Church hath a Treasury of other mens merits to dispense by taile so he will come to the price So he may buy oyle enough to fill his lamp out of the Popes Exchequer or Burse filled to the top with works of supererogation But if he make some scruple of this least the wise Virgins have not enough for themselves and others then they may have the sacrifice of the Masse not to fail but never apply that one and onely sacrifice upon the Crosse it self Now whether of us agree with Moses 5. As the Israelite must look up to the Serpent lifted up so must thou look up and behold Christ lifted up This must thou doe two wayes First on the wood of the Crosse Secondly on the Throne of the Kingdome both of grace and glory Behold Christ lifted up not in his abasement onely but in his advancement First in the Kingdome of grace as he is lifted up in the Word and Sacraments In which Christ is mightily declared the Son of God and preached the Saviour of the world Gal. 3. 1. among whom Christ was crucified Secondly in his Kingdome of glory raised from the dead ascended into heaven and exalted at the right hand of God above all principalities and powers Phil. 2. 9. God hath given him a Name which is above every name Now the looking on Christ thus lifted up is the act of faith not a bare intuition sight or vision as to believe that Christ was thus exalted on the Crosse and in his Kingdome but it is apprehensive and applicatory and to believe in Christ crucified and glorified This looking hath three things in it 1. To believe that he was the Son of God and son of man our Immanuel 2. That he being so was lift up for the salvation of believers 3. That my self assuredly trust and depend on him alone as the onely author meritour and bestower of salvation This is Evangelical looking on the Serpent Now because this looking is the principal thing in the cure we will consider 1. How this looking cures us 2. How we know we are cured by our looking 3. Motives to stir us up still to look on our Serpent Sect. VII I. When the Israelite comes to Moses and asketh Oh what shall I doe to be saved from death being so deadly stung A full answer to this question was goe look upon the brazen Serpent thou shalt be whole So if an humble soul suppose the Jaylor shall come to the Minister as Paul or Silas Sirs what may I doe to be saved the direct answer to this question is Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. and yee are saved by faith and Thy faith hath made the whole Quest. But how doth faith save us Answ. Not as it is an excellent grace nor as any work of ours We are not saved and cured for believing but by believing 1. Because faith is the condition of the Covenant and of our cure as looking was the condition of the cure of the Israelite For it was not the having of a Brazen Serpent nor the lifting it up could cure but the Israelites looking upon it so it is not the hearing of Christ nor the lifting of him up in the Ministery nor knowledge of his merits can save unlesse they be received by faith A potion never so vertuous is fruitlesse if not taken As meat uneaten so is Christ not digested and applyed by faith 2. Faith cannot cure considered simply in it self as a quality or vertue or gift or
habit but considered relatively with his object which is Jesus Christ the Lord our righteousnesse for faith is the eye of the soul. But as it was not the eye of the Israelite but the eye set upon the brazen Serpent that cured him so here faith upon his object cureth because onely faith draweth vertue from Christ as in the Syrophoenician who touched Christ and was cured but not by touching but by believing More plainly in this comparison As a Jewel included in a Ring enricheth a man or healeth him it is not the Ring doth it but the Jewel and yet none have the Jewel without the Ring So Jesus Christ is the onely Jewel and antidote against the deadly poyson of sin This Jewel is included in the Ring of faith Now it is apparently Christ the Jewel that justifieth enricheth cureth but we cannot have him without the Ring of faith which includeth him So as faith saveth and justifieth us onely as a meanes suppose the hand of the soul to convey Christ to us for justification which no other grace can doe So not faith but Christ applied by faith that saveth and cureth us 3. As no Israelite could be cured but by his own sight of the Serpent and no man could be cured by another mans looking or seeing it So must every just man live by his own faith Hab. 2 4 No maâ— can be saved by anothers faith or the faith of the Church but by his own special faith believing in particular upon assured grounds the remission of his own sinnes II. By what marks may I know that I have looked on this brazen Serpent for cure Answ. By four marks 1. If thine eye have been rightly affected which will appear in four particulars First If it be a discerning eye cleared to see in Jesus Christ two things the first his power the second his will to cure That he is able to help being the mighty God and that he is willing to cure being a compassionate Saviour who himself was stung to death that he might have compassion on them that are stung Heb. 2. 18. Secondly If it be a mountfull eye He that had seen the Israelites â—…ing about the braâ—en Serpent should have seen many a 〈◊〉 falling and heard many a deep grâ—an and pittiful complaints of their deadly pain and poyson Hast thou come to Jesus Christ with sorow in thy heart with teares in thy eyes with lamentable groans and complaints of thy misery by sin this is to look upon him for cure Zach. 12. 10. the members of the Church shall behold him and mourn as a man for his onely son Such lookers on him he looketh upon and easeth Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Thirdly If it be a wishing and oraving eye for there is affection as well as vision in the eye As the lame man that lay in Solomons potch Act. 3. 5. wistly looked on Peter and John expecting to receive something from them so no doubt did the Israelites on the Serpent And so must thou hold on waiting and expecting sound cure from Christ and take no denial till thou be fully cured for so did the Canaanitish woman prevail Fourthly If it be a faithfull stedfast eye a believing eye carries cure from Christ. Christ was wont to ask some of his Patients that came for cure if they did believe he could help and in the cure According to thy faith be it unto thee and after the cure go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole and much more works he the cure of soules by meanes of the parties faith and not without it 2. If the sting were gone and the poyson of the Serpent abated this was an infallible sign that the Israelite was cured Consider if the power and rage of sin be removed the guilt of it gone by justification if the poyson and stain of it be abated and daily abolished now art thou in the way of cure But if the poyson remain that sin lives in thee prevailes and raignes in thee and commands thee as formerly thou hast not yet looked on the Serpent for cure Justification and Sanctification are inseparable 3. A ceasing of pain and ease and comfort restored which when the Israelite felt it was a sign he was cured So if after sense of pain and grief of spirit thou hast received sound peace of conscience joy of the holy Ghost and comfort of a good estate in Christ that thou art able upon good grounds to challenge thy righteousnesse in Christ and maintain thy self sted fastly assured and cheared in Gods mercy and the goodnesse of an excusing conscience thou hast now looked upon Christ and Christ upon thee for perfect cure 4. When the sting with the pain was gone the Israelite could goe as strongly and chearfully about his businesse as ever before he had new life new strength new motions by which he might be sure he had looked upon the Serpent So if thou canst find so happy a change in thy soul as new life new motions new actions new affections and in a word the whole renewed nature all these are the fruits and effects of thy faith and faithful beholding of Christ and of his looking upon thee Of this new obedience and renewed strength of a Christian having lately spoken I passe it over more briefly III. Motives to stirre us up to this looking upon our Serpent are 1. Nothing else can cure us but Christ. The Israelites had Gold Silver Manna from heaven Water out of the Rock yea the Ark the Oracle but none of all these can help them onely the Serpent must cure them no sight else can cure Thou mayest see Gold Silver Lands Friends Playes Pleasures nay couldst thou see Heaven it self without Christ there were no help or cure in it In respect of this sight the Apostle counted all things losse and dung and desired to see and know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified and lifted on the wood 2. No not Christ himself can cure without this looking and faithful beholding him as the brazen Serpent not looked on healed not The want of the eye or sight disabled the Israelites from cure though the Serpent were by them so the want of faith disableth God after a sort and Christ himself from doing a man any good Mark 6. Christ could doe no great cure in Capernaum because of their unbelief Neither can any ordinance of God doe him good that wants faith no more than this Serpent ordained by God could doe a blind Israelite good If we should send a man to the Word it must be a word of faith must doe him good that is not onely because it is a begetter of faith but because it must be mingled with faith else it proves unprofitable Heb. 4. 2. If to the Sacraments if he bring not faith they are not to him the seales of faith but as seales set to blanks If to Prayer it must
2. For undertaking his office 1. In his incarnation he was the first-born of his Mother Matth. 1. 25. till she had broughtforth her first-born Son not in respect of any that his mother had after him but because she had none before 2. For the stranger manner He was the first-born of a virgin and so never had brother 3. He was the first born without sinne 3. For accomplishing his office in his resurrection He is called the first-begotten or first born of the dead two wayes 1. In respect of his Father who first begot him from the dead Whence his resurrection is called a begetting Acts 13. 33. thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee the Apostle applying it to the resurrection of Christ. And had not the Father thus begotten his sonne from the dead we had never been raised from death 2. In regard of himselfe whose priviledge it was to raise up himselfe from the dead by his owne power Rom. 1. 4. As himselfe said I have power to take up my life againe And being risen he was the first that ascended in body and soul into heaven Thus consider Christ as God as Mediator as incarnate as raised and ascended he is the Lords first-born and the birth-right belongs to no other II. The first borne of Israel was the second and next to the father of the family yea after the father instead of the father So is Christ to his family the Church performes all offices of a careful tender father and takes on him not the affection onely of a father but even 1. the name of a father Isa. 9. 6. Father of eternity 2. the office of a father 1. He supplies the meanes of spirituall life as they of naturall 2 He nurtures and teacheth his Church 3. He provides for the present and bestowes the inheritance of eternall life III. The first-born had the preheminence among the brethren and were chiefe in office and authority rulers in the house after their fathers and Priests in the family before the Leviticall order was established Gen. 27. 29. when Isaac blessed Jacob for Esau supposing him the first-born one part of it was Be Lord over thy brethren and let all thy mothers children honour thee So all the sheaves must bow to Josephs And Gen. 49. 8. when Jacob blessed Judah this is added as his right Thy fathers sonnes shall bow down unto thee Herein they were speciall types of Christ who in all things must have the preheminence as first in time in order in precedency first in the excellency and dignity of his person Of whom comming into the world was said Let all the Angels of God worship him And for glory and authority he sits on his fathers throne the onely King of Kings who hath a name above all names Phil. 2. 9. And Heb. 2. 9. we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour the head of the mysticall body the Prince and head of all his brethren And besides he is the high Priest of our profession by offering up himselfe a sacrifice for us Thus Christ is first in order in glory in Priesthood IV. The first-born had a double portion in goods Deut. 21. 17. Signifying 1. The plenitude of the spirit and grace in Christ who was anointed with oyle of gladnesse above all his fellowes 2. The preheminency of Christ in his glorious inheritance advanced in glory and majesty incomprehensible by all creatures I. Out of the occasion of the Law of the first-born learn that the more God doth for any man the more he ought to conceive himselfe to be the Lords and the more right and interest the Lord chalengeth in him For therefore the first-born were his by a speciall right because he had not onely delivered them out of Egypt as others but from the speciall plague of Egypts first-borne Speciall mercies call for speciall service More mercies are more bonds of obedience And new mercies are so many new cords to draw and fasten us to God and duty Is it not reason that the more it pleaseth the Lord to become ours the more we should become his Ought not great benefits become great binders And should not great love be a great load-stone of love Should not strong cords of Gods love draw us strongly to love our God Examine the encrease of Gods mercies on thee in all kindes and whether they have had this fruit to make thee more dutyfull Hath God multiplied blessing on thy head that thou shouldest blesse thy self in wickednesse Hath God continued mercy that thou shouldst continue sinne Art thou the Lords by Creation providence redemption stored with all personall kindnesses pertaining to life and godlinesse to continue a slave to sinne and Satan Remember good Josephs conclusion Gen. 39. 8 9. My master hath dealt thus and thus with me advanced me from nothing to this estate committed all to my trust kept nothing from me but thee How then can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God II. If Christ be the true first-born of whom all they are but types we must give him the honour of his birth-right The whole Church and all the sonnes of that mother must honour him all the sheaves of the brethren must vaile and bow to his sheave Let not the basenesse of his birth the humility of his life the ignominy of his death the shame of his crosse the poverty of his professors the weaknesse and frailty of his followers draw our eyes aside from him as the Jewes at this day but acknowledge him the first-born esteeming him as doth the Church the chiefe of ten thousand and with the Apostle esteem to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Question How shall we honour Christ as the first-born Sol. 1. If we honour him with the same honour that is due to the Father Job 5. 23. 2. Advance his estate above our own or other mens confesse and professe his name though with losse and disfavour 3. Depend upon him and make him our chiefe refuge for all the family depended on the first-borne for protection so doe members on the head 4. Grieve to offend him by sinne How pitifully can men women grieve for the death of their first-born So much more should we that our sinns have pierced Gods first-born Zach. 12. 10. III. Here is a ground of much consolation 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first-born from him the birth-right is derived unto us believers as it was from Reuben unto Judah and we partake of the same birth-right with our head For here is a difference between the type and truth of the first-born They had all their priviledges for themselves but Christ not for himselfe but for us Whence his elect members are called the Congregation of the first-born written in heaven that is whose names are written in the book of life And farther the more those first-born had the lesse had the other brethren but the more Christ hath