sins in his own bloud and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world Sixthly The Priest was to interpose between Gods wrath and the people in a time of sin and by his intercession to endeavour to pacifie God again read Numb 16 46 47 48. This is proper to Christ also and it did but Type out Jesus Christ in the great work of reconciling God to the creature together with his present interceding work whereby he standeth to this hour between the Father and the Church this saith St. Paul of our Saviour to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is but one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Therefore when ever sin and satan presents the with an angry God for sin labour to affect thy heart with the thoughts of it repent and be humbled about but be not out of hope look up to thy High Priest and there thou maist see him interposing between Gods anger and thy soul in order to pacification CHAP. 35. About the standing Sacrifice of the Lamb. THere was likewise an Ordinance of God instituted amongst the Jews which was this a standing sacrifice of two Lambs which were to be offered to the Lord Morning and Evening the one in the Morning and the other at Evening every day throughout the year Exod. 29. 38 39. This was to be done whether the people could be there at the sacrifice yea or no which teacheth these two things First The continual ground which God still hath in his eye for the continuing his reconciling love to the Church and that is the death of his Son which is called the Lamb of God John 1 29. Christ is called a Lamb as he was a sacrifice to God for him This sacrifice which did at first fully give the Father satisfaction for sin is always in the eye of God Christ presents himself to the Father under that consideration always Therefore is it said the mercy-seat was sprinkled wiâ—h the bloud of the sacrifice Levit. 16. 14 15. That when ever the Father had any thing to do with the mercy-seat there should he always see the bloud of the Lamb Christ which speaketh better things then that of Abel Heb 12. 24. Secondly It teacheth us this much family-duty is to be kept up and maintained as an ordinance of God by all professing Souls This standing sacrifice had a double respect First As it respected our Lord Jesus so it Typed out the constant voice of the bloud of Christ in the ears of God for everlasting Reconciliation with the Elect that as they were always sinning so here are two Lambs always sacrificing before God for them But secondly as it respected the people so it was as the performance of family-duty by them for they were as it were but one family and they had one head to it which was Moses but at morning and at evening this practice of the sacrificing of the Lambs must be kept up and performed throughout the year O so much is it a duty for families to offer God the Evening and Morning sacrifice at this day as it was then O methinks to consider how little God is honoured in this respect by the families of the earth it is a matter most lamentable Certainly mens not performing family-duty is a shutting out of God from being King in that family for God is known amongst the families of the Earth by prayer for God upon himself as having a special part of his Prerogative denied him in that family which denies him family prayer therefore is God styled a God of prayer and the God hearing prayer and one unto whom all flesh shall come and indeed the contrary is threatned with a dreadful stroke I mean the omission of the duty read Ier. 10. 25 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and the families which call not upon thy name Men little know what secret mischiefs they heap upon themselves and their families who live in the open neglect of this duty saith God in Deut. 32. 23. I will heap up mischiefs upon their heads I will spend mine arrows upon them And who so likely to be the persons upon whom God will heap mischief as prayerless persons if you compare this of Deut. 32. 23. with Ier. 10. 22. Into what flames have God turned some mens houses in one night over their heads turning them and theirs into ashes before the morning which judgment might have been prevented had they performed this duty the night before O think upon this you prayerless souls for fear least God rush out upon you and tear you in pieces and there be found none to deliver you out of his hands CHAP. 36. Of the good land of Canaan which the people were to enter into after their forty years travels in the Wilderness THis land was by St. Paul called their rest Heb. 3. 11. This land was the end of all their sore travels and weary journyings and great temptations a land of delights a land full of fatness abounding with all manner of ease and plenty a land flowing with milk and honey where there was not any want of any good thing Deut. 8. 7 8 9. This doth St. Paul in Heb. 3 11. express as a type of that Gospel Kingdom of rest and peace which all the true Israelites shall certainly rest and Centre in at last as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 58. 11. So that men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous so my Brethren there is a Canaan more glorious then Israels was for believers to enter into of which Canaan of old was the type and as all things typical under the Law did fall short in glory of the substance of that thing which it typed forth so also will it be in this case The Canaan in the Anti-type will infinitely excel for glory and brightness the Canaan in the type These two Canaans typed out one another for these things or in these respects First For place Secondly For condition upon which the Subjects were to enter each place Thirdly For the priviledges of it First For the place it self where this Canaan shall be into which all the faithful shall enter which St. Paul calls the people of Gods rest or a rest for the people of God and that is in this world upon this earth for so was Canaan of old it was in this world upon this earth I do not say that there is no other Canaan of glory for the Saints to enter but do believe there is and my hope is towards it but I say that rest spoken by St. Paul in Heb. 3. 11. which he makes to agree to Canaan of old as the Anti-type of it must be a rest in this world upon this earth and not any where else And this will appear if we consider the conditions upon which each Canaan is promised or tendred that of old and this by the Apostle in Heb. 3. And that was upon a faithful following of the Lord believingly in
I want strength to perform the least service or duty O Law saith the soul what no mercy no pity consider my weaknes how unable I am in my self to perform the least duty as I ought O Law I pray thee accept of what I can do no saith the Law I take no notice of what thou art not able to do but what thou art bound to do Luke 17. 10. I require no more then is my due if you cannot give it me look you unto that for my part I will have my full tale of perfect and constant obedience here in this life or you shall give me satisfaction in hell to all eternity Do not tell me you want strength or ability to perform go get you that where you can look you out the straw your selves I shall give you none but let not me misse of my tale of brick Gal. 2 10. with Ezek. 18. 24. Thus you see how parallel the language of the old covenant runs with the voice of the Egyptian task-masters to the Israelites under them Besides in Exod. 14. we finde thâ—t Pharaohs task-masters did beat and abuse the Israelites very much in their work This very well suits with the old covenant of works O what lashes and blows does it give those that live under it First In the conscience within O what thunder claps have some men had within them from the Law O how hath it made some men to roar and to cry out at midnight upon their beds for their breach of it How dreadfully did it lash the conscience of Cain and how did it dog Judas until it dogged his neck into a halter therefore doth the Scripture pitty those that are under it crying out a wounded conscience who can bear those that have been under the lash of the Lâ—w in the conscience can say never was poor man in Turkey in the like misery they would have exchanged conditions with the veriest slave in all the world night and day terrified with dreadful sounds of the wrath of God and the judgement day to come shewing the soul his portion in everlasting burnings where he shall seek for death but death shall be far from him Although the soul runneth to his duties and doth what he can to pacifie the Law but alas all to no purpose for the Law quarrels with him about every duty so that here is the Dilemma the Law hath all his in they shall suffer one way or other if they do not live holy and strict in their lives then he comes upon them with his curses and plagues If they do live holy and as unblameable as they can yet the Law curseth them that way because it is an obedience full of spots and defilements Luke 17. 10. Secondly The Law lasheth men externally as well as internally in the conscience O what plagues and punishments upon body estate and relations hath it brought home on some men for their disobeying of it You may see a whole file of curses plagues punishments judgments and afflictious hang up upon the bar of the Law against its offenders Deut. 28. from ver 15. to 38. Lastly The officers of Egypt would not hear the bitter cryes of the poor Jews under their burthens ver 16 17. how well doth this agree with the old covenant of works what little mercy doth that shew any that are under it how little is it affected with their cries and tears could men cry to it for mercy as loud as ever heaven thundered it would be to no purpose could men weep so much blood out of their eyes as there is water in the Sea the Law would not take any notice of it Ezek. 18. 24. This Esau tried Heb. 12. 16 17. For after he had sold his birth-right he found no repentance although he sought it carefully with tears Alas friends the Law knows no repentance repentance is a fruit of the new covenant of grace not of the old Thus you see both how the Land of Egypt with its task-masters together with their carriages towards the Israelites doth agree as the type with the state of nature in which carnel men are in together with the old covenant and his carriage toward those that live under him CHAP. 3. I next come to speak of the eating of the Lamb together with the circumstances belonging thereunto which agreeth very well with the Ante-type as we shall shew you in the next place IN which there are these three things to be considered First The occasion of the Lamb. Secondly The manner of eating it Thirdly The benefits the people had by eating the Lamb. First The occasion of the Lamb which was to save the people from that generall judgement which was to passe over the whole Land of Egypt This shews the exceeding love and mercy of God to the whole world who by Adams Garden transgression and their own actual sins all are lyable to the destroying Angel of Gods Justice which will certainly pass over the whole earth with a flaming sword of God vengeance to execute it on offenders Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who with-hold the truth in unrighteousness Heb. 10. 36. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversary so Jude 14. 15. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him 2 Thes 1. 7. 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flames of fire rendring vengeance on those that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus you see the whole world lyeth open to the destroying Angel of the justice of God which will pour it self forth to the scorching of the earthly minded with the most dreadfullest of fires 2 Pet. 3. 10. Now that men might escape this dreadful storm which the heavens look black with over the heads of sinners God in mercy hath provided poor sinners which are in their Egyptian state of sin and uncleanness I say he in mercy hath provided them a Lamb to eat which Lamb is his Son Jesus Christ upon eating of which they really escape the hands of the Justice of God John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begoteen Son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life and not perish which Sonne of God is else-where called the Lamb of God John 1. 36. the which whosoever takes and receiveth and eateth in as their food by believing shall live by him and so be free from the destroying Angel John 6. 54. Secondly As to the manner of eating the Lamb we may note
Red Sea so will all men unavoidably perish by the guilt of their sinnes without they wade by faith through the red Sea of Christ his Blood 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Rom. 5. 7. Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us so ver 22. Without shedding of blood there is no remission Rev. 1. 5. Who hath loved us and washed us in his own blood from our sins for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us by thy blood unto God out of every kindred tongue nation and people Revel 5. 9. So that this shews us if ever a soul would have deliverance from his sins which dogs him up and down from place to place he must fetch it in from the blood of Christ held out to his soul in the Gospel O my friends you that have the guilt of sin set open to you would you have it washed away and you that have the anger of God and his wrath flaming hot against you would you have it quenched O then fly you in all haste to the bloud of Christ O drink it in by believing and this will give your hearts ease nothing else will do it O look on Christ on the Cross bleeding for you get as near the Cross as you can in your thoughts and strive to get under his wounds and open thy mouth wide and drink thy fill of bloud adding to it this firm perswasion that the worth and efficacy of this bloud will save thee thou maist assure thy self that it will and if ever thou gettest peace into thy troubled soul it will come and must come in this way for that peace which cometh into the soul which came not in by this way of faith will in the end prove the greatest sorrow Isa 50. 11. Sixthly and Lastly The same waters which proved waters of Salvation to the Israelites were waters of Ruine and utter Destruction to the Egyptians Exod. 14. 27 28. It was a full and total Deliverance to the Jews and a full and total Destruction to the Egyptians This leads us to behold the wonderful benefit that those have by the bloud of Christ that wade through it by believing A full Redemption from all their sins at once the Red Sea took off the whole of Pharaohs Army at once not a man left to carry back tidings what became of his fellow so is it a full Redemption that we have by the Red Sea of Christs bloud a Redemption from the guilt of all sin there is not one left to carry back news what is become of the rest all sin past present and to come original sin and actual sin sins of all sorts and sizes publick and private sins sins of Childhood Youth Manhood and Old Age sins committed in all relations conditions and capacities whatsoever yea all sins with all their circumstances John 1. 1. 7. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin there is not one of them shall rise up to a souls Condemnation more Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a man in Christ Jesus who walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit Secondly It is a total salvation it is for ever the Jews were never troubled with that Army more therefore said Moses stand still behold the salvation of God The Egyptians whom you see to day you shall see no more for ever Exod. 14. 13. Such a salvation hath the Elect by the Red sea of Christs bloud it is a Redemption from sin for ever not for a year or two or ten but world without end Therefore saith our Saviour it is eternal life which I give my people and they shall never perish John 10. 28. Jer. 31. 3. I have saith God loved thee with an everlasting love so John 13. 1. Where it s said of Christ having loved his own He loveth them to the end CHAP. 7. The next condition the Children of Israel was in after their Deliverance from the Red Sea was their travelling through the Wilderness IN which we may take notice of these things First Their cross motion up and down sometimes this way and sometimes that ways sometimes towards their good land and sometimes the quite contray way back again Just so are the dealings of God with and in the spirits of the people that although they are fully justified from all their sins by passing through the Red sea of Christs bloud yet the after-dealings of God many times are very various with his people in point of comfort what up and down leading of God many times do poor souls find within themselves Sometimes they are well-nigh Canaan as they hope within them and they can rejoyce under the shinings of Gods love upon their hearts and they come to conclude pretty well of their spiritual conditions when they find their desires to run forth after God and their affections and love to move out after Jesus Christ then the soul takes to himself the wings of joy and begins to mount upwards in the air of comfort But at another time the soul is wholly at a loss and knows not what to conclude of himself or his condition he sees nothing but confusion within all things out of order the soul can feel little affection or love working towards Jesus Christ little heart to duty all the souls zeal is gone from him his courage gone his faith gone his taste and spiritual savour gone and all seems to fail the soul which makes his hope to die within him and to cry out with the Psalmist Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth me Insomuch that the soul cannot believe for one days comfort and then the soul concludes that he goeth quite back again even to the borders of Egypt Thus it was with David sometimes he could say the Lord was his shepherd he should not want that he was made to lie down in green pastures and led besides the still waters Psal 23. 1 2. But at another time he is all off his hope and comfort again and crys out his life is spent in grief and his years with sighing his strength fallen because of his iniquity his bones were consumed Psal 31. 10. Again take him at another time and then you shall up upon the hill of comfort again Psal 23. Lasts crying out surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life Look you into the 25. Psalm 17. 18. And there you shall see him down on all four again crying out The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my distresses so in the 27. Ps 3. v. You have him up in the Mount with God again crying out Though an host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war arise on every side against me yetiâ—n this will I be confident Look you again into Psal
of ultimate glory comes to take place that all the Nations shall be gathered together before God and the Godly taken up into Heaven and the wicked at the same time sent away into eternal darkness Now if the wicked must go down into Hell at the same time that the Godly must be received up into Heaven where then will the Nations be for the Saints to Rule over with Iron Rods so in Luke 11. 2. You are bid to pray for a Kingdom saying when thou prayest say Thy Kingdom come Now this very Kingdom must be on Earth for is not the Kingdom of grace as the Kingdom of grace is commonly understood because the Kingdom of grace was then in being and had been in being all along in all ages of the world before But this Kingdom which Christ bids his Disciples to pray for was a Kingdom yet to come Thy Kingdom come Neither can it be the Kingdom of glory for that is not said to come to us but we are said to be carryed up to it 1 Thes 4. 17. Yea it s so far from being the Kingdom of ultimate glory that its a Kingdom which cometh down out of glory upon the Earth Rev. 20. 2 3. And I John saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband and I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God This you see how Canaan of old and this Gospel Canaan which the Apostle calls a rest to the people of God do agree for matter of place Secondly They are made to agree for the conditions upon which the subjects were to enter each place faith was required as necessary to the entring of old Canaan Heb. 3. 18 19. The same is required as necessary to this Gospel Canaan Heb. 4. 1. Again a following of God fully was required as necessary to enter the old Canaan Numb 14. 21 22. 23 24. The same is required as necessary to the entring of this Kingdom Mat. 19. 28. Thirdly They do agree for priviledges only in the general Canaan of old was a very pleasant delightful good land which afforded aboundance of comfort wealth and safety a full reward for all their travels temptations and afflictions which they went under for the Lord so is it with this Kingdom or Canaan much more full of glory will this be found to have I shall briefly present you with some of the glory and excellency of it in some few particulars In the general it is set forth to you as a glorious thing or a great piece of glory Isa 60. 1. Arise for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee But to be a little more particular about this Kingdom and here we must take notice of these First Something done or is to be done by Christ at the setting up of this Kingdom Secondly Then the priviledges of it But as to the first there will be a general and total destruction fall upon all the enemies of the Lord which shall be found in a way of hostile opposition against the setting of this kingdom for if you observe you may see how excellently well Israels coming into Canaan doth agree to this particular with respect to what the Scripture saith shall be done upon the wicked at the setting up of this kingdom for it is to be observed that just before their entering into the good Land the greatest slaughter that ever was made of the enemies of the Lord was at that time as you may see Josh 10. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. This was but a type of what shall be the portion of the wicked at the Saints entrance into their great Canaan priviledges Read Isa 43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. So Isa 63. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Isa 66. 15 16. Joel 3. 2. with 14. Revelations 19. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Secondly when this is done and the great battle fought and the Lord Jesus hath strook through the loins of his enemies then will he take their kingdoms from them and give them unto the Saints in the whole world made up of both Jews and gentiles Dan. 2. 44. with Dan 7. 22. 27. Rev. 20 4. Matth. 19. 28. Rev. 2. 26 27. In which Kingdom it is clear that the Saints shall rule the Nations of the earth as the earth hath governed them for many years together in this world Psalm 45. 16 The Kingdom being delivered up into their hands then are they freed from the oppression and the oppressour which evil will never anoy the Saints more the Lord will so much restrain and moderate the rage of the wicked Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. Isa 35. 9. Isa 6. 18. Isa 54. 14. Secondly the Saints shall then in an eminent manner be a righteous holy people no hypocrite shall be there Isa 35. 8. Isa 60 21. Zach. 14. 20 21. Revelations 22. 15. Revelations 21. 17. Thirdly The Saints shall be then set wholly free from a timmerous and distracting fearful spirit in duty Zach. 12. 8. Isa 35. 4. Fourthly Their knowledge in all divine as well as in humane things will be wonderful to the administration of those which shall have to do with them yea so great shall the wisdom of the Saints be at that day that those persons who have been accounted the learned and wise of the times before shall be ashamed to acknowledge that ever they were such men Zach. 13. 4. 5. Isa 29. 24. Fifthly There shall so great a spirit of fear and dread drop from their countenances upon the wicked as that the very majesty of their presence will daunt them through the whole earth Cant. 6 10. Sixthly There shall be a mighty spirit of glory upon all the attempts and atchievements which the Saints shall bring forth at that day though now it be clothed with shame and disgrace in the eyes of the world yet then it shall seem otherwise Isaiah 54. 11 12. Isaiah 16. 14 15. Isaiah 66. 10 11 12. Seventhly This Canaan shall afford the Saints all manner of riches plenty and peace Isaiah 60. 78. with 12. 13. verses Zach. 14 14. Revel 21. 7. Revelations 22 2. Psalm 72. 6 7. Eighthly The very heavens and the earth shall receive their primitive excellency and first purities Ezek. 34. 27. Isa 65. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Ninthly In this Canaan God will so bless the substance of it as that he will remove out of the way all these thorns and prickling briars which did any way render our comforts unpleasing to us or did any way imbitter them to our taste as the shortness of life God will take away that Isaiah 65. 20. with ver 22. As likewise God will remove all occasions of loss either as to goods or estate Isa 65. 21 22 23. Also