Christ himself by the Spirit so as never man spake yet both were despised and the Spirit resisted whereby they spake So now godly Ministers must not think much to be despised in their Ministery for as it was in the days of Noah and of Christ So Christ hath told us it must be 3. Prophanenesse of the Ministery and generall malice against sincerity As in the dayes of Noah many Wrights and workmen were busie to prepare an Ark for others but themselves neither entred into the same nor saved by the same And as in the dayes of Christ the Scribes and Pharisees professed themselves chiefe builders but refused the corner stone and neither entred themselves nor suffered others but envy Christ they could So shall it be in the dayes of the Sonne of man 4. In the common-state and men apostacy security sensuality men eat drinke marry but know nothing of judgement that is will not know So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Mat. 24. 39. III. In that Christ is the true Noah all the true members of Christ who are carefull to prepare them an Arke and to get within the Arke of the Church have solid and strong comfort For 1. He is ready to receive all that come unto him who calls all the weary as Noah readily received all that offered themselves unto him Let not thy sinne discourage thee be thou never so uncleane get once into the Arke and thou art safe 2. As Noah himself entered into the Arke and abode there all the time of danger and tossing by the waters so our Lord abides still in the same ship of the Church with us he is so much the more compassionate to us as he is acquainted with our sorrowes and though the danger and fear be never so much we shall fare no worse than himself will who in all our troubles is troubled with us and for us 3. As Noah pitched the Ark within and without and so fenced it against the waves and raging billowes and surges of a world of seas So doth our true Noah strengthen his Arke and Church partly with his promise partly with his prayers that their faith faile not as with pitch within and without so firme and sure as let this little Arke of the Church be tossed upon the waters of affliction and tried by never so many temptations and persecutions in this sea of the world it is so fenced pitched that it shall never miscarry Noahs Arke indeed by tossing beating of the waters may be weakned and made worsei but Christs Arke the Church is made better and stronger by trials and afflictions It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learn thy statutes Noahs Arke at last shall putrifie and perish but Christs Arke shall never perish but at last be more perfect and glorious 4. As Gods Covenant with Noah was his safety in the Arke for looke upon the Arke floating above water laden with heavie burthen fenced against the waters with a little pitch perhaps not very skilfully that being the first vessell that ever was made for the water without Anchor mast sterne Pilot or Master to govern it for Noah was shut in by God how should it be but carried by windes and waves upon rocks or hils or sands or trees or buildings and so in an instant split all to pieces but that the Lord was Stearsman of all that voyage So the safety of the Church is that it hath so faithfull a Pilot whose Covenant made in his Church is the wall and defence of his People more stable than the foundation of the earth Which made David to glory Though the earth be moved and the mountains tumbled into the sea yet the Church may glory in the salvation of her God In our lesser trials stormes oppositions look to God our safety be within the Arke God will provide for thy safety 5. The Arke had a time to be freed from the deluge of waters So the Church hath a time for her deliverance Rev. 7. 14. Psal. 55. 22. 6. When the flood of waters bated the Arke rested on the mountaine of Ararat Gen. 8. 4. So when the waters of affliction are dried up the Church hath her rest in the holy mountaine of God Psal. 15. CHAP. IV. 3. Melchizedek a type of Christ. HEbrews 7. 3. He was likened to the Sonne of God We must search wherein and how Christ was the truth of that figure I. In the notation of his name Melchizedek signifieth King of righteousnesse Our Saviour was indeed properly King of righteousnesse Heb. 7. 2. Isai. 11. 4. Psal. 45. 6 7. thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse thou lovest righteousnesse Mal. 4 2. Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse shall arise From him all have righteousnesse as from a fountaine II In his Office 1 He was King of Salem of peace So Christ is called the Prince of peace Isa. 9. 6. not of a corner but of all the world and of Salem that is of Jerusalem Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King on Sion On his shoulders was the government laid Of whom Zach. 9. 9. O Jerusalem behold thy King commeth unto thee he is just and saved himself poor and riding upon an asse but with this difference Melchizedek brings peace earthly temporall but Christ is our peace Ephes. 2. 14. by whom we have peace with God he guides our feet into the way of peace and leades us to peace eternall So he was true king of true peace so was not Melchizedek 2. Melchizedek was not onely a King but Priest of the most high God Gen. 14. 18. So Christ was both King and Priest King Revel 1. 5. Prince of all the kings of the earth Priest Heb. 4. 14. Our great high Priest This was not usuall in the Jewes Policy or progeny of David to whom onely the kingdome was promised neither would God admit the mingling of these Offices among them as in Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. But as this dignity was reserved unto Christ so was it dispenced with in his speciall figure to be both a great King and Priest III. In his originall Without Father or Mother genealogy beginning or end of dayes without kindred that is none of these mentioned in Scripture or in the story of his life Although he had both father mother kindred birth death yet the Lord of set purpose would have all these concealed in scripture that he might be a more expresse type of Jesus Christ who was truely without father as man That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God without mother as God without kindred according to his Deity in respect of his Divine nature without generation for who can declare his generation Isa. 53. 8. seeing he was before all worlds eternally begotten of his Father And whereas Melchizedek onely had no beginning or end of life expressed Christ is onely truly without beginning neither shall
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
Lev. 14. 8 9. Sect. V. I. The first meanes of purging Legall uncleanenesse is washing which shadowed out the washing of the sinner in the laver of Christs bloud all the water in the sea cannot wash away the least sinne that great work is appropriated to the bloud of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. the bloud of Jesus Christ his sonne cleanseth us from all sinne Rev. 1. 5. Who loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his bloud which bloud is opposed to all legall washings Heb. 9. 9. Object Levit. 11. 44. This washing is called a sanctification Answ. Sanctification is twofold 1. By the outward sign 2. By the inward truth They by washing symbolically and in outward profession by these rights sanctified themselves but thereby beleevers were led to the internall truth and the laver of the bloud of Christ. All this washing then leades us to the bloud of Christ by which is meant his whole passion and obedience by the merit whereof he hath procured both remission of our sinnes and mortification of them And herein is no small resemblance 1. Washing is an applying of water to foule parts so in the cleansing of sinne must be a speciall application of the bloud of Christ called Heb. 9. 14. the sprinkling of Christs bloud upon the conscience Which is nothing else on Gods part but the imputation of Christs sufferings to us and on our own part the application of them to our selves by the hand of faith 2. In Washing is a rumbling and scouring off of uncleannesse which will not easily off and in some foulenesse they must wash often for the surenesse of the work noting the paines and true indeavour of the repentant heart in mortification and afflicting it selfe It is well contented with any beating and wringing so he may fetch out the staine of sin which sticks as close as his flesh to his bones 3. The unclean party was to wash himselfe that is his whole man and every part which noteth totall sanctification in the whole man and all parts and members that the washing may be as large and general as the foulenesse is For whatsoever part is not washed by Christ hath no part in Christ which made Peter say not my feet onely Lord but mine hands and head 4. In the foulnesse of Leprosie he must wash againe and againe to note that after our justification by the death of Christ we must look to a second washing of sanctification by his spirit And because we have still washing work with us we must be still washing our selves by daily labour in our own reformation This was more lively signified in that other ceremony added to washing in the Leper that he must shave his haire againe and againe signifying the paring away of superfluities and lusts as fast as they grew and a voluntary departing from his own secret corruptions which were as many as the haires of his head and no lesse rooted in him that well he might shave and loppe them but he was out of hope quite to unroot them as long as he lived He must keep them under but cannot be ridde of them He must shave the first day and the seventh day and resist his lusts which daily grow upon him as haire cut quickly growes againe 5. The unclean person must wash his clothes as well as himselfe signifying that wee must part with all impurity even the least at least in endeavour cherishing none favouring none He must hate the very garment spotted by the flesh all occasions and appearances of evill esteeming the least spot of sinne foule and filthy enough And all this is requisite in purifying of the soule I. Labour against the smallest sinnes Be not a mentall adulterer banish unchastity in the eye and mouth avoid wanton company as did Joseph that of his Mistris Thou art no drunkard or great swearer but art thou a companion of such not reproving them No Papist but a friend and patron as seeing no great harme in their superstition No Atheist but a scorner of the persons and doctrine of godly teachers what dost thou but foam out thy own shame If thou shouldest keep thy selfe never so pure but partakest in other mens sins thou art unclean This reproveth Magistrats who though they themselves come to Church yet suffer others in time of divine worship to lye in streets houses fields openly c. prophaning thus the day of the Lord which is to be kept holy to our God Or if they be ordinary abettors of idle persons and gamesters by example This brandeth Ministers openly pleading for durnkards and hatefull blasphemers This defileth masters parents husbands that suffer their families to run into prophaneness or ryot II. In all these touches goe to the fountaine opened Zach. 13. 1. Every Jew had his water-pots to keep water for daily purification Joh. 2. 6. but now the house of David and Jerusalem that is all the godly have a fountaine opened by the death of Christ. We must every day be washing and cleansing our selves in that fountaine from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit Sect. VI. II. The second meanes of purging legall uncleannesse is oblation or offering some attonement to the Lord this directly leads us to Christ. For howsoever an unclean person must wash himselfe and his clothes yet no Jew could make an attonement for himselfe but this was common to all uncleannesses legall the Priest must make an attonement for the unclean person For all uncleannesse in generall Lev. 16. 30. In speciall for uncleannesse in touchings Numb 19. 4. In issues Lev. 12. 8. and 15. 15. In leprosie Lev. 14. 53. Noting by the way that all that we can do cannot make attonement for the least spot of sinne Let us wash our selves as often as Naaman in Jordan yea let us take snow water to us and wash our hands most cleane yet our owne clothes will make us foule and God will plunge us in the pit if our Lord Jesus the high Priest of the new Covenant make not attonement for us A fit note against all humane satisfaction and merits The offering for the Legall uncleannesse by touching was done by the sacrifice of a red cow and the sprinkling water made of the ashes of that red Cow prescribed by God to this purpose Numbers 19. called water of expiation That all this ordinance typified Christ to the Jewes the Apostle expresleth Heb. 9. 13 14. when from the bloud of this red Cow he leads us to the bloud of Christ saying If the bloud of bulls and goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are unclean sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ purge our conscience from dead works wherein he not onely compareth but infinitely advanceth the truth above the type For 1. that was symbolicall and figurative this spirituall and substantiall 2. That was eternall and temporary this internall and eternall 3. That
of God true God and man 2. They were sinfull men and must offer first for themselves and then for others Heb. 5. 3. But Christ was sinlesse he needed not offer for his own sinnes Heb. 7. 26 27. 3. For their office they were but ministers of holy things and of salvation propounded in them Christ because of this order was author of salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. 10. 4. They were many and all ministers of a temporary covenant but he is but one who hath obtained a more excellent office in that he is Mediator of a better testament established upon better promises Heb 8. 6. For the promises of the covenant of grace are more excellent than those of the Legall covenant 5. They offered often and the repetition of sacrifices argued their invalidity and imperfection but he offered but once and needed not doe it daily Heb. 7. 27. which argued the perfection Heb. 9. 28. 6. They offered the bloud of beasts which could not expiate sinne nor wash the conscience of the sinner farther than purifying the flesh but he not with bloud of bulls and goats but with his own bloud entred once into the holy place having obtained an eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. and this bloud purgeth the conscience from dead works verse 14. 7. They served in an earthly fading Sanctuary made with hands and entred into an holy place which perished and failed according to that elementary and temporary worshipâ— but he is minister of the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not man Heb. 8. 2. this tabernacle is his own blessed body in which he performed all his service called chap. 9. 11. a great and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands and verse 24 is now entred not into holy places made with hands but into the very Heaven to appear in the sight of God for us 8. They all ceased dyed one succeeded another as mutable was their whole service which also ceased and deceased and gave place to the truth of it when the fulnesse of time came but this true Melchizedek being without beginning or end of dayes hath an eternall Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. and therefore neither hath nor needeth any successor in earth Whence every repetition of his sacrifice bloudily or unbloudily in the Masse is an high and hatefull blasphemy a denyall of Christs person to be above the person of Melchizedek and of his sacrifice to be above Aarons or that it was offered by the eternall spirit of his Deity VI. The excellency of the person shewes the greatness of the Sacrifice the greatness of the sacrifice the greatness of the sinne Melchizedek because he was but likened to the Sonne of God Heb. 7. 3. could not offer a Sacrifice to take away sinne he must be the Sonne of God indeed and God himself that must doe that The least sinne which we account so light could never be expiated but by the bloud of him that is God as well as man All created strength cannot stand under the burthen of the least sinne Therefore in the worthiness of this person see the unworthiness of thy sinne to hate and abhorre it and thy self in dust and ashes for it An hainous and execrable offence were that which nothing could take away but the death of the Prince CHAP. V. 4. Isaac a type of Christ. I. IN his birth Isaac the sonne of Abraham the father of the faithfull a promised seed long before he was born in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Yea so strange was his birth as that he was not to be born by the strength of nature but of Sarahs dead womb when it was not with her as with other women Insomuch as when the Angel fore-told it to her she thought it impossible Gen. 18. 12. So Christ the sonne of Abraham commonly so called the onely Sonne of God by nature who is the Father of all the faithfull who are taught to say Our father c. The onely true promised seed long before prophecied of and expected of beleevers before his manifestation about four thousand yeares Borne and incarnate not by the strength of nature but by the power of the holy Ghost after an unconceiveable manner so as when the Angell told his mother Mary of his miraculous manner of birth she thought it impossible and said How can this be Luk. 1. 34. And in him onely the whole spirituall seed of Abraham all Gods people of Jewes and Gentiles were blessed Psal. 72. 17. the Nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Which Prophecy cannot be understood of Salomon for scarce his own nation was blessed in him who by his sinne lost tenne tribes of twelve from his own sonne and verse 5. they shall fear him so long as the Sunne and Moone endure from one generation to another verse 11. all Kings shall worship him and serve him and verse 17. his name shall be for ever all these are true in Christ onely Thus as Isaac was founder of a mighty state so Christ of all the Church of God in all nations onely blessed in him As Isaac was his fathers heire So Christ heire of all things Isaac hath goods onely II. In his suffering 1. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day so was Christ. Luk. 2. 2. Isaac in his infancy was persecuted by Ishmael Gal 4. 29. So Christ by Herod Mat. 2. 3. Isaac carried the wood of the burnt offering upon his shoulders even to mount Moriah Gen. 22. 6. So Christ carryed the Crosse on which he was to be nayled even to Golgatha 4. Isaac was led away as a Lamb to the slaughter So Christ was lead away Joh. 19. 16. to death 5. Isaac without reply submitted himself to his father even to the death suffered himself to be bound on the wood and yeelds himself burnt offering unto the Lord Even so Christ without reply was obedient unto his father unto the death and was content to be bound not as Isaac for himselfe alone but for us and them and layd down his life a whole burnt offering and a ransome for many Joh. 16 28. Thus were both Lamb-like sufferers both bear their Crosse both without reply led away both bound and fastned on the wood both willingly obedient to the death III. In his offering 1. Both sonnes onely sonnes innocent beloved of their fathers Abraham did all at Gods Commandement and lifted up his hand So Christ by the determinate counsel of God was delivered by wicked hands Abraham offers his sonne freely God more freely offers his sonne out of his bosome 2. Abraham by Gods commission riseth early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne and Isaac riseth as early to obey his Father So the Jewes by Gods permission break their sleep and early in the morning proceed to the condemning of Christ who is called the Hinde of the morning Psal. 22. 1. compassed with dogges that hunted his life and Christ as another Isaac after
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
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
as Christian Rechabites Jer. 35. esteem themselves strangers content themselves to dwell in tents ever ready to remove not distracting themselves in building houses or planting vineyards or seeking great things for themselves Hence was that commendable admonition of the ancient Church in the time of the Sacrament used in our Liturgy Lift up your hearts 2. We must eat the Lamb hastily hastning unto Christ the true Passeover and not insist in these Sacraments of ours which are still but as shadows of good things to come yet serving us through this our strange Countrey and speeding us into our own Canaan and Countrey and that with all expedition seeing that to be dissolved hence and to be with Christ is best of all Phil. 2. 23. 3. We must celebrate our Passeover with staves in our hands that is the doctrine of the Law and Gospel held in our hearts as a staffe to defend our selves in the right track and path of holy doctrine and holy conversation to repulse our adversaries that come out against us for it is the sword of the Spirit and to lean upon as a staffe in our weaknesse and wearinesse This staffe must not lie by us in our books but be held by us in our hands and hearts and be not in possession onely but in our daily use He hath no comfort of this Sacrament that hath not this staffe in his hand VI. As the Jewes in eating the Passeover must repeat and recite the memory of that great deliverance out of Egypt by a mighty and miraculous power so must we in our Sacrament commemorate and remember our great deliverance from hell and that spirituall Pharaoh wrought by the bloud of our Paschall lamb 1 Cor. 11. 26. so often as ye shall eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come And therefore it is very fit the Word and Sacrament should go together as the seal together with the deed and Indenture Hence those that are so devout at the Sacrament and neglect or despise the Word are meer hypocrites and ignorants their folly is like his that makes much of a seale but teares the Indenture all to pieces which onely can convey his inheritance unto him VII As the Jewes came together to eat the whole lamb so must we to receive whole Christ. Quest. When do we receive whole Christ Answ. First when we reverently receive the signes appointed by Christ according to his own institution Secondly when we receive faithfully the thing signified which is Christ and all his merits I. For the former 1. As it had been a great sinne for the Jewes to divide the lamb which God commanded to be eaten whole no lesse grievous a sinne is it in Popery to administer the bread without the cup of which Christ hath said expressely Drink ye all of this 2. As the Lamb was appointed to no other use by Moses but to be eaten so was the bread and wine in the Sacrament ordained to no other end by Christ but to be eat and drank all other holy use of them out of the action of the Sacrament is Idolatrous superstitious and unlawfull 3. As it had been a grievous sinne to reserve any of the lamb till the morning against so expresse a commandement appointing it to be wholly eaten so grievous a sinne is it to reserve the consecrated host as they foolishly call it either to boxe up or to hang up or to worship and adore it or pray unto it or carry it in procession or lift it up with both hands above the Priests head that it may be worshipped with divine and Idolatrous worship or yet if it be possible with more blasphemy to offer it upon an Altar as an unbloudy sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke and dead which abolisheth at once the whole Priesthood of Christ. All which the Lord would prevent in this constitution that no part of the lamb must be reserved but if any were left it must be burnt with fire II. We eat the whole lamb when with the signes we receive the thing signified which is Christ and all his merits We must feed upon and digest whole Christ that is be united so straitly and undividedly to Jesus Christ as the meat which is changed into the same substance with our bodies and this by the faith of our hearts which so streightly knits us to Christ as a marriage bonde and he becomes a perfect nourishment to us unto eternall life Neither could our Lord fitlier expresse this straite union than by feeding and eating seeing there cannot be astraiter union in nature than between the thing nourishing and nourished Question What may I doe thus to receive the whole Lamb Answ. 1. Come hungry in sence of the want of faith and desire of supply 2. Labour to feele the sweetnesse of Christ take heed of despising this sweet Manna Let not the hunger of the Onyons garlick and flesh-pots of Egypt thrust down the desire of this Manna which comes down from heaven to which the other Mannah was not halfe so sweet 3. Thinke it not enough to eat the flesh of Christ Sacramentally if not spiritually Conceive what a fearfull delusion it is to eat the Sacrament of the flesh of Christ in the Supper and not eat the flesh of Christ by the Sacrament Thou hast been at the Supper of the Lord but hast not tasted of his Supper CHAP. XX. The Pillar of Cloud and Fire a type OF the ordinary Sacraments of the Jewes pointing at Christ we have spoken Now of the extraordinary Of these some are answerable to the Jewes circumcision and our Baptisme As 1. the Pillar of Cloud 2. The red Sea Some to the Jewes Passeover and our Supper As 1. Mannah from Heaven 2. Water out of the rock The ground of this distinction we have in 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. where the Apostle leads us by the hand to the distinct consideration of these Sacraments First of the Pillar of Cloud and fire under which the Fathers of the old Testament were baptised When the Lord in his wise providence appointed to lead the children of Israel for the space of fourty years through a drie uncouth and terrible wildernesse himselfe undertooke to be their guide and for their certaine direction in their way appointed them this visible signe of his presence for their motion or station by night or by day through all their pilgrimage concerning this Cloud let us enquire 1. Of the kind 2. Of the difference between it and other clouds 3. Of the use of this cloudy Pillar 4. How a type of Christ. 1. Quest. What kind of Cloud was this Answ. Not naturall but supernaturall and miraculous yea one of the four great miracles that the Lord continued all the while of their Journey which was fourty yeares Those four great miracles were 1. The not swelling of their feet Deut. 8. 4. 2. Their aparrells not wearing or not waxing old Deut. 8.
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.
is an Orphane the Widow desires it should be your Ward who in your love can best tender it and by your authority defend it sufficiently The God of heaven increase all heavenly graces and comforts in your noble heart abundantly and adde unto your dayes honours and blessings of all sorts till these shadowes flie away and the true Day-star arise upon you in glory the hearty prayer of one who is and desires to be reckoned among Isleworth June 29. 1635. Your Wo truest friends in every good service WILLIAM JEMMAT To the CHRISTIAN READER I Have heard of a demur made as though something were put forth under this Authors name which is none of his I assure thee in the word of a Minister that for the workes that have my Epistle prefixed and I hear of no other published with his name there is not one note nor notion which is not the Authors own according to his papers And the like I affirm concerning this Treatise of Types which now I publish The use of it is manifold To open divers places of Scripture To shew the meaning of legal shadowes and ceremonies To declare the faith of the Elders who received a good report To manifest our faith one with theirs one Faith one Lord one Baptisme one salvation To magnifie and commend Christ to every soul that it may be saved and he honoured To discern and bewail the blindnesse of Gods ancient people the Jewes and pray for their return to the truth not â—atching at shadowes Of whom in present I may say with detestation of their madnesse as he said against the Philosophers Nos qui non habitu c. We Christians whose excellency stands not in outward things but spirituall glory that we have found what they with all their diligence have sought and could not finde Why are we unthankfull Why doe we stand in our own light if the truth of the Deitie hath in this our age attained to maturity Let us enjoy and make use of our own good and follow the truth in truth avaunt superstition be packing all impiety let true religion be preserved and flourish Yet withall seeing there is a promise that all Israel shall be saved let us pray for the performance and that with all earnestnesse as that converted Jew gave exhortation to his son So long pour forth thy prayers for the remnant of Israel till God look from his high habitation and see and have mercy on his people for the Lords sake his Annointed that in our dayes Judah may be saved and the children of Israel may dwell safely in their own land and spend their dayes in good the Lord making his good Spirit to rest upon them WILLIAM JEMMAT A Table of the Contents of this Treatise I. THe Introduction containing five Propositions of the Church Salvation Covenant of grace Christ and the ancient Ceremonies p. 1 Five reasons for those Ceremonies 2 Grace in the new Testament specially how 3 Ceremonies called shadowes for four reasons ibid. Threefold use of them to the Jewes 4 Gods wisdome in appointing them three wayes ibid. II. The Treatise shewing Christ prefigured by holy persons and things 5 I. Adam a type of Christ in creation office soveraignty conjugation propagation 6 The Ministery reverend for antiquitie 8 Antiquity of the doctrine of free grace ibid. Seek life by Christs death 8 Get into Christ the second Adam as thou art surely of the first Motives ibid. II. Noah a type for salvation righteousnesse preaching Ark repairing the world sacrifice of rest and a dove sent out of the Ark. 9 Preserve integrity in the worst times 13 Sinnes which are signes of judgement approaching ibid. Comfort to be had in Christ our Noah 14 III. Melchizedek a type in Etymâ—logiâ— office originall excellency of person and Priesthood 15 16 17 Christ greater than Abraham 18 Comfort by Christ our Melchizedek ibid. We are blessed by our Melchizedek 19 By our Melchizedek the Church abides for ever ibid. Excellency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall eight wayes 20 Sin not to be accounted slight whose sacrifice is so costly 21 IV. Isaac a type in birth suffering offering escape marriage ibid. A pattern of obedience in 5. things ib. How Christ doth meet his Church 25 Two Rules 26 A type of our resurrection 27 Matter of sweet consolation 28 Look for help though the case be desperate ibid. V. Joseph a type in his person actions â—…ssions advancement 29 No newes for good men to be hated for their excellency 32 All sufferings of the godly come of God ordained and ordered 33 Comfort by Christ our Joseph four wayes 34 Doe to Christ as Joseph's brethren to him 35 VI. Moses a type in person estate office 〈◊〉 suffering sundry actions ib. Our doctrine is of God 40 Be faithfull in doing thy office ibid. Shew faith in the fruit of it contrary to four sorts of men 41 Assurance of our resurrection ibid. VII Joshua a type in saving calling miracles valour actions 42 A fearfull thing to be an enemy of the Church 45 Comfort in our salvation accomplished ibid. Duties we owe to Christ our Joshua 46 Conditions to be observed in going to heaven Six ibid. VIII Sampson a type in person condition actions sufferings stratagems victories 48 Judge none by outward calamities 51 Strange meanes used by God for the Churches good 52 Our victory stands in patience and passion ibid. Fourfold comfort to Gods people 53 In Gods cause contemn greatest perill and prepare for death approaching 54 IX David a type in person vocation wars kingdome office Propheticall and Priestly 55 Enter upon no office without assistance of the Spirit A note of it 61 Christ the true King of the Church Nine wayes more excellent than David 62 How God brings his servants to honour 65 Church ever pestered with home-bred enemies 66 Comfort to the Church in 3. things ib. X. Salomon a type in person condition peace-making wisdome glory temple justice 68 Duties to Christ our Salomon two 73 Fourfold comfort in our Salomon 74 XI Jonah a type in name office death buriall resurrection 75 Repent at the Ministery of Christs servants 77 Motives ibid. Vocation of the Gentiles 78 Our resurrection assured to us 79 Power and wisdome of God to be admired ibid. Terror of sinne even in Gods own children and comfort 80 XII The First-born types as Gods peculiar fathers of the family preferred before brethren double portion 82 Every mercy is the greater engagement unto God 85 Honour Christ as the first-born of God and how ibid. Threefold comfort in the birthright 86 Forfeit not the birthright by sin 87 Resemble Christ our elder brother 88 XIII Priests types in deputation to office and execution choice consecration apparell actions 88 A cover for us in Christ for all deformities of soul and body 90 Qualities requisite in Ministers ib. Eminency of Christ above all creatures 93 Ministers must increase their gifts 94 Duties of private believers ibid.
communicated his whole will and counsell to his Sonne concerning the salvation of the Church Joh. 8. 26. 2. As Noah takes many trees at Gods commandement and strongly eloseth them together and pitcheth them within and without against the waters So doth Christ make choice of trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord and compacts them together by the bond of the Spirit glewes and fastens them together by the glew of Christian love and pitcheth them within and without fortifies and strengthens them against the waters of affliction temptation persecution that none shall drown or overwhelme them 3. As Noah prepared divers roomes in the Ark for divers creatures So Christ in his Ark appoints divers places and functions for beleevers here and prepares in his Fathers house many mansions for them hereafter Joh. 14. 2. And as Noah receives into the Ark clean and unclean creatures and persons a Sem and a Cham So the Lord Christ into his militant Church all sorts of Nations sexes persons conditions Jewes Gentiles men women noble ignoble beleevers and unbeleevers hypocrites and sound Christians On this floor is wheat and chaffe 4. As Noah made a window into his Ark to give light to the creatures within So Christ by the Gospel preached in the Church enlighteneth the mindes of those that are within without which light let in they should sit in everlasting darknesse 5. As Noah by the same direction makes a door to enter into the Ark and but one door for so very great a building So there is but one door to the great building of the Church dispersed farre and wide and this is Christ himself Joh. 10. 7 9. 6. As Noah the Master of the Ark enters into it and receives and saves all that enter in with him for which purpose he is contented to be tossed up and down by those most raging waters and had no more freedome from fear and danger than others in the Ark So Christ the Master of his Church to save his Church himself enters into it and is admitted into it by the waters of Baptism and was contented for the saving of others to be tossed with waves and billowes of affliction ignominy shame sinne curse yea the torments of hell That his Church might be in safety with him he will be in danger with her and every way to help her will be everyway like her in all things sinne excepted V. Both of them were repairers of the world From Noah descended all the inhabitants of the earth from Christ all the inhabitants of heaven The world again was re-peopled and replenished by Noahs posterity the Church and every member is Christs posterity Both of them were preservers and providers for all sorts of Creatures But Noah as a steward Christ as Lord and owner of them Noah for a few Christ for all Noah for a year and a little more Christ perpetually To both of them the creatures came in and were obedient to them Though never so fierce and savage out of the Ark yet in the Ark they were mild and tame So to Christ the windes seas devils obey and if Lyons and Cockatrices come into the Ark and Church they become as Lambs and little children putting off all fiercenesse Isa. 11. 6. VI. Both of them offered a sacrifice of rest and sweet savour to the Lord Noah Gen. 8. 21. As men are delighted with sweet savours so was Noahs sacrifice pleasing to God But his was a sacrifice but of testification witnessing his faith and thankfulnesse The sacrifice of Christ was a perfect satisfaction in which he offered not the bodies of clean beasts as Noah but his own body as a Lamb without spot not upon an Altar built by Noahs hand but upon the Altar of his Deity not ascending to heaven by ordinary fire but offered through his eternall spirit compar'd to fire Heb. 9. 14. And therefore must fully satisfie his Fathers justice appease his wrath and be most acceptable in it self and must bring Noahs and all other sacrifices into acceptance And from hence it was that with both of them God did make a covenant of grace for their posterities that he would never break out in such wrath against them confirming the same unto the posterity of Adam by the sign of the Rainbow and to the posterity of Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper VII Both of them sent a Dove out of the Ark. Noah when the waters asswaged and much of his fear and danger was past sends out the Dove who brought an Olive branch a sign of joy comfort and abating of the waters So Christ Jesus his sufferings and labours being ended sent his Spirit forth which had lighted as a Dove on him and brings joy and peace and comfort into the hearts of all beleevers bringing in a testimony that Gods wrath is appeased the waters are diminished his love and favour returned which is better than life I. In the type and truth learn If all the world about us be given to wickednesse and we be cast into never so wicked an age then to labour to shine in the middest of a naughty generation Phil 2. 25. It is a singular praise to be a Lot in Sodom and in a corrupt age to be unlike sinners For light to shine and shew it self in darknesse is beautyfull and glorious Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven To shew our selves sonnes of God and children of light among enemies of God and light is a singular honour Noah fashioned not himself to those corrupt times nor Christ to the evill behaviour of that age Never had Christians more need among so many wicked fashions to be exhorted not to fashion themselves to the world If a Preacher hold on a preacher of righteousnesse in singlenesse and sincerity of heart not fashioning himself to the present temporizers and men-pleasers Let all the world scorn oppose traduce him If a private man hold forth the word of life and in blamelesse and pure conversation walk in a way which leadeth against the stream and common current of the corrupt age Both the one and the other have heer the type and the truth Noah and Christ presidents for the like actions precedents in the same way II. In them both learn That these are the days in which we must expect our Lord to judgement As it was in the days of Noah c. So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be As those sinnes in Noahs time brought the deluge of water the same sinnes now reigning shall bring and hasten the destruction by fire prophecyed 2 Pet. 3. The sinnes are these 1. The sonnes of God marry with the daughters of men that is the godly with the ungodly religious with the superstitious beleevers with infidels 2. Horrible contempt of the word As Noah preached by the power of the Spirit and
not count thy life dear to finish thy course with joy For a man to thrust himselfe in hazard or venture his life without warrant from God or by his own private motion is rash but God calling in standing against the enemies of the Church it is honourable In both learn to prepare for death approaching by faithfull and fervent prayer So did both these Sampsons And the issue will be comfortable as theirs that all thy life and combate shall not give such an overthrow to thine enemies as such a death though enemies seem never so much to prevaile CHAP. X. 9. David a type of Christ in 5. respects AS all the Kings of Israel were expresse types of Jesus Christ the head of his Kingdome and of all the people of God as they in their times were So were there two of them that were more manifest figures of him than all the rest I meane David and Solomon Of both which we are to enquire wherein the resemblance consisteth David was so speciall a type of Christ as scarce is any thing noted of Christ but some shadow of it might be observed in David I. For his person David the son of Iesse Christ the true rod out of the stock of Iesse Isai. 11. 1. Both of obscure and low parentage Both out of dry and despicable roots Both Kings Both Kings of Israel Both their Kingdomes raised out of humility Both men after Gods own heart Both Davids for even this roote of Iesse was not onely commonly called by the name of the sonne of David but of the name of David himselfe Ezech. 34. 24. My servant David shall be the Prince among them which was long after David was dead Ieremiah 30. 9. They shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Hosea 3. 5. They shall seek the Lord their God and David their King that is not the typicall King David dead long before but the Messiah the true David to whom onely prayer and spirituall worship belongs II. For his vocation and calling 1. Both called to be the head of nations Psal. 18 43 thou hast made me the head of nations which was not literally true of David who was properly King of one little corner in Judea but of Christ the true David whose kingdome was from sea to sea and to the worlds end David of a shepherd of sheepe was raised to be a shepherd of men even of Gods people So was Christ raised of God to be the chiefe shepherd of the stock 1 Pet. 5. 4. And not of bodies as David but of soules 1 Pet. 2. verse 25. 2. The time when David was anointed about the thirtieth year of his life 2 Sam. 5. 4. and Christ was baptized at thirty yeares and invested into his Office 3. The place where David made choice of Jerusalem for his royall seat and Metropolis being anointed of God to the Kingdome of Israel So Christ being anointed the everlasting King of all the Israel of God made choice of Ierusalem there to rule and shew his power upon the Crosse his Chariot of triumph crowned with a crowne of thornes and after in his glorious resurrection and ascension sending the Spirit and the Gospel And as David added some of the borderers to the kingdome of Israel as himselfe saith strangers were subdued to him So the true David adds to the Church the whole body of the Gentiles and hath by the preaching of the Gospel the sword of his mouth subdued the world to himselfe 4. The gifts fitting him to this function As when David was anointed the Spiof God came upon him 1 Sam. 16. 13. and fitted him to the government of Gods people So our true David Jesus Christ anointed with oyl above all his fellowes had the Spirit of God descending upon himin a visible shape and by that anointing filled and furnished with the Spirit and all needfull graces for the administring of his Kingdome 5. As David was preferred above all his brethren in four speciall graces So was Jesus Christ above David himselfe 1. In wisedome and prudence 1 Sam. 16. 18. the servants of Saul observed David to be wise in matters and the Lord was with him and Ch. 18. verse 14 15. when Saul saw that David was very wise he was afraid of him Our true David had all treasures of wisedome and knowledge The Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of Counsel rested upon him Isai. 11. 2. who is therefore called the great Counseller Isai. 9. 6. whose counsels are farre beyond Ahitophels his were as the Oracles of God Christs were so And our true David gets beyond his type David in many things by his own confession did very foolishly Our true David never did any thing but the wisedome of God shined in it with whom not onely God was but because he was God 2. In fortitude and magnanimity without which counsell were bootlesse by which he was able to encounter with a Lyon a Beare with Goliah and all that rose up against him or his people A man fitted for peace or warre with counsell and strength Whose description in part is contained in the forecited place 1 Sam. 16. 18. strong valiant a man of warre and wise in matters A type of our true David who for fortitude is the invincible Lion of the tribe of Judah and not a valiant man onely but the strong God Isai. 9. 6. the mighty God See Tit. 2. 13. 3. In gifts of prophecy He was able to sing divine Psalmes and hymnes to the praise of God an holy pen-man of the Scripture A type of Christ the true Prophet of his Church not a pen-man but the Author of all the holy Scriptures David a Prophet Christ the Lord of all holy Prophets 4. In gifts of true sanctification and holinesse being a man after Gods own heart commended for his uprightnesse in all matters save that of Uriah A type of Jesus Christ who by the devils confession was the holy One of God 1. Himselfe being sanctified beyond all measure 2. Being the sanctifier of his people the author meritour and applier of all sanctifying graces to his members of whom himselfe is head 3. In his type were many foule spotsâ— In him no spot nor staine Therefore the Church sings out his holinesse from toppe to toe Cant. 5 10. and concludes him wholly faire and delectable verse 16. III. David was a type of Christ in his warres First in respect of his followers secondly of his enemies thirdly of his victories 1. His followers David had a traine 1. Of poore men and received such to him as were in debt 1 Sam. 22. 2. The Sonne of David had a poor train and not receiveth onely but calleth all unto him that are heavy laden with the burthen of sinnes called debts promising he will ease them 2. Afterwards David had his thirty seaven Worthies that Valiantly fought his battels 2 Sam. 23. and
by their strength carried wonderfull victories So had the Sonne of David his twelve Apostles and seventy two disciples who as worthy and stout Champions fought the Lords spirituall battels and mightily subdued the world under the government of Jesus Christ in whose place are succeeded Pastors and Teachers to the end 2. His enemies 1. Open and manifest not onely Goliah that defied all Israel but Saul that casts a speare at him that hunts him as a Partridge that sends out for him to bring him to death and the house of Saul Shimei rayling on him and cursing him with an horrible curse besides Amalekites Philistims c. So our Lord Jesus had open hostility against the great Goliah of hell and encountered him hand to hand and conquers him in the wildernesse But Herod hunts his life every where the Pharisees revile him for a deceiver and Demoniack send out for him to take away his life and the people of the Jews pursuing him with all open hatred and hostility even to the death and all the wicked tyrants and enemies so many Amalekites and Philistima 2. Secret and underhand enemies that should have been loyall and loving to him even his own people that flattered him with their mouths but imagined mischief against him Ps. 41. 9. Such as Doeg Achitophel Nay he which eat bread with him at his table his familiar that went up to the house of God with him And more than all this he that came out of his own loynes his own son Absalom besides the sonnes of his Father 1 Sam. 17. 28. So our true David had not onely his own Jewes and brethren hating him with an horrible hatred and calling his bloud upon themselves but his own Disciple that had been so familiar with him that went to the house of God often with him that knew all his haunts and waies betraying him and delivering him to be crucified And thus Christ himselfe expounds that in Psalm 41. 9. of himselfe and Judas Euk. 22. 21. And therefore Interpretors expound such exectations as Psal. 59 13. Consume them that they be no more not so much litterally against Saul and other enemies of David as against the Jewes and enemies of Christ shadowed by them and so conceive them as they be Propheticall predictions of Jerusalem and the Jewes forty yeares after Christs ascension and oâ— the present wrath upon the hardned Jewes whose hatred against Christ liveth at this day as the cuâ—se liveth on them 3. His deliverances and victories with many of which the Lord honoured him As 1. Saul layes wait every where to take him and pursues him from place to place but Davids feet were made like Hinds feet in expedition to avoid his enemy whether Saul or Absalom who chased him as hunters the silly hare and he escapes them all though narrowly and strangely Christ Jesus was often sought after and layd for by his enemies no kind of snare was undevised to take him in his talke in his doctrine in his life and conversation no meanes unattempted to take his person but he escaped their hands strangely Sometimes he went through the middest of them all who having strong purpose yet had no power to take him till the time was come that he delivered himselfe 2. Saul having wearied himself in pursuit of David sent messengers to take him three severall times 1 Sam. 19 20. but they among a company of Prophets began to prophecy the spirit of the Lord comming upon them and they went without him So the Pharisees sent messengers to apprehend Christ and bring him before them but comming to him as Sauls messengers to David hearing his gracious words had no power to take him but went away preaching and proclalming as they prophecying never man spake like this man Joh. 7. 46. 3. In the comparison between Saul and David David having ssaine Goliah was sung Saul hath slaine his thousand but David his ten thousand 1. Sam 18. 10. But there is no comparison between the victories of David and the Son of this David who hath slaine the great Goliah the Devill who defied all the host of Israel and not destroyed the devill onely but overcame death hell the grave and chased before him all the armies of sinnes and bands of temptations which come out against the Israel of God 4. In that noble victory David cuts off Goliahs head with his own sword So in the wildernesse the devill the great Goliah used Scripture against Christ and Christ overthrowes him and cuts off his head by the fame sword of the Spirit the word of God And now daily he convinceth the wicked enemies by the testimony of their owne conscience Rom. 2. 15. He needeth no other sword or weapon against them than their own IV. David was a type of Christ in his kingdome first in respect of the entrance secondly of the administration thirdly of the continuance or eternity 1. David entered not without strong opposition much contempt and disdaine so our David For of both it was verified the stone which the builders refused is become the chiefe stone of the corner No man was more despised of Sauls Courtiers than David who was thought farre enough from the Kingdome So no man so much despised and rejected of the Scribes Pharisees chiefe Priests and People as Christ. Barrabas an honest man to him and yet was mightily and unexpectedly invested into his kingdome by his glorious rising from the dead 2. In his administration David will judge uprightly and sing mercy and judgement he will endure no hatefull person in his presence But our David is the just and righteous Judge of all the world and most sincerely dispenseth mercy to the penitent sinner but seedes the impenitent with judgement 3. In the continuance or eternity God promised mercy to David and his seed forever which promises are not to be extended to his carnall succession for the princely dignity is taken from them Their glory was eclipsed in the captivity and where be now any of Davids race according to the flesh But the everlasting seed of David is to be meant 1. Christ himselfe in whom his kingdome is perpetuated 2. The true Israel as well of Gentiles as of Jewes by faith ingrafted into the Messiah in respect of whom shall be no end of his Kingdome Thus in all those speeches wherein David professeth he will praise the Lord among the Gentiles David must be taken as a type of Christ who by his Spirit set forth the praise and true worship of God among the Nations to the end of the world And so Paul Rom. 15 9. interprets it of the calling of the Gentiles For David could not do this litterally and in person among whom he never dwelt nor came but onely in him whose type he was V. David was a type of Christ in respect of Christ his prophesticall and Priestly office 1. David by his sweet musick allayes Sauls madnesse 1
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
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
that is fixed in that rocke and stone of Israel 7. Their use That Aaron who before bare the names of Israel on his shoulders before the Lord might now bear them on his heart continually for a remembrance before the Lord when he goeth into the holy place vers 29. signifying 1. The ardent love of Jesus Christ towards his Church who beares it not onely on his shoulders as a shepheard nor onely in his armes as a nurse but upon his heart and in his heart never to forget our good If Aaron may forget the names he carries upon his shoulders he cannot the names upon his brest or heart so cannot Christ forget the Church he hath taken into his heart Isai 49. 15. Can a woman forget her childe and not have compassion on the sonne of her womb though they should forget yet will I not forget thee 2. Bearing of the names continually before the Lord on his heart signifieth the continuall mindfulnesse and intercession of Jesus Christ for his Church in that heavenly sanctuary Heb. 7. 25. By vertue of which all our prayers get audience and acceptance 8. The quantity As all the names of Israel were gathered into a narrow compasse so Jesus Christ our Mediator shall gather together into one all the despersed sonnes of God and present them before God as the most beautifull and precious parts of the world Joh. 11. 52. He shall make a short account in the earth in comparison of the wicked who will take up more roome II. In respect of the Urim and Thummim which were put in the brest-plate of Judgement vers 30. Of which Rabbi David a Jew saith It is unknown to us what these signifie And what this precious monument was put by Gods appointment into the fold of the Pectorall no man living can tell I take it to be no workmanship of man but a sacred monument immediately received from God But expresly they signified Jesus Christ 1. In their names 2. In their use 1. Their names Urim and Thummin Urim signifieth lights in the plurall number Note that there were not lights and shining before in the Pectorall by the many precious stones but here is a glorious light shining above them all to which their light is obscurity Plainly signifying Jesus Christ in whom are hid treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2. 3. He is the light of the world Joh. 9. 5. Which enlightneth every one that commeth into the world Joh. 1. 9. There are many lights as stones and stars in the world but he is the sun nay he is lights With him is many-fold wisdome And without him is nothing but darknesse sinne death inner darknesse and utter Joh. 8. 12. Thummim signifieth perfections And to whom can this point us but unto Christ in whom alone are all perfections of holinesse and graces There is illumination in the twelve stones the Church but not any perfection there is some purity in the stones but farre from perfection of it In Christ is perfection in all parts and from him alone we must expect our perfection II. The use of them was to receive by them answer from God when the high Priest consulted with him vers 30. For when the Priest asked counsell of God God is said to answer by Urim that is not by the colour of the stones nor the changing of colour by brightnesse blacknesse or bloudinesse of them as some Jewes but the Lord answered by voice Numb 7. 89. And therefore it is called the Urim of Judgement not because it selfe gave Judgement or decided causes but because the Lord answered when the Priest applyed the Urim and Thummim This directly looked at Christ as to whom 1. All secrets and Mysteries are perfectly known He is the Lamb with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God Rev. 5. 6. Onely worthy to open the booke vers 9. because of his abundant grace and wisedome signified by the seven spirits 2. Who makes known and continually reveales to his Church and members as their need requires whatsoever is meet for them to know by such meanes as himselfe hath sanctified Now although this was a great priviledge of the first Temple and the second did want it that they might not be kept from desire and expectation of the true Urim and Thummim yet we in the new Testament are farre beyond them For as the Oracle by Urim was certaine for direction so Christ is the most perfect rule and direction shadowed by that As the Urim answered by voice so Christ by his word preached As God spake then by Urim to the Priest So now by his own Sonne Heb. 1. 2. Wouldest thou have God answer thee goe to the Urim 1. Frequent his ordinance God then answered when the Priest consulted 2. Pray for wisdome If any man want wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him Jam. 1. 5. 3. Feare God Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 4. Follow and obey the voice Joh. 14. 21. If any love me and obey my commandements I will love him and reveale my self unto him Joh. 7. 17. If any man doe the will of God he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God The third peculiar garment of the high Priest was the robe of the Ephod Exod. 28. 5 31. On the skirts of which were fastned 1. The Pomegranates of blue silke and purple and skarlet round about This fruit hath a most pleasant smell sweet in it selfe and sweetning other things round about it and is full of precious juyce and liquor 2. Bells of gold between them round about a golden Bell and a Pomegranate the use of which was that his sound might he heard round about when he went into the Sanctuary and holy of Holies The whole garment signified the righteousnesse of Christs humane nature which is 1. Most sweet it selfe having a most pleasant savour as the Pomegranate 2. Full of most precious juyce and vertue to qualifie and abate the raging heat of Gods displeasure as the juyce of Pomegranats doth allay the burning heat of an ague that would shake the body to pieces 3. Casts upon us a sweet savour being wrapped in it For wee by nature stinking in our sinnes and rottennesse are loathsome to the Lord but once covered with this mantle we are a sweet savour to God who now speakes of us as Isaac of Iacob covered in his elder brothers garments My sonne is as the savour of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. 27. 3. This garment hath a sweet sound as of golden Bells which to hear were most delectable because the garment of Christs righteousnesse brings grace to us no otherwise than by the sound of the Gospell For Faith by which we put on Christ is wrought by hearing the sweet sound and golden Bell of the Gospell Whence some have thought that by this part of the Priests Attire is shadowed the Propheticall
Office of Christ. Sweet is the proclamation of the Gospel of peace 4. The use That by these Bells the Priests must be heard when he goeth into the Sanctuary signifying the power of Christ our high Priests perpetuall intercession being entred into the sanctuary of heaven for his elect and chosen The fourth peculiar garment was the Miter or bonnet upon his head vers 36. 1. Made of blew silke and fine linnen vers 39. like as it seemes to an halfe coronet 2. Beautified with a golden plate on which was written Holinesse to the Lord. 3. The use Aaron must ever have it on his forehead while he beares the iniquity of their offerings to make the people acceptable before the Lord verse 38. First The Miter and crowne on the Priests head signified 1. The Deity of Christ our head which as a crown or circle wants beginning and end 2. The Kingly Office of Christ with all that honour and crown of glory set on the head of our Redeemer to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth And according to his power is his name for God hath exalted him and given him a Name above all names Phil. 2. 9. His stile is not onely King of Saints Revel 15. 3. But King of Kings and Lord of Lords Chap. 19. 16. Secondly The golden plate in which was written Holiness to the Lord did not onely distinguish it from the miters of the ordinary Priests which wanted such a plate but specially typified Jesus Christ our head in whom was most conspicuous as in a mans forehead a most divine and perfect holinesse purer than the gold of that plate Who was not holy onely as other sanctified persons but holinesse it selfe Holinesse in his person holinesse in his nature holinesse in all his actions and passions holinesse in the fountaine and originall whence all streames of holinesse issue forth to his elect members So Joh. 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe that they may be sanctified Never was there so pure a plate such shining holinesse so deeply ingraved as nothing can raze it out for ever Thirdly The use was significant that as the high Priest having on this plate with this inscription got the iniquities of the people pardoned which he bare before the Lord So our high Priest Jesus Christ presenting before his Father his most absolute holinesse gets a pardon for all our sinnes which he beares upon him selfe And as their sinnes were pardoned in respect of the high Priest who represented Christ So both theirs and ours are indeed and truth pardoned for the true and eternall high Priest who is Christ himselfe The 5. peculiar garment was the embroydered Coat of fine linnen vers 39. which was a beautiful costly and large garment reaching down to his feet covering most of his boby curiously wrought with most precious matter and cunning workmanship which noted the dignity of the person and office of the high Priest For in old time long white garments appertained to men of high place and excellent in wisedome As in Iosephs advancement Gen. 41. 42. he was clothed with white fine linnen when he was to be Viceroy and next in authority to the King See Ester 6. 8. how Mordecai was apparelled by the Kings command This garment was most proper to our high Priest of the new Testament Jesus Christ who is by it described Rev. 1. 13. clothed with a robe down to his feet Noting 1. The excellency of his person who is Prince of peace Isa. 9 6. For so long white garments ever betokened peace both within the Church and without 2. That he excelled in wisedome and counsell being the great Counseller and the spirit of counsell and understanding resting in his breast Isai. 11. 2. For to such also these garments belonged Dan. 5. 7 16. 3. The lovely and beautifull connexion and conjunction of his Propheticall Priestly and Princely Officers sincerely and perfectly fulfilling them and appearing before God in them as in a most costly embroydered garment consisting of many pieces and many colours fitly couched and layd together And this grament he ware not onely in earth as the Priests did but now after his ascension he continues to performe the Offices of the high Priest for his Church in the same embroydered garment presenting before God the merit of his onely sacrifice and making intercession to the Father for it The sixth garment is the girdle of needleworke ver 39. Of diverse matter linnen blue silke purple and scarlet and of divers colours Chap. 39. 29. The use of it was to fasten the Priests garments unto him that they might not hang loose upon him in his ministration and specially points out unto us our high Priest Jesus Christ described after his ascension Revel 1. 13. to be girded about the paps with a golden girdle Noting in Christ four things 1. The truth and constancy in accomplishing all the gracious promises of the Gospell seeing our high Priest is girt about with the girdle of verity 2. His justice integrity pure and uncorrupt judgement as gold Isai. 11. 5. Iustice shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines 3. His readinesse to do the office of a Mediatour Girding of the attire hath ever been a signe of readinesse and diligence in businesse undertaken So Luke 12. 35. Let your loines be girded about 4. His mindfulnesse and care in performing his office For as not girding is a sign of carelessenesse and negligence So girding of care and industry So our Lord and high Priest never carelessely cast off any poor and penitent sinner but in the dayes of his flesh minded their misery and now in heaven keeps on his girdle casts not off the care of his Church but perpetually accomplisheth whatsoever is needfull for her salvation Sect. IV. I. In the garments some things necessary for Ministers some things for the People 1. All about the Priest must be gold silver pretious stones curious colours signifying that no vile or base thing must be in the Ministers cariage or behaviour But as the Priests costly garments covered the frailty of their bodies and graced them in their office so the graces of their minds must not onely hide their weakness but adorne and beautifie them for the honour and prosperity of their function And the rather because this corrupt age is bent to disgrace this holy profession care shall be had both of keeping out and thrusting out vile persons And those who are in this calling should labour to shine in godlinesse and vertue which is the onely apparell that will draw the eyes of good men to reverence them II. As the Priests had variety of holy garments so every minister must be clothed and adorned with many graces If every sheep of Christs fold must adde to his graces much more the Pastor of the flock If every child of God much more the Father in the faith begetting others to God He is not
onely a disciple of Christ but an instructer of others He must therefore be stored 1. With variety of knowledge to bring forth things new and old 2. Variety of Ministeriall gifts to instruct exhort reprove correct 2 Tim. 3. 16. 3. Variety of saving graces to be an example in word conversation in love in spirit in faith in purenesse 2 Tim. 4. 12. 4. Variety of externall and civill vertues 1 Tim 3. 2. to the 8. and Tit. 1. 7. More gifts are expected in the builders of the house than in any stone of it III. As the Priest must carry on his breast Urim and Thummim so must every Christian and Evangelicall minister in whom are required graces ministeriall and personall The former that he may shine before the Congregation in the light and purity of wholsome doctrine The latter that he may shine in integrity and perfection of manners and conversation so farre as humane frailety will suffer The Urim must enable him to divide aright and furnish him with wholesome precepts The Thummim must fit him to walke aright and to go forward in holy practise The lights of the world must give light both wayes Deut. 33. 8. Let thy Urim and Thummim be on the man of thy mercy Mal. 2. 6. The Law of truth was in his mouth and he walked in truth and equity And 1 Tim. 4. 12 the Apostles Canon is that every Timothy should be a type of beleevers in doctrine and upright conversation I would all ours might be found such types Then should not so many parishes have lampes without light Mi isters without the light of saving knowledge and integrity of conversation IV. As the high Priest must carry on his forehead the plate of gold in which was written Holinesse to the Lord so the Ministers of the new Testament must labour for speciall holinesse If every mean servant in the house must be holy much more the steward of the houshold And if every private Christian must follow holinesse without which no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. much more the Ministers They that carry the vessels of the Lord must be holy Alas how afraid are many of this Plate for spoiling of their preferment It was a chiefe grace of the chiefe Minister of the old Testament with us a chiefe disgrace and too much purity to carry holinesse in our profession We can put on this plate in the Pulpit and suppose it fit for the Temple but in our private houses cast it aside V. As the Priests must have in their skirts both bells and Pomegranates so must every Evangelicall Minister 1. The bells allow them not to be dumbe dogs Isai. 56. 10. but the sound of the Law and Gospel must clearly sound in their mouthes to be heard afarre off 2. These bells must be of gold to put Ministers in minde that their doctrine be pure not corrupt not savouring of Popery liberty or selfe-respect 3. They must never come into the congregation without these bells for Ministers must still be furnished with some sound matter of instruction and edification How is it then that many come into the Congregation and never bring bells Many are afraid least the sound of their bells should be heard too much and that it would disgrace them to be counted diligent Preachers And many sâ—orne others that their bells sound so often 2. To the bells ministers must joyne Pomegranates With the wholsome word joyne good workes and holy life He carries the bell a Minister whose life is agreeable with holy doctrine Matth. 5. 19. He that keepeth the commandements and teacheth others so to do shall be great in the kingdome of God John Baptist had both bells being a burning light in himself and Pomegranates being a shining light unto others And as the Pomegranates smelled sweet so must ministers labour to leave a sweet smell behind them every where Their conversation must not savour of lightnesse pride ambition covetousnesse contention prophanenesse c. VI. As the Priest must have the tribes be graven on his breast so must the minister his flock committed to him who must be deare to him and taken up into his heart And hearty love would force them to feed the flock in season out of season and set forward their salvation and instruction and seek them not theirs In that we Ministers are Christians we are so for our selves but in that we are Ministers of Christ we are so for you Some wholly forget the second and I wish not the first too Who may rather say In that we are worldlings rather than Christians we are so for our selves Their flockes are slightly engraven in their hearts VII As the Priests had these garments girded unto them so must ministers gird fast unto them these garments for these garments differ somewhat from theirs They might put off their garments when they came out of the holy place but Ministers of the Gospell may not put off theirs when they come out of the Church no nor when they goe to bed nor about any businesse they must never come off Many are so dissolute and ungirt and these garments are so loose on them as they give just occasion to the people to say that they be good onely in the Pulpit and so their people learn of them to be good onely in the Church We must girt our graces fast to us This is the onely ministerial apparrel appointed by God Sect. V. Now for the People of God I. These garments were never changed Though the high Priest dyed yet his apparrel remained and was put upon the next This teacheth us that we all have but one high Priest whose robes we must put on which are lasting and never worn out For 1. There was but one Mediator between God and man while Aaron lived a type of that our Mediator between God man Jesus Christ. 2. There were garments but for one although they passed from one to another as that Priesthood did So no other robe save of this one and onely true and high Priest must be presented before God no robe of our own workes or merits no robe made or woven by men or creatures not by Popes Saints living or dead or Angels We must never change this garment nor abide to see any challenge it but the high Priest our Lord Jesus And hence for ever detest the wicked and abominable Masse with those sacrilegious Priests who usurpe these garments of Jesus Christ and tell us they offer propitiatory sacrifices for the sinnes of the quick and dead The theeves that spoiled Christ of his garments and divided them among themselves did him no such despite as these theeves do who rob him and disrobe him of all his glory II. Every Christian is made a Priest unto God by participation Rev. 5. 10. But not legall and externall for they were dated by the Priesthood of Christ but Evangelicall improper and spirituall Neither to offer reall
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
much to set a special time apart for it as such who out of sound judgement esteem we have sufficient cause once a year thus deeply to humble our selves For however the Jewes had daily expiatory sacrifices yet the Lord held it not superfluous to appoint them besides one set and solemne day of expiation So is it no lesse needfull for any Christian notwithstanding his daily humiliation to help himselfe in his repentance by one in a year at least day of more solemne expiation CHAP. XV. Nazarites Types of Christ. THe third order or ranke of holy persons types of Christ are the Nazarites who were sanctified by vow or speciall profession and not obscurely shadowing Jesus Christ the onely true and perfect Nazarite For I. The name Nazarite by which Christ must be according to the ancient prophecies called Matth. 2. 23. and in contempt was by the Jewes so stiled in the superscription of the Cross signifieth one separated and set apart from others and is ascribed to three sorts of men usually set above others 1. To such as are set apart for singular sanctimony as the high Priest whose crown of sanctification on his head is called Nezer Ezod 29. 6. 2. To such as in dignity and authority are separated from others as Kings whose royall Crown or diadem is called Nezer 2 Sam. 1. 10. I tooke the crowne that was upon his head 3. To such as were separated by some religious vow as to this order of the Nazarites whose hair increasing on their heads as an externall signe of their vow was called Nezer Numb 6. 18. By which order the Lord would have the eminent sanctity of Jesus Christ to be typified as well as his sacrifice and kingly office by Priests and Kings He was indeed the onely true Nazarite separated from sinners holy harmelesse and undefiled Heb. 7. 26. For 1. His profession was I am not of the world Joh. 8. 23. 2. He is called Dan. 9. 24. the holy of holies or the most Holy a title never ascribed to the most holy persons on earth by resemblance For as the holy of holies a type of Christ was separated from the rest of the Tabernacle and Temple and excelled both the outer and inner Court in holynesse So Jesus Christ surpassed not onely common men but the holiest of men as far as the sanctum sanctorum excelled both the sanctum and atrium His divine holinesse farre excelled the most pure Nazarites who yet are said Lam. 4. 7. to be purer than the snow and whiter than the milk 3. He was not of unholy made holy as they but he was alwaies holy and without all staine of sinne from the first moment for ever That holy thing which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost Matth. 1. 20. 4. His holinesse was not from any other but of and from himselfe whereas whosoever else have any holinesse it is from him 5. His holinesse was essentiall not accidentall as he was God and as he was man by the union of the manhood with his divine nature was bestowed upon him in full measure yea beyond measure and therefore is called fullnesse of grace and holiness Joh. 1. But in the most holy men this holinesse is a received quality by communicating of his spirit and that imperfectly and in small measure 6. They might be holy in part for themselves but could not impart that holinesse to others But Christ is not onely holy in himself but sanctifieth them the whole Chruch he being the originall and fountaine of all holiness They might be legally cleane in some actions but he was morally clean in all observations They in some passages of their life but he in his nature in his disposition and in the fulfilling of all righteousnesse II. Nazarites by the Law Numb 6. 2 3. must abstaine from wine and strong drink and all that commeth of the grape 1. Because they were to study the Law of God and the Lord will not have them meddle with any thing that might trouble their braine or unfit them to so holy studies 2. He would have them patterns of sobriety and temperance and restraine them from whatsoever might stirre up lust or occasion intemperance In which what else did they but shadow our Saviour Christ Who was a true Nazarite not in the letter and ceremony for he did drink wine and miraculously provided it for others yea ordained wine an element in the Supper that every Christian might drink it but in the morality and truth of the thing he was the onely perfect Nazarite Never was any so intent in study invocation preaching acting and suffering all things for our sake as he was Neither was any creature so abstinent and temperate as he was he fasted fourty daies and fourty nights and after that being hungry he would eat nothing till all his temptations in the wilderness were ended As of all other virtues so he was an unfailing pattern in this of holy abstinence and unviolated temperance III. The Nazarites were enjoyned to let their haire grow and no razor must come on their heads all the time of their vow and separation Numb 6. 5. By which ceremony the Lord intended two things 1. He would have them most unlike and contrary to the religious orders of the heathen Idolaters who usually nourished their haire to offer in sacrifice to their gods as in many examples I could shew But these must not diminish their haire all the time and when they cut it off they must burne it with fire 2. To be a meanes to avoide finenesse and delicacy in curious trimming of the head and care of the flesh which is a great enemy to religious thoughts and exercises So the Apostle implies the more care of the flesh the lesse of putting on Christ Jesus 3. Long haire in men is a signe of strength as in Sampson And by this Law the Lord would put them in mind that as they were to avoid effeminate softnesse and delicacy so to be manly strong and couragious in performing duties and resisting stoutly all the temptations and baites that might allure them from the duty undertaken As for our Saviour whom they shadowed it is not likely he nourished his hair because the Apostle saith it was in that age uncomely for men to have long haire If a man have long haire it is a shame unto him 1 Cor. 11. 14. And then are all the Romish Painters quite out who paint him with his haire lying round about his shoulders but Painters and Poets may lie by authority It was enough for him that he was a Nazarite in the truth and substance of that Law although not in the letter and outward ceremony of it In which respect how did he neglect himselfe who being the Lord of all denied himselfe of all rights and comforts He was so farre from all delicacy that with an utter refusall of all delights of flesh his whole intention was set on his function
upon the unclean person the third and seventh day and so he washing his clothes and flesh with water was clean at even ver 18 19. Signifying 1. That the bloud of Christ is the onely water of separation for persons separate to separate them from their uncleannesse The water made of the ashes of Christs death and bloud-shed sprinkled upon the unclean can onely purge the conscience from dead works 2. That this bloud of Christ must be sprinkled with hysope of faith and mortification For hysope hath a cleansing quality and is put sometimes for that which onely and properly cleanseth purge me with hysope that is with the bloud of that eternall sacrifice figured by that which is sprinkled with hysope 3. That this bloud of Christ must be often applied the third day and the seventh day The death and merit of Christ must be often meditated and applied to the heart For it is a perpetuall and eternall purging and sprinkling water in the Church and we must have daily recourse unto it I. That the Lord hath appointed meanes for cleansing all kind of impurity 1. That his people and we might know that by no infirmity and frailty we shall fall quite out of the grace of God 2. That the Lord takes not the forfeit of all the scapes and foule falles of his children utterly to forsake them seeing the Jew that was legally polluted seventy times seven times was as often received in againe as he was cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary 3. That we should not despaire nor the weak Christian be quite dejected in the sence of the multitude of his frailties and foule touches seeing the Gospel affordes us the remedy and meanes to cleanse all morall uncleannesse no lesse certainely and fully than the Law to the Jews to purge their legall II. As the Jew was no sooner defiled by touching a dead man or bone or grave or tent or any thing about him but he must presently repaire to the meanes of legall cleansing So every Christian defiled by the least touch of any dead work must have recourse to the remedy appointed in the Gospel The Law appointed the water of the ashes of a red Cow but the Gospell appoints the red bloud of Jesus Christ sprinkled and applied by faith as by hysope upon the conscience Consider 1. The necessity The person defiled not having this sprinkling upon him shall be cut off from Israel vers 13. So whosoever hath not the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his soule shall be cut off from the number and inheritance of the Saints Mar. 16. 16. he that believeth not shall be damned 2. Every sin is a separation from God who being a God of pure eyes cannot abide the filth of it and therefore we had need continually to have this water of separation for the washing of our hearts daily and often every day because it is gathering some uncleannesse every hour yea every moment 3. An unclean creature or vessell could not be of any service to man for he must not touch it till it be cleansed So a sinner so long as he is unclean and impenitent cannot be of any good use nor present any acceptable service to God And therefore the Prophet Isa. 〈◊〉 Wash you and cleanse you and then come No man dare present any thing to a King with a foule hand the Lord will accept no such present 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you Implying that the Lord will not receive him that any way communicates with sinne if obstinate and impenitent 4. Nothing else can recover our beauty and first estate of holynesse and happinesse but this laver A cloth once soiled never recovers the beauty and whitenesse but by washing This laver onely brings back a white and unspotted innocency All the holy water in the Sea of Rome cannot wash one sinne for that hath no commandement no institution no promise Besides all legall Ceremonies are dead which in their life time could not cleanse by the meer deed done as they say theirs doth 5. How vaine is it to see men and women curious and carefull in washing their bodies and clothes they will not suffer the least spot on them but wash them weekly and yet go on year by year in the soule defilements of sinne and never desire to be washed and rinsed in the water of separation nay nothing more troubles them than to be called to reformation A cleanly man will have his clothes washed weekly but his hands and face every day A cleanly Christian will not be lesse carefull of his heart III. Seeing there was so much businesse in legall cleansing of the least foulenesse how carefull were the Jewes to avoid those foulnesse and how much more should Christians be to avoid the morall 1. In themselves A good heart will be affected with the least touch of sinne as David to cut Sauls lappet and to avoid the least appearance as well as evill it selfe 2. From others For the Jew might be impured from others as well as by himselfe We must not communicate in other mens sinnes 1 Tim. 5. 22. The just man bewareth not onely sinne it selfe but even the contagion and infection of sinne Watch thy selfe as privie to thine own weaknesse and thy adversaries subtletie and strength Watch against other sinnes as being beset with snares Resolve with good Jacob Gen. 49. 6. Into their secret my soul shall not come This strict watching is counted commonly foolish precisenesse nicety hatefull purity but God esteemes it otherwise It is an apparant losse of mens favour preferments and worldly helps but he onely findes the favour of God and the happinesse to see God Sect. VII The oblation for unclean issues leading us to Christ is appointed Lev. 15. 14 15. In this 1. What foules must be prepared for the offering Two Turtles or two young Pigeons and so for the womans vers 29. Of the clean kind of birds signifying and resembling the purity of Christs humane nature Besides his innocency simplicity meeknesse chastity charity fruitfulnesse of all which virtues these Doves were expresse Emblems 2. What was the use of these foules 1. They must bring them to the Priest No man must offer his own sacrifices but must present them to God by Christ the onely high Priest 2. They must bring them to the doore of the Tabernacle for publick service must not be privately performed and figured our entrance by Christ the doore 3. One must be made a sinne offering the other a burnt offering The sacrifices were types of that onely sacrifice of the Sonne of God our Redeemer performed upon the Altar of his Crosse for the expiating the sinnes and foule issues of the whole world In them both 1. What they were 2. What were the ceremonies about them 1. The sinne offering was a sacrifice in which the whole beast or bird was not
Jacob when he intended evill intreaty towards him 2. He can turn their counsel to folly and bring it on their own heads as in Haman Architophel 3. He can turn their evill to thy good salvation according to the saying of Joseph to his brethren Ye intended evill against me but God turned it to good as this day 4. He can take them off at his pleasure he hath a hook for Zenacherib and Balaam shall not curse though he would never so faine 3. In that Christ brought no unclean thing to his sacrifice figured in pulling out the maw and feathers and casting them besides the Altar in the place of ashes we have comfort in the offering of all our service and sacrifices of prayer praises almes duties all unclean in and from us but presented in Christs sacrifice no uncleannesse is in them II. How carefull the Lord is that his people preserve purenesse among them that the holy God may walk amongst an holy people And teacheth how carefull we Christians should be to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. And that we should be ever stopping up those unclean issues which disturbe our chastity of body or mind which these legall issues specially ayme at Oh this chastity of mind and body is a singular grace For 1. It stands with the will of God 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. This is the will of God even your sanctification and that every one possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour 2. It stands with the nature of God which is most holy and pure God is a pure chast Spirit and will be praied unto with a pure and chaste heart How can foule fornicators and adulterers think that their praiers can get into heaven and themselves shut out 3. By holinesse and chastity of mind and body thou becommest a Temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. Without which thou art no better than a swine-sty fit for foule spirits and devils that delight in uncleannesse to harbour in 4. It stands with the honour of the body which 1. is for the Lord that is created for the glory of the maker 2. The Lord is for the body namely to redeem it so as the body also is a part of Gods purchase 3. The Lord is the head and the bodies are members of Christ. Oh what a great wickednesse as Joseph calls it Gen. 39. 9. to make it a member of an harlot 5. Follow holinesse and chastity without which thou shalt never see God either in grace or in glory Heb. 12. 24. What makes the harlot so sottish so gracelesse in the middest of powerfull meanes but that their hearts are taken away Hos. 4. 12. Gods plague hath already seised upon them in great part for they cannot see God in grace offering repentance and therefore they shall never see him in glory Now the best directions for stopping these running issues are I. Direction Begin at the fountaine labour for inward purity first For 1. Whence issue these but from a wicked and impenitent heart 2. God looks first at the cleannesse of the heart knowing that if he find that unclean nothing is clean 3. Morality and cleanliness make a man care for the cleanness of his face but grace and religion make him look to the cleannesse of his heart Jer. 4. 14. Because he knowes that no beauty of the face can allure a man so much as the cleannesse of heart allureth 4. Get grace into thy heart and it cannot choose but send out as Christ saith According to that which is within According to the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak the eye will look the hand will work the foot will walk Get thy heart purged and washed and it is impossible that thy life should be foule 5. In vaine do men struggle and strive to cast off some wast boughes of sinfull actions if they seek not to strike up the root Thou wouldst avoid oathes and lyes in thy tongue but shall never do it while thou hast a swearing and lying heart Thou wouldst avoid fornication and adultery in the act in the eye in the speech but never shalt thou stop this issue if thou hast an adulterous heart And so in other sinnes Quest. How may I cleanse my heart Answ. Cleannesse of the heart is in two things 1. Justification by the bloud of Christ imputed and applied Joh. 15. 8 10. 2. Sanctification by the Spirit which stands in two things 1. In parting with our filthinesse as evill thoughts pride hypocrysie stubbornnesse mallice in a mortification of all inward lusts 2. In attaining a new estate in all the inward faculties a planting and cherishing of all graces Thus as our Saviour saith he that is washed is all clean II. Direction From the foundation come to the streames If the heart at any time be inflamed with the fire of concupiscence and begin to boile over stay the issue with all expedition Quest. How Answ. 1. Covenant with all thy parts that none of them shall fulfill the lusts of the flesh Specially covenant with thine eye as Job with thy tongue not to name any filthinesse as it becommeth Saints Eph. 5. 3. With thy hand not to execute any inordinate desires 2. Threaten thy members that thou wilt pluck out thine eye cut off thy hand and foot rather than by them offend God and thy conscience If this will not serve beat down thy rebellious members as Paul with labour 3. Direction Avoid occasions of defilements by the unclean issues of others so did the Jews As 1. Come not near unclean persons 2 Cor. 6. 17. Avoid swearers drunkards gamesters wantons Proverb 4. 14. 2. Avoid the seat they sit on A place of shorter rest Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is he that sits not in the seat of wicked men Lev. 15. 6. 3. Shunne the bed they lye on Lev. 15. 5. A place of longer rest with them as one delighting in their fellowship and tumbling with them in filthinesse 4. Beware of their spittle v. 8. words are cast out of the mouth spittle Neither assent to their speeches and perswasions which are still against God nor be dismaied from good things by their threats and reproaches This filthy froth and spittle daily pollutes many that are carelesse to avoid it Object Alas it is impossible then to avoide unclean issues I cannot but daily and hourly touch some filthinesse unlesse I run out of the world and from my selfe Sol. 1. Therefore as the woman having the bloody issue thrust in daily to touch the hemme of Christs garment Mar. 5. that his bloud may heal thy bloudy issues 2. As seeing need of daily mercy to true watch joyne prayer as Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. The good Lord be mercifull to him that is sanctified although net according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord heard him So will he thee where he findes a true endeavour after
the Covenant of grace and salvation But to come nearer to our purpose The Sacraments of the old Testament were either before the fall or after Of the Sacraments in Paradise before the fall we are not to speak as the tree of knowledge and the tree of life Because 1. They sealed the Covenant of works not the Covenant of grace 2. They concerned the first Adam without any respect or reference to the second Adam There was no need of Christ and consequently no type of him We are onely to speak of Jewish Sacraments types of Jesus Christ and so reject them which never aymed at Christ but were before any distinction of Jew or Gentile These Jewish Sacraments were either 1. Ordinary or standing 2. Extraordinary and occasionall Ordinary were 1. Circumcision 2. Passeover Circumcision was the the Sacrament of enterance and receiving the Jew into Gods Covenant The Passeover was a Sacrament of continuance and growth in that Covenant Extraordinary which were in some resemblance both to them and the two Sacraments of the new Testament 1. To Circumcision and Baptisme answered the Sacraments of the Cloud and red the Sea 2. To the Passeover of the Lords Supper answered Mannah from heaven and water out of the Rock Of these we must by Gods assistance speak in order not what we might for that were endlesse but what we must necessarily so farre as they preach Christ unto us or may set us nearer unto him CHAP. XVIII Circumcision a Type Herein 1. What it is 2. How it figures Christ. 3. Observations 1. CIrcumcision was a sacred rite ordained by God wherein by cutting off the fore-skins of all the males of the Jewes in the eighth day the Covenant of God made to Abraham was sealed up to him and all his posterity 1. A sacred rite ordained by God God is the Author For 1. He onely that can promise and give the grace can seale the Covenant 2. Abraham received it of God Rom. 4. 11. therefore God gave it 3. The institution is in Gen. 17. Where is the word of institution 1. In commanding 2. In promising 2. The subject of Circumcision were all the males of Israel descending of Abraham For these must be destinguished from all families of the earth Gen. 17. 4. Neither may we think that women were excluded out of the Covenant of Grace for they were comprehended under the Circumcision of males And God spared the weaker sexe becaese it was enough to bring them within the number of Abrahams posterity to be born of the males circumcised Besides as the males carry a speciall type and resemblance of Christ as 1 Cor. 11. 3. in order to the female so was it fit they should have the thing and ceremony of Circumcision and the female onely the virtue and efficacy Junius 3. The part must be the part generative Gen. 17. 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh and vers 11. Circumcise the fore-skin of your flesh The very place shewes that Circumcision aymed to remedy the corruption and uncleannesse of mans nature whereof it admonished Abraham and his posterity For neither Abraham nor any of his were chosen into the Covenant because they were cleaner or holier than other but that they might be holier Gods election is free who maks choyce of them that need Circumcision as well as any other 4. The time the eighth day Because 1. The Lord had a mercifull respect to the tendernesse of infants 2. Not to distinguish but that those infants also were within the Covenant that died within that time 3. Because whatsoever was born of man or beast was Legally impure and in their bloud till the eighth day and therefore no beast must be offered to the Lord till the eighth day Ex. 23. 19. and ch 34. 26. No nor men of other nations servants or other must be circumcised but upon the eighth day from their comming in 4. This precise observation of the eighth day was not without a mistery either pointing to the resurrection of Christ on the eighth day or leading beyond the week of this present life in which we cannot be perfectly circumcised unto that eighth day in the life to come when all our corruption shall be cut away and perfectly and at once abolished 5. The end of Circumcision was to seal up Gods Covenant made with Abraham This Covenant had three clauses 1. Of the multiplying of his feed in Christ. 2. Of the inheritance of the land of Canaan being a type of Heaven 3. Of the blessed seed the Messiah that was to come of him typified in Isaac and so was Circumcision a seal of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. II. Circumcision figures Christ. I. As it was a Jewish Sacrament wherein Christ shined out clearly who was and is the substance of all Sacraments both Jewish and Christian for Christ is the substance of the whole Covenant and all the seales of it In this sence the Apostle calls it a seal of the Righteousnesse of faith Namely 1. A seal of secresie that locked up the Covenant onely to that people 2. A witnessing seal whereby as by a visible perpetual and sensible signe in their flesh which they could never lay off the Lord would still hold in their sences his own promise of grace made unto them in the promised Messiah and their promise of obedience made back againe unto God to become his people Which promise of theirs howsoever they were to endeavour in yet could it not be fully performed for them but in the promised seed in whom their imperfect obedience and indeavours were to be covered accepted And thus is every Sacrament a signe 1. Of grace 2. Of duty and a religious signe binding God to man and man to God 3. A strengthning and confirming seale by which the Lord pleased to ratifie the promise of grace and seal up to them the inward and invisible circumcision of the heart called the Circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. Because he onely by his spirit can work it Deut 30. 6. II. Circumcision figures Christ as it was a signe 1. Memorative of the Covenant of God made with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. 11. which mercifull Covenant was founded in Christ Jesus out of whom God never contracts Covenant with any man He onely slayes hatred and makes God and man to walke together as friends 2. Figurative or representative foreshewing 1. That the Messiah should be born of Abrahams seed and not of the uncircumcised nations who being to be a Minister of the Circumcision was also to receive Circumcision himselfe which was shadowed in all their Circumcisions 2. In their shedding of bloud by Circumcision was represented to their eyes the shedding of Christs bloud not onely in the first fruits of his bloud-shed in his Circumcision which was a part of his humiliation and a parcell of the price paied for our sinns but also the full powring out of all his bloud in Sacrifice
it from the spirituall servitude of sinne death the devill and damnation 2. It shadowed herein its successor in the new Testament for the Sacrament of the Supper was therefore instituted to keep in remembrance the death of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11. 26. As often as yee shall eat this bread and drink this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come 3. To be a rule for all Sacraments wherein it is necessary that the word be joyned to the Element I mean the word of Institution and if it may be conveniently of exhortation that the seal may goe with the Charter as even in these shadowes the Lord himself straitly enjoyned these were the Lawes prescribed for the Anniversary Passeover both in Exod. 12. 14. and Numb 9. in neither of which is any mention of any of the former Laws proper to the first Passeover The last condition in eating concerned the measure The Lambe must be whole eaten signifying 1. Our perfect communion with Christ who are as nearly united unto Christ as the meat we eat which is turned into our own substance 2. That nothing in Christ is unprofitable 3. That Christ must be received wholly without dividing of his natures or destroying any of his offices Arrius divides the Lambe in denying his Godhead Manichees impugned his humanity Neither eat the whole Lambe The Papists destroy all his Offices Whosoever deny any fundamentall Article of Religion they divide the Lambe To eat the whole Lamb is to believe whole Christ according to the rule Faith is but one yet a copulative Deny one overthrow all Hitherto served that Injunction that no part of the Lambe must be reserved till the morrow but if any remained it must be burnt with fire verse 10. The Lord in his infinite wisdome would prevent all the occasions of idolatry which is easily admitted in the reservations of holy things As in Popery what a deal of idolatry is crept into the Church by reserving superstitious relicks and especially their consecrated or conjured bread as if this condition did not condemn expresly that Popish reservation of the hoast or breaden god Add hereunto that the Jewes requiring the body of Christ on the Crosse to be taken away that night before the Sabbath Joh. 19. 31. fulfilled against their knowledge this Prophecy Nothing of the Paschall Lambe must be left till the morning Sect. V. V. The Paschall Lambe is an expresse type of Christ in respect of the fruit and use of it which is security and safety from Gods revenge ver 23. For as by the sprinkling of the bloud and eating of the flesh the Jewes were defended from the revenging Angel and the destroyer passed over the house where he espied the bloud sprinkled So the bloud of Christ applied to the conscience causeth the wrath of God to passe by those that are so sprinkled And as they could sit in the house safe and not fear the stroke of the destroyer because of the bloud sprinkled so whosoever by true faith feeds upon Jesus Christ and are died with his bloud rest secure and fear not the destruction and revenge due to wicked men Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience 1. As the Jewes dwelling in Egypt were in great danger of the revenging Angel who was to passe through the land So all the Israel ot God dwelling in the midst of the Egypt of the world and too too much tainted with the fashions of it have no small cause to fear the judgements and revenge of God which must pursue the sinnes of it and also to use meanes for their own safety in the night of trouble and revenge as the Israelites did Quest. What meanes Answ. The same that Israel did We must 1. Sprinkle the house of our hearts with the bloud of the Lambe Heb. 10. 22. sprinkled in our hearts c. Whosoever were sprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe were safe Was there so much power in the bloud of the type and not much more in the bloud of the truth 2. Get into the house of the Church and fellowship of the faithfull for such as are true members of the Church which is the house of Saints are secure from the plagues of wicked men Isai. 27. 3. I the Lord doe keep the vineyard I will water it every momâ—nt lest any assaile it I will keep it night and day and â—sai 37. â—8 My people shall dwell in the Tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Noah can be safe no where in the deluge but in the Ark And out of the Church is no salvation or safety 3. Thou must abide in the house all night and goe not forth Except the Israelites abide in the house they cannot be safe except thou abidest in the ship of the Church thou canst not be safe no more than any of Noahs company if they had stepped out of the Ark. We must adhere constantly to the true Church and not forsake the fellowship or depart from it by Apostacy or revolt which brings certain shipwrack of faith Consider Heb. 10. 25. 4. Patiently wait for the morning even the bright rising and appearing of Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse coming again to our deliverance whether publikely to generall judgement or personally in speciall to our selves For he shall bring health under his wings Mal. 4. 2. II. In the whole precedent discourse is a fruitfull direction for Christians for their holy use of the Sacrament of the Supper which is come in place of the Passeover 1. As he must be circumcised that must eat the Passeover so must he be baptized that must be admitted to the Supper that is a reverent professed Christian. For holy things must not be cast to dogs Mat. 7. 6. The Word and Sacraments are childrens bread and must not be cast to dogs that is obstinate enemies scorners blasphemers to men of uncircumcised lips and eares who wilfully repell the meanes of their cleansing So much the more pity is it that all sorts of notorious evill men thrust into the presence chamber of the great King yea sit down at the Lords Table and like swine swill in his cup without controul or any rebuke in many places Open blasphemers common-drunkards scoffing Ishmaels noted adulterers obstinate sinners And where is the care to preserve the holythings of God from pollution contempt and prophanation Would a man spread a table for dogs or swine If the shadows of these holy things might not be cast to dogs is it nothing to expose to them the body and substance it self 1 Cor. 11. 30. for this cause many are weak and sick among you and many sleep 2. As the Lamb was taken in the tenth day but was not slain till the fourteenth that it might be before their eyes all the four dayes before for the helping of their meditation and due
meanes of which being offered unto them they wilfully tread under foot turning all the grace of Christ to their deeper damnation 3. As the same Pillar of cloud and fire Christ is the guide of all the Israel of God whom we must follow in all our journey through our wildernesse both in the rules of his holy doctrine and also of his blessed example Therefore himselfe saith Matth. 11. 29. follow me as they were to follow that cloud for that was but a type of this leading us unto our Canaan 4. As that same Pillar of cloud and fire Jesus Christ protecteth his Church from all enemies He steps between the Camps of Israelites and Egyptians becoming their sure defence Psal. 18. 1 2. This Pillar shall never rest till the dead bodies of the Egyptians and enemies become a spoile and spectacle to his people V. In the infallible instruction of it it typified Christ. For as the Lord spake to Moses out of the cloudy Pillar when it descended on the Tabernacle and delivered his Oracles in it Exod. 33. 9. So Jesus Christ alone is the cloudy Pillar by whom the Lord delivers to us his whole counsell concerning our happy passage through this our wilderness to that blessed Canaan the happy rest of all the Saints And as they must hear and obey absolutely those Oracles so we are commanded to hear him Mat. 17. 5. Application followes I. Is Christ the Pillar Here is comfort for the people of God who shall want no good things but this Pillar of cloud and fire shall supply it For I. The Cloud was a generall guide for all and every particular of Gods people Isa. 4. 5 6. The cloud was every where seen and Christ is every where present to be seen and found in his Church Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. Jer. 51. 5. Israel hath been no widow II. The Cloud was an unerring guide because the Lord went in the Cloud so that except the Lord could mislead them they must needs go aright Jesus Christ is the way as well as the truth follow him in the direction of his word in the motions of his spirit agreeing thereto in his blessed example both in doing and suffering walk as he did and as be passed by his Crosse to the Crown so shall he lead thee through this wildernesse to that Canaan and rest to which he hath gone before to take thee in III. As the Cloud was a safe guide and a covering cloud so is Jesus Christ the vaile and cover of his Church When the Pharaoh of hell pursues us at heels and is even ready to snatch us back into eternall slavery now this Angell of the Covenant interposeth himselfe to defend us and steppeth between us and dangers This Cloud of Gods protection seem it never so farre off is the sure wall and defence of the Church the strongest munition and will not suffer the Egyptian armies to come near the Israelites to hurt or destroy them but onely to exercise them drive them more hastily to God for safety and to Canaan for rest This is a sure comfort when we know that all the enemies of grace Papists apostates recusants drunkards scorners and atheists reach at us to hurt and hinder us in our way this cloud shall make them further us IV. The Cloud was a powerfull guide strengthning Israel weakning and discomforting all the power of Egypt powerfully and miraculously opening the red sea for a passage to the one and shutting it for the others perdition Our Lord Jesus is a potent guide the Michael and Captain of Gods Armies getting himself a name upon Pharaoh and his forces discomfiting and destroying all adversary power of our salvation perfectly conquering for us all the powers of darknesse and triumphing upon all the externall enemies that pursue his people and making them the dust of his footstool Besides that this cloud powerfully opens the red sea and makes a way for the Saints through a sea of afflictions Oh the sweet comfort hence both in the view of the trouble of the Church in generall beset with so many huge armies of Antichrist and his adherents as also in sence of our own particular tryals Both whole and parts are under this powerfull cloud V. The Cloud was a comfortable guide a cooling covering Cloud Jesus Christ is the well yea and sea of consolation without whom is nothing but scorching heat which would burn up and consume the Church But he cools the fire of his Fathers wrath for us he cools the fiery darts of Satans temptations and quencheth them in us he refresheth and cheareth us in the sunne of persecution and afflictions which Satan and his instruments kindle against us he is our onely shadow for the heat and a cover for the storm and for the rain Isai. 4. 6. Now therefore get to him by prayer faith and repentance VI. The Cloud was a patient and respective guide It waited all their necessities it rested that they might rest it moved slowly according to their pace it stayed for them till they had ground their Manna and baked it till they had eaten and refreshed themselves till they had offered sacrifices and whatsoever was necessary to be done it waited for them Oh what a patient and respective Lord have we who not onely waits on our necessities but beares all our needs and weaknesses on himself not onely beares with our infirmities but beares them on himself and helpes them in us He stretcheth his hands all day long waiting for our return He knows our mould and weaknesse and covers it with his own strength and righteousnesse He would be in all things like us that he might in all things help us VII The Cloud was a constant guide The Lord never took away his Pillar by day nor by night from before the people Exod. 13. 22. not all their journey till they came into Canaan Jesus Christ is constant to his Church never leaves it without light and direction without comfort and consolation without safety and protection Nay he not onely leads and covers them in this wildernesse but never failes them no not in the land of their rest That cloud which now is like the cloud which Elias saw like the bignesse of an hand then shall cover or rather fill the whole heavens II. Here is a ground of confidence and security in the greatest perils What a marvellous thing is it that a Pillar of fire should sit upon the Tabernacle and not burn it What a strange thing that a Pillar of fire must cool the Israelites and save them from fire So shall all fires kindled and all extream dangers threatned against the Church tend to the saving and comforting of it For 1. God never kindles a fire to consume his Church but as the Pillar of fire to enlighten it and direct it to Canaan 2. The Church is that bush which burnes with
place of bitternesse but the next remove was to Elim where were twelve fountains of water Exod. 15. 23. 27. It suffers the Israelites to want meat in the wilderness but to feed them with Manna If to want drink it is to supply them by miracle to refresh their souls as well as bodies by water out of a rock IV. In the same Pillar of the Cloud see Justice and Mercy met together and tempered 1. Mercy to the Church and believers that now we behold Gods presence in a cloud The brightness of his goodness to us shines in this dark cloud in which we see him as we are able His Majesty hath attempered himself to ouâ— debility and weakness For such is our infirmity here below that unlesse the glory of God be vailed and covered we can never be able to behold it no more than the Priests could stand before the brightness of the cloud that filled the Temple 1 King 8. 11. nor the Disciples abide the brightness of Christ when a bright cloud shadowed them in his transfiguration For as no man can endure to see the Sun in his brightnesse and strength but in and through a cloud he may so no man can behold the glorious Majesty of God and live Hence hath he pleased to let us behold him here not in his own glory but in his Christ in whom his excellent Majesty is vailed and covered with our humanity This is his mercy that we see now as we may as in a glasse or mirrour preparing us to a farther mercy than which no mercy goeth farther namely to see him as we would and face to face when with our frailty and corruption all clouds and vailes shall be removed 2. His justice against sinners whose misery it is that there is alwayes a cloud between God and them A cloud of ignorance that hinders them from the knowledge of God and holy things they see no true light A cloud of darkness and misery that suffers them not to enjoy one spark of sound comfort or consolation A thick cloud of lusts and sinnes which hinders the passage of their prayers They may truly use that speech of the Church Lam. 3. 44. Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through As this cloud was a means of greatest mercy to Israel so was it of extream misery and destruction to the Egyptians V. Is Christ this Pillar of Cloud and Fire Then we must follow Christ our guide The Saints in earth are as Israel in their pilgrimage marching out of Egypt into the promised land God of his mercy affords us as he did them a comfortable cloud to lead us through to Canaan We must depend on this Pillar For light of instruction against the blindnesse of our minds For light of consolation in sorrows and terrours of heart that we may say with the Church Mic. 7. 8. When I shall sit in darkness the Lord is my light For spirituall heat and warmth seeing this Pillar onely can kindle true love of God true zeal for God and his glory servency in prayer and inflame us with all ardent desires after God We must follow this Pillar for safety security direction c. Quest. How may we follow this Pillar Sol. As the Israelites carefully followed the Cloud in this manner 1. Because the Cloud was placed on high they must still look upwards So must we still look upwards not fixing our eye on any other direction about us or beside us We must not walk by examples of men never so great never so wise never so rich never so near us but onely so far as they follow this Cloud The Sunne of the world and the Sonne of the Church herein agree that both of them are set infinitely above our heads that we should expect our direction from above not from below from the heavens not from the earth 2. As the Israelites contented themselves with that Pillar as being sufficient So must we with the light ftom Christ our Pillar They needed no artificial lights of their own devising the Pillar of fire was sufficient although at midnight to enlighten them The Sunne at noon day was not more useful to them than this Pillar at midnight So Christ in the Scriptures is a most bright and shining light not as the Papists say obscure dark imperfect unlesse there be an addition of traditions Fathers and mens devises As that Cloud was no natural direction so we must not walk by direction of nature dictate of reason or command of our own wills and senses Follow this Pillar onely and as Goshen was light when all AEgypt was darkness thou shalt have light when all the world else sits in darkness Joh. 8. 12. But as for such as kindle themselves a fire or set up a Pillar to themselves and walk in the light of it and in the sparkes themselves have kindled the Lord threatens what they may expect from his hands They shall lie down in sorrow Isaiah 50. 10. 3. As Israel must watch this Pillar night and day and frame their whole course unto it for motion or station for action or for rest so must we to Christ our Pillar in the Scripture Blessed is the man that meditates in the Law of the Lord night and day And as they must give diligent heed both day and night to be ready for their journey whensoever the Cloud should move and therefore are said to keep the Lords watch Numb 9. 19. so must we alwayes watch and be in a readiness because we know not when the Master of the house will come at even or at midnight at the cock-crowing or in the dawning Mar. 13. 35. Remember for conclusion that blessed shall that servant be and he onely whom his Master when he cometh findeth well doing CHAP. XXI The Red Sea a type THe second extraordinary Sacrament of the Old Testament pointing unto Jesus Christ was the Red Sea which being miraculously divided by God the Israelites pursued by the Egyptians passed through the midst of it Exod. 14. 22. Now for our profitable and fruitful beholding this great work of God we will consider it 1. As a miracle in it self 2. As a type and signification of Christ. 3. As applyable to our selves in some profitable observations I. In this great miracle are many miracles As 1. That so vast a sea should be divided with the lifting up of a rod. For the breadth of that Sea where Israel went over was by computation of Ptolomy and other Geographers twelve or fifteen German miles at least thirty six of ours so Chytraeus upon this place 2. That the Lord should open a way and lead Israel through the deep as in the wildernesse for their passage was not over the Sea but through it Neither did they walk upon the waters as upon the land which had not been so much for in cold countries it is ordinary for men and cariages to passe upon the Ice and
In the spirituall worship of believers both in the old and new Testament 5. In the blessed Incarnation and appearance of the truth it self who rose as a glorious sun of righteousnesse but as it were at midnight when the world lay in such palpable darknesse as was thicker than the darknesse of Egypt as Manna fell in the night and was readier for them every morning than they were for it Apply this observation for thy particular comfort If thou beest an Israelite no night shall befall thee nor sleep in any night but this carefull eye of God shall watch to supply thee As in three instances 1. The godly passing through this wildernesse of this world although they be in Covenant with God as Israel was yet often are cast into the night of sin and in this night they often nod and slip into a sounder sleep of sinne sometimes than they think of but then this eye watcheth them that they sleep not in death and so fall into extream ruine For they being written on the palm of the Lords hand being as a signet upon his finger as a jewel on his heart and which is nearer as the apple of his eye he watcheth a season to waken them to raise them and erect them in faith to watchfulnesse and salvation 2. Many times the godly fall into the night of affliction and are cast into the dark of many deadly dangers which they should never by themselves be won'd out of Now while they are thus surprised with a dead and dangerous sleep the Lord watcheth to prepare some meanes of evasion which they never dream of How did the Lord watch over Jonah while he slept under hatches not dreaming of so present a danger Nay when he seemes dead and buried in the Whales belly as in a grave of silence how miraculously did the Lord watch to bring him to dry land as sound and safe as if he had been kept in a strong Castle How did the Lord watch Mordecai while he slept Hest. 6. 1. he slept but the King shall not sleep till he have advanced Mordecai How did he warth over Peter Acts 12. 7. whilst he slept so fast in the night as scarce an Angel could waken him and brought him through the sleepie watch Our experience can tell us every morning how the Lord keepes our houses our selves without fear against robbers fires dangers in the night he makes us sleep in safety and while we are helplesse naked sencelesse becomes a wall of protection round about us 3. In the night of death he gives not over his watch but watcheth the very bones of the Saints that in the morning of the resurrection they may more fully enjoy Christ the true Manna and attain a full measure and Gomer and a perfect satiety and fulnesse of this sweet bread of life Psal. 17. 15. David calls it a satisfying with Gods Image when he shall awake Sect. V. III. See in this gift Gods bountifulnesse and freenesse to his Church in three things 1. He offers Israel Manna without the asking seeking or buying it costs them nothing but gathering even so he offers us salvation by Jesus Christ while we ask not after him He is found of them that seek him not The first Adam runs away from Gods presence the second Adam runs after him to seek and recall him out of his bushes Now what desert or merit could there be in the first Adam to be followed with grace in his flying from it And if there be none in him how come we his posterity to more possibility to merit any thing but death more than he No here is no merit no buying of Manna but onely a faithfull and thankful acceptance of it 2. He raines it down in abundance his hand is not short he opened the windows of heaven and rained down Manna to eat Psal. 78. 14. For 1. It is for the honour of God to be bountiful and rich in mercies and to pour down his blessings upon his people 2. Israel needed daily abundance and store of Manna which need he is careful to supply But oh what great goodnesse hath God stored for them that love him In his Son Jesus Christ he hath rained down bread of life the greatest arme and stream that ever flowed from that Ocean A mercy covering all the tents of believers A mercy that lets the true Manna fall enough for a whole world of believers not on one Nation of Israel onely but on all the Nations of the world For he did not so then to any other Nation but now to all Nay in this Manna is a mercy not onely covering the earth but a mountain of mercy reaching to heaven 3. His hand is not weary but every morning le ts fall enough to feed and fill so many hundred thousands of mouths and bellies so the grace of God in Christ is an unweariable grace As he gave more Manna than all the Israelites were able to gatherâ— so he is more infinitely able to give than all believers are able to receive Hence we may with David stir up our selves to blesse the Lord that loadeth us with blessings daily IV. The wisdome of God in administring his mercy to his Church 1. In that he gives them Manna from heaven not from earth they cannot now expect an annuall harvest of corne from the earth but must expect every day an heavenly showre to be fed by because the Lord will not have them fix their eyes and sences on earth but know they were now to live of Gods allowance and for their whole means depend on his hand Let it teach us Christians to lift up our eyes and sences from earth and earthly desires and affect that Manna which is from heaven every day desire to be fed with some heavenly shower for the nourishment of the soul and preserving the life of grace in it Let it teach us to acknowledge the hand of our heavenly father in the gathering of the Manna and good things for our temporall life He is the Father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift The Israelite must look to heaven for every morsell of bread that he puts in his mouth shall the Christian like swine eat up the mast and never look up to the Tree from whence it falls II. In that he gives them Manna every day He might have given them an harvest of it once a year or he might have rained it once a moneth but he gives it daily To shew 1. that he had undertaken for their daily maintenance whose continuall supplies challenged the continuall dependance upon his providence 2. that they must be content with daily bread 3. that it should be a part of their calling and exercise in the wilderness where other temporall business had they none Let us hence learn 1. To acknowledge Gods wisdome if he give us earthly Manna and meanes but from hand to mouth he knows how to supply it with true
Manna He allowes us to pray but for daily bread and if we have food and rayment we must be content 1 Tim. 6. 8. 2. To confine our cares within the day not so solicitous to lay up for many yeares as the rich glutton Care not for tomorrow that is inordinately distrustfully 3. To take notice of our daily need of the true Manna whereof seeing God hath given us daily meanes we must not crosse Gods wisdome to think the reading of Gods Word once in a year or moneth or week enough but be daily gathering and answering the daily meanes afforded by Gods gracious wisdome as did the Jews III. His wisdome is seen in that he giveth them no Manna on the Sabbath but for the Sabbath a double portion on the day before For 1. The Sabbath day is not to seek temporal food and Manna but spirituall and eternal 2. He will not have his Sabbath and service interrupted therefore he gives them a double portion on the day before 3. He will not have them losers by being intent in his service but as a liberal pay-master allowes them as largely as any other day Let this teach us 1. To nourish the care of Gods worship above the care of our life and more intend the businesse of the soul than of the body So our Saviour first seek the Kingdome of God and then other things 2. To become more conscionable in the keeping of the Sabbath not seeking this day after earthly but heavenly things alone For consider 1. The Lords liberality in giving thee not a sixth day but six whole dayes wherein to gather earthly Manna and wilt thou encroach his day too 2. His liberality in giving thee Manna for the seventh day blessing the labour of the six dayes and thereby binding thy hands from labour on the seventh IV. His wisdome is seen in giving to every man his Gomer and every man hath his measure 1. To measure their desires by Gods measure 2. That no man should have just cause of discontent for he had a sufficient measure for necessity and God was not bound to provide for their wantonnesse 3. That no man might envy another mans disproportion seeing no man had want no man might have superfluity Let us learn hence 1. To gather no more of this earthly Manna than God would have us to gather Quest. How shall I know Gods measure for me Answ. 1. That which his blessing by good and warrantable meanes affordeth is his measure and to transgresse Gods Word in seeking or getting wealth is to goe beyond Gods measure 2. Neither to lay up nor to keep any of this Manna without or against God Goods well gotten shall stand and prosper as Manna gathered in the six dayes But gather this Manna on the seventh day or lay up without and against Gods Commandement that is to say that which thou gettest falsly or well gotten which thou shouldst expend for Gods glory and the charitable relief of the poor Members of Jesus Christ but doest not all that shall rot and stink as stollen Manna did Sect. VI. II. In respect of our selves also we learn sundry instructions from the consideration of both the Mannas the typical and the true Manna These instructions concern 1. Our Estate 2. Our Duty 1. Concerning our Estate To note how senselesse and void of understanding every man is by nature in the things of God and Jesus Christ Exod. 16. 15. None of the Jewes knew what the Manna was No more doth any man know by nature the things of the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God If he perceive them not in his understanding much lesse can he receive them in his affection Tell the Jew of Christ or let the Jew hear Christ himself speaking of himself the Manna and bread of life they conceive he is bread for the belly they must eat him up straight Joh. 6. 52. Tell Nicodemus of the new birth he can conceive no second nativity but of going into his mothers womb again being old Joh. 3. 4. Tell the Samaritan of the water of life she cannot conceive whence to have it if not out of Jacobs Well which he and his cattel drank Joh. 4. 12. Nay such is our palpable blindnesse in spiritual things as we cannot onely not find them but even offered unto us as the Manna to them we cannot apprehend them nay we cannot but reject them as that woman of Samaria Jesus Christ offers himself unto her she scornes him and will not make nor meddle with him Joh. 4. 9. The reason whereof is partly in the things themselves and partly in ourselves 1. The things are things of Gods Spirit and cannot be reached or judged by any rule in nature For the things of Creation the heathen knew them in part from God as God Rom. 1. 19 But for the things of Sanctification as that God the Father by his Sonne made the world or that God the Sonne by his Spirit made a new world here they are blind as moles Nay even in this part of knowledge the natural man asketh what engines or tooles could God get to rear such a frame and will not believe it could be made with a word It will ask of what prejacent matter and will not believe that so great a thing could be made of nothing whereas we by faith understand that the world was framed by the Word of God Heb. 11. 3. How blind then must they needs be in spiritual things that are blind in things natural 2. The reason in our selves is that we are wedded to our own apprehensions and not easily led out of our conceits as vessels hardly let goe the savour of the first liquour we will measure all by the standard of natural reason and by the scantling of our own senses Apply this observation 1. To see our impotency nay the contrariety of our nature to Gods grace Where is our free will to good In what disposition stands darknesse to entertain light which fights against it But yee were darknesse saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 8. not dark or darkned but darknesse it self Nay yee were dead in trespasses and sinnes Eph. 2. 5. not half dead as the Samaritan but whole dead Now let all the Papists in the world teach us how a dead man can dispose and prepare himself to life And let us know how a privation of it self can regresse to an habit 2. To see what need we have of the Ministery to help us unto the true Manna Moses must tell the people Exod. 16. 15. This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat So must the Ministers of the Gospel acquaint all the Israel of God with Christ the true Manna by the Word preached and say This is the bread of life which came down from heaven in whom alone is full nourishment to eternal life Nothing is good to salvation but by Gods revelation If