religious persons when times do else not To avoid pernicious and dangerous sinnes which law revengeth as murder adultery theft but not covetousnesse not usury not swearing not uncleane lusts Herod will not part with his Herodias Ahab hath no reason to respect Micah when he prophecies evill to him 3. Trades men oppresse cosen lye deceive c because they have reason to make the best of their owne What reason but they may serve a Customer upon the Sabbath so they come to Church They have reason to slip all opportunities of grace all the weeke because they must walke diligently in their callings the sixe dayes Thus reason steps in and thrusts aside the practise of that which men in judgement hold not for good and necessary and like Evah still longing after forbidden fruit Thus of the second observation Sect. VI. III. Seeing all of us in this wildernesse are stung with the old Serpent what are we to doe to be cured Answ. we are to doe five things 1. We must feele our selves stung with our sinnes and confesse our selves stung for so must the Israelite before he could be cured We must feele the poyson and paine of sinne and First that this poyson hath not seated it selfe in one place but hath crept and diffused it selfe through all our parts For therefore it is called venenum quod per venas eat And as the vaynes and blood runne through every part of the body so sinne through every part of the man Secondly as poyson never rests till it come to the heart and there strikes and corrupts the fountaine of life So our sinne hath mortally wounded our very hearts and strikes at the life of grace in the soule Thirdly as poyson inflames the party with an incredible thirst having overcome naturall moysture and eaten up the spirits so sinne in the soule workes an utter defect and dryes up all waters of grace and makes the sinner insatiable in drinking up iniquity like water Fourthly as poyson not prevented brings speedy and certaine death but not without extreame paine and intolerable torture so the poyson of sinne unconquered brings certaine and eternall death attended with horrour of conscience desperate feares and torments most exquisite Thus must we labour to feele the sting of our sin in all parts far more mortall then the most venemous stings of most direfull Serpents 2. When this people felt themselves stung so deadly they come to Moses for counsell so must thou depend upon the Minister for direction as they upon Moses Never was man sensible of this sting but he would runne to the Ministers Act. 2. 37 when they were pricked in their hearts they said to Peter and the rest Men and brethren what shall we doe Act. 16. 30 the poore Jaylor being stung and sensible of his paine came trembling and humbling himselfe to Paul and Silas prisoners saying Sirs what must I doe to bee saved A conscience truely wounded will seeke to God to his word and Ministers for it knowes that God woundeth and healeth The feet of him that brings good tidings are beautifull to an humbled heart even as an experienced Physitian to a sicke party who else were sure to be lost for want of meanes What marveile if a soule truely sensible of his sting and paine can runne to Gods Ministers when a counterfeit humiliation can make as hard hearted a King as Pharaoh runne to Moses and Aaron and beg prayers of them A marveilous thing then that of so many thousands stung so deadly so few are sensible that so few trouble Moses or the Ministers with questions concerning their estates Some stung and guilty consciences not supported by faith in touch of sinne and sence of paine like a Doe shot with an arrow runne every way but the right for ease Some with Asa send to the Physitian to purge away melancholy Some with Saul send for musick esteeming soules sicknesse but a sottish lumpishnesse Some runne into the house of laughter and wicked playhouses to see and heare the Lords Sampsons and worthies derided not without haynous blasphemy Others fall a building with Cain or set upon other imployments perhaps it is but an idle fancy Some runne perhaps to the Witch of Endor in the meane time send away Paul as Felix or runne against Moses and his Ministers But comfort can they have none but from God and his word had not thy word saith David beene my comfort I had perished in my trouble All the Physitians in the world all the Musitians and Magicians put together nor any other meanes could helpe a stunge Israelite he must come to Moses when hee had done all hee could All other by-comforts are worme eaten and as cold water to cure a dropsie or as a cold draught to cure a poyson Some few there are that come unto us who we are sure had never sought to us more then others had they had so little sence of their sting as other have as the Israelites had never come at Moses had they not beene slung Let them be comforted in that they have gone the right way to fetch their comforts which is from God and his word and not from carnall men or councels The Lord in mercy hath brought them light out of darkenesse for pittie had it beene they had wanted the sting of affliction that hath driven them to God and to his word and servants 3. Comming to Moses wherein do they imploy them what questions move they to him Numb 21. 7. Oh their sinne troubles them which they confesse in generall we have sinned and in particular wee have spoken against the Lord and against thee and then pray him to helpe them in removing the Serpents So thou being stung when thou comest to Gods Ministers wilt be conversant in fruitfull and edifiable questions thou must be free in confession of such sinnes as are the likely cause of thy trouble and intent and busie how to be rid of the Serpents and the sting and poyson of thy sinnes Thou will be carefull to know how to get ease of heart and quietnesse of conscience from the paine and sting of sinne So the converts Act. 2 and so the Jaylor What shall I do to be saved The fault of many is when they have meanes of counsell and cōfort present with them to waste their time in trifling and curious questions and impertinent to the cure of the sting of the Serpent Questions which are like Crafishes in which is more picking then meat Questions meerely idle the resolution of which helps them no whit to ease or to heaven An humbled heart will not so lose his time nor dwell in toyes and unnecessaries to thrust out things more profitable A wise heart will not for a shadow forgoe the substance but will be much in that question of the young man Mr. what may I doe to inherit eternall life what may I doe to be saved what may I doe to be rid of this Serpent and
body cast into Elishaes grave quickned so our soules and bodies IV. The wonderfull power and wisdome of God that can draw light out of darknesse Ionahs casting over board into the sea was the occasion of converting the Mariners Even so Christs death converted many of them that were causes and authors of it Acts 2. 36. 41. And as the Mariners lives were saved by casting Ionah into the sea so all beleevers by the death of Iesus Christ. 1. Let us not measure Gods workes by carnall senses This made the two disciples going to Emaus Luke 24. to make but a bad argument Hee is crucified and behold this is the third day therefore though we thought he should have redeemed Israel wee are deceived Whereas faith would have made a cleane contrary conclusion He is crucified and this is the third day therefore he is the Redeemer The Iewes not knowing the Scriptures and power of God are hardned against Iesus Christ expecting a great Emperour as Iulius Caesar or some great Monarch not able to see that by so base a death life could be procured The carnall protestants are held off from the true imbracing of Christ because they see the truth and sincerity of Christ every where so resisted and hated by great Rulers and Doctors as if it had not been so in Christs owne person and Ministery or as if Christ was not set as a sign or butt of contradiction whereas therefore it must needs be he 2. Let us admire Gods power and wisdome and patiently with Ionah expect after darknesse light And seeing God can turne the greatest evill into the greatest good of his Church let us labour to make benefit of all evills hapning to our selves and others 1. Even of our sinnes themselves to make us more humble and watchfull for time to come 2. Of our sufferings as Ionah and Christ learned obedience by the things they suffered V. In the type and truth we have first terror on the one hand secondly comfort on the other 1. Wee see the waight of sinne committed pressed Ionah into the deepest sea of evils and sinne imputed thrust Christ into a deeper sea even the deepest hell Both seem left of God in the hands of death both cry out as left in the depth of hell 1. Doe thou run from God and duty and though thou beest Gods childe thou maist finde God pursuing thee as if he were an utter and irreconcileable enemy 2. Make as light a reckoning of sinne as thou canst the least of them shuts us or Christ out of heaven Doth Christ undertake thy sinne he sees not heaven till he die for it Sinne imputed will not let Christ enter into heaven but by his owne blood yea through Hell Thy sinne repented of held Christ an innocent out of heaven till he dyed for it but where shall ungodly and impenitent sinners appeare 2. This same collation affords us sundry grounds of comfort 1. Both seeme forsaken neither of them was so but both of them goe to his God There is no time nor place wherein the childe of God may not boldly goe to God and pray to his God and say My God my God 2. No deepe is so deepe but Gods hand can reach help into it even into the Whales belly and heart of the earth 3. The extreamest misery and death it selfe worke to good to the godly See it in Ionah Where was feared pâ—rdition there was found preservation The Whales belly was a prison indeed but to preserve him alive a deep gulfe and a sea but to save him froÌ„ drowning Can any man save a man from drowning by casting him into the sea but God can 4. When the case seemes most desperate then the Lord steps in to help when no helpe can bee expected any other way after three dayes and three nights Ionah must be cast up and Christ raised up Never feare extremities but then exercise thy faith most for then is God the nearest however trust in him though he kill thee Iob 13. 15. 5. The deepest sorrowes of Gods children end in greatest joy God hath a dry ground for Ionah after a sea of misery a glorious ascending for Christ after his lowest descent Whatsoever the sorrowfull songs be that Gods people sing here in Aegypt or Babel they shall end in songs of joy and victory and be changed into the songs of Moses and the Lambe Rev. 15. 3. CHAP. XIII The first borne Types of Christ 4. wayes HAving spoken of holy types in sundry special persons now of personall types in some rankes and orders of men sanctified and specially seperated to the Lord. Of whom 1. Some were sanctified by birth the first-borne 2. Some by office Priests especially the High-Priest 3. Some by vow as Nazarites 4. Some by ceremony as cleane persons legally cleansed from uncleanenesse Of these the first borne were speciall types of Iesus Christ. I. As they were Gods peculiar Exod. 13. 2. Sanctifie unto me all the first borne for it is mine Quest. How were they Gods Answ. 1. By common nature But so were all both first and last borne through the world For all the world and inhabitants of it are his Psal. 24. 1. 2. By common grace So all the people of the Jews by reason of common grace were his with whom God had plighted his gracious covenant which was made to Abraham and all his seed wheresoever they were borne of whom hee made choice as his peculiar though all the earth was his Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first borne that is not only the first people and nation that first professed the true worship of God and had priority of the Gentiles who were yonger brethren but the first borne by a speciall election and choice of that from all other people whom hee would accept as his beloved in the Messiah the first born of all creatures and among whom he would stablish his covenant and raise up his worship thus hee dealt not with other nations 3 By a speciall right The first borne of Israel were Gods by a singular right as no other childreÌ„ of any other family were namely by right of that singular deliverance of all the first borne when he destroyed all the first borne of Aegypt And therefore presently after that destruction he makes challenge of them Exod. 13. 2. Thus is Jesus Christ the Lords first borne by a singular right not common to man or Angell whether we respect his nature or office 1. In his nature he is first born as sonne of God the first begotten of all creatures Col. 1. 15. begot before all Creation And thus he is not onely the first begotten before whom there was none but the onely begotten after whom is none Iohn 1. 14. the onely begotten Sonne of the Father the first borne without a second or brother 2. In his office hee was first borne by speciall prerogative 1. for the kinde 2. for the undertaking 3. for the accomplishing
and take our flesh that by death he might destroy him that had the power of death 2. The scarlet cedar and hysope must be dipped also to shew that all the graces we receive from him must be dipped in his blood by which alone we have both accesse unto grace and acceptation into grace For by the dipping and union of this live bird and slaine we come into the grace and favour of God being united first to his humanity then to his divinity and so are knit to his whole person and by him we come to the father 3. The Priest must let the live bird goe into the broad field ver 7. signifying 1. Christs escape and deliverance from death and the power of the grave 2. His exaltation after he was once consecrated his ascending on high and being made higher then the heavens Heb. 7. 26. 3. The publication and manifestation of righteousnesse purchased by the death of Christ in the broad open field of the Church and this in the daily ministery of the Gospell Thirdly concerning the party to whom this cure must be applyed The Priest must sprinkle on him that is to be cleansed this blood seven times signifying 1. That only Christ Jesus doth sprinkle his blood on penitēt soules from whom only they must expect pardon purging from sins 2. That Christs blood must be particularly applyed to every beleever to every thing that is to be cleansed Partly by Gods imputation of Christ and his merits to the penitent sinner Partly by his Ministers in the publishing and speciall applying the particular promises to every soule that is weary 3. Seven times sprinkling noteth 1. Perfect justification by the blood of Christ the number of seven times perfect sprinkling he is able perfectly to save all that come unto him and needeth no other seeking of other merits to satisfie or justifie 2. To put the uncleane person in minde how hardly he parts from his foulenesse and us that it is no easie thing to be rid of sinne 3. How weakly and imperfectly our selves apply the blood of Christ that have need of so many sprinklings to humble us for our weaknesse of faith and slow progresse in sanctification Sect. IX I. All these ordinances and ceremonies in discerning and curing this disease in generall teach us two things I. That it is no small businesse to be rid of the leprosie of the soule and infection of sinne which was but shadowed in that as that was occasioned by this For whence is bodily leprosie but from leprosie of the soule Or what is it that strikes the body with such contagious sicknesse but the infection and sicknesse of the soule As in Gehezi Mariam Vzziah whose bodies were so fouly infected and deformed by the leprosie of the soule and corruption of heart And who sees not how the Lord would lead them and us to take speciall notice hereby of the soules leprosie by sinne in that hee committeth the knowledge and discerning of this disease of leprosie to the Priests sending them to the Physitians of their soules and not to the Physitians of their bodies whom one would thinke it more specially and properly concerned This should admonish us all that if there be so much adoe to get cleane bodies cleane faces cleane skins how great our care and businesse should be to get clean soules the soile of which cleaves not to the skin onely but sticks closer to us then our skin or bones and yet wee thinke every slight sigh or Lord have mercy or three words at our death sufficient to rid us of our sinnes and soules leprosie II. How carefull the Lord is to sever the cleane from uncleane for feare of generall infection Teaching 1. the Magistrate that as the Lord puts difference betweene him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath so should they to incourage and countenance the clean person that is the godly and faithfull David set his eyes on the godly in the land not to maligne or wrong them but to cherish their persons and help up religion and the feare of God in them As also to discountenance and terrifie the foule blasphemer the drunkard Sabbath breaker idle persons and gamesters that thrust themselves out of their calling all the week long But if a man by his course shuffle cleane and uncleane together nay runne with the uncleane and countenance gamesters swearers bibbers how doth he execute the judgements of God 2. A good minister then stands in the counsell of God when he severs the precious from the vile Ier. 15. 19. The Priest in the Law must pronounce him cleane that is so indeed He durst not pronounce a foule person to bee cleane nor a cleane person foule Then how dares a man that stands to judge between the Lord and his people scandalize or scorne such as endeavour most to be clean How comes it that we doe not heare drunkards adulterers theeves swearers blasphemours so rated and disgraced as them Or how dare men sell praises of religion to foule Atheists swearers haters and despisers of goodnesse as if men should gild rotten posts or wash dead bricks making them at their death seeme as white as lawne who all their life were white as Lepers Well let not the despised members of Christ be discouraged we know that the judgement of Christ shall passe righteously betweene the cleane and uncleane If thy heart be upright let all men cast the foule brand of an hypocrite on thee Jesus Christ shall pronounce thee cleane 3. Every good man must and will be glad of this separation rejoyce in that arbitrement that differenceth clean and uncleane as most savoury Wicked men can abide nothing lesse then this shedding differencing of men Whence are so many tumults Oh you are more holy then all other you are the pure ones you are all cleane c but because they have learned a trick to deceive themselves and to hide their foulenesse as they thinke by crowding all into one confusion Now is that doctrine onely intolerable that fetcheth them out of their holes and casts them out among their uncleane fellowes for whose company they be a great deale fitter then for the society of Saints and beleevers II. Note in speciall 1. In that the Leper must bee sent to the Priest to have his leprosie discerned we see that our Lord Jesus who was typified by the high Priest can discerne our leprosie Thou maist hide thy sinne from man but thou canst not deceive him no idle excuse or fig-leafe can cover thee If he see thee an adulterer a swearer an unjust person a covetous or proud person if he see thee an enemy a profane person he will judge thee a Leper Thou canst not sinne though never so secretly but thou art sure to be discerned and tryed by him whose eyes are as a flame of fire And if he judge thee a leper he will pronounce thee a leper and thou canst not appeale from but must
and poyson so the devill casts out nothing but virulent words against God and his Saints and spewes out after the Church a flood of poyson to drowne her How hee blasphemed Iob how he is the accuser of the brethren how of the head Christ himselfe the Scripture declares Fiftly as a serpent is cursed above all beasts so is the devill The first cursed creature in the world was this serpent and hath ever since remained the cursed head of all cursed rebells and wicked ones to whose custody and condemnation they shall all be gathered in the last day Mat. 25. 41. goe ye cursed c. 2. Why called fiery serpents Answ. 1. From their colour Through abundance of poison they had a shining and glistring skinne and they seemed as if they had been made of fire A resemblance wee have in our snakes that seeme to shine and sparkle against the Sunne 2. From their effect For with their sting they infused such poison into the bodies of the Israelites as stirred up in them an outragious heat and fire Now these diseases are most painfull and so tormentfull as if a wild-fire were in the bowels feeding upon the bones marrow and members 3. From their end First because they were appointed by God and after a sort inflamed and kindled with desire of revenge of the Lords wrongs and they so fiercely assaulted the Israelites as if a raging and devouring fire had seased upon them which no way they could avoid Secondly that in their punishment they might bee admonished both what a fearefull fire of Gods wrath they had kindled by their sin against themselves as also that they had deserved a more fearefull fire in hell to seize upon their whole man everlastingly 3. Why stinging serpents Answ. To imply unto us First that sinne is the sting of this old serpent even a poisoned sting that hee hath thrust into all mankind But with this difference in that this poison is farre more generall and the wounds infinitely more mischievous then were those of the fiery serpents For 1. They stung a few Israelites but not all but this serpent hath stung all mankind none excepted 2. They stung the bodies onely but these soules and bodies also 3. They stung one part of the body this serpent all parts and whole man 4. They to a temporall death this to an eternall Secondly to imply that sinne is the sting of a fiery serpent 1. Set on fire with wrath and cruelty and desire to poison and destroy us Revel 12. 17. 2. Setting on us with fiery darts For so his temptations are called Ephes. 6. 16. for three reasons 1. From the manner and custome of souldiers in times past which cast poisoned darts the poison of which inflamed the wounded bodies and made the wounds incurable As now many out of desperate malice poison their weapons and bullets to make sure with their enemy So doth Satan by all meanes poison his darts to speed the Christians soule 2. Because as fiery darts they inflame and kindle in the heart all manner of burning lusts and sinnes one of them being but as a sparke or firebrand to kindle another 3. Because they leave for most part a cauterized and seared conscience behind them as if they were burnt with an hot iron which makes the sinner stung senslesse of his wound Whence is another miserable difference betweene the stung Israelite and the stung sinner The former was alwayes felt with griefe and paine but this often not felt and so more desperate Thirdly the effect of this stinging was death in many And so the effect of sinne is death in all The stung Israelite had death in his bosome and no other could be expected so the guilty sinner is stung to death In his nature is every man the sonne of death and can expect nothing but death every moment And as the stung person in the wildernesse had no meanes in himselfe nor from others to avoid either the serpent or death from it till God appointed them the brazen serpent So the poore sinner was destitute of all helpe in himselfe and others till the Lord appointed Jesus Christ the promised seed to breake the serpents head There is given no name else whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. First note hence how deceitfull are the pleasures of sinne It is as a sweet poison Iob 20. 12. sweet in the mouth but poison in the bowels What wise man would drink a draught of poison for the sweet taste of it Wicked men hold sinne as a sweet morsell but sower sauce followes it Secondly what little cause we have to love our sinnes for that is to love our owne bane Prov. 8. 35. Hee that sinneth against mee hurteth his owne soule and all that hate mee loue death No sinne but the more pleasing the more poisoning the more delicate the more deadly Sinne never so much disguised never the lesse deadly Thirdly that sinners are but dead men while they live 1. Tim. 5. 6. An Israelite stung was but a dead man So although the reasonable soule in a sinner makes him a man yet the want of the Spirit of grace makes him a dead man Death waits upon sinne as the wages on the worke and hell upon death that comes before repentance Fourthly A foole hee is that makes a mocke of sinne Who would play with a deadly serpent or make a jest of his owne death or drink up the poison of a serpent in merriment or cast darts firebrands about him to burne himselfe and others and say Am I not in sport See Prov. 26. 18. and 10. 23. and 14. 9. Oh that wee could discerne our wounds as sensibly as we are certainly stung It would make us runne to God and get Moses to goe to God for us and pray that these serpents and painfull wounds might be removed If wee saw death as present and as ghastly in our sins as Israel did in their stinging we would hasten our repentance and seeke after meanes of cure Sect. II. The remedy is First prescribed Num. 21. 8. Secondly applied vers 9. Thirdly in the same verse is the effect they recovered and lived So then in the remedy are I. ordination 2. application 3. sanation or cure 1. The appointing hath First the person appointing which was God himselfe who devised it and prescribed it to Moses for God will save onely in his owne meanes So God himselfe so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Ioh. 3. 16. This way of remedy and cure could bee no devise of man nor Angel For 1. The Angels stand still admiring and amazed at it 1. Pet. 1. 12. 2. Men without a superiour teacher cannot conceive it 1. Cor. 2. 14. much lesse invent it Secondly the thing appointed a serpent of brasse resembling Christ in the matter and the forme 1. The matter was of brasse not gold for five reasons 1. God ties not himselfe
to the excellency of meanes but by weake and unlikely meanes effects his great works And therefore that which had no power of cure in it selfe must cure and heale that the worke may be knowen to be his and not the meanes 2. The lower and baser the meanes are the better may the Israelites be led through them and so beyond them It was not the will of God that they should rest in the brazen serpent which had no power of cure but through it bee led by faith vnto the Messiah who onely could cure them 3. Though it was of brasse yet it was strong and signified Jesus Christ how weake soever in mens eyes yet was hee first the mighty and strong God secondly powerfull and able to deliver his people thirdly most invincible and potent also against all his enemies he is a wall of brasse and his strength is as the strength of brasse Reuel 1. 15. 4. Being of brasse as it was strong so was it shining and bright signifying Christ in respect of his divine and eternall generation truely shining and glorious Hee was the brightnesse of his Father Heb. 1. 3. the very brightnesse of the glory of God excelling all the Angels in heaven in their clearest glory and brightnesse Revel 1. 16. 5. As that serpent so shined that the Israelites might look upon it and their eyes not dazled so this great glory was so vailed by his flesh and humility as we the Israel of God might behold it yea approch it and fetch our salvation and happinesse from it 2. It resembled Christ in the forme for the forme was of a serpent First a serpent is of an hatefull and contemptible shape and appearance so was Christ in his owne habite Isai. 53. a despised man a worme rather then a man men saw no beauty in him but hid their eyes Secondly the serpent was accursed of God So Christ lay under the curse of sinne for us Gal. 3. 13. Thirdly that was but like a serpent in the forme of a serpent not a serpent it had onely the shape not the life sting nor poison of a serpent So Jesus Christ was the similitude of sinfull flesh but no sinner No venim or poison of sinne was found in him neither in his nature nor actions Rom. 8. 3. hee was in the similitude of sinfull flesh as that of a serpent but without all sting or spot of sinne The third thing in the appointment is the end or use of the serpent It must bee lift up upon a pearch that all Israel might see it Which plainly noteth both the kind of death which Christ must suffer as also the proper end and vertue of it as in these particulars 1. Both must bee lifted up So Christs crucifying is called an exaltation from the earth Ioh. 12. 32. 2. Both must be exalted upon wood the Pole a type of the Crosse of Christ. 3. Both among the Jews out of the Church is no salvation 4. Both to be looked upon one with the eye of the body the other with the eye of faith 5. Both to recover health and life one of body the other of soule one frees from corporall death the other from spirituall and eternall II. The applying of this remedy was nothing but the looking upon the brazen serpent which signified the sinners beholding of Jesus Christ for his cure The meanes of application of the remedy was the eye of the Israelite So the instrument of applying the remedy by Jesus Christ is the eye of faith which is the eye of the soule So our Saviour Christ himselfe expoundeth it Ioh. 3. As the brasen Serpent was lift up so shall the son of man that whosoever beleeveth in him c. That which Moses calls looking on the type Christ calls beleeving in himselfe the truth Which if the Lord had not purposed to expresse he could as easily have remooved the Serpents as appointed the making of another and as easily have healed them by his word as by this signe but hereby affords them a double mercy and cure one of the body by the signe another of their soules by the thing and truth thereby signifyed III. From this application followes a saving effect The Israelite by looking lived and received present ease with freedome from paine and poyson So the beleever looking on Christ by the eye of faith hath an heavenly life restored present ease from the paine of a guilty and accusing conscience freedome from the poyson of sinne both the guilt and staine of it But herein the truth is advanced above the type 1. That brazen Serpent had not power in it selfe to cure this hath power in it selfe 2. Whereas they were cured to dye againe beleevers attaine a sound cure never to dye more Ioh. 11. 26. 3. Whereas that did not alwaies retaâ—â—e the vertue of curing our brazen Serpent doth ever retaiâ—e power and vertue for the salvation of beleevers looking towards him to the end of the world 4. Wheras this brasen Serpent now a remedy against poyson was after turned to poyson the Israelites in Hezekiahs time which made him stampe it to powder our brazen Serpent ever remaineth the soveraigne and healing God as unchangeable in his goodnesse as hee is in his most holy and divine nature 5. That remained a great while about seaven hundred and threescore yeares but after was defaced and destroyed Our brazen Serpent can never bee defaced or destroyed but abides the Saviour of sinners to all eternity Oh now what a sweet Sermon doth this one type containe of the whole summe and marrow of the Gospell what a pregnant testimony and vaticinie is it alone of the death and passion of Jesus Christ as also of the vertue and merit of the same and consequently what a prop and stay of our faith what a goade and spurre to drive us to Jesus Christ in whose name alone wee can bee saved Sect. 3. I. Note What weake and contrary meanes the Lord useth to effect great things for his Church and in his Church Was there any sence or reason to be conceived in all this counsell and ordinance of God in healing thus his people 1. Could a Serpent of brasse a shape only more heale then hurt them 2. Could a dead Serpent prevaile against so many living and fiery Serpents 3. Shall not this shape and image of a Serpent be so much as touched or applyed to the wound but the sight of it onely a farre off cure a mortall wound really inflicted How inconceivable is this to humane reason which perhaps would count it foolish and ridiculous But the Lord though he might by many other more mighty and likely meanes will by no other meanes effect their deliverance He that brought in the Serpents could as easily have remooved them if not that yet he might have hindered them from biting them or hee might powerfully of the same poyson have made a remedy but he chooseth most unlikely meanes Qu.
the Ministery which not the first Adam onely but the second also exercised Dispise at thy perill what they so honoured thinke it too base for thy selfe to attend for thy sonnes to intend Neither the first Adam Lord of the earth nor the second Adam Lord of Heaven and earth did so II. To note the antiquity and authority of the doctrine of free grace by the merit of the Messiah which both the first and second Adam taught neither of them ever dreamed of the doctrine of workes and humane merits What Adam learned of God in Paradise hee taught to his posterity what his posterity heard of him the same they delivered and left to their children but they never heard nor taught any other way to salvation but by the promised seed so also what the Disciples heard of the second Adam that they taught to the Churches but they heard the same of him Act. 4. 12. And our doctrine being the same with theirs is not new but more ancient then any other For as this is the honour of all truth to be before error and falshood so of this truth to have precedency of all truths It truely pleadeth antiquity therefore verity III. In that the Church comes out of Christs side being in the sleepe of death as Eve out of Adams hee sleeping wee learne to seeke our life in Christs death That death should be propagated by the sinne of the first Adam was no marvaile but that life by the death of the second is an admired mystery Here is the greatest work of Gods power fetched out of his contrary of ranke poyson a soveraigne remedy by the most skilfull Physitian of hearts Let the Jewes scorne a crucified God and refuse the life offered by a dead man they know not the Scriptures nor the power of God who can and doth command light out of darknesse life out of death all things out of nothing How easily can â—e repayre all things out of any thing who can fetch and frame all things out of nothing He is of power to make of clay and spittle fit to put out the sight a remedy to restore sight He can as easily save a world by the death of his Son as multiply a world by the sleepe of Adam IV. Labour to bee ingrafted into the second Adam that as thou hast borne the image of the earthly so thou maist beare the image of the heavenly 1. Cor. 15. 49. 1. Because the second Adam repayres whatsoever we lost in the first By the first wee are enemies to God by the second wee are reconciled to him By the first wee all dye by the second wee are all made alive 1. Cor. 15. 22. By the first we are left to Sathans power by the second wee are guided by the Spirit of God By the first we lost all the Creatures by the second we are restored to the holy use of theÌ„ all By the first a necessity of death is brought in Heb. 9. 27. it is appoynted for all men once to dye and then commeth judgement but by the second wee have a recovery of the blessing of immortality and life Whatsoever the first Adam brings into the world by sinne the second carryes out by his righteousnesse 2. Because by Christ the truth wee recover more then we lost or ever should have had by the Type For so the Apostle Rom. 5. 16. the gift by the second Adam hath exceeded the offence of the first That as the first Adam by eating the forbidden fruit hath powred all evill into the soules and bodies of all men though they eate not of the forbidden tree So the second Adam by regeneration is made righteousnesse to those who had wrought no righteousnesse and powred all good things into the soules and bodies of his members The first Adam by sinne helps us into misery but the second Adam not onely helps us out of misery but advanceth us to the highest dignity to be of sonnes of wrath sons of God brethren of Christ members of his body heires of the kingdome of heaven By Adams sinne we are all driven out of Paradise an earthly pleasure in which wee should have enjoyed an inconstant happinesse but by Christ we are brought into the heavenly Paradise our Fathers house By Adams sinne we become unjust but by Christs holinesse we are not just onely but sanctified graced confirmed glorified into whom by faith we come to be ingrafted CHAP. III. 2. Noah a type of Christ 7. waies THe second instance is Noah a manifest type of the true Noah and that in seven respects I. Both were fore-prophesied of to be Saviours Gen. 5. 29. Lamech begat a son and called his name Noah saying This shall comfort us concerning our workes and sorrow and curse of the earth therefore he called him by a name signifying ceasing or rest So of Christ Mat. 1. 21. thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people He shall be the true Noah that shall cause Gods wrath to cease and bring the afflicted soule to true rest and tranquillity II. Both are said to be just and perfect both said to walke with God and both to find grace and favour with God 1. Noah was just in his generation So was Christ have nothing to do with that just man saith Pilates Wife Mat. 27. 19. But with difference Noahs righteousnesse was imputed being righteousnesse of faith Heb. 11. 7. Christs was inherent a righteousnesse of nature person and heart 2. Noah was a perfect and upright man Gen. 6. 9. that is not defiled with Idolatry false religion opinions or externall crimes but Christ was perfect simply and absolutely Noah but comparatively Noah was perfect but in part Christ perfectly perfect Christ Legally Noah Evangelically Noah perfect by the perfection of another Christ by his owne Noah perfect because without open crime Christ being without sinne 3. Both walking with God found grace with God Noah Gen. 6. 8. Christ Luke 2. 40. 52. But Noah found grace by acceptation and imputation Christ by compleat merit and satisfaction Christ found grace by his owne perfection and justice but Noah cloathed with Christs III. Both of them were Preachers of righteousnesse But Christ preached his owne doctrine Noah Christs Both invited unto repentance Both called men to avoid the Judgement to come Both lived and preached in a most corrupt age when there was a generall defection both in doctrine and manners Both their Ministeries were despised and that despight of both fearefully revenged the one by water the other by fire and sword both by utter desolation as the like never heard of before IV. Both of them makers of an Arke and Masters of it But Noah of a materiall Christ of a spirituall the Church Noah to save sinners from the deluge of waters temporall Christ to save sinners from the deluge of Gods wrath eternall In the making of their Arkes they are very like 1.
in thy calling and the rocke shall yeeld thee water rather then thou shalt be destitute in Gods way or worke V. In both learne to contemne the greatest and extreamest perill in Gods causes Sampson offered himselfe to death so did Christ hee went out to meet his enemies so must thou learne not to love thy life to the death Revel 12. 11. and with Paul not count thy life deare 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 owne private motion is rash but God calling in standing against the enemies of the Church it is honourable In both learne to prepare for death approaching by faithfull and fervent prayer So did both these Sampsons And the issue will bee comfortable as theirs that all thy life and combat shall not give such an overthrow to thy enemies as such a death though enemies seeme 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 then all the rest I meane David and Solomon Of both which wee 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 stocke 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 owne 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 bee the Prince among them which was longafter 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 seeke 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 Iudea 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 bee a shepherd of men even of Gods people So was Christ raised of God to be the chiefe shepherd of the flocke 1. Pet. 5. 4. And not of bodies as David but of soules 1. Pet. 2. 25. 2. The time when David was anointed about the thirtieth yeare 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 Ierusalem for his royall seate and Metropolis being anointed of God to the Kingdome of Israel So Christ being anointed the everlasting King of all the Israel of God makes 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 ascension sending the Spirit 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 Spirit of God came upon him 1. Sam 16. 13. and fitted him to the governement of Gods people So our true David Jesus Christ anointed with oyle above all his fellowes had the Spirit of God descending upon him in 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 foure 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 bee wise in matters and the Lord was with him and Chap. 18. verse 14 15. when Saul saw that David was very wise hee was afraid of him Our true David had all treasures of wisedome and knowledge the Spirit of wisedome 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 werâ— as the Oracles of God Christs were so And our true David gets beyond his type David in many things by his owne 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 hee was God 2 In fortitude and magnanimity without which counsell were bootlesse by which hee was able to encounter with a Lion 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 Iudah 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 Authour 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 owne heart commended for his uprightnesse in all matters save that of Vriah 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 Authour meritour and applier of all sanctifying graces to his members of whom himselfe is head 3. In his type were many foule spots In him no spot nor staine Therefore the Church sings out his holinesse from topp 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
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 doe this literally 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 propheticall and Priestly office 1. David by his sweet musick allayes Sauls madnesse 1. Sam. 16. 23. Christ by the sweet voyce of the Gospell stills the evill spirits which molest and vexe men and gives them peace and quietnesse in mind and conscience And in the dayes of his flesh how he sought to cure and allay the spirituall madnesse of the wicked Scribes and Pharisees against him is plaine in the story 2. David brings back the Arke to his right place 2. Sam. 6. So did Christ the truth of Gods Law obscured by the false glosses of Scribes and Pharisees and reduced the true sense and meaning of it And freed his Church signified by the Arke from the spirituall thraldome and captivity of the Law 3. David builds an Altar in the grounds of a stranger 2. Sam. 24. 24 namely Araunah the Jebusite The true David builds up a Church among the Gentiles and sets up Gods worship among them that were strangers from the Covenant 4. David offers a sacrifice and the Lord accepts it sending fire from heaven to consume it 2. Sam. 24. 25. Christ offers the most acceptable sacrifice that every was in which both Davids and all ours must be accepted and in which alone the Lord smels a savour of rest I. As the spirit of God came on David after his anoynting 1. Sam. 16. 13 So did it on our true David after his baptizing to fit them to their waighty offices Learne 1. That he that is not fitted and furnished with gifts of the spirit in some measure and attempteth any office in the Church or commonwealth is not called by God whose wisdome will not send a blind man for a seer nor a dumb man on his message or errand Would a man know whether hee have received of this spirit for his office A note is when God stirres up his will in that office to performe all the desire of God Isa. 44. 28 he saith to Cyrus Thou art my shepheard thou shalt performe all my desire The Magistrate is a shepheard he must doe in judgement what God himselfe would doe in repressing vice and cherishing religion else the spirit who is not contrary to himselfe leads him not The Minister is a shepheard hee must speake nothing but what God would speake for the incouraging of grace and disgrace of sinne and sinners God speaks peace to his people and feeds the impenitent with judgement and he that in his ministery doth speake sweetly to wicked men and broacheth a vessell of gall and wormewood for godly men to drinke is not sent by God on that errand hee crosseth the spirit which hee pretendeth 2. Art thou a private Christian see that the same spirit rest on thee and that thou hast received of the same anoynting For 1. he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs and 2. what is it to us that the spirit rest and light upon Christ if he should determine all his fruits and graces upon him But in that the sweete oyntment and Balsame poured upon the head of our high Priest runnes downe to the skirt of his garment that is to the lowest member of his Church Psa 133. 2 hence are we sweetly and admirably refreshed Findest thou emptinesse or want of grace fly to this fulnesse but observe the diverse manner To the head is given the spirit in all fulnesse to us members of that fulnesse Ioh. 1. 16. To him beyond all measure to us according to measure II. That Jesus Christ is the right and undoubted King of his Church of whom David was but a shadow And it will be worth our labour to enquire how farre the truth exceeds the type 1. For originall Davids kingdome and all other Kings and kingdomes are mediately from men either from some meane family as Jshais or some greater house in some corner of the earth But the kingdome of Christ is immediatly and unchangeably from heaven Dan. 2. 44. the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdome that is immediately for mediatly all kingdomes Kings and power is from him 2. In respect of unction All they are annoynted 1. by men 2. with materiall oyle 3. to be temporary Saviours 4. from temporary dangers But Christs annoynting was by the Spirit of God with more divine and excellent oyle above all his fellowes Psal. 45. 7. that he might be a spirituall and eternall Saviour a Jesus saving his people from their sinnes and such spirituall evills as pertaine to the life to come 3. Their titles are stately and glorious David as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said so Caesar Augustus Charles the great Constantine Alexander the great to set out their glory But all these are nothing to the true and undoubted title of Jesus Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. And if this were too little he hath another for he is God and man in one Person our Immanuel a style too high for Pope or Potentate for men or Angels Isay 7. 14. 4. Their Scepters are of metal gold or silver which they hold in their hands and by them they save or slay innocent or nocent But his Scepter is but verball which he holds in his mouth the word and breath of his mouth more pure then the gold of Ophir more potent then all the Scepters of all Kings put together By this he slayes the wicked Hos. 6. 5. I slew them with the word of my mouth 2. Thes. 2. 8. he shall slay that wicked man of sinne with the breath of his mouth Other Kings by their Scepters can kill men but cannot make them alive againe when they have done but Christ by his word can quicken and make alive dead soules and bodies They by theirs can be dreadfull to men Christ by his drives backe devils diseases death and all adversary power 5. In port and state 1. Their banners and ensignes expresse their noble acts and the honourable exployts of them and their progenitors which are glorious in the eyes of men Christs banner for his kingdome of grace is his Crosse or rather the Gospell a doctrine of the Crosse to the world foolishnesse or basenesse but in his kingdome of glory the signe of the sonne of man that is such glory and power as agrees to none else 2. Their servants and attendants must be rich stately noble and the sonnes of great Princes must be nearest to attend them Christ Jesus in contempt of what the world admireth will have his servants poore meeke lowly not such lofty Lords as so farre excell the Emperour in worldly glory as the Sunne
1. For the kinde in that he was Mediator God and man in unity of person and the onely redeemer of his Church In this regard Rom. 8. 29. he is called the first borne among many brethren Which phrase noteth quality not equality with him some similitude but no parity betweene him and beleevers He holds his birth-right as the Sonne of God by nature and wee by grace made the sonnes of God he disdaines not to call us brethren 2. For undertaking his office 1. In his incarnation he was the first borne of his Mother Mat. 1. 25. till she had brought forth her first borne Son not in respect of any that his mother had after him but because she had none before 2. For the strange maner He was the first borne of a virgine and so never had brother 3. He was the first borne without sinne 3. For accomplishing his office in his resurrection He is called the first begotten or first borne of the dead two wayes 1. In respect of his father who first begot him from the dead Whence his resurrection is called a begetting Act. 13. 33. thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee the Apostle applying it to the resurrection of Christ. And had not the Father thus begotten his sonne from the dead we had never been raised from death 2. In regard of himselfe whose priviledge it was to raise up himselfe from the dead by his owne power Rom. 1. 4. As himselfe said I have power to take up my life againe And being risen he was the first that ascended in body and soule into heaven Thus consider Christ as God as Mediator as incarnate as raised and ascended he is the Lords first born and the birthright belongs to no other II. The first borne of Israel was the second and next to the father of the family yea after the father instead of the father So is Christ to his family the Church he performes all offices of a carefull and tender father and takes on him not the affection onely of a father but even 1. the name of a father Isa. 9. 6. Father of eternity 2 the office of a father 1. He supplies the meanes of spirituall life as they of naturall 2. Hee nurtures and teacheth his Church 3. Hee provides for the present and bestowes the inheritance of eternall life III. The first born had the preheminence among the brethren and were chiefe in office and authority rulers in the house after their fathers and Priests in the family before the Leviticall order was established Gen. 27. 29. when Isaac blessed Iacob for Esau supposing him the first borne one part of it was Be Lord over thy brethren and let all thy mothers children honour thee So all the sheaves must bowe to Iosephs And Gen. 49. 8. when Iacob blesseth Iudah this is added as his right Thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe unto thee Here in they were speciall types of Christ who in all things must have the preheminence as first in time in order in precedency first in the excellency and dignity of his person Of whom comming into the world was said Let all the Angels of God worship him And for glory and authority he sits on his fathers throne the onely King of kings who hath a name above all names Phil. 2. 9. And Heb. 2. 9. we see Iesus crowned with glory and honour the head of the mysticall body the Prince and head of all his brethren And besides he is the high Priest of our profession by offering up himselfe a sacrifice for us Thus Christ is first in order in glory in Priesthood IV. The first borne had a double portion in goods Deut. 21 17. Signifying 1. The plenitude of the spirit grace in Christ who was anointed with oyle of gladnesse above all his fellowes 2. The preheminence of Christ in his glorious inheritance advanced in glory and majesty incomprehensible by all creatures I. Out of the occasion of the Law of the first borne learne that the more God doth for any man the more he ought to conceive himselfe to be the Lords and the more right and interest the Lord challengeth in him For therefore the first borne were his by a speciall right because he had not onely delivered them out of Aegypt as others but from the speciall plague of Aegypts first borne Speciall mercies call for speciall service More mercies are more bonds of obedience And new mercies are so many new cords to draw and fasten us to God and duty Is it not reason that the more it pleaseth the Lord to become ours the more we should become his Ought not great benefits become great binders And should not great love bee a great loadstone of love Should not strong cords of Gods love draw us strongly to love our God Examine the encrease of Gods mercies on thee in all kindes and whether they have had this fruit to make thee more dutifull Hath God multiplied blessing on thy head that thou shouldest blesse thy selfe in wickednesse Hath God continued mercy that thou shouldest continue sinne Art thou the Lords by Creation providence redemption stored with all personall kindnesses pertaining to life and godlinesse to continue a slave to sinne and Satan Remember good Iosephs conclusion Gen. 39. 8 9. My master hath dealt thus and thus with me advanced me from nothing to this estate committed all to my trust kept nothing from me but thee How then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God 2. If Christ be the true first borne of whom all they are but types we must give him the honor of his birth-right The whole Church and all the sonnes of that mother must honour him all the sheaves of the brethren must vaile and bowe to his sheave Let not the basenesse of his birth the humility of his life the ignominy of his death the shame of his crosse the poverty of his professors the weaknesse and frailty of his followers draw our eyes aside from him as the Jews at this day but acknowledge him the first borne esteeming him as doth the Church the chiefe of ten thousand and with the Apostle esteeme to know nothing but Christ and him crucified Quest. How shall we honour Christ as the first born Sol. 1. If we honour him with the same honor that is due to the Father Iohn 5. 23. 2. Advance his estate above our owne or other mens confesse and professe his name though with losse and disfavour 3. Depend upon him and make him our chiefe refuge for all the family depended on the first borne for protection so doe members on the head 4. Greeve to offend him by sin How pitifully can men and women grieve for the death of their first borne So much more should we that our sins have pierced Gods first borne Zach. 12. 10. III. Here is a ground of much consolation 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first borne from him the birthright is
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 thy seed hath any blemishes shall not prease to offer the bread of his God Hee must not be blind lame nor mishapen Wherein the Lord would not onely provide for the dignity of that calling in that infancy of the Church which otherwise if the Priesthood had beene in outward shew contemptible many might have drawen 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 bee without all blemish the onely immaculate Lambe 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 harmelesse 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 wee have a sufficient cover for all our blemishes both of soule and body 1. If never so blemished in soule by sinne by infirmity if wee have a thousand wants and eye-sores if we bewaile and resist them here is helpe 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 eate from the Altar of the sacrifices as the Preists 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 bee respected and the choisest of our children are not too good for Gods service yet now it is farre better a good Minister without an eye or a hand or foot then 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 minde which the Lord expects in Ministers before they attempt this high calling 1. He of all men must not bee 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 bee darke so is all the body 2. Hee 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 aiming at Gods glory or the building of Christs Kingdome but his owne 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. Hee must not have a flat nose that is without discretion or judgement to discerne truth and falsehood good and evill things fit and unfit As the nose discernes smells so to discerne companies and courses 5. Hee must not have a crooked backe bended downwards and almost broken with earthly cares hindering his eye from looking towards heaven and interrupting heavenly contemplations and studye 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 then this so holy calling Sect. II. II. His consecration set downe Exo. 29. 1. wherein were three thiâ—gs 1. Washing 2. Anointing 3. â— Sacrificing and purifying with blood 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 devills 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 Mat. 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 oile of gladnesse above all thy fellowes In which regard Christ was called by eminency the anointed of God and the Priests as types touch not mine anointed In this anointing 1. The matter holy Oile signifying the Spirit of God and his gifts for much similitude and agreement betweene them 1. That was made of the most precious things in all the world Exod. 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 Oile swimmes aloft So the Spirit and graces are highest 2. No stranger had that Oile but onely persons and things sanctified So none but Gods Elect have these precious and saving mercies Ioh. 14. 17. The world cannot receive it that is gifts not common but of sanctification 3. That perfumd 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 Oile the sacrifice of the Jew was as if hee 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. Oile is cleare and shining and makes other things anointed to shine The holy Ghost within enlightneth the mind and brings in the true light and knowledge of God 1. Ioh. 2. 27. the anointing shall teach you all things 6. Oile 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 sparkes flie upward 7. Oile suppleth cherisheth comforteth So the Spirit of consolation anoints with oile of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. It is he that brings peace and tranquillity into consciences 2. The measure powred in abundance upon Aarons
that our principall mourning may be for our sinnes and binde up our affections for outward and naturall losses and crosses so as wee may have them loosed in spirituall This law tells us that sorow for our onely sonne or brother or the deare wife that lieth in our bosome ought to be no sorow in comparison of sorow for sinne Which 1. separates from God 2. makes Christ absent and stand aloofe 3. grieves the Spirit and makes him heavy towards us 4. seperates soule from body yea without repentance soule and body from heaven and happinesse Let us who have beene excessive in worldly sorow turne the streame against our sinnes and in all crosses set our heavinesse rather upon some sinne in our selves which might cause the crosse then on the crosse it selfe Sect. VII Now it followeth that we shew how the Priests figured Christ in their ministeriall actions Of these kinde of actions some were common to inferiour Priests some proper to the high Priest I. Common actions were six 1. The Priest must kill the sacrifices and none but he signifying Jesus Christ his voluntary action in laying downe his life for beleevers none could take away his life from him And hee was to be aswell the Priest as the sacrifice Iohn 10. 18. I have power to lay downe my life 2. The priests offred the blood of the sacrifices to God and sprinkled it on the Altar for they were ordained for men in things of God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinnes No man might offer his owne sacrifice but hee must bring it to the Priest there was no comming to God but by the priest Figuring out Iesus Christ who offers up himselfe a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world upon the Altar of his Deity which gives both vertue and merit unto it No other can offer to God bloody or unbloody sacrifice upon this Altar but himselfe Iohn 17. 19. I sanctifie my selfe for them even as the Altar sanctifieth the gift 3. The Priests prepared the body of the sacrifice Lev. 1. 6. flayed it divided it into severall parts washed the intrailes put fire unto the burnt offering consumed the fat cast the filth and dung into the place of ashes Signifying that Christ himselfe alone did the whole worke of redemption He suffered the heate of Gods wrath and justice he puts away all our filth and covers it in his owne ashes he burnes up our fat that is the senselessenesse of our sin and all that savoureth of the flesh by the fire of his Spirit and inwardly purgeth and wholly washeth us in the fountaine of his owne blood 4. The Priest must teach the people His lippes must preserve knowledge and the people must depend on his mouth signifying the action of this great teacher of the Church who brought to us from the bosome of his father the whole counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankinde which could never have entred into the heart of man but by the teaching of this great Prophet Deut. 18. 15. He hath the learned tongue and Grace is poured into his lippes Hee therefore having the words of eternall life we must depend on him and heare him 5. The Priest must pray for the people and blesse them A forme of blessing is prescribed for Aaron and his sonnes laying their hands on the children of Israel signifying the strong prayers and intercessions of Iesus Christ for his Church who was heard in all things as himselfe witnesseth Iohn 11. 42. Father I knowâ— thou hearest me alwaies And accomplished not only in his holy intercession upon earth and now in heaven but manifestly in that blessing of his disciples by laying his hands upon them which was his last action upon earth Luke 24. 50. 6. The Priests were to preserve the Oyle for lights and the incense and for the daily meat offering and the anointing oyle And the oversight of the whole Tabernacle and all in the Sanctuary and all the instruments belonged to their care for the safety in moving carying standing c. signifying Iesus Christ the preserver of all grace in his Church He onely watcheth for the safety of his Church for the upholding of his holy ministery and all holy constitutions which else would quickly be broken up He plants the Ministery and he removes it at his pleasure He hath the seven stars in his right hand Hee is the great Archbishop of soules to the whole Church and no other in this kinde but hee So much of common actions ministeriall II. Actions more peculiar to the high priest were 1. daily 2. weekely 3. yearely 4. continually I. Hee must daily 1. dresse the holy lamps and lights morning and evening before the Lord Lev. 24. 2 3. to preserve the lights from going out Shadowing Christ the true light by whom the light of true doctrine must ever shine in the Church and never goe out by which the true beleevers shall bee delivered from darkenesse and death This was formerly figured by Goshen there was light when three dayes darknesse was over all Aegypt And this was figured by the pillar of fire that never failed till they came to Canaan 2. he must daily burne incense before the Lord upon the Altar of sweet perfume signifying Christ our high Priest daily offering up 1. our duties and services done by his appointment and which through him smell as a sweete incense acceptable to God 2. our prayers called odours of the Saints and a sweet incense And as no incense pleased God but that which was offered upon that golden Altar so no duty or prayer of ours is farther accepted then offered up by him and from him whose golden purity gives merit and worth unto them And as the incense must be offered up by the high Priest morning and evening so the continuall vertue of Christs merit ascendeth daily before God and perfumeth all the Sanctuary neither is there any other way to the father but by him II. He must weekly make the shewbread and set it before the Lord continually Exod. 25. 30. And more expresly Levit. 24. 5 6. Every Sabbath he must set on the table twelve loaves according to the twelve tribes and take the old away to the maintaining of his family for which use they might well suffice every loafe weighing about seven or eight pounds Here was a figure of Christ the true bread of life who sets himselfe in the preaching of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments before the face of God that is in the assemblies gathered together every Sabbath the most sufficient food and refreshing of the Church to continue it in life strength and good estate from Sabbath to Sabbath till that eternall Sabbath come III. He must yearely once and that in the day of expiation goe into the Holy of Holies Exod. 30. 10. and Lev. 16. 2. and 34. to make an attonement for himselfe for all his
that is rightly distinguish of things between nature and grace between Moses and Christ betweene the law and Gospell truth and falshood They will not receive things in grosse and hand over head but being spirituall discerne all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. 2. They chew the cud that is after hearing and reading the word they meditate ponder apply and digest it as Mary laid up the words in her heart Luk. 2. 19. 2. The uncleane are knowne by some naughty and uncleane property Some like the dogs that prophane the most holy things barke against the word and preachers of it never chew the cud nor digest the word Some like the swine 2 Pet. 2. having their mouthes alwayes rooting in the earth cannot look up towards heaven all for their belly good for nothing but the knife neither for plough nor cart nor burthens nor saddle nor wooll nor milk but onely to feed and dye besides while they live their filthy wallowing in miery lusts and puddles of corruption Some like the hare fearefull creatures shrinking from faith in God in temptation and from profession of it in times of danger and persecution more fearing crosses and losses then God himselfe or the losse of salvation These uncleane creatures cannot enter into heaven The fearefull c. shall have their part in the lake c. Of the same ranke are the Conies that burrow and treasure in earth and neglect to treasure where theeves neither digge through nor steale Mat. 6. 19 20. Some like the Ravens black and unnaturall feeding on carrion Some like the Ostrich grosse hypocrites with faire wings but cannot flye Some like the Sea-meaw partly living on water partly on land partly will be saved by faith partly by workes cary fire and water blow hot and cold of any or no religion And so much might be said of the properties of the rest Sect. II. II. The second legall uncleanenesse was caused from within and was by the unclean issue of man or woman for which were appointed ceremonies of purification Lev. 12. and cha 15. 6. All those uncleane issues of which we must reade and speake modestly lead us by the hand 1. Into our selves and the consideration of our naturall corruption the running issues of which meet us every where 2. Out of our selves to the remedy which is by Jesus Christ our sanctifier The description of this foulenesse shewes what we are by nature and in the first Adam The maner of the cleansing shewes what we are by grace and in the second Adam in whom alone we attaine cure and remedy To explaine which wee must know that 1. Those lawes concerning our uncleane birth and the womans purification after every birth put both the Jewes and us in minde how that the common nature of man is horribly polluted by sin which is every where called by the name of uncleanenesse Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne hath my mothor conceived me Isa. 64. 6. We have all beene as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy clouts Iob 14. 4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse there is not one Iohn 3. 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh because that which is begotten participateth of the nature of that which begetteth And this uncleanenesse is not in any one part but sticks to the whole man both in body and soule polluting the minde with blindnesse the will with rebellion against the will of God the conscience with senselesnesse and horrour the affections with all maner of disorder the whole outward man with resistance and repugnancy to the Spirit Rom. 8. 7. 2. As from these inward issues the outward man was many wayes polluted So the Jewes and we are put in minde that from that filthy puddle and fountaine of originall sinne issue continually many uncleane issues into the life and conversation Mat. 15. 19. Out of the heart come evill thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slaunders These are the things which defile the man 3. As these uncleane issues defiled whatsoever they touched Lev. 15. 4. to the 15. so herein is noted to them and us the infection of sinne and spreading of it and that the corruption of nature which will put forth it selfe in every thing polluteth all that we touch Tit. 1. 15. Vnto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mindes and consciences are defiled 4. As those uncleane issues excluded and shut them out of the campe and society of Gods people till they were staid so the foule issues of naturall corruption till stopped and stayed by grace estrange us from God and from the common wealth of Israel Ephes. 2. 12. The effect of all morall uncleannesse is to thrust every man and woman under the curse of the Law and wrath of God who can no more abide a man in the foulenesse of his nature then men can the spawne of a most venemous serpent In Adam all died 5. As the description of those issues brought the Jewes to the legall purification for when the Jew saw the danger of his uncleannesse and that if he separate not from it hee shall die in it for defiling Gods Sanctuary vers 31. this made him seeke to the remedy So the true understanding of a mans forlorne and desperate estate by nature and that except a man bee borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he can never see the kingdome of God this makes a man flie out of himselfe to seeke righteousnesse and purity in the meanes which God hath appointed And thus by the very description of our uncleannesse we are led unto Christ by whom how wee are to bee cured wee are after to see Sect. III. III. The third Legall uncleannesse was by the disease of leprosie then which none was more foule more hatefull None so lively resembled the native face of sinne none had so solemne and significant rites for cure none did more expresly shadow all constitutions as conduce to the purging and removing of sinne and consequently none more forceably led us to Christ who is not in any Ceremony more lively figured The Lord would have the Jews and us in this instance to bee ledd by things sensible to things intellectuall by an externall and sensible disease to be caried to that which is internall and lesse sensible for the most part And though of all bodily diseases none more expresly declareth the disease of sinne in the soule then leprosie yet it comes farre short of it in the desperate and dangerous properties of it We must therefore prepare men to Christ by describing the foulenesse and misery of the disease 1. Leprosie proceeds from poisoned and corrupted humours in the body So sinne is nothing else but the poison and corruption of the soule And this spirituall leprosie is farre more miserable then the other for that of the body is onely a punishment
this is a guilt And who can deny but the corruption and poison of the soule and spirit is farre more poison full and mortall then poison of the flesh 2. Bodily leprosie is a disease of some men sinne is of all men and of all the man Bodily leprosie spreads over all parts of the body but cannot reach the soule but this spreads over the whole man the soule and all the faculties are weakened and tainted there is not a debility onely but a corruption in the understanding will conscience memory in all affections in all sences in all parts no man no part of man exempted or excepted 3. No disease is more stinking and hatefull to men then leprosie So nothing is so hatefull and abominable to God as sinne his eyes cannot abide to behold it hee will not endure it in his dearest servants no nor Angels themselves unrevenged hee esteemes the sinner as dung 4. No disease more contagious and infectious A leper must meddle with nothing unlesse hee would defile it All hee can doe is to make others uncleane by breathing touching conversing The plague of pestilence is not so infectious as the plague of leprosie so called Levit. 13. 20. infecting houses walls vessells garments Nothing is so infectious as sinne which not onely foules the person or house but heaven and earth and all creatures are subject to the vanity of it Neither can an impenitent sinner doe any thing but make himselfe and others uncleane by the filthy breath of his corrupt communication by his wicked example and conversation No leaven is so spreading no pitch so cleaving 5. Leprosie of all diseases separated the infected persons from the fellowship of all men both in civill and divine ordinances for many dayes and if they proved incurable suppose them Kings they were utterly and for ever excluded the host as Vzziah 2. King 15. 5. Neither might they come to the Temple to joine in holy things for the Temple was legally the most holy place and no polluted thing might enter into it So in our sinne unrepented we are out of the campe aliens from God Sinne shuts out of the communion of faith and Saints shuts out of the state of grace and salvation it shuts out of the Congregation of God in earth and heaven No fellowship place or reward with them 6. Of all diseases none is more painfull sorrowfull mortall or incurable and therefore they were enjoyned to put on mournfull garments seeing God had inflicted so lamentable a disease on them so hardly and seldome cured as most did cary it unto death as Gehezi and Azariah In which the Lord as in a glasse would shew us the extreme sorrowes and paines that wait on sinne unpardoned sorrows of this life and of the life to come And that we should put on mourning garments of timely sorrow and afflict our selves for our sinnes seeing wee are all poisoned with so incurable a disease as there is no hope to expect any cure in this life for every man carries the running issues of sinne to his death naturall the most to the death eternall 7. The signes and symptomes of leprosie are most correspondent to the symptoms and effects of sinne in the soule 1. As there is a debility and weaknesse of all parts because the spirits are exhausted so sinne weakens all faculties because the spirit of grace is resisted and driven out 2. There is a tumour and swelling in the flesh here a tumour and proud swelling of minde none more proud then hee who hath least cause 3. There is burning and thirst through the adust and burnt blood by melancholy whereof it ariseth here is inflammation and burning of anger of lust and thirst after the world after revenge after preferments and this insatiable as every sinne is 4. There is filthy putred matter still breaking forth most loathsomely so here from within breaks out corrupt matter of envy of hatred of goodnesse of uncleannesse in speaches and behaviour 5. There is an hoarse and weake voice here the voice so weake as it cannot pray or cannot be heard God heares not sinners for either they pray not at all or they are in their sinnes 6. There is a filthy stinking breath and therefore they must cover their lips that by their breath they might not infect others So here is a filthy breath of corrupt communication of uncleane and adulterous speaches swearing and cursing speaches lying and false speaches slanderous and uncharitable speaches and seldome doe such cover their lips being like the uncleane vessells of the Law which were ever open to the corrupting and poisoning of numbers Sect. IV. I. From the former description of legall uncleannesses note the state of Gods Church and people here upon earth subject unto many sorts of defilements and pollutions within them without them and on every hand of them by foule and uncleane creatures and persons by foule courses and actions which a godly man may not touch or tast but hee is presently defiled as hee that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled with it Where bee they that will see no Church if they see any uncleannesse Or who say that God is in no such society where any pollution is seeing God vouchsafeth to walk among his owne people who were daily subject to so many legall and morall pollutions God might if it pleased him wholly purge his floore here upon earth but it makes more for his glory to suffer sinne and evill and to set the Saints in the middest of defilements here below 1. There must be a difference betweene this heaven and earth and that new heaven and new earth in which dwells nothing but righteousnesse for had the Saints no warre there needed no watch there could bee no victory if no seede time no harvest 2. GODS mighty power is more manifest in gathering and preserving a Church to himselfe out of sinners and among sinners and hee magnifieth his mercy both in covering and curing so great and many corruptions 3. The godly in sence of their uncleannesse are kept low in their owne eyes and watchfull of their waies and so are driven out of themselves unto Christ for righteousnesse and unto God for strength continually as privy unto their owne continuall weakenesse So to subdue presumption Paul must have a buffeter and to way-lay security comming on Israel all the Canaanites must not be subdued 4. In that they cannot expect freedome from foulenesse and uncleannesse heere below they may the rather desire and aspire to that heavenly Tabernacle into which no uncleane thing can enter Rev. 21. 27. and wish to bee translated thither where righteousnesse shall dwell yea the righteous and holy God shall dwell immediately in the midst of his Saints and all things together with themselves shall be most absolutely cleane and holy II. The Lord by so large a description of legall uncleannesse would have them and us looke more neerely and seriously upon
our owne misery by sinne both in the cause and in the effects of it The former by bringing us to the contemplation of the foulenesse of our natures and uncleannesse even in our birth and originall For howsoever men little esteeme or bewaile this uncleannesse of nature and originall sinne yet the Apostle better acquainted with the nature of it calls it The sinne and the sinning sinne and the sinne which dwelleth in us and compasseth us about Rom. 7. 17. Neither can a man ever be truely humbled and prepared for Christ nor can expect a good estate in him whose daily corrupt issues from an overflowing fountaine make him not seeme marvelous filthy and uncleane in his owne eyes 1. What is the reason that so many do Pharisaically pride themselves if not in the goodnesse of their persons yet in some blinde hopes and presumptions that they be not so bad as they are or as some others be but because they never saw themselves in this glasse which onely lets a man see himselfe a masse of sinne a lump of uncleâ—nnesse and that no good thing is in his nature which in no part is free from the running issues of that festred and inbred sinne 2. Why do many doat upon their owne works and sightly actions either to Popish confidence in them as meritorious or at least with many Protestants to rest in the civility and morality of them without farther pursuit of the power of religion but that they see not that so evill trees cannot send forth any good fruit nor so bitter fountaines any sweet water which could they but discerne they would be weary of the best of their righteousnesse and cast it away with Paul as dung and conclude that when Aloes and wormewood yeeld a sweet taste then might their fruits be sweet and tastefull to God and themselves 3. Why do so many thousands contest against grace stand upon their honesty good neighbourhood hospitality charity they thanke God they are no blasphemers no drunkards adulterers murderers they wash the outside come to Church heare sermons are outwardly cleane and formall no man can challenge them no nor they themselves but because they never saw the infection of their soules nor the inordinacy of their inner man which is a fountaine ever overflowing all the bankes most dangerous most secret hardest to find out and hardest to cure and this deceives thousands in their reckonings 4. Why is the righteousnesse of faith in the blood of Christ so much undervalued and men so hardly driven out of themselves to seeke righteousnesse by him But because they see not their owne uncleannesse and therein their hatefull estate before God untill Christ the high Priest have made atonement for them For as that man who being sick to death feeles not his sicknesse nor discerns the depth and dangers of it seekes not greatly after the Physitian he applyes either no means or some idle and impertinent things to small purpose so he that sees not the misery of his disease of sinne sees not the need of Christ neglects the right meanes and contentedly deludes himselfe running any whither but to the right remedy It is fit and fruitful to looke a little neerer this disease of nature that we may not onely make conscience of the foulenesse of nature but be thrust out of our selves to the meanes of our cleansing Considering 1. That this uncleane issue which the legall issues poynt us unto is a sinne against the whole Law of God in all branches of it whereas other sinnes are against one of the Tables and one of the Commandements 2. This poyson of nature is the same in all men that all may be humbled who are borne children of the devill enemies to righteousnesse all of us being in our very birth sonnes of death for in Adam all are dead And as an image of rotten wood must needs be rotten so wee hewne out of so rotten a stocke Who is it that is not a Leper from the wombe Let any man thrust his hand into his bosome as Moses did Exod. 4. 6. and he shall pull it out againe leprous and as white as snow Every man hath cause to cry with the Leper I am vncleane I am uncleane The spawne of a Serpent are Serpents and what are wee but the spawne the seed of Adam 3. This Issue is a generall disorder of the whole man and of all parts Neither is bodily leprosie more generall and universally spread over all the members then sinne in the soule which is seated in all the members so as from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing sound but a generall ataxy or disorder in want of all goodnesse in all parts and pronenesse to all evill 4. Miserable are the effects of this close uncleannesse As 1. In this Image of sinne no ugly toad can bee so hatefull to us as wee unto God 2. The whole man lies subject under the curse and wrath of God Rom. 5. 18 the fault came on all to condemnation 3. Nothing can proceed from us but what is foule and damnable What can a Serpent cast out but poyson Whatsoever our owne strength or will can bring forth is tainted with this leprosie for freewill remaineth onely to evill 4. Nothing without us that we can touch but we taint till we be cleansed noted in the infection of houses vessels garments Both earthly things all the creatures all our comforts actions to the unpure all is so Yea divine actions the word Sacraments prayer almes all polluted by us and to us so long as we be unconverted and in our uncleane nature 5. An unregenerate man can converse with no man but as a Leper he infects him by example provocation corrupt opinions frothy speeches fruitlesse behaviour And if they that poyson mens bodies are worthy extreame punishment and every man detests them how much more severe wrath of God are they liable unto that do nothing but poyson mens soules 6. No Leper was so worthily cast out of the campe as all of us by nature are worthily cast out of the society of Saints in earth and in heaven yea from the presence fellowship of God and Jesus Christ and that for ever Sinne properly shuts out of heaven no uncleane thing comes there nothing more hateful to God nothing but that hated by him 7. All this misery we our selves can neither discerne nor remedy It makes us pure in our owne eyes though we be not washed Prov. 30. 12. We lye wallowing in our filthinesse and delight in it as the swine in the myre and never are cured till we get out of our selves to the high Priest in whom onely it is perfectly to cleanse and cure us Now seeing in this glasse our owne disease and need of cure let us returne to the meanes of our cure in these three severall sorts of uncleannesse and in the legall be led to the cure of morall uncleannesse Thus of the
must not bee privately performed and figured our entrance by Christ the doore 3. One must bee 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 consumed with fire as the burnt offering was but slaine for the expiation of sinne The use of which was to figure and seale up to the Jews the expiation of their sinnes in Christ. Now Christ is made manifest for the doing away of sinne by the slaine sacrifice of himselfe and see verse 28. The burnt offering was a sacrifice in which the whole beast or bird was consumed with fire offered up therein to God for a savour of rest namely to appease and pacifie Gods wrath for some sin or sinnes committed Which signified that Christ was to bee a whole burnt offering and to bee wholly consumed in soule and body with the fire of his Fathers wrath that hee might bee a sweet smelling savour for us Hee gave himselfe for us a sacrifice and oblation for a sweet smelling savour Neither did the beleeving Jews thinke that God was appeased by any vertue in the burnt offering but through the eternall sacrifice of Christ shadowed therein 2. What were the ceremonies about these fowles for they all pointed at Christ. 1. For the sinne offering of fowles the ceremonies are appointed Levit. 5. 8 9. and they bee three 1. Rite The Priest must wring the necke of the Dove asunder but not plucke it cleane off and the same rite in the burnt offering The necke must bee pincht with the naile of the Priest to let out the blood but the head must not bee pluckt off from the body Signifying 1. That although Christ was to die yet his divinity and humanity should not bee severed 2. That the death of this innocent Dove should not interrupt his head-ship of the Church Hee was to bee pinched to death but his head should not bee severed from his body and members which is his Church 3. That Christ should die indeed but no bone of him must be broken Ioh. 19. 36. shadowed also in the Passeover 2. Rite The Priest must sprinkle the blood of the sinne offering upon the side of the Altar vers 9. and the like in the burnt offering Chap. 1. 15 signifying that all the vertue and merit of Christs blood for the purging of sinne was drawen from the Altar of his Deity He must be God that must purchase the Church with his blood and 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ. 3. Rite All the rest of the blood must be powred out at the foot of the Altar signifying not onely the powring out of the blood of Jesus Christ our true sinne offering upon the Altar of the Crosse without which shedding of blood can bee no remission of sinnes but also the blood powred at the foot of the Altar that is those clots and drops of blood plentifully flowing from him in his agony before his passion Luke 22. 44. as hee was going up to the Crosse. 2. For the Dove appointed for the burnt offering besides the former rites some other are appointed 1. The Priest must plucke out the maw with his feathers and cast them besides the Altar on the East side in the place of the ashes For these were things uncleane and signified that Christ should bring no uncleane thing to his suffering but present a most spotlesse and holy oblation to the Lord for else had it not beene of sweet smell 2. The Priest must divide and cleave the bird with his wings but not asunder signifying Christ who seemed by his death to bee burnt extinct and perished for so he was in the esteeme of his owne disciples as they were going to Emmaus but yet hee was not quite sundred but rose againe by his owne power and ever liveth sittting at his Fathers right hand to make requests for us Yea his owne words might seeme to imply a sundring when he saith Why hast thou forsaken mee but that the ingemination of his former words my God my God doth strongly prove the contrary 3. This bird must bee throughly consumed to ashes to make it a sweet savour to the Lord Levit. 1. 17 signifying that never was any thing so gratefull and acceptable to the Lord as the whole burnt sacrifice of his Sonne in which hee smelled a savour of eternall rest To which the Psalmist alludeth Let him smell a savour of all thy oblations and turne thy burnt offerings into ashes 4. When all these rites were observed the party that was uncleane shall bee cleane Levit. 12. 8. and Chap. 15. 13 28 signifying that a party justified by Christs blood and exercising true repentance and the study of holinesse and new life is brought in againe into the right and fellowship of God and his people whatsoever his uncleannesse formerly hath beene And thus hath the legall cleansing of this person brought us to the Evangelicall in Jesus Christ. I. Sundry grounds of consolation to the Church and people of God 1 As Christ seemed cleane divided and sundred from his Father and from his Church but was not so his members often seeme quite sundred from God and all comfort but are not 2. Cor. 4. 8. and Chap. 6. 9. A godly man may bee in such a straight as David was when thus he brake forth to Ionathan As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but one step betweene me and death and yet when hee can see no passage God makes a passage forth Hence may a Christian with Paul challenge all perills and dangers and contemne them as too weake to separate us from Christ Rom. 8. 39. yea in all things wee are not onely conquerours but more then conquerours So was Christ in death and from under the grave more then a conquerour Let a Christian be slaine it hinders him not from being a conquerour and what ever hee may lose he loseth not the love of God who loveth him to the end whom hee once loveth and therefore onely the sound Christian is in a sure estate If sorrow be for a night joy will returne in the morning after darkenesse as sure to see light As Jesus Christ keepes his headship and death cannot sever him quite so the members may bee pinched yet not quite off but abide members still 2. As the speciall providence of God watched his owne sonne that though hee was in wicked hands that wanted no will yet they were kept from breaking one bone of him soe doth the same prouidence watch over his members that howsoever the wicked of the world pinch and presse them yet the promise is made to them He keepes all their
my selfe Sol. 1. Therefore as the woman having the bloody issue thrust in daily to touch the hemme of Christs garment Marc. 5. that his blood may heale thy bloody issues 2. As seeing need of daily mercy to true watch joyne prayer as Hezekiah The good Lord be mercifull to him that is sanctified although not according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord heard him So will he thee where he findes a true endeavour after cleannesse Sect. VIII Now followes the oblation for the uncleannesse of leprosie The cleansing of the Leper is in Lev. 14. where we read of two sorts of oblations prescribed 1. For the cleansing of him that hee might come into the tent 2. After his cleansing and comming into the tent hee must offer three Lambes one for a trespasse offering one for a sinne offering another for a burnt offering with a number of ceremonies about the Lambes all leading to Christ. But in this place we are onely to speake of the former concerning his cleansing Lev. 14. from ver 2. to 8. Where 1. The Leper to be cleansed must bee brought to the Priest For he onely must discerne and pronounce of it whether it be cured or uncleane signifying that the sinner that desires to be cleansed must hasten to Jesus Christ the onely high Priest of the new Testament who onely is able to cleanse and heale our leprosie of sinne and herein is farre beyond all those types The Priest could discern of bodily leprosie and pronounce them cleane if they were so but hee could not make them cleane if they were not But Iesus Christ can properly forgive sinne the soules leprosie being the healing God and onely Physitian of soules 2. The Priest must goe out of the campe unto him to consider him to signifie how Iesus Christ findes us when he first comes unto us namely such as having the most loathsome leprosie running upon us have no right to the communion of Saints nor to any of the priviledges of Gods people but outcasts and aliens from God from the faith and from the common wealth of Israel Ephes. 2. 12. 3. The Priest must first see him healed and then proceed to the exact cleansing ver 3. signifying a twofold action of Iesus Christ in the curing of the leprosie of sin For 1. he must heale the sinner by the grace of justification and sound conversion but this is not all for there remains a great deal to do before we can be fouÌ„dly cleansed And therefore 2. he must bestow on us his Spirit to worke in us a daily growth and proceeding in sanctification before we can be pronounced cleane 4. The Priest must prepare 1. two little live birds of the clean kinde ver 4. 1. two birds to note the twofold nature of Iesus Christ his deity and humanity 2. two little birds to note the humility and meane esteeme of our Lord and Saviour Christ. 3. two cleane birds to note the unspotted and surpassing purity of both his natures 4. two live birds one to die and the other to live to note that Christ had one nature to dye in another not subject to death As also the twofold estate of our Lord Iesus his suffering and dying estate and his glorious and exalted estate 2. he must prepare Cedar wood scarlet and â—ysope noting as we have heard the excellent graces that Christ brings to his oblation both in regard of himselfe his Church and his father And signifying that Christ and his graces are inseperable And teacheth that no man can thinke to bee cleansed by the blood of Christ that is carelesse to receive his graces which thou must as eagerly desire as himselfe 5. The use of these materialls of cleansing concerne 1. the dying bird 2. the living bird 3. the party to bee cleansed First concerning the dying birde 1. One of the birds must be slaine pointing at the death of Christ without which is no purging or cleansing of sinne Heb 9. 22. But one bird onely dyed so Christ was put to death concerning the flesh 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. It must bee slaine over running water that the blood might fall into the water The blood falling into the water signified 1. that a fountaine of grace by the death of Christ is opened both for justification and sanctification For water and blood here meet shadowing the streames of water and blood issuing from the side of Christ in his passion 1 Iohn 5. 6. 2. The bird slaine over running water signified the innocency of the death of Christ for though he must dye yet his blood is in pure streames as running water is 3. That this water must be running water not standing signifying that there is a continuall cocke and conduit of grace overflowing from this fountaine ever running and issuing from Christ to the refreshing of thirsty and weary soules beleeving in his name 4. By the falling of the blood into running water might also be signified that the death of Christ should run into the Ministery of the Gospell as the waters from under the Sanctuary every way As Christ spake of Maries fact preparing him to his death so much more of his death it selfe what he hath done and suffered shall bee every where preached to the worlds end 3. This water must be in an earthen vessell Not onely to signifie that Christ must sweat and powre forth in his death water and blood according to his humane nature which for the time of his abasement was a fraile and brittle vessell subject to infirmities and contempt and in all things like unto ours onely sinne excepted but also that this blessed treasury of the Church should bee retained and held in earthen vessells that is the faithfull ministers of Christ how contemptible soever they are in the world yet these shall cary and disperse these blessed mysteries unto men as 2 Cor. 4. 7. Secondly concerning the live Sparrow The generall signification of it was Christ now alive raised from the dead who can dye no more but ever liveth and sitteth at the right hand of God and that by the power of his divinity And 1. This Sparrow must be used also to the cleansing of the Leper For neither the humanity of Christ without his deity nor his deity without his humanity can cleanse or justifie the sinner Neither the life of Christ without his death nor his death without his life can availe us to righteousnesse Acts 20. 28. God shed his blood to purchase the Church to himself 2. The Priest must dip the live bird and the Cedar and scarlet lace and hysope in the blood of the Sparrow slaine and pure water ver 6. signifying 1. That the deity of Christ which is impassible in it selfe can yeeld us no comfort alone had it not been joyned to an humanity subject to passion which is plainly meant by dipping the live bird in the blood of the slaine For therefore the sonne of God must take our nature to better our nature
the Lords body How miserable was the sentence of that guest that sate down at the Kings table without his wedding garment Our common preparation is to put on our best clothes and to cover our bodily nakednesse in most curious manner In the meane time the Lord seeth and mens owne consciences witnesse against them how naked their soules lie and filthily discovered The due preparation to this ordinance would be attended with more comfort within and more reformation without then wee can espie in most communicants 3. As the Paschall lamb must never bee eaten without sower herbes so we must never come to the Sacrament without true humiliation and sorrow for sinne There can bee no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ till the heart bee full of bitternesse for sinne For as sower sawces whet the stomacke and provoke the appetite so true sorrow for sinne stirreth up our desire and appetite after Jesus Christ and prepares us to all good duties and holds us in a fitnesse to pray to heare the word to the Sacrament to works of mercy c. What a sweet sowernesse and bitternesse is that which brings such delectable sweetnesse and refreshing after it Any man of reason would make hard shift to drinke downe a bitter potion to helpe his bodily health and much more a godly man will be contented to digest godly sorrow for the procuring of heavenly joy and the sweet comforts of Gods salvation 4. As the Jew might not eate the lamb till he had purged all leaven out of his house So we must not come to the Sacrament without the forsaking of our sinne Never can a man expect any comfort by Christs Sacrifice that hideth the old leaven in the corners of his heart Whence the Apostle 1. Cor. 5. 7. exhorteth the Saints to purge out the old leaven because Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Here is to bee considered 1. What this leaven is 2. What is the purging of it 1. This leaven is not onely the leaven of corrupt doctrin which suddenly sowreth the truth and lumpe of the Gospel as leaven doth a lump of dowe but also the leaven of sin both in the corruption of nature which is the old leauen in our selves and hath sowred all the lump of whole mankind and every man and every faculty of man as also in corrupt and vicious conversation which sowreth and leaveneth others with himselfe in societies 2. The purging of this leaven is 1. In correcting and repenting sinne past when a constant care is nourished to find it out and to cast it out 2. In serious conversion and turning to God both which are expressed in Ps. 34. 14. Sect. VI. Quest. How may we purge out this leaven Answ. Imitate the Jew For why should a Jew be more careful in the shadow and ceremony then a Christian in the truth and substance I. The Jew begins to purge within and banish it out of his house So begin thou to purge the inside first Ier. 4. 4. Wash thy heart O Ierusalem An hypocrite can wash his face but a sound Christian looks to his heart Many can purge their mouthes and outward man about the time of the Sacrament but the heart is stuffed with maliciousnes envie profaneneâ—se and ungodlinesse Many can bee busie to purge other mens houses but the Jew must purge his owne house II. The Jew purged out all leaven and spared none not a morsell or a crumme And shall not a Christian count every sinne a pollution and hatefull to God Shall any say Is it not a little one I may sweare a little be drunke if sildome I may not kill but raile and revile and speake my mind I may not be an adulterer but wanton in speeches looks behaviours and in my company I may not goe to plough on the Sabbath but may buy and sell ride abroad or be idle at home Why Is not a little serpent a serpent or a little poison poison Is not a little leaven enough to sower a whole lump III. The Jew carefully and narrowly searched and swept every corner and cranny of his house that not the least crumme might escape him And shall not we as carefully throw out this leaven out of every power of the soule and every part and member of our bodies That every one may possesse his whole house in holinesse and honour 1 Thess. 4. 4. How doth the Scripture teach us to purge this leaven out of all corners As 1. Out of the conscience to serve God with a pure conscience 2. Tim. 1. 3 2. Out of the affections prescribing love out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1. 5. and to take heed to our feete comming to the house of God 3. Out of our senses Psal. 119. 37. turne away mine eyes from regarding vanities Job 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes So to shut the eare from hearing blasphemy against God or men and not to be agents and abetters of blasphemers 4. Out of our speaches Psal. 39. 1. I said I will looke to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue And in stead of this leaven to accustome our selves to the language of Canaan and gracious speaches tending to edification ministring grace to the hearers IV. A Jew must begin his purging seven dayes before and hold on all the feast on paine of death How much more should wee beginne to purge our selves betimes and hold on so long as our Passeover lasts And because our Passeover is not annuall as that was but continuall wee must continue our cleansing and separating from this leaven which is not easily washed out Thou haste but trifled in this businesse that hangest downe thy head for a day and art penitent for the time of the Sacrament unlesse thou continuest to reforme and renew thy heart and life and conscionably avoidest all leaven of sin all thy life which is or ought to be a continuall Christian Passeover V. As the â—ews must eate the Passeover with their loines girt with staves in their hands eating in haste as tending to their Countrey So we must never come to the Sacrament but with holy hearts and meditations 1. Seriously considering what strangers and pilgrims we are here below not having any continuing City here but are seeking a Countrey Heb. 13. 14 Hee that is a true eater of our Paschall Lamb must not pitch downe his staffe here but as Christian Rechabites Ier. 35. esteeme 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 Liturgie Lift up your hearts 2. Wee must eate 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
Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse Here we have Christ himselfe the true water out of the Rock who onely refresheth dry and weary soules and comforteth the fainting heart with the sweet promises flowing from the Gospell And that wee may see the excellency and benefit of this fountaine we will a little compare this Rock with the other and set the truth above the type to draw our eyes and desires after it 1. In that rocke the rocke was one thing the water another here Christ is both the rocke and water both the giver and water given 2. That rock refreshed wicked men and beasts this is bestowed upon and comforteth onely beleevers 3. That rock refreshed bodyes onely this both soules and bodies That preserved naturall life but this torrent preserves the supernaturall life of grace so as a leafe withers not nor falls from a tree of righteousnesse planted by this river of water Psa. 1. 3. 4. That rock might preserve and comfort the living but could not helpe a dead man but this quickneth the dead soule with new and heavenly life 5. The waters of that rock quenched natural thirst but this quencheth all unnaturall One drop of it tasted by Zacheus quenched all his unnaturall thirst after the world and in Paul all the thirst of revenge and furie against the Saints 6. The rock gave water twice this rock gives waters of comfort alwaies The water of that rock followed them a great while but at length were dryed up but the waters of this rock are never dried up The blood of CHRIST is alwaies running and a fresh fountaine never dry 7 The Israelites dranke of that water and were contented for a little while but by and by did thirst againe But he that drinkes of this water shall never thirst againe Ioh. 4. 14. that is miserably as they however he shall desire it still yet his very desire is his happinesse and saciety II. How we are to carry our selves to this rock and fountaine namely as Israel to that rock 1. The Israelites thirst and call for water they see and feele their need and want so we must feele our want of Christ and get a fervent desire after Christ and his graces because onely the thirsty are called Isa. 55. 1. and onely they in want see the worth of the thing wanting Now we may not thinke that every wish after Christ is this thirst for the worst can wish a part in Christ but this thirst and desire must have three conditions 1. It must be fervent and eager as Sampsons Give me water or I die Iud. 15. 18. As the chased Hart panteth after the rivers of water so doth my soule after thee Ps. 42. 1. 2. It must be faithfull We must not thirst with repining and diffidence as the Israelites but with faith and confidence This drawes vertue from Christ According to thy faith be it to thee 3. It must be constant The Israelites thirst still till they obtaine their desire so we must not content our selves with desire or to come where this water is and goe without it but we must never be content with our estate though it be never so well with us for the world till we taste the sweet comfort strength of Christ and his merits To continue thy thirst observe two rules 1. So long as God hath any grace to give or is not weary of giving thou must not be weary of thirsting begging asking 2. So long as thou wantest any grace or any measure of grace received thou must thirst still Ever be desiring one good thing after another and one measure of grace after another till thou beest compleat and then shalt thou never give over this thirst while thou livest here 2. Israel thirsty runs to the rock so in thy thirst run thou to the rock Dost thou thirst for pardon of sinne for grace of sanctification for sence of Gods love for assurance of eternall life come to this Rock for supply Art thou ready to faint in thy soule for want of grace and comfort art thou ready to sinke in sorrows feares faintings wants dangers runne to this fountaine which God hath opened for thee To move thee hereto consider 1. the rock it selfe calls thee which art thirsty which that rock could not doe Ioh. 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke 2. That to runne any whither else is to forsake the fountaine of living waters and dig pits that will hold no water Let Papists runne to the puddle waters of their owne merits or seek other Mediators or Intercessors say thou with the Apostles Lord thou hast the words of eternall life and whither should we goe Let others runne to humane helpes and remedies in their sorrowes to cards dice merry company let them runne to devils and witches and make them their rock Let thy heart say The Lord is my Rock and if the word were not my comfort I were sure to sinke in my trouble 3. Israel comming to the rock did not onely draw from thence but drinke heartily so we must not onely come to the place where Christ is preached but we must beleeve in him and specially apply to our selves the merit of his death For as drinking is a speciall application of water to the thirsty body so by beleeving in Christ we specially apply the waters of grace to the refreshing of the soule To beleeve is to drinke this water Ioh. 7. 38. with Ioh. 4. 14. Nothing could quench Israels thirst being bodily but water and onely faith quencheth our spirituall thirst And therefore as they to Moses we must say to Christ Lord give us faith to quench our spirituall thirst Let these motives provoke us to drinke these waters 1. As Israel was by drinking that water revived and refreshed so onely these waters from Christ quicken us with new life and coole the heat of raging and accusing consciences Every beleever hath true tranquillity of heart and joyes of the holy Ghost within him yea so plentifully doe these waters of consolation rise from the Rock that he that drinkes them is said to have the kingdome of God in him which stands in righteousnesse peace joy c. 2. What madnesse and folly is it to lay about us so eagerly for this puddle water in comparison and catching with all greedinesse at the bitter-sweet comforts of this life which prove poyson to the most and neglect the sweet and pure streames of saving waters of grace flowing from the true Rock JESUS CHRIST Wee reade what strife and contention was among the Jewes for wells of spring water and now no man will lose a dishfull of well water but he will know to whom and shall we onely not care for the water of saving grace which cost Christ so deare before he could open the well of it for us 3. When the woman of Samaria heard Christ say that he that dranke of this water should
and a thousand such To what end name I these follies but by Popish and wicked superstition to condemne our heavinesse in Gods Commandements They must shut their eyes of reason and discretion to obey their Superiours Wee must dispute all in our obedience which ought to bee absolute Their wicked commandements must not bee laid in any scaâ—es to bee weighed Wee will weigh all Gods Commandements in our owne false ballances and so they become too light and unworthy of obedience 4. There is not the most hereticall doctrine or opinion that ever was that found not Patronage and protection in the corrupt reason of man Not to speak of damnable Arrians or Nestorians or mad Manichees come to the heresie that now reignes and see the truth hereof in it Quest. Why hath the leaven of Popery spread and sowred the whole lumpe of the Christian world and enlarged and fixed it selfe in all Countries for so many hundreth yeares that even in Countries above a hundreth yeares reformed it gets ground and neither severe Lawes can master it nor time cast it out Answ. Surely because it is a devise of humane reason upholding humane reason and upheld by corrupt reason which first set it up See it in parts and in whole First for the parts 1. Seemes it not good reason to choose defend and stick unto our forefathers religion for so the old Idolaters thought Ier. 44. 17 they would still sacrifice to the Queene of heaven because their fathers did so But Paul would not consult with flesh and blood in matter of religion nor Abraham with human reason This their reason also is as absurd in true reason as if a sonne were bound to put out his eyes because his father was blind or never to enjoy liberty because his father was in prison or dyed in a dungeon 2. The doctrine of merit and justification by works runnes with nature as Luk. 18. 18. in the young Pharisee Master what good thing for faine would it finde some goodnes in it selfe to demerit God Whereas the second Commandement saith God shewes mercy to thousands in them that love him and keepe his Commandements The Lords prayer also teacheth us to pray for daily bread A likely thing that he can merit life eternall that cannot merit a crumme of bread 3. The Intercession of Saints and worshipping Images stands onely on the legs of humane reason against divine wisdome Carnall men would see their god and turne his glory into the similitude of a calfe or other creature And is it no reason we should have Mediators For why should every rude fellow thrust into the Kings presence and not first make way by some of his Court But divine wisdome saith there is but one Mediator and that we must come to the King by the Prince onely and it is high treason to come by any other 4. Carnall reason teacheth that every man is full of doubting and therefore no man can certainely beleeve the remission of sins or be assured of his owne salvation But divine reason teacheth us that this doubting destroyes not faith but exerciseth it and in our Creed we beleeve remission of sinnes and eternall life which is more then to beleeve in generall as devils doe Secondly for the whole doctrine and religion of Popery how plausible is it to the naturall man For 1. What easier faith then to beleeve as the Church doth no matter what without any knowledge or faith of their owne How at one blow cut they off all paynes in getting assurance holding or increasing of faith 2. What an easie principle is it that to be ignorant is to be devout and that it is vaine labour which is spent in the Scriptures as Hosius saith and that they are the bookes of Hereticks and they hereticks that read them What need we be at any paines to read study and meditate in the booke of God night and day as the Saints have done How was the holy Ghost deceived yea and holy men who have studied in Gods Law night and day 3. How pleasing is it to nature to deny it to bee so corrupt as it is to say it is but halfe dead and being a little helped can keepe the Law and come out of Gods debt whereas Eph. 2. 1. 5 what can a dead man doe but rot 4. How pleaseth it nature to offer release from sinne from hell from purgatory for money Who would not whore sweare prophane the Sabbath resist Magistracy riot c. if for a little money he may have licence What hypocrite would not give thousands of rammes yea the first borne of his body for the sinne of his soule Mic. 6. 7 5. Whereas the word laies a continuall care of keeping the heart and thoughts how doth that doctrine please nature that unlooseth it from this care that requires no paine to keepe the heart or to keepe out the first motions of sinne which they say is no sinne Which makes many sinnes veniall in their nature put away with a light sigh a knock on the brest or an Ave Mary that a man may lye in sport or officiously by equivocation that to steale a small thing is but a veniall sinne Salomon saith a foole makes a mock of sinne To conclude that must be a naturall and sensuall religion which any thing but Gods word sets up and holds up but this is neither set up nor held up by it for where Gods word comes downe goes Popery It could never abide the breath of Gods mouth which blasts and destroyes it 5. Where doctrine is truely taught and beleeved naturall reason rayseth strong ramparts against the practise of it For else why doe many Protestants walke after the lusts of their hearts as the Gentiles Eph. 2. 3 but because they captivate the Commandement to their owne reason and limit and confine the wisdome of God within the bounds of their owne carnall wisdome 1. Our Gentry have reason to say that the word in generall is the rule of good life but bring this rule close home unto them to reforme their fashions to leave their strange apparrell and painting their vaine discourses their idle complements their gaming their service of pleasure and unfruitfull spending of their time Oh now they have reason to scorne and chafe against the rule and him that holds it before them What reason he should be so strict lesse reason they should be as strict as he They know how to put on their clothes how to behave themselves every where and are wiser then to follow such rules as would make them as despised as himselfe is Alas that the wisdome of God shall be a rule onely for our judgements but reason must guide our practise 2. Ordinary hearers thinke they have reason to professe religion so farre as they may thrive by it and prosper in the world whose godlinesse is gaine To trust God so farre as they see him in some sort else not To favour religion and