hard barren and despised Rock the most abject of men the refuse of the world a worm and no man of whom when the Prophets preached they could fimd none almost that would believe their report 2. A Rock for exaltation and advancement A Rock is a promontory lifted up above the earth Such a Rock was Christ advanced above the earth yea and the heavens advanced above all men and creatures 1. In holinesse and purity 2. In power and authority 3. In place and dignity So Joh. 3. 31. he that comes from heaven is above all His person is above all for God hath exalted him and given him a Name above all names Phil. 2. 9. His work is above all that men and Angels can comprehend in power and merit His place is above all the head of the Church eminent above all men and Angels 3. A Rock for firmnesse and stability He is the strength of Israel on this Rock as on a sure and firm foundation the whole Church is laid and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. 18. Hence he is a Rock of defence and safety to his chosen and everywise man builds his house on this Rock 4. A Rock of scandall and offence to wicked men Rom. 9. 32. Not in himself and his nature for he is a precious corner stone but accidentally and passively because men dash themselves against him as many at this day bark like doggs against the wholesome doctrine of justification by Christ without the works of the Law Many loose and formal Gospellers scorn the basenesse and meannesse of Preachers and true professours of the Gospel because their darknesse can abide no light to come near it To all these and thousands moe Christ is a Rock of scandal by their own default 5. A Rock for weight and danger and inavoidable judgement upon his adversaries which on whomsoever it falls it crusheth him to pieces Mat. 21. 44. If any rise against it they doe but tire and tear themselves but if this Rock rise against any man and fall upon him it breaks him to pouder Witnesse the greatest enemies of Jesus Christ which the world ever had Herod Judas Julian Jewes Pilate as unable to rise from under his revenge as a man pasht to pieces unable to rise from under a Rock II. It was a type of Christ as it sent out water in abundance to the people of Israel ready to perish for thirst For so Jesus Christ is the onely Rock that sends from himself all the sweet waters of life for the salvation of his elect otherwise ready to perish eternally For explanation whereof mark 1. As from that Rock issued waters to wash and cleanse themselves and their garments so from this Rock stream waters of ablution or washing which serve to wash away both the guilt of sin and stain of sin For the former the precious bloud of Christ streaming out of his side is the onely mundifying water in the world to wash the soul from the guilt of sin and to scoure away all the execration of sin from the sight of God 1 Joh. 1. 7. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin For the latter from the same side of Christ our Rock issueth water as well as bloud even the waters of regeneration called Tit. 3. 5. the washing of the new birth by the Spirit of grace and holinesse which daily cleanse the stain and filthinesse of sin Of these waters read John 7. 38. He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life This he spake of the Spirit which he would give 2. As from that Rock issued waters to cool and comfort Israel in their wearinesse and wandrings so from Jesus Christ doe issue the waters of refrigeration and comfort to cool and refresh the dry and thirsty soul to allay the heat of a raging and accusing conscience and to revive with new strength the fainting soul in temptation or persecution And therefore the tyred traveller and thirsty passenger is called to these waters Mat. 11. 28. Isai. 55. 1. For nothing but sound grace from Jesus Christ can quench the tormenting thirst of an accusing or distressed conscience 3. As from that Rock streamed abundance of waters to make fruitful that barren wildernesse wheresoever they ran so onely from the true Rock issue plentiful waters of grace to make our dry and barren hearts fruitful in all works of righteousnesse Isai. 44. 3 4. I will pour water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy buds and they shall grow as among the grasse and as willowes by the rivers of waters All this blessing of fruitfulnesse is from the Rock See Eph. 1. 4. III. In the manner of attaining this water are many sweet resemblances 1. The people might ask Moses water but Moses cannot give it It is God must give it and miraculously fetch it out of a Rock which how it should be Moses cannot conceive So men may seek justification and to drink waters of salvation in themselves either by nature as Pelagians or by merit as Popish Justiciaries doe either in the Law of Moses as the Jewes or in Evangelical Counsels as the fond votaries of the Church of Rome But no Jew can tell how to procure any water to himself neither can Moses give it By the Law of Moses no man can be justified nor by any fond devises beyond the Law But God of his grace hath devised a way and pointed to us a Rock of living waters to supply unto us that which was impossible to Moses Law because of our infirmity Rom. 8. 3. 2. The Rock gives water but not till it be smitten Exod. 17. 6. so Christ the true Rock must be smitten with passion he must be smitten with the wrath of his Father and made a curse for us before there can issue out of his side that bloudy stream by which the thirst of believers can be quenched And as the Rock was smitten twice and waters gushed out both times so Christ was twice smitten first actually in himself secondly virtually in the faith of believers of all ages the faithful before him believing in the Rock that was to be smitten and suffer death for sinne the faithful after him believing in the Rock that was smitten dead and raised already 3. It was the Rod in Moses hand that smites and breakes the Rock Even so it was the Law given by Moses hand and our transgression against it that breaks the true Rock Isai. 53. 5. Gal 3. 13. He was made a curse for us and our transgression of the Law was laid upon him that we might be freed from it And as this was the same Rod that smote the River to bring destruction on the Egyptians and enemies of the Church so this same Law and Rod of Moses brings the curse and damnation upon all the enemies of God from
roote out at once all his enemies Art thou an enemie to Jesus an hinderer of any of his people in their way to Canaan look to thy self Suppose thou haddest power above Joshua the type art thou stronger than the true Joshua He carries victory in his banner Julian shall cry with his gutts in his armes O Galilean thou hast the victory The proudest enemy shall be as lambs greace before a consuming fire Our great Joshua shall set his feet upon thy neck and make thee the dust of his footstoole nay he shall set the feet of his dispised servants upon thy neck as Ioshua did The power of one and thirty kings shall not carry it against him If thou are an enemy hasten thy repentance else thou hastnest thy destruction If thou work not the will of God God will work his will on thee And what need any man be offended at the present prosperity of Gods enemies be they never so great seeing our Ioshua shall suddenly blast their power and glory and dash them asunder as earthen vessells II. Comfort All the good word of God for the salvation of his people shall be accomplished 1. Though the promise may seem out of minde Ioshua shall performe every word and syllable of that promise made three hundered years before 2. Though there be never so many hinderances and mighty lets they shall not hinder God promiseth the good land but how should they get thorow Iordan seeing there is no other way Now rather than his promise shall faile he will invert the order of nature Iordan shall stop his course nay runne backward The like in their comming out of Egypt God had said that night they must out and the sea must give way to the promise God promiseth Ioshua to overcome five Kings at once an hard taske and one day is too little for it but rather than the night approaching shall dissolve the battell and any of them escape he will command the Sunne to stand still and lengthen the day that his word may be accomplished Israel in passing to Canaan must passe the huge and terrible wildernesse forty years Alas what shall they eat or drinke Can a barren wildernesse afford any food or if any for so many hundred thousand men But before the promise faile heaven shall raine Manna the rock shall give abundance of water Hath God promised thee daily bread help in affliction refreshing in wearinesse remission in sense of sinne a blessed issue in every triall Let thy faith give God the honour of truth Heaven shall fall and earth ascend before thou beleeving shalt be frustrate Isai 54. 10. Hath he promised thee the heavenly Canaan what if thou seest armies of enemies of discouragements thou being an Israelite shalt not faile For 1. Nothing in nature is so strong as the promise 2. God hath after a sort captivated himself and all his Creatures to thy faith 3. He may deferre the promise but never deny it or himselfe Wait still III. Is Christ the true Ioshua 1. Acknowledge him our Captaine and head 2. Submit our selves unto him as Israel unto Ioshua Iosh. 1. 11 17. All that thou commandest us we will doe and whether thou sendest us we will goe as we obeyed Moses in all things so will we obey thee 3. Follow him as our guid into that eternal rest and depend on him for our inheritance there Moses cannot carry us in for himself must onely see the land So we may see the land of promise afarre off in the Law but onely Jesus can bring us in For 1. He alone is entered already to take possession for us 2. He hath undertaken to carry us through our wildernesse to our Canaan IV. What conditions we must observe in comming to heaven as they in comming to the good land 1. The land is theirs and possession given but many Canaanites and Jebusites must dwell in the land under tribute still Chap. 15. 63. and 16. 10. So notwithstanding all our promises of rest and possession of peace of conscience in this world are some yea many Canaanites and Jebusites to molest Gods people But at last our Joshua leaves never an enemy unsubdued There shall nothing which is unholy get within the walls of that City he sees the last enemy destroyed 2. They must not come into that land till they were circumcised for all the forty yeares in the wildernesse they were not circumcised Chap. 5. 3 7. Till the shame of Egypt was remooved verse 9. Joshua cannot bring them into the promised land Which shame as Iunius thinks was the prophanenesse of their fathers contracted in Egypt whereby they grew carelesse of Gods ordinances Our Joshua brings not us into our Canaan so long as we are prophane and uncircumcised till he have circumcised our hearts and we be holy and sanctified for without shall be dogs 3. Ioshua must divide their inheritance by lot and so every one must receive it not by right or desert Chap. 14. 2. And so God commanded Moses Numb 26. 55. So our Ioshua divides to the elect their inheritance in the heavenly countrey not for their merits and deserts but by his rich and free gift If no Israelite could claime of Ioshua one foot out of merit and desert but all of promise and grace much lesse may wee our childs part in heaven Gods mercy is mans merit 4. Ioshua gives them the land with this condition that for so great labour and travel in preparing so good a land they afford him an inheritance among them Chap. 19. 49. Our Ioshua was not inferiour in labour and paines to Ioshua in purchasing us a better land and we must give him the inheritance he asketh so they did to Joshua that he may dwell among us or in the middest of us Now the inheritance he asketh among us is our hearts purged by faith He desires no more of thee for all his paines but a little roome in the middest of thee which himselfe will build and dwell in If thou dost not give him his demand besides thy unkindnesse and unthankfullnesse thy heart shall lie as a ruinous wast as a nasty and stinking hole a cage of unclean beasts and lusts yea an habitation of Divels 5. Ioshua brings them into the good land and as soon as they eat the corne of the land the Manna ceaseth the next morrow Chap. 5. 12. So when our Ioshua shall bring us into our good land to eat the fruit of it the good things and meanes of this world shall cease The Manna the preaching of the word celebration of Sacraments faith and hope c. But we are sure of better meanes or better things without means in the hope and expectation of which we must persevere in the faith and walk in hope through our wildernesse The fruits of that good land will be worth all our labour 6. Ioshua brings none into the land but conquerours and divides the land to a conquering people So our
himself and all his members All the bonds of death and sinne with which he was bound in our steed he shooke off as Sampson did the seaven green cords and broke their power as towe is broken when it feeleth fire 5. Sampson never had help from any other in slaying the Lyon the enemies but with his own hands without any other second or weapon So Christ in the wildernesse alone in the garden at prayer alone before Pilate alone all the disciples fled on the Crosse alone No other must tread the winepresse none must share in the honour nor conquest with him 1. Not to judge of the piety or impiety of Gods children by their calamities Sampson hath many enemies many conslicts many dangers by the Lyon the Philistims the Azzhites and his own wife his life painfull his death violent Jesus Christ himselfe beset with enemies on all sides as the sunne with moats never free from conflicts with the Lyon the devill with his owne Jewes with Pharaoh Sadduces Herodians his person despised his miracles traduced his life painfull his death shamefull and accursed Yet may we not judge either of them forsaken of God who still assisted them with his own strength and was strongest in them when they seemed weakest Neither may we mis-judge the generation of Gods children in their conflicts with satan with temptations with sinners or with the terrors of their own hearts If they shall cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me waite a while and Gods strength shall do great things in their weaknesse II. God can and usually doth use strange weake and unexpected meanes to overthrow his enemies and the enemies of his Church his strength is most seen in weake things his wisedome working by the most foolish When a thousand enemies set upon Sampson at once without any weapon or meanes of defence he can use a jawbone to kill a thousand of them when they thinke him farre enough from any weapon and if Sampson wants a better and readier meanes against Gods enemies he can by two hundred Foxes a most unexpected meanes burne up their graine and fields at harvest time Our Lord by the foolishnesse of preaching can doth overcome his enemies nay God can and doth by contrary meanes wrack his foes Sampson shall marry a wife among the Philistims to be an occasion of warre and revenge and this came of God whereas marriages among Princes ordinarily are made to compose and make up differences not to make them Our Lord Jesus overcomes sinne death hell grave by suffering by death by descending into hell by lying in the grave most unlikely or contrary meanes Let Gods enemies fear revenge by every thing even where no fear is An enemy of God and his Church is never safe seeme he never so secure An Army of frogs shall drive Pharaoh out of his bed chamber in the middest of his greatnesse a fly shall choake Pope Adrian if other meanes be wanting and proud Herod shall be eaten up not by any army of men but of lice III. The greatest victory against the enemies of the Church is by passion and patience submitting our selves meekly unto God in obedience walking in our callings and doing the work of God Thus did these two mighty Sampsons most overcome their enemies when they seemed most overcome by them Our warre saith Isidore is contrary to the striving of the Olympicks There he gets the garland which striketh and overcommeth here he which is strooke and suffereth There he which being strooke striketh againe here he which offereth his cheeke to the striker And thus he concludeth Our victory consisteth not in revenging but in suffering Oh let the children of the Church lay aside worldly weapons clamour reviling revenging speeches or actions and betake themselves to the weapons of the Church prayers teares patience weapons mighty under God The power of a Christian is patience who must overcome evill with goodnesse IV. In that Christ is the true Sampson here is much consolation and many comforts to the Israel of God 1. Comfort As Sampson revenged the wrong offered him in his wife So will Christ Matth. 25. In that ye did it to one of these little ones ye did it to me And though Sampsons wife may be taken from him and given to another Christs cannot Ioh. 10. 28. none shall pluck them out of my hand 2. Comfort A mightier deliverer is here than Sampson for Israel For 1. Though Sampson was strong to overcome a Lyon our Sampson is stronger to overcome the Devill not in himselfe onely but for us in us and by us 2. Sampson was stronge but might abuse his strength as he did in whoring and wantonnesse which in prison he repented But Jesus Christ used all his strength for God against sinne and his enemies 3. Sampson abusing it might loose his strength for it was not the parting with his haire but his sinne grieving the Spirit that weakned him but Christ could not loose his strength because he could not loose his obedience 4. Sampson was so strong as the Philistims thought it bootlesse to assay him with power but by pollicy and indirect meanes they conquer him but our Sampson cannot be conquered neither by power nor by pollicy for he is stronger than all and in him are treasures of wisdome 5. Sampson overthrew the enemies but that was his owne overthrow but Christ not so his conquest was to his most glorious exaltation 6. Sampson as a type onely began the deliverance of the Church but hindered by death could not perfect it Our Sampson perfected the deliverance and salvation of the whole Church and did more after death than in his life or death and will most fully perfect it for all his members in the resurrection 3. Comfort The glory of Gods children appeares not yet but shall when he shall appeare 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Sampsons strength for a time lurked in the prison the glory of Christs Deity lay hid a while in the grave but both most powerfully brake forth So shall the glory of the despised Saints Psal. 37. 6. 4. Comfort We shall never doubt of meanes to comfort and supply us in want The same God that supplied Sampson a jawbone against his enemies supplied him out of the same jawbone a well of water to drinke when he was ready to faint Trust thy selfe with God in thy wants reserve to him all meanes instruments and wayes of bringing thee help If thou see no apparant or great meanes of thy comfort and supply he can use weak and unexpected meanes onely walk in thy calling and the rock shall yeeld thee water rather than thou shalt be destitute in Gods way or work V. In both learne to contemne the greatest and extreamest perill in Gods causes Sampson offered himselfe to death so did Christ he went out to meet his enemies so must thou learne not to love thy life to the death Revel 12. 11. and with Paul
Lev. 14. 8 9. Sect. V. I. The first meanes of purging Legall uncleanenesse is washing which shadowed out the washing of the sinner in the laver of Christs bloud all the water in the sea cannot wash away the least sinne that great work is appropriated to the bloud of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. the bloud of Jesus Christ his sonne cleanseth us from all sinne Rev. 1. 5. Who loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his bloud which bloud is opposed to all legall washings Heb. 9. 9. Object Levit. 11. 44. This washing is called a sanctification Answ. Sanctification is twofold 1. By the outward sign 2. By the inward truth They by washing symbolically and in outward profession by these rights sanctified themselves but thereby beleevers were led to the internall truth and the laver of the bloud of Christ. All this washing then leades us to the bloud of Christ by which is meant his whole passion and obedience by the merit whereof he hath procured both remission of our sinnes and mortification of them And herein is no small resemblance 1. Washing is an applying of water to foule parts so in the cleansing of sinne must be a speciall application of the bloud of Christ called Heb. 9. 14. the sprinkling of Christs bloud upon the conscience Which is nothing else on Gods part but the imputation of Christs sufferings to us and on our own part the application of them to our selves by the hand of faith 2. In Washing is a rumbling and scouring off of uncleannesse which will not easily off and in some foulenesse they must wash often for the surenesse of the work noting the paines and true indeavour of the repentant heart in mortification and afflicting it selfe It is well contented with any beating and wringing so he may fetch out the staine of sin which sticks as close as his flesh to his bones 3. The unclean party was to wash himselfe that is his whole man and every part which noteth totall sanctification in the whole man and all parts and members that the washing may be as large and general as the foulenesse is For whatsoever part is not washed by Christ hath no part in Christ which made Peter say not my feet onely Lord but mine hands and head 4. In the foulnesse of Leprosie he must wash againe and againe to note that after our justification by the death of Christ we must look to a second washing of sanctification by his spirit And because we have still washing work with us we must be still washing our selves by daily labour in our own reformation This was more lively signified in that other ceremony added to washing in the Leper that he must shave his haire againe and againe signifying the paring away of superfluities and lusts as fast as they grew and a voluntary departing from his own secret corruptions which were as many as the haires of his head and no lesse rooted in him that well he might shave and loppe them but he was out of hope quite to unroot them as long as he lived He must keep them under but cannot be ridde of them He must shave the first day and the seventh day and resist his lusts which daily grow upon him as haire cut quickly growes againe 5. The unclean person must wash his clothes as well as himselfe signifying that wee must part with all impurity even the least at least in endeavour cherishing none favouring none He must hate the very garment spotted by the flesh all occasions and appearances of evill esteeming the least spot of sinne foule and filthy enough And all this is requisite in purifying of the soule I. Labour against the smallest sinnes Be not a mentall adulterer banish unchastity in the eye and mouth avoid wanton company as did Joseph that of his Mistris Thou art no drunkard or great swearer but art thou a companion of such not reproving them No Papist but a friend and patron as seeing no great harme in their superstition No Atheist but a scorner of the persons and doctrine of godly teachers what dost thou but foam out thy own shame If thou shouldest keep thy selfe never so pure but partakest in other mens sins thou art unclean This reproveth Magistrats who though they themselves come to Church yet suffer others in time of divine worship to lye in streets houses fields openly c. prophaning thus the day of the Lord which is to be kept holy to our God Or if they be ordinary abettors of idle persons and gamesters by example This brandeth Ministers openly pleading for durnkards and hatefull blasphemers This defileth masters parents husbands that suffer their families to run into prophaneness or ryot II. In all these touches goe to the fountaine opened Zach. 13. 1. Every Jew had his water-pots to keep water for daily purification Joh. 2. 6. but now the house of David and Jerusalem that is all the godly have a fountaine opened by the death of Christ. We must every day be washing and cleansing our selves in that fountaine from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit Sect. VI. II. The second meanes of purging legall uncleannesse is oblation or offering some attonement to the Lord this directly leads us to Christ. For howsoever an unclean person must wash himselfe and his clothes yet no Jew could make an attonement for himselfe but this was common to all uncleannesses legall the Priest must make an attonement for the unclean person For all uncleannesse in generall Lev. 16. 30. In speciall for uncleannesse in touchings Numb 19. 4. In issues Lev. 12. 8. and 15. 15. In leprosie Lev. 14. 53. Noting by the way that all that we can do cannot make attonement for the least spot of sinne Let us wash our selves as often as Naaman in Jordan yea let us take snow water to us and wash our hands most cleane yet our owne clothes will make us foule and God will plunge us in the pit if our Lord Jesus the high Priest of the new Covenant make not attonement for us A fit note against all humane satisfaction and merits The offering for the Legall uncleannesse by touching was done by the sacrifice of a red cow and the sprinkling water made of the ashes of that red Cow prescribed by God to this purpose Numbers 19. called water of expiation That all this ordinance typified Christ to the Jewes the Apostle expresleth Heb. 9. 13 14. when from the bloud of this red Cow he leads us to the bloud of Christ saying If the bloud of bulls and goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are unclean sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ purge our conscience from dead works wherein he not onely compareth but infinitely advanceth the truth above the type For 1. that was symbolicall and figurative this spirituall and substantiall 2. That was eternall and temporary this internall and eternall 3. That
whom it is not removed by Jesus Christ. 4. The Rock was smitten but it was not so much the striking on the Rock but the Lords standing upon it that gets water for Israel Exod 17. 6. There was no vertue in the stroak but all depended on Gods commandement and precept and presence even so it is not the death of Christ nor the abundance of price and merit of his bloud nor the striking on this Rock before mens eyes in the ministery of the Word and Sacraments that can bring one drop of true water of comfort but by the presence and word of Gods blessing The efficacy of grace depends not on any meanes or work wrought but it is Gods word and presence that doth all in them Object Then we may give up the use of all meanes and pray at home for grace Sol. Not so for meanes must be used Moses must speak to the Rock God appoints no meanes in vain but we must not insist and dwell in them but look beyond them to Gods blessing and successe Moses must use the Rod though a word without the rod might have done it so we must use the meanes as being tyed to them though God be not but not stick in them seeing the abuse of them may make them hurtful not helpful The people of Moses the Jewes struck this Rock pearced him with thornes and speares saw with their eyes the precious fountain opened in his side a priviledge in which they were beyond all people of the earth but partly ignorant what they did partly malitious treading this pretious bloud under foot not attending not believing the Word this real striking of this Rock was unprofitable yea and damnable unto them 5. The waters of the Rock smitten followed the Israelites 1. Noting the abundance of water not onely for their present supply but also for future so in Christ and his bloud 〈◊〉 abundant and plentiful redemption and consolation 2. The Rock following them that is following or satisfying their desires It followed them every where where they desired followed their necessities followed their desires So Christ Jesus is to the faithful heart all it can desire He followes them with all sweet and needful desires He is above all that heart can think alwayes present with us through our wildernesse especially in most needful times 3. It followed them in signifying the truth which was to follow It signified plainly that Christ was to follow it as the truth the tppe and so it followed them with instruction and admonition so Christ the true Rock followes the Church with instruction His whole life ministery miracles actions passion and speeches was a real instruction And now by his Ministery he followes us with daily directions 4. It followed them through the wildernesse even unto Canaan All the drynesse of that dry and barren wildernesse could not dry it up So the waters of grace streaming from the Rock Jesus Christ follow the believing Israel of God through the wildernesse of the world to the heavenly Canaan All the persecutions and parching heats and droughts in the world can never dry it up Let all the wildernesse besides want water in Israels Campe is enough Where God begins with a man in sound and saving grace here it will carry him into the land of promise True grace must end in glory Hence arise observations twofold I. In respect of God to confirme our faith in the assurance of his 1. Presence 2. Power 3. Mercy to the Church I. His Presence He that before was present in the Pillar of the Cloud and Fire for their safety and in the Manna for their sustenance is now present in the Rock for their satiety in their extreme thirst The presence of Christ is all in all to the Church his presence is a present supply of all wants His eye is alwayes present for although it goe over all the world yet it is alwayes fixed on the Church His ear is present they cannot call to Moses for bread or water but he heares and supplies His hand is ever present with and for his Church and is not shortned Himself is ever present with his in life in death and after for good for grace and glory Onely keep thou these conditions 1. Be with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. that is walk with him as Henoch 2. Keep in thy wayes for so long he hath promised his comfortable presence 3. Rejoyce in his presence in the presence of his spirit in the signes and meanes of his presence And then fear not want sicknesse nor to walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death for God is with thee Psal. 23. 4. He will also prepare a table for thee in the sight of the adversarie ver 5. II. Here is a testimony of such mighty and miraculous power in God for his people that even Moses himself staggered and could scarce conceive a work of such power from God Here is a work of omnipotency in cleaving the hard Rock Psal. 78. 15. To shew 1. That he is a free worker not tied to second causes but at his pleasure can hinder alter or change the power of nature Psal. 115. 3. 2. That he can work by contraries and out of most unlikely yea contrary meanes effect his own pleasure Luke 1. 37. Is any thing impossible to God 3. That we should cast our eyes on this power Psal. 62. 11. Once have I heard it yea twice that power belongeth to God And hence learn 1. Not to limit the holy one that made heaven and earth of nothing 2. Faithfully to depend on this power when we see no meanes of safety or supply but all the meanes contrary For the Rock shall yield water rather than thou shalt want what he seeth good for thee 3. In thy fainting and wearinesse when thy weaknesse tells thee thou art not able to goe on in this wildernesse for want of water of comfort and consolation nay art hopelesse in thy self or any meanes thou canst make now hope above hope Gods power is sufficient in thy weaknesse Sampson shall get both victory and water by a jaw-bone the most unlikely thing in the world for either And though this power now worketh not miracles ordinarily yet before thou that waitest on him shalt miscarry he will miraculously sustain thee III. Here is a testimony of Gods admirable mercy to his people Israel deserved to be smitten for their murmuring and rebellion but the Rock is smitten for them The Rock is not smitten for itself but for Israel In stead of a revenging power which they might have expected they find a gracious power which they could not expect Even so all mankind was to be smitten by the Law but the Rock must be smitten for us Our Rock suffered nothing for his own sinnes who was purer in his nature and actions than all the Angels of God but all the stroke he suffered was for the Israel of God that they
might draw out of this well-head waters of joy and abundant consolation The mighty power of God which we had deserved to be turned all against us is all turned to the salvation of the Church where mercy rejoyceth against judgement Thus of God From this Rock and water we are also to observe some things concerning our selves I. We have here the accomplishment of that Prophecy Zach. 13. 1. A fountain is opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse Here we have Christ himself 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 Gospel And that we may see the excellency and benefit of this fountain 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 Rock the Rock was one thing the Water another here Christ is both the Rock and Water both the giver and water given 2. That Rock refreshed wicked men and beasts this is bestowed upon and comforteth onely believers 3. That Rock refreshed bodies onely this both soules and bodies That preserved natural life but this torrent preserves the supernatural life of grace so as a leaf withers not nor falls from a tree of righteousnesse planted by this River of water Psal. 1. 3. 4. That Rock might preserve and comfort the living but could not help a dead man but this quickneth the dead soul with new and heavenly life 5. The waters of that Rock quenched natural thirst but this quencheth all unnatural One drop of it tasted by Zacheus quenched all his unnatural thirst after the world and in Paul all â—he thirst of revenge and fury against the Saints 6. The Rock gave water twice this Rock gives waters of comfort alwayes The water of that Rock followed them a great while but at length were dryed up but the waters of this Rock are never dryed up The bloud of Christ is alwayes running and a fresh fountain never dry 7. The Israelites drank of that water and were contented for a little while but by and by did thirst again But he that drinkes of this water shall never thirst again Joh. 4. 14. that is miserably as they however he shall desire it still yet his very desire is his happinesse and satiety II. How we are to carry our selves to this Rock and Fountain namely as Israel to that Rock 1. The Israelites thirst and call for water they see and feel their need and want so we must feel our want of Christ and get a fervent desire after Christ and his graces because onely the thirsty are called Isai. 55. 1. and onely they in want see the worth of the thing wanting Now we may not think 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 Judg. 15. 18. As the chased Hart panteth after the rivers of water so doth my soul after thee Psal. 42. 1. 2. It must be faithful 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 obtain 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 and 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 sin for grace of sanctification for sence of Gods love for assurance of eternal life come to this Rock for supply Art thou ready to faint in thy soul for want of grace and comfort art thou ready to sink in sorrows feares faintings wants dangers run to this fountain which God hath opened for thee To move thee hereto consider 1. The Rock it self calls thee which art thirsty which that Rock could not doe Joh. 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 2. That to run any whither else is to forsake the fountain of living waters and dig pits that will hold no water Let Papists run to the puddle waters of their own 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 run to humane helpes and remedies in their sorrowes to cards dice merry company let them run 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 sink in my trouble 3. Israel coming to the Rock did not onely draw from thence but drink heartily so we must not onely come to the place where Christ is preached but we must believe in him and specially apply to our selves the merit of his death For as drinking is a special application of water to the thirsty body so by believing in Christ we specially apply the waters of grace to the refreshing of the soul. To believe is to drink this water Joh. 7. 38. with Joh. 4. 14. Nothing could quench Israels thirst being bodily but water and onely faith quencheth our spiritual thirst And therefore as they to Moses we must say to Christ Lord give us faith to quench our spiritual thirst Let these motives provoke us to drink 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 cool the heat of raging and accusing consciences Every believer 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