Gods Three Arrows, Section 32 – 39 (part 1)
§. 32. Of ſpeedy pacifying Gods wrath.
V. *Sec § 25.GOds wrath is with all expedition to be pacified. aExo. 32. 11.So ſoone as Moſes obſerved the wrath of the Lord to be kindled, while he was in the mount, before he came down to enquire after the cauſe thereof, he offered the ſweet incenſe of humble & fervent prayer, to pacifie the ſame. When bIon. 3. 4.Ionah began to enter into Niniveh, and to threaten Gods vengeance, both King and people by faſting, prayer, and repentance prevented the judgement. They did not ſtay till the forty dayes reſpited were expired. The direction of an Heathen Monarch (but guided by the Spirit of God) is in this caſe very remarkable: it was this, cEzr. 7. 17. 21, 23.Buy ſpeedily Bullocks, Rammes, &c. Whatſoever Ezra ſhall require, let it be done ſpeedily. For why ſhould there be wrath againſt the realme? dIob 1. 5.Iob was ſo ſpeedy, as upon ſuſpition that his children in their feaſting together might have ſome way or other provoked Gods wrath, offered burnt offerings for an attonement: Thus did Iob every day.
Fierceneſſe of Gods wrath.Gods wrath is as a fire. (ePſal 78. 21. Iſa. 30. 30. Ier. 15. 14. Zeph. 3. 8. Saepius ab initio flammam quidam non extin guentes, in magnum devencrant naufragium. De peccatoribus Chryſ. Hom. 22. ad Pop. to fire in Scripture it is oft reſembled) Now a fire, the longer it is ſuffered to burne, the ſtronger and more violent it waxeth. When therefore a fire is kindled, will not wiſe men make all the ſpeed that poſſibly they can to quench it? The Prophets do thus ſet out the fierceneſſe of this fire: fDeut. 32. 22.A fire is kindled in the Lords anger, and ſhall burne unto the loweſt hell, and ſhall conſume the earth with her increaſe, and ſet on fire the foundations of the mountaines, &c. gNah. 1. 6.Who can ſtand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceneſſe of his anger? His fury is powred out like fire, and the rocks are throwne downe by him. In regard of the violence of Gods wrath it is alſo reſembled to hIſa. 28. 2.—30. 28.A floud of mighty waters over-flowing. If waters once overflow and make a breach, all ſpeed muſt be uſed to make up that breach, or otherwiſe it will ſoone become irrecoverable.
The cauſe of utter deſtructions.Hence have we a demonſtration of the folly of men, who having incenſed the Lords wrath, continue to adde ſinne to ſinne, and to lie ſecurely therein, nor repenting, nor humbling themſelves with prayer and faſting, nor thinking any way to pacifie the Lords fiery indignation, till the fury thereof flame round about them, and that ſo fiercely, as there is little hope of quenching it. This is the cauſe of thoſe deſolations and utter deſtructions that have bene heretofore, or ſtill are made in the world. For,
1. iMic. 7. 18.The Lord delighteth in mercy: Were men carefull to walke in any meaſure worthy of his mercies, his godneſſe would be as an ever-ſpringing, and over-flowing fountaine ſending out ſweet ſtreames to refreſh us from time to time with all needfull bleſſings.
2. kIſa. 28. 21.Iudgement is his ſtrange worke: therefore he uſeth to threaten it, before he execute it. If therefore threatning of vengeance did kindly worke on men, and make them humble themſelves before the Lord, and turne from their ſinnes, he would not execute what he threatneth. Inſtance the caſe of lIon. 3. 10.Nineveh, and of mIer. 26. 18, 19.Hezekiah.
3. God is nIon. 4. 2.ſlow to anger. Though he be provoked to begin to execute vengeance, yet is he not haſty in powring out all the vials of his wrath. He firſt begins with one. He firſt ſtriketh but ſoftely. If then men humble themſelves, and confeſſe their ſinnes with penitent hearts, he will ſay to his Angell whom he hath ſent to deſtroy, o2 Sam 24. 16.It is enough: ſtay now thine hand.
Deferring repentance, a cauſe of much miſchiefe.The cauſe therefore of Gods ſeverity in executing vengeance, reſts in mans obſtinacy. For pPſal. 18. 26. Tamberlane ut Stephan. in Apolog pro Herodoto.With the froward God will ſhew himſelfe froward. Man perſiſts obſtinately in ſinne: and God perſiſts reſolutely in puniſhing ſinne. I have heard of a Generall, that was wont to carie with him in his Camp three ſorts of flaggs, a white, red, and black one. And when he firſt came againſt a City, he diſplayed his white flag, to ſhew, that if without reſiſtance they would yeeld, they ſhould upon acknowledging fealty to him, enjoy their lives, livings, and liberty. If they refuſed this offer, he then diſplayed a red flag, to intimate, that he intended a bloudy battell againſt them. If notwithſtanding this menacing of bloud they obſtinately ſtood out againſt him, he laſtly diſplayed a blacke flag, giving them to wit thereby that now nothing was to be expected but utter ruine and deſolation. That practice was ſomewhat anſwerable to a Law that God made for his people, that sDeut, 20. 10, 11.when they went to fight againſt a City, they ſhould firſt proclaime peace: whereof if they would not accept, they ſhould deſtroy them all. To apply this; The preaching of the Goſpell is Gods white flag. The ſeaſonable and juſt threatnings of his Miniſters, his red flag. Execution of judgement by Plague, famine, ſword, or any other like kinds, his blacke flag. How fooliſh, how ſottiſh, how rebellious againſt God, how injurious to their owne ſoules are they that not only deſpiſe the offer of mercy in the Goſpell, but alſo cary themſelves contumeliouſly againſt the threatnings of Gods Miniſters grounded on his Word, and juſtly deduced from it. Even this is our caſe: ſo have we dealt with God: and thereby provoked him to hang out this black and deadly flag of Peſtilence, whereby ſo many hundreds are weeke after weeke deſtroyed among us. This by ſpeedy humiliation and converſion might have been prevented.
Speedy repentance very profitable.If in any caſe ſpeed and haſte be needfull, ſurely it is moſt needfull, yea and neceſſary in appeaſing the wrath of God. No fire, no floud like to it. For the point therefore in hand, what courſe ſoever ye take, (having good warrant for it) That you doe, do quickly. Whether the judgement be publique or private, on our ſelves or others, let us make no delay. Take *At the time when this was preached. viz. Aug. 1625 a publique faſt was weekely celebrated.this opportunity now at length offered for publique humiliation by prayer and faſting: and what you outwardly make ſhew of before men, do inwardly and effectually before God the ſearcher of hearts. Put off no longer time. tHeb. 3. 7, 8.Wherefore as the Holy Ghost ſaith, To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your heart. There is juſt cauſe to ſpeake to you in ſuch a manner, as in another caſe uAct. 27. 21.Paul did to thoſe that were in the ſhip with him, Ye ſhould have harkened to Gods Miniſters, and not have looſed from your looſed from your covenant with God, and have gained this loſſe and harme which by fierceneſſe of the plague hath befallen us. You ſhould (as *§. 6.hath beene noted of Iob) upon ſuſpition have uſed meanes to prevent this Plague: or at leaſt, when one or two in a weeke died of the Plague in the ſuburbs of the City, you ſhould have uſed all the meanes that Gods Word warranted, then and there to have ſtayed it. Have ye not heard of the counſell that Eliah gave to Ahab. 1 King. 18. 44.When there aroſe a little cloud out of the ſea like a mans hand, he ſaid, prepare thy chariots, and get thee downe, that the raine ſtop thee not. So upon the ſight of the ſmalleſt ſigne, and firſt beginning of this Plague, we ſhould have uſed all warrantable meanes to have prevented, if it had beene poſſible, theſe ſhowers of Gods vengeance which have day after day fallen upon us. But ſeeing thoſe opportunities have been too careleſly paſſed over, let us now be made more wiſe. Quickly ſpeedily, as quickly & ſpeedily as poſſibly we can, ſeek yet to quench this fire, to make an attonement for our ſelves and others yet living. Conſidera quam multi modò moriuntur, quibus ſi haec hora ad agendum poeni tentiam concederetur quae tibi conceſſa est, quo modò per attaria & quam feſtinanter currerent, & ibi flexis genibus, vel certè toto eorpore in terram proſtrato, tam diu ſuſpirare…t, plorarent, & orarent, donec pleniſſimam peccatorum veniam d Deo conſequi mercrentur. Tu verò commedende, bibendo, j…c…ndo & ridendo, tempus o…oſe vivends perdis, quod tibi. in dulſerat Deus ad acquirendam gratiam, & promereadam gloriam. Cogita etiam quot animae in inſerno nunc cruciantur ſine ſpe veniae, & miſericordiae. Si amor Dei te tenere non poteſt, ſaltem teneat & terreat timor judicij, metus gehennae, &c. Bern. de Interiori Domo. cap. 63.O cōſider how many have died, who if they had this time for repentance, which ye have, would faſt and pray, and turne from ſinne, and do what might be done to obtaine pardon. And will ye ſpend this precious time in eating, drinking, and ſporting, which is affoorded to get grace, and attaine to glory? Thinke with thy ſelfe how many ſoules are now in hell without hope of pardon and mercy. If the love of God hold thee not in, at leaſt let the feare of judgement and terrour of hell reſtraine thee, and affright thee.
§. 33. Of attonement with God after his wrath hath beene kindled.
VI. *See §. 25.THere are meanes of reconciliation betwixt God and man, after Gods wrath is incenſed. As the charge which in this text Moſes gives to Aaron, Make an attonemēt: ſo the event which followed thereupon (aNumb. 16. 47 He made an attonement for the people) proves as much. So doth this anſwer which God gave to Moſes his interceſſion for the people, b—14, 20.I have pardoned according to thy word. Memorable in this caſe is that meanes which at firſt God affoorded to man by the dGen. 3. 15.Seed of the woman, after he had revolted, & ſo provoked the Lords wrath. All the propitiatory ſacrifices that from Abels time to Chriſts have beene offered up by Saints, give demonſtration hereof: eſpecially if the end of them, and the events following upon the offering of them be duly weighed. The end of them is thus expreſſed in the Law, eLev. 1. 4.It ſhalbe accepted for him to make an attonement for him. The events are thus ſet out, fGen. 4. 4.The Lord had reſpect to Abel, and to his offering. g—8. 21.The Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavour. hLev. 9. 23.The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. i1 Sam 7. 9.The Lord heard him. k2 Sam. 24 25.The Lord was entreated for the land. l2 Chro 7. 1.Fire came downe from heaven, and conſumed the burnt offering and ſacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the houſe. The many invitations propounded in Scripture to ſinners to come unto God, imply grounds of reconciliation betwixt God and man. Such are theſe, mIſa 1. 18.Come now, and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord. nPro 9. 5.Come eate of my bread, &c. oIſa. 55. 1.Come, buy wine and milke without mony, &c. pMat. 11. 28.Come unto me all ye that labour, &c. qPſal. 34. 8.O taste and ſee that the Lord is good. To theſe for further confirmation, may be added the many promiſes of receiving, and accepting ſuch as come, which uſe to be annexed to the forementioned invitations. Yea and the embaſſage which God hath given to his Miniſters, who *2 Cor. 5. 20.as though God did beſeech you by us, pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be reconciled to God. But moſt evidently and plentifully is the point proved by the truth of all the legall types, Chriſt Ieſus, rRom. 3. 25.Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation: s—5. 11.by whom we have received the attonement. That word propitiation hath relation to the *Exo. 25. 17, &c.propitiatory under the Law, tranſlated by our Engliſh a mercy-ſeat: which was an eſpeciall type of Chriſt, in whom all the mercy of God is manifeſted to man. Where *Ezek. 43. 14. foreign.Ezekiel maketh mention of a greater and leſſe ſettle, The LXX tranſlate it, a propitiatory: Propitiatorium minus eſt, quando i… ſe Chriſtus formam ſervi accipiens & propitiatorium majus quum recepit gloriam, &c. Hier. Comment. l. 13. in Ezek. 43.and St. Hieron applieth the greater propitiatory to Chriſts Divine nature: and the leſſe to his humane nature. Thus as God-man is Chriſt the meanes of attonement betwixt God and man.
No reaſon hereof can be found out in man. For man having once rebelled againſt his Creatour, perſiſted in his rebellion: and neither offered to God, nor ſought of God any attonement. tRom. 5. 10.When we were enemies we were reconciled. The whole cauſe therfore reſteth in God: even in his free grace, and undeſerved love. For there is a peculiar love which God beareth to man: uTit. 3. 4. foreign.which the Apoſtle compriſeth under one compound word, which ſignifieth, love of man: and thus ſetteth downe the true reaſon of the fore-mentioned attonement, After that the kindneſſe, and love toward man of God our Saviour appeared, not by works of righteouſneſſe which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaved us.
§. 34. Of Gods peculiar love to man.
1. Chryſoſtomus in lib. 1. de Prov Dei, elegantiſſimè deſcribit divinam foreign.THis peculiar love of God to man is the rather to be obſerved by man, becauſe it is ſuch a love as is proper to him, and on him onelyonly conferred. The like hath not beene extended to any other creature whatſoever. I need not bring the ſenſleſſe creatures, either above in the viſible heavens, or below on earth, no nor any of the living, and ſenſible, but unreaſonable creatures, into compariſon. None can be ſo ſenſleſſe, or unreaſonable, as to imagine that Gods goodneſſe extended to them, can be compared to his kindneſſe ſhewed to man. There remaine therefore the Angels onelyonly in this bleſſed contention, about more love, to be poiſed with man. The Angels may be diſtinguiſhed into two ranks, good and evill. The evill angels, though they ſtood in as much need of ſuch mercy to be ſhewed to them as was extended to man, becauſe they implunged themſelves into as deepe a gulfe of miſerie, yet was not God pleaſed to take ſuch pitie of them. yIude v. 6.He hath reſerved them in everlaſting chaines under darkneſſe, unto the judgement of the great day. The good Angels fell not into ſuch miſery: nor ſtood in need of ſuch mercy. They were indeed by Chriſt eſtabliſhed in happineſſe, but not redeemed from miſery. The favour which they primarily had with God is everlaſtingly confirmed: new favour is not purchaſed for them. They never were at odds with God: no need therefore of attonement, of reconciliation. This is the tranſcendent, proper, and peculiar evidence of Gods love to man. zHeb. 2. 16.He therefore that tooke not on him the nature of Angels, tooke on him the ſeed of Abraham.
§. 35. Of their deſperate condition who reject reconciliation.
2. WHat now may be thought of ſuch children of men, as, notwithſtanding the meanes of reconciliation and attonement, which God hath ordained and revealed for mans good, ſtill ſtand at odds with God, and maintaine enmity againſt him? Their caſe may well be accounted deſperate. Infirmi donec medicantes admittunt, multam habent ſpem ſanitatis: poſt quàm verò in mentis alienationem deciderint, immedicabiles ſunt nullo curante: non propter morbi naturam, ſed propter curantis abſentiam. Chrſ. Hom. 22. ad Pop.While they who are ſicke admit Phyſitians, and remedies, there is much hope of recovery. But if like mad men they admit no meanes for their good, they muſt needs be irrecoverable, having none to cure them: not ſo much for the nature of the diſeaſe, as for want of meanes to cure them. In this caſe they may be ſuppoſed to be worſe then Devils. Had a Redeemer been given to Devils, and an attonement by him made betwixt God and them, we cannot but think that they would moſt readily and willingly have embraced reconciliation. Yet how many children of men have there beene in all ages, in all places, againſt whom the Lord may juſtly take up this complaint, aMat. 23. 37.How oft would I have gathered you together even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! And this, bIſa. 65. 2.I have ſpread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their owne thoughts: A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face. Too too many ſuch there are among vsus, who moſt ungratefully and contumeliouſly reject all the meanes which God in his goodneſſe and wiſdome hath afforded to allure and draw men to himſelfe. For meanes of reconciliation, and ſalvation, what nation hath more plentifully enjoyed them, then England, and what part of England more then London? But let the impiety and iniquity, profaneneſſe and licentiouſneſſe, drunkenneſſe, and all manner of uncleanneſſe, ſwearing and lying, debate and deceit, extortion and oppreſſion, and other like offences againſt God and man, committed in this bright light of the Goſpell, give evidence, whether reconciliation offered on Gods part be anſwerably accepted on mans part. Can we now wonder at Gods judgements among us, and heavy hand upon us? Have we not rather cauſe to admire his long ſuffering and lenity, in that he hath ſo long held his hand from ſtriking: and in that he now ſtrikes, he doth it ſo gently. For howſoever this ſtroake of the Plague conſidered in it ſelfe be heavy: yet compared to our deſerts, it is but light. Lam. 3 22.It is of the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions faile not.
§. 36. Of the penitents comfort in reconciliation.
3. Poenitentes, quid à ſeipſis ſuſcipit judicatos, Deus abſolvit. Cypr. Serm de Paſſ. Chriſti.POore penitent ſinners, whoſe hearts are broken with ſight and ſence of their ſinnes, may hence, and will hence receive much comfort, that there is meanes of attonement and reconciliation betwixt God and them. For God uſeth to abſolve ſuch as he obſerves to judge themſelves. This muſt needs be very cordiall to them. For true penitents that are pierced with ſence of their ſinnes, know that while there remaines enmity betwixt God and them, they are in no better eſtate then the Devils. They find by the heavy burthen of ſinne oppreſſing their ſoules, and by their deepe apprehenſion of Gods wrath thereupon, that Gods favour is more ſweet then life it ſelfe, and infinitely to be preferred before all contents and delights that this world can affoord. To theſe Iſa. 52. 7.How beautifull are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publiſheth peace, &c. Take notice therefore, O ye poore in ſpirit, take notice of this ſoveraigne ground of comfort, There is meanes of reconciliation betwixt you and your God. An attonement is made. Comfort your ſoules herewith. Sufficit mihi ad omnem juſtitiam ſolum habere prepitium, cui ſoli peccavi. Bern. ſuper Cant, Serm. 23.It is ſufficient, and in ſtead of all righteouſneſſe, to have him alone, againſt whom alone I have ſinned, propitious and gracious in pardoning ſinne.
Meanes of reconciliation to be ſought.4. Means of reconciliation being on Gods part affoorded and offered, it remaineth as a bounden duty for us, with the uttermoſt of our power to ſeeke after it. Yea it giveth good encouragement to do our beſt for partaking of the benefit thereof.
1. For our duty, ſhall a matter of ſo great conſequence, ſo excellent, ſo needfull, ſo uſefull a thing as reconciliation with God be publiſhed and proclaimed to us wretched rebels againſt God, and ſhould not we enquire after it? They adde much to the heape of their other ſinnes that neglect this duty. Heb. 2. 3.How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſalvation?
2. For encouragement, what greater then this, that there is ſuch a thing, that upon due and diligent ſeeking, may and ſhalbe had. If God were implacable, irreconciliable, and would accept of no attonement, then had we cauſe to be diſcouraged from ſeeking it, but God is ſo farre from being irreconciliable, that he is moſt eaſie to be intreated. Yea by his Miniſters he 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mic. 7. 18.prayeth us to be reconciled to him. Who is a God like to thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c.
§. 37. Of the reſemblance betwixt prayer and incenſe.
HAving handled the meanes of attonement here preſcribed by Moſes according to the letter of the hiſtory, we will further endeavour to open the myſtery contained under it.
The principall meanes was offering incenſe. This may be conſidered as a ſervice to be done by man: or as a Legall Thus foreign eſt ſpiritual…s thymiamatis, quod est c…lius Dei. Hier. Comment. lib. 1. in Hab 2.type of an Evangelicall truth.
As a ſervice, or duty to be performed on mans part, it ſet out prayer.
As a type it prefigured Chriſts Interceſſion.
That it ſet out prayer, is evident by the Pſalmiſts application of the one to the other, where he ſaith, aPſal. 141. 2.Let my prayer be ſet before thee as incenſe. This alſo is meant by the Lord, where he ſaith, bMal. 1. 11.In every place incenſe ſhalbe offered to my name.
The reſemblance of prayer to incenſe, is in many reſpects very apt. For,
1. aExo. 30. 36.The ſpice of which the incenſe was made, was to be beaten very ſmall. So the heart out of which prayer commeth, muſt be bPſal. 51. 17.a broken and contrite heart.
2. cLev. 16. 13.Fire muſt be put to the incenſe, and therewith the incenſe burned. So dMar. 11. 24. Iam. 1. 6.faith and eIam. 5. 16.ſervour muſt be added to prayer, whereby it is made to aſcend to God.
3. Incenſe muſt be burnt fExo. 30. 7.on the altar, or gLev 16. 12.on a cenſer, as Moſes here commanded Aaron. So muſt our prayers be offered on hHeb. 13. 10.the altar Ieſus Christ: who is alſo as i—9 4.a cenſer.
4. kEzek. 8. 11.Incenſe being fired aſcended up like a cloud. So lRev. 8 4. 2 Chro. 30. 27. Ion. 2. 7.doe faithfull and fervent prayers aſcend to heaven where God is.
5. Incenſe cauſed mLev. 16. 12.a ſweet perfume and ſavour. So is nIob 42. 8. Pſal. 69. 31.prayer pleaſing and acceptable unto God.
6. oLev. 16. 13.Incenſe was a meanes to pacifie Gods wrath, as here in the text. So prayer. By pExo 32. 14.Moſes his prayer was Gods anger appeaſed.
7. qNumb. 16. 40Incenſe was to be offered up by Prieſts onelyonly. rRev. 1. 6.So are all Saints made ſpirituall Prieſts, and s1 Pet 2. 5.thereby fitted to offer up the ſpirituall incenſe of prayer.
§. 38. Of incenſe typifying Chriſt.
THat Incenſe was a type of Chriſt; may be collected by the Apoſtles ſpecifying the aHeb. 9. 4.golden cenſer, which was onelyonly for incenſe, among other Legall types of Chriſt. The golden cenſer was a type by reaſon of the incenſe, for which it was made: much more therfore muſt the incenſe it ſelfe be How ſundry types may be applied to Chriſt.a type. If it be demanded how the one and the other too could be a type of Chriſt; I anſwer, In regard of ſeverall matters appertaining to Chriſt. Some types ſet out one of Chriſts natures, others another: Some his perſon, others his offices: againe, others, ſpeciall benefits that the Church reaped by Chriſt. In a word, the ſundry and ſeverall types under the Law, ſet out ſundry and ſeverall excellencies that were in Chriſt, and ſundry and ſeverall benefits that iſſue from him.
That the fitneſſe of the types here mentioned may be the better diſcerned, I will paralell, and ſet out the incenſe, cenſer, fire, and altar in ſuch manner as with good probability may be applied to Chriſt.
| 1. The Incenſe was made of the Exo. 30. 34, 38 beſt ſpices in the world. The like perfume might not be made. | 1. Chriſt was Cant. 5. 10. the chiefest of ten thouſand. Pſal 45. 2. Fairer then the children of men. None like to him. |
| 2. Incenſe was to be Exo. 30. 36. beaten very ſmall. | 2. Chriſt was Iſa 53. 5. bruiſed for our iniquities. |
| 3. Incenſe was burnt with Lev. 16. 12. hot coales of fire. | 3. Chriſts death was a tormenting death: Zac. 3 2. He was a brand pluckt out of the fire. |
| 4. Incenſe was put upon a Lev. 16. 12. Cenſer. The Cenſer was of Heb. 9. 4. gold. Exo. 30. 1. &c So was the altar upon which it was burnt. | 4. Chriſt Heb 9. 14. thorow the eternall Spirit offered himſelfe: then which nothing more precious, more durable. A golden cenſer and altar is expreſly applied to Chriſt, Rev. 8. 3. |
| 5. The Incenſe was brought Lev. 16. 13. before the Lord into the moſt holy place. | 5. Chriſt is Heb. 8. 1. in heaven before his Father, even at his right hand. |
| 6. The ſmoake of the Incenſe like Lev. 16. 13. a cloud covered the mercyſeate. | Heb. 8. 1. Iſa. 4. 5.6. Chriſts interceſſion ſo covereth the throne of grace in heaven, as our ſinnes are not ſeene. |
| 7. The ſent of the Incenſe was very ſweet. Therfore it is called Exo. 35. 28. ſweet incenſe. | 7. Ioh. 11. 42. —16. 23. Chriſts interceſſion is very pleaſing to God. Iſa. 42. 1. Gods ſoule delighteth in him. Mat. 3. 17. He is his beloved Sonne in whom he is well pleaſed. |
| 8. Lev. 16. 13, 14. Incenſe was caried with bloud into the moſt holy place. | 8. Heb. 9. 12. Chriſt with his owne bloud entred into the holy place. Satiſfaction and interceſſion go together. |
| 9. Numb. 16. 48. Offering incenſe was a meanes of attonement betwixt God & mā | 9. Chriſt is 1 Ioh. 2. 2. the propitiation for our ſinnes. Rom. 5. 10. By him we are reconciled to God: and —11. have received the attonement. |
| 10. 2 Chro. 26. 18 Incenſe was to be offered up only by a Priest. | 10. Heb. 8. 1. Chriſt was a true Prieſt: So fit to make interceſſion. No Angell, no Saint can do it. |
The type being thus applied to the truth in the particular circumſtances thereof, we will inſiſt eſpecially upon the maine ſubſtance here intended, which is the true meanes whereby God is appeaſed, here typified by Aarons offering incenſe: namely Ieſus Chriſt the beloved Sonne of God, his making of interceſſion for ſinners.
§. 39. Of the vertue of Christs interceſsion to appeaſe God.
CHriſt by his interceſſion is the onelyonly true meanes of appeaſing God. All Legall rites inſtituted to this purpoſe were types hereof. For the whole Law was aCol 2. 17.a ſhadow of things to come: but the body is of Chriſt. He is that bGen 3. 15.ſeed of the woman that ſhould bruiſe the ſerpents head, and ſo ſlay hatred. cGal. 3. 16.He is that Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed, by reaſon of this attonement. He the dHeb. 10. 10.propitiatory ſacrifice, he the eEph. 5. 26.cleanſing water, he the incenſe, he the fIoh. 3. 14, 15.Braſen Serpent, by which ſuch as are ſtung by ſinne and Satan are cured. To omit other types, gEph. 2. 14.He is our peace: h1 Ioh. 2. 2.He is the propitiation for our ſinnes: i1 Tim. 2. 5.He is the Mediatour betwixt God and man: k2 Cor. 5. 18.God hath reconciled us to himſelfe by Ieſus Chriſt: lRom 3. 25.whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation. Therefore mHebr. 1. 3.when he had by himſelfe purged our ſinnes, he ſate downe on the right hand of the Majeſty on high: where n—7. 25.he ever liveth to make interceſſion for us. On which ground the Apoſtle maketh this holy challenge, oRom. 8. 34.Who is he that condemneth? It is Chriſt that died: yea rather that is riſen againe, and is even at the right hand of God: who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. Thus we ſee how plentifull and evident the holy Scripture is in this principle of our Chriſtian Faith.
p1 Tim. 3. 16.Chriſt being true God, qMat. 17. 5.his Fathers beloved Sonne in whom he is well pleaſed: and having rHeb. 9. 12.by his owne bloud obtained eternall redemption, he hath a power and right to quench the fire of Gods wrath, and to make peace betwixt God and man. The dignity of his perſon, and the all-ſufficiency of his ſacrifice have made way thereto. The like can not juſtly be ſaid of any other meanes whatſoever, in heaven, or in earth. Wherefore ſ1 Tim. 2 5.There is one (one onelyonly) Mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Chriſt Ieſus.