Christ Revealed, Scriptural typology · Chapter 13
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,Foure rankes of sanctified ones under the Law. 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?The first born, types in foure respects.
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,Exration… Communis naturae. Communis gratiae. Juris singularis. 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 childrē 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.Primogenius, ante quē nullus. Vnig enitus, post quem nullus. 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 onelyonly the first begotten, before whom there was none; but the onelyonly begotten after whom is none. Iohn 1. 14. the onelyonly 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. 1. For the kinde, in that he was Mediator, God and man in unity of person, and the onelyonly 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.Hieron. advers. H…lvid. 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 onelyonly 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,Heb. 1. 6. 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 onelyonly 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,Psal. 45. 7. 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,Vse. 1. Every mercy is the greater engagement unto God. 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 onelyonly 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,Vse 2. Honor Christ as the first born of God, of whom all they are but types; we must give him the honor of his birthright. 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,and how. 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.Vse. 3. Threef…ld comfort in the birthright. 1. In that Christ being the truth of the first borne, from him the birthright is derived unto us beleevers as it was from Reuben unto Iudah, and wee partake of the same birthright with our head. For here is a difference betweene the type and truth of the first borne. They had all their priviledges for themselves: but Christ not for himselfe but for us. Whence his elect members are called the Congregation of the first borne written in heaven, that is, whose names are written in the booke of life. And farther; the more those first borne had, the lesse had the other brethren: but the more Christ hath, the more have we, seeing of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace. If he be strong, he is strong for us, if rich, he is so to us. If he be Prince and Priest of his family the Church, hereby we recover the dignity we had lost by sinne; and of slaves and vassalls of corruption, are made Kings and Priests, that is, the first borne to God, Rev. 1. 6. If he have a double portion of the spirit, so have wee by him. Isa. 40. 2. speake to the heart of Ierusalem, her iniquity is forgiven; she hath received double at the Lords hand for all her sinnes, that is, a double portion of grace and favour. As Ioseph made Benjamins messe to be doubled: so our Jesus doubles his spirit on the elect. If he have a double portion of glory, immortality, and heavenly inheritance; so have we in him, being coheires with him in the same inheritance, Rom. 8. 17. 2. Comfort. Being Gods first borne through Christ, wee are deare unto God. So Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my first borne, that is, deare unto me, as the first borne, commonly are dearest to their Parents. Israel, before his receiving into the Covenant, was the worst of all people, and smallest in it selfe, and in Gods eyes, Deut. 7. and 9. 4. But afterwards being (in the right of the Messiah) Gods first borne, became deare to him as the apple of his eye. Now what a joy is it to the beleeving soule to see God a father looke towards it as a father to his first borne? So fareth it now with us, being so made in Christ. 3. Comfort. God takes notice, and revengeth all the wrongs done to the Saints, because they are his first borne. Let Aegypt offer injury to Gods first borne, God will say, Slay every first borne of man and beast in Aegypt; let them see, in the punishment, their sinne. For can a tender father see an arme or a legge of his first borne cut off? Would it not go to his heart to see him dismembred? And can the Lord Jesus endure any wrongs and cruelties done to his members, and this not pierce his bowels? A man may sometime see his child in want, and correct his first borne for his farther good, send him to bee schooled and trayned in some course under a sharpe discipline; but to see him wounded, to see him bleed, cast off, troden under fee…, he cannot endure: No more the Lord. Let no man, never so great, dare to wrong the godly; for he will rebuke Kings for their sakes.
IV. Seeing in Christ the first borne wee attaine the birthright;Vse. 4. Forfeit not the birthright by sin. let every Christian beware of prophanenesse, and passing away his birthright as Esau, who sold his birthright for pottage, Heb. 12. 16. and therefore called prophane. So doe they that exchange spirituall things for temporall, earth for heaven. As many, who pretend a part in Christ; but in Esaus language say: Give me my pottage, my silver, my honour, my profit, my pleasure, let them take their religion, their preaching, praying, and precisenesse, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. This contempt of their priviledges robbed the Jewes of them, who being cast out of favour, of first borne become the last of all people, and now wee Gentiles are stept into their birthright. Let us be wise in the entertayning our prerogative conscionably, expresse our love to Christ and his Gospell, not hatred, as they, least provoking the Lord he deale with us in justice as he did with them. For if he spared not the naturall branches (Rom. 11. 21.) What reason hath he to spare us?
V. Learne to grow in conformity with our elder brother Christ,Vse 5. Resemble Christ our Elder brother. with whom wee cannot be equall, but like as brothers. All must have one father, one flesh, one spirit. For the brotherhood stands not in communion of flesh and blood, for so every man were his brother, but in the spirituall union by regeneration, Ioh. 1. 13. We must be like him in affection, like him in affliction, like him in the combat, and like him in the Crowne. How like unto Christ is he that resists and despises the spirit of grace, that having onelyonly humane nature, hath no whit of that divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. When heardest thou this first borne brother to sweare or lye? Or be idle in speech, wanton in behaviour, carelesse of his course, or company? When was he ashamed of thy cause, of thy Crosse, yea or curse? But thou art ashamed of his Crosse and cause. When did he revile, rebuke, hate? Would he be like us in every thing, even in our evills, sinne onelyonly excepted? should not we be like him in grace, to be like him in glory?