Christ Revealed, Scriptural typology · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Nazarites types of Christ.
THe third order or ranke of holy persons types of Christ are the Nazarites,Nazarits, types of Christ 5. wayes. who were sanctified by vow or speciall profession; and not obscurely shadowing Jesus Christ the onelyonly true and perfect Nazarite. For,
I. The name Nazarite by which Christ must bee (according to the ancient prophecies) called, Matt. 2. 23. and in contempt was by the Jewes so stiled in the superscription of the Crosse) signifieth one separated and set apart from others; and is ascribed to three sorts of men, usually set above others.Separate, or set apart 3. wayes. 1. To such as are set apart for singular sanctimony, as the high Priest, whose crowne of sanctification on his head is called Nezer, Exod. 29. 6. 2. To such as in dignity and authority are separated from others; as Kings, whose royall crowne or diademe is called Nezer, 2. Sam. 1. 10. I tooke the crowne that was upon his head. 3. To such as were separated by some religious vow, as to this order of the Nazarites; whose haire increasing on their heads, as an externall signe of their vow, was called Nezer, Numb. 6. 18. By which order the Lord would have the eminent sanctity of Jesus Christ to bee typified, as well as his sacrifice and kingly Office by Priests and Kings. Hee was indeed the onelyonly true Nazarite separated from sinners, holy, harmelesse, and undefiled, Heb. 7. 26. For, 1. His profession was,Christ eminent for sanctity, in 6. respects. I am not of this world, Ioh. 8. 23. 2. He is called (Dan. 9. 24.) the holy of holies, or the most Holy (a title never ascribed to the most holy persons on earth by resemblance:) For as the holy of holies (a type of Christ) was separated from the rest of the Tabernacle and Temple, and excelled both the outer and inner Court in holinesse: So Jesus Christ surpassed not onelyonly common men but the holiest of men, as farre as the sanctum sanctorum excelled both the sanctum and atrium. His divine holinesse farre excelled the most pure Nazarites, who yet are said (Lam. 4. 7.) to bee purer then the snow, and whiter then the milke. 3. He was not of unholy made holy as they, but hee was alwayes holy and without all staine of sinne, from the first moment for ever: That holy thing which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost, Matt. 1. 20. 4. His holinesse was not from any other, but of and from himselfe, whereas whosoever else have any holinesse it is from him. 5. His holinesse was essentiall (not accidentall) as he was God; and as hee was man (by the union of the manhood with his divine nature) was bestowed upon him in full measure, yea beyond measure; and therefore is called, fulnesse of grace and holinesse, Ioh▪ 1. But in the most holy men this holinesse is a received quality by communicating of his spirit, and that imperfectly and in small measure. 6. They might be holy in part for themselves, but could not impart that holinesse to others: But Christ is not onelyonly holy in himselfe, but sanctifieth them and the whole Church; hee being the originall and fountaine of all holinesse. They might be legally cleane in some actions: but he was morally cleane in all observations. They in some passages of their life: but hee in his nature, in his disposition, and in the fulfilling of all righteousnesse.
II. Nazarites by the Law (Numb. 6. 2, 3.) must abstaine from wine and strong drinke, and all that commeth of the grape.Abstemious: and why. 1. Because they were to study the Law of God, and the Lord will not have them meddle with any thing that might trouble their braine, or unfit them to so holy studies. 2. Hee would have them paterns of sobriety and temperance, and restraine them from whatsoever might stirre up lust, or occasion intemperance. In which, what else did they but shadow our Saviour Christ? Who was a true Nazarite, not in the letter and ceremony (for he did drinke wine, and miraculously provided it for others; yea ordained wine an element in the Supper, that every Christian might drinke it) but in the morality and truth of the thing hee was the onelyonly perfect Nazarite. Never was any so intent in study, invocation, preaching, acting, and suffering all things for our sake, as he was. Neither was any creature so abstinent and temperate as he was; he fasted fourty dayes and fourty nights, and after that (being hungry) hee would eate nothing till all his temptations in the wildernesse were ended. As of all other vertues, so he was an unfailing patterne in this of holy abstinence and unviolated temperance.
III. The Nazarites were enjoyned to let their haire grow, and no razor must come on their heads all the time of their vow and seperation,Nourishing the haire. Numb. 6. 5. By which ceremony the Lord intended two things. 1. He would have them most unlike and contrary to the religious orders of the heathen Idolaters, who usually nourished their haire to offer in sacrifice to their gods, as in many examples I could shew: But these must not diminish their haire all the time; and when they cut it off they must burne it with fire. 2. To be a meanes to avoid finenesse and delicacy in curious trimming of the head, and care of the flesh, which is a great enemy to religious thoughts and exercises. So the Apostle implyes, the more care of the flesh, Rom. 13. 14.the lesse of putting on Christ Iesus. 3. Long haire in men is a signe of strength, as in Sampson. And by this law the Lord would put them in mind that as they were to avoid esseminate softnesse and delicacy; so to be manly, strong, and couragious in performing duties, and resisting stoutly all the temptations and baits that might allure them from the duty undertaken. As for our Saviour (whom they shadowed) it is not likely he nourished his haire, because the Apostle saith, it was (in that age) uncomely for men to have long haire.1 Cor. 11. 14. If a man have long haire it is a shame unto him. And then are all the Romish paynters quite out, who paint him with his haire lying round about his shoulders: but Painters and Poets may lye by authority.Pictoribus atque Poetis, Quidlibet aud…ndi semper fuit aequ…potestas. Hor. It was enough for him, that he was a Nazarite in the truth and substance of that Law, although not in the letter and outward ceremony of it. In which respect how did he neglect himselfe; who being the Lord of all, denyed himselfe of all rights and comforts. He was so farre from all delicacy, that (with an utter refusall of all delights of flesh) his whole intention was set on his function and office, submitting himselfe to sorrow, curse, &c. Besides, what courage and fortitude, did hee expresse through his whole function and office, in overcomming sinne, death, Satan, the Crosse, Hell, and all adversaries? Sampson the strongest of all Nazarites was but a weakeling to him; his adversaries, flesh not spirit; his power, faint and fayling, yea changed into weakenesse.
IV. Nazarites must not come neere the dead to touch them, nor defile themselves by them;Not touch the dead. nor meddle with the funerals of father, mother, brother, sister, or any of their kinred, though they might pretēd never so much piety, affection, or good nature. By which Law the Lord would teach them two things, 1. That no changes of this life, nor losse of their dearest friends should turne them aside from their duty, or from the observation of the Law of their profession. 2. To teach them constancy, patience, and magnanimity of spirit in the greatest outward afflictions, and not to shew a weaknesse or passion in open or excessive lamentation. Our Lord although he did touch the dead, and was at funeralls, and wept at the raysing of Lazarus, and so observed not the ceremony of Nazarites, because hee was no Legall Nazarite, but was called a Nazarite as being the truth and substance of all the Legall Nazarites, as in all other things so in this: For he onelyonly was the Master, and had the true command of all his affections; never exceeded measure in any thing, never was defiled by any person dead in sinne, never by any dead worke, never touched or came neere any such defilement, which Legall Nazarites could not avoid.
V. These Nazarites must be absolved and released from their Vow by comming to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation with their offering. Num. 6. 13. plainly by that figure leading us unto Christ,Released of the vow. the only doore by which we enter, and have liberty to come into the presence of God, and obtaine freedome from the sinne and weakenesse of any duty wee performe before him.
Now for application.
I. Acknowledge Christ the true Nazarite.Vse. 1. Christ and his excellency to be acknowledged. Upon his head let his Crowne flourish. As it was said of Ioseph, Gen. 49. 26, he was seperate from his brethren: so was Jesus Christ seperated from all other men and Angels, 1. In holinesse and purity, being advanced in holinesse above all creatures: He alone in propriety and perfection is a Nazarite purer then snow, and whiter then milke; yea his measure runs over to his Church, Eph. 5. 26. 2. In excellence and perfection of all vertues and graces, hee is that Netser, Isa. 11. 1, the branch or flower which alwaies flourished in all kinds, and perfections of vertue and graces, and casts from him farre and neere a most sweet smell, sweet and acceptable to God and men.And his great power▪ wherin. 3. In power and authority. The Kingdome is his and power and glory; all power is given him in heaven and in earth. He hath power, 1. to do us good; 2. to withstand our evill; 3. to tread downe Satan, sinne, death; 4. to rescue his Church, to confound Antichrist and all enemies: 5. to finish the grace and glory of his Saints.
Why must Christ be so pure a Nazarite?Object.
1. Because his passion could not have beene acceptable,Answ. if his person had not beene as pure as the sunne. 2. Hee was to be not onelyonly righteousnesse in himselfe as other Nazarites, or righteousnesse in part: but he must be a perfect righteousnesse to many. Object. But how could he be so pure comming of Adam as they did? Sol. He came of Adam, not by Adam, as they did; that is, he came not by naturall propagation from Adam, but was conceived by the holy Ghost, and so all originall impurity was stopped in the very first moment of his holy conception. Object. But did not he take the same infirmities comming of Adam as they did? Answ. No, he tooke such infirmities as he pleased, to fit him for a mercifull high Priest, not to hinder him, and therefore he tooke such infirmities from Adam as were miserable, but not damnable, and so remained a pure Nazarite without all sinfull frailty.
II. Christ the true Nazarite being come,Vse. 2. Difference of the Nazarites vow, and Papists. all shadowes must fly away, and therefore this order of Nazarites gives no colour or approbation to any order of Popish votaries or monasticall persons now in the new Testament. Besides, that white is not more contrary to black then monasticall vowes to this. For 1. The Nazarites were appointed by God himselfe: theirs devised by themselves. 2. Their vowes were of things possible, in their power, and temporary: these are of things impossible, without their power, and during life, be the party never so unable to endure it. 3. Their vowes (though appointed by God) were not able to merit remission of sinne and eternall life: but these say that they merit for themselves and others, that their vowes are parts of Gods worship (which never came in his mind or booke) and a state of great perfection: Whereas,Nazareus non fuit caeteris iu… or, sed aptior ad officia. a Nazarite was not more righteous then others, but better fitted for his duty. 4. Nazarites might not cut their haire: their order stands in cutting and shaving that they may still looke neate and effeminate. 5. Nazarites drink no wine nor strong drinke, and are very temperate in their dyet: these belly gods eat up the fat, and poure in the sweet till they be monsters, that the very fasts of Friers (for the delicacy and abundance) is become a proverbe. 6. Nazarites might not come at funeralls: these follow them (as flyes do fat meat) and suck out thence their greatest profit, and sweetest morsells. 7. Nazarites (notwithstanding their vow) lived in holy wedlock: but Popish votaries abhorre marriage, not lust or whoredome. Yet from this order they would establish their disordered orders, as contrary as darkenesse to light.
III. The shadow of the Law is vanished away,Vse. 2. Vmbra legis…va…i…, illuxit veritas Evangelii. and the truth of the Gospell is broken forth as the light, saith the Canon Law. Every Christian must be a Nazarite not by vow of seperation, but by imitation and resemblance of Christ the true Nazarite. For
I. He must be seperate from others,Be Nazarites, and how. 1. He must see that he be seperate from ungodly ones, as one advanced to an happy estate in Christ. 2. That now his mind, affections, speeches, and whole course be contrary to the course of the world; and so (as Ioseph) seperate himselfe from the evill behaviour, and manners of his brethren; yea complaine of them to his father. 3. He must bee content if his brethren seperate from him, as did Iosephs brethren when they sold him into Aegypt. This is to bee a Christian Nazarite.
II. This Christian Nazarite must strictly keepe the rules of his profession. …. he must labour. 1. to preserve the vow of holinesse made in Baptisme, study and follow after sanctification,1 Thes. 4. 3. This is the will of God even your sanctification, he must resigne himselfe wholly to God; 2. carefully to avoid the least defilement of sinne. The Lord made a Law (Numb. 6. 9.) that if any dyed by a Nazarite casually and suddenly (though hee could not avoid it) he defiled the head of his consecration; he must be shaven and come and offer a Lambe for a trespasse offering, and then begin his vow againe. Wherein the Lord shewes that he will not endure any sinne in his servant (though not willingly committed, nor intended) if it be but casual or by happe, and stirres up thereby our watchfulnesse against all, even the least sinne, and urgeth the shunning of the least touch of dead workes: Iude 23, hate even the garment spotted by the flesh. 2. Hee must study the law of the Lord to grow in knowledge and conscience. Men deceive themselves that think there bee no students but those whose profession is learning, contrary to Psa 1. and Ioh. 5. 39.
III. He must avoid intemperance, surfetting, drunkennesse, strongly watch and ward against naturall desires, against the allurings and baits of sinne, remoove impediments of faith and godlinesse, strive both against inward corruptions and outward occasions. How many of much hope, by the immoderate desires and use of these outward things have besotted themselves? It is to be doubted that the delicacy of this age affords but a few Nazarites.
IV. He must restraine his passions and affections in the use of every thing about him; use every thing weanedly, as not using it; not suffering any thing to steale our hearts from us, for then wee can hardly moderate our selves in the parting from it. Nazarites in all changes must be unchangeable in their profession: so must Christian Nazarites.
V. When he hath done all in his generall vow and course of holinesse, he must retaine humility, bewaile his wants, confesse how unprofitable he is in his service. The Nazarite that had gone through his vow in the best manner, in giving it up must bring a burnt offering and a peace offering; confessing his wants, and craving acceptance: so must wee in our best strife and indeavours, present our duty with that burnt offering and peace offering made by Jesus Christ; and in that onelyonly seeke and find acceptance.