Christ Revealed, Scriptural typology · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
The Red Sea, a type.
THe second extraordinary Sacrament of the Old Testament,Red sea a type of Christ. poynting unto Jesus Christ, was the Red Sea; which being miraculously divided by God, the Israelites (pursued by the Aegyptians) passed thorough the midst of it, Exod. 14. 22. Now for our profitable and fruitfull beholding this great worke of God, wee will consider it, 1. as a miracle in it selfe. 2. as a type and signification of Christ. 3. as applyable to our selves in some profitable observations.
I. In this great miracle are many miracles:Miracles in the miraculous dividing of it. As 1. That so vast a sea should bee devided with the lifting up of a rod. For the breadth of that Sea, where Israel went over, was (by computation of Ptolomy and other Geographers) twelve or fifteene Germane miles, at least thirty sixe of ours; so Chytraeus upon this place. 2. That the Lord should open a way,Psal. 106. 9. and lead Israel through the deepe, as in the wildernesse; for their passage was not over the Sea, but through it. Neither did they walke upon the waters as upon the land, which had not beene so much, for in cold countries it is ordinary for men and cariages to passe upon the Ice and congealed water as upon firme land: but they walked in the bottome of the Sea as on dry land. Who could deny but it had beene a worke of omnipotency for the Lord to have made the sea (on a sudden) a pavement for Israell (as hard as Christall) to have walked firme upon? but because every strong frost congeales the water according to nature, that had beene lesse glorious, more questionable. But he provides for the clearnesse of his owne glory by effecting a worke above (yea against) the whole frame of nature. 3. That the waters should stand as a folid wall on both sides, which are naturally fluid, and seeing nothing is so hardly contained within bounds as liquid waters, it was exceeding miraculous. And that the bottome of the sea should on the suddaine become firme and dry ground, (Exod. 14. 22) and even as an high way, was not the least of these miracles. 4. That the same sea at the same time should be both calme and tempestuous: For the mighty winds and tempests were so strong against the Aegyptians that it brake their Chariot wheeles, and they could hardly moove or stirre against it; yet all the same time it was a peaceable calme to Israel; who were very neere them. 5. The time of the standing of the waters on so vast an heape (whereon learned men agree not) any way concluded, is most miraculous. Some thinke (as Chytraeus) that for so many thousands, yea hundred thousands of men women and children to walke a soft pace, and to drive their cattell so many miles, must needs take them foure or five dayes time, and then the waters to stand so long, was admirable. Others thinke they went through in one night, (for the text mentioneth but one night) and then was it no lesse miraculous to convey so much people and cattell so much way in so small time. 6. That the same Sea at the same time should be both a gulfe and devourer; and yet a saver from devourers. That the same sea at the same time should both retire back, & yet return to its course, for the waters returned upon the Aegyptians on the one side of the sea, when Israel was not fully over on the other, as appeareth by comparing ver. 26. with ver. 29. that the same sea at the same time should moove & stand with such judgment and distinction, as not one Aegyptian was saved,How signified Christ. ver. 28. not one Israelite drowned, ver. 30.
II. Now consider this great worke of God as a signification and type of Christ; which it must needs be as it is a Sacrament, which we must consider both in the constitution, and in the consequents or effects of it, in all directly poynting us to Jesus Christ hereby typified. In the first to the Cor. 10. 2, the Apostle saith, that all the Fathers were baptized in the sea; whence I gather three conclusions.In three conclusions.
I. Conclusion: That this was a Sacrament figuring our baptisme, and that all necessary institutions of a Sacrament concurre in it: As 1. the author was God, the Institutor both of the Covenant and seales, Exod. 14. 30. 2. the Minister was Moses, ver. 31. 3. the Covenant sealed was Gods promise and word for their deliverance, ver. 15. 4. the signe of the Covenant was Moses stretching of his hand, both for the deviding of the sea, ver. 16, and the returning of it againe, ver. 27. 5. the thing signified was salvation by the Messiah, and all spirituall and eternall benefits and deliverances procured by him sealed up in this miracle. 6. the faith of the Israelites was the same hand with ours to receive the same benefits, and things signified: ver. 31. they beleeved God: Heb. 11. 29. by faith they passed through the red sea, &c▪
II. Conclusion: There was not one of these actions in this temporall deliverance, but it signified and sealed such actions to the beleeving Israelites, as both confirmed their faith in the Covenant, and set forward their salvation merited by the Messiah, and so still led them to Christ, As in these examples. 1. God in leading his people to Canaan made them a safe way through the sea: signifying to their faith that God offered them Jesus Christ the promised Messiah, through the red sea of whose death and passion they should find a sure and safe way to passe them through a full sea of troubles to the true celestiall Canaan, and by him as by a firme way to walke forward to eternall life. 2. When they saw the same Jehovah to divide the sea into his division (Iunius calleth them cuttings off) and to drive away the raging waters from overflowing them;Segmen…a. this action signified to their faith that the son of God by his merit and mediation would carry them through all difficulties and dangers as deepe as the bottome of the sea, unto eternall rest, and so rebuke the seas of their sorrows, and drive back the raging waves of terrors and temptations that threaten their destruction, that they shall safely and happily passe through the sea as it were on dry land. 3. When they saw Jehovah the Sonne of God present with them in the voyage, and that he made the sea returne to his force againe, both to save themselves and to overthrow the Aegyptians: It signified to their faith the action of Christ freeing his elect from all spirituall forces and armies pursuing them; as also by a mighty overthrow swallowing up and devouring (in the bottomlesse sea of his wrath) all those that come out and stand against them.
III. Conclusion. There is no Evangelicall blessing by Christ sealed to us by baptisme, which was not signified and sealed to them in the Red sea. So as Christ was as truely represented to them as to us, though not so cleerely; and the truth and substance of his merits exhibited to them as to us, onelyonly in a manner more obscure and clouded.Benefits sealed up by baptisme As in examples, 1. If the waters of Baptisme seal up to beleevers that the blood of Christ alone saveth and defendeth the people of God from eternall death and damnation: What could be more plainely signified by the waters of the Red sea saving Israel from present death and destruction? 2. Baptisme signifieth to us that by the blood of Christ (in which Red sea all beleevers must be baptised) there is dying and a buriall unto sinne, and a rising unto newnesse of life: What could be more plainely signified by the Baptisme of the fathers in the Red sea, who were (after a sort) buried in the waters, but after raised to the shoare, and restored to land and life? 3. By the benefit of Baptisme (in which the Red sea of Christs blood is truely applyed) our old man and flesh is truely mortified, buried, and destroyed; but the new man is quickned and repaired; and now new motions, desires, affections are stirred up and preserved in the hearts of beleevers: what could be more expresly signified to the Fathers by the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hoste in the Red sea, and the escape of the Israelites safe and sound? 4. When they did see themselves (by the benefit of the Red sea) freed from Pharaohs servitude: how easily might they gather, that by the blood of Christ every beleever of Jewes and Gentiles are freed from the slavery of hellish Pharaoh, and all his Armies of sinnes and corruptions? And when they did see how the Aegyptians (once dead and slaine) could hurt them no more, how could they but gather, that all the armies of sinne (once remitted and buried in the death of Christ) can no more rise up to condemnation, then a drowned Aegyptian to drowne an Israelite?
I. To note the mighty power of God,Vse 1. Obserue the power of God. who can still and over-master the mighty raging of the sea: which we see here in that its water, dry land, sands, and shoare observe the providence of God, and serve for his peoples safety. Israel saw the mighty power of God herein, Exo. 14. 31. Let us also behold the glory of God herein, and feare before him as they did. Let not us be more senselesse than the senselesse creatures, but heare his voice, runne out of our owne nature to observe his voice sounding in the Scriptures and Ministery of the Gospell.
II. To see and consider the state of the Church and people of God.Vse. 2. The way to heaven filled with difficulties. Canaan (whither they goe) is a fine and fertile country, but the way is asperous and dangerous. They are still as it were in the bottome of the sea: enemies implacable at their heeles in infinite numbers: seas of waters dreadfull to behold on both hands, yea rising over their heads as mountaines threatning to fall over them: and after a deepe sea, a terrible wildernesse takes them, in which is no meanes for meat, drinke, nor cloath. A man would thinke, no man could deale so with his children: and yet Gods wisedome sees this the fittest way to Canaan.And why. He sees how, 1. Every small content glewes us to our Aegypt. 2. What sluggs we are in the way, farther then we are chased out. 3. How little we care for dependance on himselfe, when we are full of naturall comforts. 4. That Canaan is so rich a land as is worthy all our labour and suffering.
Apply this note to awake thee out of thy ease and carnall slumber. If thy way be so easie and pleasing to flesh, sure it leads not to Canaan, suspect it. The Israelites going into Aegypt, had no enemies nor troubles meeting them; but going into Canaan, they had nothing else. Strait is the way that leads to life, and all the way to heaven is strowed with crosses. Apply it also to secure thee in thy troubles. Art thou in a deepe danger or sorrow like the bottome of the sea? It is no worse with thee then with the rest of the people of God. No affliction overtakes thee, but the same hath befalne the Saints in the world. Hold on to Canaan, and all is safe: Canaan is worth all. Happy thou if thou canst get to Canaan, though thy passage be through the bottome of the sea.
III. To observe what a many comforts this great worke of God will load us withall,Vse 3. Many comforts by this great work of God. that are willing to carry them away. For,
I. The Lord in strange and unwonted dangers can worke new and unwonted remedies for his children. As we heard before that fire shall not burne them, so here the sea (at his word of restraint) shall not drowne them. He can make a wall of water more strong for them than a wall of Adamant: yea himselfe (according to their need) will be to them either a wall of fire or water.
II. What danger can prevaile against the Church, if all these dangers on all hands, above them, below them, afore them, behind them at once, cannot sinke them? No, All the gates of hell cannot prevaile against it. Every maine affliction is like a maine Red sea which threatens to swallow us up, but it shall in the issue onelyonly preserve the Church. What we have most cause to feare, the Lord maketh most helpfull and soveraigne. The very raging sea (rather then they shall perish) shall open her lappe as a tender mother to receive them from the rage of Pharaoh and his pursuing army: Nay the land of Goshen shall not be halfe so bountifull to them as these waters, which gave them freedome, victory, and the spoiles and riches remaining upon the dead bodies of their enemies.
III. How unweariably the Lord sets himselfe to overcome all difficulties for his servants. What had it beene to have passed the oppressors of Aegypt, and to have beene swallowed up of the sea? Therefore hee makes a new way, where never any way lay before, in the bottome of the sea. Afterwards he makes a dry and barren wildernesse comfortable to them; dryes up Jordan as strangely for their passage; gives them a daily harvest of Mannah from heaven; breaks a rock to give them water; and happily in time finisheth their long and tedious journey. Even so the godly (going out of Aegypt, departing from the kingdome of the devill, and hastning out of the world towards heaven) come presently into a deepe sea; not pursued onelyonly by the fury of tyrants and enemies, but every where threatned with dangers, wants, and death it selfe: yet the Lord breakes for them one toyle after another, and happily guides them through a deepe sea of miseries, and never leaves them till they recover the shoare, and arrive safely at the haven of salvation, where their songs shall be louder then their cryes were, and a mighty deliverance shall swallow up all their danger.
IV. Here is comfort against the feare of enemies. 1. Spirituall enemies. For here we have both a confirmation and resemblance of the eternall delivery of the Church from the tyranny of the hellish Pharaoh; which in spight of him is led through a sea of tribulation every where ready to overwhelme it, into the promised rest of everlasting life. Againe wee see here our sinnes also cast into, and drowned in the bottome of the Red sea, Mic. 7. 19. These are the strongest and fiercest enemies that pursued us to death; but these our furious sinnes (as so many Aegyptians) are drowned in the sea of Christs blood, and extinct in the waters of Baptisme, Aug: Psal. 113. 2. Temporall enemies. How can the Aegyptians hope to stand before Israell, to whom the waters give way so strangely? The enemy shall find the same sea, a wall and a well, a safety and a death. Let enemies looke here as the heathen did, and let their hearts saint as theirs, to see God make the sea a wall, a lane, yea a lappe for his people. Let them behold the ordinary worke of God, who commonly joynes the salvation of his Church with the destruction of the enemies. So for Mordecaies advancement,Vse 4. Duty of them that will enioy these comforts. and the Churches deliverance, Haman must be hanged, and his posterity destroyed: as in a ballance, if one scoale goe up, downe goes the other.
IV. The godly to partake of these comforts must learne, 1. To labour for increase of faith: for by faith they passed through the Red sea, Heb. 11. 29. So must thou get faith for thy vessell to passe thee through. Faith in tryall is a great victory; in the bottome of the sea, in deepest afflictions it is most glorious. It is nothing to beleeve in prosperity: but in desperation to beleeve, in the bottome of the sea to stand still, yea in the bottome of hel to hope for heaven, there is faith. 2. To joyne to Gods people. Let not the Aegyptian thinke the way is made for him. Except thou goest out with Israell (as Exod. 12. 38.) the sea will know thee for an Aegyptian, and cover thee. 3. To get God their guide, and to follow him. Neither Noah upon the top of a world of seas, nor Israel in the bottome of the sea shall miscarry, if God become the Pilot. Follow thy guide, goe on forward, feare not, rest in God for safety in extreame danger, and thou art the fittest for his helpe and deliverance. See 2. Chro. 20. 12. We know not what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee.