Christ Revealed, Scriptural typology · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
2. Noah a type of Christ, 7. waies.
THe second instance is Noah, Noah a type of Christ, in seven respects.a manifest type of the true Noah, and that in seven respects.
I. Both were fore-prophesied of to be Saviours, Gen. 5. 29. Lamech begat a son and called his name Noah, saying: This shall comfort us concerning our workes, and sorrow, and curse of the earth; therefore he called him by a name signifying ceasing, or rest: So of Christ, Mat. 1. 21. thou shalt call his name Iesus, for he shall save his people: He shall be the true Noah that shall cause Gods wrath to cease, and bring the afflicted soule to true rest and tranquillity.
II. Both are said to be just and perfect; both said to walke with God;Differences betweene Christs and Noahs righteousnesse. and both to find grace and favour with God. 1. Noah was just in his generation: So was Christ; have nothing to do with that just man, saith Pilates Wife, Mat. 27. 19. But with difference; Noahs righteousnesse was imputed, being righteousnesse of faith, Heb. 11. 7. Christs was inherent, a righteousnesse of nature, person, and heart. 2. Noah was a perfect and upright man, Gen. 6. 9. that is, not defiled with Idolatry, false religion, opinions, or externall crimes: but Christ was perfect simply and absolutely, Christus iam perfectus: Noah curr…ns ad perfection…m. August.Noah but comparatively. Noah was perfect but in part: Christ perfectly perfect: Christ Legally: Noah Evangelically. Noah perfect by the perfection of another: Christ by his owne. Noah perfect because without open crime: Christ being without sinne. 3. Both walking with God, found grace with God. Noah, Gen. 6. 8. Christ, Luke 2. 40. 52. But Noah found grace by acceptation and imputation: Christ by compleat merit and satisfaction. Christ found grace by his owne perfection and justice: but Noah cloathed with Christs.
III. Both of them were Preachers of righteousnesse. But Christ preached his owne doctrine, Noah Christs. Both invited unto repentance. Both called men to avoid the Judgement to come. Both lived and preached in a most corrupt age, when there was a generall defection both in doctrine and manners. Both their Ministeries were despised, and that despight of both fearefully revenged; the one by water, the other by fire and sword: both by utter desolation, as the like never heard of before.
IV. Both of them makers of an Arke, and Masters of it. But Noah of a materiall; Christ of a spirituall, the Church. Noah to save sinners from the deluge of waters temporall: Christ to save sinners from the deluge of Gods wrath eternall.Noahs Arke and Christs: 6. resemblances. In the making of their Arkes they are very like. 1. Both doe all about their Arkes at Gods commandement. For as the Lord did not hide from Noah his decree, Gen. 6. 13: So he communicated his whole will and counsell to his Sonne concerning the salvation of the Church, Ioh. 8. 26. 2. As Noah takes many trees at Gods commandement, and strongly closeth them together, and pitcheth them within and without against the waters: So doth Christ make choice of trees of righteousnesse, the planting of the Lord, and compacts them together by the bond of the Spirit, glewes and fastens them together by the glew of Christian love, and pitcheth them within and without, fortifies and strengthens them against the waters of affliction, temptation, persecution, that none shall drowne or overwhelme them. 3. As Noah prepared divers roomes in the Arke for divers creatures: So Christ in his Arke appoints divers places and functions for beleevers here, and prepares in his Fathers house many mansions for them hereafter, Ioh. 14. 2. And as Noah receives into the Arke cleane and uncleane creatures and persons, a Sem, and a Cham: So the Lord Christ into his militant Church, all sorts of Nations, sexes, persons, conditions; Jewes, Gentiles; men, women, noble, ignoble; beleevers, and unbeleevers; hypocrites, and sound Christians. On this floore is wheat and chaffe. 4. As Noah made a window into his Arke, to give light to the creatures within: So Christ, by the Gospel preached in the Church, enlighteneth the mindes of those that are within; without which light let in, they should sit in everlasting darkenesse. 5. As Noah by the same direction makes a doore to enter into the Arke, and but one doore for so very great a building: So there is but one doore to the great building of the Church dispersed farre and wide, and this is Christ himselfe, Ioh. 10. 7, 9. 6. As Noah the Master of the Arke enters into it, and receaves and saves all that enter in with him; for which purpose hee is contented to bee tossed up and downe by those most raging waters, and had no more freedome from feare and danger then others in the Arke: So Christ the Master of his Church, to save his Church, himselfe enters into it, and is admitted into it by the waters of Baptisme; and was contented for the saving of others to bee tossed with waves and billowes of affliction, ignominy, shame, sinne, curse, yea the torments of hell. That his Church might be in safety with him, he will bee in danger with her, and every way to helpe her, will bee every way like her in all things, sinne excepted.
V. Both of them were repayrers of the world. From Noah descended all the inhabitants of the earth: from Christ all the inhabitants of heaven. The world againe was re-peopled and replenished by Noahs posterity: the Church and every member is Christs posterity. Both of them were preservers and providers for all sorts of Creatures: But Noah as a steward; Christ as Lord and owner of them: Noah for a few, Christ for all: Noah for a yeare and a little more, Christ perpetually. To both of them the creatures came in, and were obedient to them. Though never so fierce and savage out of the Arke, yet in the Arke they were mild and tame: So to Christ the windes, seas, divels obey; and if Lyons and Cockatrices come into the Arke and Church they become as Lambs and little children putting off all fiercenesse, Isa. 11. 6.
VI. Both of them offered a sacrifice of rest, and sweet savour to the Lord, Noah, Gen. 8. 21. As men are delighted with sweet savours, so was Noahs sacrifice pleasing to God.Sacrifice of testification, and of satisfaction. But his was a sacrifice but of testification, witnessing his faith and thankfulnesse: The sacrifice of Christ was a perfect satisfaction, in which he offered not the bodies of cleane beasts as Noah, but his owne body as a Lamb without spot, not upon an Altar built by Noahs hand, but upon the Altar of his Deity, not ascending to heaven by ordinary fire, but offered through his eternall spirit, compard to fire, Heb. 9. 14. And therefore must fully satifie his Fathers justice, appease his wrath, and be most acceptable in it selfe, and must bring Noahs, and all other sacrifices into acceptance. And from hence it was that with both of them God did make a covenant of grace for their posterities, that he would never breake out in such wrath against them, confirming the same unto the posterity of Adam by the signe of the Raynebow, and to the posterity of Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
VII. Both of them sent a Dove out of the Arke. Noah when the waters asswaged, and much of his feare and daunger was past, sends out the Dove who brought an Olive branch, a signe of joy, comfort, and abating of the waters: So Christ Jesus his sufferings and labours being ended, sent his Spirit forth (which had lighted as a Dove on him) and brings joy,Mat. 3. 16. and peace, and comfort into the hearts of all beleevers, bringing in a testimony, that Gods wrath is appeased, the waters are diminished, his love and favour returned which is better then life.
Now to application.
I. In the type and truth learne:Vse. 1. Preserve integrity in the worst times. If all the world about us be given to wickednesse, and wee be cast into never so wicked an age, then to labour to shine in the middest of a naughty generation, Phil. 2. 15. It is a singular praise to be a Lot in Sodom, and in a corrupt age to bee unlike sinners. For light to shine and shew it selfe in darkenesse,Math. 5. 16. is beautifull and glorious. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven. To shew our selves sonnes of God, and children of light among enemies of God and light, is a singular honour. Noah fashioned not himselfe to those corrupt times; nor Christ to the evill behaviour of that age. Never had Christians more need among so many wicked fashions, to be exhorted not to fashion themselves to the world. If a Preacher hold on a preacher of righteousnesse in singlenesse and sincerity of heart, not fashioning himselfe to the present temporizers and men-pleasers, Let all the world scorne, oppose, traduce him: If a private man hold forth the word of life, and in blamelesse and pure conversation walke in a way which leadeth against the streame and common current of the corrupt age: Both the one and the other have here the type and the truth, Noah and Christ presidents for the like actions, precedents in the same way.
II. In them both learne: That these are the dayes in which we must expect our Lord to judgement.Sinnes which are signes of Judgement approaching. As it was in the dayes of Noah, &c: So shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee. As those sinnes in Noahs time brought the deluge of water:Matth. 24. 38. the same sinnes now reigning, shall bring and hasten the destruction by fire, prophecyed, 2. Pet. 3. The sinnes are these. 1. The sonnes of God marry with the daughters of men: that is, the godly with the ungodly, religious with the superstitious, beleevers with infidels, 2. Horrible contempt of the word.2. Pet. 3. 20. As Noah preached by the power of the Spirit, and Christ himselfe by the Spirit so as never man spake; yet both were despised, and the Spirit resisted whereby they spake: So now godly Ministers must not thinke much to bee despised in their Ministery. For as it was in the dayes of Noah, and of Christ: So Christ hath told us it must be. 3. Profanenesse of the Ministery, and generall malice against sincerity. As in the dayes of Noah, many Wrights and workemen were busie to prepare an Arke for others; but themselves neither entred into the same, nor saved by the same: And as in the dayes of Christ, the Scribes and Pharisees professed themselves chiefe builders, but refused the corner stone, and neither entred themselves nor suffered others, but envy Christ they could: So shall it be in the daies of the Sonne of man. 4. In the Common-state, and men, apostacy, security, sensuality; men eate, drinke, marry, but know nothing of judgement, that is, will not know: So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be, Mat. 24. 39.
III. In that Christ is the true Noah, all the true members of Christ (who are carefull to prepare them an Arke, and to get within the Arke of the Church) have solid and strong comfort.Comfort to bee had in Christ our Noah. For, 1. He is ready to receive all that come unto him, who calls all the weary: as Noah readily received all that offered themselves unto him. Let not thy sinne discourage thee, bee thou never so uncleane, get once into the Arke, and thou art safe. 2. As Noah himselfe entred into the Arke, and abode there all the time of danger, and tossing by the waters: So our Lord still abides in the same ship of the Church with us; he is so much the more compassionate to us, as hee is acquainted with our sorrowes; and though the danger and feare bee never so much, wee shall fare no worse then himselfe will, who in all our troubles is troubled with us and for us. 3. As Noah pitched the Arke within and without, and so fenced it against the waues and raging billowes and surges of a world of seas: So doth our true Noah strengthen his Arke and Church partly with his promise, partly with his prayers that their faith faile not, as with pitch within and without, so firme and sure, as let this little Arke of the Church be tossed upon the waters of affliction, and tried by never so many temptations, and persecutions in this sea of the world, it is so fenced and pitched that it shall never miscarry. Noahs Arke indeed by tossing and beating of the waters may bee weakened and made worse: but Christs Arke the Church, is made better and stronger by trialls and afflictions, Psal. 119. 71. It is good for mee that I have beene afflicted, that I may learne thy statutes. Noahs Arke at last shall putrifie and perish, but Christs Arke shall never perish, but at last bee more perfect and glorious. 4. As Gods Covenant with Noah was his safety in the Arke: (for looke upon the Arke floating above water, laden with heavy burthen, fenced against the waters with a little pitch, perhaps not very skilfully, that being the first vessell that ever was made for the water) without Anchor, mast, sterne, Pylot, or Master to governe it (for Noah was shut in by God) how should it be but carried by winds and waves upon rockes, or hills, or sands, or trees, or buildings, and so in an instant split all too pieces, but that the Lord was Stearsman in all that voyage?) So the safety of the Church is, that it hath so faithfull a Pylot, whose Covenant made in his Church is the wall and defence of his people, more stable then the foundation of the earth. Which made David to glory;Psal. 46. 2. Though the earth bee mooved, and the mountains tumbled into the sea, yet the Church may glory in the salvation of her God. In our lesser trials, stormes, oppositions looke to God our safety;Arca tandem ex di…uvio liberata: sic Ecclesia. be within the Arke, God will provide for thy safety. 5. The Arke had a time to be freed from the deluge of waters: So the Church hath a time for her deliverance, Rev. 7. 14. Psal 55. 22.Arca cessante diluvio in m…nte requiev…t: Ecclesia mundi fluctibus ce…antibus in c…ele…imente. 6. When the flood of waters bated, the Arke rested on a mountaine of Ararat, Gen. 8. 4. So when the waters of affliction are dried up, the Church hath her rest in the holy mountain of God, Ps. 15.