Christ Revealed, Scriptural typology · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
7. IOSHVA: A type of our true Ioshua,Ioshua a type of Christ 5. wayes. another Moses.
I. BOth Saviours. For Ioshua under the very same name is propounded a type of Christ.Saviours. Both had the name Jesus, both saved their people (therefore Ioshua is called Iesus, Heb. 4. 8.) the type from temporall and externall enemies, the truth from spirituall and eternall.
II. In his calling. 1. Both succeeded Moses, who makes way to both.Calling. 2. Both guides going before Gods people. The type to the earthly Canaan: the truth to the heavenly. 3. Both led them into the land. Ioshua led the people not onelyonly toward the land, but into the promised land. What was denied to Moses, was granted to Ioshua. Moses might not enter, nor those that had disobeyed; but Ioshua entreth, and taketh possession for himselfe, and for all the people: So our Ioshua hath taken possession, and led us into the possession of our heavenly Canaan. What Moses Law could not doe for our infirmity, Christ by his Gospel hath done for us. That may shew us the way: but this brings us to the wayes end, and gives us all our promised expectation. Thus our Ioshua carries us through from this wildernesse to our rest. 4. Both divided the land, and allotted to every man his portion. Ioshua having entred Canaan, assignes every one his portion, Iosh. 14. 1. Christ ascended into heaven, prepares for every beleever a place, Ioh. 14. 2.
III. Both confirmed their calling with many miracles.Miracles. 1. Ioshua being to passe over Iordan divides the waters, and they gave way unto him: Christ in the same Iordan divides the heavens, Matth. 3. 16. and they testifie unto him, verse 17. Ioshua divides waters, but he ascribes it to the power of the Lord of all the world, Chap. 3. 13. But our true Ioshua being that Lord and God of all the world, by his owne power commanded the seas and they obeyed him. 2. Ioshua becompassing the walls of Iericho, and the long blast of rammes hornes overthrew the walls of it, Chap. 6. 5. Our Ioshua by as weake and vile meanes in the eye of flesh, even by the sound and blast of the Gospel shakes downe dayly the high and thick walls of the Devill and Antichrists kingdome, and of the Iericho of this world, which resists the people of God in their passage to Canaan. By the preaching of the Gospel, typified by the sound of the Trumpets, our Ioshua overthrowes the wisedome, power, seeming sanctity, and whatsoever strength of flesh is opposed to the power of the Gospel. 3. Whilst Ioshua was destroying the enemies of God, the Sunne in the heavens at his word stood still, and stayed his course as a willing spectatour of that businesse, and deferred the night lest hee should want day to smite his enemies in, Chap. 10. 12. So our Ioshua whilst on the Crosse hee was spoiling principalities and powers, and opening the way to Canaan, commanded the Sunne to stopp his course, and hide his face, to witnesse to all the world the great worke in hand that day. Of both these dayes may be verified, Iosh. 10. 14. there was never before day like, nor after it shall be.
IV. In his fortitude, victory, triumphs. Both of them mightily miraculous,Valour. miraculously triumphant. 1. Ioshua was the Judge and Captaine of Gods people, the leader of his Armies,Vterque magnus miraculis, magnus triumphis. Ambr. de offic. lib. 2. cap. 20. the mighty conquerour of all the enemies that rose up and resisted them. Hee subdued both princes and people of the Canaanites. Hee set his foot on the necks of five kings at once, and slew them, Chap. 10. 24. nay made his men of warre set their feete on their necks, and trample them as dung, and went on, and in small time had slaine one and thirty Kings with their Armies, Chap. 12. 10. Never had Israel so many enemies in their passage to Canaan, as Gods people have unto that heavenly Canaan their countrey and rest,Moses non pugnat cum Amalecitis sed Ioshua, Exod. 17. 10. sig. quod non lex nos ab hostibus libe…et, sed Iesus Christus. typified by that. Even all the gates of hell, the rage of Satan, the power of sinne, the allurements of the world, whole armies of temptations, a troupe of pleasures, honours, profits on one hand, a whole band of crosses and discouragements on the other, a legion of lusts within our selves. But our Ioshua the mighty Captaine not onelyonly of the Lords hosts, but who is the Lord of hosts, is described to sit on a white horse, whose name is called Faithfull and true; and hee judgeth and fighteth righteously, Revel. 19. 11. Hee hath valiantly triumphed over all enemies, spoyled principalities and powers, set his foot on their necks, troden Satan under his feet, and made us tread him under our feet too. If Ioshua have slaine one and thirty Kings; Our Ioshua hath slaine so many thousand commanders. 2. By meanes of Ioshuas faithfulnesse and fortitude not one word failed of all the good things which the Lord had said unto Israel, but all came to passe, Chap. 21. 45. and 23. 14. So by meanes of our Ioshua, all the promises of God concerning heaven and happinesse are accomplished, which are all in him Yea and Amen. Heaven and earth may faile, but not one jote of Gods promise but this Ioshua will see it accomplished.
V. In sundry actions. 1. Ioshua saved Rahabs house that had the red cord hung out at the window,Actions. because they had saved the Spies, Chap. 6: So Christ saves every penitent sinner that expresseth faith in his blood, and love to the true Israel of God, especially his Ministers and Seers. 2. Hee graciously accepted the Gibeonites, when they humbly sued and intreated peace of him: So a broken and a contrite heart our true Ioshua never despised. Hee that offers repentant sinners grace before they seeke it, when they seeke it will not deny it. 3. When God by Ioshua had wrought that great miracle of stopping up the river Iordan, till they passed over, Chap. 4. 2. Ioshua commmanded twelve men of Israel to gather twelve stones out of Iordan, and set them up memorialls of Gods great acts to all posteritie: So our Ioshua having wrought many mighty miracles for the confirmation of his holy doctrine, commanded twelve men his twelve disciples by the preaching of the Gospel, to erect through all the world▪ a monument and memory of the wondrous workes of the Sonne of God in the working out of mans salvation, and leading them to the heavenly Canaan.
I. What a fearefull thing it is to bee an enemy of God and his Church.Vse. 1. A fearefull thing to be an enemy of the Church. Never was Ioshua so mighty against the enemies of Israel (not one of whom, were he never so strong, could stand before him) as our Ioshua is to roote out at once all his enemies. Art thou an enemie to Jesus, an hindrer of any of his people in their way to Canaan? looke to thy selfe. Suppose thou hadst power above Ioshua the type, art thou stronger then the true Ioshua? Hee carries victory in his banner. Iulian shall cry with his guts in his armes:Vicisti Galilaee. O Galilean thou hast the victory. The proudest enemy shall be as lambs greace before a consuming fire. Our great Ioshua shall set his feet upon thy necke, and make thee the dust of his footstoole; nay hee shall set the feet of his despised servants upon thy necke as Ioshua did. The power of one and thirty Kings shall not carry it against him. If thou art an enemy, hasten thy repentance, else thou hastenest thy destruction.Qui non faciunt Dei voluntatem, de iis fit Dei voluntas. If thou worke not the will of God, God will worke his will on thee. And what need any man bee offended at the present prosperity of Gods enemies be they never so great, seeing our Ioshua shall suddenly blast their power and glory, and dash them asunder as earthen vessells.
II. Comfort.Vse. 2. Comfort in our salvation accomplish…d. All the good word of God for the salvation of his people shall bee accomplished. 1. Though the promise may seeme out of minde, Ioshua shall performe every word and syllable of that promise made three hundreth yeeres before. 2. Though there be never so many hindrances and mighty lets, they shall not hinder. God promiseth the good land; but how should they get thorow Iordan, seeing there is no other way? Now rather then his promise shall faile, he will invert the order of nature; Iordan shall stop his course, nay runne backward. The like in their comming out of Egypt. God had said, that night they must out; and the sea must give way to the promise. God promiseth Ioshua to overcome 5. Kings at once; an hard taske, and one day is too little for it; but rather then the night approaching shall dissolve the battell, and any of them escape, hee will command the Sunne to stand still, and lengthen the day that his word may bee accomplished. Israel in passing to Canaan must passe the huge and terrible wildernesse fourty yeares. Alas what shall they eate or drinke? Can a barren wildernesse afford any food, or (if any) for so many hundred thousand men? But before the promise faile, heaven shall raine Manna, the rocke shall give abundance of water. Hath God promised thee daily bread, helpe in affliction, refreshing in wearinesse, remission in sense of sinne, a blessed issue in every triall? Let thy faith give God the honour of truth. Heaven shall fall and earth ascend before thou beleeving shalt be frustrate, Isai. 54. 10. Hath hee promised thee the heavenly Canaan? what if thou seest armies of enemies, of discouragements? thou being an Israelite shalt not faile. For, 1. Nothing in nature is so strong as the promise. 2. God hath after a sort captivated himselfe and all his creatures to thy faith. 3. He may deferre the promise but never deny it or himselfe. Wait still.
III. Is Christ the true Ioshua? Vse. 3. Duties we … to Christ our Ioshua.1. Acknowledge him our Captaine and head. 2. Submit our selves unto him, as Israell unto Ioshua, Iosh. 1. 11. 17. All that thou commandest us we will doe, and whether thou sendest us we will goe; as we obeyed Moses in all things so will we obey thee. 3. Follow him as our guide into that eternall rest, and depend on him for our inheritance there. Moses cannot carry us in, for himselfe must onelyonly see the land. So wee may see the land of promise a farre off in the Law; but onelyonly Jesus can bring us in. For, 1. He alone is entred already to take possession for us. 2. He hath undertaken to carry us through our wildernesse to our Canaan.
IV. What conditions we must observe in comming to heaven,Vse. 4. Conditions to be observed in going to heaven. as they in comming to the good land. 1. The land is theirs and possession given, but many Canaanites and Jebusites must dwell in the Land under tribute still, ch. 15. 63. and 16. 10. So notwithstanding all our promises of rest, and possession of peace of conscience, in this world are some yea may Canaanites and Jebusites to molest Gods people. But at last our Ioshua leaves never an enemy unsubdued. There shall nothing which is unholy get within the walls of that City; hee sees the last enemy destroyed, 2. They must not come into that land till they were circumcised; for all the forty yeares in the wildernesse they were not circumcised, ch. 5. 3. 7. Till the shame of Aegypt was remooved vers. 9 Ioshua cannot bring them into the promised land. Which shame (as Iunius thinks) was the prophanenesse of their fathers contracted in Aegypt, whereby they grew carelesse of Gods ordinances. Our Ioshua brings not us into our Canaan so long as wee are prophane and uncircumcised; till he have circumcised our hearts, and we be holy and sanctified: for without shall be dogs. 3. Ioshua must divide their inheritance by lot, and so every one must receive it; not by right or desert, ch. 14. 2. And so God commanded Moses Numb. 26. 55: So our Ioshua divides to the elect their inheritance in the heavenly countrey, not for their merits and deserts, but by his rich and free gift. If no Israelite could claime of Ioshua one foot out of merit and desert, but all of promise and grace: much lesse may we our childs part in heaven. Gods mercy is mans merit. 4. Ioshua gives them the land with this condition, that for so great labour and travell in preparing so good a land they affoord him an inheritance among them, ch. 19. 49. Our Ioshua was not inferiour in labour and paines to Ioshua in purchasing us a better land; and we must give him the inheritance he asketh (so they did to Ioshua) that he may dwell among us, or in the midst of us. Now the inheritance he asketh among us is our hearts purged by faith. He desires no more of thee for all his paines but a little roome in the midst of thee, which himselfe will build and dwell in. If thou dost not give him his demand, besides thy unkindnesse and unthankfulnesse, thy heart shall lie as a ruinous wast, as a nasty and stinking hoale, a cage of uncleane beasts and lusts, yea an habitation of Devils. 5. Ioshua brings them into the good land, and as soone as they eate the corne of the land the Manna ceaseth the next morrow, ch. 5. 12. So when our Ioshua shall bring us into our good land to eate the fruit of it, the good things and meanes of this world shall cease. The Manna the preaching of the word, celebration of Sacraments, faith and hope, &c. But we are sure of better meanes, or better things without meanes; in the hope and expectation of which we must persevere in the faith, and walke in hope through our wildernesse. The fruits of that good land will be worth all our labour. 6. Ioshua brings none into the land but conquerours, and divides the land to a conquering people: So our Ioshua gives the land onelyonly to him that overcommeth.Vincen…i dabo, Rev. 2. And he that persevers to the end shall be saved.