A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 10
The Tenth Plot againſt the Church, in the Wilderneſs: Defeated by GOD.
CHAP. X.
THus have I ſhown what a Marvellous Conduct the Church had by the Pillar of Providence (Defeating all the Devils Deſigns againſt her) from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Moſes, and from Moſes to Joſhuah; Winning (not loſing) Ground all the time, for above 2493 Y. according to Helvicus, Paro…; Calviſius; or 2553 according to Dr. Lightfoot. When Satan had got quit of Moſes, (by his Tempting him to Ʋnbelief, Numb. 20. 12.) who Dyed in the very Borders of Canaan, (whither he had brought Iſrael) and was Buryed by God himſelf, Deut. 34. 5, 6. Next he propoſes and purſues his 10th. Plot and Project (which was the laſt Internal Engine) againſt this Body of the Church, which had now loſt her Head, Moſes; and that, in his Contending with Michael or Chriſt about the buryed Body of Moſes, Jude 9. Michael or Chriſt (who onelyonly could bury Moſes Law, Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 3. 13, 14. Col. 2. 14, 16, 17. Hebr. 9. 9, 10, 11, &c.) becomes (himſelf) a Sexton, and burys Moſes Body; the like is not done by God to any Mortal Man, a Peculiar Priviledge and Honour, teſtifying how God Loved him both Alive and Dead; which Body was Rais'd at Chriſt's Transfiguration, Matth. 17. 4. with a Glory upon it, and yet ſhould Riſe with a greater Glory at the last Day, Phil. 3. 21. The Devil Diſputed with Michael about the place of Moſes Sepulchre, that he might take up the Reliques of Dead Moſes (as the Romaniſts do of their ſuppoſed, and Suppoſititious Saints) and ſet them up as Idols in the Hearts of the Living Iſraelites, who were ſo Notoriouſly Inclined to any ſort of Idolatry, Pſal. 106.28. Iſa. 8.19. & 65.4. thus Satan (being ambidexter) lays about him on both Hands, while Moſes was Living, he Tempts Iſrael to Deſpiſe him, (in their Murmurings aforeſaid,) but when he is Dead, he would Tempt them to Idolize him, and to Tranſlate his Body out of its Grave into a Temple of their own Hearts: yet all this was but as a Stirrop and Stalking-Horſe to Advance and Advantage the Devils Deſign of ſetting up a Divine Adoration of Himſelf among the People of God: This Game did Satan play with Saul in making him Diſregard Samuel, while Living, and then puts him upon Conjuring him up (as his God) when Dead. Whereby Satan got Divine worſhip from Saul in that Mock Samuel: Here, Satan had no Reſpect to the Body of Moſes, any further than thereby to Hurt the Souls of Iſrael; 'tis probable, he might Argue to the Arch-Angel in the Diſpute: 'Tis a ſhame that ſuch an Honourable Magiſtrate and Holy Man ſhould have ſuch a private, and not a publick Burial, Attended by all Iſrael; whereas indeed it was moſt Honourable, for God onelyonly Attended and Acted all the Solemnity, the onelyonly fault or quarrel was, that God would not Invite the Devil to be preſent at the Funeral, for the Reaſons aforeſaid.
Thus the Plot was lay'd, to make Moſes an Idol, and an Occaſion of Idolatry when Dead, who had been the greateſt Oppoſer of it whilſt Living; But what Succeſs had this Plot? 'twas Laugh'd into Nothing, for Michael Over-matches the Devil, rebukes him; Satan may be rebuk'd, but never reform'd, he may be Curb'd, but never Cured, he may be Chain'd, but never Changed: And as the Lord's rebuke was upon him for his Contending about the Body of Moſes, ſo Undoubtedly it is, about the Body of the Meſſias, to wit, the Church, which is his Body, and he is the Head: Never did Michael make War with this Dragon, but he hath always the Victory, as Rev. 12. 8. Dan. 10. laſt, &c. And if he do not now lay his rebuke upon Satan, 'tis not from the ſcantneſs of his Power, but from the greatneſs of his Patience, yea, and of his Wiſdom. Behold here! God did not leave the Church (his Body) without an Head, but raiſes up a Living Head (a Joſhua, or Jeſus, (ſo call'd, Act. 7.45.) a Type of Jeſus, our Lord) inſtead of a Dead Moſes: Moſes (or the Law) cannot bring to Canaan, no, it is Dead, and all the Ceremonies of it; and 'tis the Devil that puts Men to digg them out of the Grave: but to bring us into the Poſſeſſion of the Heavenly Canaan, is the work of Jeſus by the Gospel, as Joſhua (not Moſes) brought Iſrael into the Earthly Canaan: This Jeſus is the Head of the Church, a Living Head at the Right Hand of God; Hence the Church can never be Drowned, ſo long as her Head (Chriſt) is lifted above the Waters: neither doth God ever ſtarve his work for want of Inſtruments; Moſes Dyes, Joſhua (who had been train'd up with him from a Child) is his Subſtitute, God will not leave his Church Deſtitute, as one is broke off, another Riſes up in his Room, and that with Commiſſion and Qualifications ſuitable for his Work, ſo that Iſrael might follow him with Confidence, as they muſt with Obedience, Deut. 31. 1, 8. and 34. 9. and Joſh. 1. 1, 2, 16. who after his Inauguration Renews the Two Sacraments of Circumciſion, and the Paſſcover, Conquers all Canaan, ſettles Iſrael in it, and all this after Moſes Death; a Figure of Chriſt, who brings into Eternal Reſt after the ending of Moſes Law. Thus the Church at laſt Landed in the Land of Promiſe, maugre the Malice of angry Men, and of Enraged Devils.