Moses and Aaron, Title page – To the reader
MOSES AND AARON, OR THE TYPES AND SHADOVVS Of our SAVIOUR in the old TESTAMENT.
Opened and Explained, By T. TAYLOR D. D.
Very usefull for the better understanding the whole Scripture.
And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself,
Luke 24. 27.
LONDON, Printed for John Williams, at the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1653.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, Sir MILES FLEETWOOD Knight, Receiver Generall of his Majesties Court of Wards and Liveries: All welfare in Christ Jesus.
Noble Sir:
IT is a truth able to endure the most fiery times and trials, None but Christ, J. Lambert Martyr. Epist. ad Romanos.none but Christ. Ignatius expresseth as much, drawing near to his Martyrdome, Let come upon me fire, crosse, meetings of wilde beasts, cuttings, tearings, breaking of bones, rendings of members, dissolutions of the whole body, and all torments of the devill, foreign, onelyonly that I may gain Iesus Christ. Thus he intreated the Romans not to intercede for him, and hinder his suffering for the Gospel. And thus the servants of God in these last times, when Romanists have thrust them into flames and other calamities,
Christ is all, and in all, said the Apostle, Col. 3. 11.
Look to the Church: he supplies all defects 1.of his people, heales all their infirmities, puts on all comfortable relations, and procures all saving benefits; In the golden chain of our salvation, which reacheth from eternity to eternity, we shall observe, that Christ is the owke or closure that tyeth every linke together: as in these lines.
He is the foundation of our Election, Ephes. 1. 4. He is the price of our Redemption, 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. He is the cause efficient of our regeneration, Eph 2. 10. He is the author of our justification, Jer. 33. 16. He is the beginner and perfecter of our sanctification, Heb. 12. 2. John 15. 4, 5. He is the matter of our consolation, spiritual and temporal, c. 16. 37. Rom. 5. 1. He is the sweetner and sanctifier of all our troubles, Rom. 8. 37, &c. He is the assurance and pledge of our resurrection, 1 Cor. 15. 20. He is the procurer and producer of our glorification, John 17. 22. Rev. 21. 23. All of them good grounds of comfort, and set forth the happinesse of Gods people. All of them disgrace merit, and the worthinesse of the creatures, Men and Angels. All of them magnifie Gods love and wisdome, call unto thankfulnesse, and would make us content with little. All invite labour, to make sure of a portion in Christ, without whom all is as nothing. And finally, all command those that are in Christ, to be all unto him, doe all for him, give all, suffer all, speak, live, die, rejoyce in all through him, and with him expect all in his heavenly kingdome.
Look to the Word, wherein all these things 2.are revealed: Christ is evidently the matter and sum of the Gospel: and the Apostle affirmes the like concerning the Law, Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that Rom. 10. 4.believeth. First, by similitude, saith Austin: when a man is come to the end of a way, he can goe no farther: so when a Christian is come to Christ, he hath no farther excellencie to seek or goe unto: in Christ there is enough and enough to reconcile him to God, and bring him to heaven. Secondly, for perfection, saith Cont. Jul. 9.Cyril, when a thing is finished, it is said to come to an end, as namely, in weaving a garment: so Christ hath finished, perfected, and fulfilled the Law: he came not to destroy, but establish it: so that in him we have a perfect righteousnesse to present God withall, even as the Law required, Gal. 2. 16. 21. Thirdly, he is finis intentionis: the Law bids us look to Christ, in whom onelyonly we can live: both the Moral Law, in the holy precepts of it, impossible in this our weaknesse; therefore have recourse to Christ, Rom. 8. 3, 4. together with the curses and threats of it, whereby it is a sharp Schoolemaster leading to Christ, Gal. 3. 24. As also the Ceremonial Law, all whose shadows figure out Christ and his benefits, Heb. 10. 1. Now is Christ come (saith Tertullian) who is the end of the Law, opening De cibis Jud. c. 5.all the dark matters of it, anciently covered under the mists of Types and Sacraments: An excellent Master, an heavenly Teacher, a setler of truth to the uttermost. Austin calls Moses his Ceremonies, Cont. Faust.prenunciative or foretelling Observations: and saith, We are not now constrained to observe things used in the Advers. Jud.Prophets time, Non quia illa damnata, sed quia in melius mutata sunt; not for any evill in them, but because they are changed for the better.
What they foretold, and how they are changed for the better, this Treatise in part discovereth, and I purpose not now to discourse. These glorious times of the Gospel shew evidently, how much the truth excelleth the shadow: the vertue common to the antient believers, as well as unto us: Christ Iesus yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever: but as the manifestation Heb. 13. 8is more clear, so the grace is more plentiful and comfortable. The same Testator made both Testaments, and these differ not really, but accidentally; the Old infolding the New with some darknesse, and the New unfolding the Old with joyous perspicuity.
This glorious dispensation of grace, as it stands by the good pleasure of God, so also by his manifold wisdome, who in severall approaches of his mercy and goodnesse drawes still nearer to his Church, and yet reserves the greatest for his Kingdome of glory. Even now, in this marvellous light of the Gospel, we have our divine Ceremonies and Sacraments, see him afar off, know but in part, darkly as in a glasse, and receive our best contentment by the acts of faith, while the Word and Spirit make us know the things freely given us of God in Christ Jesus. But time shall be, when (to say nothing of the estate of the Church after the ruine of Antichrist, and calling of the Jewes) we shall in heaven see him whom we believed face to face, clearly, perfectly, immediately, without Sacraments or Types, in the fullest vision, nearest union, and absolutest fruition. Never till then shall we comprehend wholly what is the marrow of that text, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.John 14. 6.
To your Worship I commend this Treatise of that illuminate Doctor, excellent sometime in following and opening an Allegory, and now more excellent in enjoying the Truth it self: of whom, while here a Preacher, you shewed your self a joyfull Hearer, as of other faithfull Pastors at this day, with obedience to the truth, religious care of your family, integrity in your office, love of good men, both in the Ministery and private estate, and all Christian behaviours; as the fame of your sweet savour goes forth in the Church of God, to which I doubt not but this Treatise will be the more welcome, because of your worthy name prefixed. It is an Orphane, & the Widow desires it should be your Ward; who in your love can best tender it, and by your authority defend it sufficiently. The God of heaven increase all heavenly graces and comforts in your noble heart abundantly, and adde unto your dayes, honours and blessings of all sorts, till these shadowes flie away, and the true Day-star arise upon you in glory: the hearty prayer of one, who is, and desires to be reckoned among
Isleworth June 29. 1635. Your Wo: truest friends, in every good service, WILLIAM JEMMAT.
To the CHRISTIAN READER.
I Have heard of a demur made, as though something were put forth under this Authors name, which is none of his. I assure thee in the word of a Minister, that for the workes that have my Epistle prefixed (and I hear of no other published with his name) there is not one note nor notion which is not the Authors own, according to his papers. And the like I affirm concerning this Treatise of Types, which now I publish. The use of it is manifold: To open divers places of Scripture: To shew the meaning of legal shadowes and ceremonies: To declare the faith of the Elders, who received a good report: To manifest our faith, Heb. 11. 2. Eph. 4. 5.one with theirs, one Faith, one Lord, one Baptisme, one salvation: To magnifie and commend Christ to every soul, that it may be saved, and he honoured: To discern and bewail the blindnesse of Gods ancient people the Jewes, and pray for their return to the truth, not …atching at shadowes: Of whom, in present I may say with detestation of their madnesse, as he said against the Philosophers, Nos qui non habitu, &c. We Christians, M. Min. Fel. Octav.whose excellency stands not in outward things, but spirituall, glory that we have found what they (with all their diligence) have sought, and could not finde. Why are we unthankfull? Why doe we stand in our own light, if the truth of the Deitie hath in this our age attained to maturity? Let us enjoy and make use of our own good, and follow the truth in truth: avaunt superstition, be packing all impiety, let true religion be preserved and flourish. Yet withall, seeing there is a promise, that all Israel shall be saved, let us pray Rom. 11. 26.for the performance, and that with all earnestnesse, as that converted Jew gave exhortation to his son, So long pour forth Ludov. Coeretus: 1553.thy prayers for the remnant of Israel, till God look from his high habitation, and see, and have mercy on his people for the Lords sake, his Annointed, that in our dayes Judah may be saved, and the children of Israel may dwell safely in their own land, and spend their dayes in good, the Lord making his good Spirit to rest upon them.
WILLIAM JEMMAT.