Moses and Aaron, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
HAving formerly delivered, that Christ is Truth Christ the truth of legall shadows. Introduction to this Treatise.as opposed to falsehood; we are now to shew, that he is Truth as opposed to the shadows and figures of the old Law. In the entrance into which Treatise, we must premise some Propositions.
I. That the Lord decreed to have always a Church upon 1.the face of the earth; for the upholding of which he upholds the world. For, 1. He will have his name confessed, and praised as well in earth as in heaven. 2. He will maintaine his publike worship by it, to distinguish heathenish Idolaters from true Worshippers. 3. To prepare true beleevers in this Church militant to that Church triumphant, and to set and polish them as living stones in this mount of the Church, for that heavenly mountaine and temple.
II. For the effecting of his purpose he hath decreed, that 2.the doctrine of salvation by Jesus Christ would be sounded out in the Church, together with the doctrine of the Law, that partly the right way of his shorship, and partly the way of salvation, might be made known and opened to beleevers.
III. By the Gospel the Lord hath revealed the Covenan 3.of grace, which is in substance but one, as God is but one and Christ is but one, who is the substance of it. As there is but one hope of one eternall life, the end of the Covenant; and one faith which is the mean to lead to that end, Ephes. 4. vers. 5.
IV. Christ, and his doctrine, the Covenant being the same 4. Sacramenta sunt mutata, non sides. August.yesterday, and to day, and for ever, Heb. 13. 8. for substance, altereth and differeth onelyonly in the form and manner of dispensation; according to which, it is diversly propounded in the old Testament and New. In the former propounded, as of the Messiah to come, from Adam unto his Incarnation. In the latter, as of the Saviour allready come, and so embraced in the Church from his first comming, to his second comming againe.
V. So long as Christ was to come, it pleased God to train 5. God appointed a multitude of ceremonies to the Iewes for 5. reasons. 1.his Church by an heap of Ceremonies, rites, figures, and shadows, to strengthen their Faith in the … of him. Of which multitude of Ceremonies, if more …p…ll reasons be demanded;
These may be given.
1. The nonage and infancy of that Church, which was not capable of such high mysteries, but was to be taught by their eyes as well as their ea…s. And therefore it pleased God to put the ancient Church (even newly out of the Cradle) under Tutors, Gal. 4. 2. and appointed divers Types and Ceremonies, as Rud…ments and Introductions, vers. 3. fitted to the grosse and weak fences of that Church, which was to be brought on by little and little, through such shadows and figures, to the true Image and thing signified, who in our Text calleth himselfe truth, in opposition to all those shadowes.
Object. But the weaker and duller they were, the more need had they of clear instruction; and God could have revealed Christ as clearly to them, as to us.Velata sunt ista, done… aspiraret dies, & removerentur umbrae. Aug.
Sol. But as the Lord had observed this method in creating the world, he would have darknesse go before light; and in upholding the world he would have dawning go before clear day: So in the framing and upholding the Church, he would have Christ exhibited to the Fathers, as to the Wise men, in swadling coluts, which hid his glory. He respected them as Children; he erected for them in Jewry a little free-schoole set up in a corner of the World; he appointed the Law of Moses as a Primer, or A. B. C. in which Christ was to be shaddowed in dark and obscure manner; he would that Christ should come to his brethren, as Joseph to his; who first obscured himself to them, and afterwards made himself better known. One compares it to Noahs 1. opening the window of the Arke; 2. Removing the covering; 3. Stepping forth himselfe.
II. Therein the wisedome of God provided for the further 2.advancement of Christ and his Gospel; which compared with the Law, must be manifested in great brightnesse and glory. Christ the Sonne must come in more glory, than Moses the servant. Hence John 1. 17. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. The Gospel is called grace, not because under the Law the same grace was not preached, but comparatively: that was scarce grace to this which is more full, more manifest; as the light in the dawning, is scarce light in comparison of light at noon-day. There Grace in the new Testament specially, how.was grace, but here is more grace. 1. In manifestation: The light of the Sunne is sevenfold, and like the light of seven days, as was prophesied, Isai 30. 26. 2. In impleti on and accomplishment of that which was but a promise of grace in comparison. Act. 13. 32. 3. In application and apprehension by beleevers in all Countries, not onelyonly in Judea. 4. In the groth and perfection of faith and grace in the hearts of ordinary beleevers above them. Hence Heb. 10. 1. the Law had but a shadow of good things to come, and not the Image and truth it self: that is, It had a rude and dark delineation of good things to come, as a draught made by a painter with a coale; but the Gospel exhibites the picture it self in the flourish and beauty; that is, the truth and being of it.
Hence also Paul to the Col. 2, 17. speaking of observances Ceremonies called shadows, for 4. reaseus.of the Ceremoniall Law, saith: they were but shadows of things to come, but the body is Christ. Whence he would have us conceive: 1. That as the body is the cause of the shadow, and the cause more excellent than the thing caused: So Christ was the cause of those Ceremonies, and more excellent than they. 2. As the shadow representeth the shape of the body, with the Actions and motions: So those rites, and Ceremonies resemble Christ in all his actions, passions, motions, as after we are to hear. 3. As the shaddow is but an obscure resemblance in respect of the body: So the Ministery of the old Testament in rites and Ceremonies is a dark representation of the body, namely Christ and his spirituall worship. 4. As the body is solid, firme, and of continuance, even when the shadow is gone: So the Ceremonies as shadows are flown away, but Christ the body and his true worship lasteth for ever. In all which Christ and his grace are advanced, as the publisher and perfecter of our salvation without any shadows; whereas of the Law it is said: It made nothing perfect, Heb. 7. 19.
III. Those Ceremonies were not given to merit remission of sinnes by them, nor to appease Gods anger, nor to be an 3. Non ex opereoperato.acceptable worship by the worth of the work done, nor to justifie the observer: but to shew justification by Jesus Christ, the truth and substance of them; to be types of him, pointing at him in whom the Father is pleased; to be Allegories and resemblances of the benefits of Christ, exhibited in the new Testament; to be testimonies of the promise and Covenant on Gods part; to be Sacraments and seales of faith on the part of the beleeving Jew, exciting and confirming his faith in the Messiah.
IV. God would have this heap of Ceremonies. 1. As 4.bonds and sinewes of the ministery and publike meetings; in which the voyce of the promised seed, and the sound of Use of them to the Iews.wholesome and saving doctrine might be preserved in the Church, and propagated to posterity. 2. To be externall signes of their profession, by which God would have his Church distinct from all nations of the earth. 3. To be to the unbeleeving Jewes, an externall discipline to bridle them, and an exercise to frame them (at least in externall conversation) to the Policy, and Common-wealth of Moses; for else they must be cut off, and excluded.
V. Gods wisedome in appointing these Ceremonies; 1. 5. Gods wisdome in appointing them.Appointed a certaine observation of the line & tribe whence the Messiah should come according to the promise. 2. Enjoined a certaine provision for the Ministery, which had no certaine part of the Land allotted to them. 3. That the poore might be so provided for, as that there might not be a beggar in Israel.
The former propositions and reasons being delivered by way of Preface, we now come to shew that which our Text properly calleth for, that is: wherein or how Christ is the truth of those figures, and the body of those shadows of the Ceremoniall Law.
Christ was figured in the old Testament by holy Persons, The generall division of this Treatise.and by holy Things. Of the most holy and eminent Persons who were figures of Christ, I will propound some instances.