Moses and Aaron, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Holy things, types of Christ.
HAving now intreated at large of such holy persons as we have seen expresse types of Christ, The second generall head ensueth, which is to speak of holy things. All which in the old Testament, and Jewish pollicy did especially ayme at, and point out Christ after a farre clearer manner than did the former. And therefore for the confirming of our faith in the new Covenant, we must go on to shew the correspondence and agreement of the Scriptures in both Testaments: and that Christ is the same in both; and the faith of believers the same in substance, onelyonly differing in the manner of exhibition and publication.
A man that superficially looks over the books of Moses, and sees so great an heape of ceremonies and ordinances, would wonder what the Lord meant to enjoyne so many, and (as reason would judge) so needlesse institutions to his own people; of which they can make nothing by cursory, scarce by considerate reading. and hence (whereas the Jews were so superstitiously observant of the books of Moses, as that they had at their fingers ends a great number, not of the precepts onelyonly, but of the letters and pricks of every book and chapter:) Christians (unlesse it be in point of history) almost reject the books of Moses; not for their credit and truth, but for their utility and use, as not touching them. But to him that readeth and considereth will appear:
1. How truely our Saviour affirmeth (Joh. 5. 46.) that Use of legal ceremonies.Moses wrote of him: partly by promises and prophecies, and partly describing him in figures and shadowes; so as, had the Jewes believed Moses, they had also believed in him: but rejecting Moses (not in the generall: for generally they believed him, and magnified him as their greatest Prophet: but) in the special prophecies and promises concerning the individual person of Christ; therefore they could not believe in Jesus Christ.
2. How aptly and wisely the most wise God did accommodate himselfe to this people, in loading them with so many burthensome ceremoniall constitutions, and yet not one of them in vaine.
For, 1. Consider the nature of the people; it was rude Fitnesse to the Iewes nature.and dull, and needed corporall and externall elements and rudiments to help them. Besides it was not onelyonly naturally superstitious, and addicted to idolatry: but had lived some Centuries of yeares in Egypt, and was infected with Egyptian rites. And further, they were now to go into the land of the Canaanites, and were in danger to learn their fashions, Deut. 4. 16. And therefore the Lord would prescribe to their whole life (both in sacred and civill things) abundance of Ceremonies; whereby their senses should be exercised, their faith excited, their obedience preserved, and themselves restrained from devising on their own heads, or appointing to themselves any other worship or form of service, than that of the Lords owne prescribing, which should find them work enough, and take up their minds sufficiently.
2. If we look on the many kindes of rites, and ordinances, and compare them with the many ends which the Lo…d had in ordaining them, we shall conclude none of them were idle or superfluous.
For, 1. God would have the glory of Christs Kingdome Ends of ordaining them.shadowed, and his own religion gloriously propounded, and reverently received, not exposed to any contempt; and therefore appoints the erection and sanctification of a stately Tabernacle with all the costly vessells, and holy persons garments.
2. He would traine up that people in piety, and stirre up in their hearts an earnest sence of sinne, and hunger after mercy: and this he will do by appointing so many kinds of sacrifices, and rites about them.
3. He would frame them to purity and sanctimony of heart and life, and will help them hereto by the many lavers, purifications, cleansings, and sanctifications, of which we have heard in part.
4. He would nourish naturall love among his people; and for this end appointes many feasts, meat and drink offerings, and many solemnities to appear and rejoyce before God.
5. He would have them testifie their thankfullnesse for his great bounty, and acknowledge themselves homagers as was fit. And therefore ordaines a number of oblations, first fruits, tithes, vowes, first-born, and many moe institutions to testifie their gratitude.
6. Many of Gods great works must be held in their eyes, and must not be suffered to slip out of memory. And for this purpose served many of those institutions; As Deut. 6. 20. when thy sonne shall aske thee in time to come, &c. For this end the Passeover must be yearely celebrated, Exod. 12. 14. and Chap. 13. 14. So also the feast of Tabernacles, Lev. 23. 42, 43.
7 The Lord so ordered, as the Jewes could not cast their eyes any way within doors or without, but some shadow or other should meet them, and preach unto them either Christ or some grace by Christ, or some duty unto Christ. In the fields they had first fruites, first borne of cattell: In their houses the lintels must have the Law written: In their bodies Circumcision was a teacher: on their cloathes, fringes: If at their tables, choyce of meats: If on their children, the first borne a type of Christ. So for times, places, and the rest.
But that we may propound to our selves some good order Substantial things point ing at Christand familiar method, in which we must bound our discourse: We must know that all the holy things in the old Testament pointing at Christ, were:
1. Substantiall.
2. Circumstantiall.
Substantiall, are such as concern the parts and substance of Gods worship.
Circumstantiall, are such as concerne some inferiour things about that worship.
The former may be referred to two heads.
1. Sacraments.Sacraments and Sacrifices. Differences.
2. Sacrifices.
The difference: In Sacraments we see God giving us all good things in Jesus Christ.
In Sacrifices we present all our duty to God by Jesus Christ.
Now for the Sacraments of the old and new Testament in generall, we must in one word know, that they are outward signes, seales, and confirmations of Gods word and promise of grace. For the Lord knowing and tendering What Sacraments are in generall.the weaknesse of man would informe him of his good will and pleasure two waies.
1. He would speake to his minde and understanding by his word and promise.
2. To his outward sences by externall signes and Sacraments, Word and Sacraments go together.called by some of the Fathers, visible words. He is not contented by his word to declare his will, but also by Sacraments to witnesse and signe that word, for our more full instruction. If before the fall he covenanteth (by his word) life upon condition of works, he addeth a twofold signe to the sences of Adam, the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge. If after the fall he give a promise of the blessed seed Gen. 3. 15. he enjoyneth to Adam outward sacrifices and signes of that his Word. If to antient believers before Christ he promise deliverance from sinne, death, and hell, on condition of faith in the Messiah to come, he sealeth up this promise by two standing Sacraments: Circumcision, and the Passeover. If to believers of the new Testament he accomplish in his Sonne all those ancient promises, and now preach salvation to all that believe in the name of Christ crucified, dead, buried, raised, ascended, and sitting at the right hand of his Father, as Joh. 3. 16. This promise he confirmeth with two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, as speciall seales of his grace. Thus is the Lord still like himselfe in all ages, and provideth fully for our direction and consolation, for our strength and assurance in the Covenant of grace and salvation.
But to come nearer to our purpose. The Sacraments of the old Testament were either before the fall, or after. Of the Sacraments in Paradise before the fall; we are not to speak, as the tree of knowledge and the tree of life: Because 1. They sealed the Covenant of works, not the Covenant of grace. 2. They concerned the first Adam without any respect or reference to the second Adam: There was no need of Christ, and consequently no type of him. We are onelyonly to speak of Jewish Sacraments, types of Jesus Christ, and so reject them which never aymed at Christ, but were before any distinction of Jew or Gentile. These Jewish Sacraments were either 1. Ordinary or standing. 2. Extraordinary Sacraments ordinary & extraordinary.and occasionall. Ordinary were 1. Circumcision. 2. Passeover. Circumcision was the the Sacrament of enterance and receiving the Jew into Gods Covenant. The Passeover was a Sacrament of continuance and growth in that Covenant. Extraordinary, which were in some resemblance both to them, and the two Sacraments of the new Testament. 1. To Circumcision and Baptisme answered the Sacraments of the Cloud and red the Sea. 2. To the Passeover Antitypes.of the Lords Supper answered Mannah from heaven and water out of the Rock. Of these we must (by Gods assistance) speak in order, not what we might, for that were endlesse, but what we must necessarily, so farre as they preach Christ unto us, or may set us nearer unto him.