Moses and Aaron, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
2. Noah a type of Christ, 7. wayes.
THe second instance is Noah, a manifest type of the true Noah a type of Christ, in seven respects. 1.Noah, and that in seven respects.
I. Both were fore-prophesied of to be Saviours, Gen. 5. 29. Lam…ch begat a son and called his name Noah, saying: This shall comfort us concerning our workes, and sorrow, and curse of the earth; therefore he called him by a name signifying ceasing, or rest: So of Christ, Mat. 1. 21. thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people: He shall be the true Noah that shall cause Gods wrath to cease, and bring the afflicted soule to true rest and tranquility.
II. Both are said to be just and perfect; both said to 2. Differences between Christs and Noahs righteousnesse.walk with God; and both to finde grace and favour with God. 1. Noah was just in his generation: So was Christ; have nothing to do with that just man, saith Pilates Wife, Mat. 27. 19. But with difference; Noahs righteousnesse was imputed, being righteousnesse of faith, Heb. 11. 7. Christs was inherent, a righteousnesse of nature, person, and heart. 2. Noah was a perfect and upright man, Gen. 6. 9. that is, not defiled with Idolatry, false religion, opinions, or externall crimes, but Christ was perfect simply and absolutely, Noah but comparatively. Noah was perfect but in part: Christ Christus i am perfectus: Noah currens ad perfectionem. August.perfectly perfect; Christ Legally; Noah Evangelically. Noah perfect by the perfection of another: Christ by his own. Noah perfect because without open crime: Christ being without sinne. 3. Both walking with God, found grace with God. Noah, Gen. 6. 8. Christ, Luke 2. 40. 52. But Noah found grace by acceptation and imputation: Christ by compleat merit and satisfaction. Christ found grace by his own perfection and justice: but Noah cloathed with Christs.
III. Both of them were Preachers of righteousnesse. But 3.Christ preached his own doctrine, Noah Christs. Both invited unto repentance. Both called men to avoid the Judgement to come. Both lived and preached in a most corrupt age, when there was a generall defection both in doctrine and manners. Both their Ministeries were despised, and that despight of both fearfully revenged; the one by water, the other by fire and sword: both by utter desolation, as the like never heard of before.
IV. Both of them makers of an Ark, and Masters of it. 4.But Noah of a materiall, Christ of a spirituall, the Church. Noah to save sinners from the deluge of waters temporall: Christ to save sinners from the deluge of Gods wrath eternall. In the making of their Arkes they are very like. 1. Noahs Ark and Christs: 6. resemblances.Both doe all about their Arkes at Gods commandement. For as the Lord did not hide from Noah his decree, Gen. 6. 13. So he communicated his whole will and counsell to his Sonne concerning the salvation of the Church, Joh. 8. 26. 2. As Noah takes many trees at Gods commandement, and strongly eloseth them together, and pitcheth them within and without against the waters: So doth Christ make choice of trees of righteousnesse, the planting of the Lord, and compacts them together by the bond of the Spirit, glewes and fastens them together by the glew of Christian love, and pitcheth them within and without, fortifies and strengthens them against the waters of affliction, temptation, persecution, that none shall drown or overwhelme them. 3. As Noah prepared divers roomes in the Ark for divers creatures: So Christ in his Ark appoints divers places and functions for beleevers here, and prepares in his Fathers house many mansions for them hereafter, Joh. 14. 2. And as Noah receives into the Ark clean and unclean creatures and persons, a Sem, and a Cham: So the Lord Christ into his militant Church, all sorts of Nations, sexes, persons, conditions; Jewes, Gentiles; men, women, noble, ignoble; beleevers, and unbeleevers; hypocrites, and sound Christians. On this floor is wheat and chaffe. 4. As Noah made a window into his Ark, to give light to the creatures within: So Christ, by the Gospel preached in the Church, enlighteneth the mindes of those that are within; without which light let in, they should sit in everlasting darknesse. 5. As Noah by the same direction makes a door to enter into the Ark, and but one door for so very great a building: So there is but one door to the great building of the Church dispersed farre and wide, and this is Christ himself, Joh. 10. 7, 9. 6. As Noah the Master of the Ark enters into it, and receives and saves all that enter in with him; for which purpose he is contented to be tossed up and down by those most raging waters, and had no more freedome from fear and danger than others in the Ark: So Christ the Master of his Church, to save his Church, himself enters into it, and is admitted into it by the waters of Baptism; and was contented, for the saving of others, to be tossed with waves and billowes of affliction, ignominy, shame, sinne, curse, yea, the torments of hell. That his Church might be in safety with him, he will be in danger with her, and every way to help her, will be everyway like her in all things, sinne excepted.
V. Both of them were repairers of the world, From 5.Noah descended all the inhabitants of the earth: from Christ all the inhabitants of heaven. The world again was re-peopled and replenished by Noahs posterity: the Church and every member is Christs posterity. Both of them were preservers and providers for all sorts of Creatures: But Noah as a steward; Christ as Lord and owner of them: Noah for a few, Christ for all: Noah for a year and a little more, Christ perpetually. To both of them the creatures came in, and were obedient to them. Though never so fierce and savage out of the Ark, yet in the Ark they were mild and tame: So to Christ the windes, seas, devils obey; and if Lyons and Cockatrices come into the Ark and Church, they become as Lambs and little children, putting off all fiercenesse, Isa. 11. 6.
VI. Both of them offered a sacrifice of rest, and sweet savour 6.to the Lord, Noah, Gen. 8. 21. As men are delighted with sweet savours, so was Noahs sacrifice pleasing to God. But his was a sacrifice but of testification, witnessing his faith Sacrifice of testification and of satisfaction.and thankfulnesse: The sacrifice of Christ was a perfect satisfaction, in which he offered, not the bodies of clean beasts as Noah, but his own body as a Lamb without spot, not upon an Altar built by Noahs hand, but upon the Altar of his Deity, not ascending to heaven by ordinary fire, but offered through his eternall spirit, compar'd to fire, Heb. 9. 14. And therefore must fully satisfie his Fathers justice, appease his wrath, and be most acceptable in it self, and must bring Noahs, and all other sacrifices into acceptance. And from hence it was, that with both of them God did make a covenant of grace for their posterities, that he would never break out in such wrath against them, confirming the same unto the posterity of Adam by the sign of the Rainbow, and to the posterity of Christ by the Sacrament of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper.
VII. Both of them sent a Dove out of the Ark. Noah 7.when the waters asswaged, and much of his fear and danger was past, sends out the Dove, who brought an Olive branch, a sign of joy, comfort, and abating of the waters: So Christ Jesus, his sufferings and labours being ended, sent his Spirit forth (which had lighted as a Dove on him) and Mat. 3. 16.brings joy, and peace, and comfort into the hearts of all beleevers, bringing in a testimony, that Gods wrath is appeased, the waters are diminished, his love and favour returned, which is better than life.
I. In the type and truth learn: If all the world about us Use 1. Preserve integrity in the worst times.be given to wickednesse, and we be cast into never so wicked an age, then to labour to shine in the middest of a naughty generation, Phil 2. 25. It is a singular praise to be a Lot in Sodom, and in a corrupt age to be unlike sinners. For light to shine and shew it self in darknesse, is beautyfull and glorious. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good Math. 5. 16.works, and glorifie your father which is in heaven. To shew our selves sonnes of God, and children of light among enemies of God and light is a singular honour. Noah fashioned not himself to those corrupt times; nor Christ to the evill behaviour of that age. Never had Christians more need among so many wicked fashions to be exhorted, not to fashion themselves to the world. If a Preacher hold on a preacher of righteousnesse in singlenesse and sincerity of heart, not fashioning himself to the present temporizers and men-pleasers, Let all the world scorn, oppose, traduce him: If a private man hold forth the word of life, and in blamelesse and pure conversation walk in a way which leadeth against the stream and common current of the corrupt age: Both the one and the other have heer the type and the truth, Noah and Christ presidents for the like actions, precedents in the same way.
II. In them both learn: That these are the days in which 2. Sins which are signs of Iudgement approaching. Math. …4. 38we must expect our Lord to judgement. As it was in the days of Noah, &c. So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be. As those sinnes in Noahs time brought the deluge of water: the same sinnes now reigning, shall bring and hasten the destruction by fire prophecyed, 2 Pet. 3. The sinnes are these. 1. The sonnes of God marry with the daughters of men: that is, the godly with the ungodly, religious with the superstitious, beleevers with infidels. 2. Horrible contempt of the word. As Noah preached by the power of the Spirit, and 2 Pet. 3. 20.Christ himself by the Spirit, so as never man spake; yet both were despised, and the Spirit resisted whereby they spake: So now godly Ministers must not think much to be despised in their Ministery; for as it was in the days of Noah and of Christ, So Christ hath told us it must be. 3. Prophanenesse of the Ministery, and generall malice against sincerity. As in the dayes of Noah, many Wrights and workmen were busie to prepare an Ark for others; but themselves neither entred into the same, nor saved by the same: And as in the dayes of Christ, the Scribes and Pharisees professed themselves chiefe builders, but refused the corner stone, and neither entred themselves nor suffered others, but envy Christ they could: So shall it be in the dayes of the Sonne of man. 4. In the common-state, and men, apostacy, security, sensuality; men eat, drinke, marry, but know nothing of judgement, that is, will not know: So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be, Mat. 24. 39.
III. In that Christ is the true Noah, all the true members 3. Comfort to be had in Christ our Noah.of Christ (who are carefull to prepare them an Arke, and to get within the Arke of the Church) have solid and strong comfort. For, 1. He is ready to receive all that come unto him: who calls all the weary: as Noah readily received all that offered themselves unto him. Let not thy sinne discourage thee, be thou never so uncleane, get once into the Arke, and thou art safe. 2. As Noah himself entered into the Arke, and abode there all the time of danger, and tossing by the waters: so our Lord abides still in the same ship of the Church with us: he is so much the more compassionate to us, as he is acquainted with our sorrowes: and though the danger and fear be never so much, we shall fare no worse than himself will, who in all our troubles is troubled with us and for us. 3. As Noah pitched the Ark within and without, and so fenced it against the waves and raging billowes and surges of a world of seas: So doth our true Noah strengthen his Arke and Church partly with his promise, partly with his prayers that their faith faile not, as with pitch within and without, so firme and sure, as let this little Arke of the Church be tossed upon the waters of affliction, and tried by never so many temptations, and persecutions in this sea of the world, it is so fenced & pitched, that it shall never miscarry. Noahs Arke indeed by tossing & beating of the waters may be weakned and made worsei but Christs Arke the Church, is made better and stronger by trials and afflictions, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy Ps. 119. 71.statutes. Noahs Arke at last shall putrifie and perish, but Christs Arke shall never perish, but at last be more perfect and glorious. 4. As Gods Covenant with Noah was his safety in the Arke: (for looke upon the Arke floating above water laden with heavie burthen, fenced against the waters with a little pitch, perhaps not very skilfully, that being the first vessell that ever was made for the water) without Anchor, mast, sterne, Pilot, or Master to govern it (for Noah was shut in by God) how should it be but carried by windes and waves upon rocks, or hils, or sands, or trees, or buildings, and so in an instant split all to pieces, but that the Lord was Stearsman of all that voyage? So the safety of the Church is, that it hath so faithfull a Pilot, whose Covenant made in his Church is the wall and defence of his People, more stable than the foundation of the earth. Which made David to glory: Though the earth be moved, and the mountains tumbled Psal. 46. 2.into the sea, yet the Church may glory in the salvation of her God. In our lesser trials, stormes, oppositions, look to God Arca tandem ex deluvio liberatat fic Ecclesia.▪ Arca cessante diluvio in monte requievit: Ecclesia mundi fluctibus cessantibus in coelesti monte.our safety; be within the Arke, God will provide for thy safety. 5. The Arke had a time to be freed from the deluge of waters: So the Church hath a time for her deliverance, Rev. 7. 14. Psal. 55. 22. 6. When the flood of waters bated, the Arke rested on the mountaine of Ararat, Gen. 8. 4. So when the waters of affliction are dried up, the Church hath her rest in the holy mountaine of God, Psal. 15.