The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 4 · Chapter 111
CHAP. CXI.
THirdly the very materials, the Gold and Silver of the Idols of this Land were odio…s and abominable, and dangerous to the people of Israel, that they might not desire it, nor take it to themselves, Deut. 7. 25. 26. lest themselves also become a curse, The very … & silver of Cara… aes… Images … to be abhorred.and like unto those cursed abominable things. Whereas we finde not any such accursed nature in the materials of Idols or Images now, but that (the Idolatrous formes being changed) the silver and gold may be cast and coyned, and other materialls lawfully employed and used.
Yet this we finde in the Antitype, that gold, silver, yea house, land, yea wives, children, yea life it selfe, as they allure and draw us from God in Christ, are to be abominated and hated by us, without which hatred and indignation against the most plausible and pleasing enticings from CHRIST IESVS, it is impossible for any man to bee a true Christian, Luke 14. 26.
Fourthly,The Land of Canaan ceremonially holy. this Land, this Earth was an Holy land, Z…ch. 2. 12. Ceremonially and typically holy, Fields, Gardens, Orchards, Houses, &c. which Holines the World knowes not now in one Land, or Country, House, Field, Garden, &c. one above another.
Yet in the Spirituall Land of Canaan the Christian Church, Greater holynesse in the Antitype under the Gospel, then in the types under the Law.all things are made holy and pure (in all Lands) to the pure, Tit. 1. meats and drinkes are sanctified, that is, dedicated to the holy use of the thankfull Believers, 1 Tim. 4. vea and the unbelieving Husband, Wife, and their Children are sanctified and made holy to Believers, insomuch that that golden inscription (peculiar to the forehead of the High Priest) Holines to Iehovah, shall be written upon the very Bridles of the Horses, as all are dedicated to the service of Christ Iesus in the Gospels peace and holines.
Fifthly,The Land of Canaan Jehorahs Land. the Lord expresly calls it his own Land, Levit. 25 23. Hos. 9. 3 Iehovah his Land, a terme proper unto Spirituall Canaan, the Church of God, which must needs be in respect of his choice of that Land to be the Seate and Residence of his Church and Ordinances.
Bu… now the partition wall is broken down, and in respect of the Lords speciall proprie…ie to one Country more then another, what d…fference between Asia and Africa, between Europe and America. between England and Turkie, London and Constantinople?
This Land (among many other glorious Titles given to it) was called Emanuels land,Emanuels Land so no Land or country more then another. that is, God with us, Christ his land, or Christian land, Isa 8. 8.
But now: Ierusalem from above is not materiall and Earthly, but Spirituall, Gal. 4. Heb. 12. Materiall Ierusalem is no more the Lords citie then Iericho, Ninivie, or Babell (in respect of place or Countrey) for even at Babell literall was a Church of Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 5.
It is true that Antichrist hath christned all those Countries whereon the Whore sitteth,The Blasphe m…us titles of the Christned and Christian World. Revel 17. with the Title of Christs land, or Christian land.
And Hundius, in his Map of the Christian World, makes this land to extend to all Asia, a great part of Africa, all Europe, and a vast part of America, even so farre as his unchristian Christenings hath gone. But as every false Christ hath false Teachers, false Christians, false Faith, Hope, Love, &c. and in the end false Salvation, so doth he also counterfeit the false Name of Christ, Christians, Christian land or Countrey.
Sixthly, this Land was to keepe her Sabbaths unto God: Sixe yeares they were to sow their Fields, and prune their Vines, but in the 7.The materiall Land of Ca…a…n was to keep her Sabboths, so no materiall land or Country now. God feedeth his sometimes immediately. yeare they were not to sow their Fields, nor prune their Vineyards, but to eat that which grew of it selfe or own accord.
But such Observations doth not God now lay upon any Fields, Vineyards, &c. under the Gospell.
Yet in the Spirituall land of Canaan, the true Church, there is a Spirituall Soule-rest or Sabbath, a quiet depending upon God, a living by Faith in him, a making him our portion, and casting all care upon him who careth for us: yea sometimes he feedeth his by immediate gracious workes of Providence, when comforts arise out of the Earth, without secondary meanes or causes, as here, or as elsewhere Manna descended from Heaven.
Seventhly, such portions and possessions of Lands, Fields, Houses, Vineyards, were sold with caution or proviso of returning againe in the yeare of Iubilee to the right owners, Levit. 25. 23.
Such cautions, such provisos are not now injoyned by God in the sale of lands, fields, inheritances, nor no such Iubilee or Redemption to be expected.
Yet this also finds a fulfilling in the spirituall Canaan, The J…bilee of Canaan a type of restitution and redemption in the Gospell.or Church of God, unto which the silver Trumpet of Iubilee, the Gospel, hath …ounded a spirituall restitution of all their spirituall rights and inheritances, which either they have lost in the fall of the first man Adam, or in their particular falls, when they are captive and sold unto sin, Rom. 7. Or lastly in the spirituall captivitie of Babele bondage: how sweet then is the name of a Saviour, in whom is the joyfull sound of Deliverance and Redemption!
Eightly, this Land or Country was a figure or type of the kingdome of Heaven above,Canaans land a type of … Kingdome of God on Earth and in Heaven begun here below in the Church and Kingdome of God, Heb. 4. 8. Heb. 11. 9. 10. Hence was a Birthright so pretious in Canaans Land: Hence Naboth so inexorable and resolute in refusing to part with his Inheritance to King Ahab, counting all Ahabs seeming reasonable offers most unreasonable, Why Naboth refused to part with a Garden plot to his King upon hazard of his life.as soliciting him to part with a Garden plot of Canaans land, though his refusall cost him his very life.
What Land, what Country now is Israels Parallel and Antitype, but that holy mysticall Nation the Church of God, peculiar and called out to him out of every Nation and Country, 1 Pet. 2. 9. In which every true spirituall Naboth hath his spirituall inheritance, which he dares not part with, though it be to his King or Soveraigne, and though such his refusall cost him this present life.