The Types Unveiled, Chapter 2
CHAP. 2. I now come to ſhew you how the action of the Jews in eating the Lamb, together with the place, time, and manner of eating the Lamb, doth agree to the work of God upon the ſouls of his people, while on this ſide Heaven; together with his various dealings with their conditions in this life, which as in a glaſs, thoſe that are ſpiritual may ſee it anſwer face to face.
FIrſt, the place that the people were in when God provided this Lamb for them; It was Egypt, a Land of darkneſs, abounding with all manner of idolatry and prophaneneſs, a Land which knew not God, Exod. 5. 2. a land of bondage, of heavy burdens, of cruel task-maſters, that required brick to be made without ſtraw, Exod. 5. 6. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. the officers of which place would often beat the people of the Jews, ver. 14. beſides ſo cruel were the Task-maſters to the poor Iſraelites, that they would not hear the peoples cryes, Exod. 5. 16, 17.
To this agreeth, as in the ante-type, the eſtate or condition that the creature is in before he comes to Jeſus Chriſt, which eſtate or condition we call natural or carnal, which ſimbolizeth very well with the land of Egypt, in which the children of Iſrael were when they did eat the Lamb.
For firſt of all, Egypt was a place of darkneſs, ſo is the natural condition of mankinde; it is full of darkneſs and ignorance: it is wholly deprived of the ſaving knowledge of God and Chriſt. A man by nature knows little of that bleſſed life, light, power, which the true knowledge of God teacheth a ſoul; he knoweth not what it is to have Chriſt dwelling in him (by his ſpirit) nor what it is for a man to live in Chriſt by believing; much leſs doth he know that great and bleſſed myſtery which Paul ſpeaketh of, 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.
Alas, to tell a carnal man of living by believing, what a myſtery is this to him, of worſhipping God in the Spirit, of praying in the Spirit, of making the Blood, and Fleſh, and Spirit, and promiſes of Chriſt, his daily food; of eating the hidden Manna, of having the white ſtone, with a new name written in it, that none can read but he that hath it, Rev. 2. 17.
Alas, what a paradox is this to a carnal man; to tell ſuch a man of Chriſt within him, and of a ſpiritual Kingdom within him, and a light within him: and ſo from hence to bid him turn to it, and live obedient thereunto, and to hearken to the teachings of it for ſalvation.
Alas, one had as good ſtand over the grave of a dead man and bid him ariſe, or one had as good ſpeak to a blinde man and bid him ſee: therefore I think that ſuch a doctrine preached by many in our dayes, is an empty doctrine to help blinde men to ſee, or dead men to a ſtate of ſpiritual life: therefore ſaith Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The carnal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him (neither can he know them) becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned: alſo Paul tells you, ſpeaking of a carnal man, that his underſtanding is darkened, and alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance which is in them, through the blindeneſs of their heart, Epheſ. 4. 18. therefore when the Scripture ſpeaks of the bringing home of a ſoul to God, it calls it a deliverance from the power of darkneſs, Col. 1. 13. a ſtate that affords no light, no knowledge of God in Chriſt, it giveth us no acquaintance with God, as a reconciled God in Chriſt to a poor ſoul; therefore it may well be compared to Egypt for the darkneſs of it: that is the firſt particular.
Secondly, Egypt abounded with all manner of prophaneneſs and falſe worſhip: for they knew not God, Exod. 5. 2. how well doth this agree with the ſtate, or the natural condition of fallen mankinde, O what kennel ſo vile, ſo no…ſome, what jakes ſo foul, what Goal ſo loathſome, what hell ſo black, as the hearts and lives of wicked men: therefore when our Saviour gives a deſcription of the inward parts of ſuch men (ſaith) That out of their hearts proceedeth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falſe witneſs, and blaſphemies, Mat. 15. 19. and to this agreeth the 14. Pſalm ver. 2. 3, which ſaith, The fool hath ſaid in his heart there is no God: they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doth good, no not one: the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to ſee if there were any that did underſtand, and ſeek God: they are all gone aſide, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doth good, no not one: ſo ſaith John, 1 John 5. 19. The whole world lieth in wickedneſs. My brethren, where can you go, into what Land, Countrey, County, City, Town, or Family, but you may bluſh to ſee the common prophaneneſs of it, to your great grief: what ſwearing, lying, couzening, theeving, brawling, fighting, and revelling is there abounding amongſt men: how do the moſt men tumble and wallow in the filth of uncleanneſs: how are ſome buried up head and ears in their pride; how do others glory in their oppreſſion. O how are others drowned in their malice; how like ſwines do others reel up and down in their drunkenneſs; what treachery, and deceit and falſhood dwells there in the mindes of men, one againſt another, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Micah 7. 4, 5, 6. The beſt of them is as a briar, and the moſt upright of them ſharper then a thorn-hedge. Truſt ye not in a friend, put ye no confidence in a guide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy boſom; for the ſon diſhonoureth the father, the daughter riſeth up againſt the mother in law; a mans enemies are the men of his own houſe. To this agreeth the words of Paul to the Epheſians, chap, 2. 2, 3, Where in times paſt you walked according to the courſe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience: among whom ye had your converſation in times paſt in the luſts of the fleſh fulfilling the deſire of the minde, and of the fleſh, and were by nature the children of wrath even as others.
Therefore it is that David when he was forced to flie into Gath among the Philiſtines, becauſe of the prophaneneſs of the people cryed out, Woe is me that I dwell in Meſech, and am conſtrained to live in the tents of ungodlineſs.
Secondly, As this agreeth with Egppt for prophaneneſs, ſo for falſe worſhip: It is natural for men in a carnal concondition to worſhip God in a wrong manner; as a good man ſaid once, every man is born with a little Pope in his belly. To ſet up a falſe worſhip is the firſt thing a carnal man puts himſelf forth in.
This is the reaſon that the greateſt part of the world lieth drowned in falſe worſhip, and ante-chriſtianiſme, it is becauſe they are carnal and blinde, and ſo want the light of God, his holy Spirit to guide them into the truth. Where will you expect to finde fiſh but in the water: where would you ſee birds but in the air; where would you expect to finde four footed beaſts, but upon the earth: ſo where would you finde poor, blinde, carnal men and women worſhipping, but in their falſe forms, pictures, images, and rejected ceremonies: you may ſee how ſtiff the Phariſees ſtuck unto theſe things, Matth. 15. 1, 2. but you may ſee our Saviours anſwer, Ver. 3. with 8, 9. You know Paul the Apoſtle telleth the Saints in his day, that they had been worſhippers of ſtocks and ſtones, dumb idols: to this agreeth our Saviours words, John 4 22 ſpeaking to the poor carnal woman of Samaria. You worſhip you know not what. This is is moſt certain, that the world for want of ſight erre in every thing.
So that you ſee how well the natural eſtate of mankinde doth agree with the Land of Egypt for falſe worſhip, or for worſhipping God in a falſe manner.
Again, Egypt was a place of hard bondage, and cruel burthens, a place that required brick to be made without ſtraw, Exod. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. beſides the officers of the place would often beat the people if they failed of ought of their work, ver. 14. they would alſo refuſe to hear the peoples cryes, ver. 16, 17.
This anſwers unto the covenant of works, which every carnal man and woman in the world is bound unto by nature, and lives under. This covenant, even to fulfil it in the exacteſt meaſure thereof. This covenant was made with us in the ſtate of innocency, which requires perfect obedience in thought, word, and deed, and not onelyonly perfect obedience, but conſtant, continual obedience to the laſt breath, Deut. 6. 5. with Gal. 3. 10.
So that if a man fails but in one point of the Law of Works, he is guilty of the breach of the whole, Iames 2. 10. Now this Covenant of works doth not onelyonly reach the outward actions of the body (as ſome think) but the inward motions, intentions, and purpoſes of the minde; for ſo our Saviour expounds this Covenant, Mat. 5. 20, 21, 22, with 27, 28. verſes. Now as the caſe ſtands with the creature with reſpect to his fall, this covenant of works may well be compared unto Pharaohs task-maſters, and thoſe that yet live under it, to the Jews in Egypt, who were under the power of thoſe Task-maſters, Exodus 5. 10, 11, 12, 13. 14, 15, 16, 17. verſes.
For firſt of all they required of the Jews, brick to be made without ſtraw, ver. 10, 11. ſo doth the Law require full and perfect obedience of the ſoul, both in body and ſpirit as ever it did. Saith the Law, Bring me forth the full tale of obedience, according to my commands: let not ought of the works be deminiſhed which ye ſhould do in ſoul and body; I will not abate one jot of it, bring forth the full tale of your duties, let not one be neglected, if there be you ſhall dye the death; and perform them in ſuch a manner, as I have required, or expect death without mercy: what you do, ſee it be perfectly holy, without the leaſt ſtain of ſin in it, in thy prayings, in thy faſtings, in thy mournings, in thy hearings, in thy almes, in thy works of mercy, in all that thou doeſt; ſee that there be not the leaſt vain thought in it, nor the leaſt ſtain of hypocriſie in it; if there be, thou ſhalt be damned to eternity: Likewiſe ſee that it be conſtantly ſo with thee from thy birth to thy death. If in all thy life thou ſhalt but miſcarry in a word or thought, I will pour out all my plagues and curſes upon thee, Matth. 12. 36. with Gal. 2. 10. I will not regard any thing that thou haſt done in my ſervice before, (though thou haſt ſerved me to the laſt hour of thy life, with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy power;) yet if at laſt thou ſhalt offend in one word or deed thou ſhalt dye the death, a death eternal, of ſoul as well as body, Ezek. 18. 24. Deut 27. ver. 26.
Now when the ſoul comes to be awakened to the voice of the Law, how is it overwhelmed with amazement and horrour: like the Jews under their task-maſters, how bitterly doth the ſoul bewail his condition, crying out with Paul, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from ſo cruel a bondage as this: (Thus the ſoul falling down flat on the ground, cryeth out of his condition, becauſe of the hard uſage it hath from the Law, that it ſhould require the full tale of brick, and yet deny ſtraw.) O ſaith the ſoul, I want ſtrength to perform the leaſt ſervice or duty. O Law, ſaith the ſoul, what no mercy, no pity, conſider my weaknes, how unable I am in my ſelf to perform the leaſt duty as I ought. (O Law I pray thee accept of what I can do) no, ſaith the Law, I take no notice of what thou art not able to do, but what thou art bound to do, Luke 17. 10. I require no more then is my due; if you cannot give it me, look you unto that, for my part I will have my full tale of perfect and conſtant obedience here in this life; or you ſhall give me ſatisfaction in hell to all eternity. Do not tell me you want ſtrength or ability to perform, go get you that where you can, look you out the ſtraw your ſelves, I ſhall give you none; but let not me miſſe of my tale of brick, Gal. 2, 10. with Ezek. 18. 24.
Thus you ſee how parallel the language of the old covenant runs with the voice of the Egyptian task-maſters, to the Iſraelites under them. Beſides in Exod. 14. we finde th…t Pharaohs task-maſters did beat and abuſe the Iſraelites very much in their work.
This very well ſuits with the old covenant of works: O what laſhes and blows does it give thoſe that live under it. Firſt, In the conſcience within: O what thunder claps have ſome men had within them (from the Law.) O how hath it made ſome men to roar, and to cry out at midnight upon their beds, for their breach of it. How dreadfully did it laſh the conſcience of Cain, and how did it dog Judas, until it dogged his neck into a halter: therefore doth the Scripture pitty thoſe that are under it, crying out, a wounded conſcience who can bear: thoſe that have been under the laſh of the L…w in the conſcience can ſay, never was poor man in Turkey in the like miſery (they would have exchanged conditions with the verieſt ſlave in all the world) night and day terrified with dreadful ſounds of the wrath of God, and the judgement day to come, ſhewing the ſoul his portion in everlaſting burnings, where he ſhall ſeek for death, but death ſhall be far from him. Although the ſoul runneth to his duties, and doth what he can to pacifie the Law; but alas, all to no purpoſe; for the Law quarrels with him about every duty; ſo that here is the Dilemma the Law hath all his in, they ſhall ſuffer one way or other, if they do not live holy and ſtrict in their lives, then he comes upon them with his curſes and plagues: If they do live holy and as unblameable as they can, yet the Law curſeth them that way, becauſe it is an obedience full of ſpots and defilements, Luke 17. 10.
Secondly, The Law laſheth men externally, as well as internally (in the conſcience.) O what plagues and puniſhments upon body, eſtate, and relations hath it brought home on ſome men for their diſobeying of it: You may ſee a whole file of curſes, plagues, puniſhments, judgments, and afflictious hang up upon the bar of the Law againſt its offenders, Deut. 28. from ver. 15. to 38.
Laſtly, The officers of Egypt would not hear the bitter cryes of the poor Jews under their burthens, ver. 16, 17. how well doth this agree with the old covenant of works, what little mercy doth that ſhew any that are under it, how little is it affected with their cries and tears: could men cry to it for mercy as loud as ever heaven thundered, it would be to no purpoſe, could men weep ſo much blood out of their eyes as there is water in the Sea, the Law would not take any notice of it, Ezek. 18. 24. This Eſau tried Heb. 12. 16, 17. For after he had ſold his birth-right he found no repentance, although he ſought it carefully with tears.
Alas friends, the Law knows no repentance; repentance is a fruit of the new covenant of grace, (not of the old.) Thus you ſee both how the Land of Egypt, with its task-maſters, together with their carriages towards the Iſraelites doth agree, as the type with the ſtate of nature, in which carnel men are in; together with the old covenant, and his carriage toward thoſe that live under him.