The Types Unveiled, Chapter 6
CHAP. 6. The Iſraelites paſsing into the Red Sea a Type of Chriſt.
I Now come to the ſecond Type, which was Gods leading the Iſraelites through the red Sea, Exod. 14. which was done juſt after their eating of the Lamb, and coming forth of Egypt: In the which are theſe things to be noted.
1. The peoples great diſtreſs, ver. 10. 11.
2. The cauſe of their diſtreſs, which was Pharaohs Army marching behinde them with an intent to deſtroy them, verſe 10,
3. We may take notice of their Leaders, which was the Angel and Moſes, Exod. 14. 19. with 21. Which Angel without doubt was Chriſt; for as Moſes guided the people, ſo did the Angel guide Moſes.
4. Moſes ſtretched out his hand, and the waters were divided, ver, 21.
5. The people go through the waters, and by that means were delivered, ver. 22.
6. The ſame waters which were waters of ſalvation to the Iſraelites, became waters of deſtruction to the Egyptians, ver. 27. 28.
But firſt we finde the children of Iſrael greatly diſtreſſed: this anſwers to the condition that the ſoul is in under the conviction of ſin, full of trouble and deſpairing thoughts about his condition; how often is the heart overwhelmed and drowned in horrour, not knowing what to do, nor where to go to find any comfort: what ſecret gnawings and pangs of inward travel are there roving to and fro, in the ſoul of one under the conviction for ſin, night and day; it baniſheth all comfort from him, all his beſt of outward comforts are imbittered to him; no comfort in wife, in children, in friends, eſtate, or treaſure; he cannot finde any place to reſt the ſole of his foot upon with eaſe, every moment looking out for the executioner to overtake him; if abroad he is afraid the heavens will fall upon him, he dreadeth every tree he paſſeth by, every wall he goes along by, he leapeth off it, fearing it will fall upon him: if at home, then he dreads every hole in his houſe, expecting a devil in every corner of his houſe: ſome of which diſtreſs you may ſee upon the hearts of the converted Jews, Acts 2. 37. Which made them cry out to the Apoſtles, Men and brethren, what ſhall we do. Likewiſe you may ſee it hot upon the Jaylors heart, Acts 16. 29, 30. Who came forth trembling to the Apoſtles, crying out, Sirs, what ſhall I do to be ſaved.
David was acquainted very much with this kinde of trouble, Pſalm 38. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. For thine arrows ſtick faſt in me, and thy hand preſſeth me full ſore: there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger, neither is there any reſt in my bones becauſe of my ſin, for mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burthen, they are too heavy for me, my wounds ſtinck and are corrupt becauſe of my fooliſhneſs; I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long, for my loins are filled with a loathſome diſeaſe, and there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh: Likewiſe you may read Acts 9. 6. that Paul had his part in this diſtreſs; Paul trembled under it, and being aſtoniſhed, cried out, Lord what wilt thou have me to do. I muſt acknowledge this work, for the meaſure of it is not in all alike, for it oftentimes falleth out in this thing much according to a perſons rate of ſinning before his converſion; but for the kinde of this work, if men and women cannot ſpeak ſomething of it in ſome meaſure, it is little ſign that there hath been a work wrought (in truth) on that ſoul: you may ſee when the Scripture points you to the moſt cleareſt Goſpel work of converſion that we read of in the whole Book of God; it points it out by the great diſtreſſe that firſt it bringeth on the mindes of men and women, Zech. 12. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
2. The cauſe of the Iſraelites diſtreſſe, it ariſed from the Egyptians marching behinde them with full purpoſe to ruine and deſtroy them, Exod. 14 10. The ante-type of this Type ſheweth the cauſe of the ſouls aboveſaid diſtreſſe, which is the letting in of the ſouls guilt of ſin upon him, which doth (like a huge army) purſue the ſoul day and night, and like ſo many devouring Lions with open mouths ſtanding ready to devour the ſoul, which makes the ſoul (as the Jews did) oftentimes to cry out for a grave to bury his diſtreſſed body in, judging death to be preferred before l…fe: and the way to end theſe endleſſe miſeries is to lay violent hands on life (but that proves but a leaping out of the frying-pan into the fire) there is no trouble in the world like to this trouble; a man had better ſtand in the field againſt all the Armies and Cannons in the world, then to ſtand to behold a guilty conſcience. O the dreadful ſhreeks and doleful ſounds which it makes in the breaſt of a man when awakened: take an inſtance or two from the word of God, Pſalm 32. 3, 4, 5. When I kept ſilence my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long; for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moiſture is turned into the drought of ſummer: I acknowledge my ſin unto thee, and my iniquity have I not hid: So Pſalm 38. 2, 3, 4. For thine arrows ſtick faſt in me, and thine hand preſſeth me ſore: there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh becauſe of thy anger, neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſin; for mine iniquities are gone over my head, and as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me: ſo Pſalm 40, 12. For innumerable evils have taken hold on me, and have compaſſed me round about; ſo that I am not able to look up; they are more then the hairs of my head, ſo that my heart faileth me. So Pſalm 90. 7, 8. For we are conſumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath we are troubled; thou haſt ſet our iniquities before thy face, our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance: Let the poor ſoul run where he will, yet he ſhall not be able to avoid the thunderings of an awakened conſcience, but like ſo many ſwarms of Bees flying round his ears, crying alwayes to him, we are thy works and we will follow thee; we will follow thee in the field, and in thy houſe, we will be with thee at thy table and at thy bed. Job 20. 23, 24. When he is about to fill his belly God ſhall caſt the fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall rain it upon him; while he is eating he ſhall flee from his iron weapon, and the bowe of ſteel ſhall ſtrike him through.
My friends, the guilt of a mans ſin it will go to the grave with him, it will lie down with him in his Sepulchre, and his grave ſhall caſt it up again: therefore ſaith Job, The heavens ſhall reveal his ſin, and the earth ſhall riſe up againſt him, Job 20. 27. Thus you ſee both the diſtreſs, and the cauſe of it upon a poor ſoul under an awakened conſcience, and how it anſwers to the Jews diſtreſs at the red Sea.
3. We may take notice of the next particular, which is this, That that means which proved a ground of relief to the Jews in their diſtreſs, the peoyle were guided thereunto by Moſes: from whence we may note theſe things.
Firſt, That though man knows how to ſin himſelf into trouble; yet he knows not how to get himſelf out of it. The Jews knew no way out of this trouble, therefore begun to cry out for graves to bury themſelves in the place: ſo is it with the ſoul under the ſence and ſight of ſin, knows no way to eſcape out of that dreadful condition in which he ſeeth himſelf to be, nothing but death on every hand, wrath gone out from above againſt him, hell beneath openeth its mouth to receive him; and thus the ſoul is oftentimes put upon to ſeek out for his grave to bury himſelf in, knows no other way to ſave himſelf, but eternally to deſtroy himſelf both in ſoul and body like Judas.
Second, If the ſoul have met with any relief in his diſtreſſed condition, let him know it came not from himſelf, but he was guided thereunto by a ſpecial hand of Chriſt: The Jews were led to their means of refreſhment by Moſes, who was a Type of Jeſus Chriſt.
Haſt thou met with comfort and refreſhment from ſuch a Sermon, from ſuch a Miniſter, ſuch a Chriſtian Friend, ſuch a Meeting, or in reading of ſuch and ſuch a Book, conſider, thou wert led unto that means for comfort by the ſpecial hand of Chriſt, and thou ſhouldſt eye his hand in it, that love, and praiſe, and obedience might be rendered him for it; therefore ſaith Chriſt, With loving kindeneſs have I drawn thee, Jer, 31. 3.
Third, If any ſoul wants relief in ſuch a condition, then let him make unto Jeſus Chriſt for it, for he is thy leader in this caſe, as Moſes was the Jews in the other: Read Deut. 18. 15. A prophet ſhall the Lord your God raiſe up unto you from among your Brethren like unto me, him ſhall you hear. Now where were the Jews to go in a time of danger bu… to Moſes: So ſoul, if ever thou wouldſt have eaſe and refreſhment thou muſt go to Chriſt alone; ſome run to creatures, and think to finde comfort there; others run to their duties and works of mercy, and thinks to get it from thence: again, there be ſome that will ſend thee to thy inward quallifications, or work of God within thee, as they call it, or the light within the ſoul. (I am not hereby undervaluing the works of grace, as they are ſigns or evidences of our union with Chriſt,) but I ſend thee to thy true leader Chriſt, who is at the right hand of God, to make daily interceſſion for ſuch as thou art, Rom. 8. 24. O look out and look up to him by faith, for this is the way to it, Iſaiah 45. 22. and chap. 44. 3, 4.
Fifthly, The next particular is this, Moſes ſtretched out his hand over the waters and the waters divided, Exod. 14. 21. This act in Moſes leads to behold the neceſſarineſs of outward means, contrary to the opinion of many in our dayes; which becauſe we read in the Scriptures of God his teachings within in the heart, and of the holy anointing that ſhall teach them all things; from hence they conclude againſt all outward teaching.
Queſtion, What was the reaſon that God had not cauſed the waters to go back without the ſtretching out of Moſes hand.
Anſwer. Not but that God could have done it, but God thereby ſhews us thus much, that it is his pleaſure in the effecting of the greateſt ſalvation, and deliverance for his people, ordinarily to bring it about to them by outward means.
Our Saviour was able to open the blinde mans eyes without clay and ſpittle; a way more likely to put out a mans eyes, then to recover any mans ſight, John 9. 6. But it is to ſhew his pleaſure, touching the uſe of outward means: why could not God have thrown down the walls of Jericho without ſounding of the Rams horn; and why could not God have cauſed water to come out of the Rock without ſtriking of it, but to ſhew it is his pleaſure ordinarily to uſe it in his adminiſtrations to the ſons of men: therefore it is our duty to wait upon God in it.
Now to the ſtretching out of Moſes hand in this outward ſalvation, anſwers the preaching of the Goſpel by God his Miniſters, which is the outward means of the eternal ſalvation; for therein is the arme of divine grace and love revealed and ſtretched out to poor ſinners. This Iſaiah calleth the revealing of Gods arme, Iſaiah 53. 1. Lord who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed: So that whatſoever ſome men ſay to the contrary, yet God hath had a ſpecial regard in all ages to the outward means of teaching the word: If God had been minded onelyonly to have left men to the inward teachings of his Spirit, why did he take ſo much care to ſupply the ages of the world with Prophets and Apoſtles, was he not as well able to teach the world by thoſe inward teachings onelyonly, as now: why doth the Apoſtle ſay in Epheſ. 4. 8. with 12. 13. that he gave both gifts and Apoſtles, Paſtors, and Teachers, for the work of the Miniſtry, until the Saints be perfected, and come unto the meaſure of the fulneſs in Chriſt.
If God were not minded to teach his people that way, why did God bid Philip joyn himſelf to the Eunuchs Chariot to inſtruct him, Acts 8. 29. If God had been minded onelyonly to have left men to the inward teachings, was he not as well able to have taught the Eunuch by his Spirit onelyonly.
Again, could not God have taught Cornelius, Acts 10. 3, 4, 5, 6. onelyonly by his Spirit, and ſo have ſaved Peter a labour; yet you ſee God would do nothing until Peter was come. I do not plead for outward teaching without the inward, but both muſt go together; ſo that the ſtretching out of God his arme in the Goſpel, may well be compared to the ſtretching out of Moſes hand over the red Sea: for as the one was a means to let the Iſraeli…es through the red Sea for a temporal ſalvation; ſo is the other a means to let a ſoul into the red Sea of Chriſts Blood for an eternal ſalvation, which leadeth me to the next particular.
Fifthly, The people go through the waters, and are ſaved from their enemies, Exodus 14 22.
This leadeth us to the uſefulneſs of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, through which all that are ſaved do p…ſs by believing: for as the Jews had periſhed without mercy by Pharaohs Army, had they not paſſed through the Red Sea; ſo will all men unavoidably periſh by the guilt of their ſinnes, without they wade by faith through the red Sea of Chriſt his Blood, 1 John 1. 7. The blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin. Rom. 5. 7. Being juſtified by his blood we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him. Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us: ſo ver. 22. Without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion. Rev. 1. 5. Who hath loved us, and waſhed us in his own blood from our ſins; for thou waſt ſlain and haſt redeemed us by thy blood unto God, out of every kindred, tongue, nation, and people, Revel. 5. 9. So that this ſhews us if ever a ſoul would have deliverance from his ſins, which dogs him up and down from place to place, he muſt fetch it in from the blood of Chriſt, held out to his ſoul in the Goſpel. O my friends, you that have the guilt of ſin ſet open to you, would you have it waſhed away, and you that have the anger of God and his wrath flaming hot againſt you, would you have it quenched; O then fly you in all haſte to the bloud of Chriſt, O drink it in by believing, and this will give your hearts eaſe, nothing elſe will do it. O look on Chriſt on the Croſs bleeding for you, get as near the Croſs as you can in your thoughts, and ſtrive to get under his wounds, and open thy mouth wide, and drink thy fill of bloud, adding to it this firm perſwaſion, that the worth and efficacy of this bloud will ſave thee; thou maiſt aſſure thy ſelf that it will, and if ever thou getteſt peace into thy troubled ſoul, it will come and muſt come in this way, for that peace which cometh into the ſoul, which came not in by this way of faith, will in the end prove the greateſt ſorrow, Iſa. 50. 11.
Sixthly and Laſtly, The ſame waters which proved waters of Salvation to the Iſraelites, were waters of Ruine and utter Deſtruction to the Egyptians, Exod. 14. 27, 28. It was a full and total Deliverance to the Jews, and a full and total Deſtruction to the Egyptians.
This leads us to behold the wonderful benefit that thoſe have by the bloud of Chriſt, that wade through it by believing.
A full Redemption from all their ſins at once, the Red Sea took off the whole of Pharaohs Army at once, not a man left to carry back tidings what became of his fellow; ſo is it a full Redemption that we have by the Red Sea of Chriſts bloud, a Redemption from the guilt of all ſin, there is not one left to carry back news what is become of the reſt; all ſin paſt, preſent, and to come, original ſin, and actual ſin, ſins of all ſorts and ſizes, publick and private ſins, ſins of Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old Age, ſins committed in all relations, conditions, and capacities whatſoever, yea all ſins with all their circumſtances, John 1. 1. 7. The bloud of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin, there is not one of them ſhall riſe up to a ſouls Condemnation more, Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to a man in Chriſt Jeſus, who walketh not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit.
Secondly, It is a total ſalvation, it is for ever, the Jews were never troubled with that Army more, therefore ſaid Moſes, ſtand ſtill, behold the ſalvation of God: The Egyptians whom you ſee to day, you ſhall ſee no more for ever, Exod. 14. 13. Such a ſalvation hath the Elect by the Red ſea of Chriſts bloud, it is a Redemption from ſin for ever, not for a year, or two, or ten, but world without end: Therefore ſaith our Saviour, it is eternal life which I give my people, and they ſhall never periſh, John 10. 28. Jer. 31. 3. I have (ſaith God) loved thee with an everlaſting love, ſo John 13. 1. Where its ſaid of Chriſt having loved his own, He loveth them to the end.