The Types Unveiled, Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Now the next thing I ſhall ſpeak of in Iſraels condition while in their Wilderneſs ſtate, is the Food they there lived upon and were feed with.
HEre note, that although the place was barren and would not afford any thing, yet they wanted nothing, for God fed them with Angels food from heaven, which food they called Manna, Exod. 16. 14 15. And their water came to them as ſtrangely, for it was what came out of the hard Rock, Exod. 17. 5, 6, 7.
Now their Manna was a Type of the woed of God contained in the Scriptures or writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, by which, as with Manna, God feeds his people with all along in their way through their ſpiritual wilderneſs to their Canaan of eternal reſt and comfort.
This ſpiritual Manna being opened, preached, and applied rightly, by the Miniſters of Chriſt in the ordinances of the Goſpel, this feeds Believers, and enables them, and ſtrengthens to walk from ſtrength to ſtrength, every one in Zion appearing before his God, Pſalm 84. 6, 7.
How often do ſound Chriſtians finde this to be true, as that when they have travelled out all their ſtrength by ſtriving againſt corruption, and wreſtling againſt ſin, temptations, doubts, and fears.
How wonderfully have they been ſtrengthned again by the word of God in the ſeveral ordinances of it, as preaching, prayer, receiving of the Supper, and the like. O what renewed ſtrength to duty (and to renew their encounters againſt ſin and temptation) have the Saints gotten from the Word, and ordinances of God, what power over corruption and the world, what freſh ſeals of the love and favour of God have the Saints met with this way, which hath often refreſhed them as with new wine: therefore do the Scriptures call theſe ordinances of the Goſpel (which iſſue forth from the Word of God) a feaſt of marrow, and fat things of wine well refined upon the Lees, Iſaiah 25. 6. Hence it is, that the word of God is a word in men, John 15. 7. and a quickning word, Heb. 4. 12. Pſal. 119. 145. and a word of life, Phil. 2. 16. and a word of ſtrength, Pſalm 119. 81. and a word of comfort, Pſalm 119. 82. All this is to ſhew that the word and ordinances of the Goſpel is a Believers appointed food, or his Manna to live upon in his journeying through the Wilderneſs of this world, to his eternal Canaan of reſt and peace: therefore ſaith the Lord in Micha 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly. The meaning is, as food doth nouriſh and ſtrengthen the body, ſo doth the word of God the ſoul, it being attended with the Spirit of God.
Secondly, By the water which came out of a Rock to them of which they drank: we are to conſider theſe two things.
Firſt, The Rock out of which the water came.
Secondly, the water which came out of the Rock.
Firſt, By the Rock we are to underſtand Jeſus Chriſt, for that Rock was a Type of Chriſt; for ſo the Apoſtle expounds it, 1 Cor. 10. 4. For we all drank of the ſpiritual Rock, which Rock was Chriſt. Here Paul alludes to the Rock in the Wilderneſs, ſhewing Chriſtians in that Type, that Jeſus Chriſt is that Rock, out of which all that refreſhing water of life and comfort which comes home to a poor thirſty ſoul in his painful way to his eternal Canaan of reſt and peace: therefore ſaith David, When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock which is higher then I, Pſal. 61. 2. For as the water which refreſhed the Jews came out of the Clifts of the Rock in the Wilderneſs: ſo the ground of all true refreſhment, comfort, or ſatisfaction which ſpiritually or temporaly comes home to the Saints, ariſeth from the blood of ſatisfaction which came out of the wounded ſides of Jeſus Chriſt: it is from the ſides, or clifts of the Rock Chriſt, doth that water come which quencheth the wrath of God againſt an offending ſinner. It is from this Rock thoſe waters flow forth, which cools the ſcorching heat of an inflamed Conſcience. From this Rock flows forth thoſe waters of life which revives the poor doubting ſoul which is ready to faint under his fears and temptations: Out of this Rock it is whence thoſe waters comes which waſheth and cleanſeth the ſoul from all his ſpots and pollutions, Zach 23. 1. which preſenteth the ſoul pure, and without ſpot or wrinckle, Epheſ. 5. 2. This was the Rock David had recourſe unto in a ſinning time when he cried out, O waſh me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanſe me from my ſi…. And David did not onelyonly flie to this Rock in ſinning times to be waſhed, but in fainting times to be refreſhed, Pſalm 28. 1, Unto thee will I cry, O Lord, my Rock, be not ſilent to me, leſt if thou be ſilent I become l…ke them that go down into the pit.
Secondly, By the water out of the Rock in the Wilderneſs, together with the Manna which fell from heaven, may be meant the fleſh and blood of Chriſt which was given for the life of the world, John 6. 51. And ſo our Saviour expounds the Type of the Wilderneſs food: read ver. 58. with John 4. 14 For as a man cannot live where either of theſe be lacking, ſo neither can a man live ſpiritually if either his Manna or water be lacking: therefore it is that Chriſt preacheth, and in it preſſeth both theſe as neceſſary to ſalvation, John 6. 57. And Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, that unleſs ye eat the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. For by the Fleſh of Chriſt (which anſwereth to the Type of the Manna) was everlaſting righteouſneſs wrought out for the elect in the room of that which they loſt in their firſt Adam, 1 Cor. 1. 30.
And the Blood of Chriſt (which anſwereth to the water which came out of the Rock in the Wilderneſs) that was ſhed to take away the guilt of that ſin which the ſoul lay under in the ſight of the Juſtice of God; this John the Divine tells you, 1 John 2. 1, 2. He is a propitiation in his blood for our ſins: ſo 1 John 1, 7. And the blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin: Both of which (viz the Manna and water) muſt be applied by the ſoul in a way of ſound believing, or the ſoul cannot live, either the life of grace here, or the life of glory hereafter.
Now this is it which is a Believers principle food, which made David cry out when he was under the thoughts of it; what an excellent people the Saints were, Pſal. 16. 3. he gives you the reaſon of it in Pſal. 36. 8, 9. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them to drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures; for with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light ſhall we ſee light.
There is one thing very remarkable about the Rock in the Wilderneſs, which is this, That the water came not out of the Rock until it was ſtricken by the rod in the hand of Moſes, which ſhews us thus much, That as all the ſpiritual benefit, light, comfort, and refreſhment (which comes home to a Believer) comes home to them through this ſpiritual Rock Jeſus Chriſt: ſo the original cauſe of it was from Gods ſtriking of him with the ſtroke of his wrath for ſin, Iſa. 53. 10 It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, and to put him to grief, and to make his ſoul an offering for ſin, Gal. 3. 13. Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law, being made a curſe for us.
Uſe I.
O then what a rate ſhould Believers put upon their ſpiritual and temporal comforts; were Believers under the real ſence of thoſe dreadful ſtrokes and laſhing blows which our dear Sauiour paſſed under, that the door of grace and comfort might be ſet open to the Saints, ſurely it would both occaſion more love to Chriſt then there is, and more highly to value their enjoyments then they do.
O ſoul, doeſt thou receive any ſpiritual or temporal mercy or comfort at Gods hands, doeſt thou meet with any inward light or refreſhment in thy ſoul.
O then look up to thy rock Jeſus Chriſt, and conſider with thy ſelf how much he endured and ſuffered for it e're it could come home to thy ſoul or body, what ſtrokes of the Fathers wrath he endured and paſſed under before theſe waters of outward or inward comfort and refreſhment could come either to thy ſoul or body.
O how wonderfully would the knowledge of this both ſeaſon and ſavour the incomes of the Father to your ſouls.