cording to the order of Levi but Melchisedec, who should bring in a worship spiritual and divine. And we see this accomplished: all the ceremonies were buried in his grave, and the sacrifices for above sixteen hundred years are ceased. Besides the destruction of the holy city and sanctuary, the Jews are scattered in all parts, and in their dreadful dispersion suffer the just punishment of their infidelity.

(3.) It was prophesied that in the time of the Messiah idols should be ruined, and idolaters converted to the knowledge of the true God: that he "should be a light to the Gentiles," and to him the "gathering of the people should be." And this is so visibly accomplished in the conversion of the world to christianity, that not one jot or tittle of God's word hath failed; so that besides the glory due to his power and mercy, we are obliged to honour him as the fountain of truth.

I will now make some short reflections upon the types of the law, to show how they are completed in Christ. The Mosaic dispensation was so contrived as to bear a resemblance of the Messiah in all its parts. "The law had a shadow of good things to come." Heb. 10. "Christ was the end of the law," Rom. 10. 4. the substance of those shadows.

The main design of the epistle to the Hebrews is to show, that in the ancient tabernacle there were models of the heavenly things revealed in the gospel. The great number of types declare the variety of the divine wisdom, and the admirable fulness of Christ in whom they are verified. Three sorts were instituted. 1. Some were things without life, whose qualities and effects shadowed forth his virtues and benefits.

2. Things endued with life and sense.

3. Reasonable persons, that either in their offices, actions, or the memorable accidents that befel them, represented the Messiah. Of the first sort I will briefly consider the manna that miraculously fell from heaven, the rock that by its stream refreshed the Israelites in their journey to Canaan, and the brazen serpent premising two things, That in comparing them with the truth, we are to observe the design of God, and not to seek for mysteries in every thing. As in pictures, some strokes of the pencil are only for ornament, others for signification. Besides, when superlative things are spoken of them exceeding their nature, and that cannot be applied to them without a violent figure, the full and entire truth is only found in Jesus Christ.

First. The Manna. Manna was an eminent type of him. Accordingly the apostle declares of the Israelites, they "did all eat of the same spiritual meat," not in respect of its material, but symbolical nature. The express analogy between manna and Christ, is visible in respect of its marvellous production. The Mosaical manna was not the fruit of the earth, procured by human industry, but formed by the divine power, and rained down upon them therefore it is called "the corn of heaven." Psal. 78. 24. This typified the celestial original of our Redeemer. "He is the true bread from heaven, given by the Father." John 6. 32. He is called "the gift of God eminently," being the richest and freest without any merit or endeavour of men to procure it. And we may observe the truth infinitely exceeded the type; for manna. descended only from the clouds, therefore our Saviour tells the Jews, "Moses gave you not that bread from heaven." But he really came from heaven, where the great and glorious presence of God is manifested, and appeared under a visible form in the world. Manna was only styled the "bread of angels," to signify its excellency above common food; but "the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven."

Manna was dispensed to all the Israelites equally; not as the delicious fruits of the earth, that are the portion of a few; but as the light and influences of the heavens, that are common to all and herein it was a representation of Christ, who is offered to all without distinction of nations, to the Jews and Gentiles, to the Grecians and Barbarians; and without the distinction of quality, to the honourable and mean, the rich and the poor, the learned and ignorant. And here we may observe the excellency of the spiritual manna above the mosaical: for that fed but one nation, but the bread of God gives life to the world; his infinite merit is sufficient for the salvation of all.

Manna was a delicious food: the taste of it is described to be like wafers mixed with honey that have a pure chaste sweetness. This typified the love of Christ shed abroad in the hearts of believers. Such an exalted ravishing pleasure proceeds from it, that the Psalmist breaks forth in an ecstacy, Psal. 34. 9. "taste and see how good the Lord is."

Manna was their only support in the wilderness; strengthening them to vanquish their enemies, and endure the hardships to which they were incident in their passage to Canaan. In this

regard it was a lively image of Christ who is our spiritual food, while we are in the desert of the lower world, the place of our trial, exposed to dangers. By him alone we shall be finally victorious over the enemies of our salvation. And in this also the truth is infinitely above the type that prefigured it. For manna could only preserve the natural life for a time. As our Saviour tells the Jews, "Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and are dead." But Jesus Christ is the living bread that came down from heaven, and hath a supernatural virtue, to convey a life incomparably more noble, and answerable to the quality of his original. It is incorruptible, as heaven from whence he came. "If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever." John 6. 61. Death is so far from extinguishing, that it advances the spiritual life to its perfection.

Secondly. The Rock. The apostle testifies that the "Israelites drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ." 1 Cor. 10. 4. That the miracle was mysterious, is evident from the circumstances related of it. When the Israelites were in great distress for water, "the Lord said to Moses, Exod. 17.6. I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink." If there had been no other design but the relieving their necessity, that might have been supplied by rain from heaven; or if only to give a visible effect of the divine power, that had been discovered in causing new springs to rise from the earth, or the command of God had been sufficient to strike the rock: but he went to it, to signify the respect it had to himself. He was the Son of God that spake to Moses, and conducted the people: for this reason he is styled the angel of God's presence, not with respect to his nature, but offices.

I will briefly observe the parallel between the rock and Christ. (1.) A rock is the ordinary title of God in scripture, to represent his unchangeable nature and infinite power, whereby he upholds the world and in a special manner it resembles the Messiah. He is called "the stone which the builders refused, that was made the head of the corner.". 1 Pet. 2. 7, 8. "He is the rock upon which the church is built, and secured against the violence of hell." Now Israel was not supplied from the clouds or the vallies, but the rock: to show that the mystical rock,

the Son of God, can only refresh the spiritual Israel with living

water.

(2.) The quality of the rock hath a proper signification: for although it had in its veins a rich abundance of waters, yet to appearance nothing was more dry and hard. In this it was a figure of the spiritual rock: the effects have discovered in him unfathomable depths of righteousness, grace and salvation; yet at the first view we had no hopes. For if we consider him as God, he is infinitely holy and just, encompassed with everlasting flames against sin, and how can we expect any cooling streams from him? If we consider him as man, he "is resembled to a root out of a dry ground." Isa. 53. The justice of the divine and the infirmity of the human nature did not promise any com fort to us. But what cannot infinite love, united to infinite power, perform? Divine goodness hath changed the laws of nature in our favour, and by an admirable act opened the rock to refresh us.

(3.) The rock was struck with the rod of Moses a type of the law, before it sent forth its streams: thus our spiritual rock "was wounded for our transgressions," Isa. 53. bruised for our iniquities," and then opened all his treasures to us. Being consecrated by suffering, he is the author of eternal salvation." In this respect the gospel propounds him for the object of saving faith. "I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ, and him crucified." The sacraments, the seals of the new covenant, have a special reference to his death, the foundation of it.

(4.) The miraculous waters followed the Israelites in their journey, without which they had perished in the wilderness. This represents the indeficiency of the grace of Christ. A sovereign stream flows from him to satisfy all believers. He tells us, John 7. 37. "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." John 4. 14.

Thirdly. The brazen serpent. The brazen serpent sensibly expressed the manner of his death, and benefits derived from it. Therefore Jesus, being the minister of the circumcision, chose this figure for the instruction of the Jews. As "Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be

lifted up that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3. The sacred story relates, that the Israelites by their rebellious murmuring provoked God to send serpents among them, whose poison was so fiery and mortal, that it brought the most painful death. In this affliction they addressed themselves to the Father of mercies, who moved by their repentance, commanded Moses to make a serpent of brass, and erect it on a pole in the view of the whole camp, that whosoever looked on it, should be healed. By this account from scripture we may clearly understand something of greatest consequence was represented by it: for the only wise God ordains nothing without just reason. Why must a serpent of brass be elevated on a pole? Could not the divine power recover them without it? Why must they look towards it? Could not a healing virtue be conveyed to their wounds but through their eyes? all this had a direct reference to the mystery of Christ. For the biting of the Israelites by the fiery serpents, doth naturally represent the effects of sin, that torments the conscience, and inflames the soul with the apprehensions of future judgment. And the erecting a brazen serpent upon a pole, that had the figure, not the poison of those serpents, doth in a lively manner set forth the lifting up of Jesus Christ on the cross, who only had the similitude" of sinful flesh." The looking towards the brazen serpent, is a fit resemblance of believing in Christ crucified for salvation. The sight of the eye was the only means to derive virtue from it, and the faith of the heart is the means by which the sovereign efficacy of our Redeemer is conveyed. "This is the will of him that sent me, saith our Saviour, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have eternal life.” As in the camp of Israel, whoever looked towards the brazen serpent, whatever his wounds were, or the weakness of his sight, had a present remedy: so how numerous and grievous soever our sins be, how infirm our faith, yet if we sincerely regard the Son of God suffering, he will preserve us from death. For this end he is presented in the gospel as crucified before the eyes of all

persons.

The

2. Things endued with life and sense prefigured the Messiah. I shall particularly consider the paschal lamb, an illustrious type of him. "Christ our passover was sacrificed for us." whole scene, as it is laid down in the 12th. of Exodus, shows an admirable agreement between them.