Firít born, types 'ofChrifi. brethren, arad were chiefe inofficeandauthority, rulers in the houle after their fathers, andPriefts in the family, before theLeviticall order was eftablifhed. Gen.27.29. I when Ifaac bleffed Iacob for Efau, fuppofing, hire the firft borne, one part ofit was : Be Lordover thy brethren, and let all thy mothers children honour thee. So all the (heaves muft,bowe to Iofepha. And Gen. 49.8. when Jacobbleffeth Iudah, this is added as his right : Thyfa- thersfonnes¡hall Bowe donne unto thee. Herein they'were fpeciall types ofChrift; who in all things muff have the preheminence as firft intime, in order, in precedency, firft in the excellency and dignity of his perfon. Of whom, comming into the world, was Paid : Let all the Angels ofGodwor¡hip him. And for glory and authority he fitson his fathers throne, the onely King of kings, who bath aname aboveallnames. Phil. 2.9. And Heb. z. 9. we fee Iefus crowned withglory and honour, the head of themyfticall body, thePrince and headofall his bre- thren. And befides he is the high Prieft ofour profeffi- on, by offering up himfelfe a facrifice for us. Thus Chrift is firft inorder, inglory, inPriefihood. I V. The firft borne had a double portion in goods, Deut.2i 17. Signifying i. The plenitude of the fpirit & grace in Chrift, who was anointed wichoyle ofglad- neffe above all his fellowes. 2. The preheminenceòf Chrift in his glorious inheritance,advanced in glory and majefty incomprehenfible by all creatures. I. Out of the occafionofthe Law Of the firft borne, learne, that themoreGod doth for any man, the more he ought toconceive himfelfe to be the Lords, and the more right and intereft the Lord challengeth in him. For therefore the first borne were his by a fpeciall right, becaufe hehad not onely delivered them out ofEgypt, as others ; but from the fpeciall plague of Egypts firft borne. Speciall mercies call for fpeciall fervice.. More merciesare more bondsofobedience. And uewmercies are 95 yorweeer07/MWd Heb, r.6. 4. Pfal.45,7. J Çe. I. Every mercy is the greater en- gagementunto God.
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