is holy 5. This holy Oyl might not be put to any common use upon mans flesh it shall not be poured Exod. 30.31 32. which plainly intimates thus much That carnal and unregenerate men have not the Spirit that there be some who have not the Spirit viz. all carnal men Jude 19. Joh. 14.17 Rom. 8.1 6 9. 1 Cor. 2.14 6. Nor might any be made like unto it Exod. 30.33 Men are not to imitate and counterfeit the Ordinances of God or the Graces of his Spirit It is the brand set upon Jeroboam that he devised a day of his own heart like unto the Feast which is in Judah 1 Kings 12.32 4. The fourth and last part of their Consecration was by sacrificing and sanctifying them by the Blood thereof Exod. 29.10 c. Lev. 8.14 c. signifying how that Christ should put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 and ver 12. Quest But then here a question presently ariseth How comes this in here in Consecration For the death and sufferings of Christ seem to belong rather to the Execution of his Priestly Office then to his Initiation and Consecration thereunto Sol. To this there may be three Answers given 1. That there is in this a disparity between the Type and the Antitype as the Apostle intimates Heb. 7.27 28. this is some part of an Answer but this is not all for it would be harsh in this so main a part of their Consecration not at all to resemble Christ Therefore for a further Answer 2. That Christ was consecrated to the full execution of his Priestly Office by his death and sufferings He could not officiate as Mediator and perform the whole work of his Priestly Office he could not save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him till he had suffered death It is true Christ was a Priest before but he was but a Priest in a state of abasement and humiliation but he was not capacitated to execute the triumphing part of his Priestly Office till he had first humbled himself unto death therefore he is said to be consecrated through sufferings Heb. 2.10 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the Greek Interpreters for Consecration in Exod. 29. and Lev. 8. and elsewhere and so rendred by our Translators Heb. 7.25 see Heb. 2.10 and Heb. 5.8 9. being consecrated which we render being made perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is though he were a Son yet having learned obedience by the things he suffered and so being consecrated he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him He could not become such an Author till consecrated by his sufferings or made perfect Christ must first dye and so put away sin before he can appear in the presence of God in Heaven for us which is a great part of his Priestly Office Christum oportuit Cruce inaugurari in suum primatum Calvin in Heb. 2.10 vid. Calv. in Exod. 29.16 He was a Priest in the form of a Servant before but he was not a Priest in glory till consecrated thereunto by his own Blood 3. Some apply it to the Gospel-Ministry thus That the Gospel-Ministry was consecrated by the Blood of Christ For though it is true the Ministry is the immediate fruit of Christs Ascension into Glory as Ephes 4. yet his Exaltation being sounded in his Death here therefore is the foundation of the Church and Ministry How great is their sin who despise their Office who reject their Message and so despise the Glory yea also despise the Death and Blood of Christ Now concerning this part of their Consecration viz. by Sacrifices there be divers things observable There were divers Rites and Ceremonies particularly required in these Sacrifices of Consecration which were common to all the Sacrifices as the killing them pouring out the Blood burning them upon the Altar c. which I shall not handle in this place but rather refer them to the head of Jewish Sacrifices as their more proper place to which they do belong and where they have been spoken to See before pag. 248 c. therefore at this time I shall only mention such special Rites and Ceremonies as are peculiar to this business of Consecration And of this kind there are four Rules here observable 1. They were to offer all sorts of Sacrifices a Sin-offering ver 14. a Burnt-offering v. 18. and a Peace-offering v. 28. to teach not only the special Holiness that ought to be found in them but the deepness of the stain and guilt of Sin that there must be Expiations of all sorts to cleanse them throughly from it tantae molis erat so great a work it was to cleanse the Soul from sin And to shew the compleat and perfect cleansing and expiation that is in the Blood of Jesus Christ we are perfectly clean through him He is both Sin-offering and Burnt-offering and Peace-offering and all in all 2. The method and order of these Sacrifices is remarkable for they were first to offer the Sin-offering then the whole Burnt-offering and then the Peace-offering This is to be interpreted by the consideration of those peculiar respects which each kind of Offering had though they did all aim at the same general scope the purging away of sin yet if we consider them distinctly The Sin-offering speaks Pardon of Guilt the Holocaust or the whole Burnt-offering the dedication or giving up our selves to God to his use or Service by the fire of his Spirit the Peace-offering our Thankfulness in the sense and assurance of Peace between God and us The rest could not have been accepted if the Sin-offering had not gone before and made way for them Hence the Instruction is that till sin be done away all Sacrifices and Services are abominable Make that thy first work thy great and prime request to God to get Pardon of sin 3. A third remarkable Rite about these Sacrifices of Consecration is this that the Blood was to be put upon the tip of the right ear and upon the thumb of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot of Aaron and his Sons ver 20. To teach and signifie that the work of Gospel-Sanctification doth extend to the whole man to all the parts and members of the Body and to all the powers and faculties of the Soul so the Apostle implies in that Prayer of his for the Thessalonians 1 Thess 5.23 the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholly aad I pray that your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ There should be in spiritual Priests a sanctified ear to abhor corrupt communication and to receive readily holy and spiritual Instructions the hand also should be sanctified for acting and the foot for walking in the ways of God It may further intimate that the external application of a sacramental sign to some principal part or parts of the Body is significative enough of universal cleansing
disputable But it is probable enough that it might be altogether new yea though we suppose the Rainbow to arise from natural causes For a years Deluge could not but cause a great alteration in all the Elements and in the Clouds and in the Air whereby there might new Phaenomena new appearances in the Heavens which never were before Moreover it might be produced by a new creating Power of Providence beyond the force of any natural causes and also instituted for a Sign of the Covenant It could not have afforded any great assurance to them if they had only the seeing and beholding of it which was all that was to be done in this Sacrament to see nothing but what they had seen before could yield but small comfort and assurance to that new World And that this Covenant had a further Mystery in it than meerly outward Preservation from another Deluge See Caryl on Job 37.15 See Isai 54.9 For this as the is Waters of Noah unto me The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed The Rainbow therefore was a Sign of the Covenant of Grace Hence Revel 4.3 Behold a Throne was set in Heaven and one sate on the Throne and there was a Rainbow round about the Throne Confer on Rom. 5.14 of Noah as a personal Type Revel 10.1 Christ the Angel of the Covenant is described as having a Rainbow upon his Head 3. He inlargeth their provision of Food to eat by giving them a Commission to eat the Flesh of the Brute creatures Gen. 9.3 At first there is no mention of any other provision but the Fruits of the Earth Gen. 1.29 But there was need of some further supply because it is probable that the Vigor of the Earth and the Virtue of the Herbs and Plants and Fruits thereof could not but be somewhat impaired and decayed by that whole years Winter Therefore for men upon a Religious account to forbid the eating of some Meats as the Papists forbid Flesh in Lent it is a superstitious Infringement of the Liberty here granted and given by the Lord unto all the Sons of Noah 4. The Blood was wholly reserved and excepted Gen. 9.4 But Flesh with the Life thereof which is the Blood thereof shall ye not eat This seems to be done partly upon a moral and partly upon a spiritual and Ceremonial account Moral for mans Health and to prevent that Ferity and Savageness which Mankind is so apt to degenerate into as in some barbarous Nations they would drink the living Blood out of the Horse they rode upon opening a Vein with an Instrument when they were thirsty This is barbarous and savage and this Prohibition here given excludes and forbids such a Practice which those Gyants of wickedness before the Flood it is not improbable but that to other barbarous and raging sins they might add the eating of living Creatures alive therefore the Lord doth so directly and expresly interdict and forbid it And it is the Judgment of some very learned men that the eating of Blood cold and drest as other Meat was not at all forbidden For the Prohibition lies not directly against Blood but against the eating of living Flesh Flesh animated with the living Blood For the Blood is the Seat and Chariot of the Life and Vital Spirits Some think it was done upon a Ceremonial account The Blood was reserved as a sacred thing unto the Lord till such time as that precious Blood was shed which hath put an end to all Types and Shadows This is expressed Levit. 17.11 I have given it to you upon the Altar to make an atonement for your Souls For it is the Blood that maketh an atonement for the Soul as the former moral Reason is expressed v. 14. It is true the Ceremonial Law came by Moses but the meaning is not that there were no parts at all of it before his time for there were Sacrifices from the Fall of Man But the meaning is that Moses did incorporate and sum them all up together with many divine enlargements and additions into that great body of Ceremonial Laws by him established and setled in that Church and People of Israel Therefore there might be a Ceremonial Prohibition of Blood even from Noahs time 5. The Lord now gave unto Mankind that great Ordinance of Magistracy Gen. 9.6 Whoso sheddeth Mans Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed Of which Divines say truly that it is Remedium corruptae Naturae But yet corrupt Nature so far as appears out of the sacred History never had the Use and Benefit of it till now but rather on the contrary the Lord secures Cain as it were by special Dispensation Gen. 4.15 The Government of the World before seems to have been only domestical and paternal which might easily be Parents then living so long as to see whole Towns and Cities of their own Children and Posterity But this paternal way of Government was so mild that it was not effectual and sufficient to restrain Vice and Wickedness but it grew to such Gigantick strength and height that there was a necessity to cut them down with a Flood But therefore now to prevent the like Degeneracy and Destruction the Lord puts a stronger Bridle of Restraint upon the outragious Wickedness and Corruption of mans Nature namely this of Magistracy or Civil Government whereby some are intrusted with the Power of the Sword to take away the Lives of others in grosser cases especially that of Murther 6. God divided the World amongst them Gen. 10. which consisted of three parts then known though not by these names to wit Asia Africk and Europe whereof Sems Posterity dwelt chiefly in Asia Chams in Africk and to Japhets Posterity Europe fell known in Scripture by this name The Isles of the Gentiles Gen. 10.5 of whose Posterity we our selves are And now one would think Mankind was happy when God thus sets them up again begins with them upon a new score as it were But there were three or four things especially that did ruine all and brought this Dispensation to an end 1. The Apostacy of Cham and his Posterity Gen. 9.22 an unnatural sin to despise and dishonour his Parents Calvin apud Wallet in Cor. and himself not a Child when he did this but above a hundred years old ver 25. the Curse is thundred forth against Canaan so the Punishment answers the Sin Cham is an ungratious Son to his Father therefore he hath a cursed Son And perhaps Canaan might be present and Partner in his Fathers Sin or the most delightful of his Children being the youngest and so the Cursing him would be most likely to pierce and grieve his Fathers hard Heart and it may be so express'd for the greater comfort of the Israelites that the Nation they were to expel were a Generation of the Curse of God But certain it is that C ham himself was intended and cursed in that Curse This fell out about forty years as some reckon after the
and in particular with the Burnt-Offering which is the first and where the common Rites are first mentioned and accordingly were there explained As for Instance the mater of this is the same with the former Sacrifices before explained The general end and use is the same viz. for Atonement and Expiation of sin which is mentioned and repeated four times over in this Chapter vers 20 26 31 35. And the Priest shall make an atonement for him for the sin that he hath committed and it shall be forgiven him Moreover as to the sacred Rites and Ceremonies there be many of them which are the same in the Sin-Offering with what was before ordained in the Burnt-Offering and in the Peace-Offering as that it must be brought to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation the Offerer must lay his hand upon it 〈◊〉 it must be killed and burnt at least in part upon the Altar those parts of it which were to be so dealt with in the Peace-Offering The Mysteries of all which have been formerly explained Therefore all that remains is that we speak a word to those things which are more special and peculiar to the Sin-Offering and they are these 1. The special end of it viz. for sins of infirmity 2. The various and fourfold appointment of the matter of it for four sorts of sinners to wit the Priest the body of the people the civil Ruler and any private person 3. The threefold disposal of the blood of it part to be sprinkled in or towards the Holy of Holies part to be put upon the Horns of the Altar of Incense and part to be poured forth at the bottom of the Brazen Altar of Burnt-Offerings 4. The burning it without the Camp with the Rites and Ceremonies thereto belonging 5. The eating another part in some cases with the sacred Rites thereof 1. The special end of it and so the difference between this and other Sacrifices especially the Trespass-Offering which comes nearest to it and hath most affinity with it vers 2. The general end is atonement or expiation of sin but the question is for what kind of sin I confess there is much difficulty as to this I have made some search into divers Authors and Writers about it and have not met with that clearness and full satisfaction that were to be desired and which is to be found in other things Therefore I shall but tell you my own judgment of it in a few words The Sin Offering may be taken either in a larger sense as including the Trespass Offering or in a straiten sense as contradistinguished to it Take it in the largest sense and so it extends to any sin whatsoever that is pardonable and thus the Sin Offering is a genus including two species namely the Sin Offering strictly taken and the Trespass Offering Thus it is opposed only to presumptuous sinning which had no Sacrifice provided for it in the Law for such persons were to be cut off And of this sense and this opposition Numb 15. speaketh clearly see vers 27 28 29. compare this with vers 30. There is a way of sinning for which there is no forgiveness Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are opposed Of the latter the Apostle saith Heb. 10.26 There remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin But there be other sins which though against knowledg yet are not presumptuous to such an height but the Soul is carried aside out of ignorance and surprize and by the violence of temptation and of sinful passions and dusts through inadvertency carelesness unadvisedness c. For these there is a Sin Offering In this sense even the Trespass-Offering is and may be called a Sin Offering Cap. 7. vers 7. See Cap. 5. vers 6 11 12. But take it in a more narrow sense as contradistinguished unto the Trespass Offering and here lyes the difficulty wherein the Sin Offering whose Rites and Laws are here set down in this 4. Chapter wherein doth it differ from the Trespass-Offering in the 5. Chapter as to the special end and use of it Some have thought the Sin-Offering refers to sins of Omission the Trespass-Offering to sins of Commission But this Rule will not hold for the Trespass Offering concerneth sins of Omission as well as the other Cap. 5.1 If he do not utter it when he ought to do it Here is an omission for which a Trespass-Offering is there appointed Some have thought that the Sin Offering was for sins against the second Table and the Trespass-Offering for sins against the first But the Text is clear That the Trespass-Offering relates both to first and second Table sins such as deceit and violence to his neighbour as well as perjury against God Cap. 6.2 If a Soul sin and commit a Trespass against the Lord and lye unto his neighbour c. Others have stated it thus That there is ignorantia facti ignorance of the Fact in the one and ignorantia juris ignorance of the Rule in the other But this is a notion that hath no footing in the Text. But the true difference between them consists as I conceive in this That the Sin-Offering was for sins of ignorance and infirmity but the Trespass-Offering did extend even to sins against knowledg The Reasons for this are partly from the propriety of the Hebrew words and partly from some expressions in the Text. The Hebrew word for the Sin-Offering Chattaah from chata peccare which properly signifies to miss the Mark a man shoots at Proprie est errare vel aberrare à Scopo Buxtorf So Judg. 20.16 the seven hundred chosen men of Benjamin it is said they could sling stones at an hair breadth and not miss Velo jacte nec aberrabat and not sin that is miss of the Scope and Mark they intended and proposed to themselves Hence God is said to reduce sinners that is such as go astray and miss their way into the way again Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way In the Conjugation Pihel it signifies to purge and cleanse from sin by making satisfaction and undergoing the penalty due to it As Exod. 29.36 and thou shalt cleanse the Altar ve chittetha yal hamisbeach Lev. 14.52 he shall cleanse the house vechitte eth habajith Gen. 31.39 Jacob saith to Laban that which is torn of Beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the loss of it Anoki achattinah ego expiabam illud Arias Montanus I expiated it Poenas luebam pro eo so Pagnin Buxtorf I suffered for it Thus you see the proper importance of the word here used and translated the Sin-Offering Chattaah Moreover the Text saith upon the Sin-Offering That if a Soul err and miss it thus Bishgagah through error or ignorance which further clears up the true sense Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray it is the same word ani shogeg ego errans But the word which is used for the Trespass-Offering
of the people It would better become private persons to reflect upon themselves and upon their own sins and their own unworthiness then to work out in discontent against those that God hath set over them 3. The third Law of the Sin-Offering is concerning the blood thereof There is a threefold disposal of it appointed by the Rule in this Chapter vers 5 6 7. 1. The Priest is to dip his finger in the blood and to sprinkle it seven times before the Lord. 2. He is to put part of it upon the four Horns of the golden Altar of Incense 3. He is to pour out the rest of it at the bottom of the Brazen Altar of Burnt-Offering Of these three Ceremonies a few words 1. The Priest is to dip his finger in the blood and to sprinkle it seven times before the Lord that is before the Vail of the Sanctuary towards the Holy of Holies Upon the great day of Expiation he was to sprinkle it within the Vail but because he was not to enter into that Holy place every day but only once a year therefore at other times he did but sprinkle it towards the holy place upon or towards the Vail see Lev. 16.14 But the signification was the same in both It teacheth us three things 1. That there is no entrance into Heaven but by the blood of Christ shed and poured forth and sprinkled and applied effectually For the place within the Vail the Holy of Holies was a Type of Heaven and the Priest entred there not without blood Heb. 9.11 12 24 25 26. Heaven is a Possession purchased by the blood of Christ Eph. 1.14 Heb. 10.19 20. We enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus We had never come there had not the blood of the Sin Offering been sprinkled there for us 2. There is a full and perfect cleansing in the blood of Christ for he is to sprinkle it seven times Seven is a number of perfection because in seven days the Creation of the world was finished and God rested from his works Hence seven is a mystical number often used in Mysteries throughout the Scripture both in typical and in prophetical places Vid. Aynsw in loc As seven times sprinkling the Leper and seven days for his cleansing Lev. 14.7 9. Seven days for consecrating the Priests Lev. 8.35 For purifying the unclean Lev. 12.2 Numb 19.19 Seven Priests with seven Trumpets blew seven days to the overthrowing of the Walls ef Jericho Josh 6. Every seventh day was a Sabbaoth Every seventh year a year of Rest And seven times seven years brought the Jubilee Lev. 25.3 4 8. In the Book of the Revelation the Lamb that was stain which is Jesus Christ is represented with seven Horns to signify the perfection of his Power and with seven Eyes to shew the perfection of his Wisdom and the seven Spirits of God the Holy Ghost in the perfection of all gifts and graces Rev. 5.6 There be also seven Candlesticks seven Churches And indeed the whole Book doth analyse and divide it self into three sevens seven Seals seven Trumpets and seven Vials The seven Seals holding forth the state of the Church under heathenish persecution with the issue thereof in the three first Centuries The seven Trumpets under Antichrist and other intestine troubles And then finally seven Vials of Wrath for the ruine of Anti-christ and other enemies for the Churches prosperity From all which you see that there is something of mystery in the number of seven And in this Ceremony it teacheth us the full and perfect cleansing and atonement we have in the blood of Christ and that our sins need much cleansing much purgation Heb. 9.13 14. Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 3. We may learn further that sprinkling is significative enough of the spiritual cleansing and perfect virtue that is in the blood of Jesus Christ For the Priest was not to pour out the blood upon the Vail nor to wash the Vail in the blood but only to dip his finger and so to sprinkle the Vail with it Isai 52.15 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 12.24 2. Another part of the blood was to be put upon the Horns of the Golden Altar of Incense vers 7. And again vers 18. So in the Sin-Offering upon the great day of Expiation Lev 17.18 19. this was used only in the Sin Offering of Bullocks but in the Sin-Offering of Kids or Lambs it was only poured and sprinkled upon the Brazen-Altar vers 25 30 34. The mystery of this Ceremony was this That Christs Intercession is founded in his own blood and satisfaction For the Incense Altar was a Type of Prayer he prays in the virtue of his own blood and sufferings and by the merit thereof he prevails with God for us And it is upon the same account that our prayers also do prevail and find acceptance with the Lord it is because the Incense Altar is sprinkled with blood We pray in his Name and we desire nothing in our prayers but what he hath deserved and procured by his merits See Rev. 8.3 There was given him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar And 9.13 I heard a voice from the four Horns of the Golden Altar The Golden Altar is the Altar of Incense a voice is heard from thence as in answer to prayer But did ever any Christian pray for the coming in of the Turks upon the Christian world No but God answers the prayers of his people oftentimes by wonderful and terrible things in Righteousness as Psal 65.5 The most dreadful Revolutions of Providence are in answer to prayer and that which makes prayer so powerful is because the Altar of Incense is sprinkled with the blood of the Sin Offering 3. The rest of the blood was to be poured forth at the bottom of the Altar of Burnt-Offering vers 7 18 25 30 34. This instructs us that Christ was consecrated and dedicated unto God in his own blood The effusion of the blood of Christ as a Sin-Offering to the Justice of God for us for our Salvation for the purchase of the pardon of our sins and the relation of that blood to the Altar of his Deity are here taught But this was opened before when we were upon the Burnt-Offering Cap. 1.5 But consider this as in conjunction with the former the blood was sprinkled both upon the holiest of all and upon the Altar of Incense and now the rest poured forth by the Altar of Burnt-Offering It teacheth us That the blood of Christ hath an influence into all the concernments of our Salvation from first to last Exercise Faith in that blood upon all occasions and for all the concernments of your Souls Would you see your sins forgiven and atonement made See and take notice of that blood in the effusion of it as poured forth at the bottom of the Altar Would you see your prayers accepted
Ans This was for a special reason because there was a civil penalty appointed in such Cases and for such sins extending even unto death And it had been incongruous to that legal and external dispensation they were under to appoint a Sacrifice to make atonement for Capital sins for which the sinner was to be cut off This made David cry Sacrifice thou wouldst not Psal 51. else would I give it he was at a loss what to do There was no provision made by the Law for atonement in that case of his but as God by prerogative and special dispensation spared his life so he did also forgive his sin and taught him upon this occasion the imperfection of all the legal Sacrifices but yet there is an atonement and a Trespass Offering provided under the Gospel even for such sins There is a spiritual Sacrifice Jesus Christ and his blood therefore such notorious sinners should not despair see 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you foul enough and bad enough but ye are washed but ye are justified Obj. 3. But there be some sins even under the Gospel for which the Apostle saith there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin Heb. 10. but fiery indignation and fearful looking for of Judgment Ans This is only the sin against the Holy Ghost which because many when in trouble of Conscience are apt to fear they have committed this sin I shall therefore open a little to you the nature of it to prevent mistakes and discouragements I shall endeavour to shew you both wherein it doth not and wherein it doth consist And first wherein it doth not consist 1. It is not every error in fundamentals that amounts to this sin for some Hereticks have been renewed by repentance have been converted and reclaimed from the error of their way which they that sin against the Holy Ghost cannot be Yea 2. suppose a man do not only err in fundamental truths but speak reproachful piercing words against it as the Quakers use to do when they scoff against a Christ without us and against the Bible calling it a dead letter This is blasphemy but yet it is not impossible even for such a one to repent and be forgiven for Mat. 12.30 32. every Blasphemy against the Son that is every kind or sort of Blasphemy may be forgiven 3. Yet further that sin which of all other doth in some respects come nearest to the sin against the Holy Ghost is Persecution For here is malice yet some even of these also have obtained mercy as Paul the Apostle who before his Conversion was a Persecutor he was both a fundamental Heretick and a Blasphemer and a Persecutor 4. Some have thought it doth consist in universal Apostacy but these are rather Circumstances that may accompany it but are not of the essence of it Apostasie is not essential to it much less universal Apostasie It is true those in Heb. 10. and Heb. 6. were Apostates that fell away from their former profession therefore Apostasie is sometimes found in this sin but not always For the Pharisees had never professed Christ yet they did sin against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.32 33. Moreover Apostates in some cases may be recovered Hos 14.4 Rev. 2.5 and 3.18 And as to that of universal apostacy the Pharisees did not cast off all profession of God and of the truth they were not universal Apostates Therefore a man may pretend to Religion and be a Professor of it in some degree and yet a Pharisee doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace Thus you see negatively concerning this impardonable sin what it is not There may be fundamental error yea Blasphemy Persecution yet not unpardonable moreover a man may sin this sin and yet not be an universal Apostate as the Pharisees But if all this be not the sin against the Holy Ghost what is it and wherein doth it consist Ans There be two Ingredients that do concur to this sin 1. Inward conviction by the Holy Ghost 2. Malice This is that the Apostle intends by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we sin wilfully Heb. 10. Hence our Saviour calls it Blasphemy against the Spirit Mat. 12. That is against the inward illumination and conviction of the Spirit in a mans Conscience If there be not a conjunction of both these both inward conviction and malicious opposition if there be only one of these without the other it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost Peter in his denying Christ and swearing falsly about it he sinned against Light and inward Conviction but this was not the sin against the Holy Ghost because he did it not in malice but only out of fear to save his life Paul before his Conversion did sin and persecute out of malice but yet he did not commit this sin because he wanted Light and inward Conviction himself gives us this account of it 1 Tim. 1.13 but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly But can this be known concerning others Yes it may be known therefore 1 Joh. 5.16 pray not for such It will further clear up the nature of the sin to name some Instances of such as have committed it There be some Instances and Examples of it in the Scripture and there have been some since the Scriptures were written The Scripture mentions the Pharisees Mat. 12. The Apostle Paul instanceth in the Convicted and yet apostate Jews in his Epistle to the Hebrews Since the Scriptures were written Julian the Apostate is thought to have sinned this sin for he had Light enough he was a Christian and an high Professor of Christianity before his Apostasie He did profess Religion to such a degree that he was wont to read in the Church in the publick Assemblies he did not disdain to read the Bible to them in the Church Assemblies though he was of the blood Royal but after he was setled in the Empire he fell away to Paganism and not only so but to most malicious and crafty Persecution Some have observed of him that he did not put forth such Edicts for the putting Christians to death as some former Persecutors had been wont to do He did forbear to do it out of craft and malice because he had observed the truth of that Speech sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae the blood of Martyrs is the Seed of the Church he saw that such a course would propagate Christianity the more and increase the Church rather than diminish it Therefore he chose rather to lay snares for their Consciences by way of subtilty to draw them from the Truth and so to wash his hands in the blood of their Souls a sweeter victory to him then of their bodies and to triumph over them in their falls rather then in their deaths denying them the use of Books or Schools to get Learning suffering none to bear Office in War or Peace and when he dyed being shot with an Arrow in a Battle and feeling himself mortally wounded he pluckt out the Arrow
and threw it up with his own Bowels with these words vicisti Galilaee vicisti In these latter times of all the Persecutors in Queen Marys time there is none that seems to have sinned and shed the blood of Saints against Light more than Stephen Gardner of whom there is this Story in the Book of Martyrs and others that write of those times That having invited sundry persons of Quality the Duke of Norfolk and others to dine with him at his house he would not sit down to Dinner till he had news brought him by his servant of the death of two Martyrs Ridley and Latimer who suffered at Oxford and so made his Friends and Guests stay and wait upon his cruelty and blood thirstiness till four a clock in the Afternoon and then being informed that fire was most certainly set to them he said now let us go to Dinner and he began to eat but was taken ill and carried sick from his Table and so lay fifteen days in most intollerable torments having no ease or voidance of any thing in his body by Urine or otherwise his body being miserably inflamed thereby and thrusting his tongue out of his mouth swollen and black and while he lay in this condition uttering sometimes words of despair and blasphemy when Dr. Day Bishop of Chichester came to him and began to comfort him with the Promises of the Gospel and free Justification in the blood of Christ what my Lord saith he will you open that Gap now Nay then farewell all together such words may be fit for one in my condition but if once you open that Gap to the people then farewel altogether And when he was put in remembrance of Peters denying his Master he said that he had denyed with Peter but had never repented with Peter Acts and Monuments vol. 3. pag. 527. and pag. 957. Here was Light and inward Conviction that this was indeed the right way and yet malice even unto blood Open that Gap to the people and then farewel all together just as the Pharisees said they feared the people would go after Christ Some have Instanced also in some of the last killers of the Witnesses of Christ Rev. 11. of whom it is said fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devours their Adversaries vers 5. which they parallel with that expression of the Apostle Heb. 10.27 a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation that shall devour the Adversaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A receiving of Judgment that is in their own Consciences God sealing up with some flashes of his Wrath their eternal damnation they have some sparks of Hell fire spit into their Consciences from the lives and doctrine of the Witnesses It is spoken in Rev. 11. in allusion to Moses by whom those Rebels Corah and his Company as also Nadab and Abihu were burnt with fire There be two things which are sure signes a man hath not committed it 1. When the Soul is afraid of it least they have committed this sin here is no malice against the Spirit of Grace for on the contrary here is a fear least they have sinned against him this great sin 2. If there be but common meltings and relentings of heart yea though without any true and saving brokenness and softness of heart yet even this common work is evidence enough that this sin hath not been committed for the sin against the Holy Ghost is the highest degree of wickedness and hardness of heart but where there are any common meltings there is not the highest degree of hardness therefore there is not the sin against the Holy Ghost In such there is a perfect fixation of the will in evil like the very Devils and the damned in Hell Therefore let the greatest sinners know if God hath but kept them from this unpardonable sin that there is hope and help in the Gospel for them there is atonement in the blood of Christ for all that come unto God by him God hath not excluded thee do not thou exclude thy self 'T is true there is atonement but how are we to apply this atonement How may we so improve and apply that precious blood of Christ as to get peace by it and sense of pardon and reconciliation with God 1. Turn your eyes and thoughts from all other things but the blood of Jesus Christ alone for reconciliation a man may set his mark upon his Sheep but it is his money that bought them Other things may be Evidences of Justification but it is the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ that purchases it Phil. 3.7 8. Never think to make God amends or content his Justice or appease his Wrath by any thing that you can do 2. Get a thorough conviction in thy Conscience of the fulness of the atonement and the Soul-redeeming virtue that is in the blood of Jesus Christ that it cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 The redeeming power of the blood of Christ is greater then the condemning power of sin This excellency it hath from the excellency and dignity of his person for it is the blood of God Act. 20.28 which makes his obedience and suffering give more glory to God then our sufferings in Hell would have done Desire the Lord to make a clear discovery of this mystery to thy soul 3. Consider how freely this blood is held forth and offered in the Gospel to be rested on by sinners Rom. 3.25 and 16.26 God has revealed it that it may be rested on 4. Be not afraid of receiving the Atonement Rom. 5.11.17 but rather be afraid to reject it Heb. 4.1 We should not be afraid of believing but of not believing for the Gospel is not tendred unto men that they should have notions in their heads but that they should believe Rom. 4.23 24. 5. Let your acting of Faith upon Jesus Christ be always accompanied with repentance Ezek. 16. last This obviates that Objection about fear of presuming if thy Faith be accompanied with repentance thou dost not presume THE GOSPEL OF THE OFFERINGS and SACRIFICES September 10. 1668. Lev. 7.37 INtending at this time my brethren to wind up this Subject of the Legal Offerings and Sacrifices I have therefore now resumed this Text from which you may remember two Doctrins have been formerly observed 1. That there was a divine Institution and command of God for the Offerings and Sacrifices that were under the Law 2. That there were six kinds or sorts of propitiatory Sacrifices under the Law namely the Burnt-Offering the Meat Offering the Peace-Offering the Sin-Offering the Trespass-Offering and the Offering of Consecrations in Serm. 1. of Doct. 1. on this Text pag. 232 233. Doct. 2. That the propitiatory Sacrifices under the Law may be referred to these six kinds or sorts viz. c In the prosecution of this Doctrine we have gone through many of the Offerings and Sacrifices of the old Law in the way of Exposition upon the former Chapters of this Book to vers
in by degrees the first four Trumpets made way for the perfection of that Apostasie that came in by the fifth Among the Idolatrous Kings of Israel those in succeeding times were worse then their wicked Predecessors Jeroboam was bad enough but he only sets up the two Calves at Dan and Bethel but Omri went beyond him for it is said he did worse then all that went before him 1 King 16.25 We read of the Statutes of Omri Mic. 6.16 Idolatrous and persecuting Laws But his Son Ahab was worse then he For as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam he did set up the Worship of Baal and did more to provoke the God of Israel to anger then all the Kings of Israel that went before him 1 King 16.31 32 33. So that you see it is an increasing and an endless sin 4. All the honour men do or think they do to God by worship of their own invention doth redound indeed and in truth to the honour of the Devil which is a fearful thing to consider Superstition is a sin directly against the means of worship but it is ultimately against the Object of worship Strange worship sets up a strange God Ames Med. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 13. Thes 14 15 42. for it necessarily supposeth and feigneth to it self such an Object of worship as is well pleased with such manner of worship as Superstition offers up and to whose will soever we submit our Consciences as the Rule of our religious worship him we set up as our God Though it be not so in mens intentions yet it is so indeed and in Gods Interpretation The Lord so interprets false worship that a new God is devised for the Object of it so of the Heathenish Idolatry the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God 1 Cor. 10.20 And so the Lord interprets the Jewish Idolatry Jeroboam ordained Priests for the Devils which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 Lev. 17.7 Deut. 32.17 And he puts the same construction upon the Popish Idolatry they repented not of worshipping Devils Rev. 9.20 And their Factors and Emissaries are called Spirits of Devils Rev. 16.14 they think they worship St. Peter and the Virgin Mary yea God himself and Jesus Christ but it is indeed and in Gods account the Devil whom they worship It is true you cannot honour God too much his Name is above and beyond all praise but you may mistake and honour the Devil when you think you honour God A fearful mistake indeed it is but yet it is that which all those fall into who in their worship depart from the will of God revealed in his Word and turn aside to any of the Inventions of men THE GOSPEL OF THE CEREMONIAL UNCLEANNESSES and CLEANSINGS September 13 20. 1668. Heb. 9.13 14. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ c. IN the distribution I formerly gave of the Ceremonial Law you may remember I did put the Legal Sacrifices and Purifications together under one Head as partaking in the same general nature both of them tending to the purging away of sin and of uncleanness Moral uncleanness being taken away by Sacrifice Ceremonial uncleanness by Ceremonial Purifications whereof we are now to speak as the Lord shall enable us from this Text which speaks very fully and most divinely to this Point There be two things in the Text. 1. The Type vers 13. For if the blood of Bulls of Goats c. 2. The Antitype vers 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ c. Under each of which there be three particulars which are here set by the Apostle in a way of opposite correspondency the one to the other 1. He speaks of uncleanness in the Type To which answers dead works as the thing figured by it 2. He mentions Ceremonial cleansing to the purifying of the flesh To which answers the purging of the Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God 3. The Means of the one answers to the Means of the other The blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean which is the Means of legal cleansing To this answers the blood of Christ who by the eternal Spirit offered up himself without spot unto God which is the Means of spiritual cleansing Though withall the Apostle shews that these two answer not each other in a way of equal Analogy there being indeed a preeminent excellency of the one above the other of the Antitype above the Type therefore he expresseth it with an how much more If those legal Purifications attain the end of legal cleansing for which they were appointed how much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse the Conscience It hath a greater efficacy and is a Truth of clearer and higher Evidence These particulars of the Analogy between the Type and the Antitype we may cast them into three doctrinal Propositions thus 1. That they had a Ceremonial uncleanness under the Law which figured the Moral uncleanness of dead works 2. That they had also Ceremonial cleansings or purifyings of the flesh which signified the purging our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God 3. That the Means of Ceremonial putification by the blood of Bulls and Goats and by the ashes of an Heiser sprinkling the unclean signified the blood of Christ who by the eternal Spirit offered up himself without spot unto God 1. For the first namely that they had a Ceremonial uncleanness under the Law which did figure out the Moral uncleanness of dead works therefore he sets them one against the other so that those uncleannesses did signify dead works and what is meant by dead works we may see Heb. 6.1 not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead works What do we repent of We repent of our sins These are therefore the dead works here spoken of and sin is called a dead work because it proceeds from death and is a part of spiritual death and tends to eternal death As good Actions tend to life so sin tends to death so then Ceremonial uncleanness signifies Moral uncleanness of sin and dead works There were two or three sorts of Ceremonial uncleanness 1. Unclean Touchings 2. Unclean Issues 3. That unclean Disease of the Leprosy 1. They had unclean Touchings and Tastings here was uncleanness from without 2. They had unclean Issues here was uncleanness from within a mans self 3. That Disease of the Leprosy was a Disease of Ceremonial uncleanness and here was both an inward and an outward uncleanness 1. There was a Ceremonial uncleanness by eating or touching any unclean thing Lev. 11. In that Chapter it is treated of which Chapter shews what Beasts what Fishes what Fowls and what creeping things might and what might not be eaten And it
come into the Tabernacle and have Communion with God in his Ordinances This holds forth Souls being sprinkled with the blood of Christ and with the Spirit which is often compared to Water as when it is said I will pour water on the dry ground and my Spirit on your Off spring Isai 44.3 see also Ezek. 36.25 and Joh 7.38 39. So they that have this sprinkling by the blood of Christ they have access to and fellowship with God by the blood of Christ And so much for the meaning of the Ceremonial actions relating to this Heyfer Now for Use and Application a little and so we shall conclude Vse Learn this Instruction See the Sovereign vertue transcendent excellency of the blood of Christ and it gives direction and incouragement to unclean souls to have recourse to Jesus Christ for cleansing If these things did so avail to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God The vertue and excellency of his blood appears as to the purging of our Souls and Consciences in a fourfold respect 1. If compared with Ceremonial blood of which the Text speaks The Sacrifices were but shadowy cleansings but a shadowy purification But the blood of Christ cleansing the Conscience is the thing aimed at These were the means to shadow out this spiritual cleansing This is the end the substance aimed at They gave an outward holiness no inward holiness When they were made Ceremonially clean they did not change the mind they removed but the shadow of Moral uncleanness for Ceremonial uncleanness was no sin but only a shadow of it But the blood of Christ removes the sin it self the guilt of sin in Justification and the power of sin in Sanctification So the blood of Christ hath a surpassing excellency being compared with the blood of Bulls and Goats c. 2. Compare it to the blood of Souls and Sinners The blood of Jesus Christ brings more glory to God than if all the Elect themselves had suffered to all eternity more glory to God And it is more efficacious for the good of Souls If the Elect had suffered and their blood had been shed for their own sins God had wanted much of that glory which he hath by the blood of Jesus Christ And more efficacious for good to them For they could never have been saved by their own sufferings The worth of the blood of Christ appears 1. In regard of the worth of the Person 2. In regard of the speedy satisfaction 3. In regard of the full satisfaction 1. The worth of the Person This is often taken notice of in Scripture as belonging to the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ that it is the blood of God As Acts 20.28 and Zach. 13.7 He is the Man that is the fellow of the Lord of Hosts Therefore the Apostle having spoken in Coll. 1. how that we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sin In vers 14. he falls into a description of the glory of the person of Christ Who is the Image of the invisible God by him were all things made The dignity of his Person puts an infinite value on his blood and sufferings mounting the blood of Christ to a higher satisfaction of Divine Justice than the blood of all the Elect. The Righteousness of Jesus Christ is a more glorious Righteousness than if all the Elect had suffered for themselves that had been but the blood of Sinners this the blood of God 2. The speedy satisfaction that is made to Divine Justice Christ paid all the Debt at once which Sinners must have been paying for ever And this is more satisfactory to the Creditor than to have the Debt long a paying If a man owe an hundred pounds and must lie in Prison till the Debt be paid paying ten pounds every year this Debt will be long in paying and it will not be so satisfactory to the Creditor as if a Rich Man should come and set the Prisoner free by paying the Debt presently 3. He satisfied fully and paid the whole Debt Joh. 19.30 Our Saviour saith Now it is finished He hath made full and perfect satisfaction to Divine Justice So that the Law of God hath more honor and the Justice of God more glory by the sufferings of Christ than if all the Elect had suffered 3. Compare the blood of Christ with the Righteousness of Saints and Angels his Righteousness and their Righteousness There is a greater Glory of Jesus Christ his obedience Active and Passive then in the Righteousness of all the Angels in Heaven though they had never sinned For theirs is but the Righteousness of Creatures in whom is a negative imperfection Job 4.18 He chargeth the Angels with folly and the Heavens are impure in his sight Christs Righteousness is more worth then all the Righteousness of all the Creatures 4. If compared with the power of sin in its kind to defile and damn souls there is a far greater power in the blood of Christ to cleanse and save then in sin to defile and destroy Rom. 8.3 The Law became weak to do good but it hath power to condemn The strength of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 The Law gives a strength to sin because by virtue of the curse of the Law sin reigns and defiles the souls of men through that righteous Curse The Soul that sins shall dye But the blood of Jesus Christ hath greater power to save then sin together with the Law hath to condemn for the blood of Christ takes away and abolishes it utterly Where this blood is applied and brought home sin it self cannot ruine that Soul The Soul is poysoned and corrupted by sin but the blood of Christ takes away that poyson and makes the Soul pure and holy as if it never had sinned therefore as to those discouragements I shall never get power against these sins against these Corruptions they will be my ruine These are deep reflectings on Jesus Christ as if sin were stronger then he as if thy sin were more powerful to damn thee then Christ is to save thee Therefore be encouraged how unclean soever thy heart and life have been make use of this Atonement which hath been made to God by the blood of Jesus Christ What is the preaching of the Gospel but the sprinkling of this blood It holds forth Christ and if men will refuse this blood their destruction is of themselves they perish not under the Gospel because there is no means of Salvation no means to help no means to cleanse and purifie them but because they will not make use of it And what a woful thing is this when light is come into the world and help brought by Jesus Christ for sinners to refuse it For sinners to stand on their own Objections this is to bid defiance to the Gospel and to say that Jesus Christ is no sufficient Saviour But apply it
that end 2. The Leper must wash his Cloaths and himself and shave his Hair and then come into the Camp but not yet into his Tent. vers 8. The like Ceremony is required in other Cleansings As at the Consecration of the Levites Numb 8.7 they were to cause a Rasor to pass over all their flesh And Deut. 21.12 Of the Captive Woman it is said she shall shave her head and pare her nails Some allegorize this in a plain and a good way thus That it was a figure of casting away all remainders of malice and filthiness James 1.21 Those excrescencies and superfluities of sinful Corruption it shadows out and teacheth the work of Mortification or paring away of sinful superfluities of Lusts and Corruptions as fast as they grow which we cannot be quite rid of but must be paring and cutting them off continually This Expression is used Isai 7.20 in a metaphorical way to signifie the Lords consuming and weakning their strength for much hair argueth strength of nature Hence in age when there is a decay of strength the hair falls off and baldness comes in stead of hair Therefore in a leprous person it seems to argue strength of the Disease therefore the shaving it off is thought to signifie the cutting off and taking away the strength of the Disease and plague of the heart And as to washing this was often required therefore the Apostle speaks of divers washings Heb. 9.10 And the Holy Ghost refers them to the blood of Christ Rev. 1.5 And they respect also the Spirit of Christ often compared to water Isai 44.3 This is that Fountain set open Zach. 13.1 for the house of Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness A sinner must wash and bath himself in this Fountain if ever he will be made clean We read of the washing of Regeneration Titus 3.5 which is an allusion to these Ceremonial washings rather than to Baptism And the Leper was to wash his whole body not some part only because Sanctification is a cleansing of the whole man 1 Thes 5.23 And he must wash his clothes as well as himself To teach us that we must purge our selves from all manner of filthiness and every thing that defileth hating the very garment that is spotted with the flesh Any thing of uncleanness the least degree of it Jude ver 23. hating even the garments spotted by the flesh An amplification saith the Margin taken from the forbidden things in the Old Law that did defile that is all appearances occasions any thing that hath the least touch of sin It is a worse sign of a leprous graceless heart for a man to dally with his lust and to allow himself therein than one particular fall into a grosser act of uncleanness if it be abhorred and repented of Thus the Leper must be washed He and his Clothes and his Hair shorn and yet after all this he is not to return to his Tent. The reason is Lest there should be any thing of infection in his Tent. For the very Houses and Garments sometimes were infected with Leprosie 3. The third Ceremony or his after-duty is this After seven days he must use the same Ceremony of shaving and washing over again ver 9. This plainly teacheth us that cleansing work must be renewed from time to time The mortifying and purging out of Corruption it is a gradual work and a frequent work For the Leper is not made clean at once in the first moment nay after all his former observations he is not perfectly clean though he be begun to be made clean but here are seven days must intervene and then he must wash and shave again So that it is a gradual work We should do so in Spiritual Cleansing especially upon the Sabbath day which is the seventh in this sense that is it is one of seven and it is and should be a day of Spiritual washing and cleansing Thus you have seen the first part of this purifying Sacrifice for the Leper viz The two Birds with the several Ceremonies and Ceremonial actions and performances appertaining to them both to the slain Bird and to the living Bird and to the Leper himself 2. The second part of the purifying Sacrifice appointed for him is that of three Lambs with the Ceremonies thereunto belonging and this is declared at large from ver 10. to 32. of that 14. Chapter of Leviticus The Materials of this are two He Lambs the one for a Burnt-Offering the other for a Trespass Offering and an Ew-Lamb for a Sin Offering and fine Flower for a Meat Offering and a log of Oyl These are the Materials Now what must be done with them The Ceremonies about them are chiefly these three 1. The Sacrifices must be slain and offered according to the manner and institution ver 12 13. But this having been opened formerly we shall not insist upon it 2. The Priest must put some of the blood of them upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed ver 14. and some part on the thumb of his right hand and on the great toe of his right foot You have the like Ceremony Exod. 29.20 injoined in the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons The sprinkling these parts did represent and was instead of sprinkling the whole body The sprinkling of a part of the body was appointed by God as significative of universal cleansing of the whole man Engl. Annot. on Exod. 29.20 Our Annotators have this Note upon it The Ear was to be sanctified for holy hearing and against the hearing of any corrupt communication And the Hand for working and the Foot for walking that his Conversation might be holy and his Person sanctified from head to foot So in Baptism there is no necessity of plunging the whole body in water but the sprinkling of it on the Forehead may suffice to signifie the mystical meaning intended by it where by a Sacramental Synechdoche though but a part be sprinkled the whole is washed and cleansed This is the second Ceremony some of the blood in these Sacrifices of the three Lambs must be put upon the Leper The 3d. is That the Priest is to take the Oyl and sprinkle part of it before the Lord and with part to anoint the Leper his Ear Thumb and Foot in the place where he had put the blood before and pour the rest upon his head ver 15 16 17 18. This mystical Oyl whereof they had such continual use under the Law we have often heard that it typifies the Holy Ghost and therefore the Son of God is said to be anointed with the Spirit Isai 61.1 And Act. 10.38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Therefore the putting of the Oyl upon these parts signifies the saving Graces of the Spirit of Christ whereby they are cleansed and sanctified and comforted who have been justified and reconciled by his blood As to the putting it upon
these parts for the whole this teacheth us the same that was noted before out of the same Ceremony concerning the blood And whereas he must put the Oyl upon the blood that is upon the same place where he had put the blood before as it is explained more fully vers 28. This teacheth us that our Sanctification flows from our Justification the blood must be applied first and then the Oyl upon it the Spirit of Christ is the purchase of the death of Christ and therefore the Spirit of Sanctification is the fruit of the blood of Justification Look not to have thy Soul cleansed from the power of sin by Sanctification unless it be cleansed from the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ applied for Justification We are first justified and reconciled by his blood and then sanctified and anointed by his Spirit He forgiveth all thine Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Psal 103. Justification is in order before Sanctification first the blood and then the Oyl upon the blood These are the Laws and Ordinances for the purifying of the Leper But now a Case of Conscience may arise what if the Leper be not able to get all these Sacrifices and Requisites for his cleansing what shall be done in such a Case The Answer is That the Lord hath made a gracious provision for the necessities of his people therefore lesser Sacrifices are provided and appointed in such a Case from vers 21 to vers 33. where this Case is fully spoken to viz. in stead of three Lambs he requires here but one Lamb and two Turtle Doves or else two young Pigeons whichsoever he could best get And in stead of three Omers of fine flower for a Meat Offering he requires in this Case but one Omer that is about a Pottle of our measure and a Log of Oyl that is about half a Pint. This is the same that was before and these lesser Sacrifices are as effectual for the cleansing of a poor Leper as the greater Sacrifices were for richer persons God accepting a man according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 The Rites and Ceremonies of these are the same with the former so I shall pass from this observing only the gracious Condescension of God to the several capacities and necessities of his people The latter part of the Chapter is concerning the cleansing of a leprous house from vers 33 to the end Some say it was a peculiar thing in that Land a strange infection that seized the Land in some Cases the whole Land being a typical Land as we have heard I shall only note two or three general Observations from it and from the whole Chapter and so conclude Obs 1. The marvellous infectious and defiling nature of sin in that it infects and defiles other things the very house and the Garments To the unclean all things are unclean as to the pure all things are pure Tit. 1.15 It poysons and corrupts all the concernments and enjoyments of a sinner The Apostle speaks how the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now Rom. 8.22 For the Creature was made subject to vanity c. The Stones out of the Walls and the Timber out of the houses are troubled with a wicked man and cry out against him as Habakkuk hath it Chap. 2.11 That 's the first Observation Learn the wonderful defilement and infectious nature of sin that it corrupts all the concernments that a sinner is concerned in Obs 2. Whereas the leprous house if it were incurably infected must be pulled down and all the Materials of it cast away vers 40 45. This teacheth us that all the Monuments and remainders of leprous and corrupted things must be destroyed Idolatry and Superstition is a Leprosie that hath overspread the whole Christian World during Popery And as the Prophet saith concerning Babylon Jer. 51.26 They shall not take of Babylon a stone for a Corner nor a stone for Foundations but thou shalt be desolate for ever saith the Lord. It holds true of mystical Babylon that leprous Church whose Idolatry and Superstition is a spiritual Leprosie which did overspread the whole Church of God in the time of Popery therefore away with all the Monuments and Remainders of it Dwalphintramis applies this not impertinently to the Popes Mass-Book The Popes Mass Book was a leprous house the stones and timber whereof should have been cast aside as polluted and an abomination therefore it was an unhappy and a fatal error in the first Reformation to take Materials out of that to reform with to take the stones and timber of that leprous house to use in the Worship of God which must be therefore framed to comport with those leprous polluted things It hath been the occasion of a new Conflict to the people of God in this Age and of manifold sufferings to the servants of Christ because they contended that these leprous polluted things should be cast aside This might have been prevented if there had been a thorough Reformation at first and the stones and timber of those leprous houses the Popes Mass-Book Ritual Pontifical and Breviary had been at our first Reformation cast forth as pollutted and abominable Obs 3. How difficult and yet withal how necessary a work the purifying and cleansing of the Leprosie is The Leprosie was a Type of sin and sinful Corruption especially that original and universal pollution and defilement of our natures the Purification of the Leprosie therefore is nothing else but the work of Mortification or purging out of sinful Corruption This is a difficult work see how many Ingredients must concur to it in the Type there must be two Birds with Cedar Scarlet and Hyssop and a great many Ceremonies about these Materials There must be Spring Water and an earthen Vessel and killing dipping sprinkling washing shaving c. And when all this is done there is but half the work done for there must be also three Lambs for a Burnt-Offering a Trespass Offering a Sin Offering And three Omers of fine Flower with Oyl for a Meat Offering and a Log of Oyl and a multitude of sacred Rites and Ceremonies about these materials O how much ado there is to get a Leprous person purified and made clean And all these things instruct and shew you all along the method of the Lords proceeding in purifying the hearts of sinners There must be a great deal of pains taken with thy own heart in the use of all the means and Ordinances that God hath appointed And though there be all this pains and difficulty in the work yet it must be done there is a necessity of it This Disease is very troublesom and loathsom and it may be mortal at last if a Cure be not provided in time Therefore the Leper must use means and take pains And so should sinful Leprous souls Obs 4. That as there is a Leprosie of the heart as we are defiled and unclean by
up unto God with strong crying and tears Matth. 26.37 he began to be sorrowful and very heavy and ver 38. then saith he unto them my Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death and ver 39. he fell on his face and prayed saying Oh my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me Luk. 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his Sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the ground Hebr. 5.7 It speaks also the Contrition and brokenness of heart that is in the Prayers of the Saints 3. He took a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar to kindle the Incense It is the fire of the Altar the Spirit of God that inflames the Affections in Prayer that sets the heart on fire and makes the Incense flame sets Grace on work and as the Spices whereof the Incense was made are the Graces of Gods Spirit and the beating of them small is the Contrition of the heart so the Incense must be set on fire with sacred fire the Spirit of God inflaming the heart with earnest desires and ardent affections after God 4. The Cloud of Incense must cover the Mercy-seat that the Cloud of Incense that is the Smoke thereof may cover the Mercy-seat that he die not ver 13. There is much Instruction in this If we think to behold the Mercy-seat without the Cloud of Incense we die It is the death of many a Soul that in the day of Atonement when they are afflicting their Souls for sin they think that God is merciful and they cry to God for Mercy But they do not behold the Mercy of God in the Son of his Love they do not look up to the Mercy-seat as covered and clouded with the Incense of the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ and therefore they die and perish even in the day of Atonement when they come before the Mercy-seat 3. The Blood must be sprinkled upon the Mercy-seat Eastward that is upon the forepart of it ver 14. It teacheth us that as the High Priest went into the holy place not without Blood so Christ with his own Blood Heb. 9.7 11 12. hath entred into Heaven for us to make way for us to come thither also by the merit and virtue of his own Blood and Satisfaction Heaven therefore is called the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 because purchased by the Blood of Christ We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus Hebr. 10.19 20. 4. The Blood must be sprinkled upon the Mercy-seat seven times A mystical number often used in the legal Services and hath been formerly explained It is a number of perfection God having created the World in six days and resting upon the seventh It therefore notes a full and perfect cleansing and applying of the Blood of Christ for that end And it presupposeth a copious and liberal effusion but it implies directly a plenteous and effectual application of the Blood of Christ Get the Blood of Christ effectually applied unto thy Soul or else thou canst never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance take this Blood of Christ apply it by Faith see how it atones God It is true the Blood of Christ doth not make God merciful but it makes way for the exercise of his Mercy it doth not cause the attribute of Mercy to be in God but it makes way for the putting of it forth Now then let us put both these together The Mercy-seat must be both clouded with Incense and sprinkled with Blood or else there is no approaching for Sinners into the presence of God none but through the Prayers and Intercessions and through the Blood and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ Non solum periculosum sed horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare It is not only dangerous saith Luther but it is an horrible thing to think of God out of Christ Do not think to make use of Gods Attributes in an immediate way but by the Intercession of a Mediator there is no Mercy in God for Sinners out of Christ Thus much of the Priests Offerings for himself 2. The second sort of Offerings upon this great day of Atonement were for the People and these are two Goats for a Sin-offering and a Ram for a Burnt-offering ver 5. The Rites and Ceremonies of these two Goats are full of the Gospel It is pity that choise portions of Scripture which have so much in them are commonly so little understood by us Let us in the help of Christ inquire a little into the mystery of these things Of the Burnt-offering there is something said but it is not much the common rules of the Burnt-offering being here to be observed But the Sin-offering of the two Goats there be many very significant Rites and Ceremonies about them This Sin-offering is first generally and then severally and more particularly spoken to and the several actions about them more particularly opened 1. In general ver 7 8 9 10. The first thing that they had to do which was peculiar to it was that these two Goats they were to cast lots upon them Now a Lot is a referring of a thing by an appeal to the determination of Providence Prov. 16.33 the Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. There is a special hand of Providence in a Lot so it is said of Christ Acts 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledge of God ye having taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain The Lot in this business was to determine which of the Goats should be slain and which was to escape But why were there two Goats one to die and the other to escape The reason was plainly this Because that one alone was not sufficient to represent the Mystery intended and aimed at For Christ was both God and Man he both died and rose again but the same Sacrifice could not both die and live again without a miracle Therefore these two Goats were appointed to represent more compleatly the whole mystery of our Redemption in all the concernments of it to shadow forth Jesus Christ in both his Natures and in both the states he passed through both in his Divinity and in his Humanity both in his Humiliation and Exaltation As in like manner there were two Birds appointed in the Purification of the Leper See of the cleansing of the Leper Lev. 14. pag. 398. So here two Goats a flain Goat and a scape Goat the one to shadow forth Christ as dying and slain for our offences the other as rising again for our Justification The slain Goat represented Christ as he was put to death in the Flesh that is in his Humane nature the scape Goat represented him as quickened by the Spirit that is by his Deity raising him up again from death to life This in general Now 2. In particular the sacred Rites and
on foot about it as if a man should say he had rather lye or steal or whore or be drunk or kiss the Pix or bow to an Idol or go to Mass then not preach the Gospel For I beseech you consider either it is a sin or it is not a sin If it be not a sin to preach in a Fools Coat or in a Surplice prove this and then use it and wear it in the name of God But if it be a sin it is not a supposed good intent to save a Soul that will justifie an evil action though it be not so foul an evil as some others If a Minister would fain do good to Souls and therefore is very loth to be silenced let him observe this rule let him take heed of conforming lest God silence him lest God stop his mouth or blast his endeavours that he shall never speak with any great evidence and demonstration of the Spirit nor with any great success for the good of Souls For I see but few Surplices or Circingle men that do much good Vse 2. To confute the Popish Allegorizers who tell us the literal sense of these Garments is such as this namely That the disposition and frame of the World is expressed in them and that the High Priest did thereby profess himself the Minister or Servant of the Creator of Heaven and Earth For of the significations of these holy Garments thus they descant see Aquin. 1. 2â— â—st 102. art 5. ad 10. and Becan tom 3. Opusc 7. cap. 5. q. 1. 〈◊〉 lintea significabant terram ex quâ linum nascitur Balceus Oceanum qui cingit terram the Linnen Breeches signifie the Earth out of which Flax groweth the Girdle the Ocean because it compasseth the Earth like a Girdle Tunica hyacinthina Aerem quia hyacinthini coloris est the sky-coloured Coat the Air because it is of a sky-colour The Golden Bells of it the Thunder in the Air The Pomegranates the Lightenings The Ephod the starry Heavens The two Onyx-stones the two Hemispheres or the Sun and the Moon The twelve Precious Stones in the Ephod the twelve Signs in the Zodiack The Mitre the Empyrean Heavens The Golden Plate God the King of all This they call the literal account of these holy Priestly Garments Well then they come to the mystical sense and there they tell us That the Linnen Breeches signifie Chastity the Linnen Coat purity of Life the Girdle moderation of Discretion the Mitre a right Intention which they say are virtues necessary for all Ministers over and above which Bishops they say must have four others which they fancy to be signified by the other Garments of the High Priest But these are too vain to insist on a large Confutation of them As these Interpretations and Applications of theirs have no footing in Scripture nor the least countenance given them from thence so there is a profound silence concerning Christ therein passing him over wholly when as indeed He and his Performances and Endowments are the great thing taught and shadowed forth by them all Vse 3. See and behold in these holy Pontifical Vestments the spiritual Glory of Jesus Christ the true High Priest For all this did represent plusquam Angelicam Splendorem Calvin that more then Angelical Splendor of Jesus Christ who is clothed indeed with Glory and Beauty Let me but briefly run over and recapitulate the heads of things according to the Explications given 1. Here is the white and pure Linnen of his perfect Righteousness imputed to us in Justification For that is one great thing intended by it as well as the Garments of Holiness and Grace inherent 2. He is girded with Strength and with Truth and Faithfulness for our Salvation and is always ready to do us good 3. He hath a glorious Robe the Golden Bells whereof have sounded in the holy place and their sound is gone forth into all the earth and the Fruits thereof are sweet and fragrant as a Garden of Pomegranates 4. He wears a glorious Ephod in the shoulders whereof he doth support his Church and lifts up them and their concernments out of the dust of death and sin and misery and bears them up before the Lord as upon the shoulders of an infinite and almighty Power 5. He hath a Brest-plate of Love upon his Heart continually our Names and our Concernments are written there even upon the Heart of Jesus Christ like the Names of the Children of Israel upon Aarons Brest-plate 6. Here is the true Urim and Thummim all Divine Illuminations and Perfections in the Heart of Jesus Christ and Emanations of Light and Holiness from him to us 7. He hath a Mitre upon his Head He is a Royal Priest both King and Priest He reconciles us effectually and intercedes with Power as a Prince prevailing with the Lord. 8. And lastly he wears a Golden Crown of Holiness upon his Forehead before the Lord. And having such an High Priest Is not all this enough to strengthen Faith and to encourage you not only to believe but to rejoyce in believing even to rejoyce and triumph in Jesus Christ THE GOSPEL of the CONSECRATION of the PRIESTS Exod. cap. 29. ver 1 c. to 38. Feb. 21. 1668. THe Contents printed in your Bibles give you the true Analysis of this Chapter for there be three things in it 1. The Consecration of the Priests to ver 38. 2. The continual Burnt-offering ver 38 c. 3. The Lords Promise of his gracious Presence with the Children of Israel ver 45. It is only the first of these viz. the Consecration of the Aaronical Priests unto their Office that we are now to speak unto There be four things wherein those Priests of old were Types 1. In their Priestly Qualifications and other Rites and Rules observed by them 2. In their Apparel 3. In their Consecration to their Office 4. In their Priestly Ministrations The two former of these viz. their Priestly and ritual Qualifications as also their holy Garments have been spoken to That which follows next is their Consecration to their Office which is declared at large in two places almost two whole Chapters of holy Scripture The Direction of it in this 29th of Exodus and the Execution of it in the 8th Chapter of Leviticus This Consecration was the solemn Investiture of them in their Office which was done by sundry sacred and mystical Rites and Ceremonies ordained and appointed of God for that end They were chiefly these four all mentioned in both these places Exod. 29. and Levit. 8. 1. Washing them 2. Apparrelling them with the holy Garments 3. Anointing them with the holy Oyl 4. Sacrificing and so sanctifying them by Blood All which I shall put together in one general Proposition or point of Doctrine which will indeed contain the sum of this whole Chapter as far as to ver 38. Doctr. That the Consecration of the Priests of old was done by washing them and by apparrelling them
Vid. Engl. Annot. in loc 4. Moses was to fill the hand of the Priests with some parts of the Sacrifices ver 23 24 25. This interprets and lets you see the reason of that expression why Consecration is called filling of the hand Lev. 7.37 so Exod. 28.41 and here cap. 29. ver 9. It is because some parts of the Sacrifices were put into his hands at his Consecration as a pledge or symbol of putting such a business and intrusting such a work in his hands No man can or ought to undertake this or any other Trust or Office till the Lord fill his hand with it and commit the work and business to his trust A man can take unto himself nothing except it be given him from Heaven Joh. 3.27 they are the words of John the Baptist and he saith of Christ that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand ver 35. of that 3d. of John Now the Use of all these Rites of Consecration lies in such things as these 1. They were an external sign and representation of the Dignity of the Office therefore there were so many solemn and sacred Ceremonies in setting them apart thereunto and yet these Priests were but shadows of Jesus Christ our great and true High Priest whose Office is of incomparably more surpassing excellency and Dignity See 1 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. 2. All these Rites of Consecration had this use to the Priests themselves to be Monitors or Remembrances to the Priests themselves that they might remember how pure and holy to the Lord they ought to be And the like Instruction they hold out to Believers who all are made spiritual Priests unto God that they ought to be holy to the Lord. 3. From the people they bespeak reverence and regard to the Priests and that for their works sake they having such Honour and Dignity put upon them in such a solemn Consecration to their Office Thus the Apostle in the New Testament chargeth the Thessalonians that they should know them that laboured among them that were over them in the Lord and admonished them and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thess 5.12 13. 4. We may learn also this from these sacred Rites of the Consecration of the Priests that under the New Testament there should be no Gospel-Ministers but such as are called and consecrated by God to that work see Heb. 5.4 'T is set as a Brand upon that wicked Jeroboam that he made of the basest of the people Priests even whosever would he consecrated him but this thing became sin to the House of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the earth as the Holy Ghost expresly tells us 1 Kings 13.33 34. THE GOSPEL of the MINISTRATIONS of the LEGAL MINISTRY Feb. 28. 1668. Morning and Afternoon Numb chap. 18. THere were three sorts of Officers in the old Legal Ministry 1. The Priests 2. The Levites 3. The Nethinims Of the Priests you have heard four things propounded 1. The special Rites and Qualifications of that Order of Priesthood 2. Their Priestly Apparrel 3. Their Consecration 4. Their Priestly Ministrations in the House of God This last remains to be spoken to for which this Chapter may be the Text and foundation of our Discourse The Chapter consists of two parts 1. The Work of the Priests and Levites 2. Their Maintenance 1. Their Work and Office to ver 8. The several Work of the Priests and of the Levites is here exactly distinguished their several Offices bounded and disterminated by the Soveraign Wisdom and Authority of God setting each their limits which they might not on highest penalties transgress and violate The charge of the Sanctuary and the Altar with the things appertaining thereunto was committed to the Priests the charge of the Tabernacle to the Levites ver 7. 1. For the Priests their work was the charge of the Sanctuary and the Altar and the holy Vessels and Services thereof These they must look to and of these God would require and expect an account at their hands And the Lord said unto Aaron thou and thy Sons and thy Fathers House with thee shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary and of your Priesthood ver 1. that is the guilt and punishment of whatever is done amiss in these matters The Stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death ver 7. the Stranger here is not meant of other People and Nations only as in other places but any other Family beside the Family of Aaron the rest of Israel yea the Levites themselves were Strangers in this sense There are many particulars comprised under this general head of the Charge of the Altar and Sanctuary in each of which I shall but briefly shew how they had an eye to Jesus Christ the Priest and Minister of the true Sanctuary 1. First then this includes the holy Vessels and all the hallowed things thereof ver 7. so Numb 4 5-15 and ver 16. In like manner hath God committed the whole Church of God and all the mysteries of our Salvation to the trust and care and charge of Jesus Christ for the Tabernacle is the Church All the concernments of his people all their Graces and Duties and Comforts meet in him and are under his special care and trust therefore they are said to be given to him by the Father Joh. 3.35 2. The offering Sacrifice and ordering that whole matter is here also plainly included as being part of the Charge of the Altar the Priest was to kill and dress the Sacrifices and sprinkle the Blood thereof and to manage and dispose of that whole affair Lev. 1.5 and he that is the Priest shall kill the Bullock before the Lord and the Priests the Sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the Blood c. Heb. 5.1 Every High Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins and the same Apostle applies it expresly to Jesus Christ Heb. 8.3 For every High Priest is ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man that is Christ have somewhat also to offer that is himself his own blessed Body and Humane nature This is the Sacrifice he offered And so he himself was both the Sacrifice and the Priest the Priest in regard of both his Natures and the Sacrifice in regard of his human nature see Heb. 10.10 11 12. No other can offer any expiatory Sacrifice to make atonement with the Lord but only he He trod the Wine-press alone in this respect and of the people there was none with him as Isai 63.3 3. The Priests were to light the seven sacred Lamps of the golden Candlestick Exod. 27.20 21. Lev. 24.2 3. This shadows forth Christ the true Light Joh. 1.9 shining forth and enlightening his Church by his Spirit in the Ministry of the Word For the Golden