you go ouer older times And for these later times our Romish teachers haue excéeded all that went before them in this fault as may be shewed by many miserable expositions when time shall so require 5 Thou shalt kill the Ramme and take of his bloud and put it vpon the lap of Aarons eare and vpon the lap of the right eare of his sonnes and vpon the thumb of their right hand and vpon the great toe of the right foote c. By the eare is noted obedience whereupon the seruant that would stil continue with his master was put to the post of his maisters house and bored in the eare in token of perpetuall seruice and obedience So by this figure the Lord would shadow out that the Priestes from whom others should draw example should themselues be obedient to his word in all things and first heare and then teach Obedience was euer acceptable and pleasing to God Sacrifice and meat offerings saith the Psalme thou wouldest not haue but mine eare thou hast opened Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voyce is obeyed Beholde to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes c. Especially in them that call vpon others to obey obedience must needes be looked for and the want seuerely punished The right eare is chosen to shadowe a right hearing of the word for amendement of life and not a left for confirmation of errour and further obstinacie against the Lord as many do heare it The Thumbe of the hand is touched with bloud to teach that we must not onely be hearers but dooers of the word ioyning workes to faith and holy life to a sound beleefe For the kingdome of God standeth not in word but in power The right Thumbe not the left to shadow out that we may not deceiue our selues in our workes and doe what séemeth good in our owne eyes thinking to please GOD with our good and fayre intents but our workes must be right commaunded by God not inuented by vs. For want of which due consideration O how many are deceiued and wearie themselues in dooing what God neuer will accept or reward Wo be to the Teachers that for their owne aduantage haue thus abused Gods poore people the worke of his hands the price of his déere Sonnes bloud The Thumbe is touched but it is the right Thumbe and both by figure and plaine testimonies the Scriptures are manifest in this point To the like end was the great Toe of their right foote also sprinkled with bloud that they might so remember to walke worthie of their vocation And vsually by the foot in Scripture is both action and affection noted Their feete are swift to shed bloud that is their actions are cruell and tyrannicall My feete had almost slipped saith Dauid meaning both action and affection Looke to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of God that is to thy minde intent and affection Lastly both Aaron and his garments and his sonnes and their garments were sprinkled with bloud To teach that he and all his seruice and intercession for the people was onely in his bloud acceptable who should shed his bloud for mankinde the true Aaron and High priest Christ Iesus 6 The brest the shoulder were the Priests part as you sée alotted by God to them for their maintenance yet not without some figuratiue resemblance for the brest is often vsed to signifie wisdom the shoulders to note strength in bearing So by these parts giuen to the Priests God would shadow how the priests ought euer both in wisdom iudgement in bearing induring the many difficulties of their own function all other crosses whatsoeuer go before the people and be examples to them of comfort and courage of counsell and good aduise in all things Great vses are then of Ministers if people had eyes to see them and harts wisely to consider them that with thankfulnes both to God and his instruments they might righly vse Gods goodnes prouided for them 7 The head was cast away not without an excellent figure For thereby was signified that in matters diuine and heauenly we must cast away our owne heads and wits as not able to attaine to such depth and pray with the Prophet Dauid Open mine eyes O Lord that I may beholde the wonderfull things in thy lawe The naturall man saith Saint Paule vnderstandeth not the things that belong to God neyther can he for they are foolishnesse vnto him This meditation is a notable stay when we cannot vnderstand and so are tempted to thinke it false and absurd c. 8 And the holy garments which appertaine to Aaron shall bee his sonnes after him to be anoynted therein and to be consecrate therein c. The same garments continued although the Priest by mortalitie being a naturall man changed and so was signified that our High priest not meere man but God and man is one and his righteousnesse our blessed garment remayneth to Father Sonne and sonnes sonne to the worlds end in them that feare him and by a true faith beléeue in him Againe by the way we may note that by Gods lawe the high priest was not buried in his Robes Pontificalibus as now forsooth Bishops be among apish imitators of these Iewes Ceremonies a toy taken vp without reason vnlesse this may be reason because being dead they meane to discharge that dutie of their place which aliue they neuer made any conscience of 9 Aaron and his Sonnes shall eate the fleshe of the Ramme and so foorth But a straunger shall not eate thereof bycause they are Holye thinges When any Sacrifice was effected in this sort the bringer or owner and the Priestes did eate part and so were as Gods guestes inuited of him to a holy feast which that it might be with more reuerence and spiritual presence all things were done in the Holy place the meat soden and eaten c so a difference made betwixt that and their ordinarie diet at other times their mindes drawen to the meditation of such mysteries and they present rather at a Sacrament than an earthly repast No prophane person was admitted but onely such as were of the family of God and yet in our daies they that will séeme most religious teach and striue to maintaine that wicked and prophane persons may aswell eate the bodie drinke the bloud of Christ as the godly may and to that end teach a grosse reall presence of materiall flesh and blood by transubstantiation Nothing will draw them from this madnesse neyther the figures of the lawe nor the plainnesse of the Gospell but headlong to hell they will runne with it against Scripture Fathers Reason and whatsoeuer ought to perswade wise men The late beginning of this cursed error they read and sée as well as we Tertullians Rule they acknowledge with vs That
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
ignorantly as not thinking of the matter were committed against the Ceremoniall Law chiefly and for which there was no other punishment layd downe either Ciuill or Criminall Neither was this expiation other you must euer remember than as Faith truly tooke hold of Christ figured by the Sacrifice For it standeth firme that it is impossible for the blood of Bulles and Goates to take away sinnes Heb. 10. 4. But Christ with his owne Offering hath consecrated for euer them that are sanctified vers 14. Sée also Rom. 8. 3. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 13. 11. c. 3 The first person that is named is the Priest that is the High-Priest that is anointed who saith your Chapter If he doe sinne according to the sinne of the people then shall he offer for his sinne which hee hath sinned a young Bullocke without blemish for a sinne-offering vnto the Lord c. By which you may profite thus When you read that the High-Priest had need also some times to offer for his negligences and ignorances you sée how plainly it was taught to that people that the High-Priest was not the true High-Priest which should make perfect and sound satisfaction and attonement to God but another was to be expected of whom that was but a Figure and shadow to wit the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of GOD promised in the Scriptures Then for the Ceremonies vsed The bringing of him to the doore of the Tabernacle The laying his hand on his head The killing of him c haue béene expounded before But where mention is made of The blood brought into the Tabernacle of the Congregation you may remember that there were two sorts of these Offerings for sinne One whereof the blood was thus brought in and of these the Priest might eate no part but the flesh the Skinne the head c were burned without the Hoste vers 11. An other whereof the blood was not brought in and the flesh of such the Priest might eate Chap. 6. of this Booke and 10. The sprinkling of the blood seuen times signified that the satisfaction and expiation for and of sinne made once by Christ endured good for euer in all ages and times and néeded not to bée iterated The number of seuen representing the whole time of this worlds continuance Others by this seuen-foldsprinckling haue thought that the grieuousnes of sinne was shadowed and noted For say they it is written He that slayeth Cain shall be punished seuen-fold that is grieuously And againe If Cain be auenged seuen-fold truely Lamech seuentie-times seuen-fold that is more grieuously a great deale Wherefore this seuen-times sprinkling of the blood might note that euery sinne with God deserueth seuen punishments that is sharpe and great punishment if he should deale with vs in Justice and not in mercie 4 The blood was put vpon the hornes of the Altar of sweet incense to signifie that no prayer can perce vnto God but in and by the blood of Christ All the rest of the blood was powred at the foote of the Altar of burnt Offering to note still the true shedding of CHRISTS blood for mankinde and because also it was holy it might not bée cast out as prophane The burning of the body without the hoste plainly shewed that Christ should not suffer in Hierusalem but should be led out of the Citie to a place appointed and there suffer which you know was fulfilled accordingly Heb. 13. 11. 12. And the whole Bullocke was to be burned being a sinne offering to teach men to burne all their sinnes and not to diuide them as we do when we say I will amend my drunkennes but I cannot leaue my swearing or if I leaue that also yet my licencious life a litle more must haue a swinge c. But burne all thou were best and willingly kéepe none burne them I say by true sorrow and detestation of them euen All All lest but one béeing wilfully still delighted in burne thée all and wholy in Hell for euer When Moses with the Israelites was to depart out of Egypt and Pharaoh would haue had them leaue their cattell behind them sauing what they intended to sacrifice Answere was made they would not leaue one hoofe of a beast behinde and so deale you with your sinnes leaue not one hoofe of sinne behinde No one sinne no part of sinne that is still I say by wittingly willingly and boldly continuing in it and delighting in it Otherwise frée from sinne in this life we cannot be But through the grace of GOD we may be frée from presumtuous pleasure in sinne and sigh and grone more and more for that any way we should offend so good a God as we finde infinite wayes of him that we do offend desiring and longing to be frée euen from all sinne 5 In that there is more solemnitie about the Sinne-offering of the Priest than of a priuate-man you may first sée the care of God to set out to his Church the Dignitie of his Calling which euer with him was great and for him with all that truely reuerenced and feared his name Secondly you may thinke of the greatnesse of sinne in such a One. For the more is required to the expiation of it the greater is euer the sinne The like may be said of Princes faults and great mens Also by the heauy punishment which God hath layd on them when they fell the same appeareth for how heauily did God punish Eli the Priest for not correcting his sonnes faultes but by a sinfull kinde of gentlenesse suffring their grieouous misdemeanours to continue King Saul for sacrificing against the Law how sharply punished Dauids adulterie and murther O how fearefully punished Horribly and suddenly will God appeare to the great Officers of his kingdome And The mightie shall be mightily tormented saith the Booke of Wisedome Read your selfe the 6. Chapter of the Booke 6 In the 13. verse Note how a multitude of offendors excuseth no offence but if euen the whole Cōgregation should sinne through ignorance yet a sinne-offering must be offered by them all and their number yéeldeth no excuse Great was the number of sinners when God sent the Flood but their number defended them not So in Sodom and Gomorrha the offenders were many Ten Tribes of twelue fell away from GOD and became Idolaters Broad is the way that leadeth to Hell and many finde it going to Hell though they be many c. Secondly obserue with your selfe the phrase hid from your eyes and sée the state of many a man and woman doing euill The matter is hid from their eyes in Gods anger and albeit they lie at the pits brinke of damnation and destruction yet they sée it not féele it not are not troubled with it Because indéed they neuer sit and take an account of themselues and their workes laying them to the Rule of the Word which if they did conscience would quickly bite and spie and
Christs one Oblation and that there is now remission of sinnes séeing the Scripture saith Where there is remission of sinnes there is no more offering for sinnes c. Heb. 10. 18. 2 So Moses did as the Lord God commanded him and the companie was assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Obedience in Moses the Head and chief obedience also in the People vnder him do offer vs here a good Example Such mutuall agréement in great litle to come together to the Tabernacle to vnderstand further of Gods Wil O how commendable in it self how acceptable to God how profitable for others that shall behold sée it Would God any thing might smite our hearts to come to Gods House diligently Certainly the praise of it wil endure wheÌ„ we are dead and the blessing of such zeale vpon our childreÌ„s children Banish then vngodly whisperers to the contrary with all their deceitfull and damnable perswasions and he that hath an eare let him heare what God will say to his soule Let him speake as that good Samuel was taught to speake Say on Lord forthy Seruant heareth 3 Then Moses said vnto the company This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded to doe Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer vnto them For he well knew Gods will onely in his owne House must be the Rule Our own heads were neuer the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to giue that swinge vnto vs. If we will preach his will he hath a blessing and if we teach our owne fancies he will with his breath blowe away both vs and our idle fancies We offering then but his will to his people and by a plaine course of teaching according to their capacities making that appeare to them as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall beleeue in time to our vnspeakable comfort and their eternall goodâ— and such as must perish if any such be in our flock eâ—â— in those also we shal be a sweet sauour to God because we haue only deliuered to them what we receiued of God not abused theÌ„ with any mans Traditions that cannot saue 4 And Moses brought Aaron his sonnes and washed them with water And put vpon him the coate and girded him with the girdle c. Of all these Ceremonies reade what hath bene noted in the 29. Chap. of Exod. The Tabernacle a type of heauen Heb. 8. 2. cha 9 11 12 24. anoynted to signifie that Heauen is the sanctified Place for perpetuall and eternall rest vnto all the Sonnes of God his Elect before the foundations of the world were laid He powred the Oyle vpon Aarons head so in him who was a Figure of Christ shadowing out the fullnes of the Spirit vpon Christ Psal 44. and Esay 61. He put also coates vpon Aarons sonnes c. They were a Figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his merit aswell as the Priests Their garments figured out the Graces and gifts wherewith the beleeuers in Christ are adorned beautified Casting away the works of darknes and putting on dayly more and more the deeds of light The Lap of Aarons right eare and his sonnes thumbes of their right handes and the great toes of their feete are anoynted to represent that in Christ there is no left but all right To shew that that his blood should make blessed them on his right-hand and to teach that such as bée his Chosen haue their eares touched and made right hearing with profit good things and sincerely abhorring to heare euill Their workes also shadowed by their right thumbe are holy honest good and in their seuerall vocations they paynfully and carefully walke shadowed by their right toes anoynted with the blood 5 Upon Aarons sonnes Moses did but sprinckle the anoynting oyle which before was said he powred vpon Aaron vers 12. so plainly shewing that in Christ the spirit should be without measure and vpon his seruants in measure wée all receyuing of his fulnesse according to his good pleasure some more some lesse 6 That which is said of abiding at the doore of the Tabernacle day and night seuen dayes and ye shall keepe the watch of the Lord that ye die not is thought to haue shadowed that watch which all our life long noted by the seuen dayes wée kéepe in auoyding sinne and working righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable Which indéede may be called the wrath of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seuenth day wée shall bée frée fully sanctified and deliuered from this vale of misery to kéepe an eternall Sabaoth in Heauen to our endlesse comfort Thus bréefly for order sake of this Chapter the chiefe points as I said hauing béene touched in the 29. of Exodus CHAP. IX THe Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes being fully ended in this Chap is shewed how they entred vpon their Office began to doe the duties thereof Aaron offering the foure principall Sacrifices to witte the Burnt-offering the Sin-offering the Peace-offering the Meat-offering And for vse vnto vs. First it may be obserued that Moses who was neuer consecrated himselfe doth consecrate and inuest Aaron into his Office that so men might learne to ascribe all to God the authoritie I meane and effect of the outward signe 2 In that Aaron is commanded to offer aswell for himselfe as his people verse 7. The Apostle to the Hebr. reasoneth that the Leuiticall Priest-hood was weake but a shadow of a stronger namely of Christs For such an High-Priest saith he it became vs to haue as needeth not dayly like those in the Law to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for his peoples c. Read the 7. Chap. verse 26 27. Also the 5. Chap. Verse 3. Hée was also herein a Figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his owne but that ours were so layd vpon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as if they had bene his owne Surely saith the Prophet He hath borne Our infirmities and caryed Our sorrowes yet We did iudge him as plagued and smitten of GOD and humbled That is wée iudged euill as though hée were punished for his owne sinnes and not for ours But hee was wounded for Our transgressions he was broken for Our iniquites the chastesment of Our peace was vpon him and with his stripes We are healed 3 When it is said Aaron lift vp his hand and blessed the people vers 22. Wée must consider that héerein hée was plainly a Figure of Christ who onely can blesse béeing onely the séede of Abraham In whom all the Nations of the world are blessed and in whom saith S. Paul The Father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things As with the blessing
the more painfully goe forward therein by how much wée sée others punished for ill-doing There is as certaine reward with GOD for well-dooing as there is punishment for the contrary Be taught therefore I say and schooled but neuer be discouraged and feared from imposed duetie 14 And Moses sought the Goate that was offered for sinne and loe it was burned therefore hee was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar the sonnes of Aaron which were left aliue c. Part of this Goate being a Sinne-offering should haue béene eaten I meane the shoulder and brest alotted to the Priest but it was all burned contrary to the Law For which Moses was iustly offended hauing séen so lately Gods wrath vpon the other fault The answere of Aaron you haue in the 19. verse in effect and sense as if hée should haue said I confesse and acknowledge the Ordinance of God is to be kept and wée are to eate with ioy of the parts alotted vnto vs of the Sacrifice for sinne the blood whereof was not brought into the Tabernacle of the Testimonie But how could I eate with ioy in so heauie and wofull a case of my children Compelled therefore with the greatnesse of my griefe I did what I did c. At which answere sayeth your Chapter Moses was content so bearing with his infirmitie considering his great sorrow but not leauing an example to forgiue them that maliciously transgresse the commandement of God And as Moses is said to haue stayed his anger so you sée the Lord himselfe did not punishing againe this fault It layeth open vnto vs the great kindnesse of our gracious God of whom the Psalme saith He is full of compassion and mercie long suffering and of great goodnesse He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth hee his anger for euer He dealeth not with vs after our sinnes neither rewardeth vs according to our wickednesse c. Secondly you may sée here how these Ceremoniall Lawes gaue place to necessitie as Dauid also in necessitie did eate the Shew-bread which was otherwise vnlawfull for him to doe and Ezechias admitted to the Passeouer those that were not clensed But for Morall Lawes there is no dispensation for corporall necessity but a constant course must be held in obeying them For it is not necessarie that I should liue but it is euer necessarie that I should liue righteously Lastly in that Moses admitted a reasonable excuse wée may learne to abhorre pride and to doe the like Pride I say which scorneth to heare what may be said against the conceit we haue once harboured A modest man or woman doth not thus But euen for his seruant and his mayde holy Iob had an eare and did not despise their iudgement their complaint or griefe when they thought themselues euill intreated by him The example of God himselfe is in stead of a thousand who mercifully both heard and accepted of Abimelech his excuse for taking away Abrahā his wife I know saith he that thou didst it euen with an vpright-minde and therfore I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against mee c. Shall the Lord bée thus swéet and we so dogged so churlish so sterne and sower that no excuse may serue for a thing done amisse if once wée haue taken notice of it Beware beware and remember your owne frailtie well A stubborne frowardnesse hath hurt many swéete gentlenesse and curtesie neuer any but though wicked men were vnthankfull yet our gracious God was pleased And thus of this Chapter CHAP. XI IT belonged to the Priests Office in those dayes not onely to teach True Doctrine to the people to pray for them and to offer Sacrifices appointed by God but also to discerne and iudge betwixt things cleane and vncleane Therefore hauing hitherto spoken of Sacrifices and the Ceremonies therof now Moses commeth to speake of vncleane things Namely Men and Women vncleane Meates vncleane Houses Garments Marriages and such like directing the Priest how hée should iudge in this behalse truely neither make that vncleane which was not nor that cleane which God made vncleane This Chapter which now you read speaketh of vncleane meates beastes Fishes and Birdes Whereof before wée consider according to the Text wée may all remember the state of this matter concerning difference of meate as in the Scripture wée are taught First then in Genesis you read thus Behold I haue giuen vnto you euery herbe bearing seed which is vpon all the earth which hath life in it selfe euery greene herbe shall be for meate and it was so No flesh as yet then granted to man In the 9 Chapter you read thus Euery thing that moueth liueth shal be meat for you euen as the greene herbe haue I giuen you all things But flesh with the life thereof I meane with the blood thereof shall yee not eate c. Héere is flesh granted also as well as herbes and onely the blood thereof excepted But now in this Chapter of Leuiticus many sorts of meates are forbidden as vnclean Was this perpetuall No it was but Ceremoniall and for a time Wherfore the Apostle was bold to say in his time and for all times after Let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the New Moore or of the Sabboth dayes which are but a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And whereof a shadow First these things shadowed the dutie of mā to depend vpon the word and will of his God in all things yea euen in his meate Secondly how carefull hée ought to be to séeke cleanenes of body and soule before the Lord and to auoyd the contrary which by the fall of our first Parents was and is so crept into all their posteritie as now our very righteousnesse that is our best things are but as a foule filthy stayned cloth Thirdly how God had made a difference betwixt them and all other the Nations of the world reputing them in his mercy as cleane and all other people as vncleane that is accepting them for his People before all others Remember the Uision of Peter in the Acts and the meaning of it Namely that Peter should not forbeare to goe to the Gentiles in respect of any former difference betwixt Iewe and Gentile for this should bée to call that vncleane which God had made cleane God now had broken downe by his sonnes Passion the partition wall and Gentile aswell as Iewe should be accepted the Ceremonie of those meates cleane and vncleane which shadowed out this partition and difference now hauing his ende and béeing finished Kill and eate now of all meates and Goe and teach now all Nations Call not any meate now any more vncleane for all is cleane to them that are cleane And put no difference now betwixt Cornelius and a Iewe for all are cleane that is In euery Nation hee that feareth God
this be not Saint Iohn telleth vs Hee Hee not she shee is the propitiation for our sinnes And therefore Come vnto him all that trauell not vnto her c. But thus séeing our manifold vncleanenes and the right remedie of it by modestly and chastly reading ouer this Chapter I wade no further in it This is a taste of the vse of it More will follow in the next Chapter and Chapter 23. CHAP. XVI 1 STill the Lord goeth on to note mans imperfections how he is freed from them séeing herein consisteth all that wée truely know our selues to be as we are and the way of God appointed for our remedie First hée forbiddeth Aaron at al times to enter into the holiest of all whereby may be learned that euen Ministers aswell as other men are not rashly to enter into all the things of God but to stand in reuerence of some mysteries either dealing not at all or very aduisedly and sparingly with them as their nature requireth 2 It is shewed how he should come in when hée did enter Namely with a yong bullocke for a sinne offering and so foorth Learne wée may by it with what ornaments men and women should come before God It is not silke nor veluet that he careth for neither the costly Iewels of pearle and stone that wée thinke so highly of but come with a sinne offering that is come with an humble acknowledgement as this sinne offering figured that thou art a sinner confesse it to God with a gréeuing heart and bring Iesus Christ in thy soule with thée offering him by thy true faith to God his Father as a sure safetie for all sinners against deserued wrath and punishment 3 Hee must also put on the holy linnen coate c. Another shadow of Christ his righteousnes wherewith wée must be clothed and couered if wée euer finde acceptance with God For to that end Aaron did change his garment to shewe that hée sustayned an other person who was holy he himselfe beeing but a man subiect to imperfection and sinne To which end tended also his washing and sacrifice héere mentioned 4 This likewise serued to beat into the people their corruption when they sawe Aaron thus changed that was the Priest chosen of God and anoynted with the holy Oyle For if hee might not enter but in such sort how much lesse might they appeare at any time before God but in Christ and by Christ shadowed in all these sacrifices And concerning this once entring into the Holy place you haue had the figure of it before and the Place to the Hebre. noted Chap. 9. verse 8. Aaron entred but once a yéere and Christ but once the Tabernacles diuers Aaron by blood Christ by blood but the blood diuers Aaron made an Atonement Christ made an Atonement but in a differing manner Aaron outwardly or ciuily as touching the sight of man Christ of the conscience truely and rightly and touching God Hebr. 9. verse 9. 13. Aaron often Heb. 10. 11. Christ but once verse 12. 14. Aaron confessed sinnes and layd them vpon the Goate but his owne sinnes aswell as the peoples Christ had no sinnes of his owne and ours hee bare himselfe and layd them vpon himselfe not vpon any creature whatsoeuer 5 The two hee Goates béeing presented lots were to be cast ouer them one Lot for the Lord and another for the Scape Goate Thus was it shadowed that in a sinner there is nothing to make him worthy of God his choise And therefore as GOD would not chuse either the one Goate or other but by lot the one was appoynted and not by choyse so wee are accepted whensoeuer we finde fauour without all merit or matter worth or dignitie in our selues to mooue the Lord to such goodnesse 6 The Goate vpon which the Lords lot fell was offered for sinne-offering And Incense cast vpon the fire to make a cloude to couer the Mercy-seate that Aaron dyed not the one shadowing the death of the Sonne of God the other with what feare reuerence we ought euer to come before God For if to Aaron the Maiestie of him were so dangerous how much more to others not to bée compared to Aaron Would God we thought of this euer when we come to Church to doe our duties to him Then would there not in that place bée so much light behauiour and sléepie vsage of our selues as is by which things the holy place is defiled verse 16. Homines ita contaminant Dei sacra ne quid tamen discedat eorum naturae nec dignitas violetur Quare diserte exprimit Moses purgari Sanctuarium ab inquinamentis non suis sed Filiorum Israel Men doe so pollute the holy things of God that nothing departeth from their nature neither is their glorie violated Therefore playnly doth Moses lay downe that the Sanctuarie is to bee purged from pollutions not of their owne but of the Children of Israel 7 But as touching the other Goate called the Scape Goate it was brought aliue And Aaron saith God shall put both his hands vpon his head of it and confesse ouer him all the iniquities of the Châ—ildren of Israel all their trespasses in all their sinnes putting them vpon the head of the Goate and shall send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse So the Goate shall beare vpon him all their iniquities into the land that is not inhabited c. From this Law of God no doubt did spring that Custome among the Heathens who offering Sacrifices as Herodotus witnesseth of the Aegyptians vsed to banne and curse the head of the beast offered in Sacrifice with these words That if any Euill bee to come either vpon the Sacrificers themselues or vpon the whole Countrey of Aegypt it would please the Gods to turne all vpon that Head The Massilians also yearely vsed to make an Atonement or expiation for their Citie with some holy man whom decked and set out with holy garments and with Garlands after the maner of a Sacrifice they led through the Citie and putting all the euils vppon his head that might any way hang ouer their Citie they cast him into the Sea sacrificing of him so vnto Neptune speaking these words with great solemnitie Be thou an expiation for vs. Thus the Heathen catched at things but not in a right maner whereby wée may well sée what a darkenesse it is to bee depriued of the light of the Word of God In like maner receiuing it from the Doctrine of the olde Fathers by the tradition of Noah his sonnes that there should in time come a Man who taking vpon him the sinnes of all men should become a Sacrifice for the saluation of all men and not vnderstanding the maner how this should bée they vsed in great extremities perils as Plagues Famine Warres c to offer vp men to their Gods to appease their wrath thereby So in Liuie wée
read Quintus Curtius did in a time of Pestilence The Decij Father and sonne in a time of hard Warre with the Latines and Samnites Codrus King of the Athenians in Lycurgus Menoeceus in Euripides and the daughters of Erecteus offered themselues to be sacrificed for their Countrey So Achas 2. Kings 16. Manasses Chap. 21. and the King of Moab Chap. 3. their owne sonnes This was a great mistaking you plainely sée and therefore let it mooue you to send vp thankfull thoughts to God for your better knowledge and vnderstanding What a notable Figure againe this Scape Goate was of Christ you sée vpon his head all the sinnes of mankinde were layd hec bearing them himselfe and remoouing them away from vs Esay 53. 4. 8 Well may you also marke héere when Confession was made ouer the head of this Goate what diuersitie of wordes are vsed as all iniquities all trespasses all sinnes Why so many wordes but to teach that confession of sinnes must not be light and formall onely but earnest vehement heartie and zealous And in déed neuer can a good childe of God satisfie himselfe herein but still wisheth hée could more bewayle his sinnes and more earnestly expresse with words what his soule féeleth in this behalf Saying as I heard a dying woman once say to the good profit of all about her O Sir I am sorie and sory that I can bee no more sory c. 9 And he that caried forth this Scape Goate shall wash his clothes and his flesh in water and after that shal come into the Host If such a thing did separate a man in some sort from the Church how much more doth that sinne that is our owne cleauing to vs and resting in vs make a diuorce betwixt God and vs and the Church and vs Sée therefore the vse of these Figures to worke a touch in them of the effect of sin let our corruption bée displeasing vnto vs that we in Christ may be pleasing to God 10 A certaine day they had named héere The tenth day of the seauenth moneth but wée haue now no one day therefore all our life should be a time of true humbling of our selues before God Not of bowing downe our heads like bul rushes but of humbling our soules euen our inward soules as here is said and repeated And this often iteration that the Priest and none els should make the Atonement should put on the linnen clothes and holy vestments should purge the holy Santuarie the Tabernacle of the CongregatioÌ„ should clense the Altar make Atonement for the Priests and People this I say manifestly noted out the graces of the Messiah Christ Iesus and directed all to him to finde remission and pardon in him of all impurities and defilings whatsoeuer Thus haue you some taste of the vse of this Chapter Meditation with Prayer will yéeld much more CHAP. XVII IN this Chapter you haue two seueral lawes giuen which you may obserue The first that euery Sacrifice should bee brought to the doore of the Tabernacle and no man should dare to offer it otherwise The second against eating of any blood Concerning the first the words are sharpe Namely that the Lord will impute blood vnto him that hee hath shed blood and that hee shall bee cut of from among the people The reasons both of the Lawe and this seueritie were these and such like First because it serued for the preseruation of the ministerie which God had ordained that euery man should not bee his owne Priest Secondly because it was a chiefe meanes to kéepe them from idolatrie and offering the honour due vnto God to deuils as the Heathens did or to other creatures to whom it was not due Thirdly because thus they were taught that all worship of God ought to bée gâ—ided and directed by his word and commandement not by the priuate willes of men as often before yée haue séene Deut. 12. That which I command that onely shall yee doe Yea in this place note it and euer thinke of it to follow my owne fancie and not Gods prescription is to become as odious to God as if I had killed a man Esay 66. hee that killeth an Oxe is as if hee killed a man meaning when hée killeth not the Oxe according to the maner appointed of God Yet yet will some men teach and some vnwise people beleeue that a good intent will beare out all and wée are not tyed to the Word of God but read and remember such places as these Fourthly because héereby was signified that onely in the Church by faith in the chief high Priest Christ Iesus Our sacrifice and seruice accepted of God is and can bee offered and done and no where els 1. Peter 2. verse 5. Hebrews 13. 15. 2 But you will say the Scripture doth often mentâ—â—n that sacrifices were offered elsewhere and not brought to the doore of the Tabernacle Which is very true but then marke you the complaints that God maketh against such persons and their doings Iehoshaphat did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but the high places were not taken away The first of Kings 22. verse 43. The like of Ioas the second of Kings 12. 2. 3. Of Manasses marke what is written 2. Chron. 33. 16. 17. Of Israel 2. of the Kings 17. 32. 33. Of Iuda Iere. 44. c. For in all these places you may sée that no good meanings or intents no colours nor couers will serue but forasmuch as the prescript forme of bringing their sacrifices to the doore of the Tabernacle and offering them according to the rules giuen by God were not obserued therefore both they their worship displeased God and that so highly as grieuously he punished theÌ„ for the same And is it not a most strange dotage to thinke that God should not appoint his owne worship but wee out of our idle darke braynes do what séemeth good to vs Let it mooue you euer worke with you to your good 3 Yet you will say againe not only these but the Prophets that knew their duties and were carefull to doe it did not bring the sacrifice to the Tabernacle but offered in other places as Samuel in Mispah 1. Sam. 7. and Elias in Mount Carmel 1. Kings 18. You must answere your selfe thus touching these men That all this in them was extraordinarie and wée may not follow extraordinarie matters without some such personal and speciall vocation as no doubt they had For wee doe not liue by examples but by Lawes And thus much of the first Lawe in this Chapter Concerning the second Law of abstayning from eating of any blood it was first giuen to Noah Genesis 9. then repeated againe as you saw in the third seuenth Chap. and shall sée in the Nineteene Chap. of this Booke of Leuiticus The Lord by this Lawe would teach men to abstaine from murder and bloodshed the blood of man