from that it being one of the most difficult and obscure Passages of the whole Pentateuch But still here is nothing proved That Moses wrote this Book called The Wars of the Lord appears not And granting it to be true it is nothing to the purpose For why might not Moses cite a Book of his own Writing as well as another and later Author And what if Moses did write the Wars of Amalek must he therefore write that of the Amorites Warring against the Moabites before he was concerned with them also These kind of pretences may amuse some that are not given to Thinking they can never prevail with them that consider duly Obj. X. 'T is pretended that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses but rather of him And that because Moses is generally mentioned by the Writer as a third Person And besides that we find Moses is commended in the Pentateuch Numb 12.6 8. Deut. 34.10 And if we take him for the Writer of those Books we must suppose him also to have commended himself which will hardly be granted in a Man of so great Humility and Wisdom as Moses was I answer 1. As to the Pretence that Moses is not the Author because he speaks of himself as of a third Person then it follows That whoever does in his History or Work mâ—ntion himself as Moses in these Books is supposed to do he cannot be the Author of that Book or Relation This wou'd be to conclude too much And yet if this Proposition be not true tâ—â—â— Objection hath so far as it goes no manner of force in it That he cannot be the Author of a Book that mentions himself as a third Person may be affirm'd indeed easily but can never be proved If this were admitted we must discharge several Authors of the Books of the Holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament also and then we must not believe that Julius Caesar wrote the Commentaries that go under his name or Josephus that part of his reputed Works where he speaks of himself as of a Third Person 'T is hardly credible that the Objectors can believe the Consequence of this Objection and I think there is no fear if they should that any indifferent Person shou'd believe with them 2. As to the second Part of the Objection That we cannot suppose that Moses wou'd commend himself nor consequently that he shou'd write the Pentateuch where he is commended I answer That this Objection whatever may be inferr'd from it does not conclude that Moses was not the Author of these Books For 't is not impossible for a Man to write an Encomium of himself But let us consider the Matter more closely 'T is said indeed that the Man Moses was very meek above all the Men which were upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 This is said upon occasion of what was said against him by Miriam and Aaron They spake against him very sharply Upon which 't is said And the Lord heard it Moses is not said to take notice of it himself He was not like to give any just offence nor apt to fall into anger when others reproach'd him It follows Now the man Moses was very meek c. I do not see what there is in these words unbecoming Moses Here 's no boasting or pride no shadow or foot-steps of it He had a just occasion to mention that he had neither provoked these angry persons nor did he highly resent the reproaches they followed him with He might say this well enough and ascribe due honour to God who had wrought this Temper in him The best Man in the World may well be allowed to defend his own Innocence and to own the great Things which God hath done for him The Objection will lie against Job against the Psalmist against St. Paul as well as against Moses if a good Man may not lawfully upon any occasion speak well of himself For what follows in v. 6 7 8. where Moses is preferr'd to any other Prophet 't is certain that they are the Words not of Moses but of God himself And well might he write what God himself said upon this occasion especially when it tended so much to justifie his Divine Mission upon the credit whereof the success of all his Ministry intirely depended The Sin of Moses is related Numb 20.12 and the Punishment inflicted on him on that account The relating of this is as strong an Objection against another Person 's writing these Books as what is nam'd above is against Moses For supposing another Person had been the Writer that Writer must be suppos'd not onely to relate what we read Numb 20. but to repeat it frequently also Obj. XI It is pretended that Moses cannot be supposed to be the Author of those words Exod. 6. These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies These are they which spake to Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt These are that Moses and Aaron v. 26 27. 'T is suppos'd that Moses wou'd not write thus of himself I answer 1. That he may well be suppos'd to write as a Third Person as hath been shewed before And then 2. Allowing him to write for the sake of Posterity and not onely for the Persons of that present Age of which there can be no doubt He may well be granted to be the Writer of these words concerning himself and Aaron who were both greatly concerned in the Matters related afterwards Obj. XII The Author of the Book call'd Tractatus Theologico politicus mentions some other Books written by Moses and wou'd thence inferr by a way of reasoning peculiar to himself that Moses was not the Author of the Pentateuch He mentions the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This Book he says contains very little viz. Those Precepts onely which are found from Exod. 20.24 to chap. 24. And he allows that Moses wrote the Book of the Law of God Deut. 31.9 which Joshua afterwards enlarged viz. with the Relation of the Covenant which the People enter'd into in his Time Josh 24.25 26. And because we have no Book that contains at once the Covenant of Moses and that of Joshua he concludes that this Book of the Law is lost He grants that Moses wrote a Book of the Law and gave it to the Priests with a Command that it shou'd be at a certain time read unto the People which cou'd not therefore be the Pentateuch that being too great a Volume to be read at one Solemnity He grants also that Moses wrote the Song mentioned Deut. 32. And this Book of the Law containing part of the Deuteronomy and this Song is all that he will allow him to have written and left to Posterity I answer 1. I am willing to grant that the Book of the Covenant might not contain more than three or four Chapters of Laws And let it
and on that consideration were obliged in Gratitude to Obedience so not being yet possessed of Canaan they were now obliged by thâ—â—r Interest which generally takes the fastest 〈◊〉 of Mankind not to forfeit their hopes of it by their disobedience to the Law of God If we consider the Law it self we shall find it like the Author very good The Ten Commandments are laid before us ch 20. where â—â—so we are acquainted with the Consternation of the People at the solemn delivery of these laws To which is subjoined a most needfull prohibition whereby the People are warned 〈◊〉 to make WITH God Gods of Silver or Gold v. 23. and also some directions about the Altar they were to build for the service of the God of Israel v. 24 25 26. The following Precepts ch 21 22 23. God commands Moses to set before them and they are called Judgments and were political Precepts or Laws of the Country they were to govern themselves by Such are the Laws concerning Servants Man-slaughter smiting or â—â—â—sing of Parents Man-stealing Damage Theft â—â—d Restitution Falsewitness Bribery c. where we find great Equity commended and Charity as well as Justice And many of those laws are but the several Branches of the Ten Commandments and fairly reducible as such to those Precepts After which God promiseth to send an Angel before them and requires their Obedience to him and exhorts them thereunto After this we have an account of the calling of Moses up into the Mountain of his writing of this Law of God called afterwards The Book of the Covenant of his building an Altar and causing Sacrifices to be slain and solemnly entring the People into a Covenant to obey this Law which had been made known to them Upon which Moses is called up into the Mountain promised Tables of Stone and continued in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights ch 24. Thus did things stand between God and the Israelites He had given his Law a great and peculiar favour this was and they had not only promised Obedience but had solemnly entred into Covenant to make their promise good In such an happy case were this People now whose God was the Lord. For the farther assurance of the Israelites that he would dwell among them and direct them in their Religious Worship of Himself he lets Moses know that it was his pleasure that a Sanctuary should be built and that the People should freely offer Materials for this Work the pattern whereof he would shew him in the Mount And accordingly he receives directions concerning this Sanctuary and its Instruments He is directed as to the Ark the Mercy-seat and Cherubims the Table of Shew-bread the Candlestick the several Curtains Covering Boards of the Tabernacle the Altar and Courts c. thereunto belonging ch 25 26 27. Aaron and his Sons are also set apart for the Priest's Office The Holy Garments are prescribed and the Ceremonies of their Consecration appointed and God promiseth to dwell among that People and to be their God ch 29.45 Care is also taken about the Altar of Incense and of the ransom-Money of the brazen Laver the anointing Oyl and Perfume Bezaleel and Aholiab are appointed for the Work of the Tabernacle and Moses receives the two Tables of Stone written with the Finger of God ch 31. Whiles Moses continues in the Mount when God had done such great things for Israel and was designing for them farther pledges of his Favour the People fell into a great sin God had expressly forbidden the Worship of any Image or the making WITH Him any Gods of Silver or Gold Exod. 20. They not regarding this Law prevailed with Aaron in the absence of Moses to make them Gods as they worded it to go before them Upon which Aaron makes them a Golden Calf which the People worshipped WITH God For 't is not credible that they had intirely renounced the true God which had done such Wonders for them Upon this is God greatly displeased with the People and Moses casts down the Tables of Stone and breaks them many of the People were destroyed and God lets them know his great displeasure for their grievous fault ch 32. For hereupon God refuseth to go with thiâ— People as he had promised upon condition of their Obedience ch 23.22 and Moses removes his Tent out of the Camp and the Pillar of Cloud followed him But Moses intercedes for the People and begs God's Presence and that he would shew him his Way and his Glory which Intercession and Request of Moses God favourably accepts ch 33. Upon this Moses is commanded to hew two Tables of Stone and God promises to write on them as he had on the former Moses is called into the Mount whither he goes with the two Tables The Name of God is there proclaimed being full of Mercy and Benignity upon which Moses intercedes for the People and God Covenants with them and puts them in mind of their duty in several instances Moses stays in the Mount forty Days and forty Nights fasting comes down with the two Tables with his Face shining and commands the People to obey God in keeping the Sabbath ch 34 and 35. v. 2. After this Interruption occasioned by the worshipping of the Golden Calf and what followed thereupon Moses gives order to the People to bring in Materials according to their Free-will towards the building of the Tabernacle Upon which the People brought in their Free-offerings which were delivered to those who were to be imployed in that Work And this they did with that alacrity and in such plenty that it was thought convenient to restrain them they having brought in Materials more than enough ch 35 36. And now the Workmen apply themselves to the building the Tabernacle and making all the Instruments thereof according to the Pattern delivered to Moses in the Mount And we have a very particular account hereof ch 36 37 and 38. The Clothes of service and the Priests Vestments are also made and all these are brought to Moses who approved of them and blessed the People ch 39. The Tabernacle being finished Moses receives a command to set it up and to set it a-part by â—â—ointing it as also to cloath Aaron and his Sons and to anoint them for the Office of the Priesthood which was accordingly done Upon which a Cloud covered the Tent of the Congregation and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle ch 40. This is a short account of the subject matter of this Book of Moses called Exodus and as it gives a sufficient account why the Book is so called so it does abundantly commend the Book it self to the Reader 's greatest care and diligence And indeed this Holy Book well â—â—serves our very serious perusal and will make us a sufficient recompence for our pains therein For First Here is great variety of Argument to â—â—tertain us with If History will entertain us here is a most remarkable one Here we have the History of
Moses reared up the tabernacle and fastened his sockets and set up the boards thereof and put in the bars thereof and reared up his pillars 19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above upon it as the LORD commanded Moses 20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark and set the staves on the ark and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark 21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the covering and covered the ark of the testimony as the LORD commanded Moses 22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation upon the side of the tabernacle north-ward without the veil 23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD as the LORD had commanded Moses 24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation over against the table on the side of the tabernacle south-ward 25. And he lighted the lamps before the LORD as the LORD commanded Moses 26. And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the veil 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon as the LORD commanded Moses 28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle 29. And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation and offered upon it the burnt-offering and the meat-offering as the LORD commanded Moses 30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar and put water there to wash withall 31. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat 32. When they went into the tent of the congregation and when they came near unto the altar they washed as the LORD commanded Moses 33. And he reared up the court-round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court-gate so Moses finished the work 34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because the cloud abode thereon and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle 36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys 37. But if the cloud were not taken up then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up 38. For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys 3. 2514. 1490. The ark of the testimony So called because the Tables of the Law which is sometime called the Testimony v. 20. were put into it ch 25.16 4. Thou shalt bring in c. Ch. 26.35 The things that are to be set in order upon it Heb. The order thereof 10. Most holy Heb. Holiness of holinesses in that it hallowed the Sacrifice Exod. 29.37 11. Sanctifie it i. e. Separate it to a peculiar and holy use 15. An everlasting priesthood i. e. The Successors of the ordinary Priests shall not need to be anointed for the future as the High Priests were The High Priests were elected and therefore it was fit they should be anointed But the Priesthood belonged to the other Priests as their Birth-right 17. Tabernacle Num. 7.1 21. Set Ch. 35.12 29. LORD Ch. 30.9 34. Then a cloud Num. 9.15 1 King 8.10 36. Went onward Heb. Journeyed FINIS Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Vol. II. LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE Third Book of Moses CALLED LEVITICUS THE General Argument OF THE Third Book of MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS LEVI was the third Son of Jacob From him his Posterity had the name of Levites Aaron who with his Sons was called to the Priesthood was from him called a Levite Exod. 4.14 And that Priesthood that was setled in that Family is called Levitical Heb. 7.11 The Law relating to the discharge of the Priest's Office is properly called the Levitical Law and upon that account that Book of Moses which more especially treats of the Holy Rites and Services in which these Priests were by their Office imployed is very fitly from the Subject-matter of it called Leviticus And this is the main Subject of this very excellent Book as will more clearly appear afterwards And because a great part of the Priest's Office was taken up in attendance upon the Altar and he was nearly concerned in the Sacrifices and holy Oblations which were presented by the People and because this Book treats largely of those Sacrifices and the Rites thereunto belonging and that in the very beginning of it I know not how to let the Reader into the Book it self any better way than by premising something concerning the Sacrifices themselves which are here treated of And to that purpose I shall First Consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar Secondly I shall consider the several sorts or kinds of these Sacrifices with the particular Laws annexed unto them and shall in this matter offer nothing but what the Text of the Law gives me ground for Thirdly I shall in very few words shew how very usefull it is to understand this matter I. I shall consider the matter of these Sacrifices or what things they were which were required or allowed to be offered at the Altar And these Oblations being either of living creatures or of things that were inanimate I shall First Consider what living Creatures were admitted for Sacrifices where these Sacrifices were bloudy And they were Five onely viz. Out of the Herd the Bullock onely Out of the Flock the Sheep and the Goat From among the Fowls the Turtle-Dove and the less or younger Pigeon More than these were not allowed by the Law For the Birds rendred Sparrows in the Marginal reaching Levit. 14. they belong not at all to this matter For I am speaking here of bloudy Sacrifices For those Birds one of them was not killed and neither of them had any relation to God's Altar These living Creatures admitted for Sacrifices were such as were common and easy to be procured Besides they were tame and gentle very innocent and usefull and harmless No ravenous Beasts are admitted no Birds of prey What more usefull than a Bullock more profitable than a Sheep and Goat more simple and harmless than a Dove or Pigeon And if the Observation of Philo be true That the Offerer was to be like his Oblation then are innocence and industry usefulness and simplicity recommended here to the Worshipper
Imprimatur Octob. 24. 1693. Jo. Cant. A COMMENTARY ON THE Five Books of MOSES WITH A DISSERTATION Concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books AND A General Argument to each of them BY RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells In Two Volumes LONDON Printed by J. Heptinstall for William Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCXCIV THE PREFACE IT is fit I should acquaint the Reader in the first place with the occasion of the following Notes And I am the more inclined so to do that it may appear that I have not been forward to make them publick and ambitious of appearing in Print Many years are now passed since a considerable number of the Clergy of London met together and agreed to publish some short Notes upon the whole Bible for the Use of Families and of all those well-disposed Persons that desired to read the Holy Scriptures to their greatest advantage At that Meeting they agreed upon this worthy design and took their several shares and assigned some part to them who were absent I was not present at that Meeting but I was soon informed that they had assigned to me the Pentateuch I was very sensible how great a Task this would prove and was sufficiently conscious of my own defects Yet was I willing to undertake it because I did always hope that by yielding to it I might incourage the Labours of those who would exceed what-ever I was able to do Upon this consideration I did set about this Work and did often declare and with great sincerity that this was the Motive which did induce me The Work was begun with common consent and we did frequently meet and what was done was communicated from time to time to those met together and that were concerned The Methods of proceeding had been adjusted and agreed to A Specimen was printed and an agreement was made when it should be put to the Press and I finished my Part in order thereunto But so it fell out that soon after all this the Clouds began to gather a-pace and there was great ground to fear that the Popish Party was attempting to ruin the Church of England and that there was a severe Storm from that Quarter lighting upon us We were alarm'd with their Plots and Conspiracies and sometime after saw that Party encouraged by the Higher Powers Those of that Party preached and printed and had their separate Meetings and drew away some of our People and more were in danger of being seduced Hence it came to pass that the thoughts of pursuing the above-mentioned design were at present laid aside and those that were concerned in it were now obliged to turn their Studies and Pens against that dangerous Enemy And what was done at that time and upon that occasion by those concerned in this Work of writing Notes on the Bible I shall not need to tell the Reader in this place During this time also some number of those Persons concerned in the above-mentioned Work were taken away by Death And thus the Work was hindred that might else have been finished long since A Work well designed it was and would have been of unspeakable advantage And perhaps nothing could have contributed more toward the making Men wiser and better And nothing was more wanting among us than such a short Explication of the Holy Writ And I am apt to believe nothing would have been more acceptable to those that are well disposed than such a Work Some other hands have done something this way since whose Endeavours have not wanted very considerable encouragement It would also have been of great use to the Undertakers themselves as it would have engaged them in those Studies which of all others are most entertaining to all Men that are truly Spiritual The studying of the Holy Scriptures is the best imployment for the Ministers in Holy things and for the People also And they that apply themselves diligently this way will be best able to defend the Holy Writings against Gainsayers and to deal with the Enemies of the Reformed Religion And I having drawn up my Notes upon this occasion do now think my self obliged to make them publick God having now dispersed those Clouds that then hung over our heads And I do it from the same Motive that first induced me to undertake it viz. that I might draw on others to do much better in the following Books I am very willing to hope that in due time the rest will follow in the same kind of Volume that these appear in I can hardly think that a Work so well devised will fall to the ground and will do any thing in my power to revive what was so well contrived at first I cannot but say something in this place besides what I intimated before of the great Usefulness and Necessity of some short and easie Notes upon the Bible for the Use of Families Perhaps 't is that which of all other things is most wanting and most deserves the utmost care of the Governors and Instructors of the Church We are agreed that the People ought to read the Holy Scriptures and they are therefore Translated into the Vulgar Tongue They do read them and there is nothing wanting now but such an help as may enable them to understand them and gain the greatest benefit by them They must be often at a stand and may answer as the Eunuch answered Philip when he said Understandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some Man should guide me Act. 8.30 31. There are in the Holy Books some things hard to be understood And other things there are that are very liable to be misunderstood And sometimes a mistake is of a dangerous sometimes of a fatal Consequence There are some Men that set up for Wits that Cavil at these Holy Books and pretend to have discovered Flaws or Inconsistâ—ncies in them These little Wits run away with this conceit that they have just Exceptions against these Books they scatter their poison and prevail upon the profane and the ignorant All this mischief and very much more might have been prevented by laying things in their true light and informing the diligent Reader of the Holy Scriptures with the true sense and importance of the place By this means we must stop the mouths of foolish Men and prevent the falling of the weak There have been of late years great attempts to disparage and lessen the esteem of the Holy Writ and Moses himself hath not been spared on this occasion I am of opinion after all that these attempts have not done any harm to wise and stable Souls These Men think as Honourably of these Writings as they did before But yet a great number of our People have been seduced And the unstable and unlearned have wrested the â—oly Scriptures to their own destruction The Scriptures need not fear the most subtle Enemies They may be defended against the Sophistry of those that wou'd render them
Sin by requiring piacular Sacrifices to make atonement not thinking it fit it should go altogether unpunished Besides we may clearly see the Divine Mercy that God would accept any Sacrifice is a great favour and a greater still that he requires such as are not costly and rare and allows of a meaner Offering from the poor and indigent I will not pursue this matter Otherwise 't were easie to give farther instances of the great usefulness of the knowledge of these things The nine first Chapters of this Book are generally spent on this Subject We have an account of the Death of Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire ch 10. Of the Beasts that were clean and unclean for food ch 11. The Law of Purification after Child-birth ch 12. And that concerning Leprosie and cleansing the Leper ch 13.14 Of legal Impurities and the cleansing of them ch 15. And that of the day of expiation and the service required thereupon ch 16. We have also a Law dispensed with afterwards requiring the bloud of Beasts slain for food in the Wilderness to be brought to the Tabernacle And another forbidding the Eating of bloud c. ch 17. And then follows the Law concerning unlawfull Marriages ch 18. Many other Laws are repeated ch 19. And wicked Practices forbid and denounced against ch 20. We have also an account of the Mourning of the Priests of their Marriages and the blemishes which hinder them from ministring in their Office ch 21. Which is very instructive to those of the Clergy and may well awaken them to take the utmost care to be holy and exemplary and to shun what is a fault or hath any appearance of Evil. Then follow Laws concerning Sacrifices and solemn and appointed Festivals and many other particular Statutes and Precepts ch 22.23 24 25. And after these things the Blessings of Obedience and Mischiefs of Disobedience are most pathetically laid before the Israelites ch 26. And the Book ends with a Chapter concerning Vows and devoted things and such as were set a-part to an holy use Here is enough in this Book to invite and engage and highly entertain all those Men who are inquisitive into Theological Truths and especially those which relate to the Priesthood of Christ to his Death and his Intercession at God's right hand Here is a Book fraught with variety of excellent Precepts and that is full of Symbols and Representations of better things to come NOTES ON THE Book of LEVITICUS CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT Of the Holocaust or whole Burnt-offering of the Herd Of that of the Flock viz. the Sheep or Goats Of that of the Fowls viz. of Turtle-doves or young Pigeons 1. AND the LORD called unto Moses and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation saying 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD ye shall bring your offering of the cattel even of the herd and of the flock 3. If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice of the herd let him offer a male without blemish he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD 4. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him 5. And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD and the priests Aaron's sons shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 6. And he shall slay the burnt-offering and cut it into his pieces 7. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar and lay the wood in order upon the fire 8. And the priests Aaron's sons shall lay the parts the head and the fat in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar 9. But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water and the priest shall burn all on the altar to be a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 10. And if his offering be of the flocks namely of the sheep or of the goats for a burnt-sacrifice he shall bring it a maâ—e without blemish 11. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar north-ward before the LORD and the priests Aaron's sons shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar 12. And he shall cut it into his pieces with his head and his fat and the priests shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar 13. But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water and the priest shall bring it all and burn it upon the altar it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 14. And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls then he shall bring his offering of turtle-doves or of young pigeons 15. And the priest shall bring it unto the altar and wring off his head and burn it on the altar and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar 16. And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers and cast it beside the altar on the east-part by the place of the ashes 17. And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof but shall not divide it asunder and the priest shall burn it upon the altar upon the wood that is upon the fire it is a burnt-sacrifice an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD 1. OVT of the tabernacle Which Moses was not able to enter into because the Cloud abode thereon and the Glory of the Lord filled it Exod. 40.35 2. An Offering Or Gift according to the Greek which rendring of theirs is confirmed Mark 7.11 Matth. 5.23 ch 8.4 The Hebrew word comes from a word that signifies To draw near Ye shall bring c. i. e. When you bring an Offering of the Cattel it shall be either of the Herd or of the Flock 3. Burnt-sacrifice The Hebrew word implies Ascent It was a Sacrifice that was intirely consumed and wholly given to God Neither the Priest nor Offerer had any share of it 1 Sam. 7.9 and v. 9. of this Chapter It is the principal Sacrifice and is fitly mentioned first as being that which speaks the good Will of the Offerer 2 Chron. 29.31 and best represents the intire and unreserved Devotion of the Worshippers of God Rom. 12.1 A male Of the most perfect kind This is required where the Burnt-offering is of the Cattel but not when of Fowlâ— Without blemish See Exod. 12.5 Of his own voluntary will Or For his own acceptation i. e. That he may be favourably accepted by God v. 4. It is however very certain That a whole Burnt-offering was a Sacrifice which a private person might offer of his voluntary Will whereas a Sin and Trespass-offering
well become us to observe it But still we must do all we possibly can to exclude those from the participation of Holy Things who live in contradiction to the Precepts of our Holy Religion III. The Law concerning Restitution in case of a Trespass mentioned in the same Chapter This is of great use to us and shews us the absolute necessity of making restitution for any wrong or injury that we have done By this Law he that had done the wrong was obliged to make Restitution to the injured person and he is directed what to doe in case the injured person could not be found 'T was not his confessing his sin not his Sacrifice with that Confession that would procure his Pardon if he did not make Restitution as he is directed there This is the Doctrine of the Law and of the Prophets also Ezek. 33.15 as well as of the New Testament Luk. 18.8 Rom. 13.8 9. This is a most unquestionable truth and that the Reader ought to lay to Heart IV. The passages related ch 11 12. are of great moment towards the awakening us to avoid Murmuring Discontent and Sedition We have severe Examples related there of the sad effects of those sins and the Mischiefs that follow upon such Crimes are unspeakable No Man can tell where his Discontent will stop or what will be the effects of it Let us see how the Apostle applies this Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.10 11 12. V. The Account we have of the Spies sent into the Land of Canaan and of their Report of it and what followed thereupon ch 13 14. This represents to us the great mischief of Diffidence and Distrust and contempt of the Kingdom of Heaven Let us see how the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews applies this To whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 3.18 19. and ch 4.1 It follows Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief v. 11. Those Men that went to see the Land owned it to be a good Land and brought some of the Fruit thereof thence But after all they discouraged the People from the difficulties that would attend their Conquest of it notwithstanding the many Experiences which they had received of the Power and Providence of God These Men died by the Plague in the Wilderness the murmuring Israelites wandered about in it till they were consumed and they were a sad example of Distrust and Unbelief VI. The account we have of the Rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram ch 16. This Relation is of great moment to keep Men from the like sin for the time to come These Men rebelled against Moses and Aaron whom God had chosen The Rebels were swallowed up by the Earth and consumed with Fire from Heaven and God took care for the perpetuating the Memory of their sin and asserting the Divine right of the Priesthood They envyed Moses in the Camp and Aaron the saint of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked Ps 106.16 17 18. God would have the Israelites keep up the Memory of these things and learn from this sad example to have due regard to them whom he chose to Minister in Holy Things And to this purpose he commands that Plates should be made of the Censers of the Rebels for the Altar of Burnt-offering that so there might remain a Memorial of this fatal Rebellion in the view of the People He caused also Aaron's Rod to flourish and to be preserved as a token against the Rebels And upon that follows a most particular account ch 18. of the Honorary Maintenance of the Priests Such care God thought fit to take to vindicate the Priests his Servants and to keep up the Memory of this Relation VII The account we have of the People's being bitten with the Fiery Serpents and healed by looking upon the Brazen Serpent ch 21. This cure was as the Jews call it a Miracle in a Miracle The Brazen Serpent was a Type of the Death of Christ Joh. 3.14 by whose Stripes we are healed This Brazen Serpent is called by the Author of the Book of Wisdom A Sign of Salvation It was put upon a Pole or set up for a Sign and he that looked upon it lived i. e. Recovered of the harm he had received from the bite of the Fiery Serpent He that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw but by thee that art the Saviour of all Wisdom 16.6 7. Thus did God sending his own son in the likeness of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 VIII The account of Balak's sending to Balaam to curse the Israelites and his coming to him upon this occasion and what he said and did follows in Chapters 22 23 24. And that Relation is of great use to us and such as well deserves our serious reflecting upon It lets us know that we need not fear the Curses of a false Prophet nor the attempts of our most powerfull Enemies whiles we do adhere to God and keep his Laws God will so long defend us and then we need not fear what Man can do unto us We have also in that Relation many excellent Prophecies and one particularly of the Messias of which the Reader will find an account in the Notes in their proper place IX The account of the Whoredom and Idolatry of the People at Shittim ch 25. We have there a particular account of the sin and very exemplary punishment of the People for their Wickedness And the Reader will easily believe that this was contrived by Balaam from what hath been said to that purpose in the Noâ—es upon that History which follow Balaam could not prevail by Inchantments and Divination by Sacrifices or Magical Arts. He took the onely course that was left and that was to tempt them by the Women of Midian to Whoredom first and then to Idolatry The Beauty of the Women was the first snaâ—e and thence they were drawn on to commit Idolatry They called the people to the sacrifices of their Gods And the people did eat and bowed down to their Gods Thus were they joined unto Baal Peor and did eat the sacrifices of the dead Ps 106.28 Thus did the People fall by their own Wickedness whom Balaam and Balak could never have harmed