atonement for him Though burnt-offerings were usually given in signe of thankfulnesse to God and so betokened a new creature and holy life Psal 51. 18 19. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with sacrifices of righteousnesse with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering and Gen. 8. 20. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every fowl and offered burnt-offerings on the altar yet they were also for atonement and remission of sinnes to wit generall sinnes Job 1. 5. And it was so when the dayes of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all for Job said It may be that my sonnes have sinned c. whereas for speciall sinnes there was a speciall sacrifice and sinne-offering Levit. 4. Vers 5. And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord. That is the priest in the name of the offerer for this was usually the work of the priests and therefore Moses did it when he supplyed the priests office Exod. 29. 10 11. though sometimes the Levites also helped herein when there were not priests enough to do it 2. Chron. 25. 10 11. The priests stood in their places and the Levites in their courses and they killed the Passeover that is the Passeover-offerings and the priests sprinkled the bloud from their hands as being given of God to be assistant to the priests in such services Numb 8. 19. I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sonnes to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation and to make an atonement for the children of Israel Now the sacrifice was killed to signifie the death of Christ Who was slain that he might redeem us to God by his bloud Revel 5. 9. and the mortifying of Gods people by the word and spirit and it was killed by the priest to signifie that Christ should offer up himself unto God as being both our priest and sacrifice and that there is no possibility for men to please God by any service they do him but onely in and through the mediation of Christ of whose priesthood the Leviticall priest was a type and figure As for the place where it was killed that may be gathered by the rule of Analogy from that which is expressed verse the 11. concerning the second sort of burnt-offerings namely that it was killed at the north-side of the altar And the priests Aarons sonnes shall bring the bloud and sprinkle the bloud c. And this was done in a large measure so that the corners of the altar were filled with bloud Zach. 9. 15. to teach the people that this bloud of their sacrifice should not be lost as spilt upon the ground but should be accepted of God as a propitiation for their sinnes as being a figure of the bloud of Christ which should be offered up to God and accepted by him in our behalf as for our reconciliation so also for our sanctification who are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 2. Vers 6. And he shall flay the burnt-offering That is the priest for the flaying of the sacrifice was also ordinarily the work of the priest who had therefore the skinne for himself Levit. 7. 8. though upon extraordinary occasions as is before noted concerning killing the burnt-offerings even in this also the Levites sometime helped them 2. Chron. 29. 34. The priests were too few so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them Because the sacrifices were offered as I may say as a holy feast unto the Lord whence the altar is called the table of the Lord and the sacrifice offered thereon his meat Mal. 1. 12. therefore nothing but what was usually eaten by men was burnt upon the altar and hence it was that the skinne was alwayes flayed off Yet withall it is commonly held by Expositours that this flaying of the sacrifice did also signifie First the sufferings of Christ who being first stripped of his garments Matth. 27. 28 they did afterwards most shamefully intreat so that there was no beauty in him why men should desire him Secondly the afflictions of Gods people under the rage of cruell oppressours and persecutours Who as the Prophet speaks Micha 3. 3. eat their flesh and flay their skinne from off them And thirdly the mortification which God requires in those that give up their names to him even that They put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Ephes 5. 22. Vers 7. And the sonnes of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar c. Here the Lord gives direction for the burning of these sacrifices by the inseriour priests enjoyning them first to put fire upon the altar Now because they were to use no strange fire in burning the sacrifices but onely that fire which was continually nourished upon the altar Levit. 6. 12 13. and which at first came down from heaven Levit. 9. 24. therefore by putting fire upon the altar is meant onely the laying of the fire together or laying it on again when they had laid it by for the clearing of the altar Secondly to lay the wood in order and then all the pieces of the sacrifices in order upon the wood which was so appointed because the discreet laying of the wood doth much conduce to the well burning of the fire And then lastly thus to burn all upon the altar The mistery of this might be twofold First to signifie the consecrating of Christ and his members by afflictions and sufferings for as he the Captain of our salvation was made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2. 10. so must his members also be ready alwayes through these fiery trials to enter into glory for every one shall be salted with fire and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt Mark 9. 49. Secondly to signifie that holy zeal whereby we should wholly give up our selves to God through the operation of Gods holy spirit which is often in the Scriptures compared to fire as Matth. 3. 11. He that cometh after me is mightier then I he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire for as Christ through the eternall spirit offered himself without spot unto God Heb. 9. 14. so likewise it is the spirit whereby we must be enabled to consecrate our selves to Gods service Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth saith the Apostle Peter through the spirit 1. Pet. 1. 22. to which end we must not onely be carefull not to quench the spirit 1. Thess 5. 19. but also by prayer holy meditation and all other things conducing thereto we must do what we can
There was a meat-offering that was alwayes to be joyned with their burnt-offerings for which direction is given elsewhere but here direction is given onely for voluntary meat-offerings and therefore it is said When any will offer a meat-offering c. neither is there any set quantity here appointed but it is left free to the offerer to bring what he pleased whereas for the meat-offering that was brought together with their burnt-offerings of the herd or of the flock there is an expresse law how much there should be of it to wit a tenth deal of flower mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oyl Numb 15. 4. Now these voluntary meat-offerings were for the same end that the burnt-offerings were both to make atonement for them and also to testiâ—ie their consecrating of themselves to God but withall particularly they were by way of acknowledgement that all their provision they had of his bounty So then the meat-offering signified First Christ his oblation of himself of which the Apostle speaks Ephes 5. 2. Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour and again Heb. 10. 8 9 10. When he said Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offering for sinne thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the law Then said he Loe I come to do thy will O God! He taketh away the first that he may establish the second By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Secondly Christians wonne to God by the Gospell and then consecrated to his service Esay 66. 20. They shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations to my holy mountain Jerusalem saith the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. Thirdly all our Evangelicall sacrifices of prayer and praysing God with other services done to the Lord and to his saints for his sake Mal. 1. 11. In every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering And last of all more particularly their acknowledgement of Gods bounty in all the food they injoyed and therefore it was that in all these meat-offerings they are appointed to bring fine slowre without any mixture of branne to signifie the purity of all Evangelicall sacrifices He shall poure oyl upon it and put frankincense thereon The oyl poured upon the flowre figured the graces and comfort of the holy Ghost whereby we serve God with a willing mind and a chearfull spirit Ye have an unction from the holy one saith the Apostle speaking of this oyl of Gods spirit 1. John 2. 20. and the sweetnesse both of the oyl and frankincense signified how sweet and acceptable their services were unto God in and through the mediation of Christ who hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5. 2. whence it was that the Prophet told the Jews that their incense was in vain when God regarded not their sacrifices Jer. 6. 20. To what purpose cometh there to me â—ncense from Sheba and sweet calamus from a farre countrey your burnt-offerings are not acceptable nor your sacrifices sweet unto me Vers 2. And the priest shall burn the memoriall of it upon the altar That is the handfâ—ll which he had taken out of the meat-offering which should in stead of all put God in mind which is spoken of God after the manner of men of all this offering which the offerer had given to the Lord and of the covenant which he had made to accept it and withall be a memoriall to the offerer that he acknowledged all the store he had to be from God and therefore to be consecrated wholly to his service and that God would take in good part the offering he had now brought him Vers 3. And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sonnes To eat the same in the Sanctuary Levit. 6. 16. And the remainer thereof shall Aaron and his sonnes eat with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place in the court of the tabernacle c. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire And therefore onely to be eaten by the priests that offer it Of other offerings others might eat but of the most holy things whereof part was burnt on the altar onely the priests Vers 4. And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven These were prepared and baked within the Sanctuary as it seems by Ezekiel 46. 20. This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespasse-offering and the sinne-offering where they shall bake the meat-offering and 1. Chron. 23. 28 29. Their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron c. both for the shew-bread and for the fine flowre for meat-offerings and for the unleavened cakes and for that which is baked in the pan and for that which is fried It shall be an unleavened cake of fine flowre mingled with oyl or unleavened wafers anointed with oyl See the notes upon Exod. 29. 2. and upon the 11. verse of this chapter Vers 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven This must be understood onely of these voluntary oblations part whereof was to be burnt upon the altar for with some eucharisticall or thank-offerings they might bring leavened cakes Levit. 7. 13. as also in the first-fruits Levit. 23. 17. but these were not burnt upon the altar And where leaven was not to be used in the oblation the part remaining the priests might not eat with leaven Levit. 6. 16. because part of the offering was burnt upon the altar Now leaven was thus generally forbidden First to put them still in mind of their deliverance out of Egypt a type of their redemption by Christ Secondly to teach them to worship God as he had appointed and to know that all humane devices therein are an abomination to God Thirdly to shew the perfect purity of Christ in whom there was not the least leaven of sinne and the sincerity that must be in our evangelicall sacrifices for leaven signifieth sinne of all sorts in doctrine and manners distastfull to God and infectious to men Luke 12. 1. Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie 1. Cor. 5. 8. Let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with t he leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth For ye shall burn no leaven nor any hony in any offering of the Lord made by fire Not onely leaven but hony also is forbidden First because it hath a kind of leavening nature Secondly the more fully to exclude all humane devices in Gods worship the sweetnesse of hony might be a pretence of mixing it with their sacrifices when neither
And he said unto Aaron Take thee a young calf for a sinne-offering Before Aaron might be suffered to offer up any sacrifice he is commanded by Moses to offer up a young calf as a sinne-offering for himself And hence the Apostle proves the weaknesse and insufficiency of the Leviticall priesthood to wit that those priests were not fit in themselves to stand as Mediatours betwixt God and the people being sinners themselves but were types and shadows of another to come to wit Christ who was holy harmlesse undefiled and separate from sinners c. Heb. 7. 26 27. But since a young bullock is appointed for the high priests sinne-offering Levit. 4. 3. Why is Aaron here commanded to offer a young calf for a sinne-offering I answer between a young calf and a young bullock there was no great difference the one happely was as the Hebrews say of the first year the other of the second but yet of that difference the reason we may conceive to be this because in the fourth chapter a sinne-offering is appointed onely by way of atonement for some particular sinne of ignorance committed by the high priest but this sinne-offering here injoyned was for the sinnes of the priests in generall and that also in a particular case for their first entrance upon the execution of their office and therefore here not a young bullock as there was injoyned but a young calf was offered for their sinne-offering and that by the Lords speciall direction Vers 3. Take yee a kid of the goats for a sinne-offering c. Here also as in a speciall particular case the very same sacrifices are not injoyned either for the sinne-offerings burnt-offerings or peace-offerings of the people that are injoyned by the generall Laws in the former chapters onely respect is had that some of every kind should be now offered by the priests at their first entrance upon their office Vers 4. For to day the Lord will appear unto you See ver 24. Vers 9. And put it upon the horns of the altar c. That is the brasen altar herein also this sinne-offering for the high priest seemeth to differ from others that followed after whose bloud was to be carried into the Sanctuary Levit. 4. 5 6 7. and it was because Aaron as yet had not accesse into the holy place till he had prepared away by this first sacrifice into the court the like is to be observed in the peoples sinne-offering ver 15. compared with Levit. 4. 13 17 18. Vers 10. But the fat and the kidneys and the caul above the liver of the sinne-offering he burnt upon the altar That is he offered them upon the altar and so they were afterward burnt by that fire which came down from heaven ver 24. Vers 15. And he brought the peoples offering and took the goat c. and offered it for sinne as the first That is in the same manner as that for the priest ver 8. and so he burnt it also without the camp as the other was ver 11. for which he is reproved by Moses Lev. 10. 17. Wherefore have ye not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place seeing it is most holy and God hath given it you c. Vers 17. Beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning That is this was not the burnt-offering and meat-offering which was every morning to be offered as God appointed Exod. 24. 38 39 40. but an extraordinary offering besides which by speciall direction was offered at this time Vers 22. And Aaron lift up his hand toward the people and blessed them This was a kind of applying the sacrifice to them and to make known that God did gratiously accept of those sacrifices from them and it was done according to the manner set down Numb 6. 23 c. Speak unto Aaron and his sonnes saying On this wise shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace So also it is said of our Saviour that a little before his Ascention he lift up his head and blessed his disciples and indeed Aaron was in this a type of Christ in whom all the Nations of the world are blessed Gen. 18. 18. Vers 22. And came down from offering of the sinne-offering c. That is from the bank or hilly-place of the altar which was higher then the other ground Vers 23. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle c. Hitherto the priests had onely made entrance upon their office in the court of the priests Now Moses went with Aaron into the tabernacle that he might there instruct him concerning the service he was there to perform both about the lights the table of shew-bread and the altar of incense And the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people That is somme visible signe of Gods glory and favour as by the cloud Exod. 16. 10. Vers 24. And there came a â—ire out from the Lord and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat That is either from heaven as 2. Chron. 7. 1. or else out of the tabernacle Which when all the people saw they shouted and fell on their faces With astonishment and joy giving thanks for this signe of Gods favour and of his accepting their sacrifices CHAP. X. Vers 1. ANd Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron took either of them his câ—nser c. No doubt Moses had taught them and enjoyned them that after they had offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt-offerings then they should go into the tabernâ—cle and there should light the lamps and burn incense on the altar of incense as God had commanded Exod. 30. 7. Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense on it that is on the altar of incense but withall doubtlesse he had given them direction to use in this service onely the fire of the altar of burnt-offerings which was kindled by fire from heaven for though this be onely implyed covertly Levit. 6. 13. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar it shall never go out yet I make no question but that it was more fully given them in charge as afterward again Levit. 16. 10. where direction is given for Aarons going into the most holy place He shall take a censer of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the vail But now Nadab and Abihu rashly and inconsiderately forgetting or neglecting their duty in this particular took some other â—ire in their censers that perhaps wherewith they had sod and dressed the â—lesh of their sacrifices and putting incense thereon to carry it and lay it upon the altar of incense and so offered strange fire before the Lord that is the fire which he
either first by way of acknowledgement that it was in his power to save or to destroy this people or secondly as a forcible argument to move the Lord to have mercy on them because they were the work of his hand and he gave them at first their life and being as the prophet pleads for mercy upon the same ground Esa 64. 8. O Lord thou art our father we are the clay and thou our potter and we all are the work of thine hand or thirdly to intimate why the Lord should not destroy all the coâ—gregation namely because he knew the hearts and spirits of them and was able therefore to distinguish betwixt those that were obstinately rebellious against the â—oâ—d anâ— those that weâ—e onely seduced by the rebels and drawn together onely to see whaâ— would be done Vers 25. And Moses rose up and went unto Dathâ—n and Abiram c. Here is no mention of Korah because he was appointed vers 16. to be with his censer amongst the other two hundred and fiftie of his conâ—piracy before the tabernacle of the Lord. But Dathan and Abiram when Moses sent to call them unto him vers 12 refused to come and therefore now Moses accompanied with the elders of Israel who were not of the conspiracy goes to them both to expostulate with them for this their rebellion and to denounce the judgement threaâ—ned Vers 26. Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed in all their sinnes That is remove your tents and get farre away from them and touch nothing of theirs and so shew your faith and repentance how certainly you believe that theâ— lie under the wrath of God how throughly you desire to clear your selves from having any hand in their wickednesse by refusing to touch any thing of theirs as judging all they have unclean execrable and therefore to perish with them Vers 27. So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah Dathan Abiram on every side The tabernacle of Korah who was of the Levites was not in the same place with Dathan and Abirams whereby it seems probable that the earth opened in severall places which indeed must needs make the judgement of God the more evident And Dathan and Abiram came out c. This is added as an expression of their impudent madnesse when they saw the people â—lie from their tabernacles they come forth boldly and stand in the doores of their tabernacles as out-facing Moses and scorning the judgement which he had seemed to threaten Vers 28. And Moses said Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works That is both the former in undertaking the government of the people in conferring the priesthood upon Aaron and his sonnes c. and the latter appointing Korah and his company to bring censers with incense c. Vers 3â— And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up That is Korah Dathan and Abiram the ring-leaders of the rebellion Many Expositours do rather think that Korah was consumed with those two hundred and fiftie men by fire that came out from the Lord. vers 35. But because the people fled from Korahs tabernacle vers â—7 and because it is here evident that Korahs tabernacle with all that appertaiâ—â—d â—o him was swallowed up in the earth but especially because chap. 26. 10. it iâ— sâ—id expressely that the earth swallowed up Dathan Abiram together with Korah I make no question but he was swallowed up in the earth It is true that Moâ—es had â—â—â—â—inted him vers 26. to be with his censer amongst the two hundred and fifty But having assembled them before the tabernacle and perceiving Moses and the Elders to go to Dathan and Abiram it seems he left the two hundred and fifty before the tabernacle and went also to his consederates to encourage and assist them in their confronting of Moses and so either with them or in his own tent was swallowed up And all the men that appertained unto Korah and their goods That is all that were of his family who were at that tiâ—e in his taâ—e nacle for some of his sonnes died not in this destruction chap. 26. 11. Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not either because they joyned not iâ— their fathers sinne or because they repented and gave over or because they were not present in Korahs tabernacle Vers 37. Speak unto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take up the censers out of the burning c. These mutiners had sought to wrest the priesthood from the posterity of Aaron Eleazar therefore whose cause God had pleaded is imployed in making the censers a memoriall of Gods judgement on them And scatter thou the fire yonder That is without the court of the tabernacle both because happely it was strange fire and that this casting away of the fire might be an expression of Gods rejecting their service and abhorring their sacrifice For they are hallowed To wit because they had been offered before the Lord as is expressed in the following verse Things consecrated to God might not be turned to any other use in the time of the law God therein magnifying the holinesse of that place wherein were the visible signes of his presence yet it follows not hence that where things are given to superstitious useâ— but intentionally to God it shall be unlawfull for any authority to divert thâ—se things to civil uses no more then it follows that because under the law if any man did change the tithe of the heard or of the flock both it and the change thereof were holy to the Lord Levit. 27. 32. therefore now where tithes either by custome or law are made due to the minister if any man should fraudulently change the true tenth therefore both it and the change should be the ministers Vers 38. The censers of these sinners against their own sâ—uls let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar This altar must needs be the altar of burnt-offerings and yet this was covered with plates of brasse before Exod. 27. 2. so that it is very questionable how the censers beaten into broad plates were a covering for this altar Some hold that it was before made with a frame like a table and boarded now about like a chest which boards were now covered with these plates others hold that it was onely overlayed with brasse before half way down from the top even to the grate within where the fire lay and now that the other parts were also plated with brasse others hold that these plates were fastened upon the other and that the lesse necessity there was of them the fitter they were to be memorials of their sinne But withall it is like they were so ordered that they were both a further ornament and defence to the wood against the fire yea why may not this also be meant of a covering for the top of the altar when it
was removed But the text resolves us not Vers 41. But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses c. The very men whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them do now murmur against him and it is expresly noted that this they did on the morrow after they had seen that fearfull judgement that fell upon Korah Dathan and Abiram with all the men of their conspiracy thereby to intimate their horrible wickednesse that after the sight of so strange and fearfull a judgement they durst so immediately again make an insurrection against Moses charging him with the death of those rebells and that under the name of the people of the Lord ye have killed say they the people of the Lord when it was so evident that they were destroyed by the immediate hand of God as wretches not worthy to be numbred amongst Gods people Vers 42. And it came to passe when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation That is Moses and Aaron looked to God as having now no other refuge or shelter to fly to And behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared This signe of Gods having somewhat to say to them for at such times the cloud descended stayed the rage of the people and saved Moses and Aaron Vers 46. Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar c. No doubt the same spirit of God that informed him the plague was begun directed him to this course of offering incense which otherwise might onely be offered in the tabernacle for the staying of it yea and happely that Aarons offering incense might put the people in mind to pray unto the Lord whereof the incense was a signe Vers 48. And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stared That is as a mediatour be interposed himself by his intercession to stay the plague from passing any further and to save those from death that were not yet struck with this judgement of God yet it may be probably thought that this plague did not scatter it self through the whole congregation but beginning in one place did like a fire runne along upon those still that were next adjoyning and if it were thus even literally we may understand this place that Aaron set himself in that place where he was betwixt the dead and those that were not yet smitten as it were exposing himself to the wrath of God in the peoples behalf whereby it must needs be the more evident that those who were preserved were preserved by virtue of that atonement which he now made for them And herein was Aaron a type of Christ our Mediatour who made intercession for transgressours See Esa 53. 12. And he bare the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressours Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do Vers 49. Now they that dyed in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred c. What the plague was is not expressed but to this some apply that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 10. Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Vers 50. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation Both to acquaint Moses how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands CHAP. XVII Vers 2. Speak unto the children of Israel and take of every one of them a rod c. No doubt the Lord saw that notwithstanding his severe proceeding against those that mutined against Aaron yet the hearts of many amongst them were not sufficiently wrought upon but were still rising against this dignity of Aaron and therefore the Lord in wonderfull mercy by this ensuing miracle labours to overcome their rebellious hearts Now to this end he enjoyns Moses to take of each Prince of the tribes a rod or staff such as men did use ordinarily to carry in their hands as we reade of such a rod that Moses used to go with Exod. 4. 2. And the Lord said unto him What is that in thine hand And he said A rod or rather such as the Princes did use to carry in their hands as the signe of their dignity Numb 21. 18. The Princes digged the well the nobles of the people digged â—t by the direction of the law-giver with their staves for a rod or staff in the hand of governours was a signe of their power and authority from God See Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies and Jer. 48. 16 17. The calamity of Moab is near to come and his affliction hasteth fast All ye that are about him bemoan him and all ye that know his name say How is the strong staff broken and the beautifull rod and thus the very signe of their authority becomes a signe and witnesse against them that the priesthood beloâ—ged not to them but to Aaron onely Vers 2. Of all their Princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods There were twelve severall tribes and twelve Princes of each tribe a Prince and every Prince brought a rod with his name upon it whence to me it seems evident that there were twelve rods besides Aarons as is more fully expressed vers 6. Write thou every mans name upon his rod. Not the name of the Patriarâ—hs Reuben Simeon c. for we see that not Levies but Aarons name was written on his rod but the name of every Prince who was at present head of the tribe upon his own staff whence also it appears that there were twelve rods besides Aarons else if there were but one rod for the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh which of those two Princes names were written on their rod Vers 3. For one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers That is though I have distinguisht the tribe of Levi into two parts that of the priests the posterity of Aaron and that of the other Levites yet as in the other tribes there is but one rod for a tribe so must it be for the tribe of Levi and as the head or chief of every tribe hath his name written upon the rod of that tribe so shall Aarons name be written upon the rod of Levi whom I have set in the chief place that hereby my choice of him to serve in the priesthood may be fully made known Vers 4. And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony c. That is before the ark which is called the testimony because therein were kept the tables of the law called the testimony Exod. 25. 26. Either therefore they were to lay these rods in the holy place before the vail where the ark
stood within behind the vail or else in the most holy place before the ark for upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place and evident it is that after they were broâ—ght forth again and Aarons rod was found to flourish the rest continuing dry sticks or staves as they were before that was carryed into the most holy place and therefore the Apostle Heb. 9. 4. mentions Aarons rod that budded amongst those things that were within the vail and yet it is said to be returned to the place where they were all laid before vers 10. Bring Aarons rod again before the testimony However this laying of these rods up before the Lord was to signifie that it was referred to him to determine this controversie concerning the priesthood Vers 5. And I will make to cease from me the murmuring of the children of Israel That is in this particular concerning Aarons priesthood Vers 6. And the rod of Aaron was among their rods That is there being twelve rods brought for the twelve Princes of the twelve tribes which were it seems according to the custome of those times made of the almond tree for such Aarons was vers 8. that bloomed blossomes and yielded almonds they were all laid together and Aarons was put also amongst the other twelve Vers 8. And behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi budded c. Hereby the Lord did discover miraculously that he had chosen Aarons and his posterity to be the onely priests that should serve at his altar and withall the flourishing of this rod signified first the budding of Aarons posterity together with the flourishing glory and fruitfulnesse of the priesthood which continued in his posterity secondly the miraculous flourishing glory of Christs priesthood of which Aarons was a type to wit how he that rod out of the stemme of Jesse and branch that grew out of his root Esa 11. 1. though at first he was as a dry and withered sâ—ick so that there was no beauty nor comlinesse in him Esa 53. 2. and especially in his death and burâ—all when he was indeed withered in the eye of reason without hope of recovery and dryed up like a potsheard Psal 22. 15. should yet suddenly sprout forth again to wit in his resurrection and so his priesthood should become an eternall priesthood and lâ—â—e Aarons budding fruitbearing rod should bring forth fruit to man believing on him remission of sinnes righteousnesse and eternall liâ—e and by the preaching of the Gospel that flourishing rod or sceptre of righteousnesse should become glorious all the world over to the great joy of all those that have interest in him and thirdly that all those that in the dayes of the Gospel were truly set apart to teach the people as Aaron was though in themselves but dry and withered sticks yet by the speciall grace of God should bear and bring forth buds and fruit and that their fruit should remain John 15. 16. Vers 12. And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish Being by this miracle fully convinced of their sinne and then calling to mind how severely God had punished this their murmuring against Moses and Aaron how some had been burnt with fire some swallowed up into the earth alive some consumed with the plague they are stricken with an apprehension of the like danger the first step to repentance and therefore cry out as men that might justly expect to be every one of them destroyed as they were indeed in danger to be presently taken away by some judgement had not the Lord been the more mercifull to them Vers 13. Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die This is an amplification of their wofull condition to wit that though God should spare them now yet they should alwayes be in danger if they did never so little presse beyond the limits allowed them whosoever say they cometh any thing near that is nearer then they should and keep not off at their full distance wherein we may easily transgresse we see God will not spare them yea happely as men terrified are indeed wont to conceive their danger greater then it is they complain as if it would be perilous to come near the tabernacle at all Shall we be consumed with dying This may be a deprecation Shall we be consumed that is of thy mercie let us not be consumed for so questions are often used in earnest deprecations as Psal 85. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoyce in thee and Esa 64. 12. Wilt thou refrain thy self from these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore But I rather take it as a bemoaning of their condition CHAP XVIII Vers 1. THou and thy sonnes and thy fathers house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary Because of the peoples astonishment chap. 17. vers 12. Behold we die we perish we all perish the Lord here tells Aaron that he the priests and Levites must bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is that if any pollution came to it by the people they should answer for it and therefore it must be their charge to watch over it Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the priests watch a ground of appeasing the peoples both fear and envy And thou and thy sonnes with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood That is shall be punished if the priesthood be polluted either by your selves or the Levites intruding upon it which your watch should prevent Vers 3. Onely they shall not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the altar that neither they nor you also die To wit for not preventing the errour of your brethren the Levites by your care Vers 7. Therefore thou and thy sonnes with thee shall keep your priests office for every thing of the altar and within the vail That is for all things that concern the altar of burnt-offerings and for all things that are to be done within the vail that is within the outer vail either in the holy or most holy place Vers 8. Unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing c. That is for the office sake whereunto thou art anointed because I have separated thee from worldly employments to attend upon mine holy things therefore thou shalt have mine holy things to live upon Vers 9. Every oblation of theirs every meat-offering of theirs c. The particulars are here mentioned of the most holy things reserved from the fire that is the sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar which were allotted to be the priests portion for their maintenance to wit oblations meat-offerings sin-offerings trespasse-offerings and this last is expressed thus every trespasse-offering of theirs which they shall render unto me because trespasse-offerings were brought as by way of recompence for some trespasse committed
the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2. 14. whereby also all believers do become conquerours over those spirituall enemies of their souls And thou shalt bruise his heel This is meant 1. of the serpents lying in wait to sting and hurt mankind 2. of the devils assaulting Christ in his temptations aâ—flictions death and buriall and the faithfull in their temptations and troubles which to him and them is but as the bruising of the heel Vers 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception That is thy painfull conceptions or the sorrows of thy conceptions faintnesse sick fits perill of abortion c. Thy desire shall be to thy husband That is thy desire shall be subject to thy husband upon his will and pleasure all thy desire must depend For in this sense the same phrase is used Gen. 4. 7. concerning Abels subjection to Cain as the firstborn It istrue by the law of creation the woman should have lived in subordination under her husband should have been governed by him for Adam was first formed then Eve 1. Tim. 2. 13. and 1. Coâ— 11. 9. Man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man but being here denounced as a chastisement for sinne it implyeth a further degree of subjection then that which should have been by the law of Nature and Creation as indeed by reason of the corruption of our nature it is made every where somewhat irksome and hard to be born but amongst some a very yoke of bondage Vers 18. And thou shalt eat the herb of the field And so neither the herbs or fruits of Paradise Vers 21. Vnto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skinnes c. This may be meant of the Lords doing this presently before they were turned out of Paradise by the ministry of angels or how else it pleased him to wit that by the skinnes of slain beasts he made them garments and so clothed them therewith or rather that the Lord taught Adam and Eve and gave them directions how they should of the skinnes of beasts make themselves garments for the covering of their nakednesse and to shelter their bodies from the injury of the weather for seeing there is no question to be made but that the Lord did immediately teach them the worship of offering sacrifices as signes and types of that reconciliation and atonement which was to be expected in the promised seed and therefore we reade in the following chapter of the Sacrifices that were offered by Cain and Abel it cannot be thought improbable that withall direction was given to make them coats of the skins of the beasts slain However by this kind of clothing chosen for them they were taught betimes not to have so much respect to delicacy as to usefulnesse in attiring themselves 2. in the spoils of those dead beasts to wear the remembrances of their own mortality yea of that brutish condition whereinto by their sinne they were fallen And to this that bitter taunt seems to have reference in the following verse Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil c. Vers 22. And now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life c. Some Expositours conceive that the fruit of the tree of life being eaten by man should have prevented all decay of naturall strength and have made him immortall or at least have kept him in perfect health and strength untill he was taken up from earth into heaven and that either by means of a created power and efficacy which to this end and purpose God had given to this fruit or by an extraordinary and supernaturall blessing which God had ordained should go along with the eating of this fruit and hence they say it was that when Adam and Eve had sinned God now resolved to turn them out of Paradise that they might not taste of the tree of life either in mercy to prevent their living for ever in misery or in judgement that the curse of Death which God had threatned as the reward of sinne might not be prevented by eating of this fruit But this conceit is justly rejected by the best Expositours It was no wayes possible that any created food should frustrate Gods decree that Death should be the wages of Sinne. Whatever effect might have followed upon the eating of this â—ruit had man continued in the state of Innocency yet when his body was dead because of sinne as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 10. it was not the eating of this fruit that could make his dead body to live for ever The true reason why the Lord cast Adam out of Paradise to prevent his eating of the tree of life was doubtlesse that having by his disobedience and sinne made himself liable to death he might not now meddle with this sacramentall seal of life and salvation which now because of sinne he had nothing to do with Onely as before the Lord had upbraided them for their vain affectation of being like unto him in that ironicall expression Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil meaning that by his sinne they were become most unlike him so in these words ironically he upbraids him after the same manner for that certainty of death he had brought upon himself determining to cast him out of the garden of Eden Lest saith the Lord he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever not because there was any danger of his living for ever but in derision of any such hope or expectation if happily he should entertain any such motion as formerly of gaining an increase of knowledge by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil Vers 24. And he placed at the East and of the garden c. Where was the entrance into Paradise there at the East end of the garden he placed Cherubims and a flaming sword that is Angels armed with a flaming sword for Moses useth this word that he might speak to the capacity of the Jews who had Cherubims figured in their temple to represent the angels CHAP IV. Vers 3. ANd in processe of time it came to passe c. Abel and Cain had been doubâ—lesse taught of God thus to worship him and therefore it is said Heb. 11. 4. that by faith to wit grounded on Gods word Abel offered sacrifice Vers 4. And the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering This Cain perceived and therefore it was manifested by some outward signe either ordinary by giving good successe to Abel in all things and not to Cain or extraordinary as by sending fire from heaven to consume Abels sacrifice and not Cains as we see the like Levit. 9. 24. There came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering
secondly to shew their thankfulnesse for the fruits which in this moneth they reaped Deut. 16. 13 14. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven dayes after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine And thou shalt rejoyce in thy feast c. And thirdly to figure out Christs coming into the world at this time of the year to dwell in the tabernacle of our flesh John 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us c. and their being strangers and travellers here in this world Vers 17. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord thy God That is at the three great feasts before mentioned the feast of unleavened bread the feast of harvest or Pentecost and the feast of in-gathering called also the feast of tabernacles then all the males were enjoyned to appear before the Lord and that in the place which he should choose Deut. 16. 16. namely all that were able for those that were sick infants and aged men were doubtlesse excused And though onely the males were by this law tyed to this service because women had many occasions to keep them at home yet even the women might if they pleased go up unto these feasts and often doubtlesse did for so it is saâ—d of Hannah the mother of Samuel 1. Sam. 2. 19. She came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice and of the virgin Mary Luke 2. 41. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passeover As for the place where they met together it was doubtlesse first the tabernacle and afterward the temple because there God dwelt as it were amongst his people and therefore there it is said they should appear before the Lord. And though it may seem somewhat questionable where they met to keep these feasts all the time the ark was in one place and the tabernacle in another as it was for many years after the ark was taken and carried away by the Philistines yet upon good consideration I think we may well conclude that they were kept where the tabernacle was because there was the altar of burnt-offerings and the offering of sacrifices was a main part of the holy service of these feasts Vers 18. Thou shalt not offer the bloud of thy sacrifice with leavened bread c. Because the very same words almost are repeated Exod. 34. 25. onely there the Passeover is expressely mentioned Thou shalt not offer the bloud of my sacrifice with leaven neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passeover be left unto the morning therefore the most and best Expositours do understand this place particularly of the Paschall Lambe to wit that they might not eat any leavened bread with the Passeover and that they might not leave any part of the Paschall Lambe untill the morning the fat being here by a Synecdoche put for all and specially mentioned because this in all sacrifices was offered to God Yet I see not why this place may not be understood generally of all sacrifices since it is evident first that leaven was forbidden in all meat-offerings which were alwayes offered together with their sacrifices Levit. 2. 11. No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the Lord shall be made with leaven for ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire And secondly that though the flesh of some sacrifices might be eaten the next day yet the fat thereof was to be presently burnt upon the altar See Levit. 7. 2 3. Vers 19. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mothers milk Either this must be literally understood according to the very words that they might not seethe a kid or a lambe c. in the milk of the damme because this had some appearance of cruelty which the Lord by this ceremony taught them to abhorre and indeed upon the same ground other like laws were given this people as Deut. 22. 6 7. If a birds nest chance to be before thee in the way c. thou shalt not take the damme with the young Or else rather it must be understood concerning the age of the kid to wit that they might not offer a kid to the Lord or eat it themselves whilest the flesh was onely â—erely a milky frothy substance thereby to teach them to avoid all foolish intemperancie and delicacie in their feeding and upon this ground they were forbidden to bring the first-born of their cattel or any other sacrifice till they were eight dayes old because so long they were but as the dammes milk Vers 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way c. That is the promised Messiah the sonne of God and Angel of the covenant Mal. 3. 1. Who led them by day in the pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire and at last brought them into the land of Canaan of whom it is said 1. Cor. 10. 9. that the Israclites in the wildernesse tempted him and so were justly destroyed by him therein finding that verified which the Lord here saith vers 21. that he would not pardon their transgressions Vers 21. For my name is in him That is he is the Lord Jehovah as I am of the same Essence Power Majesty and Authority for so it is said of Christ Heb. 1. 3. that he was the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his person and one God with him The Father is in me and I in him saith Christ John 10. 38. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5. 19. And so it was prophecied of him Jer. 23. 6. This is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse Vers 28. And I will send hornets before thee c. This may be meant of stinging terrours wherewith God struck the hearts of the Canaanites or it may be understood literally of true hornets sent before the Israelites and the rather because first God had spoken of the fear wherewith the Canaanites should be stricken in the former verse and it is not usuall in the Scripture to expresse any thing plainly first and then afterwards figuratively and obscurely And secondly he tells the Israelites that God had done this for them which he had promised See Josh 24. 12. Vers 31. And I will set thy bounds from the red sea c. The bounds of the promised land are here set down to wit first their Eastern bound which was the red sea and secondly the sea upon which the land of the Philistines lay called the Mediterranean sea which was their West border and thirdly the desert which lay on the South of Canaan to with the desert of Shur or Paran which was their South border on which side ran the river of Sychar Josh 13. 3. called the river of Egypt Gen. 15. 18. for it runs out of Nilus into the Mediterranean sea and therefore this also
plate of gold which was put about the ends of these corner-doubled boards for better binding or fast closing them together Vers 26. And thoâ— shalt make barres of shittim-wood five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle c. Foure of these were rowes ofbarres for it seems onely the middle barre did reach from end to end ver 28. the other were shorter barres laid in foure rowes two beneath two above and some way joyned together where they met for the strengthening of them Vers 28. And the middle barre in the middest of the boards shall reach from end to end There were two rowes of barres went acrosse in the upper part of the boards and two in the nether part of the boards but this barre that went athwart in the middest of the length of the boards was all of one piece one entire barre reaching from end to end Now the fastning together of these boards thus with barres sâ—gnified the uniting of all the members together by one and the same spirit in Christ from whom the whole body fiâ—ly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Ephes 4. 16. Vers 31. And thou shalt make a vail of blew c. This vail which closed in the most holy place signified 1. the body of Christ shadowing his divinitie by which he hath opened for us a way into the holiest that is into heaven Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh c. See also Heb. 9. 8 24. And 2. it signified that as yet the spirituall worship of God was in a manner hidden under the vail of legall ceremonies which should be clearly revealed at the coming of Christ 3. It might also signifie the separation betwixt the Church of the Jews and of the Gentiles which is now reconciled by Christ Ephes 2. 14. For he is our peace which hatâ— made of both one and hath broken down that partition-wall and therefore at the death of Christ the vail rent asunder Luke 23. 45. Vers 32. Their hooks shall be of gold c. Which did hold up the cords upon which the vail did ride and were fastned to the heads of the pillars Vers 33. And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches c. Under those taches mentioned ver 6. so that this is added to shew in what place this vail was to be hung up Vers 36. And thou shalt make an hanging for the doore c. This hanging at the very entrance into the Tabernacle signified with what fear and reverence we should approch into Gods presence and partake of his sacred mysteries not rushing in boldly upon them without any awe as also the restraint of the Jewish Church from such blessings as are now opened unto us in Christ for within this hanging the people might not come Hebr. 9. 6. Vers 37. And thou shalt make for the hangings five pillars of shittim-wood c. Because this lay open to the wind and weather it had the more pillars to strengthen it the other had but foure CHAP. XXVII Vers 1. ANd thou shalt make an altar of shittim-wood Though the altar was made of wood yet it was covered over with brasse to defend it from the heat of the fire which lay ever burning upon it and besides the widenesse and length of it was such that the fire needed not come near the sides but might be kept within the compasse of the grate which was all of brasse Neiâ—her is this Law contrary to that Exod. 20. 24. An altar of earth thou shalt make c. For that is meant of altars to be made upon the sudden upon some extraordinary occasion which were onely for a time and so to be dissolved again such as Samuel and Elias made but this was for the perpetuall use of the tabernacle and was a type of Christ who is now the onely altar of his Church Heb. 13. 10. We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle Vers 2. And thou shalt make the horns of it c. To these they bound their sacrifices Psal 118. 27. Bind the sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the altar And besides horns usually signifying power and might Habb 3. 4. He had horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power these foure horns signified the power of Christ for the salvation of his people gathered from the foure corners of the world Vers 3. And his flesh-hooks c. The word in the originall may comprehend fire-tongs forks and other instruments used as occasion was to remove and lay in order the wood coals and flesh of the sacrifices But our Translatours have rendered it flesh-hooks that is those instruments with teeth used to take flesh out of pots 1. Sam. 2. 14. All that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took for himselâ— See also 2. Chron. 4. 16. Vers 4. And upon the net thou shalt make foure brazen rings c. Wherewith it hung upon ledges or hooks within the altar happely upon the ends or hooks in the inside of those rings which were on the outside for the carrying of the altar And thus hanging down midway the hollow of the altar the boards on each side would fence the flames in part from the wind and weather Vers 9. And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle c. This was called the court of the tabernacle because it was reared up round about the tabernacle chap. 40. 33. Here the sacrifices were killed and other services of the Levites performed and it was a type of the visible Church here in this world where both true believers and hypocrites do joyn together in the outward duties of Gods worship and service for which cause also it was so spacious and large an hundred cubits that is fifty yards long and fifty cubits that is five and twenty yards wide to signifie how greatly the Church should be enlarged in processe of time especially when the Gentiles should also become Gods people Vers 10. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver These fillets were certain hoops or wreaths of silver which compassed the pillars and served for ornament and happely for thâ— better fastning of the hangings in some places to the pillars where the making of these is related it is said that their heads also or chapiters were over-laid with silver chap. 38. 17. though that be not herâ— expressed Vers 12. Their pillars ten and their sockets ten The hangings on the West side must have ten pillars standing upon as many brasen sockets And here we must also note that doubtlesse there stood two pillars joyned together in each
soure nor sweet pleâ—seth him but onely what is appointed what place is left for humane inventions Thirdly if any mystery be thought implyed it may be the abandoning of all carnall pleasures and delights by those that will consecrate themselves to Gods service Vers 12. As for the oblation of the first-fruits ye shall offer them unto the Lord. To wit though with leaven Levit. 23. 17. They shall be baken with leaven they are the first-fruits unto the Lord though hony 2. Chron. 31. 5. The children of Israel brought in abundance the first-fâ—uits of corn wine and oyl and hony Vers 13. And every oblation of thy meat-oâ—â—â—riâ—g â—â—alt thou season with salt By this salting was signified the covenant oâ— grace in Câ—rist which we by faith apprehend unto incorruption wherefore oâ—r unâ—â—generaâ—e estate is likened to a child new born and not salted Ezek. 16. 4. Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering To wit the salt which is a signe of the covenant of thy God that is be sure that salt be not wanting which you are bound as by a covenant to use in all sacrifices and be sure that faith in the covenant be not wanting which is signified by that salt for then all your sacrifices will be of no value with the Lord. With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt Not onely meat-offerings but also burnt-offerings and all other sacrifices Ezek. 43. 24. The priest shall cast salt upon them and they shall offer them up for a burnt-offering unto the Lord. Mark 9. 49. Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt Vers 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the Lord c. That is a freewill-offering of the first-fruits besides injoyned by the law CHAP. III. Vers 1. ANd if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offering if he offer it of the herd whether it be male or female c. Peace-offerings were either to obtain from God some blessing which they wanted or by way of gratulation or thanksgiving for some blessing received The chief and most ordinary use of them was doubtlesse in a way of thanksgiving for their peace and prosperity the severall sorts whereof are set down in the seaventh chapter But yet sometimes they were also used when men in their troubles prayed unto God for peace and salvation so Judges 20. 26. when the Israelites fasted and sought unto the Lord for his aid and favour because the men of Benjamin had twice beaten them in battel they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the Lord and when David sought to appease Gods anger when the pestilence raged in the land because of his numbering the people He built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt-offerings and peace-of-ferings 1. Chron. 21. 26. the Lord hereby teaching us that with supplications for what we want we must also joyn thanksgiving for what we already injoy So then the peace-offerings signified 1. Christs oblation of himself whereby he became our peace Ephes 2. 14. and 2. the sacrifice of praise which in and through him we offer unto God The sacrifices appointed here for the peace-offerings are a male or female of the herd or of the flock turtle doves and young pigeons are not here allowed for the poorer sort as in burnt-offerings they were and that because the peace-offerings were to be divided into three parts one for the altar another for the priest and a third for the offerer and such a division could not be conveniently made in so small sacrifices But yet because this sacrifice was by way of thankfulnesse for temporall blessings externall peace and prosperity therefore a female a lesse perfect sacrifice was here accepted of God Why it must be without blemish see in the notes upon chap. 1. ver 3. Vers 2. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering See the notes upon Levit. vers 4. And kill it at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation c. Why this sacrifice was to be killed by the priests and the bloud to be sprinkled upon the altar you may see by that which is said before upon chapter 1. vers 5. That which is particularly observable here is that these sacrifices of peace-offerings were not killed at the same place where the othâ—r sacrifices were killed for the burnt-offerings were killed on the one side of the altar Northward before the Lord and so were also the sinne-offering and the trespasse-offering in the very place where the burnt-offering was killed chap. 6. 25. and chap. 7. 2. But now the peace-offerings were to be killed in another place to wit at the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation that is the very entrance of the court where stood the brasen altar which was more Eastward then the place where the other sacrifices were killed And the reason of this we may well conceive was 1. Because the fat and the breast of these peace-offerings were to be waved before the altar in the hands of the offerer who might not go into the court but stand at the doore chap. 7. 30. and 2. Because these peace-offerings whereof the offerer did eat a part were not reckoned amongst the most holy things which were onely eaten by the priest And hence this is given as a reason why the trespasse-offering was to be killed in the same place where the burnt-offerings were killed because it was most holy and to be eaten by the priests onely chap. 14. 13. Vers 3. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering a n offering made by fire unto the Lord. Namely that which is afterward expressed the rest of the offering was thus disposed of the breast and right shoulder were waved and heaved before the Lord and given the priests to eat See Levit. 7. 30. the remainer was eaten by him that brought it his family and friends Levit. 7. 15 16. The fat that covereth the inwards c. The fat as the best of the sacrifice is offered up unto the Lord and so teacheth that the best is to be still given unto him and it might withall signifie that all our carnall desires are to be mortified with the fire of the spiâ—it Vers 5. And Aarons sonnes shall burn it To wit being first salted Levit. 2. 13. On the altar upon the burnt sacrifice c. That is upon the remainer of the dayly burnt-offering which alwayes had the first place Vers 9. The fat thereof and the whole rump it shall he take off hard by the back-bone c. Because the rump of those countrey sheep was large and exceeding fat as Writers report and the fat was to be burnt and withall because the rumps of sheep are sweeter and better then those of bullocks therefore the rump of the sheep is also set apart for the sacrifice though not of the bullocks Vers 11. It is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord. So called to
burning upon the altar all night unto the morning c. Not onely all day but all night also for as the morning burnt-offering burnt till the evening so the evening burnt-offering burnt all night untill the morning And the fire of the altar shall be burning in it That is shall be nourisht continually Vers 10. And the priest shall put on his linen garment c. That is not onely the linen breeches but also the linen coat And take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt-offering c. Ashes are said to be consumed when the wood and sacrifices are consumed and turned to ashes as meal is said to be ground when the corn by grinding is turned to meal Esai 47. 2. Take the milstâ—ne and grind meal And he shall put them besides the altar See the Notes upon Levit. 1. 16. Vers 11. And carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place The contrary is said toâ—ching the stones and dust of a leprous house Levit. 14. 40 41. Then the priest shall command that they â—ake the stones in which the plague is and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city c. Becauâ—e these came from the Lords holy house therefore they were to be laid in a clean place where no dead carkases dung or other filth was laid Vers 12. And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it c. That so the â—ire which first came from heaven might in a mâ—nner by the continuall supply of wood be still preserved upon the altar which might signifie 1. the excluding of all humane devices in Gods worship wherein nothing is allowed but is given by direction from heaven And secondly that no sacrifice is accepted with God but what is offered by the spirit that fire from heaven Matth. 3. 11. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire And withall the continuing of this fire which at first came from heaven to testifie Gods favourable acceptance of that sacrifice was to teach them that as at first so still he did continually accept of their sacrifices and service as long as they did it according to the direction of his law And the priest shall burn the wood on it every morning Questionlesse they laid on wood upon the altar to maintain the fire thereon not onely in the morning but all the day long especially at even when the evening burnt-offering was to be burnt upon the altar onely there is a particular direction here for laying on wood in the morning because then having cleansed the altar and taken away the ashes they made the fire anew Vers 16. And the remainer thereof shall Aaron and his sonnes eat The males onely because these things being most holy might not be touched but by consecrated persons With unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place That is in the coâ—rt of the Sanctuary for so it is explained concerning the sinne-offering verse 26. In the holy place shall it be eaten in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation Other holy things as the tithes and first-frâ—its and the shoulder and breast of the peoples peace-offerings c. might be eaten elsewhere and the priests daughters were to have a share therein Numb 18. 11. The heave-offering of their gift with all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel I have given them unto thee and to thy sonnes and to thy daughters with thee by a statute for ever every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it But those things that were most holy to wit the priests portion of all sacrifices whereof part was burnt upon the altar were onely to be eaten by Aaron and his sonnes and that in the holy place 1. That by their eating in Gods presence they might be put in mind to use these holy things with all sobriety 2. To put them in mind of that singular purity and holinesse which God required in them that were honoured above the people and 3. To signifie perhaps that none but those within Gods holy Church shall have any benefit by Christ As for this charge not to eat it with leavened bread see the note upon chap. 2. 11. Vers 20. This is the offering of Aaron and his â—onnes c. That is this is the offering that Aaron shall offer unto God in the dâ—y 〈◊〉 he is anâ—inted and which his sonnes successively that shall come to be high prieâ—â—s shall offer unto the Lord in the day that they are anointed for it is evident that this meat-offering iâ— appointed for the high priest onely for he onely was anointed in succeeding 〈◊〉 as is shown before upon Exod. 29. 7. to wit Aaron for the present and that son of his successively that should be anointed high priest in his stead as it is expressed veâ—se 22. The tenth part of an Ephah of fine flowre for a meat-offering perpetuall c. That is ever to be offered when any of them came to be high priests Vers 23. For every meat-offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt The priests eating of the sinne-offering sigured the bearing of the sinners iniquity Levit. 10. 17. but because no priest being a sinner could make atonement for himself therefore his meat-offering might not be eaten but is all burnt on the altar to teach him to expect salvation not by himself but onely by Christ Vers 26. The priest that offereth it for sinne shall eat it Except in the case mentioned verse 30. when the bloud thereof was carried into the tabernacle Vers 27. And when there is sprinkled of the bloud thereof upon any garment thou shalt wash c. viz. casually Now these ordinances peculiar onely to the sinne-offering because that in speciall sort figured Christ who was made sinne for us shadowed the contagion of sinne and our care to cleanse our selves by repentance and faith Vers 28. But the earthen vessell wherein it is sodden shall be broken and if it be sodden in a brasen pot c. Because the liquour wherein the sin-offering was sodden might soak into an earthen pot therefore that must be broken the rather because the losse of breaking it was not great but if it were sod in an iron or brasse pot that was onely to be scoured and rinsed all which was still to shadow forth the contagion of sinne Vers 30. And no sin-offering whereof any of the bloud is brought into the tabernacle c. Namely the sin-offering for the priest and the congregation See Levit. 4. 16. which were burnt without the camp and this might signifie that men cleaving to the legall priesthood and not seeking for the better priesthood of Christ could not be saved CHAP. VII Vers 1. LIkewise this is the law of the trespasse-offering c. For what transgressions the sinne-offering was appointed and for what the trespasse-offering it is hard to determine Some think the trespasse-offering was for smaller sinnes but I rather conceive
that where either God in the externall duties of his worship or their brethren in civill affairs was any way damaged by the offender there a trespasse-offering was due for other transgressions the sinne-offering See the notes upon chap. 5. 10. Vers 2. In the place where they kill the burnt-offering See the note upon chap. 1. 11. Vers 7. As the sinne-offering is so is the trespasse-offering Namely as in most other things so in this that follows that the priest was to have the remainer of this as he had of the other Vers 8. And the priest that offereth any mans burnt-offering c. All the remainder of the sinne and trespasse-offering the priest had skinne and all but even of the burnt-offering also he must have the skinne Vers 9. And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven c. That is these meat-offerings that were baken or fried c. and so were to be eaten hot were therefore the priests portion that offered them who might eat them presently but if the meat-offerings were mingled with oyl or dry that is flowre dry not mingled with oyl or any other liquour such as was the meat-offering for sinne chap. 5. 11. Because these might be reserved to be dressed afterwards at their leasure therefore these were equally to be divided amongst all the priests as is expressed vers 10. Vers 13. Besides the cakes he shall offer for his offering leavened bread c. How this may be reconciled with that Levit. 2. 11. see the notes there Because this meat-offering was onely for food to be eaten no part of it to be burnt upon the altar leaven is here allowed And besides it was a signe that this oblation was before thought upon and prepared not suddenly offered Vers 14. And he shall offer one out of the whole oblation c. The rest were for the owner and his family c. as was the remainder of the flesh See Deut. 27. 7. Thou shalt offer peace-offerings and eat there and rejoyce there before the Lord thy God See also Deut. 12. 6 7. Vers 15. And the flesh of his sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day c. How the fat of the peace-offerings was to be burnt upon the altar was shown before chap. 3. 3 4 5. Here now is prescribed how the remainder of the sacrifice was to be eaten And for the understanding hereof we must note that there are here three severall sorts of peace-offerings mentioned or three severall occasions of offering peace-offerings the first were these that were offered for thanksgiving vers 15. that is by way of testifying their thankfulnesse for some mercies received the second were those that were offered in liew of a vow and this the most Expositours conceive to be meant of such peace-offerings which men vowed they would give unto God if such or such a mercie God should grant them and which accordingly when God had satisfied their desires they did then pay unto God which though paid by way of thanksgiving they make to be different from the former because those were brought onely upon the generall bond of thankfulnesse and that for generall mercies these were brought upon a speciall bond of a vow made upon their obtaining some speciall blessing which they had desired of God But others again understand it of peace-offerings vowed and paid accordingly the vow not being conditionall in case any such blessing were obtained but absolute and so they make this to differ from the first which was for thanksgiving yea and some understand it of such peace-offerings as were offered not in performance of a vow formerly made but at the time when a vow was made by way of seeking Gods favour for the obtaining of some blessing which they sought of God The third were those that were brought as a voluntary offering which were such as were not brought upon any particular obligation either of mercies received or of the want of any blessing but of devotion in generall by way of acknowledging Gods goodnesse to them in generall and testifying their desire of the continuance of his love and favour Agâ—in 2. we must note that for the first of these one law is given and for the other two another for those peace-offerings that were for thanksgiving they were commanded to eat the same day they were offered both the priest and the people but those that were for a vow or voluntary offering they had two dayes allowed them for the eating of them and then what was left on the third day was to be burnt with fire And why was this difference Surely because God would hereby teach them that he must be worshipped as himself appointeth and not as they in their reason should think â—it and withall the appointing of that to be presently eaten which was for thanksgiving might teach them not to be remisse in returning thanks for the blessings they injoyed Vers 18. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day c. it shall be an abomination c. The Hebrew word signifieth a thing which by being kept too long beginneth to be corrupt and stink to show how God would abhorre them Vers 19. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten iâ— shall be burnt with fire The flesh of the peace-offerings was not to be eaten doubtlesse in the holy place but was carried thence after it was killed at the tabernacle and the fat burnt upon the altar and eaten else-where for so it is said of the right shoulder and breast which were the priests portion Levit. 10. 14. The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place thou and thy sonnes and thy daughters with thee And well we may conclude that if the priests did not eat their portion in the holy place much lesse did the people eat their portion there Now because being carried out of the holy place it might casually â—e touched by some unclean person or some unclean thing order is here given that it should not then be eaten as a holy sacrifice but burnt with fire because being so defiled it was not fit to represent Christ who was perfectly holy and pure from the least pollution of sin And aâ— for the flesh all that be clean shall eat thereof That is that which abideth clean and fit to be eaten all that be clean both priests and owners shall eat thereof Vers 20. But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings that pâ—rtain unto the Lord c. Here order is given for the punishment of those that should wittingly eat of the peace-offerings when they were unclean whether it were by reason of any naturall personall uncleannesse that was then upon them which is that uncleannesse spoken of in this twentieth verse or by touch of any unclean thing which is afterwards added in the follovving verse to vvit that they
of oyl is commonly thought to be half a pint the three tenth deals of fine flowre were for accessory meat-offerings for the three sacrifices afore mentioned Indeed in the fifteenth of Numbers meat-offerings are appointed onely for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings nor do we any where reade of a meat-offering that was to be joyned either with sinne-offering or trespasse-offering And besides where an offering of fine flowre is injoyned for a sinne-offering Levit. 5. 11. to wit to be offered apart by it self not as accessory to any other sacrifice they were forbidden to put any oyl upon it whereas these are appointed to be mingled with oyl And therefore it seems these sacrifices for the cleansing of the leper had peculiar rites and were not in all things performed according to the ordinary way of other sacrifices Vers 12. And wave them for a wave-offering See the notes upon Exodus 29. 24. Vers 1â— And he shall slay the lamb in the place c. See the note upon Levit 1. 11. and upon Levit. 7. 7. Vers 14. And the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear c. Hereby was signified that by virtue of Christs bloud the leper was now restored to his former freedome of entercourse and commerce with others as also that the whole man was to be renewed and consecrated to Gods service See the note upon Exod. 29. 20. Vers 15. And the prâ—est shall take some of the log of oyl The oyl in the hand of the priest fignified the spirit by Christ conveyed unto us Vers 16. And sprinkle of the oyl with his finger c. Figuring our consecraâ—ion to Gods service by the same spirit Vers 17. And the rest of the oyl that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear c. This signified the sanctification of the whole man by the same spirit Vpon the bloud of the trespasse-offering That is upon the very same place where the bloud was sprinkled Vers 20. And the priest shall offer the burnt-offering To wit that other he-lamb mentioned vers 10. Now by these rites the lepers were to professe their thankfulnesse to God in and through Christ as for the cure of their leprosie so also for the remission of their sinnes which had brought that judgement upon them and for their sanctification by his spirit Vers 31. And the other for a burnt-offering with the meat-offering That is the meat-offering that was to accompany the turtle dove or young pigeon offered for the burnt-offering whereby it appears that even the smaller burnt-offerings of turtle doves had also their meat-oâ—ferings as well as the greater of lambs c. Vers 36. Then the priest shall command that they all empty the house c. The priest must before he goeth into the house to view the place in the house suspected of leprosie command all that are in the house to come forth and the reason is given that all that are in the house be not made unclean Whereby it is evident that though the house had indeed the plague of leprosie yet the inhabitants that were in the house were not rendred unclean thereby till the priest had pronounced it to be a leprosie but then all that came iâ—to the house were thereby unclean And so it seems therefore it was with men too that were infected with leprosie No man was unclean by being in the company of a leprous person till the priest had pronounced him to be a leper Vers 40. And they shall cast them into an unclean place without the citie That by the uncleannesse of the place they may be known to be unclean things that so â—oâ—emay be defiled thereby Vers 41. And he shall cause the house to be scraped c. To wit lest the plague of leprosie should be in any other part of the walls of the house and being hidden under the plaister should not be discovered CHAP. XV. Vers 3. WHether his flesh runne with his issue or his flesh be stopped from his issue it is his uncleannesse That is he shall for it be counted unclean The issue here spoken of which rendred men unclean is that which we call the running of the reins Now because this disease men have in a different manner for sometime their seed being of a thinne substance runs continually from them and sometimes again being of a thicker substance it slows not so freely forth buâ— stops in the passage and so putrifies the place through which it should passe in both these cases they are declared to be unclean Now though by this legall pollution they were taught the filthinesse of all sinne whatsoever yet more especially I conceive it was to signifie that originall corruption and filthinesse of our nature which is conveyed unto us in our first conception by that very seed and substance whereof we are made Vers 4. Every bed whereon he lyeth that hath the issue is unclean These laws following shew the contagion of siâ—ne which defileth not onely men themselves but every thing besides which a wicked man hath to do with for unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Tit. 1. 15. Vers 12. And every vessâ—ll of wood shall be rinsed in water That is of wood or any other such strong matter as silver copper brasse c. Vers 16. And if any mans seed of copulation go out c. This is not meant of the issue forespoken of nor when a man lyeth with a woman whereof vers 18. but of the seed of the healthfull issuing by reason of nightly dreams or any such accident whereof see Deut. 23. 10. Vers 19. And whâ—soever toucheth her shall be unclean c. To wit every one that is of years of discretion and so fit to be ordered by this law For it is not likely that infants that lay in the arms and sucked on the breasts of their mothers when they were in this condition were rendred unclean thereby Vers 24. And if any man lie with her at all c. To wit ignorantly for if he did it presumptuously not pollution but cutting off was his punishment Levit. 20. 18. And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sicknesse and shall uncover her nakednesse he hath discovered her fountain and he hath uncovered the fountain of her bloud aud both of them shall bâ— cut off from among the people Yet some conceive that this place is onely meant of lying in the same bed with a woman and not of carnall copulation CHAP. XVI Vers 1. ANd the Lord spake unto Moses after the death of the two sonnes of Aaron c. That is upon that occasion lest they should again endanger themselves by entring into the most holy place as before by offering strange fire and so also within a short time after that happened for it doth not follow that because the Lord upon that occasion gave this ensuing charge therefore the laws set down in the former chapters are transposed and
were not given in any interim of time before this Vers 2. Speak unto Aaron thy brother that he come not at all times into the holy place c. That is not whensoever he pleaseth but onely once a year as I have appointed Exod. 30. 10. namely to minister at other times both he and his sonnes might and did enter at the taking down of the tabernacle but not to minister And this was thus appointed first to teach them to have a most reverend respect of Gods presence and secondly that hereby more evidently might be represented that one particular sacrifice of the sonne of God once offered as the Apostle hath noted Heb. 9. 7 8. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud c. The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing and again vers â—1 12. Christ being come an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle c. by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat This is added as a reason why the high priest might not enter into the most holy place whenever he pleased but onely once a year which was on the tenth day of the seventh moneth and that in the manner as is here appointed to wit because the Lord would there appear in the cloud upon the mercie-seat The conceit of the Papists That God appeared there in an humane shape upon the mercie-seat hath no ground for it in the text Nor do we any where reade that God did ever so appear in the tabernacle either to the high priest or to Moses himself All that is heâ—e said is that God would by a cloud upon the mercie-seat testifie his presence which whether it were the cloud raised by the smoke of the incense which the high priest was now to bring with him or any other cloud alwayes abiding upon the mercy-seat we need not inquire Sufficient it is that we know hereby that God did testifie his presence and doubtlesse in some glorious manner upon the mercy-seat and therefore the high priest might not when he would go in thither but onely once a year and then with the smoke of incense ascending from his censer that might darken the glory of that forementioned sight of Gods presence for the safety of the high priest Vers 3. With a young bullock for a sinne-offering c. Namely for himself vers 6. But withall we may observe that besides the fire-sacrifices here expressed he offered also on this day two lambes for the dayly burnt-offering Numb 28. 3. and one bullock one ramme and seven lambes for a burnt-offering and one he-goat for a sinne-offering besides the goat mentioned vers 5. as is particularly expressed Numb 29. 7 8 11. Here these onely are expressed which concerned the solemnity of his going into the most holy place the other were sacrifices appointed for the day and offered in the remainder of the day when the solemnities which â—ad respect to his entring into the most holy place were wholly finished Vers 4. He shall put on the holy linen coat c. Some Expositours conceive that these holy linen garments here spoken of were those mentioned Exod. 28. 39. which the high priest wore under his other rich attire and that together with these here mentioned all his other garments are to be understood also But because it is expresly said vers 23. that when Aaron returned out of the most holy place into the tabernacle of the congregation he should put off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place and should leave them there therefore I rather conceive with others that these were other plain linen garments like those that were made for the inferiour priests Exod. 39. 27 28. And that the high priest did wear these onely when he went into the most holy place as being reserved for this peculiar service and did therefore put them off again when he came out from thence as it is said verse 23. Yet was not this thus ordered because this day of expiation when the priest went into the holy of holies was a fasting day verse 29 30. and therefore it was not fit that he should wear now his glorious garments for after he was come back out of the most holy place and had put off these linen garments verse 23. he put on his other glorious attire and wore them in the remaining service of the day But other reasons are given for this by Expositours more probably as 1. that it was to teach the people thereby that his rich attire was onely for their sakes that in them they might behold him as representing the person of the Messiah richly adorned with all righteousnesse and grace and not that God was delighted with such rich garments and so he left them off when he went into the place of Gods speciall presence and 2. that in this plain attire he might be a figure of the base estate of Christ upon earth and how he should without worldly glory perform the work of our redemption Vers 6. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sinne-offering In what time and manner this was done see vers 11. Vers 8. And Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats Which signified that God would accept no sacrifice but what was of his own chusing and that in the work of our redemption by Christ nothing should be done but what Gods hand and his counsell had determined Act. 4. 28. Vers 12. And he shall take a censer-full of burning coals of fire c. Here we see what the high priest was to carry along with him when he went within the vail to wit 1. a censer-full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord that is from the altar of incense and 2. his hands full that is two handfull of sweet incense beaten small to burn upon the coals as soon as ever he entred within the vail and 3. the bloud of the sinne-offerings for though that be not mentioned here yet that he carried the bloud along with him is evident verse 14 15. both of the bullock his own sinne-offering and the goat the peoples sinne-offering Vers 13. And he shall put the incense upon the fire c. As the way was prepared into the most holy place by the cloud before the bloud was sprinkled so Christ before he entred with his own bloud into the most holy place of heaven prepared his way by prayer John 17. And this also signified that the incense of Christs prayers and mediation should ascend into heaven before God for his Church Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now
is his sister and therefore he might not uncover her nakednesse Vers 10. The nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter c. And so other of further descent how much more then his next daughter though she be not named Vers 11. The nakednesse of thy fathers wives daughter c. That is the daughter of thy father not the daughter of thy mother See above vers 9. Vers 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife To wit except in that speciall case when a man deceasing without children his nexâ— brothâ—r by an expresse exception of the law Deut. 25. was to marry the wife of the deceased and to raise up â—eeâ— unto his brother as Onan the soâ—ne of Judah did Gen. 38. 8. Vers 18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister to vex her c. This is all one with one wife to another as it is translated in the margin of our Bibles as Ezek. 1. 9. the wings of the beast are said to touch a woman to her sister as it is directly in the Hebrew words that is one another Though the ordinary exposition be that this is meant of sisters that man having married any woman must not afterward marry her sister to vex her c. yet these reasons so farre sway me that I cannot but understand it of any two women First because incest with sisters is above forbidden vers 9. 11. Secondly because polygamie is no where else forbidden if not here unlesse to the King Deut. 17. 16. Thirdly because the following words cannot unlesse extremely forced be brought to agree with that exposition of sisters for would not the marriage of her husband with another woman vex her as much as with her sister happely more And why is it added in her life as if it were lawfull for a man to marry his wives sister after his wives decease those things winne me to think that it is meant of any two women Vers 19. Also thou shalt not approch unto a woman to uncover her nakednesse as long as she is put apart c. To wit though she be thy lawfull wife Vers 21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed passe through the fire to Molech Molech was an idol worshipped by the Ammonites and other heathen called also Moloch Amos 5. 26. But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and is thought of some to be the starre Saturn the highest or the Sunne the chief of the Planets thence called the starre of your God Amos 5. 26. And it is derived of Melech which signifies a Prince or King It is thought by many to bâ— the same idol that is ordinarily in Scripture called Baal which they gather by comparing together 2. Kings 23. 10. And he defiled Topheth which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom that no man might make his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire to Molech Jer. 19. 5. They built also the high places of Baal to burn their sonnes with fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal c. chap. 7. 31. And they have built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom to burn their sonnes their daughters in the fire c. chap. 32. 35. Now to this idol they caused their children to passe through the fire two wayes for some burned them to death or at least killed them and then burnt them on their altars for so it is said of Ahaz 2. Chron. 28. 3. He burnt incense in the valley of Hinnom and burnt his children in the fire c. and of the Israelites in generall Psal 106. 37 38. They sacrificed their sonnes and their daughters unto devils and shed innocent bloud But some onely made them to go through between two fires as a signe of their consecration This sinne is here forbidden amongst whoredomes and incests because as all idolatry is spirituall fornication so this especially because their seed was here given away unlawfully which iâ— therefore called a going a whoring after Molech Levit. 20. 3 5. But though this idol be here named yet under this the like wicked service to any idol is forbidden Nâ—ithâ—r shalt thâ—u profane the name of thy God This is added as a reason why in the foregoing law they were forbidden to let their seed passe thorow the fire to Molech to wit because it would be a vild profanation of Gods holy name and that first in regard it would be an horrible vilifying of the Lord God to forsake him and yield such â—onour to such a base idol-god and secondly because horrible wickednesse in a people called by his name that is called the people and servants of God would be a dishonour to God and would cause the name of God to be blasphemed even among the Gentiles Vers 24. For in all these the Nations are defiled which I cast out before you That is with all these incestuous mixtures the Canaanites defiled themselves and so provoked me to cast them out of the land and therefore take you heed that you do not provoke me by the same sinnes Now hereby it is manifest that all the severall sorts of incest before mentioned are sinnes against the law and light of nature because the Lord abhorred the heathen that had no other law and punished them so severely for these very sinnes Vers 26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgements The mention of Gods statutes here doth intimate what a shame it would be for them that had the light of the word to walk in these evil courses whereinto the heathen fell because they lived in darknesse CHAP. XIX Vers 3. YE shall fear every man his mother and his father Because the mother is usually most despised the Lord injoyns the fear of the mother in the first place And keep my Sabbaths Because the commandment for sanctifying Gods Sabbaths is directed to the fathers and mothers of the family who are to take care that children and servants profane not Gods holy day therefore the charge for fearing mother and father is here prefixt bfore this of sanctifying the Sabbath The meaning is that children and servants must have such an awfull fear of their superiours as willingly to be guided by them according to Gods word in the matter of sanctifying Gods Sabbaths and not to resist them in it Vers 6. It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it and on the morrow That is if it were a peace-offering for a vow or a freewill-offering otherwise if it were for a thanksgiving it was to be eaten the same day Levit. 7. 15. And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offeringâ— for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered he shall not leave any of it untill the morning And so that which was left of the one was to be burnt the second day and that which was left of the other upon the third which must needs make them more willing to call the poore to
which it was not therefore fit they should disable themselves by defiling themselves with the dead there being no other priests at that time to do the work in their stead Vers 3. And for his sister a virgin that is nigh unto him c. That iâ— his own sister by father or mother if unmarried but if she were married he might not be a mourner at her buriall to defile himself thereby because she was then transplanted into another familie Vers 4. But he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people to profane himself Some reade this place as it is in the margin of our Bibles But being a husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his wife c. and then the sense must be that though the priests might defile themselves for those their nearest kindred mentioned in the former verses yet they might not defile themselves for their wives But the wife being nearer to the husband then the nearest of his kindred can be it is hard to say why the priests should be allowed to defile themselves for their near kindred and not for their wives and farre more probably we may conceive that by allowing them to mourn for their near kindred their defiling themselves for their wives is implyed as farre more necessary which also we may the rather think because to Ezekiel being a priest this is given in charge as a strange and unusuall thing that he should not mourn for his wife when she dyed Ezek. 24. 16 c. and hence it is that few approve of this translation But reading it then as it is in the text of our Bibles But he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people to profane himself all the difficulty lies in knowing what is meant here by being a chief man among his people concerning which I find three severall opinions of Expositours For first some understand it of the high priest that being a chief man that is the high priest he might not defile himself no not for his nearest kindred which they say is afterwards more fully expressed vers 10. But because the laws against the high priests mourning are afterwards set down by themselves I think it very improbable that this should be meant of the high priest Secondly some understand by a chief man here the master or chief man of the house or family where there is a dead corps to be buried and so take the meaning of the words to be this That no priest should defile himself for any but for his near kindred before mentioned no though he were the chief man or master of the familie where they dyed And thirdly some by a chief man understand any of the priests and conceive the meaning of this place to be that though none of the people were allowed to defile themselves for the dead so as to profane themselves that is after the profane manner of the heathen according to that Law chap. 19. 18. yet the priest especially might not do it being a chief man among his people So that according to this interpretation the emphasis of this prohibition lies in these words to profane himself The inferiour priests might defile themselves for their nearest kindred but yet not so as to profane themselves to wit after the manner of the heathen by making baldnesse upon their heads c. as it is expressed in the following verse though none of the people might do this yet not the priest especially being a chief man among his people Vers 5. They shall not make baldnesse upon their heads c. That is when they did mourn for their kindred See chap 19. 28. Vers 6. For the offering of the Lord made by fire and the bread of their God they do offer See the note upon chap 13. 11. The word and here is not in the originall so that by the bread of their God is meant both the sacrifices burnt upon the altar and the heave-offerings which were the priests portion and they are so called partly because they were offered upon the altar the table of the Lord Mal. 11. 12. and partly because they were eaten by the priests of the Lord. Vers 7. They shall not take a wife that is a whore or profane That is neither a common whore nor a woman whose chastity had been violated though she did not as a common whore prostitute her self Some also conceive that under this word profane all those were forbidden to be taken in marriage by the priests that were for any other cause of ill name and basely esteemed as a bastard or one that was of light behaviour yea it seems that they might not marry a widow unlesse she were a priests widow For so it is expressely said Ezek. 44. 22. They shall take maydens of the seed of the house of Israel or a widow that had a priest before Now all this was to maintain in the people an high opinion of the dignity of the priesthood and that they might be the fitter to be types of Christ Neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband That is divorced â—nd not for the cause of adultery which to the Israelites was permitted under Moses Law Deut. 24. 1 2. but it was for the hardnesse of their hearts as our Saviour saith Matth. 19. 8. Vers 8. Thou shalt sanctifie him therefore c. That is thou Moses thou shalt command him thus to be sanctified Exâ—d 19. 10. And the Lord said unto Moses Go unto thâ— people and sanctifie them to day and to morrow c. or else it is an Apostrophe to the people that they should as much as in them lay take care that the priests did thus carry themselves as holy persons Vers 9. She shall be burnt with fire Other persons were not put to death for simple fornication neither the man nor woman Exod. 22. 16 17. And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed and lie with her he shall surely endow her to be his wife If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him he shall pay money according to the dowry of Virgins onely the priests daughter because of the dishonour done to her fathers house is appointed here to be burnt and it may well be thought by the rule of Analogy the same punishment was to be inflicted on the priests wife if not his sonnes when guilty of the same sinne Vers 10. And he that is the high priest among his brethren upon whose head the anointing oyl was poured and that is consecrated to put on the garments shall not uncover his head c. Either therefore the uncovering of the head was it seems then an expression of mourning though afterward a contrary custome was used to wit when they mourned to cover their heads or else that which is forbidden the high priest here is that he should not take off his miter to the end he might put on a covering on his head after the
fruitfulnesse of the land wherein God had planted them whereof these severall boughs of goodly trees were aâ— evident signe Vers 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths c. Sâ—e Exod. 12. 37. CHAP. XXIV Vers 2. Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oyl-olive c. This which is given here in charge to the Israelites is for the continuall supply both of lamp oyl and shewbread to wit that as they brought them at first so they must still be supplyed by them either therefore these things were provided by the civil magistrate out of the common sâ—ock or else rather â—hey were provided as were also the daily sacrifices and whatsoever else was offered in the name of the whole people out of the treasury of the temple into which therefore towards the supply of these things both the Princes and people did ordinarily cast in what they were willing to give So it is noted of Hezekiah 2. Chron. 31. 3. He appointed also the Kings portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings to wit for the morning and evening burnt-offerings and the burnt-offerings for the Sabbaths for the new Moons and for the set feasts and of the people Luke 21. 1. He saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury and a certain poore widow casting in thither tâ—o mites Vers 3. In the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning c. Or his sonnes by his appointment See the note upon Exod. 25. 37. Vers 5. And thou shalt take fine floure and bake twelve cakes thereof These were the cakes of shewbread concerning which see the note upon Exod. 25. 23. The floure was provided at the common charge as is before said upon ver 1. and brought to the priests but the cakes were made and baked by the Levites of the family of Kohath as is evident 1. Chron. 9. 32. where it is said that some of the sonnes of the Kohathites were over the shew-bread to prepare it every Sabbath Vers 6. And shalt set them in two rows six on a row c. The common opinion is that those twelve cakes of shewbread representing the twelve tribes of Israel were not set one by another but six one upon another and six one upon another But because this way it cannot so properly be said that they were set in two orders or rows and because in the following verse there is order given for the putting of frankincense upon each row I rather think that they were set in order along the table six in one row and six in another Vers 7. And you shall put pure frankincense upon each row that it may be on the bread for a memoriall even an offering made by fire unto the Lord. For the incense was burned upon the altar when they took away the bread and was before-hand laid upon the bread as a signe that God would through Christ remember his people with thoughts of favour and gracious acceptance Vers 9. And it shall be Aarons and his sonnes and they shall eat it in the holy place That is after it had stood a week upon the table before the Lord. For it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord c. Because of the incense which was burnt the bread was reputed most holy as if it had been of the offerings made by fire Vers 10. And the sonne of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian c. Thus by the providence of God in the party thus blaspheming and thus punished for it as is here related they were taught 1. How the curse of God doth usually follow the issue of such unlawfull mixtures as was this of an Egyptian with aâ— Israelite 2. How severe God must needs be against this sinne in his own genuine people who would not suffer it unpunished in one that was the sonne of a stranger by the fathers side The inserting of this story in this place makes it more then probable that it was done whilst they were yet in the desert of Sinai even whilst the Lord was giving these Laws to Moses which are before mentioned as is expressed in the next chapter ver 1. Whether the Egyptian had this sonne by Shelomith in marriage or by fornication we cannot say but that this their sonne the blasphemer had embraced the religion of the Israelites it is very likely both because he came away with them out of Egypt and also because he is here said to have gone out amongst the children of Israel which implies more then his going in their company namely that he went out amongst them as one of them And this sonne of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp This of his striving is expressed to let us know that a blasphemer though provoked is not therefore to be excused Vers 11. And the Israelitish womans sonne blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed His sinne I conceive was not rash vain and unadvised mentioning Gods name either in swearing cursing the man with whom he was to contend or otherwise but of an higher nature though even these are blasphemy even some execration or reprochfull speeches uttered in his fury directly against God as if for instance we should suppose this that in the heat of contention the Israelite upbraiding him with his idolatrous father and denying him to be a true member of the Church of God he should thereupon speak scornfully and opprobriously of the God of Israel slighting the priviledge of being one of his people Some such blasphemy I conceive this was and that because the Law which God gave them upon this occasion speaks of cursing God ver 15. Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sinne not cursing in Gods name but directly and expressely of cursing God And they brought him unto Moses c. According to the order mentioned Exod. 18. 26. The hard causes they brought unto Moses Vers 14. Let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head That is those that heard him were to come forth and laying their hands upon his head to give in evidence against him and so thereupon he was to be condemned and the congregation was to stone him Now this ceremony of the witnesses laying their hands upon his head was 1. to signifie that they did charge this sinne upon him and approve of the punishment that was to be inflicted for it 2. that having witnessed nothing but the truth they were free from his death but his bloud must be upon his own head 3. to imply that he was to be sacrificed as it were to the justice of God for as those that brought any sacrifice to the tabernacle were to lay their hand upon the head of the sacrifice thereby signifying their desire and faith that the death of that sacrifice might and should satisfie the justice of God in their behalf so here the laying
once 〈◊〉 year Heb. 9. 7. to wit whilest the tabernacle was standing to do service there yet when the tabernacle was to be taken down the inâ—eriour priests might freely go in thither to wit having first taken away the vail because then there was no difference betwixt the holy and the most holy place and the Lord no doubt at those times withdrew the cloud upon the mercy-â—eat Levit. 16. 2. which was the signe of Gods presence there yea and the Levites too afterwards when the holy things were covered to remove the ark from thence as seems to be implyed vers 16. Vers 6. And shall put thereon the covering of badgers skins and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue This covering of badger skinnes was not that where-with the tabernacle was on the outside coveâ—â—d for that was amongst the carriage of the Gershonites vers 25. but it was a smaller case or covering of these skinnes laid over the ark to keep it dry when the Levites carried it and therefore we see there was such a covering fitted for the table vers 8. and so also for the rest of the holy things vers 10 11 c. and these with the clothes of blue and scarlet used in the covering of these things were those â—lothes of service mentioned Exod. 31. 10. And shall put in the staves thereof It is said of the staves belonging to the ark Exod. 25. 15. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark they shall not be taken from it and hereupon it becomes questionable how it can be said here that the priests should put in the staves thereof if the staves were to remain alwayes in the rings and were upon no occasion to be taken out Some Expositours to remove this seeming contradiction hold that the staves here spoken of were not the staves of the ark mentioned Exod. 25. but certain other staves that were put through the covering of the ark and wherewith they carryed the ark being thus covered But because they are called here â—he staves thereof and where afterwards Moses speaks of the candlestick which had no staves belonging to it there another exprâ—ssion is used for the carrying of it vers 10. And shall put it upon a barre therefore I conceive this place is meant of the very staves that were made together with the ark and covered over with gold as the ark was and that two other wayes this doubt may be more probably resolved to wit first that though the staves of the ark were never to be taken out of the rings whileâ—t the tabernacle was standing of which that law is meant Exod. 25. 15. yet when the tabernacle was taken down and the holy things to be removed then they might and must necessarily take oâ—t the staves till the coverings were put upon it and then were to put them in again as here is enjoyned for the carrying of it or secondly that this which is here said of putting in the staves thereof is meant of putting in the end of the staves under the covering to wit that because the staves were a part of the ark and covered over with gold as the ark was therefore not so much as the ends of the staves that stuck out were to be leâ—t bare to the injury of the weather nor might be seen or touched by the Levites when they came to carry it but were therefore to be carefully put in under the covering and to that end happely the cases or covering of the ark were so made that there were places to put in the ends of the slaves and so the Levites did not touch so much as the staves uncovered Vers 7. And the continuall bread shall be thereon That is the shewbread here called the continuall bread because it was to be continually upon the table before the Lord Exod. 25. â—0 shall not be taken off from the table when it is thus covered and wrapped up but shall be left still upon the table even when the Levites remove it from one place to another And hereby it is evident that they had loaves of shewbread standing upon the table all the time of their travelling through the wildernesse for though they were chiâ—fly fed with manna all the time Exod. 16. 35. The chilâ—ren of Israel did eat manna fourty years till they came to a land inhabited yet it may be probably enough conceived that they had too some small supply of corn to make bread from the neighbouring countries whereof however they would be sure to provide every week the loaves of shewbread that were to stand upon the holy table Vers 13. And they shall take away the ashes from the altar In giving direction how the altar of burnt-offerings was to be wrapped up and covered every time they took down the tabernacle and were to go forward to some other place here is order taken that first they should take away the ashes whereby to me it seems not so probable which most Expositours hold that the Israelites never offered any sacrifices in the time of their travelling through the wildernesse after they were once gone from mount Sinai for why then should they be here enjoyned to take the ashes from off the altar when ever they removed the tabernacle happely they did not indeed for want of store of cattel so constantly observe all the sacrifices enjoyned as they did afterwards when they came into the land of Canaan But that God should câ—use them at mount Sinai to build such a goodly tabernacle and then set apart a whole tribe to the service of the tabernacle and destroy Nadab and Abihu for not being exact in that service to render the priests thereby more carefull and wary aâ—d yet that after this for above eight and thirty years together they should never offer any sacrifices sâ—ems to me veâ—y improbable And as for that place Amos 5. 25. Havâ— ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wildernesse fourty years O house of Israel the meaning is not that all those fourty years they never offered sacrifices nor offerings for at Sinai it is evident they did but that they did even in those times adulterate the worship that he had enjoyned them so that it cannot be concluded I conceive that they did never sacrifice in their passing through the wildernesse But what became of the fire when they cleared the altar of the ashes and put the coverings upon it I answer thoâ—gh it be not expressed how it was done yet that it was put into some pot or other vâ—ssel and â—o preserved still with supply of wood cannot well be questioned because they were not to use any strange fire in their sacrifices but onely that which was kindled fâ—om heaven Levit. 9. 24. which therefore they were appointed continually to keep burning Levit. 6. 12. The fire in the altar shall be burning in it it shall not be put out Vers 15. And when Aaron and his sonnes have made an end of covering the Sanctuary
God is in exacting purity in those that consecrate themselves to his service And this must be done on the day of his cleansing on the seventh day for this last clause on the seventh day shall he shave it is added by way of explaining the clause before in the day of his cleansing for the seventh day was the usuall day of cleansing for those that were defiled by the dead as we may see chap. 10. 11 12. Vers 11. And the priest shall offer the one for a sinne-offering c. Though it were no fault in the Nazarite that a man should die very suddenly by him yet because it was contrary to the Law that enjoyned the Nazarite not to come nigh any dead body therefore he was to bring a sinne-offering for his cleansing Vers 12. And he shall consâ—crate unto the Lord the dayes of his sâ—paration That is he shall begin anew to consecrate unto God the very same number of dayes which before his defiling he had vowed unto God And he shall bring a lambe of the first year for a trespasse-offering By this trespasse-offering which also figured Christ he was prepared for the observations of his renewed vow because all grace and ability to do good is of God obtained by Christ Jesus our Lord. Vers 13. And this is the Law of the Nazarite That is this that follows is the Law that must be observed by the Nazarite when he hath fulfilled his vow and is to be discharged thereof in an orderly manner Which Law it is conceived the Apostle Paul was perswaded to observe to decline the offence of the Jews Acts 21. 26. Vers 14. And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord one he-lambe c. Those offerings the Nazarite was to offer when he had fulfilled the dayes of his separation and was now to be freed from his vow 1. by way of thankfulnesse to God as acknowledging that it was through his grace that he had been enabled to fulfill his Nazarites vow and 2. to make atonement thereby for his sinnes committed under his vow thereby also confessing that notwithstanding his strictest endeavours after holinesse he had failed many wayes if God in Christ should not be mercifull to him Vers 15. And their meat-offering and their drink-offerings That is besideâ— the cakes and wafers before mentioned enjoyned as an extraordinary meat-offering he was also to bring the ordinary meat-offerings and drink-offerings appointed for appendances to all sacrifices whereof see Numb 28. Vers 18. And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation c. All the time of his separation he was to keep his hair uncut but now he was to shave his head called here the head of his separation because the hair on his head was the signe of his separation and that at the doore of the tabernacle to shew that his vow was now at an end whereby he had consecrated himself to the Lord and then afterwards he was to put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace-offerings that is not the fire on the altar of burnt-offerings for there onely the fat of the peace-offerings was burnt but the fire under the caâ—drons or pots wherein the peace-offerings were boyled and all this was done as by way of thankfulnesse to God to signifie that he had the perfection of his Nazariteship from him Vers 19. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram c. That is the left shoulder the right shoulder was due unto him raw of all peace-offerings Levit. 7. 32. And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave-offering of the sacrifices of your pâ—ace-offerings this gift of the sodden shoulder was peculiarly given from the Nazarites ram onely and taught them that as they had received more speciall grace of God so they should give him more speciall thanks then other men Vers 21. This is the Law of the Nazarite who hath vowed and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation besides that that his hand shall get That is besides that which of his own free will he shall vow to give according to the estate wherewith God hath blessed him That which is formerly prescribed was necessarily to be done both by rich and poore when they took upon them this vow of Nazariteship if being able they vowed more offerings they must perform their vow but this before prescribed must by all be brought the poorest are not allowed lesse Vers 23. On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel c. This blessing thus pronounced by the priest did include a promise of Gods blessing them delivered as it were out of Gods own mouth and that by and through Christ of whom they were types Acts 3. 26. Unto you first God having raised up his sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities and so again Luke 24. 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them Therefore when Christ was to come the priest of Aarons seed was speechles Luke 1. 22. to teach them to look for another priest in whom all nations were to be blessed Gal. 3. 8. Vers 24. The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. Some conceive that the repeating of this word the Lord or Jehovah three severall times in this blessing did imply the mystery of the Trinity But whether so or no sure wâ— are it was pronounced in the name of God who is one in essence but three in persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and evangelically we have this very blessing explained by the Apostle 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Vers 25. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee That is the Lord be favourable kind and loving to thee and let him so manifest his love and grace to thy heart and conscience that thou mayest plainly perceive it A chearfull loving countenance we call lightsome as on the other side we call an angry countenance cloudy In the sight of the kings countenance is life saith Solomon Prov. 16. 15. So that by the Lords making his face to shine upon his people nothing else is meant but his love and the manifestation of his love and favour to them according to that Psal 44. 3. They got not the land in possession by their own sword neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thy right arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Vers 26. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace By this clause of the Lords lifting up his countenance upon them two things may be implyed 1. the Lords love and favour as in the former clause for as the hiding and casting down and turning away of the face testifies the
severall times appointed them to offer My offerings and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire for a sweet savour unto me shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season for though all the sacrifices that were burnt upon the altar are elsewhere called the Lords food Lev. 3. 11. and his bread Lev. 21. 6. the reasons whereof see in the notes upon those places yet here it seems most probable that by offerings are meant all the severall sacrifices that were to be killed and offered upon the altar and by his bread for the sacrifices is meant the meat-offerings that were to be joyned with their sacrifices and then secondly he sets down particularly what they were to offer first for their dayly sacrifice vers 3. secondly for their weekly sacrifice every Sabbath day vers 9. thirdly for their monethly sacrifice every new Moon vers 11. and fourthly for their yearly sacrifices at every severall feast in the year vers 16 c. Vers 3. This is the offering made by firâ— which ye shall offer unto the Lord c. See the notes on Exod. 29 28. Vers 9. And on the Sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot c. The sacrifices here appointed for every Sabbath day are full double to those appointed for every day vers 3. and yet the daily sacrifices the continuall burnt-offering vers 10. was not omitted on the Sabbath day neither So that every Sabbath in the morning there was offered one lambe for the daily sacrifice then two lambs more for the Sabbath and this was thus appointed firâ—t to shew the holinesse of that day and that God required more service from them on that day then other dayes secondly by way of thankfulnesse for the worlds creation and thirdly because it was a signe of our rest in heaven purchased for us by Christ Vers 11. And in the beginnings of your moneths ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord c. That is the new Moons the first dayes of every moneth these were appointed to be kept as solemn festivals then did they blow with the silver trumpets in the Sanctuary chap. 10. 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse and in your solâ—mn dayes and in the beginning of your moneths ye shall blow with thâ— trumpets c. then did they repair to the prophets or other ministers of God to hear his word 2. Kings 4. 29. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day saith the Shunamites husband to her when she would go to the Prophet Elisha It is neither new moon nor Sabbath then also they kept religious feasts 1. Sam. 5. 6. And David said unto Jonathan Behold to morrow is the new moon and I should not fail to sit with the King at meat c. neither was it lawfull to buy or sell or do other worldly work on those dayes Amos 8. 5. When will the new moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat c. Now these new moons were thus ordained to be solemnized first that they might be put in mind to be thankfull for Gods mercy in that change of times and seasons the mediate cause of many blessings and the remembrance of this mercy God would have kept at the new of the moon rather then at her full when she shined in her full brightnesse because then there was lesse danger of being taken so with the glorie of that creature as not to ascend higher to the admiration of God the Creatour whence is that expression which Job useth chap. 31. 26 27. If I beheld the sunne when it shined or the moon walking in her brightnesse and my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand c. It was the glory of the moon shining in her brightnesse that drew the heathens to worship the moon and to prevent this danger God would have the memoriall of his mercy in ordering the change of moons and seasons to be kept not at the full but at the new of the moon secondly that the renewing of the moon which borroweth her light of the sunne might be observed as a figure or shadow of the Churches renovation by Christ the sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. whereby every true Christian doth put off the old man with his deeds and put on thâ— new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Col. 3. 9 10. whence is that of the Apostle Col. 2. 16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ And thirdly that as of every day so of every moneth they might consecrate the first unto the Lords service Vers 17. And in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the feast To wit of unleavened bread Levit. 23. 6. where see all the notes on the solemnities of this feast Vers 24. After this manner ye shall offer daily throughout the seven dayes c. That is upon every one of the seven dayes of this feast But besides these sacrifices upon the sixteenth day of the moneth which was the next day after the first solemn day of the feast there was also a lamb offered for a burnt-offering together with the wave-sheaf or omer See Levit. 23. 12. and the notes thereon Vers 26. Also in the day of the first-fruits when ye bring a new meat-offering unto the Lord after your weeks be out c. Called the feast of Pentecost Acts 2. 1. when they offered two loaves of their new corn and it was seven weeks or fifty dayes after the Passeover Levit. 23. 15 16. Vers 27. Two young bullocks one ramme seven lambs of the first year These and the rest following are here added to the feast over and beside those seven lambs one bullock aâ—d two rammes which were offered with the first-fruits Lev. 23. 28. concerning which see the notes there CHAP. XXIX Vers 1. ANd in the seventh moneth on the first day of the moneth c. This seventh moneth was called the moneth Ethanim 1. Kings 8. 2. it was in the end of the year Exod. 23. 16. and the revolution of the year Exod. 34. 22. for so the word is in the originall because then the old year went out and the new began as touching Jubilees and other civil affairs Lev. 25. 9 10. But by reason of Israels coming out of Egypt in Abib or March that was made the first of the moneths Exod. 12. 2. And thus numbring the moneths for after this order the ecclesiasticall feasts were reckoned this which had been the first moneth is here as usually elsewhere called the seventh moneth and so became as it were the Sabbath moneth and was accordingly honoured with as many feasts as were celebrated in all the year besides whereof one was this here spoken of which was called
so here he continueth his sâ—eech in the same manner though that he speaks were intended of the priests peculiarly because he speaks to the whole body of Israel as one man under whom the priests were also comprehended Vers 22. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates c. Tâ—â—t is the priest as above and that as common meat in their own private dwellâ—â—gs or â—lse it is meant that the owner should redeem it as any other unclean beast aâ—d then eat it without scruple of conscience or it is spoken of those second soâ—t of firstlings concerning which we may see what is noted chap. 12. 17. CHAP. XVI Vers 2. THou shalt therefore sacrifice the Passeover unto the Lord thy God of the flock and the herd c. Because of the Passeover here enjoyned to be sacrificed it is said that it must be of the flock and the herd it cannot be meant of the Paschall-lamb which was killed on the fourteenth day of this moneth at even but either by the Passeover we must here understand joyntly both the Paschal-lamb and those other sacrifices which did accompany the eating of the Paschal-lamb which were of sheep or bullocks as namely those enjoyned Numb 28. 19. c. and such other as men would voluntarily bring an example whereof we have 2. Chron. 35. 7 8 c. or else by the Passeover is here meant the feast of the Passeover and then thus the words must be understood Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover that is Thou shalt celebrate the Passeover with sacrifices of the flock and of the herd c. Vers 3. Seven dayes shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith even the bread of affliction c. That is the bread which is a memoriall of your afflictions in Egypt as being usually the bread of those that lived in affliction and poverty and of your hasty coming out from thence before your bread had time to be leavened concerning which see the note upon Exod. 12. 15. Vers 4. And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thâ—e in all thy coasts seven dayes As they might not eat any leavened bread all the time of this feast so neither might they suffer any leaven to be in their houses to wit to make it the surer that they might not be tempted to eat of it or to use any leaven in the bread which they baked Neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificedst the first day at even remain all night untill the morning This must needs be meant of the flesh of the Paschal-lamb which was killed at the end of the foureteenth day and was to be eaten all of it that night following before the morning of the fifteenth day or else the remainder of it was to be bâ—rnt in the fire concerning which see the note upon Exod. 12. 10. For though the Paschal-lamb was not propeâ—ly a sacrifice bâ—cause no part of it was offered upon the altar yet considering that it was killed to the honour of God and as a type of Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sinnes of the world it needs not seem strange that here it is said to be sâ—crificed Vers 5. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover within any of thy gates c. That is not in any town or city save onely in Jerusalem where Christ our pâ—schallamb was sacrificed for us And indeed after God had câ—osen that to be the place of his publick worship they did onely eat the Passeover there See Luke 2. 41. but in any private house in Jerusalem they might both kill and eat the Passeover Matth. 26. 18. onely their sacrifices which they offered at that â—eâ—st might oâ—ely be offered in the temple Vers 6. There thou shalt sacrifice the Passeâ—ver at even at the going down of the sunne at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt That is the very same day of the moneth Abib when thou camest forth ouâ— of Egypt to wit the â—oureteenth day of the moneth or if these words at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt have reserence to that which went before at even at the going down of the sunne yet it must not be taken so as if the time of sunsetting were exactly the very tiâ—e when the Iâ—raelites went out of Egypt for it is evident Exod. 12. 29 c. that it was after midnight ere they had leave given them to go but onely that the night after that evening when they first eat the Passeover they went out of Egypt and were then indeed pâ—eparing to be gone whence it was that they were appointed to eat the Passeover in such haste the Lord having told them beforehand of that which shoâ—ld happen and had scarce leisure to make an end of celebrating that holy fâ—ast because the Egyptâ—ans were so eager to have them pack up and be gone Vers 7. And thou shalt tâ—rn in the morning and go unto thy tents That is the morning after the feast oâ— unleavened bread was ended which was kept seven dayes so that the â—ext words in the â—ighth verse six dayes thou shalt eat c. are added to shew what morning this was that is here mentioned to wit the morrow â—fter the solemn assembly on the sevâ—nth day Indeed some hold that the morning here mentioned must be the morning of the fifteeâ—th day the morning after they had eaten the Passeover which is altogether improbable because the fifteenth day was a solemn festivall and therefore it is not likely that liberty of travelling and leaving Jeâ—usalem on that day was allowed them and because we shall still find that the people used to stay at Jerusalem all the seven dayes of this feast which we may see 2. Chron. 30. 21. and so in other placeâ— Vers 9. Begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sicle to the corn Namely to reap the wave-sheaf the first-fruits of barley-harvest which was on the sixteenth day of that moneth ofâ—ered unto the Lord. See the note upon Leâ—it 23. 10 11. Vers 10. And thou shalt kâ—ep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewiâ—â—-offâ—ring c. â—his contribution or tribute of a â—â—eewill-offering is neither the sacrifice appointed for the feast-day Numb 18. 27 31. nor the two loaves and sacrifices with them commanded Levit. 23. 17 20. for these were not voluntary offerings but necessarily enjoyned over and besides them God here appointeth men voluntarily to bring unto him of their fruits what they could and would Vers 12. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt c. This is added firâ—â— to shew that this was the chief end of solemnizing this feaâ—t to cause them with themselves to remember this their deliverance sâ—condly as a motive to obey willingly both this and all other the commandmentâ— of God thirdly as a motive to make them respect their servants and the poore strangers in this tâ—eir feast as
shew Gods acceptation of it that it should be as meat to him and withall to expresse his love who reckons himself as a guest at their feasts Vers 16. All the fat is the Lords That is it must be burnt upon the altar neither may the priest nor owner eat of it Vers 17. It shall be a perpetuall statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings c. Upon the Lords setting apart the fat of all sacrifices to be his peculiar portion and to be burnt upon the altar there is here a more generall statute given them in charge towit that the people should never eat any of this fat of these beasts fit for sacrifices no not in their oâ—n private dwellings when they killed them for their ordinary food and not sor sacrifices which was doubtlesse to keep in them a reverend remembrance of these holy rites and the spirituall mysteries signified thereby Indeed there is great difference of judgement amongst Expositours concerning this law to wit whether the eating of all fat was here forbidden the Israelites or onely the eating of the fat of their sacrifices But for this we must know 1. that it is meant onely of the fat of beasts that were appointed for sacrifices for so much is expressed chap. 7. 23. Yâ— shall eat no manner of fat of ox of sheep or of goats 2. that it was not meant of such fat as is mixed with the flesh of such beasts as in the shoulder breast c. for such fat they were doubtlesse allowed to eat whence Deut. 32. 14. The fat of rammes and lambs of the breed of Bashan and goats is râ—ckoned amongst the dainties which God had given the Israelites in the land of Canaan but it is meant onely of the fat which we call suet or tallow the fat before mentioned which when these beasts were sacrificed was alwayes burnt upon the altar and 3. for this fat it is farre more probable that the Israelites were by this law forbidden to eat of it at all times and in all places whenever they killed either sheep or ox or goat for their ordinary food not onely because it is said that this should be a law for them throughout all their dwellings that is even when they killed these cattel at home in their own private dwellings but also especially because fat and bloud are here joyntly alike forbidden Now the bloud even of those cattel which they killed at home for their private use they might not eat the reason whereof see in the note upon Gen. 9. 5. and therefore not the fat neither CHAP. IV. Vers 2. IF a soul shall sinne through ignorance c. Hitherto in this book direction hath been given for burnt-offerings meat-offerings and peace-offerings Now the Lord here beginnes his directions for those offerings whereby expiation was made for some particular sinne which the offerer found himself guilty of which in some cases were called sinne-offerings and in some cases trespasse-offerings The first generall command concerning these is in these words to wit that if a soul that is any person whatsoever should sinne through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord then that person should bring a sinne-offering by way of expiation for that sinne where by sinnes committed through ignorance or errour for so the word in the originall may also be rendered are not onely meant such sinnes as men commit and yet know not that they sinned as being ignorant of the fact done or of the unlawfulnesse of the fact thinking they did well when indeed they transgressed some law and commandment of God but also such sinnes as men commit through infirmity and weaknesse when they are suddenly overtaken in a fault as the Apostle speaks Gal. 6. 1. overborn by the strength of their lusts and corrupt affections which do for the present as it were blind their judgement and reason and so they do not for the time mind the law of God or not lay it to heart as they ought to do Yet withall we must consider that it is no way probable that all sinnes of this nature are here intended but onely such greater externall sinnes for which the conscience is more likely to be stricken then for every ordinary aberration for who can think that there was a severall sinne-offering to be brought for every transgression of Gods law though but in thought or word which in the best are every day so many No other sinnes were expiated by the dayly burnt-offerings which were offered for the whole Church or by the sacrifice offered on the day of atonement concerning which it is said Levit. 16. 30. On that day shall the priest make an atonement for you to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sinnes before the Lord. These sinne-offerings were onely for such particular sinnes for which their consciences were in a more speciall manner smitten and they were all types of Christ for For God made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5. 21. Vers 3. If the priest that is anointed do sinne c. That is the high priest who onely was anointed in the ages following as is before noted upon Exod. 29. 7. 40. 15. now in that the Leviticall high priest had himself need of an offering for sinne they were taught that he was not the Mediatour that could stand between God and them and make a perfect atonement for them but that they were to look for another in whom there was no sinne of whom the Leviticall high priest in his holy garments was a shadow and type See Heb. 7. 26 27 28. For such an high priest became us who is holy harmlesse â—ndefiled and separate from sinners who needeth not dayly as those high priests to offer â—p sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples c. Then let him bring for his sinne which he hath sinned a young bullock c. A greater sacrifice then the common persons vers 28. or the rulers vers 22. and equall to the congregations vers 14. because his sinne was greatest and most pernicious to the people Vers 4. And shall lay his hand upon the bullocks head c. So testifying his faith and resting on Christ whom that sacrifice figured See the note upon chapter 1. 4. Vers 5. And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullocks bloud This anointed priest is the sinner himself Heb. 7. 27. who is here injoyned to take of the bullocks bloud and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation that is into the tabernacle which was not yet prescribed to be done in any other sacrifice and this shewed that by the bloud of Christ we have a way opened into heaven Heb. 10. 19. 20. Having boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his