VVHo can better order an Army than the Lord of Hosts and who more fit to lead his people into the Land of Canaan than he that brought them out of the house of bondage and he alone it is that doth here marshal the Camp of Israel order the Militia of his People and make them as an Army terrible with banners Terrible and full of Majesty either to draw Hearts or to daunt them God is both the Van and Rear in the Churches Army The Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your reward So that although Satan muster up all his Forces Tyrants Hereticks and the like that invade the Church and assault her on all sides yet they shall find her invincible Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel say but they have not prevailed against me Psalm 129. the Church is invincible and only the Church Athens took upon her of old to be so and Venice of late boasteth the like but time hath confuted the one and may soon do the other when the Church shall stand firm because founded on a Rock Verse 3. God providing here for the good of his People appointeth Officers and Magistrates over them and leaves them not to themselves which would have been the occasion of much contention Every Tribe had his certain Captain and Leader designed by God who is the God of order and therefore giveth to his People Rulers to fight their Battles and to guide them in order and Godliness Faithful Magistrates are needful for Church and Common-wealth who are not only a portion among Believers but the chief parts and stay of them in well-doing both in Peace and War Verse 10. Reuben was the Eldest Son of Iacob and to him as the First-born the Birth-right did belong and yet we see verse 3. that Iudah was placed before him thus doth God sometimes shew himself a just Judge in punishing sin and yet withall a merciful Father to Reuben in his Posterity for whereas he had deserved to be raced out of the number of Gods people because of his Incest yet God allowed Reuben here the second place among the Tribes So that all-be-it he was punish'd justly he was punish't gently Thus God dealeth evermore he will punish sin but he will do it in mercy not in severity gently not rigorously for Correction and not seeking the ruine of his Children CHAP. III. Verse 1. THere is a Natural Generation and there is a Moral or spiritual Generation my Father begets me the first way and my God or my Teacher the second way Thus here Moses did Regenerate what Aaron had begot he was a Father by his directions and instruction when Aaron was only by Nature The word delivered by Gods Minister for our spiritual Birth and Education is not a dead letter an empty sound as some would have it for together with the Word there goes forth a Regenerating power the exhortations thereof are operative means of Sanctification as when God said Let there be light or Christ said Lazarus come forth The Spirit maketh the seed of the Word profitable and generative And hence Ministers are call'd Fathers as Moses here was Father to Aarons Children who are therefore call'd his Generation Verse 4. When God had formerly sent his fire from above and commanded the continuance of that fire for Nadab and Abihu to fetch prophane Coals to Gods Altar could savour of no less than presumption and Sacriledge when we bring zeal without knowledg mis-conceits of Faith carnal Affections the devices of our will-worship superstitious devotions unto Gods service we bring common fire to his Altar these Flames were neveâ— of his kindling he hates both Altar Fire Priest and Sacrifice And now behold â—he same Fire that consumed the Sacrifices before consumes the Sacrificers It was the sign of Gods acceptation in consuming the Beast but whiles it destroyed Men the fearful sign of his displeasure By the same means God can bewray both love and hatred And here one might have thought that being but young Men and not yet warm in their Function both Age and Inexperience might have excus'd them but no pretences can bear off a sin with God That no man may hope the plea either of Birth or Youth or of the first Commission of Evill may challenge pardon I see here young Men Sons of the Ruler of Israel for the first offence struck dead Verse 13. The First-born are said to be Gods by several Rights First by right of Redemption he that is saved is not his own but his that saved him He hath saved us from our enemies that we might serve him Luke 1. 74. Christ hath therefore broke the Devils yoke from off our Necks that we might take upon us his yoke that is easie and his burthen that is light serve we must still but after another manner as the Israelites did when freed from the Egyptian bondage Yet thou shalt keep this service saith Moses Exod. 12. 25. Secondly the first-born are Gods by right of dilection as usually best beloved that together with our Children he might draw to himself the best of our affections Thirdly by right of Sanctification they were saparated they were sanctified to the Lord to wait on his Altar to shew that singular things are expected of all that draw nigh unto God in any duty but especially in the office of the Ministry Those that stand in the presence of Princes must be exact in their carriage God appointed both the weights and measures of the Sanctuary to be twice as large as those of the Common-Wealth which implies that he expects much more from those that serve him there than he doth from others CHAP. IV. Verse 9. A Type of Christ who is light Essential and giveth light to every man that cometh into the world to every man the light of Reason to his own a supernatural light to know Heavenly things an affecting transforming Light which shall change us into the same Image with himself from glory to glory as the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun-beams upon it becomes Radiant which will make us walk as the children of Light like so many Christal glasses with a light in the midst of each which appeareth throw every part of them and in respect of this light every Created understanding in its highest abilities is at the most but as Aeschilus saith of Fire stoln by Prometheus a beam of that Light Essential Verse 19. Aaron and his Sons must appoint the Cohathites their several Offices and shew them what part every particular person must bear that the wrath of God do not break in among them and this consideration of the wrath of God ready to come upon offenders ought to encrease their care to do the duty that God requires Holy things must be handled Reverently Religiously Whatever matters of God we meddle withall whether it be Hearing of his Word or Receiving of the Sacrament or Calling on his Name we are
discovers our adulterate coin by that silver touch-stone of his law he that created the light and darkness must needs know both he seeth the exteriour Acts thy light before men he vieweth the hidden vaults and recesses of that mind the darkness of thy heart therefore his law here is called a law of fire he pleadeth in flames by this fire he examineth thy dissembled humilation and repentance thy solemn devotions the stubble and trash of thy performances Verse 8. In this Chapter Moses blessing the twelve Tribes gives to each a benediction proper and peculiar to its self All but Levi in this Text were for temporall ends and their Legacies are answerable Moses gives them as much as they care for Zebulun and Issachar shall be filled with the Treasures of the Sea and Land and that 's enough to stop their mouths Benjamin shall be blessed with repose security and heel gladly sit down with that But now it is not wealth nor ease nor honour that best suits with the Ephod All worldly blessings are jewels of too low a price too faint a blaze and lustre to be set there And therefore of Levi 't is said here let thy Thummim and thy Urim be upon thy holy one That that is conferred upon Levi must be divine and heavenly Urim and Thummim Perfection and Illumination and both must proceed from God after a peculiar manner and therefore 't is said in the Text thy Urim and thy Thummim and thy holy One. And so it is not our own perfection nor innate holinesse nor our own illumination or private spirit neither is this holy One one of our own making any invention of man but an Order founded by God himself Verse 9. Though God do not call us as he did Abraham to offer up our Children yet he requires us sometimes to neglect both Children and parents and all natural relations for his sake and surely in such a case Piet as est impium esse pro Domino It is piety towards God to be unnatural to our friends Our blessed Saviour hath told us He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. Another Evangelist useth a more harsh expression he that cometh to me and hateth not all these Luke 14. Strange that love its self should require hatred but yet just not in an absolute but comparative sense we must not love Father or Mother more then him yea when their desires come in competition with his will we must hate them for him we must say with Levi here nesio vos I know ye not trampling under foot all natural relations which would hinder us from obedience to divine inventions Verse 27. God is with his Children as Christ was with Peter when ready to sink into the Sea stretching forth his hand to uphold him the Lord is with us saith the Psalmist what follows the God of Iacob is our refuge divine presences exempt not from but is a refuge in the storme to this purpose Moses expression here is yet fuller a mans hand put under the chin keeps him from sinking into the water much more can the arms of a God uphold us in troubles and therefore these two are fitly joyn'd together Fear thee not for I am with thee I will strengthen thee yea I will help yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Isa. 41. 10. CHAP. XXXIV Vers. 4. GOd was to the Jews in general as he was to his principal servant amongst them Moses he saw the Land of Promise but he entred not into it the Jews saw Christ but imbraced him not Abraham saw his day and rejoyced they saw it i. e. they might have seen it but wincked at it Iudaei habuere jus mendicandi saith a Father The Iewes had a licence to beg they had a Brief and might gather they had a Covenant and might plead with God but they did not and therefore though they were inexcusable for their neglect of the light of nature and more inexcusable for resisting the light of the Law yet that they and we might be absolutely inexcusable if we continued in darkness after that God set up another light the light of the Gospel Verse 6. As God would not suffer Moses his body to be seen when it was dead because then it could not speak to them it could not instruct them it could not direct them in any duty if they transgressed from any so God himself would not be spoken to by us but when he speaks himself in his word where he is dumb we must be so too and therefore though there are decrees in God yet they speak not to us at all till God himself exemplifie them in the execution of them we must not then busie our selves in an over-curious and impertinent inquisition after the unrevealed decrees of God but content our selves with those writings in which he hath declared and manifested himself to us The End of the Five Books of Moses
that thou shouldest look on such a dead dogg as I am and when he considers from what a low to what an high estate God hath brought him he saith as Iacob here I am less than the least of all thy mercies and when Christ tells a Soul that he will make him a King and a Priest to God he humbly saith as Saul to Samuel am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel yea it saith as Elizabeth said to Mary the blessed Mother of our ever blessed Jesus when she heard the Salutation that the Babe the heart of a true Believer leap'd within her and she spake Blessed art thou whence O whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord Oh saith the Soul that my God should come to see me even me poor worthless me it fares with such a Soul as with the Disciples Luke 24. Jesus stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you and they were terrified and affrighted but he said Why are ye troubled it is I behold my hands and my feet and they believed not for joy and wondred Verse 11. It is like that Esau prepared himself to be revenged of Iacob as may appear by Iacobs prayer and fear here which was not without cause whereby the power of God is also set forth that could in the very way change that purpose of Esau and withall Iacob sheweth in this his weakness and infirmity that although looking to Gods promise he had confidence yet turning himself to the present danger he fear'd and here while Iacob prepared himself by war prayer and gifts to satisfie his Brother he doth well for though God hath promised us deliverance we ought to use all good means and working under Gods providence Verse 12. Prayer is not only a bare manifestation of our mind to God by such a sute or petition but in Prayer there is or ought to be an holy arguing with God about the matter which we declare which is a bringing out and urging of reasons and motives whereby the Lord may be moved to grant what we pray for and this is clear from this example of Iacob in this Chapter Verse 24. When we are most retired from the World then we are most fit to have and usually have most communion with God David shews us divine work when we go to rest the bed is not all for sleep commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still Psal. 4. be still and quiet and then commune with your hearts God will come and commune with them to his Spirit will give you a loving visit When Iacob fearing the rage of his Brother had put himself into the best posture and defence he could and had sent his Wives and Children over the River the Text saith that he was left alone which is not to be understood as if his company had left or deserted him Iacob's solitariness was not passive but effective he having disposed of all his Family withdrew himself and stayed alone and what then then he had a Vision indeed then there wrestled a man with him till the breaking of the day he spent not the night in carping and caring what should become of him to morrow no he retires to pray for a blessing upon his former cares and a blessing he obtains Verse 25. What a wonder is here Iacob received not so much hurt from all his enemies as from his best Friends not one of his hairs perish'd by Laban or Esau yet he lost a joynt by the Angel and was sent halting to his Grave he that knows our strength yet will wrestle with us for our exercise and loves our violence and importunity O happy loss this of Iacob he lost a joint and won a blessing it is a favour to halt from God yet this favour is seconded with a greater He was blest because he would rather halt than leave ere he was blessed If he had left sooner he had not halted but then he had not prospered that man shall go away sound but miserable that loves a limb more than a blessing Surely if Iacob had not wrestled with God he had been folid with evils how many are the troubles of the righteous Verse 30. Holy men even in this life have a sight of the face of God the Soul of a Believer hath interviews with God God and he do often look one another in the face Wheresoever the Saints are except in cases of desertion the place may be called as Iacob here call'd this where he wrestled with God Peniel that is the face of God yet not in that sence fully in which Iacob calls it so he call'd it the face of God because he had seen God face to face We can call it so only ordinarily because we see his face It is one thing to see the face of God another thing to see God face to face the former is the common priviledge of Saints in this life the latter is the priviledge of but some Saints and those rare ones to have it here Verse 31. At death God wrestles with his people laying hold on their Consciences by the menaces of the Law They again resist this assault by laying hold upon God in Christ by the Faith of the Gospel well assured that Christ hath freed them from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for them on the Cross. God yields himself over-come by this re-encounter but yet toucheth their thigh takes away their life howbeit this hinders not the Sun of Life Eternal to arise upon them CHAP. XXXIII Verse 4. VArious and miraculous are the means which God useth to deliver his People from their Enemies sometimes he divides them and sets the Churches enemies one against another so he did for Gideon's small Army to the Midianites mighty Host setting every mans Sword against his fellow sometimes he changeth their minds and turneth the stream of their affections Thus was Esau's heart mollified towards Iacob who instead of a devouring enemy becomes an embracing friend and meets him with kisses to whom he had intended blowes Indeed what Solomon saith of the Kings heart is true of all mens That they are in the hands of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters and he turneth them wheresoever he will No wonder then if sometimes he mollifies the Obdurate qualifies the Malicious and melts the Frozen Hearts of Wicked men into Love and Compassion towards his Servants Verse 5. Children are the blessings of the Lord nay they are part of his inheritance Children are an heritage of the Lord saith the Psalmist and the fruit of the Womb is his reward they are special blessings Children as it is to be observed are a resemblance of our immortality because man revives again lives a-new as it were in every Child he is born again in a civil sence when others are born to him There are some who count their Children but Bills of Charges but God puts them upon the account of our Mercies And
a beast to day none better to morrow none worse to day a God to morrow a Devil Christ and his Apostles found this measure as well as Moses in the Text ready to be stoned by those that even now when the Sea was divided honoured him as a God You can never give any people so many causes to stick unto as he did give this people to cleave unto him and yet they failed Verse 6. No evil in man can drive God from his Promise And therefore when the Devil shall suggest that thou art not worthy of Mercy that thou art so great a sinner God cannot spare thee therefore trouble him not hope not in him for there is no Mercy for such a one answer that thou dost not rely upon thine own merit that thou dost confess all that he saith of thy unworthiness to be most true but tell him withall that thou dost look at Gods Promise and consider his Truth and that thou dost find here and every where that no evil in man can make him evil by breaking his Promise and that therefore thou maist not despair Verse 8. As the Israelites could not travel to the earthly Canaan but they must fight with Amaleck in the way no more can we travel to our heavenly Canaan without fighting with Amaleck the World the Flesh and the Devil are fierce Amalekites and they must be fought with and overcome as Amaleck was or else we shall never see Canaan Poverty Sickness Crosses by Children Slanders with infinite more are Amalekites and they stop you in your way to Canaan so that without buckling with them you shall not passe Verse 9. We may observe in this the antiquity of Musters and a warrant for them All did not go here but some and those chosen out by a Muster and view taken by Ioshua We may take notice likewise how full of honour and credit it ever was in these cases to be chosen which if so then certainly men should not run away and hide themselves as soon as they hear of a Muster towards as heretofore they did Verse 11. If we receive not what we pray for at first asking we raint and cease praying streight not remembring how often we use a Medicine for the body before we can be whole Let us therefore amend this fault in our Prayer hereafter and never forget the force of true and godly Prayer While Moses held up his hands that is continued praying so long the Israelites whom he prayed for prevailed but when he gave over the Enemy prevailed Thus will it be in your case and my case and all others that be troubled Verse 12. This heaviness of Moses hands may teach us the weakness of all flesh in Christian exercises We cannot hold out and continue as we ought hut heaviness and dulness will steal upon us and seek to cool us and hinder us The help that Aaron and Hur performed unto him tels us the benefit of Christian Company in such holy exercises and the needful duty of praying for him that prayeth for us that God would be with his Spirit that is strengthen him and quicken him and aid him so to pray and continue his Prayers as the end may be to his Glory and our Comfort Verse 14 15. All this hath use to tell us how careful we must be in keeping a Register in our hearts of Gods Mercies and Favours towards us in our selves in our Friends in our Country in our Magistrates and Ministers or any way Examples in this kind are numerous as of Deborah Iudith Hester Anna Mary and that cleans'd Leper that return'd to give thanks the Israelites when they pass'd over the red Sea all these built Altars in their hearts for Gods Favours by being truly and fervently thankful CHAP. XVIII Verse 9. THe hearty joy that was in Iethro when he heard what God had done for Israel shews us the right affection of a Child of God when God is merciful to his Church or to any Member thereof He envieth not he grudgeth not much lesse speaketh ill but with a very loving joy he is glad and blesseth the name of the Lord for it Verse 10. After our deliverance from any affliction or danger there remains nothing on our part but to blesse God for that Deliverance Thus when the Israelites were safe on the shore and saw their dead Enemies come floating after them upon the billows they did not cry more loud before than now they sung Not their Faith but their Sense teacheth them now to magnifie that God after their deliverance whom they hardly trusted for their deliverance and thus Iethro here blesseth God for the deliverance of his People Even Nature taught the very Gentiles what both they and Gods own People ought to return for Mercies And indeed a whole Christians life is divided into praying and praifing if we begin with Petitions we commonly conclude with Thanksgivings Thus by an holy craft we insinuate into Gods Favour driving a trade betwixt Earth and Heaven receiving and returning importing one Commodity that of Mercies and transporting another that of Thansgiving Verse 19. In this excellent man Moses Iethro his inferior by far finds a just fault which tels us that no man is perfect in all things but may receive counsel even from a meaner person And let Moses Modesty in yeilding make our spirits humble in like occasions where God dwelleth it will be so and Pride is a sure sign of an ill Heart The Head scorns not the Foot and the very Foot is careful for the Head Verse 22. When the Lord said to Rulers Ye are Gods he means not that they should be like the Epicures idle God which sate in his Throne and let all inferior matters alone as too base for his eyes Nay rather the Lord would have Judges like himself who doth not only weigh Mountains and Hils in his Ballance but the very dust of the Earth and sands of the Sea and therefore he setteth down Judgement for small matters in this verse And as he saith in Deuteronomy Vengeance is mine so in the Proverbs he descendeth lower and layeth claim to the Ballance and telleth us that all the weights of the bag are the work of the Lord And who are weaker and lower than the Fatherless the Widdow and the Poor and yet all Judges have the Lords Letters commendatory in their behalf the tenor whereof is this Do right to the Poor and Fatherless CHAP. XIX Verse 7. GOD might have imposed upon them a Law per-force They were his Creatures and he could require nothing but Justice It had been but equal that they should be compelled to obey their Maker Yet that God which loves to do all things sweetly gives the Law of Justice in Mercy and will not imperiously command but craves our assent for that which it were rebellion not to do How gentle should be the proceeding of fellow-creatures who have an equality of being with an inequality of condition when their infinite
the Priests from whom others should draw Example should themselves be obedient to Gods Word in all things and first hear then speak Obedience was ever acceptable to God Psal. 40. 6. next the Thumb is touched with Blood to teach that we must not only be Hearers but Doers of the Word joyning Works to Faith and a Holy Life to a sound Belief And the right Thumb not the left to signifie that our Works must be right commanded by God not invented by us To the like end was the right Toe sprinkled with Blood that they might so remember to walk worthy their vocation and usually by the Foot in Scripture is both Action and Affection noted My feet had almost slipt said David meaning both Action and Affection Verse 29. The same garments continued although the Priest by Mortality changed and so was signified that our High Priest not meer Man but God and Man is one and his Righteousness our blessed garment remaineth to Father Son and Sons Son to the Worlds end in them that fear him and by a true Faith believe in him CHAP. XXX Verse 1. THe Altar of Incense was of Wood covered with Gold figuring so Christ in both his Natures the Wood his Humanity the Gold his Divinity the Deity yielding Glory and Majesty to his Manhood as the Gold adorn'd and beautified the Shittim Wood. Verse 2. The square form of this Altar represents the firm stability of Christ who cannot be overthrown The Crown about it the regal Dignity of Christ and of all those that are ingrafted to him For we are Kings and Priesis in him and by him Verse 7. The sweet Incense notes all Duties and services which the People of God do to him by his appointment and that they smell sweet before him as the Incense and are accepted of him But particularly the Prayers of the faithful for so David Psal. 14. 2. expounded it The burning of this Incense upon the Altar which was a figure of Christ shadowed out that in Christ and for Christ only our Prayers are in force with God and therefore by him they ought to be offered unto God Verse 9. Prayers either made to others then to God in the name of Christ or for unlawful things are strange Incense and therefore not to be offered unto God No Saint nor Creature was shadowed by the Altar of Incense but Christ and therefore let them take heed that will pray to others and make others present their desires to God Verse 12. To number People in a Land is lawful and if you think of David why he was plagued for so doing surely it was not for that he numbred the People but because he did it in a pride and confidence in mans strength But here neither Pride nor Wealth nor other such eâ—ds were respected but obedience was aimed at and that they should profess themselves thus Gods People and themselves his Tributaries and so be ever strongly comforted in his protection Verse 15. This was a personal Tribute imposed to testifie obedience to God and therefore equally was paid to signifie that God is no respecter of persons but the poor are as dear to him doing his Will as the rich we are all the Lords the price of our redemption is one the precious bloud of that immaculate Lamb Jesus Christ. Verse 16. In worldly matters the rich may go before us but in matters belonging unto God his Worship and Service we ought to be as forward as the rich For you see here that the maintenance of the Ministery was not posted over to Princes and great men only but even private men also must joyn in this work For if he be born to inherit Heaven he must think himself born to maintain the means that lead us unto Heaven Our Sheep and Cattel we provide for because they labour for us and feed us what hearts then should we have to see them comfortably maintain'd that labour for us in a far higher sort and feed us with a much better food Verse 21. We must not meddle with holy things with unwashen hands that is with prophane Hearts Tongues and minds as they do that read the Scriptures not to guide their lives but to maintain table Discourses drawing the Scriptures to their Judgements and not framing their Judgements according to the Scriptures These washings again in the Law had a further reach being used in Faith even to the inward washing of the Spirit whereof they were true Sacraments to the Believers So David Wash me O Lord and I shall be clean that is inwardly inwardly O Lord by thy blessed Spirit from my sins Verse 23. This holy and most excellent Oil was a figure of the Holy Ghost without whom nothing is pure nothing sweet All things were annointed therewith Preist Ark Table Candlestick to teach that all the exercises of Religion are utterly unprofitable without the inward working of the Holy Ghost in our hearts CHAP. XXXI Verse 3. BY this is manifest that the skill of any Handi-craft is not in the power of men but comes by the Highest And by this we are taught to use all those Gifts well whereby we are enabled to discharge our particular Callings that they may serve for the Glory of God and the good of his Church and those that in their Callings use fraud and deceit or else live inordinately do most unthankfully abuse the Gifts of God and dishonour the Spirit of God the Author of their Gifts Verse 6. God here joyneth Aholiab with Bezaliel in the work of the Tabernacle that by this means it might be the more compleat If there should be any fault in Bezaliels work Aholiab might mend it and if there should chance to be any error in Aholiabs performance Bezaliel might correct it that so by the care and circumspection of these two able Workmen nothing might be omitted And as it was thus under the Law so was it under the Gospel the Work of Christs Church as well as Moses Tabernacle must be performed by pairs Therefore Christ sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel by couples two and two together Two are better than one saith Solomon For first if they fall the one will lift up the other that which is stronger shoreth up the weaker One man may be an Angel to another in regard of comfort and assistance nay a God to another as Moses was to Aaron Secondly if two lie together then they have heat heat of Zeal and good Affection When Silas came Paul burnt in spirit Acts 18. warm he was before but now all of a light fire as it were The Enemy is readiest to assault when none is by to assist and much of our strength is lost in the losse of a faithful Friend CHAP. XXXII Verse 1. O The ingratitude of that giddy multitude a man would have thought they would have wept out theit eyes and sighed their hearts in sunder for such a man as Moses such an Instrument of God and Good to them such
of the Ministery that it should not be defrauded of the least thing allotted to it And therefore harden not your heart against God against Law against Right and Truth accustome not your hearts to cover your Neighbours due your hands to purloin it by fraud or take it by strength it is theft spiritual theft sacriledge your house receiveth stoln Goods and the Wrath of God may happily shake the foundation of it for such a sin and you in yours or you and yours be punished Verse 13. Here Leaven is admitted of which before was forbid Leaven therefore is taken in a good sense as well as in an ill Thus the Apostles are resembled to a little Leaven that leaveneth the whole lump they being sent out of God into the unleavened World by preaching to leaven it clean through And there is a Leaven of the new Nature accepted as there is a Leaven of the old Nature rejected For look how the Leaven maketh the Bread savory and strong and wholsome look also how it makes it rise and heave up which otherwise would be sad and heavy So doth Gods regenerate Spirit change us make us savory and all our Duties pleasing to God and we rise up our Hearts and Souls are heaved up in all love in thankfulness to him that in Mercy hath so look'd upon us Verse 15. A Ceremony us'd to signifie that publick Feasts should not be superfluously continued and kept long under the colour of Religion For God loveth not idle banquetting and prodigal spending although he allow graciously what is fit for the occasion Secondly this was done in wisdome by God least if the flesh should have smelt by longer keeping Religion might so have been vile in the eyes of fickle persons Verse 18. We may learn by this that the taking hold of Christ is not to be deferr'd and put off but speedily and quickly to be done whilst time serves and opportunity is offer'd For behold sayes Christ to day and to morrow I cast out Devils and the third day Luke 13. that is a short time I have yet to go on with my Ministery and then I shall be slain More particularly every Man and Woman may be said to have three dayes The first of Youth till Age come the second of Age till Death come and in these two dayes there is Mercy offered but the third day is after Death and then there is no help as here on the third day no Offering was accepted but the sin remained unpardoned and not forgiven Verse 30. The bringing of the Sacrifice with his own hands and not sending it by others taught Humility and Duty to God taught that every one must live by his own Faith and not by anothers Verse 34. The shaking of it to and fro four wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting up of Christ that is of Christs Death and Passion throughouâ— all the World by the preaching of the Gospel CHAP. VIII Verse 2. THe Lord precisely appointed Priests and would not leave it to every man to perform this Office to signifie that not any man butthe-man Christ Jesus could appease Gods Wrath satisfie his Justice and take away the sins of the World This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the Host of Israel from this Office and chusing but Aaron and his Sons as Types of Christ that so by such an Ordinance the Majesty Authority and Property of Christs Office might be resembled and shadowed Verse 5. Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer unto them For he well knew Gods Will only in his own House must be the Rule Our own heads were never the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to give that swinge unto us Verse 13. Aarons Sons were a figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his Merits as well as the Priests Their Garments figured out the Graces and Gifts wherewith the Believers in Christ are adorned and beautified casting away the Works of Darkness and putting on daily more and more the Deeds of Light Rom. 13. 12. Verse 30. Upon Aarons Sons Moses did but sprinkle the annointing Oil which was said to be poured upon Aaron verse 12. So plainly shewing that in Christ the Spirit should be without measure and upon his Servants in measure we all receiving of his fulness according to his good Pleasure some more some lesse Verse 35. By this is signified that watch which all our life time is noted by the seven dayes we keep in avoiding sin and working righteousness as the Lord shall enable which indeed may be call'd the watch of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seventh day we shall be free fully sanctified and delivered from this vail of misery to keep an eternal Sabbath in Heaven to our endless comfort CHAP. IX Verse 7. IN that Aaron was here commanded to offer as well for himself as the People he was herein a figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his own but that ours were so laid upon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as they had been his own Surely sayes the Prophet Isai. 53. 4. he hath born our infirmities c. that is we judg'd him evil as though he were punish'd for his own sins and not for ours Verse 22. Thus doth God blesse us in Christ in whom all the Nations of the World are blessed First with the Blessing of Reconciliation to himself reputing us now just for his Son Christ. Secondly with the Blessing of his Spirit whereby we walk in his Calling being guided thereby in the same Thirdly with the Blessing of Acceptance of all our Works though full of imperfection and weakness And last of all with this great Blessing that all adversity becometh a help to us to draw us to Heaven and Eternal Rest. Verse 24. That God which shew'd himself to Men in fire when he delivered his Law would have men present their Sacrifices to him in fire and this fire he would have his own that there might be a just circulation in this Creature as the Water sends up those vapours which it receives down again in Rain Hereupon it was that fire came down from God to the Altar that as the charge of the Sacrifice was delivered in fire so God might signifie the acceptation of it in the like fashion wherein it was commanded The Baalites might lay ready their Bullock upon the Wood but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their Bodies and destroy themselves than one flash out of Heaven to consume the Sacrifice CHAP. X. Verse 2. NAdab and Abibu were two of Aarons Eldest Sons which after their Father should have succeeded him in his place yet there is no Mercy with God to stay his Judgement when they will not be Ruled by his Word No Prerogative therefore shall save any Man from Wrath if he offend but