retained the Lord of Sabbaoth Rom. 9. 29. Vers 2. He rested on the seventh day from all the works which he had made That is he did not on the seventh day create any thing as he had done on the foregoing six dayes because all was already finished which he had purposed to make The Creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is neary Isa 40. 28. onely it is said that he rested on the seventh day because he ceased from the work of creation for as concerning the sustaining and governing of the creatures the Father worketh hitherto and Christ worketh John 5. 17. Vers 3. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it The second word sanctified is added by way of explaining the first word blessed and the meaning is that God set apart the seventh day for the speciall work of his service and blessed it with this singular priviledge that it should be wholy consecrate to him and his worship Some Expositours indeed hold that there was not any law imposed upon Adam and his posterity for the keeping of the seventh day holy till at mount Sinai it was commanded the Israelites and so they take this here to be mentioned by Moses by way of Prolepsis to wit that because God rested from his work of creation upon the seventh day therefore he did afterwards ordain that every seventh day of the week should be kept holy by the Israelites as a Sabbath of rest unto the Lord. But the words will not bear this exposition and there are many reasons besides that do evidently enough discover that God did from the first creation appoint that the seventh day should be kept as a holy Sabbath as 1. Because it is expressely spoken of the very next day after the Lord had ended the worlds creation Now if that were a Sabbath sanctified and set apart for holy imployments we cannot think that this ordinance beginning then was not afterward continued 2. Because it is no way probable that the Church had for so many ages before the giving of the Law no set day set apart for holy imployments What though there be no mention made in the Scriptures of the Patriarchs keeping a Sabbath Many things they did which are not mentioned and how could the distinction of severall weeks be kept till the Law yea how could they have known the weekly seventh day from the creation if it had not been constantly kept from the Creation till that time 3. Because it is plain that the Jews did keep the Sabbath defore the Lavv vvas given for before the Lavv vvas given that vvas spoken by Moses Exod. 16. 23. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. and 4. Because the Apostle Heb. 4. 3. doth evidently enough imply that there vvas a rest vvhich Gods people did observe sinâ—e the finishing of Gods vvork from the first foundation of the vvorld Vers 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth c. That is in this order and manner as hath been declared vvere the heavens and the earth at first created and made and all the plants and herbs of the field vvhen as yet there had been no such thing grovving thereon according to the course of nature as novv they do Vers 5. For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth c. As if he should say it must needs be yielded that God did at first by his absolute povver cause these things to grovv out of the earth for there had been as yet none of those ordinary means vvhereby the earth is novv made fruitfull no rain to vvater it no man to till it Vers 6. But there went up a mist c. Junius reades this negatively Nor went there up a mist c. and takes it to be a further confirmation of that vvhich before vvas said that the creating of things by the meer vvord of God cannot be denied because as yet there had not been so much as a mist to vvater the ground But if vve reade it as in our Translation it must be understood as I conceive to be added by vvay of preventing an objection for vvhereas it might be said Hovv then continued they to grovv after they vvere created being there vvas neither rain to vvater the earth nor man to till it Moses telleth us There went up a mist c. Vers 7. And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life That is by his almighty povver the Lord did create and infuse into the yet livelesse body of Adam a living reasonable soul vvhich being instantly united to the body in an incomprehensible manner his body vvas quickened and enlivened vvhich soon appeared by the breath in his nostrils Thus the soul vvas not as the body made of the earth but created of nothing and so joyned to the body Vers 8. The Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden To vvit on the third day of the Creation vvhen the Lord commanded the earth to bring forth all herbs trees and plants vvherevvith it is novv adorned for as he then made the earth all over to bring forth some kind of increase or other for the use of living creatures and of Adams posterity as they should increase so for the present habitation of these our first Parents he then also made in Eden a countrey that lay Eastvvard from Canaan mentioned often in the Scriptures Isa 35. 12. Ezek. 27. 23. a most goodly pleasant and fruitfull garden abounding vvith all things that could be therein desired and so curiously ordered in every respect as if it had been planted by art and hereinto Adam vvas put This Garden is by the Greek Interpreters called Paradise and is in the Scripture termed the garden of the Lord Gen. 13. 10. and for the pleasantnesse of it made a figure of the heaven of heavens vvhich is therefore called Paradise Luke 23. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise 2. Cor. 12. 4. He was caught up into Paradise c. Vers 9. The tree of life c. This tree was so called 1. because it was a memoriall or monitorie signe of that life which he had received from God 2. because it was a sacramentall signe annexed to the covenant of works assuring life and glory upon condition of perfect obedience 3. as some conceive because of the power which God had given it to sustain the body of man in perfect strength without any decay untill they were translated to heavenly glory which they take to be the ground of that which is said Gen. 3. 22. Lest he take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden Vers 10. And the tree of knowledge of good and evil So called not because the fruit thereof had any such quality or virtue that being eaten it would work in man any increase of knowledge or quicknesse of wit but because it was another sacramentall
his soul First by way of homage Princes use to take tribute-money by poll and to that end are wont to number their people Israel therefore being numbred must pay this as a tribute-money acknowledging thereby Gods dominion over them and that by right of redemption because he had redeemed them out of the house of bondage and so had bound them to be his servants Secondly by way of thankfull acknowledgement that it was of him that they were multiplied so exceedingly according to his promise made to their fathers that their seed should be as the starres for number as likewise that he did by his good providence keep an accompt as it were of every particular person amongst them and watch over them for their good and safety thirdly by way of expiation because when they came to be thus particularly visited and looked into of God they could not escape destruction by reason of their sinnes should he deal with them according to justice and therefore there must a ransome be paid the rather because pride and presumption and many other infirmities do usually accompany the numbring of a people as we see in the example of David 2. Sam. 24. Yet we must not think that so small a price as here was paid by every man for his ransome was any meet satisfaction to Gods justice but onely hereby they were taught to judge themselves and to acknowledge a greater ransome that was to be paid whereof this was a kind of type even the Lord Christ Jesus who was himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time 1. Tim. 2. 6. Vers 13. Half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary a shekel is twenty gerahs This was that which every Israelite paid for his ransome when they were numbred The gerah is held to have been about a penny half penny and by that estimate the shekel was two shillings and six pence and half the shekel fifteen pence and it is expressed that they should give half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary either because the shekel of the Sanctuary was twice as much as the common shekel the common shekel being but ten gerahs but the shekel of the Sanctuary twenty as is here expressed which is indeed the common opinion or rather because the standard of all weights and measures was kept in the Sanctuary and so the injoyning of them to give half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary was nothing else but that they should give a true half shekel of the full weight and value after the standard of the Sanctuary And indeed Ezek. 45. 10 11 12. where the Prophet exhorts the Princes of Israel to use none but just weights and measures speaking of those that were commonly used among the people he gives direction as here that the shekel should contain twenty gerahs Vers 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying By these transitions it seems very probable that the Lord did not deliver to Moses all these directions at one time or in one day but at severall times in the space of fourty dayes Vers 18. Thou shalt make a laver of brasse and his foot of brasse c. Which was made of the womens brasen looking-glasses Exod. 38. 8. And he made the laver of brasse and the foot of it of brasse of the looking-glasses of the women c. Now the laver being lifted up upon his foot or base the priests could not put their feet in it whence it is inferred that it had spouts for the water to issue forth and at the bottom some vessel or other to receive the water Vers 26. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith c. All these things were anointed first to consecrate them to Gods service and to separate them from all profane and common uses secondly to signifie both that all excercises of piety used in the legall service would not be at all profitable without the secret operation of the spirit whereof the oyl was a type as also that there comes no good to us by those things but onely by the working and application of the spirit See Heb. 9. 14. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 15. Isa 61. 1. This was done Levit. 8. Vers 30. And thou shalt anoynt Aaron and his sonnes c. See the note upon chap. 29. 7. Vers 32. Upon mans flesh shall it not be poured c. That is not in any civill or profane use whether for delight or otherwise upon strangers it might not be poured at all but the priests might not use it in a civill way And hereby the people were taught to look to the holy spirit whereof it was a type that nothing was to be done in Gods service without authority from God and that none of Gods holy things ought to be diverted to any profane use CHAP. XXXI Vers 2. SEe I have called by name Bezaleel c. Moses might doubt how amongst a people inured in Egypt onely to base and servile imployments he should find workmen fit to undertake such curious and cunning work especially because it must be needs a very difficult task to make every thing exactly according to the pattern shown in the mount though Moses gave them the best directions he could the Lord therefore prevents this fear by letting him know that he had furnished men with an extraordinary spirit and skill for the performance of these things and by name Bezaleel and Aholiab as the master workmen and directers of others not named Bezaleel the sonne of Uri the sonne of Hur c. It is probable that this Hur the grandfather of Bezaleel was the same mentioned Exod. 17. 10. And Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill the same also whose Genealogy is set down 1. Chron. 2. 19. who was the sonne of Caleb so then Caleb was great grandfather to Bezaleel but not that Caleb the sonne of Jephunneh 1. Chron. 4. 15. who was but fourty years old when he searched Canaan but Caleb the sonne of Hezron 1. Chron. 2. 18. Vers 10. And the clothes of service c. Veils clothes coverings which served to wrap up the holy things in when the host was removed See Numb 4. 5 9 11 12. Vers 13. Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep c. This precept of the Sabbath is here repeated first to let them know that though the work of the tabernacle were studiously and speedily to be done yet God would not have any of it done on the Sabbath secondly to teach them the right use of the tabernacle which was in their coming together there especially on the Sabbaths to serve the Lord. For it is a signe between me and you c. Namely that God had taken them to be a peculiar people to himself and that they had taken him to be their God their Creatour Redeemer and Sanctifier Vers 14. For whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people This includes not
they eat their holy things c. That is the priests shall not by suffering the people to eat of the holy things expose them to the guilt of such a sinne and the punishment that will follow thereon Vers 18. Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel or of the stranger in Israel c. In this precept three things are required in all burnt-offerings whether they were brought by Israelites born or proselytes who though they were strangers born yet embracing the religion of the Israelites were admitted to offer sacrifices as being ingrafted as it were into Gods Israel and whether they were brought for a vow or a freewill-offering to wit first that they must be of the beeves or sheep or goats secondly that they must alwayes be males in other sacrifices a female was sometimes accepted but never in burnt-offerings and thirdly that they must be without blemish of all which see the notes upon the first chapter of this book Vers 21. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings c. Here direction is given for their peace-offâ—rings to wit that whether they were brought for a vow or for a freewill-offering they must be first of the flocks or herds beeves or sheep or goats and secondly that they must be perfect and without blemish that is as some distinguish them perfect in regard of the inwards and outwardly without blemish Yet in peace-offerings that were not for a vow but for a freewill-offering though no blemish was allowed yet something was allowed that was after a sort a blemish as appears in the exception that follows vers 23. to wit a bullock or a lamb or kid that had any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts for this is not meant of such cattel as were any way monstrous that had of any part too many or too few as five legs or three ears or but one eye but it is meant of such as had any part too long or too short over big or over little not according to thâ— ordinary proportion of nature as is usually in other catel of that kind and this though it were some kind of defect yet it was not accounted a blemish and so it was allowed in peace-offerings that were brought for a freewill-offering not in peace-offerings that were brought for a vow Vers 2â— Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which iâ— bruisâ—d c. No not in freewill-offerings Vers 25. Neither from a strangers hand shall ye offâ—r the brâ—ad of your God c. Some understand this of strangers that were proselytes leâ—â— say they any man should think that such blemished sacrifices as are before spoken of might serve for proselytes expresse mention is made that from their hands they should not be excepted Some again by strangers will have such meant as were neither of the seed nor the religion of the Israelites uncircumcised strangers and these expound this law three severall wayes to wit first that though such blemished sacrifices were bought from the hand of strangers uncircumcised with their money yet they might not offer them to God because they were blemished and so their corruption was in them that is they were corrupted and polluted and so were not fit for sacrifices or secondly that if a stranger that is any of the hâ—athen uncircumcised would bring any sacrifice to be offered for them and brought any of those fore-mentioâ—ed blemished sacrifices it should not be accepted or thirdly that from the hand of any pagan they should not offer the bread of their God that is his sacriâ—â—ces of any of these that is of any of the cattel before mentioned whether blemished or without blemish and that because they are blemished and polluted even because they are brought by the uncircumcised But neither of these two last Expositions seem to me probable Not the first of them because I no where find that the heathen were allowed to bring any sacrifices at all and therefore it was needlesse to forbid the taking of a blemished sacrifice from them Nor the last because thiâ— law doth onely speak of sacrifices that should be accepted from the Israelites and not for heathens as the last clause doth evidently shew they shall not be accepted for you Vers 27. When a bullock or a sheep or a goat is brought forth then it shall be seven dayes under the damme c. The same is enjoyned concerning their first-born cattel Exod. 22. 30. Because till they were eight dayes old they were not fit to be eaten by men therefore till then the Lord would not allow them to be brought for sacrifices Vers 28. And whether it be cow or ew ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day To wit that being taught mercie in killing of beasts for sacrifices they might learn much more to shew mercie to men and also how they should labour after perfect purity when they came to offer sacrifices to God Vers 30. On the same day it shall be eaten up c. See chap. 17. 15. CHAP. XXIII Vers 2. COncerning the feasts of the Lord which yâ— shall proclaim to be holy convocations even these are my feasts c. That is these are the feasts which you my people shall cause to be proclaimed as holy convocations to wit by the priests for it is generally held that the priests did by sounding of the trumpets proclaim these festivals The Lord having before given direction for sacrifices now gives order for festivall times whereon many sacrifices were usually offered Vers 3. The seventh day is the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation yè shall do no work therein That is no work appertaining to their earthly businesses or imployments upon other festivall dayes they were not tyed so strictly except onely the day of Expiation for upon other festivall dayes the restraint is ye shall do no servile work therein as we may see vers 7 8 21 c. but upon the Sabbath and the day of Expiation vers 28. the Law runnes ye shall do no work therein and the difference betwixt these is commonly held to be this that on the other festivals they were forbidden all servile work that is all work appertaining to their worldly callings wherein usually on other dayes their servants were imployed but were allowed any work in providing food for the day and so indeed that which was forbidden on the first day of unleavened bread in the seventh verse of this chapter under the name of servile work In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein is expressed thus Exod. 12. 16. And in the first day there shall be an holy convâ—â—ation no manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat and that onely may be done of you But on the Sabbath day and day of atonement they were restrained from all bodily labour yea even that of providing or dressing their food as is evident Exod. 16. 23. and Exod. 35. 3.
where they were forbidden to kindle a fire or to dresse that which they should eat on the Sabbath day yet did not the Jews understand this law so as to restrain them from those works which were necessarily to be done and therefore they used to water their catel as our Saviour faith Luke 13. 15. on the Sabbath day and if need were would pull out of a pit either ox or asse that were fallen into it Luke 14. 5. It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings That is to be observed in all your dwellings The other feasts were especially to be kept before the Sanctuary whither all the men of Israel were to assemble Exod. 23. 14. Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year and vers 17. Three times in the year all thy males are to appear before the Lord God Deut. 16. 5 6. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passeover within any of the gates which the Lord thy God hath given thee But at the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse to place his name in there shalt thou sacrifice the Passeover and vers 16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse But the Sabbaths were to be sanctified in all places where they dwelt to which purpose their Synagogues were built Acts 15. 21. Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Vers 7. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation ye shall do no servile work therein See the first note upon vers 3. Vers 8. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven dayes What the sacrifices were that were to be offered on each of these seven dayes of unleavened bread we may see Numb 28. 18 24. Vers 10. When ye be come into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof c. That is and shalt addresse thy self to reap the harvest thereof for the sheaf of the first-fruits of this harvest which they were here enjoyned to bring unto the priest was to be the first corn they cut down when they began to put the sicle to the corn as it is expressed Deut. 16. 9. Nor might they reap their harvest till this sheaf of first-fruits was brought unto the Lord. Vers 11. On the morrow after the priest shall wave it That is on the sixteenth day of the first moneth called Nisan the second of the seven dayes of unleavened bread Upon the fourteenth day of that moneth the Passeover was kept the fifteenth day was the first day of the feast of unleavened bread which day was a Sabbath of rest vers 7. and is called the feast Numb 28. 17. and this is the Sabbath here meant for on the morrow after being the sixteenth day of that moneth the sheaf of the first-fruits was by the care of the Magistrate in the name of all the people brought unto the priest and this sheaf was of barley for that was first ripe in the land of Canaan Ruth 2. 23. She kept fast by the maydens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley-harvest and of wheat-harvest and Exod. 9. 31 32. The barley was in the ear and the flax was bolled but the wheat and the rie were not smitten for they were not grown up to wit at the feast of the Passeover but wheat-harvest was after at Pentecost or the feast of weeks as we may see Exod. 34. 22. where the feast of Pentecost or the feast of weeks is also called the feast of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest Vers 12. And ye shall offer the day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish c. To wit besides the dayly morning and evening sacrifice which upon no occasion were intermitted and besides the sacrifices appointed for every of the seven dayes of this solemn feast of unleavened bread Numb 28. 23 24. For this was appointed peculiarly to accompany this sheaf of the first-fruits and it figured Christ by whom those first-fruits were sanctifyed Vers 13. And the meat-offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flowre c. To wit two tenth deals of an Ephah that is two Omers and this was double to the usuall proportion in all other sacrifices of lambs which was but one tenth deal Numb 15. 4. He that offereth his offering unto the Lord shall bring a meat-offering of a tenth deal of flowre the reason whereof may be because this was a gratulatory sacrifice for the fruits of the earth Vers 15. And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath c. Here direction is given how they should know on what day they were to keep the next great feast after that of unleavened bread to wit the feast of weeks or Pentecost namely that they were to number from the morrow after the Sabbath that is from the sixteenth day of the moneth Nisan as is before said in the note upon vers 11. which was the very day that they brought the sheaf of the wave-offering seven compleat Sabbaths that is seven compleat weeks which was nine and fourty dayes and that then on the morrow after the seventh Sabbath that is after the seventh week which was the fiftieth day they were to keep the feast of weeks or Pentecost and to offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord which shows the reason why this feast was called the feast of weeks namely because it was seven weeks after the Passeover or the beginning of the feast of unleavened bread as also why it was afterward called in the New Testament Pentecost Acts 2. 1. to wit from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth fifty because it was fifty dayes after the first and great day of unleavened bread for they began to number these fifty dayes from the morrow after that Sabbath inclusively which was the second day of unleavened bread the day whereon the sheaf of first-fruits was offered Vers 17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth deals c. That is on the feast of Pentecost you shall bring this offering which was to be offered as the first-fruits of their wheat-harvest as the sheaf offered at the Passeover mentioned vers 10. was brought as the first-fruits of their barley-harvest now it is expressed that these two wave-loaves were to be brought out of their habitations either to signifie that these two loaves were to be made of the new wheat of their own land not of forein corn or bought of strangers or else to signifie that though there were but one sheaf of first-fruits offered at the Passeover in the name of all the people yet now every family was to bring two wave-loaves of first-fruits out of their severall habitations But indeed because the sacrifices mentioned in the following verse that were offered together with these loaves were not brought severally
by every family but provided at the common charge and offered in the name of the whole Church and because that it is said expresly vers 20. that these two loaves of the first-fuits were waved by the priest together with the peace-offerings which could not be if every familie in Israel brought two loaves therefore I onely think that the onely reason why it is said Ye shall bring two wave-loaves out of your habitations was to signifie that the loaves were to be made of the wheat of their own land They shall be of fine flowre they shall be baken with leaven they are the first-fruits unto the Lord. Thusthere is a difference made betwixt the meat-offerings which were in part burnt upon the altar and were therefore ever without leaven Levit. 2. 11. and these of the first-fruits which where wholly for the priests food and therefore allowed to be leavened Vers 18. And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambes without blemish of the first year and one young bullock c. In Numb 28. 27. there is appointed two bullocks and one ramme here one bullock and two rammes the reason of this difference we may conceive was this Those were as the peculiar sacrifices of that feast-day these are a further addition in respect of the two loaves as a particular testimony of their thankfulnesse for the fruits of the earth and of their faith in Christ by whom they were restored to the use of the creatures and their sacrifices of praise made acceptable to God Vers 19. Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sinne-offering c. Lev. 4. 14. a bullock is prescribed for a sinne-offering of the people and nothing was to be eaten thereof it was to be burnt without the camp But this was for some speciall sinne of the congregation whereas the sacrifice here appointed was in generall for all their sinnes and was therefore in the kind of a common sacrifice whence a goat is appointed and the priest to have the remainder Vers 20. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest Whereas ordinarily the priest had but the breast and the right shoulder of the peace-offerings Lev. 7. 32 33. c. The breast shall be Aarons and his sonnes And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest of the sacrifices of your peace-offerings c. Here he had all because this was offered in generall for all the congregation and so no particular man had right to eat thereof therefore it belonged to the priest wholly Vers 21. And ye shall proclaim on the self same day that it may be an holy convocation unto you c. This was the feast-day of Pentecost or of Weeks whereon the two loaves and the sacrifices before mentioned were offered unto the Lord and it was instituted partly as a memoriall of their coming out of Egypt Deut. 16. 10 12. Thou shalt keep the feast of Weeks unto the Lord thy God according as he hath blessed thee And thou shalt remember thou wast a bondman in Egypt and shalt observe and do these staâ—utes and of the giving of the Law at this time of the year at mount Sinai Exod. 19. 11. and partly by way of thankfulnesse for the fruitfulnesse of the Land One thing prefigured might be the giving of the Law of Christ by the Apostles when the holy Ghost came down upon them the first-fruits of the Spirit in the likenesse of cloven tongues Act 2. 1 2 3. whereupon they went forth to reap that which the Prophets had sown John 4. Vers 22. And when ye reap the harvest of your land thou shalt not make clean riddance c. Speaking of the feasts in the harvest he repeateth this Law concerning the poore whose relief he joyns with his own service Vers 24. In the seventh moneth in the first day of the moneth shall ye have a Sabbath For Ecclesiasticall businesses God hath appointed the moneth Nisan or Abib to be the fiâ—st moneâ—h of the year to the Isâ—â—elites which answereâ—â— to part of our March and Aprill and that in remembrance of their coming then out of Egypt Exod. 12. 2. and so the seventh moneth from that was this here spoken of which they called Tisri and agreeth in part with our September and had been formerly the first moneth of their year yea and so still conâ—inued for civil affairs and therefore the year of Jubile begun still at this moneth and so was on this moneth proclaimed chap. 25. 9. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the Jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh moneth c. Now the first day of this moneth God here appoints them to keep a Sabbath that is a solemn feast-day and it was called the feast of trumpets because it was â—olemnized with blowing of trumpets Indeed the first day of every moneth which was their new Moon they kept as an holy day a day of speciall solemnity and thereon the priests did blow with their silver trumpets over their sacrifices Numb 10. 10. In the beginnings of your moneths ye shall blow with your trumpets over your burnt-offerings c. But the first day of this seventh moneth was kept as a farre more solemn festivall and that with blowing of trumpets in way of rejoycing as it may probably be thought throughout all the cities of Israel And the end of this festivall was 1. to be a memoriall that this was the first day the beginning of their New year for civil afairs whereon it was therefore fitting that they should with rejoycing acknowledge the blessings injoyed in the foregoing year 2. to be a memoriall to them when they were come into Canaan of the severall victories which God had given them over their enemies where the priests with the holy trumpets did sound an alarm See Numb 31. 6. 3. That it might be a preparation for the following day of atonement their solemn fast-day on the tenth day of this moneth that so by the sounding of the trumpets they might be put in mind to wake out of the sleep of sinne and with trembling fasting and prayer to turn unto the Lord and 4. to put them in mind of the speciall holinesse of this moneth for as the seventh day of every week was a Sabbath and every seventh year was kept holy as a Sabbaticall year so the Lord would have the seventh moneth of every year to be holy in some singular manner above the rest of the moneths and therefore though it was not wholly spent in sacred festivities yet there were more holy-dayes in this moneth then in all the year besides to wit the feast of trumpets the feast of expiation and the feast of tabernacles Vers 25. Ye shall do no servile work therein but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. What the sacrifices appointed for this feast of trumpets were see Numb 29. 2 6. Vers 27. And ye shall afflict your souls and offer an offering made by fire
that is pray for them and he would heare their prayers and so by their prayers the poore should be able abundantly to require them though otherwise they were not able to do it And it shall be righteousnesse unto thee before the Lord thy God That is the Lord will accept of it as a holy and good work and will abundantly reward it and indeed the righteousnesse even of such works in the best of Gods servants consists more in Gods acceptance of them because he saith they shall be righteousnesse unto them then in any perfection that is in them CHAP. XXV Vers 3. FOurtie stripes he may give him and not exceed c. That is â—ourtie stripes is the utmost that for any offence the Judge shall appoint the faultie person to suffer and the reason is given lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes then thy brother should seem vile unto thee that is if you should proceed to what extremitie you list herein it would argue too great a contempt of such a poore wretch who though he have offended is notwithstanding a brother and therefore not to be used as if there were no more regard to be had of him then of a beast Now so superstitiously carefull were the Jews not to transgresse this law that their custome was still to stay at 39. stripes even when they meant to go as high as they might and that for sear lest in giving the stripes they should have mistold one whence was that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 11. 24. for that I conceive was the true reason why they never gave full fourâ—ie stripes though others hold they did it out of a foolish conceit of appearing herein mercifull to wit in that they gave the malefactour one stripe lesse then by Gods Law they might have done Vers 4. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn The Israelites used not it seems to thresh their corn with flails but trod it out with the seet of beasts Hos 10. 11. Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught and loveth to tread out the corn yea and sometimes with cart-wheels as we may see Esa 28. 27. The fetches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin and vers 28. Bread-corn is bruised because he will not ever be threshing it nor break it with the wheels of his cart nor bruise it with his horsemen and hence it was that God gave them this law not to muzzle the mouths of their oxen so to hinder them from eating the ears of corn when they were thus led up and down upon the sheaves that with their hoofs they might tread it out and herein the Lord taught them to be mercifull to thâ— very bruit beasts they had occasion to make use of and to take heed of all inhumanity and cruelty towards them and secondly by necessary consequence much more to beware of depriving their brethren of that which is due to them for the service they did them especially so as not to let them eat the fruit of their labours If it be unnaturall not to let the ox eat of the corn he treadeth out much more it is against the light of nature to deny requisite allowance to ministers that provide us the food of our souls and to keep those that any way labour for us from having a share in the benefit that redounds to us by their means Indeed some would have this last the onely thing intended in this Law that it was not at all to be understood literally of oxen that because S. Paul proving from these very words 1. Cor. 9. 9. that it was fitting that the Preachers of the Gospel should live of their labours he addes Doth God take care for oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is writteâ— c. But for this conceit there is no juâ—t ground in the Apostles words for he meant not those words absolutely that God did not in his law provide for their mercifull dealing with their oxen but onely that the principall thing intended in that law was not so much to take care that the oxen might be suffered to feed as they trod out the corn as to teach them that if it wâ—re cruelty to deny a poore beast his food in this kind it would be farre worse to deny their brethren and Gods labourers to live of the fruit of their labours Vers 5. If brethren live together and one of them die and have no child c. For the better understanding of this law two things must be known first that by brethen that dwell together are meant brethren that live in the same citie or towâ— or happely in the same house as when a mans sonnes live together in their fathers house for this first clause is added by way of limitation to shew that in case the brother or next kinsman of the deceased party should live afarre off in some remote place the widow should not then be bound to seek him out but might challenge the right of marriage from the next kinsmaâ— that lived in that place that was not yet married and secondly that it is meant not onely of next kinsmen but also of naturall brothers as is evident in many places of Scripture for even in the dayes of the Patriarchs God having then given this law to his Church as he did many other ceremoniall precepts concerning sacrifices c. which afterwards he confirmed amongst the Israelites by the hand of Moses Er the firstborn sonne of Judah died without issue and Onan his second sonne married his widow according to this Law and when Onan died also without issue Judah advised his daughter in law to continue a widow in her fathers house till Shelâ—h his third sonne was grown and fit for marriage chap. 38. 8 9 10 11. and so also Ruth 1. 11 12 13. when Naomies daughters in law the widows of her two sonnes that died without issue would needs go along with her into the land of Israel she disswaded them by this argument that she was past hope of having sonâ—es at least such as might be thâ—ir husbands and the Sadduces we see propounded a question to our Saviour Matth. 22. 24 25. concerning seven brethren that successively married one and the â—ame woman purposely to raise up seed unto their broâ—her But was not this incest by the Law of nature confirmed by Moses Law Lev. 18. 16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife I answer it was doubtlesse incest generally for any man to marry his brothers wife but to the Israelites in this particular case it was not so and that because this was given them as a speciall exception to that generall Law peculiar onely to them as being ceremoniall The first-born were types of Christ who is therefore called the fâ—â—st-born among many brethren Rom. 8. 29. and the land was to them
joyned together for the eating of the Paschall lambe either they all continued together that following night in the house wherein they eat or else that the doores of both their houses had the bloâ—d of the lambe sprinkled upon them Vers 8. And they shall eat the flesh in that night rost with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs c. This rosting of the lambe was chiefly enjoyned with respect unto the great haste and speed they were to make because it might be sooner made ready by rosting then by seething and withall it signifyed the bitternesse of Christs passion So likewise the unleavened bread did betoken haste also for unleavened cakes are sooner made But withall it signified if they will be Gods peculiar people they must be purged from all those old superstitions and corruptions wherein they live that have not this interest in God 1. Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth And as for the bitter herbs that were eaten with it they were a memoriall of their bitter bondage in Egypt and withall a type of our mortification and readâ—nesse to undergo afflictions with Christ Vers 9. Eat not of it raw nor sodden at all with water but rost with fire his head with his legges c. Meaning that the lambe must be rosted all and whole not so much but the inward parts after they had been taken out and washed must be put in again and rosted with the rest whereby may well be signified our communion with Christ whole and undivided 1. Cor. 1. 13. Is Christ divided c. Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the sonne of God c. Vers 10. And ye shall let nothing of it remain untill the morning c. Because he would not have them imployed to any other use then what he had appointed And besides it might signifie that when the morning of the Gospel came there should be no more use of those Legall shadows Vers 11. And thus shall ye eat it with your loyns girded your shoes on your feet c. These ceremonies were also peculiar to that Passeover in Egypt and therefore not observed by Christ They were principally intended as an expression of their faith concerning their sudden going out of Egypt which God had promisâ—d Vers 12. And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgement c. It may well be meant of Gods confounding their Idole-Gods by punishing the people that worshipped them and delivering the Israelites whom they had kept in bondage for hereby God discovered the vanity of those Idoles and as it were laid their honour in the dust But because Numb 33. 4. Moses speaks of this executing judgements upon their gods as a severall act from that of killing their first-born I rather conceive that hereby is meant either the killing of the first-born of those beasts which they worshipped as gods or else that some such notable accident befell the Egyptian Idoles as did the Philistines Dagon before the Ark. Vers 14. And this day shall be unto you for a memoriall c. Here begins the direction for the observation of the Passeover in succeeding generations You shall keepit a feast by an ordinance for ever That is untill the coming of Christ who is our Passeover for ever since whose passion there is a like sacrament used also in the Church of the new Testament in remembrance of his death untill he come Vers 15. Seven dayes shall ye eat unleavened bread c. This number of dayes was appointed both because seven being a full and perfect number figured the whole time of their life wherein they were still to remember with thankfulnesse this deliverance and also because the destruction of the Egyptians in the red sea followed seven dayes after the Israelites went out of Egypt Now the first of these seven dayes was the fifteenth day of this moneth and began at the evening immediately after the eating of the Passeover which they did at the very latter end of the fourteenth day Whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day untill the seventh day that soul shall be cut off from Israel This phrase in this place signifieth not onely the cutting of them off from the communion and society of the Saints both in this life and in the next as in Gen. 17. 14. The uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people but also the cutting of them off by death as in the like case Exod. 31. 14. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore c. every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Vers 16. No manner of work shall be done in them save that which every man must eat that onely may be done of you And yet this might not be done on the Sabbath as is clear Exod. 16. 5. 23. 29. On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather dayly To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath bake that which you will bake to day c. and Exod. 35. 23. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day Vers 22. And none of you shall go out at the doore of his house untill the morning This also was onely for the Passeover in Egypt for Christ with his disciples went out that night Matth. 26. 30. And when they had sung an hymne they went out into the mount of Olives and it was commanded by this signe to teach thee that it was the bloud of Christ the true Paschal lambe whereby they must be defended from the destroying angel Vers 24. And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance for thee and for thy sonnes for ever That is the commandment of the Passeover and the feast of unleavened bread but not those ceremonies vers 7 11 12. which were appointed for this Passeover in Egypt onely you and your children shall observe them for ever to wit during the time of the Sanctuary and the Legall service for thus this word for ever is often used in the Scripture with respect to the thing spoken of as Psal 89. 1. I will sing the mercies of God for ever that is as long as I live Vers 25. When ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you c. ye shall keep this service The command for keeping the Passeover was therefore chiefly intended for the land of Canaan howbeit they kept it once in the wildernesse Numb 9. Vers 29. Unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon c. Where they
Keep thee farre from a false matter c. Though all lying be sinnefull and may be here implicitely forbidden yet I conceive that which is here directly and principally forbidden is lying in or at the seat of justice as is manifest by the following clause and the innocent and righteous slay thou not which must needs be meant of innocent mens being put to death by means of unrighteous judgement so that the principall thing intended in this Law is that judges should be marvellous shy either to admit of a false testimony from others or to give false judgement themselves especially when it is against the life of a man For I will not justifie the wicked These words imply two reasons why judges must take heed of false judgement and of condemning the innocent and righteous 1. Because the judge is not to do in Gods name what the Lord will not do and God will not justifie the wicked and so condemne the righteous 2. Because the Lord will not justifie such wicked judges as condemne the righteous when they come before his Tribunal Vers 11. But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still That is neither plow it nor sow it nor gather those fruits which should this year grow of themselves for so we find this Law more fully expressed Levit. 25. 20. And if ye shall say What shall we eat the seventh year Behold we shall not sow c. Where their distrust of want of food is answered with a promise that in the sixth year the Lord would cause the earth to yield enough for three years Then will I command my blessing upon you in the sixth year and it shall bring forth fruit for three years Now God appointed this Sabbath year first to give rest to the land and it was a signe of a very fruitfull countrey if it lay fallow but once in seven years secondly to give rest to the servants who had by this much â—ase every seventh year Thirdly to provide for the poore who now gathered freely of the fruit of every mans ground for their present use and this was given to the Lord who gave them the land Fourthly that they all might have the more liberty to exceâ—cise themselves in holy things as the learning of the Law which was this year with more then ordinary solemnity to be read in the audience of all the people Deut. 31. 10 11 12. And Moses commanded them saying At the end of every seven years thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel c. And fifthly that it might be a memorâ—all of the creation and Gods rest on the seventh day and a shadow of our rest in Christ and that the rest of the land might teach how exact God is in requiring his Sabbaths That the poore of thy people may eat Namely such corn as grew this year of it own accord as it used to do in some good store in those countreys of the grains scattered in the former harvest as also the fruit of their vineyards and oliveyards c. and of this the owners might eat as well as the poore Levit. 25. 6. And the Sabbath of the land shall be meat for you for thee and for thy servant c. though they might not gather and store it up Vers 12. Six dayes thou shalt do thy work and on the seventh day thou shalt rest c. One reason of repeating this Law here may be well thought to be this to let them know that they were not exempted from the peculiar sanctifying of the seventh day on this Sabbath yâ—ar but were rather bound more religiously to keep it holy and also besides by placing it amongst the judiciall Laws the magistrate was enjoyned to see that it was kept Vers 13. And make no mention of the names of other gods c. That is let them be so abominable to you that you may detest to make any mention of them that it may be irksome to you to name them or hear them named We must not think that it was to the Israelites or is to us a breach of this Law any way or upon any occasion to name the gods of the heathens for we see they are often named in the Scripture The meaning of this Law we may gather from that place of the Apostle Eph. 5. 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you For as the Apostles meaning there is onely that those horrid sinnes should be an abomination to them so here the Lords meaning is onely that they should abhorre all false gods so as to dâ—test their very names and of this detestation of Idols is that spoken Hos 2. 17. I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth and they shall no more be remembred by their name Vers 15. And none shall appear before me empty To wit at the feast of unleavened bread and so also at neither of the three feasts whereon they were all bound to appear before the Lord. See Deut. 16. 16 17. Vers 16. And the feast of harvest Called also the feast of weeks or of sevens Exod. 34. 22. And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks c. To wit because it was seven weeks after the former feast upon the fiftieth day following called thereupon Pentecost and it was celebrated not onely in remembrance of the giving of the Law which was given the fiftieth day after their going out of Egypt but also by way of thanksgiving for their harvest and therefore the first bread or loaves of the new fruit was then offered Levit. 23. 16 17. Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty dayes c. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two loaves c. as in the end of the Passeover the first eares of corn And the feast of in-gathering which is in the end of the year c. The feast of in-gathering to wit of all the fruits not onely corn which was before inned but all other fruits as wine and olives c. It was also called the feast of boothes or of tabernacles Levit. 23. 24. The fifteenth day of this seventh moneth shall be a feast of tabernacles c. and the time allotted for this feast is said here to be in the end of the year because though Abib was appointed to be the first moneth for the computation of those things that concerned religion as their holy feaâ—ts c. yet the moneth Tisri the seventh in this account was yet the first moneth for their civill affairs and so the feast of tabernacles being kept in this moneth when one year was ended and another began therefore it is said to be in the end of the year Now this feast was kept first in remembrance of Gods favour to them in the wildernesse when they dwelt in boothes Levit. 23. 43. I made the children of Israel to dwell in boothes when I brought them out of Egypt c. And
to appear in the presence of God for us So also Revel 8. 3 4. And another angâ—l came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the angels hand Vers 13. That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat c. Whereby they were taught how formidable the majesty of God was and with what reverence we ought to present our selves before him Vers 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering c. We must not conceive that he came forth out of the most holy place to kill this goat of the sin-offering for the people for the bloud of this goat as it is said here was also sprinkled before the mercy-seat and had he gone in once with the bloud of his own sinne-offering and then came out and killed this goat for a sinne-offering for the people and gone in again to sprinkle the bloud of that before the mercy-seat then had he gone in twice on this day within the vail which is expressely against that of the Apostle Heb. 9. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and for the errours of the people These words therefore then shall he kill the goat of the sinne-offering do onely intend that he killed the bullock first for himself vers 11. and then this goat for the people for both of them were killed before he entred into the most holy place Vers 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place As being defiled though not in it self yet in regard of the peoples guilt partly by reason of any unwitting approching to the sanctuary when they were not legally clean and partly by reason of all other their sinnes whereby appears the horrour of sinne for though the people never went into the holy place much lesse into the most holy yet were the altar ark and Sanctuary defiled in the sight of God by their sins and could not be cleansed without bloud So our sinnes do defile Gods Church and most holy ordinances and do ascend into heaven it self whereinto we can have no entrance but by bloud See Heb. 9. 7 11 12. Vers 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation c. That is neither of the priests nor people neither in the holy place nor in the court of the tabernacle for else why is it said no man since the people at no time used to come into the holy place The reasons of this were two 1. As by way of chastisement and for their humiliation they were all excluded from the places and holy things till they were purged from the uncleannesse which they had contracted by their sinnes 2. Hereby was signified that our high priest Christ should without help of any other perfect the work of our reconciliation with God Vers 18. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord. That is the altar of incense See Exod. 30. 10. Vers 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat This is the onely unbloudy sacrifice which was appointed in the Law yet was it not if it be well considered wholly without bloud For this and the goat which was killed was indeed but one sacrifice the one representing Christ dying for our sinnes the other Christ rising again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. the one the price paid for our redemption the other the effect thereof that God laying our sinnes upon Christ had removed our sinnes farre away from us See Psal 103. 12. As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he removed our transgressions from us Vers 21. And shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse That is a man who for ability of body knowledge of the way and sufficiency for this service was chosen and in readinesse as appointed hereunto Vers 22. And the goat shall bear upon him their uniquities unto a land not inhabited That so the place might signifie that by Christ sinne is removed farre away even from all mankind that will believe in him Besides it might signifie that Christ was not onely put to death for our sakes but also forsaken in a manner of God cast off and left in a forlorn and comfortlesse condition Vers 24. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place To wit because he had touched the goat upon which the sinnes of the people were laid The Hebrews say that this washing was not as at other times in the laver of brasse but in some vessell which stood in the Sanctuary which seems probable because after this done he is said to come forth that he might offer the burnt-offerings in the court And put on his garments c. The garments which he was now to put on were his ordinary high priests garments See the note above upon ver 4. And the burnt-offerings here appointed to be offered by him were the rammes mentioned ver 3. and ver 5. Vers 26. And he that let go the goat c. shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water and afterward come into the camp Being unclean till the evening is not here mentioned as I conceive because it was usually evening ere they returned from these services or else in these cases they might presently come into the camp to bring back word that they had done what was injoyned Vers 29. In the seventh moneth on the tenth day of the moneth ye shall afflict your souls c. To wit by fasting and abstinence from all fleshly delights as also by the duties of inward humiliation and contrition and therefore was this day called their fast Sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already past Act. 27. 9. And this we must know was the very same day wherein all those things before mentioned in this chapter were done by the high priest for the expiation of the sinnes of the people and was therefore called the day of atonement Levit. 23. 27. Indeed the solemnity of the day began the evening foregoing the tenth day and therefore it is said Levit. 23. 32. Ye shall afflict your souls on the ninth day of the moneth at even but the tenth day it was that was allotted for this service On this day the Jubile was also proclaimed of which see chap. 20. 8 9. As likewise for the extraordinary sacrifices of this day see Numb 29. 7 11. CHAP. XVII Vers 3. WHat man soever there be of the house of Israel that killâ—th anoâ— c. Namely with an intent of offering it as a sacrifice to the Lord It is not meant of oxen lambes or goats killed for their own private uses
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
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
to further this work of the spirit in us as they did in burning the sacrifices by laying in order the wood and the pieces of the sacrifice upon the wood Vers 9. But the inwards and his legs shalt thou wash in water Some conceive that by the inwards are not meant the guts but onely the heart and liver and such inward parts and that because onely that which was usually eaten by men was offered on the altar Gods table as it is called Mal. 1. 2. as was before noted upon verse 6. But however the washing of the inwards and feet did doubtlesse signifie the perfect purity of Christ and withall our through-purification both in the outward and inward man by the spirit of Christ â—greeâ—ble whereunto are those expressions of the holy Scripture Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkâ—e clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you and again Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Vers 10. He shall bring it a male without blemish See the note upon vers 3. Vers 11. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar Northward There also the sinne-offering was killed Levit. 6. 25. and the trespasse-offering Levit. 7. 2. which might signifie the obscurity of the legall ceremonies the North being farthest from the light of the sunne or that Christ was to dye at Jerusalem of which the Prophet saith Psal 48. 2. On the sides of the North is the citie of the great King But I rather content my self with this literall reason The altar being placed by the doore of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation which seems was in the Southside there was more scope on the Northside and therefore they are there appointed to make ready the sacrifices Onely the peace-offerings were slain at the very doore of the tabernacle which was more Eastwards in regard of the altar as is evident chap. 32. Vers 12. And the priest shall lay them in order See the note above upon ver 8. Vers 13. But he shall wash the inwards c. See the former note upon vers 9. And the priest shall bring it all and burn it upon the altar This signified that all Christ and whatsoever he had done is ours by faith Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved me and gave himself for me And that we also should give our selves wholly unto God by him 1. Thess 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Vers 14. And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls then he shall bring his offering of turtle doves or of young pigeons Which signified the innocency and meeknesse both of Christ and his members And again old turtles and young pigeons are best and so the best must be given to God Vers 15. And wring off his head and burn it on the altar The manner how the priests should kill the burnt-offering of turtle doves or young pigeons is here set down which was by wringing off the head of them according to our translation or pinching of the head with the priests nail as it is in the margin of our bibles The most common opinion of Expositours is that the heads of these birds were not quite wrung off from their bodies but onely broken in sunder and so left hanging still by the skinne unto their bodies and their chief reason is because elsewhere it is said where direction is given for the killing of such turtle doves or young pigeons that were brought for a sinne-offering that the priests should wring off his head from his neck but not divide it asunder Levit. 5. 8. But some other reasons may make it seem more probable that the heads of these birds that were brought for a burnt-offering were quite wrung off from their bodies as First because we cannot vvell else conceive hovv the bloud of these sacrifices should be wrung out at the side of the altar as it is injoyned in the follovving vvords and vve knovv that the Jevvs did of all things abhorre things that vvere strangled and that the effusion of the bloud of the sacrifices vvas the chief thing vvhereby vvas signified the atonement made for us by the bloud of Christ and how by the pinching of the priests nail a wound should be made for the letting out the bloud as some hold it is hard to conceive and secondly because the following words and burn it on the altar seem plainly to be meant of burning the head particularly being thus wrung off for of the burning of the body of these birds direction is afterwards given vers 17. As for that place in the fifth of Leviticus I see not but it may be meant not of not dividing the head from the body but of not dividing the body asunder for which also there is here direction given vers 17. He shall cleave it but not divide it asunder Vers 16. And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers c. And so it figured the holinesse that was in Christ our sacrifice who without all sinne or uncleannesse offered himself unto God for us by which also he cleansed and purified his people and their service of God Heb. 9. 14. And cast it besides the altar on the East part by the place of the ashes That is where the priest when he cleansed the altar did first poure forth the ashes which afterward were carried â—orth without the camp Levit. 6. 10 11. This place of the ashes was on the Eastside of the altar both because it was nearest to the doore of the tabernacle and so the ashes might the more conveniently be thence carried forth at the times appointed and because it was farthest off from the Sanctuary and so the casting away of the crop and the feathers in this place might teach them that all uncleannesse was to be removed out of Gods sight Holinesse becomes thy house O Lord for ever Psal 93. 5. Vers 17. And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof but shall not divide it asunder c. That is he shall cleave it the wings being still left onely the feathers pluckt off and though it must be cloven that so the inward part might be laid upon the fire signifying that God requires chiefly the offering of the inner man unto him yet it must not be divided asunder whereby may be meant that we should give up our selves wholly to God 1. Thess 5. 23. CHAP. II. Vers 1. ANd when any will offer a meat-offering unto the Lord his offering shall be of fine flowre