An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 2 · Lecture 10
The Tenth Lecture.Lect. 10.
HOSEA 2. 11.
And all her ſolemne Feaſts, &c.
WEE began the laſt day to ſpeake ſomething of the Feaſt of Trumpets, you ſhall finde the inſtitution of it in Leviticus 23. 24. You ſhall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of Trumpets, Now there were divers ends of Gods inſtitution of this Feaſt, I have ſpoken of one; the ſecond reaſon of that Feaſt, the Hebrews thinke, was a remembrance of Iſaacs deliverance, when he ſhould have been ſacrificed, and the Ram caught by the hornes to be ſacrificed in his ſtead; they drew it from this argument, becauſe that Feaſt is called A memoriall, (ſay they) to remember the deliverance of Iſaac, and it muſt be by the Trumpets of Rams hornes, to call this to remembrance, the deliverance of Iſaac, and a Ram ſacrificed in his ſtead; this is the Iews opinion of it, but it ſeemes to be farre from the meaning of the holy Ghoſt. A third reaſon of the Feaſt of Trumpets, ſome ſay, (Cajetan amongſt others) was inſtituted for a memoriall of Gods giving the lay by ſound of the trumpet; that is not likely neither, becauſe this Feaſt was not kept at the time of Gods giving the law, if there were any time for the celebration of giving the law, it muſt be at the Feaſt of Pentecoſt.
A fourth, it was for a celebration of a memoriall of Gods goodneſs to them in the time of war, for all the mercies of God unto them in their wars, which was declared by the blowing of the trumpets. But I rather take another reaſon, to be a maine and principall reaſon of Gods inſtitution of this Feaſt, to be a preparation to the Feaſt of atonement and expiation, and therefore (ſaith Calvin) it is called a memoriall, Levit. 23, for this reaſon, to put them in minde to humble themſelves before God, to afflict their hearts in the day of atonement; and ſecondly, a memoriall before God, that God may remember them for mercy, ſo the Iews obſerve from the ſeventh day of the firſt monethmonth, unto the tenth day, there was more then ordinary exerciſes in giving of almes, in praying, in going to their ſynagogues, they were very devout for thoſe ten dayes in way of preparation for the day of Atonement, of Expiation. From whence note,
It is of this uſe to us to prepare for the day of Faſting; Miniſters ſhould blow their trumpets to the people to prepare them for that day: God hath accepted of thoſe poore kinde of faſts that we have kept, abundance of mercies we have received on them; there is ſcarce any one Faſt day that is kept, but we preſently hear good news after it; if we had kept Faſt dayes as we ought, if we had been prepared as we ſhould, O what might we have obtained of God by this time! if God accepts ſuch poor things as we do, (as God knowes they are poore and meane) if we had every time a trumpet blown before us to prepare us for the day of atonement, what atonements might England have made with God before this time!The day of Atonement Feſtum expiationis: eight things eſpecially obſervable in it. to reade underſtandingly thoſe things you reade about the Feaſt of Trumpets. The next Feaſt was the feaſt of Expiation, in the tenth day; I thought not to have ſpoken of that, becauſe the Feaſt of Expiation is a Faſt rather then a Feaſt, but that is meant here as well as any of the other, for this reaſon, though it were a Faſt, yet the Hebrew word here that is tranſlated ſolemne Feaſts, ſignifies onelyonly a ſetled, ſtated, ſolemn time.
And Secondly, It was a great mercy to them to have ſuch a day of Faſt; though the day of atonement, be a day of afflicting themſelves, yet it is the cauſe of rejoycing to a nation, that God grants them ſuch a day of atonement; it is the ſpeciall meanes to make way to the joy of a nation, and therefore this is included amongſt the other: now the hiſtory of that, you have in theſe two famous Scriptures, Levit. 16. and Levit. 23. In this day of atonement, the tenth day of the ſeventh month, there are divers things very obſerveable, and uſefull for theſe times.
The firſt is, The ſolemn charge that God gave for the afflicting mens ſouls upon that day; you ſhall finde in a few verſes three ſeverall times a ſolemn charge to afflict their ſoules, to humble their ſouls, Levit. 23. 27. 29. 32. God appointed one day in the year for all the Jews to afflict their ſouls, to make an atonement between God and them, in a day of Faſt, and they were charged to be ſure to afflict their ſouls then, and that ſoul that did not, God threatened to cut it off.
The ſecond thing obſerveable is, that the Prieſt was to goe into the Holy of Holies, where he was to go but once a year; Levit. 16. the beginning and the latter end compared together; you ſhall finde it. This may teach us thus much;Obſer. If ever we are to looke upon JESUS CHRIST in the preſence of God, to go into the Holy of Holies, making interceſſion for us, it is in the day of atonement, in the day of publick Faſt of the Kingdome, then are we to exerciſe our Faith upon Chriſt, as entring before God into the Holy of Holies for us, after we have charged upon our ſouls our ſins, and afflicted our ſouls, we muſt likewiſe caſt up an eye of Faith, beholding Jeſus Chriſt our high Prieſt at that day before the Father making interceſſion for us. The third thing obſerveable is, at that day the Prieſt was to make an atonement for all the holy things; in Lev. 16. 20. When he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, the Tabernacle, and the altar, &c. the Prieſt was not only to ſeeke to make reconciliation between God and the people, but to reconcile the holy places, even the Holy of Holies had a kind of pollution in it, and muſt be reconciled then, and the Tabernacle, and the Altar, all of them had a kind of pollution upon them: ſo infectious is the ſin of man,Obſ. and all theſe were to be … a day of atonement.
… teacheth us, That in a day of Atonement, of F…ſting, we are then … ſpeciall care to ſc… mercy from God, to be …conciled to us in regard of all our holy things, our holy duties, and offerings; we are to ſeek then to get the beſt ſervices that ever we performed in all our lives, to be cleanſed, that God may be pacified in regard of the filth and uncleanneſs that hath cleaved even to them. You are not in the day of a Faſt, onelyonly to confeſſe your notorious ſins to God, thoſe that in their own nature are ſinfull, but you are then to examine all your holy duties, and to humble your ſelves before God, and to ſeek to make peace with God, in regard of the uncleanneſſe that hath been in them. This few thinke of, they … the day of a Faſt confeſſe ſuch ſins as are vile in themſelves, but to be made ſenſible of the uncleanneſſe of holy duties, that is little thought of in the day of their Faſts.
4. In their day of Atonement, the Prieſt was to lay the ſins of the congregation upon the ſcape goat. The ſtory of the ſcape goat was this, The Prieſt muſt come and confeſſe the ſins of the congregation, laying his hand upon the head of the goat, and then he muſt ſend this goat into the wilderneſſe.
The meaning is of great uſe to us; Jeſus Chriſt he is the ſcape goat, and we are in the dayes of our humiliations to come and lay our hands upon Ieſus Chriſt, and to confeſſe all our ſins over him, and look upon all our ſins as laid upon him. Now the ſcape goat was to be ſent into the wilderneſſe: What is that? That is, ſent into a land of forgetfulneſs, ſo as the Iews ſhould never come to ſee that goat again that their ſins were laid upon, it ſignified to them, that their ſins were now ſo forgiven them, that they ſhould never hear of their ſins againe. Thus are our ſins upon Chriſt, as we ſhall never come to ſee, nor heare more of them, In the day of our Faſts we ſhould thus exerciſe our Faith upon Chriſt.
A fift thing that was to be done, was to ſprinkle the blood of the ſlaine goat upon the merciemercy-ſeat, and before it. It is the blood of Chriſt that is upon, and before Gods merciemercy-ſeat, that procures mercy from thence for us.
The ſixt thing. In the 16, of Leviticus, ver. 12. the Prieſt muſt take a cenſer full of burning coales of fire from off the Altar, and his hanfull of ſweet incenſe beaten ſmall. This he muſt doe in the day of Atonement; to teach us, That in the day of our ſolemne Faſts, we muſt be ſure to get our hearts full of burning coales from the Altar, full of affection and zeale, full of mighty workings of ſpirit to God, although you that are godly, and ſo are Prieſts to God, at other times come with few coales from the Altar, a little affection, your affections are ſcarce heated, but in a day of Atonement you muſt come with your hearts full of coales, and be ſure it be fire from the Altar, doe not ſatisfie your ſelves in naturall affections then, but be ſure you be full of ſpirituall affections; and then full of incenſe.
VVhat was that? it typically repreſented our prayer, you muſt be ſure to have your hearts full of prayer, to ſend up abundance of incenſe before God; the incenſe muſt be of ſpice… beatou ſmall, what is that? the prayer… that we are to ſend up to God, in the day of Atonement, muſt come from much contrition of ſpirit, our hearts muſt be beaten ſmall to powder, when the hearts of men are beaten to powder, then they are able to ſend forth ſuch incenſe, as is a ſweet favour in the noſtrills of God. Many of you in the day of a faſt ſeem to be full of prayer, but is this prayer a ſweet incenſe to God or no? how ſhall I know that? by this, God hath appointed the incenſe, upon the day of atonement, to be that, that muſt come from ſpices beaten, if thy heart be beaten to powder, and thy prayers be but the ſavour, and the odour of thy graces that are as ſpices, and heated by the fire of Gods ſpirit: then here is the incenſe that pleaſes God. Firſt, graces, which are the ſpices, the contrition, that is the beating ſmall, then the fire of Gods Spirit to cauſe the incenſe to riſe up in the noſtrills of God as a ſweet ſavour.
Further, a ſeventh thing in the day of atonement was, the cloud of the incenſe muſt cover the Mercy ſeate, ver. 13. and then the blood both of the bullocke, and the goate, muſt be ſprinkled upon the Mercy ſeate, and that ſeven times, and ver. 15. the blood of the goat muſt be ſprinkled not onelyonly …pon the Mercy ſeate, but before the Mercy ſeate; what is the meaning of this? muſt our mercy ſeat be clouded in the day of atonement? wee had need have it appear to us, and not be clouded; yes, in the day of atonement it muſt be clouded, but clouded with incenſe; the incenſe that was ſent up, was a type of the ſweet perfume of the merit of Jeſus Chriſt; Now in the day of atonement we muſt look up to the mercy ſeate, as clouded with the merit of Chriſt, clouded, that is, the merit of Jeſus Chriſt round about it, as a cloud, and covering the Mercy Seat, to teach us that no man muſt dare to look upon the Mercy Seat of God as it is in it ſelfe, but he muſt have the incenſe of the merit of Chriſt round about it, the reaſon was given why the Lord muſt have the incenſe as a cloud to cover the Mercy Seat, leſt hee die; if he had entered into the holy place, and there looked upon the Mercy Seat, and not clouded by the incenſe, he muſt have died for it; thoſe men that think to come into Gods preſence, and look upon God out of Chriſt, and think to receive mercy from God out of Chriſt, they die for it, this is the damnation of mens ſoules, to look upon God as mercifull out of Chriſt, mercy is an attribute of God, but if we dare (who are ſinfull creatures) to looke upon this attribute of mercy, and not have the incenſe of Chriſt merit, it is the way to deſtroy our ſouls. O how many thouſands are in hell for this! many who are afflicted for their ſins, and cry to God to forgive their ſins, and believe he is mercifull, and think to exerciſe their faith upon God as mercifull, and yet not looking upon the mercy ſeat as clouded with the merit of Chriſt, it proves the deſtruction of their ſoules. In a faſt, when you come to look upon God, you muſt not look upon God as the Creator of heaven and earth, or as mercifull in himſelf barely,Non ſolum periculoſum ſed horribile eſt de deo extra Chriſtum … Pſ. 128. but look upon Gods mercy in his Sonne, and ſo exerciſe your faith, or elſe you can never make an atonement, but rather will procure Gods wrath. It is not only dangerous, but horrible, once to think of God without Chriſt, ſayes ….
Again, the blood of the Bullocke and the Goate muſt be ſprinkled ſeven time … the mercy ſeate, when wee come to make our atonement with God, we muſt exerciſe our faith in the blood of Chriſt, and ſprinkle it ſeven times, again and again upon the mercy ſeat; wee looking upon God when we pray to him as a God of mercy, and we preſent our ſelves in our humiliations before the mercy ſeat, but know this, that the mercy ſeat will doe us no good, without the blood of Chriſt; faith muſt take this blood of Chriſt, and ſprinkle it, tender it up to God his Father, for the atonement of our ſouls and procuring mercy to us; and not only ſo, the blood of the Bullock & the Goat muſt be ſprinkled upon the Mercy ſeat, but before the Mercy ſeat; we muſt not only thinke there can be no mercy obtained from God, but by the blood of Chriſt, but we cannot ſo much as have acceſſe to Gods Mercy ſeat without the bloud of Chriſt, we muſt not dare to enter but by the bloud of Chriſt, by him we have acceſſe to God; we muſt all know, that all ſinners are baniſhed from the preſence of God, and muſt not have acceſſe to Gods preſence as they are in themſelves.
Laſtly, this day divers times is called A Sabbath of reſt, that is, A Sabbath of Sabbaths, ſo it is in the Originall, as one of the principall Sabbaths that they had; I did not handle it amongſt the Sabbaths, becauſe it comes in now more fully amongſt theſe ſolemne Feaſts; there muſt be more reſt in the days of atonement, then in other of their ſolemn days: There was that permitted in other ſolemn days, that was not permitted in that day; this may teach us, that in the dayes of faſting, above any dayes, we muſt get our ſouls now ſeparated from the world, there muſt be a reſt in our hearts, a reſt from ſinne, a reſt from the world, it muſt be a Sabbath of Sabbaths unto us.
Now notwithſtanding God had given this ſolemne charge for this day of atonement, yet Theodoret tels us, that in his time they did ſo degenerate, that they ſpent this day in ſports, and made it a day of mirth, God grant that the ordinarineſs of our days of atonement do not grow to this abuſe, as in ſome places it is amongſt us; the moſt ſolemne things that ever God gave charge of yet in time degenerates, this is the wickedneſs of mens natures.
One note more from this Feaſt of Expiation, it is very probable that the Grecians did uſe yearly in expiation of their Cities, in this manner from this we find amongſt the ſtories of the Grecians, that yearly they were wont to have a kind of Expiation, in imitation of the ways of the Jewes (the Devill is Gods Ape) for their Cities, there was this cuſtome amongſt them, certaine condemned perſons were brought forth, with garlands in manner of Sacrifices, and theſe they were wont to tumble down from ſome ſteep place into the middſt of the Sea, and ſo offer them up to Neptune the God of the Sea,Suida…. with theſe words, Be thou a foreign for us; The like was uſed by them in the times of publique infection, when they had a publique plague in their Cities, they uſed ſuch a cuſtome to make an atonement betweene them and their gods, there were certain men brought to be ſacrificed to their Gods, for an expiation for ther whole City, and they were caled foreign this word was uſed to ſignifie that that man that was to expiate for all the ſins of their Cities to their gods, ing all their ſins upon him, was as filth and …-ſcouring; and from theſe two words it is probable the Apoſtle in the firſt to the Corinthians 4. 13. hath that expreſſion, by which we may come to underſtand the meaning of thoſe two words there, We are (ſaith he) made the filth of the world, and off-ſcouring of the people; foreign ▪ in theſe alluding to the manner of the Grecians, We for our parts (ſaith he) are made as deſpicable and odious in the ſight of the people, and are as much loaded with the curſes of the people, as thoſe condemned perſons that had all the ſins and curſes of the people put upon them, and ſo were offered to their Gods for expiation.
The Feaſt of Tabernacles. The Feaſt of Tabernacles.The hiſtory of this Feaſt is Leviticus 23. 34. & ſoon; In this Feaſt the Iews were to take boughes off the trees, and make booths of them; and thoſe that write the hiſtory in their manners, they tell us, they uſed to carry boughs in their hands, becauſe they could not make booths & Tabernacles for all the people, therefore ſome of them thought it ſufficient to carry boughs in their hands, and thoſe boughes they carried in their hands they uſed to call Hoſanna; Do thou fold, or prepare the Hoſanna, Necte Hoſannam.ſo they uſed to ſpeake, therefore when Chriſt came to Ieruſalem, they cryed, Hoſanna to the Sonne of David; the meaning was not a prayer, Save us O thou Son of David, as ſome would have it; but Hoſanna to the Son of David, that is, we hold forth theſe boughs to the honour of the Meſſiah, the Son of David, the Feaſt of Tabernacles was to point at the Meſſiah; now for thoſe boughs, ver. 40. there was a command of God, they ſhould be goodly trees, palme trees, or willowes of the brooke, but why ſo? it noted that thereby they were to acknowledge Gods goodneſſe to them, that whereas they had lived forty yeares in the wilderneſſe, in a dry place, they were now brought to a fruitfull land, that had much water, which was a great matter in thoſe hot countries, and therefore they were to bring the willows of the brooke, and goodly trees, thoſe that might moſt teſtifie the goodneſſe of God to them in delivering them from the wilderneſſe, and in bringing them to a land, filled with ſweet and pleaſant brookes: Things obſervable in this Feaſt are, Firſt. The end why God would have this Feaſt kept, he aimes at theſe three things chiefly.
Firſt, God would have them to bleſſe his name for his mercies to them in the wilderneſſe, when they dwelt in boothes; it was appointed by God, that they ſhould once a yeare call to minde the great mercies of God, while they were in the wilderneſſe, and there dwelt in boothes, and had no houſes, for ſo was the diſpenſation of God towards his people, for forty yeares they were to be in the wilderneſſe, and not to have a houſe in all that time, but dwelt in Tabernacles; this was a mighty worke of God, and manifeſted his exceeding protection over them, and proviſion for them, and his providence every way to provide neceſſaries for them, even as well as if they had had the ſtrongeſt houſes; that ſo many hundred thouſands ſhould live forty …, and never have a houſe built all that time, was a great work of God; God …ould declare thereby, that the Church in this world is not to expect any certaine habitation, any ſetled condition, but to be as men that dwell in tents, removing up and downe, and ſo ſeeke after a City that hath foundations, as it is ſaid of Abraham.
At this Feaſt the Jewes were wont to reade the Booke of Eccleſiaſtes, principally becauſe it ſpeakes ſo much of the works of Gods providence. All the while Gods people dwelt in boothes and Tabernacies, God himſelfe would dwell in a Tabernacle; God would never have a houſe built unto him,God ſuites himſelfe to o…r condition, wee muſt ſuite our ſelves to him. till he had brought his own people to be ſetled in houſes of their owne; and therefore when David began to thinke that he had a houſe of Cedar, and therefore ſurely God muſt have one too, God tells him, Did ever I ſpeake of a houſe for me? as if he had ſaid, As long as my people went up and down in booths and Tabernacles, I was content to have a Tabernacle, and a booth for my dwelling, thus God is willing to ſuite himſelfe with the condition of his people; Is the condition of his people in a fleeting way, then I will be ſo too, ſaith God; If your conditions be afflicted, and unſetled, I will be ſo too; In all their afflictions, God was afflicted, in all their unſetledneſſe, God ſeemed to be ſo too.
Indeed afterwards when Gods people came to be in a ſetled eſtate in Ieruſalem, then God would have a houſe built him; God would hereby teach us, That if himſelfe be content to be in a condition like us, then we muſt be content to be in a condition like him, as thus; when we are afflicted will God be afflicted with us? when we are unſetled, will God be (as it were) unſetled with us? then let us not thinke it much, if afterwards God be in an afflicted way, his truth and his Goſpell be in a ſuffering way; let us be willing to ſuffer with God; when God is magnified and praiſed, then our hearts ſhould be inlarged too, and rejoyce in his praiſe; we ſhould conſider the condition that God is in the world, & we muſt ſuite our ſelves with that. Again, would God have them once a yeare to celebrate the remembrance of their dwelling in boothes and Tabernacles,Obſer and that after they came to Ieruſalem? From hence note. It is good to remember our low eſtates, to have a reall remembrance of our low & mean conditions we had heretofore; doth God now bring us into a more ſetled condition then heretofore? Let us not forget in what an afflicted condition we were in, how unſetled, how ready we were to fleet up and down; If God ſhould grant his people, that they ſhould think themſelves ſetled in their own kingdoms, yet let them never forget the time, when they were unſetled in this & other countries, there hath been a great part of the people of God, whoſe thoughts have been, what ſhall become of them, & whether ſhall they go, and perhaps to this day many have ſuch thougts, unleſſe there be ſome ſpeciall mercies of God prevent it, yet may be the condition of thouſands in the land, before a yeare go about; If God ſhould prevent you, ever remember your fleeting condition once you were in; It was Gods great care of the people of Iſrael, that they ſhould never forget their dwelling in Tabernacles.
Thirdly, Note the time of their Feaſt of Tabernacles, they were to dwell in booths, upon the fifteenth day of their monethmonth, it was but five dayes after their day of atonoment, ſo that being ſo preſently after the day of publique atonement; this leſſon may be learned.
After our humiliations for our ſins,Obſer. and making up our peace with God, it is good to keep our hearts low with the meditation of the uncertainty of all things in the world. You have been humbling your ſelves, and making your peace with God, yet when your hearts are comforted with the hope of your alonement made, keep your hearts low, take heed of pride; the feaſt of Tabernacles muſt be kept, preſently after the feaſt of Atonement; this is one ſpeciall means to keep your hearts low, to have a reall remembrance of the uncertainties of the comforts of this world. This lifteth up mens hearts to conceive ſome excellencies in things here; therefore goe into your boothes, and work your hearts down, keep your feaſt of Tabernacles.
Fourthly, God would have their hearts kept low by the actuall going into their booths and tabernacles, though they had faire and ſumptuous houſes in the City, yet they were to go out, and live in their booths a while; you might think, were it not enough for the Prieſt to tell them, and bid them remember their dwelling in Tabernacles, but they muſt go forth from their houſes and abide in booths.
It is a good way to keep thoſe men humbled,Obſer. that are raiſed from a low condition to a high, even actually to goe into thoſe houſes that are low and mean, go into the houſes of poor men, look into the cupboards, ſee what proviſion they have, this will be a means to humble your hearts, when you conſider, This was once my condition.
A ſecond end of this feaſt was,A ſecond end of the feaſt of Tabernacles. to bleſſe God for all the fruits of the earth they had received, when they had received all in, their Vintage and all. As the feaſt of Pentecoſt was to bleſſe God for their firſt fruits, and their harveſt, but now all the fruits of the earth, Vintage and all were gathered in. Now they were to joyn all together, and to bleſſe God for all the fruits of the Earth. That this is Gods end, is cleare in Deut. 16. 13, 14. Thou ſhalt obſerve the feaſt of Tabernacles, after thou haſt gathered in thy corn and thy wine, and thou ſhalt rejoyce, &c. becauſe the Lord thy God ſhall bleſſe thee in all thy encreaſe, therefore thou ſhalt ſurely rejoyce.
From hence there is this leſſon.
It is uſefull to remember what a poor condition we were once in, and the uncertainty of all things that we have; even when we have got our riches into our houſes, when all things are in our poſſeſſion, it is not ſo much to think how uncertain they are, when they are growing in the field, but after the Vintage was gotten in, then they were to keep the feaſt of Tabernacles, to remember the uncertain condition of all things in the world, this we are very loath to doe, it is unſutable to our natures, and therefore this feaſt of Tabernacles was much neglected among the Jewes untill ſuch time as they … been in captivity, after God had carried them into Babylon, and the… b…ought them back againe into their own Countrey, then they kept the feaſt of Tabernacles, more ſolemnly then ever they had done, as we finde Nehem. 8. 17. Since the day of Ioſhua the ſon of Nun, they had not done ſo, they never kept the feaſt of Tabernacles ſo ſolemnly from their firſt comming into Canaan, as then they did, now being come out of priſon they could remember the uncertainty of all things in the world; men forget the uncertainty of all things in the world, but if they be driven from houſe and home, and loſe all, then they remember what they have heard and confeſſed; of the uncertainty of all worldly things: ſome of our brethren who are plundered and driven from their habitations, if God ſhould ever reſtore them to their habitations againe, then their hearts would be enlarged in bleſſing God, then they would be more ſenſible of the uncertainty of the comforts of the creature then ever before.
Thirdly, The Feaſt of Tabernacles had an aime at Chriſt and the ſtate of a Chriſtian, it was to typifie JESUS CHRIST to come into the world, and to pitch his tents amongſt us, as John 1. 14. he dwelt amongſt us; foreign.he came and pitched his Tabernacle amongſt us, it is in the Greek, and the ſtate of a Chriſtian likewiſe, is an abiding Tabernacle, 2 Cor. 5. 1. If our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle be diſſolved, till we goe where JESUS CHRIST is gone before us, to prepare manſions for us, Iohn 14. our dwelling is in Tabernacles.
In the offerings that God appointed to offer in this their feaſt, Numb. 29. 12. there are ſome things very obſervable, but hard to finde the meaning of, the feaſt was to be kept ſeven dayes, the firſt day was a great day, and the laſt day a great day, the firſt day there were 13. bullocks to be offered, and 14. lambes, the ſecond day, there was but 12. bullocks, and the third day but 11. and the fourth day but 10. and ſo every day one decreaſed, (as you may ſee there) and the laſt day, there was but one offered,
Now divers Expoſitors have ſought to finde out the meaning of this. I doe not finde any ſuch thing in all the Scripture, as this is, but onelyonly in this place, Calvin confeſſes when he ſpeakes of this, that for his part he doth not underſtand the meaning of it, and rather then to make gueſſes of it, & uncertainties, I will ſaith he be ſilent in it, & yet he ventures upon a conjecture a very unlikely one, therefore I ſhall not name it. That which is moſt likely ſeems to be in two things. The firſt is, they muſt offer every day leſſe and leſſe, that is (ſaith another interpreter) to ſhew their increaſe in ſanctification, that they ſhould grow to more and more perfection, every day of their feaſt, and ſo have leſſe need of Sacrifices then they had before, and ſo it will afford a good note to us, that when we come to keepe dayes to God, every day we ſhould grow more and more in ſanctification, and have leſſe and leſſe ſin to anſwer for, then we had before.
Another interpretation that is given, is, that it was to ſhew the ceſſation of the ſacrifices of the Jewes, that they were to decreaſe day by day, and this I take rather to be the meaning, becauſe the laſt day is but one bullocke that was offered, and yet the Text ſaith, that that was the great day of the Feaſt, when there was feweſt ſacrifices to be offered. Ioh. 3. 37. The laſt and the great day of the feaſt, Jeſus cryed, if any man thirſt, let him come unto me; there is ſomwhat to be noted about Chriſt there, though it is true, it was the feaſt of dedication, which was their own Feaſt, from whence many would prove the lawfulneſſe of holy daies, yet the truth is, upon examination you ſhall finde there is ſcarce ſtrength enough, from that place to prove it, though it be lawfull to take the advantage of ſuch times, but it will appeare there, that it was the Feaſt of Tabernacles, as in 2 Chro. 8. 9. Their Feaſt of the dedication of the Temple, was at that time that the Feaſt of Tabernacles was; one thing is to be obſerved from Chriſts being there at the Feaſt, the laſt and the great day, Jeſus cryed, if any man thirſt, let him come unto me; Why did Chriſt upon the great day of the Feaſt cry out thus, If any man thirſt, let him come unto me to drinke? one reaſon may be, becauſe when men are moſt ſtrongly poſſeſſed with the uncertainties of all outward things in the world, then they are fit to entertaine the goſpell, then fit to heare of JESUS CHRIST, when their hearts are taken off from the world, and they looke upon all things here as unſetled, the concluſion of that feaſt is a ſpeciall preparation to the Goſpell. Eſay, 40. 6. 7, &c. The preparation to the good tidings of the Goſpel, is the Proclamation that All fleſh is graſſe, and all the goodlineſſe thereof as the flower of the field: yea the withering of the graſſe, and the fading of the flower muſt be proclaimed again and againe. And then ſeaſonably and acceptably it followes, ver. 6. O Zion, that bringeſt good tidings, behold your God.
Tremelius thinkes that the reaſon of the expreſſion of CHRIST at this time was, from the cuſtome of the Iews at this Feaſt; at the feaſt of Tabernacles the Iews were wont with great joy to bring ſtore of water out of the River of Shiloh to the Temple, where being delivered to the Prieſt, he powred it out upon the Altar, together with wine, and all the people ſung that of Iſaiah, with joy ſhall ye draw water out of the wells of ſalvation; though it were their own invention, Chriſt takes a hint upon it, they accuſtomed themſelves to draw water, and powre it out, Chriſt ſaith, what do you ſtand upon this ceremony of yours, this your cuſtome will die and periſh in the uſe of it, but come to me and there you ſhall have water, I am the well of ſalvation, a ſpring of grace ſhall be continually in the heart of that man that beleeveth in me. One note more is obſervable in this Feaſt, we have a propheſie that in the times of the goſpel, the feaſt of Tabernacles ſhould be kept then, that is in the truth of it, not in the ceremony. In Zach. 14. 16. there is a Propheſy that when Chriſt cometh, the very truth of the feaſt of tabernacles, then all people ſhall worſhip the true God, and keep the feaſt of Tabernacles. Why is it there Propheſied that all people ſhall come and keep that feaſt? the reaſon may be this, this feaſt is named, becauſe in the times of the goſpel, men ſhall acknowledge their outward comforts to be from God, & … …ertainty of all things here, and that they are ſtrangers and pilgrims … in the times of the goſpell, this ſhall be made more evident to the hearts of people, then ever before, the more JESUS CHRIST ſhall be known in the world▪ the more ſhall the hearts of men be taken up with the knowledge of God in every creature, and of the uncertainty of every creature, and have their hearts taken of from the comforts of the world, and never account any ſetled condition here, but account themſelves pilgrims, and ſtrangers; that is a ſigne that the Goſpel hath prevailed with your ſpirits, if you have your hearts taken off from the creature, and you looke upon your ſelves, as ſtrangers in the world, and looke for an abiding City, then do you keep in an Evangelicall ſenſe this feaſt of Tabernacles.
Or ſecondly, if it be meant of the glorious ſetled condition God in the latter dayes ſhall bring his Saints unto, yet then they ſhall remember with thankfulneſſe, what their poor unſetled condition once was.
Thus you have had a view of the chiefe of the Jewiſh Feaſts, which God threatens here ſhall ceaſe.
There are onelyonly theſe three Obſervations to be drawn from altogether.Obſ.
Firſt, Even thoſe things that are appointed by God himſelfe, if once they be abuſed, God will not own them, but then they are accounted ours rather then Gods, her ſabbaths, why not my ſabbaths? why not Gods ſabbaths? God did appoint them, but becauſe they had abuſed them, God would not own them; her ſabbaths, and her ſolemn Feaſts. The Ordinances of God, though never ſo good in themſelves, if you pollute them, God rejects them, they are your ordinances then and not Gods, looke then that all ordinances be,Obſer. as God would have them.
Secondly, It is a grievous and lamentable affliction upon any people, for God to deprive them of his ſabbaths and ordinances, his ordinances are included in their ſolemne Feaſts, nay (ſaith God) you will goe on in your wickedneſſe, and would put me off with your ſabbaths, and ſolemne meetings, and with thoſe things that were once my ordinances, you will ſatisfie me with them, though you continue in your wickedneſs, no, you ſhall be deprived of them, you ſhall have no more ſabbaths, no more ſolemne Feaſt dayes; it is a ſad affliction for a people to have no more ſabbaths.
How many of you neglect ſolemne meetings of Gods people? time may come when God will rend theſe priviledges from you, and then your conſcience will grate upon you, O the ſabbaths that once we had! O the ſolemn meetings that once we enjoyed! but our hearts were vaine and ſlight; we did not make uſe of them, and now they are gone, now perhaps thou art caſt into a goale, or into a dungeon, and there thou keepeſt thy ſabbaths & thinkeſt upon thy ſolemne meetings. O how unworthy is this land of ſabbaths? how did we ſet our ſelves to perſecute thoſe that kept ſabbaths? there was never any ſuch a thing in any Chriſtian nation: other places though they are ſomewhat looſe upon their ſabbaths, yet they never perſecute them that will keep ſabbath: how juſtly might God have taken away our ſabbaths? let us acknowledge Gods free grace; what reproach hath it been in England to aſſemble to heare Sermons? how juſtly might God have taken away theſe ſolemne Aſſembles from us long before this? let us pray that what ever judgement God ſends upon us, he will not take away our Sabbaths, nor our ſolemne aſſemblies, but that we may ſtill enjoy thoſe we have, and enjoy them to better purpoſe then ever we have done.
3.Obſer. God hath no need of our ſervices; If God call upon us to worſhip him, it is for our good, not for any need he hath of what we doe. What do I care, ſaith God, whether I have any Sabbaths kept or no? I can provide for my glory, what ever becomes of your duties; I need them not, I can be glorious without you.
But theſe threats are but to take away things that are ſpirituall; carnall hearts thinke if they may live and proſper in the world, what care they for Sabbaths, and for ſolemn meetings? Tell them of taking away Ordinances, tell them of truth of Gods worſhip, what is that to them? Let us have our peace, our trading, and our outward bleſſings, and truth will follow, O no, a gracious heart will rather reaſon thus, O Lord, let us have thy Ordinances, let us have thy Goſpel, and then for our Vines and Fig-trees, our tradings, and our outward bleſſings, we will leave them to thy diſpoſe; if thou will give us thy Sabbaths, and thy Ordinances, we will truſt thee for our Vines, and for our Fig-trees. But if the Lord be ſo angry to deny us his Ordinances, how can we ever thinke that he will be ſo mercifull to us, to continue our peace, or our civill liberties? No ſure, if Truth be gone, Vines and Fig-trees will not ſtay long: The next words therefore are, I will deſtroy her Vines and her Fig-trees. The Lord may ſuffer thoſe places that never had Sabbaths and Ordinances to proſper in their Civill …eace a long time, but where theſe have, and the wrath of God be ſo incenſed as to take away theſe, it cannot be expected that outward peace and plenty can hold long there, Firſt ſeeke the kingdom of heaven, ſaith Chriſt, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you: No, (ſay they) let us firſt ſeeke the kingdome of earth, and the things of heaven will be added to us; which ſhewes the ſleightneſſe of their account of heavenly things. As the paper and the thred in a ſhop, is given in to the commodity, it is added, if a man bargaine for the paper and thred, and think the commodity will be given in, what a folly were it? Many men have their thoughts altogether upon the things of this life, and they think the Goſpel will be given into the bargaine, as if they have peace, they ſhall no queſtion have truth, as if the Goſpel were the paper and thred, and the things of the world were the commodities. It is your wiſdome if you would enjoy outward peace, let your hearts be for Ordinances, cry to God for Ordinances, and then God will take care you ſhall ſit under your Vines, and under your Fig-trees peace.