An Exposition of Hosea 1-3, Chapter 2 · Lecture 9
The Ninth Lecture.
HOSEA 2. 11.
I will cauſe all her mirth to ceaſe, her feaſt dayes, her new moones and her ſabbaths, and all her ſolemne feaſts.
OF the Jewiſh new moons the laſt day, God threatens likewiſe to take away her Sabbaths. Sabbaths.]
Plutarch thought that the Sabbath of the Jews was from Sabbos, foreign Iovialiter vivere.a name of Bacchus, that ſignifies to live jocundly, and bravely, and merrily. Indeed the Sabbaths that many keep have ſuch a derivation, their Sabbaths are ſabbaths of Bacchus, to be merry, and to eate, and drinke, and play, is the end of all their Sabbaths.
But the word hath a better root. God would have us upon the Sabbath reſt from all other works, that we may be free to converſe with him: therefore it is ſo much the more inexcuſable if when we have nothing elſe to doe we ſhall deny to converſe with God as he requireth of us. If a friend ſhould come to your houſe to converſe with you, and he ſhould know you have no buſineſſe to take you up, yet you will ſcarce ſee him, or ſpend a little time with him, will hee not take it ill? If indeed you could have ſuch an excuſe that your buſineſſe is extraordinary, though your time be leſſe you ſpend with him, it would not be ſo ill taken; but when he knows you have nothing to do, and yet you deny time to converſe with him, will not this be taken for a ſlighting him? Thus you deale with God; Had you indeed great occaſions and buſineſſes to doe upon that day, though you did not ſo converſe with God in holy duties, it were another matter; God might accept of mercy rather then ſacrifice. But when hee ſhall appoint you a day to reſt, wherein you have nothing to doe but to converſe with him, yet then to deny it, this is a ſleighting of the Majeſty of God.
Now the Jews had diverſe Sabbaths, amongſt others theſe were principall ones. The Sabbaths of dayes, and the Sabbaths of yeers.
The Sabbath of dayes, every ſeventh day they had a Sabbath, and it was kept unto the Lord. Now this Feaſt of theirs had ſo me what in it Memorative, ſomewhat Significative, and ſomewhat Figurative. It was a Memorial, a Signe,Why a Sabath was ordained. and a Figure. A Memoriall of two things.
1. Of the works of Gods Creation. After God had finiſhed his works of Creation, then he reſted, and ſanctified the ſeventh day, and Pſalm. 92. being appointed for the Sabbath, the Argument of it is the celebrating the Memoriall of Gods great works.
2. Of the deliverance out of Egypt, in remembrance of the reſt that God did give them from their bondage. So you have it Deut, 5. 15. Remember that thou waſt a ſervant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a ſtretched-out arme: Therefore he commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day.
Secondly, it was Significative, a Signe, Exod, 31. 17. It is a ſigne betweene me and the children of Iſrael for ever: And verſe 13. It is a ſigne betweeue me & you, that I an the Lord that doe ſanctifie you. God made it a ſigne, that as this day was by his command to be ſanctified, ſet apart from other dayes, ſo God had ſet apart this nation of the Jewes from other nations.
Thirdly, It was Figurative, it did figure out or typific the reſt that did remaine for the people of God, Heb. 4. There remaineth a reſt to the people of God, both here in the time of the Goſpel, and in heaven eternally.
Now we are to know there was ſome ſpeciality in this day of reſt,What ſpeciall things in the ſeventh day Sabbath above other Sabbaths, in this ſabbath of the Jews more then in any other ſabbath. As,
Firſt, in the Antiquity of it. It was the moſt ancient of all the dayes, ſet apart for an holy uſe, being from the time of the Creation.
Secondly, it was written with Gods owne finger in the Tables.
Thirdly, God rained no Manna upon this day, and that even before the Law was given in Mount Sinai, for the honour of this day.
4. The whole weeke doth take denomination from the Sabbath. Luke 18. 12. I faſt twice in the weeke, twice a Sabbath, ſo the words are in the Greek. So Marke 16. 2. The firſt day of the weeke, the firſt of Sabbaths, ſo the words.
5. This Sabbath is called an everlaſting Covenant by way of eminency, as if nothing of Gods Covenant were kept if this were not.foreign Exod. 31. 16. Ye ſhall keepe the Sabbath for a perpetuall Covenant.
Yea 6. God puts a remembrance upon this day, and not upon any other ſabbath. If a friend who would faine converſe with you, ſend to you three or four dayes,Quartum pra…eeptum egregium prae ſeptum, & ad omnem virtutem excitandam utile, p…etatem vero praecipue. D…eſiderium dierum. Veni ſpon ſa m…a. or a wecke beforehand, I pray think of that day, I will come to you then and converſe with you, wee will enjoy communion together; now if when he doth come he ſhall finde you emplyed in unneceſſary buſineſſes, will he take it well? God doth ſo with you, ſaith God, I deſire to converſe with your ſoules, and I appoint you ſuch a day, think of it, remember that day that you and I may be together, and converſe ſweetly one with another; if God finde you then occupied in unneceſſary buſineſſes, he will not take it well.
This Sabbath the Jewes rejoyced much in, and bleſſed God for it, Nehem. 9. 14. as a great mercy. And Philo Iudaeus ſpeaking of the fourth Commandement ſaith, It is a famous precept, and profitable to excite all kinde of vertue and piety. And the Hebrews ſay we muſt ſanctifie the Sabbath at the comming in and going out, and bleſſe God that hath given us this Sabbath: Yea it is called by ſome of the Hebrews, the very deſire of dayes; And Druſius telleth of a Jew, who when the Sabbath d…y approached, was wontto put on his beſt cloathes, ſaying, Come my. Spouſe, &c. as being glad of tharday, as a Bride-groome of his Spouſe.
It is not my worke to handle the point of the Sabbath-day, or Lords-day now, but to open it as we have it here in the Text, to ſhew what kinde of Sabbath the Jews had; onelyonly obſerve this one thing about this Sabbath; If you compare Numb. 28. 9. with Ezek. 46. 4. you ſhall finde that the offerings in the time of the Goſpel propheſied of, were more then thoſe were in the time of the Law. In Numb. you finde but two Lambes, but in Ezekiel you finde ſix Lambs and a Ram for the Sabbath: This by way of type ſhewes, that in the ſetled times of the Goſpell, Gods worſhip upon the Chriſtian Sabbath ſhould be ſolemnized more fully then it was in the time of the Law.
The next is the Sabbath of yeeres, and they were of two ſorts. There was one to be kept every ſeven yeeres, and another every ſeven times ſeven, every fiftieth yeere. Every ſeventh yeer there was a reſt of the land; as every ſeventh day there was a reſt of the labour of their bodies, ſo every ſeventh yeere there was a reſt of the land. Exod. 23, 10. Six yeeres thou ſhalt ſow thy land and gather in the fruits thereof, but in the ſeventh yeere thou ſhalt let it reſt analye ſtill, rhey muſt not prune their Vines, nor gather their vintage one yeere in ſeven.The meaning of the reſt of the ſeventh yeere. The Sabbath of dayes ſignified that they themſelves were the Lords, therefore they ceaſt from their own labours: But the Sabbath of yeeres, the reſting of the land ſignified that the land was the Lords, at Gods diſpoſe, and that they were to depend upon the providence of God for their food in the land; God would diſpoſe of the land, when they ſhould plow, and when they ſhould ſow, and gather in the fruits thereof as he pleaſed.
We muſt acknowledge (that is the morall of it to our ſelves) that all lands are the Lords, & the fruit that we enjoy from the land it is at his diſpoſing. If any man ſhould aske, what ſhould we eate that ſeventh yeere, ſeeing they might not plow, nor ſow, nor reape, neither have vintage, nor harveſt? The Lord anſwers them, Levit. 25. 20. 21. I will command my blesſing upon thee in the ſixth yeere, and it ſhall bring forth fruit for three yeeres. God you ſee will not have any to be loſers by his ſervice. Let us truſt God then, though perhaps you have now one yeer in which you have no trading; People cry out, Oh this twelve-month we have had no trading in the City, we can get no rent out of the Country neither. Do not murmure, truſt God; It may be God hath beene beforehand with many of you, you have had full trading formerly that may preſerve you comfortably now: If not before, truſt God for the next; the Jews were faine to truſt God every ſeventh yeer, they had nothing comming in for one yeere in ſeven. If once in all your life time God take away your trading upon extraordinary occaſion, do not murmure, do not give leſſe to the poore now; I ſpeak to thoſe whom God hath bleſſed in former yeers, ſo as that they are not only able to ſubſiſt, but to give too; See for this Deut, 5. 9. Beware thou ſayeſt not in thine heart the ſeventh yeere is at hand, and thine eye be evill againſt thy poor brother, and thou giveſt him …ought, and he cry unto the Lord againſt thee, and it be ſinne unto thee. If now becauſe you have not ſuch a full Income as you were wont to have in your trading, if a company of poore diſtreſſed plundered people come among you and deſire your helpe, if you deny to relieve them, if they cry unto God againſt you, it will be ſin unto you.
Now this reſt of the land was to put them in minde that there was a time comming when God will free them from labour; Now they were faine to eate their bread in the ſweat of their browes, but God would ſupply them once in ſeven yeeres without the ſweat of their browes in …illing the land, ſhewing that there was a time where in God would bring his people to ſuch a reſt that they ſhould have full ſupply of all things without labour.
But further, beſides this there was a ſecond thing, in this ſeventh yeere all debts that their brethren owed to them were to be releaſed. Deut. 7. 15. it is called there, the Lords releaſe, the Lord is mercifull to thoſe that are in debt. God knowes what a grievous burthen it is for his people to bee in debt, it is indeed an inconceivable burthen; rich men who are full-handed do not underſtand what a burthen it is for men to hang upon every buſh, to be in debt to every man they deale with, they cannot ſleep quietly, they can have but a little joy and comfort in their lives, the burthen is ſo grievous.
Now God in mercy to his people that they might not all their dayes goe under ſuch a burthen, and ſo have little joy of their lives, therefore he granted this favour to them, that once in ſeven yeeres their debts were to be releaſed: But it was the debt of an Hebrew, Deut. 15. 30. Forraigners debts they were not bound to releaſe: By that wee are to learne this inſtruction, that there ſhould be more pity and commiſeration ſhewen to thoſe that are our brethren in the fleſh, or our brethren in regard of Religion and godlineſſe, in regard of their debts then others.
It is true, there is a complaint of many that are godly, that they have little care and conſcience in paying their debts: the juſtneſſe of that complaint I know not, but there may be a ſlothfulneſſe in many, if not unfaithfulneſſe, and if there be careleſneſſe & unfaithfulneſſe in ſome, it is enough to caſt an aſperſion upon all that are godly: but though thoſe that are godly ſhould be more carefull of paying their debts then others,Mercy to the poore in regard of their debts. but if they cannot, you are bound to be more mercifull unto them then to others, becauſe they are godly, and not to ſeeke to take advantage the rather upon them, becauſe they are godly, this is a vile and a wicked heart, to take advantage ſo much the rather, if thou ſeeſt them godly & laborious in their calling, and it be meerely a providence of God, and not any negligence of theirs, thou art bound to ſhew much commiſeration unto them. In that forenamed place, Deut. 15. 9. Beware there be not an evill heart in thee, to be leſſe merciful to thy poore brother becauſe of the ſeventh yeeres reſt of the ground, or becauſe the debt was to be releaſed that ſeventh yeere, but (verſe 10.) thou ſhalt ſurely give it him, and thy heart ſhall not be grieved, becauſe for this thing the Lord thy God ſhall bleſſe thee in all thy workes, and in all that thou put teſt thy hand unto.
Notwithſtanding there muſt be a ceſſation of plowing, and ſowing, and vintage in the ſeventh yeer, yea and notwithſtanding thou wert bound to releaſe thy debt in the ſeventh yeer, yet you muſt doe this, and not do it grudgingly, you muſt not murmure and ſay, what doth God require of us that we muſt neither plow uor ſow, and that we muſt releaſe our debts and give too, nay and give, and not have our hearts grieved too, that we muſt not complaine of this? Oh my brethren, God loveth exceedingly cheerfull givers, and hearts inlarged with bowels of compaſſion, he doth no: love hearts grumbling and objecting againſt giving. Many men have no quickneſſe of underſtanding in any thing elſe but againſt workes of mercy, how quick are they in their objections, and can finde ſuch ſubtle wayes to ſave their purſes that a man would wonder at it, againſt this there is a ſolemne charge, Deut. 15. 11. Thou ſhalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, to the poore and needy in the land.
The third thing to be done once in ſeven yeers was the releaſe of ſervants too, they muſt goe free, and they muſt not be ſent away empty neither, as ver. 18. of that Deut. 15. It ſhall not ſeeme hard to thee when thou ſendeſt him away free from thee, you muſt give them liberty, as ver. 14.
It is true, we are not bound to the letter of this, every ſeven yeers to doe thus, but there is a morall equity in it, when ſervants have done you faithfull ſervice, you muſt not think that it is enough that you give them meate and drink, and cloth, but you muſt be carefull of your ſervants how they ſhould live after they are gone from you.Iubilee opened. This was the firſt ſabbath of yeers.
But the ſecond was moſt famous, and that was the reſt that was every ſeven times ſeven yeers, the fiftieth yeer, which was called the yeere of jubile, from that trumpet that they were wont to proclaime that yeer by, which as the Jewes tell us was a Rams-horne. In this yeere there were divers of the ſame things done that was in the ſeventh yeer, as the releaſe of debts, the releaſe of ſervants. But there are ſome things obſervable that were done at this time beyond what was done every ſeventh yeer.
As for ſervants, the releaſe of them was not onelyonly of ſuch ſervants as had then ſerved ſeven yeers, yea if they had ſerved any time, they were then to be releaſed, but beſides there was order taken by God for releaſe of ſome ſervants that would not be releaſed in the ſeventh yeere, for when the ſeventh yeer came, though all ſervants might then be releaſed, yet there were ſome that would not be releaſed,It is an obſervation of Ierome. when foreign is written without vau, then it ſignifies the fiftieth yeer, but when it is with van, then it ſignifies eternity, but this Pagni… rejects, for it will not hold. and there was an order taken by God for that, Exod. 21. 6. if there were a ſervant that loved his maſter and would not goe free, then his Maſter ſhould bring him to the poſt of the door, and with a nayle bore his eare, and then the Text ſaith, he ſhould ſerve him for ever: Now that [for ever] is by Interpreters interpreted but for a time of Jubile, and then he ſhould have reſt. Here it is to be underſtood of the 50. yeer, the yeer of Jubile.
There are ſome kind of ſpirits that are ſo ſlaviſh that when they may have liberty they will not, they deſerve to have their eares bored, to be ſlaves to the fiftieth year, if not for ever. Many amongſt us this day have ſuch ſpirits. God offereth us a releaſe from bondage, how many of us love ſervitude ſtill! It is juſt with God that we ſhould have our eares bored, and that we ſhould be ſlaves even for ever, but we hope there will be a Iubile come at length for our deliverance, God would have a Iubile even to deliver thoſe that were of the moſt ſervile ſpirits, and might juſtly be left to ſerve for ever. It is true, when God began with us in the beginning of our Parliament, like the ſeventh year God offered to us a releaſe, and we refuſed it then, and ſince we deſerve that our ears ſhould be bored; but God is infinitely mercifull, though we be of ſervile ſpirits, and know not how to pitty our ſelves, we hope the Lord will pity us, and grant us out of free and rich grace a Iubile, even to deliver thoſe who have a mind to be bond-ſlaves; I am ſure God doth ſo ſpiritually. If God ſhould not deliver thoſe that are minded to be ſlaves, he ſhould deliver none.
It was a great mercy ſo to provide for ſervants, that they might be delivered. The greater, becauſe ſervants then were not as they are now, there was a great deal of hardſhip that ſervants indured then more then now, they were bought and ſold, not only other nations, but the Hebrews were bought for ſervants alſo, ſo you ſhall find it, Exod. 21. 2. Beſides, ſervants were in ſuch bondage then, as if the Maſters did beat them with a rod untill they killed them,The hard condition of ſervants in former times. yet they muſt only be puniſhed, they muſt not have blood go for their blood, yea though he died under his hand, yet he was but to be puniſhed, and if the ſervant lived but 2. or 3. days after, the Maſter was not to be puniſhed at all, ſo you have it, Exod. 21. 20, 21. If a man ſmite his ſervant with a rod, and he dye under his hand, he ſhall be ſurely puniſhed, notwithſtanding if he continue a day or two, he ſhall not be puniſhed, for he is his money.
Oh that ſervants would conſider of this, and bleſs God for the liberty they have now more then ſervants had in former times! It was ſo likewiſe with the Romans, the word [ſervant] cometh à Servando, becauſe the Romans uſed to have ſuch for ſervants as were preſerved in time of war, that ſhould otherwiſe have bin put to death, whether they were thoſe or others, yet the condition of all was very ſervile both amongſt Iews and Romans, which may juſtly rebuke the pride of ſervants now, if they be but croſt in their minds in the leaſt thing, they make ſuch a complaint as if they were exceedingly wronged. Let ſervants rather bleſs God for their condition, then murmur at a little hardſhip they indure, for the hardſhip of ſervants in former times was another manner of hardſhip then any you can indure who have the hardeſt maſters. Hence it is that in the day of Iubile the ſervants did ſo rejoyce; Iewiſh antiquities tell us that nine days before their releaſe, the ſervants feaſted and made merry, and wore garlands, becauſe of their freedom approaching.
The ſecond thing extraordinary in the day of Jubile, was, that not onelyonly debts,God win Iewish antiq lib. 3. c. 10. but lands were releaſed. Lev. 25. 22. The land ſhall not be ſold for ever. And there were divers reaſons for this, why the land muſt not be ſold for ever, but muſt return to the firſt poſſeſſors in the year of Jubile.
One reaſon is in the Text,Reaſons why land muſt return in the yeare of Iubile. Lev. 25. 23. For the land is mine, ſaith God, for yee were ſtrangers and ſojourners with me: God would hereby teach them that they muſt not account themſelves abſolute lords of the land, the land is mine; and you that are the greateſt land-lords of all are but as ſtrangers and ſojourners with God, the land is ſtill Gods. And verſ. 28. If a man bee not able to redeeme his land, nor his kinſman for him, it ſhall remain unto the yeer of Iubile, and in the Iubile it ſhall goe out, and hee ſhall return unto his poſſeſſion. If he could redeem his land himſelf or a kinſman for him, he was to redeeme it before; but if a man ſhould be ſo poor as he could not give any thing to redeem it, yet in the year of Iubile it ſhould return unto him.
God would not have his people too greedy to bring the poſſeſſion of the Countrey in to themſelves, to have a perpetuall inheritance to themſelves and their poſterity. This is the greedineſs of many covetous and ambitious men, oh that we could lay land to land, and houſe to houſe, to get a perpetuall inheritance for our ſelves and poſterity! God would not have his people be of ſo greedy diſpoſitions, for a few of them to get the whole Countrey into their own poſſeſſion, therefore he would have no man that ever had any poſſeſſion, but once in fifty years that poſſeſſion muſt return to that familie again.
The land was to return to the firſt owner, that the diſtinction of Tribes might be continued, which was known much by the continuance of their poſſeſſions that belonged to every tribe & family. God had great care before Chriſts time to keep the diſtinction of tribes, that ſo it might be cleare out of which tribe Chriſt came.
But further, this year of Iubile aymed at a higher thing, it was a type of Chriſt, to ſet out the bleſſed redemption that we have by Chriſt. The trumpet of the Goſpel which the Miniſters blow is a trumpet of Iubile. That place Iſa. 61. 1, 2. ſeems to have reference to a Iubile, there the Text ſaith, that Chriſt was appointed to proclaim liberty to the captives, & the opening of the priſon to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable yeer of the Lord; now that acceptable year was the year of Iubile, there was the opening of the priſon, and the releaſing of them that were bound. Pſal. 89. 15. ſaith the text, Bleſſed are the people that heare the joyfull ſound, that hear the Jubile. Oh bleſſed are our ears who live to ſuch a time as we do, to heare the trumpet of Iubile blowing in one congregation or other almoſt every day! now we have a releaſe of our debts & bondage, this is the joyfull ſound. We are all by nature in debt (ſins you know are called debts in the Lords prayer) every ſoul is bound over to Gods eternall juſtice to anſwer to the law, for not obeying the law; now cometh this Iubile and releaſeth all debts. And we are all bond-ſlaves, in bondage to ſin, to the law, and to the devil, now cometh the Goſpel, this Iubile, and releaſeth our bondage, ſets us at liberty. 3. We have forfeited our right to the crea ure, yea to heaven it ſelf; now the Goſpel comes and reſtores all, we have right now to the comforts of this world, and to heaven. Canaan was a type of heaven, and the loſs of their inheritance, there was a type of the loſs of heaven, and the bringing them again to the poſſeſſion of it, a type of the reſtoring of right to heaven; Oh happy are they then who hear this joyfull ſound, not only with the eares of the body, but who have it ſounding in their hearts, and that by the work of the ſpirit of God in them.
In this year of Iubile there is one thing further very remarkable, and that is the time when this trumpet that was to proclaim this yeer was to blow, Lev. 25. 9. the trumpet was to blow upon the tenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth. What remarkable thing is there in this, that the trumpet muſt be blown the tenth day of the ſeventh month? yes, there is this remarkable in it, the tenth day of the ſeventh month was their day of expiation (the day of their atonement, their publique faſt) This day appointed every year for all Iſrael to afflict their ſouls before God,The trumpet of Iubile to blow on their faſting days and way. to humble themſelves for their ſins, and to ſeek for mercy from God (as we ſhal ſhew you more largely when we come to open the ſolemnity of that day) I only mention it now to ſhew that the trumpet of Iubile was to be ſounded upon that day. It is a ſtrange thing that upon that day wherein they were to afflict their ſoules before God, and to mourn for their ſins, the trumpet of Iubile was to ſound, that was to proclaim joy and mirth, things of a contrary nature to humbling and mourning. Yea but this affords us divers excellent inſtructions. As
Firſt, God would have his people ſo to mourn as to know their joy is coming. In the darkeſt day they had, wherein they were bound to afflict their ſouls moſt, yet they were ſo to mourn, as to know there was a Iubile at hand. We are not to mourn as thoſe without hope: in our moſt grievous & ſoreſt mournings we muſt have our hearts ſink in deſperation, wee muſt ſo mourne as to expect a Iubile. Yea further, the Saints mourning is a preparation to a Iubile o… joy. Ioy then is neer at hand when the Saints muſt mourn in a godly manner. Did not the Lord deal graciouſly with us the laſt faſt day when we were mourning before him? There was amongſt our brethren in other parts a kind of trumpet of Iubile blown; the Lord was then working for us; what great deliverance did God grant that very day at Chicheſter? God ſhews that the mourning of his people doth make way for joy. Yea further, then indeed is the ſound of the trumpet of Iubile ſweeteſt, when we are moſt afflicted for our ſins. When we are moſt apprehenſive and ſenſible of the evill of ſin, then the joy of God, the comforts of the Goſpel are ſweeteſt to the ſoul. When the trumpet of Iubile is blown in congregations, if it meets not with hearts afflicted ſenſible of ſinne, they are not delighted with the ſweet ſound of this trumpet, it is not melody in their ears, it rejoy ceth not their hearts: But let a poore ſoul be brought down and made ſenſible of the evill of ſinne, and Gods wrath, then let but one promiſe of the Goſpel be ſounded forth, how ſweet, how joyfull is it!
Again, pardon of ſin is the only foundation of all Jubiles. For this tenth day of the ſeventh month, wherein the trumpet of Jubile was to be ſounded, was a day of Atonement. What is that? A day of covering (for ſo the word is) of pardon of ſin to the people of God. Many men keep a continuall Jubile, live merrily and bravely, doe nothing but eate, and drink, and play, and dance, and laugh, and cannot endure theſe fadde melancholy people. What is the foundation of this thy Jubile? Art thou ſure there is an Atonement made between God and thy ſoule? Art thou ſure thy ſin is pardoned? Is this the foundation of thy rejoycing? Know it will not laſt, it is not Gods, but the Devils Jubile, except there be an atonement made between God and thee as the foundation of it.
Yet further, in that the ſound of the Jubile was at that time when the day of Atonement was. Note this,
When God hath pardoned us, then our hearts are in a fit frame to pardon others. Now comes the Jubile, and now you muſt releaſe your lands, your debts, and forgive thoſe that owe you any thing. This is the day wherein God teſtifieth his mercy in pardoning your ſinnes, and they might well ſay, Now Lord command us what thou wilt in ſhewing mercy to our brethren, we are ready to pardon, to releaſe them, to extend the bowels of our compaſſion towards them, for thou haſt pardoned our ſins. The reaſon of the rigidneſſe, of the cruelty, the hardneſs of the hearts of men, and ſtraitneſſe of their ſpirits to their brethren, is this, becauſe God hath not witneſſed to their ſouls the pardon of their own ſinns, an atonement between God and them.
Their ſolemn feaſts.
Among their feaſts, they had three that were eſpecially very ſolemn feaſts more then others: And they were
The Feaſt of
The Paſſeover.
Pentecoſt.
Tabernacles.
Theſe three were very ſolemn, eſpecially in this one regard, wherein they are all three united in one thing, that is, upon theſe three Feaſts all the Males were to aſcend up to Jeruſalem to worſhip, to the place which God did chooſe, and ſo you have it, Deut. 16. 16. Three times in a yeere ſhall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God, What to be learned from that law, requiring the Iews to go thrice a yeer to the place that God choſe.in the place which he ſhal chooſe in the feaſt of unleavened bread, (that was the Paſſeover) and in the feaſt weeks, (that was Pentecoſt) and in the feaſt of Tabernacles.
But how could the ten Tribes then keep theſe Feaſts? for they went not to the Temple.
You may as well ſay, how had they an Ephod? of which Chap. 3. Jeroboam was wiſe enough to keep the feaſts, though not in that way God appointed, he could tell them the going to the Temple was but circumſtance of place.
From this connection of theſe three together in this ſolemnity, upon which theſe three were eſpecially called their ſolemn feaſts, there are divers things to be noted.
Firſt, we may ſee a reaſon why there were ſometimes ſo many beleevers at Ieruſalem. An argument is brought by ſome from that place, Acts 21. 20. to prove that there may be in one Church more then can poſſibly aſſemble together in one Congregation, for the Text ſaith there, Thou ſeeſt how many thouſands of Iews there are which beleeve, how many millions it is in the Originall; now ſay they, there could not be ſo many millions to joyn in one Congregation: The anſwer to this is cleare, that the time of which this place ſpeaketh, was when the people of the Jews were all aſſembled together at Jeruſalem to keep the feaſt of Pentecoſt, for Chap. 20. verſ. 16. the Text ſaith, that the Apoſtle haſtned, if it were poſſible for him to be at Ieruſalem the day of Pentecoſt; now reading the ſtory on, it plainely appears, that in that journey in which he did ſo haſten, he did get to Ieruſalem at the day of Pentecoſt, and being there at that time, no marvail that they ſaid, Doſt thou not ſee how many thouſands of Iews there are that beleeve? For all the males of the people of the Iewes were got together at Ieruſalem, according to the inſtitution, ſo that they were there by reaſon of that Law that as yet they ſubmitted to, they were not in a Church ſtate at Ieruſalem, therefore there is no ſtrength in that objection againſt congregationall Churches.
Secondly, where there is a nationall Church, there muſt be an uniting of them in ſome way of Nationall worſhip. There is this Nationall worſhip that the Iews by inſtitution from God were united in, three times in a yeare to go up to the Temple to worſhip: And except there ſhonld be ſome ſuch kind of individuall worſhip, not in the ſame ſpecies, that is, as others are praying, ſo are we, and as others are hearing, ſo are we, for ſo all the Churches in the world may be joyned, but to joyne in one act of worſhip together, as that was of going up to the Temple, there muſt be ſuch a thing. And that made the Iews a Nationall Church, becauſe we have no ſuch inſtitution now, no Nation in the world can in a proper ſenſe be ſaid to be a Nationall Church as theirs was; in ſome figurative ſenſe we may ſo call it, but not in that proper ſenſe as it was among the Iews.
Thirdly, there are ſome Ordinances that cannot be enjoyed but in the way of Church-fellowſhip. The Iews could not enjoy theſe feaſts as they ought (indeed it may be Iſrael, the ten Tribes would make a kind of patched up feaſt, but they could not feaſt ſo as they ought) unleſſe they went to Ieruſalem in that way God appointed. As among the Iews, there were ſome Ordinances they might enjoy in their Synagogues and private houſes, but ſome which they could not enjoy but in the Temple; ſo there are ſome Ordinances we may enjoy in our families, but others wee cannot enjoy but in Church-communion, which Ieruſalem is a type of. A fourth thing obſervable is, theſe three times wherein they were to go up to Ieruſalem, were all in the Summer time, not in the Winter.
For the firſt, which was the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, was in the latter end of our March, and the beginning of April; the Feaſt of Pentecoſt was fifty dayes after, the Feaſt of Tabernacles was about the middle of our September. It was indeed a very laborious thing for them to goe up to Ieruſalem to worſhip, but God did ſo commiſerate and pitty them, that they were not to goe in the winter time. That is the reaſon of that phraſe in Acts. 27. 9. Sayling was dangerous, becauſe the Feaſt was already paſt, that is, the Feaſt of Tabernacles was paſt, which was about the fifteenth of September, and ſo it began to be winter. God would be ſo indulgent to his people that they ſhould have the Summer time to go up to Jeruſalem in. If it would be an affliction to goe up to Jeruſalem in the winter, and therefore God would favour his people in that; Oh what an affliction is it then to flie from Jeruſalem before our enemies in the winter time? We had need pray the more hard now for thoſe that are in danger of the enemy, that God would be mercifull to them in this.
A fifth note is when they did goe up to theſe three Feaſts, they muſt not come empty, but full-handed, ſo you have it, Deut. 16. 16. Ye ſhall not appeare before the Lord empty; Noting thus much, That when ever we come to acknowledge Gods mercy for any thing, we muſt come with full hands, and liberall hearts, with hearts ready to diſtribute, or otherwiſe we doe but take Gods Name in vaine.
The laſt is, the wonderfull providence of God toward them, though all the males in the whole Countrey were to come up to Jeruſalem three times in the yeere, yet their Countrey ſhould not be in danger of the enemies: For the Jews had not ſuch walls of Seas about their Country as we have, but they lived in the very midſt of their enemies, they were ſurrounded with them, on the Eaſt the An…onites and Moabites; the Weſt, the Phyliſtims; the South, the Egyptians. Idumeans; the North, the Aſſyrians, to whom the Prophet ſeemes to have reference, Zach. 1, 18. Now they might ſay, ſhall our males goe up to Jeruſalem three times a yeer, why then our enemies that lie cloſe in our borders, (for they lay as neere them as Yorke, or any other ſhire is to us) may come upon us and deſtroy us; therefore God laid in a caveat and proviſion for the incouragement of them, Exod. 34. 24. he tells them there, None ſhall deſire thy land when thou ſhalt goe up to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in thee yeere; God tooke care that none ſhould deſire their land.
Let us goe on in Gods ſervice, and hee will take care to deliver us from our enemies. Many times out of ſlaviſh feare of the danger of enemies, and what diſturbance they are able to make amongſt us, wee are ready to betray the cauſe of God, and neglect his worſhip. Let us learne from hence to goe on in Gods wayes, and not feare any hurt our enemies can doe us, God ſaith that he will take care when they are all at Jeruſalem in the exerciſes of his worſhip that none ſhould deſire their land.
Now for the opening theſe ſeverall Feaſts, in it you may be helped fruitfully to reade much Scripture in the Old Teſtament, for much of it is ſpent in things concerning ſome of theſe.
The firſt was the Paſſeover.The Feaſt of Paſſeoever. You have the hiſtory of it Numb. 28. 16. 17. and in divers other Scriptures: That Feaſt was in the beginning of the yeere. It is true, our Scripture was the beginning of their Annus Civilis their yeere for Civill affairs, but the Month Abib, which was the middle of March, and part of Aprill, was Annus Eccleſiaſticus, the Eccleſiaſticall yeere, and it was ſo appointed, upon their deliverance out of Egypt when God commanded them then to celebrate their Paſſe-over, hee told them that that Month ſhould be unto them the beginning of monthes, the firſt month of the yeere.
Noting thus much, That deliverance from great evills are mercies that we are highly to prize; the Jews were to begin their yeere in memoriall of the mercy they had upon that Month.
For the name [Paſſeover] from God ſending forth deſtroying Angels that yet paſſed over the houſes of the Iſraelites that night; he went thorough the land and deſtroyed all the firſt borne of the Egyptians, but ſaved the Iſraelites, this Feaſt was alſo called the Feaſt of unleavened bread, Luc. 22. 1. becauſe they were to goe out of Egypt in haſt, and could not have time to leaven their bread, but tooke only a little flower and water together, and ſo carryed it upon their backs; Joſephus tells us that they tooke onelyonly a little flower with water together that might ſerve them with a great deale of ſparing but for thirty dayes, there was all they had for ſo many thouſand thouſands onelyonly for ſo many dayes, God put them to it, to depend upon him.
We are ready to murmure if we ſee not enough to ſerve us many yeers, if our armies have not enough for ſo long time: they had but a little meale and water that might ſerve them for thirty dayes, and they knew not where to have more when that was ſpent; no marvaile that it is ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11. 27. by faith we went out of Egypt. This bread is called the bread of affliction, Deut. 16. 3. and it was unleavened bread, not onelyonly to typifie that we muſt not have our hearts leavened with malice, but to put them in mind of that ſore affliction they were in, not onelyonly when they were in Egypt, but when they went out of Egypt, that they had then but a little meale and water to ſerve them for thirty dayes.
Now this Paſſeover was partly Memorative, and partly Figurative.
Memorative, Firſt to remember the deliverance of their firſt borne.
Secondly, to remember their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt.
When others are ſmitten (that is the morall ſignification) and we paſſe over,Obſ. 1. this is a great mercy.
Againe, Deliverance from bondage, and in that outward man and bondage in reſpect of Religion and conſcience is a mercy for everto be celebrated. God is pleaſed now to offer us this mercy of deliverance from both theſe bondages, certainly we are a people devoted to miſery if we ſhall not take Gods offer of mercy.
We have beene in bondage in our eſtates and liberties, God offereth us freedome, and freedome alſo from Antichriſtian bondage which is worſe then Egyptian bondage. The Text ſaith when they were delivered from the bondage of Egypt Moſes ſang, Apoc. 15. 1and in the Revelation when they were delivered from Antichriſtian bondage they ſang the ſong of Moſes.
We were long ſince delivered from a great part of this bondage, now the Lord oſtereth to deliver us altogether.Obſ. 1. But to let that goe.
They were to eate this Paſſeover with their ſtaves in their hands,When God offereth deliverance we should not bee ſluggish. this was to note their haſty going out of Egypt. We ſhould not when God offereth us mercy of deliverance, goe forth ſlowly. This is our miſery at this day, the Lord offereth deliverance and we lye ſlugging on our beds, and are like that fooliſh child the Prophet ſpeakes of that ſticks in the birth: We have ſtuck theſe two yeers in the birth, whereas we might have beene delivered long before this. It concerns us all to conſider what the cauſe is, and to lament it before the Lord that we may make our peace with him.
But further.Obſer. In thankſgiving for a mercy we are ever to remember what we were before that mercy. They muſt eate unleavened bread at this Feaſt, the bread of affliction, they muſt remember the afflictions they were in before they had this mercy, whereof this Feaſt was a Memoriall; when wee bleſſe God for a deliverance, we muſt really preſent before our ſouls the ſad condition we were in before we were delivered.
Further, The ſpeciall thing that is aimed at in the Paſſeover, was that it ſhould be a type of Chriſt, who was that paſchall lamb that was to take away the ſinnes of the world, he that was roſted in the fire of Gods wrath for our ſinnes, as that Lambe that was to be eaten in the Paſſe-over was roſted in the fire: And if ever the Angell of Gods vengeance do paſſe over us, it is thorough the blood of that Lambe ſprinkled upon our hearts, which was ſignified by the ſprinkling the blood of the Lambe upon the poſts of their houſes. In the Lords Supper we celebrate in effect the ſame Feaſt of the Paſſe-over they did: and by this we may learne this excellent note.
There is little comfort in the remembrance of outward deliverances,Obſer. except we can ſee them all in Chriſt.
They were in this Feaſt to remember their deliverance out of Egypt,Deliverances looked upon in reference to Chriſt are ſweet. but withall they were in it to have a figure and type of Chriſt, that ſweetned their remembrance that made the Feaſt a joyfull Feaſt, when they could ſee their deliverance out of Egypt as a fruit of Chriſts ſufferings, when this Lambe that was to put them in minde of it, did put them in minde likewiſe of Chriſt the paſchal Lambe.
In all deliverances from any kinde of affliction, if you would have the remembrance of them ſweet unto you, you muſt looke upon them all in the blood of Chriſt, and ſo remember them, and then your hearts will be inlarged to bleſſe God.The Iewish additions to their Paſs-over.
This was the Ordinance of God in the Paſſe-over, but beſides Gods Ordinance, the Jews added divers other things.
The firſt thing obſervable that they added, was earneſt prayer to God for the building of the Temple; which many of them obſerve to this day. Thoſe who writ of the cuſtomes of the Jews tell us, that becauſe the Temple is deſtroyed where they were to goe up thrice in the yeere to ſolemnize theſe Feaſts, therefore they pray ſo earneſtly and mightily for the Temple in this manner: They cry altogether to God, Lord, build thy temple ſhortly, very quickly, very quickly, moſt quickly in our dayes: Templum tuum brevi, valde cito, valde cito, in diebus noſtris, citisſime, nunc aedifica templum tuum brevi. Miſericors Daus, Magne Deus, benigne Deus, pulcher Deus, dulcis Deus, virtuoſe Deus, Iudaica Deus, nunc aedifica templum tuum brevi, valde cito, in diebus noſtris, valde cito, valde cito, nunc aedifica, nunc edifica, nunc aedifica, nunc aedifica, nunc aedifica templum tuum cito, robuſte Deus, fortis, vineus, potens Deus, &c. Buxtorf. de Synag. Iud. c. 13.& then they go over it again, Mercifull God, great God, kind God, high God, ſweet God, with divers other epithets, Now build thy Temple quickly, very quickly, &c. Now, now, now, five times together, …o Euxtorfius tells us. They teach us how much the Temple doth concern us. Here is onelyonly their miſtake, they reſted in the materiall Temple, they did not conſider that This Temple was a type of Chriſt, therefore as earneſtly as they prayed for the building of their materiall Temple, ſo we are to pray for the building up of the myſticall body of Chriſt, now Lord, build quickly, doe not defer it, even in our dayes do it.
A ſecond thing they added was the manner of caſting out of unleavened bread, in this they obſerved three things, their inquiſition, their extermination, their execration, firſt with a candle they would narrowly ſearch every corner of the houſe, to ſee if they had the leaſt crumme of leaven, if any were found they caſt it out with ſolemnity, and then they uſed to wiſh a curſe upon themſelves if there were any left in their houſes that was not caſt out.
This morall Obſervation wee may be taught from it, it ſhould be our care when we are to receive the Sacrament, to make narrow inquiſition, to get the candle of the word, and to ſearch every corner of our hearts, every faculty of the ſoule, to ſee if there be no leaven in it. 2. Whatſover we ſee to caſt it out of doores. And 3. to be ſo much ſet againſt ſinne, as to be willing to take a curſe upon our ſelves, if we ſhould willingly let any knowne ſin be in our hearts, and to acknowledge that God might juſtly curſe us in his Ordinance, if we be falſe in this.
Thirdly, they uſed to ſhew forth all their brave rich things, if they had any bravery in cloathes, in furniture, in any good thing, they would ſhew all at this Feaſt. By their ſuperſtition we may learne this note, that in the time of our comming before God, it is fit for us to manifeſt his graces, to exerciſe all thoſe beautifull graces that the Lord hath endowed us with by the work of his Spirit, for there is the riches of a Chriſtian, there is his brave cloathes, and his plate, all his excellencies are his graces.
The fourth thing they did was, after the Paſſe-over was at an end, they would faſt three dayes, to humble themſelves for their faylings in keeping that Feaſt. This was not Gods Inſtitution, but it was their cuſtome, and we may learne this from it, (though not to binde our ſelves to that they did) too looke back to our receiving the Sacrament, and to bewayle all our miſcarriages; I beleeve if things were examined to the quick in our receiving the Sacrament, you would finde matter enough to faſt and pray for the humbling your ſoules from your miſcarriages.
Laſtly, in the Paſſe-over they uſed to reade the book of the Canticles, becauſe that booke treats eſpecially of the conjunction of the ſoule with the Meſſiah, which is ſealed up eſpecially in the Paſſe-over. And that indeed is a ſpeciall meditation for us when we come to the Lords Supper, to meditate of our conjunction with Chriſt.
The next is the Feaſt of Pentecoſt.The Feaſt of Pantecoſt. This Feaſt is called alſo the Feaſt of Weekes, becauſe there were ſeven weekes to be reckoned, and then at the end of them it was ſolemnly to be kept, you ſhall finde it, Levit. 23. 15. There you have the Feaſt of the Paſſe-over, and in that the firſt day of ſeven, and the laſt day of ſeven was ſolemnly kept; now they were to count from the morrow after the firſt Sabbath, ſeven Sabbaths, that is, ſeven weekes compleate; the firſt Sabbath of the Paſſe-over was the fifteenth day of the month Abib, and then the next day from that they were to count ſeven weeks, and at the end of ſeven weeks was the Feaſt of Pentecoſt to be kept. Now in this firſt day wherein they began to count their weeks (for the preparation to this Feaſt of Pentecoſt) you ſhall find that the firſt fruits were to be offered up to God, it was a kinde of diſtinct Feaſt, called the Eaſt of the Firſt-fruits, in which they were to bring a ſheafe of the firſt fruits of their harveſt unto the Prieſt to be offered to God; And the reaſon was, becauſe new their harveſt began: Aſſoone as ever the Paſſe-over was killed, and they had kept the firſt Sabbath of the Paſſe-over (for they were to keepe it ſeven dayes) they began their harveſt, they muſt not put a Sickle into the corne, nor reape any thing of their ground untill they had kept the Paſſe-over; it affordeth auto us this inſtruction. We cannot enjoy any ſweetneſſe nor any bleſſing from any fruits of the earth,No bleſsing …o be enjoyed from the earth but through Chriſt. but through the blood of Jeſus Chriſt: After they had ſolemnized the memorial of the blood of Chriſt, then they might put a Sickle into the corne & reape it, and not before, & as ſoone as they had ſolemnized the remembrance of Chriſt in the Paſſe-over, they might goe with comfort and take the fruits of the earth & rejoyce in them, but not before. Now this was in the month of Abib, that is part of our March, & part of April, then began their harveſt, & thence it hath its name, for Abib ſignifies an eare of corne. Now their harveſt began ſo ſoone in the land of Canaan, not only becauſe it was a hot Country, for it is obſerved that Africa was a hotter Country then theirs, and yet their harveſt began not ſo ſoone;Hereditatom elegantiae. but becauſe of the bleſſing of God upon that land, therefore Ier. 3. 19. it is called a goodly heritage, becauſe of the timely bringing forth the fruit; the words tranſlated goodly heritage, ſignifies an heritage of comlineſſe; the ſame word that is here for goodly, ſignifies a Roe-Buck, to which this land was compared, and ſo it may be ſaid to be a land of a Roe-Buck, becauſe of the ſpeedy and ſwift ripening of the corne.Obſ. 1. The obſervation is, It is the bleſſing of the Church to have their fruit ripe betimes,Timely fruit is pleaſing to God. not to ſtay too long before they be ripe, for Canaan was a type of the Church. You young ones conſider of this; the Lord loveth to have the fruits of Canaan ripe betimes; if you grew in the wilderneſſe, though you did not bring forth fruit in your young time, God did not ſo much regard it; but if you live in his Church, in Canaan, the Lord expects you ſhould beg in betimes, in the very ſpring of your yeeres you ſhould bring forth fruit un to God. Men doe much rejoyce in timely fruits, they are lovely: Yea and God rejoyceth in them too, Micah. 7. 1. My ſoul deſireth the firſt ripe fruits, this is true of God himſelfe. Your parents and Godly friends may ſay, our ſoule deſires that grace may ſpring up betimes in theſe young ones, ſo it may be ſaid of God, the very ſoul of God deſireth to ſee the firſt fruits; fruit in young ones is that which is pleaſing to Gods ſoule.
We may further note,Obſer when we have had communion with God in holy things, then we may have a holy and more comfortable uſe of the creatures. As before we noted when we have ſolemnized the blood of Chriſt, then we may enjoy ſweetneſſe from the comforts of the earth; ſo now, when wee have enjoyed communion with God in his Ordinances, then it is a fit time to have a holy uſe of the creatures, yea then you muſt be carefull of having a holy uſe of the creatures; as ſoone as ever they came from the Paſſe-over the firſt day they were to celebrate the firſt fruits unto God,
From whence,
Thirdly,Obſ. After the blood of Chriſt is ſprinkled upon the conſcience, then men will be ready to dedicate things unto God. Then as Zacheus ſaid, Halfe my goods I give to the poore; here are my goods, here is my eſtate, doth the Church, doth my brethren ſtand in need of helpe? Loe wee are ready to offer them up unto God.
Fourthly,Obſ. The firſt of bleſſings are to be offered up unto God. God gives them a charge, that the firſt of the firſt of all the fruits of their land ſhould be offered unto him,Exod. 13. 19. all that commeth afterward ſhould be the more bleſſed. Learne this you young ones, dedicate the firſt of your years unto God, the very firſt of your firſt, the dawning of your years.
Now aſſoone as they had dedicated their firſt fruits,Obſer. when harveſt was done, then comes the Feaſt of Pentecoſt: then they rejoyced in the conſummation of harveſt. If you dedicate your young dayes unto God, when the conſummation of your years comes, how may you keepe a Feaſt of Pentecoſt! The Jews firſt deditated the firſt fruits, fifty dayes before, and then at the fifty dayes end they kept their joyfull Feaſt of Pentecoſt, ſo might you if you dedicated your young yeares unto God, On the other ſide, what a ſad thing will it be for old men that but now begin to thinke of God and Chriſt; it is well you do ſo; but you cannot doe it comfortably as you might have done, if you had begun in your younger yeares. If the Jewes when their harveſt was done had brought two loaves unto God, might God ſay, why did you not bring the firſt fruits unto me? God might ſo upbraid you, but however come into God and he will not upbraid you, he upbraideth no man, but yet the comfort will not be ſo much becauſe your conſciences will upbraid you.
Fiftly,Obſer. note this, Happy is the man that when he comes to reap the fruit of his actions, ſhall have a feaſt of joy. Thus is was with the Jews, the very beginning of their harveſt was with a Feaſt, and the concluſion with a Feaſt toe. All the actions of our lives are a ſowing of ſeed, if you ſow ſparingly you ſhall reap ſparingly, and happy thoſe men when they come to reap, that both the beginning and concluſion of their reaping ſhall be a joyfull feaſting. Many ſow merrily, but they reap horrour and anguiſh; but when the Saints come to reap, they ſhall have a Feaſt of joy. At thy right hand are joyes and pleaſures for evermore.
6.Obſer. At the fiftieth day then they were to ſolemnize the mercy of God in giving to them the fruits of the earth for their harveſt.
Hence this Note,
Much praiſe is due to God for the Fruits of the earth, for outward comforts, How much praiſe then is due for JESUS CHRIST, and all ſpirituall mercies in him? Though we ought to bleſſe God for the things of the earth, yet we ſhould be ſo ſwallowed up in bleſſing God for his word & Ordinances, and ſpirituall mercies, as in compariſon our hearts ſhould be above the Fruits of the earth. Therefore it is obſerveable, that in Ezekiel where there is a Propheſie of the ſtate of the Church, ſet out by the Jewiſh way of Feaſts, though there be mention of the Paſſeover, and new moones, and Sabbaths, and of the Feaſt of Tabernacles, yet there is no mention of the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, no mention of keeping a Feaſt for bleſſing God for theſe things. Not but that they ſhould doe ſo, but that their hearts ſhould be ſo carryed up with abundance of ſpirituall mercies, that then all for Chriſt, and for heaven, and for eternity, their hearts ſhould be wholly ſet upon ſpirituall things.
7.Obſ. It was a great ingagement to them to uſe the creatures, when in the firſt beginning they had dedicated them unto God, and in the concluſion of harveſt they had ſolemnized his mercy in giving them the creatures. For God did thereby teach them that they might be further engaged to uſe all creatures for his ſervice. As it is a mighty engagement to any man if God give him a heart to dedicate the beginning of a mercy unto God, and when he hath got the mercy fulfilled, then in a ſolemne manner he bleſſeth God for it, to make uſe of this mercy for Gods honour. Certainly the reaſon why many are ſo looſe in their converſations, and doe not employ the creatures of God to his glory, is, becauſe they do not in a ſolemn manner bleſſe God for that they enjoy. As in your trading, ſuppoſe you have ſome comfortable Incomes, perhaps you take theſe comforts, and thanke God in a ſlight manner for them, how doe you uſe them afterwards? onelyonly for your ſelves and for the fleſh. But when you heare of Incomes of riches flowing in upon you, if you can then preſently take the firſt. Fruits and give ſome part to Gods ſervice as a teſtimony of thankfulneſſe, and in your families and cloſets in a ſolemne manner give God the glory for the good ſucceſſe you have had in your eſtate, this will be a mighty ingagement to you to uſe your eſtates for his ſervice.
8. Mark at the firſt, in their preparation, they were to bring but a ſheafe, but afterward, Levit. 23. 17. they were to bring two loaves; in the firſt they were to offer one he-lambe without blemiſh, but afterward ſeven lambes, & a young bullocke, and two Rams, &c. both burnt-offerings, and ſinne-offerings, and peace-offerings when they had received the full harveſt.
Thence learne,Obſ. though you be forward to give God glory when you are young, the firſt fruit of your years, yet when you come to be old, you ſhould flouriſh in the Courts of Gods houſe. Firſt they offered but a little unto God, afterward abundance. Doe you ſo? I appeale to all old men that are here this day, if God did give you any heart to give up your young years to him, bleſſe God for it; but now when you are old, are you as forward as ever you were? You ought to be not onelyonly ſo, but much more abundant in the work of the Lord. Nay cannot others witneſſe againſt you, that there was ſuch a time wherein you were more forward, and that now you begin rather to temporize? The LORD forbid this ſhould be ſpoke of any old men.
God expects more afterward then at the firſt fruits; and though nature may decay, yet their is a promiſe that in their old age they ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of Gods houſe, and ſhall manifeſt the graces of his Spirit much more. VVe are ready at the firſt Fruits to offer unto God ſome what, when his mercy commeth firſt; but when mercy comes afterward more fully, we ſhould be more in our offerings.
You will ſay,The difference of burnt off…ing, ſinoffering, and peaceoffering. what is the meaning of this, that there is a burnt offering, a ſin-offering, and a peace-offering in the Feaſt of Pentecoſt? what is the difference of theſe three offerings?
The difference is this; The burnt offering was in teſtimony of their high reſpect to God, they wholly had reſpect to God in the burnt offering; that is, they tendred up ſomething to God as a teſtimony of the high & honoraable eſteem they had of his Majeſty, it was wholly to be given up to him.
Now in the other they had reſpect to themſelves, the ſin-offering was not to offer a ſacrifice meerly to teſtifie reſpect to God, but to be a typicall ſignification of Chriſts ſacrifice for ſins; they were to looke through their ſacrifice to Chriſt, and their ſin-offering was to be an atonement for their ſin.
The Peace-offering was in thankſgiving for a mercy, or when they would petition to God for a further mercy. All this muſt be done in the day of Pentecoſt. But beſides this end of Pentecoſt, to ſolemnize the mercies of God in their harveſt, there is an other that is conſtantly affirmed by the Jewes, and I finde many Divines making no queſtion of it; but I finde it not ſo clearly laid down in the word.
They ſay God in this feaſt did ſolemnize the giving of the law,Lect. 9. and this is their ground, becauſe fifty dais after their coming out of Egypt was the time of Gods giving the Law, and ſo they ſay Pentecoſt was appointed to bleſſe God for giving the law. The Iews ſay that God dealt with them, as a King ſhould deale with a poor man in priſon, firſt hee releaſeth him of his bondage, and withall tells him, that after ſuch a time he will marry him to his daughter; now ſay they, will not this man count every day, & long untill this time come? So when God did deliver us out of AEgypt, he told us that after ſuch a time he would give us his law, and marry us to his daughter, which is the law, and this is the reaſon why wee count ſo diſigently the very weeks, nay the days, as longing for that time when we are to be marryed to the law, when the Lord ſhall grant to us ſuch a mercy.
From whence we may note,Obſer. that we are not only to keep Gods law, but to rejoyce in Gods law; not only to look at what is commanded as a duty, but as a high priviledg, and ſo bleſſe God for the law. It is a higher thing to love Gods law, and rejoyce in it then to obey it; Great peace ſhall they have that love thy law; David profeſt that he loved the law of God more then ſilver and gold, that it was ſweeter to him then the honey and the honey combe. The Iews at this day do much reioyce when the law of God is read, and in their Synagogues when the law of God is brought out, they lift up their bodies in a kind of exlatation, reioycing that God gave this law unto them.
Further, the time of their Pentecoſt was the time of the deſcending of the holy Ghoſt upon the Apoſtles: as God at that time gave the law by Moſes, ſo the Spirit at that time came by Chriſt, to ſhew that we are in the Goſpel to receive the Spirit of God, to inable us to fulfill the law. They had the letter of the law, but in compariſon of what we have, they had not the Spirit, but now the holy Ghoſt is come in a full meaſure; as hee then came upon the Diſciples, ſo he comes now in the time of the Goſpel in a fuller way then formerly, there is a continuall Pentecoſt.
But the works of God do not of themſelves ſanctifie any time, except we take that note with us, we may run into a thouſand abſurdities; if we argue thus, becauſe the Iews had ſuch a time vve may have ſuch a time, or becauſe there vvere ſuch bleſſings at that time, therefore vve may ſanctifie that day. No, the vvorks of God do not ſanctifie any time of themſelves, it muſt be the Word, ſome inſtitution or other, either the VVord vvritten, or ſome immediate dictate of the Spirit that muſt ſanctifie any day. Certainly the vvork of our redemption it ſelf is not enough to change the Sabbath, if vve had not ſ… me footing for a nevv inſtitution. VVee uſually give this ground for a change of the day, becauſe of the greatneſſe of the worke; but though the works of God be great, though never ſo great, it is not for us to ſanctifie a day, it muſt be an inſtitution of God, or elſe wee ſinne in ſanctifying any ſet and ſtated time for any ſuch work, for Chriſts reſurrection, or ſending of the Spirit, except there come an inſtitution, though the work be as great as any thing God ever did for the Iewes, it will be but will-worſhip in us, and God will not be put off with this, What is not this as great a worke as that the Iewes had, and may not we celebrate the memory of it as they did? but God will ſay, Who required theſe things at your hands? Thus far you may do, that is, bleſſe God for thoſe works all the dayes of your lives, but to ſanctifie any particular day for them, certainly that cannot be done without ſin; we have our warrant for the Lords day as well as the greatneſſe of the work, becauſe of the practiſe of the Apoſtles who were inſpired by the holy Ghoſt.
The next is the feaſt of Trumpets, onelyonly one particular about it at this time, becauſe providence makes it ſo ſeaſonable. In the ſeventh monethmonth, (which was the firſt monethmonth of their Annus Civilis) there were three feaſts.
Feſtum
Tubarum,
Expiationis,
Tabernaculorum.
The firſt was the feaſt of Trumpets; now there was a three-fold uſe of Trumpets among the Iewes. 1. For the calling of the congregation together, as we uſe to doe with bells.The feaſt of trumpets. 2. The calling of them to warre. 3. For the ſolemnizing of their feaſts. This feaſt of trumpets you have, Numb. 17.
There are four ends given by Divines of the feaſt of Trumpets,Non licet iniquas obſerva…iones agere Kalendarum & …ciis vacare gentilibus, ne que lauro aut viriditate arborum cingere do…mus. Omnis enim haec obſervatio paganiſmi eſt. Canon. 74. ſome I confeſſe are very improbable, but there are two very probable. The one is, this feaſt was to celebrate the New-yeer with them; as upon every new monethmonth, that was called the feaſt of the new Moon, to celebrate the beginning of the monethmonth, ſo in the beginning of the yeare they had a feaſt to celebrate the beginning of the year, that was this feaſt, for it was on the firſt day of their civill yeare; ſo that it is very probable that feaſt was appointed to bleſſe God for the new yeere, as well as they had one to celebrate the new monethmonth. It was Gods inſti…ution for that time to have the New-year conſecrated by that feaſt, yet this can be no ground for us now to conſecrate the beginning of every new yeer unto God: that was Iewiſh, and it is ceaſt, if we will have any conſecration of a new yeer, it muſt be by vertue of ſome inſtitution or other, let (who can) ſhew the inſtitution: we muſt not thinke becauſe it hath a ſhew of wiſdome,Cavendae potiusquam Kalendae. S…atuit … niverſalis Eccleſia ieiunium publicum in iſto die fieri. Al…huvinus de divinis d …. c. 4. and it ſeemes to bee reaſonable to us, therefore it may be this is not enough in matter of worſhip, you muſt ſtrictly tye your ſelves to an inſtitution in matters of worſhip, in conſecrating of times. As it is Iewiſh, ſo it is Heatheniſh, the Heathens conſecrated their new yeer to the honour of their god Ianus, and we read in Concilium Antiſiodorenſe, in France in the yeer 614. it was the judgement of that Councell that it is not lawfull to obſerve the feſtivities of the Gentiles, to keep their worſhip and obſervation of their Calends, (that is, the beginning of their months) to adorn houſes with lawrel & bayes, for all theſe practiſes ſaith the Councell) ſavour of paganiſme. And likewiſe an ancient writer ſaith, that the Kalends of Ianuary are rather to be taken heed of, then to be accounted Kalends, and ſo to be ſanctified; And further, hee ſaith, the Church hath appointed a ſolemn feaſt to be upon that very day, becauſe o… the notorious abuſes there were wont to be upon that day. And Polydore Virgil ſaith, that theſe ſolemnities of Lawrell and Bayes, and maſques, and mummings, and ſuch vanities, they all come from the Heathens Bachanalia, and Saturnalia, that were wont to be at that time of the year. However therefore we put them upon Chriſt, and think we honour him, and call it the Circumciſion day of Chriſt, yet by thoſe cuſtomes we diſhonour him, for they are rather Heatheniſh then Chriſtian, To doe it, I ſay, becauſe we think to conſecrate …ine; though there may be ſome naturall reaſon of rejoycing, yet no ground for conſecration.
Let no man object and ſay, theſe ſolemnities have beene a long time in the Church. It is true, theſe are ancient, but from whence comes the antiquity? It comes from hence, becauſe Chriſtians being newly converted out of Paganiſme, they would keepe as much as poſſibly they might of the Pagan cuſtomes, only they would give them a turn, turn them to Chriſtian ſolemnities, but the riſe was from their Pagan cuſtomes: therefore all the argument of antiquity, either for theſe, or Ceremonies, or Prelaticall government, it comes from this ground, becauſe their pagan cuſtomes were ſo, and they lived among pagans, and having been lately pagans, they ſavored and ſmelt of Heatheniſme ſtill. So now, many plead that ſuch things were in the firſt Reformation: no marvail they retained them, for they were but newly come out of popery, and they ſavoured and ſmelt of popery. Indeed to plead the antiquity of theſe things, which men muſt ſhew when they are put to it, is one of the greateſt arguments againſt them. Thus was they Feaſt of All-Saints turned from the Feaſt Pantheon, and ſo the Feaſt of the Virgin Mary, which they call Candlemas, the Heathens had the feſtivity of their goddeſſe Febru (who was the Mother of Mars) upon that day, from whence the name of our monethmonth February cometh, they did then celebrate that time with Candles, and ſuch things, as papiſts doe now. This antiquity have you for celebrating of Candlemas.
The like may be ſaid for the argument of antiquity for the Prelates. O ſay ſome, ſuch a kind of government hath been ever ſince Chriſtian Religion hath been in England. Grant that there hath been ſome kind of Biſhops ever ſince, but from whence came they? We find in Hiſtories, that when the Pagans were here in England, they had their Flamins, and their Archflamins, London was one, and Yorke was another, and when they were converted to the Chriſtian Religion, yet ſtill keeping ſome of their Heatheniſh cuſtomes, inſtead of their Arch-flamins, they made Arch-biſhops, and of their Flamins, Biſhops, and that in their very places, as London and Yorke, and ſome ſay Cheſter, they kept their Biſhopricks ſtill. This is the very …und of the antiquity of them; therefore my brethren, let not us be put off with ſuch arguments as theſe, men delude you, they baffle you by theſe arguments.