The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 24
THE GOSPEL of the GREAT DAY of ATONEMENT.
Levit. 16. the whole Chapter.Jan. 24, & 28. 1668.
THis Chapter is wholy taken up in declaring the Feaſt of Expiation or Atonement upon the tenth day of the ſeventh month.
It is more properly and indeed a Faſt, but yet commonly called a Feaſt, as taking the word in a more lax acceptation for any ſet or ſolemn time.
And though it was indeed a day of afflicting their Souls, yet there was joy in the end of it: for their peace was made with God, and the Jubile proclaimed this day.
It was, with all the Services and Adminiſtrations of it, the moſt full and compleat ſhadow of the great work of our Redemption that we meet with under the Law; the High Prieſt repreſenting in all he did, that which Jeſus Chriſt the true High Prieſt was to do indeed in the fulneſs of time.
I ſhall endeavour to explain it a little to you, as God ſhall enable me, following the method of this Chapter, and ſo you will be able to read it more underſtandingly and with edification.
Wherein the firſt thing that doth occur is, the occaſion of the Inſtitution, ver. 1. viz. the Death of the two Sons of Aaron, when they offered before the Lord and died, which Story is recorded Lev. 10.1, 2.
Some add, that Man fell upon this day; but this is not likely. It ſeems more probable from all the circumſtances of the Story, that he fell upon the ſeventh day.
For that he was not fallen upon the ſixth day appears by this, that in the cloſe of the ſixth day God approves all his Creatures that they were good, Gen. 1. ult. therefore ſin had not yet ſpoiled them.
And if he had ſtood out the whole Sabbath day, it is probable he had been confirmed by eating of the Tree of Life. For it is probable that upon the Sabbath he ſhould have enjoyed all the Ordinances of God; and conſequently that the Sacrament of that eſtate ſhould have been the concluding Ordinance: as under the New Teſtament they were wont to break Bread every Lords day. And in the primitive times the Sacrament was the concluding Ordinance. But Man did not eat of the Tree of Life; for then he had been confirmed and lived for ever, Gen. 3.22. therefore it is not likely that he ſtood in his integrity to the end of the Sabbath.
And as to the time of the day wherein he ſinned, it ſeems to have been about eating time, at dinner, about noon; eating what they ſhould not, being the thing wherein they ſinned.
And after his Fall it is ſaid, that God came and ſpake to them in the cool of the day. Gen. 3. ver. 8. This ſeems to have been about that time of the day which the Scripture calls the ninth hour, which is after our reckoning about three a clock in the afternoon. So long they were in darkneſs, and under guilt of their Sin, before the Promulgation of the Goſpel to them. Wherein ſome have obſerved a congruity, in that Jeſus Chriſt was under thoſe his infinite Sufferings upon the Croſs the ſame ſpace of time, from the ſixth hour to the ninth, Matth. 27.45, 46.
And it being thus, Man in his firſt ſin and fall did break all the Commandments at once: as he brake all the reſt, ſo he ſinned upon the Sabbath day.
This ſeems by all the circumſtances of the Story to have been the time of his Fall.
But to think that he fell on Tueſday, the tenth day from the Creation, there is nothing in the Hiſtory to evince it.
Others think, this Faſt on the day of the ſeventh month was appointed in remembrance of the great Sin the Idolatry of the Golden Calf, Exod. 32.
But we may reſt in that the Text mentioneth as the occaſion of this Ordinance, viz. the Sin and Death of Nadab and Abihu.
And there is a threefold Inſtruction we are here to learn.
Obſ. 1. Here we are taught firſt, That there muſt be holy fear and reverence in approaching to God in his Ordinances, an holy fear and dread of ſinning in the manner of his Worſhip: and that it is a dangerous thing to worſhip God otherwiſe then he hath appointed. Men ſhould take heed of it, that they die not as Nadab and Abihu did for this ſin: they incur the danger of Death, both Death temporal and eternal.
Though God doth not uſually ſmite men with viſible Judgments, but when they are firſt in any tranſgreſſion; yet there is a ſpiritual fire and wrath upon their ſpirits for it, which is worſe then outward Judgments.
Obſ. 2. The Lord takes hold of the ſaddeſt occaſions to bring in Diſpenſations of the greateſt good and mercy to his people, Light out of Darkneſs, Heaven out of Hell, good out of evil, to thoſe that he hath ſet his Love upon.
Obſ. 3. When ſome are ſlain, and die in and for their ſins, the Lord provides for the Salvation of others, that they die not.
Now to come to the thing it ſelf.
Moſes is to charge Aaron that he come not into the Holy of holies at all times, nor in any manner, but at Gods appointed times, and in ſuch manner as he requireth. This manner is here deſcribed at large. It conſiſts chiefly in three things. (1.) His waſhing himſelf. (2.) His holy Garments. And (3.) His propitiatory Offerings.
1. That the Prieſt muſt waſh before he put on his Garments, and before he preſent his Offering, is an intimation of his Purity and Cleanneſs. Hence that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, Heb. 10.22. Having our hearts ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience, and our Bodies waſhed with pure water. This is the firſt thing he is to do.
So Chriſt, Matth. 3.16. was baptized before he entred upon his Miniſtry; and he was perfectly holy and pure, not having the leaſt defilement of ſin upon him, though he had taken on him our Nature, and all the other Infirmities of it. Vid. On the Prieſts Conſecration Exod. 29.
2. As to his Attire, here be two ſorts of holy Garments mentioned in the Services of this day; the holy Garments, ver. 4. and other holy and moſt coſtly Garments, ver. 23.24. Some call the former his White Garments, and the other his Golden Garments.
1. This Prieſtly Attire was an emblem of ſpiritual clothing, Pſal. 132.9. Let thy Prieſts be clothed with Righteouſneſs, and let thy Saints ſhout for joy: and ver. 16. I will alſo clothe her Prieſts with Salvation. Job 29.14. I put on Righteouſneſs, and it clothed me: my Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem.
This then ſpeaks the Grace and Holineſs that was in Jeſus Chriſt, and ought to be in Miniſters, ſuch Garments Miniſters ſhould be clothed with.
2. Thoſe two ſorts of Attire, the White and the Golden Garments, ſignified the different eſtate and condition of Jeſus Chriſt; when he performed the great work of our Redemption, and made atonement for us; he did it in much meanneſs and abaſement, Iſai. 52.14. his Viſage was marred— he was without external Pomp and worldly Glory, in the form of a Servant, made himſelf of no Reputation, Phil. 2.7. though with Holineſs and Purity, and Innocency: He had white Garments on, though they were but plain.
But as there is a clothing of Grace: ſo there is a clothing of Glory, 2 Cor. 5.2, 4.
And after his Reſurrection, when he had been in Heaven and returned again, and aroſe and appeared from the dead, he did change his Raiment: He wore the garments of Holineſs here; but when he entred into the holy place, even into Heaven, he did put on garments of Glory.
Theſe were the holy Garments on this day of Expiation.
Now the third thing is, the Offerings of Atonement; and they were of two ſorts, for the Prieſt, and for the People.
1. For the Prieſt himſelf, and for his own Houſe, ver. 3, 6. This teacheth us the inſufficiency and imperfection of the legal Prieſthood, Heb. 5.1, 2.3. we need a better High Prieſt, and we have one. Heb. 7.26, 27, 28.
The Prieſt was firſt to make atonement for himſelf and for his own ſins, that ſo he might be fit, as a figure of Chriſt the true High Prieſt, to make atonement for the people. They that lie under unpardoned guilt themſelves, are not fit to be Mediators and Interceſſors for others.
The Prieſt had three things to do in reference to his own Sacrifice.
1. He was to kill it, and ſo to make atonement with it, v. 11.
This was a Type of the Death of Chriſt the true Sacrifice.
2. He was to offer Incenſe in the Holy of holies, v. 12.
This is a Type of the Prayers and Interceſſions of Jeſus Chriſt in the virtue of his Satisfaction.
Here are four particulars obſervable.
1. As the High Prieſt did this before he ſprinkled the Blood in the Holieſt of all: ſo Chriſt prepared his own way into Heaven by his Prayers and Interceſſions. Joh. 17.
2. The Incenſe was beaten ſmall, to intimate the anguiſh, and contrition, and brokenneſs of heart wherewith Chriſt prayed and interceded for us; thoſe agonies of ſpirit in his Prayers before his Death, which he offered up unto God with ſtrong crying and tears, Matth. 26.37. he began to be ſorrowful and very heavy, and ver. 38. then ſaith he unto them, my Soul is exceeding ſorrowful even unto death: and ver. 39. he fell on his face and prayed, ſaying, Oh my Father, if it be poſſible let this Cup paſs from me. Luk. 22.44. And being in an agony, he prayed more earneſtly, and his Sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the ground. Hebr. 5.7.
It ſpeaks alſo the Contrition and brokenneſs of heart that is in the Prayers of the Saints.
3. He took a cenſer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar, to kindle the Incenſe. It is the fire of the Altar, the Spirit of God that inflames the Affections in Prayer, that ſets the heart on fire, and makes the Incenſe flame, ſets Grace on work: and as the Spices whereof the Incenſe was made, are the Graces of Gods Spirit; and the beating of them ſmall is the Contrition of the heart: ſo the Incenſe muſt be ſet on fire with ſacred fire; the Spirit of God inflaming the heart with earneſt deſires and ardent affections after God.
4. The Cloud of Incenſe muſt cover the Mercy-ſeat; that the Cloud of Incenſe, that is, the Smoke thereof, may cover the Mercy-ſeat, that he die not. ver. 13.
There is much Inſtruction in this.
If we think to behold the Mercy-ſeat without the Cloud of Incenſe, we die. It is the death of many a Soul, that in the day of Atonement, when they are afflicting their Souls for ſin, they think that God is merciful, and they cry to God for Mercy: But they do not behold the Mercy of God in the Son of his Love, they do not look up to the Mercy-ſeat as covered and clouded with the Incenſe of the Merits and Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt: and therefore they die and periſh even in the day of Atonement, when they come before the Mercy-ſeat.
3. The Blood muſt be ſprinkled upon the Mercy-ſeat Eaſtward, that is, upon the forepart of it. ver. 14.
It teacheth us, that as the High Prieſt went into the holy place not without Blood: ſo Chriſt with his own Blood, Heb. 9.7, 11, 12. hath entred into Heaven for us, to make way for us to come thither alſo, by the merit and virtue of his own Blood and Satisfaction. Heaven therefore is called the purchaſed poſſeſſion, Epheſ. 1.14. becauſe purchaſed by the Blood of Chriſt: We have boldneſs to enter into the holieſt by the Blood of Jeſus. Hebr. 10.19, 20.
4. The Blood muſt be ſprinkled upon the Mercy-ſeat ſeven times. A myſtical number often uſed in the legal Services, and hath been formerly explained.
It is a number of perfection; God having created the World in ſix days, and reſting upon the ſeventh. It therefore notes a full and perfect cleanſing and applying of the Blood of Chriſt for that end. And it preſuppoſeth a copious and liberal effuſion; but it implies directly a plenteous and effectual application of the Blood of Chriſt.
Get the Blood of Chriſt effectually applied unto thy Soul, or elſe thou canſt never look God in the face with any comfort or acceptance: take this Blood of Chriſt, apply it by Faith, ſee how it atones God.
It is true, the Blood of Chriſt doth not make God merciful, but it makes way for the exerciſe of his Mercy: it doth not cauſe the attribute of Mercy to be in God, but it makes way for the putting of it forth.
Now then let us put both theſe together. The Mercy-ſeat muſt be both clouded with Incenſe and ſprinkled with Blood, or elſe there is no approaching for Sinners into the preſence of God, none but through the Prayers and Interceſſions, and through the Blood and Satisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt. Non ſolum periculoſum ſed horribile eſt de Deo extra Chriſtum cogitare. It is not only dangerous (ſaith Luther) but it is an horrible thing to think of God out of Chriſt. Do not think to make uſe of Gods Attributes in an immediate way, but by the Interceſſion of a Mediator; there is no Mercy in God for Sinners out of Chriſt.
Thus much of the Prieſts Offerings for himſelf.
2. The ſecond ſort of Offerings upon this great day of Atonement were for the People; and theſe are two Goats for a Sin-offering, and a Ram for a Burnt-offering. ver. 5.
The Rites and Ceremonies of theſe two Goats are full of the Goſpel. It is pity that choiſe portions of Scripture, which have ſo much in them, are commonly ſo little underſtood by us. Let us in the help of Chriſt inquire a little into the myſtery of theſe things.
Of the Burnt-offering there is ſomething ſaid, but it is not much, the common rules of the Burnt-offering being here to be obſerved. But the Sin-offering of the two Goats, there be many very ſignificant Rites and Ceremonies about them.
This Sin-offering is firſt generally, and then ſeverally and more particularly ſpoken to, and the ſeveral actions about them more particularly opened.
1. In general, ver. 7, 8, 9, 10.
The firſt thing that they had to do which was peculiar to it was, that theſe two Goats, they were to caſt lots upon them. Now a Lot is a referring of a thing by an appeal to the determination of Providence, Prov. 16.33. the Lot is caſt into the lap, but the whole diſpoſing thereof is of the Lord. There is a ſpecial hand of Providence in a Lot: ſo it is ſaid of Chriſt, Acts 2.23. Him being delivered by the determinate Counſel and foreknowledge of God, ye having taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and ſlain. The Lot in this buſineſs was to determine which of the Goats ſhould be ſlain, and which was to eſcape.
But why were there two Goats, one to die, and the other to eſcape? The reaſon was plainly this; Becauſe that one alone was not ſufficient to repreſent the Myſtery intended and aimed at. For Chriſt was both God and Man, he both died and roſe again; but the ſame Sacrifice could not both die and live again without a miracle. Therefore theſe two Goats were appointed to repreſent more compleatly the whole myſtery of our Redemption in all the concernments of it; to ſhadow forth Jeſus Chriſt in both his Natures, and in both the ſtates he paſſed through, both in his Divinity and in his Humanity, both in his Humiliation and Exaltation. As in like manner there were two Birds appointed in the Purification of the Leper. See of the cleanſing of the Leper, Lev. 14. pag. 398.
So here two Goats, a flain Goat, and a ſcape Goat; the one to ſhadow forth Chriſt as dying and ſlain for our offences, the other as riſing again for our Juſtification. The ſlain Goat repreſented Chriſt as he was put to death in the Fleſh, that is, in his Humane nature: the ſcape Goat repreſented him as quickened by the Spirit, that is, by his Deity raiſing him up again from death to life. This in general. Now,
2. In particular, the ſacred Rites and Ceremonies about theſe Goats are ſeverally ſpoken to from ver. 15, &c.
1. He begins with the ſacred actions about the ſlain Goat, and then ſpeaks
2. Of the ſcape Goat.
1. The ſacred Actions and Ceremonies about the ſlain Goat were ſuch as theſe.
1. The ſprinkling of the Blood thereof upon the Mercy ſeat and before the Mercy-ſeat, &c. ver. 15.
This repreſents the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, which made way for him and us into Heaven, into the preſence of God: as the Blood of the Bullock for the Prieſt beforementioned was, ver. 14. where the meaning of this Rite was opened.
2. The Prieſt hereby muſt make an atonement for the holy place, for the Tabernacle, becauſe of the uncleanneſs of the Children of Iſrael. ver. 16.
This teacheth us, that the very Ordinances of God, and our holy Services therein have a ſecret defilement cleaving to them through our being exerciſed in them. If the Tabernacle be pitch'd in the midſt of an unclean people, the Tabernacle it ſelf muſt be atoned. How ſhould this beat down our being proud of Ordinances, and haughty, becauſe of Gods holy Mountain, as the Prophets phraſe is, Zeph. 3.10. thoſe carnal boaſtings that we are ſubject to, ſuch as thoſe of theirs that ſaid, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are theſe. Jer. 7.
If the Ordinances were not ſprinkled with the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, they could never be accepted, they could be never be effectual for good unto us. Not that Duties and Ordinances are unclean or impure in themſelves; but we defile them by the mixture of Corruption that is in us.
3. The Prieſt muſt enter alone into the holy place when he doth this. ver. 17.
So Jeſus Chriſt was alone in the work of our Redemption, and purging away of our ſins. Heb. 1.3. He by himſelf purged our ſins.
It is an horrible and dreadful error of the Papiſts that joyn other Mediators with him: this is to ſend others to go along with the High Prieſt when he atones the holy place.
4. He muſt go out from the Brazen Altar of Offerings to the Golden Altar of Incenſe, and atone it by putting the Blood of the Sin-offering upon the Horns thereof. ver. 18, 19. There are many things here.
1. That Chriſts Interceſſion is founded in his Oblation: for the Golden Altar is a Type of his Interceſſion. Now this muſt be ſprinkled with Blood; to teach us, that by the virtue of Chriſts Death and Blood, his Prayers and Interceſſions are available and effectual with God.
And look whom he died for, thoſe he prayed for.
To ſeparate his Death and Interceſſion, is to divide what God hath joyned. To think that he died for ſome, for whom he doth not pray, is as if the High Prieſt ſhould neglect or forget one part of his Office, which requires not only that he kill the Sacrifice, but that he ſprinkle the Blood of it upon the Altar of Incenſe. Therefore if Chriſt hath ſhed his Blood for Reprobates, he will not forget to ſprinkle it upon the Golden Altar for them. If he hath died for them, he will pray for them. But it is confeſſed, he doth not pray for ſome, and himſelf aſſerts it, Joh. 17.9. therefore he did not die for them.
2. This teacheth us, how it is that our Prayers come to be accepted; it is becauſe ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, they need cleanſing and purging: the Incenſe Altar muſt be atoned. Lava lachrymas meas Domine. Lord waſh my tears.
3. The Horns of the Altar of Incenſe ſprinkled with Blood denotes the efficacy and ſtrength of Prayer when ſprinkled with the Blood of Chriſt, both his Prayers for us, and ours alſo in his name. Hence Revel. 9.13. we read of a Voice from the four Horns of the Golden Altar which is before God, that is, anſwers and returns of Prayers from the power of God awakened and improved by Prayer.
But this third particular belongs rather to the Altar of Incenſe, as the proper place to which it ſhould be referred.
2. The Rites and Ceremonies of the ſcape-Goat, whereto ſome other things alſo are annexed from ver. 21, &c. I ſhall put them altogether in ſeven particulars, ſome concerning the ſcape Goat, and ſome other Rules and Obſervations in this day of Expiation, moſt of them mentioned in this Chapter.
1. The Prieſt muſt confeſs their ſins over the head of the ſcape Goat. ver. 21. This ſcape Goat was a Type of Chriſt, God laid on him the iniquities of us all, Iſai. 53.6. and we are to do it by Faith, confeſſing our ſins with an eye to him, as being born by him in our ſtead. Many of the damned have confeſſed their ſins, but not over the head of a dying Saviour.
2. The ſcape Goat carries their ſins afar off into the land of Oblivion, ver. 21.22. far from the ſight and preſence of God in the Temple. A moſt lively ſhadow and repreſentation this is of that great myſtery of the Pardon and Forgiveneſs of Sin: for ſo Chriſt carries our Sins away into the land of oblivion, Pſal. 103.12. As far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, ſo far hath he removed our tranſgreſſions from us: that though they be ſought for, they cannot be found. Jer. 50.20. If Conſcience ſeek for them, it cannot find them: for Conſcience is pacified when ſprinkled with the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt. If Satan ſeek for them, he cannot find them: for they are gone and loſt in the Wilderneſs. Yea, if Juſtice it ſelf ſeek them, yet they cannot be found: for Juſtice is ſatisfied by the Death and Blood of Chriſt.
3. The High Prieſt is now to go into the Tabernacle, and there to change his Raiment, and there to waſh himſelf, and to come forth and offer the Burnt-offering, and burn the fat of the Sin-offering according to the Ordinance. ver. 23, 24, 25.
I put all theſe together, becauſe they have all been formerly opened in the ſeveral places to which they appertain: and therefore it may ſuffice now only thus to bind them up together, as it were in one bundle, for the help of memory, and ſo paſs on to the next. The myſtery of the Prieſts Attire was opend on ver. 4, and 23, 24. The Burnt-offering on Levit. 1. pag. 244.
The burning of the Fat on Levit. 3. in the Peace-offering, pag. 285. where this Rite is firſt mentioned. It was there ſhewed how it ſignifies the giving unto God the beſt of our Spirits and Services: and in another accommodation of the metaphor; the conſuming and burning up of ſinful Corruption. See p. 299, 300.
4. He that carried away the ſcape Goat muſt waſh his Clothes, and ſo come into the Camp. ver. 26. And the like again ver. 28. He that is the Miniſter of theſe holy actions muſt waſh himſelf, as having contracted guilt; which denotes not only the imperfection of the Levitical Prieſthood, but alſo it may inſtruct us in the iniquity of all our moſt holy actions. See of this upon the Sin-offering on Lev. 4. pag. 323.
5. The Sin-offerings, buth the Bullock and the Goat, muſt be burnt without the Camp. ver. 27.
This alſo is explained upon the Sin-offering, Lev. cap. 4. pag. 321, 322. that Chriſt ſuffered without the City as a Malefactor, with whom we alſo ſhould ſuffer, bearing our reproach, and being content to be accounted as Malefactors, yea as the foreign, the offscouring and ſweeping of the world.
6. On this great day of Atonement was the Jubile to be proclaimed by ſound of Trumpet. Lev. 25.9.
This ſpeaks, that after the performance of the whole work of our Redemption by Jeſus Chriſt, he did cauſe the Trumpet of the Goſpel to ſound, to publiſh and proclaim the glad tidings of our Salvation throughout the world, Iſai. 61.1, 2. ſo that this day of Atonement is like that famous week propheſied of by Daniel cap. 9. He ſhall confirm the Covenant with many for one week. In the midſt of the week Meſſiah ſhall be cut off. This week is interpreted by ſome concerning that ſeven years, the firſt part whereof Chriſt preached, ſuffered in the middle of the week: and in the other three years and an half the Apoſtles preached at Jeruſalem, after which they were diſperſed by perſecution, and ſo the Goſpel publiſhed to all the world.
It is the performance of the work of our Redemption, that was the foundation and groundwork of the preaching of the Goſpel: the Jubile is proclaimed upon the day of Atonement.
7. And laſtly, this day of Atonement is a day of Humiliation and afflicting their Souls, by an everlaſting Ordinance. ver. 29, to the end.
Days of Humiliation are days of Atonement and Reconciliation. Not that our Humiliation merits or deſerves any thing: it is not the afflicting our Souls that doth make atonement; but it fits us to receive the Atonement. Humiliation prepares the Soul for Chriſt, and makes it capable to receive the Mercy and the Pardon that Chriſt hath purchaſed, and that God is willing and ready to beſtow upon all that will receive it by Faith.