The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 5
THE GOSPEL OF THE SACRIFICES.
June 14. 1668.Levit. 7.37, 38.
This is the Law of the Burnt offering, of the Meat offering, and of the Sin offering, and of the Treſpaſs-offering, and of the Conſecrations, and of the Sacrifice of the Peace offerings, &c.
THe Perpetual Statutes of the Law of Ceremonies, have been referred to Five general Heads.
1. The initiating Seal of Circumciſion.
2. The legal Offerings and Sacrifices and Purifications.
3. The Temple.
4. The Prieſthood.
5. The Feſtivals.
Of the initiating Seal of thoſe times, we have formerly ſpoken from Act. 7.8.
That which next follows in the method propounded, is the legal Offerings, concerning which the Text lays down two Aſſertions or Points of Doctrine.
1. That there was a divine Inſtitution and Command of God for the Offerings and Sacrifices that were under the Law.
2. That there were ſix kinds or ſorts of propitiatory Sacrifices under the Law, viz. the Burnt offering, &c. this is the Scope of verſ. 37. The former Doctrine is the Scope of the 38: but that which is laſt mentioned in the words of the Text, is firſt in order of Conſideration.
Doct. 1. That there was a divine Inſtitution and Command of God for the Offerings and Sacrifices that were under the Law.
The Text indeed ſpeaks properly of propitiatory Sacrifices: but there is a general truth in the Propoſition concerning all their Sacrifices, and all the ſorts and kinds of them.
This Book of Leviticus begins thus, And he called Vaikra: that is, the Lord he called by an audible voice from his dwelling Place the Throne of his Glory, which was upon the Mercy Seat between the Cherubims, as he had promiſed Exod. 25.22. ſee Numb. 7.89. It is true, it is ſaid Jer. 7.22. concerning Burnt-Offerings or Sacrifices, that God commanded them not, &c. But the ſenſe and meaning is comparative, though the Grammar of the words ſound as if it were negative. It cannot be explained better than the Old Note hath done it: ſhewing, that it was not his chief intent and purpoſe, that they ſhould offer Sacrifices, but that they ſhould regard wherefore they were ordained, to wit, to be joyned to the word as Seals and Confirmations of Remiſſion of ſins in Chriſt; for without the word they were vain and unprofitable.
To open this Doctrine a little to you, we muſt firſt conſider what a Sacrifice or an Offering is.
Now an Offering in general, is any thing preſented to the Lord to become peculiarly his, and to be typical of Chriſt and Goſpel Myſteries.
The former part of the Deſcription extends to Anti typical Offerings, as well as typical; to Goſpel, as well as legal Offerings: for our Souls and Bodies and all our Services are offered and preſented to the Lord, but not as Types and Shadows of another Goſpel; but they become his in a ſpiritual and peculiar propriety, as theirs of old did. Their Offerings by being offered became the Lords, they preſenting, and the Lord accepting them: therefore they are called Holy, as being ſeparated to the Lord, ſeparated and ſet apart from common uſe to holy uſe.
Hence they are called Gifts, Quorbanim, as being given to the Lord: â Quarab, appropinquavit: ſo in in the Text, their Oblations or their Corbans, ſee Mark 7.11.
All this holds true of Goſpel Offerings under the New Teſtament: but the Legal Offerings were ſet apart for God, with reſpect to Chriſt and his great Sacrifice and Offering of himſelf up unto God for us: they all had ſome Relation to this, either as to the thing it ſelf, or the bleſſed Effects and Fruits of it.
Some have diſtinguiſhed them into three ſorts.
1. Such as were offered at the Brazen Altar, or the Altar of Burnt-Offering: which repreſented the Death and Sufferings of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Such as were offered in the Sanctuary, more near to the Holy of Holies, viz. the Shew-bread, and the Incenſe at the Altar of Incenſe: which had reſpect to his Interceſſion for us at the Throne of Grace, in the virtue, and by the merit of that Sacrifice which he before had ſhed and offered up to the Juſtice of God for us.
3. Such as were offered in the Holy of Holies, where the High Prieſt came upon ſome extraordinary and ſpecial occaſions: which did repreſent the full attainment of the ends of both the former, namely, our full Acceſs unto, and Communion with God through the influence both of the Death and Oblation, as likewiſe of the Prayers and Interceſſion of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt for us.
The two latter of theſe we ſhall ſpeak unto, when we come to thoſe parts of the Temple where theſe Services were to be performed: but the firſt ſort, viz. the Sacrifices and Offerings at the Brazen Altar we are now to ſpeak unto.
Theſe Sacrifices that were offered at the Brazen Altar, are commonly diſtributed into two ſorts: Propitiatory and Euchariſtical; foreign & foreign or Sacrifices of Expiation and Sacrifices of Thankſgiving, Pſal. 107.22.
It is the former ſort whereof the Text ſpeaks; and they are here called Corbans, a Term which (as ſome affirm) is uſually appropriated to this ſort of Offerings, though the notation and original ſignification of it be more general.
For the opening whereof unto you, I ſhall firſt give you a ſhort deſcription of them, and then annex ſome additional Rules for the further enlightning and illuſtration of them.
And firſt you may ſee the nature of them in this ſhort deſcription: theſe propitiatory Sacrifices were Holy of Holineſſes, or Offerings moſt holy to the Lord, for attonement, or for the appeaſing of his Wrath by the deſtruction of the Sacrifice, to ſhadow forth the true atonement and expiation of ſin by the death of Jeſus, and our Reconciliation to, and Communion with God through him.
1. That they were Holy of Holineſſes, or Offerings moſt Holy to the Lord: it is the Phraſe which the Scripture uſeth concerning them, Lev. 2.3, 10. So are called in the Law thoſe ſacred things which ought not to be touched, and thoſe Meats whereof none were to eat, but only the conſecrated Prieſts in the holy Place, near the Altar. Deodat. in loc. quodeſh quodeſhim: only there is ſome limitation about the Peace-Offering, of which afterward.
It is a diſtinction that doth occur in Lev. 21.22. He ſhall eat the bread of his God, both of the moſt holy, and of the holy.
The old Note is this, the moſt Holy, as of the Sacrifice for ſin: the Holy, as of the Tenths and Firſt Fruits.
[Deodat. thus, moſt Holy] as were the Shew-Bread, the Meat-Offerings, the parts of Sin-Offerings, and Treſpaſs Offerings.
[Holy] ſuch as were the Firſt Fruits, Tithes and Offerings of Thankſgiving.
By Holy of Holineſſes, is meant moſt Holy: that Language elegantly expreſſing the ſuperlative Degree by ſuch a reduplication: as King of Kings, Song of Songs, Heaven of Heavens, that is, the moſt excellent in their kind: ſo Holy of Holies, that is, moſt Holy.
The other ſort are but Holy, or holineſs of Praiſes, quodeſh hillulim: as the Phraſe is in Lev. 19.24. Ye ſhall count the Fruit thereof as uncircumciſed three years, but in the fourth year all the Fruit thereof ſhall be Holineſs of Praiſes to the Lord.
The ground of this double degree of Holineſs ſeems to be chiefly this: the more immediat and direct Relation they had to the Perſon, Actions, and Sufferings of the Meſſiah, the more holy theſe legal things of old were: therefore theſe Sacrifices of Expiation, relating directly to the great work of our Redemption and Reconciliation unto God by the death of his Son, they were Holy of Holineſſes unto the Lord.
2. The end of them was attonement of their ſins, or appeaſing the offended Juſtice of God: hence they are ſaid to have a ſweet ſmell, Lev. 1.9. Gen. 8.21. This is the Phraſe, Lev. 1.4. Lecapper, to make atonement, applyed to Chriſt Rom. 3.25. 1 Joh. 2.2. and it is a Phraſe often uſed.
Hence ariſeth the diſtinction of Sacrifices, from their ends and uſes; ſome being for Atonement, as theſe whereof we now ſpeak; and others for Thankſgiving, of which ſomething may be ſpoken hereafter if the Lord will.
God is angry with Sinners, Juſtice is provoked and burns like Fire: therefore ſome ſatisfaction muſt be made, that Juſtice may be ſatisfied, and God atoned and reconciled to the Sinner.
3. This atonement was made by the death or deſtruction of the Sacrifice: this is the nature of all propitiatory Sacrifices, nothing can atone God, nothing can appeaſe offended Juſtice, but Death and Deſtruction. The Sacrifice muſt be deſtroyed, either in whole, or in part; and this was done by Fire.
Hence they are called Fire-Offerings, or Offerings made by Fire: foreign Ignitiones, Fireings: Oblatio ignita.
And if they were living Creatures, they muſt be ſlain and killed: hence called Zebachim, in Greek foreign, as much as to ſay, a ſlaughtered Offering: in which ſenſe Zebach is contradiſtinguiſhed unto Mincha, the former being of living Creatures, the latter of Meat and Drink: but in both there was a deſtruction of the thing ſacrificed, either by Fire, if it were of Inanimate things: or if it were a living Creature, both by Blood and Fire.
4. The end and deſign of all this, was to prefigure and repreſent the death of Jeſus Chriſt, and our Reconciliation unto God thereby: for the Law had threatned Death for Sin, and the blood of Bulls and Goats could not take away ſin. Heb. 10.
Some of the very Pagans have had ſo much glimmerings of Light, as to ſubſcribe to the Truth of this: and thence Satan triumphing over the fallen Sons of men, and abuſing and perverting their convictions, ſeduced them in the diſtreſs and horror of their Conſciences, even to Sacrifice men to appeaſe their angry gods: wherein the acted upon this Principle, Quod pro vita hominis niſi vita hominis reddatur, non poſſe aliter Deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur. as Caeſar de Bell. Gal. lib. 6. reports of the ancient Druids: they thought that unleſs the life of man were ſacrificed for his life, the Deity of the immortal Gods could not otherwiſe be appeaſed. Vid Lee Temple pag. 332. Homer alſo ibid. wherein the old Pagans had more Light than the Apoſtate Jews have at this day.
Chriſt therefore is called a Sacrifice Epheſ. 5.2. 1 Cor. 5.7. Chriſt our Paſchal Lamb is ſacrificed for us.
And as they refer directly unto Chriſt himſelf: ſo the Scripture teacheth us to apply them in a lower way to the Saints alſo, whoſe ſouls and bodies and ſervices are living Sacrifices, acceptable unto God through Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 12.1. Heb. 13. with ſuch Sacrifices God is well pleaſed.
The Sacrifice of Chriſt doth placare Deum, appeaſe an incenſed God: our Sacrifices do but placere Deo, pleaſe an appeaſed God.
Thus you ſee the Deſcription made good in theſe Four things put together, wherein you ſee the nature of theſe Legal Offerings and Sacrifices, that they were Holy of Holineſſes, or Offerings moſt Holy to the Lord, for atonement, or for the appeaſing of his Wrath by the deſtruction of the Sacrifice, to ſhadow forth the true atonement and expiation of ſin, by the death of Jeſus Chriſt: and ſo much for the nature of them, which was the firſt Enquiry. For further Rules of illuſtration which was the ſecond, take theſe Propoſitions.
Prop. 1 That the Inſtitution of them, was preſently after the Sin and Fall of man: but the renewed Inſtitution and further Direction and Regulation of them, was by Moſes unto Iſrael.
I ſay the firſt Inſtitution of them, was preſently after the Sin and Fall of man: for there neither was, nor could be any uſe of them before.
The firſt Intimation, (though ſomewhat obſcure) that we have of them, is in Gen. 3.21. the Lord made them Coats of Skins and cloathed them, but they could not wear the Skins until the Beaſts were ſlain: and ſlain they were (it is like) for Sacrifice, there being no need of them for Food at that time, nor any mention of the uſe of ſuch Food till Noahs time after the Flood, Gen. 9.
But we read of Sacrifices more plainly, Gen. 4.4. where Abel is ſaid to have brought an Offering to the Lord of the firſtlings of his Flock, and of the fat thereof, which, being a Godly man, he neither would nor durſt have done, had not the Lord appointed it: ſo likewiſe Noah Gen. 8.20, 21. builded an Altar unto the Lord, and took of every clean Beaſt, and of every clean Fowl, and offered Burnt Offerings on the Altar. And the Lord ſmelled a ſweet ſavour: ſo Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob.
Gods acceptance of Noahs Sacrifice, and before that of Abels, is a ſufficient proof and evidence of his having inſtituted and appointed them: for Cultus non inſtitutus, non aeſt acceptus, Worſhip not commanded is not accepted.
See likewiſe Exod. 10.25. and 18.12. where they were uſed among the Jews, before the giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai.
But from this ancient Inſtitution, with ſome further help from the Jews, the Heathen had a traditional dead knowledg of this Truth: but as they forgat and loſt the true Object to whom they ſhould have offered up their Sacrifices, ſo they had nothing but a dead form of Sacrifices, wholly perverted from their true and right end and uſe: therefore God by Moſes, reſtores and renews this great inſtitution; therefore the Text ſaith verſ. ult. This is the Law which the Lord commanded Moſes, in the day that he commanded the Children of Iſrael to offer their Oblations unto the Lord.
The Inſtitution was ſo corrupted, that there was need of ſome renewed Light and Reformation about it: but being of ſo great Antiquity before there was any Tabernacle or Temple, or Prieſthood, or Feſtivals appointed: therefore I put Offerings and Sacrifices before the reſt, the Inſtitution of them being much more ancient.
Prop. 2. In this renewed Inſtitution and Regulation of their Offerings and Sacrifices, there were ſundry Adjuncts and Ceremonies, ſome whereof were required, and ſome ſeverely forbidden to be added to them, all which were myſtical and ſignificant. It may be truly ſaid of them which hath been falſly boaſted concerning humane Ceremonies, that they be neither dark nor dumb, but myſtical and ſignificant, and fit to ſtir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty towards God, by ſome ſpecial and notable ſignification, whereby he may be edified. They had their ſpiritual ſignifications by Gods intendment and appointment, (as indeed it is Gods prerogative to appoint myſtical and ſignificant Ceremonies in his Worſhip.)
That they had ſo, will appear in the Particulars, both ex natura rei, from the very nature of the thing it ſelf, and by conference of ſundry other Scriptures, by the Light whereof, we muſt ſearch and find out the Interpretation.
They may be interpreted and applyed (many of them) to the Church, in a ſecondary way, in regard of the union and communion it hath with Chriſt, as well as unto Chriſt himſelf primarily and chiefly. The Adjuncts required and annexed to them were many, which will come to be ſpoken to, when we come to the ſeveral ſorts and kinds of Sacrifices: only ſome Generals may be now mentioned, deferring the explication of them, to the places where their Inſtitution is firſt mentioned. As,
1. They were all tyed and appropriated by divine Inſtitution, to the Brazen Altar at the door of the Tabernacle.
This was a new addition in Moſes his Reformation: for they had Sacrifices (as hath been ſhewed) from the firſt Promiſe of the Goſpel, after the entrance of Sin: but there was no Tabernacle, nor one only Altar appointed and inſtituted, till Moſes his time.
2. Another appurtenance of all the Sacrifices was Salt, Levit. 2.13. Mark 9.49. every Sacrifice is ſalted with Salt.
3. Muſick, Temple Muſick both Vocal and Inſtrumental, whereof the former ſort indeed was Moral, but the latter, Ceremonial. While the Sacrifices were offering, the Trumpets were ſounding, and other muſical Inſtruments.
4. Incenſe. As ſoon as they had offered the Sacrifice, and the Muſick and Trumpets ceaſed, the Prieſt went into the Holy Place to offer Incenſe, and the people without prayed.
5. Many ceremonious Actions, partly of the Sinner that brought the Sacrifice, but chiefly of the Prieſts and Levites in ordering and ſacrificing of it: and here (amongſt the reſt) the Ceremonies of Purification from legal and ceremonial Uncleanneſs, may come to be conſidered: ſuch as theſe, were the Adjuncts required.
The Adjuncts forbidden, were in general any conformity or complyance with the Pagans in their Rites and Ceremonies; Deut. 12.4, 30.31.32. Ye ſhall not do ſo unto the Lord your God What thing ſoever I command you, obſerve to do it: thou ſhalt not add thereto, nor diminiſh from it. ſo Rev. 14.9, 10. complyance with Popiſh Worſhip is forbidden, under pain of Gods Wrath.
Particularly two things were ſeverely interdicted and forbidden in all their Sacrifices, (except ſome peculiar Caſes, of which afterwards) Leaven and Honey, Levit. 2.11. the myſteries of all which, we ſhall endeavour to open to you by the help of Chriſt, in our further progreſs upon this Subject.
Prop. 3. The occaſions upon which they were to be offered, were of all ſorts; I ſhall but inſtance in four Heads of things. As,
Confer ſer. of the Burnt-Offering on Levit. 1.1. When under guilt of ſin; for this was the direct intent and ſcope of them all, they were to offer a Sacrifice for Reconciliation.
2. For the obtaining of any needful Mercy, and for the preventing and removing of any Judgment or Danger, either impending or inflicted: as 1 Sam. 7.9, 10. Samuel offered a Lamb for a Burnt Offering, and it found great acceptance with God, when Iſrael was fighting againſt the Philiſtins.
So the Iſraelites Judg. 20.26. when ſeeking unto God by Faſting and Prayer, for Succeſs and Victory in their War againſt the Benjamites.
So David to remove the Plague, 2. Sam. 24. ult.
The neglect whereof in great Enterpriſes, hath ſometimes cauſed a good Cauſe to miſcarry, as Judges 20.26. this ſeems to have been one of the fatal Errors in their management of it the two former times: for we read not that they offered Sacrifice, till their third attempt.
3. To teſtifie their Joy and Thankfulneſs for Mercies received: as Noah when he came out of the Ark, Gen. 8.20. and Solomon when he had obtained Wiſdom, 1 King. 3.15.
4. In the inſtituted ſeaſons of them; for beſides Vows and free Will-Offerings, upon ſuch emergencies of Providence as thoſe before mentioned, there were many Caſes wherein they were inſtituted and required: as when a Prieſt was to be Conſecrated, an unclean Perſon to be Purified, any Feſtival or Holy-day to be Celebrated: they had all their reſpective Sacrifices and Offerings appointed by the Law.
Thus you ſee the nature of theſe Legal Sacrifices, as alſo the firſt Inſtitution, the adjuncts and occaſions of them.
As to the ſeveral ſorts and kinds of them, the next Doctrine will inform you, viz.
Doct. 2. That the Sacrifices of Propitiation under the Law, may be referred to theſe ſix kinds or ſorts: namely, the Burnt-Offering, the Meat Offering, the Sin Offering, the Treſpaſs-Offering, the Offering of Conſecrations, and the Sacrifice of the Peace-Offerings.
They are, and may be ſeveral ways diſtinguiſhed and diſtributed; but I ſhall content my ſelf at preſent with this diſtribution in the Text, and ſhall ſpeak unto them (as the Lord ſhall enable me) in the order wherein the Text hath ſet them down before us, the Words whereof are a ſhort recapitulation of the general Heads of the ſeven firſt Chapters of this Book; all which treat upon theſe ſeveral ſorts of Sacrifices and Offerings, with the Rules and Rites appertaining to them; which, having been delivered and laid down at large, the Text concludes and winds up all thus, This is the Law of the Burnt-Offering and of the Meat-Offering, &c.
Queſt. Wherein lay the difference between theſe ſeveral kinds and ſorts of Sacrifices?
Anſ. There were ſome things wherein they all agreed, namely, in all thoſe general things before mentioned, in the deſcription and explication of them. As,
1. They were all offered at the Brazen Altar, and ſo were Offerings of a lower nature alſo. But,
2. Theſe were all Quodeſh Quodeſhim moſt Holy, Holy of Holineſſes.
3. They were all Iſhim, Offerings made by Fire.
4. They were all Propitiatory, they did ſerve for Expiation and Atonement: therefore they differed not in the general nature, or in the general ſcope and intent of them, which was the ſame in all; namely, to ſhadow forth Chriſt in his death, as the true Sacrifice for our ſins, and in other myſteries of his Wiſdom and Grace and Love, in the Goſpel of our Salvation.
But the difference conſiſts in three things.
1. Partly in the different matter of them; as an Oxe or a Sheep in ſome, Flower and Wine in others of them.
2. Partly in the particular Ends and Deſigns and Occaſions of them; ſome being for ſins of Ignorance, as the Sin Offering: ſome for ſins againſt Knowledg, as Treſpaſs Offerings: ſome for Conſecration of the Prieſts, &c.
3. Partly, yea principally in the different Ceremonies accompanying them: ſome were cut in pieces, as Sheep and Oxen: but ſome were only ſlit in the middle, but not cut aſunder, as Birds.
And various other Ceremonies there were, as you will ſee further when we come to open and explain the ſeveral ſorts and kinds of Sacrifices. At preſent I ſhall conclude with two words of uſe, from all that hath been ſaid.
Ʋſe 1. Let us learn this great Leſſon, to keep cloſe to the Rule of divine Inſtitution in matters of Worſhip.
I beſeech you mark the Text, how emphatical the expreſſions are, This is the Law of all the ſeveral ſorts of Sacrifices which the Lord commanded Moſes, when he commanded the Children of Iſrael to offer their Oblations, &c. As they did nothing but what the Lord commanded Moſes, ſo we ſhould do nothing, but what Chriſt hath commanded us. Make that your great enquiry in all things, that concern the Worſhip of God; hath the Lord commanded it? Is the Command gone forth from Mount Sion for it, Yea or No? The Apoſtles were limited Mat. 28. ult. in their preaching, to teach only what Chriſt had commanded them; had they taught their own Inventions, they had exceeded their Commiſſion; they had not been faithful to their Truſt; but they were faithful in teaching and tranſmitting to the Churches, what the Lord himſelf had taught and commanded them: 1 Cor. 11.23. What I received of the Lord, that I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jeſus the ſame night in which he was betrayed, took bread, &c.
When a Miniſter baptiſeth with the ſign of the Croſs, or any ſuch like ſuperſtition, he cannot ſay, I received this from the Lord. Practiſe nothing which the Word doth not require; omit nothing that the Word doth require, whatever worldly troubles or dangers you incurr.
Ʋſe 2. See the worth and value of the Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt, and the neceſſity of it for the Juſtification and Salvation of loſt Sinners. For what was the meaning of all theſe Offerings and Sacrifices whereof they had ſo great a multitude, and ſo many ſeveral ſorts and kinds of them under the Law, but to lead us by the hand to Jeſus Chriſt, to the true Sacrifice and Atonement that is in his death and blood: for he is the Propitiation for our ſins. 1 Joh. 2.2. This was the ſcope and deſign of them all; for it was impoſſible that ſuch Sacrifices ſhould do the work of making ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, and reconciling God and ſinners; therefore they were not to terminate their thoughts there, but to look beyond them to Jeſus Chriſt, in whom both we and they are reconciled to God. That this was the Scope of them, appears throughout the New Teſtament; therefore Chriſt is called a Sacrifice, Epheſ. 5.2. and a Propitiation for our ſins, 1 Joh. 2.2.
And hence the Apoſtle ſo argues; Heb. 9.13, 14. If the blood of Bulls and Goats, and the aſhes of an Heiſer, ſprinkling the unclean ſanctifieth to the purifying of the fleſh: how much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, who through the eternal Spirit offered himſelf with out ſpot to God, purge your Conſcience from dead works to ſerve the living God.