The Law of God Ratified by the Gospel of Christ, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Something may be spoken also of Sacred Observances, which were required of Israel under the Ceremonial Law, these being … many and of great variety, I intend to touch some of them and pass by the …. And,
1. Consider that restraint that was laid upon them in the use of the Creatures; Sect. 1.many of these they were forbidden to eat,Lev. 11. as being unclean,Deut. 1. 4. not in their own Nature, but by the ordinance of God, in this Law of Ceremonies.
1. This sheweth whereas Israel and other Nations were all alike by Creation, being all …ade of one blood in the first man and wo…n, from whom they all descended as so many branches of one common root or stock, …nd were all alike corrupted by sin unclean in the sight of God, and children of wrath: yet the Lord according to the Counsel of his own will, was pleased to make a diffe…nce or distinction, separating the Nation … Israel from the rest of mankind, conse…rating the people of Israel as a peculiar people to himself, and rejecting the rest as …nclean. So it is said to Israel, Thou art an …oly people to the Lord thy God, ver. 2.and the Lord …ath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that are upon the Earth. Then followeth this prohibition, restraining them from eating divers Creatures,Psal. 135. 4. The Lord hath chosen Iacob for himself, Psa. 147. 19, 20.and Israel for his peculiar Treasure. He sheweth his word unto Iacob, his statutes and his Judgements to Israel. He hath not dealt so with any Nation, and for his Judgements they have not known them.Num. 23. Balaam extolling the priviledges of Israel, among other passages saith, For from the top of the Rocks I see him, and from the Hills I behold him. ver. 5.Loe the people that dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the Nations, although Balaam spake it, yet the Lord put the word in his mouth. The people of Israel dwelt alone, being separated by the Lord from the rest of the world, as a peculiar people and Church of God, and was not reckoned among the Nations; they were not put into the common account, and therefore the Hebrew foreign and the Greek foreign translated Gentiles and Heathen signifying properly Nations, and being used in Scripture for all people except the people of Israel, agree exactly with this passage, and shewe… that Israel was not reckoned among the Nations.
1. This sheweth that the Lord as a Soveraign, a supreme and absolute Lord dealeth with his creatures according to his pleasure. What man is able to give a reason why this people should be preferred above all others? That for so many hundred years the rest of the world should be excluded as aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, &c. and Israel alone taken into Covenant with God? It was not for any Righteousness the Lord sound in them, as Moses told them, understand that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness, Deut. 9. 6.for thou art a stiff-necked people: Ph. 7. 7.it was not because of the greatness of thy Nation, or the multitude of thy people. The Lord did not set his love upon, and chuse you because you were more in number then any people (for ye were the fewest of all people) but because the Lord loved you, &c. It was a pure act of grace, and work of Gods free love towards Israel; and therefore the Apostle as one transported with admiration of that which he could not comprehend, breaketh out into this exclamation, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God, Kom. 11. 33.how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out!
2. Let us magnifie the goodness of God towards the Nations of the world in these latter days, that he hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, manifested in the flesh, to break down the partition-wall that was between Iew and Gentile; that as now that difference between several sorts of beasts, &c. is taken away, so that they are not opposed to each other as legally clean and unclean, as they were under the Law of Ceremonies: so the difference between Israel and other Nations is now also abolished, and it is as free for an people as for the posterity of Abraham to partake of the Covenant of grace in Church-priviledges, both was declared to Peter by a vision and a voice from Heaven; for Cornelius an Heathen Captain being directed by an Angel to send for Peter, Act. 10. 10, 11, &c.the Lord prepared this Apostle for the journey, by casting him into a trance, and causing him to see Heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet, ver. 28.wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts, and wild-beasts, and creeping things, and Fowls of the Air; and there came a voice to him, Rise Peter, kill and eat, but Peter said, not so Lord, for I have never eaten any thing common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time… what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. Now when Peter came to Cornelius and his company, He said unto them, ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Iew to keep company, or come unto one of another Nation, but God hath shewed me that I should not call any common or unclean. The Lord spake of beasts, &c. Peter rightly applyeth it to men: so that the Lord Christ took away the difference of clean and unclean that was under the Ceremonial Law, both between men of several Nations, and between other Creatures. How should we in particular stir up our selves to be thankful to the Lord, that he hath reserved us for these times, wherein it is as free for us descended from Heathen Ancestors, to partake of the Priviledges of God his Covenant, as for the people of Israel; yea, when the Israelites being natural branches are cut off through unbelief, we may be grafted in by faith. Let us take heed then least our unbelief, impenitency, security, deprive us of this blessed priviledge; for though none now are unclean, in respect of the Nation whereof they are, more then others, yet all are unclean in the sight of God, who remain dead in trespasses and sins, out of Christ, whose Natures are not renewed and cleansed from their filthiness.
3. Observe with thankfulness the liberal use of the Creatures which God hath given to his people now under the new Testament through Christ, above that which he allowed the people of Israel under the old Testament, for now every Creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving.1. Tim. 4. 4. Nothing that is wholesome for mans body is to be refused as unlawful:1 Cor. 10. 23. and so the same Apostle saith, All things are lawful for me, viz. all sorts of meats, for of such things he speaketh in that place; and therefore whereas blood in particular was forbidden under the old Testament, it is now lawful.
But it hath been objected that blood was forbidden upon a moral reason, Obj.taken from the Nature of the the thing forbidden, because the blood is called the life of the Creature.Answ. For answer I conceive,Gen. 9. 4. this is no moral reason, but a natural reason, implying a mystery, scil. to shew that men should abhor cruelty and bloodshed: and so I suppose if we did throughly understand the Natures of all the Creatures which the Israelites were forbidden to eat; there might be some natural reason given for it comprehending the Mystery. Again, it seemeth there was also a farther Mystery in the prohibition of blood;Lev. 3. 17. for eating of blood and fat are both forbidden together; scil. such fat as used to be sacrificed, because the blood and fat were both in a peculiar manner to be offered unto God. The blood poured forth signified the taking away the guilt of sin by the death of Christ and shedding of his blood. The burning of the fat (it seemeth) signified the mortification of sin by the spirit of Christ; and so they might be forbidden both the eating the blood and fat, to teach all not to take to themselves the honour either of their justification or of their sanctification, but to ascribe it wholly unto Christ.1 Cor. 1. 30.
But it may be said,Obj. that blood was forbidden after Christ his death and resurrection, by the Apostles and Elders in the Synod of Ierusalem.Act. 15. I Answer,
It was but a temporary decree imposed upon the believing Gentiles, Answ. 1.that they might not give offence to weak believers among the Iews who were not yet clearly satisfied about the abolishing of legal Ceremonies, and the extent of that Christian liberty which Christ had given them.
Secondly, Sect. 2.An other Ceremonial observance, was the keeping of their solemn festivals.Observance of Feasts.
1. In general. These feasts may intimate unto Christians that gound and matter of joy which true believers have through Christ, 1. In general.and accordingly that duty of holy rejoycing in Christ which they are called unto: so the Angels said unto the Shepherds, Luk. 2. 10.Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people, for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.Phil. 3. 3. And the Apostle saith, We are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Iesus. This is that spiritual feast which the Lord promised. Isa. 25. 6.In this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people, a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
2. In special,In particular, Three Feasts▪ Exod. 23. 14, 15, 16. ch. 34. 22. there were three solemne feasts which they were commanded to observe every year.
1. The Feast of unleavened bread, which was annexed to the Passeover: of this somewhat hath been formerly spoken.
2. The feast of Harvest, which was called the feast of weeks, it seemeth because it was as it were a week of weeks, after that other feast of the Passeover and unleavened bread; scil▪ seven weeks, the same that is called Pentecost, it is called the feast of Harvest, their Harvest being much earlier then ours in that hot Country. This may teach Christians to stir up their hearts to sincere thankfulness unto the Lord for all his blessings, particularly for the increase of the fruits of the earth, that they may serve the Lord with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things.Deut. 28. 47. At this Feast of Harvest, of weeks, or Pentecost, the Lord Christ having ascended into Heaven about ten dayes before, did in a more glorious manner send down the holy Ghost upon his Apostles, that so he might furnish them abundantly with gifts,Act. 2. graces, abilities to gather in his Harvest, to bring in the Nations of the earth into his barn, into his Church, which before were in the open field of ahe world, being strangers to Christ, and subject to Satan the God of the world and Prince of darkness, He had said unto them, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white already to Harvest. Joh. 4. 35, 37, 38.And herein is that saying true, One soweth and another reapeth: I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour, other men laboured and ye are entred into their labours. The ancient Prop…ets that foretold of Christ his coming, death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven, and that great and glorious Harvest wherein the Nations of the world should be gathered into Christ, were …eedsmen that did not live to see this rich crop brought into the barn: they died long before the Son of God was manifested in the flesh, and the Gentiles converted, but the Apostles were called to Harvest-work, to reap what the Prophets had …own, to gather in the Nations of the earth unto Christ; and here the Lord Christ told them it was Harvest-time, the fields looked white…, the fulness of time was come, and they were the reapers that must bring in his Harvest, which he had so dearly paid for, even with the price of his most precious blood; but it was needful that that they should be furnisht in an extraordinary measure and manner for such a work, and therefore the Lord Christ said unto them,Luk. 24. 49. Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the City of Hierusalem until ye be endued with power from on high: do not fall rashly upon the work until I have fitted you for it; and so he told them, Ye shall receive power after the holy Ghost is come upon you, Act. 1. 8.and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Hierusalem and in all Iudea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth: after ye are thus fitted and enabled for so great a work, ye shall go over the large field of the world to bring in mine Harvest; and accordingly at this feast of Harvest, the day of Pentecost, the Lord Christ sent down his spirit upon them, wonderfully enabling them for this service.
Thirdly, 3. Feast.There was a third feast, scil. the Feast of Ingathering, Exod. 23. 16.at the end of the year, when they had gathered in their labours out of the field;Lev. 23. 34, 39. 40. I conceive when the last of their fruits, their vintage or Grapes, &c. were gathered in: This I take to be the same which is called the feast of Tabernacles: This was to begin on the fifteenth of the seventh month which seemeth to answer to our September, and continued seven days; and again, it is said to be at the time when they had gathered in the fruit of the Land; and they were commanded to take boughs of goodly trees, branches of Palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees,ver. 42, 43. and willows of the Brook, and to rejoyce before the Lord their God seven days; they were also commanded to dwell in Boothes seven days, that their Generations might know that the Lord made the Children of Israel to dwell in Booths when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. Neh. 8. 15, 16.This feast was solemnly kept after the peoples return from Captivity.
1. This again may stir up Christians to thankfulness unto the Lord for all his blessings, and particularly for the fruits of the earth as before.
2. This dwelling in Booths and slight Tents or Tabernacles made of green boughs in memory of their condition when they came out of the Land of Egypt, the house of bondage, may teach Christians often to call to mind their afflictions and low condition out of which the Lord hath at any time delivered them; especially they that are in Christ should often and seriously remember that woful bondage and misery under sin and satan, and the danger of condemnation, out of which the Lord Christ hath delivered them, and labour to be exceedingly thankful for it.
3. They were to go out of their dwelling houses to dwell in booths when they had gathered in their fruits, least when their barns and storehouses were plentifully filled they might forget God who gave them all these things, and set their hearts upon the Creatures, resting in their outward enjoyments, giving themselves up to voluptuousness, like him spoken of, Luk. 12. Soul thou hast goods laid up for many years, eat, drink and be merry: but God said unto him, Luk. 12. 19, 20.thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? Learn then in the midst of the greatest abundance, to raise up your hearts above all earthly things, to make God your portion, to walk with him in the light of his Countenance.
4. This dwelling in Booths or Tabernacles may teach Christians to be affected as strangers here on earth, having no continuing City in this world, their bodies being slight and weak frames easily dissolved, like summerhouses made of green boughs that will suddenly wither; labour then to make sure of a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, purchased by the blood of Christ for all those that are sound in him: in as much as ye have no continuing City here, seek one to come, and labour for sound evidence to clear your title to it.
Fourthly, Besides these three great feasts, there was to be a memorial of blowing the Trumpets upon the first of the same seventh month; Lev. 23. 24, 27.and then upon the tenth day of that month, a day of Atonement, solemne humiliation, repentance, and afflicting the soul: so the silver Trumpet being sounded in the preaching of the word, summons the hearers to repentance, to afflict their souls, to abase and humble themselves, to turn to the Lord with all their hearts,Isa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sins. This silver Trumpet was sounded by Iohn Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Iudea, and saying,Mat. 3. 1. 2, 3. Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, for this is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah saying; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths strait. Yea, the Lord Christ himself in his own person sounded this Silver Trumpet, From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He who gave himself for a sacrifice, and poured forth his blood to make atonement and reconciliation between God and sinners, did preach repentance to them to prepare them for atonement and reconciliation. It is very lamentable to consider how many live under the sound of the Silver Trumpet many years, and yet are not prepared for atonement and reconciliation to God through Christ, nor brought to the beginnings of sound and saving repentance; but either are secure, careless, deadhearted, minding earthly things, or resting in outward performances, or openly profane and wicked. Oh how dreadful will the sound of that Trumpet be at the last day? for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-Angel, and with the Trumpet of God. 2 Thes. 4. 16.I say how dreadful shall the sound of that Trumpet be to such who go on hardning their hearts in security and impenitency against the sound of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel.
2. The day of atonement and humiliation was about four or five days before the feast of Tabernacles wherein they were to rejoyce before the Lord: so sincere humiliation and repentance make way for sound spiritual joy; Matth. 5. 4.Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted; godly sorrow maketh way for heavenly rejoycing: But when a man goeth on to glut himself with the pleasures of sins or earthly contents, not afflicting his soul for sin, he hath no part in this spiritual feast: to such belongs that sad threatning, Wo unto you that laugh now, Luk. 6. 23.for ye shall mourn and weep.
Fifthly, Consider their manifold washings with water in divers Cases, to purifie themselves from legal uncleannesses, Lev. 14. 6, 7, 9. & 15. 13.Ceremonial pollutions; as when any was cleansed from the Leprosie he was to be sprinkled with water mingled with blood seven times, and afterwards to wash both his cloaths and his body in water; so they that had running issues when they were cleansed from them, were commanded to wash their cloaths and their bodies in water, and so in divers other Cases. Now the Apostle Iohn proves that the Lord Jesus is The Christ,1 Joh, 5. 6, 8. 10. thus, This is he that came by water and blood, even Iesus Christ, n… by water only, but by water and blood, and i… is the spirit that beareth witness, because the spirit is Truth: whereas there was great use of water and blood in the Law of Ceremonies, the blood of the … and the water many wayes used for cleansing and purifying, it sheweth that all these things were accomplished in Christ, and attained their end in him, he performed and fulfilled what was signified and typified both by water and blood. His blood was shed as the blood of the most perfect sacrifice to take away the guilt of sin, and to justifie sinners and save them from condemnation; and the sanctifying spirit and grace of Christ, cleansing his people from the filth of sin, washing their hearts from wickedness, and making them holy as he is holy, and therefore he addeth, ver. 8, there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood. And ver. 10, He that believeth hath the witness in himself; He that savingly believeth in Christ, being united to him by faith, hath this threefold witness in himself: the spirit of Christ witnessing with his spirit that he is in Christ, reconciled to God by Christ, an adopted child and Heir of God through Christ the only begotten Son of God, and Heir of all things: the blood of Christ cleansing his Conscience from the guilt of sin; the grace of Christ resembled by water, sanctifying him and conforming him to Christ in holiness; so that such an one hath an evidence in his own soul, both that Jesus is the very Christ, and that he is his Christ; for he findeth that Christ hath fulfilled that in and upon his soul which was figured by the blood and water under the Law of Ceremonies. This is a blessed and most precious priviledge which all that are under the Gospel should labour with all diligence to make their own. Oh, what an happiness is it for Christians to have this threefold witness in themselves! In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2 Cor. 13. 1.Here are three witnesses beyond exception. A Christian having this threesold witness in himself, in the poorest outward estate, is richer and happier, then all the treasures of the earth and all the Kingdoms of the world can make him; but how few are they that have any other witness of their interest in Christ but their own fancy? how few do seriously and diligently seek for any other? In that great and last day, how will ye stand in the presence of God when numberless sins are charged upon you? Will ye say Christ hath satisfied for your sins, what shall this profit you unless ye be united unto Christ? Will ye plead that ye believe in Christ, and so are made one with him, where is your witness? Oh take heed of appearing before the all-seeing God without a witness? And therefore I beseech you consider seriously of your condition, and rest not till ye are in Christ, and until he come into your souls both by water and blood, and give you the witness of his spirit.
2. Those frequent washings under the Law of Ceremonies, may stir up Christians to frequent endeavours dayly to purifie themselves as Christ is pure,2 Joh. 3. 3. to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,2 Cor. 7. 1. perfecting holiness in the fear of God,Zach. 13. 1. to draw cleansing and sanctifying virtue from Christ more and more by faith. They were to wash their bodies and cloaths, to be sprinkled with water seven times. There is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, a fountain of most precious blood, and water of most Soveraign virtue: the sufferings of Christ and the grace of God are to wash away the guilt of sin, and the uncleanness and pollution of sin. Do not forsake your own mercies and neglect so great salvation. It is sad that when such a precious fountain is opened, so few are washed and cleansed. Thus much concerning the Ceremonial Law, to shew how and in what respects it is established by the doctrine of the Gospel.