Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Ezekiel · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI.
Ver. 1. THus ſaith the Lord God] In this chapter are ſet forth rationes & ritus, the laws and rites that were to be obſerved by Prince and people in offering their ſacrifices. It is the manner of performance that maketh or marreth any duty: there may be malum opus in bona materia, ill work in a good matter.
The gate of the inner court] Of the Prieſts court.
That looketh toward the Eaſt] That pointeth to Chriſt the day-ſpring from on high, the Sun of righteouſneſs, who ſhineth ſweetly upon ſuch as rightly ſanctifie the Sabbath: and ſhall much more, when they come to reſt with him in heaven.
Shall be ſhut the ſix working dayes] Six dayes ſhalt thou labour and do all thy work. Neither doth this binder holineſſe (as the Abby-lubbers pretend) but further it: 1. By preventing temptation. 2. By nouriſhing experience of Gods bounty and providence. 3. By filling the heart with objects of heavenly thoughts. 4. By ſtirring up to prayer and praiſe, for each dayes mercyes.
But on the Sabbath it ſhall be opened] That the people may ſee Chriſt in the glaſſe of the ceremonies and call upon his name. We under the Goſpel have a clearer light and free acceſſe, on Lords-dayes eſpecially, and other times of holy meetings.
Ver. 2. And ſhall ſtand by the poſt of the gate] Waiting at the poſts of the gates of wiſdom, Prov. 8.34. Conſtantine the Great ſtood up conſtantly at the time of Gods publike worſhip, for honour ſake: So did our Edward the ſixth.
Then he ſhall go forth] And the people come in, ver. 3. whoſe ſouls are as precious to God as his.
But the gate ſhall not be ſhut, untill the evening] The gate is open till the evening; be ready therefore: when the Bridegrom is once gone in, the gate is ſhut, and fools excluded, Matth 25.
Ver. 3. Likewiſe the people of the land] The meaneſt of his ſubjects, if faithful, may have as near acceſſe to God as himſelf.
Ver. 4. Six lambs without blemiſh] This was a larger ſacrifice then Moſes had appointed, Num. 28.9. (Chriſtians have more cauſe then Jews had to ſanctify the Sabbath) as that for the New-moons, ver. 6. was leſſer: See Num. 28.11. Hereby it appeareth that God was about to abrogate the Moſaical worſhip, and the Levitical Prieſthood: Lex enim poſterior derogat priori. This the Jew-doctours would fain ſay ſomething to, but cannot tell what. The wit of theſe miſcreants, reprobat concerning the faith, will better ſerve them to diviſe a thouſand ſhifts to elude the truth, then their obſtinacy will ſuffer them once to yield and acknowledge it.
Ver. 5. As he ſhall be able to give] Heb. the gift of his hand: ſome render it, according as it ſhall be given unto his hand, i. e. As God ſhall put into his heart to give: and here he is not tyed, as in the Law, to ſuch a proportion, but left to his Chriſtian liberty.
Ver. 6. And in the day of the New-moon] Which pointed them to the coming of Chriſt, by whom all things are become new.
It ſhall be a young bullock] It was wont to be two: See on ver. 4.
And ſix lambs and a ram] To ſignify, ſaith Rabanus, that as it is neceſſary for us to keep the Sabbath: ſo it is likewiſe that we rely upon Chriſt for expiation as of our week-dayes ſins, ſo alſo of thoſe that we fall into even on that holy-day.
Ver. 7. An Ephah for a bullock] This was to ſhadow out, ſaith Polanus, the Communion of the Saints with Chriſt, and that Chriſt offereth and preſenteth his Church with himſelf and in himſelf, to God the Father.
According as his hand ſhall attain unto] i. e. As he is able and willing; for God ſtraineth upon none.
Ver. 8. He ſhall go in by the way of the porch] This was the Princes Priviledge, that (as likewiſe the Prieſts) he might go in and go out at the ſame Eaſt-gate. It is fit that the Word and Sword ſhould hold together, and that Magiſtrates and Miniſters ſhoul be ſingular in holineſſe.
Ver. 9. Shall go out the way of the South-gate] For more eaſy paſſage ſake,The Jewes at this day depart out of the Synagogue with their faces ſtill toward the Ark, like Crabs going backward. in ſuch a multitude of people. But withal, to teach us many things: as 1. Not to turn our backs upon the holy Ordinances. 2. To make ſtraight paths for our feet, Heb. 12.13. not looking back with Lot's wife, Luke 17.32. not longing for the Onions of Egypt, as thoſe rebels in the wilderneſſe, but advancing forward with St. Paul, Philip. 3.13, 14. looking forth-right, Prov. 4.25. having our eye upon the mark, and making dayly progreſſe toward perfection. 3. That our memories are frail, and here we ſhall meet with many things that will withdraw us from thinking upon God. 4 That our life is but ſhort; a very paſſage from one gate to another: where to go back (i. e. To adde any thing to our lives) it is not granted; ſith our time is lim…ted, Job. 14.3. Acts 17.26. and we are all haſtening to our long home, Eccleſ. 12.5. One being asked what life was? made an anſwer anſwerleſſe; for he preſently went his way.
Ver. 10. And the Prince in the midſt of them, &c.] For example ſake (Vita Principis cenſura eſt) and to ſee that all things be rightly carried in Gods ſervice. And although the Prince hath many weighty occaſions, yet he is to be at the publike Aſſemblies with the firſt, and to ſtay till the laſt.
Ver. 11. An Ephah to a bullock, and a Hin of oile] A whole Ephah, and a whole Hin, whereas in the Moſaical ſervice there was required but a certain part only of either:Polan. Becauſe the Jewiſh Church was but of a part of mankind, but the Church Chriſtian is univerſal.
Ver. 12. A voluntary burnt-offering — one ſhall then open him the gate, &c.] Here is warrant for our week-day Lectures, a voluntary ſervice well accepted: provided that afterwards one ſhut the gate, and men return to their honeſt labours.
Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt daily prepare a burnt-offering] God muſt be ſerved daily and duely, not on the Sabbath-day only: See Pſal. 72.15. The Papiſts are at their Maſſe every morning, and they bind much upon this text for it. They have a Proverbe alſo, Maſſe and meat hindereth no mans thrift.
Ver. 14. The ſixth part of an Ephah] This is alſo different from the Levitical Ordinance, Num. 15 & 28. Exod. 29.40. though R. Solomon here extremely troubleth himſelf (but to no purpoſe) to reconcile them.
Ver. 15. Every morning] Underſtand it of every evening alſo, as Exod. 29.38.
Ver. 16. If the Prince give a gift unto any of his ſons] As Jehoſaphat did Cities to every of his ſons; though they long enjoyed them not, through the barbarous cruelty of their elder-brother Jehoram. Chriſt, the Churches King, giveth all his children gifts of great price; ſuch as the world can neither give nor take from them, ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly things, and places, Epheſ. 1.3. yea he beſtoweth himſelf upon them, and is therefore called The Gift, Joh. 4.10. and The Benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2.
Ver. 17. But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his ſervants] As Alexander the Great, who going to ſubdue a great part of the habitable world, gave away to his ſervants almoſt all he had; and when one of his officers asked him What he would leave for himſelf?Don̄a throni. he ſaid, Hope. Meſſiah the Prince, beſides his choyceſt gifts to his dear children, giveth gifts unto men, even to the rebellious alſo, Pſal. 68.18. theſe are common gifts,Dona ſcabelli. temporal favours, external privivedges: See Mat. 7.22, 23. & 25.14, 15, &c. Luke 19.12, &c. But as the ſervant abideth not in the houſe for ever (as the ſon doth) Job. 8.35. ſo theſe gifts to ſervants (but for the behoof and benefit of his Sons) are but till the year of liberty, or Jubilee, till the laſt day at utmoſt, Levit. 25.10. Then ſhall the wicked give a dreadful account of all, with the whole world flaming about their eares.
Ver. 18. To thruſt them out of their poſſeſſion] Ill accidents attend ſuch Princes, as affecting to be abſolute in power, will be too reſolute in will, or diſſolute in life; oppreſſing their ſubjects to enrich their ſervants and paraſites.
Ver. 19. Afterward he brought me] Here he returneth again to things ſacred, viz. to ſhew where the Prieſts ſhould boyl and bake.
Polan.Into the holy chambers of the Prieſts] Theſe holy cells or chambers are particular Chriſtian Churches, committed to the care of Chriſts faithful Miniſters, Acts 20.28. 1 Pet. 5.2.
Ver. 20. Where they ſhall bake the meat-offering] i. e. The Miniſters ſhall endite or boyl good matters in their hearts for the uſe of the people, and then their tongues ſhall be as the pen of a ready writer, Pſal. 45.1. See there. They ſhall not feed their hearers with crude and indigeſted ſtuff, but ſuch as is well boyled and baked with the fire of the holy Spirit, kindled on the harth of their own hearts: that from the heart they may ſpeak to the heart.
To ſanctify the people] As in promiſcuous Communions, where all are pelmel admitted.
Ver. 21. In every corner of the Court there was a Court] And buildings in every of them for the ſame purpoſe round about, ver. 22. Theſe ſerved, ſaith Hierom, to ſet forth the four parts of the world, out of all which the Church is gathered by Miniſters, &c. It ſerved alſo, ſaith Another, to ſhew that in Gods Houſe, which is his Church, there ſhall alwaies be proviſion both for his Miniſters and people. Thoſe that have but from hand to mouth, have their bread hot, as it were, from Gods hand, which is beſt of all.
Ver. 22. Courts joyned] Or made with chimnies. Caminata, vaporaria: See on ver. 21.
Ver. 23. With boyling places] Such as the Ancients called Popinas,
Nolo ego Florus eſſe,Adrian. Imp.
Latitare per popinas.
Ver. 24. Theſe are the places of them that boyl] Of Gods Cooks, who dreſſe ſpiritual food for the uſe of his people: See ver. 20.