The Leper and the Lepers House Cleansed, Part 7
PART VII.
Laſtly, when all the foregoing Particulars were applied to the Leper, in order to his Cleanſing, then was the L…per, by orders from the Priest, to ſhave off the Hair of his Head, Beard, and Eye-brows, Levit. 14. 9. becauſe in the Hair of the Head, Beard, and Eyebrows, might much of the Filth and Scurf of the Diſtemper lie, and might prove Hiding-places to the ſame, whcih might much anticipate and hinder the Cure, and grèatly hazard the breaking out of the old Diſtemper upon the Leper again.
THerefore the Leper was to ſhave the Hair wholly off from his Head, Beard, and Eye-brows, Ver. 9. the Myſtery of which is to ſhew us what his Duty is, who is Cleanſed from the Guilt and Filth of Sin by Jeſus Chriſt, namely, to endeavour ever afterward, the Mortification of the ſame, which is called the Cutting off or Circumciſing the Fore-ſkin of your Hearts, Deut. 30. 6. which the Apoſtle makes to agree with the Work of mortifying the Luſts of the Fleſh, Col. 3. 5. Mortifie, therefore, your Members which are upon the Earth, Fornication, Ʋncleanneſs, inordinate Affection, evil Concupiſcence, and Covetouſneſs, which is Idolatry.
The Words thus opened, afford us this profitable Obſervation:
Doct. That as Jeſus Christ in love to the Souls of his People, hath waſhed them in his own Bloud from the Guilt of Sin, and by the Oil of his Grace removed the dominion of Sin from them; ſo it is the Duty of every Chriſtian to endeavour ever afterwards, the Mortification of the remains of Sin, in their Hearts and Lives continually.
This is ſo clear a Truth, that nothing ſhines with more brightneſs in all the Scripture, Rom. 8. 13. If ye Sin after the Fleſh, ye ſhall Die; but, if through the Spirit, ye mortifie the Deeds of the Body, ye ſhall Live. Epheſ. 4. 22. That ye put off, concerning the former Converſation, the Old Man, which is Corrupt, according to the deceitful Luſts. Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your Members which are upon the Earth, Fornication, Ʋncleanneſs, inordinate Affection, evil Concupiſcence, and Covetouſneſs, which is Idolatry. Tit. 2. 11, 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all Men, teaching them to deny Ʋngodlineſs and wordly Luſts, to live Soberly, Righteouſly and Godly in this preſent World.
1ſt Reaſon.] The Reaſon of the Point lieth here, becauſe this was one ſpecial Purpoſe of Chriſt in ſatisfying the Law for us, and thereby in reconciling of his Father to us, it was, that Sin might be deſtroyed in us, Rom. 5. 10. with Rom, 6. 6. For when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son. Knowing that our Old Man is Crucified with him, that the Body of Sin might be deſtroyed, that henceforth we ſhould not ſerve Sin.
2d Reaſon.] It muſt be ſo, becauſe our Lord Jeſus Chriſt deſigned, and intended, that every one of his Redeemed and Cleanſed Lepers, ſhould hold a holy Communion with himſelf, both in the Life that now is, and in the Life which is to come, John 14. 20, 21. At that Day ye ſhall know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you; and he that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him. and I will manifest my ſelf to him. Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity, and Purifie to himſelf a peculiar People zealous of good Works. Chriſt is the Prince of Purity, his Eyes are Eyes of Purity, that cannot look upon Iniquity; his Nature is a Nature of Purity, he is called the Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hoſts, whoſe Glory filleth the whole Earth, Iſa. 6. 3. therefore he cannot live in an impure Heart, nor have communion with impure Souls that are no way waſhed from their Iniquities. Surely then this makes it highly the Duty of every Chriſtian, to be Cleanſing of himſelf from all filthineſs of the Fleſh and Spirit, and to be perfecting of Holin…ſs in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 7. 1.
Thus having given you the Reaſons of the Point, we next come to the Application of what hath been ſaid upon it:
Ʋſe, If this be ſo, let it ſerve then for Matter of Examination to every Chriſtian, whether we are of the number of Chriſt's Cleanſed and Healed Lepers? Oh! what a bleſſed thing would it be, if, upon trial and ſearch, we might appear to be ſuch, not in ſhew, but in ſubſtance, not in appearance only, but in reality alſo; an Iſraelite in deed and in truth, as Nathanael was, in whom was no Guile.
There be not a few, but would fain perſwade themſelves that they are the Men in whom the Leproſie is cured, they hope that the Bloud of the Lamb Chriſt hath been applied to the Ear, Thumb, and Toe of their Souls; but let me ask ſuch Men, whether the Pri…ſt's Razor have yet been upon them? Oh! bethink your ſelves, and remember that thoſe which were healed Lepers were ſhaved Lepers, the Hair of their Heads, Beards, and Eyebrows is all ſhaved off, which were the parts and places in which the Scurf and Filth of the Diſeaſe lay and hid it ſelf before: The ſame is ſpiritually true of thee, if thou art a healed Leper indeed, the Scurf of thy Corruption, which hath lain hid in thy Heart, (as to the Dominion of it) is ſhaved off and …emoved out of thy Soul: Rom. 6. 14. Sin ſhall not have Dominion over you. Chriſt will have clean Work made in the Heart wherein he begins to Work, Rev. 21. 5. Behold I make all things new ſaith Chriſt; and ſo ſaith Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man he in Christ, he is a new Creature; all old things are d…ne away, and all things become new: So that there is a unive…ſal Change made in the whole Man, of every one that are the cleanſed Le…ers of Jeſus Chriſt, the Judgment, Will, and Affections are all new, and renewed by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, Tit. …. 5.
Now, Soul, what Shaving-work hath there been upon thy Heart and Life? Reflect upon thy former Converſation; Haſt thou not been a looſe Liver, a Swearer a Blaſphemer, an unclean Perſon, a Sabbath-breaker, a Harer of Godlineſs, a wicked Scoffer, and cruel Perſecutor of thoſe which have truly feared God? But is this ſhaved off from thee? Is this filthy Scurf gone, and removed from thy Heart within, and thy Life without? Thou knoweſt that thou haſt been a common Drunkard, an unjuſt Dealer, a known Lyer, a wretched Worldling, a greedy covetous Oppreſſor, thy whole Life hath been a prayerleſs Life, an irreligious Life, caſting the Word, Worſhip, and Ordinances of God behind thy Back, ſpending of thy precious Time (which ſhould have been ſpent in the Service of thy God:) Oh! this precious Time which thou canſt never recal more, haſt thou laid out in the ſatisfying of thy Luſts and ſenſual Appetite: Oh! but hath the Razor o… thy High-Prieſt ſhaved all this away, and canſt thou now ſay in the Words of Paul to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were ſome of you; but ye are Waſhed. but ye are Sanctified, but ye are Juſtified, in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God. Be not deceived, there was never a healed Leper came out of Chriſt's Hands, but he was a ſhaved, mortified, and ſanctified Leper, the Bloud, the Oil, and the ſhaving Razor, always went together; the Bloud to juſtice, the Oil to ſanctifie, and the Razor to mortifie the Affections and Luſts; Redemption from the Guilt of Sin, is only proved by our Mortification to the love and power of Sin in our Natures: Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jeſus, who walk not after the Fleſh but after the Spirit.
(Mark,) There is therefore no Condemnation, [there is Guilt removed, who walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit,] there is the Truth of it proved, the ſhaving of the Head, Beard, and Eye-brows, were evident Signs what the Man had been, and with whom he had been; they were Signs that the Man had been a Leper, and, ſecondly, That he had been with the Prieſt for a Cure, and is now come off healed and cleanſed of his Diſtemper: So, likewiſe, if thou haſt been with Jeſus Chriſt indeed, he hath fixed theſe viſible Signs upon thy Soul. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Thou art come of a new Creature, all old things are done away, and all things are become new in thee; but if the Signs of thy Cleanſing be not upon thee, thou haſt ſtill cauſe, with the Leper, Lev. 13. 45. to rent thy Clothes, and to go with thy Head bare, and to put a Covering upon thy Upper-lip, crying out to every one which thou meeteſt, Ʋnclean, unclean.