Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 1 · Part 14
EXERCITAT. XIIII. Of the Sacrifices in particular, and firſt of the burnt offering. A ceremoniall appendix of Command. 2.
Levit. 1.2. If his offering be a burnt offering, &c.
THere were ſome ſacrifices which were commanded by the Lord, and ſome which were voluntarie ſacrifices, as free will offerings, and ſuch.
The ſacrifices which were commanded, ordinarie and inſtituted by God, were five, Firſt, the burnt offering commanded here in Levit. 1. Secondly, the meatofferings in Levit. 2. Thirdly, the peace offerings, Fourthly, ſinne offerings in Levit. 4. And laſtly, treſpaſſe offering in Levit. 5.15.
Of the daily Sacrifice.Their daily burnt offering was a Lambe offered morning and evening,Why it was called continuall. and this was furniſhed at the charges of the common treaſurie of the Temple, and not by any particular man. It was called Sacrificium juge, the continuall Sacrifice, becauſe it was offered twiſe every day without intermiſſion, and although other things have this word tamid, continuall, joyned with them as the continuall bread, Num. 4.7. the continuall incenſe, Exod. 30.8.foreign put for the daily Sacrifice. the continuall meat offering, Num. 8.16. yet commonly the daily burnt offering is meant here, as Dan. 8.11. and by him (hattamid) the daily was taken away, that is, the daily ſacrifice.
The burnt offering was a ſacrifice which was all burnt to aſhes except the skin and intrals,foreign Holocauſtum a foreign aſcendere foreign Sacrificium totum igne conſumendum interdum iungitur cum foreign ut Pſal. 51.12 et ſignificat perfectum ſacrificium a foreign perfecit, abſolvit. it was called gnolah from gnalah aſcendere, and it was called ignitum Iehovae, quia igni conſumendum, becauſe it was all to bee burnt with fire, Levit. 1. and it had calil joyned with it, Pſal 51. which commeth from calal to conſume: calil is nor the adjective joyned to gnola, for they diſagree in gender but calil here ſignifieth mincha, or the meat offering which was joyned to the burnt offering.
In this burnt offering they were to offer a Bullocke,What was offered in the burnt offering. a Ram, a Lambe amongſt the beaſts; or a turtle Dove or young pigeon of the fowles, and it behoved to be a male and not a female, and likewiſe it behoved to be without blemiſh, to ſignifie that puritie and perfection which was in Chriſt, and our perfection in him, Heb. 9.13. How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, What the burnt offering ſignified.who through the eternall Spirit offered himſelfe without ſpot to God, purge your conſciences from dead workes to ſerve the living God? It behoved to be of the beſt things and the choiſe of the flocke, to teach us to honour God with our ſubſtance, Prover. 3.9. and to ſerve him with a perfect heart, 1 Chro. 28.9,
When they offered their ſacrifices they kept this order. Firſt,The order which they keepe in brning their ſacrifices. after the beaſt was killed and layd upon the Altar to be burnt, the offerer brought fine flower mixed with ſalt and oyle, (for they might not mixe the flower with water) and this part of the Sacrifice was properly called Immolatio, Immolare.then he gave this to the Prieſt who layd it upon the head of the Sacrifice, & this was called mactatio by the Latines, that is,Mactare. magis aucta & victima macta. Thirdly, the Prieſts powred wine upon the Sacrifice which was to be burnt; and this was called Libatio, and the Apoſtle alludeth to this,Libare. when hee ſaith, 2 Tim, 4.6. I am libor, now I am ready to be offered up. Fourthly, Incenſe was ſuperadded to theſe,Suffire. and this was called Suffitus, Alluſion. and the Apoſtle alludeth to this, Ephe. 5.2. Chriſt hath given himſelfe for us an offering and a ſacrifice to God for a ſweete ſmelling ſavour. Laſtly, when the Sacrifice was burning, they offered their ſpirituall Sacrifice with it,Litare. and this was called Litare, precibus à Deo aliquid impetrare, they prayed unto the Lord that he would accept of their Sacrifice; therefore their Sacrifices were called Sacrificia vociferationis, Sacrifices of ſhouting, Pſal. 27.6.
Of the meat Offering.
What was offered in the meat offering.THe meat offering conſiſted of things without life, as of fine flower, oyle and incenſe, Levit. 2.2. things which were neceſſarie for the uſe of man were offered here to the Lord, as bread to eate, wine to drinke, ſalt to ſeaſon, oyle to cure, and incenſe to delight the ſmell. So Chriſt our meat offering is all theſe to us.
Mincha acceſſorium perſe.They had two ſorts of meat offering, Mincha aceeſſorium & mincha per ſe. Mincha acceſſorium was that which was alwayes joyned with another Sacrifice, and a handfull of it was burnt, and the reſt was the Prieſts; but that which was Mincha per ſe which was offered for the Prieſts, was wholly; burnt and not eaten, Levit. 6.23.
The flower in the meat offering was the beſt flower.The floure which was offered in the meat offering behooved to be ſimila pura, fine flower, without any branne; which ſignified the pure eſtate of Chriſt and all Chriſtians in him.
Alluſion. There was oyle powred upon it, and the Apoſtle alludeth to this, 2 Cor 1.21. He that eſtabliſhed us with you in Chriſt, and hath anoynted us, is God. So 1 Ioh. 2.27. the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you.
Alluſion. It had incenſe joyned with it, and the Apoſtle alludeth to this, Epheſ. 5.2. Chriſt hath given himſelfe for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour.
Sometimes it was baked, and ſometimes fryed in a pan, Alluſion. and David alludeth to this, Pſal 45.2. My heart hath fryed or boyled a good matter.
Every Sacrifice had this Mincha joyned with it,The meat offering oftentimes put for all the Sacrifices. except the ſinne offering, and therefore oftentimes it is put for any Sacrifice, as Pſal. 20. The Lord remember all thy [mincha] meat offerings, that is, all thy Sacrifices.
Of the peace offering.
THe peace offering was a Sacrifice of thankſgiving for the ſaftie of the offerer,A part of the peace offering due to God, a part to the Pri ſts, and a part to the offerer. & one part of it was due to God, one to the Prieſt, one to the offerer, Amos 5.5. I will not accept of the fat of your offerings, that is, of your peace offerings: David called this fat the burnt offerings of fatlings. That which was the moſt excellent in every thing the Hebrewes called it the fat, as adeps frumenti the fat of the corne; medulla tritici, the marrow of the wheate, Eccluſ. 47.2. as the fat was taken away from the peace offering, ſo was David choſen out amongſt the children of Iſrael; Alluſion. here he maketh a compariſon betwixt David and the fat of the peace offering, all the peace offering was the Lords, yet all was not offered to him, but a part was given to the Prieſts, and a part to the people, but the fat was fully burnt up to the Lord. So the zeale of Gods houſe burnt up David, as the fat of the Sacrifice.
The fat was due onelyonly to God,The fat was the Lords. the peoples part was but a leane part; but under the G…ſpel, Eſay. 25.6. I will make the people a feaſt of fat things and full of marrow, the people might eate none of the marrow under the Law.
Queſt. Whether might the people eate of the fat of the beaſts which were not ſacrificed, as of thoſe which they killed at home?
Anſw. The Lord forbiddeth them to eate the fat of whatſoever beaſt, L…vit. 3.17. It ſhall be a ſtatute for ever throughout your dwellings, The fat of the Sacrifice might not be eaten or uſed to any other uſe.that yee eate no fat nor blood. The fat of the beaſts which were not ſacrificed might be taken to any other uſe, but they might not eate any of it, Levit. 7.24. the fat of the beaſt that dieth of it ſelfe, or that which is torne, may be uſed in any other uſe, but ye ſhall in no wiſe eate of it.
The feaſt of the peace offering.The reſt of the peace offering was divided betwixt the Prieſt and the people, and they made a feaſt of it, 1 Sam. 9.24. Alluſion. and Salomon alludeth to it, Prov. 17.1. better is a drye morſell and quietneſſe therewith, than a houſe full of Sacrifices with ſtrife. The Sacrifice put for the feaſt afetr the Sacrifice, Antecedens pro eonſequente.The Sacrifice here is put for the banquet which was after the Sacrifice, and it was this which David meant of, when he ſayd, there is a yeerely ſacrifice there for all the familie, 1 Sam. 20 6. that is, a feaſt after the Sacrifice.
The breaſt and the ſhoulder due to the Prieſt.The breaſt and the right ſhoulder of the peace offering was due to the Prieſt; and the reſt was due to the offerers; it is ſayd of the ſonnes of Eli, that they ſent their boyes, and pulled the fleſh out of the Caldron, 1 Sam. 2. that is, they would not be content with that which was due to them, the breaſt and the ſhoulders; but they would have the peoples part alſo, and they would not ſtay untill the fat was offered to the Lord, 1 Sam 2.15.
Queſt. How did the cooke ſet the ſhoulder before Saul to eate of it, ſeeing it was the Prieſts part, 1 Sam. 9.24.
Anſ. The right ſhoulder was the Prieſts onelyonly.
Why the Prieſt got the ſhoulder.The Prieſt got the breaſt and the ſhoulder; hee got the ſhoulder to ſignifie that he caried the burden of the people;Why he got the breaſt. can I carry all this people upon my ſhoulders (ſaith Moyſes) Num. 11.11. Wherefore have I not found favour in thy ſight, that thou layeſt all the burden of this people upon me? and he got the breaſt to ſignifie his compaſſion and love to the people, Num. 11.12. Have I begotten them, that they ſhould ſay unto me, carie them in thy boſome. Eſay. 40.11. He ſhall feede his flocke like a ſheepherd, and hee ſhall gather his lambs with his arme, and carie them in his boſome, and leade theſe that are with young.
The Highprieſt carried the names of the twelve Tribes upon his breaſt, to ſignifie his compaſſion;Why the Highprieſt carried the names of the Tribes upon his breaſt and ſhoulder. and he carried their names ingraven in Onyx ſtones upon his ſhoulders, to ſignifie that he carried the burden of the people: Eli when he looked upon Hanna, and ſaw her lips moving, he ſayd ſhe was drunke, 1 Sam. 1.13. here there was no pittie in the Prieſts breaſt to the poore woman, but 2 King. 4.26.Eliſha a man of pittie. Eliſha had more pittie in his breaſt, when he ſayd to Gehazi, run now I pray thee, and ſay, is it well with thee? and when ſhee came to the man of God ſhe caught him by the feete, but Gehazi thruſt her away, but the man of God ſayd, let her alone, for her ſoule is vexed within her: Churliſh Gehazi had no pittie upon the poore woman, but there was much pittie and compaſſion in the heart of Eliſha the man of God.
The peace offering was divided betwixt God,Why God, the Prieſts, and the people, had a part in the offering. the Prieſts, and the people; God got the chiefe part, becauſe he it is who pardoneth the ſinne. The Prieſt got his part, becauſe he is the inſtrument to make intimation of this pardon; and the people got their part, to teach them to bee thankefull for the remiſſion of ſinne.
God got his part, and the people got theirs, what a comely thing was this to ſee the Lord ſitting at his Table, Mala. 1.7. therefore the fat of the Sacrifice is called his bread, Levit. 3.11. and Num. 28.2. and to bee foreign inviting his children to dine with him, hee will not eate his morſels alone, Iob. 31.17. what a comely thing was this to ſee his children ſtanding like Olive plants round about his Table, Pſal. 128.3. and how pleaſant was it to ſee brethren dwell together in unitie, God ſate as it were the Maſter of the feaſt, in the peace offering.Pſal. 132.1. and their father ſitting at the head of the Table. The Heathen ſayd of old that foreign erant foreign ſine patre, that the feaſt when it wanted the father it wanted the head.
A bad diviſion of the peace offering.The peace offering was divided betwixt God and the Prieſt, and the people, but the whore ſayd, Prov. 7. that ſhe had her peace offerings by her, and ſhee invited her lover to them: was not this a ſtrange ſharing or diviſion for God to get a part, the Prieſt to get a part, and the whore, and the whoremonger to get a ſhare; but the Lord will not ſhare with ſuch.
This feaſt which was adjoyned to the Sacrifices was a feaſt of joy,The feaſt joyned to the peace offering was a feaſt of mirth. Deut. 16.15. Iud. 21.19. wherein they danced, and it figured our ſpirituall mirth and joy for our redemption by Chriſt. The Idolaters kept this feaſt to the golden Calfe which they ſhould have kept to the Lord.
When they offered their ſpirituall Sacrifices with their externall Sacrifices, then the Lord was much delighted with them, and he ſaith, I have eaten my honey and my honeycombe, I have drunken my wine and my milke, Cant. 5.1. and he tooke ſuch pleaſure in theſe feaſts, that he invited the Church his ſpouſe to come and eate, O friends drinke, yea drinke abundantly, O beloved. But when their Sacrifices wanted the inward Sacrifice, then the Lord ſayd, that they offered but fleſh unto him, Hoſe. 8.13.foreign putridi facti ſunt. then hee loathed them but as rotten fleſh, Nehelahhu, putridi facti ſunt, Pſal. 14.3. they are become rotten and ſtinking, and he continueth in the metaphor; they are like wine that hath loſt the taſt, which is called vinum fugiens: foreign omnis receſſit, vinum ſugiens.when theſe outward Sacrifices wanted the inward, ſee how unpleaſant they were to the Lord, Eſay. 1. I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams, and the fat of the fed beaſts I delight not in, nor in the blood of Lambs, of Bullocks, or of Goates: then he commeth to his ſmell,Outward Sacrifices without the inward are offenſive to all Gods ſenſes. verſ. 13, Incenſe is abomination to me, then to his touch, verſ. 14. your new moones and your appointed feaſts I am wearie to beare them, then to his hearing, when yee make many prayers I will not heare them, then to his ſight, ver. 15. I will hide mine eyes from them. Their Sacrifices were offenſive to all Gods ſenſes.
Of the ſin-offering.
THe burnt offering was for all ſinnes in generall,foreign Ioſephus Lib. 3. Antiq. Cap. 10. the peace offering was a thankſgiving for ſinnes remitted, and the ſin-offering was for ſinnes committed, for which they craved pardon; the ſin-offering was either hhataah or aſham, the firſt the Seventy tranſlate foreign, and the ſecond foreign, the firſt were foreign, and the ſecond foreign.
The Sacrifice which was for the ſinnes of ignorance or foreign, might aſcend or deſcend, that is it was more or leſſe according to the worth of the offerer, Levit. 5.7. the poore might offer a pottle of flower; and the rich were to offer according to their ability: but in the offering which was for a willing ſinne, the Sacrifice did neither aſcend nor deſcend, it was alike in all. So in the puniſhment of ſinne, in ſome ſinnes the puniſhment aſcended and deſcended, Exod. 21.28. if a man had kept a puſhing Oxe, and he had killed a man, he was to dye for it: or the puniſhment might deſcend,Sacrificium aſcenſionis. deſcenſionis. if a ſumme of money was layd upon him, then he might redeeme his life; here the puniſhment was aſcending and deſcending: but if a man had killed a man willingly, then the puniſhment non aſcendebat aut deſcendebat, but he was to die for it.
In the ſin-offering there was no oyle or incenſe, neyther in the Sacrifice of Iealouſie;No Incenſe in the ſin-offering, or in the offering of Iealouſie. becauſe there was nothing acceptable to the Lord in theſe Sacrifices.
Obſerve that there was a Sacrifice for originall ſinne, Leviti. 12.foreign in errore. there was a Sacrifice for ſinne of error (biſhgagah, in errore) and there was a Sacrifice for ſinnes of ignorance; but there was no Sacrifice for wilfull ſinnes,There was a Sacrifice for all ſinnes except for wilfull ſinnes. Heb. 10.36. for if we ſinne wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for ſinnes: Chriſt prayeth for ſinnes of ignorance, Lord forgive them, for they know not what they doe, Luk. 23.34. Let us pray then with David to keepe us from preſumptouus ſinnes, that they have not dominion over us, Pſal. 19.13.
There are ſeverall ſorts of Sacrifices preſcribed for ſeverall ſorts of ſinners as for the Prieſt,Sacrifices according to the perſons. for the Prince, and for the whole people, and for a private man.
For the Prieſt was a young Bullocke without blemiſh,The Sacrifice for the Prieſt. which he offered for himſelfe, and here we are taught, if the Highprieſt under the Law might erre, then the Pope may erre as Pope; what priviledge hath hee to bee exempted from error more than the Highprieſt had?The Highprieſt might erre. and if they ſay, becauſe hee is the Highprieſt under the Goſpell, therefore he cannot erre, but now there is no Highprieſt under the Goſpel but Ieſus Chriſt, Who by his owne blood entred once into the holy place, having obtained eternall redemption for us, Heb. 9.12.
If the Highprieſts ſinne made the people to ſinne; he was to offer a Bullocke, Levit. 4.3. obſerve the phraſe, Lehaſhmath, foreign in reatam populi.that is, if he make the people ſinne by his evill example, ſo Ioab ſayd to David when he cauſed him to number the people, why wilt thou be (lehaſhamah) a cauſe of treſpaſſe to Iſrael, 1 Chro. 21.3.
Secondly, for the whole people,The viſible Church may erre. and they were to offer a young Bullocke, Levit. 4.13. which was the ſame with the Prieſts Sacrifice; and here obſerve,The ſinoffering of the whole people. that the whole viſible Church may erre, otherwayes the Lord would not have appointed a Sacrifice for the error of the whole people.
The Sacrifice of the Prieſt and the Sacrifice of the whole people was one, to teach us, how great the ſinne of the Highprieſt was.
Queſt. Seeing the ſinne of the Highprieſt was as great as the ſinne of the whole people, what is the reaſon, that the people were more ſeverely puniſhed than Aaron who made the golden Calfe?
Anſw. Aaron did it through infirmitie, Why the people more ſeverely puniſhed than Aaron for making the golden Calfe.but the people did it willingly and wittingly.
Thirdly the Sacrifice of the Ruler was a male of the kids of the Goates, and the Sacrifice of any particular common man was a female of the kids of the Goats, Levit. 4.23.28.
Queſt. Why doth the Lord ſet downe ſeverall ſorts of Sacrifices for ſinnes done of ignorance; and but one ſort of Sacrifice for ſinnes done of errour.
Anſw. Solon was commended that he made no Law for him who killed his father; he thought none would bee ſo wicked as to commit ſuch a fact, and he was thought to have done more wiſely in that,Why the Lord ſet downe but one ſort of Sacrifices for all ſinnes done wittingly. not to inhibite that which had not beene practiſed, leſt hee ſhould ſeeme not ſo much to forbid this ſinne, as to incite men to it by his prohibition; So the Lord would not ſet downe ſeverall ſorts of Sacrifices, and Lawes for ſeverall ſorts of willing ſinnes; leſt the corrupt nature of man by theſe inhibitions ſhould take occaſion to ſinne the more, he ſetteth downe but one ſort of Sacrifice for all ſinnes of knowledge, the ſervant who knoweth his maſters will and doth it not ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, Luk. 12.47. the veſſels that could not be purged by fire were broken, Levit. 7.
Two ſorts of ſinne offerings.There were two ſorts of ſin-offerings. Firſt thoſe ſin-offerings, whoſe blood was not carried into the holy place, & ſprinkled ſeven times before the vaile upon the golden Altar, but was onelyonly ſprinkled upon the braſen Altar, and of theſe the Prieſts might eate, therefore the Prieſts are ſayd to eate the ſinnes of the People, Hoſ. 4.8. that is, the Sacrifice for ſinne. So Moyſes was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, What ſinoffering the Prieſts might eate and what not.becauſe they did not eate the ſin-offering; then he explaineth what ſin-offering it was, Levit. 10.18. Behold the blood of it was not brought in, within the holy place, yee ſhould indeede have eaten it in the holy place as I commanded you.
But the ſin-offering whoſe blood was carried in within the holy place, the fleſh of it was caried without the Campe and burnt, and the Prieſts might eate none of that, Levit. 6.30.
The allegoricall, tropologicall and anagogicall application of the ſin-offering.The carrying of the ſin-offering without the campe had an allegoricall application, a tropologicall application, and an anagogicall application. The allegoricall application was this, that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer without the gate of Ieruſalem; the tropologicall ſignification the Apoſtle maketh, Heb. 13. if the Iewes ſtand to the ceremoniall Law, they cannot be partakers of the blood of Chriſt, and he reaſoneth this wayes.
The people got nothing of that which was burnt without the gate, according to the Leviticall Law, Heb. 13 11.
But Ieſus Chriſt the ſin-offering was burnt without the gate.
The Iewes who ſtand to the ceremoniall Law, have no part in Chriſt.Therefore if the Iewes ſtand to the Leviticall Law they can have no part in Chriſt.
And here the Apoſtle reaſoneth with them out of their owne grounds, as Chriſt doth with the Sadduces out of the five bookes of Moyſes, which they onelyonly admitted, Matth. 22.23.
The anagogicall applycation is this, that we have not here a permanent Citie, but ſeeke for one to come, Heb. 13.14.
They were commanded to lay their hand upon the head of the ſin-offering, Levit. 4.Why they layd their hand upon the head of the Sacrifice. to ſignifie that they laid over their ſinnes upon the beaſt, which was a type of Chriſt who was made (aſham) an offering for ſin, Eſay. 53.10. and the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5.21. he made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſinne, that is, the guilt of our ſinnes was imputed unto him; he was not made a Sacrifice onelyonly for our ſinnes, but he was made ſinne for us; marke here a double oppoſition, firſt, he who knew no ſinne, was made ſinne; Secondly,Chriſt was made ſinne for us and then a Sacrifice. that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him: now it cannot bee ſayd, that he who knew no ſacrifice was made a Sacrifice for ſinne, that we might be a Sacrifice of righteouſneſſe to God in him; but this wayes, he who knew no ſinne was made ſinne, that is, our ſinne was imputed to him, that we might be accounted as righteous before God in him; and therefore although this by conſequence be inferred, that he was made a Sacrifice for our ſinnes; yet it is not the proper meaning of the place; after that the guilt of our ſinnes was layd upon him, then he was made a Sacrifice for our ſinnes.
And here we have a notable place to cleare that imputed righteouſneſſe, which is imputed unto us;Chriſt righteouſneſſe imputed to us as our ſinnes were imputed to him. as the beaſt when it was killed, the guilt was laid upon it typically, which had no ſinne in it; So all our ſinnes were imputed to Chriſt who had no ſinne in himſelfe; and we reaſon thus, as our ſinne was imputed to Chriſt who had no ſinne in himſelfe: So Chriſts righteouſneſſe is imputed to us who have no righteouſneſſe in ourſelves.
Ob. But they ſay that Chriſt was not capable of inherent ſinne, as we are of inherent righteouſneſſe.
Anſw. We are not capable of inherent righteouſneſſe.We are no more capable of inherent righteouſneſſe to juſtifie us before God then Chriſt was capable of inherent ſinne; our ſanctification is not perfect ſanctification, which is able to ſtand before the Lord to juſtifie us.
Of the treſpaſſe offering.
A Treſpaſſe offering was a Sacrifice for ſinnes of omiſſion, or ſinnes of ignorance, theſe ſinnes were foreign,foreign pallium. Levit. 5.15. if a ſoule commit a treſpaſſe and ſinne through ignorance, in the Hebrew it is, timgnol magnal, as if a man were blindfolded with a cloke caſt about him, for megnil is a cloke, theſe ſinnes the Apoſtle calleth foreign, errors done of ignorance, Hebr. 9.7.
Agere ex ignorantia ignorantor.But here we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt ſinnes done of ignorance, and ſinnes done ignorantly. This Sacrifice was for ſinnes done of ignorance, but not for ſinnes done ignorantly.difference of ſinnes done of ignorance and ſinnes done ignorantly. Sinnes done of ignorance were thoſe which proceeded meerely of ignorance; but ſinnes done ignorantly, were thoſe ſinnes which were committed ignorantly, but ignorance was not the cauſe of them, as when a man in drunkenneſſe killed a man, he doth it ignorantly, but not of ignorance, becauſe he wilfully was drunken, which drew on his ignorance; here his drunkenneſſe & his ignorance were eſſentially joyned together, but there are other ſinnes which are but accidentally joyned together, as drunkenneſſe, and whoredome, for all that are drunk commit not whoredome, neyther all that commit whoredome are drunke.