Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 1 · Part 34 – Part 35
EXERCITAT. XXXIIII. Of the Jewes Logicall helpes for the underſtanding of the ceremoniall Law.
FRom the excellency of the cauſe, they gathered the excellency of the effect;foreign Bezaleel and Aholiab were extraordinarily gifted to worke all manner of worke in the Tabernacle, Exod. 31.2. and the women who ſpunne the Curtaines of the Tabernacle were wiſe hearted women, Exod. 35.25. Therefore the Tabernacle was a moſt excellent worke.foreign cauſa prima. foreign cauſa cauſarum. The materiall cauſe of the Temple. So the curious Artificers of Tyrus wrought in the Temple, therefore it was an excellent worke, God himſelfe was, Hael hiſibba hariſhona, or Sibboth haſibboth, cauſa cauſarum.
The materiall cauſe of the holieſt of all was gold, the Holy place, the Veſſels of it Gold and Silver; and in the outer Court, the inſtruments ſerving for it were of Braſſe, there were none of the inſtruments which ſerved in the Tabernacle made of iron; the materiall cauſe of the moſt of the Temple was of the Cedar of Libanus, and therefore the Temple is called Lebanon, foreign cauſa materiali….Zach. 11.1. And this they called Sibbah Homerith.
The formall cauſe of the Tabernacle was that which the Lord ſhewed to Moſes in the mount,foreign Cauſa formalis, foreign Cauſa finalis. foreign ab effectis. ſo that of the Temple which was ſhewne to David, and this they called Sibbah Tzurith.
The finall cauſe was, that the Lord might be worſhiped there, and this they called Sibbah Tachlith.
From the effects, this they called Meſubbabh; nothing that fermented might be in a ſacrifice, therefore honey is forbidden in a ſacrifice, becauſe it fermenteth, Exam. 2. that which was uncleane defiled, ſo that which came of an uncleane thing defiled; therefore they gathered, that there could bee no ſilke in the Tabernacle, becauſe it came of an uncleane worme, Byſſus was that fine linnen of Egypt, and not that which wee call ſilke, and Xylinum was the wooll of the tree which we call Cotten, and not ſilke! So they ſay the Elephants tooth or Ivory, none of it was in the Tabernacle, becauſe the Elephant was an uncleane beaſt; yet Solomons throne was made of it.
Subjectum [Noſheh] they ſay that Canaan was more holy than other lands;foreign Subjectum therefore they who dyed out of Canaan, dyed in a polluted land, Amos 7.17. Againe, in Canaan townes were more holy than the reſt of the land; for they put the Lepers out of their Cities, and they buried not their dead in them. Then Ieruſalem was more holy than the walled townes, for they eate the light holy things there, and the ſecond tithe within the wals of it; then the chel or rampire was holier than that, for no Heathen, or he that was defiled by the dead, might enter within that. Then the womens Court holier than that, for none that was waſhed from their uncleanneſſe, might come there before the Sunne ſet, Levit. 15.6. The Court of men holier than that, for none that brought his offering for attonement, though otherwiſe he was not cleane, might come there, Levit. 12.6, 7. and 14.9, 10. The Prieſts Court was holier than that, for no Iſraelite might come there ſave in the time of their neceſſities, for impoſing of hands or for attonement: betwixt the Porch and the Altar was holier than that, for none that were blemiſhed, or bareheaded, might come there. The Temple holier than betwixt the Porch and the Altar, none came there but he that had his hands and his feet waſhen. And the Holieſt of all was more holy than that, for none might enter in there, except the High Prieſt once in the yeare.
foreign Adiunctum.Adjunctum, [Naſhu] Example, Levit. 13. verſe 55. the leproſie amongſt the Iewes was knowne by the colour of the ſcab, if it was blacke, then it was dry, and he was whole; if it was alba-ſubrufa, white, reddiſh, he was to be ſhut up for ſeven dayes. If it was [adamdam] ſubrufa, more tending to red, than he was ſhut up other ſeven dayes; and when it was rufa, very red, then he was ſhut out of the Campe; and the Doctors of the Iewes expreſſe theſe divers colours of the leproſie after this manner; If we ſhall take a cup of milke, and put foure drops of blood in it, then it ſhall be album ſubrufum, foreign ſubrufum.ſomewhat reddiſh, that is, inclining more to white than red; if we ſhall put eight drops of blood in it, it ſhall bee ſubrufum, inclining more to red than white, but if we ſhall put ſixteene into it, than it ſhall be rufum, altogether red. Example 2. Ab adjunctis, Concha, the Laver in the Tabernacle, was vnctum, ſed non ſanctum, it was annoynted, but it was not called holy. The Tabernacle was vnctum & ſanctum, ſed non ſanctificans, it was both annoynted and holy, but it ſanctified not other things. But the Altar was vnctum, ſanctum, & ſanctificans, it was both annoynted, holy, and ſanctified other things that came upon it.
Deciſio à pari, foreign Argumentum vel Decia pari.[Gezarah ſhavah] the Altar was a place of refuge in the Temple; therefore it was the place of refuge in the Wilderneſſe. Exod. 21.14. Example 2. no Mamzer might enter into the Congregation of the Lord; therefore Hybris, that which was begotten of a Goat and an Ewe might not be offered to God in a ſacrifice. Example 3, Take off thy ſhooes, for the place where thou ſtandeſt is holy, Exod. 3.5. Therefore the Prieſts behoved to ſtand barefooted before the Lord.
A ſimili, [Cajotza] as he who waſheth his hands,foreign a ſimili. and keepeth an uncleane thing ſtill in his hand, is ſtill uncleane; ſo he who confeſſeth his ſinnes and keepeth one, is ſtill uncleane. Example 2, as the body without the ſoule, is dead, ſo is the ſacrifice that is offered without devotion.
Deciſio à gravi ad leve, [Gezarah hhomer vemikkal, foreign deciſio a gravi ad leve.] from the more to the leſſe. Example, if the hornes of the Altar did not ſhelter the Highprieſt who had killed a man willingly, farre leſſe did it protect any other man. Example 2. Levit. 4.12. if the aſhes of the red Cow that was burnt, was to be carried forth into a cleane place, much more ſhould the Cow be burnt and carried into a cleane place.
foreign Deciſio a levi ad deficile.Deciſio a levi ad difficile, [Gezarah mikkal vehhomer] from the leſſe to the more. Example, if no blemiſh might be in the ſacrifice, farre leſſe in the Prieſt. Example, if the Badger skinne, which was the outward covering of the Tabernacle, behoved to be of a cleane beaſt, much more the inner Curtaines. Exam. 3. If the Prieſts daughter was to be burnt for whooredome, much more the Prieſts ſonne: if an inferior Prieſts ſonne for fornication, much more the ſonnes of Eli, for adultery; if ſhe for lying with a man at home, much more they for lying with women in the Temple.
foreign diverſum contrarium. foreign Egrediens foras Scortum Meretrix vaga.A contrarijs [Hephech] ſtolne waters are ſweete, Pro. 9.17. therefore they gave her who was ſupected of adultery, bitter waters to drinke, Exam. 2. Habitatio domus dividit ſpolia, that is, the good Woman who keepeth herſelfe at home; therefore, Niphkath bara, egredien iforas, the Chaldee calleth a whore.
foreign A ſigno ad ſignatum, vel dictio relativaA ſigno ad ſignatum [Millah Mitzarepheth] Exam. No ſort of fowles were offered by them to the Lord, but Turtle Doves, and young pigeons; the Turtle Dove had but one mate, and the yong pigeon had none, therefore God will have of his Church her firſt love, and onelyonly love, Exam. 2. Leproſie was a filthy diſeaſe amongſt them, and the Lepers were ſecluded out of the Campe, ſignifying that vile ſinners ſhould be ſecluded out of the Church, and they ſay, that ſome of Ioabs poſterity for the ſhedding of blood were ſtrucken with Leproſie, ſo Vzzia for his ſacriledge ſtrucken with Leproſie. Gehezi for Simony ſtrucken with Leproſie, Miriam for railing ſtrucken with Leproſie. Exam. 3. Levit. 11.2.3.26. Whatſoever divideth the hoofe, and is cloven footed, & cheweth the Cud that ye may eat; there are three properties ſet downe here to know a cleane beaſt, Firſt, to divide the hoofe. Secondly, to divide the hoofe in moe, this is called findere fiſſuram vngularum, the dog divideth the hoofe, but divideth it not in two.foreign eſt dividere in duas partes. foreign eſt dividere in plures partes. Deut. 14.6. he divideth not prefectly, becauſe he divideth not in two, Levit. 11.26. Sheſhang ſhould be tranſlated in two parts, and Paraſh is ſimply to divide.
EXERCITAT. XXXV. How to underſtand the ſignification of the ceremonies of Moſes Law.
THe ſignification of the ceremonies in generall was to diſtinguiſh the cleane from the uncleane, the Iewes from the Gentiles; this application God himſelfe maketh, when hee let downe the ſheete to Peter, Act. 10.
In applying of the ceremonies, we may make an application of thē in generall, but we cannot make a particular application of every one of them. Example, the round footed beaſts repreſent the eſtate of the perfect in glory. They that part the hoofe in two, ſignifie the middle eſtate of the Church, which is a midſt betwixt the Triumphant Church, and the world; and thoſe who part the hoofe in many partitions, doe ſignifie the world;The fault of the Iewes in applying the ceremonies. but here we muſt not make a particular application of every one of theſe; this was the fault of the Iewes, they ſay, the Camell ſignified the Babylonian Empire; the Coney ſignified the Grecian Empire, the Hare the Medes, and the Hogge the Edomites, or the Romanes, as they call them; this was alſo the fault of ſome of the ancient, who ſtudied to make a particular application of every one of theſe ceremonies. Example, ye ſhall eate fiſh with ſinnes, but not Eeles; ye ſhall eate fiſh with ſinnes, their ſinnes ſignified faith and hope, the Eele having no ſinnes ſignified worldlings, who are alwayes grubbling in the earth; but in thoſe we reſt muſt in the generall ſignification.
Ceremonies of the Old Teſtament, are applyed by the Apoſtles in the New Teſtament diverſly,Ceremonies in the old Teſtament are applied in the New three wayes either allegorically, tropologically, or anagogically; they are applyed allegorically, when the thing ſpoken of in the old Teſtament, ſignifieth ſomthing in the new Teſtamēt; they are applyed tropologically; when they are applied to ſignifie our manners, and when they inferre ſome morall duty; and they are applied anagogically, when the thing below here, ſignifieth the eſtate and condition of the life to come.
No allegoricall application to be made from the Old Teſtament to the new, but where the Spirit of God hath made it.We are not to make an all…goricall application of any thing in the old Teſtament to the Church in the new, but where the holy Ghoſt hath made it, Example, Galat. 4.25. Hagar, and Sara in the old Teſtament are applied allegorically to the new coveant, and they are ſaid, foreign, or as the Syriacke hath it, to be at peace together, or agree together: Hagar, her ſonne Iſmael, and the Law, and Ieruſalem below here, and her children are all foreign. Sara againe, the freewoman, her ſonne Iſaac, the new covenant, Ieruſalem which is from above and her children are foreign, but they are foreign, to Hagar and her children.
Pſal. 40.6. Mine eare haſt thou boared, but Heb. 10.5. A bodie haſt thou prepared for me; it is commonly holden, that this is an allegoricall application applied to Chriſt, taken from the boaring of the ſervants eare under the Law; but if it had beene an alluſion to that forme under the Law, why would the Apoſtle then who was moſt skilfull in application of the ceremonies ſet it downe thus; thou haſt prepared a body for me. And David ſaith, Pſal. 40.6. Thou haſt boared mine eares, Whereas the right eare of the ſervant was onelyonly boared.