Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Verſ. 2. THis is the ordinance of the law, which] An ordinance, a law, a commanded law: All this, to ſhew the peremptorineſs of the Lord in this point; that unleſs we lay hold upon the blood of Chriſt prefigured by this red heifer, we cannot eſcape the damnation of hell. [That they bring thee] At a common charge; becauſe for a common good. All the Congregation muſt get them a bloody Saviour.
A red heifer] Typing out Chriſtum cruentatum, Chriſt covered with his own blood: See Eſay 63.1, 2. white and ruddy, Cant. 5.as the Church ſayes of him; Tam recens mihi Chriſtus crucifixus, ac ſi jam fudiſſet ſanguinem: Luther.The preſſure of his ſufferings made him ſweat great drops, or rather clods of blood, in a cold night; beſides what afterwards iſſued from his many wounds in his head and body. [Never came yoke] Chriſt never bore the yoke either of ſin or ſervitude. He laid down his life of himſelf, Joh. 10.17, 18. See Heb. 9.13, 14. he was not ſubject to any command of man, Luk. 2.44. Ioh. 2.4.
Verſ. 3. To Eleazar the Prieſt] To aſſure him of the ſucceſſion of the Prieſthood. Beſides, it was fitter he ſhould be defiled, then his Father, verſ. 7. Hereby, alſo, might, haply, be foretold, that the Prieſts ſhould kill Chriſt: but they were but our workmen; we ſhould look upon him whom we have pierced, and mourn over him, Zech, 12.10. that the fountain opened for ſin, and for ſeparation from uncleanneſs, (ſee ver. 9. of this chapter,) may be free to us, the Kings-Bath of Chriſts blood, Zech. 13.1.
without the Camp] Signifying, that Chriſt ſhould be taken from all earthly comforts, and crucified without the gate, Heb. 13.12. [Before his face] So was Chriſt, before Gods face; yea his Father laid upon him with his own hand; and let looſe all the powers of darkneſs at him.
Verſ. 4. Shall take of the blood with his finger] Not with his whole hand. Chriſt's blood muſt be touched, or applyed, with great diſcretion and reverence; our practice alſo muſt be dyed in Chriſts blood,
Verſ. 5. Shall he burn] To ſet forth Chriſts ardent love, and bitter ſufferings. Love it ſelf is a paſſion; and delights to expreſs it ſelf, by ſuffering for the party beloved.
Verſ. 6. Cedar-wood, and hyſſop, and ſcarlet] Hereby was ſignified, that Chriſt howſoever in reſpect of our ſins he was burnt up with the fire of his Fathers wrath; yet by the everlaſting Spirit, whereby he offered up himſelf, without ſpot, to God; and by the gift and graces of it, he was a full ſacrifice of a ſweetſmelling favour to God, to purge offences, Heb. 9.14. Pſal. 51.9.
Verſ. 7. The Prieſt ſhall waſh his clothes] To ſhew the contagion and pollution of ſin, 2 Cor. 7.1. and imperfection of the legal Prieſthood. [unclean untill the Evening] So verſ. 8. and 10. We had need take time till the Evening, to humble our ſouls, and bewail our unworthineſs of the blood of Chriſt.
Verſ. 9. And a man that is clean] Hereby is meant, the Gentile purified by faith, (as One well obſerveth,) the gathering of the aſhes, is the applying of the merits of Chriſt, and laying hold of the myſterìes of his Kingdom. The laying up of the aſhes imports, that the Chriſtian accounts Chriſt's merits his chief treaſure. The clean place, is the clean heart: Without the Camp, notes, that the Gentiles were ſtrangers from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, &c. Theſe aſhes kept for the Congregation, ſhew the fulneſs of Chriſts merits for all his people; when he ſaith, it is to make a water of ſeparation, it notes, that our ſins ſeparate betwixt us and our God. But now in Chriſt Jeſus, we who ſometimes were far off, are made nigh by his blood, Epheſ. 2.13.
Verſ. 10. Shall waſh his clothes] To note, that even the nearer a Chriſtian comes to the merits of Chriſt, the more he is affected with the ſenſe of his own uncleanneſs; yea he retains it till Bven, that is, till death.
Verſ. 11. He that toucheth] To teach them to obſerve Gods cu…ſe in death, and to avoid the ſociety of ſinful men.
Verſ. 17. And running water] Signifying the aſhes of Chriſts merit, and the water of his Spirit. See 1 Cor. 6.11. Ioh. 7.38, 39.
Verſ. 18. Shall take hyſſop] No benefit by Chriſt, without mortification of ſin.