He is our great high priest, who is perfectly pure and holy, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. He needed not to offer sacrifices for himself, but he offered one for all the people; not the blood of bulls and goats, which could not take away sin, but his own precious blood. The Lord was pleased to lay on him the us He bore away our fransgressions, as the scape goat did the sins of the people, never to be remembered any more. In all sin offerings, which were presented with a proper disposition of mind, the guilt of the offender was consid ered as transferred to the beast, and the beast was put to death in his stead. Thus Christ bore our sins in his own body on the

tree.

iniquities of

call.

Let us be deeply sensible of the evil of our sins, confess them with humble, penitent hearts, while we lay our hands on the head of this great sacrifice. Let us adore the mercy of God in appointing and accepting it, and by faith lay hold on it; rejoicing in these tokens of pardon and acceptance in this new and living way. Especially should we rejoice, that Christ, by his owε blood, is entered within the veil, where he ever lives to make intercession for us. Now we may come boldly to the throne of grace, to seek mercy, and grace to help in every time of need, seeing Jesus Christ the Son of God, is passed into the heavens for us. By the efficacy of his blood are those heavenly places sanctified for us, and our way into them is opened. Let us be daily looking to the Lord Jesus Christ, as gone to appear in the presence of God for us, and as entered there with his own blood: and may that blood be as efficacious to subdue the power of sin in our hearts, as it is to expiate our guilt in the presence of God! Amen.

CHAP. XVII.

God having instituted the great sacrifice, some directions are here. given relating to the slaying of beasts, and what should be done with their blood.

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A

ND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto 2 Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This (is) the thing which the 3 LORD hath commanded, saying, What man soever [there be] of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, for sacrifice, or that killeth [it] out of the camp, 4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD, before the tabernacle of the LORD ; blood shall be imputed unto that man, he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from 5 among his people :* To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer, or were used to offer, in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them (for) peace offerings unto the 6 LORD. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD, [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, demons, or evil spirits,† after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout 8 their generations. And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering 9 or sacrifice of peace offering, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

10

And whatsoever man [there be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood at his own table, which many idolaters did in a very superstitious manner; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among

11 his people. For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood, the life of all living creatures depends upon the blood,is preserved and nourished by it, and extinguished when that is gone; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it (is) the blood (that) maketh an atonement for the soul; I have set it apart for a better use, and therefore it

12 must not be eaten. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood, as idolaters were used to do after they had sacrificed their beasts; hoping thereby to have 13 familiarity with their deities, and revelations from them. And whatsoever man (there be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten, he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust, lest other beasts should lick it up, or men should convert it to idolatrous

14 purposes. For (it is) the life of all flesh; the blood of it [is] for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the

This was probably intended to prevent any idolatrous customs which they might have seen in Egypt or learned from their neighbours.

↑ The original word is Goats; either they imagined that they appeared in that shape, or they were worshipped through that medium, especially in Egypt. Some think all the flesh for common food was to be killed before the tabernacle, to prevent their offering any of it or its blood to idols. If this be the sense, it could only relate to their condition in che swilderness, and would not be a statute for ever.

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life of all flesh [is] the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

And every soul that ignorantly eateth that which died [of itself,] or that which was torn [with beasts, and was not sufficiently bled, whether it be] one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe [himself] in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be 16 clean. But if he wash (them) not, nor bathe his flesh; then shall he bear his iniquity, the punishment of his disobedience.

1. WE

REFLECTIONS.

E hence learn, that whether we eat, or drink, or what ever we do, all should be done to the glory of God. He required that the Israelites should pay some peculiar acknowledgment to him in their daily food; offer him the blood, and perhaps kill the animals intended for food, at his tabernacle; this was designed to show them that, the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; the beasts of the forest are his, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. May this teach us to glorify God in the use of his creatures: to sanctify them with the word and prayer. Let our acknowledgment of God's goodness at our meals be a solemn thing; let the heart be impressed with reverence and gratitude to him, who spreadeth our table and filleth our cup, and giveth us all things richly to enjoy.

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2. Let the regard shown to the blood, or life, of a beast, as an expiation, remind us of the blood of sprinkling, that precious blood of Christ, by which atonement was made for sin: in this ancient constitution there is a reference to this great sacrifice and propitiation. This should be thankfully remembered by us; and while we rejoice in our freedom from these ordinances, let us pay a believing regard to that blood which cleanses from all sin, and by which we obtain eternal redemption.

3. Let us learn to be upon our guard against any violation of the divine laws, especially a presumptuous one. Sins of inadvertency are here taken notice of, as by them some degree of pollution was contracted, and forms of purification were appointed for them. Let us be very regular in observing all divine in stitutions; keep close to divine precepts; and especially be careful that we do not sin with a high hand, not wilfully violate the laws of the gospel, which are all reasonable, just, and good. Let it be our daily prayer, Lord, keep thy servants from presump. tuous sins!

CHAP. XVIII.

In this chapter ceremonial precepts are particularly explained and

2

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enforced.

ND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I [am] the LORD your God, who therefore have authority to command what I please, and whom you are bound absolutely to obey. 3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk A in their ordinances. Ye shall do my judgments and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein : I [am] the LORD your 5 God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do sincerely, he shall live in them, shall have life and prosperity: I [am] the LORD.

6

None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover [their] nakedness; that is, shall not contract 7 marriage with such: I [am] the LORD. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she [is] thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nak8 edness; that is, thou shalt not marry thy own mother. The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover; that is, thou shalt not marry thy mother in law, or step mother: it 9 [is] thy father's nakedness. The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father by another wife, or daughter of thy mother by another husband, [whether she be] born at home, or born abroad, [even) their nakedness thou shalt not 10 uncover. The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, [even] their nakedness thou shalt not 11 uncover: for their's [is] thine own nakedness. The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she [is] thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: 13 she [is] thy father's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not un

cover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: she [is] thy 14 mother's near kinswoman. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his 15 wife: she (is) thine aunt. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she [is] thy son's wife; thou 16 shalt not uncover her nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it (is) thy brother's 17 nakedness. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nak. edness; [for] they [are] her near kinswomen: it [is] wickedness.

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19

Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, one wife to another, to vex (her,) to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life [time.]

Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness, which was to be seven days. This was to be punished with death when wilfully done, (ch. xx. 18.) God having forbidden those crimes to which the Egyptians were addicted, now proceeds 20 to those that were most common among the Canaanites. Moreover, thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her; which was punished with death, (ch. 21 xx. 10.) And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God, not dishonour it by departing from God to serve such an idol, in such an abominable manner: I (am) the LORD. 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] 23 abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it [is] confusion.

24

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you : 25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, I am now about to punish it for these iniqui 26 ties; and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit [any) of these abominations; (neither] any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among 27 you: (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which [were] before you, and the land is defiled ;) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it 29 spued out the nations that (were) before you. For whoso ever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit [them) shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that [ye] commit not [any one] of these abominable customs, which were come mitted before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein : I [am] the LORD your God.