Numbers 19 commentary

The heifer was to be wholly burned. This typified the painful sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and body, as a sacrifice made by fire, to satisfy God's justice for man's sin. These ashes are said to be laid up as a purification for sin, because, though they were only to purify from ceremonial uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin which our Lord Jesus made by his death. The blood of Christ is laid up for us in the word and sacraments, as a fountain of merit, to which by faith we may have constant recourse, for cleansing our consciences.

Why did the law make a corpse a defiling thing? Because death is the wages of sin, which entered into the world by it, and reigns by the power of it. The law could not conquer death, nor abolish it, as the gospel does, by bringing life and immortality to light, and so introducing a better hope. As the ashes of the heifer signified the merit of Christ, so the running water signified the power and grace of the blessed Spirit, who is compared to rivers of living water; and it is by his work that the righteousness of Christ is applied to us for our cleansing. Those who promise themselves benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to the grace and influence of the Holy Spirit, do but deceive themselves; we cannot be purified by the ashes, otherwise than in the running water. What use could there be in these appointments, if they do not refer to the doctrines concerning the sacrifice of Christ? But comparing them with the New Testament, the knowledge to be got from them is evident. The true state of fallen man is shown in these institutions. Here we learn the defiling nature of sin, and are warned to avoid evil communications.

2 This is the ordinance of the law. Because it could not but occur that, whilst the faithful were engaged in the world, they should often contract some pollution by their contact with its many impurities, the composition of the water is here described, by the sprinkling of which they might wash away, and expiate their uncleanness: and then certain kinds of pollution are specified, whereof the purification is required. God commands that a red heifer should be slain, which had never been subjected to the yoke; and that it should be burnt without the camp, together with its skin and dung; that the ashes should be gathered by a man that was clean, and laid up without the camp for the common use of the people. But, in order that the water, which was mixed with these ashes, should have the power of reconciliation, God at the same time commands that the blood should be sprinkled seven times before the altar by the finger of the priest. The object of this ceremony was twofold: for God would awaken the attention of the people to reflect more closely upon their impurity; and, although they might be pure within, still would have them carefully look around them, lest they should be polluted from without; and also taught them that, as often as they were infected by any pollution, expiation was to be sought for from elsewhere, viz., from sacrifice and sprinkling; and thus admonish them that men inquire in vain in themselves for the remedies demanded for their purification, because purity can only proceed from the sanctuary. Those, who speculate subtilty on the details, advance some questionable matters. I leave them, therefore, to the enjoyment of their conceits; let it suffice for us to consider generally what God referred to in this ceremony, and what advantage accrued from it to the people. By the red color, they suppose that sin is signified. Meanwhile, lest they should run into a manifest contradiction, they are obliged absurdly to interpret what follows, that He required a heifer perfect and without blemish, as if it were said that there should be no difference of color in her hair; whereas God demands the same thing as in the other sacrifices, which were rejected as faulty if any mark of deformity existed in them. And in this sense it is added that she should never have borne a yoke. Therefore I make no doubt but that God enjoined that a pure heifer, neither mutilated nor lame, should be chosen; and, that her perfectness might be more apparent, as yet unbroken to the yoke. What, then, is the meaning of the red color? First of all, I prefer confessing my ignorance to advancing anything doubtful; but it may be conjectured that a common and ordinary color was rather chosen, lest it should be too conspicuous, as it would have been, if either white or black. But this should be deemed sure, that a perfect heifer, and one free from every blemish, was to be offered, and one too, which had not been broken to bear the yoke by the hands of men, that the purification might have nothing of humanity about it.: But the command to offer her was given to the whole people; because, in order that we may be partakers of ablution, it is necessary that each of us should offer Christ to the Father. For, although He only, and that but once, has offered Himself, still a daily offering of Him, which is effected by faith and prayers, is enjoined to us, not such as See the dogmatical statement of this notion in the Creed of Pius iv.

Art: V. — “I profess, likewise, that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead; and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there are truly, really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ,” etc. the Papists have invented, by whom in their impiety and perverseness, the Lord’s Supper has been mistakenly turned into a sacrifice, because they imagined that Christ must be daily slain, in order that His death might profit us. The offering, however, of faith and prayers, of which I speak, is very different, and by it alone we apply to ourselves the virtue and fruit of Christ’s death.

3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar. A clear distinction is here made between two offerings; for the people are not permitted to kill the heifer, but this is the peculiar office of the priest. Thus the people offered vicariously by the hand of the priest; and in this way also at present, although we set Christ before God’s face in order to propitiate Him, still it is necessary that Christ Himself should interpose, and exercise the office of a priest. Again, the heifer was to be taken outside the camp, as a sign that it was accursed, since it was an atonement. On which account, too, the atoning victims, whose blood was carried into the Holy of Holies, were burnt without the camp; the truth of which figure was accomplished in Christ, who therefore suffered outside the gates of the city, as the Apostle testifies. (Hebrews 13:11-12.) But, because this was a species of rejection, lest the heifer should be less accounted of, or lest the Israelites should think her polluted by the curse, God shews that her blood was sacred and of a sweet savor, by commanding that it should be sprinkled seven times upon the altar, which might not be profaned by anything unclean. The same thing is most clearly seen in Christ; for although He was made a curse for us, and is called “sin,” because by bearing our accursed sins upon the cross, He was our atoning victim, yet nothing was thereby taken from His purity, so as to prevent His holiness from being the sanctification of the whole world. For He offered Himself through the Spirit, and by His own blood entered into the holy place, and His death is elsewhere called by Paul, “a sacrifice for a sweet-smelling savor.” (Hebrews 9:11-12; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18).

6 And the priest shall take cedar-wood. That the sprinkling of the blood might be conjoined with that of the water, the cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, thread, with which the sprinkling was wont to be made, were cast into the fire; for, unless the Israelites had been admonished by this visible sign, they would not have so clearly known that they were not only washed with the water, but that by the offering of the sacrifice also their uncleanness was removed. But it was not enough that the blood should be poured forth, unless, as has been already seen, they were purified by its aspersion. But, for as much as the scent of cedar-wood is precious, and in hyssop there is a cleansing property, we gather from hence also that the victim was pure, although it bore their sins together with the curse and expiation. Peter teaches us how we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, viz., through the Spirit, (1 Peter 1:2;) nay, John shews us in his Canonical Epistle, that we find all the parts of this ceremony in Christ, where he writes that Christ “came by water and blood,” and “it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” (1 John 5:6.)

7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes. At first sight there seems to be a discrepancy in the facts, that the heifer was sacred to God, and pure, and still that the priest was polluted by touching it; yet they accord very well with each other. But that both the priest as well as the minister who made the burning, were unclean until the evening, ought to have forcibly struck the people, and taught them the more to abominate sin. And, since it was not permitted to any but a man that was clean to gather the ashes, not that they should be laid anywhere but in a clean place, it was manifested by this sign that there was no impurity in the sacrifice itself, but that from an extraneous and adventitious pollution; because it was destined to purge away uncleanness, it was accounted in a certain sense unclean. Whence too the water, into which the ashes were thrown, was called the water of separation, as well as the expiation “Nam expiatio est.” — Lat, v. 9. “It is a purification for sin.” — A.V. For this translation which I have given is the right one; and others improperly render it “for waters of separation, and for expiation.” The old interpreter has not given the sense amiss, as far as regards this word, “because the heifer is burnt for sin.” But since in Hebrew the word,חטאה chateah למי נדה חטאת הוא ́̔Υδωρ ῥαντισμᾶ ἅγνισμά ἐστι· — LXX. In aqua aspersionis; quia pro peccato vacca combusta est. — V. This last is what C. means by “the old interpreter.” The translation which he condemns he had seen in S.M. — W. means not only wickedness or sin, but also the sacrifice on which the curse is imposed; what Moses intended to convey is better expressed by the word “expiation.” But the expression “separation” has reference to the men, whose personal uncleanness excluded them from the holy congregation. But the question arises, why this ordinance is pronounced to be common to the strangers who sojourned in the land of Israel, as well as to the natives; because it was by no means reasonable that the uncircumcised should be purified. The reply is easy, that such strangers are not adverted to as were altogether aliens from the people, but those who, although born of heathen parentage, had embraced the Law. These God equalizes with the children of Abraham in the sacrifices and other religious services; for if their condition were different, the-church, into the body of which they were ingrafted, would be rent asunder.

11. He that toucheth the dead body. He now recites certain forms of pollution in which the washing was necessary; all of them, however, come to the point, that men are defiled by the touch of a corpse or, bones, or a grave. Nor is there here any distinction between the body of a person who is slain, or of one who has died in bed; whence it follows that death is here set forth as a mirror of God’s curse: And assuredly, if we consider its origin and cause, the corruption of nature, whereby the image of God is defaced, presents itself in every, dead man; for, unless we were altogether corrupt, we should not be born to perish But God also taught His people by another mode of signifying it, that uncleanness is contracted by our communication with the unfruitful works of darkness. For the Apostle (Hebrews 6:1) calls them “dead works,” either from their consequences, or because, as faith is the life of the soul, so unbelief keeps it in death. Since, then, the corpse the bones, the grave, designate whatever we bring from the womb, because, until we are born again, and God quickens us by His Spirit and faith, we are dead while we live; there is no question but that the children of Israel were reminded, that in order to keep themselves pure before God, they must abstain from all corruption; inasmuch as, if they were rendered unclean by their contact with a dead man, they must immediately have recourse to ablution. In fine, the ceremony had no other object than that they should serve God in pureness from the sins of the flesh; and exercise themselves in constant thoughts of repentance, whilst, if they fell from their purity, they should labor to obtain reconciliation with God, by means of sacrifice and ablution.

13. Whosoever toucheth the dead body. The severity of. the capital punishment shews how very pleasing to God is purity. If any one bad forgotten to sprinkle himself on the third or the seventh day, he might redeem his negligence by a prolongation of the term, because he only postponed his purification to another day; but it was a capital crime to enter the sanctuary in his uncleanness, since thus holy and profane things would be mixed together, nay, the altar would have been polluted as well as the whole service of God. But indeed the act of touching a dead body was of slight importance, nor was it to be deemed an atrocious crime; but here the external defilement is not regarded in itself, as if God were wroth on account of a stain contracted by the performance of a pious duty. “Pour ensevelir son pere;” by burying his father — Fr. Rather must the object of the ceremony be considered, for God designed by these rudiments to teach the Israelites, like children, that if any one should pollute sacred things by his impurity, he would by no means be tolerated in this audacity. In this then consisted the religious import of the transaction, that the worship of God was too precious for the Israelites to be permitted to contaminate it with impunity. Whence we gather that the punishment was denounced as against sacrilege. In sum, it comes to this, that God is not duly worshipped except with a sincere heart and pure hands; and that if any pollution be contracted, there is need of expiation before a free access is re-opened to holy things. But it must be remarked as to the contact, that it was accounted the same thing, whether the corpse lay in a field or a house; whilst, if any one died in a tent, men were polluted by merely entering it, and likewise vessels without covers thus became unclean.

22. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth. Others translate it, — “Whosoever toucheth an unclean thing shall be unclean.” for, since the Hebrew is without a neuter gender, S.M. had used the words cited by C. “Quicunque tetigerit immundum;” but C. appears to have overlooked his note upon this clause, viz., “Hoc est, qui tetigerit hominem, qui super mortuo est immundus;” or else he would have seen that immundum was not meant for a neuter. — W. the relative אשר, asher, and the noun הטמא, hattame, may be either masculine or neuter; and either sense would not be unsuitable; except that we gather from the second clause, that reference is rather made here to the contagion with which unclean persons infect either men or garments, or other articles. For those who had touched a dead body, or bones, or a grave, were not only unclean until the evening, but for seven entire days. But it appears that this was added in conclusion, lest the Jews should murmur at the severity of the punishment, as if God would inflict the penalty of death for a trifling sin. In this way, then, Moses shews how great is the guilt incurred by those who, being unclean, intrude into the sanctuary; because, as far as in them lies, they pollute the holiness of God, and not without intolerable impertinence. Hence appears to be taken the reproof of the Prophet, when he reproaches the Jews with having done nothing but defile the worship of God with their sacrifices; for he proposes this question to the priests, — “If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?” After they have replied in the negative, he asks again, “If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?” and they answer, “It shall be unclean.” Whence the Prophet infers:

"So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord, and so is the work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.” (Haggai 2:12-14.)

This passage shews us the legitimate use of the ceremony, that corrupt and perverse worshippers “Ceux qui servent a Dieu sans droite affection, and par hypocrisie;” those who serve God without right affections, and in hypocrisy. — Fr. bring disgrace rather than honor on God, whilst they mix up His holy name with their profanations.

Another Supplement as to keeping themselves clean by the concealment of their impurities Added from Fr., “Autre dependence de se tenir nettement en cachant ses pouretez."

Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23:9-14

9. When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

9. Quum egressus fueris in exercitu contra hostes tuos, cave ab omni re mala.

10. If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

10. Si fuerit in te quispiam non of mundus casu nocturno, egredietur extra castra, nec ingredietur in medium castrorum

11. But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

11. quum autem aspexerit vesperum, lavabit se aqua: et quum occubuerit sol, ingredietur castra.

12. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

12. Locus etiam erit tibi extra castra, egredierisque illuc foras.

13. And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

13. Paxillus item erit tibi inter vasa tua, et quando desidebis extra, fodies ipso, et conversus operies excrementa tua.

14. For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

14. Jehova enim Deus ambulat per medium castrorum tuorum, ut eripiat te, et tradat inimicos tuos coram te. Sit igitur in castris tuis sanctitas, ne videat in te turpitudinem aliquam, et avertatur abs te.

CHAPTER 19

Nu 19:1-22. The Water of Separation.

2. This is the ordinance of the law--an institution of a peculiar nature ordained by law for the purification of sin, and provided at the public expense because it was for the good of the whole community.

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, &c.--This is the only case in which the color of the victim is specified. It has been supposed the ordinance was designed in opposition to the superstitious notions of the Egyptians. That people never offered a vow but they sacrificed a red bull, the greatest care being taken by their priests in examining whether it possessed the requisite characteristics, and it was an annual offering to Typhon, their evil being. By the choice, both of the sex and the color, provision was made for eradicating from the minds of the Israelites a favorite Egyptian superstition regarding two objects of their animal worship.

3-6. ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest that he may bring her forth without the camp--He was the second or deputy high priest, and he was selected for this duty because the execution of it entailed temporary defilement, from which the acting high priest was to be preserved with the greatest care. It was led "forth without the camp," in accordance with the law regarding victims laden with the sins of the people, and thus typical of Christ (He 13:12; also Le 24:14). The priest was to sprinkle the blood "seven times" before--literally, "towards" or "near" the tabernacle, a description which seems to imply either that he carried a portion of the blood in a basin to the door of the tabernacle (Le 4:17), or that in the act of sprinkling he turned his face towards the sacred edifice, being disqualified through the defiling influence of this operation from approaching close to it. By this attitude he indicated that he was presenting an expiatory sacrifice, for the acceptance of which he hoped, in the grace of God, by looking to the mercy seat. Every part of it was consumed by fire except the blood used in sprinkling, and the ingredients mixed with the ashes were the same as those employed in the sprinkling of lepers (Le 14:4-7). It was a water of separation--that is, of "sanctification" for the people of Israel.

7. the priest shall be unclean until the even--The ceremonies prescribed show the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, while they typify the condition of Christ when expiating our sins (2Co 5:21).

11-22. He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean--This law is noticed here to show the uses to which the water of separation [Nu 19:9] was applied. The case of a death is one; and as in every family which sustained a bereavement the members of the household became defiled, so in an immense population, where instances of mortality and other cases of uncleanness would be daily occurring, the water of separation must have been in constant requisition. To afford the necessary supply of the cleansing mixture, the Jewish writers say that a red heifer was sacrificed every year, and that the ashes, mingled with the sprinkling ingredients, were distributed through all the cities and towns of Israel.

Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee, etc. - The ordinance of the red heifer was a sacrifice of general application. All the people were to have an interest in it, and therefore the people at large are to provide the sacrifice. This Jewish rite certainly had a reference to things done under the Gospel, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has remarked: "For if," says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, probably, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!" Heb 9:13, Heb 9:14. As the principal stress of the allusion here is to the ordinance of the red heifer, we may certainly conclude that it was designed to typify the sacrifice of our blessed Lord.

We may remark several curious particulars in this ordinance.

1. A heifer was appointed for a sacrifice, probably, in opposition to the Egyptian superstition which held these sacred, and actually worshipped their great goddess Isis under this form; and this appears the more likely because males in general were preferred for sacrifice, yet here the female is chosen.

2. It was to be a red heifer, because red bulls were sacrificed to appease the evil demon Typhon, worshipped among the Egyptians. See Spencer.

3. The heifer was to be without spot - having no mixture of any other color. Plutarch remarks, De Iside et de Osiride, that if there was a single hair in the animal either white or black, it marred the sacrifice. See Calmet, and see the note on Num 8:7.

4. Without blemish - having no kind of imperfection in her body; the other, probably, applying to the hair or color.

5. On which never came yoke, because any animal which had been used for any common purpose was deemed improper to be offered in sacrifice to God. The heathens, who appear to have borrowed much from the Hebrews, were very scrupulous in this particular. Neither the Greeks nor Romans, nor indeed the Egyptians, would offer an animal in sacrifice that had been employed for agricultural purposes. Of this we have the most positive evidence from Homer, Porphyry, Virgil, and Macrobius.

Just such a sacrifice as that prescribed here, does Diomede vow to offer to Pallas - Iliad, lib. x., ver. 291. Ὡς νυν μοι εθελουσα παριστασο, και με φυλασσε· Σοι δ' αυ εγω ῥεξω βουν ηνιν ευρυμετωπον, Αδμητην, ἡν ουπω ὑπο ζυγον ηγαγεν ανηρ· Την τοι εγω ῥεξω, χρυσον κερασιν περιχευας. "So now be present, O celestial maid;

So still continue to the race thine aid;

A yearling heifer falls beneath the stroke,

Untamed, unconscious of the galling yoke,

With ample forehead and with spreading horns,

Whose tapering tops refulgent gold adorns."

Altered from Pope.

In the very same words Nestor, Odyss., lib. iii., ver. 382, promises a similar sacrifice to Pallas.

The Romans had the same religion with the Greeks, and consequently the same kind of sacrifices; so Virgil, Georg. iv., ver. 550.

Quatuor eximios praestanti corpore tauros

Ducit, et intacta totidem cervice juveneas. " - From his herd he culls

For slaughter four the fairest of his bulls;

Four heifers from his female stock he took,

All fair, and all unknowing of the yoke."

Dryden.

It is very likely that the Gentiles learnt their first sacrificial rites from the patriarchs; and on this account we need not wonder to find so many coincidences in the sacrificial system of the patriarchs and Jews, and all the neighboring nations.

For a water of separation - That is, the ashes were to be kept, in order to be mixed with water, Num 19:17, and sprinkled on those who had contracted any legal defilement.

He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days - How low does this lay man! He who touched a dead beast was only unclean for one day, Lev 11:24, Lev 11:27, Lev 11:39; but he who touches a dead man is unclean for seven days. This was certainly designed to mark the peculiar impurity of man, and to show his sinfulness - seven times worse than the vilest animal! O thou son of the morning, how art thou fallen!

He shall purify himself with it - יתחטא בו yithchatta bo, literally, he shall sin himself with it. This Hebrew form of speech is common enough among us in other matters. Thus to fleece, to bark, and to skin, do not signify to add a fleece, another bark, or a skin, but to take one away; therefore, to sin himself, in the Hebrew idiom, is not to add sin, but to take it away, to purify. The verb חטא chata signifies to miss the mark, to sin, to purify from sin, and to make a sin-offering. See the note on Gen 13:13.

The Hebrews generally sacrificed males, no matter of what color; but here a heifer, and a heifer of a red color, is ordered. The reason of these circumstances is not very well known. "The rabbins, with all their boldness," says Calmet, "who stick at nothing when it is necessary to explain what they do not understand, declare that the cause of this law is entirely unknown; and that Solomon, with all his wisdom, could not find it out."

Several fathers, as well modern as ancient, profess to understand the whole clearly.

1. The red heifer with them signifies the flesh of our Lord, formed out of an earthly substance.

2. Being without spot, etc., the infinite holiness of Christ.

3. The sex of the animal, the infirmity of our flesh, with which he clothed himself.

4. The red color, his passion.

5. Being unyoked, his being righteous in all his conduct, and never under the yoke of sin.

6. Eleazar's sacrificing the heifer instead of Aaron, Gen 13:3, signifies the change of the priesthood from the family of Aaron, in order that a new and more perfect priesthood might take place.

7. The red heifer being taken without the camp (Gen 13:3) to be slain, points out the crucifixion of our Lord without the city.

8. The complete consuming of the heifer by fire, the complete offering of the whole body and soul of Christ as a sacrifice to God for the sin of man: for as the heifer was without blemish, the whole might be offered to God; and as Christ was immaculate, his whole body and soul were made a sacrifice for sin.

9. As the fire of this sacrifice ascended up to God, so it points out the resurrection and ascension of our blessed Lord.

10. And as the ashes of this victim communicated a legal purity to those who were defiled, so true repentance, signified by those ashes, is necessary for the expiation of the offenses committed after baptism.

A great part of this is true in itself; but how little evidence is there that all these things were intended in the ordinance of the red heifer? See on Num 8:7 (note).

Red - A fit colour to shadow forth the bloody nature of sin, and the blood of Christ, from which this water and all other rites had their purifying virtue. No blemish - A fit type of Christ. Upon which never came yoke - Whereby may be signified, either that Christ in himself was free from all the yoke or obligation of God's command, till for our sakes he put himself under the law; or that Christ was not forced to undertake our burden and cross, but did voluntarily chuse it. He was bound and held with no other cords but those of his own love.

Eleazar - Who was the second priest, and in some cases, the deputy of the high - priest. To him, not to Aaron, because this service made him unclean for a season, and consequently unfit for holy ministrations, whereas the high - priest was, as far as possibly he could, to be preserved from all sorts of defilement, fit for his high and holy work. Without the camp - Partly because it was reputed an unclean and accursed thing, being laden with the sins of all the people; and partly to signify that Christ should suffer without the camp, in the place where malefactors suffered.

Before the tabernacle - Or, towards the tabernacle, standing at a good distance from it, even without the camp, yet turning and looking towards it. For here is no intimation that he went into the camp before this work was done, but rather the contrary is implied, Nu 19:7. And because being defiled by this work he could not come near the tabernacle, it was sufficient for him to turn and look towards it. This signified his presenting this blood before the Lord by way of atonement for his and the people's sins, and his expectation of acceptance and pardon only from God, and from his mercy - seat in the tabernacle. And this typified the satisfaction that was made to God, by the death of Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, and did as it were sprinkle his own blood before the sanctuary, when he said, Into thy hands I commend my spirit!

Burn the heifer - To signify the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins. Her blood - All of it, but what was spent in sprinkling.

Cedar - wood, hyssop, scarlet - All which are here burnt, and as it were offered to God, that they might be sanctified to this holy use for the future; for of these kinds of things was the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled, Lev 14:4.

Shall be unclean - Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, in which the priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work, and partly to shew that Christ himself, though he had no sin of his own, yet was reputed by men, and judged by God, as a sinful person, by reason of our sins which were laid upon him.

For a water - Or, to the water, that is, to be put to the water, or mixed with it. Of separation - Appointed for the cleansing of them that are in a state of separation, who for their uncleanness are separated from the congregation. It is a purification for sin - Heb. a sin, that is, an offering for sin, or rather a mean for expiation or cleansing of sin. And this was a type of that purification for sin, which our Lord Jesus made by his death.

The stranger - A proselyte.

With it - With the water of separation. On the third day - To typify Christ's resurrection on that day by which we are cleansed or sanctified.

Whosoever toucheth - If this transgression be done presumptuously; for if it was done ignorantly, he was only to offer sacrifice. Defiled - By approaching to it in his uncleanness: for holy things or places were ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing. Is upon him - He continues in his guilt, not now to be washed away by this water, but to be punished by cutting off.

With a sword - Or by any other violent way.

Running water - Waters flowing from a spring or river, which are the purest. These manifestly signify God's spirit, which is oft compared to water, and by which alone true purification is obtained. Those who promise themselves benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to the influence of his spirit, do but deceive themselves; for they cannot be purified by the ashes, otherwise than in the running water.

That shall not purify himself - Shall contemptuously refuse to submit to this way of purification.

Shall wash his clothes - Because he is unclean. It is strange, that the same water should cleanse one person, and defile another. But God would have it so, to teach us that it did not cleanse by any virtue in itself, or in the work done, but only by virtue of God's appointment: to mind the laws of the imperfection of their priesthood, and their ritual purifications and expiations, and consequently of the necessity of a better priest and sacrifice and way of purifying; and to shew that the efficacy of God's ordinances doth not depend upon the person or quality of his ministers, because the same person who, was polluted himself could and did cleanse others. He that toucheth the water - Either by sprinkling of it, or by being sprinkled with it; for even he that was cleansed by it, was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled, but only at the even of that day.

The unclean person - Not he who is so only by touching the water of separation, Nu 19:21, but he who is so by the greater sort of uncleanness, which lasted seven days, and which was not removed without the use of this water of purification.

2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish ▪ and upon which never came yoke .

Or, The constitution of the Law, i. e. that which God hath ordained or established by Law.

At their common charge, because it was for the common good.

A fit colour to shadow forth both the bloody nature and complexion of sin, Isa. 1. 8. and the humane nature, and especially the Blood of Christ, from which this water and all other Rites had their purifying vertue.

A fit Type of Christ, who was such, Heb. 7. 26. 1 P[illegible: 1+ letters]t. 1. 19.

Whereby may be signified either that Christ in himself was free from all the yoke or obligation of Gods Command, till for our sakes he took up our yoke, and put himself under the Law; or that Christ was not drawn or forced to undertake our burden and cross, but that he did voluntarily chuse it. See Iohn 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 17, 18.

3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest , that he may bring her forth without the camp , and one shall slay her before his face.

Who was the second Priest, and, in some cases, the Vicegerent or Deputy of the High-priest. To him, not to [illegible: 1 word], because this service made him unclean for a season, v[illegible: 1+ letters]r. 7. and consequently unfit for [illegible: 1 word] Ministrations, whereas the Highpriest was, as far as [illegible: 1 word] he could to be preserved from all sorts of defilement, and constantly fit for his high and holy work.

Partly because it was rep[illegible: 1+ letters]ted an unclean and accursed thing, being ceremoniously laden with the sins of all the people, and partly to signifie that Christ should suffer without the Camp, as he did, Heb. 13. 12. in the place where malefactours suffered, Levit. 24. 14

A person appointed by Eleazar for this work.

Marginal references: Heb. 13. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].

4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his singer, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times.

Or, Towards or over against the Tabernacle. either 1. Near to it, and so we must suppose that he took some of the blood in a basin and carried it from without the camp to the Tabernacle, and then returned to this place again: Which might be done though it be not here expressed. And this seems to agree best with other places, where this sprinkling seven times was performed in or near the Tabernacle, as Lev. 4. 17. Or 2. Standing at a good distance from it, even without the camp, yet turning and looking towards it. For here is no intimation that he went into the camp before this work was done, but rather the contrary is implyed, ver. 7. And because being defiled by this work he could not come near to the Tabernacle, it was sufficient for him to turn and look towards it. Either way this posture signified his presenting of this blood before the Lord by way of atonement and satisfaction for his and the peoples sins, and his expectation [illegible: 1 word] acceptance and pardon onely from God and from his mercy-seat in the Tabernacle.

Marginal references: Heb. 9. 13.

5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight: her skin, and her flesh, and her blood , with her dung, shall he burn.

To signifie the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins.

All of it, but what was spent in sprinkling.

Marginal references: Exod. 29. 14. Lev. 4. 11, 12.

7 And the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet , and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

All which are here burnt and as it were offered to God, that they might be sanctified to this holy use for the future, for of these kinds of things was the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled, Levit. 14. 4.

7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even .

Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical Priesthood, in which the Priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work, and the absolute necessity of a better and hosier Priesthood; and partly to shew that Christ himself, though he had no sin of his own, yet was reputed by men and iudged by God, as an unclean and sinful person, by reason of our sins which were laid upon him, [illegible: 1 word]. 53. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 21.

9 And a man that is clean, shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel , for a water of separation : it is a purification for sin .

(i. e.) For their use, and therefore in a fit place or places, whence any of them might easily procure it.

Or, To the water, i. e. to be put to the water, or mixed with it.

i. e. Appointed for the cleansing of them that are in a state of separation, who for their uncleanness are separated from the congregation.

Either the Heifer this managed, or the water thus made and sprinkled.

Heb. A sin. i. e. a kind of an offering for sin, or rather a mean for the expiation or cleansing of sin. The name of sin is sometimes given to the punishment of sin, and sometimes to sacrifice or offering for sin.

Marginal references: Heb. 9. 13.

10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer, shall wash his clothes, and be unclean untill the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them for a statute for ever.

To wit, a Proselyte, not any stranger, as some understand it. For since it is confessed all the other ceremonial Laws do not oblige them, and that where the name of stranger is put as here it is, it generally speaks of a Proselyte, it is more reasonable to take it so here, than without any reason or evidence to make this a particular exception from the general rule.

11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man, shall be unclean seven dayes .

Whereas the touch of a dead beast made a man unclean onely till even, Levit. 11. 24.

Marginal references: Lev. 21. 1. chap. 5. 2. Lam. 4. 14. Hag. 2. 13.; Heb. soul.

12 He shall purifie himself with it on the third day , and on the seventh day he shall be clean : but if he purifie not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean .

(i. e.) With the water of separation.

To Typifie Christs resurrection on that day, by which we are cleansed or sanctified.

To teach us, that our purification in this life is gradual, and not perfect till we come to that eternal Sabbath which the seventh day respected.

But was first to purifie himself and four dayes after that to be clean.

Marginal references: chap. 31. 19.

13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself , defileth the tabernacle of the LORD , and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him: he shall be unclean, his uncleanness is yet upon him .

To wit, if this transgression be done presumptuously, for if it was done ignorantly, he was onely to offer sacrifice, Levit. 5. 3, 6, 17.

To wit, if this transgression be done presumptuously, for if it was done ignorantly, he was onely to offer sacrifice, Levit. 5. 3, 6, 17.

By approaching to it in his uncleanness: for Holy things or places were ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing. See Levit. 15. 31. and 16. 16. Hagg. 2. 13.

He continues in his guilt and filth, not now to be washed away by this water, but to be punished by cutting off.

15 And every open vessel , which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.

Because it receives the air of the tent, by which it is ceremonially polluted. Compare Levit. 11. 32, 33.

Marginal references: chap. 31. 20.

16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven dayes.

Or by any other violent way.

17 And for an unclean person, they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel .

(i. e.) Waters flowing from a spring or River, which are the purest. These manifestly signifie Gods Spirit, which is oft compared to water, Ioh. 7. 38, 39. and by which alone true purification is obtained.

Where they were to be mixed, and then the water was to be strained out and kept for this use.

Marginal references: Heb. dust.; Heb. the burning.; Heb. living water shall be given.

18 And a clean person shall take hysop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels , and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave.

To wit, a Priest; for to such the work of cleansing was appropriated. See Levit. 13.

Even those who were in part purified by the fire. See Numb. 31. 23.

20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purifie himself , that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation: because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD, the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him, he is unclean.

(i. e.) Shall contemptuously refuse to submit to this way of purification.

21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes : and he that toucheth the water of separation , shall be unclean until even.

Because he is unclean, as it here follows. It is strange, that the same water should cleanse one person, and defile another, but God would have it so, partly to teach us that it did not cleanse by any vertue in it or in the work done, but onely by vertue of Gods appointment: partly to mind the Jews of the imperfection of their Priesthood and their ritual purifications and expiations, and consequently of the necessity of a better Priest and sacrifice and way of purifying, which these outward Rites did point at: and partly to shew that the efficacy of Gods ordinances doth not depend upon the person or quality of his Ministers, because the same person who was polluted himself could and did cleanse others.

Either by sprinkling of it, or by being sprinkled with it, for even he that was cleansed by it, was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled, but onely at the even of that day, as is said here and above, ver. 19.

22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth, shall be unclean: and the soul that toucheth it, shall be unclean until even .

Not he who is so onely by touching the water of separation, ver. 21. but he who is so by the greater sort of uncleanness, which lasted seven days, of which ver. 11, 16. and which was not removed without the use of this water of purification, as is manifest from the context and other places of Scripture, and from the nature of the thing: For the lesser sort of uncleanness, mentioned in the foregoing verse, lasted onely till even, and was cleansed by the sole washing of his clothes and flesh in water, ver. 7. without any use of this water of purification, which, if it had been necessary, must have been used on the third, and on the seventh day, according to the rule, ver. 12, 19. and so the uncleanness of one day had been made an uncleanness of seven days, which is a contradiction. Besides it is unreasonable, that he who immediately touched the defiling thing should be no more and longer unclean, than he who touched that person onely; and it is contrary to other rules in like cases, as Levit. 15. where the Man or Woman having an issue are thereby made unclean for seven days, ver. 13, 28. but he who toucheth them is made unclean onely till even, ver. 7, 27. And therefore this cannot be meant of him who was unclean by touching this water, who himself was unclean onely till even, ver. 21. as also he who toucheth him is in this place.

To signifie to us, the very infectious nature of sin and of sinfull company.

Because as his defilement was less, so it was fit the duration of it should be shorter.

Num 19:1

In order that a consciousness of the continuance of the covenant relation might be kept alive during the dying out of the race that had fallen under the judgment of God, after the severe stroke with which the Lord had visited the whole nation in consequence of the rebellion of the company of Korah, He gave the law concerning purification from the uncleanness of death, in which first of all the preparation of a sprinkling water is commanded for the removal of this uncleanness (Num 19:1-10); and then, secondly, the use of this purifying water enjoined as an eternal statute (Num 19:10-22). The thought that death, and the putrefaction of death, as being the embodiment of sin, defiled and excluded from fellowship with the holy God, was a view of the fall and its consequences which had been handed down from the primeval age, and which was not only shared by the Israelites with many of the nations of antiquity,Vid., Bähr,Symbolik, ii. pp. 466ff.; Sommer, bibl. Abhdll. pp. 271ff.; Knobel on this chapter, and Leyrer in Herzog's Cyclopaedia. but presupposed by the laws given on Sinai as a truth well known in Israel; and at the same time confirmed, both in the prohibition of the priests from defiling themselves with the dead, except in the case of their nearest blood-relations (Lev 21:1-6, Lev 21:10-12), and in the command, that every one who was defiled by a corpse should be removed out of the camp (Num 5:2-4). Now, so long as the mortality within the congregation did not exceed the natural limits, the traditional modes of purification would be quite sufficient. But when it prevailed to a hitherto unheard-of extent, in consequence of the sentence pronounced by God, the defilements would necessarily be so crowded together, that the whole congregation would be in danger of being infected with the defilement of death, and of forfeiting its vocation to be the holy nation of Jehovah, unless God provided it with the means of cleansing itself from this uncleanness, without losing the fellowship of His covenant of grace. The law which follows furnished the means. In Num 19:2 this law is called התּורה חקּת, a “statute of instruction,” or law-statute. This combination of the two words commonly used for law and statute, which is only met with again in Num 31:21, and there, as here, in connection with a rule relating to purification from the uncleanness of death, is probably intended to give emphasis to the design of the law about to be given, to point it out as one of great importance, but not as decretum absque ulla ratione, a decree without any reason, as the Rabbins suppose.

Num 19:2-10

Preparation of the Purifying Water. - As water is the ordinary means by which all kinds of uncleanness are removed, it was also to be employed in the removal of the uncleanness of death. But as this uncleanness was the strongest of all religious defilements, fresh water alone was not sufficient to remove it; and consequently a certain kind of sprinkling-water was appointed, which was strengthened by the ashes of a sin-offering, and thus formed into a holy alkali. The main point in the law which follows, therefore, was the preparation of the ashes, and these had to be obtained by the sacrifice of a red heifer.On this sacrifice, which is so rich in symbolical allusions, but the details of which are so difficult to explain, compare the rabbinical statutes in the talmudical tractate Para (Mishnah, v. Surenh. vi. pp. 269ff.); Maimonides de vacca rufa; and Lundius jüd. Heiligth. pp. 680ff. Among modern treatises on this subject, are Bähr’s Symbolik, ii. pp. 493ff.; Hengstenberg, Egypt and the Books of Moses, pp. 173ff.; Leyrer in Herzog’s Cycl.; Kurtz in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken, 1846, pp. 629ff. (also Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament, pp. 422ff., Eng. transl., Tr.); and my Archäologie, i. p. 58. Num 19:2

The sons of Israel were to bring to Moses a red heifer, entirely without blemish, and to give it to Eleazar the priest, that he might have it slaughtered in his presence outside the camp. פּרה is not a cow generally, but a young cow, a heifer, הב́לבכיע (lxx), juvenca, between the calf and the full-grown cow. אדמּה, of a red colour, is not to be connected with תמימה in the sense of “quite red,” as the Rabbins interpret it; but תמימה, integra, is to be taken by itself, and the words which follow, “wherein is no blemish,” to be regarded as defining it still more precisely (see Lev 22:19-20). The slaying of this heifer is called חטּאת, a sin-offering, in Num 19:9 and Num 19:17. To remind the congregation that death was the wages of sin, the antidote to the defilement of death was to be taken from a sin-offering. But as the object was not to remove and wipe away sin as such, but simply to cleanse the congregation from the uncleanness which proceeded from death, the curse of sin, it was necessary that the sin-offering should be modified in a peculiar manner to accord with this special design. The sacrificial animal was not to be a bullock, as in the case of the ordinary sin-offerings of the congregation (Lev 4:14), but a female, because the female sex is the bearer of life (Gen 3:20), a פּרה, i.e., lit., the fruit-bringing; and of a red colour, not because the blood-red colour points to sin (as Hengstenberg follows the Rabbins and earlier theologians in supposing), but as the colour of the most “intensive life,” which has its seat in the blood, and shows itself in the red colour of the face (the cheeks and lips); and one “upon which no yoke had ever come,” i.e., whose vital energy had not yet been crippled by labour under the yoke. Lastly, like all the sacrificial animals, it was to be uninjured, and free from faults, inasmuch as the idea of representation, which lay at the foundation of all the sacrifices, but more especially of the sin-offerings, demanded natural sinlessness and original purity, quite as much as imputed sin and transferred uncleanness. Whilst the last-mentioned prerequisite showed that the victim was well fitted for bearing sin, the other attributes indicated the fulness of life and power in their highest forms, and qualified it to form a powerful antidote to death. As thus appointed to furnish a reagent against death and mortal corruption, the sacrificial animal was to possess throughout, viz., in colour, in sex, and in the character of its body, the fulness of life in its greatest freshness and vigour.

Num 19:11-13

Whoever touched a corpse, “with regard to all the souls of men,” i.e., the corpse of a person, of whatever age or sex, was unclean for seven days, and on the third and seventh day he was to cleanse himself (התחטּא, as in Num 8:21) with the water (בּו refers, so far as the sense is concerned, to the water of purification). If he neglected this cleansing, he did not become clean, and he defiled the dwelling of Jehovah (see at Lev 15:31). Such a man was to be cut off from Israel (vid., at Gen 17:14).

Num 19:14-16

Special instructions concerning the defilement. If a man died in a tent, every one who entered it, or who was there at the time, became unclean for seven days. So also did every “open vessel upon which there was not a covering, a string,” i.e., that had not a covering fastened by a string, to prevent the smell of the corpse from penetrating it. פּתיל, a string, is in apposition to צמיד, a band, or binding (see Ges. §113; Ewald, §287, e.). This also applied to any one in the open field, who touched a man who had either been slain by the sword or had died a natural death, or even a bone (skeleton), or a grave.

Num 19:17-20 Ceremony of purification. They were to take for the unclean person some of the dust of the burning of the cow, i.e., some of the ashes obtained by burning the cow, and put living, i.e., fresh water (see Lev 14:5), upon it in a vessel. A clean man was then to take a bunch of hyssop (see Exo 12:22), on account of its inherent purifying power, and dip it in the water, on the third and seventh day after the defilement had taken place, and to sprinkle the tent, with the vessels and persons in it, as well as every one who had touched a corpse, whether a person slain, or one who had died a natural death, or a grave; after which the persons were to wash their clothes and bathe, that they might be clean in the evening. As the uncleanness in question is held up as the highest grade of uncleanness, by its duration being fixed at seven days, i.e., an entire week, so the appointment of a double purification with the sprinkling water shows the force of the uncleanness to be removed; whilst the selection of the third and seventh days was simply determined by the significance of the numbers themselves. In Num 19:20, the threat of punishment for the neglect of purification is repeated from Num 19:13, for the purpose of making it most emphatic.

Num 19:21-22

This also was to be an everlasting statute, that he who sprinkled the water of purification, or even touched it (see at Num 19:7.), and he who was touched by a person defiled (by a corpse), and also the person who touched him, should be unclean till the evening, - a rule which also applied to other forms of uncleanness.

The Ashes of Purification. (b. c. 1471.)

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: 3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: 5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. 8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. 10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.

We have here the divine appointment concerning the solemn burning of a red heifer to ashes, and the preserving of the ashes, that of them might be made, not a beautifying, but a purifying, water, for that was the utmost the law reached to; it offered not to adorn as the gospel does, but to cleanse only. This burning of the heifer, though it was not properly a sacrifice of expiation, being not performed at the altar, yet was typical of the death and sufferings of Christ, by which he intended, not only to satisfy God's justice, but to purify and pacify our consciences, that we may have peace with God and also peace in our own bosoms, to prepare for which Christ died, not only like the bulls and goats at the altar, but like the heifer without the camp.

I. There was a great deal of care employed in the choice of the heifer that was to be burnt, much more than in the choice of any other offering, v. 2. It must not only be without blemish, typifying the spotless purity and sinless perfection of the Lord Jesus, but it must a red heifer, because of the rarity of the colour, that it might be the more remarkable: the Jews say, "If but two hairs were black or white, it was unlawful." Christ, as man, was the Son of Adam, red earth, and we find him red in his apparel, red with his own blood, and red with the blood of his enemies. And it must be one on which never came yoke, which was not insisted on in other sacrifices, but thus was typified the voluntary offer of the Lord Jesus, when he said, Lo, I come, He was bound and held with no other cords than those of his own love. This heifer was to be provided at the expense of the congregation, because they were all to have a joint interest in it; and so all believers have in Christ.

II. There was to be a great deal of ceremony in the burning of it. The care of doing it was committed to Eleazar, not to Aaron himself, because it was not fit that he should do any thing to render himself ceremonially unclean, no, not so much as till the evening (v. 8); yet it being an affair of great concern especially in the significancy of it, it was to be performed by him that was next to Aaron in dignity. The chief priests of that time had the principal hand in the death of Christ. Now,

1. The heifer was to be slain without the camp, as an impure thing, which bespeaks the insufficiency of the methods prescribed by the ceremonial law to take away sin. So far were they from cleansing effectually that they were themselves unclean; as if the pollution that was laid upon them continued to cleave to them. Yet, to answer this type, our Lord Jesus, being made sin and a curse for us, suffered without the gate, Heb. xiii. 12.

2. Eleazar was to sprinkle the blood directly before the door of the tabernacle, and looking steadfastly towards it, v. 4. This made it in some sort an expiation; for the sprinkling of the blood before the Lord was the chief solemnity in all the sacrifices of atonement; therefore, though this was not done at the altar, yet, being done towards the sanctuary, it was intimated that the virtue and validity of it depended upon the sanctuary, and were derived from it. This signified the satisfaction that was made to God by the death of Christ, our great high priest, who by the eternal Spirit (and the Spirit is called the finger of God, as Ainsworth observes, Luke xi. 20) offered himself without spot unto God; directly before the sanctuary, when he said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. It also signifies how necessary it was to the purifying of our hearts that satisfaction should be made to divine justice. This sprinkling of the blood put virtue into the ashes.

3. The heifer was to be wholly burnt, v. 5. This typified the extreme sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and body, as a sacrifice made by fire. The priest was to cast into the fire, while it was burning, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet, which were used in the cleansing of lepers (Lev. xiv. 6, 7), that the ashes of these might be mingled with the ashes of the heifer, because they were designed for purification.

4. The ashes of the heifer (separated as well as they could from the ashes of the wood wherewith it was burnt) were to be carefully gathered up by the hand of a clean person, and (as the Jews say) pounded and sifted, and so laid up for the use of the congregation, as there was occasion (v. 9), not only for that generation, but for posterity; for the ashes of this one heifer were sufficient to season as many vessels of water as the people of Israel would need for many ages. The Jews say that this one served till the captivity, nearly 1000 years, and that there was never another heifer burnt till Ezra's time, after their return, to which tradition of theirs, grounded (I suppose) only upon the silence of their old records, I see no reason we have to give credit, since in the later times of their church, of which they had more full records, they find eight burnt between Ezra's time and the destruction of the second temple, which was about 500 years, These ashes are said to be laid up here as a purification for sin, because, though they were intended to purify only from ceremonial uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin which our Lord Jesus made by his death. Ashes mixed with water are used in scouring, but these had their virtue purely from the divine institution, and their accomplishment and perfection in Christ, who is the end of this law for righteousness. Now observe, (1.) That the water of purification was made so by the ashes of a heifer, whose blood was sprinkled before the sanctuary; so that which cleanses our consciences is the abiding virtue of the death of Christ; it is his blood that cleanses from all sin, 1 John i. 7. (2.) That the ashes were sufficient for all the people. There needed not to be a fresh heifer slain for every person or family that had occasion to be purified, but this one was enough for all, even for the strangers that sojourned among them (v. 10); so there is virtue enough in the blood of Christ for all that repent and believe the gospel, for every Israelite, and not for their sins only, but for the sins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. (3.) That these ashes were capable of being preserved without waste to many ages. No bodily substance is so incorruptible as ashes are, which (says bishop Patrick) made these a very fit emblem of the everlasting efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. He is able to save, and, in order to that, able to cleanse, to the uttermost, both of person and times. (4.) These ashes were laid up as a stock or treasure, for the constant purification of Israel from their pollutions; so the blood of Christ is laid up for us in the word and sacraments, as an inexhaustible fountain of merit, to which by faith we may have recourse daily for the purging of our consciences; see Zech. xiii. 1.

5. All those that were employed in this service were made ceremonially unclean by it; even Eleazar himself, though he did but sprinkle the blood, v. 7. He that burned the heifer was unclean (v. 8), and he that gathered up the ashes (v. 10); so all that had a hand in putting Christ to death contracted guilt by it: his betrayer, his prosecutors, his judge, his executioner, all did what they did with wicked hands, though it was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Acts ii. 23); yet some of them were, and all might have been cleansed by the virtue of that same blood which they had brought themselves under the guilt of. Some make this to signify the imperfection of the legal services, and their insufficiency to take away sin, inasmuch as those who prepared for the purifying of others were themselves polluted by the preparation. The Jews say, This is a mystery which Solomon himself did not understand, that the same thing should pollute those that were clean and purify those that were unclean. But (says bishop Patrick) it is not strange to those who consider that all the sacrifices which were offered for sin were therefore looked upon as impure, because the sins of men were laid upon them, as all our sins were upon Christ, who therefore is said to be made sin for us, 2 Cor. v. 21.

11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord ; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. 14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean. 16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: 19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord : the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. 21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even. 22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

Directions are here given concerning the use and application of the ashes which were prepared for purification. they were laid up to be laid out; and therefore, though now one place would serve to keep them in, while all Israel lay so closely encamped, yet it is probable that afterwards, when they came to Canaan, some of these ashes were kept in every town, for there would be daily use for them. Observe,

I. In what cases there needed a purification with these ashes. No other is mentioned here than the ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by the touch of a dead body, or of the bone or grave of a dead man, or being in the tent or house where a dead body lay, v. 11, 14-16. This I look upon to have been one of the greatest burdens of the ceremonial law, and one of the most unaccountable. He that touched the carcase of an unclean beast, or any living man under the greatest ceremonial uncleanness, was made unclean by it only till the evening, and needed only common water to purify himself with; but he that came near the dead body of man, woman, or child, much bear the reproach of his uncleanness seven days, must twice be purified with the water of separation, which he could not obtain without trouble and charge, and till he was purified must not come near the sanctuary upon pain of death.

1. This was strange, considering, (1.) that whenever any died (and we are in deaths oft) several persons must unavoidable contract this pollution, the body must be stripped, washed, wound up, carried out, and buried, and this could not be done without many hands, and yet all defiled, which signifies that in our corrupt and fallen state there is none that lives and sins not; we cannot avoid being polluted by the defiling world we pass through, and we offend daily, yet the impossibility of our being sinless does not make sin the less polluting. (2.) that taking care of the dead, to see them decently buried, is not only necessary, but a very good office, and an act of kindness, both to the honour of the dead and the comfort of the living, and yet uncleanness was contracted by it, which intimates that the pollutions of sin mix with and cleave to our best services. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not; we are apt some way or other to do amiss even in our doing good. (3.) That this pollution was contracted by what was done privately in their own houses, which intimates (as bishop Patrick observes) that God sees what is done in secret, and nothing can be concealed from the divine Majesty. (4.) This pollution might be contracted, and yet a man might never know it, as by the touch of a grave which appeared not, of which our Saviour says, Those that walk over it are not aware of it (Luke xi. 44), which intimates the defilement of the conscience by sins of ignorance, and the cause we have to cry out, "Who can understand his errors?" and to pray, "Cleanse us from secret faults, faults which we ourselves do not see ourselves guilty of."

2. But why did the law make a dead corpse such a defiling thing? (1.) Because death is the wages of sin, entered into the world by it, and reigns by the power of it. Death to mankind is another thing from what it is to other creatures: it is a curse, it is the execution of the law, and therefore the defilement of death signifies the defilement of sin. (2.) Because the law could not conquer death, nor abolish it and alter the property of it, as the gospel does by bringing life and immortality to light, and so introducing a better hope. Since our Redeemer was dead and buried, death is no more destroying to the Israel of God, and therefore dead bodies are no more defiling; but while the church was under the law, to show that it made not the comers thereunto perfect, the pollution contracted by dead bodies could not but form in their minds melancholy and uncomfortable notions concerning death, while believers now through Christ can triumph over it. O grave! where is thy victory? Where is thy pollution?

II. How the ashes were to be used and applied in these cases. 1. A small quantity of the ashes must be put into a cup of spring water, and mixed with the water, which thereby was made, as it is here called, a water of separation, because it was to be sprinkled on those who were separated or removed from the sanctuary by their uncleanness. As the ashes of the heifer signified the merit of Christ, so the running water signified the power and grace of the blessed Spirit, who is compared to rivers of living water; and it is by his operation that the righteousness of Christ is applied to us for our cleansing. Hence we are said to be washed, that is, sanctified and justified, not only in the name of the Lord Jesus, but by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. vi. 11; 1 Pet. i. 2. Those that promise themselves benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to the grace and influence of the Spirit, do but deceive themselves, for we cannot put asunder what God has joined, nor be purified by the ashes otherwise than in the running water. 2. This water must be applied by a bunch of hyssop dipped in it, with which the person or thing to be cleansed must be sprinkled (v. 18), in allusion to which David prays, Purge me with hyssop. Faith is the bunch of hyssop wherewith the conscience is sprinkled and the heart purified. Many might be sprinkled at once, and the water with which the ashes were mingled might serve for many sprinklings, till it was all spent; and a very little lighting upon a man served to purify him, if done with that intention. In allusion to this application of the water of separation by sprinkling, the blood of Christ is said to be the blood of sprinkling (Heb. xii. 24), and with it were are said to be sprinkled from an evil conscience (Heb. x. 22), that is, we are freed from the uneasiness that arises from a sense of our guilt. And it is foretold that Christ, by his baptism, shall sprinkle many nations, Isa. lii. 15. 3. The unclean person must be sprinkled with this water on the third day after his pollution, and on the seventh day, v. 12-19. The days were reckoned (we may suppose) from the last time of his touching or coming near the dead body; for he would not begin the days of his cleansing while he was still under a necessity of repeating the pollution; but when the dead body was buried, so that there was no further occasion of meddling with it, then he began to reckon his days. Then, and then only, we may with comfort apply Christ's merit to our souls, when we have forsaken sin, and cease all fellowship with the unfruitful works of death and darkness. The repetition of the sprinkling teaches us often to renew the actings of repentance and faith, wash as Naaman, seven times; we need to do that often which is so necessary to be well done. 4. Though the pollution contracted was only ceremonial, yet the neglect of the purification prescribed would turn into moral guilt: He that shall be unclean and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off, v. 20. Note, It is a dangerous thing to contemn divine institutions, though they may seem minute. A slight wound, if neglected, may prove fatal; a sin we call little, if not repented of, will be our ruin, when great sinners that repent shall find mercy. Our uncleanness separates us from God, but it is our being unclean and not purifying ourselves that will separate us for ever from him: it is not the wound that is fatal, so much as the contempt of the remedy. 5. Even he that sprinkled the water of separation, or touched it, or touched the unclean person, must be unclean till the evening, that is, must not come near the sanctuary on that day, v. 21, 22. Thus God would show them the imperfection of those services, and their insufficiency to purify the conscience, that they might look for the Messiah, who in the fulness of time should by the eternal Spirit offer himself without spot unto God, and so purge our consciences from dead works (that is, from sin, which defiles like a dead body, and is therefore called a body of death), that we may have liberty of access to the sanctuary, to serve the living God with living sacrifices.

CHAP. XIX.

[non-Latin text not transcribed]

ANd Iehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying; This is the ordinance of the Law, which Iehovah hath commanded, saying: Speake unto the sonnes of Israel, that they take unto thee a red heiffer, perfect, wherin is no blemish, upon which never came yoke. And yee shall give her unto Eleazar the Priest, and he shall bring her forth, without the campe; and one shall slay her, before his face. And Eleazar the Priest shall take of her bloud, with his finger, and shall sprinkle of her bloud directly before the Tent of the Congregation, seven times. And one shall burne the heiffer, in his eyes: her skinne, and her flesh, and her bloud, with her dung, shall hee burne.

And the Priest shall take Cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and shall cast them into the midst of the burning of the heiffer.

And the Priest shall wash his cloathes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the campe, and the Priest shall be uncleane untill the evening.

And hee that burneth her, shall wash his cloathes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be uncleane untill the evening.

And a man that is cleane shall gather up the ashes of the heiffer, and lay them up without the campe in a cleane place; and it shall be for a reservation for the congregation of the sonnes of Israel, for a water of separation, it is a purification for sinne. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heiffer, shall wesh his cloathes, and shall be uncleane untill the evening: and it shall be unto the sonnes of Israel, and unto the stranger that s[illegible: 1 letter] j[illegible: 1 letter]urneth among them, for a statute for ever. Hee that toucheth the dead of any soule of man, he shall be even uncleane seven daies. He shall purifie himselfe with it in the third day, and in the seventh day he shall be cleane; and if he purifie not himselfe in the third day, and in the seventh day, he shall not be cleane. Who-soever toucheth the dead, the soule of a man that is dead, and purifieth not himselfe, hee defileth the Tabernacle of Iehovah, and that soule shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be uncleane; his uncleannesse is yet upon him. This is the Law: When [illegible: 1 word] man dieth in a tent, all that come into the tent, and al that is in the tent, shalbe uncleane seven dayes. And every open vessell, which hath no covering bound upon it, it is uncleane. And whosoever toucheth in the face of the field, one that is slaine with the sword, or a dead bodie, or a bone of a man, or a grave, he shall be uncleane seven daies. And they shall take for the uncleane person, of the dust of the burnt heiffer of purification for sinne; and he shall put thereto living water in a vessell. And a cleane man shall take hyssope, and dip it in the water, and shall sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the soules which were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slaine, or one dead, or a grave. And a cleane person shall sprinkle upon the uncleane, in the third day, and in the seventh day; and hee shall purifie him-selfe in the seventh day, and shall wash his cloathes, and bathe (his flesh) in water, and shall be cleane at evening. And the man that shall be uncleane, and shall not purifie himselfe, that soule shall even be cut off from among the Church, because he hath defiled the Sanctuary of Iehovah; the water of separation hath not beene sprinkled upon him, he is uncleane. And it shall be unto them for a statute for ever; and he that sprinkleth the water of separation, shall wash his cloathes; and he that toucheth the water of separation, shall be uncleane untill the evening. And whatsoever the uncleane person toucheth, shal be uncleane; and the soule that toucheth, shal be uncleane untill the evening.

Annotations. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Here is the 39 Section of the Law, after the Hebrewes account: See Genes. 6. 9. THe ordinance] or, the statute, constitution, the prescript ordinance; in Greeke, the distinction of the Law. As in the former Chapter God gave order for his Ministers, the tribe of Levi, by whom the service in his Tabernacle should be performed, and his people should come neere unto him, to offer all their sacrifices: so here he giveth a Law for al men generally, how they should be purified from their uncleannesse, whensoever they were to come into his Sanctuary with their sacrifices, and for the service of his holy Majesty; that their hearts might be confirmed in his grace, against their owne infirmities. take unto thee] that is, take and bring unto thee: see the like phrase in Gen. 15. 9. and Exod. 25. 2. and Levit. 24. 2. This heiffer was taken of the people, to shew the interest that they all had in it; and by faith, in that which it figured, Christ. a red heiffer] Targum Ionathan addeth, a three yeereling: so in the Hebrew canons they say, It is commanded that the red heiffer be of the third yeere, or of the fourth yeere, and it may be older. Maimony in Pharah adummah (or Treat. of the Red heiffer) chap. 1. sect. 1. perfect] in Greeke, without blemish. As all sacrifices were to be unblemished, Levit. 22. so this; but the perfection here spoken of, the Hebrewes referre to the colour also, that it be perfect in rednesse, because if it have but two haires blacke, it is unlawfull, saith Sol. Iarchi. The same is affirmed also by Maimony, If it have two haires white, or black[illegible: 1 letter], &c. it is to be refused. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 1. sect 2. no blemish] If it hath had a wenne (or wart) and it be cut off though red haire be growen in the place, yet is it disallowable. All blemishes that disable the holy things, disable this heiffer. If it have beene cut out of the mothers body, or beene the price of a dog; or hire of an whore, (Deut. 23. 18.) or beene torne, or beene abused by man-kind (Levit. 20. 15.) it is unlawfull. For whatsoever maketh holy things unlawfull for the Altar, maketh the heiffer unlawfull. Maim. in Pharah, c. 1. sect. 6, 7. yoke] that is, which hath not beene used of men for any worke: and this is peculiar to this heiffer, for other sacrifices were not disabled by the yoke, or any worke, save the heiffer for expiation of murder, Deut. 21. 3. This heiffer excelleth other holy things, for worke done by it, disableth it. As the yoke spoken of concerning the heiffer, (Deut. 21.) maketh all other worke like the yoke: so in this heiffer, &c. But the yoke disableth her, whether it be in the time of working, or not: whereas other works disable her not, save in the time of working. As, if one binde a yoke upon her, although shee hath not ploughed with it, she is unlawfull: but if one tooke her in to tread out corne, (as Deut. 25. 4.) she is not made disallowable, untill he tread out corne with her; and so in all like cases. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 1. sect. 7. As other sacrifices of beasts prefigured Christ, [illegible: 1 letter]o this in speciall figured him; red▪ in his humane nature and participation of our afflictions, Esai. 63. 1, 2. Heb. 2. 14. 17, 18. perfect and without blemish of sinne, both in his nature and actions, Luke 1. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 19. and 2. 22. without yoke, as being free from the bondage of sin and corruption, and from servitude to the ordinances of men in religion, and as doing voluntarily the things that pertained to our redemption, Lam. 1. 14. Ioh. 8. 33, 34, 35, 36. 1 Tim. 6. 1. 1 Cor. [illegible: 1 word]. 23. Ioh. 10. 17, 18. Vers. 3. unto Eleazar] hee was Aarons sonne, and by doing this worke, he was uncleane, vers. 7. wherfore Aaron himselfe, who was the high Priest, did it not. Hence the Hebrewes say, that An ordinary Priest was fit for to burne the heiffer: for it is said, Give her unto Eleazar the Priest, and yet Aaron himselfe was living. And by word of mouth we have beene taught, that this was done by Eleazar; and all other heiffers (were done) either by the high Priest, or by a common Priest. And he that did it, was arayed with the foure ornaments of a common Priest, whether he were the high Priest, or an ordinary Priest that did it. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 1. sect. 11. 12. It figured that the worke of our redemption and purification from sinne, should be the worke of Christs Priestly office, Heb. 9. 9, 13, 14. He in performing the truth of this type, was both Priest and sacrifice. he shall bring] The Greeke translateth, they shall bring; and so after, they shall slay; as if, not Eleazar himselfe, but some other at his appointment did it. And the words following, he shall slay her before his face, seeme to imply so much, that some other man did slay her before Eleazars face. And it is frequent in Scriptures to make one the doer of a thing, which he commandeth to be done; as Pilate gave the body of Christ to Ioseph, Mark. 15. 45. that is, commanded it to be given, Matth. 27. 58. See the Annotations on Exod. 7. 17. Gen: 39. 22. and 48. 22. without the campe] which figured Christs suffering without the gates of Ierusalem, Hebr. 13. 11, 12. So in ages following, they burned this heiffer without Ierusalem, as in the Hebrew records it is said, They burne not the Heiffer, but without the mountaine of the house (of God,) as it is written, And he shall bring her forth without the campe, (Numb. 19. 3.) and they use to burne it on mount Olivet. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 3. sect. 1. Without the Campe, malefactors were to be put to death, Lev. 24. 10. Num. 15. 36. one shall slay her] a stranger (or other man) did slay her, and Eleazar beheld it, saith Sol. Iarchi on this place. So in vers. 5. he shall burne the heiffer, in his eyes; that is, another man shall burne her in Eleazars sight: which is confirmed by vers. 7, 8. where first the Priest (Eleazar) is commanded to wash his cloathes, and after, hee that burned her was to wash his cloathes; so that these were divers men. Hence also the Hebrewes say, They may not slay two red heiffers at once, for it is written, And he shall slay her. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 4. sect. 1. Vers. 4. with his finger] figuring the finger, that is, the Spirit of our Priest Christ Iesus, whereby he hath sprinkled the way for us into heaven, and our hearts from an evill conscience, that we may have accesse thither by his bloud, Heb. 9. 22, 23, 24. and 10. 19, 20, 22. For as the fi[illegible: 1 letter]ger of God, Luk. 11. 20. is interpreted the Spirit of God, Matth. 12. 28. so the finger of the Priest here, signified the Spirit of our High Priest Christ, by the power whereof, our way is prepared into the kingdom of God, through the applying and sprinkling of his owne bloud, Heb. 12. 24. and 10. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 11. The Hebrewes gather from this precept, that it was unlawfull to receive the bloud in a vessell, because it is said, the Priest shall take of her bloud with his finger. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 4. sect. 4. directly before the Tent] that is, towards the fore-part, or doore of the Tabernacle. The Priest stood without the camp, where the heiffer was slaine, and there sprinkled towards the Sanctuary seven times, (which is a full and compleat number, as is noted on Levit. 4. 6.) and that place being a figure of Heaven, Hebr. 9. 24. this sprinkling thitherward, typed out how liberty should be procured for Gods people, to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Iesus, by the new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us. Hebr. 10. 19, 29. By the Hebrew Canons, If he sprinkled (the bloud) and not towards the Sanctuary, it was unlawfull. Likewise if he did slay or burne her, and not over against the Sanctuary, it was unlawfull. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 4. sect. 5. Vers. 5. one shall burne] that is, some shall burne in Eleazars sight; or, Eleazar shall cause it to be burnt before his eyes. For another man burned it, as appeareth by vers. 8. wherefore Targum Ionathan explaineth it, another Priest shall burne. The burning of the heiffer without the campe, figured how Iesus, that he might sanctifie the people with his owne bloud, should suffer without the gate (of Ierusalem,) Hebr. 13. 11, 12. Vers. 6. Cedar wood] this, with the hyssop and scarlet following, were used in the cleansing of Lepers that were healed, Lev. 14. 4. See the Annotations on that place. The Cedar is one of the greatest and tallest trees (opposed to the hyssop as the lowest, 1 King. 4. 33.) it is durable wood and rotteth not, being choise (or excellent) Song. 5. 15. figuring the perpetual efficacy of the death of Christ, who by one offring hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, Hebr. 10. 14. eyzop] or hyssope, whereof see Exod. 12. 22. As here it was burned with the heiffer, so after in vers. 18. a sprinkle was made with it, figuring the vertue and odour of Christs death, to purge our sinnes, and to sprinkle our hearts from an evill conscience, Hebr. 1. 3. and 10. 22. scarlet] or, twice died scarlet, called in Hebrew Sheni tholagnath; whereof see Exod. 25. 4. This bloudy colour sometime signifieth Sinnes, Esai. 1. 18. and it is the death and bloud of Christ that cleanseth us from all sinne, Rom. 6. 10. 1 Iohn 1. 7. the preaching hereof maketh the lips like a threed of scarlet, Song 4. 3. into the midst of the burning] The manner of burning this heiffer in the ages following, is described by the Hebrewes thus: They made a banke (or causey) from the mountaine of the house of God (in Ierusalem) unto mount Olivet; [the mountaine which our Lord Iesus used to frequent, Luke 21. 37. Joh. 18. 2. whither hee went the night that hee was betrayed [illegible: 1 letter]o death, Luke 22. 39, 40, &c. and it was over against the Temple, Mar. 13. 3. and from thence, after his resurrection, he ascended up into heaven, Act. 1. 9.—12.] and the heiffer, and hee that burned her, and all that assisted him in the burning of her, went out from the mount of the Temple, unto mount Olivet, upon that banke. The Elders of Israel wen[illegible: 1 letter] before them on their feet to mount Olivet, and there was a place to baptise (or wash) in: and the Priest and they that assisted him to burne the heiffer, went on the banke, and came to mount Olivet, &c. and the Elders imposed their hands upon the Priest, and said unto him, wash once. Hee went downe and washed, and came up and wiped himselfe. And there was wood laid in a row, wood of Cedar, and Oke, and Firre-tree, and Fig-tree, which they tooke and made a pile of, like a tower; &c. and the fore-part was towards the West; [that was towards the Temple.] Then they bound the heiffer, and laid her upon the pile of wood, with her head to the South, and her face to the West; and the Priest stood on the East-side, with his face [illegible: 1 word] the West. Hee killed her with his right hand, and tooke the bloud in his left hand, and sprinkled with the finger of his right hand, of the bloud that was in [illegible: 1 word] palme of his left hand, seven times towards the [illegible: 1 word] holy place (of the Temple.) At every sprinkling, [illegible: 1 word] dipped his finger in the bloud, and the residue of [illegible: 1 word] bloud which was on his finger, was u[illegible: 1 letter]lawfull to sprinkle with; therefore at every sprinkling he wiped his finger on the body of the heiffer. When he had made an end of sprinkling, he wiped his hands on the heiffers body, and came downe from the pile, and kindled the fire with small stickes, which he put under the stickes of the pile, and the fire began to burne, and the Priest stood a far off, and observed it, till the fire burned upon her, and her belly cleft asunder. And afterward he tooke Cedar wood and eyzop, not lesse than an hand-bredth, and wooll died in scarlet, five sh[illegible: 1 letter]kels weight, &c. And he bound the eyzop with the Cedar, with the tongue [or long peece] of scarlet, and cast them into her belly, (Numb. 19. 6) And hee cast them not in, before the fire was kindled upon the b[illegible: 1 span]ke of her body, nor after that she was burnt to ashes; and if he did, it was unlawfull; for it is said, into the midst of the burning, not before the fire is kindled on her body, nor after she is turned to ashes. Maimony in Pharah adummah, ch. 3. sect. 1, 2. Vers. 7. Wash his cloathes] which was a signe of purification from uncleannesse, as is noted on Lev. 11. 25. and 15 5. The same was concerning him that burned the heiffer, vers. 8. and the cleane man that gathered up her ashes, vers. 9, 10. Hereby the imperfection of the Legall Priesthood was shewed, in that the Priests which prepared the meanes of sanctification for the Church, were themselues polluted in the preparing and doing of them, as may be gathered by proportion from Hebr. 7. 27, 28. and 10. 1, 2, 3. The sinne also of the Priests, and others that procured the death of Christ, (though it was the life of the world,) seemeth hereby to be signified, Matth. 26. 65, 66, &c. Act. 2. 22, 23, 38. and 3. 14, 15, 17, 18, 19. Albeit by the tradition of the Hebrewes, they were very carefull about the cleannesse of the Priests, when they did this worke: for, the Priest that burned this heiffer, they separated him (from his house) to a chamber prepared in the Court (of the Temple,) which was called the Stone chamber, because all the vessels thereof were of stone, which doe receive no uncleannesse, and he ministred in a vessell of stone all the seven daies that he was separated, and his brethren the Priests might not touch him, for the more care of his cleannesse. Seven daies before the burning of the heiffer, they separated the Priest that burned her from his house, as they separated the High Priest for his service on Atonement-day, (wherof see the notes on Levit. 16. 33.) Also they separated him from his wife, lest she should have her disease, and so he be uncleane seven daies, (as Levit. 15. 24.) Every of those seven daies of his separation, they sprinkled him with the water of purification, (lest [illegible: 1 letter]e should be uncleane by the dead, and not know it.) end with the ashes of the heiffer that had beene burned already (before.) Maimony in Pharah, ch. 2. Notwithstanding all this care, Whosoever busie themselves about this heiffer, from the beginning to the end, doe make their garments uncleane, and are bound to wash themselves, and are uncleane till the evening. And wheresoever the Law speaketh of washing of cloathes for uncleannesse, it is to teach us, that not the cloathes only upon him are uncleane, but every cloth [illegible: 1 word] vessell which this uncleane person shall touch, whiles his uncleannesse is on him is made uncleane. And not this heiffer only, but all Sin-offrings that are burnt (without the campe) whether bullocks or goats; he that burneth them, defileth [illegible: 1 letter]is cloathes, the time of the burning of them, till they be turned to ashes: (Levit. 16. 28.) Maim. ibidem, c. 5. Vers. 9. a man that is cleane] this man is said in Targum Ionathan to be a Priest. the ashes] It is reported, that After they had finished the burning of her, they beat her with staves, her and all the wood of the pile wherewith she was burned; and sifted all with sives: and whatsoever was blacke, which possibly they could pound and make it ashes, either of her flesh, or of the wood, they pounded it till it was made ashes; and that which had no ashes in it, they left the same; and every of her bones that remained unburnt, they pounded. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 3. sect. 3. As the burning of the heiffer signified the sufferings of Christ, Hebr. 13. 11, 12. so the ashes were the monument of his most base and utmost afflictions; for ashes were used as greatest signes of sorrow and misery, 2 Sam. 13. 19. Iob 30. 19. and 42. 6. Ier. 6. 26. and to be brought to ashes upon the earth, is noted for the extremity of Gods fiery judgements, Ezek. 28. 18. But the memoriall of Christs most ignominious death, is to be kept as a most glorious monument of our life, justification and sanctification through faith in his name, 1 Cor. 11. 24. 26. Gal. 6. 14. Phil. 3. 8, 9, 10. without the campe] to signifie, that they which would have part in the death of Christ, must goe forth unto him, without the campe, bearing his reproach, Heb. 13. 13. in a cleane place] figuring a cleane heart, and pure conscience, in which only the monuments of Christs death are reserved by faith, Act. 15. 9. Heb. 10. 22. Eph. 3. 17. The Hebrews say, They gathered not any of her ashes to lay it up in the court (of the Sanctuary:) but they divided all the ashes into three parts. One part they put in (the place called) the Cheil, [the Fort or Frontier,] and another part, in mount Olivet, and the third was parted to all the Wards (or Custodies of the Levites.) That which was parted to all the Wards, the Priests sanctified therewith; and that which was put in mount Olivet, the Israelites sprinkled with it: and that which was put in the Cheil, was reserved and laid up, as it is written, AND IT SHALL BE FOR THE CONGREGATION FOR A RESERVATION; to teach that they laid up (some) of it. And thus they laid up some of every heiffer which they burned, in the Cheil. And they did (burne) nine red heiffers, after they were commanded this precept, till the desolation of the second Temple. The first was done by Moses our Master, the second by Ezra, and seven after Ezra, till the Temple was destroyed. And the tenth shall be done by the King Christ, who be reveiled with speed, Amen, So be the good will of God. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 3. sect. 4. This last speech of the Iew, sheweth their zeale without knowledge; for wee know that the Sonne of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that wee may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Sonne Iesus Christ, 1 Ioh. 5. 20. and by him was this legall type (as all other) accomplished; as it is written, If the ashes of an heiffer sprinkling the uncleane, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the bloud of Christ. who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead workes, to serve the living God? Hebr. 9. 13, 14. Wherefore Christ the King hath been [illegible: 1 letter]evealed, and they have done unto him whatsoever they would: but even unto this day, when Moses is read, a veile is laid upon their heart, so that they cannot stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished; neverthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord, the veile shall be taken away, 2 Cor. 3. 15, 16. Then shall they looke upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourne for him, as one mourneth for his only sonne, and shall be in bitternesse for him, &c. Zach. 12. 10. And this day, God cause to come with speed, Amen. for a reservation] or, for an asservation, a keeping, that is, to be reserved or kept: See the like phrase in Exod. 16. 32, 33, 34. Num. 17. 10. Sol. Iarchi here saith, That which was in the Cheil (or Fort) was put there for a reservation, according to that sore-noted out of Maimony. But this may be understood of all the ashes, (and not of a third part only,) which was kept for the use of Israel, as after followeth. for the congregation] Hence the Hebrewes say, that all Israelites were sit to keepe it. Therefore any of the common people, which bringeth a vessell out of his house, though an earthen vessell, and saith, This vessell is cleane for the Sinne (water,) l[illegible: 1 letter]e it is cleane, they sanctifie in it, and sprinkle out of it; though that vessell is uncleane for the Sanctuary, and for the heaveoffering. And so any of the common people that shall say, I am cleane for the Sin-water, or that hath the Sin-water by him, and saith it is cleane, hee is to be trusted: for there is no man of Israel too vile for it. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 13. sect. 12. water of separation] that is, water to be sprinkled for separation, to be sprinkled on such as are separated and removed, because of uncleannesse, from other people. This appeareth by vers. 13. where it is said, because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him. The Hebrew Niddah, which properly signifieth a separation or removall for uncleannesse, is sometime figuratively used for uncleannesse it selfe, which is to be done away; as in 2 Chron. 29. 5. Ezra 9. 11. Whereupon the water which cleanseth it, is called the water of separation; which the Greeke and Chaldee versions call water of sprinkling, because it was sprinkled on the uncleane to purifie him; vers. 18. 19. According to which phrase, Christs bloud is called the bloud of sprinkling, Hebr. 12. 24. because it purifieth the conscience, and was figured by this sprinkling water, Heb. 9. 13, 14. a purification for sin] Hebr. a sin: which word as it is often used for a Sin-offring, or sacrifice that expiateth sinne, as in Lev[illegible: 2 letters]. 4. 3, &c. so here it is the name of that water which purified sinne, as a[illegible: 1 letter]ter is manifested in vers. 12. &c. Wherefore the Greeke translateth, it is a sanctification, or a purification. And these two names here given to this water, the Prophet useth, when he foretelleth the grace of Christ; In that day there shall be a fountaine [illegible: 1 letter]pened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, for Sinne, and for Separation, Zach. 13. 1. that is, for a purification for sinne, and for a water of separation for uncleannesse, which the Greeke there interpreteth, for a removall away, and for a sprinkling. Vers. 10. shall wash] as when any bloud of the Sin-offering was sprinkled on a garment, it was to be washed, Levit. 6. 27. so here he that gathered up ashes was to wash his cloathes, for it could not be but some of the ashes would light upon them. See the notes on vers. 7. the stranger that sojourneth] in Greeke, the proselytes that are adioyned. Vers. 11. of any soule of man] that is, of any dead man, or any corpse of man: the soule is here used for the dead bodie, as is noted on Levit. 19. 26. and Numb. 6. 6. and this is an explanation of the former dead, that it is meant of man onely: for hee that touched a dead beast, was not uncleane seven daies, but one day only, Lev. 11. 24, 27, 39. neither was he to be sprinkled with these ashes. Sol. Iarchi here saith, it is spoken to except the soule of a beast, for the uncleannesse thereby needeth no sprinkling▪ uncleane seven dayes] during which time of his uncleannesse, he might not come into the Sanctuary, nor touch any holy thing, Levit. 7. 19, 21. nor be in the Lords Campe, Numb. 6. 2. (unto which the citie Ierusalem was answerable in the ages following, called therefore the Holy Citie, Nehem. 11. 1, 18. Matth. 4. 5.) And hereby was figured such as were dead in trespasses and sinnes, Ephes. 2. 1. and such as have their consciences defiled by dead workes, Heb. 9. 13, 14. which may not enter, during their uncleannesse, into the city of God, R[illegible: 1 letter]vel. 2[illegible: 1 letter]. 27. Of this legall pollution, the Hebrewes have these sayings; A dead person defileth by touching & by bearing, and by the Tent, with seven daies uncleannesse. The uncleannesse by touching, and by the Tent▪ are expressed in the Law, Num. 19. 11, 14. Vncleannesse by bearing, is by tradition [gathered by consequence.) For if a dead beast, which maketh one uncleane but till evening, and defileth not by the Te[illegible: 1 letter]t, doth defile by bearing, as is written in Levit. 11. 25. how much more doth a dead man. And as a dead beast which by touching defileth till evening, defileth [illegible: 1 span] evening by bearing; so a dead man which by touching de[illegible: 1 letter]ileth seven daies, defileth also sevē daies by bearing. Vncleannesse by touching▪spoken of in every place, whether of a dead man or other uncleane things, is when a man with his flesh toucheth the uncleane thing it [illegible: 1 word] ▪ whether it be with his hand, or with his foot, or with any other part of his flesh, &c. Vncleannesse by bearing spoken of in any place, either of a dead man, or of other uncleane things, is when a man beareth the uncleane thing, although hee touch it not; although a store be betwixt him and it. Forasmuch as he beareth it, he is uncleane; whether he beare it on his head, [illegible: 1 letter]r [illegible: 1 word] his hand, or with any other part of his body▪ [illegible: 1 word] though the uncleane thing hang by a threed, or by [illegible: 1 word] haire, if he hand the threed on his hand, and l[illegible: 2 letters]t up [illegible: 1 word] uncleane thing by it, loe he beareth it, and is unclea[illegible: 2 letters]. Nothing is defiled by bearing, save man onely▪ [illegible: 1 word] vessels. As; if a man hold in his hand ten vessels, one above another▪ & a dead carkasse, or any the like thing be in the uppermost vessell, the man is unclean by bearing the carkasse, and the vessels upon his hand are all cleane, save the uppermost vessell which the uncleane thing toucheth; and so in all like cases, &c. There is no kind of living thing, which is defiled whiles it is alive, or that doth defile whiles it is alive, save man only, and he that is of Israel, &c. A dead man defileth not till his soule be departed from him, as it is written, The soule of a man that is dead, Num. 19. 13. A dead untimely birth, &c. defileth by touching, by bearing, and by tent, as a great man which is dead; as it is written, He that toucheth the dead of any soule of mā, Nū. 19. 11. Likewise so much as an olive of a dead mans flesh, either moist or dry as a potsherd, defileth as doth a whole dead man. A lim cut off from a living man, is as an whole dead man, & defileth by touching, by bearing, and by tent, though it be but a little lim of a child of a day old, &c. A lim separated from a dead man, defileth also by touching, by bearing, & by tent, as doth the dead man, &c. Maim. tom. 3. in Tumath meth, ch. 1. & 2. These & other the like legall pollutions, teach Gods people how carefull they should be, that they defile not themselves with sin, or communion with dead and sinfull works; as the Apostle saith, Touch not the uncleane thing, 2 Cor. 6. 17. Be not partaker of other mens sins, keepe thy selfe pure, 1 Tim. 5. 22. Vers. 12. He shall purifie himselfe] by sprinkling the foresaid water; as the Chaldee expoundeth it, He shall sprinkle; the Greek, He shall be purified. The originall word signifieth to purifie from sin; which sheweth that this outward uncleannes figured the pollution of the soule by sin; and the purification here commanded, signified repentance from dead works, and faith towards God, wch purifieth the heart, Heb. 6. 1. Act. 15. 9. with it] with the water fore-spoken of, v. 9. and the ashes, as Targum lonathan here expresseth: the manner whereof followeth. he shall be cleane] that is, as the Greeke translateth, and he shall be cleane, and in the seventh] Chazkuni here observeth, Lest any should thinke, if he forget and be not sprinkled in the third day, he may be sprinkled twise on the seventh day, and it will serve the turne as if he were sprinkled on the third day, and on the seventh; therefore the Scripture saith, If hee purifie not himselfe in the third day, and in the seventh, &c. for it is necessary that there be three dayes betweene sprinkling and sprinkling. Vers. 13. the soule] that is, the corps, as before is shewed. that is dead] in Greeke, if he be dead. From these words the Hebrewes gather, that the diad defileth not, till his soule be departed. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 1. s. 15. For death is the departing of the soule from the body, Gen. 35. 18. Psa. 146. 4. he defileth the Tabernacle] if hee come in that estate into the court of the Tabernacle: yea though he have washed himselfe, yet if he have not bin sprinkled the third day and the seventh day, he defileth it, as I[illegible: 2 letters]chi here noteth, and Moses after sheweth. that soule shall be cut off] in Chaldee, that man shall be destroyed. This is mean[illegible: 1 letter] if he come in presumptuously; but if he doe it ignorantly, he is to bring a sacrifice, Lev. 5. 3.—6. So the Hebrewes explaine this Law. Maim▪ in Biath hamikdash, ch. 3. sect. 12. See the notes on Num. 6. the water of separation] in Greek and Chaldee, the water of sprinkling. This signified, that when any have sinned he cannot be cleansed from it before God, by any of his owne workes, nor satisfie by his owne sufferings, but only by having his conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ by his spirit; for that is it which clean[illegible: 1 letter]eth us from all sin. 1 Ioh 1. 7. Heb. 9. 13. 14. Vers. 14. in a tent] and so by proportion, in a house, as the Greeke here translateth it; for a tent is named, because the people then dwelt in tents in the wildernesse. But for uncleannesse the Hebrewes say, that onely a tent was uncleane, and to be sprinkled, as is after noted on vers. 18. and all that is in the [illegible: 1 letter]ent] the pollution by the dead is in this respect above all other pollutions, as the Hebrews say, The uncleannes of the t[illegible: 1 letter]nt is not like other uncleannesses, but by the dead onely. And whether there come into the tent (of the dead) man or vessell, or the dead be brought into the tent where men or vessels are, or that the dead be with men or vessels under the same tent, they are uncleane. Whether he come wholly into the tent of the dead, or come but some part of him, he is unclean by the t[illegible: 1 letter]nt. Though he do but put in his hand, or the tops of his fingers, &c. he is all uncleane, &c. Whether the dead person be an Israelite or an heathen, he defileth by being touched or carried, but an heathen defileth not by tent. This is by tradition, for l[illegible: 1 letter]e he saith of the war of Midian, whosoever hath touched any slaine, Num. 31. 19. and hee mentioneth not there the tent. Likewise an heathen is not made uncleane by the dead, but an heathen that toucheth the dead, or beareth him, or commeth into the tent where (the dead) is, loe he is as if he had not touched him. And why? because he is as a beast that toucheth the dead, &c. And this is not for the dead onely, but for all other uncleannesses every one, heathens and beasts are not made unclean by them. Ma[illegible: 1 letter]m. in Tumath meth, c. 1. s. 10, 11, 12, 13. uncleane seven dayes] This is the ordinary time for the uncleannesse of men or of vessels that are defiled by the dead; but those which touch such a defiled man, are uncleane but untill evening, vers. 22. Vers. 15. every open vessell] The Chaldee translateth it, every open earthen vessell, (or vessell of potters clay:) and so the Hebrew Doctors expound this Law, as Iarchi saith, The Scripture speaketh of an earthen vessell which receiveth no uncleannesse in the outside of it, but in the inside▪ &c. So Maimony in Tumath meth, c. 21▪ Of vessels & their uncleannes, see the annotations on Lev. 11. 32, 33. no covering bound upon it] in Creeke, not bound with a bond upon it: by covering, some understand a cloth upon it. The vessell was so to be stopped, that the aire of the tent might not goe into it▪ then both it and all things in it were cleane, otherwise they were unclean. From hence the Hebrewes gather also by proportiō, that if another tent were within the tent of the dead, the things in it were cleane, because they were hid or covered; and likewise if the uncleane thing were swallowed up by a living creature. But nothing put up in vessels was free from uncleannesse, except the vessell had a covering bound upon it. Neither was any thing cleane by being buried in the ground under the tent or house: but if an house were uncleane, and vessels were hidden in the floore thereof, though an hundred cubits underneath, they were uncleane. Maim. in Tumath meth, ch. 20. Vers. 16. in the face of the field] that is, in the open field where no tent is, there pollution is by touching onely. slaine with the sword] or with any other instrument; the sword is named for an instance. Therefore in Num. 31. 19. the law saith more generally, whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slaine, &c. Targum Ionathan here addeth, one that is slaine with the sword, or the sword wherwith he was slaine. So in the Hebrew Canons it is said, the sword is as the dead person, to wit, for defiling him that touched it. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 5. s. 3. The word sometime is used for wounded, though not dead, as in Ps. 69. 27. and 109. 22. Hereupon the Hebrewes say, A lim cut off from a living man, it is as an whole dead man, and maketh uncleane by touching, by bearing, and by tent, though it be but a small lim of a child of a day old. For there is no stinted measure of lims, as it is written, whosoever toucheth in the face of the field, one that is slaine with the sword, and it is a knowne thing that it is all one whether he be slaine with the sword, or with a stone, or with other things. This teacheth that he is uncleane, which toucheth a lim that the sword hath cut off; provided that it be a whole lim as it is created of flesh, sinews and [illegible: 2 letters]nes. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 2. s. 3[illegible: 1 letter] or a dead body] though not slaine by violence, but dying alone. abone of a man] By reason of this uncleannesse by dead mens bones, the Prophet saith, When any seeth a mans bone, he shall set up a signe by it, till the buriers have buried it, &c. Eze. 39. 15. The Hebrews write that the bloud also of a dead man defileth as doth the dead man: but the bloud of a living man (they say) is cleane, so long as he is alive. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 2. a grave] or a sepulchre, to wit, wherin any dead have been buried. A grave, all the while that uncleannes is within it, defileth by touching and by tent, as doth the dead person, by the sentence of the law, Nū. 19. 16. And whether one touch the top of a grave, or touch the sides of it (he is uncleane.) A field wherein a grave is plowed up and the bones of the dead are consumed into dust, that dust defileth by touching and by bearing. Maim. in Tumath meth, c. 2. s. 15, 16. Thus the pollutiō by mankind being dead, is above all other legal pollutions whatsoever: wch lively sheweth the fruit and effect of sin, wch caused death, Rom. 6. 23. and the horror of death, holding men in subjectiō, until by the voice of Christ they be raised & brought out of their graves, Ioh. 5. 28, 29. The Hebrews say, The cause of the uncleannes of the dead, is by meanes of the Angell of death [the devill] that brought poison into man. R. Menachem on Num. 19. Hereby also was figured the estate of such as are dead in sinne, even dead whiles they are alive, Col. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 6. whose throat is an open grave, Psal. 5. 10. so that their corrupt words and sinfull works do infect others, 2 Tim. 2. 17, 18. 1 Cor. 5. 6. Vers. 17. And they shall take] that is, some shall take, some cleane man, as v. 18. for the uncleane] to cleanse him. of the dust] that is, of the ashes, as the Greeke explaineth it. of the burnt [illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 2 letters]er of purification for sin] Hebr. of the burning of [illegible: 2 letters]nne, that is, of the Sin-offering (the heifer) that is burned, v. 9. he shall put] that is, some cleane man shall put. living water] that is, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, spring (or welling) water, which for the continuall motion is called living water, as is noted on Lev. 14. 5. and Gen. 26. 19. in a vessel Touching the manner of performing this rite, the Hebrewes have many observations. The water on which the heifers ashes are put, is not filled but in a vessell, and out of fountaines that spring, or of rivers derived from them: and the putting of the ashes upon the water that is filled is called sanctifying. And the water on which the ashes are put, is called the water of purification from sin, & sanctified water, & the Scripture calleth it water of separation, (Num. 19. 9.) It is lawfull for any to fill the water, save for the deafe, and the foole, and the child; and lawfull for any to sanctifie, save for the deafe, the foole, and the childe: and they sanctifie not but in a vessell, neither doe they sprinkle, but out of a vessell; and the filling and sanctifying may be done by night, but they do not sprinkle, nor wa[illegible: 1 span], but by day; and all the day long they may sprinkle or wa[illegible: 2 letters]. In any vessell they may fill, and sprinkle, and sanctifie▪ though vessels of stone, of earth, &c. He that turneth a spring into his wine-presse, or into a cisterne, and then filleth a vessel out of that presse or cisterne, it is unlawfull: for it is necessary to take the water out of the Spring into a vessell at the first. The maine sea, as the gathering together of water, is not as a Spring, therefore they fill not out of it to sanctifie, &c. When they sanctifie the water with the ashes, he putteth the water which is filled by the name of sin-water, into a vessell, and putteth the ashes upon the face of the water, and mixeth all together; and if he put in the ashes first, and afterward the water, it is unlawfull. And wheras it is said in the law, And he shall put thereto [illegible: 1 word] water, (Num. 19. 17.) it is meant to mix the [illegible: 1 span]es with the water. He that sanctifieth, must doe it purposely, and put the ashes with his hand on the water; as it is said, And they shall take for the uncleane person; so that he must have an intent to sanctifie, and to [illegible: 1 word], and to sprinkle, &c. He that delivereth sanctified water, or water filled for sanctification, to an unclean person to keepe it, it is become unlawfull. He that is [illegible: 1 word] red is unlawfull to sanctifie or to sprinkle, but not unlawfull to fill the water, &c. he may receive wages for filling, or for carrying the water; but he must sanctifie for nothing, and he that sprinkleth must sprinkle for nothing. Maim. in Pharah adummah, ch. 6. sect. 1. &c. and ch. 9. sect. 1. &c. and ch. 7. sect. 2. Vers. 18. a cleane man] either he that tooke the ashes and put them to the water, or any other: see the notes on v. 9. He that filleth the water for sanctification, it is not necessarie that it be he himselfe that sanctifieth, and that sprinkleth; but one may sanctifie, and another may sprinkle. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 10. hyssop] that herbe wch was used in cleansing of the Leper, whereof see Lev. 14. 4. A cleane man take[illegible: 1 span] three stalks of hyssop, and bindeth them in a bunch, &c. and dippeth the tops of the branches in the water [illegible: 1 word] separation which is in a vessell, and purposely [illegible: 1 word] leth on the man, or on the vessels, &c. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 11. sect. 1. dip it in the water] He that sprinkleth, needeth not to dip for every sprinkling, but dippeth the hyssop, and sprinkleth one time after another, till the water be ended. And he may sprinkle with one sprinkling on many men, or on many vessels at once, though they be an hundred: whatsoever the water toucheth, it is cleane every whit, if so be he that sprinkleth doe intend to sprinkle upon it. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 10. sect. 8. upon the tent] in Greeke, upon the house. The tent was uncleane by the dead, though it touched it not, as this Law sheweth. The Tent it selfe whereinto the uncleannesse came, though the uncleannesse touched it not, yet is it uncleane with seven dayes uncleannesse by the Law, and is as clothes that touch the dead corpes; for it is said, And he shall sprinkle upon the Tent. Maim. in Tumath meth, ch. 5. sect. 12. all the vessels] nothing but this water could purifie the vessels; though they were melted in the fire, yet they were in part uncleane, as it is said, Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shal make it goe thorow the fire, and it shall be cleane: neverthelesse it shall be purified with the water of separation, Num. 31. 23. the soules] the living persons, or men, as Targum Ionathan explaineth it. And this is spoken largely without limitation, though they had other uncleannesse upon them, than by the dead. And so the Hebrewes explaine it largely, saying; All that are uncleane doe receive the sprinkling; as men or women that have running issues, women separated for their disease, and women in childbed, which are defiled by the dead, they sprinkle upon them in the third day, and in the seventh, and loe they are cleansed from the uncleannesse by the dead, although they are uncleane still with other uncleannesse. For it is said, (in Num. 19. 19.) And a cleane person shall sprinkle upon the uncleane, &c. whereby thou maist learne, that the sprinkling is availeable for him, though he be uncleane. And so an uncircumcised person receiveth the sprinkling; as an uncircumcised person that is uncleane by the dead, and one sprinkle upon him in the third day and in the seventh, loe he is cleane from the uncleannesse by the dead; and when he is circumcised, he washeth (or baptiseth) and eateth of the holy things at evening. Maim. in Pharah, ch. 1. sect. 3. And for the effect of this sprinkling, they say, A man defiled by the dead, and one hath sprinkled on him, when any of the water of separation hath touched any place of the skin of his flesh who was uncleane, the sprinkling is availeable for him, though it fall but upon the top of his finger, or of his lip, &c. And so for an uncleane vessell sprinkled, when any whit of the water toucheth the body of the vessell, the sprinkling is availeble for it. Maim. ibid. c. 12. s. 1. a bone] that is, a mans bone, as the Greeke translateth, and as was expressed in v. 16. Vers. 19. in the third day] to wit, after his uncleannesse being certainly knowne. Who so is uncleane by the dead, and tarieth many dayes without sprinkling, when he commeth to be sprinkled, he counteth before him three dayes, and they sprinkle on him in the third day, and in the seventh, &c. Maim. in Pharah, c. 11. s. 2. and in the seventh] wch is the day of the accomplishment of his purification: the third day was mysticall, having reference to the resurrection of Christ, wch was on the third day after his death, 1 Cor. 15. 4. whereof see the annotations on Gen. 22. 4. The seventh day was also mysticall, as being the number of perfection of the Sabbath, and of accomplishing a work, as is noted on Gen. 2. 2. Ex. 12. 15. and Lev. 4. 6. and so it figured our full cleansing, and ceasing from our sinfull and dead works, after that we are sprinkled with the bloud of Iesus, and water of his Spirit, Heb. 4. 9, 10. and 9. 13, 14. wash his cloathes] wch was a common rite, for all that were defiled with other uncleannesses; wherof see Lev. 11. 25. and 14. 8, 9. and 15. 5. bathe his flesh] in Greeke, wash his body: the word flesh is expressed before in v. 7. & it is meant of his whole body, or all his flesh, as Lev. 15. 16. cleane at evening] after the Sun is set, at what time a new day beginneth; and so in mysterie, a new life to begin. This cleansing of the defiled by the dead, figured Christs worke of grace upon dead and sinfull men; of him it is prophesied, Hee shall sprinkle many nations, Esai. 52. 15. and of him doth the Apostle open this figure, saying, If the blend of buls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the uncleane, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without blemish unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb. 9. 13, 14. The sprinkling of the ashes of the heifer, figured the applying unto us of Christs death, whereunto he was delivered for our offences, and was raised againe for our justification, Rom. 4. 25. The living water wherewith the ashes were mixed, figured the Spirit of God, which they that beleeve in Christ doe receive, Ioh. 7. 38, 39. of which he gave this promise, Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shal be clean, Eze. 36. 25. These being applied unto our consciences by faith (as with hyssop) wch purifieth the heart, Act. 15. 9. & by the preaching therof, Gal. 3. 2. doe baptise us into Christs death, that like as he was raised up frō the dead, unto the glorie of the Father; even so wee also should walk in newnesse of life, Rom. 6. 3, 4. And so we draw neere unto God, with a true heart, in sul assurance of faith, having hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience, and bodies washed with pure water, & our robes washed, and made white in the bloud of the Lambe, Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 7. 14. and cleansing our selves frō all filthines of the flesh and spirit, we perfect holinesse in the feare of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Of these mysteries the Hebrew Doctors, though estranged from the true life and light of Christ, retained some knowledge; for they say, When the living water is mixed with the ashes, it purifieth the uncleane, whereas before that, while the ashes were alone, they defiled all that were imployed about them. And behold, the living water signified the water that is on high, which taketh away uncleannesse from the ashes, &c. And loe when it is sprinkled on the uncleane, the uncleannesse fleeth from him, &c. and a cleane spirit resteth upon him, and purifieth him. R. Menachem on Num. 19. Vers. 20. uncleane] by any of the things afore-said, about the dead. not purifie himselfe] or, not be purified, to wit, by having the water sprinkled upon him, as the Chaldee explaineth it; and the latter part of this verse manifesteth. that soule] in Chaldee, that man cut off] in Greeke and Chaldee, destroyed. defiled the Sanctuarie] by comming into it before he hath beene purified. For such were shut out of the host, Num. 5. 3. how much more out of the Sanctuary? Therefore Porters were see there at the gates, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in, 2 Chr. 23. 19. An unoleane person that commeth into the Sanctuary presumptuously, his punishment is cutting off, Num. 19. 20. if ignorantly, then he is to bring the sacrifice appointed, Lev. 7. Maim in Biath hamikdesh, [illegible: 1 word]. 3. s. 12. See the annotations on Lev. 5. 2, 3. Vers. 21. wash his cloathes] as being uncleane, and so to continue untill evening; likewise he that toucheth the water of separation shall wash his cloathes, and be uncleane untill evening. This interpretation Chazkuni here giveth of it; that in the former branch, uncleannesse is implied untill evening; and in the latter branch, the washing of his cloathes also is implied, though not expressed. This is one of the mysteries of this Law, that a clean mā (as he is called in v. 18, 19.) was made uncleane, by sprinkling or touching the holy water, which sanctified those that were uncleane; and so it had contrary effects to purifie the uncleane, and to poulute the cleane; as the Sun melteth wax, and hardneth clay. Hereby the Holy Ghost seemeth to signifie the imperfection and insufficiencie of these legall rites, which in their greatest vertue did but sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 9. 13. and yet even then also, left the purifier himselfe in uncleannesse, which hee had not before. That by consideration of these effects, the people might be led unto Christ and his Spirit, who is able to purge the conscience from dead workes, and to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, Heb. 9. 14. & 7. 25. The Hebrewes understand this of such as sprinkled or touched the water, when there was no need, as when no unclean person or vessell was to be sprinkled with it. Maimony in Pharah, ch. 15. Vers. 22. whatsoever] or whomsoever; Hebr. all, implying men, vessels, &c. the uncleane] to wit, by the dead, of whom was spoken before. shall be uncleane] to wit, untill evening, as the end of the verse sheweth: and this is an inferiour degree of uncleannesse; for the man or vessell polluted by the dead, was uncleane seven dayes, vers. 11. 14. but that wch such an unclean man or vessell touched, was uncleane till the end of that day. So in the Hebrew Canons, A man which is defiled by the dead, and the vessels which that man toucheth, are uncleane seven dayes, as it is said, And yee shall wash your cloathes in the seventh day, and ye shal be clean, (Num. 31. 24.) But a man that shall touch a man which is defiled by the dead, whether he touch him after that he is separated from the things that defiled him, or touch him whiles he toucheth the dead, lo this second man is uncleane till the evening, as it is said, (in Num. 19. 22.) And the soule that toucheth, shall be unclean untill the evening. Mai. in Tumath meth, ch. 5. s. 2. the soule] in Chaldee, the man. that toucheth] to wit, him that is defiled, as before is noted; or it, the thing which is defiled by the te[illegible: 1 letter]d of an uncleane man. Thus pollution passed from one thing to another, and from that other to third; whereby God figured the contagioness no spreading abroad, and infecting where it goeth; leaving uncleannesse till the end of that day, and beginning of a new: then washing our selves by repentance and faith in the bloud of Christ, we are cleane. For we are buried with him by baptisme into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, unto the glory of the father, even so wee also [illegible: 1 word] walke in newnesse of life, Rom. 6. 4.