Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc09/v11000

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 4KB | 67 lines

11003
 * Ceremonial purification.

 - After the laws concerning clean and unclean food, come the
 laws concerning clean and unclean persons. Man imparts his
 depraved nature to his offspring, so that, excepting as the
 atonement of Christ and the sanctification of the Spirit
 prevent, the original blessing, "Increase and multiply," #Ge
 1:28|, is become to the fallen race a direful curse, and
 communicates sin and misery. Let those women who have received
 mercy from God in child-bearing, with all thankfulness own God's
 goodness to them; and this shall please the Lord better than
 sacrifices.
11011
 * Directions to the priest to judge concerning leprosy. (1-17)
 Further directions. (18-44) How the leper must be disposed of.
 (45,46) The leprosy in garments. (47-59)

 #1-17 The plague of leprosy was an uncleanness, rather than a
 disease. Christ is said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them.
 Common as the leprosy was among the Hebrews, during and after
 their residence in Egypt, we have no reason to believe that it
 was known among them before. Their distressed state and
 employment in that land must have rendered them liable to
 disease. But it was a plague often inflicted immediately by the
 hand of God. Miriam's leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's,
 were punishments of particular sins; no marvel there was care
 taken to distinguish it from a common distemper. The judgment of
 it was referred to the priests. And it was a figure of the moral
 pollutions of men's minds by sin, which is the leprosy of the
 soul, defiling to the conscience, and from which Christ alone
 can cleanse. The priest could only convict the leper, (by the
 law is the knowledge of sin,) but Christ can cure the sinner, he
 can take away sin. It is a work of great importance, but of
 great difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state. We all have
 cause to suspect ourselves, being conscious of sores and spots;
 but whether clean or unclean is the question. As there were
 certain marks by which to know it was leprosy, so there are
 marks of such as are in the gall of bitterness. The priest must
 take time in making his judgment. This teaches all, both
 ministers and people, not to be hasty in censures, nor to judge
 anything before the time. If some men's sins go before unto
 judgment, the sins of others follow after, and so do men's good
 works. If the person suspected were found to be clean, yet he
 must wash his clothes, because there had been ground for the
 suspicion. We have need to be washed in the blood of Christ from
 our spots, though not leprosy spots; for who can say, I am pure
 from sin?

11028
 #18-44 The priest is told what judgment to make, if there were
 any appearance of a leprosy in old sores; and such is the danger
 of those who having escaped the pollutions of the world are
 again entangled therein. Or, in a burn by accident, ver. #24|.
 The burning of strife and contention often occasions the rising
 and breaking out of that corruption, which proves that men are
 unclean. Human life lies exposed to many grievances. With what
 troops of diseases are we beset on every side; and they all
 entered by sin! If the constitution be healthy, and the body
 lively and easy, we are bound to glorify God with our bodies.
 Particular note was taken of the leprosy, if in the head. If the
 leprosy of sin has seized the head; if the judgment be
 corrupted, and wicked principles, which support wicked
 practices, are embraced, it is utter uncleanness, from which few
 are cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps leprosy from the
 head.