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<p>Here, I. It is supposed that the plague of the leprosy was not an incurable disease. Uzziah’s indeed continued to the day of his death, and Gehazi’s was entailed upon his seed; but Miriam’s lasted only seven days: we may suppose that it often wore off in process of time. Though God contend long, he will <i>not contend for ever</i>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. The judgment of the cure, as well as that of the disease, was referred to the priest. He must go out of the camp to the leper, to see whether his leprosy was healed, <a class="bibleref" title="Lev.14.3" href="/passage/?search=Lev.14.3">Lev. 14:3</a>. And we may suppose the priest did not contract any ceremonial uncleanness by coming near the leper, as another person would. It was in mercy to the poor lepers that the priests particularly had orders to attend them, for <i>the priests’ lips should keep knowledge</i>; and those in affliction have need to be instructed both how to bear their afflictions and how to reap benefit by them, have need of the word, in concurrence with the rod, to bring them to repentance; therefore it is well for those that are sick if they have these messengers of the Lord of hosts with them, these interpreters, to <i>show unto them God’s uprightness</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Job.33.23" href="/passage/?search=Job.33.23">Job 33:23</a>. When the leper was shut out, and could not go to the priests, it was well that the priests might come to him. <i>Isa. any sick? Let him send for the elders</i>, the ministers, <a class="bibleref" title="Jas.5.14" href="/passage/?search=Jas.5.14">Jas. 5:14</a>. If we apply it to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw from those who walk disorderly, that they may be ashamed, we must not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren, <a class="bibleref" title="2Thess.3.15" href="/passage/?search=2Thess.3.15">2 Thess. 3:15</a>. And also that when God by his grace has brought those to repentance who were shut out of communion for scandal, they ought with tenderness, and joy, and sincere affection, to be received in again. Thus Paul orders concerning the excommunicated Corinthian that when he had given evidences of his repentance they should forgive him, and comfort him, and <i>confirm their love towards him</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Cor.2.7,2Cor.2.8" href="/passage/?search=2Cor.2.7,2Cor.2.8"><span class="bibleref" title="2Cor.2.7">2 Cor. 2:7</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="2Cor.2.8">8</span></a>. And ministers are entrusted by our Master with the declarative power of loosing as well as binding: both must be done with great caution and deliberation, impartially and without respect of persons, with earnest prayer to God for directions, and a sincere regard to the edification of the body of Christ, due care being always taken that sinners may not be encouraged by an excess of lenity, nor penitents discouraged by an excess of severity. Wisdom and sincerity are profitable to direct in this case.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">III. If it was found that the leprosy was healed, the priest must declare it with a particular solemnity. The leper or his friends were to get ready two birds caught for this purpose (any sort of wild birds that were clean), and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop; for all these were to be used in the ceremony. 1. A preparation was to be made of blood and water, with which the leper must be sprinkled. One of the birds (and the Jews say, if there was any difference, it must be the larger and better of the two) was to be killed over an earthen cup of spring water, so that the blood of the bird might discolour the water. This (as some other types) had its accomplishment in the death of Christ, when out of his pierced side there came water and blood, <a class="bibleref" title="John.19.34" href="/passage/?search=John.19.34">John 19:34</a>. Thus Christ comes into the soul for its cure and cleansing, <i>not by water only, but by water and blood</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="1John.5.6" href="/passage/?search=1John.5.6">1 John 5:6</a>. 2. The living bird, with a little scarlet wool, and a bunch of hyssop, must be fastened to a cedar stick, dipped in the water and blood, which must be so sprinkled upon him that was to be cleansed, <a class="bibleref" title="Lev.14.6,Lev.14.7" href="/passage/?search=Lev.14.6,Lev.14.7"><span class="bibleref" title="Lev.14.6">Lev. 14:6</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Lev.14.7">7</span></a>. The cedar-wood signified the restoring of the leper to his strength and soundness, for that is a sort of wood not apt to putrefy. The scarlet wool signified his recovering a florid colour again, for the leprosy made him white as snow. And the hyssop intimated the removing of the disagreeable scent which commonly attended the leprosy. The cedar the stateliest plant, and hyssop the meanest, are here used together in this service (see <a class="bibleref" title="1Kgs.4.33" href="/passage/?search=1Kgs.4.33">1 Kgs. 4:33</a>); for those of the lowest rank in the church may be of use in their place, as well as those that are most eminent, <a class="bibleref" title="1Cor.12.2" href="/passage/?search=1Cor.12.2">1 Cor. 12:2</a>. Some make the slain bird to typify Christ <i>dying for our sins</i>, and the living bird Christ <i>rising again for our justification</i>. The dipping of the living bird in the blood of the slain bird intimated that the merit of Christ’s death was that which made his resurrection effectual for our justification. He took his blood with him into the holy place, and there appeared a lamb as it had been slain. The cedar, scarlet wool, and hyssop, must all be dipped in the blood; for the word and ordinances, and all the operations of the Spirit, receive their efficacy for our cleansing from the blood of Christ. The leper must be sprinkled <i>seven times</i>, to signify a complete purification, in allusion to which David prays, <i>Wash me thoroughly</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.51.2" href="/passage/?search=Ps.51.2">Ps. 51:2</a>. Naaman was directed to wash <i>seven times</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="2Kgs.5.10" href="/passage/?search=2Kgs.5.10">2 Kgs. 5:10</a>. 3. The living bird was then to be let loose in the open field, to signify that the leper, being cleansed, was now no longer under restraint and confinement, but might take his liberty to go where he pleased. But this being signified by the flight of a bird towards heaven was an intimation to him henceforward to seek the things that are above, and not to spend this new life to which God had restored him merely in the pursuit of earthly things. This typified that glorious liberty of the children of God to which those are advanced who through grace are sprinkled from an evil conscience. Those whose souls before <i>bowed down to the dust</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.44.25" href="/passage/?search=Ps.44.25">Ps. 44:25</a>), in grief and fear, now fly in the open firmament of heaven, and soar upwards upon the wings of faith and hope, and holy love and joy. 4. The priest must, upon this, pronounce him clean. It was r
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