mh_parser/vol_split/3 - Leviticus/Chapter 17.xml

<div2 id="Lev.xviii" n="xviii" next="Lev.xix" prev="Lev.xvii" progress="57.86%" title="Chapter XVII">
<h2 id="Lev.xviii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xviii-p1">After the law concerning the atonement to be made
for all Israel by the high priest, at the tabernacle, with the
blood of bulls and goats, in this chapter we have two prohibitions
necessary for the preservation of the honour of that atonement. I.
That no sacrifice should be offered by any other than the priests,
nor anywhere but at the door of the tabernacle, and this upon pain
of death, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9" parsed="|Lev|17|1|17|9" passage="Le 17:1-9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
That no blood should be eaten, and this under the same penalty,
<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16" parsed="|Lev|17|10|17|16" passage="Le 17:10-16">ver. 10</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Lev.xviii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17" parsed="|Lev|17|0|0|0" passage="Le 17" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.xviii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9" parsed="|Lev|17|1|17|9" passage="Le 17:1-9" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xviii-p1.5">Directions Concerning
Sacrifices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xviii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his
sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This
<i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>
hath commanded, saying,   3 What man soever <i>there be</i> of
the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the
camp, or that killeth <i>it</i> out of the camp,   4 And
bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, to offer an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span> before the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span>; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he
hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his
people:   5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring
their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that
they may bring them unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.5">Lord</span>,
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the
priest, and offer them <i>for</i> peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.6">Lord</span>.   6 And the priest shall
sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.7">Lord</span> <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.8">Lord</span>.   7 And they shall no more
offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a
whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout
their generations.   8 And thou shalt say unto them,
Whatsoever man <i>there be</i> of the house of Israel, or of the
strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering
or sacrifice,   9 And bringeth it not unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.9">Lord</span>; even that man shall be cut off from among
his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p3">This statute obliged all the people of
Israel to bring all their sacrifices to God's altar, to be offered
there. And as to this matter we must consider,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p4">I. How it stood before. 1. It was allowed
to all people to build altars, and offer sacrifices to God, where
they pleased. Wherever Abraham had a tent he built an altar, and
every master of a family was a priest to his own family, as
<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.5" parsed="|Job|1|5|0|0" passage="Job 1:5">Job i. 5</scripRef>. 2. This liberty
had been an occasion of idolatry. When every man was his own
priest, and had an altar of his own, by degrees, as they became
vain in their imaginations, they invented gods of their own, <i>and
offered their sacrifices unto demons,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.7" parsed="|Lev|17|7|0|0" passage="Le 17:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. The word signifies <i>rough</i>
or <i>hairy goats,</i> because it is probable that in the shape the
evil spirits often appeared to them, to invite their sacrifices and
to signify their acceptance of them. For the devil, ever since he
became a revolter from God and a rebel against him, has set up for
a rival with him, and coveted to have divine honours paid him: he
had the impudence to solicit our blessed Saviour to <i>fall down
and worship him.</i> The Israelites themselves had learned in Egypt
to sacrifice to demons. And some of them, it should seem, practised
it even since the God of Israel had so gloriously appeared for
them, and with them. They are said to <i>go a whoring after</i>
these demons; for it was such a breach of their covenant with God
as adultery is of the marriage covenant: and they were as strongly
addicted to their idolatrous worships, and as hard to be reclaimed
from them, as those that have given themselves over to fornication,
to <i>work all uncleanness with greediness;</i> and therefore it is
with reference to this that God calls himself <i>a jealous
God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p5">II. How this law settled it. 1. Some think
that the children of Israel were by this law forbidden, while they
were in the wilderness, to kill any beef, or mutton, or veal, or
lamb, or goat, even for their common eating, but at the <i>door of
the tabernacle,</i> where the blood and the fat were to be offered
to God upon the altar, and the flesh to be returned back to the
offerer to be eaten as a peace-offering, according to the law. And
the statute is so worded (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.3-Lev.17.4" parsed="|Lev|17|3|17|4" passage="Le 17:3,4"><i>v.</i>
3, 4</scripRef>) as to favour this opinion, for it speaks generally
of killing any ox, or lamb, or goat. The learned Dr. Cudworth puts
this sense upon it, and thinks that while they had their tabernacle
so near them in the midst of their camp they ate no flesh but what
had first been offered to God, but that when they were entering
Canaan this constitution was altered (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.21" parsed="|Deut|12|21|0|0" passage="De 12:21">Deut. xii. 21</scripRef>), and they were allowed to kill
their beasts of the flock and herd at home, as well as the roebuck
and the hart; only thrice a year they were to see God at his
tabernacle, and to eat and drink before him there. And it is
probable that in the wilderness they did not eat much flesh but
that of their peace-offerings, preserving what cattle they had, for
breed, against they came to Canaan; therefore they murmured for
flesh, being weary of manna; and Moses on that occasion speaks as
if they were very sparing of the <i>flocks and the herds,</i>
<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4 Bible:Num.11.22" parsed="|Num|11|4|0|0;|Num|11|22|0|0" passage="Nu 11:4,22">Num. xi. 4, 22</scripRef>. Yet it is
hard to construe this as a temporary law, when it is expressly said
to be a <i>statute for ever</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.7" parsed="|Lev|17|7|0|0" passage="Le 17:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); and therefore, 2. It should seem
rather to forbid only the killing of beasts for sacrifice any where
but at God's altar. They must not offer sacrifice, as they had
done, <i>in the open field</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.5" parsed="|Lev|17|5|0|0" passage="Le 17:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), no, not to the true God, but it
must be brought to the priest, to be offered on the altar of the
Lord: and the solemnity they had lately witnessed, of consecrating
both the priests and the altar, would serve for a good reason why
they should confine themselves to both these that God had so
signally appointed and owned. This law obliged not only the
Israelites themselves, but the proselytes or strangers that were
circumcised and sojourned among them, who were in danger of
retaining an affection to their old ways of worship. If any should
transgress this law, and offer sacrifice any where but at the
tabernacle, (1.) The guilt was great: <i>Blood shall be imputed to
that man; he hath shed blood,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.4" parsed="|Lev|17|4|0|0" passage="Le 17:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Though it was but a beast he had
killed, yet, killing it otherwise than God had appointed, he was
looked upon as a murderer. It is by the divine grant that we have
the liberty to kill the inferior creatures, to the benefit of which
we are not entitled, unless we submit to the limitations of it,
which are that it be not done either with cruelty or with
superstition, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.3-Gen.9.4" parsed="|Gen|9|3|9|4" passage="Ge 9:3,4">Gen. ix. 3,
4</scripRef>. Nor was there ever any greater abuse done to the
inferior creatures than when they were made either false gods or
sacrifices to false gods, to which the apostle perhaps has special
reference when he speaks of the vanity and bondage of corruption to
which the creature was made subject, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.8" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20-Rom.8.21" parsed="|Rom|8|20|8|21" passage="Ro 8:20,21">Rom. viii. 20, 21</scripRef>, and compare <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.23 Bible:Lev.1.25" parsed="|Lev|1|23|0|0;|Lev|1|25|0|0" passage="Le 1:23,25"><i>ch.</i> i. 23, 25</scripRef>. Idolatrous
sacrifices were looked upon, not only as adultery, but as murder:
he that <i>offereth them is as if he slew a man,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p5.10" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.3" parsed="|Isa|66|3|0|0" passage="Isa 66:3">Isa. lxvi. 3</scripRef>. (2.) The punishment
should be severe: <i>That man shall be cut off from among his
people.</i> Either the magistrate must do it if it were manifest
and notorious, or, if not, God would take the work into his own
hands, and the offender should be cut off by some immediate stroke
of divine justice. The reasons why God thus strictly ordered all
their sacrifices to be offered at one place were, [1.] For the
preventing of idolatry and superstition. That sacrifices might be
offered to God, and according to the rule, and without innovations,
they must always be offered by the hands of the priests, who were
servants in God's house, and under the eye of the high priest, who
was ruler of the house, and took care to see every thing done
according to God's ordinance. [2.] For the securing of the honour
of God's temple and altar, the peculiar dignity of which would be
endangered if they might offer their sacrifices any where else as
well as there. [3.] For the preserving of unity and brotherly love
among the Israelites, that meeting all at one altar, as all the
children of the family meet daily at one table, they might live and
love as brethren, and be as one man, of one mind in the Lord.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p6">III. How this law was observed. 1. While
the Israelites kept their integrity they had a tender and very
jealous regard to this law, as appears by their zeal against the
altar which was erected by the two tribes and a half, which they
would by no means have left standing if they had not been satisfied
that it was never designed, nor should ever be used, for sacrifice
or offering, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Josh.22.12" parsed="|Josh|22|12|0|0" passage="Jos 22:12">Josh. xxii.
12</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. The breach of this law was for many ages
the scandalous and incurable corruption of the Jewish church,
witness that complaint which so often occurs in the history even of
the good kings, <i>Howbeit the high places were not taken away;</i>
and it was an inlet to the grossest idolatries. 3. Yet this law
was, in extraordinary cases, dispensed with. Gideon's sacrifice
(<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.26" parsed="|Judg|6|26|0|0" passage="Jdg 6:26">Judg. vi. 26</scripRef>), Manoah's
(<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.19" parsed="|Judg|13|19|0|0" passage="Jdg 13:19">Judg. xiii. 19</scripRef>), Samuel's
(<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.9 Bible:1Sam.9.13 Bible:1Sam.11.15" parsed="|1Sam|7|9|0|0;|1Sam|9|13|0|0;|1Sam|11|15|0|0" passage="1Sa 7:9,9:13,11:15">1 Sam. vii. 9; ix. 13; xi.
15</scripRef>), David's (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.18" parsed="|2Sam|24|18|0|0" passage="2Sa 24:18">2 Sam. xxiv.
18</scripRef>), and Elijah's (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.23" parsed="|1Kgs|18|23|0|0" passage="1Ki 18:23">1 Kings
xviii. 23</scripRef>), were accepted, though not offered at the
usual place: but these were all either ordered by angels or offered
by prophets; and some think that after the desolation of Shiloh,
and before the building of the temple, while the ark and altar were
unsettled, it was more allowable to offer sacrifice elsewhere.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p7">IV. How the matter stands now, and what use
we are to make of this law. 1. It is certain that the spiritual
sacrifices we are now to offer are not confined to any one place.
Our Saviour has made this clear (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:John.4.21" parsed="|John|4|21|0|0" passage="Joh 4:21">John
iv. 21</scripRef>), and the apostle (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.8" parsed="|1Tim|2|8|0|0" passage="1Ti 2:8">1
Tim. ii. 8</scripRef>), according to the prophecy, that <i>in every
place incense should be offered,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.11" parsed="|Mal|1|11|0|0" passage="Mal 1:11">Mal. i. 11</scripRef>. We have now no temple nor altar
that sanctifies the gift, nor does the gospel unity lie in one
place, but in one heart, and the <i>unity of the spirit.</i> 2.
Christ is our altar, and the <i>true tabernacle</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.2 Bible:Heb.13.10" parsed="|Heb|8|2|0|0;|Heb|13|10|0|0" passage="Heb 8:2,13:10">Heb. viii. 2; xiii. 10</scripRef>); in him
God dwells among us, and it is in him that our sacrifices are
acceptable to God, and in him only, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" passage="1Pe 2:5">1
Pet. ii. 5</scripRef>. To set up other mediators, or other altars,
or other expiatory sacrifices, is, in effect, to set up other gods.
He is the centre of unity, in whom all God's Israel meet. 3. Yet we
are to have respect to the public worship of God, not <i>forsaking
the assemblies of</i> his people, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.25" parsed="|Heb|10|25|0|0" passage="Heb 10:25">Heb. x. 25</scripRef>. The Lord loves <i>the gates of
Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob,</i> and so should we;
see <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.40" parsed="|Ezek|20|40|0|0" passage="Eze 20:40">Ezek. xx. 40</scripRef>. Though
God will graciously accept our family offerings, we must not
therefore neglect the door of the tabernacle.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.xviii-p7.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17" parsed="|Lev|17|0|0|0" passage="Le 17" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.xviii-p7.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16" parsed="|Lev|17|10|17|16" passage="Le 17:10-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16">
<h4 id="Lev.xviii-p7.10">The Eating of Blood
Forbidden. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p7.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xviii-p8">10 And whatsoever man <i>there be</i> of the
house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that
eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that
soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
  11 For the life of the flesh <i>is</i> in the blood: and I
have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your
souls: for it <i>is</i> the blood <i>that</i> maketh an atonement
for the soul.   12 Therefore I said unto the children of
Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger
that sojourneth among you eat blood.   13 And whatsoever man
<i>there be</i> of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that
sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl
that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and
cover it with dust.   14 For <i>it is</i> the life of all
flesh; the blood of it <i>is</i> for the life thereof: therefore I
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh <i>is</i> the blood
thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.   15 And every
soul that eateth that which died <i>of itself,</i> or that which
was torn <i>with beasts, whether it be</i> one of your own country,
or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe
<i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall
he be clean.   16 But if he wash <i>them</i> not, nor bathe
his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p9">We have here, I. A repetition and
confirmation of the law against eating blood. We have met with this
prohibition twice before in the levitical law (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.17 Bible:Lev.7.26" parsed="|Lev|3|17|0|0;|Lev|7|26|0|0" passage="Le 3:17,7:26"><i>ch.</i> iii. 17; vii. 26</scripRef>), besides the
place it had in the precepts of Noah, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.4" parsed="|Gen|9|4|0|0" passage="Ge 9:4">Gen. ix. 4</scripRef>. But here, 1. The prohibition is
repeated again and again, and reference had to the former laws to
this purport (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.12" parsed="|Lev|17|12|0|0" passage="Le 17:12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>I said to the children of Israel, No soul of you
shall eat blood;</i> and again (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.14" parsed="|Lev|17|14|0|0" passage="Le 17:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>You shall eat the blood of
no manner of flesh.</i> A great stress is laid upon it, as a law
which has more in it than at first view one would think. 2. It is
made binding, not only on the <i>house of Israel,</i> but on <i>the
strangers that sojourned among them</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10" parsed="|Lev|17|10|0|0" passage="Le 17:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), which perhaps was one reason
why it was thought advisable, for a time, to forbid blood to the
Gentile converts, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.6" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.29" parsed="|Acts|15|29|0|0" passage="Ac 15:29">Acts xv.
29</scripRef>. 3. The penalty annexed to this law is very severe
(<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10" parsed="|Lev|17|10|0|0" passage="Le 17:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>I will
even set my face against that soul that eateth blood,</i> if he do
it presumptuously, and <i>will cut him off;</i> and again
(<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.14" parsed="|Lev|17|14|0|0" passage="Le 17:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>He shall
be cut off.</i> Note, God's wrath will be the sinner's ruin. Write
that man undone, for ever undone, against whom God sets his face;
for what creature is able to confront the Creator? 4. A reason is
given for this law (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.11" parsed="|Lev|17|11|0|0" passage="Le 17:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): because <i>it is the blood that makes atonement for
the soul;</i> and <i>therefore</i> it was appointed to make
atonement with, because <i>the life of the flesh is the blood.</i>
The sinner deserved to die; therefore the sacrifice must die. Now,
the blood being so the life that ordinarily beasts were killed for
man's use by the drawing out of all their blood, God appointed the
sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice upon the
altar to signify that the life of the sacrifice was given to God
instead of the sinner's life, and as a ransom or counter-price for
it; therefore <i>without shedding of blood there was no
remission,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.10" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.22" parsed="|Heb|9|22|0|0" passage="Heb 9:22">Heb. ix. 22</scripRef>.
For this reason they must eat no blood, and, (1.) It was then a
very good reason; for God would by this means preserve the honour
of that way of atonement which he had instituted, and keep up in
the minds of the people a reverent regard to it. The blood of the
covenant being then a sensible object, no blood must be either
eaten or trodden under foot as a common thing, as they must have no
ointment nor perfume like that which God ordered them to make for
himself. But, (2.) This reason is now superseded, which intimates
that the law itself was ceremonial, and is now no longer in force:
the blood of Christ who has come (and we are to look for no other)
is that alone which makes atonement for the soul, and of which the
blood of the sacrifices was an imperfect type: the coming of the
substance supersedes the shadow. The blood of beasts is no longer
the ransom, but Christ's blood only; and therefore there is not now
that reason for abstaining from blood which there was then, and we
cannot suppose it was the will of God that the law should survive
the reason of it. The blood, provided it be so prepared as not to
be unwholesome, is now allowed for the nourishment of our bodies,
because it is no longer appointed to make an atonement for the
soul. (3.) Yet it has still useful significancy. The life is in the
blood; it is the vehicle of the animal spirits, and God would have
his people to regard the life even of their beasts, and not to be
cruel and hard-hearted, not to take delight in any thing that is
barbarous. They must not be a blood-thirsty people. The blood then
made atonement figuratively, now the blood of Christ makes
atonement really and effectually; to this therefore we must have a
reverent regard, and not use it as <i>a common thing,</i> for he
will set his face against those that do so, and they shall be cut
off, <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p9.11" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.29" parsed="|Heb|10|29|0|0" passage="Heb 10:29">Heb. x. 29</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p10">II. Some other precepts are here given as
appendages to this law, and hedges about it, 1. They must cover the
blood of that which they <i>took in hunting,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.13" parsed="|Lev|17|13|0|0" passage="Le 17:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. They must not only not eat it,
but must give it a decent burial, in token of some mystery which
they must believe lay hidden in this constitution. The Jews look
upon this as a very weighty precept and appoint that the blood
should be covered with these words, <i>Blessed be he that hath
sanctified us by his precepts, and commanded us to cover blood.</i>
2. They must not eat that which <i>died of itself</i> or was
<i>torn of beasts</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.15" parsed="|Lev|17|15|0|0" passage="Le 17:15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), for the blood was either not at all, or not
regularly, drawn out of them. God would have them to be curious in
their diet, not with the curiosity that gratifies the sensual
appetite, but with that which checks and restrains it. God would
not have his children to eat every thing that came in their way
with greediness, but to consider diligently what was before them,
that they might learn in other things to ask questions for
conscience' sake. Those that <i>flew upon the spoiled</i> sinned,
<scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.32-1Sam.14.33" parsed="|1Sam|14|32|14|33" passage="1Sa 14:32,33">1 Sam. xiv. 32, 33</scripRef>. If
a man did, through ignorance or inconsideration, eat the flesh of
any beast not duly slain, he must <i>wash himself and his
clothes,</i> else he <i>bore his iniquity,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.xviii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.15-Lev.17.16" parsed="|Lev|17|15|17|16" passage="Le 17:15,16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. The pollution was
ceremonial, so was the purification from it; but if a man slighted
the prescribed method of cleansing, or would not submit, he thereby
contracted moral guilt. See the nature of a remedial law: he that
obeys it has the benefit of it; he that does not, not only remains
under his former guilt, but adds to that guilt of contemning the
provisions made by divine grace for his relief, and sins against
the remedy.</p>
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