Quest. XCVIII.

QUEST. XCVIII. Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?

ANSW. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten commandments, which were delivered by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, and written by him in two tables of stone, and are recorded in the twentieth chapter of Exodus; the four first Commandments containing our duty to God, and the other six our duty to man.

Having considered the moral law, as written on the heart of man at first, and the knowledge thereof, in some degree attainable by all who exercise their reasoning powers: We are in this, and some following answers, led to consider that epitome, or abstract thereof, that was given to the Israelites by the voice of God upon mount Sinai, which is contained in the Ten Commandments.

But since we are considering this instance of divine condescension to them, it may not be reckoned altogether foreign to our present design, for us to give some brief account of those other laws which God gave, together with the moral law; most of which were communicated from mount Sinai: And therefore we may observe, that together with the moral law, there were several forensic or judicial laws given by God for the government of the people of Israel, which more especially respected their civil rights. And there were other laws which had a more immediate subserviency to their attaining the knowledge of those things which related to the way of salvation by the promised Messiah, which are more fully revealed in the gospel: And this is what we call the ceremonial law. Both these are to be considered before we come to speak concerning the moral law, as summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.

I. Concerning the judicial law. It cannot be supposed that so great a people, so much interested in the care of God, to whom he condescended to be their king, should be without a body of laws for their government: Accordingly there were some given them by him, which were founded in, and agreeable to the law of nature and nations; which all well-governed states observe unto this day, viz. that murder should be punished with death; theft with restitution, or some other punishment that may best tend to deter from it. Moreover, besides these, there were other judicial laws given to Israel, which had a more immediate tendency to promote their civil welfare, as a nation distinguished from all others in the world; which laws expired when their civil policy was extinct. And these were,

1. Such as tended to prevent the alienation of inheritances from the respective families to which they were at first given. Accordingly God commanded, that if a man died without children, his brother should marry his widow to raise up seed to him, to inherit his estate and name, Deut. xxv. 5, 6. Matt, xxii. 24.

2. If an Israelite was waxen poor, and obliged to sell his land, for the payment of his debts; the purchaser was to admit any of his family to redeem it; or, if they could not, he was, nevertheless, to restore the land at the year of Jubilee, which was every fiftieth year, Levit. xxv. 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27.

3. If an Hebrew servant was sold for the payment of debts, which he could not otherwise discharge; his master was obliged to release him after six years service, Exod. xxi. 2. But if the servant chose to stay with his master longer than that time, out of the love he bore to him; then he was to have his ear bored, as a token that he should serve him, without being subject to the aforesaid laws, which made provision for his discharge after a certain number of years, ver. 5, 6.

4. The land was to lie untilled, and the vine-yards and olive-yards were to be free for every one to come and eat of the fruit thereof every seventh year; designed more especially for the relief of the poor, amongst them, who had no distinct inheritance of their own, chap. xxiii. 10.

5. They were prohibited from taking usury of an Israelite, though they might of a stranger. The reason of which law might be, either that they might exercise brotherly kindness and charity to one another, in which sense the law is in force to this day; especially when the poor borrow money to supply themselves with necessary food, in which case it is now unlawful to take usury. Or else it is to be considered, that the Israelites lived upon their farms or cattle, by which they seldom got more than what was a necessary provision for their families. And therefore the paying usury whenever they were necessitated to borrow money, would have procured their ruin in the end. Therefore they were not to take usury of an Israelite, but of a stranger they might; because they enriched themselves by merchandise, and were gainers in a way of trade, by what they borrowed.

6. All the males were to come up to Jerusalem, to appear before God, and perform public worship in the temple three times a year, viz. at the solemn festivals; the passover, pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles, Deut. xvi. 16, 17.

7. Six cities of refuge were appointed for those to fly to, for protection, who killed any one by accident. Though a near kinsman, as an avenger of blood might kill the man-slayer before he came to one of these cities. The design of which law was to induce them to take care that none might lose their lives through inadvertency. And there was provision made in these cities for the man-slayer to dwell safely; whereby a just difference was put between such an one, and a wilful murderer, Numb. xxxv. 15, 26, 27. Thus concerning the judicial laws.

II. We now proceed to consider the ceremonial laws that were given them, the end whereof was to lead them into the knowledge of Christ, and the way of salvation by him, then to come, Heb. x. 1. Gal. iii. 24, 25. These may be considered under six heads, which we shall speak briefly to;

[1.] It was ordained, that all their males should be circumcised. This was designed to be a visible mark put on the church, whom God had set apart for himself, that hereby they might be distinguished from the world: But the principal design hereof was, that it might be a sign or seal of the blessings of the covenant of grace, in which God promised that he would be a God to them; and they were hereby to own themselves as his people, Gen. xvii. 7, 10.

[2.] There were various ways whereby persons were reckoned unclean, and ordinances appointed for their cleansing. They were rendered unclean, by eating those birds, beasts, fishes, and creeping things, which God had pronounced unclean, and not designed for food, Lev. xi. Moreover, they were polluted by touching the dead bodies of such unclean birds, beasts, fishes, or creeping things, ver. 31. Again, some diseases, incident to the bodies of men, which were more than ordinarily noisome, rendered them unclean, as the issue, leprosy, &c. Lev. xv. 2, & seq. and ch. xiii. and the clothes they wore, the houses they lived in, the beds on which they lay, their ovens and the vessels used in eating or drinking, were, on several accounts, deemed unclean, and accordingly were either to be cleansed or destroyed; otherwise the owners thereof would be polluted hereby[203].

This law was designed to signify how odious and abominable sin, which is a moral pollution, is, in God’s account, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, Hab. i. 13. We might also observe; that there are various ordinances appointed for their cleansing, in order to which, several sacrifices were to be offered, and divers washings with water, Lev. xiii—15. The former of these signified the way of our being delivered from sin by the blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of forgiveness, Heb. ix. 13, 14. Eph. i. 7. the latter, our being cleansed from sin by the internal, powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, in regeneration and sanctification, Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27. Heb. x. 22. Tit. iii. 5, 6.

[3.] There were holy places, such as the tabernacle and temple, with the vessels and ornaments thereof. The tabernacle was erected according to the pattern which God shewed to Moses in the mount, Exod. xxv. 40. and was so framed, that it might be taken to pieces, and removed from place to place, as often as the host of Israel changed their station in the wilderness: And accordingly there were Levites appointed to take it down and set it up; and also waggons with oxen, to carry it, excepting those parts of it which belonged to the holiest of all, which were to be carried on their shoulders, Numb. vii. 6.

The temple was that fixed place appointed for public worship at Jerusalem; first built by Solomon, and afterwards rebuilt by Zerubbabel. And both this and the tabernacle signified, that God would dwell in the midst of his people, and accept of that solemn and instituted worship that was to be performed by his church, in all ages. This was designed to be a type of the incarnation of the Son of God, who is styled Emmanuel, God with us; and in allusion hereunto, he calls his body a temple, John ii. 19.

Moreover, the courts of this tabernacle and temple, and the ministry performed therein, had each their respective signification annexed to them. That, in which the priests came daily to minister, wherein gifts and sacrifices were offered, prefigured Christ’s offering himself a sacrifice upon earth, for the sins of his people. And the inner court, which was the holiest of all, into which none but the high-priest was to enter, and that with blood and incense, signified Christ’s entering into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us, Heb. ix. 24.

As for the vessels of the tabernacle and temple, these were either such as were in the first court, which is also called the sanctuary; in which was the candlestick, the table, and the shew-bread, Lev. xxiv. 2-7. Heb. ix. 2. the laver and the altar, Exod. xxx. 18. all which were designed for types. The candlestick signified the church, and the preaching the gospel therein; whereby light is held forth to the world, Rev. i. 20. Matt. v. 14. The shew-bread set up, signified the communion which the members of the church have with Christ, and with one another, 1 Cor. x. 17. as he styles himself, the bread of life, or, the bread of God, which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world, John vi. 33. The laver signified, that when we draw nigh to God, our persons and services ought to be pure and holy; to which the apostle alludes, when he says, Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, Heb. x. 22. The altar, which was holy, and sanctified the gift that the high-priest offered thereon, Matt, xxiii. 19. so that every thing that touched it was holy, Exod. xxix. 37. this signified, that the divine nature of Christ added an infinite worth to what he did in the human; in which he offered himself a sacrifice to God. These were the vessels in the outer court.

The vessels in the inward court, or holiest of all in which were the golden censer, the ark of the covenant, and the Cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat, Heb. ix. 3-5. were a symbol and type of God’s special presence with his people, which is their glory; or of the Son of God’s dwelling with us, in our nature. The mercy-seat, which was placed over it, signified that the mercy of God was displayed to sinners, through Christ. The cherubims of glory with their wings spread, overshadowing and looking down upon the mercy-seat, signified that the angels behold and admire the stupendous work of redemption, 1 Pet. i. 12. The altar of incense, and the golden censer, were types of the intercession of Christ for his people; and its fragrancy typified the acceptableness thereof in the sight of God.

There were, besides these, three more things in the holiest of all, which are particularly mentioned, viz. the pot of manna, which was miraculously preserved from corruption throughout their generations, as a memorial of the bread which God had fed them with in the wilderness, and a type of Christ, the bread of life, who was to come down from heaven, John vi. 48-50. There was also Aaron’s rod, which was preserved in memory of the wonders that were wrought by it in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness: And it is said to have blossomed and yielded almonds, Numb. xvii. 8. which seemed to typify the flourishing state of the gospel; which is called, The rod of God’s strength, Psal. cx. 2. Moreover, the two tables of the law were put into the ark, whereby the exceeding holiness of it was signified; and also that the law should be fulfilled and magnified by Christ, when he came to dwell among us. Thus we have given a brief account of the holy vessels of the temple and tabernacle.

We might also have added, that there were various ornaments thereof; they were adorned with silver, gold, and precious stones, carved, and curious needle-work; which rendered them exceeding rich and beautiful. The temple in particular, was the wonder of the world, far surpassing all other buildings, either before or since, Exod. xxv. 3-7. 1 Chron. xxix. 2-5. And this may be supposed to shadow forth the spiritual beauty and glory of the gospel-church, and of the heavenly state, in which it shall be brought to its utmost perfection, Rev. xxi. 11-23. Thus concerning those holy places, which were immediately designed for worship.

There were other holy places, such as the land of Canaan, which was styled the Holy land, and the inhabitants thereof a holy nation, or the people of his holiness, Isa. lxiii. 18. And as this was a place where God gave them rest, and a settlement, after forty years travel in the wilderness, it was a type of that rest which the church was to expect from Christ under the gospel, Isa. xi. 10. Heb. iv. 9. Moreover, Jerusalem was an holy city, Nehem. xi. 1. Matt. iv. 5. because thither the tribes went up to worship, Psal. cxxii. 4. and God was present with them there, Ezek. xxxvii. 27, 28.

[4.] There were other laws that respected those whom God had appointed to be ministers in holy things. These were the Priests and Levites, who were to assist them in some parts of their office; but especially the high-priest, who was the chief or head of them all, who is considered as an eminent type of Christ’s Priestly office in several respects, Heb. v. 1-5. And there were various ceremonies instituted, which were observed in their consecration of them; particularly they were to be washed with water, Exod. xxix. 4. which was a rite used in the consecration of persons and things; and signified, that they who ministred in holy things, should be holy in their conversation. Moreover, there were several garments to be made and put on them, which are styled holy, and designed for glory and for beauty, chap. xxviii. 2, & seq. These signified the dignity and holiness of Christ’s priesthood. And particularly the breast-plate, which was only worn by the high-priest, adorned with precious stones, on which the names of the children of Israel were engraven, with which he was to go into the holy of holies. This signified the concern of Christ’s people in the execution of his Priestly office, and his representing them when appearing in the presence of God for them. Again, they were anointed with the precious ointment, compounded for that purpose, chap. xxx. 25, 30. whereby they were set apart, or consecrated to minister in the priest’s office, and were types of Christ; upon which account he is said to be anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, Psal. xlv. 7.

[5.] There were other laws respecting the temple-service, or the gifts and sacrifices that were to be offered there. There were many gifts presented or devoted to God; some of which were not designed for sacrifice, but to testify their acknowledgment of God’s right to all we are and have; and among these, the first ripe fruits were offered, or presented, as gifts to him, Exod. xxix. 29. As for those things that were designed for sacrifice, these were offered, and their blood poured forth on the altar; which signified the expiation of sin by the blood of Jesus, Heb. ix. 22, 23, 26. And that part of the high-priest’s office, which respected his carrying the blood with the incense, into the holiest of all, was a type of Christ’s entering into heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for his people, chap. ix. 24.

[6.] There were other laws that respected the holy times or festivals, appointed for solemn worship. Some of these were monthly, as the new moons; others annual, as the passover; which was not only a sign memorizing their having been formerly delivered from the sword of the destroying angel, when he slew the first-born of Egypt; but it typified our deliverance from the stroke of vindictive justice, on which account Christ is called our passover, 1 Cor. v. 7. There was also the feast of harvest, in which the first-fruits were presented to God as an acknowledgment that he has a right to the best of our time and service. There was also the feast of tabernacles; which not only called to remembrance their dwelling in tents in the wilderness, but was an acknowledgment that we are strangers and sojourners upon earth; and was also a type of Christ, who was expected to come and pitch his tabernacle among us in his incarnation. There are many other laws, both judicial and ceremonial, that I might have mentioned; but since these things are only spoken of occasionally, as being imparted by God to Israel, by the hand of Moses, from mount Sinai, at the same time, or soon after, the Ten Commandments were given, Deut. iv. 12, 13. we shall add no more concerning them, but proceed,

To consider what is particularly mentioned in this answer, concerning God’s giving this abstract of the moral law contained in them, which were first delivered by a voice; in which respect God is said to have talked with them face to face, chap. v. 4. but at the same time there were many ensigns of terrible majesty attending the delivery of this law; the mountain burned with fire, Exod. xix. 18. There were lightnings, thunderings, and earthquakes, and the sound of a trumpet, that waxed louder and louder; which made the people, and Moses himself, exceedingly tremble, Exod. xx. 18. Heb. xii. 18, 19. and there was the ministry of angels who performed that part of the work which they were employed in on this solemn occasion. This is described in a majestic style, becoming the subject insisted on, when it is said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law, Deut. xxxiii. 2. Their ministry might probably consist in their forming the thunder, lightnings, and tempest. Nevertheless, the law was not originally from them, but given immediately by God. And the design of its being given in such an awful and majestic way was, that God might hereby set forth his greatness, and fill them with a reverential fear of him; and to intimate, that if they did not yield obedience to him, they were to expect nothing else but to be consumed by the fire of his jealousy. However, it was not an intimation that he designed to destroy, but to prove them; as it is said, that his fear might be before their faces, that they should not sin, Exod. xx. 20. That which we may farther observe is, that after God had delivered the Ten Commandments by words; he wrote them with his own finger, on two tables of stone; in which the moral law is summarily comprehended; which is particularly explained in several following answers.

Footnote 203:

See a particular account hereof in Lev. xi 15. Chapters.