218 The Gofeí of the Meat-Offering. not come upon the Altar ; but yet Leaven was-permitted and allowed inThank - Offerings, Lev. 7. 13. and in the Offerings of Firft Fruits, Capi 23. 17. So here in this fecond Chapter, verf. 12. it is thought . to be fpoken by way of Caution ; they might offer it leavened, but not facrifìced at the Altar. Honey alto is numbred among the Firft- Fruits, 2 Chron. 31. 5. Though fome underftand that of Dates, which are as fweet as Honey. This 12th verfe fome explain thus : Ye (hall offer them to the Lord for a Wave-Offering, but not for an Oblation at the Altar. This is firmly forbidden both in this and in divers other Scriptures, as in reference to the Paffover, and that very fevere- ly under the pain of Extermination, or cutting ofF, Exod. 12. 19. And in Amos 4. 5. they are farcaftically reproved for it : For that In- terpretation agrees belt with the Scope. Now for the Reafons of the Prohibition. And firft for Leaven : Leaven you know hath a fower tafte, it bath 'its name (one of its names) in Hebrew Elm from the fowernefs of the Tafte. Vinegar is a Conjugate from the fame Root,; Numb. 6.3. Cbometz Yajin. And it bath a fowring and a fwelling Quality and Property, and an infe&ing fpreading Quality, when it is put into a Batch of Dough, it ceafeth not till it bath made all the reft like unto it felf: As our Saviour (peaks of it, Mat. 13. 33. Leaven which a Woman took and hid in three meafures of Meal, till the whole was leaven- ed. And fo the Apoftle, Gal. 5.9. A° little Leaven leavenetb the whole Lump. The Heathen did retain by blind Tradition, ;force Aul. Genius. footfteps of this Ceremony : For the Flamen Dialie, Lib. 8. cap. 15. or Roman. Prieft, might not by their Canons touch Out. gaff. Ram. any unleavened Meal. Plutarch fcanneth the Reafon apt! Aynfw. in of it thus ; becaufe Leaven it felt proceedeth from Exact. 12.15j. Corruption, and corrupteth alto the Meal with which it is mixed. And therefore by the way, that Metaphor of Fermentation fo much ufed by force late Philofophers, it might be doubted, whether it be always fo congruous, and fo full of light to clear up the myfteries of Nature, as they fuppofe, who make fuch continual ufe of it ; for it is but onekindor way of Corruption. But for the fpiritual myfery of it. Leaven argues Corruption, and therefore unleavened is as much as to fay uncorrupted. I find Leaven applied in Scripture to Sin and inners,,. and Corruptions of all forts, and particularly to thefe four. 1. To
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