The Gofpel of the Feaft of Tabernacles 425 you have the Defcription of it at large in Lev. 23.34; to the end. There was a three-fold Myftery in this Feaft. r. To put them in mind of their dwelling in Tents when they tra welled through the Wildernefs into the Land of Canaan; they dwelt forty Years in Tents, Lev. 23.42, 43. that your Generations may know tbzt I made the Children of Ifrael to dwell in Booths, when 'brought them out of the Land of Egypt. That was one thing, to keep the Memorial of that great Difpenfation of Providence towards their Fore-fathers. 2. To inftru& them that they were but Pilgrims and Strangers here below, Sojourners as it were in a ftrange Land, pafïing through it to their own Country, towards their own Home. I am a flranger with thee (faith David ) and a Sojourner, as all my Fathers were, Pfalo 39. 12. This Ceremony was ftrangely negleaed and forgotten by them in their Obfervation of this Feaft for about a thoufand Years together, till they were taught by their Captivity in Babylon to keep it better, as you find in Nehem. 8. 13. to the end, they went forth and fetched Olive- branches, &c. to make Booths, as it ú written, &c. For fine the Days of Jofhua the Son of Nun, unto that Day, had not the Children of Ifrael done fo : A ftrange Omiffion. Some underftand it only of the frame of Heart wherewith they kept it, and not of this external Rite; but it may include both. Now they made Booths ; they had learnt now that they were but Sojourners indeed while they were here below,, and that the Land of Canaan was not the true Reft, nor their own Coun- try ; but that they were to feek and look for another, that is an hea- venly, Heb. r r. 16. arife and depart, for this is not your reft, for it is polluted, Mich. 2. to. Here then is a fecond Myftery of this Feaft of Tabernacles, to put them in mind that they were but Sojourners, while they were here, and were to feek and expert another Country, an everlafting Abode and fixed Habitation in the Heavens. 3. This Feaft of Tabernacles pointed them to the time when God himfelf would come to Tabernacle and pitch his Tent amongft Men. Therefore the Expreffion is in john i. 14. foxbvaced. and the Word was made Flefh, and he came and did pitch his rent amongft us, dwell as in a Tent or Tabernacle amongft as. Wherein he refers to this great In ftitution and Feaft of Tents or Tabernacles : And many other Circum.. fiances of this Feaft fail in fuitably to this Scope and great Gofpel-my fiery of it. For it cannot be imagined that this Feaft fhould have no relation toIefia Chrift; efpecially it being fo great a Feaft, greater is fome refpets then either of the two former, for it lafted eight Days, whereas the Feaft of the PafI'over was but fevers ; theeighthDay point- ing us to his Circumcifion, as thefirft tohis Birth : And it had a more Iii won-
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