41P The Gofpel of the New Moons. late at the appointment of their High Priefts and Rulers at the years end : Or ( as force write ) after the fecond or third Year inan inter- calatory Monthwhich they called Ifeadar, confining of eleven, or one and twenty, or three and thirty Days. Their Month 1H11 began with a New Moon, and the Lord did appoint that it fhould be a feafon re- ligioufly obferved by them ; you Ihall offer fuch and fuch Sacrifices, ye /hall blow withTrumpets, &c. There were four things obfervable in the folemnizing the New Moons : For they did folemnize this Seafon with fuch religious Rites and Obfervations as thefe. 1. A holy Convocation and abflaining from the Worksand Bufinefs of their Callings : Therefore in Amos 8. 5. they are brought in as fay- ing, when will the NewMoons begone, that we may fell Corn, &c. 2. By repairing to the Prophets for Teaching and Inftruaion, to in- quire ofGod, and to hear his Word, 2 Kings 4. 23. 3. With founding or blowing ofTrumpets every New Moon, as well as the NewMoon of the feventh Month, Numb. to. io. 4. With peculiar Sacrifices, yea, a greater number of Sacrifices then on the Sabbath-day : They had peculiar Sacrifices then to be offeredon the firft day of the Month, Numb, 28 r r. Some add ( fifthly) the keeping folemn Feafts of Love and Amity, r Sam. 20. 5, 6. Now this Solemnity of the New Moon, doubtiefs had fouie Divine Myftery in it, it aimed at forcegood thing to come, fomething of coin in the Gofpel ; for the Text faith exprefly, they were a fhadow of things to come. And the Worfhip of God in Gofpel -times is expreffed under this Phrafe, Ifa. 66.23 from one New Moon to another -- fo Ezekiel in his Vifion of theTemple- worfhip under the Gofpel freaks of it un- der the Name of New Moons, Ezek. 46. r, 6. But what then did it fignify ? What was the meaning of all thefe things? Doubtlefs they were written for our Inftruaion, there was a Gofpel- myftery in thefe legal Institutions. In thefe Things principally the Subltance of thefe Shadows. r. Their acknowledgment of God in the Creature ; that God muff be acknowledged in the renovation of the Creatures in thecourfeof Pro- vidence : As when the Moon begins, increafes, and is renewed, then God's Providence is acknowledged and taken notice of ; he re- news the courfe of nature and every Mercy we enjoy. There is no Light to be feen at firft in the Moon, but it increafes till it come to the full Moon. Thus God renews every Creature and every Comfort in the way of his Providence, Pfal. 104. 30. thou fendefl forth thy Spirit, and they are created, and thou renewell the Face of the Earth. Theymeet not
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