.ti 49.8 TheGofpel of the ;LegalPriefihood. of his God for the Crown of the Anointing Oil is upon him, 1 am the Lord. What is the meaning of this ? He (hall not defile himfelffor the Dead ? Doubtlefs natural AffeE}ions were not forbidden, the Priefts_were not to be Stoicks and brute Beafts. But it teacheth us, that the Prieft was to bave more regard to the Duty of his FunEion, then to any natural Par- !ions or Affeaions whatfoever, Exod. 33.9. This was eminently fulfil- led in Jefus Chrift, who did not lay afide any due or feafonable Refpe& to his natural Relations. A Refpe& he had for them, as appears by his Care of his Mother when he was on the Crofs committing her to 'John ; but this was no unfeafonable refpe& or regard of her : But we find al- fo, that he was difputing in theTemple, Luke 2. 48,4.9. attending on the Work of his Miniftry, and not attending on bis Father and Mother ; and in Mat. r 2.46. &c. his Mother and Brethren (or Kindred) they Mood without, defiring to fpeak with him : But he anfwered, (hould not I be obout any Father's Bufinefs ? Who is my Mother and my Brethren, &c. whofoever doth the Will of my Father, the fame is my Brother and Sifter and Mother. Ele would not fo attend on them, as to negleft the difcharge and execu- tion of his Office : He did not at any time uncover his Head by any Weaknefs, or inglorious Paffion or AffeEtion : He did not defile him- felf by familiar Communion with defiling Sinners at any time ; he did converfe with them fometimes, but not fo as to contraa any pollution to himfelf ; he is feparated from Sinners : He never touched any dead Body with any defiling touch. And this fame Spirit of negleE of natu- ral Refpeas to Relations the Lord requires alto of others, even of his .Minifters, and of all Believers in force Cafes, and in force meafure and degree. They muff regard the Work of God more then the Comfort andSweetnefs in the deareft Relations. Fo.ow me (faith Chrift) and let the dead bury the dead. He that loveth Father or Mother more then me, in not worthy of me. A Manmuff hate Father and Mother, Wife and Chil- dren, and Brethren and Sifters, yea and his own Life alfo, elfe he cannot be Chrift's Difiple, Luke 14. 26. So Paul, Henceforth we know no Man after the Flefh, 2 Cor. 5., 16. Obj. When then is refpea to Relations to be laid afide! Anfw. The Rule is this ; when God by his Providence orders things JO, as that it Rands in Competition with the Duty we owe to God; when it is fo, we are then. in force Senfe called to hate, that is, not to regard Fa- ther or Mother, Wife or Children, when our Refpeas to them ftand in Competition with the Dutywe owe to Chrift. Every Believer is to do all this, as well as Jefus Chrift. So_ we fee the antient Obfervations and Rules belonging to the Order of thePriefthood of old ; they had refpea to the Myftery of, Cbrift and his Saints and.Minifters under the Gofael,. The
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