Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

532 The Gofpel of the Minifration of the Legal Mïniry. is afterwards remembred by Mofes before the Lord in his Bleffing of them, Deut.33. 9- (3. ) The later Rebellion of .Korah, Dathan and Abiram, with the Lamentations, and felt-condemning complaints of the People upon that occafion. Compare cap. 17. of Numbers, the two laic Verfes, with the firft Verfes of this t 8th Chapter. That Complaint of the People ; Be- bold we die, we perifh, we all peri¡h, is an earneft deprecation of the dan- ger for they were under the Senfe of the dread ,and Majefty of the dreadful prefence of God in his Tabernacle, and thereupon they thus fpake. From all which we may obferve, that fuch as God calls to any Work and Office, he doth ufually give many vifible Intimations of it : He doth defign and prepare them to it by many fore - running Providences. 3. The Rites and manner of their Separation and Confecration to their Of- fice. This is recorded and declared at large in Numb. 8. where you will find it was, by fprinkling them with Water ; by (having their Hair.; by wafhing their Clothes ; by offeringSacrifices for them ; and hilly by the Children of Ifraels laying their Hands upon them. But I (hail not fpeak to thefe things, tho' it would be worth the while; becaufe there hath been occafion to fpeak to fundry of thefe Rites in other Places formerly. 4. Their Work and Office which they were thus feparated and let apart unto. Which was in general, to be adjoined, as fubordinate Minifters to the Priefts, in the outer Services and Miniftrations of the Temple So here Verf. 2. that they may be joined unto thee ; alluding to the Name of Levi, which bears that Signification, tho' the Name vas given up- on another occafion. I fay [ outer ] becaufe they are excluded from the Miniftrations of the Sanétuary and the Altar, Yerf. 3. Their Work might be diftinguifhed into Synagogue-work and Temple. work into temporary, or occalional, and fïanding Work. But I (hall put all together in feven Heads. I. They were to bear the Tabernacle, and all the Holy Veffels,,, Numb. 4. i q. foChrift fupports and bears the Church : But this Work was but temporary and occafional, while the Tabernacle was in that ambulatory Pofture; for when the flitting, moving Tabernacle was changed into a fixed Temple, then this part of their Miniftrationwas at an end. 2. The Levites were to aflift the Priefts in offering Sacrifices, a Chron. 23. 2,8 --31. z Chron. 29.34. and z Cbron. 30. 16. To burn them on the Altar, and fprinkle the Blood was peculiar to the Priefts : But the Levites might help in killing them, and other preparatory Ads ii i- Arations, As

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