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And it was with the design of showing that His city shall not then
follow this custom, that God said that the sons of Levi should offer
sacrifices in righteousness, not therefore in sin, and consequently
not for sin. And hence we see how vainly the Jews promise themselves
a return of the old times of sacrificing according to the law of the old
testament, grounding on the words which follow, "And the sacrifice
of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord, as in the
primitive days, and as in former years." For in the times of the law
they offered sacrifices not in righteousness but in sins, offering
especially and primarily for sins, so much so that even the priest
himself, whom we must suppose to have been their most righteous man,
was accustomed to offer, according to God's commandments, first for
his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. And therefore we
must explain how we are to understand the words, "as in the primitive
days, and as in former years;" for perhaps he alludes to the time in
which our first parents were in paradise. Then, indeed, intact and
pure from all stain and blemish of sin, they offered themselves to God
as the purest sacrifices. But since they were banished thence on
account of their transgression, and human nature was condemned in
them, with the exception of the one Mediator and those who have been
baptized, and are as yet infants, "there is none clean from stain,
not even the babe whose life has been but for a day upon the earth."
But if it be replied that those who offer in faith may be said to offer
in righteousness, because the righteous lives by faith,, he deceives
himself, however, if he says that he has no sin, and therefore he
does not say so, because he lives by faith, will any man say this time
of faith can be placed on an equal footing with that consummation when
they who offer sacrifices in righteousness shall be purified by the fire
of the last judgment? And consequently, since it must be believed
that after such a cleansing the righteous shall retain no sin,
assuredly that time, so far as regards its freedom from sin, can be
compared to no other period, unless to that during which our first
parents lived in paradise in the most innocent happiness before their
transgression. It is this period, then, which is properly understood
when it is said, "as in the primitive days, and as in former
years." For in Isaiah, too, after the new heavens and the new
earth have been promised, among other elements in the blessedness of
the saints which are there depicted by allegories and figures, from
giving an adequate explanation of which I am prevented by a desire to
avoid prolixity, it is said, "According to the days of the tree of
life shall be the days of my people." And who that has looked at
Scripture does not know where God planted the tree of life, from
whose fruit He excluded our first parents when their own iniquity
ejected them from paradise, and round which a terrible and fiery fence
was set?
But if any one contends that those days of the tree of life mentioned
by the prophet Isaiah are the present times of the Church of Christ,
and that Christ Himself is prophetically called the Tree of Life,
because He is Wisdom, and of wisdom Solomon says, "It is a tree
of life to all who embrace it;" and if they maintain that our first
parents did not pass years in paradise, but were driven from it so soon
that none of their children were begotten there, and that therefore
that time cannot be alluded to in words which run, "as in the
primitive days, and as in former years," I forbear entering on this
question, lest by discussing everything I become prolix, and leave
the whole subject in uncertainty. For I see another meaning, which
should keep us from believing that a restoration of the primitive days
and former years of the legal sacrifices could have been promised to us
by the prophet as a great boon. For the animals selected as victims
under the old law were required to be immaculate, and free from all
blemish whatever, and symbolized holy men free from all sin, the only
instance of which character was found in Christ. As, therefore,
after the judgment those who are worthy of such purification shall be
purified even by fire, and shall be rendered thoroughly sinless, and
shall offer themselves to God in righteousness, and be indeed victims
immaculate and free from all blemish whatever, they shall then
certainly be, "as in the primitive days, and as in former years,"
when the purest victims were offered, the shadow of this future
reality. For there shall then be in the body and soul of the saints
the purity which was symbolized in the bodies of these victims.
Then, with reference to those who are worthy not of cleansing but of
damnation, He says, "And I will draw near to you to judgment, and
I will be a swift witness against evildoers and against adulterers;"
and after enumerating other damnable crimes, He adds, "For I am
the Lord your God, and I am not changed." It is as if He said,
Though your fault has changed you for the worse, and my grace has
changed you for the better, I am not changed. And he says that He
Himself will be a witness, because in His judgment He needs no
witnesses; and that He will be "swift," either because He is to
come suddenly, and the judgment which seemed to lag shall be very swift
by His unexpected arrival, or because He will convince the
consciences of men directly and without any prolix harangue. "For,"
as it is written, "in the thoughts of the wicked His examination
shall be conducted." And the apostle says, "The thoughts accusing
or else excusing, in the day in which God shall judge the hidden
things of men, according to my gospel in Jesus Christ." Thus,
then, shall the Lord be a swift witness, when He shall suddenly
bring back into the memory that which shall convince and punish the
conscience.
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