Leviticus 17

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XVII.—How high is the sovereignty of God, by which he can enact what laws of worship, and means of approaching him, be pleases! But to worship him according to our own inventions, to neglect the way of his appointing, so far from being acceptable before God, is both dangerous to ourselves, and considered by him as nearly connected with the idolatrous worship of devils. It is necessary, therefore, on every worshipping occasion to cleave close to Jesus as our altar and high-priest, and to the communion of his saints; and, for the preventing of false worship, for the honour of divinely-instituted ordinances, and for the uniting of the church, to adhere strictly to God’s appointment, even in things circumstantial; and to prefer public ordinances to private. In this blood of animals, so noted because made an attachment for men, I behold the blood of the new covenant enjoined to me—the blood of Jesus Christ shed for me. Let me, therefore, impressed with the repeated commandments of Heaven, maintain the deepest reverence for it, and every thing connected with it, and detest every thing murderous or cruel. And let nothing deathful, dead, or dying, nothing that can be torn to pieces, or torn from me, but the ever-living Jesus, and Jehovah in him, be the provision of my soul and portion of my heart! If I am defiled by such things, either I must wash in Jesus’ fountain opened, or perish in my sin. 3