Clearly as the evil of sin is seen in this disorder, we behold yet more strongly marked,
II. The bitterness of it —
The person afflicted with the leprosy was put out of the camp or city in which he had dwelt, and was forced to live alone, being cut off from all intercourse with his dearest relatives0. How inexpressibly pain- ful must this have been !
Here then we see shadowed forth the miserable state of men by reason of sin. When it shews itself only in unallowed infirmities, it will consist with the divine favour; just as the leprosy, when it was turned to a kind of scurf that covered the whole body from head to foot, was considered as no longer rendering the person ceremonially uncleanp: but, as long as it continues " deeper than the skin," with " quick raw flesh rising," and " white or yellow hair ; " in other words, while it reigns within, and produces its accus- tomed fruits, it incapacitates us for,
1. Fellowship with God's Church on earth —
[Social intercourse indeed with the Lord's people is not prohibited : but that fellowship which the saints enjoy with each other in spiritual exercises is altogether beyond the reach of those who live in wilful sin. The Apostle justly asks, " What communion hath light with darkness, or righteousness with unrighteousness, or he that believeth with an unbeliever q?" The views, desires, and pursuits of the ungodly are altogether different from those which characterize the children of God ; and they make for themselves that separation, which under the law was the subject of an express command. Strictly speaking perhaps, the separation begins on the side of the Lord's people, because they are commanded to " come out from the world, and be separate, and not to touch the unclean thing* :" but the effect is the same: in the one case, the un- clean were but few, and therefore were separated from the mass ; but in the other case, the mass are the unclean ; and the clean are separated from them.]
2. Admission into his Church in heaven —
[St. Paul appeals to us respecting this as a thing plain, obvious, and undeniable s : and our blessed Lord repeatedly
0 2 Kings vii. 3. and xv. 5. p ver. 12, 13. <i 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. r 2 Cor. vi. 17. s 1 Cor. vi. 9.