into the wilderness, equally prefigured Christ d ; the one, as "dying for our sins ; and the other, as rising again for our justi- fication6." The two birds presented by the leper were in this respect precisely similar ; and equally point us to that blessed Jesus, who says, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore/"
We only add further on this point, that it was the " sprin- kling " of this blood and water upon the leper, that rendered the ceremony effectual for his good. In vain would the one bird shed his blood, or the other be dipped in it and let loose, unless there were an application of that blood and water to the leper himself. But being " sprinkled seven times," he was perfectly clean; so far at least as to be brought into the camp, and put into a train for that sanctification which was,]
II. Progressive —
[The leper was to wash both himself and his clothes, and to shave off all his hair, and then to come into the camp. But he was not fully restored to his place in society at once : he was not admitted into Iris tent, but was to live in some place alone for seven days more ; and then, after again washing his body and his clothes, and shaving off all his hair, even to his eye- brows, he was reinstated in all his former privileges and comforts. This was designed to shew, that the defiling effects of sin yet remain, even after that we are cleansed in the blood of Christ, and renewed by the Spirit. We need still to be renewed, both in our outward and inward man, day by day. Sin cleaves to us, yea, it spontaneously rises up in us ; so that though we be washed ever so clean, we shall need to be washed again ; and though we be shaved ever so close, we shall not be many days without manifesting that the work of sanctification is not yet perfect. Besides, there are higher degrees of hobness to which the regenerate are to be constantly aspiring. They are " not to account themselves to have yet attained; but, forgetting the things which are behind, they are to press forward for that which is before s." They are to be continually "putting off the old man, and putting on the new, even till they be renewed after the very image of their God in righteousness and true holiness11." Instead of regarding their restoration to the divine favour as a reason for resting satisfied with their attainments, they are to make their interest in the promises an occasion, and a stimulus, to " cleanse themselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God1." " Having this hope in them," they are to stop short of nothing
d Lev. xvi. 21, 22. <= Rom. iv. 25. f Rev. i. 18.
B Phil. iii. 12—14. * Eph. iv. 22—24. ! 2 Cor. vii. 1.