Thirdly. The very materials, the gold and silver of the idols of this land, were odious and abominable, and dangerous to the people of Israel, that they might not desire it, nor take it to themselves, Deut. vii. 25, 26, lest themselves also become a curse, and like unto those cursed, abominable things. Whereas we find not any such accursed nature in the materials of idols or images now; but that, the idolatrous forms being changed, the silver and gold may be cast and coined, and other materials lawfully employed and used.
Yet this we find in the antitype, that gold, silver: yea, house, land: yea, wives, children: yea, life itself, as they allure and draw us from God in Christ, are to be abominated and hated by us, without which hatred and indignation, against the most plausible and pleasing enticings, from Christ Jesus, it is impossible for any man to be a true Christian, Luke xiv. 26.
The land of Canaan ceremonially holy.
Fourthly. This land, this earth, was a holy land, Zech. ii. 12. Ceremonially and typically holy, fields, gardens, orchards, houses, &c., which holiness the world knows not now in one land or country, house, field, garden, &c., one above another.
Greater holiness in the antitype under the gospel, than in the types under the law.
Yet in the spiritual land of Canaan, the Christian church, all things are made holy and pure, in all lands, to the pure, Tit. i. [15;] meats and drinks are sanctified, that is, dedicated to the holy use of the thankful believers, 1 Tim. iv. 5; yea, and the unbelieving husband, wife, and their children, are sanctified and made holy to believers, insomuch that that golden inscription, peculiar to the forehead of the high priest, Holiness to Jehovah, shall be written upon the very bridles of the horses, as all are dedicated to the service of Christ Jesus in the gospel’s peace and holiness.
The land of Canaan Jehovah’s land.
Fifthly. The Lord expressly calls it his own land, Lev. xxv. 23; Hos. ix. 3, Jehovah’s land, a term proper unto spiritual Canaan, the church of God, which must needs be in respect of his choice of that land to be the seat and residence of his church and ordinances.
But now the partition-wall is broken down, and in respect of the Lord’s special propriety to one country more than another, what difference between Asia and Africa, between Europe and America, between England and Turkey, London and Constantinople?
Emanuel’s land: so no land or country more than another.