have for this distinction in the sense wherein they use it what is there to be found there to justifie such a thing as an unbloody propitiatory Sacrifice Something I know they offer at but alas 't is that which will not satisfie or command the faith of such who are serious and considerative For instance Gen. 14.18 And MELCHISEDECH King of SALEM brought forth bread and wine and be was the Priest of the most high God whence they thus argue MELCHISEDECH did sacrifice bread and wine there say they was an unbloody Sacrifice and that which was typical of Christ's Sacrifice and of his being offered at the Sacrament modo incruento under the Species's of bread wine therefore there was such a Sacrifice thereat to be offered which accordingly was done first by Christ himself and yet is done successively by his Ministers yea they tell us that this unbloody Sacrifice was the great thing in respect of which he is said to be a Priest * Heb. 6.20 Psal 110.4 after the order of MELCHISEDECH Answ all this is deny'd with the same but better grounded confidence with which it is affirm'd 't is sad that any should build so great an Article of Faith as this is amongst the ROMANISTS upon so weak and sandy a bottom but how much more sad is it that mens zeal should be so fierce upon it as to make it a matter of Life or Death accordingly as 't is believ'd or not believ'd for the truth is that which they call the unbloody Sacrifice hath occasionally been made bloody enough in the death of thousands of Martyrs who could not look upon it as Others do But as to the Argument our DIVINES reply 1. 'T is not evident that what MELCHISEDECH here did was done in the way of a Sacrifice to God 't is said he brought bread wine 't is not said that he offered bread or wine to God there 's a great difference betwixt protulit and obtulit betwixt a civil gift to Men and a religious offering to God * Antiq. Jud. l. 1. c. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. JOSEPHVS carries this bringing of bread and wine no higher than MELCHISEDECHS kindness or hospitality to ABRAHAM and his weary Souldiers 2. Suppose this was done in the way of a Sacrifice how will it be prov'd that it was done in the way of a propitiatory Sacrifice since 't is only said that he blessed Abraham Vers 19. Nay 3. suppose that too yet what will it be to those who cannot justly pretend to be â—riests according to the order of MELCHISEDECH that being an incommunicable order And 4. the Apostle Heb. 7. opening this MELCHISEDECH in his Priesthood and in this very act shewing how he was the type of Christ and wherein Christ the antitype suited with him doth not at all instance in his bringing of bread and wine or in his offering any unbloody Sacrifice which surely he would have done had the resemblance or analogie betwixt Christ and him ly'ne in that but he instances in the oneness of Melchisedechs Priesthood in his eternity in his authoritative benediction even of Abraham himself in Abraham's paying tythes to him c. these are the things wherein all along in that Chapter he illustrates Christ's agreement with MELCHISEDECH So that for any to infer from his bringing of bread and wine that Christ at the Sacrament for I do not love the word MASS is offered up to God by every ordinary Priest as an unbloody propitiatory Sacrifice I say for any to make such an inference from such premises it argues them to be either injudicious or over credulous or too much devoted to a party The Paschal Lamb also is alledg'd for the making good of this distinction with some other things but neither barrel better herrings as is fully made out by our PROTESTANT Writers where persons are not resolv'd to shut their eyes upon the clearest light 4. Fourthly In the present contest 't will be best to have recourse to the institution of the Sacrament Now if that with the whole administration about it be consulted what shall we find to give it the notion of a Sacrifice Obj. 'T is said this we find Christ there faith Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 now this hoc facite is as much as hoc sacrificate Answ What is it to play with the Scripture if this be not so a few things being confidered the vanity of this Criticism will soon appear If this do was as much as this sacrifice certainly that would have been a thing of such high import as that of the three Evangelists which set down the Sacramental institution two of them would not have wholly omitted it and yet so it is LVKE recites it but MATTHEW and MARK make no mention at all of it And if that was the sense of the word then the sacrificing act would lie upon the people as well as upon the Priests for as the Do this was spoken by Christ to the Disciples Luk. 22.19 so it was also spoken by Paul to the body of the Saints at CORINTH 1 Cor. 11.24 When there 's nothing spoken in the whole Institution of the Lord's Supper as referring to a Sacrifice 't is somewhat strange that this * Ineptum est interpretari verbum facere sensu sacrificatorio ubi nulla in totâ reliquâ narratione fit Sacrificii aut oblationis mentio Forbes Instruct Historico-Theol p. 616. word should come in by it-self and carry such a Sacrificial sense in it Besides doth not that which follows sufficiently clear it up Do this how or for what end to be a Sacrifice no but in remembrance of me We deny not but that †Cum faciam vitulâ c. Virgil facere doth sometimes signifie to sacrifice answerably to the Hebrew word ‖ Numb 6.16 Psal 66.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Casaub in Athen. l. 15. c. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but where hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used that signification nay where have the other words that signification but when they are joyn'd with a Noune setting forth a thing that is usually design'd and set apart for Sacrifices whereas the word here is joyn'd with a bare Pronoune Object But they have a stronger plea than this grounded upon the words of the Institution where Christ saith This is my body which is * Luk. 22.19 given for you and †1 Cor. 11.24 broken for you c. This Cup is the new Testament in my blood which is ‖ Luk. 22.20 Matth. 26.28 shed for you c. now doth not this body as given and broken and this blood as shed prove a Sacrifice yea that under the bread and wine there was a real oblation of Christ's body and blood Answ No unless it be understood as it ought to be of his oblation upon the Cross and not at the Table When he saith
This is my body which is given for you c. and this is my blood which is shed c. did he mean that giving of his body or that shedding of his blood which was done just at the Sacrament that we utterly deny What then did he mean why that which would shortly be when he should die on the Cross then his boody should be broken and his blood poured out in a real and substantial manner but not till then And this Interpretation is not at all weakened by Christ's expressing himself in the Present Tense which is given which is shed it being usual in the Scripture to put that Tense for the Paulo-post-futurum and I hope this Answer will not be either opposed or slighted by our Adversaries since the Vulgar translation it self renders the words in the Future tense which shall be given shall be shed yea in their Canon Missae too they are so rendred 2. But Secondly having shewn what the Lord's Supper is not I am now to shew what it is As to that in brief 't is a lively representation solemn commemoration of that Sacrifice which the Lord Jesus offered up to God when he dy'd upon the Cross 't is not a Sacrifice but a memorial of a Sacrifice herein lies the nature of this Ordinance and this was the great end of Christ in the instituting of it Do this saith he in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 This too was the great end of the Passeover unto which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper succeeds Exod. 12.14 And this shall be unto you for a memorial Great mercies have alwayes had their * See Vines on the Sacrament p. 143 144. memorials that they might not be forgotten what a mercy was Christ's dying and sacrificing himself what glorious and unspeakable benefits do believers receive thereby therefore least this should wither and decay in their memories this Ordinance was appointed to be a standing memorial thereof And this is that notion which the †This prov'd by Morn de Euch. l. 3. c. 4 5. with divers others FATHERS had of the Sacrament though some would fain draw them to be of another Opinion then which nothing more false 't is not to be deny'd but that they very often did call it a Sacrifice yea sometimes they speak of ‖ Euseb Demonstr Evang. l. 1. c. ult unbloody Sacrifices but did they thereby mean any real propitiatory unbloody Sacrifice in the POPISH sense no they explain themselves by the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 17. in Ep. ad Heb. Quid ergo nos nonne per singulos dies offerimus offerimus quidem sed recordationem facientes mortis ejus Ambros in Ep. ad Heb. c. 10. Illud quod ab hominibus appellatur Sacrificium signum est veri Sacrificii in quo caro Christi post ascensionem per Sacramentum memoriae celebratur August de Civit. Dei l. 10. c. 15. Vide etiam contra Faustum Manichaeum l. 20. c. 21 Theodoret. in c. 8. Ep. ad Heb. Sacrificium quod quotidiè in Ecclesiâ offertur non est aliud à Sacrificio quod ipse Christus obtulit sed ejus commemoratio Aquin. in 3. p. Qu. 22. Art 3. resp ad 2. Illud quod offertur consecratur vocatur Sacrificium oblatio quia memoria est repraesentatio veri Sacrificii sanctae immolationis factae in arâ crucis c. Lombard L. 4. Dist 12. commemorating of Christ's Sacrifice by the offering up of praises thanksgivings penitential tears to God the like in which respects only they did so speak of it To this also we may add the Lord's Supper is not only a memorial of but a * See Dr. Cudworths true Notion of the Lord's Supper chap. 5. Feast upon Christ's Sacrifice the believing Soul doth therein by Faith feed and feast it self upon a crucify'd Saviour Antiently Sacrifices were attended with †Stuckius de Sacrif p. 145. Rosin Antiq. Rom. l. 3. c. 33. Ubi quod Diis tributum erat conslagrasient ad epulas ipsi convivia vertebantur c. Feasts nullum Sacrificium sine epulo as soon as the Sacrifice was over men used to have a Feast to eat and drink together and this custom prevail'd both amongst ‖ Dr. C. chap. 2. Jews and Gentiles Gen. 13.54 Then Jacob offered Sacrifice upon the Mount and called his brethren to eat bread c. Exod. 18.12 And Jethro Moses father-in-law took burnt offerings and Sacrifices for God and Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses father-in-law before God See also Exod. 34.15 Numb 25.2 1 Cor. 10.18 c. Now parallel to this after Christ's Sacrifice there 's the Sacramental Feast wherein the Communicant doth spiritually feed upon the body and blood of the Lord Jesus eats and drinks of the bread and water of Life here is not oblatio but participatio Sacrificii The Apostle having spoken to the Sacrifice Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us he presently subjoyns the Feast which was to go along with that Sacrifice Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old leaven c. 1 Cor. 5.7 8. At the Sacrament there is not only a commemoraion of Christ's death but there is the Christians fetching out of the sweet and comfort thereof for inward strength and nourishment Yet further the Lord's Supper is a Seal of all those blessings which Christ by his Death and Sacrifice did purchase for his but this I must pass over I have been very long upon this Fourth Inferenee but no longer than what the Nature of the thing and our present state did make to be necessary 't is highly requisite that we should all have right apprehensions concerning the blessed Sacrament therefore to help you therein and to obviate all POPISH delusions I have been thus large upon this Head The happiness of Believers under the Gospel above that of them who liv'd under the Law 5. Fifthly I infer the happiness of such who live under the Gospel above those who liv'd under the Law 'T is none of the least of our mercies that we are cast under the Evangelical rather than under the Legal administration Old-Testament believers were the elder brethren but the younger those who live under the New-Testament are the best provided for For the making out of this I shall not insist upon the comparing of Sacraments and Sacraments Priesthood and Priesthood Priviledges and Priviledges but only touch upon the matter of Sacrifices In reference to which we have the advantage in sundry respects for they in a manner had but the shell 't is that we have the kernel they had but the shadow 't is we that have the substance they had but the type 't is we that have the antitype All their Sacrifices were but darker adumbrations of that
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 97. PORPHYRY's Objections against Sacrifices in general viz. they would encourage men to be wicked All to labour after an interest in Christ's Sacrifice and in the benefits thereby procured 3. Thirdly I would excite you to labour after and to make sure of a personal interest in this great Sacrifice and in the benefits resulting from it For 't is a thing to be resented with the greatest sadness imaginable that where â—ere is such a Sacrifice so at first offered up to God and now so revealed to men that yet so many millions of Souls should perish and as to their spiritual and eternal state be little the better for it because they regard not as to themselves either the thing or the good that flows from it My Brethren I beseech you if you have any love for your Souls let it not be so with you but let it be your greatest care to secure an interest in this Sacrifice and to partake of the blessings procured by it be often considering and questioning with your selves here 's a Sacrifice for expiation and atonement but what 's this to us here 's a dying Christ but did he die for us shall we be ever the better for his death if this propitiatory oblation be not ours what will become of us Under the Law the Gentile-strangers were to offer Sacrifices as well as the born-Jews see Numb 15.14 15. Lev. 17.8 and amongst the Jews the poor as well as the rich with respect to which difference in mens outward condition God accordingly appointed different Sacrifices Lev. 14.21 but yet something or other both were to Sacrifice and in their offerings for the ransome of their Souls all were to give alike Exod. 30.15 The rich shall not give more the poor shall not give less than half a Shekel Now all this was to shadow out two things about Christ's Sacrifice 1. its equal extent to all men notwithstanding all national or civil differences be they Jews or Gentiles rich or poor 't is the same Christ to all if they believe for there is no difference Rom. 3.22 2. the equal obligation lying upon all men to look after make sure of and rest in this one and the same all-sufficient Sacrifice none in order to remission justification atonement eternal life need to carry more to God by Faith and Prayers and none must carry less Sirs let us all put in for a share in Christ's offering and in the benefits purchased thereby for if we should come short of that we are lost eternally Are not reconciliation with God the expiation of sin eternal redemption c. things most necessary and most desireable if so where can we hope to have them but in a sacrific'd Redeemer but in the imputation of the merit of his death and Sacrifice And I add do not only make sure of the thing objectively considered but labour also after the subjective assurance of it Oh when a Christian can say Christ dy'd for me * Gal. 2.20 gave himself for me his body was broken and his blood shed for me he took my guilt and bare my punishment how is he filled with †1 Pet. 1.8 joy unspeakable with | Phil. 4.7 peace that passes all understanding what a full-tyde of comfort is there in his Soul This is the receiving of the atonement as some open it and that is very sweet Rom. 5.11 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement This is to be ey'd and only rely'd upon 4. In the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for sin and there let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd I say in the actings of Faith eye Christ as a Sacrifice for indeed this grace hath to do with him mainly and principally as dying and sacrific'd the Apostle speaks of Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 't is a bleeding crucified Saviour that is the great and most proper object of Faith true it takes in a whole Christ all of Christ his Nativity holy Life Resurrection Ascension Intercession c. but that which it primarily and chiefly fixes upon is his death and passion When a Soul is brought into Christ to close with him in the way of believing what of him is first in its eye in that act is it a Christ as ascending as sitting at the right hand of God as interceding no thus it beholds him for the after-encouragement and support of Faith but that which it first considers is a Christ as dying upon the Cross and so it layes hold upon him And no wonder that 't is so since all the great blessings of the Gospel do mainly flow from Christ's death they are assur'd and apply'd by his Resurrection Ascension and Intercession but they were procur'd and purchas'd by his death as the Scriptures abundantly shew Rom. 5.9 10. Eph. 1.7 et passim now tnat which hath the most causal and most immediate influence upon these that deserves to be first and most eyed by Faith Here 's the difference 'twixt Faith and Love this chiefly looks to the excellencies of Christ's Person but that to the merit and efficacy of his Sacrifice When the Apostle Gal. 2.20 had spoken so high of his Faith in the Son of God he tells you in what notion he did therein consider him by adding who loved me and gave himself for me The stung Israelite was to look upon the brazen Serpent as lifted up and so he was healed do you desire to find healing redemption salvation by Christ O look upon him as lifted up upon the Cross so all good shall come to you Further I say let all your hope and confidence be bottom'd here this is that firm rock which you must only build upon for pardon peace with God salvation for all Oh take heed of relying upon any thing besides this Sacrifice Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ he that glory 's or trusts in any thing besides that his glorying is vain The forlorn undone Sinner should be alwayes clasping and clinging about this Cross resting upon the merit of Christ thereon and upon that only for all that hope will be but dying hope which is not solely bottom'd upon a dying Saviour The * Quum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stultitia est morte alterius sperare salutem Heathens could not believe that ever the death of Sacrifices should do the guilty person good they look'd upon it as folly to hope for life by anothers death but blessed be God we see that which they did not we firmly believe and steadily hope for expiation and Salvation by Christ's one offering of himself and lay the sole stress of our Faith and happiness upon that which they counted folly But let us be sure we do not mistake here I mean let us indeed
nobis est umbraculum Sacrificio suo apud Deum nos reconciliavit Zarnov de Sat. Christi p. 38. accomplishment of them 2. That he is also a true and real Sacrifice for was there reality in the Type and shall there not be the same with advantage in the Anti-type or shall they be shadows of a shadow shall there be such a shell and no kernel such a bone and no marrow in it But to go on In the old Sacrifices there were these Six things Six things in the Old Sacrifices all of which are to be found in Christs Sacrifice 1. The Person who did institute ordain and appoint the use of them who was God himself whose institution of them though it be not express'd in the Scriptures yet it may very strongly be inferr'd from them 2. The Person unto whom they were offered and he also was God himself 3. The Persons offering viz. the Priests to whom by divine appointment this work was committed and it was a great part of their work and one great end of their Office For every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things partaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins Heb. 5.1 4. The Matter of the Sacrifice or the thing offered which was very various according to what God was pleas'd to specifie and appoint Oxen Bulls Heifers Sheep Rams Goats c. 5. The Oblation it self when the Beast was slain it was to be offered up and then part of the blood thereof was to be carried into the Holy of Holy's there to be presented before the Lord and the main stress of the * See Dr. Stillingfl against Crellius ch 5. p. 451. expiation lay not upon the representation which followed after but upon the mactation and solemn oblation of the Sacrifice 6. The Altar upon which all was to be offer'd Now answerably and in correspondency to all these 1. God instituted appointed ordained Christ to be the Sacrifice it was his will and ordination that his Son should offer up himself a propitiatory or expiatory Sacrifice Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself c. 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world c. It was as much the appointment of God that Christ the true Sacrifice should die be slain offered up as that under the Law any of those Sacrifices should be so used and as from all eternity he decreed and appointed Christ to be the Sacrifice so in time he fitted and prepared him for his being so therefore saith Christ * Heb. 10.5 But a body hast thou prepared me without which he could not have been a Sacrifice 2. Christ offered up himself to God He had to do * Grot. de Sat. Christi c. 10. p. 121. with God as he stood in the quality and respect of a Sacrifice for this was a part of his Priestly Office which primarily refers to God as King and Prophet he hath to do with us but as Priest he had to do with God that he might propitiate and atone him So 't was with the Aaronical Priests they were ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 and surely so it must be too with the great Priest whom they did typifie Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God The Apostle speaks it expresly and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour 3. Here was the Person offering and that was Christ himself he as Mediator as God-Man was the Priest to offer up himself They under the Law had variety of Sacrifices and variety of Priests we under the Gospel have but one Sacrifice and one Priest who first offered up himself and now continues in another way to offer up our duties and services to God 4. As Christ was the Priest offering so he was the Sacrifice offered for he was both which was unusual and extraordinary The Levitical Priests and the Sacrifices which they offered were distinct they were not bound to offer themselves but our Lord Jesus was * Ut quoniam quatuor considerantur in omni Sacrificio cui offeratur à quo offeratur quid offeratur pro quibus offeratur idem ipse unus verúsque Mediator per Sacrificium pacis reconcilians nos unum cum illo maneret cui offerebatur unum in se faceret pro quibus offerebatur unus ipse esset qui offerebat quod offerebat August de Trinit Utrum Christus simul fâ—erit Sacerdos Hostia Aquin. in 3. p. Qu. 22. Art 2. Priest and Sacrifice too in his Person he was the Offerer in his humane Nature he was the thing offered 'T was necessary that he should offer something For every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have also somewhat to offer Heb. 8.3 what then did he offer such things as had been offered before the blood of bulls and goats no he offered his own blood Heb. 9.12 his own body Heb. 10. 4 5 6 7 10. through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all that very body which was so miraculously framed with which he liv'd here on earth which he carried up with him afterwards to heaven that very body I say he freely offered up upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to God His Soul comes in too but that 's himself Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin His whole self in his whole Humane Nature was the matter of this Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering c. Heb. 1.3 when he had by himself purged our sins Heb. 9.14 who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God So Heb. 7.27 The Text saith for sin God condemned sin in the flesh by which flesh the Apostle understands the whole Manhood of Christ and that was the Sacrifice for sin by which Sin was condemned 5. There was Christ's formal and proper oblation performed upon the Cross by and upon which the sins of Believers were to be expiated That there was in Christ an oblation none deny but that this was done at his Death or here on earth and was expiatory in that sense which we put upon it both of these are vehemently deny'd by the SOCINIANS but I shall have occasion to vindicate both by and by 6. In Christ's Sacrifice there was an Altar too namely his Godhead The Altar sanctify'd the gift Matth. 23.19 so 't was here the Deity of Christ did not only sustain and strengthen his Humane Nature in his being a Sacrifice therein but it also gave merit and efficacy to his Sacrifice for how did that come to be so meritorious and effectual for the good of Sinners but from this
Creature now he designing Life for Life therefore he pitch'd upon blood wherein the life did lye The Apostle tells us Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and if you look into the Levitical Sacrifices you 'l find what he saith to be true In the Burnt-offering for private Persons there was killing and blood Levit. 1.5 the same in the Peace-offerings Levit. 3.2 8 13. the same in the Sin-offerings Levit. 4.7 16 17 18. and so in the rest And the observation of these commands which run so much upon blood was so necessary that should any of the Priests have dared to have entred into God's presence in any other way than by Sacrifices and the blood thereof he would not have taken it well at their hands yea should they have brought into the Temple never so many Bullocks Rams Goats c. and not have slain them or having slain them had not presented their blood before him according to his Institution they would have done no good either to themselves or others for God to shew his Justice Hatred of Sin c stood upon blood and blood he would have From all this we may infer that those old Sacrifices did not expiate as bare Antecedents or Conditions without which God would not pardon or as the offering of them carried in it some Obedience to God's Commands both of which were common to many other things as well as to them surely there was more in it than so Dr. Stillingfl against Crell p. 516 c. for can we reasonably think that God would have been so positive and so express in his Injunctions about somany Sacrifices so severe in the punishing the neglect of them have ordered the taking away the lives of so many Creatures and have so much insisted upon their death and blood in order to expiation had he look'd upon them only as pre-requisite and remoter Conditions of pardon or common acts of Obedience and that as such only they should be expiatory Certainly had there been nothing in them more than this the merciful Creator would have spar'd the blood of the poor Creatures and would have pitch'd upon some other course which might have seem'd at least more consistent with his Wisdom and Goodness We may conclude them therefore to be Means instituted by God in order to atonement and expiation to the effecting of which by virtue of his own institution and the mevit of the great Sacrifice to come they had a direct and effectual tendency This foundation I have laid for the better understanding of the destroying killing shedding of blood that was in the typical Sacrifices I come now to build upon it with respect to the real Sacrifice Christ Jesus In conformity to them therefore Christ was slain died upon the Cross his body broken his blood spilt c. all which speaks him to be a true expiatony Sacrifice Had he not died and suffer'd he could not have been such but upon that he is not only such a Sacrifice really but eminently the dignity of his Person putting a superlative worth and â—fficacy upon his Death and Sacrifice O what was the death of Greatures to the death of God's Son what was the blood of Beasts to the blood of him who was God Acts. 20.28 for such aâ—person to die to shed his blood for the expiation of Sin here was a Sacrifice indeed And surely one great end of God in ordering the death of the old Sacrifices was to convince the World of the necessity of the death of this far greater Sacrifice by them he designed in ways best known to himself to lead men to a dying and bleeding Christ How much doth the Scripture spake of his blood and though his whole humiliation must be taken in as making up his Sacrifice yet in special what a stress and emphasis doth it put upon his Death and Blood wherein his greatest humiliation lay with respect to their influence upon the good of Sinners Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.9 Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 1. Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 1 Pet. 1.19 but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New-Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.12 c. Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats c. Col. 1.14 having made peace through the blood of his Cross Surely there must be some special reason why this blood of Christ is so often mention'd and why the great benefits which Sinners receive by him are in such a way of eminency ascrib'd to it of which some account will be given in the following particular O the severity of God's Justice which nothing could satisfie but the blood of his own Son O the love of Christ who thought not the best blood in his veins too good for Sinners O the truth of his Satisfaction for what could such blood be spilt for but for that what end could be proportionable to such a medium but Satisfaction O the admirable harmony between type and antitype the shadow and the substance Sacrifice and Sacrifice under the Law 't was blood under the Gospel ' t was blood too only that was common blood but this excellent and precious The Fourth Head of the Ends Effects of the old expiatory Sacrifices and how they are applicable to Christ 4. Fourthly if we compare Christ with the Jewish Sacrifices in their Ends and Effects that will further demonstrate him to be a true expiatory Sacrifice What were they atonement and expiation by them God was to be atoned and Sin to be expiated now both of these were designed and admirably effected in and by Christ therefore he was what I am proving That those Sacrifices were of an atoning nature and appointed for that end what can be more plain Here the so often cited Text which indeed is the key to the whole body of the Levitical-Sacrifices doth recur Levit. 17.11 I have given it to you upon the Altar for what end to make an atonement for your Souls where the word used as in very many other places is Caphar which signifies to * This sense of the word justify'd by all Anti-Socinian Writers Franz Disp 15. th 38. Turretin de Satisf p. 208. Grot. de Sat. p. 39. Hoorneb Socin Confut. p. 607. Dr. Stillingfl p. 509. c. pacify
what could there be in them to pacisie an angry God or to to purifie a guilty Sinner what was the blood of a Beast as considered in it self to expiate the sin of a Man The Apostle plainly tells us Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin therefore he sayes there was no perfection by the Levitical Priesthood Heb. 7.11 and the Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9.9 So that whatever virtue those Sacrifices had further than the taking away of civil guilt ritual uncleanness securing from Church and State-penalties it wholly depended upon the institution of God and the merit of Christ The brazen Serpent heal'd such as were stung yet not from any intrinsick power in it self but only as God was pleas'd to give that power and efficacy to it and so 't was here in the case of the old Sacrifices These four things I have laid down both to clear up the Sacrifices themselves and also because they are of great use to set us right in our conceptions about Christ the great Sacrifice which must be opened by them Answerably now to these two great Ends and Effects of the Mosaical Sacrifices the same were designed to be done and were actually done by the Lord Jesus when he offered up himself to God upon the Cross whereby he also 1. atoned God 2. expiated the sin of the Elect. As God was angry and offended with the Sinner so Christ by his death procur'd atonement pacification reconciliation as the Sinner lay under guilt so Christ brought about the purgation or expiation of his guilt both of these were done by him and that too not only really but in a much higher way than what was done by the old Sacrifices therefore he was a true proper expiatory Sacrifice yea the most eminent expiatory Sacrifice Of atonement and reconciliation by Christs Sacrifice 1. For atonement or reconciliation By Adams Fall a sad breach had been made 'twixt God and Man Sin had greatly incens'd the holy God against his sinful Creatures nay there was a mutual and reciprocal enmity contracted between them Things being in this dismal state the blessed Jesus interpos'd himself in order to the appeasing of an offended God and the reconciling of him and the Sinner the two parties that were at variance For the effecting of which he did not only as a bare Internuntius treat with both or only offer up prayers to the one in which respect Moses atoned God Exod. 34.10 11 12 13 14. and intreaties to the other 2 Cor. 5.20 and so proceed by some verbal interposures but when nothing else would do it he was willing even to lay down his own Life to die as a Sacrifice upon the Cross by this means to bring God and Man together again in amity and love By which death of Christ the offended God was perfectly atoned and reconciled to the Sinner so as that now upon the satisfaction made to him therein he could without any injury to his Justice and Holiness receive the Sinner into his favour and not inflict upon him that wrath and punishment which he had made himself obnoxious unto this is the true notion of atonement and reconciliation by Christ and all that we * Non statuimus Deum irato propriè factum esse propitium sed Christi Satisfactione causas irae divinae obliteratas esse ut salvâ justistiâ suâ possit gratiam exhibere Essenïus p. 253. mean by it But that this was thus done by him what one thing is there in all the matters of Faith wherein the Gospel is more clear and full 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood c. Rom. 5.10 11. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement 2 Cor. 5.18 19. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Col. 1.20 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself c. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death So Eph. 2.13 14 c. Isa 53.6 the chastisement of our peace was upon him i. e. by his penal sufferings our peace was made with God 'T is true which our * Socin de Serv◠p. 1. c. 8. Adversanies would fain improve to their purpose that all along in these Scriptures the reconciliation is said to be on Mans part as if Sinners were reconcil'd to God not God to them but there 's a special reason for that viz. * Baxters Life of Faith p. 189. because they were the first in the breach they fell out with God before he fell out with them as also because the averseness to reconciliation is on their part wherefore if they be willing to be reconcil'd to God and are actually reconciled to him there 's no question of it but that he is willing to be reconciled to them and is so actually Some would have the reconciliation as on God's part to be spoken of Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to the Hebrew Enallage as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as * De Satisf p. 93. Grotius well observes Howerver supposing that this Text doth not so expresly hold forth the thing yet there is enough in those convincing Reasons Arguments and Consequences which the Word elsewhere affords to prove the reconciliation to be mutual as is fully proved by divers Which reconciliation you see was accomplished by Jesus Christ yea by his death and blood so that he exactly answers to the first effect of the Jewish Sacrifices Of the Expiation of Sin by Christ's Sacrifice 2. The for the Second the expiation of sin that also was done with great advantage by Christ his death carried indeed a Sin-expiating virtue in it and was most truly of an expiatory nature Let us a little look into the Scripture see what it saith about this and that we shall find not only to assert the thing but so to assert it as withal to set down and determine the nature and true notion of it I mean this
of Bread and Wine as broken and poured out the body and blood of Christ are offered up to God as a true and proper propitiatory Sacrifice and that too not only for the living but also for the dead †Of this Controversie see Phil. Mornaus de Euch. l. 3 c. 1. c. Hospin Hist Sacram l. 5. c. 13. p. 548. c. Camer Opusc Misc p. 522. in 4 to Masonus de Min. Anglic. l. 5. c. 1. Forb Instr Historico-Theol l. 11. c. 20. The Other hold that the Sacrament neither is nor ever was designed to be a propitiatory Sacrifice but only a commemoration and application of that one and only Sacrifice which the Lord Jesus when he dy'd upon the Cross offered up to God now which of them in these different Opinions have truth on their side it is our present work to enquire after In order to which I have two things to do 1. to show what the Sacrament is not 2. to show what it is For the first 't is not a Sacrifice I mean 't is not a propitiatory Sacrifice as if there was any proper oblation of Christ's body and blood in it further than what is done in a Symbolical and Sacramental manner for propitiation and expiation There is in it indeed in a Sacramental way that body and blood which was really offered up to God upon the Cross but not as so offered up in this Ordinance I say 't is not a Sacrifice for 't is a Sacrament therefore not a Sacrifice these two carry a great difference in them there 's giving in the one receiving in the other * Sunt propriè Sacrificia populi ad Deum ut Sacramenta Dei ad populum Morn de Euch. l. 1. c. 1. in the one we offer to God in the other God offers to us Accordingly with respect to Christ as a Sacrifice he was offered for us in the Sacrament he is offered to us which are two things of such different notions as must needs be the ground of an inconsistency betwixt them for can he at the same time be offered for us and to us too If the Lord's Supper be a Sacrifice it must cease to be a Sacrament for it cannot be both True the Passeover was both it was a Sacrament as it was a sign or * Exod. 12.13 token of Israels deliverance in Egypt and as it was to be eaten and it was also in respect of the mactation and killing of the Paschal Lamb †See this proved in Cloppenb Scho. Sacrif p. 142. c. a Sacrifice therefore we reade of sacrificing the Passeover Deut. 16.5 6. Thou maist not sacrifice the Passeover c. there thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover at even c. But the reason of its being a propitiatory Sacrifice as well as a commemorative Sacrament was this because it was a special type of Christ the great propitiatory Sacrifice whereupon 't is said 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our Passeover is sanctified for us had it not been for this its typical nature and reference it could not have been both Now in the Lord's Supper there being nothing of this it being wholly a representation of what is past not at all a type of what is to come it is not capable of being a Sacrifice and a Sacrament too so that if we give to it the nature and notion of the former we take from it and destroy the nature and notion of the latter But to argue more closely That the Eucharist is no propitiatory Sacrifice I prove by these Arguments 1. As Isaac once to his Father Behold the fire and the wood Gen. 22.7 but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering so I would say behold the bread and the wine the body and the blood but where 's the Priest to turn these into and to offer them up as a Sacrifice Are there Priests now under the Gospel entrusted with an Office and invested with a power of sacrificing 't was alwayes thought that with the ceasing of the old Law-sacrifices the sacrificing Priesthood ceas'd also I know 't is very usual to give the title of Priests to Gospel-Ministers which if taken in such a sense may be admitted but if by Priests you understand persons in Office to whom it should appertain to offer up new expiatory Sacrifices in that sense all PROTESTANTS deny any such now to have a being whence it follows that as where there are no Sacrifices there there is no Priesthood so where there is no Priesthood there there are no Sacrifices for these two mutually depend each upon the other and consequently that the Lords Supper is no Sacrifice upon the defect of this Priesthood We are told indeed that our Saviour when this ordinance was instituted by him did authorize and impower his Apostles and after them all Ministers successively at the consecration of the Elements to turn them into a Sacrifice whereupon they may strictly and properly be looked upon as Priests Which if it be so as it is not they must then be Priests either according to the Aaronical order or according to that of Melchisedeck those being the two Orders to which the sacrificing Priesthood did belong but neither of these can be true not the first the Aaronical Priesthood being abrogated not the second the Priesthood of Melchisedeck being incommunicable to any but to Christ himself as the Apostle strongly proves Heb. 7. 'T is observable amongst the Levitical Priests whilst the High Priest himself was ministring in the Holy of Holy's such as were of a lower rank were not at that time to sacrifice without and why not so here Christ our High Priest is now in Heaven presenting the merit of his great Sacrifice offered upon the Cross and he himself being so imploy'd 't is not for any ordinary Priests to be sacrificing in an expiatory way here on earth And further those Priests so long as they liv'd were to execute their office themselves into which none were to intrude till by their death room was made for others succession so that if they had liv'd for ever none had medled with sacrificing but they Christ therefore living for ever to manage the business of what is propitiatory none without great intrusion can pretend in a thing of that nature to joyn with him Heb. 7.23 24. And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood or that Priesthood * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which passeth not from him to another When Christ was here on earth he offered up himself as a propitiatory Sacrifice if any now after him should pretend in that way to offer up his body and blood as to the matter of the Sacrifice they would in part do that which he himself did and so there would be a passing of his Priesthood in some way of equality though not of cessation to others 2. It hath been observed that
in every expiatory Sacrifice there was the destruction or consumption of the thing sacrificed either in part or in the whole there being therefore no such thing in the Lord's Supper it cannot be look'd upon as a true and proper expiatory Sacrifice Pray what is destroy'd therein doth Christ's body and blood cease to be what they were in his Sacrifice upon the Cross there was a destruction in the separation of his Soul and Body for a time but what is there like to this in the Sacrament * De Missâ l. 1. c. 2. BELLARMINE having taken notice of this Argument thinks to elude it with a very pretty distinction viz. †De Missacirc l. 1. c. 27. that Christ's body in it-self is untouch'd in the Sacrament it loosing nothing of its esse naturale when 't is eaten there yet it doth loose its esse sacramentale the bread being eaten by which it was signified and made visible Answ As if the ceasing of something which was but external visible and representative the thing it self remaining untouch'd and the same that it was before would amount to that destruction which was in the Levitical Sacrifices and which was necessary to be made upon the body of Christ at his death in order to his being an expiatory Sacrifice Surely either we are a sort of men so weak and sottish as that wee 'l believe any thing or they are a sort of men so wedded to their Opinions as that they 'l say any thing that will but suit with their purpose otherwise so great a Man had never given so pitiful an Answer to so considerable an Objection 3. Thirdly if the Sacrament be a real propitiatory Sacrifice then so many Sacraments so many propitiatory Sacrifices and as oft as that is administred so oft there is a real substantial oblation of Christ's body and blood in a propitiatory way but this is directly contrary to what the World saith therefore 't is by no means to be admitted For that speaks but of one only propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ's once offering himself namely when he died upon the Cross which one offering was so full and perfect so effectual to all intents and purpoles for redemption propitiation c. as that it is not in any wise to be repeated or reiterated Heb. 7.27 Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himself Heb. 9.12 by his own blood be entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us Vers 26 27 28. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath be appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many c. Heb. 10.10 12 14. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Now how shall we reconcile the multiplication of propitiatory Sacrifices the reiteration of Christ's offering with these Texts there is saith the Apostle but one only propitiatory Sacrifice that which our Saviour offered upon the Cross nay say our Adversaries but there is the MASS is a propitiatory Sacrifice also the true propitiatory Sacrifice saith he was made but once nay but say they 't is not so it is renew'd repeated and made over and over again Christ sayes he did once and but once offer up himself nay say they but he is offered again and again as often as the MASS is celebrated in which his body and blood are as really offered as they were when he dy'd upon the Cross Christ saith he by the one oblation of himself hath obtained eternal redemption put away sin perfected for ever them that are sanctified nay say they but he hath not for besides that there must be the propitiatory oblation of him in the Sacrament Now let every person judge whether these things be not flat contradictions to the Word of God according to what we charge them with For the solving of this therefore they give us another pretty distinction viz. of our Saviours bloody and unbloody Sacrifice of that which was offered on the Cross and that which is offered at the Mass that they say 't is very true was but once and is not to be iterated but 't is not so with the latter wherefore the Apostle in all that hath been cited must be understood as designing to exclude only the multiplying and repeating of the bloody but not of the unbloody Sacrifice and so the Mass is not at all concerned therein To which I answer in shunning one contradiction they run upon another for what can be more contradictory to the Word as also to the nature of the thing than an unbloody propitiatory Sacrifice it sayes * Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood there 's no remission yes say they but there is in the Sacrament there 's no shedding of blood and yet thereby there is remission do they not still maintain that which plainly contradicts the Scripture and instead of stopping one gap do they not make another The Apostle after he had been speaking so fully of Christ's Sacrifice upon the Cross in the perfection and unrepeatableness thereof draws an inference universally to exclude all other propitiatory Sacrifices Heb. 10.18 now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin they then must be highly bold who will presume to except and limit where the Spirit of God doth not and where the matter spoken of doth not require any such exception or limitation nay where indeed the matter will not bear any such thing as here it will not for if by Christ's oblation sin be fully remitted how can any further Sacrifice be joyned with it in order to remission To me this is a most necessary principle viz. when men will distinguish upon the letter of the Scripture so as to affirm what that denyes or to deny what that affirms or so as to enlarge what that straightens and to straighten what that enlarges it highly concerns them to look to this that their distinctions be well grounded upon other Scriptures and consonant thereunto for otherwise they must run themselves into dangerous errors without all possibility of being convinced and without this all Religion will be undermin'd and the Word of God made wholly insignificant Now to apply this Rule our Dissenters when we urge the forementioned places which are so clear and cogent for what we hold would put off all by distinguishing of a bloody and unbloody Sacrifice I desire to know what Scripture-ground or warrant they
as practical as operative and powerful this this is that knowledge which is to be desired When Paul had spoken so high of the knowledge of Christ * Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord see how he opens that knowledge of him which he look'd upon as so excellent Vers 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death 'T is a poor thing to have light about this in the head if that light be not attended with power and efficacy upon the heart and life the clearest notions concerning Christ's death without suitable impressions within and that which in the Sinner himself may bear some analogie and conformity thereunto do not profit O therefore so study a crucified Saviour as to be * Gal. 2.20 crucified with him †Rom. 6.8 dead with him so as to feel the energie of his death in the heavenliness of your affections and holiness of your conversations this is the knowledge which we should study and pray for and aspire after For the Second Christ as a Sacrifice is also much to be meditated upon O how frequent how serious and fixed should our thoughts be upon this how should we be often reviving this upon our minds never suffering it to decay or wither in our memories This is so great and necessary a duty that we have an Ordinance instituted by Christ on purpose and for this very end often to inminde us of his dying as our Sacrifice and to keep it fresh upon our memories for ever * 1 Cor. 11.24 26. Do this in remembrance of me As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come But 't is not enough to think of this just before or at the Sacrament but we should live in daily frequent meditation upon it I say we should do so but alas 't is to be feared we do not so O how little is a dying crucified Christ thought of the dying Friend or Relation is remembred but the dying Saviour is forgotten this proclaims to the world that we have but a low sense of his great love that we see but little in his oblation for surely if we did we should think oftner of it and after another manner than now we do Christians pray be sensible of former neglects and let it be better for the future let not a day pass over you wherein some time shall not be spent in remembring and considering what Christ your Sacrifice upon the Cross suffered for you Upon this also you would reap great advantages for certainly was Christ's death but duly thought of and improved Oh 't would highly imbitter sin effectually wean from the world and the sensual delights thereof mightily encourage and strengthen Hope and Faith strongly engage the Soul to Obedience c. therefore pray be persuaded to think less of other things and more of this And do not barely think of it but think what there 's in it yea labour to go to the very bottom of it and by serious meditation to press out all that juyce and sweetness which is in it the believer should be alwayes sitting upon this flower and sucking comfort from it What 's the full breast to the child that doth not draw it Christ as a Sacrifice for sin is a full breast but yet if Sinners by Faith Prayer and Meditation do not draw from this breast they will be little the better for it He was indeed but once offered but that one oblation is often to be remembred and continually to be improved with respect both to Duty and Comfort how that is to be done the following particulars will shew The Heart in the sense of this to be broken for sin and from sin 2. This should have a very powerful influence upon you to break your hearts for sin and from sin First for sin was Christ indeed made a Sacrifice as such was his body broken and his precious blood poured forth did he undergo such sufferings in his life and then compleat all in his dying on the Cross and all for sin how can this be thought of with any seriousness and the heart not be kindly and thoroughly broken what will cause the hard heart to melt and thaw into godly sorrow for sin if the consideration of Christ's Sacrifice and death will not do it Oh me thinks his blood as shed for Sinners should soften the most Adamantine heart that is Did we but consider our Saviours passion in the matter and quality of it in its bitter ingredients and heightning circumstances and then also consider that our sins were the meritorious cause of it that they brought him to the Cross and laid the foundation of all his sorrows did we I say but consider this certainly we should be more deeply afflicted for Sin than now we are What that I should be accessary to the death of the Son of God that I should bring the nails and spears which should pierce him that I should be the occasion of all his sufferings in Soul and Body what a cutting heart-breaking consideration is this Zech. 12. 10. they shall look upon me whom they have pierced what follows and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born the true penitent cannot look upon a crucified Saviour especially when he considers what he hath done to further his Saviours crucifixion without the highest degree of holy grief But especially this heart-brokenness should be in us when we are at the Sacrament where we have such a sensible and lively representation of Christ's Death and Sacrifice Oh shall we there see his broken body and yet our hearts be unbroken shall we view him there shedding his blood and we shed no penitential tears shall we there behold what he endured and felt for Sin and we yet have no pain no contrition for it how unsuitable is such a frame to such an object under such a representation What was the temper think you of the Women who were * Mat. 27.55 spectators of Christ when he was hanging upon the Cross unquestionably they were filled with inexpressible sorrow why Sirs when you are at the Lord's Table in a spiritual way you see him also as dying upon the Cross he is there before your eyes evidently set forth and crucified among you Gal. 3.1 Oh how should your * Lam. 3.51 eye affect your heart even to fill you with Evangelical sorrow Three things in the Text to set men against Sin But this is not enough therefore 2. there must be brokenness from sin as well as for sin surely after such a thing as Christ's death Sin must be lov'd and liv'd no more the heart must eternally be broken off from it
the Gospel answers to the hyssop under the Law Well! after our Saviours being an offering for sin as we have nothing further to do but only through Grace enabling of us * Vid. Cameron Misc p. 529. to perform these Evangelical conditions so nothing less than that will serve our turn for a share and interest in the great effects and fruits thereof Frequent application to be made to this Sacrifice 6. Sixthly you are not to rest in some one single application of your selves or in the first application of your selves at your first believing to this great Sacrifice for expiation and remission but you are to repeat and renew it daily For though 't is true all the guilt of believers is removed thereby yet that is done in this method 't is removed as 't is contracted and as the benefit of it is accordingly drawn forth by the fresh applications of it O do not rest in what you did at your first Conversion but be you every day applying your selves to a sacrific'd Christ new guilt must have new pardons and daily sins call for daily expiations 'T is observable that Christ is set forth not only by the yearly expiatory Sacrifices or by those that were but seldom offered but also by the daily Sacrifices Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God c. We should not lie down in our beds at night before we have applyed our selves to a dying Christ for the cleansing of our persons from the guilt of the sins of the day past Yea we should never go to God in duty but we should revive upon our thoughts and make use of this Sacrifice Under the Law the blood was to be sprinkled even upon the Mercy-seat Levit. 16.14 God sits upon a Throne of Mercy but even that requires the blood of Christ no mercy from him no acceptance with him can be expected but upon the intervention of this Sacrifice God and Christ to be admired and adored upon this 7. Seventhly Upon this Sacrifice and what followed thereupon God and Christ are highly to be admired and adored by you This holy admiration hath been already again again press'd upon you under the foregoing gracious acts mention'd in the Text but surely that which is now before us doth as much deserve and call for it as they or any other whatsoever Is God to be admired because he sent his own Son because he sent this Son in flesh yea in the likeness of sinful flesh and is he not to be admired also for his making of him to be a Sacrifice for sin and for the condemning of sin in his flesh doubtless he is What Christ a Sacrifice a Sacrifice for such as we such great things brought about thereby O what matter is here to draw out admiration what so great so wonderful as this how much are the highest thoughts the most raised affections below the greatness of this mystery It hath my Brethren been largely set before you now I would ask How are your hearts affected with it 't is very sad if we can hear of such stupendious mercy and yet be but little wrought upon under the hearing of it Pray fancy to your selves what the Angels thought of this what frame they were in when they saw the Son of God hanging and dying upon the Cross as an expiatory Sacrifice Oh you may well suppose that it fill'd them with astonishment they were even amaz'd at this strange and wonderful spectacle never such wondring in Heaven as when the Lord Jesus was thus suffering on earth now shall that be little to you which was so great to them shall they thus admire and will you who were most concern'd in the thing and the greatest gainers by it be stupid and unaffected In Christ's being a Sacrifice God on his part hath display'd and advanc'd all his Attributes yea they by this have received their utmost advancement infinite Wisdom Justice Holiness Mercy could go no higher than a Christ crucifi'd and on your part by this your work is done your happiness being every way secur'd and your misery fully prevented by this you are reconcil'd to God and God to you condemning-sin is condemn'd it-self all its guilt expiated the righteousness of the Law fulfill'd c. by a strange and unthought-of method God hath fetch'd the greatest good out of the greatest evil by Christ's dying you live all which being considered is there not sufficient ground why you and all should admire and adore God And amongst other things pray in special admire his love his transcendent superlative matchless love what manner of love was this that God should give his Son to be a sacrifice for you 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Had not Christ been a person infinitely dear to God the thing had not been so much but that he should devote him to be sacrific'd whom he so dearly lov'd there 's the incomprehensibleness of his love 'T is reported of the PHOENICIANS that in their Sacrifices they did not use to Sacrifice an enemy or a stranger but * Porphyr do Abstin l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some one that they had a special love for this I 'm sure was done by God in his giving of the Son of his love to be a Sacrifice for us therefore what admiration can be high enough for him When * Gen. 22.10 c. Abrahaham had the knife in his hand and was just going to offer his Son Isaac God stop'd his hand and provided a cheaper Sacrifice for him this was more than what he did for his own Son him he would have to be offered up and would admit of no other Sacrifice and when the hand of Justice was lifted up ready to destroy us then God to secure us interpos'd and found out a Sacrifice of propitiation not a Ram but his only begotten Son O the heights bredths lengths depths of his love And must not Christ be admired also surely yes was not his love too admirable as well as the Fathers Oh well might the Apostle say Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Eph. 5.2 And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Vers 25. as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood this was loving indeed When the * Joh. 11.36 JEWS saw Jesus weeping over LAZARVS they said Behold how he loved him but alas what was Christs weeping over him to his dying for us what was the shedding of a few tears to the shedding of his blood how may we come with a more emphatical Behold behold how he
loved us He that * 2 Cor. 5.21 knew no sin was willing to be made sin †1 Pet. 2.24 to bear our sins in his own body vpon the tree to put himself in our stead yea to die in our stead for our sakes to be ‖ Phil. 2.8 obedient to death even the death of the Cross to let out his precious blood for the expiation of sin when nothing else would do it and when all Mosaical Sacrifices were weak he by a far higher Sacrifice undertook the work * Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God was not here love even love †Eph. 3.19 passing knowledge such high affection on his part should draw out high admiration on our part Let me here add we should so admire God and Christ as to love them and to be thankful Have they ‖ Joh. 3.16 so loved us and shall not we return love for love what monsters and prodigies shall we be if after such a manifestation of their love to us there be not reciprocation of our love to them God design'd and prepar'd the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love Christ was the Sacrifice therefore he must have our love too both deserve it both must have it Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life now doth the Father love him for this and shall not we much more did we but think of this Sacrifice and hold our hearts close to it in holy meditation surely it would cause them to love Christ Then I say be thankful yea let your whole Soul upon this go out in thankfulness be ever praising magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Did God * Rom. 3.25 set forth Christ to be a propitiation did he †Isa 53.5 6. lay upon him the iniquities of you all was the chastisement of your peace upon him and by his stripes are you healed that guilt and wrath which would have ruin'd you for ever are they now both done away so as that they shall never hurt you did Christ die * Mediator noster puniri pro seipso non debuit quia nullum culpae contagium perpetravit Sed si ipse indebitam mortem non susciperet nunquam nos à debitâ morte liberaret Gregor l. 3. moral c. 13. that you might not die but live for ever did you sin and he suffer was the †innocent person punished that the guilty might be acquitted was sin condemned for you who deserv'd to be condemn'd for it what praise and admiration can be high enough for such things as these The JEWS in the day of atonement were to make the trumpet sound throughout their land Lev. 25.9 So we having received the atonement by Christ's Sacrifice should evermore be sounding forth the praises of the most high You reade of the Elders Rev. 5.8 c. they fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints And they sang a new son saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. * Peccat iniquus punitur justus delinquit reus vapulat innocens offendit impius damnatur pius quod meretur malus patitur bonus c. Quò Nate Dei quò tua descendit humilitas quo tua flagravit charitas c. Ego iniquè egi tu poenâ mulctaris ego facinus admisi tu ultione plecteris c. Me ad illicitam concupiscentiam rapuit arbor te perfecta charitas duxit ad crucem ego praesumsi vetitum tu subiisti aculeum c. August in Quest in V. N. Testam Qu. 55. Christians why are not your harps alwayes in your hands why are not your Souls alwayes full of holy affections as the golden Vials full of odours in the remembrance of him who was slain and sacrific'd for you Christ having offered his Sacrifice we are to offer ours 8. Lastly Do you offer to God the Sacrifices proper to you as Christ offered to God the Sacrifice proper to him For expiatory Sacrifices as you need them not Christ's one Sacrifice being every way sufficient for that end so you are not able to come up to them for you can present nothing to God properly and formally expiatory yet there are other Sacrifices which you may offer up to him And though the external and fleshly Sacrifices of the Law are out of date yet there are the internal and spiritual Sacrifices of the Gospel which you now are as much oblig'd to observe and offer as ever the JEWS were the former What are they why you are to present your selves your bodies Souls the whole man a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12.1 you are to dedicate your persons to Christ so as to live to him who dy'd for you 2 Cor. 5.15 yea so as to be ready to be offered in sacrifice by dying for him to allude to that Phil. 2.17 You are as an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 which spiritual Sacrifices are spiritual Dutys and Evangelical Worship prophesy'd of Mal. 1.11 in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering Here come in * Oratio purè directa de corde fideli tanquam de arâ Sanctâ surgit incensum August in Psal 141. Prayer and Praise those two eminent Sacrifices under the Gospel Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set forth before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice Psal 116.17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord so Psal 107.22 Psal 54.6 Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name this is set forth as here by the fruit of the lips so elsewhere by the free-will-offerings of the mouth Psal 119.108 by rendring the calves of our lips Hos 14.2 And for the pleasingness of this to God above all the Levitical Sacrifices see Psal 50.13 14. Psal 69.30 31. O this is a Sacrifice which we should often be offering up to God through Christ Jesus Another Evangelical Sacrifice is a broken Spirit than which next to a broken Christ nothing more acceptable to God Psal 51.16 17. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise So also bounty to the poor distressed Saints this is an odour of sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well