death of the Testator VER XVIII XIX XX XXI XXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde hence Therefore Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter hoc quia propter For this Cause And hence it is Arab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was confirmed dedicatum fuit was dedicated consecrated separated unto sacred use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. When the whole Command was enjoyned Vul. Lat. lecto omni mandato legis The command of the Law being read taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the same Arias exposito secundum legem Most cum recitasset having repeated recited namely out of the Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack reads only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an Heifer as the Arabick omits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also of Goats it may be in compliance with the story in Moses without cause as we shall see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is omitted in the Syriack Whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without Blood For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the People according to the Law he took the blood of Calves and of Goats with water and Scarlet wool and Hyssop and sprinkled both the Book and all the People Saying This is the Blood of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you Moreover he sprinkled with Blood both the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of the Ministry And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no Remission What we have before observed is fully confirmed in this Discourse namely that the Apostle intended not to argue absolutely and precisely from the Name and Nature of a Testament properly so called and the use of it among men For he makes use of these things no further but as unto what such a Testament hath in common with a Solemn Covenant which is that they are both confirmed and ratified by death Wherefore it was necessary that the new Testament as it was a Testament should be confirmed by death and as it had the Nature of a Covenant it was to be so by such a Death as was accompanyed by blood-shedding The former was proved before from the general Nature and Notion of a Testament the latter is here proved at large from the way and manner whereby the first Covenant was confirmed or dedicated But the Apostle in this Discourse doth not intend merely to prove that the first Covenant was dedicated with Blood which might have been dispatched in a very few words But he declares moreover in general what was the use of blood in Sacrifices on all occasions under the Law whereby he demonstrates the Use and Efficacy of the blood of Christ as unto all the Ends of the new Covenant And the Ends of the use of Blood under the old Testament he declares to have been two namely Purification and Pardon both which are comprised in that one of the Expiation of Sin And these things are all of them applyed unto the blood and Sacrifice of Christ in the following verses In the Exposition of this Context we must do three things 1 Consider the Difficulties that are in it 2 Declare the Scope Design and force of the Argument contained in it 3 Explain the particular passages of the whole 1. Sundry Difficulties there are in this Context which arise from hence that the account which the Apostle gives of the Dedication of the first Covenant and of the Tabernacle seems to differ in sundry things from that given by Moses when all things were actually done by him as it is recorded Exod. 24. And they are these that follow 1. That the blood which Moses took was the blood of Calves and Goats whereas there is no mention of any Goats or their blood in the story of Moses 2. That he took Water Scarlet-wool and Hyssop to sprinkle it withal whereas none of them are reported in that story 3. That he sprinkled the Book in Particular which Moses doth not affirm 4. That he sprinkled all the People that is the People indefinitely for all the individuals of them could not be sprinkled 5. There are some Differences in the words which Moses spake in the Dedication of the Covenant as laid down ver 20. 6. That he sprinkled the Tabernacle with blood and all the Vessels of it when at the Time of the Making and Solemn Confirmation of the Covenant the Tabernacle was not Erected nor the Vessels of its Ministry yet made For the Removal of these Difficulties some things must be premised in general and then they shall all of them be considered distinctly 1. This is taken as fixed that the Apostle wrote this Epistle by Divine Inspiration Having evidence here of abundantly satisfactory it is the vainest thing imaginable and that which discovers a frame of Mind disposed to Cavil at things Divine if from the Difficulties of any one Passage we should reflect on the Authority of the whole as some have done on this occasion But I shall say with some confidence he never understood any one Chapter of the Epistle nay nor any one verse of it aright who did or doth question its Divine Original There is nothing Humane in it that savours I mean of humane Infirmity but the whole and every part of it are animated by the Wisdom and Authority of its Author And those who have pretended to be otherwise minded on such slight occasions as that before us have but proclaimed their own want of Experience in things Divine But 2. There is nothing in all that is here affirmed by the Apostle which hath the least appearance of Contradiction unto any thing that is recorded by Moses in the story of these things Yea as I shall shew without the Consideration and Addition of the things here mentioned by the Apostle we cannot aright apprehend nor understand the account that is given by him This will be made evident in the Consideration of the particulars wherein the difference between them is supposed to consist 3. The Apostle doth not take his Account of the things here put together by him from any one place in Moses but gathers up what is declared in the Law in several Places unto various Ends. For as hath been declared he doth not design only to prove the dedication of the Covenant by Blood but to shew also the whole use of blood under the Law as unto Purification and Remission of Sin And this he doth to declare the Vertue and Efficacy of the blood of Christ under the new Testament whereunto he makes an Application of all these things in the verses ensuing Wherefore he gathers into one head sundry things wherein the sprinkling of blood was of use under the Law as they are occasionally expressed in sundry Places And this one observation removes all the difficulties of the Context which all arise from this one supposition that the Apostle gives here an account only of what was done at the
Dedication of the first Covenant So in particular by the Addition of those Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 21. which we well render moreover he plainly intimates that what he affirms of the Tabernacle and the vessels of its Ministry was that which was done afterwards at another time and not when the Covenant was first confirmed On these Grounds we shall see that the Account given of these things by the Apostle is a necessary Exposition of the Record made of them by Moses and no more 1. He affirms that Moses took the blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Calves and Goats And there is a double difficulty herein For 1 The blood that Moses so used was the blood of Oxen Exod. 24. 5 6. which seems not to be well rendered by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Calves But this hath no weight in it For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word there used signifies all Cattle of the Herd great and small every thing that is generis bovini And there is no necessity from the words that we should render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there by Oxen nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here by Calves we might have rendered both words by Bullocks But 2 There is no mention at all of Goats in the story of Moses and as we observed it is here omitted by the Syriack Translator but without cause Ans. 1. There were two sorts of offerings that were made on this occasion 1 Burnt-offerings 2 Peace-offerings Exod. 24. 5. They offered burnt-offerings and Sacrificed Peace-offerings The distinct expression of them proves the offerings to have been destinct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed or slew Peace-offerings and as for the Peace-offerings it is said that they were of Bullocks or Oxen but it is not said of what sort the burnt-offerings were Yea and it may be that although Bullocks only are mentioned yet that Goats also were Sacrificed in this Peace-offering For it is so far from being true what Ribera observes on the Place that a Goat was never offered for a Peace-offering that the contrary unto it is directly expressed in the Institution of the Peace-offering Deut. 3. 12. Wherefore the Blood of Goats might be used in the Peace-offering though it be not mentioned by Moses But 2. The Apostle observes that one End of the Sacrifice at the Dedication of the first Covenant was purging and making Attonement ver 22 23. For in all Solemn Sacrifices blood was sprinkled on the Holy Things to purify them and make Attonement for them Deut. 16. 14 19 20. Now this was not to be done but by the blood of an expiatory Sacrifice it was not to be done by the blood of Peace-offerings Wherefore the Burnt-offerings mentioned by Moses were expiatory Sacrifices to purge and make Attonement And this Sacrifice was principally of Goats Deut. 16. 7. wherefore the Text of Moses cannot be well understood without this Exposition of the Apostle And we may add hereunto also that although the blood of the Peace-offering was sprinkled on the Altar Deut. 3. 13. yet was it not Sprinkled on the People as this blood was wherefore there was the use of the blood of Goats also as a Sin-offering in this great Sacrifice 3. In the Dedication of the Priests these two sorts of offerings were conjoyned namely Peace-offerings and Sin-offerings or burnt offerings for Sin as here they were And therein expresly the blood of Goats was used namely in the Sin-offerings as the blood of Bullocks was in the Peace-offering Lev. 9. 3 4. Neither is there mention any where of burnt-offerings or Sin-offerings and Peace-offerings to be offered together but that one of them was of Goats and therefore was so infallibly at this Time as the Apostle declares 2. It is affirmed in the Text that he took the Blood with Water Scarlet-wool and Hyssop and Sprinkled it But there is mention of none of these things in the story of Moses but only that he sprinkled the blood But the Answer hereunto is plain and easie Blood under the Law was sprinkled either in less or greater quantities Hereon there were two ways of sprinkling the one was with the finger when a small quantity of blood it may be some few drops of it were to be sprinkled it was done with the finger Levit. 8. 15. Chap. 16. 13. The Quantity being small though the blood were immixed and almost congealed it might be so sprinkled But there was a Sprinkling whereunto a greater proportion of blood was required as namely when an house was to be sprinkled and thereby purifyed This was done by mixing running water with the blood and then sprinkling it with Scarlet-wool and Hyssop Levit. 14. 50 51 52. For these things were needful thereunto The water prevented the blood from being so congealed as that it would not be sprinkled in any quantity The Scarlet-wool took up a quantity of it out of the Vessel wherein it was and the Bunch of Hyssop was the Sprinkler Whereupon when Moses Sprinkled the Altar Book and People he did it by one of these two ways for other there was none The First way he could not do it namely with his finger because it was to be done in a great quantity For Moses took that half of it that was to be sprinkled on the People and put it into basons Exod. 24. 6 8. It was therefore infallibly done this Latter way according as our Apostle declares 3. It is added by the Apostle that he sprinkled the Book which is not expressed in the Story But the Design of the Apostle is to express at large the whole Solemnity of the confirmation of the first Covenant especially not to omit any thing that blood was applyed unto because in the application he referrs the Purification and Dedication of all things belonging unto the new Covenant unto the blood of Christ. And this was the order of the things which concerned the Book Moses coming down from the Mount told the People by word of Mouth all things which God had spoken unto him or the Sum and Substance of the Covenant which he would make with them ver 5. And Moses came and told the People all the words of the Lord that is the words spoken on Mount Sinai the ten Commandments and all the Judgments of the Lord that is all the Laws contained in Chap. 21 22 23. with this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the judgments Chap. 21. 1. Upon the Oral Rehearsal of these words and Judgments the People gave their consent unto the Terms of the Covenant The People answered with one voice all the words which the Lord hath said we will do ver 3. Hereon Moses made a Record or wrote all the words of the Lord in a Book ver 4. This being done the Altar and Pillars were prepared ver 4. And it is evident that the Book which he had written was laid on the Altar though it be not expressed When this was done he
sprinkled the Blood on the Altar ver 6. After which when the Book had been sprinkled with Blood as it lay on the Altar it is said he took the Book that is off from the Altar and read in the audience of the People ver 7. The Book being now sprinkled with blood as the Instrument and Record of the Covenant between God and the People the very same words which were before spoken unto the People are now recited or read out of the Book And this could be done for no other Reason but that the Book it self being now sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant it was dedicated to be the Sacred Record thereof 4. In the Text of Moses it is said that he sprinkled the People in Explanation whereof the Apostle affirms that he sprinkled all the People And it was necessary that so it should be and that none of them should be excluded from this Sprinkling For they were all taken into Covenant with God Men Women and Children But it must be granted that for the blood to be actually Sprinkled on all individuals in such a Numberless Multitude is next unto what is naturally impossible wherefore it was done in their Representatives and what is done towards Representatives as such is done equally towards all whom they do Represent And the whole People had two Representatives that day 1 The twelve Pillars of Stone that were set up to represent their twelve Tribes and it may be to signifie their hard and stony heart under that Covenant ver 4. Whereas those Pillars were placed close by the Altar some suppose that they were Sprinkled as representing the twelve tribes 2 There was the Heads of their Tribes the Chief of the house of their Fathers and the Elders who drew nigh unto Moses and were Sprinkled with blood in the Name and Place of all the People who were that day taken into Covenant 5. The words which Moses spake unto the People upon the Sprinkling of the Blood are not absolutely the same in the story and in the Repetition of it by the Apostle But this is usual with him in all his Quotations out of the old Testament in this Epistle He expresseth the true sense of them but doth not curiously and precisely render the sense of every word and syllable in them 6. The last Difficulty in this context and that which hath an appearance of the greatest is in what the Apostle affirmes concerning the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of it namely that Moses sprinkled them all with Blood And the Time which he seems to speak of is that of the Dedication of the first Covenant Hence a twofold Difficulty doth arise First as unto the Time and Secondly as unto the Thing it self For at the Time of the Dedication of the first Covenant the Tabernacle was not yet made or erected and so could not then be sprinkled with Blood And afterwards when the Tabernacle was erected and all the Vessels brought into it there is no mention that either it or any of them were sprinkled with Blood but only anointed with the Holy Oyl Exod. 40. 9 10 11. Wherefore as unto the first I say the Apostle doth plainly distinguish what he affirms of the Tabernacle from the Time of the Dedication of the first Covenant The manner of his Introduction of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and moreover the Tabernacle doth plainly intimate a Progress unto another Time and occasion Wherefore the words of ver 21. concerning the sprinkling of the Tabernacle and its Vessels do relate unto what follows ver 22. and almost all things are by the Law purged with Blood and not unto those that precede about the Dedication of the first Covenant For the Argument he hath in hand is not confined unto the use of Blood only in that Dedication but respects the whole use of the Blood of Sacrifices under the Law which in these words he proceeds unto and closeth in the next verse And this wholly removes the first Difficulty And as unto the second Expositors generally answer that Aspersion or Sprinkling with Blood did commonly precede Unction with the Holy Oyl And as unto the Garments of the Priests which were the Vessels or Utensils of the Tabernacle it was appointed that they should be sprinkled with Blood Exod. 29. 21. and so it may be supposed that the Residue of them were also But to me this is not satisfactory And be it spoken without offence Expositors have generally mistaken the nature of the Argument of the Apostle in these words For he argues not from the first Dedication of the Tabernacle and its Vessels which for ought appears was by Unction only But making as wee observed before a Progress unto the farther use of the Blood of Sacrifices in purging according to the Law he giveth an Instance in what was done with respect unto the Tabernacle and all its Vessels and that constantly and Solemnly every year and this he doth to prove his general Assertion in the next verse that under the Law almost all things were purged with Blood And Moses is here said to do what he appointed should be done By his Institution that is the Institution of the Law the Tabernacle and all the Vessels of it were sprinkled with Blood And this was done Solemnly once every year an account whereof is given Levit. 16. 14 15 16 18 19 20. On the Solemn Day of Attonement the High Priest was to sprinkle the Mercy-seat the Altar and the whole Tabernacle with Blood to make an Attonement for them because of the Uncleannesses of the Children of Israel the Tabernacle remaining among them in the midst of their Uncleannesses ver 16. This he takes notice of not to prove the Dedication of the first Covenant with what belonged thereunto with Blood but the use of Blood in general to make Attonement and the impossibility of Expiation and Pardon without it This is the Design and Sense of the Apostle and no other Wherefore we may conclude that the Account here given concerning the Dedication of the first Covenant and the use of Blood for Purification under the Law is so far from containing any thing opposite unto or discrepant from the Records of Moses concerning the same things that it gives us a full and clear Exposition of them The second thing to be considered is the nature of the Argument in this context and there are three things in it neither of which must be omitted in the Exposition of the words He designeth 1. to prove yet farther the necessuy of the Death of Christ as he was the Mediator of the New Testament both as it had the nature of a Testament and that also of a Solemn Covenant 2. To declare the necessity of the Kind of his Death in the way of a Sacrifice by the effusion of Blood because the Testament as it had the nature of a Solemn Covenant was confirmed and ratifyed thereby 3. To manifest the Necessity of shedding of Blood in the
confirmation of the Covenant because of the expiation purging and pardon of Sin thereby How these things are proved we shall see in the Exposition of the words There are in the words themselves 1. A Proposition of the Principal Truth asserted ver 18. 2. The Confirmation of that Proposition which is twofold 1 From what Moses did ver 19. 2 From what he said ver 20. 3. A farther Illustration of the same Truth by other Instances ver 21. 4. A general Inference or Conclusion from the whole comprizing the Substance of what he intended to demonstrate In the Proposition there are five things considerable 1 A note of Introduction Whereupon 2 The Quality of the Proposition it is negative neither was 3 The Subject spoken of The first 4 What is affirmed of it it was dedicated 5 The way and manner thereof it was not without Blood 1. The Note of Introduction is in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle frequently makes use of in this Epistle as a note of Inference in those Discourses which are Argumentative We render it by Therefore and Wherefore here Whereupon For it intimates a confirmation of a general Rule by especially Instances He had before laid it down as a general Maxime that a Testament was to be confirmed by Death For thereupon the first Testament was confirmed with the Blood of Sacrifices shed in their Death Wherefore let not any think strange that the New Testament was confirmed by the Death of the Testator for this is so necessary that even in the confirmation of the first there was that which was analogous unto it And moreover it was Death in such a way as was required unto the confirmation of a Solemn Covenant II. The Proposition hath a double Negative in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither was it without Blood that is it was with Blood and could not otherwise be III. The Subject spoken of is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testament or Covenant And herein the Apostle declares what he precisely intended by the first or old Covenant whereof he discoursed at large chap. 8. It was the Covenant made with the People at Horeb. For that and no other was dedicated in the way here described And to take a brief Prospect into this Covenant the things ensuing may be observed 1. The matter of it or the Terms of it materially considered before it had the formal nature of a Covenant And these were all the things that were written in the Book before it was laid on the Altar Namely it was that Epitome of the whole Law which is contained in Chap. 20 21 22 23 of Exodus And other Commands and Institutions that were given afterwards belonged unto this Covenant reductively The substance of it was contained in the Book then written 2. The Manner of the Revelation of these Terms of the Covenant Being proposed on the Part of God and the Terms of it being entirely of his choosing and Proposal he was to reveal declare and make them known And this he did two wayes 1 As unto the Foundation and Substance of the whole in the Decalogue He spake it himself on the Mount in the way and manner declared Exod. 19. 20. 2 As unto the following Judgments Statutes and Rites directive of their walking before God according to the former fundamental Rule of the Covenant These he declared by Revelation unto Moses and they are contained in the 21 22 and 23 Chapters 3. The manner of its Proposal and this also was twofold 1 Preparatory For before the Solemn Covenanting between God and the People Moses declared all the Matter of it unto the People that they might consider well of it and whether they would consent to enter into Covenant with God on those Terms whereon they gave their Approbation of them 2 Solemn in their actual and absolute Acceptance of it whereby they became obliged throughout their Generations This was on the reading of it out of the Book after it was sprinkled with the Blood of the Covenant on the Altar ver 7. 4. The Author of this Covenant was God himself The Covenant which the Lord hath made with you ver 8. And immediately after he is thereon called the God of Israel ver 20. which is the first time he was called so and it was by vertue of this Covenant And the Pledge or Token of his Presence as Covenanting was the Altar the Altar of Jehovah as there was a Representative Pledge of the Presence of the People in the twelve Pillars or Statues 5. Those with whom this Covenant was made were the People that is all the People as the Apostle speaks none exempted or excluded It was made with the Men Women and Children Deut. 31. 22. even all on whom was the Blood of the Covenant as it was on the Women or the Token of the Covenant as it was on the Male Children in Circumcision or both as in all the men of Israel 6. The Manner on the Part of the People of entring into Covenant with God was in two Acts before mentioned 1 In a previous Approbation of the matter of it 2 In a Solemn engagement into it And this was the Foundation of the Church of Israel This is that Covenant whereof there is afterwards in the Scripture such frequent mention between God and that People the Sole foundation of all especial Relation between him and them For they took the Observation of its Terms on themselves for their Posterity in all Generations until the end should be On their Obedience hereunto or Neglect hereof depended their Life and Death in the Land of Canaan No farther did the Precepts and Promises of it in it self extend But whereas it did not disanull the Promise that was made unto Abraham and confirmed with the Oath of God four hundred years before and had annexed unto it many Institutions and Ordinances prefigurative and significant of Heavenly things the People under it had a Right unto and Directions for the attaining of an Eternal Inheritance And something we may hence observe 1. The Foundation of a Church-state among any People wherein God is to be honoured in Ordinances of instituted Worship is laid in a Solemn Covenant between him and them So it was with this Church of Israel Before this they served God in their Families by vertue of the Promise made unto Abraham but now the whole People were gathered into a Church-State to worship him according to the Terms Institutions and Ordinances of the Covenant Nor doth God oblige any unto instituted Worship but by vertue of a Covenant Unto natural Worship and Obedience we are all obliged by vertue of the Law of Creation and what belongs thereunto And God may by a meer Act of Soveraignty prescribe unto us the Observation of what Rites and Ordinances in Divine Service he pleaseth But he will have all our Obedience to be Voluntary
and all our Service to be Reasonable Wherefore although the Prescription of such Rites be an Act of Soveraign Pleasure yet God will not oblige us unto the Observance of them but by vertue of a Covenant between him and us wherein we voluntarily consent unto and accept of the Terms of it whereby those Ordinances of worship are prescribed unto us And it will hence follow 1. That Men mistake themselves when they suppose that they are interested in a Church-state by Tradition Custom or as it were by Chance they know not how There is nothing but Covenanting with God that will enstate us in this Priviledge And therein we do take upon our selves the observance of all the Terms of the New Covenant And they are of two sorts 1 Internal and Moral in Faith Repentance and Obedience 2 Such as concern the external worship of the Gospel in the Ordinances and Institutions of it Without such a Covenant formally or virtually made there can be no Church-state I speak not at all of any such Covenants as men may make or have made among themselves and with God upon a mixture of things Sacred Civil and Political with such sanctions as they find out and agree upon among themselves For whatever may be the Nature Use or End of such Covenants they no way belong unto that concerning which we treat For no Terms are to be brought hereinto but such as belong directly unto the Obedience and Ordinances of the New Testament Nor was there any thing to be added unto or taken from the express Terms of the Old Covenant whereby the Church-state of Israel was constituted And this was the entire Rule of Gods dealing with them The only Question concerning them was whether they had kept the Terms of the Covenant or no. And when things fell into disorder among them as they did frequently as the sum of Gods charge against them was that they had broken his Covenant so the Reformation of things attempted by their Godly Kings before and others after the Captivity was by reducing the People to renew this Covenant without any Addition Alteration or Mixture of things of another nature 2. That so much disorder in the Worship of God under the Gospel hath entered into many Churches and that there is so much negligence in all sorts of Persons about the Observance of Evangelical Institutions so little conscientious care about them or Reverence in the use of them or benefit received by them it is all much from hence that men understand not aright the Foundation of that Obedience unto God which is required in them and by them This indeed is no other but that solemn Covenant between God and the whole Church wherein the Church takes upon it self their due observance This renders our Obedience in them and by them no less necessary than any Duties of Moral Obedience whatever But this being not considered as it ought Men have used their supposed Liberty or rather fallen into great Licentiousness in the use of them and few have that conscientious regard unto them which it is their Duty to have 2. Approbation of the Terms of the Covenant Consent unto them and solemn Acceptance of them are required on our part unto the establishment of any Covenant between God and us and our Participation of the Benefits of it Thus Solemnly did the People here enter into Covenant with God whereby a peculiar Relation was established between him and them The meer Proposal of the Covenant and the Terms of it unto us which is done in the Preaching of the Gospel will not make us Partakers of any of the Grace or Benefits of it Yet this is that which most content themselves withal It may be they proceed to the performance of some of the Duties which are required therein but this answers not the Design and way of God in dealing with men When he hath proposed the Terms of his Covenant unto them he doth neither compel them to accept of them nor will be satisfied with such an Obedience He requires that upon a due consideration of them we do approve of them as those which answer his infinite Wisdom and Goodness and such as are of Eternal advantage unto us that they are all Equal Holy Righteous and Good Hereon he requires that we voluntarily choose and consent unto them ingaging our selves Solemnly unto the Performance of them all and every one This is required of us if we intend any interest in the Grace or Glory prepared in the New Covenant 3. It was the way of God from the Beginning to take Children of Covenanters into the same Covenant with their Parents So he dealt with this People in the establishment of the first Covenant and he hath made no Alteration herein in the establishment of the Second But we must proceed with the Exposition of the words IV. Of this Covenant it is affirmed that it was consecrated with Blood or was not dedicated without Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is solemnly to separate any thing unto a sacred use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in Hebrew And it is not the Sanction of the Covenant absolutely that the Apostle intends in this expression but the use of it The Covenant had its Sanction and was confirmed on the Part of God in offering of the Sacrifices In the killing of the Beasts and offering of their Blood did the Ratification of the Covenant consist This is included and supposed in what is signified by the Dedication of it But this is not an effect of the shedding and offering of Blood but only of the sprinkling of it on the Book and the People Thereby had it its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its consecration or dedication unto Sacred use as the Instrument of the peculiar Church-Relation between God and that People whereof the Book was the Record So was every thing consecrated unto its proper use under the Law as the Apostle declares This therefore is the meaning of the words That first Covenant which God made with the People at Mount Sinai wherein he became their God the God of Israel and they became his People was dedicated unto sacred use by Blood in that it was sprinkled on the Book and the People after part of the same Blood had been offered in Sacrifice at the Altar Hence it follows that this which belongs so essentially unto the solemn confirmation of a Covenant between God and the Church was necessary also unto the Dedication and Confirmation of the New Covenant which is that that is to be proved It is by the Authority of God alone that any thing can be effectually and unchangeably dedicated unto sacred use so as to have force and efficacy given unto it thereby But this Dedication may be made by vertue of a general Rule as well as by an especial Command V. The Assertion of the Apostle concerning the Dedication of the first Covenant with Blood is confirmed by an account of the matter of Fact or what
Language which the People understood and commonly spake And a Rule was herein prescribed unto the Church in all Ages if so be the Example of the Wisdom and Care of God towards his Church may be a Rule unto us 3. God never required the Observance of any Rites or Duties of Worship without a previous warranty from his Word The People took not on them they were not obliged unto Obedience with respect unto any positive Institutions until Moses had read unto them every precept out of the Book 4. The writing of this Book was an eminent Priviledge now first granted unto the Church leading unto a more perfect and stable condition then formerly it had enjoyed Hitherto it had lived on Oral Instructions from Traditions and by new immediate Revelations the evident Defects whereof were now removed and a standard of Divine Truth and Instruction set up and fixed among them 3dly There is the Rule whereby Moses proceeded herein or the Warranty he had for what he did According to the Law He read every Precept according to the Law It cannot be the Law in general that the Apostle intends for the greatest part of that Doctrine which is so called was not yet given or written nor doth it in any place contain any Precept unto this purpose Wherefore it is a particular Law Rule or Command that is intended According unto the Ordinance or Appointment of God Such was the Command that God gave unto Moses for the framing of the Tabernacle See thou make all things according to the Pattern shewed thee in the Mount Particularly it seems to be the Agreement between God and the People that Moses should be the Internuntius the Interpreter between them According unto this Rule Order or divine Constitution Moses read all the words from God out of the Book unto the People Or it may be the Law may here be taken for the whole Design of God in giving of the Law so as that according unto the Law is no more but according unto the Soveraign Wisdom and Pleasure of God in giving of the Law with all things that belong unto its Order and Use. And it is Good for us to look for Gods especial warranty for what we undertake to do in his service The second thing in the words is what Moses did immediately and Directly towards the Dedication or Consecration of this Covenant And there are three things to this purpose mentioned 1 What he made use of 2 How he used it 3 With respect unto what and whom 1. The first is expressed in these words He took the Blood of Calves and Goats with water and Scarlet-wool and Hyssop He took the Blood of the Beasts that were offered for Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings ver 5 6. Unto this End in their slaying he took all their Blood in Basons and made an equal Division of it The one half he sprinkled on the Altar and the other half he sprinkled on the People That which was sprinkled on the Altar was Gods Part and the other was put on the People Both the Mutual stipulation of God and the Congregation in this Covenant and the Equality of it or the Equity of its Terms were denoted hereby And herein lies the principal force of the Apostles Argument in these words Blood was used in the Dedication of the first Covenant This was the Blood of the Beasts offered in Sacrifice unto God Wherefore both Death and Death by blood-sheding was required unto the Confirmation of a Covenant So also therefore must the new Covenant be confirmed but with Blood and a Sacrifice far more precious than they were This Distribution of Blood that half of it was on the Altar and half of it on the People the one to make Attonement the other to purifie or Sanctifie was to teach the two-fold Efficacy of the Blood of Christ in making Attonement for Sin unto our Justification and the purifying of our Natures in Sanctification 2. With this Blood he took the things mentioned with respect unto its Use which was Sprinkling The manner of it was in part declared before The Blood being put into Basons and having water mixed with it to keep it fluid and aspersible He took a bunch or bundle of Hyssop bound up with Scarlet wool and dipping it into the Basons sprinkled the Blood until it was all spent in that Service This Rite or way of Sprinkling was chosen of God as an expressive token or sign of the effectual Communication of the Benefits of the Covenant unto them that were sprinkled Hence the Communication of the Benefits of the Death of Christ unto Sanctification is called the Sprinkling of his Blood 1 Pet. 1. 2. And our Apostle comprizeth all the effects of it unto that end under the name of the blood of Sprinkling chap. 12. 24. And I fear that those who have used the expression with some contempt when applyed by themselves unto the sign of the Communication of the Benefits of the Death of Christ in Baptisme have not observed that Reverence of Holy things that is required of us For this Symbol of Sprinkling was that which God himself chose and appointed as a meet and apt token of the Communication of Covenant-Mercy that is of his Grace in Christ Jesus unto our Souls And The Blood of the Covenant will not benefit or advantage us without an especial and particular Application of it unto our own Souls and Consciences If it be not as well Sprinkled upon us as it was offered unto God it will not avail us The Blood of Christ was not divided as was that of these Sacrifices the one half being on the Altar the other on the People but the Efficacy of the whole produced both these effects yet so as that the one will not profit us without the other We shall have no Benefit of the Attonement made at the Altar unless we have its efficacy on our own Souls unto their Purification And this we cannot have unless it be sprinkled on us unless particular Application be made of it unto us by the Holy Ghost in and by an especial Act of Faith in our selves 3. The Object of this Act of Sprinkling was the Book it self and all the People The same Blood was on the Book wherein the Covenant was recorded and the People that entred into it But whereas this Sprinkling was for purifying and purging it may be enquired Unto what end the Book it self was sprinkled which was holy and undefiled I Answer There were two things necessary unto the Dedication of the Covenant with all that belonged unto it 1 Attonement 2 Purification and in both these respects it was necessary that the Book it self should be sprinkled 1