Death if those expressions applyed to the Death of Christ signify no more than a Confirmation of the Gospel 2. The Scripture assigns greater ends to the Death of Christ than confirmation of Promises 1. His Death as a Sacrifice atoned God 2. His Death as a Price paid to God redeemed us 3. His Death as a Punishment exacted of God satisfied his Iustice. For the first Isa. 53. 10. his Soul was made an Offering for sin and therefore as on a Sacrifice of Atonement God laid on him the Iniquities of us all V. 6. For the second 1 Tim. 2. 6. He gave himself a Ransom or Price of Redemption for all For the third Rom. 3. 25 26. The Blood of Christ is said to be a Declaration of God's Righteousness that he might be just in justifying the Believer which Testimonies will call for clearing and vindication in due time And these indeed are such ends of the Death of Christ as will undeniably prove that his Death had an Influence upon our Acceptance with God 3. The Scripture owns Christ as a proper Priest and therefore his Work must be somewhat more than confirming a Doctrine A Prophet will abundantly answer that design But our Author prudently having cut out Christ some work to do has fitted him with an Office too which is proportionable to it for to what purpose should Christ be a Priest that has nothing to do with his Sacrifice but to confirm his Doctrine The direct and immediate Object of Christ's Sacerdotal Office was God Heb. 9. 14 15. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences I know these Men will say that Christ offered up himself to God in Heâ—…ven but not upon the Cross whereas the Blood of Christ is here compared with though preferred to the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean some of which were never carried into the Holy Place and the Blood of those which were was first shed at the Altar before it could be sprinkled at the Mercy-Seat And the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a sacred and religious Word applied to the Sacrifices which were brought to and â—…ffered at the Altar Again Heb. 5. 1. Christ iâ—… ordained a Priest in things pertaining to God His Priestly Employment lay mainly with him to confirm promises that relate to us men but a Priest offers not Sacrifice to the People though for the People Christ's Business as our High-Priest was with God and in his Undertaking with him lyes the true Reason of the Acceptation of our Persons Services with God 4. The Scripture every-where expresses Christ's Innocency nay his perfect Holineâ—… the cheerfulness self-denyal constancy universality of his Obedience to his Fathers Will especially the Law of the Mediator He always did the Things that pleased his Father Joh. 8. 29. He fulfilled all Righteousness Mat. 3. 15. His Meat and Drink was to do the Will of him that sent him and to finish his Work Joh. 4. 34. He came not to do his own Will but the Will of him that sent him Joh. 6. 38. And the Father has witnessed it most solemnly by a Voice from Heaven That he was well-pleased with his beloved Son Mat 17. 5. and yet notwithstanding all this and much more that might be said It pleased the Father to bruise him and make his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa. 53. 10. He loved him and yet shewed all imaginable tokens of displeasure he was amazed sore troubled in Soul and as to the apprehension of his Soul in respect of comfort forsaken of God so that he cried out of it most bâ—…tterly My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And in the view of his approaching Sufferings was in such an Agony and conflict of Soul that it exprest Clods of Blood from his labouring Body Upon consideration of which unexpressible inconceivable Torments of the Lord Jesus the Ancient Church did use to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thy unknown Torments Lord deliver us In imitation whereof perhaps the Liturgy of the present Church of England uses the like By thy Agony and Bloody Sweat by thy Cross and Passion c. Now I would have it resolved to satisfaction without such pittyful dry evasions and paltry answers as we meet with from some kind of men 1. How God could at the same time be well-pleased with Christ and be so well-pleased to bruise him 2. How it could consist with the Iustice of God to punish a Person so Innocent so Holy so compleatly Righteous over whom the condemning Part of the Law had no power seeing he had never violated it in its preceptive Part unless he stood in the stâ—…ad of Sinners bore their Iniquities and was charged with their Guilt They will tell us that God used his Prerogative and Soveraignty over Jesus Christ and yet in other causes will not allow him an absolute and irrespective Soveraignty over the poorest Wâ—…etch in the World They will tell us too That all this was not proper penalty or punishment but here was the matter of punishment to purpose and still the difficulty remains Why an Innocent Person should suffer the same things materially which were only formally to be inflicted upon those who had deserved them Let none say If Christ bore the Punishment due to sin he must suffer Eternal Death seeing no less was due to our Transgressions For 1. The Eternity of punishment is only due to sin by accident as it is found in a finite Person who being not able to bear at once or in the longest time that Wrath which his Sins have demerited Divine Justice exacts of him an Eternity of suffering 2. Whereas sin is only infinite or of infinite demerit objectivè as committed against an infinite God The Sufferings of Christ are infinite also subjectivè being the Sufferings of that Person who is God though not as God and therefore Christ in a finite time was able to give infinite Satisfaction 3. Christ was such an High-Priest as being God and Man was able to give an infinite Value to his Sacrifice of himself as Man nor let any say that if Christ suffered in a way of Satisfaction to Divine Justice and bore what the Sinner should have born or that which was equivalent to it that then the Sinner ought immediately to be delivered from the Curse due to his sin for seeing that the Satisfaction was not made in the Person of the Offender but his Substitute it was necessary that the benefit of another's Satisfaction should be communicated in such a way as might best please that God whose Grace was the only Motive to his Acceptation of a Substitute It 's the undoubted priviledg of the Giver to dispose of his own Gift in his own Way and it was absolutely and indispensibly necessary that the Sinner should be duly qualified to receive so transcendent Favours purchased at so dear rates and
Blood was carried in to the Holiest place ver 12. Neither by the blood of Bulls and Goats but by his own Blood he entred into the most Holy place having obtained eternal Redemption Thus Christ had obtained eternal Redemption and perfected the whole work of it as far as the paying of a price to God goes in the Matter before his Ascention and that which remained was the application of the benefit of what he had procured with God to us by his prevailing Intercession And as to the blood of the Sacrifices mentioned Exod. 24. 6. which the Apostle refers to ver 19. which our Author thinks had no other use but the confirming of the Mosaical Covenant it was never carried into the most Holy place at all nor the blood of any Propitiatory Sacrifice but onely that upon the Feast of Expiation once a year 2. The Apostle in this Chapter does not onely refer to the sprinkling of the Blood of the Sacrifice Exod. 24. but to the sprinkling of the blood of the Red Heifer Numb 19. 4. Eleazer shall take of her blood the red Heifer without blemish and without spot ver 2. and shall sprinkle it directly before the Tabernacle of the Congregation To which the Apostle expresly refers ibid. v. 12. If the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of a Heifer sprinkling the unclean Sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit Offered himself to God purge your Consciences from Dead works And this blood was neither carried into the Holy place nor the Ministration of the Service performed by the High-Priest but by Eleazar which proves 1. That the blood of Christ had all its atoning vertue on this side his entrance into Heaven and 2. That Christ was Typified by the inferior Priests and not by the High-Priest alone For here not Aaron but Eleazar performed the Service of the Day 3. The Apostle clearly Disputes against this Figment of Christs presenting his blood to God in Heaven which the Men of this leaven will needs have to be all the Sacrifice that Christ Offered to God ver 25 26. Nor yet that he should Offer himself often for then he must often have Suffered No Offering without Suffering But Christ Suffered but once therefore he Offered but once Nay says the Apostle Now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself That which Christ did once he does not do always but if Christs appearing before God in Heaven be the offering of himself in sacrifice he does it always to the end of his Mediatory Kingdom 2 But what was it under the Law to which the Intercession of Christ answers To this he returns thus As the Death c. so his continual Intercession for us in virtue of his Blood once shed and once offer'd to God answers those frequent Expiations by Sacrifice under the Law especially to that General Sacrifice on the great Day of Expiation when the High-priest enter'd into the Holy of Holies with the blood of Beasts As the Death of Christ his Ascension and presenting his Blood to God answers that one so his Intercession answers the other Yes indeed just so with so much Truth and Regularity of Proportion that is with just none at all What parallel he can fancy between Expiation and Intercession I cannot divine This I know 1. The Expiations by Sacrifice under the Law were by Blood-shedding It was the Blood upon the Altar as the Life of the Sacrifice that made Expiation Lev. 17. 11. but in Christs Intercession there is no shedding of Blood 2. The Expiations by Sacrifice under the Law were by the Death of the Sacrifice and so was the Expiation of Christ And so says our Author too p. 327. He hath made a perfect Expiation for our sins by dying once p. 328. He procures the Pardon of our sins by his Death But in Heaven there is no Death and yet he says The Intercession of Christ answers the Expiations by Sacrifice under the Law that is just as much as Life answers Death But how to make our Author friends with the Apostle will be difficult who is so hard to be reconciled to himself 3. The Expiations which were made by the frequent Sacrifices were all without the Holyest but the Intercession of Christ is in the most Holy place And is not this a famous correspondency But how clear is all this if we could be reconciled to the Scriptures Where the Death of Christ upon the Cross answers all the Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law and the Intercession of Christ at the right Hand of God or his appearing continually in Heaven before his Father for us answers the High-priests entering into the Holy of Holies with that Blood which had been before shed at the Altar But whereas such was the imperfection such the poverty of the Types that no one was able to Answer all the Concerns of a Sinner no one could express all the various respects that a guilty Person had to God and his Law and therefore it was necessary that various Sacrifices should be instituted that they might represent those things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it was impossible they should perform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Lord Jesus Christ by one Offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. For where Remission is there is no more Offering for sin v. 18. When therefore our Author affirms so secure of Contradiction That Christs continual Intercession answers those frequent Expiations under the Law especially that on the great day of Expiation he has said enough to determine this Matter For if there were frequent Expiations under the Law besides that of the Feast of Expiation and that there be any thing in Christs Sacrifice answering to them it follows that Christs Expiatory work was finish'd before his entrance into Heaven for the Blood of those other Sacrifices never came within the Holy of Holies which answers to the true Holy Place where Christ makes continual Intercession for us All this while the Reader ought charitably to believe that our Author is discoursing what influence the death of Christ hath upon our Acceptation with God To which he has answered that it Confirms a Covenant it procures a Covenant though how it procures a Covenant he has not yet informed us Justification Reconciliation Redemption are not the proper and immediate effects of his death nor indeed is any thing so but the abolishing ceremonies and conforming such a Covenant as he has obtruded upon us and for confirming that which he calls the Covenant there was the least need and I think no need at all but he closes up the whole with a parcel of good words Christ says he procures the pardon of our sins by his death and dispenses this pardon to us by his Intercession Is not this very Canonical and Orthodox yes sure but now mark his
Truth for which end had there been nothing more in 't the Death of the Martyrs had clearly out-gone it But it 's high time to recollect our selves and return into the way again for those pittiful things which stand for proof that this was all the design of the Death of Christ call aloud for examination The Blood of Christ says he is called the Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things than the Blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. which is an allusion to Moses his Sprinkling the Blood of the Sacrifice whereby he confirmed the Covenant between God and the Children of Israel Heb. 9. 20 21. For when Moses had spoken every precept to the People according to the Law he took the Blood of Calves and Goats and sprinkled both the Book and all the People saying This is the Blood of the Testament which God hath ordained for you Thus the Blood of Christ is called the Blood of Sprinkling because by his Blood God did seal and confirm the Covenant of Grace as the sprinkling of Blood did confirm the Mosaical Covenant There are four things which I shall offer any one of which cleared up will shew the vanity of this Period § 1. The Blood of Christ is not called the Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things than the Blood of Abel only in allusion to the Sprinkling of that Blood which confirmed the Mosaical Covenant There is a further a higher design in the Expression The Blood of Abel cried to God from the Earth for vengeance upon the Head of Cain and with the same importunity does the violation of every Law of God sollicite Divine Justice against the Transgressour and that with great justice For the same God who hath establisht his Holy Law in the Promise Do this and live hath bound and confirm'd it also with the threatning If thou sinnest thou shalt die Such dreadful things did the Blood of Abel shed in defiance of the Law speak to God But O what sweet how much better things does the Blood of Christ speak It speaks better things to the Justice of God than if the Sinner himself should suffer his utmost Indignation It speaks better things to the Law than if the Sinner had felt the weight of its severest Curse It speaks better things to the Conscience than if we had wrought out our inward Peace by our own Righteousness It satisfies God's Justice answers the Law and quiets the Conscience And in reference to this use of the Sprinkling of Blood viz. the Atoning and Reconciling of God is the Blood of Christ called the Blood of Sprinkling and to this the Apostle refers Heb. 11. 28. By Faith Moses kept the Passeover and the Sprinkling of Blood that he who destroyed the first-Born might not touch them The Apostle evidently points to Exod. 12. 14. The Blood shall be to you a token upon your Houses and when I see the Blood I will passe over you and the Plague shall not be upon you v. 21 22. Kill the Passeover and you shall take a Bunch of Hyssop and dip in the Blood and strike the Lintel and the two side-Posts and none of you shall go out of his House until the Morning Now here are several things observeable 1. That it was a respect to the Blood of the Paschal-Lamb duly used and applyed in consideration whereof God would not destroy them with the rest 2. That if they expected any benefit from that Blood they must abide under the shelter and protection of it 3. This Blood must be sprinkled upon the Lintel not upon the Threshold to mind them as the Jews observe that they ought not to trample it under their Feet And surely that Blood which turns away the deserved wrath of God from their head might claim more reverence than to be trampled under their feet 4. That this Blood thus sprinkled was considerable in God's eyes as it was the Blood of such a Lamb so chosen â—…t of the flock without any spot or blemish and so slain precisely according to God's appointment I just proportion the Lord Jesus Christ is called expresly our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is Sacrificed for you Now as the Blood of Christ has the same influence so it has the same plea It has the same Influence upon God it turns away his Anger he has a respect to the Blood of Jesus under this Blood do we take shelter and Sanctuary and therefore it pleads with us that we account it not a prophane and unholy thing for that will be interpreted a trampling under foot the Son of God himself Heb. 10. 29. which is to despise all the Grace and Mercy of God for what-ever Mercy we receive from God it is through the intervention of that Blood § 2. The whole concern of the Blood of Christ is 〈◊〉 exprest by the Blood of Sprinkling Sprinkling was one way and but one way of employing the Blood of the Sacrifices but it must be shed before it could be sprinkled and therefore sprinkled because it had been shed as a Sacrifice What-ever other use there was of the Blood of Sacrifices yet the efficacy of all was derived from this that that Blood had been once shed at the Altar Lev. 17. 11. It was Blood upon the Altar and that not merely as Blood but as it was the Life-Blood of the Sacrifice substituted in the room of the offender that made an Atonement for their Souls And this is evident in that the Blood of many of the Sacrifices for sin atoneing expiating Sacrifices were not sprinkled but only shed at the Altar What an unrighteous dealing is this then with the Blood of Christ to allot it no service but only the Confirmation of a Covenant because it 's called the Blood of sprinkling whereas the Blood of the Sacrifices of old as it was sprinkled did not express all the ends and uses of the Blood of Christ. § 3. That which comes home to our Author is this The whole design of the Blood of sprinkling 〈◊〉 not to confirm a Covenant As Blood was larger than sprinkling of Blood so sprinkling of Blood was larger than the confirming of a Covenant 1. The Blood of the Sacrifice was sometimes sprinkled 〈◊〉 turn away God's Anger thus in the Passeover and thus in that very place which our Author insists upon Heb. 9. 19. which the Apostle cites from Exod. 24. 5 6 7. where we read of a twofold Use of the Blood First one half of the Blood of the Burnt-Offering and the Peace-Offering which had been shed at the Altar Moses sprinkled upon the Altar Now all the use of Blood upon the Alâ—…r was Atonement Propitiation and Reconciliation of God Secondly With the other half of the Blood Moses consecrates and dedicates the People to the Lord to walk before him according to the Tenour of that Covenant whereas then he will argue that the Blood was sprinkled only to confirm a Covenant because one half of it was reserved for that
to our being Holy our Election and Redemption is secure whether we be Holy or no. An. Good Sir excuse me we are Elected to Grace as well as to Glory and he that appoints to the end appoints to the necessary means leading to the end Qu. But is holyness necessary on our parts An. Yes indeed Sir that we be so but it 's necessary also that Grace make us so unless we can make our selves so Qu. But how can Obedience be for the Glory of the Father Son and Spirit when the necessity of Holiness is so destructive to free Grace An. Obedience in its proper place and for its proper end is not destructive to free Grace But when Hypocrites will assign it a room which God has not appointed as to justifie us before a righteous Iudge and give us a proper right to Heaven then it crosses the design of free Grace Qu. But how can Holiness be for our honour in making us like God when the perfect Righteousness of Christ would be more for our honour An. Good Sir be not angry and I l'e tell you Inherent Righteousness is much for our honour being compleat in its kind but Imputed righteousness is more for our honour being absolutely compleat Qu. But you say Holiness is for our Peace Must we then at last fetch our peace from our Duties and Graces is not this to renounce Christ An. Pray Sir be not so hasty we have our Reconciliation with God and Security from his Wrath by the Blood of Christ but we have our inward peace in the Conscience from the evidence of our Sanctification Qu. But does not Doctor O. say That we must not set about correcting our Lives for by the deeds of the Law no man is Justified and that if God should mark what is done amiss there 's no standing before him An. Yes indeed does he That we must not set about correcting our Lives in order to Justification before the Righteous Judge of all the Earth Qu. But how can Holiness serve for the Conviction of Enemies when it is not Essentially necessary to his Friends An. Indeed Sir if you will believe me it 's Essentially necessary to all his Friends and I pray it may prove more serviceable to the Conviction of his Enemies Qu. Wilt thou dare to Contradict me I tell thee I am resolved they shall hold that Holiness is not necessary to Salvation An. Nay pray Sir do not force them to that And if you can make any shift Rail at them upon some other account Qu. But how can Holiness be necessary to the Conversion of others when men may be Converted without it An. Ay indeed if your Worship can Inform us how to conceive of Conversion without Holiness you shall be owned for the Wisest man in all the Parish Qu. But why cannot the Righteousness of Christ keep the Judgments of God from others more effectually than the Holiness of men An. Because visible Holiness honours God most before men and therefore he will honour it most with visible Mercies Qu. But how can Obedience be necessary to the state of justified Persons when they are cloathed with the Robes of Christs righteousness which is the only Foundation of our Communion with God An. Very well Sir for though Christs righteousness be the Foundation of our Communion yet Holiness and Obedience give us a meetness and fitness for the exercise of that Communion Qu. But how can Holiness be neâ—…essary to Sanctification An. Holy Obedience is necessary to Sanctification because the new Creature is Nourisht by suitable Acts of Obedience even as all other things are fed by those things of which they are made Qu. But is not this Idem per Idem An. No I assure you Sir for the Vital Principle of Obedience and the Living Fruits of it are really two distinct things Qu. But yet I cannot see any necessary Obligation to Holiness from those mens Principles what should be the Reason An. I can soon tell you that Sir do younot remember you almost Pored out your Eyes in the second Section Qu. I have one question more answer me that and take all Is Holiness necessary to Salvation as a means to an End Now speak to the purpose An. Really Sir it is absolutely and indispensibly necessary Qu. This is indeed Home Pertinent and somewhat to the purpose bút yet I have a question or two more I am sure will Choak you Come on your ways young Man What say you What Holiness necessary to Eternal Life and yet neither the Cause Matter nor Condition An. Sir I perceive you have a frail Memory for you quoted the Doctor just before saying It was neither Matter Cause nor Condition of our Iustification And now you put the question about its being the Cause Matter or Condition of Eternal Salvation Qu. Did you spie that An. Do you think your Readers have all pored their Eyes out as well as your self Quest. Well hold your peace I will now Irrefragably prove Holiness to be a Cause at least Causa sine quâ non of Eternal Life What say you to that An. Pray spare your pains lest you spoil the Cause for if you can prove it no better a Cause you had as good let it alone for Causa sine quâ non non est Causa we allow it to be both the Condition and the Matter also of Eternal Life It 's the Condition for the Doctor has owned expresly That none shall come to the end who walks not in the way And it 's the Matter too for Grace is Glory begun and Happiness is Holiness perfected Qu. Well I will not Dispute about words I am content it should only be a necessary way to Eternal Life But what becomes of Christ then who is the only way An. Take you no care for that Christ is the only way of Merit Purchase and Procurement but Holiness is a way of Means preparatory Meetness and Fitness for Eternal Life I suppose you sometimes read the 11th Aâ—…t of the Church of England which acquaints you that we are Justified only for Christs Merits and yet justified by Faith only There may be several Only's in the same Effect and yet each the Only one in suo genere Qu. But is not the Righteousness of Christ able to save us without an additional righteousness of our own An. No Sir for the Righteousness of Christ being made ours by the appointment constitution and free Gift of God we must enjoy the benefits of it in that Method it pleases the Donour to Ordain It 's reason the Giver should dispose of his own Gift And yet it 's true the Righteousness of Christ is able to save us without any of our own employed for that special end for which the righteousness of Christ is used Qu. But do the Active and Passive Righteousness of Christ both free us from Guilt and Punishment and give us an actual Right and Title to Glory and yet can we not be saved without
reputed the onely Children of God He removes that small Objection telling them Christ had already removed them in his Flesh in his Person he was the summe and substance of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having already in his Flesh or Person made void the Law of Ordinances and already dissolved that Partition Wall He that has Reconciled you to one God has also brought you into one Church which he repeats again ver 16. That he might Reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the Enemy thereby or in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are first the Parties Reconciled Jews and Gentles Secondly to whom they are Reconciled to God Thirdly the Fruit of this Reconciliation to God They are brought into one Church amongst themselves Fourthly The Means whereby they are Reconciled to God that so they might be capable of being United into one Church and that is by the Cross of Christ or by himself on the Cross who bare our sins on the Tree 4. The Apostle shews the way and means of promulgating this Peace which he had made with God and that was by the publick Preaching of the Gospel ver 17. He Preached Peace he made Peace with God and then Preached it to the Gentile World He that had procured good will towards men Preaches Peace on Earth How little ground now had our Author to say That we are said to be Redeemed by the Preaching of the Gospel when the Preaching of the Gospel is nothing but a Declaration of that Redemption which Christ has made of Jew and Gentile with God and the way and Method to be partakers of the benefit of it And now to draw to a close of this Matter let us re-view our Authors Doctrine of Redemption The Redemption of Iew and Gentile he makes to differ as much as the Faith of Abraham and that of Christians 1. They differ in the matter of Redemption that which they were Redeemed from The Jews they were Redeemed from the Ceremonial Law the Gentiles they were Redemed from Idolatry and impure practises 2. They differ in the manner of procurement for the Jews Christ says he by his Death put an end to that Legal Dispensation and so their turn is served that little Redemption that they needed which is all our Author can afford them was Actually accomplisht by the Death of Christ which was a proper and immediate cause of their Redemption such a one as it was but then the Gentiles they were Redemed after another fashion by the Preaching of the Gospel whereby they were turned from Idolatry and impure practises And this shall be called Redemption because it were dangerous to ascribe it to the blood of Christ for an Obvious Reason that he knows of but because the Scripture says we are Redeemed by the Blood of Christ and gives that Blood a concernment therein therefore to stop the â—…uth of the Scripture it shall be said we owe the Preaching of the Gospel to the blood of Christ. 3. There is one thing more from whence our Author flatters himself with hopes of great success and that is by mis-representing the Analogy between the Iewish Sacrifices and the Sacrifices of Christ Two things he attempts 1. To shew what it is under the Law to which the Death of Christ his Ascention into Heaven and presenting his Blood to God does Answer 2. What it is under the Law to which his Intercession Answers Which project of our Authors has been contrived and managed with a great deal more subtilty by those who would storm or blush to see their Arguments thus miserably abased 1. To the former of these he expresses himself thus Now as the Death of Christ upon the Cross and his Ascention into Heaven and presenting his Blood to God in that most Holy place did answer to the first sprinkling of the Blood under the Law which confirmed the Mosaical Covenant as the Apostle Discourses in Heb. 9. c. In which few words he has heaped up more absurdities and follies than another must hope to bring into twice as many For 1. Here is a supposition of Christs presenting his Blood to God in Heaven distinct from his Intercession which when he shall offer to prove it may be time to consider it 2. He supposes that Christs Ascention into Heaven answered the first sprinkling of blood under the Law A most ridiculous supposition For what is there in sprinkling that answers to Ascention or bears the least Analogy to it Surely these Gentlemen that create such parallels and fancy such uncouth resemblances must have some mad design in their Heads which nothing will subserve but such forced allusions And I do not now wonder that he should so tediously rail at the use of Allusions in others for they will deserve the most of scorn that can be thrown upon them if they be all like his own 3. That the Death of Christ upon the Cross did Answer the sprinkling of Blood under the Law which confirmed the Covenant is very true but then 1. It must be remembred in what respect it confirmed the Covenant not meerly as a witnessing to the Truth of what he has preach'd but as Answering the demands and claims of the Governing Iustice of God as we have before shewed 2. It must be remembred also that it was not such a Covenant as he has imposed upon us but the true Covenant of Grace wherein God promises to give that which our Author will not own the New Heart New Spirit and New Obedience 3. That to confirm a Covenant was not all the design of it's sprinkling but diverting of the wrath of God procuring his favour c. So the Blood of Christ has greater ends than confirming of the Truth he taught viz. the appeasing Gods just displeasure procuring his Actual Love pacifying of the Conscience cleansing the Soul 4. He supposes also that the Apostle Discourses to this purpose Rom. 9. which is to make the Apostle accessory to his own groundless fopperies who is indeed perfectly innocent of these crimes For 1. The sprinkling of the blood which the Apostle mentions Heb. 9. 9. in that mentioned Exod. 24. 6. Now there was another sprinkling of blood Antecedent to that which we read of Exod. 12. to which the blood of Christ did Answer and to which the Apostle refers as is evident from Heb. 11. 28. Heb. 12. 24. 2. The sprinkling of Blood Heb. 9. 19. being the same with that Exod. 24. 6. shews evidently that as the whole concern of the blood sprinkled at that time was not confirming a Covenant but Atoning God So the whole concern of the blood of Christ is not taken up in confirming a Covenant much less such a thing as he will mis-call a Covenant but in Reconciling God to Man paying a price of Redemption to God c. 3. That the Apostle carries another Argument is evident For 1. The Typical Interest which those Sacrifices had in Redemption were accomplish'd before the