Proof thereof For in Christ Jesus c. Did the Apostles Premises speak of one thing and his Conclusion of another 2. Here 's this lies in the way that no Cogent Reason can be assigned why we should depart from the Plain Ordinary Primary acceptation of the Word Christ for a Figurative Improper and Secondary acceptation but only to humour our Author for which at present I am not in the Mood 3. He is miserably short in his Foundation for after all his pains to prove that Christ signifies an Office a Doctrine a Church he must go over with all this again and prove that Jesus signifies a Doctrine and Jesus a Church or else he 's just in Statu quo For he had told us before that though Christ was an Homonymous word a Name of Desuetory Lubricous and Versatile sound Jesus was his Proper Name given him by the Angel before he was Born and therefore surely that has not been Warped and Twisted and Scrued at that Rate that this other poor Name has been for as it falls out unhappily Here 's Jesus joyned with Christ and that perswades us almost that a very Person is intended But yet secondly The apparent Falshood of it sticks more with me than all this I could easily down with a few Absurdities For I think and believe according to the Scripture That there is something besides a Vertuous Life of value to Recommend us to the Favour of God nay something more of Value and I shall not be Hector'd out of it by Blustering words 'T is the Righteousness of Jesus which I mean and we have the Apostles Warrant for it Ephes. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved If God should enter into Judgment with us according to the Exactest of our Obedience perhaps we should be willing to accept of Christ's Recommendation to the favour of God notwithstanding our most vertuous Lives but secondly I indite it of Falshood that he makes a new Creature and a vertuous Life equivalent Expressions For I had thought that a vertuous Life is but the Fruit that Grows on the Tree but the Tree must be made good e're the Fruit can be so A vertuous Life the Streams that flow from the Spring of the new Creature and the Fountain must be cleansed e're the Streams will be so In plain Terms the vertuous Life is but the Result of a new Heart the product of a Renewed Nature without which Principle of a vertuous Life and without Christ to Recommend both to God there is no hope to find favour in his sight His second place is Col. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Traditions of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ. Where says he after Christ is oppos'd to the Traditions of Men and Rudiments of the World and therefore must signifie not the Person but the Religion or Gospel of Christ. Must And what necessity of that I can see none from the Text But if our Author has impos'd upon himself an absolute and indispensible necessity of being Baptiz'd into Volkelius then indeed it must be so Interpreted no remedy Lib. 5. c. 10. p. 437 438. Divinitatis Nomine nec Dei nec Christi Natura sed Divinae voluntatis notitia Deique colendi ratio Intelligi porest atque ideo debet By the name Deity not the Nature of God or of Christ but the knowledge of the Divine Will and the manner of Worshipping God May be and therefore Must be understood The Reader is now satisfi'd why it must be so 1. It may be so and therefore necessarily it must be so 2. Volkelius says it must be and therefore it must But let us be Judg'd by the words following Not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily ver 9. Does the fulness the all fulness of the Godhead dwell bodily in the Doctrine or in the Person of Christ ver 10. And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principality and Powerâ—… Is iâ—… Christs Person that is that Head of Angels or his Doctrine and so the Apostle runs it on till he comes to the Cross of Christ ver 14. Must we now to Gratifie these Gentlemen renounce our Reasons and say that a Doctrine is the Head of â—…roncipality and Power A Doctrine is rais'd from the Dead That we are Buried in a Doctrine That the Hand-writing of Ordinances was Nailed to the Cross of a Doctrine I confess I would go as far as another for Peace-sake but here I must fairly shake hands and leave my Author and his Masters to their own ways But though the words following the Text do frown severely upon them and their Cause yet they promise themselves much from the foregoing ver 6. As you have therefore received Iesus Christ the Lord so walk ye in him i. e. Obey the Doctrine of Christ as you have been taught it by us It must be remembred what our Author is endeavouring to prove still I hope he has not forgot it and I hope we shall not viz. That the Name Christ signifies the Gospel Now it is easily granted that though the Name Christ do Immediately signifie the Person of Christ yet Mediarely it may imply the Doctrine and yet all this while the Name or Word Christ stand in its Original posture and Purport As the name King does primarily signifie the Person of a Supreme Magistrate and yet that Treason which is committed against the Person of a King is against his Law and yet none will say that because Treason against the King is Treason against the Law that therefore the name King signifies Law To violate the Commands of the Gospel reflects upon Christs Person and he that sins against the one sins against the other because of that Privity of Interest that is betwixt a King and his Laws a Prophet and his Revelations a Priest and his Sacrifice yet it were harsh to say that Prophet does signifie Revelation or Priest Sacrifice or King signifie Laws Those things may have Relation one to another one be Inferred from another and not the one signifie the other As 1 Cor. 7. 12. When ye sin against the Brethren and wound their weak consciences ye sin against Christ To sin against the Brethren is by consequence to sin against Christ. Yet none will say that the Name Christ signifies Brethren But more particularly I answer 1. That Christ Jesus the Lord does signifie in the first place a Person And secondly That consequently it Includes the Promises the Precepts the Revelations the Death Sufferings the Intercession and the whole of Jesus But his main strength lies here That after Christ is opposed to the Traditions of Men and the Rudiments of the World and therefore must not signifie the Person but the Religion or Gospel of Christ. So argues Volk Lib. 3. de verâ Relig. p. 125. His mundi Rudimentis omnem Divinitatis Plenitudinem in Christo
vouchsafed them but not the Foundation of their Religion under any Notion When God gave the Law upon Mount Sinai He Prefaces it with this strong Inducement I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Thou shalt have no other Gods before me May we now upon our Authors Warrant say That Gods delivering them out of Egypt was the Foundation of their Religion in Worshipping the true God and none besides Him or rather that it was an Additional Enforcement to command Obedience to that Law which yet Antecedent to such particular Obligation approved its Authority to their Consciences But that these Deliverances and Providences were no Foundation for the Mosaick Religion I shall endeavour to prove 1. In that God himself declares that he had laid another Foundation Isa. 28. 16. Behold I lay in Zion a sure Foundation And this is not constitutive of what was New but declarative of what was Old not only a Prophesie of what he would do but a clearer Discovery of what he had done that he might lead them into stronger Expectations of that Messiah which from time to time was promised would come and in fulness of Time should come and this Foundation God laid in Zion Which though it may express the Gospel-Church yet surely must not exclude the Iewish to which the Name Primarily appertains 2. In that God had actually laid another Foundation from the Foundation of the World for sinners to Build their Hopes upon in their addresses to God Thus was Christ the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World Apoc. 13. 8. Slain particularly in the Sacrifices which commencing with the New Covenant ran a Line parallel with the Old World to the one great Sacrifice of Christ our High Priest upon the Cross. In that first Promise then made to our first Parents and afterwards Amplified to Abraham was the Foundation of all acceptable Religion and Worship Gen. 12. 2 3. God promises to Abraham In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed which promise that it contained Christ the Apostle assures us Gal. 3. 8â—… The Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie tâ—… Heathen through Faith Preacht before the Gospâ—… to Abraham In thee shall all the Nations of tâ—… Earth be blessed ver 16. Now to Abraham aâ—… his Seed were the Promises made he saith not tâ—… Seeds as of many but as of one and to thy Seeâ—… which is Christ. Now unless we will find out â—… Quintum Evangelium that has nothing of Chriâ—… in it Abraham had Christ for he had the Gospâ—… Preacht to him and I do not understand what Gospâ—… signifies without Christ. Our Author I me sure of all the Men under Heaven has Reason to alloâ—… it for he would have Christ signifie Gospel anâ—… therefore cannot blame us who would have Gospâ—… to include Christ because we are loth his Persoâ—… should be quite shut out of it And again Thâ—… Promises were made to Abraham And is it not strange that Promises should be made to him and he not understand one word of them What waâ—… the Foundation of Abraham's was the Foundation of the Iewish Religion Nothing at all in their Service or Worship could plead for Acceptation bâ—… as it came under the Influence of those Types which were of no value in themselves but upon the Account of Christ. In Levit. 6. 1 2 3 4. If â—… Soul sin and commit a Trespass against the Lord c. I cannot but give the Reader a Breviate of some Remarkables in this Scripture 1. That the Sins here mention'd were not ceremonial Pollutions legal Defilements but such Wickednesses as were discoverable by the Light and condemned by the Law of Nature Lying Cozening False-swearing Unfaithfulness in Trust c. 2. That these sins did bring a proper Guilt upon the Conscience as being committed against the Lord and therefore the Sinner was guilty before God that is Obnoxious and liable to his Displeasure and bound over in conscience to answer it at Gods Tribunal ver 1. If a Soul sin and commit a Trespass against the Lord ver 4. Then it shall be because he hath sinned and is guilty 3. That for that part of his Fact which was Injurious to his Neighbour that which he violently took away or the thing he hath deceitfully gotten or that which was delivered him to keep or the lost thing which he found he was to restore the principal in Specie and to add a fifth part more because of the Damnum emergens 4. That notwithstanding he had thus compounded with man he must bring his Trespass-offering to the Lord a Ram without blemish ver 6. 5. The Priest was to receive the Trespass-offering at his hand and offer it up to the Lord. 6. The design of this Offering was Attonement procuring Favour from God 7. Here 's a Promise of the full Pardon of sin annexed unto this Sacrifice ver 7. It shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in Trespassing therein Now upon the whole Matter we observe here was Pardon of sin annext to a Sacrifice and yet their Reasons could tell them as Paul has told us Heb. 10. 4. It 's not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sin And I think we may venture to say the same of the blood of Rams too How shall these then be Reconciled I know no other way but by owning the Respect which they bore to the Lord Iesus Christ who was from the Foundation of and all along the World the only Lamb slain of value for these ends in Gods Account Thirdly The Christian Religion is founded on the Incarnation Death and Resurrection of the Son of God Our Author had founded his own and the Christian Religion on the Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ p. 15. But perhaps fearing or finding the Foundation too narrow has here widened it at the bottome and taken in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. But I hope now the Storm will blow over and the Indignation conceived against those Persons who Love Honour and admire Christs Person a little Slake for if their Religion the Acceptation of their Persons and Services be built upon Him as Sacrificed for them on the Cross and Interceding for them on the Throne they do judge it their duty to love him against the World Nay what will you say if our Author himself should become a Convert his own Hope and that 's his All he says is Built on the Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ And can you imagine but he should Admire and Adore his Person And then may there not arise a danger that he should set up a Religion of Christs Person However that goes This I know it was Christs blessed Person that endured the Shock and abode the Storm of that Displeasure which was due to our sin and no Reason can be assigned why a Person should endure all the Sorrow and not have
mere tenderness of Conscience lest you should do him an Injury Our acquaintance with Christs Person teaches us no new Doctrine but only acquaints us with the Reason of the Old ones We learn from the Gospel that God pardons Iniquity Transgression and Sin and from the same Gospel we understand what Influence the Personal Sufferings of Christ have upon our forgiveness with God We learn from the Scriptures That God heareth the Prayers of his People offer'd in the Name of Christ And from the same Gospel we learn what the Intercession of Christ at the right Hand of the Father does contribute to the answer of our prayers The Person of Christ reveals no other much less greater and deeper Mysteries than are revealed in the Gospel only that upon the account of Christs Person his Offices his Undertaking we have a satisfactory account how those things which the Gospel reveals should be Possible and Feasible Thus Rom. 3. 26. we find that God is the Iustifier of him that believes And Faith that Resolves all its acts into the Veracity and Authority of the Revealer is ready to assent to and acquiesce in that Revelation But suppose God will gratifie the Inquisitiveness of our Spirits and clear up Matters to the satisfaction of our Trembling because guilty Souls the Gospel reveals all this to be in Christ He is set forâ—…h to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood Rom. 3. 25. In him is the Righteousness of God declared Upon His account God appears to be Iust even then when He is the most Gracious free and soveraign Iustifier of a Sinner If then at any time our Faith shall stagger how the Blood of Christ could be a Propitiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Pacification with God for us we are presently Relieved from the Consideration of that Person whose Blood it was viz. The Blood of Him that is God Acts 20. 28. and therefore of infinite Value But because this will hardly pass when we tender it in Payment we have one to be our Voucher whose Word will go further than the Doctors Bond and it is our Authors own dear self Pag. 19. This assures us of the Infinite value of Christs Sacrifice God cannot but be well pleased when his Son undertakes to be a Ransome The clear and full account therefore of the deep Mysteries and great Difficulties in our Religion are to be Salved from a due Consideration of the Person Natures Offices Undertaking Active and Passive Obedience of Christ but the Revelations of all these things are Wholly Only and Entirely due to the Gospel There is one thing which I shall touch upon by the way That for any Doctrine or Proposition which his Adversaries do Abett he exacts Rigorously and they are bound to produce express Revelations Scripture to a Letter a Tittle but for any of his own phancies A feeble Conjecture some far-fetcht Consequence shall serve the turn well enough Such Laws did his Master Volkelius Lib. 3. de ver â Relig. Cap. 11. p. 62 once Impose upon the world That whosoever should bring a Text to prove that the Church of Old had the Promises of Eternal Life must bring one that did assert it Apertis Luculentissimisque verbis In plain express Terms Ay no doubt it must be written with a Sun-beam that will enlighten their minds who have no mind to see but if it be drawn with a Charcoal it will do when it s pressed to serve their Hypothesis Now though I much Question whether we be Obliged to abide by these new Laws of Disputation yet thus much is out of Question that our Blessed Saviour thought he quoted Scripture when he only drew an Inference from it Iohn 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Waters But 3. As I am dissatisfied with our Authors Inference from the Doctors words so I am much more with the Reason that he assigns to make good his Inference His Inference is That the Doctor from Christs Person learns greater deeper Mysteries than Christ hath Revealed in his Gospel The Proof is this For so he adds soon after That these properties of God his pardoning Mercy Christ hath revealed in his Doctrin in that revelation he hath made of God and his Will The Sinews and Nerves of which Argument lie visible The Doctor asserts That these properties of God are revealed in the Gospel Ergo It 's plain that He asserts they are not revealed in the Gospel That is in broad English he denies because he affirms Or he says the Snow is Black because he proves as well as he can that it 's White Let none ever hereafter despair of the greatest Impossibilities this is one of the most hopeful Essays towards the Squaring of the Circle the Doubling of the Cube and setting on Foot a perpetual Motion And what cannot that Wit be able to do that can prove the Doctor affirms these Mysteries are not because he says they are in the Gospel I confess when first I read this Passage in our Author I examin'd the Doctors words with all possible care nay I wrested them almost in pieces and wrackt them most cruelly to try if with my weak strength I could extort any such conclusion from them and when I had tired my self was forced to sit down by this Determination that either our Author or all his Readers are certainly Frighted out of their Wits But yet there 's something follows in the Doctors that will yield matter of Cavil But the Life of this Knowledge lies in an acquaintance with Ghrists Person wherein the express Image and Beams of this Glory of his Father doth shine forth That is as our Author pretends to Gloss it from the Doctor These things are clearly eminently and savingly only to be discovered in Jesus Christ. I was apt to think at first sight that he might have some dreadful Pick at those words In his Person the express Image and Beams of this Glory of his Father shine forth But I soon Cured my self of that Suspition by remembring that pag. 32. Our Author himself was pretty well contented Christ should be so called upon the account of his Divine Nature although to please all Parties he had found out a Temper that he should be so called in respect of his Doctrines and Revelations And therefore without more ado I was satisfied that the Grudge lay against those other words The Life of this Knowledge lies in an acquaintance with Christs Person Now if I might presume so far upon my Acquaintance with the Doctors meaning as I think any one may it 's no more but this That whereas the Scripture every where reveals to us that God is a God pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 6. Yet the Matter is Clog'd with considerable Difficulties and attended with great Objections for the same Text assures us that He will by no means clear the Guilty Both the parts of this
Wit or two had successefully managed the grand Project of Self-Advancement by these Artifices and this new and blessed mode of Simony had Wealth and Honour came Trolling in amain and then Interest which ever spies peep of day at a Narrow Cranny soon struck into the practice of it But there was a small inconvenience which attended the Design and may possibly if not timously prevented spoyl its Expectations For when every Pedlingwit would be pecking at the Trade the Commodity stuck most miserably upon their hands became a very Drug and even scoffing at Religion turn'd to as little Account as the more common and trite way of Whipping and Spurring for the first Occupancy of a Presentation It 's usually and easily observed that the first Authors of great Inventions commonly grow Rich by their Novel Discoveries but when ordinary Abilities will be tampering and dabling with what they want Brains to manage they fall wondrously short of their wide Hopes and hugeous Expectancies And just so has it proved in the Case before us They who first taught this too docile Age to Travesteere serious matters had indeed the Vogue and engross'd the Benefit of their Inventions to their own proper Use and Behoof but Pretenders soon clapt in as you know if one Dog has a Bone all the rest will be about his Ears and now the multitude of Candidates has so brought down the Market that it will quit for Cost little better than the plain Dunstable high-way of Favour Alliance and Bribery The best Advice therefore I shall ever be capable of giving our Author and his Co-partners in this Trade will be That they improve their Friends to procure a special Priviledge or golden Bull from his Holiness That none presume to Preach Print or otherwise to publish any Invectives Sarcasms Satyrs Drollery or Raillery whatsoever whether with Wit or without Wit against J. O. T. J. W. B. and the rest of the Nonconformists nor against the Christian Religion under their Names during the space of One and Twenty Years now next and immediately ensuing the date hereof without the special Leave and express Licence of them the said S. P. and W. S. or their Assigns Some I perceive who are less knowing in this Mystery have given themselves causeless trouble to enquire Why our Author should single out these Persons and their Writings for his Enemies when he might with the same Ease and Modesty have combated the first Reformers of our Church reproached the Reverend Bishops and most eminent Divines and above all duelled the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of Eugland and either with Franciscus à S. Clarâ have reconciled them to his own Notions or if they were stomackfull and stubborn and would not bend most stoutly have confuted them But these Persons do not consider that such a Procedure had been both Dangerous and Scandalous Dangerous because that Doctrine is Armed with Law and fenced with Secular Power and Scandalous because it would have looked with an ugly face first to subscribe them to gratifie a mans Convenience and then to confute them to satisfie his Conscience And therefore this other way was judged more eligible which might secure if not reward the Author and yet as effectually destroy the Doctrine That he fixt upon this Course therefore as more adviseable never created my wonder but one thing I confess did That the Governours of the Church should appear so tender in a Ceremony and yet seem so little concern'd for the Substance of the established Religion that they should so severely Animadvert upon them who meddle with a Pin and yet take so little notice of those who are digging up the Foundation of the Building But hence we may learn That some may with more safety steal a Horse than others look over the Hedge so strangely does the same thing vary from its self when done by differing hands that as one informs us from Livy Papyrius slighted the Pullarii handsomely and was well rewarded when Appius Pulcher for doing the same thing slovenly and rudely was disgraced But it 's high time to consider our Author There are Two Praeliminaries which usher in the Body of his Discourse in this Section First an Account what notable Feats he has done in the former and Secondly a modest account of his own Ingenuity in this Section What he has atchieved in the former he summes up in few words After this plain Account wherein the Knowledge of Christ consists the summe of which is this that to understand Christ is to understand his Gospel which contains all those Revelations he made of Gods Will. I must needs say I could have been content he had called it a learned Account an unparallel'd Account a witty gentile or indeed almost any other Account in the world besides a Plain one for though there be but little of Truth yet there 's nothing at all of Plainness in it I had alwayes thought and Thoughts are as free for me as another that the Formale of the Knowledge of Christ lay in knowing his Person that he is God and Man two Natures united in one Person his Offices that he is our Prophet our King our High-Priest and that the understanding of the Gospel is the onely proper Means to come to the understanding and knowledge of Christ Who he is What he is in Himself and to us But that the knowledge of Christ should consist in understanding the Gospel is an uncouth way of Praedication wherewith I am not yet acquainted Jesus Christ is understood in and by the Gospel True he that understands the Gospel must needs understand Jesus Christ Very good but still as a Means leading to that End and not the very thing it self Much less is it true That the Knowledge of Christ consists in understanding the Gospel as it contains all the Revelations of Gods will For this was but a part and the least part too of Christs Employment and Undertaking Christ had something more to doe than revealing to us Gods Will Suffering the Displeasure was a harder task than Revealing the Will of God It was one thing to Preach a Sermon and another to sweat drops of Blood to have his Soul made an Offering for sin to have the Iniquities of us all to meet upon him Christ had many things to doe and command as our Lord and Governour many things to suffer as our Sacrifice many to offer as our Priest and what he had thus done and suffer'd to Reveal to us as our Prophet and Teacher But supposing all this to be true That the knowledge of Christ consists in the knowledge of the Gospel and suppose also further that the Gospel contains no more than a Revelation of Gods Will concerning us and our Obedience what use can he make of it Why hence he will take a happy occasion to reproach some body or other who have formed Another Notion of the Knowledge of Christ very distinct from this which contains a greater secret than one
for his safety He wounded men that they might seek after healing and laid load upon their guilty minds that they might be content to take his Yoke upon them And that this is so 1. We have an Argument which is Instar omnium a Thousand Reasons by it self That is what our Author says That we must be affected with all the Arguments of Christs Incarnation c. so as to be sensible of the shame and folly of our sins Now how a man should be ashamed of sin till he sees its vileness and baseness and how he should see its vileness and filthiness till it s brought to the Test of Gods Holy Law which is the Rule of righteousness the Measure of Good and Evil is past my Conjecture Nay further that shame which fills a Soul does not merely arise from a sence of the Souls vileness but as compared with Gods Holiness who is a God so Pure so Holy c. that the Soul may well be ashamed and filled with Confusion of face to appear before him Now shame upon the account of the filthiness and dread upon the account of the guilt of sin are very near Neighbours Shame expresses the Souls sence of its own unworthiness to appear before God upon the score of its baseness and deformity and Fear expresses but the sence of Gods Authority which he hath Impressed and Stampt upon his Holy Law with the Souls reflection upon it self that it has violated that Law and thereby become liable to that Penalty which his own guilt has bound him over to And this was clear in Adams case He was Naked and therefore ashamed he was guilty and therefore feared to appear before this Holy God and Iust Iudge Now our Author will allow it lawful to fetch Arguments from Christs Incarnation Life Doctrine Death and what you please to make us ashamed of sin but by no means to be afraid of the Great God But the very truth is none say that it is the duty of Men to be Distracted and Unhinged in mind with slavish fears and Hellish apprehensions of Gods Justice But that this Dread may possibly run up some poor Creatures so high as to a literal distraction when the apprehensions of the Curse due to the Transgression of a righteous Law of a Holy and Jealous God shall overset a weak Judgement and dark Mind that sees its danger but no way to escape sees its Disease but not its Cure its sin with the demerits thereof but not a Saviour with his Merits and at once considers that Wrath of God which it concludes to be unavoidable and knows to be Intollerable 3. That our Saviour did use the Law and it's Terrors to awaken the Souls of men to a due apprehension of their sin and their danger thereupon the whole Tenour of the New Testament prove It was the Method of his Precurser Iohn the Baptist he laid this Ax to the Root of the Tree Mat. 3. 10. denouncing against them That every Tree that brought not forth good Fruit should be hewen down and cast into the fire And where-ever the Pharisees got it yet a warning they had got to flie from wrath to come The Apostle Paul both felt it and Preacht the use of the Law for Conviction of sin with all its Consequents and leading the sinner to Christ He felt it Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came sin revived and I died he saw himself a dead and lost man He Preacht also the Use of the Law Gal. 3. 24. to be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. What use our Saviour in his own Person made of the Law may be seen from Matth. 5. and also chap. 23. where he thunders upon the dead and secure Consciences of Sinners with Arguments taken from the Law of God and the dreadfull Curse annex'd to the violation of it And though our Author will allow no more than an Awfull regard and reverence for God who is a holy and righteous Iudge and an irreconcileable Enemy to all Sin yet when a Sinner shall be throughly convinc'd that he is so and shall know that the wages of Sin is Death and that he that gave forth this Law and must sit in Iudgement upon him is both a Holy and a Righteous Iudge and an Irreconcileable Enemy to all Sin there will be more than an awfull regard and reverence for this God unless he have the faculty to tell a Sinner how he may stand guilty before his Judgement-Seat and not be filled with horror and unspeakable amazement But I see our Author can be both more severe than Christ where his severity is not due and more mercifull too at other times when his Clemency will destroy He will dawb over the chinks of their Consciences with untemper'd Mortar and skin over their wounds very smoothly he will not have men feel the workings of the Law nor any amazing terrours of Gods wrath Though it be hard to conceive how a Soul should see Sin and not see Gods wrath or seeing it not be terrified and amazed with it But such was not the Way and Method nor such the End and Design of Christs coming He never preach'd Peace when Destruction was nigh he accommodated not his Doctrine to the Lusts and Tempers of Sinners but Acted according to his Commission Isa. 61. 1 2. Preaching the Acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God But our Author has imposed it upon himself as his constant Method to discourse pro re natâ to fit the present purpose for pag. 3. of this excellent Piece he had told us That the Gospel of Christ is as severe a Dispensation as the Law which dooms men to Eternal misery that live not very vertuous and innocent Lives And they must be very vertuous and innocent ones indeed who escape that doom for just now he assures us That God is a righteous Iudge and an irreconcileable Enemy to all sin After all this storm there are yet a few drops behind which we may do well to shelter our selves from if we can He falls into some heat against our having Christ offer'd to us to be our Saviour against the Beseechings of Christ against Covenanting with Christ which is well express'd by Contract and Espousal And for this there is good warrant 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God This was Scripture before he was born and will be so when he is gone and therefore he may speak his pleasure against Christ and his Gospel But he has a License and let him make the best on 't for our parts we hope we shall not be Scoffed out of the Concernments of our Souls and Salvation and if that must Anger him let him repeat over the Alphabet or which will do as well Turn the Knot of his Girdle behind him To conclude the Persons whom our Authors lot is fallen out to reproach Doe build their Faith
the Law only That all the World is not become guilty by the external deeds of the Moral Law and a failure therein he proves Rom. 5. 14. where he shews That death reigned over some who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam ' s transgression 5. Those deeds which David excluded from his Iustification the Apostle excludes from our Iustification for he quotes his Proposition from Psal. 143. 2. and therefore takes it in his sense or else he could not make use of his Authority But David excludes all his deeds whatsoever from Justification Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man be justified He durst not once think of God's entering into judgment with him upon the account of any thing he had attained From all which it appears that the Apostle exclâ—…es the Law the whole Law and the deeds thereof all the deeds thereof from having any concern in the Iustification of a sinner in the sight of God 2. We may observe hence That the Apostle opposes the Righteousness of God unto a Righteousness by the deeds of the Law But now says he the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested vers 21. And as in vers 20. he says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the deeds of the Law but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the deeds of Law of a Law of any Law So here he says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Law as if he intended some singular Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a Law without any Law And hence he fully silences and stops the mouth of our Authors Cavil that by the deeds of the Law is meant only an external Conformity of our Actions to it But the Apostles words leave no place for ambiguity For if the Righteousness of God without Law a Law any Law be manifested then without either Ceremonial or Moral Law then also without external or internal deeds of either But the Apostle shuts out Law simply and absolutely The Righteousness of God without Law is manifested As this term Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly predicated of the Moral than of the Ceremonial Law so the deeds of Law are more properly predicated of internal than external deeds and Analogum per se stans stat pro famosior Analogato If then as our Author contends we are justified by the Moral though not by the Ceremonial Law or by internal Conformity to it though not by external Conformity to it only then the Apostles Doctrine is true in an improper or less proper sense but utterly false in the proper or more proper sense of the words For had 〈◊〉 words been inverted they had carried a clearer truth in them By the deeds the internal deeds of the Law the Moral Law shall all flesh be justified But now the Righteousness of God with the Law the Moral Law and it s internal as well as external deeds is manifested But this is not to interpret the Apostle but dictate a new Gospel to him But further Hence I have just occasion to complain of an unrighteous surmise with which our Author loads some men That because they exclude Law and Law-deeds from Iustification in the sight of God that therefore they exclude it from having any place in their Lives and Conversations The Apostle who is a zealous Vindicator of the interest of the Law as a Rule of our Obedience yet we see discharges it wholly from any from all use and service in the Justification of a sinner in the sight of God Therefore he adds Before God and the Psalmist In thy sight to teach us That though the Righteousness of God without Law is manifested as to the truth of the thing yet the Righteousness of God is not cannot be manifested to us without a sincere obedience to the Law There 's a Iustification before God to this the Law a Law any Law contributes nothing but there 's a Justification before Conscience before men and to this a sincere and evangelically universal obedience contributes much 3. The Apostle assures us That this Doctrine of his is no new fancy broached t'other day and set on foot lately in Gospel-times but the same way by which all the good men of old were justified v. 21. It 's witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Now as to the Prophets testimony though our Author approves not their Cryptick way of demonstrating but is all for plain Meridian demonstration yet they are full that Jesus Christ was the main consideration in the Justification of a sinner from of old Acts 3. 25 26. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant that God made with our Fathers saying to Abraham And in thy Seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed unto you first God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Whence it appears God's raising up Christ in the World to bless his people with spiritual blessings was no more than what he had covenanted with Abraham and promised to him even in that very Promise which our Author thinks was fulfilled in the numerous Posterity of Isaac But now that this Righteousness of God without Law should be witnessed by Law this seems strange Does the Law witness against it self Is it false to it 's own interest But the Law is God's Law and when it witnesses to a sinner it witnesses home convinces him of the perfect holiness of that God who gave the Law of the peremptoriness of God in not abating one jot or tittle of the Law of the sinners utter inability to come up to the Demands of the Law and therefore the utter impossibility of being justified by the Law of the severity of God's Justice in punishing the violater of his Law and therefore unless he can find another Righteousness he must utterly perish 'T is true the Law speaks its old Language still Do this and live but then it speaks it only to those who are upon a bottom of Innocency for to a Transgressor its language is Cursed is very one that continues not in all things 4. The Apostle acquaints us what that Righteousness of God is which is manifested vers 22. Even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Christ. Now hence it 's evident that the Righteousness of God and Righteousness by the Faith of Christ are both one and therefore Faith in God and Faith in Christ are both one As is the Righteousness such is the Faith as is the Faith such is the Righteousness which perfectly overthrows that Arbitrary distinction which our Author had studied for more need Of Faith in God and Faith in Christ on purpose to shut Abraham out of Christ and by Consequence out of Heaven and to lock him up in the Limbus Patrum 5. The Apostle concludes That there 's no difference in point of Justification all that are sinners by
the First must be justified if ever they be justified by the Second Adam v. 22. The Righteousness of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe for there 's no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God As all men that ever were are or shall be are sinners under Condemnation so all that ever were are or shall be righteous in the sight of God are so by that righteousness which is by Faith of Iesus So that every pardoned accepted justified sinner must own that he is justified freely by the Grace of God through the Redemption that is in Christ. From these and such-like Scriptures it is that Christians ascribe their Iustification before God not to their own good Works but to the Free Grace of God through Iesus Christ but our Author has a way of proving his Sentiments worth a thousand of these Could men says he be reconciled to plain sence it would need no other Confirmation but the Natural evidence of naked and simple Truth It has been observed of the great Bellarmine from whom our Author has borrowed some things that he never comes in with a Procui dubio but the next words are a Rapper the same I observe in our Author that when he has done just nothing he always makes the loudest cackle It was a handsom Come-of if you did but mind it that when he had pester'd us with his prejudices surfeited us with Arbitrary distinctions filled our heads with empty Notions and when we looked to have been attack'd with one of his old plain kill-cow demonstrations he faces about and pops us off with this It needs no other proof than the Natural evidence of simple and naked Truth But now let the Reader take something warm next his heart let him use his phial of Essences for our Author is just now a-coming to examine those Texts of Scripture which are abused by these men to set up the personal Righteousness of Christ as the only formal Cause of our justification And must not those Texts of Scripture be miserably abused indeed that are thus prest in for such a service What the personal Righteousness of Christ the formal Cause of our justification I have heard some say it was the Meritorious Cause some the Impulsive Cause others the Material Cause and some that it is no Cause but our Author is the first that ever I heard this expression from There was once a good Orthodox Bishop as Orthodoxy past in that Age his Name Downham he has Written many a long page upon this Subject and he acquaints us with the sence of Protestants Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Sect. 1. That the matter of our justification is Christ's Righteousness and the form is God's Imputing it and this way go most of your Systematical Divines but from hence I learn it 's the Mode now-a-days for these Gentlemen to Confute that is to Rail at those long-winded Authors they never had the patience to read nor the Brains to understand but let this pass amongst our Authors Negligences or Ignorances till I understand better where to marshal it In examining the Texts which they abuse he will begin and end with Phil. 3. 8 9. Yea doubtless and I account all things loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith The main Question here will be What was that Righteousness which the Apostle renounces from having any place in his Justification before God Upon this one hinge turns all the Controversie betwixt our Author and his Antagonists They say it was what-ever inherent Righteousness he had attained or could attain what-ever Obedience he had performed or could perform to the Commands of God Ay but says our Author what proof have they for this he can learn none but that they take it for granted that My Righteousness signifies Inherent Righteousness And really they are to be pittied if not pardoned that by His own Righteousness understand his own Righteousness for if Inherent Righteousness be not His own Righteousness it 's plain he could have none at all for an External Conformity of Actions to the Law alone is not Righteousness at all but Hypocrisie and Vnrighteousness but I shall inform him of some other proofs why they take His own Righteousness for Inherent Righteousness 1. That which he calls his own Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tells you in the next words is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is from Law from a Law from any Law indefinitely now a Righteousness which is from a Law is such a one as the Law urges presses upon and prescribes to the Conscience but that without question is an Internal Conformity of soul to the holiness of the Law but this the Apostle rejects therefore he rejects Internal and Inherent Righteousness 2. The true Notion of My Righteousness is not to be fetcht from some sorry Conjectures from precarious Hypotheses which men when they are in streights invent to avoid present ruine but from the stable fixed constant use thereof in Scripture but so is this expression My own Righteousness and My own or your own Works used in Scripture viz. for real sineere Conformity of heart and life to a Law therefore so ought we to take it here till we see cogent Reason to the contrary That this is the fixed use of the expression in Scripture we shall see Gen. 30. 33. My Righteousness shall answer for me in time to come which our Author would paraphrase thus My Righteousness that is My Roguery Iob 27. 6. My Righteousness I hold fast my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live My Righteousness that is would he say My Hypocrisie Matth. 5. 16. That men may see your good works that is in the New Glossary Your Complement Dan. 9. 18. we present not our supplications before thee not for our Righteousnesses but for thy great Mercies The Prophet in the Name of the Church must be supposed here not to renounce real Righteousness but the Sceleton of Obedience Now had the Apostle designed only to reject his own Hypocrisie he was not so barren in expressions but he could have fitted it with its Proper Name 3. The Apostle expresly renounces both what-ever he had attained before or after his Conversion v. 7. These things that were gain to me whilst I was a Pharisee those I accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loss for Christ But is that all No! Yea doubtless v. 8. and I do now account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things but loss I have accounted all things attained in my Iudaism loss when I was first convinced and I do now account all things even my own Righteousness loss and dung for Christ
and therefore it is to be noted that the Apostle rises higher in his earnestness v. 8. Yea doubtless q. d. Did I say that I once looked upon all as loss for Christ. I will speak a bolder word than that I count all but loss dung filth that I may win Christ and be found in him not having my own Righteousness and that he speaks of that esteem and value he had of his present Righteousness is yet further evident from this that it was in reference to a future day the day of Iudgment that he might be found in Christ in that day not sticking to his own Righteousness Two things our Author returns to this 1. It 's a sufficient Answer to say they need not signifie so I confess for want of a better the Answer may pass A bad shift is better than None and half a loaf is better than No-bread but if a Man had a better it was the sorriest Answer in the World I see when men are prest with express Scripture and yet are resolved cost what will to adhere to their own Conclusions it 's adviseable to cast about to turn their thoughts into all shapes imaginable to hunt for the extremest possibilities If a Word a Phrase an Expression is but capable of another sence let it be probable or improbable true or false agreeable to the scope of the place or alien all is a case something must be said that they may not seem to say Nothing And if they can say it 's possible it may be otherwise as who cannot though they do not believe themselves they hug themselves for their ready wit and applaud themselves for grave Respondents A little matter will blow away this dust Let them show where ever My Righteousness is otherwise used and then let them boast of a bare possibility 2. My own Righteousness says he can signifie no more than that wherein he placed his Righteousness I beg his pardon for that It signifies more than that wherein he placed his Righteousness whil'st a Pharisee and a great deal less than that wherein he placed Righteousness after Conversion in order to Justification But if the Apostle renounced what-ever he placed his Righteousness in then either he placed it in Inherent Righteousness or not If not then how dares our Author place his Righteousness there where the Apostle durst not If he did ever place his Righteousness in it then here he openly declares before the World that he Renounces it But says our Author what necessity is there to understand this of inherent holiness We have shewed you the Necessity before and shall do hereafter An External Righteousness serves most mens turns very well not so well neither as he may Imagine And this is the Righteousness by which the Pharisees and amongst the rest St. Paul whilst he was a Pharisee expected to be justified but stay a while 1. We have proved that the Apostle not only renounced that Righteousness what-ever it was that he had whilst a Pharisee but that which was his own at the time when he made that solemn Renunciation of it what-ever he had attained or might possibly attain all went that he might be found in Christ in the great Day 2. The Pharisees were generally bad enough in all Conscience and he need not make them worse It 's a sin we say to bely the Devil It doth not appear that the Pharisees expected to be Justified before God by an external obedience only without sincerity It was not their Principle though Hypocrisie as to many Individuals might be their Practice The Case is frequent before our Eyes a Drunkard a common Swearer c. will tell you they Hope to be saved though they are wicked but none durst ever assume the Impudence to expect Salvation because he was wicked No he will repent when he can intend it and trust to the general grace of God and some such reserves which our Modern-Pulpit-Drollery has furnisht him withal 3. As to Paul whilst he was a Pharisee if we take his own word for it when he was none he was no Hypocrite he every-where vindicates himself as to that His Persecuting was his great Crime in which he protests his sincerity Acts 25. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Iesus and 1 Tim. 1. 13. he avows he did it ignorantly He durst appeal to his very Enemies how he had lived from a Child Act. 25. 4. My manner of life from my youth know all the Iews if they would testifie and makes a solemn Protestation before the Sanhedrin Act. 23. 1. That he had lived in all good Conscience to that very day That others of the Pharisees were Sober Conscientious men I do not at all question and the discourse of Paul's Mr. Gamaliel Act. 5. shows that he had a great deal more Religion in him than most of those who to carry on a design rail at them for Hypocrites Ay but says our Author what his Righteousness was he tells us V. 6 7. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel c. So that My own Righteousness which is of the Law is so far from signifying an inherent Righteousness a vital principle of Holiness that it only signifies an external Righteousness which consisted in some external Rites as Circumcision and Sacrifices or external Priviledges as being of the Seed of Abraham or an external Civility and blamelessness of Conversation This proceeds upon a double false supposition 1. That the Apostle renounces nothing but what he had attained whilst he was a Pharisee 2. That whatsoever he had renounced V. 6 7. did constitute his Pharisaical Righteousness For 1. I must cut him off Circumcision that was no part of his own Righteousness a priviledge it was but nothing performed by him and therefore could not expect Justification by it unless our Author will grant that he had a spice of the Doctrine of imputing the Obedience of Another to him for Iustification 2. For Sacrifices the Apostle mentions them not renounces them not for he understood too well their use and proper End in the Iewish Church that they were their visible Gospel and did lead to Christ whom now he owned though then he was ignorant of him The Conscientious and believing use of Sacrifices might put in for a place in Justifying the Sinner with better right than such Obedience to the Moral Law as man was able in his present state to perfom 1. Consider them as mere acts of Obedience wherein the thing done is not so considerable as the subjection of the Conscience to the Authority of God the Soveraign Law-giver which in this Case is most signal for here is only the will and pleasure of God for the Reason of that costly and operose seruice whereas Moral duties are vouched for by the suffrage of the Light and Reason of Nature 2. Consider them as instituted for their peculiar end the leading and conducting of Faith to
intimates that he spake of that Law whereof he had made mention before which was the Moral Law that Law which saith Thou shalt not covet that Law which is holy just good that Law which is eminently the Law of God and not that which carries the name of the Law of Moses 2 But what was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impossible thing of this Law There are many things that this Law cannot do It can lay a Command upon the Creature but it cannot give strength to obey the Command it can offer the Promises of Life to the obedient and shake the Threatning over the Conscience of the Rebellious but meeting with depraved Nature it cannot redintegrate lapsed Nature it can wound but it cannot heal it can condemn but it cannot absolve a Sinner But yet there seems to be some one thing which above all other impossibles is absolutely impossible for this Law to do for man and that is to justifie him before God For so he had said and proved Chap. 3. 20. By the Deeds of that Law shall no Flesh be justified in his Sight But 3. How comes the Law to be so weak for certainly it had once such a Power in its primitive appointment and was fitted to give life to the Obedient for we must not dare to think that the Wise God ever appointed a Law or the meanest thing in the World but it was fitted to reach all those Ends which in his Holy and Secret Counsel he designed it to How then comes this Law the Moral Law to be so weak If any of the Sons of Adam can produce an Obedience every way such as the Law demands it is able to give Life Eternal still The Apostle answers us It 's weak through the Flesh it was not made weak but became weak through our weakness The Law is as strong to reward still if we were but as strong to obey as ever But 4. How did Christ remedy and help us in this desperate Case for if we cannot live by the Law we must die by the Law The Apostle resolves us God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and in the truth of humane Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as an offering for Sin So near is the relation between the Sacrifice and the Sin that is laid upon it that they are called the same 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ was made sin that is he was made an Offering for sin For so 't is exprest Isa. 53. 10. When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin The Greek therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does but imitate the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies both the Sin and the Sin-Offering thus then Christ supplyed the Laws weakness he who knew no sin was made sin and as he was made sin for us so are we made the Righteousness of God in him Christ could no otherwise be a Sinner but by imputation nor we otherwise Righteous than by the Imputation of his Righteousness As the Offenders guilt under the Law could not otherwise be laid upon the head of the Typical Sacrifice but by God's Imputing it so neither could our Sin otherwise lye upon the Head of Christ but by his own voluntary Susception and thereupon God's Righteous Imputation but these things we shall meet with professedly in the next Section There is a Metaphorical expression still behind which our Author cannot digest whereupon when he has thrown away a little and truly but a little wit he will ease us of the tediousness of this Discourse The expression which sticks so hard with him is that of the Apostle Ephes. 3. 8. The unsearchable Riches of Christ. Now though at another time I would try a fair fall with him whether this and many others which he thinks it enough for their reproach to call so be a Metaphorical Expression or no yet I have not leisure at present to attend that Service for my part I think that riches is more properly and literally predicated of that Grace that is treasured up in the Lord Jesus than of all that paltry trash which has got the vogue in the Dialect of deluded Worldlings but I am weary and shall therefore only make a defensive War of it What is then this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this unsearchable Riches of Christ Why even here these Men cannot agree for some are zealous for it that what-ever is meant by unsearchable Riches yet by Christ is meant Christ himself others amongst whom our Author professes his Name by the unsearchable Riches of Christ understand the Gospel which St. Paul preached to the Gentiles And is it not a small thing that he should stand so stifly upon it for us to entreat 1. That the Glorious Person of Christ his Offices his Natures his Obedience his Life his Death with their proper Springs and Causes their special ends and designs might come in for a good share of the Gospel But 2. The Gospel preached is the opening of the Treasures of Wisdom Knowledg and Grace that are in Christ. Those Riches are or were unsearchable as they lay hid and deep in the Counsels and Purposes of the Father and the Son so far as they are revealed in the Gospel they are not unsearchable But what is meant by Riches why Riches says he signifie only an abundance This 't is to be wise above the common sort of ordinary Mortals most men I dare say have hitherto thought that Riches carry in their first Notion preciousness as well as plenty A handful of Gold is more truly Riches than a heap of Pebbles but then what are unsearchable Riches why they are so called because the Gospel is not a narrow and stinted thing is not confined to a particular nation as the Law was but is offered to all mankind c. I shall not cope with him in his Grammatical skill for therein he is unmatchable but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has formerly signified that which cannot be traced that whereof we have no foot-steps and such are the Riches of Christ such the Counsels of God to reconcile the World to himself by his dear Son A Mystery whose knowledg depends upon Divine Revelation whereof we have not the least track in nature no more than of a Ship in the Sea an Eagle in the Air or a Serpent upon a Rock The Light of Nature is Dark the Tongue of the Creature Dumb the Book of the Creation a great Blank and he alone that was from eternity in the Bosom of the Father whose Name is Wonderful Counsellor was able to reveal and give us notice of them One small brush at Mr. Brookes will conclude this Section for 't is impossible for our Author to conclude without reviling and what evil has this good Man done Oh he has spoken a little too prodigally in commendation of Christ and it 's a standing rule that whoever will give our Saviour one good Word shall
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