conditions betwen the Father and Christ. Wherefore when he cometh into the vvorld he saith Sacrifices and Offerings thou wouldest not that is the Old Covenant must not stand but give way to another Sacrifice vvhich thou hast prepared which is the giving up my Manhood to the stroaks of thy Justice for a body hast thou prepared me Heb. 13. 20 21. This doth prove us under Grace Secondly On the Mediators side that he should be put to death and on God the Fathers side that he should raise him up again this was concluded on also to be done between God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. On Christs side that he should die to give the justice of the Father satisfaction and so to take away the curse that was due to us wretched sinners by reason of our transgressions and that God his Father being every ways fully and compleatly satisfied should by his mighty power revive and raise him up again He hath brought again our Lord Jesus that is from death to life through the vertue or effectual satisfaction that he received from the blood that was shed according to the terms of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 21 22. Thirdly On the Mediators side that he should be made a curse and on the Fathers side that through him sinners should be inheritors of the blessing what wonderful love doth there appear by this in the heart of our Lord Jesus in suffering such things for our poor bodies and souls Gal. 3. 13 14. This is Grace Fourthly That on the Mediators side there should be by him a victory over Hell Death and the Devil and the curse of the Law and on the Fathers side that these should be communicated to sinners and they set at liberty thereby Zech. 9. 12. Turn to the strong hold saith God ye prisoners of hope even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee Why so It is because of the blood of my Sons Covenant verse 11. which made Paul though sensible of a body of death and of the sting that death did strike into the souls of all those that are found in their sins bold to say O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin that is true and the terrible Law of God doth aggravate and set it home with unsupportable torment and pain but shall I be daunted at this No I thank my God through Jesus Christ he hath given me the victory so that now though I be a sinner in my self yet I can by believing in Jesus Christ the Mediator of this New Covenant triumph over the Devil Sin Death and Hell and say do not fear my soul seeing the victory is obtained over all my enemies through my Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. This is the way to prove our selves under Grace Fifthly that on the Mediators side he should by thus doing bring in everlasting righteousness for Saints Dan. 9. 24. and that the Father for this should give them an everlasting Kingdom 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. Eph. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Luke 22. 28 29. But in the next place this was not all that is the Covenant of Grace with the conditions thereof was not only concluded on by both parties to be done but Jesus Christ he must be authorized to do what was concluded on touching this Covenant by way of Office I shall therefore speak a word or two also touching the Offices at least some of them that Christ Jesus did and doth still execute as the Mediator of the New Covenant which also was typed out by the Levitical Law for this is the way to prove that we are not under the Law but under Grace And first His first Office after the Covenant was made and conâ—â—ded upon was that Jesus should become bound as a Surety and stand ingaged upon Oath to see that all the conditions of the Covenant that was concluded on between him and his Father should according to the agreement be accomplished by him And secondly that after that he should be the messenger from God to the world for to declare the mind of God touching the tenor and nature of both the Covenants especially of the New one the Scripture saith that Jesus Christ was not only made a Priest by an Oath but also a surety or bonds-man as in the 7 of Hebrews at the 21. 22. verses in the 21. verse he speaketh of the priesthood of Christ that it was with an Oath faith in the 22. verse By so much also was Jesus made the surety of a better Testament or Covenant Now the Covenant was not only made on Jesus Christs side with an Oath but also on God the Fathers side that it might be for the better ground of stablishment to all those that are or are to be the children of the Promise Methinks it is wonderful to consider that the God and Father of our souls by Jesus Christ should be so bent upon the salvation of sinners that he would covenant with his Son Jesus for the security of them and also that there should pass an Oath on both sides for the confirmation of their resolution to do good as if the Lord had said My Son thou and I hâ—â—e here made a Covenant that I on my paâ—â— should do thus and thus and that thou on thy part shouldest do so and so now that we may give these souls the best ground of comfort that may be there shall pass an Oath on both sides that our children may see that we do indeed love them Wherein God willing more ABUNDANTLY to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel in making of the Covenant confirmed it by an Oath That we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Heb. 7. 21. Mark the sixth Chapter saith God confirmed his part by an Oath and the seventh saith Christ was made or set on his Office also by an Oath Again Once saith God have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David Psal. 89. 34 35. nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth as was before cited Herein you may see that God and Christ was in good earnest about the salvation of sinners for so soon asever the Covenant was made the next thing was who should be bound to see all those things fulfilled which was conditioned on between the Father and the Son The Angels they would have no hand in it The world could not do it The Devils had rather see them damned then they would wish them the least good thus Christ looked and there was none to help though the burthen lay never so heavy upon his shoulder he must bear it himself for there was none besides himself to uphold or so much as to step in to be bound to see the conditions before mentioned fulfilled neither in whole
now is killed to his own righteousness and counts that but dung but dross not worth the dirt hanging on shoes O then says he Thou filthy righteousness Isa. 64. 6. how hast thou deceived me How hast thou beguiled my poor soul How did I deceive my self with giving of a little alms with abstaining from some gross polutions with walking in some ordinances as to the outside of them How hath my good words good thinkings good meanings as the world calls them deceived my ignorant soul I want the righteousness of faith the righteousness of God for I see now there is no less will do me any good Fourthly It is also killed to its own faith its notion of the Gospel it s own hope it s own repentings it s own promises and resolutions to its own strength it s own vertue or whatsoever it had before now saith the soul That faith I thought I had it is but fancy that hope I thought I had I see it is but hypocritical but vain and groundless hope now the soul sees it hath by nature no saving faith no saving hope no grace at all by nature by the first Covenant Now it crieth out How many promises have I broken and how many times have I resolved in vain when I was sick at such a time and in such a streight at such a place Indeed I thought my self a wise man once but I see my self a very fool now O how ignorant am I of the Gospel now and of the blessed experience of the Work of God on a Christians heart In a word it sees it self beset by nature with all evil and destitute of all good which is enough to kill the stoutest hardest hearted sinner that ever lived on the earth O Friends should you be plainly dealt withal by this discovery of the dealing of God with a sinner when he makes him a Saint and would seriously try your selves thereby as God will try you one day how few would there be found of you to be so much as acquainted with the work of God in the Notion much less in the experimental knowledge of the same And indeed God is fain to take this way with sinners thus to kill them with the Old Covenant to all things below a crucified â—hrist First Because otherwise there would be none in the world that would look after this sweet Jesus Christ. There is but a few that go to Heaven in all comparatively and them few God is fain to deal with them in this manner or else his Heaven his Christ his Glory and everlasting Happiness must abide by themselves for all sinners Do you think that Manasseh would have regarded the Lord had he not suffered his enemies to have prevailed against him 2 Chron. 33. from the 1. verse to the 16. Jer. 31. 18. Do you think that Ephraim would have looked after salvation had not God first confounded him with the guilt of the sins of his youth What do you think of Paul Acts 9. 4 5 6. What do you think of the Jailour Acts 16. 30 31 32. What do you think of the Three Thousand Acts 2. 36 37. Was not this the way that the Lord was fain to take to make them close in with Jesus Christ Was he not fain to kill them to every thing below a Christ that they were driven to their wits ends insomuch that they were forced to cry out Whbat shall we do to be saved I say God might keep Heaven and Happiness to himself it he should not go this way to work with sinners O stout hearted rebels O tender hearted God! Secondly Because then and not till then will sinners accept of Jesus Christ on Gods terms So long as sinners can make a life out of any thing below Christ so long they will not close with Christ without indenting but when the God of Heaven hath killed them to every thing below himself and his Son then Christ will down on any terms in the world And indeed this is the very reason why sinners when they hear of Christ yet will not close in with him there is something that they can take content in besides him The prodigal so long as he could content himself with the husks that the swine did eat so long he did keep away from his Fathers House but when he could get no nourishment any where on this side of his Fathers House then saith he and not till then I will arise and go to my Father c. I say Ths is the reason therefore why men come no faster and close no realier with the Son of God but stand halting and indenting about the terms they must have Christ upon for saith the drunkard I look on Christ to be worth the having but yet I am not willing to lose ALL for him all but my pot saith the drunkard and all but the world saith the covetous I will part with any thing but lust and pride saith the wanton but if Christ will not be had without I forsake all cast away all then it must be with me as it was with the young man in the Gospel such news will make me sorry at my very heart But now when a man is soundly killed to all his sins to all his righteousness to all his comforts whatsoever and sees that there is no way but the Devil must have him but he must be damned in hell if he be not clothed with Jesus Christ Oh! then saith he give me Christ on any terms whatsoever he cost though he cost me friends though he cost me comforts though he cost me all that ever I have yet like the wise Merchant in the Gospel they will sell all to get that pearl I tell you when a soul is brought to see its want of Christ aright it will not be kept back Father Mother Husband Wise Lands Livings nay life and all shall go rather then the soul will miss of Christ. I and the soul counteth Christ a cheap Saviour if it can get him vpon any terms now the soul indents no longer Now Lord give me Christ upon any terms whatsoever he cost for I am a dead-man a damned man a cast away if I have not Christ. What say you O you wounded sinners Is not this true as I have said would you not give Ten thousand worlds if you had so many so be you might be well answered that your sins shall be pardoned and your souls and bodies justified and glorified at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly The Lord goeth this way for this reason also that it might make the soul sensible what it cost Christ to redeem it from death and hell When a man cometh to feel the sting and guilt of sin death and hell upon his conscience then and not till then can he tell what it cost Christ to redeem sinners O! saith the soul if a few sins are so terrible and lay the soul under such wrath and torment what did Christ undergo who bare the
labour to lay more sins upon his back Canst thou hear that he suffered the pains the fiery flames of Hell and canst thou find in thy heart to add to his groans by slighting of his sufferings O hard hearted wretch How canst thou deal so unkindly with such a sweet Lord Jesus Quest. But why did Christ offer himself in sacrifice Answ. That thou shouldest not be thrown to the very Devils Quest. But why did he spill his precious blood Answ. That thou mightest enjoy the joys of Heaven Quest. But why did he suffer the pains of Hell Answ. That thou mightest not fry with the devil and damned souls Quest. But could not we have been saved if Christ had not died Answ. No for without shedding of blood there is no remission and besides there was no death that could satisfie Gods justice but his which is evident because there was none in a capacity to dye or that was able to answer an infinite God by his so suffering but he Quest. But why did God let him dye Answ. He standing in the room of sinners and that in their names and natures Gods justice must fall upon him for justice takes vengeance for sin wheresoever it finds it though it be on his dear Son Nay God favoured his Son no more finding our sins upon him then he would have favoured any of us For should we have died so did he Should we have been made a curse so was he Should we have undergone the pains or hell so did he Quest. But did he indeed suffer the torments of hell Answ. Yea and that in such an horrible way too that it is unspeakable Quest. Could he not have suffered without his so suffering would not his dying only of a natural death have served the turn Answ No in no wise The sins for which he suffered called for the torments of hell the condition in which he died did call for the torments of hell for Christ did not dye the death of a Saint but the death of a Sinner of a cursed and damned sinner because he stood in their rooms Gal. 3. 13. the Law to which he was subjected called for the torments of hell the nature of Gods justice could not bate him any thing the death which he was to suffer had not lost its sting all these being put together do irresistibly declare unto us that he as a sacrifice did suffer the torments of hell But Secondly had he not died and suffered the cursed death the Covenant had been made void and his suretiship would have been forfeited and besides this the world damned in the Flames of Hell fire therefore his being a sacrifice was one part of the Covenant for the terms of the Covenant was that he should spill his blood Zech. 9. 10 11. O blessed Jesus O blessed Grace Quest. But why then is his death so slighted by some Answ. Because they are enemies to him either through ignorance or presumption either for want of knowledge or out of malice for surely did they love or believe him they could not chuse but break and bleed at heart to consider and to think of him Zech. 12. 10 11. Thus passing this I shall now speak something to Christs Priestly Office but by the way if any should think that I do here spin my thread too long in distinguishing his Priestly Office from his being a sacrifice they supposing that for Christ to be a Priest and a Sacrifice is all one and the same thing and it may be it is because they have not thought on this so well as they should Namely that as he was a sacrifice he was passive Isa. 53. that is led or had away as a lamb to his sufferings But as a Priest he was active that is he did willingly and freely give up his body to be a sacrifice He hath given his life a ransom for many This consideration being with some weight and clearness on my spirit I was and am caused to lay them down in two particular heads And therefore The second thing that I would speak something to it is this that as there were Priests under the first Covenant so there is a Priest under this belonging to this New Covenant a high Priest the chief Priest as it is clear where it is said We having an high Priest over the House of God Heb. 10. 21. Chap. 3. 1 Chap. 5. 5 10. and Chap. 7. 24 25 26. Chap. 8. 1 4. Now the things that I shall treat upon are these First I shall shew you the Qualifications required of a Priest under the Law Secondly his Office and thirdly how Jesus Christ did according to what was signified by those under the Law I say how he did answer the Types and where he went beyond them For his Qualifications First They must be called thereto of God No man take this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Heb. 5. 4. Now Aarons being called of God to be a Priest signifies that Jesus Christ is a Priest of Gods appointment such a one that God hath chosen likes of and hath set on work called of God an high Priest c. ver 10. Secondly The Priests under the Law they must be men compleat not deformed Speak unto Aaron saith God to Moses saying Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any bleinish let him not approach to offer the bread of his God for whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish he shall not approach if he be a blind man or a lame man or he that hath a flat nose or any thing superfluous or a man that is broken footed or broken handed or crookt backt or a dwarf or he that hath a blemish in his eye or be scurvy or scabbed or hath his stones broken No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer offerings of the Lord made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God Levit. 21. 17 18 19 20 21. What doth all this signifie but that in the first place he must not be lame to signifie he must not go haltingly about the work of our salvation 2. He must not be blind to signifie that he must not go ignorantly to work but he must be quick of understanding in the things of God 3. He must not be scabbed to signifie that the Priest must not be corrupt or filthy in his Office 4. In a word he must be every ways compleat to signifie to us that Jesus Christ was to be and is most compleat and most perfect every way an acceptable high Priest in things pertaining to God in reference to this second Covenant Thirdly The Priests under the Law were not to be hard hearted but pitiful and compassionate willing and ready with abundance of bowels to offer for the people and to make an atonement for them Heb. 5. 1 2. To signifie that Jesus Christ should be a
whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled how in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy mark holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Colos. 1. 21 22 23. And thus it is Grace unchangeable Grace to us because it was obtained yea compleatly obtained for us by Jesus Christ God-man Object But some may say how was it possible that one man Jesus by one offering should so compleatly obtain and bring in unchangeable grace for such an innumerable company of sinners as are to be saved Answ. First in that he was every ways fitted for such a work And secondly in that as I said before he did every ways compleatly satisfie that which was offended by our disobedience to the former Covenant And for the clearing of this First Consider was it man that had offended He was man that gave the satisfaction For as by man came death even so also by man did come the resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 21. Secondly Was it God that was offended he was God that did give a satisfaction To us a Child is born to us a Son is given And his name shall be called the mighty God Isa. 9. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God but for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. he made himself of no reputation c. Phil. 2. 5 6 7. Thirdly For the further clearing of this to shew you that in every thing he was rightly qualified for this great work see what God himself saith of him he calls him in the first place man and secondly he owns him to be his fellow saying Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man mark the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 13. 7. So that now let divine and infinite Justice turn it self which way it will it finds one that can tell how to match it for if it say I will require the satisfaction of man here is a man to satisfie its cry and if it say but I am an infinite God and must and will have an infinite satisfaction here is one also that is infinite even fellow with God Fellow in his essence and being Prov. 8. 23. Fellow in his power and strength 1 Cor. 1. 24. Fellow in his Wisdom see again the same verse Fellow in his mercy and grace Tit. 2. 10. compared with ver 11. together with the rest of the attributes of God so that I say let justice turn it self which way it will here is a compleat person to give a compleat satisfaction thus much of the fitness of the person Secondly For the compleatness of the satisfaction given by him for us And that is discovered in these particulars First Doth justice call for the blood of that nature that sinned Here is the heart blood of Jesus Christ. We have redemption through his blood Ephes. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Zech. 9. 10 11. 2. Doth justice say that this blood if it be not the blood of one that is really and naturally God it will not give satisfaction to infinite justice then here is God purchasing his Church with his own blood Acts 20. 28. 3. Doth justice say that it must not only have satisfaction for sinners but they that are saved must be also washed and sanctified with this blood Then here is he that so loved us that he washed us from our sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. 4. Is there to be a righteousness to cloath them with that are to be presented before divine justice then here is the righteousness of Christ which is even the righteousness of God by faith Rom. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. 5. Is there any sins now that will fly upon this Saviour like so many Lions of raging Devils if he take in hand to redeem man he will be content to bear them all himself alone even in his own body upon the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. 6. Is there any Law now that will curse and condemn this Saviour for standing in our persons to give satisfaction to God for the transgression of man he will be willing to be cursed yea to be made a curse for sinners rather than they shall be cursed and damned themselves Gal. 3. 13. 7. Must the great and glorious God whose eyes are so pure that he cannot behold iniquity I say must he not only have the blood but the very life of him that will take in hand to be the deliverer and Saviour of us poor miserable sinners he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep John 10. 11. 8. Must he not only dye a natural death but must his soul descend into hell though it should not be left there he will suffer that also Psal. 16. 10. and Acts 2. 3. 9. Must he not only be buried but rise again from the dead and overcome death that he might be the first fruits to God of them that sleep which shall be saved He will be buried and also through the strength of his God-head he will raise himself out of the grave though death hold him never so fast and the Jews lay never such a great stone upon the mouth of the Sepulchre and seal it never so fast 1 Cor. 15. 2. Luke 24. 34. 10. Must he carry that body into the presence of his Father to take possession of Heaven Heb. 9. 24. John 14. 2 3. And must he appear there as a Priest Heb. 6. 20. as fore-runner ver the same as an Advocate 1 John 2. 1 2. as Prophet as a Treasure-house as an Interceder and Pleader of the Causes of his people he will be all these and much more to the end the grace of God by faith in Jesus Christ might be made surer to all the seed Who then can condemn it is God that justifieth because Christ hath dyed yea rather that is risen again Who now seeing all this is so effectually done shall lay any thing the least thing who can find the least flaw the least wrinkle the least defect or imperfection in this glorious satisfaction Object But is it possible that he should so soon give infinite justice a satisfaction a compleat satisfaction for the eternal God doth require an eternal lying under the Curse to the end he may be eternally satisfied Answ. Indeed that which is infinite must have an eternity to satisfie God in that is they that fall into the prison and pit of utter darkness must be there to all eternity to the end the justice of God may have its full blow at them But now he that I am speaking of is God Isa. 9. 6. 2. Tim. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 8 9. Phil. 2. 4 5 6. and so is infinite Now le which is true God is able to give in as litttle a time an infinite satisfaction as Adam was in giving the dissatisfaction Adam himself might have given satisfaction
of God Angels and Devils But I say if thou dost believe these things indeed thou dost believe that then so long ago even before thou wast born he did bear thy Sins in his own Body which then was Hanged on the Tree and never before nor since that thy old Man was then Crucified with him namely in the same Body then Crucified see 1 Pet. 2. 24. and Rom. 6. 6. This is non-sense to them that believe not but if thou do indeed believe thou seest it so plain and yet such a Mystery that it makes thee wonder But in the third Place this glorious Doctrine of the New Covenant and the Mediator thereof will serve for the comforting and the maintaining of the comfort of the Children of the New Covenant this way also that is that he did not only dye and rise again but that he did ascend in his own Person into Heaven to take possession thereof for me to prepare a Place there for me standeth there in the second part of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring me safe in my coming thither and to present me in a glorious manner without spot or wrinkle or any such thing that he is there exercising of his Priestly Office for me pleading the 〈◊〉 of his own Righteousness for me and the vertue of his Blood for me That he is there ready to answer the Accusations of the Law Devil and Sin for me Here thou mayest through Faith look the very Devil in the Face and Rejoyce saying O Satan I have a precious Jesus a Soul comforting Jesus a Sin-pardoning Jesus Here thou mayest hear the biggest thunder-crack that the Law can give and yet not be daunted Here thou mayest say O Law thou may'st roar against Sin but thou can'st not reach me thou may'st Curse and Condemn but not my Soul for I have a righteous Jesus a holy Jesus a Soul-saving Jesus and he hath delivered me from thy Threats from thy Curses from thy Condemnatious I am out of thy reach and out of thy bounds I am brought into another Covenant under better promises promises of Life and Salvation free promises to comfort me without my Merit even through the Blood of Jesus the satisfaction given to God for me by him therefore though thou lay'st my Sins to my charge and sayest thou wilt prove me Guilty yet so long as Christ is above ground and hath brought in everlasting righteousness and given that to me I shall not fear thy threats thy charges thy Soul-searing Denunciations my Christ is all hath done all and will deliver me from all that thou and whatsoever else can bring an Accusation against me Thus also thou may'st say when Death assaulteth thee O Death where is thy sting Thou may'st bite indeed but thou canst not devour I have comfort by and through the one Man Jesus Jesus Christ he hath taken thee Captive and taken away thy strength he hath pierced thy Heart and let out all thy Soul destroying Poyson therefore though I see thee I am not afraid of thee though I feel thee I am not daunted thou hast lost thy sting in the side of the Lord Jesus through him I overcome thee and set foot upon thee Also O Satan though I hear thee grumble and make a hellish Noise and tho thou threaten me very highly yet my Soul shall Triumph over thee so long as Christ is alive and can be heard in Heaven so long as he hath broken thy Head and won the field of thee so long as thou art in Prison and canst not have thy desire I therefore when I hear thy Voice do pitch my Thoughts on Christ my Saviour and do hearken what he will say for he will speak comfort he saith he hath got the Victory and doth give to me the Crown and causeth me to Triumph through his most glorious Conquest Nay my Brethren the Saints under the Levitical Law who had not the New Covenant sealed or confirmed any further than by promise that it should be I say they when they thought of the glorious Privileges that God had promised should come though at that time they were not come but seen afar off how confidently were they perswaded of them and embraced them and were so fully satisfied as touching the certainty of them that they did not stick at the parting with all for the enjoying of them Heb. 11. How many times doth David in the Psalms admire triumph and perswade others to do so also through the Faith that he had in the thing that was to be done Also Job in what Faith doth he say he should see his Redeemer though he had not then shed one drop of Blood for him yet because he had promised so to do and this was signified by the blood of Bulls and Goats Also Samuel Isaiah Jeremiah Zechariah c. how gloriously in confidence did they speak of Christ and his Death Blood Conquest and everlasting Priest-hood even before he did manifest himself in the flesh which he took of the Virgin We that have lived since Christ have more ground to hope than they under the Old Covenant had though they had the Word of the Just God for the ground of their Faith Mark They had only the Promise that he should and would come but we have the assured fulfilling of those Promises because he is come they were told that he should spill his Blood but we do see he hath spilt his Blood They ventured all upon his standing Surety for them but we see he hath fulfilled and that faithfully too the Office of his Suretiship in that according to the engagement he hath redeemed us poor Sinners They ventured on the New Covenant though not actually Sealed only because they judged him faithfull that had promised Heb. 11. 11. but we have the Covenant Sealed all things are compleatly done even as sure as the Heart-Blood of a crucified Jesus can make it There is as great a difference between their Dispensation and ours for comfort even as much as there is between the making of a Bond with a promise to Seal it and the sealing of the same It was made indeed in their time but it was not sealed untill the time the Blood was shed on the Mount Calvary and that we might have our Faith mount up with Wings like an Eagle he sheweth us what encouragement and ground of Faith we have to conclude we shall be everlastingly delivered saying Heb. 9. 16 17 18. For where a Testament or Covenant is there must of necessity be the Death of the Testatour for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testatour liveth whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without Blood As Christ's Blood was the Confirmation of the New Covenant yet it was not sealed in Abraham Isaac or Jacob's days to confirm the Covenant that God did tell them of and yet they believed therefore we ought to give the more earâ—est heed to believe the