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Majesty of GOD to accept. This gave them a peculiar Dignity and Importance; and fet them far above all the fimilar Obfervances, ufed in the Hea then Worship. They were alfo, when thus explained, thus improved, extremely profitable to Believers; as they directed their Contemplation to the future Sufferings of a SAVIOUR *, and ratified to their Faith the Benefits of his ever-operating Sacrifice. Which, We are affured by an infallible Voice, was effectual for the Redemption of the Tranfgreffions under the firft Covenant ↑.

Ther.

* See Ifai. liii. Luke xxiv. 25, 26. Acts xvii. 3.

Heb. ix. 15. When I reflect on thefe Words, I wonder how any One can affert, That all the Jews died under the Curfe of the Law.-Died under the Curfe of the Law! Even though the Apoftle has warranted it for a Truth, That All thefe (meaning Abraham, Sarah, Ifaac, Jacob, &c.) died in Faith. Heb. xi. 13.-Even though He has elsewhere laid it down as a Maxim, So then they which are of Faith, in whatever Period of Time they live, or under whatever Difpenfation of Religion they worship, are bleffed with faithful Abraham, Gal. iii. 9.-Even though the Pfalmift, in one Place, affirms, Bleffed are they whofe Unrighteoufneffes are forgiven, and whofe Sin is covered. And, in another Place, declares concerning Himfelf and his pious Cotemparies; Look how ride the Eaft is from the Weft! So far hath He fet our Sins from Us. Pfalm xxxii. 1. Palm ciii. 12.

From thefe and many other Texts, I think, it is evident, That the faithful Jevs no more died under the Curfe of the Law, than the faithful Chriftians. The Death of CHRIST procured the Pardon and Acceptanco of Sinners, even before He came in the Flefh. From the Beginning, He had covenanted with the FATHER, as their MEDIATOR: and GOD, to whom all Things are prefent, faw the certain Accomplishment of his Undertaking. He was therefore, by Virtue of the divine Decree, and in Point of faving Efficacy, A LAMB lain from the Foundation of the World. Though He laid down his Life in the Reign of Tiberius, He was a real REDEEMER in all Ages.

: Ther. So You apprehend, that, in those Ufages, practifed by the antient Jews, the Gospel was emblematically preached, and CHRIST in a Figure

exhibited.

Afp. Moft certainly, Theron. And for this Caufe, under the Law, almost all Things were purged with Blood*. The Multiplicity, the Variety, the Conftancy of their Sacrifices, were all defigned to imprefs upon their Minds, and familiarize to their Thoughts, this great evangelical Truth.-Was any One overtaken by a Fault? He muft prefent a Victim, and the Priest must flay it, by way of Trespassoffering. To fignify, that the Guilt which was contracted, could be done away only by the atoning Death of CHRIST.-Had any One received a fignal Bleffing? A Beaft was flain by way of Peace-offering; as a public Expression of Gratitude for the Mercy, and also as an emphatical Declaration, that all Good vouchfafed to fallen Man, is owing to the REDEEMER's Ranfom.-Was any One to be invested with the priestly Office, or admitted to minifter in the Sanctuary? A Ram or a Bullock must bleed, for the Purposes of Confecration and Atonement +. In order to teftify, that' no Man can officiate with Acceptance in the Worthip of GOD that no Service, though of a religious Kind, can be pleafing in his Sight; till the former is interested in the Merits, unless the latter is recommended by the Death, of the great HIGHPRIEST.

And not only by their folemn facrificial Acts, but even by their ordinary Meals, this grand Leffon was inculcated. They were forbidden to eat the Blood,

Heb. ix. 22. + Lev. viii. 22. Numb. viii. 12.

in

în order to awaken and preserve in their Confciences, a reverential and fiducial Regard to the precious Blood of CHRIST. The HOLY GHOST, affigning a Reason for this facred Prohibition, fays exprefly, Because the Blood maketh an Atonement for Your Souls: the Blood of Beafts typically, the Blood of CHRIST effectually.-O! that Chriftians would, in this Particular, learn of Jews. Learn, at least, from Jewish Ordinances, to have their Attention inceffantly fixed on that Divine HIGHPRIEST; who, by one Offering, hath perfected for ever--not barely "conduced or contributed to the "Work," but fully accomplished it. Hath obtained complete and everlasting Redemption for them that are fanctified †•

Ther. Some Offerings were made without any Effufion of Blood. What could thofe mean? Or how could they typefy the Sacrifice of CHRIST?

Afp. Perhaps, the Apoftle might foresee fuch an Objection, when He made ufe of that guarded Expreffion, almost all Things were purged with Blood,

If, in thefe Cafes, there was no Effufion of Blood, yet there was a Destruction of the Substance. The Meat-offerings were confumed by Fire. Which is much the fame to inanimate Things, as fhedding of the Blood is to living Creatures.-The fame Effect is afcribed to thefe Oblations, as to those of the fanguinary Kind. It is exprefly declared of the poor Man's Sin-offering, which confifted of fine Flour, and was burnt upon the Altar, It shall make an Atonement for Him -So that Here alfo was, what We may truly call a visible Prediction of

CHRIST.

* Lev. xvii. 11.. 11, 12, 13.

+ Heb. x. 14.

↑ Lev, v.

one

CHRIST. The Offerings which flamed, as well as the Victims which bled, fhewed forth our dying LORD. Whofe " Oblation of Himfelf once "offered," comprised all the Qualities, and realized the whole Efficacy, represented by every other Sacrifice *.

Ther. Another odd Circumftance has often given me Difguft, and been apt to prejudice mé against the Institutions of the Old Testament. Many of them appear mean, contemptible, and perfectly puerile. "Can these, I have said within myself, be ordained

by a GOD of infinite Wifdom, and tranfcen"dent Glory? Can We reasonably imagine, that "a Mandate fhould be iffued from the Court of "Heaven, on purpose to forbid the Boiling, and

injoin the Roafting †, of fome particular Piece "of Meat?-Will the great RULER of the "Skies, concern Himself about the precife Manઃઃ ner of killing one infignificant Bird, and ∙reg leafing another ?-Will He, who claims the Worship of the Heart, have fuch an efpecial "Regard to a Drop or two of defpicable Blood, 26 put upon the Tip of the Right-ear, or the Thumb "of the Right-hand ||?-Surely, fuch childish Ce"remonies are too minute and trivial for the No"tice, much more for the folemn Appointment, of "the fupreme MAJESTY.

Afp.

For this Reafon, it is thought, the Apoftle ftyles the Sacrifice of CHRIST, perslooi Ducian, Better Sacrifices. Becaufe, this one Sacrifice comprehended the whole Virtue, and procured every Benefit, fignified by all the other. Heb. ix. 23.

+ Exod. xii. 9. Exod. xxix. 20.

† Lev. xiv. 4, 5, 6, 7.

Afp. You will please to remember, that, when thofe Ceremonies were ordained, it was the Infancy*, at least the Minority of the Church. If We advert to this Circumftance, We shall have Reason to admire, both the all-comprehending Wifdom, and the no lefs condefcending Goodness, of JEHOVAH.

His all-comprehending Wifdom, in conforming, fo accurately and so minutely, the Type to the Event. Though the former was established long, long before the latter exifted. Many Ages before the Defire of Nations appeared, his Picture was drawn; was prefented to public View; and is now found to correspond, in every Feature, with the illuftrious Orignal. What Hand could be equal to such a Task? Only the Hand of an Omnifcient LIMNER.His condefcending Goodness, in adapting the Tenour of his Revelation to the State of his People; speaking unto them, even as unto Babes t. Not by naked Precepts, or abstracted Truths; but by earthly Similitudes, and (if I may so express myself) by embodied

--

* St. Paul calls the Church of those Times, An Infant, or Babe, Gal. iv. 1, 3. And the ceremonial Inftitutions have been styled, with as much Truth as Ingenuity, Evangelium elementare & præliminare.

+ 1 Cor. iii. I.

This feems to be our LORD's Meaning, when He fays to Nicodemus, If I have told you earthly Things. He had been treating of that internal spiritual Renovation, which is the Root and Spring of all Holiness. He had been fpeaking of that Divine SPIRIT, whofe gracious and almighty Agency produces this defirable Change. The Nature of the former was reprefented, under the Similitude of a Birth; by which We enter upon a new State, and habituate Ourfelves to new Practices, Pleafures, Parfaits. The Operations of the latter were defcribed, by the common and well-known Proper

ties

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