240 The Gofpel of the Peace-Offering. As David refufed to drink of the Waters of the Well of Bethlehem, 2 Sam. 23. 17. becaufe it was per equivalentiam, `the Blood of them that fetcht it with the peril of their Lives. So here, Blood was typically the Blood of Chrift, and therefore facred to the Lord, they mutt not We it to other common Life. The Lord would hereby teach them a reverential Efteem and high Valuation, of the Blood of Jefus Chrift. Some go a little further, and obferve this in it : That look as Eating and Drinking lignifies Communion : So Cor. io. i6. The Cup of ble ing which we biefs, tis it not the Commhnion of the Blood of_Cbrifi ? And forbidding to Eat, is a forbidding Communion. Alb io. 13, r¢. In Peter's Vifion, rife, kill, and eat : It is meant of exercifing Commu- nion with the Gentiles ; and Peter's objeaing, Not fo Lord, for I have never eaten any thing tbat is common or unclean : His meaning is, he refufeth Communion with them. So this Prohibitionof eating Blood, which was given upon the Altar to make Atonement for Men's Souls; and of Fat, which was given upon the Altar to be confumed there with Fire, and fo was the Lords ; feemeth to forbid figuratively, all afcribing and aiming unto our felves the Work of Redemption, which is only by the Blood of Chrift; or the Work of our Sanaifi- cation to our felves, which Chrift by his Spirit performeth in us. Aynfw. in Lev. 3. ult. To take this Work to our felves, is to eat the Blood as it were, which the Lord will not endure. There is a further Reafon given by force, That the Lord did it to diltinguifh his People from the Heathen, who were wont to drink the Blood: of their Sacrifices, Pfal. 16. 3. As indeed in all thefe ancient Inftitutions, the Lord had a fpecial Eye unto that, to keep them off from the Heathenifh Cuftoms and Idolatries. Thus you fee the Reafons, why Blood was forbidden under the Law, the chief whereof is, the refpe& it had to the Blood of Chrift. From all which, you have a clear Refolution of that fcru- ple of Confcience that hath troubled force, concerning that Pro- hibition of Blood under the New-Teftament by the Synod, in Afis 15. 20, 29. Bat he Anfwer is, That the main Reafon why Blood was for- bidden of old, being becaufe the Lord had given Blood to them for Atonement ; and this life being figurative, which had its End and Ac- complilhment in Chrift, who by his Death and Blood-fhedding, hath caufed the Sacrifices and Oblations to ceafe, Dan. 9. Therefore now this Law mutt needs be expired, and not íä1l in force upon the Con- fciences of Believers. And
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