The Gofpel ofthe Heave-Offering. 277 I. Atonement and Reconciliation. This was the Great Myftery taught and held forth in all the Propitiatory Sacrifices ; That we are reconciled unto God, by the Death and Sufferings of his Son ; and that they bad fQ great a Multitude and variety of Sacrifices, plainly taught them Two Things. ( I . ) The dmperfe&Lion of all thofe legal Sacrifices ; it taught them to look beyond thefe, for a more r perfe&Sacrifice then any ofthefe, which might ferve once for all. The Apoftle expreíly fpells out this Leflbn to us, from the multitude and iteration of the Sacrifices, Heb. to. I,2. ( 2.) This great variety of Sacrifices, taught themalto the various and manifold Benefits of Chrifi, and of his Death and Blood. Though Chrift be one, and died once for all ; yet the Benefits that come by him are many : No one Thing alone was fuficient to reprefent the f 1nefs that is in Chrift. 2. The fecond great Thing held forth by their legal Offerings, is Praife and Thankfulnef This was the intent of the Holy Offerings, as Atonement was of the molt Holy. This was the meaning of the Heave -Offering and the Wave- Offering ; a thankful Frame of Spirit, to dedicate: and give up our felves unto the Lord, to be owning God, acknowledging and admiring God in every thing, receiving it as from his Hand, and returning it to him again, by Wing it to his Glory. Vfe 2.. We fee here the rife, and withal theSinfulnefs of divers of the Pop,ifh Srasperflitions. They borrow many of them from the Yews, and from the Ceremonial Law. As when they talk of aSacrifice, a propitia- tory Sacrifice in theMafs for Qiick and Dead ; and fo call theComm,- Ilion Table an Altar. It is true, we have an Altar and a Sacrificeunder the Gofpel ; but this Altar is the Deity of Jefus Chrift : This Sacrifice= is the Blood of Chrift : This is the true Atonement between God and Sinners ;. whereofthe Blood ofBulls and Goats, was but a weak,. low, and fhady Reprefentation. So the Prieft's lifting up the }loft over his Head, as if it were an' Heave-Offering ; and that late Abdmination, that they .melt do it-- on the North Side of the Communion Table or Altar, as they .love, to have it called. To reintroduce thefe old legal Ceremonies, and . to talk of ;literal Sacrifices under the Gofpel, is to dig . Mofes out of his Grave, and to .deny,jefics Chrift : There is more Evil in fuels Things, then many do imagine or will believe. Vfe 3. Exhortation to keep clofe to the Command of God, in all the Matters ofhis Worthip. Confider thee Verfe of this Chapter : Tbzs+ is the Law of the .Bitrnt.Offering, and of the Meat- Offering, ( and fo of all
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