li 260 THE FILTH OF SIN PURGED redemption. (2.) As it is sprinkledby the same Spirit' on the consciencesof believers, to purge them from dead works, as ver. 12, 13, 14. And hence it is called, with respect unto oursanctification, the blood ofsprink- ling, Heb. xii. 24. For we have the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, 1 Peter i. 2. 2. The blood of Christ, in his sacrifice, is still al- ways and continually in the same condition, of the same force and efficacy as it was in that hour wherein it was shed. The blood of othersacrifices was always to be used immediately upon its effusion; for, if it were cold and congealed, it was of nouse to be offered or to be sprinkled, Lev. xvii. 11. Blood was appointed to make atonement, as the life or animal spirits were in it. But the blood of the sacrifice of Christ is always hot and warm, having the same spirits of life and sanctification still moving in it. Hence the way of approach which we have to God thereby, is said to be , re.r9rs, Heb. X. 20. always living, and yet always as newly slain. Every one, therefore, who at any time bath an especial actual interest in the bloodof Christ as sacrific- ed, bath as real a purification from the defilement ofsin ashe had typically, whostood by thepriest, and hadblood or water sprinkled on him. For the Holy Ghost dili- gently declares, that whatever was done legally, carnally, or typically, by any of the sacrifices of old, at any ,,time, as to the expiation or purificationof sin, that was all done really and spiritually by that one sacrifice, that is, the offering and sprinkling of the blood of Christ and abideth to be so done continually. To this pur- pose is the substance of our apostle's discourse in the ninth and tenth chapters of the epistle to the Hebrews. And they had various sorts of sacrifices, wherein, to this end, the blood of them was sprinkled, they being propitiatory in their offering: As, (I.) There was the nn, or continual burnt- offering of a lamb or kid for the whole congregation, morning and evening, whose blood was sprinkled as at other times. And hereby the habitual purification ofthe congregation, that theymight be holy to the Lord, and their cleansing from the daily incursions of secret and unknown sins was signified and carried on. (2.) On the Sabbath-day this juge sacrifi- clam was doubled, morning and evening, denoting a peculiar and abounding communication of mercy and purging grace through the administration of instituted ordinances on that day. (9.) Therewas the great an- nual sacrifice at the feast of expiation, when, by the sacrificeof the sin-offering and the scape-goat, thewhole congregation were purged from all their known and great sins, and recovered into a state of legal holiness. And other stated sacrificesthere were. (4.) There were occasional sacrifices for every one according as he found his condition to require. For those who were clean one day, yea, one hour, might, by some miscarriage, or surprisal, be unclean thenext; but there was away con- tinually ready for any man's purification, byhis bring- ing his offering unto that purpose. Now, the blood of Christ must continually, and upon all occasions, an- swerunto all these, and accomplish spiritually what they did legally effect and typically represent. This our a- postle asserts and proves, pHeb. i. ver, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Thereby is the gradual carrying on of our sanctification habitually effected, which was signified by the continual daily sacrifice. From thence is especial cleansing virtue communicated unto us by the ordinan- ces of the gospel, as is expressly affirmed, Eph. v. 25. 26. denoted by the doubling of the daily sacrifice on the Sabbath. By it are we purged from all our sins whatever, great or small, as was typified in the great sacrifice on the day of expiation. And unto him have wecontinual recourse upon all occasions of our spiritual defilements whatever. So was his blood, as to its puri- fying virtue, to answer and accomplish all legal institu- tions. Especially it doth so that of the ashesof the red heifer, Numb. xix. which was a standing ordinance, whereby every one who was any way defiled might im- mediately be cleansed: and he who would not make application thereunto was to be cut offfrom the people, ver. 20. And it is no otherwise with respect unto the blood of Christ, in our spiritual defilements: thence is it called afountain openedfor sin anduncleanness, Zech. xiii. 1. Andhe whoneglects to make application there- unto, shallperish in his uncleanness, and that eternally. Sect. 5.Farther, to clear this whole matter, two things are to be inquired into: (t.) How doth the blood of Christ thus cleanse us from our sins, or what it it that is done thereby? (2.) How we come to be made partakers of the benefit thereof, or come tobe interest- ed herein? As to the first, it must be observed what bath been declared before, that the uncleanness we treat of is not
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