BY 'THE SPIRIT AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 269 cleansing which God hath appointed, and which he an acquaintance with it, is to be duly considered. It makes effectual. One great end of the revelation of the will of God, from the foundation of the world, of his institutions and ordinances of worship, was to direct the souls and consciences of men in and unto the way of their cleansing, which, as it argues his infinite love and care, so the great importance of the matter itself. And one principal means which Satan, from the beginning, made use of to keep men in their apostasy from God,' and to encourage them therein, was, by supplying them with innumerable ways ofpurifications, suited to the ima- ginations of their dark, unbelieving, and superstitious minds. And, in like manner, when hedesigned to draw men off from Christ and the gospel, under the Papacy, he did it principally by the suggestion of such present and future Purgatories ofsin as might complywith their lusts and ignorance; of so great importance is it there- fore to be acquainted with the only true real way and means hereof. And there are two considerations that are suited to excite the diligence of sinners in this in- quiry: I. The weight that is laid on this matter by God himself. 2. The difficulty ofattaining an acquaintance with it: And, (1.) As path been observed, any one, byconsidering the legal institutions of old, will see what weight God lays hereon. No sacrifice had any respect unto sin, but there was somewhat peculiar in it that was for its cleansing. And there were sundry ceremonious ordinances which had no other end but only to purify from uncleannesses. (2.) Among all the promises of the Old Testament, concerning the establishment of the New - Covenant, and the grace thereof, which are many and precious, there are none more eminent than those which concern our cleansing from sin by the administra- tion of the Spirit, through the blood of Christ. Some of them have been mentioned before. Which also far- ther manifests the care that God bath taken for our in- struction herein. (3.) There is nothing more pressed on us, nothing more frequently proposed unto its in the gospel, than the necessity of our purification, and the only wayof effecting it. Iftherefore either instructions, or promises, or precepts, or all concurring, may evi- dence the importance of a duty, then is this manifested to partake therein. And those who will prefer the guidance of carnal reason, and vain traditions, before these heavenly directions, shall live in their ignorance, and die in their sins. 2dly, The difficulty of attaining is a part of the mysteryof the gospel, and such a part as is among those which the wisdom of the world or carnal reason esteemeth foolishness. It is not easily ad- mitted nor received, that we can no otherwisebe clean- sed from our sins, but by the sprinkling of that blood which was shed so long ago. Yet this, and no other way, doth the scripture propose unto us. To fancy that there is any cleansing from sin but by the blood of Christ, is to overthrow the gospel. The doctrine here- of are persons therefore obliged to inquire after,, and come to the knowledge of; that, being satisfied with its truth, and that this is the only way of cleansing sin, appointed and blessed by God himself, their minds may be exercised about it, and so be taken off from resting oq those vain medicines and remedies, which (having nothing else to fix upon) their own hearts, and other's blind devotions, would suggest unto them. -5. But now the great inquiry is, how a sinful defiled soul may come to have an interest in, or be partaker of, the purifying virtue and efficacy of the blood of Christ? Anste, (1.) The purifying virtue and force of the blood ofChrist, with the administration of the Spirit for its application, to make it effectual unto our souls and consciences, is proposed and exhibited unto us in the promises of the covenant, 2 Peter i. 4. This all the instances (which need not be recited) before produced do testify unto. (2.) The only way to be made parta- ker of the good things presented in the promises, is by faith. So Abraham is said to have received the pro. mises, Heb. xi. 17. and so are we also to receive them and Christ himself. Now, this is not from their being proposed unto us, but from our believing of that which is proposed, as it is expressed of Abraham, Rom. iv. 19, 20, 21. chap. x. 6, 7, 8, 9. The whole use, benefit, and advantage of the promises depends absolutely on our mixing them with faith, as the apostle declares, Heb. iv. 1. Where they are mixed with faith, there they profit us, there we really receive the thing promis- ed. Where they are not so mixed, they are of no use, but to aggravate our sins and unbelief. I know that by some men the whole nature and work of faith is de- rided. They say it is nothing but a strong fixing of the imagination upon what is said. However, weknow that ifa man promise us any thing seriously and so- lemnly, which is absolutely in his power, we trust unto
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