P R I E S T: 3r3 and Socinians dream, while they blafphemoufly and ignorantly attempt to degrade the Mediator from his effential Divinity, that they are robbing him of the Merit of his Sacrifice, and robbinghis People of the very Balls and Means of their Salvation ? They unite the Folly of Turks, with the Blafphemy of Yews; and aretenfold more inconfiftent, and more inexcufable, than either: Chrift was the great propitiatory Sacrifice, and the anointedSacrificer too. He bled as the Lamb without Spot, and he offered himfelf as the Priefl without Sin : In both views, therefore, he could not but be acceptable to GOD. He came by Water, full of Purity and Per- fe&ion, and by Blood, replete with Mercy and Propitia- tion. He came not by Water only; for then his infinite Holinefs muff have rejefted our finful Nature; but by Water and Blood, that, through his Atonement, we might be made Partakers of that Holinefs and of Life everlafting. And further, when it is confidered who the Lamb without Spot, and the Prieft without Sin, was even Jehovah, the omnipotent GOD, united to our Nature ; there is no Circumfcription to the Merit of either CharaEter ; and the Dignity of both is high and deep, and broad and long, beyond Conception or Degree. Happy they, who have the divine Gift of Faith to plead this meritorious Sacrifice for their fin - burdened Confciences ; thrice happy, who are thus enabled, with holy Confidence, to call this bleffed High Prieft of Jehovah, their own ! In the cxth. Pfalm it is folemnly afl'erted, that Jeho- vah bath fworn and will not change; * Thou (the ADONAI) r The Word aru, commonly tranflated repent, is improperly ap- plied to JEHOVAH, with refpett to its ufual Idea of Sorrow or Com- punl7ian; and, therefore, it might have been rendered, with greater Propriety, change or alter ; for with GOD (refpetaing his Na- ture) there is no Yariablenefs neither Shadow of turning. Dr. yohn Edwards juftly obferves, that when GOD is Paid to repent (as, it repented the Loan, that He hadmade Man, &c.) we are to underhand by it, that He ats in acontrary Manner to what He didbefore; and he
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=