542 THE SACRIFICE OF CFtRtst, kingdom of God: John iii. 5. That we must be washed and purified from our sinful habits by the Spirit of God, and become penitent and holy in heart and life ? And that we must enter into the profession of christianity by baptism as the symbol of this in- ward and divine purification ? But where is this to be found in the creed of Agrippa ? The other ceremony of the gospel is the Lord's-supper; and what does this represent in the institution of it by our blessed Saviour ? Does not he himself tell us in the form of this institu- tion, that it is the representation of his own body which was bro- ken for us by wounds upon the cross, and his own blood which was shed therefor the remission of sins ; Mat. xxvi. 28. under the two plain emblems of bread and wine ? But are not these sacredrepresentations of such important truths explained away by a forced construction Of the words ? Can such strong expres- sions of a dying Redeemer receive due honour by a confinement of them to a mere memorial of a dying martyr to'confirm his doctrine, or by sinking them to a mere figurative manifestation of what sin deserved, without any proper expiation of it ? Would an expiring prophet utter such speeches as would natu- rally lead his disciples into so great a mistake? Would the Sa- viour of the world in his last conversationwith his friends, betray them into such superstitious errors as Agrippa supposes the doc- trine of his atonement for sin to be? Would his wisdom and his goodness either incline or permit him to tell his disciples so ex- pressly, that his blood was shedfor the remission of their sins, and meanno more by it than Agrippa does ? VIII. After I had proved by the forceof the former queries, that the gospel doth evidently reveal this doctrine of Christ's atonement for sin, and our sanctification ley the Holy Spirit, then to confirm this yet further, I would enquire of Agrippa in the next place, what were the most necessary and most important blessings which mankind in their sinful and miserable estate stood in need of, and which accordingly the gospel reveals and bestows ? Tell me, Agrippa, what are our chief necessities, and what are the chief favours which we want from heaven? Do the not find ourselves guilty before God by our many iniqui- ties and violations of his holy law ? Do not our hearts accuse and condemn us ? And do we not stand in need of divine for- giveness? Isnot the awakened conscienceof man in his natural estate, solicitous how he shall obtain pardon of the great God ? IIas not this been the enquiry of thoughtful persons in all ages. What shall t do to appear before the Lord, and to bowmyself before the most high God with acceptance ? Micah. vi. 6. Has there not been a general traditionamong Jews and Gentiles, that the anger of God was to be removed by sacrifices, or the put- big to death of some animal creature in the room of criminal
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