SER M. ftrange way of proving it by allowing every other effect but this, which he flatly denies.

I.

I could tire you with inftances of this fort out of their best writers, infomuch that perhaps there are not in the world greater inftances of the power of prejudice to blind men, than the greateft champions of that cause, whose works upon this fubject are a continued feries of contradictions of this kind, vifible to any ordinary understanding who rightly takes the pinch of this controversy.

Now if you urge upon them all those texts of fcripture which speak of the blood of Chrift's wafhing, or cleanfing, or purging us from fin; they say they are all a figurative way of fpeaking, all metaphor and allufion only to the legal washings and fprinkling the blood of the Sacrifices; not, fay they, that it can have any real effect, for how can blood cleanse the foul? But who ever said that it could? we both agree in this that it is a figurative way of speaking. But then here we differ; Socinus and his followers fay they allude to the legal washings and fprinklings of the blood of the facrifices; which we don't deny, because those washings and fprinklings were types of this blood. We fay they have a further allufion, and that they both refer to the things of another world, and that they are defigned to represent and fignify to us fuch things as we are not able now to conceive; and which could not be more aptly reprefented to us under any other refemblances.

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This was the fatal rock on which Socinus SER M. fplit. He faw thefe expreffions were metaI. phor and analogy, as he speaks at every turn; and from thence he makes this false inference, that therefore they exprefs no real proper efficacy of the blood of Chrift. The reason of which was because he did not fee the true application and allufion of that analogy. Alas! the power and virtue of the blood of Chrift being revealed to us by way of analogy, doth not at all leffen the reality of it; any more than it derogates from the truth and reality of any other mystery of our religion; and that for the fame reafon, because this mysterious operation of the blood of Chrift in cleansing our fouls from fin, could not be revealed to us after any other manner.

And that we may clear up this matter to every capacity, it must be obferved that the holy fcriptures represent innocence to us under the notion of a clean fkin, and a white garment. Rev. vii. 14. These are they who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The reason of which is because we are not able to form any conception of that glorious alteration which virtue and holiness make in the foul. And again the guilt of fin in the mind, and the manner of its defiling of it, is reprefented by that of a fcarlet colour; which way of fpeaking in all probability took its first rise from the blood of innocent perfons, which was fuppofed to stain the guilty. Pursuant to this, 'tis faid, Ifaiah i.

18.

.I.

SER M. 18. Though your fins be as fcarlet they fhall be as white as fnow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. The reason of which is because we cannot imagine how it is that fin pollutes the foul; we know as little of this now as we do of the fubftance of the spirit of man; so that the furprizing beauty of holiness, and the deformity of vice are hidden from our eyes till the great day of the revelation of all things.

Agreeably to this form of fpeaking, the blood of Chrift is faid to wash away the stains of the confcience; to cleanse it from that dirt and filth it had contracted; and to bring that fcarlet die of ours to a white colour. I John i. 7. "Tis faid, the blood of Jefus Chrift cleanfes us from all fin. And again Eph. v. 26. Chrift gave himself for the church, that he might cleanse it with the washing of water; that he might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle. Not that blood or water can affect or touch the foul; but because the washing of water, and sprinkling of blood was the most apt and lively emblem to exhibit and reveal to us that divine mysterious operation of the blood of Chrift, in taking away the guilt and pollutions of the confcience; the effect of which is as real in the mind, as that of washing away filth or spots is in the skin.

Thus much therefore of this mystery is plain and intelligible, and the proper object of our reafon; and what we now conceive of this great truth is, that as water washes away the

dirt of the body, and as exquifite cofme- SER M. ticks beautify the skin by a natural efficiency; I. fo the blood of Chrift, by a fupernatural work, takes the stains of guilt out of the foul, and renders us pure and innocent as if we had never finned. But as to the true nature of this work, the real manner of its operation, wherein the fecret virtue and divine efficacy of the blood of Chrift confifts; and what the true nature of thofe difeafes is which are to be cured, and what this mysterious application is in itself; all this I fay neither is nor could be revealed to us. We cannot form the leaft conception of it, we have no capacities for it, and therefore think and fpeak of it under the fimilitudes of purging and cleanfing and washing. Here therefore we bow and submit our reason, and adore that mystery we cannot comprehend. This transforming of our fouls into the likeness of Chrift by virtue of his blood, is the work of that divinity that made us; and no less than an infinite almighty power is able to effect it.

A

And herein is my faith, that I firmly believe the truth and reality of this divine efficacy of the blood of Chrift upon my foul and confcience, though I can neither think nor speak of the true nature of it as it is in it's self. And herein is my hope, that I have so absolute and intire dependance upon this mystical washing for the renewing of my nature; that thro' the merits and virtue of it, I have a joyful expectation of appearing one day per

fectly

SER M. fectly innocent and lovely in the fight of that God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.

I.

So that we see the queftion between us and the Socinians is not, whether the blood of Chrift literally and properly washes away the guilt of Sin? for alas! who can form so grofs a notion as to think that blood should wash the foul, as water doth the body; or that washing in blood should make one white? And who do they think is fo ignorant as to deny that thefe forms of fpeaking had allufion to the legal fprinklings or washings? What a world of fruitlefs elaborate niceties would never have seen the light, if this had been confidered?

The true question in difpute is, whether the holy fcriptures do not represent the manner of our confciences being freed from guilt by the blood of Chrift, under fuch emblems as exprefs a real effect in nature? and whether by that anology is not fignified a real, proper, fupernatural efficacy? By thus feparating the two parts of the question which have been used to be treated of jointly, we divide the two diftinct things to be confidered in this mystery; the fimilitude only and resemblance, from the reality and true fubftance of it. And thus this great mystery of our religion will be fet in a clear light; fo as to remove all doubt, and give full fatisfaction to a confidering mind. Now,

There is hardly any place of Scripture which fpeaks of the blood of Chrift from whence