2. Neither is the time of their institution mentioned. Some of the Papists dispute (as there are a generation of philosophical dis- puters amongst them, by whom their tottering cause is supported) that there should have been sacrifices in paradise, if a man had not sinned. But as, in all their opinions, our first inquiry ought to be. What do they get by this or that? their whole religion being pointed unto their carnal interest, so we may in particular do it upon this uncouth assertion, which is perfectly contradictious to the very nature and end of most sacrifices, — namely, that they should be offered where there is no sin. Why, they hope to establish hence a general rule, that there can be no true worship of God, in any state or condi- tion, without a sacrifice. What, then, I pray? Why, then it is evi- dent that the continual sacrifice of the mass is necessary in the church, and that without it there is no true worship of God ; and so they are quickly come home to their advantage and profit, — the mass being that inexhaustible spring of revenue which feeds their pride and lust throughout the world. But there is in the church of Christ an altar still, and a sacrifice still, which they have rejected for the abominable figment of their mass, — namely, Christ himself, as the apostle informs us, Heb. xiii. 10. But as the sacrifices of beasts could not have been before the entrance of sin, so it may be evidenced that they were instituted from the foundation of the world, — that is.
43 G AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Yer. 4
presently after the entrance of sin. Christ is called " The Lamb of God," John i. 29, which he was in reference unto the sacrifices of old, as 1 Pet. i. 18, 19; whence he is represented in the church as a " Larah slain," Rev. v. C, or giving out the efficacy of all sacrifices to his church. Now, he is said to be a " Lamb slain from the foun- dation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8, which could not be unless some sacrifice, prefiguring his being slain, had been then offered; for it denotes not only the efficacy of his mediation, but the way. Besides, the apostle tells us that " without sheddmg of blood there was no remission," Heb. ix. 22, — that is, God, to demonstrate that all pardon and forgiveness related to the blood of Christ from the foundation of the world, gave out no word of pardon but by and with blood. Now, I have showed before that he revealed pardon in the first promise; and therefore there ensued thereon the shedding of blood and sacri- fices; and thereby that testament or covenant " was dedicated with blood" also, verse 18. Some think that the beasts, of whose skins God made garments for Adam, were offered in sacrifices. Nor is the conjecture vain; yea, it seems not to want a shadow of a gospel mystery, that their nakedness, which became their shame upon their sin (whence the pollution and shame of sin is frequently so termed), should be covered with the skins of their sacrifices : for in the true sacrifice there is somewhat answerable thereunto; and the righteous- ness of Him whose sacrifice takes away the guilt of our sin is called our clothing, that hides our pollution and shame.
3. That after the giving of the law, the greatest, most noble, and solemn part of the worship of God consisted in sacrifices. And this kind of worship continued, with the approbation of God, in the world about four thousand years; that is, from the entrance of sin until the death of the Messiah, the true sacrifice, which put an end unto all that was typical.
These things being premised, we may consider what was the mind and aim of God in the institution of this worship. One instance, and that of the most solemn of the whole kind, will resolve us in this in- quiry. Lev. xvi. 5, " Two kids of the goats" are taken for " an offering for sin." Consider only (that we do not enlarge on particulars) how one of them was dealt withal: Verses 20-22, " He shall bring the live goat : and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live /' goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their ini- quities unto a land not inhabited."
Let us see to what end is all this solemnity, and what is declared thereby. Wherefore should God appoint poor sinful men to come
Ver.4.] EVIDENCE of forgiveness with god. 437
together, to take a goat or a lamb, and to confess over his head all their sins and transgressions, and to devote him to destruction under that confession? Had men invented this themselves, it had been a matter of no moment; but it was an institution of God, which he bound his church to the observation of upon the penalty of his highest displeasure. Certainly this was a solemn declaration that there is forgiveness with him. Would that God who is infinitely good, and so will not, who is infinitely true, holy, and faithful, and so cannot deceive, call men out, whom he loved, to a solemn repre- sentation of a thing wherein their chiefest, their eternal concernment doth lie, and suffer them to feed upon ashes? Let men take heed that they mock not God ; for of a truth God mocketh not man until he be finally rejected by him. For four thousand years together, then, did God declare by sacrifices that there is forgiveness with him, and led his people by them to make a public representation of it in the face of the world. Tliis is a second uncontrollable evidence of the truth asserted, which may possibly be of use to souls that come indeed deeply and seriously to deal with God ; for though the prac- tice be ceased, yet the instruction intended in them continues.