2. How awful is the state of those who reject it!
[We tremble for those who despised Moses' law, and in contempt of the divine command ate of blood. But how much more must we tremble for those who make light of Christ! For, " if they who despised Moses' law died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified a common thmgr!" The command given to us to drink of the blood of our great sacrifice is not a whit less urgent than the prohibition given to the Jews. Our Lord expressly tells us, that " except we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we have no life in us :" and St. Paul gives us this solemn warning, " How can we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ! " Verily, if God set his face against the disobedient Jew, much more will he against the disobedient and unbelieving Christian. I charge you then, my brethren, to comply with the divine command in this respect: for if ye do not, O consider " what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of Christ ! " Verily, God has told us, and plainly too, that " when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, it shall be to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Let us now then avail our- selves of the opportunity afforded us, and both take of the blood of Christ, and " sprinkle it on our consciences, that it may purge us from dead works to serve the living God."]
r Heb. x. 28, 29. koivov. t t 2