miſics and Deſcent, whether right Jews and Prieſts or no, whoſs Genealogy was preſerved to that end, Ezra 2. 43, &c. but had their Regijier in Heaven, were written in the Lambs Book of Life, to he of heavenly defcent, Born of God, partakers of the Divine Natyrc and who had Right and Title by Faith in Chriſt to the Heavenly [n- heritance, and were free Denizens of it, Lyhe 19, 20. and have vt Heavenly Priviledges derived to them, Rev. 20. 12, 16. and 21. 2» How obiiging, influencing, and promoting are tizefe Priviledpes of every Chriſtians purſuit of Holineſs. p They were as Chriſtians pri. viledged with an acceſs, not as Trae! had at Sinai with Fear and
Chap. XR
Terror, and Trembling, fo as to tly from the great Author, Lord ©
and Judge of the Covenant, leſt they died, as Exod. 20. 18, hyt with Liberty and Boldnefs of Faith, in tie ſtrength of Love,and with firmneſs of Hope, they come now in $7on, T/a. 33. 22, and 50, 20, Heb. 10. 19. unto God in his Being and Soveratzaty, who rulcth all, and who givetit to all according to their Works, and in a moſt em! nent manner ruleth them, who as he 1s their 7udge, hath not as ar Stnai any Bars to keep them trom him, Exod. 19. 12. Ephel, 2, 18, nor is Terrifying and Conſuming, as then, Dezr. 5. 24, 25, but Juſtifying them ; fuil of Grace and Love to a!! approaching him in Chriſt ; his Throne is a Throne of Grace to them, he comforting and encouraging them to make home to him, 7obn 5.22. 4s 19.242, Rem.3.6, So as they have boldneſs in the day of Judement,and {! 1nd
-
unſhiken before their Judge, and are ſtrenethned by him, Row. ?, r
33,34- 1 John 4. 17. He rewards them glorioufly, 2 T;m.4.8. Pcr- tecting Holineſs 1n them beneath, and Crowning them with Glory
above ; what a help is this to purſue Holincſs? q The perf: {tate to which the Goſpel-Covenant leadeth, is promoting F(-lincfe, tor they have an acceſs to the ſzme Lot, and are come into the ſame way of being perfeeted in Hilineſs with the Spirits of the Rightens, ſepa. rated trom their Bodies. enjoy in Heaven, and have a rizht unto, and ſhall have the certain enjoyment of the ſame Priviledge, which car- rieth through all difficulties in the purfuit of it, expetting them- ſelves by Death to be put 1n poſlefſion with them of the ſame ſtate, Rom.8. 22,23. 2 Cor. 5.1,2,8. compare Phil.3.12,13,14.
24 And tor * Jeſus the Mediaror of the new || co- venant, and / tot the blood of ſprinkling, that ſpeak- eth better things than 7hat of Abel.
# The Mediator of the .$79n-Covenant is better than the Mediitor at Sinai, and more able to promote the Holineſs required by it. Believers have not now acceis unto, or dependance on a es, a meer Man, and a Servant, declaring God's Will only, a Simmer |11m- ſelf, trembling in his own Office, and weary of his Clients, and whoſe Miniſtry is vaniſhing, as his Perſon dying; but unto God the Son himſelf incarnate, a Son-Mediator, making Sons, and brinzing them nearer to God, ſatisfying the Law for them, and writing it on their Hearts ; above all Sin himſelf, though a Sacrifice for it, who is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, for that he ever liveth ta intercede for them, Chap. x. 1, 2, 3. and 3.6. and 7. 26. Rev. 1.13. He is the Mediator, not of a literal, dark, terrible, charging and con- demning, temporary and vaniſhing Covenant, bvt of the moſt ſpi- ritual, lightfome, gracious, juſtifying, ſan&iſying, and everlaſting Teſtamental-Diſpenſation of God, more effettually influencing Souls to Holineſs than the Old, Chap. 8.10,11, 2 Cor.3.5. and 5. 19. / The Sacrifice ratifying the S!on-Covenant is unexprefſibly better than all the Typical Sacrifices confirming that at Sinaj, it eminently purcha- {1ng and ſecuring Holineſs to thoſe intereſted in it. the immaculate Lamb of God, ſprinkled on penitent, believing Sin- ners, which hath purchaſed Pardon for them, and as follows, the Spirit to ſanifie them throughout, and perfet Holineſs in them, Chap. 9.12. 1 Pet. 1.18. 1 John1. 7, 9. and fo are freed from ac- ceſs to the ſprinkling of the Blood of Sacrificcd Beaſts, which was only typical and weak to purge the Conſcience, calling Sin to re- membrance yearly and daily, which was now forbidden and rcje&ted as of no worth, and which, Iike Abel's, crieth for Revenge and Condemnation, Gen. 4. go. Since their Blogd row offered rrhen Chriſt hath ſpilt his, was accounted of God as the Blood of Inno- cents ſlain, as. Iſa, 66. 3, Others render the B/ood of Ahel for the Blood of ſprinkling of the Sacrifice that Abel, offered unto God, Gen.q.4. which was ſprinkled upon him ; and fo prefer Chriſt's Sacrifice, not only to the Moſaical Sacrificers, but to all that have been from the beginning of the World, which though accepted by God, vet not like Chriſt, of which they were the Types. The Sum of all theſe compariſons, 1s to ſhew the greater helps, motives and encouraze- ments that Chriſtians have to purſue and - perfe& Holineſs, than all the Old-Teſtament-Church had before them.
25 See 7 thit ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh : Fos if z they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, w much more /ha// not we eſcape, if we tum
away from him that fpeaterth trom heaven.