§. 82. Of Christs purging blood.
THe effect and vertue of Christs offering is answerable to the excellency thereof, set out in these words, purge your conscience from dead works.
The word here translated, a 1.1 purge, commeth from the same root that that no•…•…n did: which with a verb added to it, we translate b 1.2 having purged, chap. 1. v. 3. §. 27 It implieth a taking away of filth, and making foul things clean. It is apply∣ed to cleansing of things corporall, Luke 11. 39. and to legal purgations, v. 22. and to inward spirituall things: and that as an act on Gods part, Iohn 15. 2. and as an act of man in relation to his indeavour, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Iames 4. 8.
Here it is meant of a spiritual purging from sin. This is evident.
- 1. By the opposition that is here made to the purifying of the flesh, v. 13.
- 2. By the subject here said to be purged, which is the conscience.
Here then we are given to understand three points.
- 1. The blood of Christ is of a purging nature.
- 2. That purging virtue reacheth to the soul.
- 3. The soul is cleansed from sin.
These three may be summoned up in this one proposition.* 1.3
By Christs blood mans soul is cleansed from sin. This is set out by other meta∣phors: as washing and making white, Rev. 7. 14. This phrase, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, intends as much, Heb. 10. 22. But most expresly this, The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, 1 Iohn 1. 7.
- 1. This effect of purging, as here taken, presupposeth such uncleannesse as defi∣leth* 1.4 the soul: and in that respect ministreth matter of much humiliation: for if the Leper under the Law, by reason of his legall uncleannesse, were to cry unclean, unclean, (Lev. 13. 45.) how much more ought we in regard of our spiritual unclean∣nesse? If they were not quiet till they were cleansed, how can we rest with our sin∣full pollutions in us?
- 2. The foresaid effect of purging attributed to Christs blood, ministereth matter* 1.5 of consolation: for it giveth proof of that, there is a fountain opened to the people of God, for sin and for uncleannesse, Zac. 13. 1. On this ground it may be said, comfort ye, comfort ye my people, Isa. 40. 1, 2.
- 3. This should stir us up to come to this Fountain, and to strive so to enter into* 1.6 it, as we may be cleansed thereby: as the Jews did at the pool•…•… of Be•…•…hesda, John 5. 2, 3, 4. It is not in this case as it was there, that only one should be healed at a time: even he that first stepped in; but Christ inviteth all of all sorts to come to him, Mat. 11. 28. Let us therefore every one, go to Jesus as the Leper did, and say, Lord, i•…•… thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. Mat. 8. 2. Yea, let us joyn together, as the ten Lepers did, and in faith expect to be cleansed, Luke 17. 12. &c. Had we such sense of our spirituall Leprosie, and such faith in Christs power and goodnesse, as they had, we should as readily and earnestly seek to Christ as they did: and finding our selves cleansed, should as willingly and joyfully return to glorifie God as the Samaritan that was amongst them did, Luke 17. 15, 16.