Section 11: Of the Sacrifice and Altar pertaining to Christianity.

Book 1 Section 11 (p. 19):
Of the Sacrifice and Altar pertaining to Christianity.

The Lord Christ being acknowledged the most excellent High Priest, the excellent of his Sacrifice cannot be denyed; it being his own most blessed Body, which he freely offered, through the Eternal Spirit (or by virtue of his Divinity) without spot to God for the Sin of Mankind; it is therefore called the Sacrifice of himself, Heb. 9.26. And of that perpetual Vertue, as that it needs not daily to be offered, (as all other Sacrifices must be repeated) because by one Offering it perfecteth what concerns the necessity of Man; and is to God an Offering of a sweet-smelling savour, Ephes. 5.2. And doth therefore excel all the Offerings and Sacrifices which were offered by the Law, which stood in Meats, Drinks, the Blood and Flesh of Bulls, Goats, &c. which God hath now rejected, as having no pleasure therein: For how is it possible that such Sacrifices should cleanse the Sin-defiled Consciences of Men? And though many of the Gentiles did Sacrifice Humane Flesh unto their false Deities, yet these were polluted Sacrifices, being sinful Flesh, as well as for other Causes, and therefore could not purge others from Sin.

Of the Christian Altar the same consideration is to be had: for sith the Altar sanctifies the Gift, it can be nothing inferior to himself, that is, the Lord Jesus. Though he was pleased to offer his own Body upon the Cross, which Men had prepared for him, and set in an unclean place: But the Altar whereon the Christian Sacrifices are accepted, is said to be before the Throne of God, Rev. 8.3. where the High Priest himself entred to present his Sacrifice; as so to appear in the presence of God for us. And this is that whereof Christians have right to eat, by Faith, feeding daily upon the Flesh of Christ, which is Meat indeed, and the Blood of Christ, which is Drink indeed. And thus from the excellency of Christ's Sacrifice, and Altars, we infer the Excellency of Christianity it self.