The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…

Name: The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…
Author: John Bunyan

The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law and grace the nature of the one and the nature of the other, showing what they are as they are the two covenants ... wherein for the better understanding of the reader there is several questions answered touching the law and grace ... : also several titles set over the several truths contained in this book, for thy sooner finding of them, which are those following the epistle / published by that poor and contemptible creature, John Bunyan of Bedford.

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Thirdly, With this he was to take of the blood of the sacrifices, and carry it into the holiest of all, which was a type of Heaven, and there was he to sprinkle the mercy-seat; and this was to be done by the high Priest only. To signify, that none but Jesus Christ must have this office and privilege, to be the peoples high Priest to offer for them. Heb. 9. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, yet not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.

Thirdly, With this he was to take of the blood of the sacrifices, and carry it into the holiest of all, which was a type of Heaven, and there was he to sprinkle the mercy-seat; and this was to be done by the high Priest only. To signifie, that none but Jesus Christ must have this office and priviledge, to be the peoples high Priest to offer for them. Heb. 9. 7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, yet not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.

:367p. 150–151

Fourthly, He was there to make an atonement for the people with the blood, sprinkling of it upon the mercy-seat; but this must be done with much incense, Levit. 16. And Aaron shall bring the bullock which is for a sin-offering for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the Altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat, that is upon the testimony; that he dye not. And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat east-ward, and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle the blood with his finger seven ⟨p. 151⟩times. And then he shall kill the goat of the sin-offering which is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy-seat, verse 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Now this was for the priest and the people; all which doth signify, that Jesus Christ was after his death, to go into heaven it self, of which this holy place was a figure, Heb. 9. and there to carry the sacrifice that he offered upon the Cross into the presence of God, for to obtain mercy for the people in a way of justice. And in that he is said to take his hands full of sweet incense, it signifies, that Jesus Christ was to offer up his sacrifice in the presence of his Father, in a way of intercession and prayers.

Fourthly, He was there to make an atonement for the people with the blood, sprinkling of it upon the mercy-seat; but this must be done with much incense, Levit. 16. And Aaron shall bring the bullock which is for a sin-offering for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself. And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the Altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat, that is upon the testimony; that he dye not. And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat east-ward, and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle the blood with his finger seven ⟨p. 151⟩times. And then he shall kill the goat of the sin-offering which is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy-seat, verse 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Now this was for the priest and the people; all which doth signifie, that Jesus Christ was after his death, to go into heaven it self, of which this holy place was a figure, Heb. 9. and there to carry the sacrifice that he offered upon the Cross into the presence of God, for to obtain mercy for the people in a way of justice. And in that he is said to take his hands full of sweet incense, it signifies, that Jesus Christ was to offer up his sacrifice in the presence of his Father, in a way of intercession and prayers.

:368p. 151

I might have branched these things out into several particulars, but I would be brief.

:369p. 151

I say, therefore the office of the Priests was to carry the blood into the holy place, and there to present it before the mercy-seat, with his heart full of intercessions for the people, for whom he was a Priest, Luke 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. This is Jesus Christs work now in the kingdom of glory to plead his own blood, the nature and virtue of it, with a perpetual intercession to the God of mercy, on the behalf of us poor miserable sinners, Heb. 7. 24.

I say, therefore the office of the Priests was to carry the blood into the holy place, and there to present it before the mercy-seat, with his heart full of intercessions for the people, for whom he was a Priest, Luke 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. This is Jesus Christs work now in the kingdom of glory to plead his own blood, the nature and vertue of it, with a perpetual intercession to the God of mercy, on the behalf of us poor miserable sinners, Heb. 7. 24.

:370p. 151–152

Now in the intercession of this Jesus, which ⟨p. 152⟩is part of his priestly office, there is these things to be considered for our comfort.

:371p. 152

First, There is a pleading of the virtue of his blood, for them that are already come in; that they may be kept from the evils of heresies, delusions, temptations, pleasures, profits, or any thing of this world, which may be too hard for them. Father, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world (saith Christ) but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil, John 17. 15.

First, There is a pleading of the vertue of his blood, for them that are already come in; that they may be kept from the evils of heresies, delusions, temptations, pleasures, profits, or any thing of this world, which may be too hard for them. Father, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world (saith Christ) but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil, John 17. 15.

:372p. 152

Secondly, in case the devil should aspire up into the presence of God, to accuse any of the poor Saints, and to plead their back-slidings against them, as he will do if he can; then there is Jesus, our Lord Jesus, ready in the Court of Heaven, at the right hand of God, to plead the virtue of his blood, not only for the great and general satisfaction that he did give when he was on the Cross; but also the virtue that is in it now, for the cleansing, and fresh purging of his poor Saints, under their several temptations and infirmities; as saith the Apostle, For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son: much more then being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life; that is, by his intercession, Rom. 5. 10.

Secondly, in case the devil should aspire up into the presence of God, to acuse any of the poor Saints, and to plead their back-slidings against them, as he will do if he can; then there is Jesus, our Lord Jesus, ready in the Court of Heaven, at the right hand of God, to plead the vertue of his blood, not only for the great and general satisfaction that he did give when he was on the Cross; but also the vertue that is in it now, for the cleansing, and fresh purging of his poor Saints, under their several temptations and infirmities; as saith the Apostle, For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son: much more then being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life; that is, by his intercession, Rom. 5. 10.

:373p. 152–153

Thirdly, The maintaining of grace, also, is by Jesus Christs intercession, being the second part of his Priestly Office. O! had we not a ⟨p. 153⟩Jesus at the right hand of God, making intercession for us, and to convey fresh supplies of Grace unto us, through the virtue of his blood, being pleaded at Gods right hand; how soon would it be with us, as it is with those for whom he prays not at all; John 17. 9. But the reason why thou standest, while others fall, the reason why thou goest through the many temptations of the world, and shakest them off from thee, while others are ensnared, and entangled therein; it is because thou hast an interceding Jesus. I have prayed (saith he) that thy saith fail not, Luke 22. 3, 2.

Thirdly, The maintaining of grace, also, is by Jesus Christs intercession, being the second part of his Priestly Office. O! had we not a ⟨p. 153⟩Jesus at the right hand of God, making intercession for us, and to convey fresh supplies of Grace unto us, through the vertue of his blood, being pleaded at Gods right hand; how soon would it be with us, as it is with those for whom he prays not at all; John 17. 9. But the reason why thou standest, while others fall, the reason why thou goest through the many temptations of the world, and shakest them off from thee, while others are ensnared, and intangled therein; it is because thou hast an interceding Jesus. I have prayed (saith he) that thy saith fail not, Luke 22. 3, 2.

:374p. 153–154

Fourthly, It is partly by the virtue of Christs intercession that the elect are brought in; there is many that are to come to Christ, which are not yet brought in to Christ: and it is one part of his work to pray for their salvation too. Neither pray I for these alone, but for all those that shall believe (though as yet they do not believe) on me (but that they may believe) through their word, John 17. 20. And let me tell thee soul for thy comfort, who art a coming in to Christ, panting and sighing, as if thy heart would break; I tell thee soul, thou wouldest never have come to Christ, if he had not first by the virtue of his blood and intercession, sent into thy heart an earnest desire after Christ: and let me tell thee also, that it is his business to make intercession for thee; not only that ⟨p. 154⟩thou mightest come in, but that thou mightest be preserved, when thou art come in, Compare Heb. 7. 25. with Rom. 8. 33, 34, 35, &c.

Fourthly, It is partly by the vertue of Christs intercession that the elect are brought in; there is many that are to come to Christ, which are not yet brought in to Christ: and it is one part of his work to pray for their salvation too. Neither pray I for these alone, but for all those that shall believe (though as yet they do not believe) on me (but that they may believe) through their word, John 17. 20. And let me tell thee soul for thy comfort, who art a coming in to Christ, panting and sighing, as if thy heart would break; I tell thee soul, thou wouldest never have come to Christ, if he had not first by the vertue of his blood and intercession, sent into thy heart an earnest desire after Christ: and let me tell thee also, that it is his business to make intercession for thee; not only that ⟨p. 154⟩thou mightest come in, but that thou mightest be preserved, when thou art come in, Compare Heb. 7. 25. with

:375p. 154–155

Fifthly, It is by the intercession of Christ, that the infirmities of the Saints in their holy duties are forgiven: Alas, if it was not for the priestly office of Christ Jesus, the prayers, alms, and other duties of the Saints, might be rejected, because of the sin that is in them: but Jesus being our high Priest, he is ready to take away the iniquities of our holy things, perfuming our prayers with the glory of his own perfections: and therefore it is, that there is an answer given to the Saints prayers, and also acceptance of their holy duties, Rev. 8. 3, 4. But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building. Neither by the blood of goats and calves: but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament (or Covenant) that by means of death, for the redemption of the ⟨p. 155⟩transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which are called (notwithstanding all their sins) might receive the promise of eternal inheritance, Heb. 9. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

Fifthly, It is by the intercession of Christ, that the infirmities of the Saints in their holy duties are forgiven: Alas, if it was not for the priestly office of Christ Jesus, the prayers, alms, and other duties of the Saints, might be rejected, because of the sin that is in them: but Jesus being our high Priest, he is ready to take away the iniquities of our holy things, perfuming our prayers with the glory of his own perfections: and therefore it is, that there is an answer given to the Saints prayers, and also acceptance of their holy duties, Rev. 8. 3, 4. But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building. Neither by the blood of goats and calves: but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament (or Covenant) that by means of death, for the redemption of the

:376p. 155

The third thing now to be spoken to, it is to show where, and how Jesus Christ out-went, and goes beyond these priests in all their qualifications and offices, for the comfort of poor Saints.

The third thing now to be spoken to, it is to shew where, and how Jesus Christ out-went, and goes beyond these priests in all their qualifications and offices, for the comfort of poor Saints.

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First, They that were called to the priest-hood under the Law, were but men: but he is both God and Man, Heb. 7. 28. 3.

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2. Their qualifications were in them in a very scanty way: but Jesus was every way qualified in an infinite and full way.

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They were consecrated but for a time, Heb. 7. 23. but he for ever more, ver. 24.

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4. They were made without an oath, ver. 20, 21. but he with an oath.

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5. They as servants: but he as a Son, Heb. 3. 6.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36