Rite of Cleansing of the Leper

The sermon is set in context of the dreadful disease of leprosy, which was the image of death in the OT, so that the bodily state of the leper mainfested the state of the soul of men without the cleansing of Christ's blood and rrenewing of the Holy Spirit. The rite of cleansing from leprosy consisted of two birds,one of whom was killed over a bowl of fresh water. The resultant mixture of blood and water was sprinkled on the former leper, who was then pronounced clean. The living bird was dipped int the same mixture and let loose. Here is the gospel and the three witnesses on earth of I John 5:8, "the Spirit, and the water, and the blood".