blessed harmony, whereto nothing but unbelief can make a discord, to shew, that the blood of Christ is a peace-speaking atonement, even, as I said, to the chief of sinners. Every member of the blessed company, which John saw around the throne, had washed his robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Imitate their faith, my hearers, ye, on whose hearts the sense of unpardoned sin lies heavy, like the stone on the grave of Lazarus, and crushes your spiritual comfort beneath it. There is pardon for you; Christ hath dearly purchased it; Christ hath successfully pleaded it; and Christ hath fully obtained it.

III. By what act then was the grace of pardon communicated to those deluded offenders who had so guiltily crucified the Lord of glory?

CESSION OF THE

UPON THE CROss.

SURELY BY THE INTER

SAVIOUR, AS HE HUNG

Already His blood had

begun to flow there, the blood of the

Lamb slain in the divine counsels, from the foundation of the world; and already, had He taken of it, and entered into the holy place, and sprinkled the mercy seat, and made intercession for the transgressors. In his last earthly fellowship with them He had prayed for his disciples. He had represented their case before his Father; and had obtained for them all needful help. Now He pleads for those, who were covertly his enemies, but whom, in due time, infinite mercy should bring into the happy enclosure of God's own fold and family. How precious then must have been the worth of souls in his sight! and He knew their worth, for He gave his own for them. We do not find Him first praying for Himself; we do not find Him imploring a mitigation of his own agonies ;-we do not find Him first commending his spirit into the Father's hand;-we do not find Him first commending his mother to the filial love of the disciple John.-No; we first find Him, as a matter of the highest

concernment, commending the case of guilty souls to a pardoning God, through his atonement, pleaded, as it was at that moment made, on their behalf. It was a prayer offered, not merely, for those who then stood by and mocked Him; but for all who should afterwards bewail their transgressions against Him, as that godly sorrow was wrought in their hearts, in part of the finished work of salvation, freely brought to them, by the grace of God, in the Gospel. The crucifixion, which He was then undergoing formed the foundation stone of his intercessory work, as the High Priest of the Church; and then and there did He offer it to God, for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, on behalf of sinners. Even so, when He appeared to the apostle John in Patmos, many years after his ascension, He wore His sacerdotal garment, to shew that He always appears as a Priest in the presence of God for his people. John also saw Him standing at the altar with his golden censer, and

offering much incense, with the prayers of all saints; to testify, that acceptance, both of the persons and offerings of his people, is found in the incense of his merits. And, in order that the Church might never lose sight of the everlasting efficacy of his sacrifice, John, while contemplating the Lord Jesus in his unchangable priesthood, saw Him also, a Lamb, as it had been slain, in the midst of the throne; whereby testimony was given, that the blood of Jesus, which Paul calls "a speaking blood," still pleads, and will for ever plead, until the dispensation of grace shall be consummated in glory for all humble and contrite believers in his name.

:

Well then," He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by. Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them"-And if his pleading from the agony of the cross was answered, at the next feast of Pentecost, in the conversion of three thousands of those deluded men, who knew not what they did, when

they crucified Him, why should not you look for the same mercy, who may now be convinced of guilt, and pricked to the heart? Nay ye, by whom this godly sorrow hath never yet been felt,-why should not you attest the free riches of his love? Why should not the coming Pentecost see graces of the Holy Ghost poured out on you, even contrition for sin, broken-heartedness, evangelical faith, full and everlasting pardon, perfect justification, a good hope through grace, adoption into the family of God, and the sanctification which his children have in Christ? If any of you are opposing his person or his office, you must be saved, if saved at all, by that very blood, which

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now you count an unholy thing." If you come to know its worth, you will then have evidence, that Jesus hath interceded for you, and that He hath been heard on your behalf in heaven.

And ye whom his grace hath overruled to love Him, how animating should