» 2 "Be threatened. With unhumbled souls it is otherwise. Save them from hell, and they would feel no further concern. But in those whom Christ hath loved, and drawn to himself, there is a load of guilt oppressing them, a sense of vile misbehaviour, a deep conviction that sin is "exceeding sinful." 1 "So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.' hold, I am vile; what shall I answer?" -Moreover, it is with regard to this stain of guilt, that human wisdom furnishes the least hope. Future amendment might seem practicable; but how can past offences be done away? "How shall" sinful "man be just with God?"4 No-there is a blot here, too deep to be scoured out by any device of man's wisdom. Hence it is written-" Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God." 5 6 Blessed be God! what is impossible with man, is possible with Christ. "He hath washed us;" and, strange to tell, it is "with blood!" nay, stranger still, "with his own blood!" " What,' you may reply are not our sins" red like crimson" " already? and can the application of blood make them white? Was not the shedding of Christ's blood, moreover, an act of wicked murder? and can one sin blot out another?'-Yes, brethren; as shed by man, it did indeed call for vengeance; but as shed by himself it was 66 a propitiation," for the sins even of many whose hands had been imbrued in it. To shed his own blood was, in fact, the main purpose for which he took our fleshly nature. After spending thirty years of his short life in the deepest retirement, he devoted but three to his public ministry; when, on a sudden-none being aware 1 Rom. vii. 13. 2 Psalm 1xxiii. 22. 3 Job xl. 4. 6 Isa. i. 18. of his design-he takes the cross for an altar, his body for a sacrifice; and in his own person he officiates as the Priest," offering himself without spot to God."1 All being duly performed, "he bows his head, and gives up the ghost." Do you ask, 'What can all this mean?' It means, that he has "borne your sins in his own body on the tree," and has shed his blood to wash them away. And God has accepted the atonement; insomuch that, from that day, all who ever have believed, all who ever shall believe in him, are washed and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus."3 66 3. He hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." Here I must not enlarge; nevertheless, glorious things are contained in these words. By whom are they spoken? By a poor slave, condemned to toil in the mines, "for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ!" 4 Yet this man calls himself a King! Yes, brethren; and such are all true believers. In the strength of Christ, they have dominion over sin-the world-fear-nay, over death itself. It is their privilege to rise above every thing here below; and they gradually realize the privilege. At length they will be "more than conquerors"--and all "through him that hath loved them." 5 You may equally wonder to hear John call himself a Priest; when he knew that Jesus was the only atoning High priest, and that 6. there remaineth no more sacrifice" to be made "for sin." 6 Priests, however, had other tasks besides that of making atonement. They had to plead the virtue of it, when it had been made; and also to offer various sacrifices of thanksgiving. This honourable office belongs now to every servant of Christ. Each 1 Heb ix. 14. 21 Peter ii. 24. 31 Cor. vi. 11. 991 has "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; each is to present his "sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart"-" of praise" and of good works; and the offering is accepted-not for his 3 own, but for the Saviour's worthiness. Have you then this royalty-this power over Sin and Satan? Are you fulfilling this priesthood-drawing nigh to God in daily prayer and holy service? This is a point, respecting which there ought to be no uncertainty. Examine yourselves, therefore; and if Christ has made you a partaker of this benefit, be assured that the others also are already yours; he hath "loved" you-he hath "washed" you. Now let the people of Christ remember II. THE RETURN WHICH HE MERITS AT THEIR HAND. It is expressed in the doxology which concludes the text-" To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!" For all these mercies, then, we must 1. Adore him as our God; "To him be glory! You find in the bible no such ascription of glory to any creature. Whenever it was offered to Saints, they declined it; as you see in the conduct of Peter, at Cornelius's house*—of Paul and Barnabas at Lystra. 5 Even angels, which are greater in power and might, will have nothing to do with such adoration. 6 But Jesus calmly and constantly accepts it. And why so? Because it is his right. He "is over all, God blessed for ever. Even the glory of the Father is so intimately connected with his, that "he who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that sent him." & דיי. 1 Heb. x. 19. 4 Acts x. 25, 26. 2 Psa. li. 17. 5 Acts xiv. 15. 7 Rom. ix. 5. 3 Heb. xiii. 15, 16. 6 See Rev. xxii. 8, 9. 8. John v. 23. And does not such adoration well become us? Oh what had we been, but for his love? What would even his pity have availed us, without his blood? Whom should we praise for victory over sin, and access to God, but the Divine Procurer of these inestimable benefits? Let us then "believe in God," but let us believe also in him" 1-pray to God, but pray also to him-worship and glorify God, but never forget to adore him also, who is "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his Person.” 2 2. Obey him as our Sovereign; "To him be dominion!" It is a peculiar dominion which he has earned. As God, he had a claim on our loyalty already it is now his due, as Mediator between God and man. 193 It is the human body of Christ Jesus, which now fills the throne; and oh what a demand upon our love and obedience doth it make! Do you not see it to be most just and fitting, that he who redeemed the world should govern the world? Well, you are members of that world! Nay, some of you have actually received his benefits; he has loved you, has washed you, has made you kings and priests in virtue of his atonement. Is it so indeed? Then "what will you render to him for his mercies?" What can you offer less, than your body and spirit, your heart, will, life, talents, every thing? Pray then that his kingdom may come, throughout the world-but see especially that it be set up in your own heart. And, having once begun to serve him, never draw back; but let the glory be his, and the dominion his, for ever. Amen. 1 John xiv. 1. 2 Hebrews i. 3. 3 1 Tim. ii. 5. SERMON XXXV. NEHEMIAH Xiii. 22.—Remember me, O my God, concerning this also; and spare me, according to the greatness of thy mercy. SELDOM has there been known a more devoted lover of his country, than Nehemiah. He lived at the time when the Jews were returning from their long captivity in Babylon; but he was not one of the first who availed themselves of this privilege. The good providence of God had brought him into favour with the Persian kings, who were now the lords of Babylon; and it was probably expected, that he would do more service by remaining at court, than by accompanying his friends to Jerusalem. A period at length arrived, when his influence was of the highest importance-and he very promptly exerted it. Having heard that the situation of his Jewish countrymen was become very distressing and precarious, he obtained a commission, authorizing him to restore the city and walls of Jerusalem, at the expense of the Persian government. He himself likewise undertook a journey thither, in order to ensure the execution of the design. On his arrival, he not only had to encounter many difficulties and dangers, but he found also that many abuses had crept in among the Jews themselves, which called for correction. To all these duties he applied himself with vigour; labouring, during a course of twelve years, to promote the truest welfare of his country, in a manner the most disinterested. |