sacrifice, how humiliating! That by it the believer should be delivered from the burden of sin, and from the curse of the law, how consolatory! Unassisted reason is lost. Every principle short of divine faith is staggered. But faith welcomes and receives the reward that God hath given to us, eternal life, and that life is in his Son. On the accursed tree, faith beholds the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world. When we make the sacred Scriptures our guide, and meditate upon the plan of redemption revealed in them, we find ourselves permitted to enter some little way into this great scheme. A just and righteous God could not suffer his holy laws to be broken without punishing the offender : the law of God declaring that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." But even here mercy is revealed, for the very same law represents the institution of sacrifices to apthe wrath of God-sacrifices, all pease pointing to that which should hereafter be made for sin upon the cross. In these ritual observances we behold the Jew scrupulously precise; and the apostle takes up the same view of the subject, assuring us that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin: whereupon he says, the first testament was not dedicated without blood; for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you." 1st. Let us observe the Testator. 2ndly. The Testament. The Testator who left us this dying legacy of pardon and peace, and heaven and happiness, was Jesus Christ, the ever-blessed Son of God. But more fully to understand our subject, we must look for one moment again to the law. Moses and Aaron were mediators, both pointing to Christ as Priest and Prophet. There were likewise regular priests in their courses, offering sacrifices continually, and making atonement. There were meats and drinks and carnal ordinances imposed upon the Jews until the time of reformation, i. e. under the Gospel. 66 But argues the apostle, 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 of 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." The apostle then rises with his argument, "For, if the blood of bulls and of 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 conscience from dead works unto the living God! And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also be the death of the testator." The person, then, who thus interposes on our behalf, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He came into the world to seek and to save them that were lost. He came to leave us an example by his holy, harmless, and spotless life; and, above all, to pay the price of our redemption. We would endeavour to illustrate our subject by the analogy which subsists between the daily concerns of life, and the spiritual concerns of the soul. Whilst a person is living, we enjoy his society; we benefit by his advice, we walk with him, and take sweet counsel. Thus, during the three years of his ministry, Jesus went in and out with his disciples, teaching and preaching the things which concerned the kingdom of God. They continued with him in his temptations, and he appointed unto them a kingdom, as his Father had appointed unto him. They were present when he performed his miracles. They saw the sick restored to health, eyes given to the blind, ears to the deaf, a tongue to the dumb. They beheld devils cast out of many that were possessed, and the very dead raised to life. They heard his divine sermons, and received from his own word the promise of eternal life. But the deep and dark scene of suffering was yet to come. He was to be betrayed into the 66 to hands of sinners: he was to be crucified and slain. This was the lowest step of humiliation. "He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Here we behold the Testator dying, to purchase, as well as to bestow, his legacy. Thus was he (to confirm the prediction of the prophet Daniel) bring in an everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy." Upon the cross he said, "It is finished! and he bowed his head, and gave up As the time, therefore, of his suffering drew on, we see him going before his disciples to Jerusalem; thus proving his willingness to suffer and to become an atonement for sin. We hear him saying to his sorrowing disciples, "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; the ghost." but if I go, I will send him unto you: and when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Convince them of sin, and thus lead them to the Saviour; teaching them to seek a better righteousness than their own, and to prepare for future judgment. Our Testa |