“—And
nine and twenty knives.”—Ezra i, ix.
The grand design of God the Father
and the eternal Spirit, from all eternity, was to glorify the
Lord Jesus Christ in our nature; for this purpose he was set up
from everlasting, to be future Man and Mediator; to obey the law
his people had violated, and endure the curse which they had
merited—to make intercession for the transgressors, to
represent his chosen, and to communicate all spiritual blessings
to them, as they severally need. This is the scripture
representation of the adorable Mediator and his Work. This
subject is sometimes set forth in express terms; at others by
striking imagery, which infinite wisdom appears to delight to use
to make his dear people acquainted with his will. Very
often this grand theme is depicted by illustrious persons and
sacred things; this may be particularly seen in the instance of
that sacred edifice, the Temple, with all its appurtenances,
which was
modelled according to the plan shewed to David, and executed by
Solomon. Every rite and ceremony, every utensil, however
apparently insignificant, was calculated to lead the mind of an
elect converted, intelligent Jew, to the contemplation of the
glorious Person and Work of the adorable Saviour; so that from
the person and qualifications of the High Priest, down to the
bells upon his robes, the believer could view his lovely
Redeemer, appearing in our nature, with the priestly robes of his
righteousness, intercession and salvation, while the joyful sound
of gospel truth, and the glorious fruits produced was as
evident. The very Temple itself we are assured was a figure
of that glorious temple of the human nature of Jesus, the joint
concern of the ever-blessed Trinity in Unity; while every
consecrated vessel in it, from the cups to the flagons, the
golden altar to the snuffers, and the sacrifices to the knives
which slew them, were all symbolical of those truths which were
more clearly revealed in the New Testament.
It is a pleasing work for a mind under the influence of the
love of the Saviour, to trace those precious truths, though in
swaddling bands—and this is a precious gift, the mind
sanctified by the Spirit, in search of Jesus, in every passage,
either directly or indirectly referring to him. And why
should such a mind be thought little of, or contemned? How
many have admired the fancies of a poet, an author, who has attempted to
trace God in every thing? how have they been exalted to the very
skies—Pope, Shakespear, and others. Yet, when the
christian would trace his Lord and Saviour in the types, he is
considered as a mere fanatic. The writings of the
truly-excellent Hervey, in his Meditations, have been much
admired; and what human composition can be more lovely than his
Meditation on a Flower Garden, and his Descant on
Creation?—while, with a grace-taught eye, he saw his
loving Lord, and justly applied the language of Pope,
He shines in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,
Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees.
For my own part, I consider it an indulgence afforded to a
spiritual man, that he is able to view his dear Saviour in every
part of the sacred writings. What an entertainment to
precious faith! and how sweetly can that soul hold communion with
her God, while thousands of singular passages present the Lord
Jesus to view—I call them singular, not dark, as there is
no darkness in the Word, it is in us, not in God, or his
Word.
I am sure I need make no apology for the singularity of my
text; it is calculated to awaken attention—to lead into the
glorious and affecting truths of the Gospel. Every part of
the word of God is pure, of no private interpretation, and it must be allowed
to be truly important. If this be granted, surely my text
and its connexion, demand our most serious investigation.
Before I immediately consider it, I shall make a quotation or two
from some able writers, on the excellency of the figurative parts
of God’s word.
“Nothing asserted in God’s word is contrary to the
true light of nature, though it infinitely transcends it.
It is no way absurd to represent spiritual things, and even God
himself, by proper emblems, as the sense is easily understood to
be figurative; and those figures, drawn from common things, tend
to make us ever conversant with spiritual objects.”
Morrison’s Dictionary.
M‘Ewen remarks, “As the sun paints the clouds with
a variety of glowing colours, which in their own natures are but
dark and lowering vapours, exhaled from the earth—so when
the sun of righteousness arises, even the carnal ordinances and
commandments of the law, dark and earthly as they seem, are
gilded by his beams, and wear a shining appearance.”
Mr. Brown says, “Christ Jesus being the subject and end
of scripture revelation, we ought every where to search if we can
find him.”
Bishop Porteus says, “When divine and spiritual things are
presented by objects well-known and familiar to us, such as
present themselves perpetually to our observation in the common
occurrences of life, they are much more easily comprehended,
especially by rude and uncultivated minds, (that is to say, by
the great bulk of mankind) than if they were proposed in their
original form.”
But we have infallible authority for our guide, the Law having
a shadow of good things to come. And is there any
impropriety in viewing the knives spoken of in the text, as
containing matters of real importance to the Church of
God—and that by the daily use of these instruments upon our
tables, our minds may at times be deeply affected with those
instruments of death we carry about with us?—We shall just
notice the text in its connexion, which will gradually open the
design of the Holy Ghost, in condescending to notice these
knives; and surely if it was worth the Spirit’s notice,
they must deserve our highest attention, let who will ridicule
it.
The faithfulness of God was about to appear to his ancient
people the Jews, in their return from the Babylonish
Captivity—the 70 years determined were accomplished, and
the Lord stirred up the spirit of the lovely Prince Cyrus, of
whom Isaiah prophesied long before. This Prince made a
proclamation throughout all his dominions, that the Israelites
might depart to their own country, build an house to the God of
Israel, and again inhabit their land. The King likewise
encouraged them with wishing God to be with them; and then he
kindly restored to them all the vessels of gold and silver which
Nebuchadnezzar had impiously placed in the house of his god, the
temple of Belus, at Babylon; these were commanded to be brought
forth, and returned to the Jews, by the hand of the Treasurer,
and committed to one of the trusty princes of Judah, Zerubbabel,
called Sheshbazzar; it appears he had two names, one signifies he
rejoiced in tribulation, the other, that he was a stranger in
Babylon. The historian then relates what were put into his
hands—Thirty chargers of gold and a thousand chargers of
silver. These were vessels in which they gathered the blood
of the sacrifices—and nine and twenty knives; probably
their handles were gold and silver, as they were reckoned among
the valuables, and were large knives which the priests used in
slaying and cutting up the sacrifices. The chargers, which
held the blood of the slain, most probably were typical of the
word of truth, the writings of the Prophets and
Apostles—likewise of Gospel Sermons, which are full of
Christ our Passover, who was sacrificed—and which must be
served by every faithful gospel minister to the Lord’s
family. Those chargers which held the blood also, as well
as the meat, were typical of the Ordinances of the Gospel,
especially of the Lord’s Supper, wherein Christ Jesus is
eminently set forth crucified. They may represent our
faith, which receives the atonement and death of the
Redeemer. In the Tabernacle there were but twelve, but in
the Temple there were thirty golden and one thousand silver
ones.—The knives are then mentioned among them; and as
every utensil and instrument was figurative, those knives must
have a figurative sense likewise. What will open this
subject more clearly is a passage in Ezekiel xlth Chap. The
Prophet had seen an amazing City and Temple, which doubtless
referred to the Gospel Dispensation. The Prophet likewise
saw the utensils and the knives which are spoken of in the text;
and as the vision was intirely spiritual, we must look for the
Gospel sense of the whole vision, and the knives among them.
Ezek. xl, 42, 43. And the four tables were of hewn
stone, for the burnt offering, whereon also they laid the
instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering. This
explains the twenty-nine knives.—These tables were,
doubtless, an emblem of the stony hearts of the Jews; for if, (as
Bunyan remarks on this Subject) their hearts were not as hard as
adamant, they could not have crucified the Lord of Life.
Hewn stones—they did this under smooth pretences,
like many in our day, under the mask, and through the out-cry of
holiness and the Law—for which of these good works
do
ye stone me?—On these were laid the body of the
sacrifice, while the Priests cut them up. Did not these
represent the characters who would embrue their hands in the
blood of Jesus?—and was it not charged home to their
consciences on the day of Pentecost?—Ye have killed the
Prince of Life! This naturally leads to reflect on the
instruments made use of—Twenty-nine knives.
We shall First notice the grand Sacrifice—Secondly the
Instruments of his Death.—First: Every idea of Sacrifice
must at once include in it, that there is an infinite evil in
sin, which no finite mind can fully comprehend—none but the
mind of the dear Saviour could possibly take in all the evil
there is in sin. This evil required a sacrifice to expiate
it, or atone for it; and the reason why mankind are careless of
the atonement, think light of it, or attempt to atone for their
own crimes, by duties, tears, prayers, or works, is because they
never saw sin in the light God sees it, and has consequently
testified his hatred of it in many awful judgments, in a broken
Law, in the flames of hell—but, above all, in the
tremendous sufferings and death of Christ. Hence the
Apostle says, God spared not his own Son.
We see, Secondly, The infinite love of the adorable
Trinity—the amazing wisdom, and the astonishing pity and
compassion of the covenant Three, in providing for our miseries,
in a way surpassing all human thought, even by the Assumption of
our Nature, appearing in flesh, as a sinner, and putting away sin
by the sacrifice of himself—and it is the work of precious
faith, upon every discovery of our vileness, misery, and guilt,
to eye the adorable Mediator, as the gift of the Father’s
love, to heal our every woe.
And was the ransom paid?—it was, and paid
for you!
This, only this, subdues the fear of death, and
takes away
Her sting.—This is the grand Sacrifice.
“Sacrificing is a religious action, in which a creature
devoted to God was in a solemn manner destroyed in his presence,
for sacred ends; and it was a mode of worship that obtained in
the most early ages of the world. It may not only be traced
up to the famous æra of giving the law from Mount Sinai;
for the ancient patriarchs did commonly practise it. How
many altars were built by Abraham and his grandchild Jacob?
Job offered sacrifices both for his children and for his friends;
and God smelled a savour of rest, when Noah sacrificed clean
beasts and birds on the altar which he built unto the Lord.
But why mention these personages as the most ancient practisers
of sacrificial worship, when it may be more than conjectured,
that Adam himself did practise it? Can we think when Abel
offered, up to the Lord the firstlings of his flock, that his father did
not instruct him to testify in this manner his fear of the
Lord? And what shall we say of the coats of skins which the
Lord made for them, or directed them to make? The beasts to
whom they belonged, cannot, so soon after the creation, be
supposed to have died of age; they behoved therefore to be
slain. How natural to suppose that they were slain in
sacrifice, rather than for any other use? Perhaps it was
not without a meaning, that the skins of these beasts should
clothe their bodies, whose blood made atonement for their
souls. To be short then, though we can by no means assent,
that in the state of innocence, there would have been the least
occasion for them, they seem, however, to be as ancient as the
promise about the seed of the woman, who was to have his heel
bruised, while he braised the serpent’s bead.”
“Let us here glance at some of the most glaring
parallels only, betwixt the sacrifices of Moses and the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ.”
“And first, we may take notice of the qualities of the
sacrificed creatures, especially of the animal kind. It was
not left as a matter of indifference, and wholly in the option of
God’s peculiar people, with what victims they should stain
his altars.—The integrity and perfection which God required
in the bodies of these beasts may easily be accommodated to the
glorious Antitype, who would have been wholly incapacitated, by any the
smallest blemish, from the discharge of his priestly
function. For though it became the typical nation of the
Jews to have an high-priest involved in the same guilt of actual
transgression with his brethren, who was therefore to offer first
for his own sin, before he presumed to offer for the errors of
the people; yet such an high-priest became us, who is holy,
harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, Heb. vii.
26.—It is also worthy of notice, that of all those beasts
the first-born was most acceptable, and according to the law, all
such were holy unto the Lord. Was not this a prelude, that
he whom God would give to expiate our transgression, should be
the first born among many brethren, whom they should honor as the
excellency of dignity, and to whom they should owe their
deliverance from death, and title to inheritance?”
“From the qualities of the victims let us go on to the
sacred rites of oblation, and we shall find something in our
great Sacrifice corresponding to them all. When the
creature that was to surrender its life for its owner was pitched
upon, it was brought unto the priest, and solemnly sisted before
the Lord. But our Lord Jesus was not brought by others,
like the irrational animal, but he voluntarily presented himself
before the Lord, when his time was fully come. Fully
apprised of what was to be done unto him, he set his face to go
up to Jerusalem, and patiently expected, in the melancholy garden,
the coming of the traitor, and his band of armed men, to whom he
was to deliver himself. The sacred animal being sisted
before the Lord, was rendered ceremonially guilty, by the
imposition of hands on its head, and by confessing over it the
sins of the offerer. It was the Lord himself that laid on
him the iniquities of us all. O Jesus! it is our guilt
alone that can justify the Judge of all the earth in taking
pleasure to bruise thee! And this doubtless was one great
reason why he opened not his mouth, while the Roman governor
wondered at his silence. It was this consideration that
fortified his mind at the approach of his inconceivably bitter
agonies, and held in his mouth, as with a bridle, when these
astonishing words dropped from his lips, ‘Now is my soul
troubled, and what shall I say?’—In the next place,
the blood of the innocent animal, now made guilty by imputation,
was shed, was poured out, and sprinkled around; for,
‘without the shedding of blood was no remission of
sin,’ Heb. ix. 22. That it is the blood that makes
atonement for the soul, is asserted by the God of Israel himself,
who expressly assigns this reason of the strict prohibition given
to his ancient people, ‘No soul of you shall eat blood;
neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you.’
Lev. xvii. 12. It is easy to see how this prefigured the
violent death of the Son of God, who poured out his soul unto
death, and whose blood cleanses from all sin. The pulling
off the skin from the butchered animals, dividing their bodies, and
burning them with fire, are certainly intended to denote the
exquisite torments he was to endure, when the assembly of the
wicked inclosed him, and his heart was melted in the midst of his
bowels like wax before the fire.—The towering of the smoke
to heaven, which was sometimes perfumed with burning incense,
signified how acceptable the sacrifice of Christ should be to
God, and of what sweet smelling savour.—In the time of
offering, prayers were offered up. And we know, that in the
days of his flesh, he offered up prayers, tears, and strong
cries, to him that was able to save him from death.—The
blowing of trumpets, and praising God, in the time of the holy
rites, with music vocal and instrumental, which was often
practised, may no doubt, put us in mind of that praise, which
waiteth for God in Zion, on account of purging away our
transgression by himself, which would have prevailed for ever
against us.—The carrying the blood of the victims into the
holy place, the figure of the heavenly sanctuary, corresponds to
the intercession of our High-Priest within the vail, where he
appears as a lamb that has been slain.”
“When the rites were finished, atonement was made.
The guilt of the offerer was abolished, when his victim was
destroyed: the anger of God was in some manner appeased, and he
gave signs of reconciliation. But, as we shewed before, it
was not in these ceremonial actions to atone for any moral guilt, except
in a typical way. But he whom God hath set forth for a
propitiation, hath, in the most proper sense, fully expiated the
sins of all his people who hath lived, or shall live. In
his atonement the believers of ancient and latter times have
rejoiced, as the sole foundation of their hope. And nations
yet unborn shall be justified by him, from all things from which
they could not be justified by Moses’ law. The fire
that came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifices, which
doubtless was kept alive by the priests upon the altar, was it
not an emblem of that fierce-burning wrath which preyed upon the
soul of the Son of God? Or was it an emblem of the Holy
Spirit, through whom he offered up himself, and who is styled
the Spirit of burning? It was love that wrought his
death; by this holy and pure flame was our atoning sacrifice
reduced into ashes.”
“The altar, what was it? His cross, say
some. Nay, it was rather his divine nature, which like the
altar supported, and like the altar sanctified the gift.
This the cross can scarce be said to do, which was but the
instrument of man’s cruelty, and a despicable piece of
timber, which neither sanctified the body which it carried, nor
received sanctification from it. Where then are they who
address it with divine honours, and pay even to its picture that
homage which is due to him alone, that expired in agonies on that
shameful tree.”
We
shall now consider the instruments, the number, and why
twenty-nine—no particular reason is assigned that I know
of, any more than why the Scripture records that Nahor lived
twenty-nine years, and begat Terah, (Gen, xi, 24)—or that
Amaziah reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem, (ii Kings xiv, 2)
or that pious Hezekiah reigned the same number of years.
But it must be allowed by every believer that the 29th verse of
the first Chap. of John’s Gospel, contains something of
vast importance to us, viz. Behold the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin of the world. Nor is it less
important to call to mind that during our Lord’s secluded
days, twenty-nine lambs had been offered up, before John the
Baptist thus exclaimed. But waving these ideas, and viewing
these knives as the instruments of the death of our dear Lord,
may they not be typical of our sins—and may we not
enumerate twenty-nine of the most awful sins mentioned in the
scriptures, and which include all the rest that are
mentioned. The Spirit has borrowed many metaphors to point
out the nature of sin to us—hence in scripture it is
called, 1, a Plague; 2, a Sickness; 3, a Death; 4, a loathsome
Disease; 5, a Wound; 6, a Curse; 7, a Mountain; 8, a Debt; 9, a
Reproach; 10, a Scourge; 11, an evil Treasure; 12, an heavy
Chain; 13, a Fire; 14, a thick Cloud; 15, a Sting; 16, a Poison;
17, old Leaven; 18, a strong Hold; 19, a stony Heart; 20,
Madness; 21, a Deceiver; 22, a Thief; 23, Foxes; 24, Witchcraft;
25, an abominable Thing; 26, Bitterness; 27, Unrighteousness; 28,
a deep Pit; 29, miry Day. These are some of the names by
which sin is called.
God made man upright, but through the instigation of the Devil
he fell into sin, which has involved us in all kind of misery;
for the greatest misery is sin itself—it is contrary to the
holy nature of God, and contrary to that pure nature in which God
first formed man; of course, in that sense, all sin is unnatural,
because contrary to God’s Holiness, God’s Law, and
Perfections. Hence every man is considered in his fallen
state, alike sinful. God declares that every man is become
brutish; and one of the best men that ever lived once exclaimed,
I am more brutish than any man! Those who fancy they
are good kind of people and like the proud Pharisee in the
Gospel, boastingly cry out, God I thank thee I am not as other
men—and though they will acknowledge that man is fallen
in some degree, yet not so bad as the scriptures represent; nor
do I think any one can believe he is so great a sinner as God
declares, till the Spirit opens his eyes, and quickens his
conscience—till then he can find plenty of stones to throw
at his neighbour, under the mask of holiness, and zeal for the
Law; but if ever the Saviour stoops to write conviction on the
ground of their hearts, they must acknowledge as Joseph’s brethren did, we are verily
guilty.—There is none that doeth good, no not
one.
I shall only mention Twenty-nine names by which men are called
in scripture; which will demonstrate the affecting truth that
all are gone out of the way, and that exemption
none can boast. In our fallen state we are compared, 1, to
Devils—Ye are of your Father the Devil. 2, To
Devil’s Soldiers—And the Dragon fought and his
Angels. 3, Children of disobedience and
wrath.—Ephes. 2. 4, To Murderers—My soul
is wearied because of Murderers. 5, Liars—They
go astray from the womb, speaking Lies. 6,
Drunkards—They drink Iniquity like water. 7,
They are called the Unclean—I dwell in the midst of a
people of Unclean Lips. 8,
Thieves—Robbers—Yet have ye robbed God.
9, Bastards—My mother’s Children were angry with
me. 10, Prodigals—15th Luke. 11, We
are called Fools. 12, Poor Wretches—thou knowest
not thou art poor and wretched. 13,
Madmen—possessed with the Devil. 14,
Carnal—are ye not carnal, and weak as
men? 15, Outcast—thou wast cast out, to
the loathing of thy person. 16, Servants of Sin.
17, Devil’s Drudges. 18, Captives. 19,
Slaves—led Captive by him at his will. 20,
Ravenous Beasts. 21, Eagles. 22, Owls. 22,
Lions. 23, Leopards—No ravenous beasts go up
thereon; no Lion shall be there—the beast
of the field shall honour me, the Dragon and the
Owl. Come with me from the Lion’s dens,
the Mountains of Leopards. 24, to Dogs. 25, to
Swine. 26, to Goats. 27, to Æthiopians.
28, to Rebels. 29, to Dragons. These are some of the
names by which human nature is called; and do not these
twenty-nine include all the rest of the metaphors by which poor
man, fallen, depraved, contaminated, and guilty, is
represented. Where then is the dignity of human nature? in
what does it consist? But, as Young says, “A
Christian is the highest stile of man:” to be anointed with
the same spirit, that was in the dear Redeemer, this is true
dignity, and all others a delusion.
I might likewise here mention the most awful sins that the
scriptures hold forth, which are to be found in the hearts of all
mankind, and which the regenerate mind groans beneath, upon every
discovery of them; it is the new man sighs when the old man
works. In this we groan, being burthened, longing to get to
glory, to enjoy these two following blessings,
There we shall see his face,
And never, never sin.
1, Murders. 2, Adulteries. 3, Uncleanness.
4, Blasphemy. 5, Thieves. 6, False Witness. 7,
Idolatry. 8, Hatred. 9, Wrath. 10,
Enmity. 11, Bitterness. 12, Evil Speeches. 13,
Evil Concupicence. 14, Envy. 15,
Covetousness. 16, Vile Affections. 17, Strife.
18, Disobedience. 19, Heresies. 20, Malice. 21,
Contentions. 22, Anger. 23, Unkindness. 24,
Self Righteousness. 25, Hardness. 26,
Rebellion. 27, Unbelief. 28, Jealousies. 29,
Evil Thoughts.—These are the things that defile the man;
these are the violations of the holy, righteous law of God; these
are opposite to infinite purity; and without an atonement,
without satisfaction to law and justice; without these are
pardoned and subdued by the blood of the Lamb, no flesh could be
saved; for man, dying under the guilt of the above sins, must
answer for them at the bar of God. The glorious Gospel
reveals a dear Redeemer, standing in the law place, room, and
stead of sinners, with all their guilt, defilement, and
rebellion, bearing their sins in his own body on the tree, and
dying the just for the unjust! while faith discovers all sin put
away, and the law magnified, by the Lord our Righteousness.
This brings peace and comfort to the mind, and this alone,
nothing else can. We see him whom we have pierced with
those instruments of death, and mourn over him. See the
real evil of sin, and mourn that we pierced the Lord. These
were the real instruments of his death, nor can we love them
after being called to view what they have done to HIM whom our souls adore. We may be
perplexed with their inbeing—we may be at times attacked by
them, and we may be overcome—beset by them, but no sin
can ever be loved by the regenerate soul—this constitutes
that warfare between the flesh and the spirit, which causes all
the real misery a believer has in this world, but glory be
to all-conquering grace, that hath delivered us from these
instruments of death by his blood, and the love and power
of them by his word and spirit, that we, being dead to
sin, and alive to God, (though sin is not dead in us)
we may not yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin, but may yield ourselves to God, and our
members as instruments of righteousness unto God; for the
promise runs, sin shall not have dominion over you, for
ye are not under the law, but under grace. Thus
it appears plain, that the sins of God’s people, in heart,
lip, and life, were the betrayers and murderers of the Son of
God.—These, like knives, cut his heart, his comfort, his
body, and soul.
’Twere you my sins, my cruel sins,
That his tormentors were.
O that this affecting thought might have its proper effect on
all our hearts, and produce in our minds that repentance which is
a tear of love, dropping from the eye of faith, beholding Christ
crucified for sin. I do not pretend to say the handles of
the knives had any particular reference; but if any, may we not
consider them as shewing how precious the same people were to the
Saviour, whose sins put him to death; hence they are called the
precious Sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold: these were
reckoned among the valuables, the gold and silver vessels in the
Temple.
May I be permitted to suggest one thought more? The
death of the Redeemer was an effect of Covenant love—the
appointment of the Father, and his own consent:—Considering
the miseries of his people—the means to accomplish the
end—the various steps taken—and the different
branches of his sorrows, may be represented by these knives, 1,
the Pursuit of Herod. 2, the Temptation of Satan. 3,
the long Fasting. 4, His outward Wants. 5, the cruel
Reproaches of Men. 6, their Contempt of his Doctrines and
Miracles. 7, the Consultations against him. 8, the
Fears of Death. 9, the Horrors of Hell. 10, the
Agonies of his Mind. 11, the Weight of Guilt imputed.
12, His Apprehension. 13, the Treachery of Judas. 14,
the Flight of his Disciples. 15, the Denial of Peter.
16, the rude Treatment in the Streets. 17, the Insults in
the Hall. 18, the false Accusations against him. 19,
the Scourgings. 20, the cruel Thorns. 21, the
Mockery, Spitting, Buffeting, and Blindfolding. 22, Bearing
the Weight of the Cross. 23, His lifting up on the
Cross. 24, the piercing his Hands and Feet. 25, the
Insults on the Cross from Priests and People. 26, the
Darkness over all the Land. 27, his awful Desertion.
28, the Pangs of every kind of Death. 29, the Soldiers
Spear piercing his heart. Christ our
passover is sacrificed for us; let us therefore keep the
feast, with joy; let us tell the glorious tidings, he hath
redeemed us from out sin; by his blood—he
perfected for ever them that are sanctified—he hath
made full atonement, and pleads the virtue of his great act for
us—here may we fly as doves to their
windows—here alone is safety—the sufferings and
death of the dear God-man mediator. Let us cease from legal
strivings, and obey that command, hold thine
hand—remember the battle—do no more, because all
is finished for us who believe—all in whose hearts the
Spirit has begun to operate—all who are led to Jesus for
life and salvation—all who see and feel their lost, ruined
state, and are flying for refuge to him alone—all who, from
a sense of sin, venture their everlasting all upon him; for such
poor sinners Jesus died, and lives for them for ever.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain and has redeemed us to
God by his blood.
FINIS.
