POETRY.

THE INQUIRER.

MARCH, 1840.

What saith the Scripture?-ROм. iv. 3.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, ITS USES AND APPLICATIONS. [THE following paper was originally prepared for another purpose than insertion in these pages. This may account for some peculiarity in its style. The testimony from the Word of the Lord, which is contained in it, is, however, very precious.— ED.]

If we read the contexts of the following references, we shall see that the blood of Jesus Christ-1. Connects the disciple with a covenant (Matt. xxvi. 28, &c.).— 2. The knowledge of it is eternal life (John vi. 32-69).-3. It is the proof of the death of Jesus (John xix. 33).-4. The purchase-money of the flock (Acts xx. 28).— 5. The propitiation provided by God (Rom. iii. 25).-6. The finished justification (Rom. v. 9).-7. The centre of union among the saints on earth (1 Cor. x. 16).— 8. Freedom from guilt (Eph. i. 7).—9. Our nighness to God as sons; to Christ as Bride; to the Holy Ghost as temple (Eph. ii. 13).-10. Redemption, even the forgiveness of sins (Col. i. 14).-11. The power of deliverance from Satan's kingdom into Christ's (Col. i. 20).—12. The secured approach of the sinner to the holiest, where God dwells, and Christ, who gives good things to come (Heb. ix. 7—12). -13. It is to be known as such (Heb. ix. 13, 14).-14. Both the place to which it thus leads, and the blessings of the place (as well as the people for whom they are). are connected with it (Heb. ix. 18-28).—15. It is the taking away of sin, the setting apart of the saints to God, and that by which they are already perfected (Heb. x. 4). -16. The power of heavenly filial service (Heb. x. 19).-17. The sanctification of those that know it (Heb. xiii. 12).—18. The measure of our obedience to God (Heb. xii. 1—4).-19. The testimony of good things to us, but judgment on the world (Heb. xii. 24).--20. The sanctification as of an eternal covenant (Heb. xiii. 12, 20). -21. The knowledge of it the proof of election (1 Pet. i. 2).-22. The saint's ransom (1 Pet. i. 19).-23. The saint's daily resource for cleansing (1 John i. 7).— 24. God's witness upon earth (1 John v. 8).—25. The cleansing of our persons so sung of on earth (Rev. i. 5).-26. Our redemption, so sung of in heaven (Rev. v. 9). -27. The cleansing of our robes (Rev. vii. 14).-28. The victory over Satan (Rev. xii. 11).

The blood, the death, and the cross of Jesus (though all found together in THE one great act of man's rebellion against God), are often presented by the Spirit as having different things more immediately connected with each of them. At present I shall only speak of the blood. The blood, when spoken of as known so as to be valued, always seems to involve, more or less remotely, the idea of atonement. In itself it is atonement; even that by which alone God can be just, and yet the justifier of the sinner; and, so it is that which not only enables God to bless, but the sinner to draw near for blessing. And yet it has more uses and applications in connection with atonement than most are aware. For it may be looked at as presented with the view of giving eternal life to them that believe; as in itself propitiation; as the removal of sin; as justification, forgiveness, nearness, peace; as that which alone cleanses the conseience of a sinner, or can keep a saint's conscience clean; which has cleansed the person in one place, and the robes in another; which is redemption,-an approach to the holiest, the securer and retainer of that place;―our purchase money;—our sanctification;-the proof of our election ;-our power over Satan; the power and measure of our obedience to God; that in which we have communion one with

VOL. III.

another; the seal of the everlasting covenant; &c. &c. &c. In such various lights does the Spirit make mention of the blood! May the saints, however weak, know God's estimate of the blood in all the varied applications of it, and, through the Spirit, learn to adopt God's estimate, and to set aside their own.

Ignorance of the blood, or carelessness to it, is the world's condemnation. Passages bearing upon this I shall not now notice, unless as connected with the saint's victory over the world-writing merely with the view of endeavouring to help Christians to see the blood as connected with themselves. May the Holy Spirit, who bears witness with the blood, reveal to us that which flesh and blood cannot, while we muse on these things!

1. The blood of Jesus Christ connects the disciple of Christ with a covenant. For it is written:-"This is my blood of the new testament (or, covenant; there is but one word in Greek for testament and covenant), which is shed for many, for the remission of sins" (Matt. xxvi. 28). "This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many" (Mark xiv. 24). "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke xxii. 20).

The character of this covenant, the Holy Ghost tells us :-"This is the covenant that I will make with them, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their ininds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. x. 16).

OBSERVE, the blood is presented here (neither as calling for vengeance, nor, as in the obedience which led to it, as our ensample, but) as shed FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS. And the covenant to which it belongs is called (Heb. xiii.) an everlasting covenant:-and it is one which cannot fail, for God, in it, has set himself to forget our sins and iniquities, to put his laws into our hearts, and to write them in our minds. And who are we that we should withstand God, when, recognising all our guilt, and misery, and ruin, hẻ undertakes to save us thus.

2. The knowledge of the blood of Jesus Christ shed upon the cross, is God's way of giving eternal life to the poor perishing sinner. As it is written :-"I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day..... ....Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die.........Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day; for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him"* (John vi. 32-69.) Here we learn that if any one receives the death of Jesus, and the atonement by the blood in death, he hath (from that time onward) everlasting life, and can therefore never come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. To eat and to drink are very simple acts, such as we do every day, and know that we do them, so that we could not believe a man who said, I do not know if I have ever eat or drank. Well, the figure, as applied to our souls, is very simple likewise; and though no man can tell if another has done it, it seems to me impossible for a man himself to have turned in heart to the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, and to have said, "Here are the proofs of God's grace toward sinners, and his way of being mercifulI am a sinner, and I will trust to God's grace as thus expressed," and not to know that he has done so. But if he has done so (though he may not know it), he has everlasting life. I say if he has, in heart, as before God, said, "The broken body and shed blood of Jesus are God's way of receiving the sinner, and they shall be my way of being received; and if I perish, I perish in this way"-Jesus's answer to such

* Observe, if you come to Jesus, it is a proof-1st, that you have been given to Him by the Father (ver. 37); for "no man can come to me,-except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (ver. 44)—and except it were given him of the Father (ver. 65);—and, 2ndly, that you are taught of God (ver. 45). If you have not come, is it not because you do not believe God? (ver. 45).

an one in the Bible is, "Thou hearest the voice of my blood, then thou art mine. For it is my sheep which hear my voice, and I know them...and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Ponder the cross of Jesus, and receive IIis blood as atonement, then, poor sinner.

3. The blood was the expression of the death of Jesus. As it is written : -"When they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe" (John xix. 33).

Here is presented to us what and whence the blood is. This was in our Lord's mind when speaking to the Jews, as is recorded in chap. vi., and which, though he saw and understood it all, neither could the Jews receive, nor could the disciples understand. But O what a tale of love! such love as many waters could not quench; such love as was stronger than death, does this foreknowledge on Jesus's part tell us of. The separation of the liquid blood into blood and water, showed death to have taken place: it is never so save after death. Some think the water here was that which fills the vessels in which "the heart" is placed, the breaking of which, they say, is what produces a broken heart; if so, then also, whether broken by the convulsions of sorrow, or pierced by the spear, death must have taken place. I would only add, that I doubt not but that this fact had a further typical meaning. For not only is Jesus on the cross pouring forth His blood unto death, in atonement, our only resource, but there also I get not only that which cleanses me from all charge of guilt--the blood; but also that Spirit which is righteousness, and which seems typified by the water-even the Holy Ghost, which coming consequent upon Christ's death, is the pledge to those that have it of their being accepted in the beloved; partakers of the divine nature; and who makes the rivers of living water to flow out of their bellies while even in this life.

4. The blood of Jesus Christ is the purchase money of the flock; already paid. As it is written :-"Take heed to.....the flock.....to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts xx. 28).

I notice here that the flock is God's; even the church in its poor, militant, wilderness state and it has been purchased already, and a goodly price paid for it. Judas and the priests fixed the price of Jehovah of Hosts, when He was in the temple, at thirty pieces of silver (Zech. xi. 12, 13). God's price for the church is the blood of Him who was the Son of God. As we wonder that Judas should have kept to his covenant, and done such an act for so mean a price; so, surely, the greatness of the price God has paid assures us He will not depart from His covenant. If a man buys anything he longs for, and pays for it, we know how tenacious he is of his right to have it; so that nothing but want of power can cause him to leave both purchase money and goods bought in the hands of the seller. The greatness of the price God fixed, shows the measure of His desire; the price is paid, and has He not power, in His own time, to appropriate that He has purchased?

5. The blood of Jesus Christ is, to them that have faith in it, propitiation. As it is written :-"Jesus Christ....whom God hath set forth a propitiation through faith in His blood" (Rom. iii. 25).

The question at issue in this chapter is, "How can a sinful transgressor be received by God?" And the answer is, "If he come as a sinful transgressor, he will be received freely, by God's grace, through Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory, or mercy-seat, for them that have faith in His blood. For this blood tells how a just God can be the justifier of the sinful transgressor, who receives the account He gives of the blood, and trusts to it. This word " propitiation" occurs only once more in the New Testament, in Heb. ix., and means, propitiatory or mercy-seat-which was the place where God dwelt, between the cherubim, and it shut up, and was over, the law in the ark ;-before and upon it the blood of atonement was sprinkled.

The blood as thus, first, upon, and, secondly, before, the mercy-seat, expresses (as in all the Old Testament sacrifices wherein atonement was made), the two great uses of the blood. The first, as connected with God, the way opened and the means provided by Himself, wherein He could be just and yet the justifier of the sinner;

this is shown by God to man. The second is connected by God, through his grace connected, I say, with him that believeth; and so the thing which gives him boldness to draw near to God. The former also washing the books in heaven, as a poor dumb boy once described in writing his view of pardon: “The bleeding hand of Jesus past over each page in my account, so that none can read it through the stain of His blood." The second cleansing also the conscience. Read the chapter from ver. 19-26, and see whether this is not the outline of it. Ver. 19 having said that God had pronounced the WHOLE world to be guilty in His sight, that every mouth might be stopt, Paul first shews (ver. 20) that this is a proof the law could not justify a man-for then the Jew would not be guilty, but justified, for he had the law. And if the law, which was a round of duties, given to man by God, could not justify him, how much less can a round of duties, of a man's own devising, which God never gave, do so! Well, but if God (in so summary a way) pronounces all to be guilty, and, as far as they are concerned, irrecoverably so (so that every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before him), what can any one do? Why (ver. 21), he may have recourse to that method of justification which is not by law, though witnessed of both by law and prophets, even (ver. 22) trust to God himself, graciously to justify him by Jesus Christ. And then Paul goes over the ground, in measure, a second time. (Ver. 23) All have sinned and come short of the glory of God; yet (ver. 24) any man may be justified by God's grace, freely, through the redemption that is in Christ. "What is that?" says the soul. Why (ver. 25) it is the person of Jesus in heaven (compare Rom. viii. 32, 33, 34) set forth as a propitiation—and it is the property (made so by God) of every one that trusts to His blood: it is set forth to show God's way of justifying those He has pronounced guilty—and tells how God completely remits all past sins-forbearing to see them even. And (ver. 26) it is a way which tells the justice (as much as the mercy of God to the sinner) that He is . just, though he does Himself justify the very one He has pronounced guilty, if so be he trusts to Jesus; for it shows Jesus actually to have borne the sinner's punishment, and to have paid his debt. Has God already said, we are all guilty? that there is no hope for us in ourselves? Has He raised Jesus from the dead? And does He say, that if I have taken Christ's blood as my trust, then Christ bore my sins in His own body on the tree? is risen for me? and intercedes for me? Yes, He has said so, and through His grace I have said, " The blood of Jesus Christ is my trust." Reader, have you said so?

6. The blood of Jesus Christ is the finished justification of every one that believeth. As it is written :- "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us. Much more then, being (or rather, having been) now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Rom. v. 9).

OBSERVE, "being now justified," cannot mean "being about to be, or in the hope of being justified; but it necessarily implies that the justification is both finished, and its sufficiency known, and satisfactory to us;" just as if I said, "I am satisfied." The thing which satisfied would necessarily be known to be in existence, and to be mine, and to be known to me as mine, and as sufficient, in itself and by itself, to meet my desires. Just so is it with the blood of Jesus, by which, Paul says, “being now justified by His blood." The blood is shed; the sinner that knows it is the one for whom it is shed; he that believes knows it is for him, because God says so; it is sufficient in itself and by itself, fully to justify him from all things, and to give him rest before God.

7. The blood of Jesus Christ is the centre of union among Christians while on earth. As it is written:-"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (or fellowship) of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ ?" (1 Cor. x. 16.)

And thereby, secondly, it is the power of separation from false worship of every kind: "Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils” (ver. 21). And further, observe, thirdly, this is the saint's principle of separation from evil generally-for, xi. 25-27, 66 This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink