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THE
PRACTICAL
USES
[SERM.
XXXVI.
I
proceed
now to those which
more immediately relate
to
our
practice.
This
blessed
doctrine
of
the
atonement of
Christ, runs
like
a
golden
thread through the
whole
of
our religion
:
It
unites the
several
parts
of
it
in
a
sweet
harmony,
and
casts
a lustre over
them
all.
Let
us
then particularly
survey
some
of
the
various
practical
uses to
which
it
may
be applied.
I.
It
is
a solid
foundation,
on which the
greatest of
sinners
may
hope for acceptance
with
God,
when they
return
to
him
:
It
is a
sufficient
ground
for
their
firm
trust
in
Christ
as
a
Saviour, and
a
reviving cordial
against sinking
in
despair.
Let
the crimes
of
a creature
be
ever
so
great
and
heinous, yet
the
atonement
of
the
Son
of
God
is
equal
to
them
all.
Let
the defilements
and stains
of
the
soul
be ever
so
deep and crimson, the blood
of
Christ
has
a
strange and
divine
virtue
to wash
'them
away,
and
to
make the sinner
white
as snow,
even
in the
sight
of
a
holy God. Rev.
vii.
14.
"
They
washed
their
gar
-
ments, and made them white in the blood
of
the
Lamb."
"
This,
is
a
faithful
saying, as
St.
Paul
tells Timothy,
and
worthy
of
all
acceptation, Christ
Jesus
came
into
the
world to save sinners,
of
whom
I
am chief,"
1
Tim.
i.
And
our
Saviour assures
us,
All
manner
of
sin
and
blasphemy
shall
be
forgiven
tò
men; Mat.
xii.
31:
because
that
he knew
that
he could make
compensation
to Divine
Justice
for all this guilt.
Therefore
all
sorts
of
blasphemers and criminals shall
be
forgiven,
but
those
who
blaspheme the Holy Spirit
in his
highest at-
testations to this
gospel,
a.nd
utterly refuse
this
atone-
ment
of
Christ.
1.
John
i. 7.
The
blood
of
Jesus
Christ
cleonseth
us
from
all
sin;
it
is
a
divine
sacrifice,
'an
all
-
sufficient
propitiation,
extensive
as
our
iniquities.
Jesus
is
an able,
and
an almighty Saviour,
so
that
the vilest
Of
sinners need
not
despair,
if
they
are
but
willing
to
return
to
God, and
come
unto
him,
that
they
may
be
saved
in his
own
way.
The
deepest
wounds that
were ever made in the conscience
by
sins,
against
light,
and against
love,
sins
of
long
continuance,
sins
of
old
obstinacy, and
repeated
backslidings,
sins
of
the
black-
est aggravations,
may
all
be
healed
by
applying
the blood
of
Çhrist.
Awake,
arise,
O
sinner,
fly
to
the hope that
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