544 PRACTICAL GEES OF CERIST°$ ATONEMENT. proceed now to those which more immediately relate to our prat: tice. This blessed doctrine of the atonement of Christ, runs like a golden threadthrough 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. 1. It is a solid foundation, on which the greatest of sinners may hopefor 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 never 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 never só deep and crim- son, the blood of Cfirist 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 garments, end made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is afaithful sating, as St. Paul tells Timothy, and worthy of all acceptation, Christ Jesus cane into the world to save sinners, ofwhom I am rhricf; 1 Tim. i. 15. And our Saviour assures us, All manlier of in and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men ; Mat, xii. 14. 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 attestations to thisgospel, and utterly refuse this atonement of Christ. 1 John i. 7. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin; it is a divine sacrifice, andall- sufficient propitiation, extensive as our iniquities. Jesus is an able and an almighty Saviour so that thevilest of sinners need not despair, ifthey are but willing to return to God, and come unto him, that theymaybe saved in his own way. The deepest wounds that were ever made in the conscience by sins, against light, and against love, sinsof long continuance, sins ofold obstinacy and repeated backslidings, sins of the blackest aggravations, may all be healed by applying the bloodof Christ. Awake, arise, O sinner, fly to the hope that is set before thee? In vain will you try a thousand remedies, this is the only relief. A soul stung with the guilt of sin, as with a fiery serpent, must look up to Jesus hanging on the cross, there alone can he find healing and life. Reflection. " And what is my state ? and what is my pre- sent case? Am I a sinner under the first awakenings of con- science? Is my spirit .filled with dreadful apprehensions of an offended God, and of a law that pronounceth curses and death? Am I enquiring, What shall I do to flee from the wrathtocorné? Does the load of all my past ofl'encos lieheavy upon me? Are
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=