DISCOURSE VI. 235 ß. This emblem of a dying sacrifice is also a refuge, a Support, and a hope for saints, under the continual workings of original sin, under their. daily infirmities, under everynew - temptation, and the buffetings and charges of Satan, who is the accuser of the brethren; Rev. xii. 11. The armies of the saints have continually experienced the virtue of this sacrifice ; for in all ages they cast down this accuser by the blood of the Lamb ; and here is their great refuge, under all the violent and repeated suggestions and accusations of the great enemy of God and souls : Here is indeed a sweet pillow for the souls of thosewho havebeen guilty of long iniquities, to rest their penitent and pained consciences, by faith upon, in a dying hour ; Jesus Christ, the sameyesterday, and to-day, andfor ever: And the vir- tue of-his atonement always fresh in the eye of God. Is there any poor soul here, whose conscience is buffeted and sorely tormented with hurrying temptations, and doubts whether their repeated sins shall be pardoned or no ? Go into the secret chambers of retirement and repentance, whither the saints before you have gone, and sighed, and wept bitterly before God, and mourned over their sins before the throne. Ask christians of long experience, whence came all their peace, and their hopes of freedom from the guilt ofsin ? And they will answer with one voice, it is from theblood of the Lamb. Itwould overwhelm the conscience to have a full sight of these transgres- sions let in upon it, in all their terror and dreadful condemnation, if they had not such a refuge as this to fly to. O blessed for ever be the name of Jesus, who has given us, in hisword, such a sight, such a gracious vision ofhope and comfort ! And a bles- sed vision it is, for the poor humble sinner to look at daily, with an eye offaith. 7. This vision is appointed as an evidence and monument of the church's safety and security, hope and confidence, even to theend of the world ; though their circumstances be never so low, though they are never so much sinking under their feárs, this is a good security of that promise ; Mat. xvi. 28. The gates ofbell shall not prevail against the church's interest, to bring it down to the ground ; for the sacrifice of Christ is of everlasting value, and has purchased the security of the church to the end ofthe world. Jesus is represented as standing in the midst of the throne, and before the eyes of God the Father ;.so that the church shall never be condemned, nor given up to destruction. All the living .stones that God has designed to be brought into the building of the church, shall be brought into it in their several seasons : All the dead sinners that are made alive by the blood of Christ, and by the work of his Holy Spirit, shall be raised together in a glo- rious building, which God shall dwell in for ever : And when the top-stone is laid in heaven, the redeemed nations shall shout unto it, grace, grace, Zech. iv. 7.
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