lis then view sin in this light, and we shall no more account it a small and venial evil,]
2. The folly of self-righteousness — [Self-righteousness consists in substituting something of
our own in the place of the atonement, or in blending some- thing of our own with it. In either case we utterly make void the death of Christ". And what madness is this! It is, in fact, to shut ourselves out from all hope of pardon, and to rivet our sins upon our souls for ever.
It may be thought indeed that Christ died to purchase us a right and power to save ourselves by our works. But if this was the case, why did St. Paul impute the rejection of his own nation to their going about to establish their own right- eousnessP? and why did he desire to be found in Christ, not having his oivn righteousness^'i Why did he declare that if any man were circumcised with a view to obtain justification by the law, Christ should profit him nothing^? Why did he contrast salvation by grace, and salvation by works, so as to shew that they could not be blended or consist together^? This alas ! is a refuge of lies, which, together with all who flee to it, will be swept away with the besom of destruction.
Let us not then dare to put ourselves in that way, wherein God declares there is no remission.]
3. The encouragement which the Gospel affords to sinners —
[When it is said that " without shedding of blood there is no remission," it is doubtless implied, that through shedding of blood there is remission. And what a glorious truth is this! how refreshing to the weary soul ! Let it be conteinplated with holy joy and wonder. There is no sin, however great, from which the blood of Christ will not cleanse the soul'. David, after contracting the foulest guilt, was yet able to say, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow". Let every one then go to the fountain opened for sin ; let him plunge, as it were, beneath that sacred flood; and he shall instantly become pure and spotless in the sight of God^."]
4. The wonderful love of Christ —
[He knew that sin could not be forgiven, unless he would take upon him our nature, and make atonement for us by his own blood. And rather than leave us to perish as the fallen
" Gal. ii. 21. p Rom. ix. 31, 32. and x. 3.
« Phil. ill. 9. >■ Gal. v. 2, 4. « Rom. xi. G.
' 1 John i. 7. " Ps. li. 7. ^ Eph. v. 25, 27.