This speaks to us incomparably better things than the blood of Abel —
[Great as the expressions of God's love to Abel were in consequence of the sacrifice which that righteous man had offered, they were not to be compared with those which we receive through Christ. There was no inherent virtue in his sacrifice ; its efficacy was derived from the relation it bore to
^ This is well proved by Dr. Kennicott, in his dissertation on Cain and Abel.
<= Heb. xi. 4.
^ Perhaps fire might be sent from heaven to consume the sacrifice. See instances of this, Lev. ix. 24. 1 Kings xviii. 38. 1 Chron. xxi.
1. and 2 Chron. vii,
, 1.
e 1 Pet. i, 2.
^ Compare Exod.
xxiv.
-8.
with Heb.
ix.
18-
-22.
Christ ; and the blessings, enjoyed by means of it, were rather typical than real. The continuance of God's favour to him was to be secured only by a constant repetition of the same sacrifices ; nor could he obtain a full and perfect peace of con- science even by their means": but Christ, by his one sacrifice of himself, has perfected for ever them that are sanctified^. Besides, whatever Abel's sacrifice spake, it spake to him alone : whereas the blood of Christ speaks to the whole world, and proclaims acceptance to all who will trust in it for salvation. Thus, while the good things which the blood of Abel spake, were only typical, temporanj , and personal, those which the blood of Christ speaks, are real, permanent, and universal.l
Nor will our concern in this matter appear unim- portant, if we consider,
III. The interest which the behever has in it —
Every behever '' comes to " this blood of sprink- ling—
[The efficacy of the Redeemer's blood is not a matter of speculation, but of experience, to every true Christian. As Moses and the Israelites "came to" Mount Sinai in order to make a covenant with God, so do we come to the blood of sprinkling : they came as persons redeemed by God out of the house of bondage : ive as redeemed from death and hell : tJiey came to take God as their God, and to give up themselves to him as his people; and we come with precisely the same view : they offered sacrifices and were sprinkled with the blood, in token that they deserved to die, and could be cleansed only by the blood of atonement ; and we come in the same manner to the blood of Christ : they looked through the typical sacri- fices to him who was in due time to be offered ; and we look to him, who in due time was offered for our sins upon the cross.]
In coming thus to Christ we experience all the efficacy of his blood —
[Were we afar off? we are brought nigh to God^ : Were we enemies to God? we are reconciled to him'^: Were we condemned for our iniquities? we are now justified': Were our minds filled with a sense of guilt and a dread of punish- ment? our hearts are now sprinkled from an evil conscience™, and enjoy peace with God" : Were we strangers to communion with God? we now have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus° : Were we enslaved by evil habits? we are
g Heb. ix. 9. ^ Heb. x. 14. ' Eph. ii. 13.
k Col. i. 20, ' Rom. V. 9. ^ Heb. x. 22.
n Rom. V. 1. " Heb. x. 19.
2340.] Abel's sacrifice and Christ's coMrAUED. iS3
now purged from dead works to serve the living God'': Did a sentence of eternal misery await us ? we now look forward to the fruits of an eternal redemption i. Such is the interest that the Christian has in the blood of sprinkling; and in this sense it may be said of every believer, that he is " come to" it.]
Application —
1. Let us inquire whether we be indeed come to the blood of sprinlding —