Now, this is just what you want;—to be kept prayerful on earth, until you are ready for the harp of praise in heaven. Well; it is just as true, that you cannot be "saved from wrath" but by the interceding LIFE of Christ, as that you cannot be "justified," but by the atoning death of Christ. It is because He ever liveth to make Intercession, that "he is able to save to the uttermost (or completely) them that come unto God by him." Heb. vii. 25. Thus, His continuing to intercede, and our continuing to come unto God by him, are inseparably connected with the perfection or completion of our salvation.

This deserves special attention. Some speak as if they thought, that Justification from the condemning sentence of the Law completed, or at least made sure, their salvation, Paul, however, speaks very differently on this point. He avows the need, as well as triumphs in the

prospect, of being "saved from wrath,” through the life of Christ, even after having been justified by the death of Christ. Hear the Apostle; and shut your ears to "the instruction which causeth to err!" "God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from WRATH by him." Why? How? "For if, when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be SAVED by his life." Rom. v. 8-10. Thus, the "

re

conciled," yea, the "justified," need to be "saved from wrath," by the Life of Christ, even after His death has fully and for ever delivered them from the curse of the Law. And for an obvious reason: the Law is not the only thing we have broken and violated. Our sins against the Gospel, in trifling with

it so long; and against the Holy Spirit, in grieving him so much; and against Providence, in improving it so little; and against the Saviour himself, in loving him and glorifying him so partially: these sins deserve

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sorer punishment” than even our transgressions against the moral law! Accordingly, Paul never represents the wrath of God as confined to sins against the Law. He says explicitly," the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Rom. i. 18. And your own experience agrees with, and thus confirms, the Apostle's doctrine, on this subject. Your sins against GRACE, alarmed and humbled you more than your sins against the Law. You may be able, by setting yourself to reason on general principles, to resolve all your sins into breaches of the Divine Law, as that is the general rule of the Divine government: but

you feel, whenever your heart and conscience follow the convicting leadings of the Spirit, that past neglect of Salvation, and present misimprovement of Grace, are your chief sins. And well you may reckon them so!

Now, although it be true (and a glorious truth it is) that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," whether against law or grace; it is not true that you have applied this glorious truth to yourself fully yet; or as God has revealed and intended it for your encouragement,-if you think only of the Saerifice of Christ, when you remember these words. In the ORACLE of God, they stand inseparably connected with the Intercession of Christ also, and with our attention to it as well as to his Atonement.

for yourself. 1 John i.

Look at this fact

The subject of this Chapter is, fellowship or communion with God: the very thing we

ought to desire and aim at in prayer; for it is in connexion with it, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. Hence John says ex

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pressly, "God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness," (persist in known and allowed sin,) we lie, and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another," (with each other,) and (thus walking consistently and prayerfully) "the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Now observe how John connects this cheering truth with the Intercession, as well as with the Atonement of Christ. ii. 1. Knowing but too well, from his own experience, that walking in the Light is not perfect, even when very conscientious upon the whole; and that sins do occur even with the devo

tional, the Apostle adds, "If any man sin, we