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their own. None of these things can cleanse from sin. The types and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation could never make the comers thereunto perfect, holy, or clean. They only prefigured the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the only way of pardon. Salvation is of grace from first to last, and you may depend upon it there is no fountain that can cleanse from sin but the blood of Christ; for it is that which cleanseth from all sin: and this blood cleanseth perfectly, removes every stain. The blood of the Redeemer being shed for his people, God looks on his church, and says, "Thou art all fair, there is no spot in thee."

Thus does this text declare the efficacy of Jesus' blood.

Let us consider that this efficacy is perpetual, is continual. For it is said, "it cleanseth;" not, it hath cleansed, or shall cleanse at some future period, but it now cleanseth. And this may always be said of this precious blood, for it shall never lose its power, till every elect vessel is gathered in, and saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation. There is a continued cleansing act; Jesus perpetually pleads it for us, and it constantly flows unto us. There is a stream of corruption always in our nature, so there is a constant flow of cleansing blood. It is a fountain now standing open for sin and for uncleanness. It was shed but once. It is often applied; and its virtue will be felt to all eternity. The blood of Jesus is never lost or congealed, like the blood of the legal sacrifices. It is, as a good writer observes, " as new and fresh for the work it was appointed to, as when it was shed upon the cross; as full of vigor, as if it had been shed but this moment." The justification of a believer before God, stands upon as certain

ground as the justification of Christ himself before God. He was accepted, because he shed his blood ; and we are accepted, because we are cleansed by it. And the meritorious plea of this blood continuing for ever, is not without the perpetual act of the righteous Judge, justifying those for whom it pleads.

Hence will follow our security at the last judgment. As Christ's blood now cleanseth from sin, so his voice shall then absolve, completely absolve us from sin. Those poor sinners who are alarmed, as it respects their state, need not fear that the blood of Christ has lost its efficacy; for it continues to cleanse, and so it shall continue, whilst one elect character remains on the earth to be directed by the Divine Spirit unto it for salvation. And after that, when all good men shall be safe in glory, every tongue shall be employed in adoring that sovereign grace which directed them to this all-cleansing fountain. Since we contract guilt every day, this medicine can daily be applied. The pleas of this blood are renewed according to the necessity of our persons. Every time an Israelite was bitten by a fiery serpent, he must look up to the brazen serpent for cure; so we, upon every sting of conscience, must look up to Him who was raised on the cross as our remedy. Since the fountain is open every day, and we contract guilt every day, let not a day pass without fresh applications of this blood upon any defects in our walking with him, since the blood of Jesus Christ continues to cleanse us from all sin.

But not only does our text denote the continual efficacy of the blood of Christ, but we would contemplate it,

III. As asserting its universal influence.

It cleanseth, not all persons, but from all sin. Since it was the blood of so great a person as the Son of God, it is as powerful to cleanse us from the greatest sin as from the least. It is a universal remedy. It absolves from the guilt of sin, and shelters from the wrath of God. The nature of our sins, and the defilement of them, are not regarded when this invaluable blood is set in opposition to them. Jesus was delivered for our offences, not for some few of our offences, but for all; therefore his blood cleanseth from them all from all original transgression, and actual sin; from the guilt incurred, by omitting the good which God has commanded, and the commission of that evil which he has prohibited. God has laid on his Son Jesus the iniquity of us all the sins of all believers, in all parts, in all ages of the world; from the first moment that Adam sinned, to the time when the last sin shall be committed. As all the sins of the people were laid upon the head of the scapegoat, to be carried by him into the wilderness, so are all our sins pardoned and forgiven by the blood of Jesus. The greatest wickedness that was ever committed by men, was the murder of the Son of God; whom they took, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain yet, to the very persons who did this, pardon was offered. The gospel was preached, "beginning at Jerusalem." Herein we behold an evidence of the inestimable value of this blood, and of its inexhaustible virtue. Oh! well might the apostle say, "It cleanseth from all sin." Do we come into the world obnoxious to the Divine vengeance, and hateful in the sight God? Is the guilt of Adam's sin imputed to us? It is. Yet the atonement of Jesus extends to original pollution. Although born in sin, and conceived

in iniquity, if he purge us with hyssop, we shall be clean; if he wash us, we shall be whiter than snow. Have we omitted the performance of his holy law, and withheld that reverence which he so justly demands from us? We have. But the blood of Jesus makes full atonement for this; he has done more for us than we could have done for ourselves, had we a whole eternity to work out our own salvation. His blood cleanseth us from sin; it removes all that guilt which is upon our consciences, for our not keeping the law of God. Although we have left undone the things which we ought to have done, yet Jesus hath done all things well. Again by the atonement of Jesus, every actual sin is done away; for his blood cleanseth from all sin. We have sinned in thought, word, and deed. Our sins are heinous and numerous; yet they shall never be laid to our charge, if we are believers in Jesus. Should their number exceed the number of the luminaries that gild the arch of heaven, or of the particles of sand on the seashore, yet this precious blood removes the guilt of them from our consciences, their pollution from our hearts, the love of them from our minds, and, shall we add, the practice of them from our lives. Have we sinned in public? If we are believers on the Son of God, it shall be publicly declared at the last day, that God has pardoned all our sins. Have we offended him in secret? Alas! we have, in ten thousand instances. His spirit shall secretly bear us witness then, that our sins are all forgiven. Let every believer unite in ascribing praise to Him-because he would love. Let each of us say

"Oh! to grace, how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrain'd to be!
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering soul to thee."

From what has been said, we learn the infinite evil of sin, which required such a sacrifice as Jesus Christ; and should we not then detest it, and flee from it, as from the face of a serpent? Let us beware of sacrificing the Son of God afresh, and putting him to an open shame, by our guilt and crimes. If there were nothing else to teach us the evil and damnable nature of sin, the blood of Christ loudly proclaims it. Let us not, then, attempt to excuse our sins; but whilst we are blessing God for the remedy, let us, as long as we live, lament over the disease. Sin must be hateful in the view of every good man; and, depend upon it, that that system of religion which allows sin, in any shape whatever, is a diabolical system; it is from Satan, and not from God; for he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with the least degree of approbation.

Need I say, that we learn from this subject the folly of self-righteous men, who attempt to find salvation apart from Christ? Remember, that nothing but the blood of Jesus is sufficient to atone for the

sins of men. All your legal performances amount to just nothing at all, as it respects obtaining your salvation. Why will you not submit to the righteousness of God? Flee, sinners, to the Saviour's blood; wash there, and be clean; so shall you be made eternally happy, and shall be brought to join all the blood-bought race of ransomed sinners, in ascriptions of eternal praise to God and the Lamb for ever. Then shall this triumphant language be the burden of your song: 66 Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.'

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