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may stand afar from its brink, looking at your unfitness, looking at your poverty, but listen while we declare that, led as you have been by the Holy Spirit to feel your vileness, for just such this precious blood was shed, this costly Fountain was opened.

We can tell you of one, who, in her deep sorrow for sin was brought to the extreme of mental anguish. Despairing of mercy, and anxious to anticipate the worst of her punishment, she resolved, when none should be near her, to terminate her life, and go, reeking with her own blood, to the bar of God. The fearful opportunity presented itself. The door was fastened, the knife prepared, and she fell on her knees to accomplish the awful deed. At the moment her hand was raised to give the fatal stroke, these words came to her mind with overwhelming power blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Her arm fell motionless at her side, the weapon dropped from her convulsed grasp, and she exclaimed in a transport of relief, If the blood of Christ Jesus cleanseth from all sin, then why not mine too?" She arose--her fatal purpose was broken-her perturbed spirit was calmed, and her heart drawn out in prayer to God. the following Sabbath she hastened to the house of God; and to her astonishment the minister

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announced as his text-" The blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." The Holy Spirit completed the work so graciously begun in her soul. The blood of Christ was applied to her conscience; and from the terror and gloom of sin, she passed into the sunshine of God's full and free forgiveness. Anxious soul, you too may come. Why not you? True, you are unworthy, true, you are poor and penniless: so was this individual, yet she "obtained mercy" -and why not you?

Second, -It is peace-speaking blood. It not only procured peace, but, when applied by the Holy Spirit to the conscience, it produces peace

-it gives peace to the soul. It imparts a sense of reconciliation. It removes all slavish fear of God, all dread of condemnation, and enables the soul to look up to God, not as a consuming fire," but as a reconciled God-a God in covenant. Precious peace-speaking blood, flowing from the "Prince of Peace!" Applied to your heart, penitent reader, riven asunder as it may be with godly sorrow, it shall be as a balm to the wound. Sprinkled on your conscience, burthened as it is with a sense of guilt, you shall have "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” It is peace-speaking blood.

Third; It is through simply believing, that the blood of Christ thus seals pardon and peace upon the conscience. Forget not this. "Only believe," is all that is required. And this faith is the free gift of God. And what is faith? "It is looking unto Jesus." It is simply going out of yourself and taking up your rest in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is faith. Christ has said that, "whosoever cometh unto Him, He will in no wise cast out:" that "He saves to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him; that he died for sinners, and that he saves sinners as sinners; the Holy Spirit working faith in the heart, lifting the eye out of, and off of the wound, and fixing it on the Lamb of GOD, pardon and peace flow like a river in the soul. O stay not then from the gospel-feast, because you are poor, penniless, and unworthy. Why starve and die, when there is bread enough in your Father's house and to spare. See the provision how full! see the invitation how free! see the guests, the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind! Come then to Jesus just as you are. We stake our all, on the assertion that, He will welcome you, that He will save you. There is too much efficacy in his blood, too much compassion in his heart for poor sinners-to reject you, sueing at his feet for mercy. Then

look up believer, and you shall be saved, and all heaven will resound with hallelujahs over a sinner saved by grace!

CHAPTER V.

THE SYMPATHY OF THE ATONEMENT.

THE TRIED BELIEVER COMFORTED.

"We have not an High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv. 15.

Could we draw aside, for a moment, the thin veil that separates us from the glorified saints, and enquire the path along which they were conducted by a covenant GOD to their present enjoyments, how few exceptions, if any should we find to that declaration of Jehovah, "I have chosen thee in a furnace of affliction." Isa. xlviii. 10. All would tell of some peculiar cross; some domestic, relative, or personal trial which attended them every step of their journey; which made the vale they trod truly a vale of tears," and which they only threw off when the spirit, divested of its robe of flesh, fled where sorrow and sighing are for ever done away. God's people are a sorrowful people. The first step they take in the Divine life is con

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