tual for us: for, if he had needed any atonement for himself, he never could have procured reconciliation for us d 2. For the people— ["All the people of the congregation" were considered as sinners; and for all of them indiscriminately was the atonement offered. None were supposed to be so holy as not to need it, nor any so vile as to be excluded from a participation of its benefits. But here again we are reminded of the superior excellency of the Christian dispensation. For though, among the Jews, the atonement was offered for all, it did not suffice for the removal of guilt from all: it took off the dread of punishment for ceremonial defilements; but left the people at large, and especially all who had been guilty of presumptuous sin, under the dread of a future reckoning at the tribunal of God. "It could not make any man perfect as pertaining to the conscience"." The very repetition of those sacrifices from year to year shewed, that some further atonement was necessary'. But under the Gospel the reconciliation offered to us is perfect : it extends to all persons and all sins, in all ages, and quarters, of the world. No guilt is left upon the conscience, no dread of future retribution remains, where the atonement of Christ has had its full effects: there is peace with God, even 66 a peace that passeth all understanding:" He "perfects, yea, perfects for ever, all them that are sanctified"."] 66 3. For the sanctuary itself and the altar" [Even the house of God, and the altar which sanctified every thing that was put upon it, were rendered unclean by the ministrations of sinful men. The very touch or presence of such guilty creatures communicated a defilement, which could not be purged away but by the blood of atonement. The highpriest, even while making atonement for the holy place, contracted pollution, from which he must wash himself, before he could proceed in his priestly work. In like manner, the person who led away the scape-goat into the wilderness, and the person who burnt the sin-offering without the camp, must wash, both their persons and their clothes, before they could be re-admitted into the camp. What an idea does this give us of the corruption of human nature, when even the most holy actions, performed according to the express appointment of God, were, by a painful necessity, the means and occasions of fresh defilement ! From the atonement required for the sanctuary we learn, that heaven itself, so to speak, is defiled by the admission of sinners into it; and that on that very account it could not be a meet habitation for the Deity, if it were not purified by the atoning blood of Christ'.] A just view of these things will discover to us the connexion between the atonement itself, and, II. The duty especially enjoined at the time of that atonement To afflict the soul is our duty at all times [As for the penances which men have contrived for the afflicting of the body, they are neither acceptable to God, nor beneficial to man: they tend to keep men from true repentance, rather than to lead them to it. Doubtless such a measure of fasting and bodily self-denial as shall aid the soul in its operations, is good: but still it is the soul chiefly that must be afflicted. That is the principal seat of sin, and therefore should be the principal seat of our sorrows. Indeed, it is the soul alone which possesses a capacity for real and rational humiliation. Now as there is " no man who does not in many things, yea, in every thing (to a certain degree) offend," there is no man who does not need to afflict his soul, and to humble himself before God on account of his defects. But it may be asked, How is this to be done? How can we reach our soul, so as to afflict it? I answer, By meditating deeply on our sins. We should call to mind all the transactions of our former lives, and compare them with the holy commands of God. We should, as far as possible, make all our sins pass in review before us: we should consider their number and variety, their constancy and continuance, their magnitude and enormity we should search out all the aggravating circumstances with which they have been committed, as being done against light and knowledge, against mercies and judgments, against vows and resolutions, and, above all, against redeeming love. We should contemplate our desert and danger on account of them, and our utter loathsomeness in the sight of God. This is the way to bring the soul to "a broken and contrite" state: and this is the duty of every living man.] But it was peculiarly proper on the great day of atonement [The exercise of godly sorrow would further in a variety of views a just improvement of all the solemnities of that day. It would dispose the person to justify God in requiring such services. Those who felt no sense of sin would be ready to complain of the ordinances as burthensome and expensive: but those who were truly contrite, would be thankful, that God had appointed any means of obtaining reconciliation with him- 1 Heb. ix. 23. It would prepare the person for a just reception of God's mercy. An obdurate heart would reject the promises, just as the trodden path refuses to receive the seed that is cast upon it. The fallow ground must be broken up before the seed can be sown in it to good effect It would lead the person to acknowledge with gratitude the unbounded goodness of God. A person, unconscious of any malady, would pour contempt on any prescription that was offered him for the healing of his diseases: but one who felt himself languishing under a fatal, and, to all appearance, incurable disorder, would accept with thankfulness any remedy which he knew would restore his health. Thus it is the penitent sinner, and he only, that will value the offers of mercy through the blood of atonement Lastly, it would stimulate him to greater watchfulness and diligence in future. Suppose a person pardoned; if he felt not the evil and bitterness of sin, he would be as remiss and careless as ever: but, if his heart had been altogether broken with a sense of sin, if he had groaned under it as an intolerable burthen, he would be doubly careful lest he should subject himself again to the same distress and danger: and the more assured he was of pardon and acceptance with God, the more desirous he would be to "render unto God according to the benefits received from him". The REFLECTIONS to which this subject will naturally give rise, are such as these: 1. How vain is the idea of "establishing a righteousness of our own!" [If the most holy actions of the most holy men, done expressly according to the divine appointment, rendered the persons unclean, yea and the very sanctuary of God and the altar itself unclean, so that the washing of water and the sprinkling of blood were necessary for their purification, who are we, that we should be able so to live as to claim a reward on the ground of merit? Let us lay aside this vain conceit, which, if not corrected, will infallibly issue in our own destruction. We need one to "bear the iniquity of our holy things,' no less than the iniquity of our vilest actions: and, from first to last, we must receive "eternal life as the free unmerited gift of God through Jesus Christ"."] 2. How transcendent must be the efficacy of our Redeemer's blood! [All these sacrifices which were repeated from year to year could never purge the conscience of one single individual: but m Exod. xxviii. 38. n Rom. vi. 23. the blood of Jesus Christ, once shed on Calvary, is sufficient to cleanse the whole world. Stupendous thought! Let us endeavour to realize it, and to get the evidence of it in our own souls -] 3. How blessed is the issue of true repentance! [Men imagine that to afflict the soul is the way to be miserable: but the very reverse is true: to "sow in tears is the sure way to reap in joy." How beautifully was this represented on the day of atonement! It was on that day (every fiftieth year) that the Jubilee was to be proclaimed. What a blessed termination of the day was this! What a balm to every afflicted soul! Think of the joy which pervaded the whole country, when every man was rendered free, and all returned to their lost inheritance! Such shall be the happy experience of all who afflict their souls for sin, and rely upon the atoning blood of Christ. They that go on their way weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them."] • Ps. cxxvi. 5. P Lev. xxv. 9. 66 q Lev. xxv. 10. r Ps. cxxvi. 6. CXXXIV. THE PROHIBITION TO EAT Blood. Lev. xvii. 10-12. Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood, I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls: : for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood; neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. THERE were many ordinances amongst the Jews, of which we cannot see the reason, though doubtless there was not one which Infinite Wisdom did not institute for some gracious end. But the particular enactment before us was of much longer standing than most others, having been given to Noah directly after the flood. The flesh of beasts and of fowls was then given to man for food: but he was at the same time forbidden to eat the blood of either. In the a Gen. ix. 4. foregoing parts of this book also the prohibition had been repeatedly renewed: and here the reason for such a repeated enactment of the same statute is assigned. Indeed from the peculiar strictness with which the law is here enforced, we might be sure that there was some very important reason for it, though none had been specified. But God, in this passage, has condescended to state the grounds of this solemn charge; namely, that "the blood was the life of the flesh, and that it had been given to man to make an atonement for his soul." To elucidate this ordinance, I shall, I. Confirm the fact here stated God had from the beginning appointed the blood of animals to be offered by man as an atonement for his soul. This appears throughout all the Mosaic history [If we go back to the time of Cain and Abel, we shall find Abel offering of the firstlings of his flock, and of his receiving on that account a testimony of God's acceptance, which was denied to Cain, who offered only of the fruits of the ground. This, we are assured, was done " in faith;" which shews, that it was done in consequence of an ordinance to that effect having been previously given by God, with a promise of acceptance annexed to itd. Noah likewise after the flood offered of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, upon an altar; and in that act was approved of his God. The Patriarchs also built altars to the Lord from time to time, and presented their offerings upon them. Job also lived in the habitual practice of the same rite. As for Moses, the whole of his law was one continued system of sacrifices, appointed as means of obtaining forgiveness with God; every kind of sin having its distinct sacrifices appointed to atone for it. In all of these, blood was shed, and poured out before the altar, and sprinkled on the altar; and on the great day of annual expiation, was carried within the sanctuary, and was sprinkled before the mercy-seat, and upon the mercy-seat. With one exception only, "there was no remission of sins without shedding of blood." If a man was so poor as not to be able to offer a lamb or a pair of turtle-doves for his transgression, he was to offer some fine flour; a part of which was to be burnt b Lev. iii. 17. and vii. 26. e Gen. viii. 20, 21. c Gen. iv. 3-5. d Heb. xi. 4. |