and caused him to go out and weep bitterly. On the contrary, to the praise of his glorious sovereign grace, many have been recovered as soon as they have fallen. HE has shewn them the prevalence of his advocacy, that he is the propitiation of their sins, and that by his stripes they are healed.

It is to those of the church who walk loosely, who are not circumspect, who do not aim at a practical holy walk from a sense of the love of Christ, and who do not press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, that these words belong. And if any should think that to enjoy communion with God, to have frequent manifestations of the love of Jesus, and frequent visits from him, is not a sufficiently strong motive to the practice or following of holiness, it is because they know but little of the Lord's presence, and

of communion with him.

ESSAY XII.

ON THE VIRTUE AND EFFICACY OF THE

BLOOD OF CIIRIST.

The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1.7.

If a man whom we consider to be taught of God were to employ his whole life-time in writing on this verse, he might, at the end, justly say, The one half is not executed. I will not say the whole of Christ is here set before us in one view, but as sinners we are more concerned in this truth than in most others; and as his people are continually contracting fresh defilement, so they will have need to have it' brought into their experience to their life's end.

I can readily excuse ministers, even if

they go beyond their commission, when they are speaking to poor sinners of Christ's ability and willingness to save; but it is not strictly true to say that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin: if so, not one of Adam's posterity will suffer finally on account of his manifold sins and iniquities; for the words belong here entirely to the Lord's called people, and to those in particular who have fellowship with the Father. It is well worth our observation, that these highly consolatory words are introduced in this place, for they do not appear, at first sight, to come in easily; but the expressive pronoun us, and attending to our own experience, will make this appear in its true light, and as one of the greatest cordials found in all the book of God. The whole verse reads thus For if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christcleanseth us from all sin."

It would appear to us, at first sight, more consistent, if these words were introduced by the sacred writers when they are treating of sin; if James had added, when he says, "In many things we offend all,*" but the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth us from all sin;' but, on the contrary, when we least expect it, here we find this precious catholicon.

If we walk in the light of God's holy Spirit, and in the light of his precious word, we have fellowship with him, and he with us a glorious privilege on our part, and a most gracious condescension that God should have fellowship with dust and ashes! and he has provided this fountain, which cleanseth us from all sin, in order that nothing may interrupt it. For as the rays of light, coming directly from the sun, will discover to our eye innumerable particles of dust which otherwise would escape

* James 3.

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our notice, so those of his who walk in the light, and have fellowship with God, have the most humbling views of themselves, and are most sensible of the slightest deviations from his holy ways; and as the higher the polish on steel the sooner will it contract rust, and the child of God being after those seasons not exempt from falls into sin, so sin will appear exceeding sinful to such, and will be attended with peculiar aggravation, and fresh contracted guilt, so that they stand in need of all the consolation that is contained in these words-"The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth us from all sin."

It is particularly noticed, as an aggravation of Solomon's sin of idolatry, that the Lord appeared unto him twice. Job, who had been a long time in the school of Christ, and had obtained this honourable testimony, that there was none like him; "Hast thou considered my servant Job," said the Lord to Satan, "that there is none