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the sabbath, and are arrived at the haven where they would be; they are sitting down at the supper of the Lamb, and eating bread, and drinking new wine in the kingdom; but we are one man's sons, we are children of the same father, saved and adopted into the same house and family, and shall surely be one day with them as they are with their Lord.

We are come to Jesus; we have found the Christ, we have got the Saviour, the Mediator of the new covenant; he who made peace by the offering up of himself, and who has been our friend, interceded and prayed for us, and who has made with us a new covenant, having abolished the old, and taken it out of the way, because it was against us; he is become our Saviour, our Brother, our Refuge, and has reconciled us to God, and destroyed the enmity which reigned in our hearts, and kept us at a distance from our dear Creator. We have applied in our wretched condition to this loving Mediator, and he has pitied us, stood by us, and obtained eternal life for us. We know the Lamb, we are happily acquainted with the Mediator, we have ventured into his presence, and trusted in his name, and have found him gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of great goodness.

We are come to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better things than that of Abel. When Cain slew him, his blood justly cried from the ground to heaven for vengeance, but Jesu's blood speaks better things, though we have been his murderers. His blood speaks pardon for us in the throne above, and peace in the earth beneath. When men offered the blood of calves and lambs under the old law, the persons for whom the sacrifices were made were not the better, their consciences remained unpurged, but the blood of Jesus speaks, it reaches he inmost heart, and speaks peace, and love and mercy

mercy. It quiets the conscience, and assures us of our being accepted in heaven. It is a witness that our sins are done away. Let the old accuser of the brethren accuse us as he did Job, and let the former sins cry against us; let the beam out of the timber, and the stone out of the walls of the houses where we have committed sin, be witness against us; yea, let the broken law and your own conscience cry against us, yet this blood of Jesus out-cries all, and silences the voice of the enemy and the avenger. This blood has already been our bath, and has washed us from all our idols, and from all our filthiness, and speaks for us with almighty prevalency before the Throne, and with unspeakable sweetness it speaks within, "Thy sins are forgiven." "My peace I give unto thee." Some have foolishly thought coming to the blood of Jesus was a little matter, and the first step in christianity, and have soared and aimed at somewhat greater; but whoever have come indeed to this blood and known Jesus Christ crucified, he cannot think of higher matters, but resolves to know this alone. This the apostle mentions last, as being the highest and greatest attainment of a christian. This blood cleanseth from all sin, that none can be holier than the soul washed therein. This blood of sprinkling is the antetype of that on the Israelites door-posts; that preserved them from the destroying angel for a night, but this preserves from all destroyers, and frightens back ten thousand devils. This is better than the blood which the high-priests of the law sprinkled toward heaven seven times, with which they besmeared the people, their own cloaths, and the vessels of the temple, for that made nothing clean, and was only a shadow of this blood which cleanseth the heart from an evil conscience, and seals to the day of redemption.

This

This is the river of the fountain of life, whoever drinks of it shall live for ever. This is the only brook by the way, which can make him that drinks of it lift up his head. It is the wine that makes glad the heart of God and man. It is the only antidote against the poison of sin, the only thing that can quench the raging passions of lust and pride, the only river that can extinguish the wrath and flames of hell. And we are come to this blood of sprinkling, we have found this well of salvation, and here will we dwell. May this wash us daily and momently! May this revive and comfort us, when we are heavy and afflicted! May this refresh us when we are weary, and besprinkle all our words, thoughts, and works, and make our whole behaviour acceptable in the sight of God! May this be seen upon our foreheads living and dying, and ward off the destroyer! May this keep and preserve us clean and white in body and soul, and in all times of danger, or when we do wrong, may this speak for us alone better things than the blood of Abel! May it purge away all gloominess, guilt, darkness, and confusion from our hearts, and momently speak peace to us! Let as many as have found this precious blood of the Lamb, this almighty blood of God our Saviour, continue in faith, and abide near the wounds and cross of Christ Jesus, and they shall prove all this happiness, and learn from a blessed experience to prize and esteem the blood of sprinkling here, and to praise it everlastingly in the church triumphant hereafter, singing and saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive honour and glory, and blessing, for he has loved us, and washed us from our sins, and made us kings and priests to God by his blood, to him be thanksgiving and salvation for ever!" Amen.

AN

1. THE

AN HYMN.

HE name of Christ, how sweet it sounds!
How sweet the mention of his wounds!
For thee, my soul, how dear and good,
Is the bare naming of his blood!

2. What makes it precious thus to me
1s, since the Lamb hung on the tree,
His pangs and torments made me well,
Who else had gone to endless hell.

3. The law, my conscience, and the fiend,
Were witnesses how I had sinn'd;
I stood accus'd, in debt and poor,
When Jesus paid off all my score.

4. Nor this alone, but at his death,
His ALL he would to me bequeath ;
I now an made his pleasant son,
And heir to his eternal throne.

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5. His dying words are graven deep
Upon my heart, awake or sleep,
This is the blood I shed for thee,
Drink of this cup, and pardon'd be.

6. Now ends the ancient covenant,

The wrath, the debt, and fear, and want;
A testament is now of force,
Revoking ev'ry former curse.

7. By this I 'scape eternal doom,
And fearless nigh to God I come;
My Father, to him I may say,
And know he hears whene'er I pray.

8. I join

8. I join the number who are his,

And share their joy, and love, and bliss
I'm his, and He, the man divine,
With all his merits now is mine.

9. My dear Testator will I bless,
And wearing his pure righteousness,
I boldly shall his judgment meet,
And worship at his bleeding feet.

10. No death or judgment hence I dread,
The precious blood my Saviour shed,
The blood of sprinkling speaks for me,
I'm safe! O Jesus praise to thee!

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