,transcribed from the #ahad ,r4 ,thomas edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,many thanks to the ,british ,library for allowing their copy to be consulted4 ,picture3 ,public domain book cover ,,the ,,sacrifice of ,,life ,,slain ,,by ,,the ,,twenty-,,nine ,,instruments ,,of ,,death4 ,,being ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,a ,,sermon1 ,preached on ,,sunday ,,morning1 ,nov4 #bh1 #ahac1 ,at the ,obelisk ,chapel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,j4 ,,church1 ,v4,d4,m4 99 99 99 99 99 8,,christ ,,our ,,passover ,,is ,,sacrificed ,,for ,,us40 8,,we ,,are ,,verily ,,guilty ,,concerning ,,our ,,brother',s ,,blood40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london1 ,,printed ,,for ,,the ,,author1 ,,by ,r4 ,,thomas ,,red ,,lion ,,street1 ,,borough4 99 99 99 99 99 #ahad4 ,a ,,sermon4 8--,and nine and twenty knives40--,ezra i1 ix4 ,,the grand design of ,god the ,father and the eternal ,spirit1 from all eternity1 was to glorify the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in our nature2 for this purpose he was set up from everlasting1 to be future ,man and ,mediator2 to obey the law his people had violated1 and endure the curse which they had merited--to make intercession for the transgressors1 to represent his chosen1 and to communicate all spiritual blessings to them1 as they severally need4 ,this is the scripture representation of the adorable ,mediator and his ,work4 ,this subject is sometimes set forth in express terms2 at others by striking imagery1 which infinite wisdom appears to delight to use to make his dear people acquainted with his will4 ,very often this grand theme is depicted by illustrious persons and sacred things2 this may be particularly seen in the instance of that sacred edifice1 the ,temple1 with all its appurtenances1 which was modelled according to the plan shewed to ,david1 and executed by ,solomon4 ,every rite and ceremony1 every utensil1 however apparently insignificant1 was calculated to lead the mind of an elect converted1 intelligent ,jew1 to the contemplation of the glorious ,person and ,work of the adorable ,saviour2 so that from the person and qualifications of the ,high ,priest1 down to the bells upon his robes1 the believer could view his lovely ,redeemer1 appearing in our nature1 with the priestly robes of his righteousness1 intercession and salvation1 while the joyful sound of gospel truth1 and the glorious fruits produced was as evident4 ,the very ,temple itself we are assured was a figure of that glorious temple of the human nature of ,jesus1 the joint concern of the ever-blessed ,trinity in ,unity2 while every consecrated vessel in it1 from the cups to the flagons1 the golden altar to the snuffers1 and the sacrifices to the knives which slew them1 were all symbolical of those truths which were more clearly revealed in the ,new ,testament4 ,it is a pleasing work for a mind under the influence of the love of the ,saviour1 to trace those precious truths1 though in swaddling bands--and this is a precious gift1 the mind sanctified by the ,spirit1 in search of ,jesus1 in every passage1 either directly or indirectly referring to him4 ,and why should such a mind be thought little of1 or contemned8 ,how many have admired the fancies of a poet1 an author1 who has attempted to trace ,god in every thing8 how have they been exalted to the very skies--,pope1 ,shakespear1 and others4 ,yet1 when the christian would trace his ,lord and ,saviour in the types1 he is considered as a mere fanatic4 ,the writings of the truly-excellent ,hervey1 in his ,meditations1 have been much admired2 and what human composition can be more lovely than his ,meditation on a ,flower ,garden1 and his ,descant on ,creation8--while1 with a grace-taught eye1 he saw his loving ,lord1 and justly applied the language of ,pope1 ,he shines in the sun1 refreshes in the breeze1 ,glows in the stars1 and blossoms in the trees4 ,for my own part1 ,i consider it an indulgence afforded to a spiritual man1 that he is able to view his dear ,saviour in every part of the sacred writings4 ,what an entertainment to precious faith6 and how sweetly can that soul hold communion with her ,god1 while thousands of singular passages present the ,lord ,jesus to view--,i call them singular1 not dark1 as there is no darkness in the ,word1 it is in us1 not in ,god1 or his ,word4 ,i am sure ,i need make no apology for the singularity of my text2 it is calculated to awaken attention--to lead into the glorious and affecting truths of the ,gospel4 ,every part of the word of ,god is pure1 of no private interpretation1 and it must be allowed to be truly important4 ,if this be granted1 surely my text and its connexion1 demand our most serious investigation4 ,before ,i immediately consider it1 ,i shall make a quotation or two from some able writers1 on the excellency of the figurative parts of ,god's word4 8,nothing asserted in ,god's word is contrary to the true light of nature1 though it infinitely transcends it4 ,it is no way absurd to represent spiritual things1 and even ,god himself1 by proper emblems1 as the sense is easily understood to be figurative2 and those figures1 drawn from common things1 tend to make us ever conversant with spiritual objects40 ,morrison's ,dictionary4 ,m#8,ewen remarks1 8,as the sun paints the clouds with a variety of glowing colours1 which in their own natures are but dark and lowering vapours1 exhaled from the earth--so when the sun of righteousness arises1 even the carnal ordinances and commandments of the law1 dark and earthly as they seem1 are gilded by his beams1 and wear a shining appearance40 ,mr4 ,brown says1 8,christ ,jesus being the subject and end of scripture revelation1 we ought every where to search if we can find him40 ,bishop ,porteus says1 8,when divine and spiritual things are presented by objects well-known and familiar to us1 such as present themselves perpetually to our observation in the common occurrences of life1 they are much more easily comprehended1 especially by rude and uncultivated minds1 7that is to say1 by the great bulk of mankind7 than if they were proposed in their original form40 ,but we have infallible authority for our guide1 the ,law having a shadow of good things to come4 ,and is there any impropriety in viewing the knives spoken of in the text1 as containing matters of real importance to the ,church of ,god--and that by the daily use of these instruments upon our tables1 our minds may at times be deeply affected with those instruments of death we carry about with us8--,we shall just notice the text in its connexion1 which will gradually open the design of the ,holy ,ghost1 in condescending to notice these knives2 and surely if it was worth the ,spirit's notice1 they must deserve our highest attention1 let who will ridicule it4 ,the faithfulness of ,god was about to appear to his ancient people the ,jews1 in their return from the ,babylonish ,captivity--the #gj years determined were accomplished1 and the ,lord stirred up the spirit of the lovely ,prince ,cyrus1 of whom ,isaiah prophesied long before4 ,this ,prince made a proclamation throughout all his dominions1 that the ,israelites might depart to their own country1 build an house to the ,god of ,israel1 and again inhabit their land4 ,the ,king likewise encouraged them with wishing ,god to be with them2 and then he kindly restored to them all the vessels of gold and silver which ,nebuchadnezzar had impiously placed in the house of his god1 the temple of ,belus1 at ,babylon2 these were commanded to be brought forth1 and returned to the ,jews1 by the hand of the ,treasurer1 and committed to one of the trusty princes of ,judah1 ,zerubbabel1 called ,sheshbazzar2 it appears he had two names1 one signifies he rejoiced in tribulation1 the other1 that he was a stranger in ,babylon4 ,the historian then relates what were put into his hands--,thirty chargers of gold and a thousand chargers of silver4 ,these were vessels in which they gathered the blood of the sacrifices--and nine and twenty knives2 probably their handles were gold and silver1 as they were reckoned among the valuables1 and were large knives which the priests used in slaying and cutting up the sacrifices4 ,the chargers1 which held the blood of the slain1 most probably were typical of the word of truth1 the writings of the ,prophets and ,apostles--likewise of ,gospel ,sermons1 which are full of ,christ our ,passover1 who was sacrificed--and which must be served by every faithful gospel minister to the ,lord's family4 ,those chargers which held the blood also1 as well as the meat1 were typical of the ,ordinances of the ,gospel1 especially of the ,lord's ,supper1 wherein ,christ ,jesus is eminently set forth crucified4 ,they may represent our faith1 which receives the atonement and death of the ,redeemer4 ,in the ,tabernacle there were but twelve1 but in the ,temple there were thirty golden and one thousand silver ones4--,the knives are then mentioned among them2 and as every utensil and instrument was figurative1 those knives must have a figurative sense likewise4 ,what will open this subject more clearly is a passage in ,ezekiel xlth ,chap4 ,the ,prophet had seen an amazing ,city and ,temple1 which doubtless referred to the ,gospel ,dispensation4 ,the ,prophet likewise saw the utensils and the knives which are spoken of in the text2 and as the vision was intirely spiritual1 we must look for the ,gospel sense of the whole vision1 and the knives among them4 ,ezek4 xl1 #db1 #dc4 ,and the four tables were of hewn stone1 for the burnt offering1 whereon also they laid the instruments wherewith they slew the burnt offering4 ,this explains the twenty-nine knives4--,these tables were1 doubtless1 an emblem of the stony hearts of the ,jews2 for if1 7as ,bunyan remarks on this ,subject7 their hearts were not as hard as adamant1 they could not have crucified the ,lord of ,life4 ,hewn stones--they did this under smooth pretences1 like many in our day1 under the mask1 and through the out-cry of holiness and the ,law--for which of these good works do ye stone me8--,on these were laid the body of the sacrifice1 while the ,priests cut them up4 ,did not these represent the characters who would embrue their hands in the blood of ,jesus8--and was it not charged home to their consciences on the day of ,pentecost8--,ye have killed the ,prince of ,life6 ,this naturally leads to reflect on the instruments made use of--,twenty-nine knives4 ,we shall ,first notice the grand ,sacrifice--,secondly the ,instruments of his ,death4--,first3 ,every idea of ,sacrifice must at once include in it1 that there is an infinite evil in sin1 which no finite mind can fully comprehend--none but the mind of the dear ,saviour could possibly take in all the evil there is in sin4 ,this evil required a sacrifice to expiate it1 or atone for it2 and the reason why mankind are careless of the atonement1 think light of it1 or attempt to atone for their own crimes1 by duties1 tears1 prayers1 or works1 is because they never saw sin in the light ,god sees it1 and has consequently testified his hatred of it in many awful judgments1 in a broken ,law1 in the flames of hell--but1 above all1 in the tremendous sufferings and death of ,christ4 ,hence the ,apostle says1 ,god spared not his own ,son4 ,we see1 ,secondly1 ,the infinite love of the adorable ,trinity--the amazing wisdom1 and the astonishing pity and compassion of the covenant ,three1 in providing for our miseries1 in a way surpassing all human thought1 even by the ,assumption of our ,nature1 appearing in flesh1 as a sinner1 and putting away sin by the sacrifice of himself--and it is the work of precious faith1 upon every discovery of our vileness1 misery1 and guilt1 to eye the adorable ,mediator1 as the gift of the ,father's love1 to heal our every woe4 ,and was the ransom paid8--it was1 and paid for you6 ,this1 only this1 subdues the fear of death1 and takes away ,her sting4--,this is the grand ,sacrifice4 8,sacrificing is a religious action1 in which a creature devoted to ,god was in a solemn manner destroyed in his presence1 for sacred ends2 and it was a mode of worship that obtained in the most early ages of the world4 ,it may not only be traced up to the famous ra of giving the law from ,mount ,sinai2 for the ancient patriarchs did commonly practise it4 ,how many altars were built by ,abraham and his grandchild ,jacob8 ,job offered sacrifices both for his children and for his friends2 and ,god smelled a savour of rest1 when ,noah sacrificed clean beasts and birds on the altar which he built unto the ,lord4 ,but why mention these personages as the most ancient practisers of sacrificial worship1 when it may be more than conjectured1 that ,adam himself did practise it8 ,can we think when ,abel offered1 up to the ,lord the firstlings of his flock1 that his father did not instruct him to testify in this manner his fear of the ,lord8 ,and what shall we say of the coats of skins which the ,lord made for them1 or directed them to make8 ,the beasts to whom they belonged1 cannot1 so soon after the creation1 be supposed to have died of age2 they behoved therefore to be slain4 ,how natural to suppose that they were slain in sacrifice1 rather than for any other use8 ,perhaps it was not without a meaning1 that the skins of these beasts should clothe their bodies1 whose blood made atonement for their souls4 ,to be short then1 though we can by no means assent1 that in the state of innocence1 there would have been the least occasion for them1 they seem1 however1 to be as ancient as the promise about the seed of the woman1 who was to have his heel bruised1 while he braised the serpent's bead40 8,let us here glance at some of the most glaring parallels only1 betwixt the sacrifices of ,moses and the sacrifice of ,jesus ,christ40 8,and first1 we may take notice of the qualities of the sacrificed creatures1 especially of the animal kind4 ,it was not left as a matter of indifference1 and wholly in the option of ,god's peculiar people1 with what victims they should stain his altars4--,the integrity and perfection which ,god required in the bodies of these beasts may easily be accommodated to the glorious ,antitype1 who would have been wholly incapacitated1 by any the smallest blemish1 from the discharge of his priestly function4 ,for though it became the typical nation of the ,jews to have an high-priest involved in the same guilt of actual transgression with his brethren1 who was therefore to offer first for his own sin1 before he presumed to offer for the errors of the people2 yet such an high-priest became us1 who is holy1 harmless1 undefiled1 and separate from sinners1 ,heb4 vii4 #bf4--;,it is also worthy of notice1 that of all those beasts the first-born was most acceptable1 and according to the law1 all such were holy unto the ,lord4 ,was not this a prelude1 that he whom ,god would give to expiate our transgression1 should be the first born among many brethren1 whom they should honor as the excellency of dignity1 and to whom they should owe their deliverance from death1 and title to inheritance80 8,from the qualities of the victims let us go on to the sacred rites of oblation1 and we shall find something in our great ,sacrifice corresponding to them all4 ,when the creature that was to surrender its life for its owner was pitched upon1 it was brought unto the priest1 and solemnly sisted before the ,lord4 ,but our ,lord ,jesus was not brought by others1 like the irrational animal1 but he voluntarily presented himself before the ,lord1 when his time was fully come4 ,fully apprised of what was to be done unto him1 he set his face to go up to ,jerusalem1 and patiently expected1 in the melancholy garden1 the coming of the traitor1 and his band of armed men1 to whom he was to deliver himself4 ,the sacred animal being sisted before the ,lord1 was rendered ceremonially guilty1 by the imposition of hands on its head1 and by confessing over it the sins of the offerer4 ,it was the ,lord himself that laid on him the iniquities of us all4 ,o ,jesus6 it is our guilt alone that can justify the ,judge of all the earth in taking pleasure to bruise thee6 ,and this doubtless was one great reason why he opened not his mouth1 while the ,roman governor wondered at his silence4 ,it was this consideration that fortified his mind at the approach of his inconceivably bitter agonies1 and held in his mouth1 as with a bridle1 when these astonishing words dropped from his lips1 #8,now is my soul troubled1 and what shall ,i say8'--,in the next place1 the blood of the innocent animal1 now made guilty by imputation1 was shed1 was poured out1 and sprinkled around2 for1 #8without the shedding of blood was no remission of sin1' ,heb4 ix4 #bb4 ,that it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul1 is asserted by the ,god of ,israel himself1 who expressly assigns this reason of the strict prohibition given to his ancient people1 #8,no soul of you shall eat blood2 neither shall any stranger that sojourns among you4' ,lev4 xvii4 #ab4 ,it is easy to see how this prefigured the violent death of the ,son of ,god1 who poured out his soul unto death1 and whose blood cleanses from all sin4 ,the pulling off the skin from the butchered animals1 dividing their bodies1 and burning them with fire1 are certainly intended to denote the exquisite torments he was to endure1 when the assembly of the wicked inclosed him1 and his heart was melted in the midst of his bowels like wax before the fire4--,the towering of the smoke to heaven1 which was sometimes perfumed with burning incense1 signified how acceptable the sacrifice of ,christ should be to ,god1 and of what sweet smelling savour4--,in the time of offering1 prayers were offered up4 ,and we know1 that in the days of his flesh1 he offered up prayers1 tears1 and strong cries1 to him that was able to save him from death4--,the blowing of trumpets1 and praising ,god1 in the time of the holy rites1 with music vocal and instrumental1 which was often practised1 may no doubt1 put us in mind of that praise1 which waiteth for ,god in ,zion1 on account of purging away our transgression by himself1 which would have prevailed for ever against us4--,the carrying the blood of the victims into the holy place1 the figure of the heavenly sanctuary1 corresponds to the intercession of our ,high-,priest within the vail1 where he appears as a lamb that has been slain40 8,when the rites were finished1 atonement was made4 ,the guilt of the offerer was abolished1 when his victim was destroyed3 the anger of ,god was in some manner appeased1 and he gave signs of reconciliation4 ,but1 as we shewed before1 it was not in these ceremonial actions to atone for any moral guilt1 except in a typical way4 ,but he whom ,god hath set forth for a propitiation1 hath1 in the most proper sense1 fully expiated the sins of all his people who hath lived1 or shall live4 ,in his atonement the believers of ancient and latter times have rejoiced1 as the sole foundation of their hope4 ,and nations yet unborn shall be justified by him1 from all things from which they could not be justified by ,moses' law4 ,the fire that came down from heaven1 and consumed the sacrifices1 which doubtless was kept alive by the priests upon the altar1 was it not an emblem of that fierce-burning wrath which preyed upon the soul of the ,son of ,god8 ,or was it an emblem of the ,holy ,spirit1 through whom he offered up himself1 and who is styled the ,spirit of burning8 ,it was love that wrought his death2 by this holy and pure flame was our atoning sacrifice reduced into ashes40 8,the altar1 what was it8 ,his cross1 say some4 ,nay1 it was rather his divine nature1 which like the altar supported1 and like the altar sanctified the gift4 ,this the cross can scarce be said to do1 which was but the instrument of man's cruelty1 and a despicable piece of timber1 which neither sanctified the body which it carried1 nor received sanctification from it4 ,where then are they who address it with divine honours1 and pay even to its picture that homage which is due to him alone1 that expired in agonies on that shameful tree40 ,we shall now consider the instruments1 the number1 and why twenty-nine--no particular reason is assigned that ,i know of1 any more than why the ,scripture records that ,nahor lived twenty-nine years1 and begat ,terah1 7,gen1 xi1 #bd7--or that ,amaziah reigned twenty-nine years in ,jerusalem1 7ii ,kings xiv1 #b7 or that pious ,hezekiah reigned the same number of years4 ,but it must be allowed by every believer that the #bith verse of the first ,chap4 of ,john's ,gospel1 contains something of vast importance to us1 viz4 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,nor is it less important to call to mind that during our ,lord's secluded days1 twenty-nine lambs had been offered up1 before ,john the ,baptist thus exclaimed4 ,but waving these ideas1 and viewing these knives as the instruments of the death of our dear ,lord1 may they not be typical of our sins--and may we not enumerate twenty-nine of the most awful sins mentioned in the scriptures1 and which include all the rest that are mentioned4 ,the ,spirit has borrowed many metaphors to point out the nature of sin to us--hence in scripture it is called1 #a1 a ,plague2 #b1 a ,sickness2 #c1 a ,death2 #d1 a loathsome ,disease2 #e1 a ,wound2 #f1 a ,curse2 #g1 a ,mountain2 #h1 a ,debt2 #i1 a ,reproach2 #aj1 a ,scourge2 #aa1 an evil ,treasure2 #ab1 an heavy ,chain2 #ac1 a ,fire2 #ad1 a thick ,cloud2 #ae1 a ,sting2 #af1 a ,poison2 #ag1 old ,leaven2 #ah1 a strong ,hold2 #ai1 a stony ,heart2 #bj1 ,madness2 #ba1 a ,deceiver2 #bb1 a ,thief2 #bc1 ,foxes2 #bd1 ,witchcraft2 #be1 an abominable ,thing2 #bf1 ,bitterness2 #bg1 ,unrighteousness2 #bh1 a deep ,pit2 #bi1 miry ,day4 ,these are some of the names by which sin is called4 ,god made man upright1 but through the instigation of the ,devil he fell into sin1 which has involved us in all kind of misery2 for the greatest misery is sin itself--it is contrary to the holy nature of ,god1 and contrary to that pure nature in which ,god first formed man2 of course1 in that sense1 all sin is unnatural1 because contrary to ,god's ,holiness1 ,god's ,law1 and ,perfections4 ,hence every man is considered in his fallen state1 alike sinful4 ,god declares that every man is become brutish2 and one of the best men that ever lived once exclaimed1 ,i am more brutish than any man6 ,those who fancy they are good kind of people and like the proud ,pharisee in the ,gospel1 boastingly cry out1 ,god ,i thank thee ,i am not as other men--and though they will acknowledge that man is fallen in some degree1 yet not so bad as the scriptures represent2 nor do ,i think any one can believe he is so great a sinner as ,god declares1 till the ,spirit opens his eyes1 and quickens his conscience--till then he can find plenty of stones to throw at his neighbour1 under the mask of holiness1 and zeal for the ,law2 but if ever the ,saviour stoops to write conviction on the ground of their hearts1 they must acknowledge as ,joseph's brethren did1 we are verily guilty4--,there is none that doeth good1 no not one4 ,i shall only mention ,twenty-nine names by which men are called in scripture2 which will demonstrate the affecting truth that all are gone out of the way1 and that exemption none can boast4 ,in our fallen state we are compared1 #a1 to ,devils--,ye are of your ,father the ,devil4 #b1 ,to ,devil's ,soldiers--,and the ,dragon fought and his ,angels4 #c1 ,children of disobedience and wrath4--,ephes4 #b4 #d1 ,to ,murderers--,my soul is wearied because of ,murderers4 #e1 ,liars--,they go astray from the womb1 speaking ,lies4 #f1 ,drunkards--,they drink ,iniquity like water4 #g1 ,they are called the ,unclean--,i dwell in the midst of a people of ,unclean ,lips4 #h1 ,thieves--,robbers--,yet have ye robbed ,god4 #i1 ,bastards--,my mother's ,children were angry with me4 #aj1 ,prodigals--#aeth ,luke4 #aa1 ,we are called ,fools4 #ab1 ,poor ,wretches--thou knowest not thou art poor and wretched4 #ac1 ,madmen--possessed with the ,devil4 #ad1 ,carnal--are ye not carnal1 and weak as men8 #ae1 ,outcast--thou wast cast out1 to the loathing of thy person4 #af1 ,servants of ,sin4 #ag1 ,devil's ,drudges4 #ah1 ,captives4 #ai1 ,slaves--led ,captive by him at his will4 #bj1 ,ravenous ,beasts4 #ba1 ,eagles4 #bb1 ,owls4 #bb1 ,lions4 #bc1 ,leopards--,no ravenous beasts go up thereon2 no ,lion shall be there--the beast of the field shall honour me1 the ,dragon and the ,owl4 ,come with me from the ,lion's dens1 the ,mountains of ,leopards4 #bd1 to ,dogs4 #be1 to ,swine4 #bf1 to ,goats4 #bg1 to thiopians4 #bh1 to ,rebels4 #bi1 to ,dragons4 ,these are some of the names by which human nature is called2 and do not these twenty-nine include all the rest of the metaphors by which poor man1 fallen1 depraved1 contaminated1 and guilty1 is represented4 ,where then is the dignity of human nature8 in what does it consist8 ,but1 as ,young says1 8,a ,christian is the highest stile of man30 to be anointed with the same spirit1 that was in the dear ,redeemer1 this is true dignity1 and all others a delusion4 ,i might likewise here mention the most awful sins that the scriptures hold forth1 which are to be found in the hearts of all mankind1 and which the regenerate mind groans beneath1 upon every discovery of them2 it is the new man sighs when the old man works4 ,in this we groan1 being burthened1 longing to get to glory1 to enjoy these two following blessings1 ,there we shall see his face1 ,and never1 never sin4 #a1 ,murders4 #b1 ,adulteries4 #c1 ,uncleanness4 #d1 ,blasphemy4 #e1 ,thieves4 #f1 ,false ,witness4 #g1 ,idolatry4 #h1 ,hatred4 #i1 ,wrath4 #aj1 ,enmity4 #aa1 ,bitterness4 #ab1 ,evil ,speeches4 #ac1 ,evil ,concupicence4 #ad1 ,envy4 #ae1 ,covetousness4 #af1 ,vile ,affections4 #ag1 ,strife4 #ah1 ,disobedience4 #ai1 ,heresies4 #bj1 ,malice4 #ba1 ,contentions4 #bb1 ,anger4 #bc1 ,unkindness4 #bd1 ,self ,righteousness4 #be1 ,hardness4 #bf1 ,rebellion4 #bg1 ,unbelief4 #bh1 ,jealousies4 #bi1 ,evil ,thoughts4--,these are the things that defile the man2 these are the violations of the holy1 righteous law of ,god2 these are opposite to infinite purity2 and without an atonement1 without satisfaction to law and justice2 without these are pardoned and subdued by the blood of the ,lamb1 no flesh could be saved2 for man1 dying under the guilt of the above sins1 must answer for them at the bar of ,god4 ,the glorious ,gospel reveals a dear ,redeemer1 standing in the law place1 room1 and stead of sinners1 with all their guilt1 defilement1 and rebellion1 bearing their sins in his own body on the tree1 and dying the just for the unjust6 while faith discovers all sin put away1 and the law magnified1 by the ,lord our ,righteousness4 ,this brings peace and comfort to the mind1 and this alone1 nothing else can4 ,we see him whom we have pierced with those instruments of death1 and mourn over him4 ,see the real evil of sin1 and mourn that we pierced the ,lord4 ,these were the real instruments of his death1 nor can we love them after being called to view what they have done to ,,him whom our souls adore4 ,we may be perplexed with their inbeing--we may be at times attacked by them1 and we may be overcome--beset by them1 but no sin can ever be loved by the regenerate soul--this constitutes that warfare between the flesh and the spirit1 which causes all the real misery a believer has in this world1 but glory be to all-conquering grace1 that hath delivered us from these instruments of death by his blood1 and the love and power of them by his word and spirit1 that we1 being dead to sin1 and alive to ,god1 7though sin is not dead in us7 we may not yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin1 but may yield ourselves to ,god1 and our members as instruments of righteousness unto ,god2 for the promise runs1 sin shall not have dominion over you1 for ye are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,thus it appears plain1 that the sins of ,god's people1 in heart1 lip1 and life1 were the betrayers and murderers of the ,son of ,god4--,these1 like knives1 cut his heart1 his comfort1 his body1 and soul4 ',twere you my sins1 my cruel sins1 ,that his tormentors were4 ,o that this affecting thought might have its proper effect on all our hearts1 and produce in our minds that repentance which is a tear of love1 dropping from the eye of faith1 beholding ,christ crucified for sin4 ,i do not pretend to say the handles of the knives had any particular reference2 but if any1 may we not consider them as shewing how precious the same people were to the ,saviour1 whose sins put him to death2 hence they are called the precious ,sons of ,zion1 comparable to fine gold3 these were reckoned among the valuables1 the gold and silver vessels in the ,temple4 ,may ,i be permitted to suggest one thought more8 ,the death of the ,redeemer was an effect of ,covenant love--the appointment of the ,father1 and his own consent3--,considering the miseries of his people--the means to accomplish the end--the various steps taken--and the different branches of his sorrows1 may be represented by these knives1 #a1 the ,pursuit of ,herod4 #b1 the ,temptation of ,satan4 #c1 the long ,fasting4 #d1 ,his outward ,wants4 #e1 the cruel ,reproaches of ,men4 #f1 their ,contempt of his ,doctrines and ,miracles4 #g1 the ,consultations against him4 #h1 the ,fears of ,death4 #i1 the ,horrors of ,hell4 #aj1 the ,agonies of his ,mind4 #aa1 the ,weight of ,guilt imputed4 #ab1 ,his ,apprehension4 #ac1 the ,treachery of ,judas4 #ad1 the ,flight of his ,disciples4 #ae1 the ,denial of ,peter4 #af1 the rude ,treatment in the ,streets4 #ag1 the ,insults in the ,hall4 #ah1 the false ,accusations against him4 #ai1 the ,scourgings4 #bj1 the cruel ,thorns4 #ba1 the ,mockery1 ,spitting1 ,buffeting1 and ,blindfolding4 #bb1 ,bearing the ,weight of the ,cross4 #bc1 ,his lifting up on the ,cross4 #bd1 the piercing his ,hands and ,feet4 #be1 the ,insults on the ,cross from ,priests and ,people4 #bf1 the ,darkness over all the ,land4 #bg1 his awful ,desertion4 #bh1 the ,pangs of every kind of ,death4 #bi1 the ,soldiers ,spear piercing his heart4 ,christ our passover is sacrificed for us2 let us therefore keep the feast1 with joy2 let us tell the glorious tidings1 he hath redeemed us from out sin2 by his blood--he perfected for ever them that are sanctified--he hath made full atonement1 and pleads the virtue of his great act for us--here may we fly as doves to their windows--here alone is safety--the sufferings and death of the dear ,god-man mediator4 ,let us cease from legal strivings1 and obey that command1 hold thine hand--remember the battle--do no more1 because all is finished for us who believe--all in whose hearts the ,spirit has begun to operate--all who are led to ,jesus for life and salvation--all who see and feel their lost1 ruined state1 and are flying for refuge to him alone--all who1 from a sense of sin1 venture their everlasting all upon him2 for such poor sinners ,jesus died1 and lives for them for ever4 ,worthy is the ,lamb that was slain and has redeemed us to ,god by his blood4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,finis4