The Thoughts of the Saint Concerning It
After many a struggle and after many a refusal to admit into his soul the peace that comes from the knowledge of this blood, his eyes have been fully opened by the Holy Spirit to see its efficacy and suitableness. To one who had no consciousness of guilt burdening him, — no distraction of soul nor misgivings of conscience as to his standing in the sight of God, the blood must appear as unnatural as unnecessary; but to one whose conscience is awake, whose indifference about sin is gone, who has known what it is to groan by reason of the “body of death,” — the blood is the very thing that he feels his need of to pacify conscience and to bring him to God as one from whom, in believing, the wrath due to his iniquities has passed away for ever.
He has seen sin in the light in which God sees it; but he has also seen the blood in that same light also. He has looked at the blood from the point at which God looks at it, and his soul has rested from its conflicts and its fears. Hitherto ho had looked at it from a position of his own, and through a medium of his own colouring, but the Holy Spirit has removed him from that false position into the true one, and has brought him out from the false colouring with which he was surrounded into that transparent atmosphere in which all things are seen as they are.
1 Col. i. 20 — 22.
The estimate which in other days he had formed of the blood is now seen not only as inadequate, but false. It was that false estimate that so long stood between him and peace, and it is the remains of that false estimate still cleaving to him that at times rise up to darken or trouble his spirit. But that estimate is no longer his. He has been taught another by the Spirit of truth. This new estimate is that of God. It is founded upon the price which the Father puts upon the blood of the beloved Son.
In believing, the sinner relinquishes his own estimate and adopts that of God. In so doing he finds peace.
The blood is his peace. How!
1. Because he sees it to he divine. — It is the blood of God. Creature-blood could avail nothing. It could not reach high 1 Acts xx. 28. enough; it could not go low enough for his want and guilt. The blood is the life;1 and no life save that which is divine, — no life save that of the Prince of life could answer for his. There must be some sort of equivalent; and that equivalent God alone could furnish. And He has furnished it by sending his own Son, and so substituting a divine life instead of a human lifey a divine death as the payment in full of that eternal death which was the sinning creature’s portion. The sight of this divine blood-shedding, — this infinite payment, — is peace to his soul.
2. Because he sees it to be so precious. — It is not only divinely perfect but divinely precious. No limit can be set upon its va-
4 “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.” — Lev. xvii. lue. The question which a troubled spirit puts is, Is this blood, this life, valuable enough to stand instead of mine? If it be so, and if God be willing to accept the substitution, I am satisfied. The answer is. That blood is valuable enough to answer for yours, and God is willing to accept the exchange. Nay, it was he who first proposed it; it is he who is pressing this exchange upon your notice and intreating you to receive it, that so there may be nothing left for you to pay. In believing, we consent to take God’s payment, which we learn to be so infinite in value; and in taking it we are set free from the durance which was our portion till that payment should be wholly made. And this is peace!
3. Because he sees it to be so suitable. — It provides for the very things he needs. It meets every part of his varied case, leaving nothing unprovided for which could burden or alarm or disquiet him. Every question that a guilty conscience can put, it fully answers. It is not a mere general remedy which we must contrive to make to suit our case as well as we can. It is a special remedy which adapts itself to every individual case just as if provided for it alone. No fear can arise for which it does not furnish an antidote. No doubt can agitate the soul which it is not fitted to soothe and lay to rest. No question can he asked, to which it does not most promptly reply. And this is peace!
4. Because he sees it to be so spotless. — It is the blood of the Lamb without blemish and without spot. This attracts his eye. There are many things attractive about the blood, but this is one of the most attractive. There is not one stain upon it. It is infinitely pure. Had there been one stain upon it, his peace would have been imperfect. But its purity is so manifest and so divine, that he feels the absolute security of the foundation on which his peace is built. It is the blood of a sacrifice in which even the eye of Jehovah could detect no flaw.
5. Because he sees it to be so unchange - able. — It loses none of its efficacy by time or repetition. It is the same in this age as when it was shed at first. It is the same to-day as when first we applied to it for healing and for cleansing. Nothing can rob it of its potency. It has cleansed millions; it can cleanse millions more; it has washed out stains, in number past calculation, in dye most thorough crimson. Yet it is unpolluted. It has taken on no stain. It is still as able to pacify the conscience and to release the soul from guilt. All along it has spoken “better things than that of Abel;” and to this day it still speaks the same. As the atmosphere that girds our earth remains untainted in spite of the millions that breathe it, — as fit to nourish life, and to transmit the sun-beam as at first, — so this blood of God’s own Son abides unstained by the myriads of sins that it has purged away, — as fit as ever to cleanse, to heal, to gladden, and to transmit the sunshine of Jehovah’s reconciliation into any eye that will but open to let it enter.
Of all this he sees that there is abundant evidence, evidence which completely satisfies him, and makes him feel that in trusting in that blood, he is trusting to one of the surest things in the universe-He hears the voice of God, from the beginning proclaiming its power and its purity. He sees the finger of God pointing forward to the one sacrifice in which no flaw could be found. He listens to the testimony of “the law and the prophets” on this point, and finds how entire in their concurrence. He sees Satan doing his utmost to discover some imperfection in his victim, but finding “nothing in him.”1 He hears the voice even of him that betrayed him saying “it is innocent blood;”? and that of the Roman centurion saying “Certainly this was a righteous man.”3 He sees too in the resurrection of the crucified One, one of the most decisive of all the testimonies. It was “through the blood of the everlasting covenant” “that he was brought again from the dead by the Father.4 The sin that was laid upon him had slain him and borne him down to the grave; but in so doing, it had shed that blood that taketh sin away; so that it was
1 John xiv. 30. 2 Matt, xxvii. 4.
8 Luke xxiii. 47. 4 Heb. xiii. 20.
not possible he could be holden in the chains of death. The blood had satisfied, and having been accepted as payment in full, he was raised forthwith out of that very tomb into which he had gone down under the weight of our guilt. The blood was thus proved to be sufficient to atone for that guilt which was laid upon him; — and in this blessed proof the believing soul rests. He hears too the songs which are sung in heaven respecting this blood; and sees the delight there felt in Jesus “as the Lamb that was slain.”1 And that in which the saints above rejoice, is surely what he may safely rejoice in here. They cannot be mistaken in their estimate of the blood. They cannot err in their praises of the blood. They must know what they are doing, when delighting in the Lamb that was slain.
1 Rev. v. 9, 12.
What more then can he need as evidence of the preciousness, the efficacy, the spotlessness, the sufficiency of this blood, to which he has come and on which he is resting? It has been proved in every way and found sufficient. It was enough for the saints in other days, it is enough for them now. It is enough for the saints above, it may well be enough for the saints below.
But what are the effects which the saint experiences, as resulting from this blood? They are such as the following.
1. Through it he has the remission of sin. — He remembers how it is written, “in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”1 He remembers also how Jesus himself said “this is my blood of the new covenant shed for many, for the 1 Eph. i. 7. remission of sins.”1 Keeping his eye fixed upon the blood, he realizes every moment the forgiveness which it proclaims, and the blessedness of which that forgiveness is the source. And if at any time a doubt disquiet him, he looks anew to the blood and is reassured.2
xMatt. xxvi. 28.
2 It was thus that a minister of the last century wrote to a friend on a death-bed, “Your being kept in the faith of the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and preserved from falling in the last trial, must be entirely owing to grace helping in that very time of need, even the free grace that is in Christ Jesus sufficient for you, and showing itself perfect in your weakness. This needs no merit nor effort of yours, to make it effectual; you are not weak enough to be helped by it, if you think to assist it in the least, either by the least doing, or remotest willing to do, yet it must both show your utter weakness and infirmities, and show itself sufficient to make you strong in weakness. The boundless merit of the blood of God needs not the least grain of weight from you added to it, to make it 2. Through it he is brought nigh and kept nigh to God. — For thus it is written, “now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”1 In coming nigh at first, he came with that blood as his only introduction: and, in continuing nigh, he feels the
outweigh the demerit of all your heinous sins, with all their aggravations, or to make it sufficient to keep you from being found wanting when weighed in God’s balance. It scorns the least offer of assistance from the sinner to make him perfectly just in the sight of God. And if you believe it to be the blood of the Son of God that is exhibited to you in the divine testimony, you cannot suspect that you lack anything to make you inherit eternal life. If you have but dark views of the reconciled face of God, this must be because you see as through a glass darkly the merit of the reconciling blood, but when you once have ceased to walk by faith, being present with the Lord, and seeing him as he is, alive from the dead by his own blood, the brightest light of the Father’s face that shines on him will fill your soul.”
1 Eph. ii. 13. necessity of always realizing the efficacy of the blood. It was this that enabled him to draw near “with a true heart and in the full assurance of faith,” and it is this that keeps him in the same posture still. It is this that makes him feel safe in the presence of the Holy One, safe in dealing with him about his sins, safe in dwelling always in the secret place of the most High.
3. Through it he is put in possession of eternal life. — The blood is his security, as well as the ground of his claim. “The blood is the life,” and the life of another having been taken instead of his, death is no longer his portion, but life — “whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life.”1 In recognising the efficacy of the blood, and in consenting to take his stand before God upon it alone, he drinks it, and in drinking it he receives 1 John vi. 54 the earnest of the everlasting life of which in believing he has become the heir.
4. ‘Through it his conscience is purged. — “If the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”1 Though a sinner, he is entitled to plead not guilty by reason of his connection with this blood. To do any thing else would be to deny the full efficacy of the blood. Though in himself guilty, his conscience is as completely set at rest from the accusing terrors of remorse, as if he had never transgressed the law. He finds that “the blood of Jesus Christ clennseth him from all sin;” not 1 Heb. ix. 13, 14; lJohni. 7.
“hath cleansed” but “cleanseth,” — is always doing it, hour after hour. The stream is ever flowing over him and ever carrying off the iniquity, that is oozing out at every pore.
5, Through it he is set apart for God. — By it he has been bought, and by it he has been separated from a present evil world. Hence he can join in that song, “unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us unto our God kings and priests.”2 By this blood he has been ransomed, and this of itself sets him apart. But the mark of the blood is upon him. He has become a consecrated vessel, — a vessel of the sanctuary, — no longer for the use of self or of the world, but for the use of God alone. As one on whom the blood has been sprinkled, he feels that he dare not be, an- 1 Rev. i. 5. other’s; he must be Christ’s alone. He dare not turn the sanctuary of Jehovah into the temple of idols, the dwelling of the Holy Ghost into the abode of devils.
6. Through it all holiness comes. — The blood has opened the channel, and holiness flows in. He dares not use this blood for unholy purposes. He dares not say, “I am sprinkled with the blood, therefore I may make light of sin, I may live as I please.” No: he says I am sprinkled with this blood, therefore I must be holy. They who know it not may live on in sin; but I who know it, dare not. Others who reject it may reason in such a way; but I cannot. The blood is too precious, too holy, to be used for any but holy purposes. If he were attempting to use it for any other, it would immediately change its voice and bear witness against him.
7. Through it he overcomes. — “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.”1 It is the sight of this blood that nerves him for the conflict, and gives him the assurance of victory. He, whose blood it is, was the conqueror, and in his name we move forward to battle, certain of being more than conquerors through him that loved us. The blood with which we are sprinkled gives us both strength and courage. With it we are invincible, — nay victorious.
8. Through it his garments are purified. — Of the blessed above it is written, “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”2 It is this that so thoroughly purifies our raiment, making it for beauty and for glory to resemble that of our great High Priest himself. Not one stain of earth is permitted to defile us. And thus clothed, we are not only made fit for having fellow- 1 1 lev. xii. 11. 2 Rev. vii. 14, ship with God, but for standing “before his throne,” for “serving him day and night in his temple.” The brightness of angelic raiment cannot equal ours, for it is divine. We can take our place amid angels, yet never blush. We can compare our robes with theirs, yet feel no shame. So perfect, so resplendent have they been made by this blood of the Lamb.
9. Through it all blessing flows. — The “good things to come,” spoken of by the apostle,1 are all connected with this blood.
It is the blood that makes it befitting in God to bestow these blessings, and which emboldens the sinner to draw near in order to receive them. All that is excellent and glorious is connected with this blood. This is the river that bears to him all blessings on its crimson stream, pouring in without ceasing every thing that * Heb. x. 1.
God has to confer. “Of what use is this fountain to believers? (asks an old writer.) Many and great; all their graces flow from it; all their duties are to be washed in it; all their comforts are maintained by it.” Thus it is that the saint rejoices in this blood. It was the knowledge of it that first shed peace into his soul, and it is the same knowledge that maintains throughout life that peace which then began. It was in being led by the Holy Spirit to the knowledge of this blood that he became a saint, and it is in continuing to know it that he continues a saint. His only answer to the whispers of conscience, is “the blood that was stied.” * His great protection against the fiery darts of the wicked one, is “the blood that was shed.” His preparation for the duties of each day is a fresh application to the blood, in 1 Romaine’s Works, p. 127. which he bathes his conscience anew each morning as he rises.
It speaks to him better things than that of Abel, — far better things indeed.
1. It speaks of a brother’s love9 not of a brother’s hatred. — It has no voice for him but that of love; — love strong as death, nay stronger. Its language is, “herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God loved
1 “Let this be our daily work and exercise, for we are daily contracting new filth. Yesterday’s cleansing will not save us from new filth to-day; nor will our running to the fountain to-day, serve to take away new spots to-morrow; new spots call for new washing, so that this must be our very life and exercise, to be daily and continually running to the fountain with our souls, and giving Christ, the great purger, much to do.
“We must not think to be perfectly washed, so long as we are here; for we will be contracting new filth daily, our feet will be to wash, J ohn xiii. 10. We will not be without spot or wrinkle, till we come home to that place, wherein entereth nothing that defileth.” — Brown’s Christ the Way, tfic., p. 167. ns, and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” It has a voice which says, “fear not, I am the first and the last, I am He that liveth and was dead, and am alive for evermore.”
2. It speaks of peace returned, not of peace fled away. — Abel’s blood seemed to say that peace had left the earth, and in its place all discord and revenge and fierce variance had come. But this better blood tells us that peace has again found an abode on earth, that the broken links between man and man are to be re-knit, and that the sunshine of genial harmony between heaven and earth is displacing the dark discord that threatened to reign for ever. It speaks of reconciliation between God and the sinner, — reconciliation upon securest grounds, — the reconciliation of a covenant ordered in all things and sure.
3. It speaks of grace, not of wrath. — In Abel’s case it was all wrath; the blood cried for vengeance out of the ground; this blood breathes no vengeance, no wrath. All in it is grace, — grace to sinners, — grace to the murderers, — grace to the uttermost. Free love to the unloveable and the unloving is the very essence of the message which it brings.
4. It speaks of forgiveness, not condemnation. — It calls up no thunders. It wields no lightnings to execute the sentence of righteousness against the ungodly. “Forgive,” is its only utterance. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Its burden is, “I will be merciful, to their unrighteousness, their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”1
5. It speaks of the blessing, not of the curse. — “Bless, and curse not” is the commission with which it is entrusted in its
*Heb. viii. 12. embassy to man. It has borne the curse; it has absorbed it; it has transmuted it into a blessing, — a blessing which it is pouring freely out on all who will but receive it. Its message is, “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.”1
6. It speaks of life, not of death, — Cain s blood-guiltiness seemed to seal up man’s ruin, and shut him up to helpless death. There seemed nothing in reserve but death. Even a brother’s heart could meditate death against a brother, and a brother’s hand inflict it. But in this better blood all is life, — life everlasting, — life that has come to us through death, -r-the death of the substitute. It is this blood which says, “I am the resurrection and the life, 1Isa. i. 18. he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”1
7. It speaks not to alarm but to soothe the conscience. — Abel’s blood must have been echoing in the ears of Cain, all his days. He might go out from the gate of Eden, the presence of the Lord, but he could not get beyond the sound of that voice. It would keep his conscience ever open, ever bleeding, ever tortured. But this better blood speaks peace. It purges the conscience and lays its alarms to rest. It heals, it restores, it gladdens. To be sprinkled with it is what the conscience desires. To hear its voice is what the conscience feels to be necessary for comfort and rest. Its still small voice can in a moment calm the tumults of the most torn and troubled breast.
8. It speaks not of man the fugitive and
1 John xi. 25. vagabond, but of man restored to Eden. — It was the blood of his brother that chased Cain from the gate of paradise. It would not allow him to dwell even within sight of it, though outside the sacred fence. But this better blood brings back the sinner to the gate of Paradise again, — nay brings him in, or at least gives him the pledge that he shall one day re-enter these blessed gates, and dwell within these blessed bowers. It transforms him from a fugitive and a vagabond, such as he is by nature, into a fellow-citizen with the saints and an heir of the incorruptible inheritance, the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
IT he following quaint old stanza may help to illustrate some of the preceding remarks.
Abel was silent; but his blood was strong;
Each drop of guiltless blood commands a tongue,
A tongue that cries, — ’tis not a tongue implores For gentle audience, ’tis a tongue that roars For hideous vengeance; ’tis a tongue that’s bold Realizing these things, the saint moves on his joyful course. The blood is all to him. It is his peace; it is his medicine; it is his daily comforter. And resting in it he rejoices in hope of the glory to be revealed. Contrasting the blood of Abel with that of Christ, and comparing the blood of the sacrifices with that of the Lamb of God, he daily gets new insight into its wondrous excellencies, and is made to feel its full and perfect sufficiency. He needs no more to keep his soul in perfect peace, even when conscious of no common unworthiness and pollution. He needs no more to heal all his wounds, to cleanse away all his defilement, to strengthen
And full of courage, and that cannot hold.
Oh! what a noise my blessed Saviour’s blood Makes now in heaven! how strong it cries! how loudl But not for vengeance. From his side has sprung A world of drops; from every drop a tongue.
O sinner, hear of J esus’ blood the cry,
God wills to save thee; — wherefore wilt thou die!’* Francis Quarles* him for every toil, and to enable him to conquer in every battle with the enemy.
And in proportion as he learns to enter more fully into the thoughts of God concerning the blood, in that proportion does his peace deepen and his joy overflow.
All its suitableness and manifold riches are not disclosed in a single day. He is ever making new discoveries in this illimitable field: ever digging into new veins in this unfathomable mine. His song on earth is “unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory and dominion for ever.”1 His song in heaven will be the same, only louder and fuller, “thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and nation and tongue and people, and hast made us unto God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.”2 1 Rev. i. 5. 2 Rev. v. 9.