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1. The object of purification. The conscience from dead works.

All the blood of beasts that was ever spilt from Abel, to the period when the fire was extinguished on the Jewish altars, was not sufficient to purify the conscience.

Conscience, is the inferior judge, whose residence is in the palace of man's soul: according to whose declaration the man feels, either confidence in God, and rejoices in his favor; or that condemnation, which fills him with that fear that hath torment. Knowledge of the will, and character of God, is the law by which this judge justifies, or condemns. Conscience is our judge in this world: but Christ will be our judge in the world to come. According to the degree of light, of moral and evangelical truth shining upon the conscience, is the degree of its judicial power. With the increase of the knowledge of the truth, it raises to perfection, or grows to maturity. It abides with the soul in old age; and as a faithful recorder, it will take the register book over Jordan, wherever my soul shall go, whether to Abraham's bosom, or to the rich man in hell. This deputy judge, and the most exact of all recorders, will bring the book to judgment. God keeps a register book above and conscience keeps a register book below: when both books shall be opened in the day of judgment, they will correspond precisely. When temptations are presented before the mind, the understanding opposes them, but the carnal mindedness invites them; but the bell of the conscience, like the tolling of a funeral knell, the wire being agitated by the hand of the supreme judge, rings through the whole house, and seems like the bell of St. Paul in London, articulating sounds in the ears of Whittington, I SEE THEE:-sinner, I see thee-sounding so loud terrific, and distinct, till all the citizens of man-soul

imagine they hear the slow moving sound of writing pens in the recorder's office, and in the book of God.When sin had conceived, it brought forth death and darkness, and the mist of guilt, fear, and terror. Felix trembled.

We read of good and bad consciences; the work of each of these is, to keep a true, account, and judge accordingly. Black bills, and the judgment of death are registered against thousands in the office of conscience. Such characters are invited to come and apply to the office of the gospel, where Jesus is blotting out the hand writing that is against them, with his own blood! that they might enjoy peace of mind, peace with God, and escape the wrath to come. The consciences of some are so bad, that they will even murder the people of God, and think that in so doing, they serve him.the consciences of others are so fast asleep, that they join with the other faculties of the soul, in crying peace and safety, when destruction is at the door..

Other's consciences are seared as it were with a hot iron; so that they are sold to work iniquity: to eat sin like bread, and drink iniquity like water.

And the consciences of others; like some judges in a court of judicature, are bribed; so that they will betray the just cause of the righteous. John the Baptist is unjustly beheaded, that Herod might keep his oath of honor. Because of the oath, and the noblemen that were there, the proud fool granted the girl, the head of John the Baptist. A dead fish cannot swim against the stream. A man destitute of good principle, cannot break the snares of sin. If Herod had a single spark of good principle, he might have said, girl, 1 have promised thee any thing that thou wouldest ask, even to the half of my kingdom; but thou art asking too much: for the head of John the Baptist, the forerunner of our adora

rable Saviour, is of more value, not only, than all my kingdom, but than all the kingdoms of the world. But he had not the fear of God in his heart, nor before his eyes: therefore he was swept away in the destructive deluge to the dead sea.

A despairing conscience is as bad, and as destructive to its owner, as any of the above mentioned. If our sing are ten thousand times heavier than our tears, repentance and reformation, our profession, our faith, and our love; the blood of Christ is ten thousand times heavier than our sins; and the mercy and grace of God, can forgive sins and transgressions of all those who believe in Christ, agreeable to the demands of justice.

A good conscience is an unspeakable privilege. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. To answer a good conscience towards God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the complete victory of that faith unfeigned, that worketh by love. Good conscience is always found in the region of its Brothers and sisters, in the country of convictions of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come; it dwells wherever you find illuminated understanding to see the glory of God; faith in Jesus Christ, as the Mediator between God and man; repentance towards God as the Lawgiver in Zion; flaming, and superlative love to God, good hope through grace; a public profession of the gospel of Christ; the spirit of prayer and supplication: and diligent perseverance to the end. Wherever these things are, there is good conscience; for they always dwell together. Conscience was a faithful recorder under the law; and notwithstanding the revolution that has taken place under the new covenant, conscience is still in of fice; and being purged by the blood of Christ from dead works to serve the living God, it may be called a good

conscience.

II. We would notice the materials with which con science is purged from dead works. The blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God.

If we could take a single view of all the bearings of the blood of Christ, as exhibited in the gospel, what astonishing and brilliant light would shine upon the world, -upon the glory of God,-the nature and requirements of his law, the dreadful consequences of sin,—the in finite atonement of Christ,-free, sovereign, and recon. ciling grace:—and our union to him by faith in Christ, as the just God, and a Saviour! All the light that the wise Philosophers of the world have gathered, even from the excellent treatises of creation and providence, is like the light of the ignis fatuus, compared with the light of the sun. It is in the light of the sun We can see the tops of the mountains of immortality, through the dense darkness of sin and guilt, which shaded the valley of th shadow of death. The knowledge of Socrates and Plato, was nothing in comparison with the knowledge of the weakest believer in the blood of Christ.

The blood of Christ person, who knew no

The natural blood of Christ entirely excels human blood. It was not the blood of one of the posterity of Adam; notwithstanding that he assumed human nature; but he was a new root. The second head-yes, the second man, the Lord from heaven. The seco..d Adam, a spirit quickening the whole body. was the blood of a sinless and holy sin, neither was iniquity found in him. Also it was the blood of the man in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. His blood mixed with water, flowed most freely from his head, his hands, his feet, and his side; and in the garden of Gethsemane, gushed forth from all the pores of his body. I approach this blood, not only with fear and trembling, but also with joy and

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humility; taking off my shoes like Moses approaching the burning bush; for I hear a voice from within the veil saying, this is the blood of him who thought it no robbery to be equal with God-yes, it is the blood of hims who is the same with the Father, in nature and essence The true God, and life eternal

The blood of Christ in the gospel implies his whole obedience to the demands of the law, by which we are justified; and the whole sufferings of his soul and body, as the Mediator, by which an atonement was made for the sins of men; and a fountain opened to cleanse them from every sin. The forgiveness of our sins, and the whole of our sanctification, is flowing from this remarkable and efficacious fountain, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, by the washing of water through the word.

There are five things worthy of our consideration in the representation given of the blood of Christ in the

text.

It is the blood which he offered on the altar.

It is the blood that he offered to God,-the true and living God, the fountain and the author of life.

It is the blood that he offered without spot, to the liv ing God; there was no deficiency in his sacrifice, it fully and perfectly answered the demands of the law; he being perfect himself, he perfected forever all that believe in him.

It is the blood that he offered to God, through the eternal Spirit. It was by the operation of the Holy Spirit of God, that his body was formed in the womb. The angel Gabriel said to Mary: the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshad. ow thee; therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. It was by the power of the eternal Spirit that he rose from the grave. He was declared to be the Son of God with

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