"By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." - Hebrews 9:12
Ponder, my soul, these solemn expressions concerning thy Jesus. Mark,
in them, their vast contents. Jesus, as a prophet, hath revealed his
salvation: as a priest, he alone hath procured it, and offered it up to
God and the Father; and as a King, he ever lives and reigns to see its
efficacy fully accomplished in all his redeemed, being made partakers
of it. Behold in this, his priestly office, both as an high priest and
as the sacrifice, what he hath wrought, and what he bath accomplished -
even eternal redemption. Mark, my soul, the several volumes of mercy
comprised in it. First - Of man's revolt from God. Secondly - The
deadly breach by reason thereof. Thirdly - The proclamation from
heaven, of God's determined purpose to take vengeance of sin. Fourthly
- Man's total inability to appease the divine wrath, either by doing or
suffering. Fifthly - Divine grace, in the love of the Father,
permitting a substitute, competent to do this great act of salvation
for men; and appointing and constituting no less a person than his dear
Son to the accomplishment of it. Sixthly - Jesus, the Son of God,
voluntarily giving himself an offering and a sacrifice for sin, and by
that one offering of himself, once offered forever, perfecting them
that are sanctified. Seventhly - Having thus accomplished the purpose
of salvation upon earth, Jesus now, by his own blood, entered into the
holy place, to make the whole effectual by the exercise of his priestly
office in heaven. And, lastly, to add no more - God accepting and
confirming his perfect approbation of the whole, and now proclaiming
peace on earth, goodwill towards men. Ponder over these grand,
these glorious, these momentous subjects, my soul, this day. Take them
about with thee wheresoever thou goest; fold them in thy bosom; write
them on the tablets of thine heart; let them arise with thee, and lay
down with thee. And, in all thine approaches to the mercy-seat behold
Him, and let him never be lost to the view of the eye of faith, by whom
the whole is wrought, and of whom this sweet scripture speaks; who, "by
his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us."
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