own blood as a sinner, and secondly, of the blood of the Great Redeemer as his Surety. "The Gospel before was preached unto Abraham," Gal. iii. 8: and not unto him only, but unto David also; yea, to Abel and to all believers from the beginning of the world. They received the forgiveness of their sins from the very same source that we receive it, that is, through the shedding of the blood of Jesus. "It is not possible," says the Apostle, "that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Heb. x. 4. This truth David fully understood; and at that very moment of his life, when, more than at any other period, he would have been ready to double his sacrifices, if necessary, and to give or to suffer anything by which he might obtain forgiveness, he deliberately places on record this most remarkable state ment (so apparently contradictory and heretical for a Jew to utter), "For Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt-offering." Psa. li. 16. David, therefore, with other true believers, discarded all reliance for forgiveness on mere material sacrifices; and Christ Jesus was to him, and to them, as He is to us, the alone spiritual and acceptable sacrifice on which are fixed the eyes and the hopes of God's people, from the beginning to the end of time: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." John, i. 29.

The "taking away of the sin of the world," signifies its removal out of every sinner's way in returning to his God. Sin had excluded us all from the Divine presence. The only light that met the sinner's eye, searching for an escape from death, was the gleam of that "flaming sword which

turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Gen. iii. 24. The only law which meets the sinner's case is that unchangeable enactment, "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen. ii. 17. The sinner's penitence and tears, his prayers, and his professions of amendment, can make no alteration of this condemning law. Its awful sound falls still upon his ear, "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die!"

But lo! salvation by Suretyship is revealed. The Son of God comes down to bear the sinner's curse. He places Himself in the sinner's stead, and suffers for him the penalty of death: "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Isa. liii. 5; “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isa. liii. 6.

Behold the Lord's amazing method of forgiveness. Sin is "taken away,” by being "laid upon" the Surety's head. No more offering for sin is to be made thenceforward forever: and we are all commanded to draw near by the new and living way which is thus opened for us into the presence. of God by the blood of Jesus. Heb. x. 19.

The offended Lawgiver has graciously given His own Son to be an able, willing, and all-sufficient Surety,-that Surety has already suffered and died in our stead, and our sins are already atoned for by His blood: to reject that gift, and to dishonor this Saviour's work, by our unbelief, is to commit the greatest crime, and to ensure our own condemnation,

John iii. 19, and cause us to die in our sins. John viii. 24. But he that believes in this Saviour passes from condemnation to acquittal, from death to life, obtains a full and free forgiveness, so that he shall neither live, nor die, nor rise again in his sins. Unspeakable and undeserved as is so great a blessing, the fact is certain, the truth is undisputable. Not one, not two, but "all the prophets give witness" to this joy-inspiring doctrine that "whosoever believeth in Jesus shall receive remission of sins." Acts x. 43.

When in human affairs a surety has stood in our place, has obeyed every law in our name, has suffered every penalty in our behalf, and has paid every debt. in our stead, not to believe in him and rely on what he has done, is to reject and disown his representative character, is to repudiate his obedience, to despise his sufferings, to dishonor his payment, to annul his suretyship work, and to cast from us all the benefits he has acquired. To refuse to believe in Jesus as the author and the finisher of our salvation, is virtually to assert that we put Him aside as a Surety, from between our souls and God, in order that we may stand in our own name, and in our place, before the bar of the Almighty to undergo every penalty in our own persons, and to pay every debt out of our own resources. It is to trample under foot the Son of God, and to count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and to do despite unto the Spirit of Grace. Heb. x. 29. But, on the other hand, to believe in Jesus, is to acknowledge His representative character, is to accept His obedience, to honor His sufferings, to accredit His payment, to ratify His suretyship work, and to appropriate to

ourselves all the benefits He has secured.

There is not a

single prophet, apostle, or evangelist, that insinuates a doubt on this important subject. Where is the text to be found, in the whole compass of the word of God, which declares that though a sinner believe in Jesus, his iniquity shall not be forgiven? No. Never can it be. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful to the threatening. God cannot deny Himself, 2 Tim. ii, 13. If also we believe, He abideth faithful to the promise. God cannot deny Himself. He that believeth shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be condemned, Mark xvi. 16. The covenant in Christ is ordered in all things and sure, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. He is the Surety of this covenant-this "better covenant"-this best of covenants, Heb. vii. 22; viii. 6. His own declaration is, "Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." John vi. 37.

It is in continually thus "coming to God through Christ," that our safety consists. It is in continually believing and confessing, that we obtain continual remission. Virtue flows from Christ, whenever, with the hand of believing prayer, the true penitent touches but the hem of His garment. David expresses this truth by the use of the present tense, "who forgiveth all thine iniquities." God forgives as man confesses. We are thus kept near to God in Christ, by receiving present supplies according to our present circumstances. There is no stock of grace given to be enjoyed at a distance from the Giver. The sins of to-day are not pardoned by the grace of yesterday. The sweet communion we then enjoyed is no atonement for our present coldness

and alienation of heart. We must go with these to Jesus the instant that we feel them. No sins are pardoned till they are confessed to Him. And no sin is confessed to Him that is not freely pardoned for His sake. "Let God be true and every man a liar" who negatives the promises of the Lord, or who questions His readiness to forgive according as He hath said. Through the abundant righteousness of the Surety, God "multiplies to pardon." David believed firmly in that blessed Surety, and therefore unhesitatingly testifies to his soul, "He forgiveth all thine iniquities.”

Understand, then, oh Christian! the gospel of suretyship clearly, that thou mayst give thanks joyfully. God the Father has laid all thy sins upon His own Son as thy surety. Isa. liii. 6. And He is now, therefore, not imputing them to thee as a cause of exclusion from His presence. 2 Cor. v. 19. Believe in Jesus as the Surety who has procured these two great blessings for thee, and so draw near, just as you are, to this gracious God, as in Him thy reconciling and forgiving Father. Oh! glorious and everlasting Gospel,how simple is thy message,-how efficacious is thy devised suretyship,-how direct and immediate is the believer's entrance into the joy of forgiveness.

Such was the position of David in the Psalm before us. Jehovah appointed the blood of atonement for the remission of sins, and David simply believed what his Lord declared. With every sin that he committed he drew near to the atoning blood, he offered sacrifice, and he returned persuaded that he was forgiven.

That sacrifice was typical of the blood of Christ; let