Life Through Death

Life Through Death: Part 1

It is deeply interesting to note the place which " death," or the "shedding of blood," occupies, in the Word of God. It forms the only foundation of man's approach to, his standing before, or his relationship with, God. It is the only means whereby sin can be put away—the only ground on which divine life and divine righteousness can be imparted. "Without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. 9:22.) This is a truth which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments do most clearly and fully unfold and establish.

No sooner had "sin" made its appearance—no sooner had its dark shadow settled down upon this lower world -than this great truth began to break through the twilight; and, as we turn over page after page of the sacred volume, as the dispensations of God unfold themselves to our view, it gathers clearness and fullness, until, at length, it shines out, in unclouded effulgence, in connection with the Lamb slain " by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," to be the channel of peace and pardon, life and righteousness, to all who should, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, believe in His name.

Thus, in the third chapter of Genesis, when " the Lord God" made His appearance, amid the mighty ruin which "the one disobedience" had wrought in His fair creation, we hear Him making mention of " the seed of the woman' as the one who was to bruise the serpent's head. But how was this to be accomplished? "Thou shalt bruise his heel." This word "bruise" contains it in the germ of THE GLORIOUS DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD. The serpent who had introduced the mischief was yet to have his head bruised by the seed of the woman; but, ere that could be accomplished, " the seed " should Himself be " bruised."

Now, some may say, " this was a very shadowy representation of the doctrine of the blood." Granted; hut, though shadowy, it was real. It was just such a representation as suited the moment in which it was given. Life must be introduced by death. The mighty Bruiser must Himself be bruised. Such was the truth contained in the earliest accents which fell from the lips of the Lord God, in the midst of a scene of ruin, and in the audience of ruined and guilty sinners. Adam heard all this. He saw there was a controversy between "the Lord God" and " the serpent." He learned that this controversy was to be brought to an issue—a victorious issue by " the seed of the woman." He was taught that he should be a debtor to another for deliverance, for alas! how could he—himself the serpent's slave—ever be the bruiser of the serpent's head? No; this was to be the solitary work of another, and that other was to achieve the victory by having His heel bruised, that is to say, by death.

But, does this fact in the least interfere with the value of the life of "the seed of the woman?" Assuredly not. Who could attempt to reckon up in order all the rich and rare results of that life? God was to be glorified—the mind of Heaven to be refreshed—the human heart perfectly tested—Satan foiled—all by the exhibition of a perfect life here below. Moreover, God's redeemed were to be furnished with an example as to how they ought to walk. These things will come before us, if God permit, in the progress of this paper, I merely refer to them here, in order that the reader may not, by any means, lose the sense of the infinite preciousness of the life of " the man Christ Jesus." " The seed of the woman" should live to die—He should have a heel to be bruised ere the serpent could bruise it -incarnation forms the base of " the great mystery of godliness.'' This is a well known truth, the value of which is beyond all conception.

Yet, notwithstanding the infinite value of incarnation, it could have been of no avail, either for Satan's eternal defeat, or man's eternal salvation, save on the ground of accomplished death. It was "the seed of the woman" who was to bruise the serpent's head; but, how was He to do so? By having His heel bruised. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that THROUGH DEATH He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Heb. 2:14, 15.

But, ere we retire, in company with our first parents, from the garden of Eden, we must glean some further evidence of the truth that all our blessings, our privileges, and our dignities—all that God could bestow upon us, as fallen and ruined sinners, must depend upon death. "Unto Adam also, and to his wife, did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Gen. 3:21.) In the faith of these utterances which had just fallen upon Adam's ear, he called his wife's name, "the mother of all living:'' He believed that he was, in some way or other, to get life through death. But, in " the coats of skins" we have something more than life. If the seed of the woman should be bruised to give life, the blood of the animals should be shed to furnish clothing. In other words, life and righteousness are both founded upon death. The very first words which the Lord God uttered in the sinner's ear, the very first act which He performed in the sinner's view, shadowed forth this foundation truth of the gospel, that life and righteousness are both founded upon death—that " without shedding of blood is no remission."

This truth was set forth in the garden of Eden. It broke through the clouds which gathered thickly over the heads of our first parents. They were taught that their need could only be met by death. They had yielded to the serpent's power, and that power could only be broken by death. They were naked in consequence, and that nakedness could only be divinely clothed through death. They had tried a covering which was not founded on death, but it had proved worthless and vain. A covering not flowing out of blood-shedding must leave the sinner naked. The cattle upon a thousand hills, all the living animals in creation, could not have yielded a coat for a naked sinner. A poured-out life was absolutely essential. Without it, man could neither have life nor righteousness. Through it, he has both the one and the other.

Such, then, my reader, is the striking testimony yielded to the doctrine of the blood, in the garden of Eden. The bruised heel, and the coats of skin, do both alike announce, in the sinner's ear, the glorious truth that his title to full deliverance from the enemy's power, and from all the consequences of guilt, is found in blood, and in blood alone. By it he has all: without it nothing. The bruised heel and the coats of skin enabled Adam and Eve to retreat from the precincts of Eden, with a degree and a character of happiness and security which they had never known in the midst of all its fruits and flowers. An unfallen creation could never have told out in a sinner's ear, the deep mystery of a bruised heel. Nor could it ever have unfolded in his view aught so profoundly interesting—so deeply touching- as the Lord God stooping to provide, by blood-shedding, a covering for a naked sinner. Ah! no; it was in the midst of a ruined creation, and by ruined sinners, that such wondrous things were seen and heard. The serpent had introduced death, and by death he must be destroyed. His own sword must slay him. " His violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate." By death we have a deathless life—a deathless righteousness—a deathless hope—a deathless inheritance.

(To be continued, if the Lord will.)

Life Through Death: Part 2

The history of Cain and Abel now opens before us, and furnishes yet clearer proof of the truth that life and righteousness both rest on one foundation, and that foundation is accomplished death. This is true in whatever way we look at the subject. From the moment that " sin entered into the world, and death by sin," there was no other mode in which sin could be put away, but by death; no other way in which death could be abolished, but by death; no other way in which Satan could be vanquished, but by death; no other way in which man could be delivered, but by death; and no other way in which all God's claims could be perfectly met, but by death. But in the death of the cross all these things were divinely accomplished; and we may lawfully inquire if God's claims are perfectly met—man perfectly delivered—Satan perfectly vanquished—death perfectly abolished—sin perfectly put away—what more is needed? Is not the ground perfectly cleared, by the blood of the Lamb, for the erection of that glorious superstructure of grace, of which the foundation is laid in righteousness, and the top-stone shall be put on in glory? Is not the way laid open for God to impute righteousness to every one that believeth? Is it not by death that perfect atonement is made? Would anything less do? Is anything more needed? Should anything else be mingled? To these inquiries there can be but one reply. But let us proceed to our Scripture proofs.

" And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and his offering he had not respect." (Gen. 4:3-5.) Now, it must be evident to the reader that, so far as the birth, nature, and moral condition of these two men were concerned, there was not so much as a hair's breadth of difference. They were both born outside of Eden. They were both the sons of fallen Adam. They both inherited a fallen nature from their fallen parents. They were " born in sin and shapen in iniquity." Hence, therefore, it was not because Abel was a better man than Cain that his sacrifice was accepted. Nor was it because Cain was a worse man than Abel that his sacrifice was rejected. The difference was not at all in the men; but altogether in their sacrifices.

And what was the difference in their sacrifices? The self-same difference, as we have already observed, between Adam's apron and God's coat. The former was not founded upon blood; the latter was. The former was a human device; the latter, a divine provision. The former left the sinner " naked," and therefore "afraid;" the latter left him " clothed," and therefore " confident." Thus it was also in reference to the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. There is a kind of moral link between Adam's apron and Cain's offering; and there is also a moral link between God's coat and Abel's sacrifice. The former exhibits the path along which blind, fallen humanity is sure to rush in every age and in every clime: the latter unfolds to us that holy path along which the lamp of revelation shines, and in which the footprints of faith are always discernible.

But how, it may be asked, did Abel catch the beams of revelation's heavenly lamp—the lamp of eternal truth? The answer is plain. Did not the Lord God, from His own lips, preach the gospel in the sinner's ear, when He declared that the " seed of the woman " should bruise the serpent's head? And did He not unfold the gospel in the sinner's view when, from off dead victims, He drew, with His own hand, the material with which to form a covering for naked sinners? Truly so; and here it was that Abel's faith might well find its warrant. God taught him that grand truth that a fallen, ruined, guilty sinner can only reach the divine presence BY BLOOD. The richest and rarest fruits that ever grew in Paradise—the most fragrant flowers that ever bloomed in Eden's bowers—the costliest productions of earth's surface—all the wealth of the universe, could not avail to blot one speck of guilt from the conscience. Why? A bloodless sacrifice is but a worthless vanity. Where no blood is, there is no atonement, no life, no pardon, no peace, no righteousness, no heaven, no glory. Where there is blood—the blood of Jesus, and faith in that blood—you have all these present and eternal realities.

This foundation truth was rejected by Cain. He did not believe that a sacrificed life was necessary to enable him to draw nigh to God. He did not believe that life could only be had through death—that "the fruit of the ground" could never form the basis of righteousness, in the presence of God. He brought a bloodless offering, and therefore his sin remained, for " without shedding of blood is no remission." He might have labored and toiled to procure " the fruit."- " His offering" might have cost him the sweat of his brow; but all was of no avail. Neither the sweat of his brow nor the labor of his hands could purge his conscience, nor avert the sentence which was connected with " the one disobedience," namely, " in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Nothing but the blood of a spotless victim could remove from the sinner's horizon the dark and heavy clouds of "death and judgment."

All this was a matter of simple faith with Abel. It was not that he was a whit better than Cain, who really had the pre-eminence by birth. The reader cannot be too clear or simple in his apprehension of this point. If he would have a just sense of divine grace, of the efficacy of the blood, and the value of faith, he will need to see that as to Cain and Abel, looked at from God's point of view, "there was no difference." The difference lay not in the men, but in their sacrifices; and the difference in their sacrifices lay not in the matter of costliness or labor. No; the difference—the sole difference—the vital difference—lay in this all-important fact, that Abel offered blood, and Cain did not. Abel found his refuge in a sacrificed life, Cain depended upon the labor of his hands. " By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh." (Heb. 11:4.)

Let it be particularly noticed here, that Abel " obtained" a great deal more than the mere pardon of his sins, by blood shedding. "He obtained witness that HE WAS RIGHTEOUS." From whom? From the only one who could give it. " God testified.” Of what? His works? his sincerity? his feelings? or even his faith? No; but " of his gifts." And what was there in his gifts to win the title of " a more excellent sacrifice?יי The answer is, BLOOD! Abel obtained not merely pardon, but righteousness, by blood. He was not merely delivered from Satan, but brought to God, by blood. He not merely escaped hell, but reached heaven, by blood. He was not told that his sins could be blotted out by blood, but that he must get righteousness by something else. Abel knew no such doctrine as this. He caught the very earliest ray of that lamp which " mercy took down from off the throne of God," and thereby he learned that precious, eternal, divine, all-glorious doctrine, that a guilty sinner, who in himself deserves only death and judgment, can get life and righteousness " through faith in the blood"

And observe, further, it is not said merely that Abel knew himself to be righteous, though surely he did know it " by faith." It was not the mere testimony of his own conscience, nor of his feelings, nor of his fellow, nor of angels. He had God's testimony to the fact that he was righteous, " through faith in the blood." Now we know that God could not set His seal to anything which is not perfect and, therefore, when God testified that Abel was "righteous." it is obvious he needed nothing more. He was not only a saved, living, pardoned man, delivered from hell; but a righteous, accepted man, fit for heaven; and all " through faith in the blood."

And now one word as to the evidence of the truth of our thesis, to be gleaned from the times of Noah, We shall just take one passage. " And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor." (Gen. 8:20, 21.) Here the same truth shines before us. The new world was to stand, as it were, on the foundation of the blood. Nothing else would do. Nothing more was needed. Nothing else was mingled. All the orders of creation might issue from the door of the ark, in health and vigor; but before ever a sweet savor could ascend from earth to heaven—before ever the odor of acceptable worship could go up to the throne of God, an altar was erected, and blood was shed, and this shed blood formed not only the base of Noah's worship, but of God’s covenant with all creation.

Reader, pause, here, and ask yourself this question, "What has the precious blood of Christ done for me?" Say, has it cleansed your conscience from all guilt, and told out to you all the deep secrets of a Father's love? See and make this a personal question. See that you are now resting in the blood. If conscience has cast its eye over the entire page of your history and seen it stained with SIN! SIN! SIN! then let faith look down into the eternal bosom of God, and listen to the accents which issue thence. What are they? LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOD!

(To be continued, if the Lord will.')

Life Through Death: Part 3

(part iii.)

The next proof to which I shall call my reader's attention is furnished by the well-known institution of the Passover. This type has been already referred to, in the pages of " Things New and Old;" but that need not, by any means, prevent our making use of it, in connection with our present subject.

Let us turn, then, at once, to Exod. 12 Here we find, in terms as plain as plain can be, " SALVATION BY BLOOD." Not, be it remembered, salvation by blood and something else; but salvation by BLOOD ALONE. I desire to use great plainness of speech; believing, as I do, that these lines will be read by thousands of plain people. I would ask the very plainest reader, What was it that sheltered the Israelite from the sword of the destroyer?

He will, I doubt not, answer me in the very words of Jehovah Himself, who said to Israel, " When I see the blood, I will pass over you."

True, the lamb was to be " without blemish, a male of the first year:" for what else could have suited? What else could have met Jehovah's claims?" Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats: and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month." (v. 5, 6.) All this was divinely true. A spotless lamb was needed -a lamb " taken out" and " kept up." Naught save a spotless victim could ever suit the altar of the God of Israel; but ten thousand unblemished lambs—" males of the first year"—" taken out" and " kept up" for ever, would not have warded off the stroke of justice, or turned aside the keen edge of the sword of the destroyer. No; the blood had to be shed. " The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening." (ver. 6.) The sentence of death should be executed, either on the Israelite, or on a substitute. Death is the sinner's due. Death has passed upon all because of sin; and it is morally impossible that aught but death can save a sinner from a sinner's doom. If grace has found a substitute—one to stand in the sinner's place, then it follows that he must, in order to deliver the sinner, submit to what was really due to him.

Thus it was, in Israel's case, on that memorable night in which the destroying angel passed, with his drawn sword, through the land of Egypt. Had he seen a living lamb, ever so unblemished, standing outside the Israelite's door, what would have been the result? Death to the firstborn within! But, it may be asked, why would he not execute the sentence upon the living lamb? The answer is plain enough, and let my reader mark it. It was only a slain lamb that could save a sinner. It was the blood of the lamb applied, by faith, to the lintel, and not a living lamb, at the door, that saved Israel. " When I see the blood, I will pass over." The blood told the tale that death had already done its work, in reference to all within the bloodstained lintel.

Here, then, we have a lovely type of salvation by blood. The blood was amply sufficient for Israel's salvation. Nothing less would do. Nothing more was needed. Nothing else was mingled. The blood stood alone. It was Israel's sole and all-sufficient title to salvation. " Through faith he kept the Passover and the SPRINKLING OF BLOOD, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them." (Heb. 11:28.) Nothing could be plainer than this. That the paschal lamb was a type of Christ, the most cautious reader will admit. " Christ our Passover is sacrificed (or slain, see margin) for us." (1 Cor. 5:7.) This settles the question. The death of the paschal lamb was a figure of the death of Christ; and what the death of the former did for Israel, the death of the latter does for all who put their trust in it. The death of the lamb gave perfect peace to Israel; the death of Christ gives perfect peace to the believer. Nothing more than the death of the lamb was needed to secure Israel; nothing more than the death of Christ is needed to secure the believer. An unslain lamb could not have availed the Israelite; an unslain Christ could not avail the sinner.

True, it is in resurrection that the value of Christ is set forth; but it is His death that saves us. The blood that saved Israel flowed from a slain lamb; and the blood that saves us flowed from a crucified Christ.

Does this, in any wise, detract from the value of the pure and spotless life of Christ? By no means. Pure and spotless He was, blessed for ever be His peerless name! He was the Holy One of God. His whole life was a fragrant odour ascending to the throne of God. His perfect path might well have been the admiration of angels, as it is the model for saints. He ever moved in a line of implicit obedience to the Father's will; He was, in all things, the living expression of the Father's heart; and He walked in the unclouded sunshine of the Father's countenance, from the manger to the cursed tree. The Holy Ghost delights to dwell on this; and so will all who are taught of Him.

But, then, His spotless, holy, obedient life could not blot out our sins, or justify God in justifying us. My reader cannot be too clear as to this. Let him drink in the precious instruction furnished by the Paschal Lamb. We must not anticipate the teaching of the New Testament, which will, if God permit, come before us, in due time. But I would ask him to dwell upon the institution of the Passover. Let him see that it was, in very deed, the death and not the life of the lamb that saved Israel; and not merely saved them from the sword of the destroyer, but put them in a position in the which they were privileged to enjoy the fruits of salvation.

If an Israelite had been asked what it was that saved him from the destroyer, what would have been his reply? A very brief one, we may be sure. He would have replied in a word of five letters, namely, BLOOD! He would have quoted Jehovah's words, in proof, " When I see the blood I will pass over you." He knew nothing about salvation by the blood and something else. No; no, my reader, the Israelite could have taught us a very simple lesson. The blood was everything to him, as a ground of salvation and peace. And, surely, it should be everything to us likewise. If he was not taught to mingle anything else with the blood, neither should we. If the blood of a lamb was sufficient to save an Israelite from the hand of death, surely the blood of the Eternal Son of God is sufficient to save us from all the consequences of our sins—from the wrath of God and from eternal judgment. It is justly due to the blood of such a sacrifice that all who put their trust therein should be safe under its shadow for ever.

There are two ways of casting dishonor upon the blood of Jesus; first, by supposing that it only goes half way in procuring salvation; and, secondly, by supposing that it is, only a half salvation which it procures. The ordinance of the Passover contradicts both these suppositions—contra-diets them, in the plainest possible way. Israel's first-born were saved by the blood alone; and they were wholly saved by the blood. Let us remember this. They never thought of adding aught thereto. Having that, they wanted nothing more. It perfectly saved them from judgment, and gave them perfect peace.

Reader, my object, in this paper, is not, the Lord knoweth, controversy, but to unfold the truth of God as I find it in His word, and to benefit your precious soul. I want you, ere you lay down this number of " Things New and Old," to be able to say, " Blessed be God, I have gotten peace, through the blood. I am happy, now, I rest in the blood, I am eternally saved." God grant it may be thus! May you see a fullness, a sufficiency, a dignity, a glory, a divine virtue, in the atonement which you have never seen before. May your doubts and fears be for ever set aside, and may it be your happy privilege, now, henceforth, and for ever, to have “LIFE THROUGH DEATH."

Life Through Death: Part 4

I would, at this point, remind the reader that I do not, by any means, pretend to adduce all the Scripture proofs on the subject which has been engaging our attention. Far from it. I merely refer to a few leading, well-known passages; but all who are sufficiently interested in the matter can easily turn to various other scriptures which, though not referred to here, do clearly set forth the great truth that we can only have " life through death."

We now proceed to the book of Leviticus, which may be said to be an almost unbroken series of proofs of our thesis. In glancing, rapidly, through the sacrifices of this book, I shall take it for granted that we have, in them, so many striking and beautiful types of that one great sacrifice offered on the cross for us and our salvation. This, we trust, will not be questioned by any reader of " Things New and Old." But, even should any one raise an objection to those sacrifices being viewed typically, he cannot fail to see that, whatever they were, death formed the grand prominent circumstance in them all. I speak not of the meat offering in which there was nothing whatever about blood-shedding. Whether we look at the burnt offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, or the trespass offering, we find the same thing. In each and all, we meet the words, " he shall kill it." Blood-shedding was essentially necessary to the completion of the sacrifice. Accomplished death lies at the foundation of everything. This point cannot be too strongly insisted upon. It is clearly and fully established in every part of Scripture, and in none more fully than in the types of Leviticus at which we are about to look, not indeed in their marvelous detail, but simply for the purpose of establishing the truth of our subject.

I. And, first, as to the burnt offering. (Lev. 1) Here we have the death of Christ as the expression of His perfect devotedness to God. This offering was wholly burnt; neither the worshipper nor the priest partook of it. It was all consumed on the altar—all went up, as a sweet savor, to the throne of God. But, how was the devotedness expressed? Was it by a spotless life merely? No. It was by accomplished death. True, there was a spotless life—a holy life—a devoted life—a precious life—a matchless life; but all this would not have availed to make an atonement, or to tell forth the living depths of devotion in the heart of Christ, had the blood not been shed. " A male of the first year without blemish" might be "voluntarily" presented at " the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." It might be all that was required by the terms of the ceremonial law; but until the life was taken, until the blood was shed, there could be no " atonement" made—no u sweet savor" presented. It was death that formed the basis of everything. Ten thousand unblemished males, voluntarily presented, could not have made an atonement for man, nor presented a fragrant odor to God, save on the ground of accomplished death. True, the life of Christ was most precious to God—infinitely precious, in every aspect of it; but, as the Antitype of the burnt offering, He gave up His life, in order to give full expression to His devotedness.

Here, then, we have a soul-satisfying view of the death of Christ, and of atonement, through that death. The burnt offering prefigures Christ, on the cross, not as a sin-bearer, but as accomplishing the will of God. How do we know this? Because " the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for tin, are burned without the camp." (Heb. 13:11.) But the burnt offering was consumed on the altar, and not "without the camp." (Lev. 1:6.) In it there was no question of the imputation of sin. It is the figure of Christ "offering himself, without spot, to God." (Heb. 9) It does not set forth the hatefulness of sin, but the preciousness and divine excellency of Christ, and His devotedness to God, even unto death. It was wholly burnt. It all went up as a sweet savor. Its blood was not " brought into the sanctuary, by the high priest, for sin," and therefore its body was not " burned without the camp," but" on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord." (Lev. 1:9.) The death of the burnt offering does not tell us how God hated sin, but how Christ loved God and did His will, even unto the death of the cross.

life through death.

Hence, when we look at Christ as the burnt offering, we see "atonement" made according to the perfection of Christ’s obedience. It is not Christ putting away sin, a thing divinely true, blessed be God, but Christ doing the will of God. Hid He do it perfectly? Truly so. Well, then, “atonement” has been made just as perfectly. Christ, in the burnt offering, acted directly for God. True, He met man's need likewise—his very deepest need—the need of heart and conscience; but it was as accomplishing the will of God that He did so. This is a grand truth to get hold of. The doctrine of the cross—the doctrine of atonement- the doctrine of "life through death," cannot be rightly understood, unless we see the special point set forth in the burnt offering.

II. In the peace offering, (Lev. 3) we have a type of Christ as the One who is our peace. Here, too, death was essential. "He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about." Before ever " the fat" could be consumed on the altar of God—before ever the offerer could feed on " the flesh"—before ever the priest could feed upon " the wave breast and the heave shoulder," the life of the sacrifice had to be poured out " Without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. 9:22.) And if there is no "remission," there can be no "peace," no worship, no communion. In order to enjoy perfect peace, I must have perfect justification; and in order to have per-feet justification, I must have a perfect atonement, and in order to have a perfect atonement, I must have accomplished death.

All this I have in Christ. He is the true peace offering. He has "made peace through the blood of his cross." (Col. 1:20.) Observe, it was "through the blood of his cross" that He made peace. It was not by His obedient life, how precious soever that life might be—and truly it was precious beyond all human thought. It was by His blood, and by it alone, He made peace. He gave up His life on the cross, and with that life went all the sin that was, by imputation, attached thereto, so that, in resurrection, all His members might be eternally linked with Him, partaking of the same life and standing in the same righteousness, and in the same infinite favor before God.

Christian reader, remember this. The entire question is settled. An eternal peace has been established by the finished work of the cross. The blood of your divine peace offering has put away all that could, by any possibility, keep you out from God's presence; and it is your happy privilege to feed upon the flesh of your peace offering, in the clear sense of your perfect justification and acceptance. There is not a speck upon you in the " vision of the Almighty." You are in Christ, and as Christ, before the throne of God. You are no longer looked at in your former or old creation-state. " You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." You are in the body, as to the plain fact of your condition, but you are not in the flesh as to the ground of your standing. The flesh is in you, and will be in you, to the end of your earthly career; but God views it as a dead thing. It came to its end when your peace offering yielded up His life on the cross; and now He is your life, your righteousness, your peace, your sanctification, your redemption, your hope, your glory, your eternal all. Oh! let me beseech of you to get a clear, full, deep sense of this into your soul. Be assured of it, if you are cloudy, as to this fundamental truth, you cannot eat the flesh of your peace offering. You will be continually looking at yourself. You will be looking, in some way or another, for the offering of a fresh sacrifice, instead of rejoicing in the eternal results of the sacrifice which has been offered. Remember, if the blood of a bullock could give peace for a time, the blood of Christ can give peace forever. If the former could give an annual conscience, the latter gives an eternal conscience. The character of the conscience depends upon the character of the sacrifice. This is a simple truth. May the Spirit of God enable you to enter into the solid comfort of it!

III. The sin offering (Lev. 4) bears witness to the same great gospel thought. In it we see a shadow of Christ as our sin-bearer—as the one who was " made sin for us." If we compare the sin offering with the burnt offering, we shall find two very different aspects of Christ. But although the aspects are different, it is one and the same Christ; and hence, the sacrifice in each case was " a male without blemish." This is easily understood. No matter in what aspect I view the Lord Jesus Christ, He must ever be seen as the same pure, spotless, holy, perfect One. True, He did, in perfect grace, stoop to be the sin-bearer of His people, but it was a perfect, spotless Christ who did so. The intrinsic excellence, the unsullied purity, and the divine glory of our blessed Lord appear in the sin offering, as well as in the burnt offering. It matters not in what relationship He stands, what office He fills, what work He performs, what position He occupies, His personal, His inherent, His essential glories shine out, in all their proper, their divine effulgence. Like the sun in the natural heavens, he may, as astronomers teach, pass through a different sign, every month; but, let the sign be what it may, it is one and the same sun which gladdens and enlightens us by his beams.

Thus it is with the burnt offering and the sin offering. Both typos point to the same great Antitype, though they set Him forth in such contrasted aspects of His work. In the burnt offering, Christ is seen meeting the affections of the heart of God ·, in the sin offering, He is seen meeting the necessities of the sinner's conscience. That presents Him to us as the accomplisher of the will of God, this as the bearer of the sin of man. In the former, we are taught the preciousness of the sacrifice; in the latter, the hateful-ness of sin. Thus much as to the two offerings in the main. The most minute and accurate examination of the details will only tend to establish the mind in the truth of this general statement. Into these details I do not attempt to enter in this brief article. I merely call my reader's attention to the fact, that whether we look at the burnt offering, the peace offering, or the sin offering, we see that a sacrificed life was essential. The " sweet savor" of the burnt offering ascended when the blood was shed, and not till then. " The flesh of the peace offering" was eaten when the blood was shed, and not till then. Sin was put away by the sin offering when the blood was shed, and not till then.

IV. Lastly, the trespass offering (Lev. 5) passes before us as a witness to the place which death occupies on the page of inspiration. In it we see Christ as the One who not only atoned for sin in the believer's nature, but also for sins in the believer's life. It was by blood-shedding, and by that alone, that He did both the one and the other. Christ was not only " made sin for us," (2 Cor. 5:21,) but He also " bare our sins in his own body on the tree." (1 Pet. 2:24.) He was not made sin during His life, but in His death. He did not bear our sins during His life, but " on the tree." This is plain and absolute enough. Whether we look at the types of the Old Testament, or hearken to the statements of the New, all set forth the same glorious truth, namely, that blood must be shed ere sin can be forgiven, righteousness imputed, peace enjoyed, communion realized, or worship presented. All Scripture establishes the precious and all-important doctrine of "LIFE THROUGH DEATH."

Reader, as our object in this magazine, our object in each successive number, our object in each article, our object in each page and paragraph, is to deal with and profit the souls of men, let me, at the close of this article, affectionately yet faithfully ask you, have you gotten life through death? Have you yet found peace for your guilty conscience, peace for your broken heart, peace for your wearied spirit, through the perfect sacrifice of the cross? Are you satisfied, deeply, solidly, perfectly and eternally satisfied with what Christ has done for you? Have you found all you want in Him? Have you got done with yourself and found your present and everlasting all in Jesus? Oh! do make close, earnest, personal work with your soul in this matter. Do not trifle, do not generalize. Let not truth shoot over your head, but let it come straight home to your heart. May the Lord bless you, and make you a blessing!

Life Through Death: Part 5

The first seven chapters of the hook of Leviticus unfold, with divine fullness, beauty and power, the doctrine of sacrifice. In the eighth and ninth chapters, we have the doctrine of priesthood; but, whether it be a question of sacrifice or priesthood, the shedding of blood has its own prominent and divinely-appointed place. If blood-shedding was the great foundation-fact in the doctrine of sacrifice, so was it also in the doctrine of priesthood. Let us take a passage or two in proof. " And he brought the bullock for the sin offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it...... And he brought the ram for the burnt offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about......And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about." (Lev. 8:14-24.)

The above quotations will suffice to show the place which the blood occupied in the consecration of the Aaronic priesthood. True, the priest required to be entirely free from bodily blemish, and from ceremonial defilement. (See Lev. 21) In pedigree, and in person, he needed to he unblemished, ere he could approach to the altar of the God of Israel; yet, " without shedding of blood " he could not stand to minister, before God, or on behalf of his people. Without blood, the altar could have no priest, the priest no altar, the people neither altar nor priest. A blood-sprinkled ear was needful in order that the priest might hear the divine communications. A blood-sprinkled hand was needful, in order that he might perform divine service. A blood-sprinkled foot was needful to tread the courts of the sanctuary; and a blood-stained altar was that alone from which the pure incense could ascend to the throne of God.

Thus, then, sacrifice and priesthood both rested upon blood. The sacrifice should be unblemished and so should the priest; but neither the one nor the other was of any avail without shedding of blood. "Almost all things are, by the law, purged with bloods" "The book of the covenant" was sprinkled with blood; " all the people " were sprinkled with blood. (Exod. 24) The priests were consecrated by blood. The sacrifice was founded on blood. The altar was dedicated by blood. The entire economy was held together in the power of the blood. The divine presence in the assembly was secured by blood. All uncleanness was put away by blood. All the privileges of the dispensation were enjoyed through blood. Everything was secured by blood; and without it, was there, literally, nothing. The tide of evidence, on this point, is rapidly rising around us, as, in the light of inspiration, we pursue our inquiries.

Passing onward, from the subject of sacrifice and priesthood, let us inquire as to how the leper was cleansed. How was he set free from the influence of his foul and depressing malady? Was it by a spotless life? No; but by an accomplished death. Hear what the word saith. " Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds, alive and clean, and cedar wood and scarlet and hyssop." Were the " two birds alive and clean," sufficient to cleanse the leper? Nay, they could not, as such, remove one speck. True, they were alive, and clean, too, but this could not avail. It was absolutely necessary for the priest to " command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: as for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy, seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field." (Lev. 14:1-7.)

Here, we learn that the cleansing of the leper was founded upon blood shedding. Until the blood was shed the priest could not pronounce the leper " clean." The " two birds alive and clean "-the " cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop "-" the earthen vessel"-" the running water,'' all would have proved unavailing for the poor leper, had not the blood been shed. In other words, we may trace the blessed Lord Jesus down from the bosom of the Father-we may see Him incarnate-behold Him in the manger, and track His wondrous path across this earth-follow Him through all the scenes and circumstances of His life and ministry; but, until we see, by faith, His precious blood poured out on the cross, there is no cleanness for us. This is the plain doctrine of the word. This is the doctrine which the Holy Ghost continually lays open before us, whether in the types of the Old Testament, or the plain and positive statements of the New. Shed blood is the foundation of everything, which, as lost sinners, we receive from a holy God. By blood we have all; without it. nothing.

" The priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water.." In this we have a type of the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, through the Eternal Spirit.

" As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water." Here, we have a risen Savior, ascending into the heavens, bearing in His Person the marks of an accomplished atonement. The living bird was not" let loose into the open field" until it was dipped in the blood of the slain bird, by which blood the leper was sprinkled and made clean. Thus also, the Lord Jesus Christ, did not take His seat at the right hand of God, until He had, by Himself, purged our sins. (See Heb. 1) There could not be a more striking and beautiful type of a crucified and risen Christ, than that presented by the " two birds" in this instructive ordinance. " The living bird, let loose, in the open field," shows us Christ bursting all the bands and fetters of death, and coming forth into the wide fields of resurrection, there to range, in fellowship with all those whom His precious blood had cleansed from the foul leprosy of sin.

We shall close this article, as also our series of Old Testament proofs, by referring the reader to the sixteenth chapter of the book of Leviticus, which contains a record of the great day of atonement. An exposition of such a chapter could not be attempted in this paper; but the study of it will tend to establish the heart in the truth with which we are immediately occupied. I shall quote one passage to show the wide aspect of the atonement. " And this shall be a statute forever unto you, that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you; for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may he cleansed from all your sins, before the Lord........And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar; and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation." (Lev. 16:29-33.)

Here, we have a marvelous view of the extent and efficacy of the blood. The tabernacle, and those that stand therein-the sanctuary, and those that worship there-the place of worship and the worshippers all stand in the power of the blood. And why? Because " without shedding of blood is no remission." " 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. 17:11.) Can aught be plainer than this? The whole power of atonement is in the blood. It is not that the blood is a circumstance in the work of atonement-it is not, as it were, the top-stone of the building-it is not added to something else, in order to complete the work. No; " it is the blood that maketh atonement." It does not say, " the blood helps to make an atonement, or is part of the atonement-or is the closing scene in the work of atonement." By no means. The blood stands absolutely alone. It renders God's people " clean from all their sins;" and that, moreover, not merely before men, or before angels, but " before the Lord." If, then, we are " clean from all our sins before the Lord," what more can we need? Nothing more, save the beams of everlasting glory to shine around us. There is nothing at heaven's side of the cross but the glory. Such is the power of the cross, such the efficacy of the blood of Jesus, that it renders the very vilest sinner fit to stand in the full blaze of the glory. Not a single jot or tittle of sin can ever enter into the Divine presence; but the cross has condemned sin, and put it away forever, in order that the believing sinner might be brought nigh, in the power of divine righteousness. The higher the light in which the believer stands, the more clearly it is seen that there is not a single soil upon him " before the Lord." Glorious, precious, peace-speaking, emancipating truth! May the reader know the full power of it! We here close our series of Old Testament proofs. Sufficient evidence has been adduced to show the place which the doctrine of the blood occupies, in the word; and, not only so, but to set forth the evil of mixing anything else with the death of Christ, as the ground of a sinner's pardon, his righteousness, or his acceptance, before God. If God s word declares that " it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul," then, assuredly, if we add aught thereto, no matter what, we directly contradict the divine statement; and we cannot do so without robbing our souls of the full value of the blood of Christ. Where the simple doctrine of the cross is interfered with, there cannot be divinely settled peace as to the question of sin. This is a weighty consideration. The more we allow God's thoughts to fill our hearts, the more shall we be convinced that, not only have we "life through death," but also righteousness, peace, pardon, holiness, worship, communion, priesthood,- all through death.