tim. And as Aaron was consecrated to his priestly office by the blood of his sacrifice, (Levit. viii. 22, 23,) so Christ, when he would offer himself without spot to God, consecrated himself in his own most precious blood, (for this alone could consecrate him,) for his office. And this exceedingly magnifies this blood of the covenant, that it is that, wherewith the very Son of God himself was sanctified, for the offering of himself in sacrifice to the Father. "Counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, a common thing!" O how deep an insult, how inexpressible an affront, which sinners put thereupon!

But, Who are they that do so? Is it the Socinian only? He does it, palpably, indeed. He denies that it seals any covenant of peace to men; denies that it was shed to make atonement; that it need do so; that it can do so: he counts it" a common thing:" common blood, as But, my brethren, of an evil, which

the blood of any other man!

this is only the grosser form prevails, to a fearful extent, among professors. See, how commonly, men, calling themselves believers, are yet looking to themselves; clinging to something done by them, either without Christ, or along with Christ, either before believing, or after believing, for recommendation to God. They look for the blessings of the

covenant, not for the blood's sake of the covenant, but for something of their own, combined with the merit of Christ, as if that blood did nothing for them, but put them into a condition (by the removal of past iniquity) for beginning again, on the old ground of works, for salvation. They look on repentance as the price of pardon; on peace with God as the result of their fulfilment of certain conditions of faith and repentance; not as these dispositions are effects of God's mercy towards them, but as good deeds, by their doing of which they are to earn divine favour. Thus the blood of Jesus, the blood of the covenant, the blood wherewith he was sanctified, is counted a thing of little efficacy or value; a common thing; named indeed, but other things really trusted in, as winning the favour of God, and entitling the man who does them to life and blessedness. Such is the dishonour, such the contempt, which many, who count themselves zealous for God and holiness, put on that great sacrifice," the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all," whereby, alone, believers attain to the true sanctification of the Spirit, according to the will of God. See verse 10.

Consider, now, a third feature of the sin here marked.

"Hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace."

This, in the degree of it contemplated by the apostle, is the crown, and climax, of their sin who reject the gospel, beyond which sin cannot go. In reference to this our Lord himself witnesses, “He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." (Mark iii. 29.) It is a sin which lies in wilful, malignant opposition to the truth, committed against the clearest testimony to it of the blessed Spirit of God, (especially in his miraculous operations,) and against the fullest inward conviction, through the same Spirit, of its divine origin. It is a sin which, from the very nature of it, utterly excludes all notion of penitence, or anxiety in respect of it; so that none are further from the commission of it, than any, who, through the craft of Satan, have been brought into unreasonable fears, and despondency, as guilty of it. I repeat, for the satisfaction of such, it is a sin utterly inconsistent with repentance; and therefore it is, that it is incompatible (as thus it needs must be) with pardon. But, let me also say, it is a sin so tremendous, that any the slightest approach to it is to be dreaded, above all dreadful things.

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Consider, my brethren, the object of it,— for this greatly aggravates its enormity ;—" the Spirit of grace." Now, here is no avenger, exe

cuting wrath, to the uttermost, on rebellious men; no, nor so much as the threatening of vengeance, that should provoke the malignity of the sinner, and cause him to vent his blasphemies, and work his spite, against the denouncer of it. On the contrary, here is the Spirit of grace; coming to men in the gospel; setting before them all the riches of goodness and mercy, boundless, that are freely given to "whosoever will," in Christ; striving with men not to be their own destroyers; "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." And, now, see, on the other hand, what return sinners make. They "do despite" to him. They arraign and insult God, for the methods which he takes with them for their salvation. They charge him with inconsistency in his assurances; with insincerity; with partiality; with delight in the misery and perdition of his creatures. Thus the Spirit of grace is insulted, and spurned, when he would plead with men to avail themselves of the offered mercy. They "set at nought his counsel, they will none of his reproof." (Prov. i. 25.) They mock at danger, resist convictions, quench the light, scoff at spiritual influences as fanaticism, do despite unto the Spirit of grace." Now, from all these particulars, you see, my brethren, what it is, to go on, (as, alas, so many

do go on,) year after year, in practical neglect and rejection of the gospel. You do not mean to renounce the gospel; but this is what it amounts to. You do not mean to tread the Son of God under foot, and do despite to the Spirit of grace, and put contempt on his precious blood; but this you do, in fact. There is no alternative

between receiving and rejecting him; no medium between honouring his blood and Spirit, and despising them. Are you not, confessedly, putting off a Saviour, and deferring to obey the leadings of his Spirit? and is not this an unspeakable contempt? Is not this to tread him under foot, and do despite to his Spirit, and to count his blood a common, valueless thing? My brethren, whatever you may think, so God interprets your conduct, and as such will he judge it. Mark,

II. The exceeding terribleness of its punish

ment.

"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God?" who is a despiser and rejecter of Christ, and of his gospel.

We have, here, an undeniable fact appealed to, as respects the old dispensation and from it the apostle leaves themselves to infer the un