the shedding of his blood; for the blood is as it were the seat of life, by which the breath is supported and maintained*. On this account it was the typical atonement for sin. Lev. xvii. 11; "For 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." And this, no doubt, was the reason why blood was forbidden to be eaten, so long as that typical dispensation lasted; because it was set apart to represent the blood of Christ, the true and real atonement for sin; and, being the sign of such an awful mystery as the pouring out of the soul of Jesus unto death, it would have been impious to use it as a common thing.

Jesus willingly poured out his soul unto death: it was a voluntary act on his part, that he permitted wicked men to pierce his hands and his feet, and to drain off his precious blood, because such a sacrifice was necessary to expiate sin. He dismissed his own soul by an exertion of his divine power; he kept his life whole within him till all was accomplished, and then "bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John, xix. 30. It is said, Mark, xv. 37, that " Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost: and, verse 39, that when the centurion" saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this Man was the Son of God." It is not usual for those who are at the point of death to cry out with a loud voice; but Jesus, by his so crying out, showed that his strength was unexhausted; that he kept his spirit within him as long as he pleased,

* The expression," He hath poured out his soul unto death," is considered to possess great elegance and beauty; and one much like it is used by the most celebrated of the Latin poets:

"Purpuream vomit ille animam."-VIRG. He pours forth his purple soul.

and then voluntarily poured it forth, and yielded himself to death. "No man (said he) taketh (my life) from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." John, x.

18.

"And he was numbered with the transgressors." This was fulfilled when our Lord was crucified between two thieves: " and the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." Mark, xv. 28. Jesus told his disciples that this, Scripture must be fulfilled: "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors; for the things concerning me have an end.” Luke, xxii. 37. When the Lord Jesus took the sins of his people, it was fit, as a part of his humiliation, that he should be dealt with as a sinner, and that he should appear before the world as one suffering under the sentence of the divine law. Thus it appeared, that he was "in the likeness of sinful flesh." Rom. viii. 3. And how strong this likeness was will appear farther, if

and

we consider the character of those transgressors with whom Jesus was numbered, and the station in which he was placed among them. Their character was that of notorious transgressors suffering for their crimes, as one of them, the penitent thief, acknowledged; we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss." Luke, xxiii. 41. And if we consider the station in which Jesus was placed among them, it seems to have been appointed for his deeper degradation. It was in the midst of the two, having one on his right hand and the other on his left, as if they intended to mark him out as the vilest of the three, and that he was only fit to die in company

with such transgressors. O what an indignity was this, that the holy Jesus should have been numbered with the transgressors! What a degrading part of his humiliation! and what a proof of the demerit of sin, and of the shame that is due to it! For this disgraceful part of our Saviour's sufferings was not only done by his enemies, who wished to dishonour him as much as possible, but foretold in the Scriptures, and declared by Christ himself to have been a necessary part of his humiliation.

"And he bare the sin of many." This has been already explained, and indeed is a subject often mentioned in this chapter. It is not, however, a vain repetition; nor can we have it too frequently brought before us. It calls for devout meditation and fervent prayer; and if we are enabled thus to look unto Jesus as bearing the sin of many, and our sins in particular, it will be greatly for our comfort, for the increase of our faith, and love, and hope, and of all other Christian graces. Where, indeed, is solid comfort to be found but in looking unto Jesus? If we look to the world, it is " empty, and void, and waste!" there is nothing in it that can satisfy the immortal soul; and even if there was, it would be but for a short time. Vanity is written on all created things; they can yield no solid comfort to the soul now, and hereafter they will be as though they had never been. If we look to ourselves, we are sinners deserving the wrath of God, and utterly unable to deliver ourselves from it; but if we look to Jesus as bearing our sins, we have a ground of hope, and a spring of consolation. There we see how sin is pardoned, while Jesus bears the sin of many, that they might not have to bear it hereafter for themselves. Looking unto Jesus in this point of view strengthens our faith mightily. The believer rises in the exercise of faith to that

holy and happy assurance described by the Apostle St. Paul; "The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal. ii. 20. This increases his love to Christ; for looking unto Jesus, and believing his love to us, tends to produce love in the heart to him: "We love him (saith the beloved disciple) because he first loved us.' 1 John, iv. 19. It also tends to the increase of all Christian graces of humility, the fear of God, hatred of sin, deadness to the world, spiritual mindedness, and universal holiness. Looking unto Jesus by faith softens the heart; and when the heart is softened by divine grace, there will be a penitent and contrite spirit, a quick and tender conscience. The world will lose its hold, sin will appear in its true colours, the affections of the soul will cleave to God, and the believer will desire to do his will from the heart. Come, therefore, ye who believe in a crucified Saviour, and behold him bearing the sin of many. Draw near by faith and see this great sight, Jesus numbered with the transgressors, and sinking under the load of guilt which lay upon him. Hear the words of the inspired Prophet, which point out the depth of your Redeemer's sufferings; devoutly meditate upon them, with prayer to God to keep alive the impression of them in your hearts; and then, though you have heard and read repeatedly of Jesus bearing the sins of many, it will be a subject ever new, ever refreshing to your souls.

One more particular remains, with which we close our meditations on this interesting chapter; namely, the intercession of Jesus in behalf of transgressors; " and he made intercession for the transgressors." This intercession Jesus made for transgressors, at the very time when they carried the act of

their transgression to the highest pitch, by crucifying the Lord of life and glory: then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke, xxiii. 34. What a charitable prayer was this! A prayer that was heard and answered, for Jesus never prayed in vain ; nor did he at any time ask of his heavenly Father what would not be granted. It was not only a pious wish, a mere expression of charity, but an effectual act of intercession on behalf of transgressors which entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. It was answered in the conversion of many of those who united in putting Jesus to death; of whom, it is to be hoped, the centurion who attended our Lord's execution was one, who acknowledged him to be the Son of God. It was answered in the conversion of many souls by the preaching of the Apostles in the day of Pentecost; when those very persons to whom St. Peter said, Acts, ii. 23, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain," were brought to a sense of their sins, and earnestly to inquire what they must do to be saved. Never in the whole course of our Saviour's ministry were so many souls converted unto God at one time as then; and it was in answer to the dying prayer of Jesus, and to that powerful intercession which he made for sinners upon the cross.

But not only did our blessed Saviour make intercession for transgressors upon the cross; he is still interceding for them now that he is seated on his throne. "It is Christ that died (says the Apostle), yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.' Rom. viii. 34. Still he acts as our great High Priest, whose office it was to make intercession for the people, and to plead earnestly with God on their behalf. The priest

hood of Christ is perpetual and unchangeable," because he continueth for ever;" and so long as there are transgressors upon earth, his prevailing intercession is needful for them, in order that they may be brought nigh unto God: "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. vii. 25. When Jesus had made atonement for sin upon the cross, he ascended to heaven to plead the merits of that atonement before the throne of God, as the high priest on the day of atonement, when he had offered the sacrifices for sin in the sight of the people, took the blood, and went in with it to sprinkle it before the mercy-seat. "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." Heb. ix. 24. He is gone to heaven to make intercession for his people there; and the ground of it is, that he hath borne the sin of many, and therefore he has an unfailing plea to offer for every returning sinner who comes unto God through him. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins." 1 John, ii. 1, 2. Hẻ is an Advocate to plead our cause, and a Mediator to reconcile us to God: "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and

man, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6. He being both God and man in one Christ, and therefore every way qualified for the important office of our Mediator and Advocate.

In reviewing the subject before us, many important reflections will occur to a serious mind. The Lord Jesus Christ is to have a portion with the great, and to divide the spoil with the strong; now, do we belong to Christ as his portion, be

ing rescued by his grace from the great enemy of our souls? We are by nature in bondage to sin and Satan, living unconcerned about our souls, and without a lively faith in Christ crucified; but if that divine change has been wrought within us, without which no man can enter the kingdom of God, we shall strive by his grace to glorify him as bought with the price of the Saviour's precious blood; and if we belong to him as his portion, we shall take him as our portion, and seek our happiness as well as our salvation in him alone. Let us then, as many as are thus minded, often look to our divine Redeemer

as pouring forth his soul unto death, as being numbered with the transgressors, bearing the sin of many, and making intercession for the transgressors; and thus living by faith on our crucified Saviour, he will not suffer the great enemy of our souls to take us out of his hands, though he tries all his strength to regain possession of us; but will conduct us in safety with all his chosen people to his heavenly kingdom, there to "sit down with him in his throne, even as he also overcame, and is set down with his Father in his throne." Rev. iii. 21.

LITOREUS.

SIR,

I was very deeply interested in the communication which appeared in your Journal for January last, on the subject of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and particularly respecting the visit of the Right Rev. the Bishop of Ohio to this Having had an opportunity of perusing some of his truly apostolic charges to the clergy and laity of his diocese, I now forward to you the following extract from Bishop Chase's Charge, delivered at the third Annual Convention of the Bishop, Clergy, and Lay Delegates of the Diocese of Ohio, in June 1820; which, I trust, will prove acceptable to the readers of the Christian Guardian, and will show the truly Christian spirit that animates the venerable Bishop and

*We are happy to understand, that a fund is now raising in this country to enable Bishop Chase to establish a branch or diocesan seminary in the diocese of Ohio, for the education of pious young men for

the ministry; of which Mr. Hoare, Fleet

Street, is treasurer. Subscriptions are received at Messrs. Hoares, Bankers; and Messrs. Seeleys, Hatchards, &c.

his clergy in their arduous and important labours.

Having had occasion to advert to the right of ministers of the Gospel to a support, and to vindicate them from the charge of worldly motives, the Bishop thus continues to the laity :

"Let those who would attribute worldly motives to the clergy give themselves but a moment's reflection, and they will see reason to blush at their uncharitable censure; for there is not a clergyman among us, worthy to be such, as [it] respects talents, but could procure much more ample means of support in any other calling. What then can be the reason of their entering and continuing in this laborious profession? No other answer given to this question but this one,

can be

They have thought, and still think, it their duty to sustain this character, humble as it is, in the eyes of a wicked world, and neglected, as it often is, by the rich and proud; how sure soever they may be of poverty themselves, and to whatever distresses they may subject their families, they have entered, and still continue, in the ministry of the Gospel; because they trust they are called to preach

it to others, and because, if they should neglect to do so, the divine displeasure would rest upon them. To attribute bad motives to such men, and under such circumstances as these, is not only an offence against the dictates of charity, but those of common sense *. But, after all, there is another way of giving support to the ministers of Christ-more noble, more effectual in itself, and more dear to them, than the offering of all your treasure. And what may this be? It is that of giving your hearts to God, and your lives to his service. This will be more than meat and drink to them: this will cheer and animate their hearts in the gloomiest hours of worldly depression; this will sustain them in all their labours, and comfort them in all their sorrows. Yes, my beloved brethren of the laity, I may boldly say, that I speak the united voice of all worthy clergymen, when I repeat to you, that it is not yours, but you, they seek. Offer unto God but a broken spirit and a contrite heart; know and feel the power of religion on your souls, and practise its holy precepts in your lives, and your worldly substance shall not be so much as named to you. A stable

❤ These same remarks are unfortunately strictly applicable to the situation of many ministers in this country: were they actuated by worldly motives, they would very soon relinquish their own profession, and employ their time and talents in some easier and more lucrative way.

HARK! the early deep-ton'd bell, Pealing on the silent air, Slowly with impressive swell

Ushers in the day of prayer.

Hall! thou blest of all our days!

are

for the birth-place of our children, and a manger for their cradle, no worse than our adored Lord was treated withal; and why should his ministers complain? Clothe us "with sheep-skins and goat-skins;" let us wander among you, having not where to lay our heads but on the cold ground; with the wild wood, and the canopy of heaven for our covering; let our drink be water, and our only food the coarsest bread; let us but see you and your children seek first "the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all other things in respect of ourselves shall be as nothing. A crown of glory, laid up for us in the eternal world, will outweigh them all."-Journal of the Convention of the Diocese of Ohio for 1820, pp. 19, 20.

In a subsequent part of the same Address, the venerable Bp. Chase, in reporting the events of one of his laborious episcopal tours, of more than five hundred miles, thus expresses his feelings, and the feelings that supported him. "This tour," he says, 66 was undertaken with no prospects of earthly reward; but to do my duty, and to perform the service of our heavenly Master. The consciousness of this truth supported me through all my fatigues; made trivial the frowns and scoffs of the proud; heightened the greetings of my friends; made my hours by day glide sweetly on, and filled my night-dreams with pleasant images.

Blessed day of all the seven; Day of public prayer and praise, Hallowed by the God of heaven. APRIL 1824.

CLERICUS LONDINENSIS.