For man, the creature’s sin!

“Well might I hide my blushing face

When his dear Cross appears,

Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,

And melt my eyes to tears.”

It was a day of sacrifice, and hence a day of affliction of their souls, and herein we are in sympathy with them.

Once more, it was a day of perfect cleansing, and hence, by a strange logic, a day of the affliction of the soul; for, oh! when sin is forgiven, when we know it is forgiven, when by divine assurance we know that God has blotted out our sins like a cloud, then it is we mourn over our iniquities. “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced”-that look gives life: “and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn”-this bitterness is one of the truest signs of life. They were to afflict their souls. Brethren, we cannot talk of the cross of Christ except in subdued tones. If you think you can laugh and sport yourself because your sin is forgiven, you know nothing of the matter. Sin has been pardoned at such a price that we cannot henceforth trifle with it. The sacrifice was so august that we must ever speak of it with holy trembling. I always feel a suspicion of those converts who get up and glibly boast that once they were drunkards, thieves, blasphemers, and so forth. Brother, if you do tell the story of your sin, blush scarlet to think it should be true. I am ashamed to hear a man talk of his sins as an old Greenwich pensioner might talk of his sea-fights. I hate to hear a man exhibiting his old lusts as if they were scars of honour. Friend, these things are disgraceful to you, however much the putting of them away may be to the honour and glory of God; and they are to be spoken of by you with shame and confusion of face. Afflict your soul when you remember what you once were.

On the day of atonement they were to afflict their souls, and yet they were to rest. Can these things come together-mourning and resting? Oh yes, you and I know how they meet in one bosom. I never am so truly happy as when a sober sadness tinges my joy. When I am fullest of joy I could weep my life away at Jesus’ feet. Nothing is more really sweet than the bitterness of repentance. Nothing is more healthful than self-abhorrence, mixed with the grateful love which hides itself in the wounds of Jesus. The purified people were to rest; they were to rest from all servile work. I will never do a hand’s turn to save myself by my own merits, works, or feelings. I have done for ever with all interference with my Lord’s sole work. Salvation as to its meritorious cause is complete; we will not think of beginning it over again; for that would be an insult to the Saviour. “It is finished,” saith our Lord Jesus, as he bowed his dear triumphant head and gave up the ghost; and if it is finished we will not dream of adding to it. It is finished; we have no work to do with the view of self-salvation. But you say to me-“Have we not to work out our own salvation?” Certainly we have. We are to work out our own salvation because God works it in us. It is our own salvation, and we show it forth in our lives: we work it out from within; we develop it from day to day, and let men see what the Lord has done for us. It must first be worked for us, and then in us, or we can never work it out.

They were assuredly to cease from all sinful work. How can the pardoned man continue in sin? We have done with toiling for the devil now. We will no more waste our lives in his service. Many men are worn to rottenness in the service of their lusts, but the servant of God has been set free from that yoke of bondage. We are slaves no longer: we quit the hard bondage of Egypt and rest in the Lord.

We have also done with selfish work; we now seek first the kingdom of heaven, and look that all other things shall be added unto us by the goodness of our heavenly Father. Henceforth we find rest by bearing the easy yoke of Christ. We joy to spend and be spent in his beloved service. He hath made us free, and therefore we are under bonds to his love for ever. O Lord, I am thy servant, I am thy servant, thou hast loosed my bonds; henceforth I am bound to thee. God grant that this may be a high day to you, because you gladly realize the grand truths which are shadowed forth in these delightful types. Amen.

Portion of Scripture read before Sermon-Leviticus 16.

Hymns from “Our Own Hymn Book”-240, 291, 564.