blood could avail nothing. It could not reach high enough; it could
1. Because he sees it to be divine.—It is the blood of God. Creatureblood could avail nothing. It could not reach high enough; it could not go low enough for his want and guilt. The blood is the life; and no life save that which is divine,—no life save that of the Prince of life could answer for his. There must be some sort of equivalent; and that equivalent God alone could furnish. And He has furnished it by sending his own Son, and so substituting a divine life instead of a human life, a divine death as the payment in full of that eternal death which was the sinning creature's portion. The sight of this divine blood-shedding,—this infinite payment,—is peace to his soul.
2. Because he sees it to be so precious.—It is not only divinely perfect but divinely precious. No limit can be set upon its value. The question which a troubled spirit puts is, Is this blood, this life, valuable enough to stand instead of mine? If it be so, and if God be willing to accept the substitution, I am satisfied. The answer is, That blood is valuable enough to answer for yours, and God is willing to accept the exchange. Nay, it was he who first proposed it; it is he who is pressing this exchange upon your notice and intreating you to receive it, that so there may be nothing left for you to pay. In believing, we consent to take God's payment, which we learn to be so infinite in value; and in taking it we are set free from the durance which was our portion till that payment should be wholly made. And this is peace!
3. Because he sees it to be so suitable.—It provides for the very things he needs. It meets every part of his varied case, leaving nothing unprovided for which could burden or alarm or disquiet him. Every question that a guilty conscience can put, it fully answers. It is not a mere general remedy which we must contrive to make to suit our case as well as we can. It is a special remedy which adapts itself to every individual case just as if provided for it alone. No fear can arise for which it does not furnish an antidote. No doubt can agitate the soul which it is not fitted to soothe and lay to rest. No question can be asked, to which it does not most promptly reply. And this is peace!