Henry Grattan Guinness (1835–1910) was an Irish Protestant preacher, evangelist and author. He was one of the key evangelists of the Evangelical awakening and preached during the Ulster Revival of 1859 which drew thousands to hear him. He founded the famous East London Missionary Training Institute (also called Harley College) with just 6 students. The school trained 1330 missionaries.
He wrote several books, but published only one book of sermons in 1860. This excerpt on the blood of Jesus blotting out all our sin is from his book, Sermons (London: James Nisbet & Co., 1860), 337–40. Relish it!
O thou whose heart has been renewed by the Spirit, and whose sins have been forgiven by the grace of the sovereign Jehovah, what transgression now remaineth in His book recorded against thee? Behold, He hath turned back over the pages to the place where the first sins of your childhood were written, and dipping His hand in the blood of Jesus, hath gone over line after line, leaving nought behind but the scarlet stain of redemption!
Behold, He hath gone over leaf after leaf where the sins of your youth were written, and dipping His hand in the blood of Jesus, hath covered every word and every letter with the red mark of atonement! Behold, He hath gone over page after page where the iniquities of your riper years have been recorded, and dipping His hand in the blood of Jesus, hath blotted out the black multitude of your transgressions, covering them with the crimson tide of eternal oblivion! And now there is not an eye that can, within that book, detect a solitary trace of the dark history of your past iniquities; upon every leaf nought is to be seen but the atoning blood of Jesus.
Ah, Christian! if thy sins are all blotted out of His book, it is not much matter in what other they may be written. Let them find out the tale of thy guilt if they will, and give it in print to the world; the day is coming in which every letter of it shall be burned up in the last great fire, and then there shall be nothing left on record to thy charge.
Oh Christian! This is forgiveness! What a sweet word that, forgiveness! Do you not love it? Everlasting forgiveness! Oh, what a pure, flowing river of cleansing! Oh, what a soft rest for the weary! Oh, what a clear dawning of daylight! Oh, what a great calm! Oh, what a heaven! Forgiveness! yes, this is it—“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins!” And now that thou art forgiven, thou art “in Christ Jesus;” to thee “there is no condemnation ;” over thee sin shall no more “have dominion;” and on thee “the second death hath no power.” “The law proclaims no terrors now, And Sinai’s thunders roar no more; From Jesus’ wounds sweet blessings flow—A sea of joy without a shore! Here have we wash’d our deepest stains, And cleansed our wounds with heavenly blood; Blest fountain! springing from the veins of Jesus, our incarnate God.”
Oh, blessed forgiveness! Where are our past sins now? Gone forever! Where our condemnation? Where our fears of death? Where our terrors at the thought of judgment? He who hath loved us and washed us in His own blood, will walk with us upon the waves of life, will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death, will walk with us in the fiery furnace of judgment, and, when all our sorrows are over, will walk with us through the new heavens and new earth, will walk with us in white garments in the new Jerusalem, and will lead us to fountains of living water, and will wipe all our tears away!
We are redeemed with the blood of the Lamb; and while we linger upon earth, underneath us shall be, the everlasting arms, and above us shall be the overshadowing wings; when we stand in the judgment, upon us shall be the blood-red mark of salvation—the angel of destruction shall pass us with a blessing; and when we sing before the throne, written in our foreheads shall be the name of the Redeemer—on every brow shall be written “Jesus;” and our song shall be, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have power, and. riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing;” and we shall reign with Him for ever and ever!