] When the Apostle Peter was
declaring that all the prophets witness to Jesus Christ, that through
His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins, the
Holy Ghost fell on all who heard the word. The very promise which
Jeremiah says will be fulfilled under the future covenant Isaiah claims
for his own days: "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions
for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."[155]

On the other hand, it is equally plain that St. Paul and the author of
this Epistle agree in teaching that the sacrifices of the old covenant
had in them no virtue to remove guilt. They cannot take away sin, and
they cannot remove the consciousness of sin.[156] The writer evidently
considers it sufficient to state the impossibility, without labouring to
prove it. His readers' consciences would bear him out in the assertion
that it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take
away sins.

It remains--and it is the only supposition left to us--that peace of
conscience must have been the result of another revelation, simultaneous
with the covenant of the Law, but differing from it in purpose and
instruments. Such a revelation would be given through the prophets, who
stood apart as a distinct order from the priesthood. They were the
preachers. They quickened conscience, and spoke of God's hatred of sin
and willingness to forgive. Every advance in the revelation came through
the prophets, not through the priests. The latter represent the
stationary side of the covenant, but the prophets hold before the eyes
of men the idea of progress. What, then, was the weakness of prophecy in
reference to forgiveness of sin when compared with the new covenant? The
prophets predicted a future redemption. This was their strength. It was
also their weakness. For that future was not balanced by an equally
great past. However glorious the history of the nation had been, it was
not strong enough to bear the weight of so transcendent a future. Every
nation that believes in the greatness of its own future already
possesses a great past. If not, it creates one. Mythology and
hero-worship are the attempt of a people to erect their future on a
sufficient foundation. But men had not experienced anything great enough
to inspire them with a living faith in the reality of the promises which
the prophets announced. Sin had not been atoned for. The Christian
preacher can point to the wonderful but well-