FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87  
88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   >>   >|  
hem out as a conqueror; having paid the price, he delivereth also by power and authority from the hand of this jailor. And thus we see how he answereth our case and necessity, and is a fit way for us; and though this be not questioned, yet little is it believed and considered, and less put in practice. And as for the third particular, that he alone is this way, and answereth our case herein, it needeth not be much spoken to, since it is clear and manifest, confirmed by the experience of all generations, and the disappointments of fools who have been seeking other ways. Angels in heaven cannot do our business, they cannot satisfy justice for us, nor have they any power over our heart to turn it as they will; nay, they are not acquainted with our secret thoughts, that cabinet is kept close from them, and reserved as the peculiar privilege of God alone. The blood of bulls and of goats cannot do it; for the apostle tells us, that it is impossible for that to take away sin, Heb. x. 4. That blood shed according to the law did cleanse ceremonially, but it is only the blood of Jesus, typified by that, which cleanseth really; so that we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, Heb. x. 10. No pains or labour of ours can avail here. The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil. "He will not take our first-born for our transgression, nor the son of our body for the sin of our soul," Micah vi. 7. Ordinance and means will not do it, nor any invention of our own: "no man can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him; for the redemption of the soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever," Psal. xlix. 7, 8. He alone hath laid down the price; all our sufferings, prayers, tears, labours, penances, and the like, signify nothing here; they cannot satisfy justice for one sin. As to the fourth particular, viz., the singularity of this way, those things make it manifest and apparent: 1. This is such a way as can discover itself, and make itself known unto the erring traveller. Christ Jesus is such a way as can say to the wandering soul, "this is the way, walk ye in it," Isa. xxx. 25. No way can do this. This is comfortable. 2. This way can not only discover itself to the wandering traveller, but also it can bring folk into it. Christ can bring souls unto himself, when they are running on in their wandering condition. He can move t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87  
88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

wandering

 

Christ

 
answereth
 

thousands

 

satisfy

 

manifest

 

justice

 

discover

 

traveller

 
brother

transgression
 

rivers

 

redemption

 
ransom
 
pleased
 

invention

 

Ordinance

 
precious
 

redeem

 
comfortable

erring

 
condition
 
running
 

apparent

 

sufferings

 

prayers

 
labours
 

penances

 

singularity

 
things

fourth
 

signify

 

ceaseth

 

spoken

 

needeth

 

practice

 

confirmed

 

experience

 

seeking

 
Angels

generations
 
disappointments
 

considered

 

delivereth

 

authority

 
jailor
 

conqueror

 

believed

 

questioned

 

necessity