Page:Choice drop of honey from the rock, Christ, or, A short word of advice to all saints and sinners.pdf/17

Rh it would make it quite contrary to Christ. It would be to the just, the innocent, the holy, &c. Christ made the gospel for thee, that is, for needy sinners, the ungodly, the unrighteous, and the accursed. Nature cannot endure to think the gospel is only for sinners; it will rather chuse to despair than to go to Christ, upon such terrible terms. When nature is but put to it by guilt or wrath, it will go to its old haunts of self-righteousness, self-goodness, &c. An infinite power must cast down these strong holds.

None but the self justified stands excluded from the gospel; Christ will look at the most abominable sinner before him, because to such an one Christ cannot be made justification; he is no sinner. To say in compliment, I am a sinner, is easy; but to pray with the publican, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner, is indeed the hardest prayer in the world. It is easy to say, I believe in Christ; but to see Christ full of grace and truth, out of whose fulness thou mayest receive grace for grace; that is, saying, It is easy to profess Christ with the mouth; but to confess him with the heart, as Peter, (to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, the alone Mediator,) that is above flesh and blood. Many call Christ a Saviour; few know him so. To see grace and salvation in Christ, is the