breath, Should sudden vengence seize my Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord, Whose hope, still hovering round thy word Would light on some sweet promise there, Some sure support against despair. 24 IV. FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. WHAT a sinner I have been, and am! Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up: they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart faileth me --They have gone over my head: as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me †. I cannot bear the thought of them: they are enough to sink me into hell. I have no excuse to allege. I have no excellence to oppose to * Psalm xl. 12. + Psalm xxxviii. 4. them. I deserve wrath; and cannot cease to deserve it. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away*. The best thing which I have ever done is no more fit to be presented to God, than a garment of filthy rags is to appear in the court of a monarch; and my sins, unmitigated by any excellence, are ready, as the tempest drives before it the withered leaf, to hurry me to everlasting ruin. I have nothing of my own to trust to. God has a perfect right to condemn me. I am, if left to myself, lost. But Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree; He was made sin for us; He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us*. And now, having borne our punishment, he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them†. He has, further, invited me to him, saying, Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest: and He has said, Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out §. I believe his word. I have nothing to offer; but he asks nothing. I believe that he will save all who come to him, without money and without price; and I come to him, according to his gracious invitation. I desire His salvation, and not any other. I wish to * 1 Peter ii. 24; 2 Cor. v. 21; Matt. xi. 28. Gal. iii. 13. † Heb. vii. 25. § John vi. 37. be saved, not merely from the punishment of sin, but also from its power. I love his method of salvation. I wish him to save me by his own merit, and by the renewing grace of his Spirit. I wish from my heart that he may have all the glory of my salvation. Humbly, as a guilty, helpless, and ruined transgressor, I beseech him to save me. And I believe he will: He will secure my pardon, my sanctification, and my glory: He will bring me to his heavenly kingdom, restored to perfection, and blessed with his everlasting love. Will this faith be disappointed? The promise is, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved*. And to what other faith is this promise made? I wish to *Acts xvi. 31. |