ANSWER. Thou by this means art taken off from leaning on any thing
below Jesus for eternal life. It is likely, if thou wast not
sensible of many by-thoughts and wickednesses in thy best
performances, thou wouldst go near to be some proud, abominable
hypocrite, or a silly, proud, dissembling wretch at the best; such a
one as wouldst send thy soul to the devil in a bundle of thy own
righteousness.
Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the
biggest sinner? Let the tempted harp upon this string for their help
and consolation. The tempted, wherever he dwells, always thinks
himself the biggest sinner, one most unworthy of eternal life.
This is Satan's master-argument: Thou art a horrible sinner, a
hypocrite, one that has a profane heart, and one that is an utter
stranger to a work of grace. I say, this is his maul, his club, his
masterpiece; he does with this, as some do by their most enchanting
songs, singing them everywhere. I believe there are but few saints
in the world that have not had this temptation sounding in their
ears. But were they but aware, Satan by all this does but drive them
to the gap out at which they should go, and so escape his roaring.
Saith he, Thou art a great sinner, a horrible sinner, a
profane-hearted wretch, one that cannot be matched for a vile one in
the country.
Pages:
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367