removed far from me, Isa. xxix. 13, Matt. xv. 8. I think men might observe
that their souls act not in religious business as they should, but that
they remove their souls many miles distant from their bodies,--and they
cannot keep any constancy in this approach of prayer to God, cannot walk
with him in their conversation, or carry him along in their meditation.
But there is one point of estrangement and separation superadded to all,
that there is no man can come near to God without an oblation and offering
of peace, that there is no approaching to him, but as to a continuing
fire, except we can bring a sacrifice to appease, and a present to please
Him for our infinite offences. There the difference stands,--we cannot draw
near to walk together, till we be agreed. And, truly, this unto man is
impossible, for we have nothing so precious as the redemption of our
souls,--nothing can compense infinite wrongs, or satisfy infinite justice.
Now, this seems to make our nearness again desperate, and to put men
furthest off from hope.

Notwithstanding, this is the very purpose of the gospel, preached from the
beginning of the world, to remove that distance, and to take impediments
of meeting out of the way; for that great obstruction, the want of a
sacrifice and ransom, the Lord hath supplied it, he himself hath furnished
it; and it was the great design carried on from the beginning of the
world. But as the sun, the nearer he is, the more the earth is
enlightened: so here, first some dawning of light appears, as a messenger
of hope, to tell that the Redeemer shall come,--that the true sacrifice
shall be slain; then still the nearer his own appearing, the clearer are
the manifestations of him, and the great design is more opened up, till at
length he breaks out in glory from under a cloud, and shows himself to the
world, to be that Lamb of God that should take away the sins of the world.
And now, as the apostle to the Hebrews speaks, chap. vii. 19, "The law
hath made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by
the which we draw nigh to God." All the sacrifices and shadows that were
under the law did but point at this perfect ransom; and the way of access
to God through a Mediator was not so clear; but now the matter is made as
hopeful as is possible,--the partition-wall of the law's curses,--the
hand-writing against us is removed on the cross,--the enmity slain,--the
distance removed by the blood of the cross, being