impulsive, that drives a poor sinner unto Jesus Christ,--the
sense and impression of his desperate and lost estate without him. As
there was first sin, and then a Saviour dying for sin, because nothing
else could suffice, so there must be in the soul, first, the apprehension
of sin, and that remediless sin, sin incurable by any created power or
act, and then a sight of a Saviour coming to destroy sin and the works of
the devil, and destroying it by dying for it. There is no employment for
this Physician upon every slight apprehension of a wound or sickness, till
it be found incurable, and help sought elsewhere be seen to be in vain.
Indeed, upon the least apprehension of sin and misery, men ought to come
to Christ. We shall not set or prescribe any measure of conviction to
exclude you, if you can but come to him indeed. Upon the least measure of
it, you will not be cast out, according to his own word, but as certain it
is, that men will not come to this Physician till they find no other can
save them. These two things I wish were deeply and seriously thought
upon,--that you cannot satisfy God's justice for the least point of guilt,
and then, that you cannot do any thing in obedience to please God. There
is a strange inconsideration, yea, I may say, ignorance among us. When you
are challenged and convinced of sin, (as there is no conscience so
benumbed, but in some measure it accuseth every man of many wrongs,) what
is the course you fall on to pacify it or please God? Indeed, if you can
get any shadow of repentance, if it were but a bare acknowledgment of the
fault, you excuse yourselves in your own consciences, and answer the
accusation by it. Either some other good works formerly done occur to you,
or some resolution for amendment in time coming. And this you think shall
pacify God and satisfy justice. But, alas! you are far from the
righteousness of God, and you do err even in the very foundation of
religion. These are but sparks of your own kindling, and for all these,
you shall lie down in darkness and sorrow. These are but the vain
expiations and excuses of natural consciences, which are led to some sense
of a deity by the law written in their heart. But consider this once,--you
must first satisfy the curse of the law which you are under, before you
can be in any capacity to please him by new obedience. Now, if you should
undertake to pay for your former breaches of the law, that will eternally
ruin you; and therefo