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of Christ to be seen upon my soul? What righteousness is it that I stand upon to be saved? Have I got off my self-righteousness?———Many eminent professors have come at length to cry out in the sight of the ruin of all their duties, Undone, undone, to all eternity!
Consider, they greatest sins may be hid under the greatest duties, and the greatest terrors. See the wound that sin hath made in thy soul be perfectly cured, by the blood of Christ; not skinned over with duties, humblings, enlargements, &c. Apply what thou wilt besides the blood of Christ, it will poison the sore. Thou wilt find that sin was never mortified truly; that thou hast not seen Christ bleeding for thee upon the cross; nothing can kill it, but the beholding of Christ’s righteousness.
Nature can afford no balsam fit for soul cure. Healing from duty and not from Christ, is the most desperate disease. Poor ragged nature, with all its highest improvements, can never spin a garment fine enough, without spot, to cover the soul’s nakedness. Nothing can fit the soul for that use, but Christ’s perfect righteousness.
Whatsoever is of nature’s spinning must be all unravelled, before the righteousness of Christ can be put on; whatsoever is nature’s putting on, Satan will come and plunder it every rag away, and leave the soul naked and open to the wrath of God. All that nature can do will never make up the least drachm of grace, that can mortify sin, or look Christ in the face even for one day.
Thou art a professor, goest on hearing, praying, and receiving, yet miserable thou mayest be. Look about thee; did thou ever yet see Christ to this day in distinction from all other excellencies and righteousness in the world, and all of them falling before the majesty of his love and grace? Is. ii. 17.
