Remedy (6). The sixth remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, That the longer you keep off from Christ, the greater and stronger your sins will grow. All divine power and strength against sin flows from the soul's union and communion with Christ, Rom. viii. 1 0, 1 John i. 6, 7. While you keep off from Christ, you keep off from that strength and power which is only able to make you trample down strength, lead captivity captive, and slay the Goliaths that bid defiance to Christ. It is only faith in Christ that makes a man triumph over sin, Satan, hell, and the world, 1 John v. 4. It is only faith in Christ that binds the -strong man's hand and foot, that stops the issue of blood, that makes a man strong in resisting, and happy in conquering, Mat. v. 15 to 35. Sin always dies most where faith lives most. The most believing soul is the most mortified soul. Ah ! sinner, remember this, there is no way on earth effectually to be rid of the guilt, filth, and power of sin, but by believing in a Saviour. It is not resolving, it is not complaining, it is not mourning, but believing, that will make thee divinely victorious over that body of sin that to this day is too strong for thee, and that will certainly be thy ruin, if it be not ruined by a hand of faith.
Remedy (7). The seventh remedy against this device of Satan is, wisely to consider, That as there is nothing in Christ to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him, so there is everything in Christ that may encourage the greatest sinners to believe on him, to rest and lean upon him for all happiness and blessedness, Cant. i. 3. If you look upon his nature, his disposition, his names, his titles, his offices as king, priest, and prophet, you will find nothing to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him, but many things to encour- age the greatest sinners to receive him, to believe on him.1 Christ is the greatest good, the choicest good, the chiefest good, the most suitable good, the most necessary good. He is a pure good, a real good, a total good, an eternal good, and a soul-satisfying good, Rev. iii. 17, 18. Sinners, are you poor? Christ hath gold to enrich you. Are you naked ? Christ hath royal robes, he hath white raiment to clothe you. Are you blind ? Christ hath eye-salve to enlighten you. Are you hungry ? Christ will be manna to feed you. Are you thirsty ? He will be a well of living water to refresh you. Are you wounded ? He hath a balm under his wings to heal you. Are you sick ? He is a physician 1 Col. i. 19, ii. 3, Cant, v. 10.
144 PRECIOUS REMEDIES [2 COR. II. 11.
to cure you. Are you prisoners? He hath laid down a ransom for you. Ah, sinners ! tell me, tell me, is there anything in Christ to keep you off from believing ? No. Is there not everything in Christ that may encourage you to believe in him? Yes. Oh, then, believe in him, and then, ' Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool,' Isa. i. 18. Nay, then, your iniquities shall bo forgotten as well as forgiven, they shall bo remembered no more. God will cast them behind his back, he will throw them into the bottom of the sea, Isa, xliii. 25, xxxviii. 17, Micah vii. 19.
Remedy (8). The eighth remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, TJte absolute necessity of believing in Christ. Heaven is too holy and too hot to hold unbelievers ; their lodging is prepared in hell : Rev. xxi. 8, ' But the fearful and unbelieving. &a, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brim- stone, which is the second death.' ' If ye believe not that I am he,' saith Christ, ' you shall die in your sins,' John viii. 2 1. And he that dies in his sins must to judgment and to hell in his sins. Every un- believer is a condemned man : ' He that believeth not,' saith John, ' i condemned alread}^ because he hath not believed in the name of th only begotten Son of God. And he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him,' John iii. 18, 36. Ah, sinners ! the law, the gospel, and your own consciences, have passed the sentence of condemnation upon you, and there is no way to reverse the sentence but by believing in Christ. And therefore my counsel is this, Stir up yourselves to lay hold on the Lord Jesus, and look up to him, and wait on him, from whom every good and perfect gift comes, and give him no rest till he hath given thee that jewel faith, that is more worth than heaven and earth, and that will make thee happy in life, joyful in death, and glorious in the day of Christ, Isa. lxiv. 7, James i. 17, Isa. lxii. 7.
And thus much for the remedies against this first device of Satan, whereby he keeps off thousands from believing in Christ.
The second device that Satan hath to keep poor sinners from be- lieving, from closing with a Saviour, is,
Device (2). By suggesting to them their unworthincss. Ah! saith Satan, as thou art worthy of the greatest misery, so thou art un- worthy of the least crumb of mercy. What! dost thou think, saith Satan, that ever Christ will own, receive, or embrace such an unworthy wretch as thou art? No, no; if there were any worthiness in thee, then, indeed, Christ might be willing to be entertained by thee. Thou art unworthy to entertain Christ into thy house, how much more un- worthy art thou to ontertain Christ into thy heart, &c.
Now the remedies against this device are these.
Remedy (1). The first remedy against this device of Satan is, seriously to consider, That God hath nowhere in the Scripture required any ivorthincss in lite creature before believing in Christ. If you make a diligent search through all the scripture, you shall not find, from the fust line in Genesis to the last line in the Revelations, one word that speaks out God's requiring any worthiness in the creature before the soul's believing in Christ, before the soul's leaning and rest-
2 Cor. II. 11.} against satan's devices. 145
ing upon Christ for happiness and blessedness ; and why, then, should that be a bar and hindrance to thy faith, which God doth nowhere require of thee before thou comest to Christ, that thou mayest have life ? Mat. xix. 8, John v. 29. Ah, sinners ! remember Satan objects your unworthiness against you only out of a design to keep Christ and your souls asunder for ever ; and therefore, in the face of all your un- worthiness, rest upon Christ, come to Christ, believe in Christ, and you are happy for ever, John vi. 40, 47.