2. To those whose hearts are beginning to relent —
[Do not think that a small and transient humiliation is sufficient. If you could weep " rivers of tears," it would be no more than the occasion calls for. You may perhaps com- fort yourselves with the thought of not having committed many or great offences : but consider what it was that brought guilt and ruin upon the whole race of mankind ; it was not many offences, but one ; nor was it what would appear to us a very heinous sin, but only the violation of a positive precept, the eating of a forbidden fruit : reflect on this, and you will derive little consolation from the thought that you are not so bad as others. But, whether your sins have been more or less heinous, there is one Refuge, and only one, to
a Isai. iii. 9. b Job xxxi. 33. c Prov.xxviii. 13.
d Jobxxxiv. 22. e Isai. xxix. 15. with Amos ix. 2, 3.
f Prov. xxix. 1 .
d'2
which you must flee for safety. The refuge provided for our first parents was, " The seed of the woman, who was in due time to bruise the serpent's head." The same is provided for you. Jesus was born into the world for this very end : He has made a full atonement for your sin : and if " only you acknowledge your transgressions," and believe in him, they shall be " remembered against you no more for ever."]
Gen. iii. 15. / will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
THIS was the first promise that was ever given to fallen man. The occasion on which it was given was this: Satan had beguiled our mother Eve, and, through her, had prevailed on Adam to transgress : and he had thereby destroyed both them and all their posterity : for, since they were corrupt, nothing but what was corrupt could proceed from them. But God, in his abundant mercy, interposed for our fallen race, who must without such interposition have been involved in all the misery of the fallen angels. Against Satan he denounced a curse suited to his crime: and at the same time informed him, that, though for the present he had prevailed over the woman, a seed should spring from her who should execute on him the vengeance he deserved, and rescue mankind from the misery he had entailed upon them.
Now, as the oak with all its luxuriant branches is contained in the acorn, so was the whole of sal- vation, however copiously unfolded in subsequent revelations, comprehended in this one prophecy ; which is, in fact, the sum and summary of the whole Bible. And on this promise all the Saints lived, during the space of 2000 years : yes, all from Adam to the time of Abraham were encouraged, comforted, and saved by this promise alone, illustrated as it was by sacrifices appointed by the Lord.