8
getting it allayed any way but by Christ's blood; all other ways tend to harden the conscience. Make Christ thy peace, Eph. ii. 4. not thy duties, thy tears, &c. Thou mayest oppose Christ by duties as well as by sins. Look at Christ, and do as much as thou wilt. Stand with all thy weight upon Christ's righteousness. Take heed of having one foot on thine own righteousness, another on Christ's. Till Christ come and sit upon a throne of grace in the conscience, there is nothing but guilt, terrors, secret suspicions, the soul hanging between hope and fear, which is not an evangelic state.- Whoever is afraid to see sin's utmost vileness, and to confess the desperate wickedness of his own heart, suspects the merits of Christ.
However so great a sinner thou art, 1 John ii. 1. make Christ thine advocate, and thou wilt find him Jesus Christ the righteous. In all doubtings, fears, storms of conscience, look at Christ only and continually: do not argue it with Satan, he desires no better; bid him to go to Christ, and he will answer him. It is his office to be our advocate, to answer the law as our surety, Heb. vii. 22. and justice, as our Mediator, Gal. iii. 20. 1 Tim. ii. 5. He is sworn to that office, Heb. vii. 20, 21. Put Christ upon it. If thou wilt do any thing thyself, as satisfaction for
