Satan may alledge, and corrupt scripture, but he cannot answer scripture. It is Christ’s word of mighty authority. Christ foiled Satan with it, Matt. iv. 10. In all the scripture there is not an ill word against a poor sinner stripped of self-righteousness; nay, it plainly points out this man to be the subject of the grace of the gospel, and none else. Believe but in Christ’s willingness, and that will make thee willing. If thou findest thou canst not believe, put him upon it; he works to will and to believe, put him upon it; he works to will and to do of his own pleasure, Phil. ii. 13. Mourn for thy unbelief, which is a setting up of guilt in the conscience above Christ, an undervaluing of the merits of Christ, accounting his blood an unholy, a common, and unsatisfying thing. Thou complainest much of thyself.--Doth thy sin make thee look more at Christ, less at thyself! That is right, else complaining is but hypocrisy. To be looking at duties, graces, enlargements, when thou shouldst be looking at Christ, that is pitiful. Looking at them will make you humble. By grace ye are saved, Eph. ii. 5, 8. In all thy temptations be not discouraged, James, i. 2. Those surges may be not to drown thee, but to cast thee on the Rock Christ. Thou mayest be brought low, even to the brink of hell, yet there thou mayest cry, there thou mayest look towards the holy temple, Jonah, ii. 14. Into that temple none might enter but purified ones, and with an offering too, Acts, xxi. 26. But now Christ is our temple, sacrifice, altar, and high-priest to whom none must come but sinners, and that without any offering but his own blood once offered. Heb. vii. 27. Remember all the patterns of grace that are in heaven. Thou thinkest, “Oh what a monument of grace shall I be!” There are many thousands as rich monuments as thou canst be. The greatest sinner did never surpass the grace of Christ. Do not despair: hope still. When the clouds are blackest, even then look towards Christ, the standing pillar of the Father’s love and grace, set up in heaven, for all sinners to gaze upon continually. Whatsoever Satan or conscience say, do not conclude against thyself. Christ shall have the last word; he is judge of quick and dead, and must pronounce the fatal sentence. His blood speaks reconciliation, Col. i. 20; cleansing, 1 John, i. 7; purchase, Acts xx. 28; redemption, 1 Pet. i. 9; purging, Heb. v. 13, 14; remission, verse 22; liberty, Heb. x. 19; justification, Rom. v. 9; nearness to God, Eph. ii. 13. Not a drop of this blood shall be lost. Stand and hearken what God will say, for he will speak peace to his people, that they return no more to folly, Psal. lxxxv. 8. He speaks grace, mercy, and peace, 2 Tim. i. 2. That is the language of the Father and of Christ. Wait for Christ’s appearing, as the morning star, Rev. xxii. 19. He shall come as certain as the morning, as refreshing as the rain, Hos. vi. 3.