12. To say in compliment, _I am a sinner_, is easy; but to pray with the Publican indeed, _Lord, be merciful to me a sinner_, is the hardest prayer in the world. It is easy to say, _I believe in Christ_; but not to see him full of grace and truth, _of whole fullness thou mayst receive grace for grace_. It is easy to profess Christ with the mouth; but to confess him with the heart, that is above flesh and blood. Many call Christ _Saviour_; few know him so. To see grace and salvation in Christ is the greatest sight in the world; none can do that, but at the same time they shall see that glory and salvation are theirs. I may be ashamed to think that to this day I have known so little of the blood of Christ, which is the main thing of the gospel. A christless, formal profession is the blackest sight next to hell. Thou mayst have many good things, and yet one thing may be wanting, that may make thee go away sorrowful from Christ. Thou hast never sold all thou hast, never parted with _all_ thine own righteousness. Thou mayst be high in duty, and yet a perfect adversary to Christ. In every prayer, in every ordinance, labour after sanctification to thy utmost; but make not a Christ of it to save thee; if so, it must come down one way or other. Christ’s infinite satisfaction, not thy sanctification, must be justification before God. When the Lord shall appear terrible out of his holy place, fire shall consume that as hay and stubble. This will be sound religion, only to bottom all upon the everlasting mountains of God’s love and grace in Christ, to live continually in the sight of Christ’s infinite merits (they are sanctifying, without them the heart is carnal) and in those sights to see the full vileness of sin, and to see all pardoned; in those sights to pray and hear, seeing all thy weak performances accepted continually, to trample upon all thy own righteousness, and be found continually in the righteousness of Christ only. Without the blood of Christ on the conscience, all is dead service. 13. Search the scriptures daily, as mines of gold, wherein the heart of Christ is laid. Watch against constitutional sins; see them in their vileness, and they shall never break out into act. Keep always an humble, empty, broken frame of heart, sensible of any spiritual miscarriage, observant of all inward workings, fit for the highest communications. Keep not guilt in the conscience, but apply the blood of Christ immediately. God chargeth sin and guilt upon thee, to make thee look to Christ the brazen serpent. Judge not Christ’s love by providence, but by promises. Bless God for any way whereby he keeps the soul awakened and looking after Christ: better sickness and temptations, than security and slightness.