28 ON TIIE CORRUPTION fear ? How shall I deny the cause of the evil tendencies ofmy own heart, the sins of my own life, the thoughts of foolish- ness, and the actings of iniquity within myself ?" And will not such serious enquiry, by God's grace, acting on the study of the characters of these highly eminent, but not perfect worthies of old times; patriarchs, prophets, and saints, lead the enquirer, through the redemption wrought for all, and faith in the operation of the blessed Spirit, to that effectual repentance, and fervent prayer, to which, in this same Divine history, such gracious promises are made, such wonderful sup- ports are granted ? Had the Holy Scriptures kept back from man the faithful delineations of the illustrious characters to which we have referred, the truth of the doctrine in ques- tion, though occasionally felt, and in spite of his resistance, forced upon him, would not have been believed ; or, if believed, would not have been acknowledged. It is, then, one great end of the oracles
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=