He that thinks to find grace at God's hand, and yet enters not into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus, will find himself mistaken, and
will find a dead instead of a living way. For if not any thing below
or besides blood can yield remission on God's part, how should
remission be received by us without our acting faith therein? We are
justified by his blood, through faith in his blood.
Wherefore look, when thou approachest the throne of grace, that thou
give diligence to seek for the "Lamb as it had been slain," that is
in the midst of the throne of grace; and then thou wilt have not
only a sign that thou presentest thy supplication to God where and
as thou shouldst, but there also wilt thou meet with matter to
break, to soften, to bend, to bow, and to make thy heart as thou
wouldst have it. This sight shall dissolve and melt down the spirit
of that man that is upon his knees before the throne of grace for
mercy; especially when he shall see, that not his prayers, nor his
tears, nor his wants, but the blood of the Lamb, has prevailed with
a God of grace to give mercy and grace to an undeserving sinner.
God hath prepared a golden altar for thee to offer thy prayers and
tears upon, coming sinner. A golden altar! It is called a _golden
altar_, to show what worth it is of in God's account; for this
golden altar is Jesus Christ--this altar sanctifies thy gift, and
makes thy sacrifice acceptable.
This altar then makes thy groans golden groans, thy tears golden
tears, and thy prayers golden prayers, in the eye of that God thou
comest to.