Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 8

Atonement

If the Lord Jesus Christ made full satisfaction unto God the Father, how is it that believers, many of them have their consciences so perplexed in regard of sin, as if there were  no satisfaction at all made? The reason is, because that men do not study this truth, but are ignorant of it. As, suppose that a man do owe three or four hundred pounds to a shopkeeper for wares that he hath taken up there; a friend comes, pays the debt, and crosses the book; but the debtor when he comes and looks upon the book is able to read all the particulars; and not being acquainted with the nature of crossing the book, he is able to read all the particulars, and he charges it still upon himself, because he does not understand the nature of crossing the book. So now it is here: the Lord Jesus Christ hath come and crossed our book with His own blood; the sins are to be read in your own consciences, but we, being not acquainted with the nature of Christ's satisfaction, we charge ourselves, as if no sin at all were satisfied for us. (William Bridge)

If He hides the sin, or lesseneth it, He is faulty; if He leaves it still upon us, we die. He must then take our iniquity to Himself, make it His own, and so deliver us; for thus having taken the sin upon Himself, as lawfully He may, and lovingly He doth, it followeth that we live if He lives; and who can desire more? (John Bunyan)

When the Lord Jesus Christ offered up Himself a sacrifice unto God the Father, and had our sins laid upon Him, He did give more perfect satisfation unto Divine justice for our sins than if you, and I, and all of us had been damned in hell unto all eternity. For a creditor is more satisfied if his debt be paid him all down at once, then if it be paid by the week. (William Bridge)

Obedience will not make amends for past crimes; for obedience is a debt due of itself, and what is a debt of itself cannot be a compensation for another. Obedience was due from man if he had not sinned, and therefore is a debt as much due after sin as before it; but a new debt cannot be satisfied by paying an old. So obedience to the law in our whole course was a debt upon us by our creation ... but upon sin a new debt of punishment was contracted, and the penalty of the law was to be satisfied by suffering, as well as the precepts of the law satisfied by observing them. (Stephen Charnock)

There is no death of sin without the death of Christ. (John Owen)

The wrong that man had done to the Divine Majesty, should be expiated by none but man, and could be none but God. (John Howe)

Christ did not die for any upon condition, if they do believe; but He died for all God's elect, that they should believe. (John Owen)

This precious Lamb of God gave up His golden fleece for us. (Christopher Nesse)

Backsliding

He falls deepest into hell who falls backward. (Thomas Watson)

None will have such a sad parting from Christ, as those who went half-way with Him and then left Him. (William Gurnall)

The best way never to fall is ever to fear. (William Jenkyn)