Merits of Christs Death

In these days of deteriorated Church doctrine , when other remedies than that of the gospel are applied to the wounded spirit , it is worth putting upon record the mode of healing in the British Church , so far back as the time of the Conquest , which , it will be seen , was not the baptism of tears , auricular confession , penance ,or  man's working, but the simple view of the great sacrifice , as the one object of faith . In the form of a prayer for the Visitation of the sick in the time of Anselm (1080)the priest asked the sick person "dost thou believe to come to glory , not by thine own merits , but by the virtue and merit of the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ ? Dost thou believe that our Lord Jesus Christ did die for our salvation , and that none can be saved by his own merits , or by any other means than the merits of his passion ? " On the sick person answering -"all this I believe "- the priest is directed to give him the following instructions and comfort , as a true physician of souls-"Give thou therefore "- saith he to the sick- " as long as thy soul remaineth in this place , thy whole confidence in his death only . Have confidence in no other thing . Commit thyself wholly to his death , with this alone comfort thyself . If he say "Thou deservest hell"- say ,"I put the death of the Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and this judgement , and no otherwise do I contend with thee " And if he say to thee -"Thou art a sinner " -Say - "Lord , I put the death of the Lord Jesus Christ between thee and my sins ." If he say to thee -"Thou hast deserved damnation "- say " I set the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and my bad merits , and I offer his merits instead of my merits ."If he say he is angry with thee, say -" Lord , I interpose the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thine anger."  This is indeed the sovereign specific for a case aggravated by the application of any other remedy of man's devising    From Charles Bridges Commentary on Proverbs

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