'Dire[l:lons for awell grounded Faith. ~· 6. 3· It hindcn'th the fouls approach to God, when the Infinite diftance makes us think that God wi\l not regard or take ~otice of fuch contemptible worms as we; we are ready to think that he is too higl1 for our converCc or delight. In this cafe the foul hath no fuch remedy, as to look t& Cbrijf; and fee how the Father hatb regarded us, and fet his heart upon us, and fenr his Son to feek and fJ.ve us: 0 wonderful afionifhingcondefccnfiou of Eternal Love! Believe that God affumcd flefh to make himftlf familiar with man ; and you can never que!lion whether he regard us, or wi111io1d communion with us. 9· 7. 4· It hindereth cur comfortable actefs to God, when we "e .deterred by the Glory of his lntinitenefs and Majefiy : As the eye is not able to gaze upon the Sun, unlcfs it be overfhadowtd. So the foul is afraid of the Majefiy ofGod, and overwhelmed by it when it fhould be dtlighted in it. Againft this there is.no fuch remedy, as to behold God appearing to us in his Son, where his Maje.Oy is veiled, and where he approacheth us familiarly in our nature, to invite us to him with holy confi. dence and reverent boldnefs. Chrifi did not appear in a terrible form: Women durlt difcourfe with him: beggars, and cripies, and difeafed people durfi ask his help : !inners durll eat with him : The proud contemned him, but the lowly were not fri~hted from him•.. He took upon him the form of a fervant,and madehunfdfof1zo reputattm,that he might c'onverfe familiarly wtth the meanefi and thofe of no reputation. Though we may ®t dLbafe the Godhead, to imagine that it is humbled in Glory, as it was on earth, in the flelh of Chrifi, yet this condefcenfion is un{peakabli encouragement to the foul to come wjrh bo!dnefsuntoGod, that was frighted from him. 0 Domine 9.1!. 5· When the g•ilt offin affrighwh us from God, and we are thinking that God will net Jefu doles accept fuc:h great offenders as we have been, then Chr~t is our remedy who hath paid our Q~bt, and non rua fcJ born our flripes, and procured and fealed us a pardon by his blood. Shall pardoned fins drive us ~.:./, 't~;'fi) from him that pardoneth them >He hath jufiilied us by his righteoufnels : The curfe and condem• M ~t.t:1• t nation are terrible indeed; but he hath taken tht:m away, and given us a free difcharge. '· 3· Nos immortalit;He mate uli rumu~ Ut morettmur; Chrifim mortalitlte benC urus efl ut viveremus. Aul}ft· dt Dafl.chrift.t. I.C.J4· §. 9· 6. The infirmititi alfo of our fouls in duty, are ofuimes a great difcouragement to us, in our ~pproachestv the Moll Holy Jealous God: To find fo little knowledge ofGod, fo little Love tohim, fuch cold defires, fuch wandering and difiracted thoughts, fuch dull •requcfis: It is hard to have live~ ly and thanktuJ apprehenfions, c( Gods acceptance of fuch defeCtive, lame meditations or prayers: But we are apt ro think that he will abhor both them and us, and rhat he can take no pleafure in thetn, yea, that it is as good not pray at all. Here faith hath full relief in Chrifl.: Two things it can fay from him to encourage the fearful foul: I· That our Acceptance with the Father is through the merits of his Son: And he is worthy, though we are unworthy. If we have but the worthine[t of Faitb, and Repentance, and fincere Dtfire, Chrifi hath the worthinefs ofptrfia holinifs and obedie»ct for us. We go not to the Farher in our own names, but in his; And whacever we ask the Father in the nameofChrifi aecordingto his will, he will give it us: Job. r6. 23.& 14• 13: & '5· r6. z. That all the infirmities of our fouls and fetviccs are forgiven us through Chritt : He bath undertaken ro anfwer for them all, and to jufiifie us from all fuch accufations. By faith ~hou maifi, as it were, hear Chrifi thus [peaking for thine encouragement: [Go boldly, poor finncr, rnto my Fathersprefence: Fear not the guilt of thy fins, or the imperfection of thy prayers; as long as thou truly Repentcfi of them and Deli'tcfi: to be delivered from ti<Jcm, and Trufi:efi: in me, I am thy worthinefs;. my Righte– oufn;fs is perfect without fpot ; I have taken all thy laults and failings upon me : I have undertaken ro anfwer for all the imperfections of thy holy things: Sincerity is thy endowment; Perfection is mine: Trufi me in the performance of the trufi which I have undertaken. J 9· 1 o. 7· Sometime the foul that would drawnearto God, is overwhelmed with Griifand Terror, fo that the fenfe of fin, and danger, and mifery do even .diilra& men, and ca(l them into an agony; fo that they fay withDavid, Pfal. 77•2•3·4· [ r.fy foul refujid to be comforted, I remembrcd God and•M lrO"~bltd; I complained, and my Spirit was overwhelmed; Thou holdejl mine eyes wakjng : I am fo troubled that I cannot !peak.: J Yea, they think they feel God thrujl tbem from him, and tell them that he hath ~tterly fiJTfak!n them. In this cafe faith mujl looil_to Chrij!, and remember that He was in an Agon.J when he praytd, and in a greater agony than ever you were, fo th~t he [wear even drops of blood, and yet in that agony he prayed miJT"e earnej!ly, Luke 22· 44· He h1mfe!f once cryed out upon the Crofs, My God, my God, why hafl thoHfiJTfok!>t me : .and yet he was. the Beloved of the Father, and is now at his right hand in glory: And all thiS he d1d .that we m1ght not be fgrfak.t>t : He bath re· moved the enmity: He hath reconciled us to God: By grief he palfed himfelfro joy, and he will wipe away, his fervants tears, otnd caufe their griefs to end in jo}'• ~· r r. 8. Sometime the foul that would draw near to God, is molefied with a fiorm of hideozu '.temptations, and even confounded with a fwarm of difordered perplexed thoughts: Satan alfaulreth it with Temptations to defpair, Temptations to horrid blafphemous thoughts, temptations to entangle., intermit,corrupt or pervert the duty which they are about;fo that the foul is difcouraged,overwhelmed and broken with the inward atfaults, and troubles, and diflractions which it undcrgoeth. In this c1fe Faith bath a Saviour fuitahle to our relief. It can look to him that was tempted in all points ~e as we are, without fin, and is now fuch an High Priefi as can be touched with the feeling of our tnfir– mities ; and therefore we may come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercyand find grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4· 14, 15, z6. In aU thing I it bth07Jtd him to bt made liJte ~~to bil brethrtn,tbat he might be a merciful andfaithful High Priej!,in thingspertaining toGod,ta mal<! recon<~hanos
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