again the wilesof the devil. I 3 5 dayes, and Jubilee.iike Feftivals, 'when God comes forth clothed with the robes of his mercy, and holds forth the Scepter of his grace more familiarly to his children, then ordinary, bearing wit- neffe to their faith, fincerity, &c. and then the firmament is clear, not a cloud to be Teen to darken the Chriftians comfort. Love and joy are the foules repaft and paftime, while this feaft lets. NowwhinGod withdrawes, and this chear is taken off, Sarans work is how he may deface and weare off the remem- brance of this teftimony 5 which the foule fo triumphs in for its fpiritual (landing, that he may not have it as an evidence when he fball bring about the fuite again, and put the foule to producehis writings for his fpiritual flare, or renounce his claim. It behoves thee therefore to lay them up fafely ; fuch a tefti- mony may ferve to non-fuit thy accufer many yeares hence ; one affirmative from Gods mouth for thy pardoned flare, car- ries more weight (though of old date) then a thoufand nega- tives from Satans. Davids Song: of old fpring in with a light to his foule in his midnight-forrowes. But what counfel would you give me(faith the diftreffed foul,) (-9..r2en. who cannot fallenon my former comforts, nor dare to vouch rhofe evidences, which once I thought true ? I finde indeed there have been fome treaties ofeold between God and my foule ; fame hopes I have had, but thefe are now fo defaced and inter- lined with back-flidings, rep(ntances, and falls again, that now queftion all my evidences, whether true or counterfeit, what ihouldone in this cafe do? Firfl-, renew thy repentance, as if thou hula never repented. put forth frefh acts of faith, as if thou hadft never believed. This ferioufly done will flop Satans mouth with an unexpeeted anfwer. Let'him objea againfl thy former aetings as hypocri- tical, what can he fay againft thy prefent repenting and beleev- ing, which iftrue, Pets thee beyond his (hot, It will be harder for Satan to difprove the prefent workings of Gods gracious Spi- rit, whileft the impreffions thereof are frefh, then to pick an hole in thy old deeds and evidences ,A6ts are tranfient, and as wicked men look at fins committed many yeares firce, as little or none, by reafonof that breadth of time which interpofeth ; fo the Chriftian upon the fame account [lands at great di'fad- vaztage, to take the trueafpeft. of thole aft5 of grace, which fo iong,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=