Ver.4. ...... Vainpretences offaith difcovered. 129 4 (r. ) Thefe Ef c7s afcribed to thisfaith offorgivencßin God, vain pre- and alwayes produced by it, make it evident that the mole toraces t>f of themwho pretend unto it, who pretend to believe that there with díC- covereLl. isforgiveneßroith God,do indeed believe no fuch thing. Although I [hall on fet purpok afterwards evince this, yet I cannot here utterly pals it by. I {hall then only demand of them who are fo forward in the profon of this faith, that they think it almrfl imps ble that any one fhould not believe it ; what Efe s it bath pàoHbced in them, and whether they have been by it enabled to the performance of the duties before mentioned ? Il fear with many , things on the acwunt of their pretended faith are quite o:herwife. They love (in the more for it, and God never the better ; fuppoling that a few barren words will if- fite the controverfìeabout their fins, they become infentibly to have flight thoughts of fin, and ofGod alto. This perfwafi- on is not of him that calls us. Poor fouls; your faith is the Devils greatef Engine for your ruine; the highs 1 contempt of Gcd and Chrifi and forgivenefs alto, that you can be guilty of; a means to kt you down quietly into Hell ; the Pharifiet Mofes, trufled in, and will condemn you; As none is faved but by faith, fo you if it were nót for yourfaith, (asyou call its might poflibly be faved. Ifa mansGoldprove counterfeit, his Jewels painted Glafs, his Silver lead or drofs, he will not only be foundpoor when he comes to be tryed, and want the benefit of Riches, but have withal a fearful aggravation ofhis poverty by his difappointment and furprizal. if a mans faith =which Ihould be more precious than Gold, be found rotten and corrupt, if his light be darknefs, how vile is that faith, how great is that darknefs ? Such it is evident will thefaith of too many be found in this bufinefs 2. The work we are carrying on, is the riling of a fin en- tangled fm1 out of its depths, and this we have fpoken unto,is that which muffgive him h i "fìsfi relief. Commonly when fouls are in diftrefs, that which they look_ after is Conflation. What is it that they ir!]l nd thereby ? 'thaì' they `'iíaay have Af furance that their fins are forgiven them, and fo be freed from their prefent perplexities. What is the ifiue ? Someof them S con-
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