------------------~~~----~~~-~ 1f.,oolttng unto )l,efu.s. Book m. • or out fin; when God difcovers this, that he will heal backjliding, andlovefreely_, and tllrn nlW!J hiJ anger, thcnEpht:alm ]hallfay, tvhat have I any_more to do rv:rh Idols ? 1f ever Hof. •;. 8. Chrifr reveal himfelfas the obJect ofour J ufhficatwn, he w11l be Jure to ~refent lumfelf as the pattern ofour Sanctification : the knowledge of Gods goodnefs will make 'Us_ m love with holinefs ; they jhaH[Mr and tremble, for all the_goodnefs, andfor allrhe profpmty, ]er. L· 9. that I procure unto them, faith the Lo;d : the gol<jen cha111 .of mercy let down trom h_ea- \'Cn · doth bind us faftcr to the ferv1ce ofour God. 5. Above all, obfervethe nfe: true faiti1 if it betrue it is ever bottomed upon the fenfe and pain ofa loG conditio_n; fpiritual poverty is the'nearefl: capacity ofbelieving : this isfaiths method, be condemnedto be faved: be fick_and be healed. Faith is a flower ofChrills own planting_, but it ~rows m no foul but onely on the margm and bank ofthe Lake of fire and lmmfrone; 111 regard there's none fo fit for Chri!l and heaven, as thofe who are felf-lick, and felf-condemned _ to hell. They rhatbe whole need not a Ph)'Jician (faith Chrifl:) but they that are jicl, T)lis Mat- 9. 1 3; is afoundation ofChnfl:, that becaufe the man IS broken, and bath not bread , therefore he mull be fold, and Chrifl: mull: buy him, and take him home to hi• fire-fide, and-doath him and feed him there. I know Satan argues rhus, tho~t art not worthy of Chrijf, and ther;fore n·hat haft rhou to do wit-h Chrift? but faith concludes orherwife: I am >Jot)Vorthy .ll ' ofChrift, I amomofmeafure jinful, ltremblea_tzt, and! amfcnjibleoj~t, and the-refore , ou[hr !, and therefore mu.ft I co>ne toChri;1; rlus argumg IS Gofpel-logtck, and the nght method of at rue and faving-faith :for what is faith,but the act ofa!inner humbled;weary, laden, poor, and [elf-condemned? Oh rake heed of their dotlrine who make faith the act offome vile perfon never humbled, but applying with an immediate touch, his hot, boyling and ftnoaking lufl:s to the bleeding bldTed wounds and death of Jefus Chrifl:. · 2. If rhouartinCovenamwith God, thenhath Godfulfilledinfome part the pro– mifes of his Covenantto thy foul : AsI. Then hath God pm the Law into thy inward pans, and writ it in thy heart : look as Indenture anfwers ro Indenture, or as a face in the glafs anfwers to aface, fo the con– formity of thy heart and inwards to the Law of God; thou obeyell: Gods will , and delightefl: in that obedience; thoufayeft withDavid, 1delight to do thy will 0 God; yea, ptal. 40 • s; thy La,. u within m)' heart. 2. Thou hall acovenant-relation to God, and acovenanr-imerefl: in God; and thou art by covenant as one of the people of God. Chrifl: hath thy foul, thy body, thy affections, th-y love to the very uttermofl:; Godhath a propriety, and a peculiarity in thee; thou art Chrills by marriJge ; thou ha{! pall: over thy felf unto him to be his J ewe! , his Spoufe, his Diadem, his Crown, his Servant, his Child for ever. 3. Then art thou clearly taught to know tlic Lord; thou knowe(! him in another manner then thou did !I before; I will eftablijh m) Covenant with thee, and thou jhalt kz!orv Ezck.t6'.6o,6't that I am the Lord. Ther~ is a double knO\'.dedge. I. A fpecula\i~e knowledge, and thus men may know much, but they are not affected according to the things they know_ 2. Apractical knowledge ; and thus if we know the Lord, we ll1all fee in him that excellency and beauty, that our beans will be affectioned towards him , and we lhall be able to fay, thJt we love him wirtJ all our heart, and with all our foul, and with all our fl:rength. _ 4· Then bath God pardoned rhy fins, and he will remember thy fins no more ? bur how010uld I be afTured of that? _why thus,--- r. If thou hall: lincerely con– fe!fed, bewailed , and forfaken thy fms ; wafh ye, mak!; ye clean , pHt away the evt! of your domgs from before mine eyes, ceafe to do evil;--- And prefcntly it JfJ. J.t6,I8. follows, comeno1v, and let 11< rtafcn together, faith the Lord; thoughyMr jim be,.,. Scarlet' they fha/1 be as white as Snow, though they be red /if<! crimfcn, they jhall be as wool!. Ifa. ss. 7 • To the fame purpofe, let thttvick[dforfak!; hu way, andthe unrighttou< man his thoughts, and let htm. rernrn unto the Lord, and he will have merfy upon him; and to our God,for he _wt!labundamly pa-rdon. 2.~fthy heart after many fl:orms and troubles be calmedh an~ qUieted through fa1th mClmfl:; bcingjufti{ied by faith, wehavepeacervith God; Rom. >· 1 ; w at. hall: thou peace wnh God? and hath God ffill'd thy foul wuh peace? this is an argument ofthy fins pardon 3. If thine heart be lingularly inllamed with the love of Chnfl:; rhewoma~ that had rna 1 ty jim forgiven her by Chrift,foe loved him Lukt]· 41• iliuch. ._Upon that a_ccount lhe wept, and wa~1ed lus. feet With her tears, and fo wiped _em With the_ harrs of her ,head; lhe k1fTed h15 feet, and .an~JnteU them with l>mtmenr, norhmg was too good for Chrift who had ~orgiven her all her lins.--- 4· If
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