150 BooklV. JLootttng unto )JtfttS'. Chap z.Secr, 5 _ vengeance indeed is only his, and he may in ju!tice do what he will that way . and 'tis the opinion of fome , that if the mo!t patient man in the wor Id Jhould but tlr in Gods throne one day , and fee and 9bferve the doings and mi!Carriages of the fons of men, he would quickly fer all the ~~>Orld on·fire; yet God f<eth all, and for all tfm he doth nor make the earth prefemly to gape, and devour us; he puts not out the o]o. rious light of the Sun, he doth not dilfolve the work of creation, he doth notbfor mans fin prefemly @lafl: every thing into dufl : what an excellent pattern is this for thee to write after_? ~anfl: tlio_u but forgive thy enemies? do well to them that do evil to t~ee? 0 tl~ts ts afure hgn ofgrace and fonll1ip ! It is il:oryed of fome heathens, who beatmg a Clm!tran ~lmo{l:_ to death '· ~sked h11n , what great matter Chrij/ did ever do for h•m ? even tlus (fatd the Chnlhan) that I can forgive )'OU , though you ufe me thm cruelly; here was a child ofGod indeed : it is a fweet refemblance ofour Father and of our Saviour Jefus Chrifi, to love our euemies, to blefs them that cuife m, to d~ good •mto them that hate m, to pray for them that dcfpiuf~<liy it(e '"' and perfecute m. 0 my foul look to this, confult this ground of hope; if thi• law be written in thy heart write it down amongfi thy evidences, that thou art Gods fon, yea tlllt even unto thee~ Son is given. To review the grounds : what? is a child born to me? and a fon given to me? what ? am I indeed new born ? am I indeed Gods Son, or Daughter? do I upon the fearch find in my foul new delires, new comforts, new contentmems? what? are my words, and works, and affeCtions, and converfarion new? is rhere in mea n<w na– ture, a new principle? bath the Spirit by way ofinfuling or ll1edding given me a new power, a new ability, a teed of fpiritual life which I bad not before? do I upon the fearch find that I fear God, and love God , and imirare God in fome good meafure in his love and goodnefs towards all men? can I indeed and really forgive an enemy, and according to opportunity and my ability do good unto them that do evil unto me? why lhould I not then confidently and comfortably hope that I have my ll1are and interefi in the birth ofChriil, in the blelfed incarnation, and conception of Jefus Chrifl? away,away all defpairs, and dejeCtions, and defpondencies offpirit ! ifthefe be my grouhds ofhope, it is time to bold up head, and heart, and hands, and all with cheerfulnefs and confidence, aod to fay with the Spoufe, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. SECT. V. Of believing ;, JefM in tfw_ refpefi-. $•LEtus~e/iwe ~n Je[M_, carrying on the great w~rk of our falvatio~ at his fir!t commg or mcarnauon. I know many il:aggermgs 3re oft m Chnfltans, what u it li~ly that Chrift jhoxld be incarnate for me.' th•t Juch a 1 God (hoHld do Juch a thing, for fuch a finful, woful, abominable wretch a; I arn? ab my foul, put thy pro– priety in Chriil:s incarnation out of difpure, that thou mayfl be able to fay , M God vva; manifeft in theflejh,and /may not d.,bt it;(o c.du mJtnifeft in me,and I dare not dm:; it. But to help the foul in this choice duty, I.Jhall firil: propofe tile hmderancrs offa11ll. 2. The helps of faith in this refpeCt. 3. The manner how to aCt our faith. +· The encouragements to bring on the foul to believe its parr in this bldfed incarnation of Jefus Chrilt. ·. For the firll:,thereare but three things that can hinder faith~ AsI, The exceeding unworthinefs of the foul; and to tlus purpofe are rhofe com– plaints, what ! Chrift incarnate for me? for Juch a dead dog M I <1m ? what Kmg would dethrone himfeif, and become "toad toJave toitdes? andam not I at agrealer diflance from God, thma t•adufrommel hath not fin made my foul more ugiy•n Godseyr, then any /oathfomc toad can be in my eyt? 0 I am lefs then the_ le.<ft of all Gods memes, I am fitter for hell anddevils, then for Hnion and commumofl wtth God and Chrijf, J da>< not, I cannot believe. ;z;. The infinite exaetnefs of divine juflice which mufl: be fatisfied; a foul deeply and ferioully conlidering of this, it il:anles ther~at , and cries, 0 w!m wdl becom< of my foul? one of the lea!t !ins that I fland ~udty of, deferves death, and erernal wrath the wa~es offin ;. deAth : and I cannot fmsfie; though I have trefpalfed to many millio~s of tal~nts, I have not one mite of' mine own to pay; 0 then how tlJou~~ J believe? what thoughts can I entertain of Gods mercy and love to me·~~~is
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