Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

370 Harr fhould a Chriifian behave hirePelf Senn. Is: thee to the utmofl, only upon coming. Let this be fatisfac`lion and fete tlement it thy trouble from whatever caufe it comes. Oh ! how clear is this way according to the contents of the Covenant of Grace which is thus. Chrif 'lands always ready to receive any that is willing to come to him upon his terms, and will never caft them c ff Object. Oh, but if he were my God and my Chrifl, I would come to him and be- lieve in hint. Sol. Your coming thus to hire upon hisown terms makes him yours ; gives the interefl,and fliall give the true ref. OkjeEl. Oh ! but I have long floodout againd his invitations, and rejec`led his importunities,Chrifl bath called gracicu/ly,ard I have heard His Spirit bath knockt, and my Confcience bath prefed me to believe and come. and yet I have flood out, and now I may expt E he will thr&w me away with indignation; I have denied mercy fo many times, and mercy will (.rely new deny me ; and here comes in thy trouble. Sol. No, he will not in any wife call thee out is thou art willing rocome.: He knew that all that belong to his grace till they are effetteally cal- led and quickened, anddrawn to clofe with mercy in the offer will ferve him thus, and therefore he waits fill and fill, till they can be gotten to be willing to accept and clofe w;th him, and then for certain he clofeth with them. Object. Oh ! but I have made my addrefs, and feemed to come to hire, and have made prof f on, and been taken for a Believer many years. but I h,:ve fal- fi fled with him. lam a ftudied hypocrite, and have compaf d God with lies : Surely then there is no mercy fcr me. Sol.' All this arifeth from thy ignorance of the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace,which calls thee to believe upon the fenfe of thisalfo.Suppofe all this, (though thefe fad workings of thy doubts and troubles are no bad figns, being but part of thy Combat,) yield all ag,inf (elf if there be no other way, (and it may be there is no better wey in this junf4ure) yet now be willing on Gofpel terms, and i is done and boo may( be at ref as if all thy former work had been true ; and it may be it was true, but however one or the other, thy way is immediately to come,and that (hall be cleared up afterward; and if thou haft doubled with God, thou wilt the rather be afraid to do fo fill. Okjeti. Oh ! but no* come ?This would be only felf and [lavi/h fear ; fny neref- fity compels me now; I can mike no other fhift There is no ingenuity a faith ou 1 am like to put forth in this my extremity. Sol. Thou mull yet bewilling,&c.and all is well. "fhe occafion of bclievirg is always extremity & necef cy, for none ever came to Chriil as long as (key

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