176 of thetemptations whereby Satan feeketh to Era.ss.=,z. bitccn.t .s$. §. To. r Pet.g.s. Io. TheirAver be many ínnun,. ber,andhaínoas for9aality. Thebainoufneffcor numberefourfinf make«s not WA. Fable of mercy. Remedy. 2. Cor.[.3. EQ.5 g.7. at" 5-7. er.3a,z,3,T3,r4 If hebe not able togather comfort fromformer experi- ence, but be ready to queftion that allô, yet muff hee not give way to uncomfortable and deading forrow : becaufè the thirffie foule, who neither feeleth inward lap, nor fin- deth outward fruit ofgrace ,is called to come unto Chrifl the fountaineoflivingwaters , that in him and by him hee might be eated,refre(hed,and made fruitful'. This gracious invitation thepoorefoule muff layholdupon, and faywith- inhimfelfe, Iwill draw neereunto the God ofmy falvation, and truff in him; for I havehis firme and (table promife, that I (hall be wateredwith grace, and refreshed with com- fort. If I be hungry, he bathplenty of provision ; ifbarren, dry, andwithered , with him there is abundanceofgrace, that Imay be enriched. §. i o. The Divell,whogoeth about like a roaring Lion, feekingwhom he may devoure, will not fpare to fuggefl to the contriteand humbled foule, that Godcannot orwill notforgivehis tranfgreflions , which have beene mollhai- nous forquality, many for number , and in which hee bath long lived and continued. And it may be the Lord would herebycorre& our former conceits in thedayesofour va- nity, that ofaIl things pardon of finnes is moil easily ob- tained , that itwas bur a sleight and linall thing to finnea- gainfl God,that we might well enough takeour filloffinne for the time, and turne to theLord inold age and ficknefiè. But withall ,this thought muff beheld toarife from Satan, and shunned as repugnant to the truth ofGod. For the promifeofpardon is made to repentant liinners without li- mitation to any time, perlon , quality, ornumber ofoffen- ces. And for the remedy and rernovall ofthis temptation, firlt,weshould humble our felves beforeGod tor our light effeeme offinne, and prncraflination or delayes: And then confider the endlefreflè of Gods mercies in Chrifl, the price whichwas paid forourredemption, the fweerpromi- les propounded in the Word, the flableneffie and per etui- p p p tyofthe Covenant, and the examples ofgreat liimiers re- ceived tomercy. And
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