SPIStITVAL- PEACE . AND COMFORT. 257 cogdemned, and a.pardon were freely given you, on condition you would thankfully take it, and it were offered to you, and you en- treated to take it, what would you do in this case? Would you spend your.time and thoughts in searching whether this 'pardon be already yours? Or would you not presently take it that it may be yours ? Or, if you were ready to famish, and - food were offered you, would you stand asking first, ' How . shall I know that it is mine ?' Or rather take and. eat it, when you are 'sure it may be yours if you will? Let me entreat you, therefore, when the devil clamors in your ears, ' Christ and salvation is none of thine,' sup- pose that this voice of God in the gospel were still in your ears, yea, let it be still in your memory, ' O, take Chist, and life in him, that thou mayest.be.saved :' still think that you hear Paul follow- ing you with .these words : " We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God." Will you but remember this, when you are on your knees in sorrow; and when you would fain have Christ and life, and you are afraid that God will not give them to you ? : I say, remember; then, God stands by, beseeching you to accept the same thing which you are beseeching him togive. God is the first suitor and solicitor. God prays you to take Christ, and you prayhim to give you Christ. What have you now to do but to take him? And here understand, that this taking is no impossi- ble business ; it is no more but your hearty consenting, as I shall tell you more anon. If you did but well understand and consider, that believing is the great duty that God calls you to perform, and promiseth to save you if you do truly perform it; and that this be- lieving is to take, or consent to have tilt same mercy which you pray for, and are troubled for fear lest you shall miss of it, even Christ and life in him; this would - presently'draw forth your con- sent, and that in so open and express á way, as you could not but discover it, and have the comfort of it. Remember this then, That your first work is to believe, or accept an offered'Savior. 2. You must learn (as I "told you) to receive the comforts of universal or general grace, before you search after the comforts of special grace. I here suppose you so far sound in the doctrine of the gospel, as neither with some, on one hand, to look so much at special grace, as to deny that general grace, which is the ground of it, or presupposed to it ; nor with others, so far to look at uni- versal mercy, as to deny special. Satan will tell you,,that all your duties have been done in hypocrisy, and,yod are unsound at the heart, and have not a drop of, saving grace. You are apt to entertain this, and conclude that all this is true : `If I had any grace, I should have more life, and love, and delight in God ; more tenderness of heart, more growth in grace. I should not carry VOL. I. 33
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