478 A SERIOUS ADDRESS TO thy soul, beware of fretful impatience. Instead of rising with indignation against the preacher, and saying, as proud Ahab did to the man of God, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy ? account him thy best friend that wounds the deepest, provided he brings thee to Christ for a cure; and when the arrows of the word fly abroad, drop the shield of unbelief, make bare thy breast, welcome the blessed shaft, and re- member, that the only way of conquering sin, is to fall wounded and helpless at the Redeemer's feet. Nevertheless; the impressions of the word will soon wear off, if thou, dost not importunately intreat the Searcher of hearts, to light the candle of his grace in thy soul, that thou mayest clearly see whether thy inward parts are holiness to the Lord, as thou fondly supposedst ; or very wickedness, as the scripture tes- tifies. It is only in God's light that we can clearly discover our blindness. This light, it is true, shineth in darkness; but fre- quently the darkness comprehendeth it not. That this be not thy dreadful case, do not grieve and quench the convincing Spirit, by persisting in the wilfulomission -of any duty, or deliberate commission of any sin : nothing but obstinate unbelief darkens the mind, and hardens the heart more than this. Therefore instead of burying thy one talent with the slothful servant, earnestly pray the Lord to make thee faithful to thy convictions, and to deepen them daily till they end in a sound conversion. In order to this, do not slightly heal the wound in thy conscience: it is better to keep it open, than to skin it over by improper means : many, through a natural forwardness and impatience, have recourse to them : and ruin is the consequence of their mistake. That thou mayest avoid it, serious Reader, I entreat thee to pay a due regard to the following. --- III. CAUTIONS, proper for a penitent, who desires to make his calling and election sure. ' When thou hast affecting views of thy lost estate, beware of rest - ing like Felix in some pangs of fear, fits of trembling,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=