VER. 12. épIefians, Chap.;. ;$I forour towardneffe, but for his Naine lake according to that Ezek. 36.22. Thus faith the Lord God, I doe not this for your fakes, o houfe ofIlrael, butfar mine holy Name fake. z. We fie, That in Chrifl we may fecurely come into Gods prefence: Doff. For by nature we are fevered from theprefence ofGod, and if he ma- I,,;ÿ lr «.é` nifeft himfelfe, he isdreadfull tous, that we cannot endure the fight of come into him, for feare and trembling, Efay 59. a. Tour iniquities have feparated Gods Pre betweenyou andyour God: andyourfloutshave hidhis face from you , that be will not heare. And when ourfrrfl Parents hadoffended God they hid Gen. ;; thcmfelves,being afraid when they difcerned the tokens of him ap- proaching,forhis wrath is tofanners asa confumingftre.Whcnce the Hy- Dent. 4. _} pocrites fpeak thus inEfy, Who(hall dwell with the confumingfret' who Efay ; ;.t} may abide with thofeeverlafling burnings! But in Chrilt we approach boldly before him, for hebath taken away our firmes, which are the mountaines ofreparation; he hath procured Gods favour, fo that the Angels lung goodwill tomen: Glory to godon high, Peace on eartb;good Luke n. t4ï will towards men. Love ishis banner over us, fo that we may come to Cane. 1.4. the throne o racewith baldne e: let us draw neere With full a rance o Heb.4. xo. Faith. When people had finned they muff offer a fi ne.offering to !LeYt.g.l,s, to take away their finne,'andafterwards they might bring their burnt 9' offering: fo it is with us , if we have by faithoffered in our heartsto God the lambe taking away our ftnnes, We may there prefent ourfelves Iohn i3 before him acceptable facrrfices, to be fan&ified throughout by that fpirit ofhis, which as fire confumeth our corruptions. Therebe two things that make boldneffe and confidence, and the two things contrary breeds fcare and diffidence. which breed z. Affinity ofNature. confidence. 2. Familiarity andacquaintance. The firft is the groundand caufe ofthe latter: that we be bold and ( is confident with God: fiat our natures, hearts, and confciences muff be purged from all that which is contrary to God, as fin and the guilt of fin, and we muff be renewed after Gods ImageandNature: therefore Heb. z o. 22. Letus drawneere with a true heart, in affurance offaith, ha- vingour hearts fprinkledfroman mill eonfcievice, andour bodies walbed with pare water; firff theremuff be a true heart , purged andfanfiiy&cd, partaker ofGods nature andholincle', and then followes boldneffe and affuranceof faith. Q But what makes the heart trueand like to God! Anfw. z. It mug befjrinkled with theblood ofChrifl to juflification and pardon offinne. 2. Wafhedinour bodieswith pure water of fanEtificati- on of the fpirit. Acquaintanceand familiarity caufeth boldnefl'e ; therefore a fheep 2; feares nothis fhepheard, whom yet the Beareand Wolfe fcare; what- foever is orange and unacquainted is fearefull. If time acquaint our felves with God,and walke with him ashis friends we fhall havebold- neffe with God; elfe hemeets us as a Beare robbed of her whelpes, and as a Lyonin fecret places. Where both theft are fully wanting, there is noaccefFe to God, no acquaintance nor communion with him, L I as
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