14S Obieflions anf..vered. Stat~ n. .nor take hold.of the faving hel:p offered to yc1u in the g~fip' d · b h , J 0 , yet evet: y t e power of nature, ye,. may ufe the outward and ord1na·ry means, whereby Chrill: communicates the be ~ mfits of redemption to ruined finners, wh6' 1lre unerly un– able ,tO ~ecover themfelves OlT't of t})e ftate of fin and W_rath. Ye may, and can, if ye pleafe, do many things, that wou ld fet you in a _fair way for help from the Lord Jefus Chri{L Ye may go !o far on, as to be not far from the kingdiJJJz ~(DtJd~ as the di ic rett fcrihe.had done, ftfark xii. 34 th o' ( 1t ·would fee m) he was d~fhtute of fupernatural abiliti es. Tho' ye cannot cure you~felves ; yet ye may come to the pool. where many fuch diTeafed perfons as ye are, .have been cured : tho' ye have none to put you into it., yet ye may ly at the fide of it: and rwho kmrtus but .the Lord 'l'tlay– :'eturn, a1;d leave a ble.fling behind hi-m, as in ,the cafe cf the impotent man, recorded, John v. ) , 6, 7-•:8. I hope· S1_tan does not chain you to your houfes, nor flake you ·<Jown in your fields on the Lord's day; but ye are - at Ji. l'.€rt y and can wait at the polls o£ wifdorn's doors, if ye: will. And when ye C(Jme thither, he doth not beat drums· :at yoi.1r ear.s, that ye cannot hear what is fa·id: for there is nO' force upon you, obliging you to apply alryou hear to others;. ye may apply to yourfelves, what belongs to your O:ate and ·tion : and when you go home, ye are nor fettered in fllt(JllL.:otu· hou.fes, where perhaps r.o religi-ous ~ifcourfe is to be eard ; but ye may retir-e to feme feparate place, where ye· «:an meditate, and pofe your confcie:nce with pe! tinent que– ftions, upon what ye haJJe heard. Ye are not poHeiled with a dumb devil, that ye cannot get your mouths opened in. prayer to God. Ye are not fo driven out of your bedS' t'O' your worldly bufinefs, and from your woddly bufioefs to yol•r beds again; but ye might•. if ye wo.ul~, beH:ow fome pr;tyers to God upon the cafe of your pen:ilimg fouh... Ye> m~y examine yourfelves, as to the Hate of your f<mh, m a folemn manne r, as in the prefence of God; ye may difcern. that ye have no grace, and that ye &re ~ofi and un~one withou·t it; and ye may cry unto God for 1t. Thefe th1ngs are within the compafs of natural abilities, and may be pract.ifed 'Yhere t~ere is no grace . It mu.ft aggravate your guilt , .that you wtll no~ be at fo much patns about the Hate and cafe of-your pre~ious fouls. And if ye do not what yoll
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