C R A P. t r. jll ification is by faith. may bleffe the private Endeavours of Parents & friends by their private Initru&ions & Admonitions : yet all thefe are no way prejudicial unto, but rather contribute to the confirming of the privilege of the word , as the P incipal Mean & Ordinance , both as leading thereunto , & as receiving ftrength thereby : for what ever real beginnings the Lord may work fo , they have this effect to commend the word more unto thefe perlons & in fpe- cial, the publick Adminiftration thereof by his Authorized Ainbaffadours :- fo that whatever faving work be wrought , as it is not altogether without the word , fome way or other made known ; fo it tendeth to the further ufma- king of the word publickiv adminifired , where it may be had , as Saul, when under that terrible work of God Ad. 2, was dire&ed to go to Ananias in Darnafcus , to undetitand what he should do , & Cornelius was ordered' A. io. to fend for Peter , to get inftru&ion in the wayes of God. And whatever work of Light , Convidion , or Terrour , be wrought upon any occafion , that is attended,with a contrary effedt , is to be fufpedted , as not of God , nor faving. How dreadful then their Condition is , who have not the word , but are without the pale of the Church , where this word is preached ; & their condition alto, who, though living within the Church, have this word as a fealed book , needeth not be faid. 5. The condition or foul , unto which the Man is brought by the Spirit, accompanying the A..l miniftration,of the word , in order to his adIual belee- ving , is confrderable here; for thereby we will be helped to underftand bet- ter the Nature and Ad}ings of Faith , whereby only, as a mean , reliefeis brought unto the foul ; and to know what that relief= is , and wherein it lyeth , that thedifteffed man is purfueing after , & feeking with earnefnefs. In order to which , we would know , (I) That the Sprit by the Word heareth home Convidtionsof Sin and Mifery , difcovereth to the man , how he fiandeth guilty of the breach of the Law of God , & fo chargeth fin home upon him, both Original and Adtual , &thereby fixeth guilt upon the Confcience , shewing how he bath forfeited all Right to biefrednefs & life, & how mòreover he is underthe Curie, thrcratned to the breakers of the Law , and bath the wrath & male - diction of God hanging over him : He is made to fee the fins he never faw, before, both of- Omiflion & Coinmiflion , & the fad Confequences thereof, to wit, how he is obnoxious to the penalty , the inCupportable wrath of the hying God. Thus the Spi :it convinceth of fin /oh. 16:8, 9. thus he openeth their eyes , & turneth them from darknefs to light, in fo far Atf. 26: 18. thus the fecrets of the heart are made manifeft 1. Cor. 14: 2 ., 25. and they beco- me loft in themfelves , like a loft sheep , the loft piece of money ; & the loft fon Lark. 1¡: 6, 9,24. and like one of rhofe whom Chrift came to leek & CO fave Mat. Ió: II. Lull., 19: io. Tliefe arethefini ers mentioned Mal. 9:13. that is filch as are now brought by the work of the Spirit , to fee & feel the finfuf condition , to know that they arefrnners, and that they are in a loft condition. 2) There is a difcovery made of their Inability to relieve & help them - felves out of this woful condition of fin & miferie. They are made to fee char,.:.
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