176 Falf Signs of Grace. SECT. III; they muffed iñGods love, though they didlye,fteal,fwear, yet theywoulcome into his Temple, and call upon him, whichthe Prophet feremiab with muchhea- venly zealexpoffulates with them for. Oh, thisgrofs impudencie is too viable in our daies : have you not many prophane(inners ? many lyars, curfers,oppofers of what is good ? Yet they will come here, and fay, Our Father : nay,you cannot meet with any,bcafi ly (inner, but his heart is filled with this bold impudencie, to think and hope that God is his Father ; So chat we may cryout , Oh that God would couch there mountains, that they might melt before him, Oh chat God be- fore whom the very earth did tremble and quake; would all° make fuchmens hearts afraid beforehim. 3 Thirdly,Wherefachbold apprehenfiontare concerninggad,there is not only fonfdence f heymay in thegeneral,that god is mercifnl,hatthey haveal/o afidneial applicatian,dapprepri- have fiducial atian of god to their ownrebel inparticular : And herein they have a great refm- applications. blance ofiuflifying faith, as. Plod (aid, who lovedme, andgave bimfelf for me: fo there will apply Chrill to their particular : I thankmy Chriff, my Redeemer, my S aviour.In théGodly fuch applications are ofkith in the molt excellent manner, in the wicked is is ofmeer prefumption, without any true ground at all. It is indeed theglorious fruir of the covenant ofGrace, that thereby God becomes the Godof his children, Hofea :.Theyfbatl call me1Jhi,and no more Baali,thae is,GLlJ Hatband, Batmy Lord: they lhall have more dear and appropriated meditations of God; andat the endof the Chapter, I will be their god,and theyfhaabe mypeo.. pie. Hence7eremiah, 4.3,4. God would have the Church repenting , fay , testy Father. Fiducialapplicationsof Gods love to us are aduty, as the learned prove a- . gainft the Papifis : Hence faith is called, Eating and drinkingofChrifit. When a true broken heart loaded with 1m,cryethout with Thomas, My Gad, myLard, this is notcarnal prefumption, but holy believing. But now when men whole hearts were never linirten withGodsdifpleafure for fin,tlnd no barriten of it, and Co cry not for eafe toChrift ; when (I fay) fuchfay, I thank, my Cod, andmy Redeemer, this is bold prefumption in them. God is not theGod of the dead, we may fay , but of the living; he is not the God, theFather of lochwho live in, and love their wickednefs. le wouldbe a difhonour to be a Fatheroffuch Children : but he in viteth thofe to call primFather, and myFather, who are deeply humbled for fin un- derhis hand, who areoffelf-emptyed and poor fpirits, acknowldeging Lis Grace only, As therefore we arenot todifcourage the woundedheart, but to imbolden him to appropriatChill tohimfelfin particular, and that he is to fec againftall fer- vile fears and doubts that would like theDivels to the poffeffed man, keep him alwaies about the tombes, and makehimgalh and wound himfelf; fu we arealto to let a flaming fword, as God did to sAdam, to aprophane man,lefl he venture to come into this Paradife. Oh then beadvded and confider, whether it be faith or prefumption makes thee fay,My god, my Redeemer. APaul may fayfo, and a Pha- eifee may fay fo. Fourthly , where this boldneffe te, there is a fhiftint andputting lea thofe coals. 4 derations that may bringus to make any doubt, or any quef/ion about ourfeivet : and truely that is a real demonstration; thy peace, thy comfort is not right, thou arc fo unwilling tobe brought to light : the thiefhateth thelight faith our Saviour : now obferre it, manyof thofe perlons whohave fuch bold perfwafions of Gods love, they cannot abide tohear terrible Sermons, they love nottohear ofhell, and the dayofjudgement : they cannot endure tohear ofthe differences ofGods work upon mens hearts, andhowfar hypocritesand reprobates may go:Oh chefe things cut them, and make themmad ; and why is all this ? but becaufe the peace and comfort they have, isafufe and unfoundone, which will abide no tour/Alone, cannot endure any (bakingormoving atall. What was the caufe chat the Pharifees werefo immoveably perfwaded of Gods love towards them ? did hate and op- poleChrilleven todeath ? Itwas onelybecaufe hemanifcited theirgodlirieffe was not true godlineffe, their comforts were not true comforts, their peace wasnoc tine
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=