Goffel Xenia' sion. drof ie in their fpirits than before ; It may be for the time wherein they were feeking this grace of God, they were ftric`f in their converfation, in their ways confcientious ; and in every thing walk'd clofe with God, durft not for their lives omit a known duty attended on theWord with a great deal of patience, their harts clofed with ir, and it was as meat and drink to them ; and in their converfation they were very fruitful in the places where they lived : But now having had force comfortable affurance of Gods mercy par- doning them, after this they are grown flight, vain, loofe,and dead-hearted ; this is a very grievous evil where ever it may be charged : It is a very great evil for any to abufe Gods general Bounty, Patience, and Long-fufferance,and the good we receive from God in theufe of the creature ; but far worfe to abufe the grace of God in Chrift, manifefted in pardoning mercy : I (hall thew this to be a great evil, and (hall labour to convince youofir. i. Confider and call to remembrance what the dayes of old were ? How in former times it was withyou, when you were feeking the pardoning grace of God ? then you thought if ever God come intomyfoul,andgiveme any affurance ofpardon offn, How infinitelyJhould myfoul be ingaged to biefs God, and how PallIfor ever be bound togive up myfelf, foul and body what 1 am, and what Ican do to live to the praife ofthe grace of God ; ifGod come into myfoul and pardon this fin of mine, the guilt whereofliesfo heavyupon myfpirit ; I appeal unto your own Confciences, Did not you think in your own thoughts, that it was impoflïble that ever you Mould come to live as you do ? certainly if the thoughts of many people might this day ap- pear, they cannot but fay,Time was (when I was feeking af- ter the mercyof God, topardon my fin that lay upon my Confci- ence) I thought with my f if thus ; he is a bleffed man indeed that hasaffisranceof this, and ifever Ihadpeacefpoken to my foul, I thought my life wouldhave beenfuch, that (in my ap- prehenfion) I thought it was impófble that Ifhould have grown to this dulnefs,deadnefs,flightnefs, and vanity, that now Ifee I am : then now as Paul Paid to the Galatians, Where ¡s. the bleffedncfs you fake of, time was you laid the pardoning mere
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