121 Gofpel Re?nfsion. to your own hearts again and again, to get it fure, that you love Chrift, and that Chrift loves you. 3. Thirdly, Let me fpe4 to fuch as fin after pardon , it may jafily provoke God to deal with you, though he do not take awayhis everlafting love ; yet to deal withyou as a Slave rather than aChild ;Imean,in followingyou withfore andhea- vy cha,flifements,though he may faveyour fouls at laft, yet it may caufe God to meet you with fuch fore and evil things in this world, that for that (loath and fluggifhnefs of your hearts you may pay dear for it, before you die ; truly fo may be the dealings of God with his own Children whom he par- dons, Ter. 2. 14. God is fpeaking there to his own people : Is Ifrael a fervant ? Is he a home-born (lave ? and at verf. 18. What haft thou to do in the way of Egypt ? fo thou whom Godbath heretofore received to mercy and pardon ; but thou haft walk'd fo, that Gods ways to thee feem to be fuck as it may be laid, Is this man or woman a fervant ? Is he a home- born flave ? God fpeaks it with pity, Ifrael is my dear Son ; How comes it to pafs that he is as a home-born flave ? What, is he a fervant, and brought into fuch a condition as a fer- vant or a llave ? What is the matter ? Why ? he is in the way of Egypt ; fo it may be Paid to thee who walkeft in the fenfu- al drowffinefs of thy fpirit ; Haft thou not been in the way of Egypt? Are thy ways fuch, that Gods dealings with thee are as if thou wert a fervant, and a home-born flave ? Where is that filial ingenuous fpirit of thine, that God is fain to deal with thee as now he Both ? 4. Again,thou that finneft after pardon, thoucomeft to ag- gravate thyfins more than thefins ofthe wicked, infame regards; thofe that are wicked, and go on in their vile ways againft God, you cryout of them as wretched creatures, bate, filthy , drunkards, (wearers, lyars, falle men and women in their dealings, fuch as are not tobe dealt withal in the world , you think thefe arewicked ; but you that fin after mercy , your fins have an aggravation upon them beyond theirs for they never knew what Gods Tweet pardoning mercy meant ; they never heard God fpeak peace to their fouls , as thou haft to thine ; they never had the ferret Vifitations of Gods Spirit,
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