Gojpel Rpnfsiorz. 131 aiwayes lye down drooping, but ftand upon their feet ; But together with our fpeaking, God muff fpeak and con- vey his fpirit eo the foul,before it is able to ftand up. Left. Well, but what wouldyou have -yes to do ? Anfw. Thefe are the things I wouldhave you do. Firft, /would haveyou turnydúrfearsof prefuming,into fears of dijhonouring the grace of God. I would have you be as fear- ful that Gods grace fhould be difhonoured by unbelief, as now you are fearful left you fhould prefume upon Gods grace ; thofe that are fccure, they fear not left they fhould prefume ; but thofe whole confciences are awakened , their great fear is left they fhould prefume upon Gods grace , and difhonour it by prefumption ; if thou feare& thou fhouldit difhonour the grace of God by prefumption, why fhouldfi thou not fear left thou fhouldit difhonour it by unbelief , as well as by prefumption ? certainly the ftrength of this temp- tation is from the Devil. 1 hofe that have their confciences troubled for fin, he labours to keep them from venturing on the grace of God, left they fhould prefume ; but the way to cut the Sinews of this temptation, is to tear rather left thou fhouldft unbelief the as grace but God by unbelief many look not at thy unbelief, as much asby thofe that do prefume. Secondly, The thing I would haveyou to do, you that are un- .der the check,ingsof confcience for fin,and full of doubts that God will not pardon, andyou cannot be perfwaded your fins are pardonable, labour tofet thegreatnefs ofthe pardoning grace of God in thefulnefs of it, to the utmofLi you can,before the eye of your fouls. That it may be before you ., though you cannot reach to it; yet fet it before you ; you do not know what an effi- cacy the pardoning grace of God hath, by being prefented be- fore your fouls, and kept there ; no marvel you find not the power of it, when as é uesstmuch tin before it before your ficacyof Gods grace ly The Braf rpent, if they !ook;d not to it,it would ne- ver heal; So tho pardoning grace of God, be in books and Sermons yet efs it be before your eyes , and you -fis and fatten the eye of your fouls-upon it ; it will never oral s z
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=