GoJpel kria fsiorP. further, and if we go no further, we fhould certainly perifh and therefore if we go but thus far, it is not buildingon the Rock Chrift ; hence the ground and bottom of faith for Ju- ffification" cannot be in Reformation, or in any thing in the creature, it muff be in fomething above and without us, and yet by faith, (wrought in.us ) though withour us ; I mean the Rock Chrift, and the Foundation that is laid for the forgive- nefs of our fin in Chrift, that mùft be the Foundation of our faith, and not inwhat we do our felves : For I. .Know, that all keformation in the worldwill not latisfie for the evil that you have done for the time pall : this I would. convince you of, and be you willing to hear it, it may be of great ufe to you ; when we preach Chrift and free grace , it is to bring you to Chrift ; our preaching down of works is not to keep you from doing of them, but from rating in them : that which I aim at, is to bring you into an enquiring frame of fpirit, a reftlefs condition, that fo we may bring you to that which is the true reft ; and we fhall be as glad to bring you into the true reft, as now to bring you into reftlefnefs : know, all Reformations for time to come, will not fatisfie God for time paft, it will not : amongft men, if youhave run into arrerages with your Landlord for Rent, and you bring him a quarters Rent when there's three or four quarters behind, or may be two or three years, if you fhould think to pay the Rent of two or three years with bringing the raft quarter , it would be accounted a foolifh conceit ; fo would it be, if wuh God you fhould think the duties you do at prefent , fhould fatisfie for all the arrerages you have run you run into think for that time med ull you do not underftand Gods way, be fatisfied for all that is paft by what you do at the prefent Suppofe what you do now were perfect, and for all time to et come you never committed one fin againGod aly©k01e, yet all this would not fatisfie for time paft , time to come, and does not at all take off any thing for the time paft : Befides, you may fee matter enough in your befb Reformations for God to condemn you, not only for your former fins, but fins in your reforming ; but if there were no fin in that, that would be no fatisfaaion for that which X is 153
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