200 Go f el Xemqsion, thou may 'ft venture thy foul on. Chrift ; that faith will fave thee, though you have nota faith of affurance; that is, though you cannot find fuch Evidences whereby you may draw up fuch a conclufion, or make up filch a judgment that you are pardoned , yet if you have a faith of adherence, that you can flick to Chrift, and venture your fouls on him for life and Salvation and all that is good ; that faith will fave you ; and therefore upon examination of your Evidences when you cannot get up to fuch acf s of faith as aßùrance is, live then by a faith of adherence , flick to Chrift, fay, here I will refolve to live and dye, ventureof the grace o n God in Chrift Now for the foul to do this, it is a mighty work of faith ; for if you can venture your fouls on Chrift , you will venture your Eftates on Chrift your Names on Chrifl, and ail that youhave on Chrift ; and therefore remember, if you have not a faith ofaffurance, then venture your felves on Chrift by a faith ofadherence, and comfort will come in that way, Eighthly, If at any time you feel comforts from Ev'dencr$ fow in uponyourfouls,and thatyou are able to apply the com- fcrts toyourfelves, that the Lordbath 1 oken toyou byfnch"and fuchfigns of apardoned(inner, tale heedyou do not refi much uponEvidences ; but then at that very time, think with your felves, thoughnow T have comforts, I may 1 ofe them and God may cal) me to another condition ; God never granted thefe helps untome for my Saviours that I fhould reft upon them, they are but bladders to help me to fwim, and God .may . take away thefe , and call me to live upon the meer aftings of faith , and not at all on fenfe , that's certain he may do ir, for when we bring thefe Signs and Evidences of grace , as they come from faith , and are effec s and fruits of it, they are but as bladders to help young fwimmers that cannot fwim with- cut them, and learn them to fwim ; but thole that have got. the Art, though the bladders be taken away, they can fwim ; but take them away from the others, and they will fink ; fo that thefe Evidences are for young and weakChriftians that cannot live on primary acts offaith , which a ftrong Chriftian can do , when all other things are taken away ; and therefz. when we feel the comfort of any figns depend not on .,this the.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=