Chap. 3. Expofittion upon itil,e,i<3o4 of Verf. theguilt of it; and leave us to the quetfionings of paired pardon. In fucha cafe the fins which have been pardoned are pardoned again, not that the firff pardon is recalled,butcleared, and faith ifrengthned that we are pardoned. For though thereare no de- grees in pardoning graceit felt(in fanEtí:fyinggrace there are, that dothor thould grow every day in us, and we encreafe in it with the encreafeof God) yet pardoning grace may have anen- creafe as to theperfon'pardoned.All the tins of abelievers youth arepardoned, yet he oftenwantsevidence of his pardon The grace of God knows no decay, butthere aredecays inour fpi- titsand uponour faith about it; and thofefins whofecommand- ing tlren th is broken, may !land up in much condemning ftrength. '7 hou makefl me to poffefs thefinsofmy youth. Lattfy, Obferve, That in times of nffltfion believers are apt to have mifgiving thoughts about the pardonoffin. Affl+Etion carries with it a renovationof guilt, though it be no argument of guilt; As punith.ner}t is the daughter of guilt, foaffliEtion is fomewhat akin to punithment. Now, becaufe he who is but nfil,Eted often thinks himfelf punilhed, and he that is punifhedought to acknowledgehimfelf guilty, hence it tomes topafs thathe who is but aftiiEted thinks himfelf under wilt, he is full of fears that his tins (land ttillupon his own lore, and that God is reckoning with him upon thataccount. When thewomans fon was dead, thelaid to the Prophet, Art thou come unto me to call my fins to remembrance, and to flay my... fon ? (i .ICing.1à.JS.) Her furrows broughther fins to remem- brance, and then the feared that God contended withher for hr:. fins. God maketh as topotlefs the fins of ouryouth, when inold age (as it follows) he puts ourfeet in theflocks. V erfe 27. For thou putter?myfeet alfo in the flocks, and lookefi narrowly into all mypaths, andfettell a print upon the heels ofmy feet. I fhall addonly a word ofthis andof thenext verfe, becaufe bothare but anaggravation ofSobs fufferings about which he hath fpoken fo much before. Zzx
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