114 Qneiions, and CafesofConfcience Chap. 14' on the fret grace ofGod in Chrifi. Say, If IperiJh, ïperijh, and though thou kill me, yet will I trafl in thee. Like men ready to be drowned, take fall hold, Call Anchor, though in the dark. II. Secondly, Study felf dental : Though thou long andbreath after affurance,yet refine up thy felf wholly to Gods Will, and be content to want it if he fee it belffor thee. Take heed ofmurmuring. Throw thy felf at Gods feet, and fay, Omy God, I'le bleffe thee for thofe eternal treafures of fweetnefíe that are in thee, though I fhould never tafle of them. I'1e bleflc thee for thofe fmiles ofthy face which thou beflowell upon others, though thou wilt not call one gracious lookupon my foul : l'le bleffe thee for thofe rich offers of grace thoumakef CO me, though I have not a heart to lay hold of them. III. Thirdly, put thy foul into a waiting pofture, and flay till he plcafe to difplay force of himfelf to thee : The patient expectation ofthe poorfhall not perifh for ever, Pfal.y.r8. One beame of his countenance is worth waiting for all thy life-time : yet wait upon him in Prayer, in his Ordinances, where the Spirit breaths, and God thews his face : Thus waitupon him in his own way : yea,and in his otvn time too : think not time tedious ; He that believes m,hes not hafle, Ifa. 28. 16. Confider that God is all this while preparing thee, and making thee more capable of his love : yea, fuppofe the worft, that thoufhouldcfl die under a cloud, as Çhrifl did, yet thy condition is fafe :, thou (halt then come toa full affurance, nay, ro a full pofteffionof thine inheritance. ttefl. VT-hat are thefpecialfealing times wherein Chrif inns have this Af- furance ? Anfw. Firfl, fometimes at their firflConverfion : when the fpirit of bond- age hath pafl upon the foul, and by a thongconvaionhath applied particularly guilt and wrath unto it : then the Gofpel brings welcome newes of a pardon, and the Spirit of Adoption applies grace and mercy to the foul, this makes flrongimprelfìo4s of joy, and caufeth them to cry out, I ammy Beloveds, and my B,loved is mine, Cant. 2. r6. Hof. 11.1. When Ifraelwas achilde, rhea loved him. I taught Ephraim alfo,togo, taping him by the armes, &c. God hath a fpecial care of tender plat*, and Chrifl doth the rather reveale his love to youngConverts for their encouragement in the wayes of grace : Heoiles the wheels of the foul: and imprints the fenfeof his love; which conflrains them to obedience : And hence it rs, that young Converts areufually fo alive in the wayes of Religion; fo forward andvehement. M. Secondly, Sacrament-times, are fealing times : For in the Lards Supperwe have the NewCovenant foaled up to the foul : the foul hathnot only his gra- ces encreafed, but they are printed clearer : there we have plain and vifible de- monflrations of the loveof a Saviour, andhave thefenfe of thislove givenin- to our hearts : we feed not only uponSacramental bread, but uponhiddenMaz- na too ; Here'safeag offat things ; thefoul isfatirfled as with marrow and fat- neffe.. For the two great ends of this Sacrament to a Chriflian are, r. Growth ingrace. a.Senfe of grace. Chriltians come hither, ad corroborand,mTitul,on, to confirm their Title ; andyet we mutt not think that every true Chriflian that comes to the Sacrament, mull needs have affurance For r. Believers themfelves may receive unworthily :. as. the Corinthians came to- getherfor , theWorfe, andnot for thebetter, and therefore were chafienedaf the Lord, &c. 1 Cor. 11.32. a. Many that have much joy and fweetneife from the Sacrament, yet. maynot. have it in fohigh a meafureas to amount to Affurance : A1í that truly par- take of thefe heavenly dainties, donot go away equally fatisfied ; Some- have but a tafle tocherifh, them, others have a full draught, which doth mightily cheer them. Thirdly, timesof employment axefcaling.ti nes: whenGod intends'us for force
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