2 2 2 ChrifsPrecept andPromife, or, ObjeP1. Anfw. joyce ( I fay) in this, magnifie him that is the Author ofit, and account thy ¡Cif happy that thou haft received from him fo excellent a gift, asto be in fume meafure inabled to keep hie toying. Yea, if it were fo (may fome Chriftian heart objed) then I fhould eftcern my felf the happie&man alive : butalas, where is this Repentance you defcribe ? where is this ken, Obetbtnce in me, that Rill, í}i11, find.my felf captive and thral to paflion, to this, and that, and the other luft, and divers corruptions ? Where is I fay, that Repentance, when I find fo much fin ? Where is that Faith, whets I find fo much wavering andquaking, fo much aptnefs diftruft, andalmoft todifpair ? Where is it ? It may be in thy heart of all thy complaining, and thou maiíthave it for all thefe exclaimings againft thy frlf.Tell me,when thou findeft thofe corrup- tions"wh.ereof, and for which thou 1peakeá againft thy felt, Doft thou allow them or not? dolt thou confefs them, and lament themor not ? I confefs them indeed, but with fucha fmall deal of forrow. Is it filch a furrow as draws thee to God?and drives thee out of thy felf ? fuch as makes thee to fall before him, and judge thy felfworthy to be damned, and fubmit to his Juftice ? Is it filch a forrow as makes thee "confefs,andthenpurpofe amendment? Such as makestheecrytohimforpower and ftrength? fuch as makes thee 'Tit on him for ability ? Doft thou determine ái11, ái11 toamend that that Rill troubleth thee ? Doll thou Rill continue ro fight with the tufts of thy fiefhby the fpiritual weapons that Godbath ordained for thee? 1 fay to thee, thy Repentance, thy Faith, thy New Obedience may be true, though it be weak: When a man bath a (bakingPalfey hand, it is a hand. A rick weak man that lies crying, oh, oh, that can fcarce turn himfelf between the theets, is a man, a living man. A poor child that is new born, andhathnothing that difcover- eth reafon almoft, but the fhape ofa man ? that poor child is a reafonablecreature. Faith beginneth with weak apprehenfions, and faint leanings on Chrift. Deep godly forrow, and other parts ofRepentance, may begin many times with little. And amendment of life begins fometimes at a low foundation, at fmall fins. If it be true, and fincere, and conftant : if thou go on and continue in a courfeofdaily renewing thyRepentance, andObedience, and Faith, and firring by. gods means to get the increafe of thefe graces, and to be upright and fincere in them : thou art bleffed in themnotwithftanding thy weaknefs : take comfort in a little, and be thankful for it : God will givemore, and the only way to get more, is to take comfort in a goodmeafure in what thou haft : and the way to take comfort, is to labour to increafe thefe graces. Let not the weak, troubled, feebled Chriiftan be troubledin mind,as ifhe hadno grace, becaufe he bath but a little : as if he did not at all keep Chrifts fayings, be- caufe he keepeth them but a little. He is a fcholler in the School that beginneth at Chrift-Cross-row ( as we tallit. ) And he is mitred into the Colledge , that beginnethbut in alow book,withthefirftrudimentsofLogick.And he is a member oftheFamily that began to be an Apprentice but yefterftay, and comes not to a deep knowledge of his Art and Miftery, but is gladto do lorry work. Believe it (brethren) there may be great conceits of Repentance, and believing, and obeying, that maymake a man good inhis own eyes, and be altogether falle. There maybe a final meafure ofRepentance ; but ifone be humbled in thefinalnefs ©f that meafure, and labour, and delire, and pray, and beg for the increafe of that meafure, and takepains to edifie himfelfin it, by themeans of God : then it is true andupright, and flail fave him. Therefore rejoyce. It is not with the Covenant ofGrace,as it was with that ofWorks. The Covenant of Works,theLaw required perfe6tion ofObedience to all the things prefcribed: a man muff not only loveGod, butlove GodperfeWtly. But the Gofpel fatisfiethit felt with accepting truth ofendeavour to the thing required. If therebe Repentance, though it be not in the full perfer pion : ifthoubelieve, though not with the fulle meafure of believing : If thou Obey,thoughnotin the highelh degree-of obedience: this Gofpel, this fweet, this favourable gracious Doétrine giveth thee confolation enough. Go home therefore comforted inthe beginñings,and refglved toproceed: and know that thou fhalt enjoy that which Chrift bath promifed, freedom from damnation,tbou/halt neverfee Death. THE
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