Book m. OR THE G 0 s p E L G L 0 R I 0 u s. 547 ·pardon Come unto me all )'C that labour ~nd are heavy laden, and I will give you R efl, Prov. i. 22, 23. Ifa. lv. 7· Matt. xi. 28. Here are Promifes that may be Grounds of Encouragement to the vilell: Sinner. Were there no Promifes but to righteous Perfons, or to Men and Women, fo and fo qualified, it were fad. But through Chrifr, and in doling with him in the Gofpel, ·there is Pardon offered to Sinners as Sinners, though they have been very vile and notorious in Wickednefs. Ob). But alas, faith the Soul, I have made God mine Enemy, his Curfe and Judg– ments are denounced againfr me; I may fay with Job, God purfues me, Job vi. 4· And Hell is ready to receive me, Whi!jl I fuffer bis '!'errors, I am diflratled, Pfal. lxxxviii. 15. Anfw. The Storm of God's Wrath is over in Chrifr, where God remits the Sin, he remits the Punifhment. Go, andproclaim thefe Words towards tbe North, and fay, R eturn, and I will not ,·aufe mine Anger to fall upon _you : For I am merciful, faith the L ord, and I will not keep Anger for ever, Jer. iii. 12. He retaineth not his Anger for ever, becaufe he delighteth in Mercy. Obj. But alas, I am ignorant of God and of Chrifr, and know not God, and he will come in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on fuch, 2 'I'hejj: i. 7• 8. Wo is me. Anfw. God bath promifed to teach thee the Knowledge ot himfelf, and to guide thee in the Way thou fhouldefr go. Good and upright is the Lord, tberefore will he teach Sinners in tht Way, Pfal. xxv. 8. Nay, and though thou be blind, fee what a gracious Promife he makes, Ifa. xlii. 16. I will bring the Blind by a Way that they know not, I will lead them in the Paths they have not known. I will make Darkmfs L ight before tbem, and crooked 'Ihings flrait, thefe 'I'hings will I do unto them, ad not forfa ke them. Ob). But my Heart is dead and obdurate, you know not the Naughtinefs of it; 0! I am a filthy Creature, I cannot mourn nor melt under •he Word of God. Anjw. And tbey Jhall lothe tbemfelves for the Evils they bave done, Ezek. xx. 43; and not only for what they have done, but alfo for the l'lafenefs of their vile, frub– born, rebelliou,, and whorifh Heart, as is mentioned by the fame Prophet, and tee what a Promife God i' pleafed to make to thofe polluted and hard-hearted Ones. A new Heart aljo will I give you, and a new Spirit will 1 put within you, and I will take away the flony Heart out of_your Flejh, and I will give you a Heart of Flejh, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. God has promifed to pour out the Spirit of Grace, and that he will melt thee under the Senfe of thy Sin, and caufe thee to mourn in a right Manner for thy Sin, God will not only break thy fiony Heart, but will alfo take it away. 0 bldTccl Promife, he will take it away becaufe it is good for nought, it is not fit to be wrought upon, it is not loft or pliable, there is no mending of it, it mull be new made, new calt, !tkc a crackt Bell, before God's Image can be formed in it or engraven upon it, f.:Jc. Obj. Ay, but [ have been fo vile and wicked, that [know not what evil Things I could do more againll: God, than what I have done. Anf..v. So it is laid of Judah and Ifrael, Jtr. iii. 5· Behold, thou haft fpoken, and done evil 'fhings as thou couldefl; yet mind the t>romife of God to them. Return,-and I will not cmcfe my Anger to fall upon_yoM: I am merciful, faith tht Lord, only acknowledge thine iniquity, &c. ver. 12, 13. Obj. llut I cannot think there is Mercy and Pardon for me ; it cannot enter into my T houghts. Anfw. L et theWicked f orfake his Wa_y, and the ungodly Man his 'I'houghts, and turn to the L ord, and he will have M ercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon: For my 'I'houghts are not your 'I'hougbts, faith the Lord. For as the HeavmJ are higher than the Eartb, fo are my'I'hougbts higher than your 'I'hcughts, &c. Ifa.lv. 7• 8, 9· Obj . But faith another Soul, I have backOidden from God, there is therefore no Comfort and Salvation for me. A;ifw. I will heal thy Backflidi~tgs, and love thee freely, Jer. iii. I z, 14- Hof xiv. 4· 0 />j. But this and the other Sin and Corruption will be too hard for me; I lhall one Day fall by the Hand of Saul, faith David; fo may I fay in refpeft of one bafe Sin that waylays me, and cloth always befet me. Atzfw. Soul, thou 01alt not fin ally be ov.ercome, though thou fa,J thou !halt rife again; what faith God to thee, I will jitbdue y•ur Iniquities.? !vial. vit, 18, 19. Si11 Jhalt
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