Ver. 34. the 8th Chapter to the R OM ANS. 343 Rev. 22. 17. And the fpirit, and the bride fay, come ; and let him that heareth, fay, row and let him that is athirfl, come; and whofoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. But God, betides the benefit of the creature, refpefts his own glory, and the recovery of the creature to himfelf from the Devil, World; and flefh; which the creature is -moli backward unto. Every man would be freed from condemnation, and faved from Hell; now 'God bath promifed that which we wóuld have, that we may yeild to that which naturally we would not have ; we would have pardon, but God will have fubjeftion; therefore 'tis laid, Heb. q. 9. And being made perfeel, he became the author of eternal falvation unto them that obey him. We would have the fecond death to have no power over us; but God will have us holy, and that we (hould content to our duty : we would not be condemned ; but God will have us walk, not after the flefh, but after the fpirit; and fo hath granted non - condemnation to fuch, Rom..8. t. Thole that are true Chri(lians, and content to the duty of the New Covenant, the honour of God is concerned in our fubjeftion to him, and the honour of Chrifl, who redeemed us to God, Rev. 5. 8. as our comfort is concerned in being exempted from the fears of condemnation: 4. The more explicitely the condition is fulfilled, the more is our comfort and al furance, and the more may we make the bold challenge of faith; that is, the more clearly we obey the lanûifying motions of the fpirit, and mortifie the delires of the fief!), .t John 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not, we have confidence towards God. Gal. g. [8. If we be led by the fpirit, we are not under the law, i. e. the condemning f nrence thereof. Where worldly lugs bear a Tway, a man is under the law, not under grace : He that liveth in a [late of fin, carrieth his fling and wound about him, and hath the mat- ter of debts and fears in his own bofom, and cannot attain to the true courage and boldnel of the Saints. As the Help and fpirit are at war in our hearts, fo are Law and Grace ; as the fpirit prevaileth akainft the flefh, fò dorh grace prevail againft our law - fears. The fame was intimated, Rom-8. [4, 15. Well then, if we would depend on the everlafì:ing merits of Chrift, we mull accept the bleffed Covenant, wherein God hath promifed to difcharge the fincere and upright from condemnation; and look to the lure - nefs of our claim, that we do not allow our (elves in any voluntary dilobedience to Chrifl. US E, Is Information. I. It fheweth us the bad condition of wicked men, who have within themfelves an acculing confcience, and above themfelves a condemning Judge ; and thence it is they dare not look inward or upward : they dare not look inward ; all their pleafures are but floln waters, and bread eaten in fecret, Prov. 9. 17. delights gotten by ftealth, when they can get confcience afleep; as fervants feall themfelves io a. corner, when they can get out of their Markers fight. Nor upward ; they dare not entertain themfelves with ferions thoughts of God ; their hearts condemn them,and they look upon him as one that doth ratifie, and is ready to execute the fentence; and therefore every remarkable difpenfation of God, puts them in a fright, Job r 5.2 And fill his belly with tbe,eaß.wind 5 A dreadful found is in his ears. Now this is a miferable condition, when we have no found peace and quiet within our (elves: if they do not always feel the flings of con - fcience,they are always fubjeft to them; for the prefent, a liupid.conlcience is their dif- eafe, the benumming Lethargy of the foul; if they make a Ail ft to (hake off thefe thoughts, death will revive their fears, and that may furprize them in an in(tany t Cor. 15. 56.- . The fling of death is fin. Oh how much- better is it with the found and ferions believer, who preferveth moft tendernefs of confcience, and yet bath moft peace ; hath an higher feule of his duty than others have, and yet can, with greater fatisfaition than others do, depend on the merit of Chrift, and look for acceptance with God ! . 2. It fheweth us what cóurfe to take, in cafe our heart loth condemn us: What mutt we do? Sit down in defpair and die? No, but examine the matter ferioufly. z. Conlcience muff not be defpifed, partly for its nearnefs to us; 'tis Gods Spy in our bofomes: whom (hall a man believe, if not his own confcience? Who knocveth us bet- ter than our (elves ? r Cor. 2. r a, For what man /¿noweth the things of a man, five the fpirit of man which is in him? This. Judge catpot be fufpefled of rigor, or partiality, or ill will; what is nearer, what is dearer to us than our (elves ? And partly, becaufe of its relation to God ; 'tis called the candle of the Lord, Prov. zo. 27. 'Tis in the place of God to us, and therefore if it condemn us, may not God much more ? its checks and `reproaches
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