tax ?he Gefpel- IMMyfi ery Urea. VIL prove, that forgiving others, and reftitution, accord- ing to our ability, or at leaft a fincere deliire and pur pofe fo to do, are very clofely joined with the for- givenefs of our fins, and are very neceffary to fit us for prayer, and for facramental applications of par- doning grace to ourfelves. A lively faith cannot be without thefe fruits, and therefore we cannot pray, or partake of facraments, in faith, without them ; but yet, if we ftrive to do either of thefe before we truft on Chrift for our pardonand falvation, we fhall do them flavifhly and hypocritically, not in a holy, acceptable manner. Our forgiving others will not be accompanied with any hearty love to them as to ourfelves, for the fake of God ; and our 'reftitution will be but a forced aet, like Pharoah's letting the children of lfrael "go'; or, like Judas' reftoring the thirty pieces of Glover, being compelled thereunto by terror of fpirit ; and when the terror that forced ua is removed, we (hall be as ready to recai" our forgive- refs, and to wrong others again, as Pharoah was to bring the Ifraelites again into bondage after he had let them go, 'Exod. xiv. 5.. If you would forgive o- thers heartily; fo as to love them again, you tuft firft, by faith in Chrift, apprehend the love and mercy of God towärds yourfelves, and then You will be able, according to the Apòftic's inftru&ions, to be kind, tender -hearted, forgivingone another, " even as God; " for Chrift's,fake. hath forgiven you," Eph iv. 32é The readinefs of Zaccheus to make reflitution, fol- lowed upon a difcovery of Chrilt's love to him; and bis joyful receiving Chrift into his houfe, was fruit whereby he did evidence the truth of that faith that was already wrought in his heart. 5thly, I íhall reckon up together feveral other qua- lifications that diftreft°ed fouls would find in them- felves, that they may be duly prepared to truft on Chrift for their falvation; and when they have la- boured anxicufly a long time, and cannot get them, at laft they lie down in forrowful difpondattee, n.oC
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