»ireel. XT. Of Sanetifcation. 197 Thereare others that defpair of ever getting any vic- tory overtheir lufts,becaufe theyhave formerly made many votes and refolutions, and have ufed many vi- gorous endeavours againft them in vain. Such are to perfuade themfelves, that the grace of Chrift is fufficient for them, when .ail other means have fail- ed: as the woman that had the iffue of blood, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worfe by any remedies that Phyficians could prefcribe, yet per- fuadedherfelf, that, if themightbut touch the clothes of Chrift, the íhould be whole, Mark v. 25,--28. Thofe that defpair, by reafcn of the greatnefs of their guilt and corruption, do greatly diíhonour and un- dervalue the grace of God, his infinite mercy, and the infinite meritsof Chrift's blood, and power of hisSpi rit, and deferve to perith with Cain and Judas. A- bundance ofpeople that give up themfelves fo all li- centioufnefs in this wicked generation, lie under fé- cret defpair ; which maketh them fo defperate in fwearing, blafpheming, whoring, drunker/nets, and all manner of wickednefs. How horrid and hein- ous foever our fins and corruptions have been, we fhould learn to account them a finall matter in corn- pardon to the grace of Chrift, who is God as well as man, and off=ered up himfelf, by the eternal Spi- rit, as a facrifice,of infinite value, for our falvation: and can create us anew as eafily as he created the World by a word fpeaking. 4. You are to be fully perfuaded of the truth of the general free promife, in your own particular cafe, that if you believe on Chrift fi ncerely, you {hall have everlafting life, as well asanyother in the world, without performing any condition of works to pro- cure an interef} in him ; for the promife is univer- fal, " Whofoever believeth on him, thall riot be a- " thamed," Rom. ix. 33 without any exception. And, if God exclude you not, you muft not exclude yourfelves : but rather conclude peremptorily, that, how vile) wicked and unworthy foever you be, yet,
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