BT763 O9 1677

z General Conf derations previoufly nece fury forth prayers unto thee, that thou znouldfi have mercy on me. And yet although he taught her fo to plead her own purity, innocency and righteoufnefs before God, yet he doth it not, as thof2 whereon fire might be abfolutely juflified, but only as the condition of her obtaining mercy. Nor have I obfer- ved that any publick Liturgies (the Mafs -Bock only excep- ted, wherein there is a frequent recourfè unto the merits and interceffion of Saints) do guide men in their prayers before God to plead any thing for their acceptance with him, or as the means or condition thereof, but Grace, Mercy, the Righ- teoufilefs and Blood of Chrift alone. Wherefore I cannot but judge it befi, ( others may think of it as they pleafe) for thole who would teach or learn the Do hi ine o f Julif cation in a due manner, to place their Con - fciences in the prefence of God, and their Perfons before his Tribunal, and then upon a dueconfideration of his Great- ness, Power, Majefty, righteoufnefs, Holiness, of the ter - rour of his Glory, and Soveraign Authority, to enquire what the Scripture, and a feule of their own Condition direets them unto as their Relief and Refuge, and what Plea it be- comes them to make for themselves. Secret thoughts of God and our fèlves, retired meditations, the condu& of the fpirit in humble supplications, Death -bed preparations for an im- mediate appearance before God, Faith and Love in exercise on Chrift, fpeak other things for the moil part, then many contend for. 3. A clear apprehen(ion and due fenf of the Greatnef of our Apo, faciefrom God, of the Depravation of oar Natures thereby, of thi Power and Guilt of Sin, of the Holinef and Severity of the Law, are neceffary unto a right apprehension of the Do- &rine of Juflification. Therefore unto the Declaration of it loth the Apoflle premise a large Difcourfe throughly to convince the minds of ali that leek to be juflified, with a fenfe of thefe things, Rom. i. 2, 3. The Rules which he bath given us,

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