10 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. It is true, 0 Lord, thou God, great and terrible, that if thou shouldest deal with me in this conditionwith any man livingwith the best of thy saints, according to the strict and exact tenor of thy law, which first re- presents itself to my guilty conscience and troubled soul, there would be neither for me nor them the least expectation of deliverance; all flesh must fail before thee, and the spirits which thou hast made, and that to eternity; for who could stand before thee when thou shouldest so execute thy displeasure 4. But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. But, O Lord, this is not absolutely and universally the state of things between thy Majesty and poor sin- ners; thou art, in thy nature, infinitely good and gra- cious, ready and free, in the purposes of thy will, to receive them. And there is such a blessed way made for the exercise of the holy inclinations and purposes of thy heart towards them, in the mediation and blood of thy dear Son, that they have assured foundations of concluding and believing that there is pardon and for- giveness with thee in the way of thine appointment. This way, therefore, will I, with all that fear thee, per- sist in : I will not give over, leave thee, or turn from thee, through my fears, discouragements and despond- encies; but will abide constantly in the observance of the worship which thou hast prescribed, and render the obedience which thou dost require, having great en- couragement so to do. 5. I wait for the Lord; my soul Both, wait, and in his word do Ihope. And herein, on account of the forgiveness that is with thee, O Lord, do I wait with all patience, quiet- ness and perseverance. In this work is my whole soul
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