EXIIORTATION TO BELIEVE. 257 desire l Alas! they will ruin them and bring forth no- thing but death. Is it in the world l it will deceive them ; the fashion of it passeth away. Is it in their duties and righteousness 1 they will not relieve them, for did they follow the law of righteousness they could not obtain the righteousness of the law: Is it in the continuance of their life 1 Alas ! it is but a shadow, a vapor that appeareth for a little while. Is it in a future amendment and repentance 1 Hell is full of souls perish- ing under such resolutions. Only this way of pardon remains, and yet of all others it is most despised. I have one more consideration here to add. 6. Consider that this is the only way to enable you to obedience, and to render what you do acceptable to God. It may be that you are under the power of con- victions, and have made engagements with God to live to him, to keep yourself from sin, and to follow after holiness. It may be you have done so in afflictions, dangers, sicknesses, or on the receipt of mercies ; but yet you find that you'cannot come to stability or con- stancy in your course. You break with God and your own soul, which fills you with new disquiet, or else hardens you and makes you secure and negligent; so that you return to your purpose no oftener than con- victions or afflictions befall you anew. This condition is ruinous, which nothing can deliver you from but closing with forgiveness. For, All that you do without this, however it may please your mind or ease your conscience, is not at all accepted with God. Unless this foundation be laid, all thát you do is lost ; all your prayers, all your duties are an abomination to the Lord. Until peace is made with
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=