268 FOUGI` EN&SS oÍ SEN. to raise your hearts tot Perplexing fears about your condition, general hopes, without savor or relish, yield- ing you no refreshment ; legal commands, bondage du- ties, distracted consciences, broken purposes and prom- ises by which you have been tossed up and down with- out any certain rest. And what effects have these thoughts produced l Have they made you more holy and more humble l Have they given you delight in God and strength to new obedience l Not at all. Where you were, there you still are, without the least progress. But now bring your souls to these springs, and try the Lord, if from that day you be not blessed with spiritu- al stores. 10. If the Lord be pleased to carry on your souls thus far, then stir up yourselves to choose and close with the way of forgiveness that has been revealed. Choose it only, choose it in the comparison with and in opposi- tion to all others. Say you will be for Christ, and not for another ; and be so accordingly. Here venture, here repose, here rest your souls. It is a way of peace, safety, holiness, beauty, strength, power; liberty and glory; you have the nature, the name, the love, the purposes, the promises, the covenant, the oath of God ; the love, life, death or blood, the mediation or oblation and intercession of Jesus Christ ; the power and effica- cy of the Spirit, and gospel-grace by him administered, to give you assurance of the excellency, the oneness, the safety of the way which you are choosing. If now the Lord shall be pleased to persuade your hearts to enter upon the path marked out before you, and shall carry you on through the various exercises of it unto this exercise of true faith, God will have the
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