FORGIVENESS OF SIN. of faith, without which you can have no real interest in forgiveness or acceptance with God, you greatly de- ceive your own soul, and put yourself out of the way of obtaining them. These things are not believing, nor adequate effects of it, so as immediately to be produced wherever faith is; but they are such consequences of it as may or may not ensue, according to the will of God. Faith is a seed that contains them virtually; and out of which they may be, in due time, educed by the work- ing of the word and Spirit. And the way for any soul to be made partaker of them is to wait on the sovereign- ty of God's grace, who createth peace in the exercise of faith upon the promises. He then that would place believing in these things, and will not be persuaded that he loth believe until he is possessed of them, both loses the benefit and comfort of what he has; and, neglecting the due acting of faith, puts himself out of the way of attainingwhat he aims at. These things, therefore, are not needful to give you a real saving -interest in forgiveness, as it is tendered in the promises of the Gospel by the blood of Christ. And, it may be, it is not the will of God that ever you should be entrusted with them. It may be, it would not be for your advantage so to be. Some servants must have their wages kept for them to the year's end, or it will do them no good. It may be, some persons would be such spendthrifts of satisfying peace and joy, and be so diverted by them from attending to some necessary duties, as humiliation, mortification, and self -abasement, without which their souls cannot live, that it would not be much to their advantage to be intrusted with them. It is from the same Divine care and love that peace and
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