306 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. then, hither; bring this foundation-work to a blessed issue in the blood of Christ; and when that is secured, up and be doing in his blessed service. You know how fatal and ruinous it is for souls to abuse the grace of God by indulgence in sin or neglect Of duty; this is to turn the grace of God into wanton- ness, as we have elsewhere at large declared. And it is no less pernicious to bring the duties of our Obedience, any reserves for them, any hopes about them, into the matter of pardon and forgiveness, as we are to receive them from God. These things, as they are distinct in themselves, must be distinctly apprehended in the soul; and the confounding of them is what disturbs the peace and weakens the obedience of many. First, to take up mercy, pardon and forgiveness ab- solutely on account of Christ, and then to yield all obe- dience in the strength of Christ, and for the love of Christ, is the life of a believer. Eph. 2 : 8-10. RULE VIII. Spend not time in heartless complaints, when vigorous actings of grace are your duty. Fruitless and heartless complaints, bemoaning them- selves and their condition, is the substance of the pro- fession that some make. If they can object against themselves, and form complaints out of their condition, they suppose they have done their duty. I have known some who have spent a good part of their time in going up and down, from one to another, with their difficul- ties and complaints. These things are contrary to the life of faith. It is good, indeed, in our spiritual distress- es, to apply to those who know how to speak a word in
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