312 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. watch any part of the day, or on any occasion of the day ? Is this giving all diligence? Is this working out our salvation with fear and trembling ? May we not even see professors indulging themselves in sloth, vanity, folly, wrath and envy, and yet complaining what loss they are at, how unquiet, how uncertain? God forbid it should be thus with you; or that we should endeavor to speak peace to you in any such frame. To hear of a person, that he walks slothfully, carelessly, or indulges his corruptions, and to find him complaining that he is at a loss whether he have any interest in par- don or not, and to tender comfort to such mourners, without a due admonition of their duty to be diligent in the use of means for their delivery out of their con- dition, is to tender poison to them. To this, then, the soul must come that is in depths, if it intend to be delivered. Heartless complaints, with excuses to keep it from vigorous spiritual diligence, must be laid aside; if not, ordinarily, peace, rest and stability will not be obtained. A great example of this bye have in Canticles, 5 : 2-8, which see. Spiritual peace and sloth will never dwell together in the same soul and conscience. RULE IX. Take heed of undue expressions concerning God and his ways, in distress. In doubts, distresses, and perplexities beware of hard thoughts of God, hasty unweighed expressions concern- ing him or his ways, or of secret resolves that it were as well to give over waiting on him, as continue in the state wherein you are, seeing your condition is remediless.
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