of SIN in BÉLIBVERs. 3t againft thee, for a full dominion, and then thou art a loft creature. Wherefdre it is heft to ponder to the utmoft, what it bath to fay. [2.] What ever be the iffue, yet the law bath commillion from God to feine upon tranfgreffors, where ever it find them, and fo bring them befóre his' throne, where they are to plead for themfelves.. This is thy prefent cafe, the law bath found 'thee out ; and before God it will bring thee, if thou canft plead a pardon, well and good, if not the lawwill do its work. C3.] ` However, this is the proper work of the law, to difcover fin in the guilt of it, to awake and humble the foul for it, to be a glafs to reprefent fin in its colours ; and if thou denieft to deal with it on this account, it is not through faith, but through the hardnefs of thy heart, and the deceitful- nefs of fin. By fuch ways, I fey, perfuade thy confcience to hearken diligently to what the law- fpeaks in the name of the Lord unto thee, about thy loft and çorrupn Lion. Oh ! if thy cares be open, it will fpeak with a voice that fhall make thee tremble, that fhall cart thee to the ground, and fill thee with aflonifh,. ment. If ever thou wilt mortify thy corruptions, thou muft tie up thy con- fcience to the law, that it from all lhifts and exceptions, until it owns its guilt with a clear and through apprehenfion, fo that thence as David fpeaks, thy ici_ 'pity may ever be before thee. (2.) Bring thy loft to the Gofpel ; not for relief, but for farther conviftion of its guilt, look on him whom than haft pierced, and be in bitternefs. Say to thy foul, what have I done, what love, what mercy, what blood, what grace have I defpifed and trampledon ? Is this the return I make to the fa- ther, for his love, to the for for his blood, to the Holy Ghoft for his grace? Do I thus requite the Lord ? Have I defiled the heart that Chrift died to walk, that the bleffed Spirit hath chofen to dwell in? And can I keep my felf out of the duft ? What can I,fay to the dear Lord Jef s ? How 11101 I hold up my head with any bóldnefs before him ? Da I account communion with him of fo little value, that for this vile Tuft's fake, I have fcarce left him any room in my heart ? How fhall I efcape, if I negleft fo great falva- tion ? In the mean time, what (hall I fay to tine Lord? Love, mercy, grace, goodnefs;.peace, joy, confolatiou, I have defpifed them all, and- efteemed them as a thing of nought, that I might harbour a luft in my heart. Entertain thy . confcience daily with this treaty. bee if it can (land before this aggravatiom . of its guilt. If this make it not fink in iome meafure and melt, I fear thy cafe is dangerous. z. Defcend to particulars. As under the general head of the Gofpel, all the benefits of it are to be cofidered, as redemption, juftification, and the like ; fo in particular,confider the management of the love of them toward thine own foul, for the aggravation of the guilt of thy corruption. As, (t.) Confider the infinite patience and forbearance of God towards thee in particular. Confider what advantages he might have taken againft thee, to have made thee a fhame and a reproach in this world, and an objeft ofwrath for ever. How thou haft dealt treacheroufly and falfely with him from time to time, flattered him with thy lips, but broken all promifes and engagements, andthat by the means of that fm thou art now in purfuit of; and yet he bath fpared thee from time to time, although thou feemeft boldly to have put it to the trial how long he could. hold out. And wilt thou yet fin againft him? Wilt thou yet weary him and make him to ferve with thy corruptions? (z.) How often haft thou been at the door of being hardened by the deceit= fulnefs of fin; and by the infinite rich grace of God haft been recovered to communion with him again? (3.) All God's gracious dealings with thee in providential difpenfations, de- liverances, affiidtions, mercies, enjoyments, all ought here to takeplace. By thefe, I fay, and the like means, load- thy confcience, and leave it not, until it be throughly affefted with the guilt of thy indwelling corruption, until it is fenfible of its wound, and lie in the duff before the Lord; unlefs this be done
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