ijer.4. Forgiveneelieved byfew. 231 Imaginatien of it, fuf ìcient thereunto, they never bring their perfwafion to the tryal. 2. As men are apt to do thus, fo they actually do fo, they do deceive thertfelves, and know not that they do fo. The lafi day will make this evident, ifmen will no fooner be convinced of their folly., When our Saviour told his Difciplcs, that on of them twelve should betray him ; though it were but one of twelve that was in danger , yet every one of the twelve made a particular enquiry about himt+_if. I will not fay, that one in each twelve is here mittaken : But I am fure the Truth tells us, That many are called, andbut few are chofn ; they are but few, who do really believe forgiveness, Is it not then incumbent on every one to be enquiring in whit number he is likely to be found at the laft day ? Whiltl men put this enquiry offfrom themfelves, and think or fay, it may be the Concernment of others, it is not mine, they perifh , and that without remedy. Remember what poor Jacob faid, when he had loft one Child, and was afraid of the lofs of another, Gen. 43. 14. If I be bereaved of my Children, I am bereaved. As if he should have Paid, if I lofe my Children, I have no more to lofe, they are my all. Nothingworfe can befall me in this world. Comfort, Joy, yea, Life and all go with them. -lowmuch more may men fay in this Cafe, If we aredeceived here, we are deceived ; all is loft, hope, and life, and f ul, all muff perifh, and that for ever. There is no help or relief for them whodeceive them- felves in this matter. They have found out a way to go qui- etly down into the pit. Now thefe things are premf-fed,only that they may be incen- jives unto Pelf-examination in this matter; and fo render the enfu- ing Contiderations ufefull. Let us then addrefs our (elves unto them. I. In General ; This is a Goffiel Truth ; yea, thegreat funda- mental, and mofi important Truth of theGofpel. It is the turning point of the two Covenants, as God himfelf declares, Heb. 7.7, 8, g, io, II, 12, 13. Now a very eatie 'Confedera- tion of thewayes and walkings of nten will fatisfie us as to this Enquiry, whether they do indeedbelieve the GofJiel, the Cove- nant of Grace, and the fundamental Principles of it. Certainly their
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