Ver.4. Forgivenefdbelieved byfear. 239 his wrath ? Have you been convinced of the Vniverfal Enmity that is in your hearts to the mind ofGod; and what it is to be at Enmity againfl God ? Hath the unfpeakable mu.titude of the fins of your lives been set inorder by the Law before you ? And have you contidered what it is for finners, fuch fnmrs as you are, to have to deal with a Righteous and a holy God ? Hath theHoly Gholl wrought a ferious Recognition in your hearts of all thefe things, and caused them to abide with you and upon you ? If you will anfwer truly, you mull fay, ma- ny of you, that indecdyou bave not been fey exercifid. You have heard of thefe things many times, but to fay that you have gone through with this work, and have had Experience of them, that you cannot do. Then I fay you are *angers to forgivenefs, becaufe you are ftrangers unto fin : But and if you (hall fay that you have had thoughts to this pisrpofe, and are perfwaded that you have been throughly convinced of fin; I {hall yet askyou one 9,Logion more ; what EffeEts hath your. Convillion produced in your hearts and lives ? Have you been filled with perplexities and conflernation of Spirit there- upon ? Have you had fears dreads or terrors to wretlle with all ? It may be you will fay, No Nor will I infili upon that enquiry ; but this I deal with you in. Hath it filled you with felt-loathing and`Abhorrency , with felf-condemnation, and abatement f If it will do any thing this it will do. If you come short here, it is jufily to be feared that all your other pretences are of no value; Nowwhere there is no wori.ofcon- vietion, there is no faith of forgivenefl, whatever is pretended. And how many vain boafters this fwoid will cut off is evident. 7. We have yet a greater evidence than all thefe. Men live in fin, and therefore they do not believeforgivenefl of fin. Faith in general purifies the heart, Airs 15. 19. Our fouls are purified in obeying the Truth, 1 Pct. 1.22. and the life is made fruitful by it, James 2.22. Faith worketh by works, and makes it felt perfeá by them. And the Doc'krine concerning forgivenek hath a fpecial influence into all Holineß, Tit. 2. 11, 12. The Grace of God which bringeth falvation, teacheth us to deny all un- righteoufnefs andworldly lufti, tölive joberly,righteoufy, andgod- y
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