L'er,4, SpiritualSetyfè wherin it Conßjis.. Yea, you fay there are the things you aimat; there are the things you would attain, and be filled withal).. It is thie Peace, this Joy, tbis glorying in the Lord that you would alwaies be in the poffetfionof; I fay you do well to deft' them; to leek and labour after them : They are purcbafed by Cbriff for Believers ; but you will do well to confider under what notion you do de- fire them. Ifyou look on there things as belonging to the Effence of Faitb, without which you can haveno real intereff in forgivenefs or acceptance with God, you greatly deceive your own fouls, and put your felves out of the way of obtaining of them. Thefe 4ilsefe things are not believing, nor adequate ef- fells of it ; fo as immediately to be produced where ever faith is : But theyare fuch confequents ofit, as may, or may not enfue upon it, according to the will of God. Faith is a feed that contains them virtually ; and out ofwhich they may be indue time educed by the working of the Word and Spirit. And the way for any foul to be made partaker ofthem, is to wait on. the Soveraignty of God'sGrace, who createtb peace in the ex- ercife of faith upon the promifes. He then that would place believing in thefe things,and will not be perfwaded that he doth believe, until he is poffefied of them ; he doth both lofe the . benefit, advantage and comfort of what he hath, and neg- le ing the dueailing offaith, puts himfelf out of the way of attaining what he aimeth at. Thefe things therefore are not needful! to give you a real, jiving intereff in forgivenefs, as it is tendered in the promife of the Gofpel by the blood of Chrifl. And it may be it is not the Will ofGod, that ever you fhould be entrujfed with them. It may be, it would not befor yourgood and advantage fo to be. Some fervants that arc ill husbands, muff have their wages kept for them to the years end, or it will do them no good. It may be forre would be fuch fpendtbrifts offatisfying peace and joy, andbe fo divertedby them from attendingunto fome neceffary duties, asof bumiliation, mortification, and felf- ábafement, with- out which their fouls cannot live, that it would not bemuch to their advantage tobe entrufled with them. It is from the fame Careand Love, that Peace and Joy axc detained from fome Be- lievers, andgranted unto others, You 305 . ;
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