Ver.3. convinced of Sin. neither apprehends nor fears any fuch iffue. It fuppofeth that it (hall condemn and abhorr it felf, and julhfie God, and that for ever. But when relief comes not in, this refolution begins to weaken. Secret thoughts arife in the heart, that God is austere, inexorable, and not to be dealt withal!. This fometimes calls forth fuch complaints, as will bring the foul unto new complaints, before it comes to have an iffae of its try-. ais. Here, in humiliations antecedaneous to converfion, ma- ny a convinced perfon perifheth. They cannot wait Gods f a- J a, and perilh under their impatience. And what the Saints of God themfelves have been overtaken withal in their depths and tryal,, we have many examples and in(tances. Delight and Expec`ation are the grounds of our abiding with God. Both thefe are weakned by a conquering prevailing feule of (in , without Come 'relief from the difcovery of forgiven:fi, though at a dittancè.. And therefore our perplexed foul (byes not here, but preffeth on towards that difcovery. Secondly, There is a refling on this frame, that is noxious and hurtful alfo. Some finding this feenfe offin, with thole other things that attend it wrought in them, in fame meafure, begin to think that now all is well, this is all that is of them required. Theywill endeavour to make a life, from fuch ar- guments of comfort, as they can take from their trouble. They think this a ground of peace, that they have notpeace. Here fame take up before converfion, and it proves their ruine. Becaufe they are convinced of fin, and troubled about it, and burdened with it, they think it íhall be well with them: But were not Cain, Efau, Saul, Ahab, Judas, convinced of fin, and burdened with it ? Did this profit them ? Did it intereft them in the promifes ? Did not the wrath ofGod overtake them notwith- standing? So is it with manydaily ; they think their c(,nviUion is converfion; and that theirfins are pardoned, becaufe they have been troubled. This then is that which we reje4t, which the foul in this condition doth carefully avoid ; fo to fatisfie it fell with its humiliation, as to make that a groundof jupportment and con folation, being thereby kept off from exercifing faith for for- givenefl, For this is, K 2 ttf
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