ORDINARY MEANS TO DISCOVER SINS. 339. again ; he :is afraid of new contention, and knows the worth of reconciliationwith God, and so would be at peace with him. These are some of the reasons why a child of God is willing to know why his father corrects DOCTRINE V. It is Godonly can effectually convince us of the sinfor which he corrects us, and therefore Job desires that Godwould shew himwherefore he contended with him. Here we shall First consider what are the ordinary means that God uses to discover sin to us under áflíic- tion,Secondly prove that it is none but the Spirit of God can effectually convince us of it :Thirdly, in what manner the Spirit of God discovers it, And fourthly, apply.the subject. First, What are the common and ordinary means wherebyGod under afflictions discovers sin to the soul ? 1. By the word of his law and gospel, and that both written and preached : the law is on purpose to 'discover sin, " "By the law is the knowledge of sin ;" and the gos- pel, the book of the New Testament since our Saviour's coming in the flesh has discovered it mnch plainer than before. Let us not then refuse the conviction of the word, nor put our sins out of the way to hide them from the light of it. If when we hear discourses delivered to us upon such subjects as may convince u,, we then con- .ceal our sins, this is not the way to remove sorrows; for till we remove sin, God does not often remove our afflic- tions: he shewed Job why he contended with him, and then he removed his sorrow.. Under any afflictive pro- vidence whatever, you are called in a more special man- ner to attend to the word of God. Afflictions themselves have a convinc.ing.nature in them, and when the word has any thing of conviction in it, this is a double call to the soul, and ought to have a stronger force upon us when God is pleased to call us to repentance. 2. The admonition of a friend, is another way whereby God is pleased to discover sirs in afflictive providences there is not one friend pays a visit to another but God's over-ruling .providencehas an eye over it, and a hand in it; and perhaps God has sent one friend to another with a message of conviction. Many times others can dis- .cein more than we .text, especially of sin in us ; because
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=