UM, RESIST NOT T1 E SPIRIT. Secondly, Let not our souls be secure when we have been guilty of sin, though God does not reprove us in his providence ; and the reason is evident, for if God should continually reprove and correct in this world, and sin and duty were punished and rewarded in an exact proportion, it would make some think there was no state of retribu- tion hereafter. God therefore sometimes suffers sinners to go on in a series of prosperity without any severe stroke. Nor, Thirdly, Let any of us under sorrows neglect the voice of our friends, the word or providence of God, un- der a pretence that we cannot be convinced till the Spi- rit of God convinces us. For remember; that it is God himself that uses these methods ; God speaks by his eter- nal life oftentimes before his Spirit. In the death of a relation God certainly speaks somewhat to us, and it is hard if we learn nothing when one that is near and dear to us is called away. The Spirit of God in his opera- tions may be resisted for a season by us ; have a care therefore of this, for the Spirit oft speaks so secretly to the mind and conscience, and by such rational and hu- man methods of conviction as though he had no imme- diate interposing operations on the soul. The voice of a friend or foe may be his convincing voice. Remember too the Spirit of God frequently speaks in and by his pro- vidences, and accordingly they may be sent of God to teach us such a lesson, to instruct us for our improve- ment in righteousness ; and if we will not hear, the Spirit comes and makes us hear those very providences; he opens the ear to hear instruction : we Ought not there- fore to lay still and unconcerned, but tobe up and doing, searching our own hearts, and hearkening or attending to thevoice of providences lest we resist the call of God in them ; that so sin being removed, God may return, with more comfort to our souls, and we may walk in such paths of holiness here, being led into them by afflictive providences, that so the end of them may be the salvation ofour souls.
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