ist, It is in general the product of a more plentifull communication of the spirit than ordinary, as to a fenfe and participation of the choice fruits of the death of Chrift, procured for those who are justified by their acceptance of the atonement.

It flourisheth not without his fealing, witneffing, eftablishing, and fhedding abroad, the love of God in our hearts. See Rom. v. 2, 3, 4, 5. And what believer ought not to long for, and prefs after, the enjoyment of these things. Nay, to read of these things in the gofpel, not experiencing them in our own hearts, and yet to fit down quietly on this fide of them, without continual preffing after them, is to defpife the blood of Chrift, the fpirit of grace, and the whole work of God's love. If there are no fuch things, the gospel is not true; if there are, if we prefs not after them, we are defpifers of the gofpel. Surely he hath not the fpirit, who would not have more of him, all of him that is promised by Chrift. Thefe things are the hundredfold that Chrift hath left us in the world, to counterpoise our forrows, troubles and loffes; and fhall we be fo foolish as to neglect our only abiding riches and treafures? In particular, as it is the product of an exercifed, vigorous, active faith; that our faith fhould be fuch, always in every state and condition, I fuppofe it our duty to endeavour. Not only our comforts, bur our obedience alfo depends upon it. The more faith, that is true, and of the right kind, the more obedience. For all our obedience, is the obedience of faith.

2dly, For its own fruit, and what it produceth, they are the choiceft actings of our fouls towards God; as love, delight, rejoicing in the Lord, peace, joy and confolation in ourselves, readinefs to do, or fuffer, cheerfulness in fo doing. If they grow not from this root, yet their flourishing wholly depends upon it. So that furely it is the duty of every believer to break thro' all difficulties in preffing after this particular affurance. The objections that perfons raise against themselves, in this cafe, may be afterwards confidered.

Secondly,

Secondly, In ordinary difpenfations of God towards us, and dealings with us, it is moftly our own negligence and floth that we come fhort of this affurance. It is true it depends in a peculiar manner on the fovereignty of God; he is as abfolute in giving peace to believers, as in giving grace to finners. This takes place, and may be propofed as a relief in times of trials and diftrefs: He createth light, and causeth darkness, as he pleafeth. But yet, confidering what promises are made unto us; what encouragements are given us; what love and tenderness there is in God to receive us, I cannot but conclude, that ordinarily the cause of our coming fhort of this affurance is where I have fixed it. And this is the first thing that is fuppofed, in the foregoing affertion.

SECONDLY, It is fuppofed, that there is, or may be a faving perfwafion or discovery of forgiveness in God, where there is no affurance of any particular intereft therein; or that our own fins in particular are pardoned. This is that which hath a promife of gracious acceptance with God, and is therefore faving, Ifa. I. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his fervant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light; let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Here is the fear of the Lord and obedience, with a bleffed encouragement to reft in God, and his All-fufficiency, yet no affurance, nor light, but darkness, and that walked in, or continued in for a long feafon. For he cannot walk in darkness, meet with nothing but darknefs, without any beam or ray of light, as the words fignify, who is perfuaded of the love of God in the pardon of his fins. And yet the faith of fuch an one, and his obedience fpringing from it, have this gracious promife of acceptance with God. And inumerable teftimonies to this purpofe might be produced, and inftances in great plenty. I fhall only tender a little evidence unto it, in one obfervation concerning the nature of faith, and one more, about

the

the propofal of the thing to be believed, or forgivenefs. And.

First, Faith is called, and is a cleaving unto the Lord, Deut. iv. 4. Te that did cleave, or adhere unto the Lord; that is who did believe. Josh. xxiii. 8. cleave or adhere unto the Lord your God. The fame word is used also in the new teftament, Acts xi. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord, or continue ftedfaft in believing. It is alfo often exprest by trufting in the Lord, rolling our burden, or cafting our care upon him, by committing ourselves, or our ways to him. Now, all this goes no further than the foul's refignation of itself unto God, to be dealt withal by him acccording to the tenour of the covenant of grace, ratified in the blood of Chrift: This a foul cannot do without a discovery of forgivenefs in God, but this a foul may do, without a fpecial affurance of his own intereft therein. This faith that thus adheres to God, that cleaves to him, will carry men to conclude, that it is their duty, and their wifdom, to give up the difpofal of their fouls unto God, and to cleave and adhere unto him, as revealed in Chrift, waiting the pleasure of his will It enables them to make Chrift their choice; and still carry men to heaven fafely, though it may be at fome seasons, not very comfortably.

Secondly, The revelation and difcovery of forgiveness, that is made in the gofpel, evidenceth the fame truth. The first propofal of it, or concerning it, is not to any man, that his fins are forgiven. No, but it is only that there is redemption and forgivenefs of fins in Chrift. So the apostle lays it down, Acts xiii. 38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren. that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of fins, and by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Mofes. All this may be believed, without a man's affurance of his own perfonal intereft in the things mentioned. Now, where they are believed with the faith the gofpel requires, that faith is faving, and the root of gofpel acceptable

obedience. The ranfom ! fay, the atonement by Chrift, the fulness of the redemption that is in him, and fo forgiveness in his blood for believers, from the good will, grace, and love of the father, is the firft gospel discovery that a finner, in a faving manner, closeth withal. Particular affurance rifeth or may arise after words, and this alfo is fuppofed in the affertion.

SECONDLY, That which is affirmed in it, is, That a discovery of forgiveness in God, without any particular affurance of perfonal intereft therein, is a great fupportment to a fin-entangled foul. And let no man defpife the day of this fmall thing, fmall in the eyes of fome, and thofe good men alfo, as if it did not deferve the name of faith. Now, as it hath been made to appear this difcovery of forgiveness, is the foul's perfuafion, on gofpel grounds, that however it be with him, and whatever his ftate and condition be, or is like to be, yet that God in his own nature is infinitely gracious, and that he hath determined in a fovereign act of his will from eternity to be gracious to finners; that he hath made way for the administration of forgivenefs by the blood of his Son, according as he hath abundantly manifefted, and declared in the promises of the gofpel. However it be with me, yet thus it is with God; there is forgiveness with him. This is the first thing that a foul in its depths rifeth up into: And it is a fupportment for it; enabling it unto all present duties, until confolation come from above.

Thus hath it been to, and with the faints of old, Hof. xiv. 3. Ahur fhall not fave us, we will not ride upon borfes, neither will we fay any more to the work of our hands, ye are our gods, for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. A folemn renunciation we have of all other helps, reliefs or affiftances, civil or religious, that are not God's. Therein a folemn refolution in their great distress of cleaving unto God alone; both which are great and bleffed effects of faith. What is the bottom and foundation of this bleffed refolution? namely, that propofition, In thee the Fatherless findeth mercy; that is, there is

forgive

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forgiveness with thee for helpless finners. This lifted up their hearts in their depths, and fupported them in their waiting, unto the receiving of the bleffed promifes of mercy, pardon, grace and holiness, which enfue in the next verfes. Until they came home unto them in their efficacy and effects, they made a life on this, 'In thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

The state and condition of things feem to ly yet lower in that propofal we have, Joel ii. 13, 14. Rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil; who knoweth if he will return, and repent, and leave a bleffing. That which is proposed to the faith of those here fpoken unto, is, that the Lord is gracious and merciful; that there is forgiveness in him. The duty they are provoked unto hereupon is gofpel-repentance. The affent unto the propofition demanded, as to their own intereft, amounts but unto this, who knows, but that the Lord may return and leave a bleffing; or deal with us according to the manifeftation he hath made of himself, that he is merciful and gracious. This is far enough from any comfortable perfuafion of a particular intereft in that grace, mercy or pardon. But yet, faith the prophet, Come but thus far, and here is a firm foundation of dealing with God about further difcoveries of himself, in a way of grace and mercy. When a foul fees fo much in God, as to conclude; well, who knoweth but that he may return, and have mercy upon me alfo, it will fupport him, and give him an entrance into further light.

The church in the Lamentations gives a fad account of her ftate and condition in this matter. For the maketh that hard conclufion against herself, chap. iii. 18. My ftrength and my hope is perished from the Lord. And when I cry and fhout, he shuts out my prayer, ver. 8. So far is fhe from a comfortable perfuafion of a particular interest in mercy and acceptance. that under her preffures, and in her temptations, she is ready pofitively

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