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not actually in the first fin. Had not God fo continued his forbearance, their being, and confequently their fin and mifery, had been prevented; fo that the cafe is not the fame with finning angels and men.

2. Indeed God exercifeth no patience toward the angels that finned; and that because he had no forgivenefs for them. So Peter tells us; 2 Epiftle ii. 6. God fpared not the angels, that finned, but caft them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness. Immediately upon their fin, they were caft out of the prefence of God, whofe vifion and enjoyment they were made for, and which they received fome experience of. And they were caft into hell, as the place of their ordinary retention, and of their present anguish under the fenfe of God's curfe and difpleasure. And although they may, fome of them, be permitted to compafs the earth and to walk to and fro therein, to serve the ends of God's holy wife providence, and fo to be out of their prifon; yet they are ftill in their chains: For they were delivered unto chains of darkness, to be kept unto the laft judgment. And in these things they ly actually under the execution of the curfe of God; fo that there is indeed no patience exercifed towards them. If a notorious malefactor, or murderer, be committed unto a dungeon, and kept bound with iron chains to prevent his escape, untill the appointed day of his folemn judgment and execution, without the leaft intention to spare him, none will fay, there is patience exercifed towards him; things being only difpofed fo, as that his punishment may be fecure and fevere. And fuch is the cafe, fuch is the condition of the angels that finned, who are not therefore to be efteemed objects of God's patience.

3. The reafon why the full and final punishment of these angels is referved and refpited unto the appointed feafon, is not for their own fakes, their good, benefit, or advantage at all; but merely, that the end of God's patience towards mankind might be accomplished. When this is once brought about, they fhall not be fpared a day, an hour, a moment. So that God's difpenfation

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towards them, is nothing but a mere with-holding the infliction of the utmost of their punishment until he hath accomplished the bleffed ends of his patience towards mankind.

But you will fay, Secondly, Is it not faid, that God willing to fhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endures with much long suffering, the veffels of wrath fited for deftruction, Rom. ix. 21. So that it feems that the end of God's endurance and long-fuffering, to fome at leaft, is only their fitting out unto destruction.

Anfw. 1. It is one thing to endure with much longfuffering, another thing to exercife and declare patiènce. The former only intimates God's withholding for a feafon of that deftruction which he might justly inflict, which we speak not of; the other denotes an acting in a way of goodness and kindness for fome special end.

2. The next verfe declares the great end of God's patience, and answers this objection, That might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had prepared unto glory, ver. 23. This is the great end of God's patience, which whilst he is in purfuit of towards the veffels of mercy, he endureth others with much long-fuffering, and forbearance. This then is fully evident, that there could be no fufficient reafon affigned of the patience of God towards finners, but that there is forgiveness prepared for them that come to him by Christ.

And this the fcripture clearly teftifies unto, 2 Pet. iii. 9. The question is, what is the reafon why God forbears the execution of his judgment upon wicked and ungodly men. Some would have it, that God is flack; that is, regardless of the fins of men; and takes no notice of them. No, faith the apostle, God hath another defign in his patience, and long-fuffering; what is this? It is, to manifeft that he is willing we should perifh. That is it which we have provided. For our freedom from deftruction is by repentance, which neceffarily infers the forgiveness of fin. So Paul tells us, that in the gospel is declared what is the end of God's Y

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patience and forbearance; it is, faith he, the remiffion of fins, Rom. iii. 35.

Let us therefore alfo mind this evidence in the application of ourselves to God for pardon. It is certain that God might have taken us, from the womb, and have caft us into utter darkness. And in the course of our lives we have been guilty of fuch provocations, as God might justly have taken the advantage of, to glorify his juftice and feverity in our ruin. But yet we have lived thus long in the patience and forbearance of God. And to what end hath he thus fpared us, and let pafs thofe advantages for our deftruction, that we have put into his hand? It is not, that he might, by his patience, give us leave and space to get an intereft in that forgivenefs which he thus teftifies to be in himself; Let us then be encouraged by it, to use it unto the end and purpose for which it is exercifed towards us. You that are yet in doubt of your condition, confider that the patience of God was extended unto you this day, this very day, that you might use it for the obtaining of the remiffion of your fins. Lofe not this day, nor one day, more, as you love your fouls; for woful will be their condition, who fhall perish for defpifing or abusing the patience of God.

IV. The faith and experience of the faints in this world, give in teftimony unto this truth; and we know that their record in this matter is true. Let us ask of them, what they believe, what they have found, what they have experience of, as to the forgiveness of fin. This God himfelf directs and leads us unto, by appealing unto our own experience, whence he fhews us, that we may take relief and fupportment in our distresfes, Ifa. xl. 28. Haft thou not heard; haft thou not known? Haft not thou thyfelf, who now crieft out, that thou art loft and undone, becaufe God hath forfaken thee, found and known by experience the contrary from his former dealings with thee? And if our own experiences may confirm us against the workings

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of our unbelief, fo may thofe of others alfo. And this is that which Eliphaz directs Job unto, chap. vi. 1. Call now if there be any that will anfwer thee, and to which of the faints wilt thou look. It is not a fupplication to them for help that is intended, but an enquiry after the experience in the cafe in hand, wherein he wrongfully thought they could not juftify Job. In the Heb. to which of the faints, on the right hand or left, wilt thou have regard in this matter? Some would foolifhly hence feek to confirm the invocation of the faints departed; when indeed if they were intended, it is rather forbidden and discountenanced than directed unto. But the faints here, are, Pfal. xvi. 2. The faints that are in the earth, whofe experiences Job is directed to enquire into, and after. David makes it a great encouragement unto waiting upon God, as a God hearing prayers, that others had done fo, and found fuccefs, Pfal. xxxiv. 6. This poor man cried unto the Lord, and the Lord heard him, and faved him out of his troubles. If he did fo, and had that bleffed iffue, why fhould we not do fo alfo? The experiences of one, are often proposed for the confirmation and establishment of others; fo the fame David, Come, faith he, and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my foul. He contents not himself to mind them of the word, promifes, and providence of God, which he doth most frequently; but he will give them thre encouragement and fupportment alfo of his own experience. So Paul tells us, That he was comforted of God in all his tribulation, that he might be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God, 2 Cor. i 4. That is, that he might be able to communicate unto them his own experience of God's dealing with him, and the fatisfaction and affurance that he found therein. So alfo he propofeth the example of God's dealing with him in the pardon of his fins, as a great motive unto others to believe, 1 Tim. i. 13, 14, 15, 16. And this mutual communication of fatisfying experiences in the things of

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God, or of our fpiritual fenfe and evidence of the power, efficacy and reality of gofpel truths, being rightly managed, is of fingular ufe to all forts of believers. So the fame great apoftle acquaints us in his own example, Rom. i. 1, 12. I long to fee you, that I may impart unto you /ome fpiritual gift, to the end you may be eftablished; that is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me: He longed not only to be inftructing of them, in the pursuit of the work of the miniftry committed unto him, but to confer alfo with them about their mutual faith, and what experiences of the peace of God in believing, they had attained.

We have in our cafe called in the teftimony of the faints in heaven, with whom thefe on earth do make up one family, even that one family in heaven and earth which is called after the name of the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. iii. 14, 15. And they all agree in their teftimony, as becomes the family and children of God. But thefe below, we may deal personally with; whereas we gather the witness of the other, only from what is left upon record concerning them. And for the clearing of this evidence, fundry things are to be obferved. As,

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1. Men living under the profeffion of religion, and not experiencing the power, virtue, and efficacy of it in their hearts, are, whatever they profefs, very near to atheism, or at leaft, expofed to great temptations thereunto. If they profefs they know God, but in works deny him, they are abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Tit, i. 6. Let fuch men lay afide uradition and custom, let them give up themfelves to a free and a rational confideration of things, and they will quickly find, that all their poffeffion is but a miferable telf deceiving; and that indeed they believe not one word of the religion which they profess : For of what their religion affirms to be in themselves, they find not any thing true or real. And what reafon have they then to believe, that the things which it

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