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ed, revealed, declared. This manifeftation of it is that which makes it the object of our faith. We be·lieve things to be in God, and with him, not merely and formally, because they are fo, but because he hath manifefted and revealed them fo to be, 1 John i. 2. What he fo declares, it is our duty to believe, or we fruftrate the end of his revelation.

2. We are exprefly commanded to believe, and that upon the higheft promifes, and under the greatest penalties. This command is that which makes believing formally a duty. Faith is a grace, as it is freely wrought in us by the Holy Ghoft, the root of all obedience and duties, as it is radically fixed in the heart; but as it is commanded, it is a duty; and these commands, you know, are feveral ways expreffed, by invitations, exhortations, propofitions, which all have in them the nature of commands; which take up a great part of the books of the new teftament.

3. It is a duty, as we have fhewed, of the greatest concernment unto the glory of God.

4. Of the greatest importance unto our foúls, here and hereafter. And thefe things were neceffary to be added, to bottom our enfuing exhortations upon.

Evidences that most men do not believe forgiveness.

That which fhould now enfue, is the peculiar improvement of this truth all along aimed at; namely, to give exhortations, and encouragements unto believing. But I can take few fteps in this work, wherein methinks I do hear fome faying. Surely all this is needlefs; who is there that doth not believe all that you go about to prove? And fo thefe pains are spent to little or no purpose. I fhall therefore, before I perfwade any unto it, endeavour to fhew that they do it not already. Many I fay, the most of men who live under the dif penfation of the gofpel, do woefully deceive their own fouls in this matter. They do not believe what they profess themselves to believe, and what they think they

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believe. Men talk of fundamental errors; this is to me the most fundamental error that any can fall intó, and the most pernicious. It is made up of these two Parts (1.) They do not indeed believe forgiveness. (2) They fuppofe they do believe it, which keeps them from feeking after their only remedy. Both these miftakes are in the foundation, and do ruin the fouls of them that live and die in them. I fhall then, by a brief enquiry, put this matter to a trial. By fome plain rules and principles may this important queftion. Whether we do indeed believe forgiveness or no? be anwered and decided But to the refolution intended

I fha!! prem fe two obfervations.

I Men, in this cafe, are very apt to deceive themfelves. Selt-love. vain hopes, liking of luft, common falle principles, floth, unwillingness unto felf-examination reputation with the world, and it may be in the church, all vigorously concur unto mens felf-deceivings in this matter. It is no eafy thing for a foul to break through all thefe, and all felf-reafonings that rife from them, to come unto a clear judgment of its own acting, in dealing with God about forgivenefs. Men alfo find a common prefumption of this truth, and its being an easy relief against gripings of confcience, and difturbing thoughts about fin, which they meet daily withal. Aiming therefore only at the removal of trouble, and fining their prefent imagination of it fufficient thereunto, they never bring their perfwafion to the trial.

2. As men are apt to do thus, fo they actually do fo, they do deceive themselves, and know not that they do fo. The last day will make this evident, if men will no fooner be convinced of their folly. When our Saviour told his difciples, that one of them twelve should betray him; though it were but one of the twelve that was in danger, yet every one of the twelve made a particular enquiry about himfelf. I will not fay, that one in each twelve is here miftaken: But I am fure the truth tells us, That many are called, and but few are chofen; they are but few, who do really believe for

giveness.

giveness. Is it not then incumbent on every one, to be enquiring in what number he is likely to be found at the laft day? Whilft men put this enquiry off from themselves, and think or fay, it may be the concernment of others, it is not mine, they perish, and that without remedy. Remember what poor Jacob faid, when he had loft one child, and was afraid of the lofs of another, Gen. xliii. 14. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. As if he fhould have faid, If I lofe my children, I have no more to lofe, they are my all: Nothing worse can befal me in this world. Comfort, joy, yea, life and all go with them. How much more may men fay in this cafe, If we are deceived here, we are deceived; all is loft, hope, and life, and foul, all muft perish, and that for ever. There is no help or relief for them who deceive themselves in this matter. They have found out a way to go quietly down into the pic.

Now these things are premised: Only, that they may be incentives unto felf-examination in this matter, and fo render the enfuing confiderations useful; let us then addrefs ourselves unto them.

1. In general, This is a gofpel-truth; yea, the great fundamental and most important truth of the gofpel. It is the turning point of the two covenants, as God himself declares, Heb. vii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Now, a very eafy confideration of the ways and walkings of men will fatisfy us as to this enquiry, whether they do indeed believe the gofpel, the covenant of grace, and the fundamental principles of it. Certainly their ignorance, darkness, blindnefs, their corrupt affections, and worldly converfations, their earthly-mindednefs, and open dif avowing of the Spirit, ways, and yoke of Chrift, fpeak no fuch language. Shall we think that proud, heady, worldly, self-seekers, haters of the people of God, and his ways, defpifers of the Spirit of grace, and his work, facrificers of their own lufts, and fuch like, do believe the covenant of grace, or remiffion of fins? God forbid we should entertain any one thought of fo great dif

honour

honour to the gofpel. Wherever that is received or believed, it produceth other effects, Titus ii. 11, 12. Ifa. xi. 6, 7, 8, 9. It teacheth men to deny ungodliness and worldly lufts. It changeth their hearts, natures, and ways; it is not fuch a barren, impotent, and fruitlefs thing, as fuch an apprehenfion would reprefent it. 2. They that really believe forgivenefs in God, do thereby obtain forgivenefs. Believing gives an intereft in it; it brings it home to the foul concerned. This is the inviolable law of the gospel. Believing and forgive nefs are infeparably conjoined. Among the evidences that we may have of any one being interested in forgivenefs, I fhall only name one; they prize and value it above all the world. Let us enquire what efteem and valuation many of thofe have of forgiveness, who put it out of all question that they do believe it. Do they look upon it as their treasure, their jewel, their pearl of price? Are they folicitous about it? Do they often look and examine, whether it continues fafe in their poffeffion or no? Suppose a man have a precious jewel, laid up in some place in his houfe; fuppofe it be unto him as the poor widows two mites, all her fubftance or living; will he not carefully ponder on it? Will he not frequently fatisfy himself that it is fafe? We may know that fuch an houfe, fuch fields or lands do not belong unto a man, when he paffeth by them daily, and taketh little or no notice of them. Now, how do most men look upon forgivenefs? What is their common deportment in reference unto it? Are their hearts continually filled with thoughts about it? Are they folicitous concerning their intereft in it? Do they reckon, that whilft that is fafe, all is fafe with them? When it is, as it were, laid out of the way by fin and unbelief, do they give themselves no reft, until it be afresh difcovered unto them? Is this the frame of the most of men? The Lord knows it is not. They talk of forgiveness, but efteem it not, prize it not, make no par-, ticular enquiries after it. They put it to an ungrounded venture, whether ever they be partakers of it or no;

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for a relief againft fome pangs of confcience it is called upon, or elfe fcarce thought of at all. Let not any fo minded flatter themselves that they have any acquaintance with the mystery of gospel-forgiveness

3. Let it be enquired of them who pretend unto this perfuafion, how they came by it, that we may know whether it be him who calleth us, or no; that we may try whether they have broken thro' the difficulties in the entertaining of it, which we have manifefted abundantly to ly in the way of it.

When Peter confeffed our Saviour to be the Chrift the Son of the living God; he told him, that flesh and blood did not reveal that unto him, but his Father who is in heaven, Matth. xvi. 17. It is fo with them who indeed believe forgiveness in God: Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto them. It hath not been furthered by any thing within them, or without them, but all lies in oppofition unto it. This is the work of God, that we believe, John vi. 29. A great work, the great. eft work that God requireth of us. It is not only a great thing in itself (the grace of believing is a great thing) but it is great in refpect of its object, or what we have to believe, or forgiveness itself. The The great honour of Abraham's faith lay in this, that deaths and difficulties lay in the way of it, Rom. iv. 18, 19, 20. But what is a dead body, and a dead womb, to an accufing confcience, a killing law, and apprehenfions of a God terrible as a confuming fire? all which as was fhewed, oppose themfelves unto a foul called to believe forgiveness.

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What now have the most of men, who are confident in the profeffion of this faith, to fay unto this thing? Let them fpeak clearly, and they muft fay, that indeed they never found the leaft difficulty in this matter; they never doubted of it; they never queftioned it, nor do know any reason why they fhould do fo. It is a thing which they have fo taken for granted, as that it never cost them an hour's labour, prayer, meditation about it. Have they had fecret reafonings and contendings in

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