off the evil. Nay, it is the readiest course in the world to bring a soul into a trade of backsliding. If upon thy plaistering thyself, thou findest thyself rather animated to the battle again, than utterly weaned from it, it is too palpable that thou hast been at work with thine own soul, but Jesus Christ and his Spirit were not there. Yea, and oftentimes nature having done its work, will ere a few days are over, come for its reward; and having been active in the work of healing, will be ready to reason for a new wounding. In God's speaking peace there comes along so much sweetness, and such a discovery of his love as is a strong obligation on the soul, no more to deal perversely.

3. We speak peace to ourselves, when we do it slightly. This the prophet complains of in some teachers; Jer. vi. 14. They have healed the wound of the daughter of my people slightly.' And it is so with some persons, they make the healing of their wounds a slight work, a look, a glance of faith to the promises does it, and so the matter is ended. The apostle tells us, that the word did not profit some, because it was not mixed with faith;' Heb, iv. 2. μǹ ovykɛkpaμévos, it was not well tempered' and mingled with faith. It is not a mere look to the word of mercy in the promise, but it must be mingled with faith, until it is incorporated into the very nature of it; and then indeed it doth good unto the soul: if thou hast had a wound upon thy conscience, which was attended with weakness and disquietness, which now. thou art freed of, how camest thou so? I looked to the promises of pardon and healing, and so found peace; yea, but perhaps thou hast made too much haste, thou hast done it overtly, thou hast not fed upon the promise, so as to mix it. with faith, to have got all the virtue of it diffused into thy soul; only thou hast done it slightly; thou wilt find thy wound ere it be long breaking out again, and thou shalt know that thou art not cured.

4. Whoever speaks peace to himself upon any one account, and at the same time hath another evil of no less importance lying upon his spirit, about which he hath had no dealing with God, that man cries peace when there is none. A little to explain my meaning: a man hath neglected a duty again and again; perhaps when in all righteousness it was due

from him, his conscience is perplexed, his soul wounded, he hath no quiet in his bones by reason of his sin; he applies himself for healing and finds peace. Yet in the meantime perhaps worldliness, or pride, or some other folly, wherewith the Spirit of God is exceedingly grieved, may lie in the bo som of that man, and they neither disturb him, nor he them. Let not that man think that any of his peace is from God. Then shall it be well with men when they have an equal respect to all God's commandments. God will justify us from our sins, but he will not justify the least sin in us; he is a God of purer eyes, than to behold iniquity.'

5. When men of themselves speak peace to their consciences, it is seldom that God speaks humiliation to their souls; God's peace is humbling peace, melting peace, as it was in the case of David; never such deep humiliation as when Nathan brought him the tidings of his pardon.

But you will say, When may we take the comfort of a promise as our own, in relation to some peculiar wound for the quieting the heart?

1st. In general, when God speaks it, be it when it will, sooner or later, I told you before, he may do it in the very instant of the sin itself, and that with such irresistible power, that the soul must needs receive his mind in it. Sometimes he will make us wait longer; but when he speaks, be it sooner or later, be it when we are sinning or repenting, be the condition of our souls what they please, if God speak, he must be received. There is not any thing, that in our communion with him, the Lord is more troubled with us for, if I may so say, than our unbelieving fears that keep us off from receiving that strong consolation which he is so willing to give to us.

But you will say, We are where we were; when God speaks it, we must receive it, that is true, but how shall we know when he speaks?

1. I would we could all practically come up to this, to receive peace when we are convinced that God speaks it, and that it is our duty to receive it. But,

2. There is, if I may so say, a secret instinct in faith, whereby it knows the voice of Christ, when he speaks indeed; as the babe leaped in the womb, when the blessed

h Psal. li. 1.

virgin came to Elizabeth; faith leaps in the heart when. Christ indeed draws nigh to it; My sheep,' says Christ, 'know my voice;' John x. 14. they know my voice, they are used to the sound of it and they know when his lips are opened to them, and are full of grace. The spouse was in a sad condition, Cant. v. 2. asleep in security, but yet as soon as Christ speaks, she cries, It is the voice of my beloved that speaks;' she knew his voice, and was so acquainted with communion with him, that instantly she discovers him, and so will you also; if you exercise yourselves to acquaintance and communion with him, you will easily discern between his voice and the voice of a stranger. And take this korov with you; when he doth speak, he speaks as never man spake; he speaks with power, and one way or other will make your hearts burn within you, as he did to the disciples, Luke xxii. he doth it by putting in his hand at the hole of the door, Cant. v. 4. his Spirit into your hearts to seize on you.

He that hath his senses exercised to discern good or evil, being increased in judgment and experience, by a constant observation of the ways of Christ's intercourse, the manner of the operations of the Spirit, and the effects it usually produceth, is the best judge for himself in this case.

2ndly. If the word of the Lord doth good to your souls he speaks it. If it humble, if it cleanse and be useful for those ends, for which promises are given; viz. to endear, to cleanse, to melt and bind to obedience, to self-emptiness, &c. But this is not my business; nor shall I farther divert in the pursuit of this direction; without the observation of it, sin will have great advantages towards the hardening of the heart,

CHAP. XIV.

The general use of the foregoing directions. The great direction for the accomplishment of the work aimed at. Act faith on Christ; the several ways whereby this may be done. Consideration of the fulness in Christ for relief proposed. Great expectations from Christ; grounds of these expectations. His mercifulness, his faithfulness. Event of such expectations. On the part of Christ. On the part of believers. Faith peculiarly to be acted on the death of Christ; Rom. vi. 3-6. The work of the Spirit in this whole business.

Now the considerations which I have hitherto insisted on are rather of things preparatory to the work aimed at, than such as will effect it. It is the heart's due preparation for the work itself, without which it will not be accomplished, that hitherto I have aimed at.

Directions for the work itself are very few; I mean that are peculiar to it. And they are these that follow.

1. Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror. Yea, thou wilt through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet.

But thou wilt say, How shall faith act itself on Christ for this end and purpose? I say sundry ways.

(1.) By faith fill thy soul with a due consideration of that provision, which is laid up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose, that all thy lusts, this very lust wherewith thou art entangled, may be mortified. By faith ponder on this, that though thou art no way able in or by thyself, to get the conquest over thy distemper, though thou art even weary of contending, and art utterly ready to faint, yet that there is enough in Jesus Christ, to yield thee relief; Phil. iv. 13. It staid the prodigal when he was ready to faint, that yet there was bread enough in his father's house, though he was at a distance from it, yet it relieved him, and staid him, tha there it was. In thy greatest distress and anguish, consider that fulness of grace, those riches, those 'treasures of strength, might, and help, that are laid up in him, for our support;

John i. 16. Col. i. 19. Let them come into, and abide in thy mind. Consider that he is exalted and made a prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel;' Acts v. 31. and if to give repentance, to give mortification, without which the other is not, nor can be. Christ tells us that we obtain purging grace by abiding in him; John xv. 3. To act faith upon the fulness that is in Christ for our supply, is an eminent way of abiding in Christ, for both our incision and abode is by faith; Rom. xi. 19, 20. Let then thy soul by faith be exercised with such thoughts and apprehensions as these:I am a poor, weak creature; unstable as water, I cannot excel; this corruption is too hard for me, and is at the very door of ruining my soul;. and what to do I know not; my soul is become as parched ground and an habitation of dragons; I have made promises and broken them, vows and engagements have been as a thing of nought; many persuasions have I had, that I had got the victory and should be delivered, but I am deceived; so that I plainly see, that without some eminent succour and assistance, I am lost, and shall be prevailed on, to an utter relinquishment of God; but yet though this be my state and condition, yet let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble knees be strengthened; behold the Lord Christ that hath all fulness of grace in his heart, all fulness of power in his hand; he is able to slay all these his enemies. There is sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance: he can take my drooping dying soul and make me more than a conqueror.k Why sayest thou, O my soul; my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding; he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint;' Isa. xl. 49, &c. He can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a pool, and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water: yea,

i John i. 16. Matt. xxviii. 18.

k Rom. viii. 38.