which he counts so forniiclablc, as they would do a wrangling sophist out of tlie* schools, when he boldly and ridiculously denies some known principle, acknow- ledged by all for a truth. But I would not be here mistaken : God forbid, that while I am curing despair, I shoidd cause prcsinnption. These two distempers of the soul are equally dangerous, and so contrary, that, like the cold stomach and the hot liver in the same person, while the physician thinks to help nature • in the one to a heat for digesting food, he sometimes imhappily kindles a fire in the other that destroys nature itself. Thus, while we labour to cheer the drooping soul's spirits, and strengthen him to retain and digest the promise for his comfort, we are in danger of nourishing that feverish heat of presumptuous confidence, which is a fire that will soon eat out all care to please, and fear to displease God, faith and fear being like the natural heat and radical moisture in the body, which is never well ))ut when both are preserved. ' Tiie Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy.' Let me, therefore, caiUion thee. Christian, as thou meanest to find any relief from the mercy of God in a day of distress, take heed thou dost not tliink to befriend thyself with hopes of any favour thou niayest find from thy lust. Thou needest not indeed fear to believe the pardon of thy sins, if thou rcpentest of them, merely because they are great, but tremble to think of sinning boldly, because the mercy of God is great. Though mercy be willing to be a sanctuary to the trembling sinner, to shelter him from the curse of his sin, yet it disdains to spread its wing over a bold sinner, to cover him while he is wallowing in his lust. What! sin because there are promises of pardon, and these ])romises made b)' mercy which as far exceeds our sins as God doth the creature ? Truly, this is the reverse of the object which God's mercy had in making them, and turns the gospel heels n])wards : as if j'our servant should get to your cellar of strong waters, and with them make himself drunk, which you keep for those who are sick or faint. O take heed of quafiing thus in the bowls of the sanctuary I It is the sad soul, not the sinning, that this wine of consolation belongs to.
Section IIL — Faith presents the Christian with a cloud of witnesses to whom the promise hath been fulfilled, and these as great sinners as himself. Scripture examples are promises verified, which faith may make use of by way of encou- ragement, as v/ell as promises. God would never have left the saints' great blots to stand in the Scriptures, to the view of the world in all succeeding generations, had not it been of such use ami advantage to tempted souls to choak this temp- tation, which, of all others, makes the most dangerous breach, so wide, some- times, that despair itself is ready to enter in at it. Blessed Paul gives this very reason why such acts of pardoning mercy to great sinners are recorded; Ej)heK. ii. He shews, first, what foul, filthy creatures himself and other believers cotemporarj' with him were before they were made partakers of gospel grace : ver. .'5, ' Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh ;' and then he magnifies the rich mercy of Ciod, that rescued and took them out of that desperate state, ver. 4,5:' But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickened us together with Christ.' And why must the world know all this? O! God had a design and plot of mercy for more than themselves in this, ver. 7 : ' That, in the ages to come, he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness tov/ards us, through Christ Jesus.' Wherever the gospel conies, this shall be spoken of, what great sins he had forgiven to them, that imbelief might have her mouth stopped to the end of the world, and this arrow, which is so often on Satan's string, might be made harmless. CJod commanded Joshua to take twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, and set them up; and observe the reason, ver. 0, 7 : ' That this may be a sign among you, that when j'our children ask their fatliers in time to come, What mean you by these stones? then ye sliall answer them, that the waters of Jordan were cut ofi" before the ark of the covenant of the Tiord, when it passed over Jordan ; tlie waters of Jordan were cut off", and tlu'se stones shall be a memorial imto the children of Israel for ever.' Thus God hath, by his pardoning mercy, taken up some great, notorious sinners out of the very deptlis of sin, who lay at the very bottom, as it were, of hell, swal- lowed up and iiigulphcd in all manner of abomination ; and these he hath setup in his word, that wlicn any poor, tempted souls to tlic cud of the world, over-
508 ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH.