First, Against the rock of ijresumption. The soul may say, shall I be bold to sin ? Surely I shall buy the pleasures of sin at a dear rate ;f God will correct me sharply. And shall I forcej God for such a pleasure, and for such a profit ? No ! I will not buy sin at that rate. So it fenceth the soul from presumption.
Again, it fencetii the soul from despair. Oh ! but I have sinned ; my own weakness hath given me the foil ; and Satan he joins with my weakness aud hath foiled me. Oh ! but do not you yet despair, for therefore we are corrected, that we should not be condemned with the world ; as I said be- fore,§ a Christian is never so low, but mercy triumphs over the ill in him. There is more abundant mercy|| in God, than there can be ill in us. So happy a condition it is to be in Christ, thaf^ in the covenant of grace, God
® ' Could' in B, C— G.
t ' Dearly' in B, C— G.
X ' Provoke him' in B, C— G.
§ ' As I said before' not in B, C. — G.
II ' Goodness' in B, C — G.
•j[ ' Tliat' not in B, C ; and ' wherein God sets,' &c. — G.
JUDGMENT S REASON. Ill
sets himself to triumph over the greatest ills, over sin, and over affliction. There can be no ill so great, but it yields to his mercy in Jesus Christ, and therefore be not discouraged,* whatsoever ill we suffer. And so it keeps us from these two rocks of presumption and despair. Let us therefore for a conclusion of all take this course.
First of all, be sure, beloved, that ive get out of the world,]- rjet out of Sodom, get out of the condition we are in by nature. Trust not to a formal profes- sion of religion. Do not deceive your souls ; it will deceive you. Get out of the world, and get into Christ ; get something by attending upon the means, and by prayer, and by crossing your corruptions ; get somewhat inj 3'ou, that may evidence that you are taken out of the world, and that you are in Christ, being led with a better spirit than your own.
In the next place, uhen you are in the state of grace, honour that condition. Walk worthy of that glorious condition. § Oh ! the state of a Christian, it is a glorious state. It requires much holy wisdom to manage the state of Chris- tianity. If we be Christians, let us carry ourselves like Christians worthily; if we will have good of our profession. Let us carry ourselves so, as that we may not go so far in religion, as may minister God more matter to damn us. What good is it to have so much knowledge, and so much profession as shall damn us the more ? But if we will be religious, let us be religious to purpose, II and let us walk worthy of this glorious state.
Ohj. Oh ! but in the next place, I have not done it,^ I have forgotten my condition, forgotten my hopes, forgotten my state, and** regarded my base lusts more ; I have been surprised, and catched.
Sol. Then take this course : judge yourselves, if you have been over- taken ; take the counsel of the apostle, while there is hope, and judge yourselves. ft
Obj. But I see now, God is ready to take me out of the world, and I have not judged myself as I should ; though I be out of love with my courses, and am in league with no eviL course, yet I have been'|| faulty.
Sol. Oh ! comfort thyself, let not Satan swallow thee up in despair ; mark what the apostle saith, God feends this, that we should not be con- demned with the world ; and therefore presently make a covenant with him, renew thy purposes presently, as Ps. xxv. 1, seq. All his ways to his children are mercy and truth ; his ways of correction and his ways of love, all his ways§§ are mercy. And therefore take heed that we never deny our own mercy, that, we never forsake our own mercy ; let not Satan prevail so much. We have need of all this, beloved, especially to remember itJIH in the time of temptation, in spiritual desolation, when we gasp for comfort ; let us labour to learn this spiritual wisdom, to present to our own souls the promises of the gospel, and the relation that God hath put upon himself,
* ' "Whatsoever . . . therefore' not in B, C ; and the latter sentence ' won for a conclusion.' — G.
t ' Be sure . . . world' not in B, C. — G.
X ' To' in B, C— G.
§ ' Calling' in B, C— G.
II ' In deed and not in word only' in B, C ; but ' and let us,' &c., omitted. — G.
i ' This' in B, C— G.
»;k < And' not in B, C ; but with this addition, ' and walked loosely with God.' — G.
tt ' Kepent speedily' in B, C. — G.