may yield thee peace,
that, following this course which hath been explained, thou art about
thy duty. Thou art not at peace with sin, nor harbouring that viper in
thy soul; thou art mourning and sorrowing over it, and running to Christ
the prince of pardons, through his blood and intercession, conform to
the covenant of redemption, and after the encouragement given in the
many and precious promises of the covenant of grace; and having these
promises, and rolling thy guilt on Christ as thy cautioner, conform to
the manner expressed in the gospel, thou art allowed to believe that thy
sins are pardoned, and that thou art accepted in the beloved, and so
quiet thy soul through faith, God abiding faithful and true, and his
promises being all yea and amen in Christ.
4. But so long as I find no intimation of pardon, I cannot think that I
have taken the right gospel way of bringing my sins to Christ. _Ans._
Though that will not follow, as we cleared above--for a soul may take
the right gospel way of getting the guilt of their sins taken away in
Christ, and God may pardon thereupon, and for all that not think it fit
to give intimation of that pardon as yet, for wise and holy ends--yet
the soul may humble itself for its shortcoming, and still go about the
duty, amending in Christ what it supposeth to be amiss, and renewing its
act of repentance and faith, and beg of Christ understanding in the
matter, and so continue carrying sin always to Christ's cross, and
eyeing his intercession, and wait for a full clearing of the matter in
his good time.
5. But what shall I do with the guilt of my weak repentance, and weak
faith? _Ans._ When with a weak and defective repentance and faith thou
art carrying away thy sins to Christ, and nailing them, to his cross,
let the imperfection of thy faith and repentance go with the rest, and
leave all there.
6. What shall I do with my conscience, that still accuseth me of guilt,
notwithstanding of my taking and following this course? _Ans._ Despise
not the accusation of conscience, but let these humble thee the more,
and keep thee closer at this duty. Yet know, that conscience is but an
under servant, and God's deputy, and must accuse according to law, (I
speak not here of the irregular, furious, and turbulent motions of
Satan, casting in grenades in the soul and conscience, to raise a
combustion and put all in a fire); its mouth, must be stopped by law,
and so the soul would stay and answer the
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