But behold, so soon as the power of things again begins to wear off
the heart, the sinner gives place to unbelief, questions God's
mercy, and fears damning again. He also entertains hard thoughts of
God and Christ, and thinks former encouragements were fancies,
delusions, or mere think-sos.
And why doth not God now cast the sinner to hell, for thus abusing
his mercy and grace? O no: "He will have mercy on whom he will have
mercy, and he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion;"
wherefore goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his
life, that he may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
6. God, therefore, after all these provocations, comes by his Spirit
to the soul again, and brings sealing grace and pardon to the
conscience, testifying to it that its sins are forgiven and that
freely, for the sake of the blood of Christ. And now has the sinner
such a sight of the grace of God in Christ, as kindly breaks his
heart with joy and comfort. Now the soul knows what it is to eat
promises; it also knows what it is to eat and drink the flesh and
blood of Jesus Christ by faith; now it is driven by the power of his
grace to its knees, to thank God for forgiveness of sins and for
hopes of an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith
which is in Christ; now it has a calm and a sunshine; now "he washes
his steps with butter, and the rock pours him out rivers of oil.
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