hensions that they are guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost, which is unpardonable, and so are driven to a dangerous length; Satan still upbraiding them with many sad examples of people who have wofully put an end to their own existence: but they are in the hand of one who "knoweth how to succour them that are tempted."

4. When a man is thus in hazard of miscarrying, the Lord useth a work of preventing mercy towards him, quietly and under-hand, supporting him; and this is by bearing in upon his mind the possibility of his salvation, leading the man to the remembrance of numerous proofs of God's free and rich grace, pardoning gross transgressors, such as Manasseh, who was a bloody idolatrous man, and had correspondence with the devil, and yet obtained mercy; and other Scriptures bearing offers of grace and favour indifferently to all who will yield to Christ, whatsoever they have been formerly: so that the man is brought again to this, "What shall I do to be saved ?" which doth suppose that he apprehends a possibility of being saved, else he would not propound the question. He applies that or the like word to himself, “It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." He finds nothing excluding him from mercy now, if he have a heart for the thing. Although, here it may be, the man does not perceive that it is the Lord who upholds, yet afterwards he can say, that "when his foot was slipping, God's mercy held him up;" as the Psalmist speaketh in another case. And he will afterwards say, when he "was as a beast, and a fool, in many respects, God held him by the hand."

5. After this discovery of a possibility of being saved, there is a work of desire quickened in the soul; which is obvious from that same expression, "What shall I do to be saved?" But sometimes this desire is directed amiss, whilst it goes out thus, "What shall I do that I may work the works of God?" In which case the man, formerly perplexed with fear and care about his salvation, would be at some work of his own to extricate himself; and here he suddenly resolves to do all that is commanded, and to forego every evil way, (yet much mistaking Christ Jesus,) and so begins to take some courage to himself again, "establishing his own righteousness, but not submitting unto the righteousness of God," upon which the Lord maketh a new assault on him, with the view of discovering to him his absolutely fallen state in himself, that so room may be made for the surety; as Joshua did to the people, when he found them so bold in their undertakings: "Ye cannot serve the Lord," saith he, "for he is a holy God, a jealous God," &c. In this new assault the Lord, 1. Sets up against the man the spirituality of the law; the commandment comes with a new charge in the spiritual meaning of it. "The law came," saith Paul,

that is, in the spiritual meaning of it: seen such a view of the law before.

Paul had never 2. God most

holily doth loose the restraining bonds which he had laid upon the man's corruption, and suffers it not only to work and swell within, but to threaten to break out in all the outward members. Thus sin grows bold, and spurneth at the law, becoming exceedingly sinful: "But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of con

cupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Was

God

then that which is good made death unto me! forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." 3. The Lord discovers to the man, more now than ever before, the uncleanness of his righteousness, and what spots are in his best things. These things kill the man, and he dies to his own self-righteousness, and despairs of relief in himself, if it come not from another quarter.

6. After many ups and downs here, generally the man resolves on retirement; he desires to be alone, he cannot keep company as before. Like those in a besieged city, who, when they see they cannot hold out, and would be glad of any good condition from the besieging enemy, go to a council, that they may resolve on something; so the man here retires, that he may speak with himself. This is like that "communing with our own heart." Thus God leadeth to the wilderness, that he may speak to the heart. When the person is retired, the thoughts of his heart, which were scattered in former steps of the exercise, do more observably throng in here. We shall reduce them to this method:-1. The man thinks of his unhappy folly in bearing arms against God; and here there are numerous thoughts of former ways, with a blushing countenance and selfloathing: "Then shall ye remember your own evil and your doings that were not good, and shall

ways,

loathe yourselves in your own sight," &c. like the Psalmist: "His sin is ever before him." 2. Then he remembers how many fair opportunities of yielding to God he has basely lost: his spirit is like to faint when he remembers that, as is said in another case," When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me.-O my God, my soul is cast down within me.-Deep calleth unto deep: all thy waves 3. He now thinks of many are gone over me." Christians whom he mocked and despised in his heart, persuading himself now that they are happy, as having chosen the better part; he thinks of the condition of those who wait on Christ, as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon's servants: "Happy are thy servants," saith she, "who stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom:" "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house," &c. He wishes to be one of the meanest who have

any

relation to

God: as the prodigal son doth speak, he would be as 66 one of his Father's hired servants." 4. Then he calls to mind the good report that is gone abroad of God, according to that testimony of the prophet, who knew that God was a gracious "God and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness," &c. The free and large promises and offers of grace come in here; and the glorious dealings which have past upon sinners of all sorts, according to the account of God in Scripture. 5. He thinks with himself, Why hath God spared me so long? and why have I got such a sight of my sin? and why hath he kept me from destroying myself with my own hand, in choosing some unhappy relief? why hath he made

this strange change on me? It may be it is in his heart to do me good: O that it may be so!-Although all these thoughts be not in the preparatory work of every one, yet they are with many, and very promising where they are.

7. Upon all these thoughts and meditations the man, more seriously than ever before, resolves to pray, and to make some attempt with God, upon life and death; he concludes, "It can be no worse with him; for if he sit still he perisheth;" as the lepers speak. He considers, with the perishing prodigal son," that there is bread enough in his Father's house and to spare, whilst he perisheth for want:" so, he goes to God, for he knows not what else to make of his condition, as the prodigal son doth. And, it may be, he resolves what to speak; but things readily vary when he is sisted before God, as the prodigal son forgot some of his premeditated prayers: "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came unto his father, and said unto him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."

And now, when he comes before God, more observably than ever before, 1. He begins, with the Publican, afar off; with many thorough confessions and self-condemnations, of which he is very liberal: "I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy," &c. 2. Now his thoughts