Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-02-21

nunclatlon of idols, particularly that wtllcn
is the idol Of jealousy, in closing with Christ
in all offices, and for all the glorious ends
for which the Father has given hum TO
poor sinners, for sanctifcation particularly,
as well as justification.
Lastly, The violence Of temptatlons.-
God, for the trial of his own, permits, a:2dd
then Satan tosseth them, so as they -
hardly find where to tasten their feet.-
They stand as it were in quagmlre, and
find hard work 10 dispute their sincerity
against the tempter. AS it is the great
work Of Satan to blow up graceless folks
IN heir presumptuous hopes, so TO rob the
gracious of their peace and the comfort oil
their grace 50 he raiseth darkness about
hem, and then bids the poor soul read its
evidences; and he MS carried the point
when he gets the soul over to his side, 10
dispute Itself out of Christ, Psal. lxxvll.
,. "Mv soul refused to be comfortcd.'
Q.) Sometimes Satan gives the saints,
hopes a side-s.rokc, inferring their naugh'l.
ness from the way Of the Lords dealing
with them in affl;c:ions. lie gets them first
possessed with jealousy Of the Lords love
and unkindly thoughts OF an affllctng God,
and then carries them forward TO conclude
their stroke is not the stroke of the Lords
children, and therefore their spot is not the
spot Of his children, Job. V. /. "To which
the saints will thou turn 2" In this case
it is good to use the sword of the Spirit,
the word of God, where it is very like We
will find the like case the saints have bccn
in; and if We cannot find a parallel ofyour
own case, We should take advice Of others,
that NAV be better acquainted with the scrip.
lures. But cases are like faces, though for
substance the same, yet possibly some cir.
cumstances may differ and it is needless
rack, to please Satan, folk put themselves
on, when nothing will satisfy them but the
case of scripture-saints. TO dismount the
devils cannon mounted upon this ground,
YOU need no more but to observe these
scriptures, Col. tx. l. 9. l Cor. iv. 9.
Psal. Xxi. 7. lxxvii. l9.
(2.) Sometimes Satan gives their hopes
foundation stroke, overturning to their view
the very foundation of their peace, in their
first turning to God and closing with Christ,
persuading them all was naught, because
the law-work was not deep enough, and
their repentance was not thorough. Ofen
have the saints themselves been to blame
for this. They lay great deal of the
weight of their peace upon the depth of their
conviction and terrors, the bitterness OF their
repentance, &C.; whereas the weight of it
is to lie allenarly on the blood Of Christ, for
nothing else can screen US from the wrath
of God, Cor. iii. Eph. ii. IA. Heb. tx.
IA. And ifpeople will lay on plaster that
cannot cover the sore, they need not Won
der if be once scurfed over, it undercote
and break out again. know no need of
further depth of the law.work, than TO con.
vince a sinner of his absolute need of Christ
for justification and sanctification; and
there is no depth at all of true repen.
tance, less or more, but what flows from
faith. So that if your peace and hope
ofheaven has been built on the depth ofthe
law.work or repentance with you, lay it not
there again, but on the blood Of Christ, al.
lenarly apprehended by faith. If ye have
seen the absolute need of Christ for sanctl.
fication as well as justification, it was suffi.
cient to reach the end, viz. the closing with
Christ for all his salvation and whatever
be the defects in your repentance, we must
not stand off from believing till ye have re-
pented more deeply, or be egreglous fools,
but believe, that ye may repent; and the
more evidence and confidence your faith
in the promise have, your repentance will
succeed the better, Heb. XII. 10. Luke vii.
~. g.
(3.) Sometimes Satan gives their hopes
an universal shock, by plying their corrup-
tons hard, and stirring up the muddy pool
fthe heart, till there is not one clear drop
of water to be seen in it, but whatever of
heaven be in the heart, hell is atop! This
is the heaviest case of all | will not advise
person in this case to fall on seeking out
evidences for heaven, no, it were cruelty TO
bid such person read his evidences till the
smoke of hell be got out Of the house, and
he get his candle lighted. The mans pro-
per work in such case is TO believe, to
hope against hope, TO close with Christ anew
for all his salvation from the guilt and pow
er OF sin, and to hold by the promise ofjus.
tiication and sanctfication too, over the
belly of all the stir corruption makes, till,
the power ofsin being quelled by faith, his
darkness be removed, so that he may be-
hold his evidences again.
The cause ofthis, as of the rest, ordina-
ry is, the souls falling secure, and griev.
ing the Spirit. for which cause they are left
to fall like Sampson into the hands of the
Philistines and The proper expedient is to
renew their faith and repentance before the
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