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CHAP. XIX. Of Exhortation to seek after Pardon of Sin, with Cautions and Rules, how, and what we are to do.
I Am now come to a use of Exhortation, and it concerns us all, either those that are not pardoned, or those that have assurance of the pardon of their sins; for there is none that have assurance but may make use of it: Christ taught his Disciples to pray daily for the forgiveness of their tres∣passes, as well as for their daily bread; and what we are to pray for, we are to seek after; so that it concerns all; bles∣sedness is desirable to all, it is as natural for man as a reason∣able creature to desire blessedness as it is for the fire to burn; only here's the great mistake in the world, all would have it, but they look not for it in the right way: Now af∣ter all that has been said, that thou may'st not have slight thoughts of the pardon of sin, and say, I hope they are pardoned, and the like; I shall speak to awaken thee: sup∣pose thou wer't now set on the brink of the infinite Ocean of Eternity, and the bottomless Gulf were ready to devour thee, and the Records of Heaven were opened, and there shewed thee that thy sins were not cancelled, but remain upon the file? What thou would'st then do, do it now; for this is our time, and this is the great work of our lives, not to cumber our selves about many things, but about this one thing, to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling; this is the great work to seek to secure this blessing of the pardon of our sins, which is the foundation of all; in the obtaining of it we obtain all blessings; it ought to be our chief care, and we ought to lay out our chief strength and indeavours in seeking of it; and if God would be pleased to put his hand to your hearts, and turn the stream of your thoughts and indeavours, the very turning of your hearts after this business is a great mercy; there is so much bles∣sedness in it, as not only the obtaining of it, but the very