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The Fundamentals som fairly in the spring, on which no fruit is to be found in the harvest: and some have sharp soul exercises, which are nothing but foretastes of hell. The new birth, however in appearance hopefully begun, may be marred two ways: First, Some, like Zarah (Gen. 38:28, 29), are brought to the birth, but go back again. They have sharp convictions for a while ; but these go off, and they become as careless about their salvation, and as profane as ever and usually worse than ever; “their last state is worse than their first” (Matt. 12:45). They get awakening grace, but not converting grace and that goes off by degrees* as the light o f the declining day, till it issue in midnight darkness. Secondly, Some, like Ishmael, come forth too soon; they are born before the time of the promise. (Gen. 16:2; com pare Gal. 4:22, etc.) They take up with a mere law-work, and stay not till the time of the promise of the Gospel. They snatch at consolation, not waiting till it be given them; and foolishly draw their comfort from the law that wounded them. They apply the healing plaster to themselves, before their wound is sufficiently searched. The law, that rigorous hus band, severely beats them, and throws in curses and vengeance upon their souls ; then they fall to reforming, praying, mourn ing, promising, and vowing, till this ghost be laid ; which done, they fall asleep again in the arms of the law: but they are never shaken out of themselves and their own righteousness, nor brought forward to Jesus Christ. Lastly, There may be a wonderful moving of the affec tions, in souls that are not at all touched with regenerating grace. Where there is no grace, there may, notwithstanding, be a flood of tears, as in Esau, “who found no place of re pentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Heb. 12: 17). There may be great flashes of joy; as in the hearers of the Word, represented in the parable by the stony ground, who “anon with joy receive it” (Matt. 13:20). There may also be great desires after good things, and great delight in
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