A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

6. Evangelical Faith and Hope in God. All our confessions and humiliations and supplications ought to be joined with faith in Christ, and hope in God's mercies, or else they want the great Ingredients of their acceptableness with God. As in Ezra's fast, Shechaniah stands up and saith to him, we have trespassed against our God, and taken strange wives, &c. Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. And to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, said Daniel in his fasting, Dan. 9.9. God's mercy and Christ's merits should bear up our faith and hope, while our sin is casting us down with sorrow. As Samuel endeavoured to bring the people, first to a sense of their sin in their choosing a King, and then bears up their faith and hope, by telling them God will not forsake his people for his name sake, 1 Sam. 22.22. and David while he was confessing his sins of adultery and murder, Psal. 51. yet stileth God the God of his Salvation, ver. 14. and whiles he was crying to God out of the depths, as he speaks, and making his supplication, Psal. 130.1, 2. yet he joins therewith faith and hope in God's mercy, ver. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared. All our duties, even our fasting and humiliations ought to be performed Evangelically, which cannot be except faith and hope do accompany the performance of them.

6. Evangelical Faith and Hope in God. All our confessions and humiliations and supplications ought to be joined with faith in Christ, and hope in God's mercies, or else they want the great Ingredients of their acceptableness with God. As in Ezra's fast, Shechaniah stands up and saith to him, we have trespassed against our God, and taken strange wives, &c. Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. And to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, said Daniel in his fasting, Dan. 9.9