comfortable walking with God. 381 righteoufneffe , more then for the wealth of the whole world : They groane mightily in fpirit for Gods favour, pardon of finne , power over their corruptions, ability to pray better, &c. But yet becaufe they feele not that mean fore of fenfible fmart and anguifh of heart in lamenting their former life,as they defire ; becaufe they have net their wifhed joy and peace in beleeving ; becaufe they cannot nowpray as fervently and feelingly as they , perhaps , were formerly woont ; not with that freedome and heartineffe as they would in a word, becaufe they are yet but fnvoang flaxe, and bruifed reedes not full fhining lamps, and flrongPillars in the HouleofG d ; they will needs have all to benought. Whereby they ( I will not fay belie the Spirit, but) moil un- worthily denic , and in their conceites nullifie his already wonderfull glorious worke upon their foules; to their, I know not how great fpirituall hurt andhinderance. For fuch intolerable unthaukefullneffe may be juffly punifhed , and paide home with longer detainement , upon the Racke of difirufFull flavifh feare , and under the bondage of Legall terrours. It is a fpeciall point thenof fpirituall wifedome, and of fingular confcquencc for the foules quiet and wel- fare; to difcerne weakenefl'e of grace from want ofgrace. aril? Iefus declaring in his heavenly Sermon whoareblef- Match. 5 fed, doth not inflance in the perfeLlions , excellencies, and heights ofChriflian ity ; though all that are true of heart, fin- cerely pray for, and preffe after them : but in the lean and lowen degrees, left the fmoaking flaxe fhould bee quenched, and brnifid reedes bee broken. Hee doth not fay ; Bleffed are the flrong in Faith ; the full allured: Bleffed arc thofe that take on for their limes, as for their onely forme, and for their firn borne : but, Blefed etre they which doe hunger and thirfl after righte4(neffe Bleffed are the poore in prit, 2. Not alwaies to make fence and feeling theTouch. none for the truth of thy fpirituall nate. Aman ina fwoone or a fleepe feeles not his life, and yet is aliving man. It is one thing
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=