316 i0or.8..rt. Eievci. 3.17. Generall direlticns for a plaincd heartily againfl themat the Throne of Grace. Ihave fincerely detred, and endeavoured after all thofe meanes which mightreffraine and,morti&e them, and made confci. ence to di(cover and decline their unwelcome irfinuations, and fo I have gone on ilill in the holy Path, with fincerity of heart, and in obedience untoGod; flill upholdingmineheart with confideration ofthe tweet andmercifulldifpoftíonof mydeareft heavenly Father, who ever, iftheheart be upright and truely humble, takes the will f r the deed; and accepts m according to that whichwe haves and not according to that which we have not. And therefore I ammoft fore( neither, by the helpe of God, than all the devills in hell drive mefrom this hold) that they are buried for ever in the righteous and meritorious blood ofrnybleffed Saviour. And to I hold up my head f1í11 againff all contradi6tion of carnali reafon, nacu . af¡u rail diffruff, Satana cruell fuggellions ; being well red; That harty humiliation, and grieving under weakeneffe in well-doing, is as true a fruit of fan&itication, and marke of trueconverfion ; as fpirituali abilicie to doewell. It isnot fo much the muchneffe andquantirie, as the truth ofgrace mot fomuch theexaEneffe ofthe outward a6t in performing ho. y, duties, as ffncericy ofheart, whichqualifies a brokenheart, for comfort in the promifes of life, and affiuranceofGods lov.. Though I know well, there was never any who tatted truelygrace, but he fincerely thirffedand endeavoured after more.Never did any man well in theworfhip and fervicesof God, who did not bewaile his wants and failings therein, and truely defire and labour tqdoe better. It is thepropertie ofPharifees and formali profeffours, to conceive that they are fpiritually richenough already,and have needofnothing: but the better the Chriftian is, themore fenfbie he is, and heartily complainingofhis fpiritualipoverty,naughty heart, and manifold imperfeEtionr. Here now thenmay we fee in this Difcourfe of the true Convert, comforting himfelfe in thepoint of his fpirituali eflate;otherkind of fluffe,fncere matter, founder grounds, more fpeciall workings ofthe holy Ghofl; than any one of the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=