muff Deeds be fure of grace that have an unfeigned defire of it. This is a Maxim that we mull live and with, viz. That no man can truly defire grace, but he that bath already grace certainly he that defireth grace, hath grace to defire it. It is an infallible fign, that that man bath already fome meafure of grace that loth ferioutiy defire to have it ; he would never ferioufly defire to fear God, who ftands not in fome awe of him already ; nor he would never ferioufly de- fire to love God, who has not in him Come love to God al- ready; nor he would never ferioufly defire to believe, who his not in him fome faith already ; nor he would never fe- rioufly defire to repent, that bath not repented already ; nor he would never ferioully defire fanotifyinf, grace, whofe heart in Come meafure is not already fanetifi7ed by the fpirit of grace. It is the very effence of righteoufnefs, faith one of the Ancients, for a man. to.be willing to be righteous. And the poor Heathen could fay, It is a principal part of good- nefs, for a man to be willing to be good. It is natural for e- very one to defire his own natural good, but to defire fpiri- tual grace, holinefs, found fanaification, faith unfeigned, th 2 true fear of God, ferious repentance, &c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do. No man did ever defire to eat which had not eaten. before, nor no man did,ever defire to believe, that did not believe before; all true defires after faith fpring from faith as the root of them. Certainly wick- ed men don't, nor can't fo much as defire flying grace, Yob 5 3. t. and that, Firft, Becaufe grace is above the reach of natare, Y Cur. 2,14. But the natural man receiveth not the thinv of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifhnefs unto him ; neither c4n he know them, becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned. The water rifeth no higher than the fprings from whence it came ; fo natural. men can afcend no higher than nature : Spiritual things can nei- ther be difcerned nor defired, but by thofe that are anointed with the eye-falve of the Spirit. The natural man is dark and blind, and he fees no beauty nor excellency in grace, that he fhould defire it, or be in love with it Man in his natural ef1ate Anguili Pars magma boni- teals, efl velle fieri toottrn. Sen. Ep. ;41. I.
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