Brooks - BT750 .B7 1669

A Box,zif precielis OiAtment : Or, thayld anfwer his defires, he would not be verywell pleated; if when the covetous perfon, should (under fome pangs of confcience) defire a free, a charitable, a noble, generous fpirir, God should take him at his word, he would be fore ly difpleafed. The fame may be faid of all other forts of fin- ners ; but now a real Chrifban, though he be never fo weak, yet he ferioufly defires every grace, he is for every link of the golden chain of graces, he finds in his own heart, fins that are contrary to every grace, and therefore he defires a every grace, that he may make head againft every fin ; and he finds his heart and life fo attended and furrounded with all forts and kinds of temptations, that he earneftly, feriouily, and frequently defires the pretence and affif}ance of every grace, that fo he may be temptation-proof, yea, viaorious over every temptation ; and he fees and feels the need of e- very grace, to fill up every place, flation and condition wherein toe Lord has fet him, and therefore he begs hard for every grace ; and he fees a beauty, and a glory, and an ex- cellency upon every grace,and therfore he defires every grace as well as any one fingle grace, which no hypocrite or pro- phane perfon in the world does. But, 9. Joh.LI>3)4 & 2, 2. Mat.I I. 21,36h Pfal. Ii9, 32. 1 Joh. v.4, c. itorn.14 710. ii. 20. Ninthly, No man can fincerely and ferioufly defire grace for gracious ends and purpofes, but he that has true grace in his foul. No' man can truly defire grace, that he may enjoy communion and fellowihip with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and that he may be made comfotmable to Chrift, and that he may be ferviceable and ufeful to the intereft of Chrift, and that he may walk even as Chriff walked, in the exercife of every grace, and that he may be rid of his fins, yea all his fins, efpecially his fpecial fins; and that he may run the ways of God's commands more eafily, more readily, more de lightfully, more refolutely, more patiently,more unwearied- ly, and more zealonfly ; and that he may be made vi- Corious over the world, the flefh, and the devil ; and that he may fo live, as to be a praife, a name, an honour, and a glory to Chrift ; and that after all, and by all, he may be prepared and fitted for an eternal fruition and enjoyment of aril}, but

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