A choke Bed of Spices. 187 his mouth ; fo youlhall alwayes find defires in his -heart after: grace, 0, that I had grace ! 0, that I had much grace (:), that Idid but excel in grace ! 0, that I had as much grace' as fuck a Chriflian ! 0 that I had a greater exercife of grace ! Whatever outward or inward changes may attend a Chrifli- an in this world, yet you fnall fill find him full of holy de- fires, and breathings, and hankerings, and longings after God, and Chrifl, and grace, and holinefs ; 0, that rhad more of tilde I 0, when fhall I have more of tilde ! 0, that God would cut me thort in any thing, yea in every thing, rather of ' than cut me short in there things, that the defires my foul are fo.tuch running after Thefe defires of theirs may fur- ther be fet forth by a fpring between a couple of hills ; the fpring will alwayes run through thofe lets that flop it, or elfe it will run over thole lets, for it cannot ceafe running if it he a living fpring ; fo the defires of a gracious foul will fill be running after God, and Chrift, and grace, &c. The good defires of bad men after God, and Chrill-, and grace, and ho- linefs, are like water in a Ciftern, that quickly runs out ; but the defires of a godly man after God,Chrift, grace, holinefs, re like water in a fountain that is ftill a running. An un- found Chriffian is never good at all times, he is only good by fits, and {tarts, and turns fometimes when be is Sermon -tick, or under a fmarting rod, or a gained confcience, or when he is under fame heavy crofs, or fad lofs; 0, then he will be good !. 0, then he will have God, and he will have Chrift, and he will have grace, and he will have heaven ; but this good frame, this good temper of his is not Tailing, 'tis not abiding, 'tis like a vapour that quickly vanifhes, or like a wind-mill that goes as long as the wind fills the fails, but no longer. Thefe are like SiArmsind the Emperor, who when he was Fick, would be very godly ; but when he was well,none more wicked. But, Twelfthly, No man can fincerely defire to abound and excel molt in thofe particular graces which are mail oppo- fite and contrary to thofe particular fins which his natural temper, constitution, complexion, calling, or condition, B b 2 does Pfal.4%."!,/, 3. Pfal.63. 1171, 3,it
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