Burroughs - Houston-Packer Collection BX7233.B87 G67 1660

On the Nature of Gad. a heart inlarged with grace for the portion of it, though a fuch a one fees its felf unworthy of the lea{} crum of bread, yet it cannot bee fatisfied with all the world , what then will fatisfie him? onely God himfelf, fir fo God propounds F'fa7.16,50 himfelf unto his people in way of Covenant, I will beethy God, I will bee your portion; And upon this, thofe that are in Covenant with him , though they do rejoyce to fee God manifefting himfelf in all his Names , they biefs God for the beholding fo much as they do of him in his works ; but the thing that their hearts are moll upon , is God him- (elf, the excellency that there is in God above all his works. And as it is in praifing God,fo affair is in ocher workings of theheart towards God,as nowgrace doth not love God fo much for what God gives to ir, as for what God is himfelf; that is the difference between true fanctifying grace, and common grace; common gracemay make mee love God for what I receive from him, or for what I hope to receive from him; but fanaifying grace makes mee. to love God for'what is in himfelf , more than for what I receive from him, or expeA to receive ; and fo there may bee the fear of God for fome works of God , when God doth manifetl his power and dreadfulnefs in his works , in thundring or lightening, then the heart of a finner may fear God, though there bee no grace; but nowwhere there is grace , fuch a one fears God more, becaufe of that excellency bee fees in God himfelf, than from any dreadful works of God; and this would bee a good rule to try your feives by : You fay you fear God,why ? if you fear God, if it bee the right fear of God, you will fear God more for what you fee in God himfelf, than for any works of God, thanfor any works of his judgements, or rhreatnings, and the like And to in the &fires of the heart after God, why, where the heart is gra- cious it works after God for himfelf , and not for his gifts; It is an argument of a falfe love a whorish love, for the wife ro love her husband for thatihee shall have by him, ;std not to love his perfon more a Md. fo it is a Sign- of a bafe-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=