244 From whence the hungring of the ford ari fette. much more, and by this at any time when you hear out of the word,the preaching of the righteoufnefs of Chrií }, or Jùí}ìtìca -. lion by Chrilk, you may come to know what it means by this lhort difcription. Now the feconi thing that is to be opened, it is the wo -k of the foul in the hungring and thirfling after this Righteoulnefs. For the opening of that we are to confider from whence this hunger and third arifes. It rifes from the deer apprehenn Pion and through conviction of thefe four things. Firti, The foul Both cleerly apprehend, and is throughly convinced that it bath need of a righteoufuefle to enable it to !}and before the holy and righteous God, when as men going . on in the Common way and courfe of the world, in the wayes of unrighteoufnefs, they little mind that they have to do with a righteous God, or if they have to doewith a righteous God, yet becaufe they think that-this God is merciful! as well as righteous and juf}, therefore they doe not apprehend any abfo- lute necellity of having any righteoufneße to enable them to f}and before this righteous God ; You fee it ordinary for peo- ple that have liv'd very ungodly all their dayes, when they ap- prehend death to be near, they apprehend themfelves to be . ready to appear before this righteous God,whar thoughts have they, but only. thus, The Lord have mercy upon me, I am a great (inner, God be mercifull to me and I truf} in Gods mer- cy, they look at nothing elfe when they are juf+ upon their ap- pearing before God. But now that foul that underfiands the wayes of God concerning finners, and bringing of them to fai- vatron, fuck, a foule comes to fee not only that God is merci- full, but comes to fee an abfolure neceflity of forne righteouf- nelle, to enable it to f}and before the righteous God, and that no unrighteous thing (hall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, and therefore if I gee out of this world anunrighteous foul, all the mercy that is in Heaven cannot fave me ; my conscience tells me that I hay.'been unrighteous in my way, the courfe of my life hath been unrighteous and ungodly, well now I am going to appear before the great and infinite righteous God, and it may be before the morning, muff my foule hand before that
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