CharaEters of falfe delires after rghteoufneffe. of more worth then the Gold of Oph;r, bath God discovered' ro you the need of grace, and your undone condition without righteoufneffe, if k come not from there grounds they are but falfe delires : Many have a falfe appetite, as lick men think they could eate food, but when it is brought to them they can not eat it,their fiomacks faile them, fo there men,they delire righteourneffe, they fee worth ïn_it, and nothing is dearer to then then righteoufneffe, but when God in the Miniftry ofhis word tenders grace to them, holds forth this righteoufneffe in the Miniftry of the Gofpel,they have no hearts, no mind to it: How often bath God moved thee by his Spirir, and then thou haft refuted to hearken; though thou fayeft thou defireLI with all thy foule, yet when God comes CO make a proffer thou haft no delire, were thy delires right at any 'time, they would be right at all times, but this thews thy delires are not true, but that it is a falfe appetite which thou haft, becaufe it is not conftant. Secondly, Such delres are falfe who fatisfie themfelves with foolifh delires, when men delire the end, and not the meanes, when men would be happy,but will not ufe the means that leads to happineffe, will we not account that man a foolifh man that (hall delire food, 0 that I had fomething to eat, O that I had bread, or meat, but will not Peek for it,will not take pains to get k, to a man would be-at fuch a place, and he ear - neftly delires tobe there, but he will not f +ep one foot in the way that leads to it, he lyes Rill and firs not, fo whenmen de- fire grace, and not make ufe of all means, nor beg ofGod to blare the means to them ; Can you fay thus, are you able to appeale as inthe pretence of God, Lord, whatfoever means I know thou haft aprointed in thy word to attáine fuch a thing, I have made ufe of ir, and I have negle &ed no opportunity whereinI could enjoy the meanes for the furthering of me to fuch an end, art thou able to fay thus, then thou mayeft have, comfort that thy defiresare right, but when thy delires are large, and thy endeavours cold, and dolt not make ufe of all means, never flatter thy felfe, thy delires are not right. Thirdly, 333
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