That thede/ire ofGods graces isacceptedfor thegraces which-roe de- Ere. i,,Cor.8. rs. Matth.5.6. §.Sea The cotditi required vn that define which isAC- teptable. 4,,,,.,,; ;:.. aftlIN I ao Hold the ChriPian bei g foiledmay be railed. That therefore there mourning foules may receiue forme cornfort,fetthemknowEli, that ifthey hauean earnefi de- fire ofrepentance,faith,and themil ofGods_graces ; ifthey haue a good purpofe to leaùe and forfake their finnes,and to (pend their hues in the feruice and worship of God : ifthey are difpleafed with their corruptions, and according to themeafure of grace giuen, pray vnto Gód, defiring the ailifiance of his hohe 1'pirit,-whereby they may more and more mortifie the old man, and crucifie the fleíh, and the Rifts thereof: if they hate the finne they commit,and loue the good which they cannot doe : if they can grime be- caufe theyare no more grieued for their finnes, and bee dif- pleafed with themfelues, becaufe their fnnes doe no more difpleafe them : thenmay they be affitred that they are Gods children,whoare acceptablevnto him in Iefus Chrifl. For he refpeeleth not fo much our aelions as our affections ; nor our workes,as our deliiresand indeuours : fo thathewho de- fires tobe righteous,is righteous; he that would repent,doth repent; hee that firiueth to leaue and forfake his finnes,hee reputeth ofhim,..as ifhehad left and forfaken them; they that would neuer fall, nor bee foiled by their fpirituall e- nemies, God efleemeth ashis inuinciblefouldiers, and va- liant worthies, who were neuer vanquifhed. For theLord accepteth thedelre for the deede; and ifthere befirft a lbtl- lingminde, it is acceptedaccording to that aman loath, and not .according to that awaybathnot, as it is 2.Cor.8.1 2. So he is accounted bleffed, not whohath attained vnto perfeel in- herent righteoufnefle indeede, but hee who hungrethafter righteoufüeffe,Matth.5.6. that is, Whohath a fenfe and fee- lingofhis Wants and imperfeelions, and withal! an carnet} . delire to haue hiswants fupplied. But yet we mull not imagine,thateuery flickeringand vn- ons confiant delire, proceeding from fuddaine paílion,and force lo extraordinarie occafion, ispleafing vntoGod; for fo euery worldling might imaginehimfelfe tobe in the Rate ofgrace: but vnto this delireI fpeake.of, there are diuers things re- quired. As firfl,that this delirebe ioynedwith anholy rode- uour, andearnefl firiuing and labouring in the vie of.the meaner,, '1, 1
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