Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

meanes, wherebywee may attaine vnto thofegraceswhich 'wedoe delire : for it is not fuflïcient that weewith for faith, repentance, and other graces,vnlefl'evve indeuour to attaine vnto them, and to this end carefully vfe all good meanesor- dained ofGod for the obtaining our delires. Secondlie, thisdelremutt nobee fuddaine like a flafhof lightning, vanifhing away as foone as it entreth into vs,but we muff cont antly perfeuere in it, till itbe fatisfied. Thirdly,it muff notbeea flight, and indifferent deliire, as though wewouldhaue thofegraces,ifwe could eafilyattaine vnto them,otherwife weedoenot greatliecare whether we haue them or no : but it muff bee very earneD, atleaff Tome- time, though not alwaies : So as wee mayfay with Dauid : Myfo.0 to longethafterthee, O Lord,. as the thirflie land. Pfal. 63.1. And,As theHart brayeth for the rimersofDater, f pan- tethmyfouleafter thee, O God : as it is Pfal.42.1. Fourthlie,this delire is true, andpleafing vntoGod, when as it proceedeth froma fenfe ofour owne want and penurie, in regard whereofwee are trueliehumbled. Andhereofit is compared to hungering and thirffing; in which two thiJgs concurre, firfl,a fenfe ofwant which affli6teth vs, and, a de- fire tohaue it fupplied. Fiftly, it is not fufficient that we hauea continuall and car- net' delireofour.faluation, vnleífe wee delire as earneffly the fubordinate caufes andmeanes tending thereunto; namelie, vocation ,iuf}ification,faneification, faith, repentance, and the ref+ ofthe graces ofGods fpirit : for euen 'sham him- ,felle did wifh that he might die the death of the righteous, but his delire was not acceptable toGod, becaufe hewifhed notalfo to liue theirlife : he defired to die like them, that he might befaued; but hee defirednot to ferue the Lord inho- linefï'e and newnesoflife, whereby hemight haue been affu- red pffaluation. If therefore we would haue our delires acceptable to God,theymuffbe ioyned with an holie indeuour to obtaine :thole fpirituall graces which wedoedeire;theymuff be con- ffant, earneif, and proceede from a true fenfe and feeling of ourovine v' ant,andbe referred.as well tothemeanes, as to the Hoe the Chrfrrianbeingfoiledmaybe raifèd. 121

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