657 / 772
Comfort'
for
`thof
who
fie
and
f
eele
their
irnperfeétions.a
3
t
loueth
;
that
he
forrow'and
grieue for his
finnes
and imper
feelions;
audinaking
'confëffion
hereon before the
throne
of
grace,
doe implore
merde
and
forgiueneffe
in
Chriil+
Iefus.
And
ifwee
offer
veto
God
this righteoufnef
c,
it
.i1I
be
ac-
ceptable
veto
him, notwithflanding our
manifold imperfe-
&ions;
for hee
meaflitreth
our dccde by our will, and
eflee-
meth
max of
our
affe&ions
than
of
our
aelions
;
Nee
intue-
tßrr
Deta
quantatm.
psi
valeat,
fed quantum
velit,
CJ"
quic-
quid
vise
non
poles,
Deus
faEtum
concputat
:
Hee refpecleth
not
what
we can
doe,
but what
wee
would
,doe,
and
that
which
wee
would
performe
and cannot,
hee
ellecmeth
it
as
though it
were performed.
So
that
he
reputeth
him
righte-
ous, who
earneflly
defreth
and
labo.ureth
to
bee
righteous,
and him petfe6t, who
acknowledging
and-
bewailing
his
im-
perfeelions flriueth
toattaine
to
more perfeélion.
Wherein
he
fitly may
be compared vnto
a
tender
louing father, who
efleemeth
ofthe
leafl endeuours
of
his
beloued fonne,more
than
ofthebea
adlions
ofa
feruant,becaufe
he
regardeth
not
fo
much the
excellencie
of
the a6lion,
as
the perfon-and
cheerefull will
oftheag'ent.
Now
there
fonswhy the
Lord being
perfe&ly
iufl, will
notwithflanding
accept
of
our imperfe& righteoufneffe,
is
firfl, becaufe
(we
being
made members
ofChriflsbodie)
our
perlons are acceptable unto
him, and
therefore our workes
alfo
(not in
their owne worthiness
orfortheir
owne merit,
but inand
for Chrifl)are
accepted
;
the
corruptions
& Haines
of
them
being
wáfhed away in his
blood,
and the
imperfe-
etions
of
them being couered
with
Chrifls perfeel
righte-
oufueffe.And thus'being adorned
in the
garment
of
our
el-
der
bróther
Chrifl Iefus, we obtaine the blefling
of
our
hea-
uenly
father.
'Secondl
Your
ri
hteoufneffe
and
holineffe
dothproceede
from
the
îfpirit.of
God
dwelling
in
vs
;
and
from
henceourworkes
being impede&
in themfclues,
doe
receiuetheir dignitie,
excellencie,
and
of
}imation in
Gods
fight,asbeing
the
fruites
ofhis
own
fpirit,
howfoeuer
ming-
led with
our
corruptions.
Thirdly,
let
vs
remember
that
our
finnes
and
7corruptions
which
we
hate andlabour
to mortifie,
will ncuer mooue the
s
C.,
4
`-Lord
flilaillb.
§
Sect77.
IVVVhy
the Lord
accept cth
of
our impe,
feet
righteoufnej
e.
,Sec7.8.