Againfi fpiritual wickdnefie. 293 foules paffe their dayes ! If youenquire what is the caufe, you (hall finde all their joy runs out at the crannies of their imperfect duties and weak graces ; they cannot pray as they would, and walk as they defire with evenneffe and conflancy ; they fee how fhort they fall of the holy rule in the Word, and the patterne which others more eminent in grace do let before them, and this though it doth not make them throw the Promifes away, and quite renounce all hope in Chrift, yet it begets many lad fears and fufpitions, yea, makes them fit at the feaRChrift bath pro- , vided, and not know whether they mayeat or not. In a word, as it robs themof their joy, fo Chrift of that glory which he should receive from their rejoycing in him, I do not fay, ( Chri. than) thou oughteft nortomourn for thole defeas thou findeft in thygraces and duties, nay, thoucouldeft not approve thy felt tobe fincere, if thou delft nor. A gracious heart, teeing how far fhort his renewed Rate (for the prefent) falls ofmans primi- tive holineffe by Creation, cannot but weep and mourn, (as the Jewes to behold the fecondTen'ple) yet (Chriftian, even while the tears are in thy eyes for thy impede& graces, (for a foule rifeth with his grave-clothes on) thou fhouldeft rejoyce, yea, triumph over all thefe thy defeas by faith in Chrift, in whom. thon art compleat, Col. I. io. while imperfect in thy felle. Chrifts prefence in the fecond Ternple,(which the firft had not), made it (though comparatively mean) more glorious then the firft . Hag. 2.9 howmuch more doth his prefence in this fpi- ritual temple of a gracious heart, imputing his righteoufneffe to cover all its uncomelineffe, make the foule glorious above man at firft? This is a garment for which (as Chrift faithof the lilie) we neither fpin nor toile ; yet esIdam in all his created royalty was not fo clad, as the weakeft believer is with this on. I his foul. Now,Chriftian, confider well what thou doeft, while thou fitteft languifhing under the lenfeof thy ownweakneffes, and refufeft to rejoyce in Chrift, and live comfortably an the , fweet priviledges thou art intereffed in by thy marriage tohim. Doeft thou not bewray some of this fpiritual pride working is thee'? 0, if thou couldeft praywithout wandering, walk with- out limping, believe without wavering, then- thou couldeft re- " Joyce and walk chearfully. It feems, foule, thou ftayeff tobring the aroundof thy comfort with thee,and not to receive it pure- __
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