728 The Go/pe1_Myiery DireEt. VII. grace of God in Chrift, f om. iv. 16, and renoun. Beth all dependence upon any conditions that we can perform to procure a right to Chrift, or to make ourfelves acceptable to him. It containeth in it an hearty love toChrift as a Saviour, and an hungering and thirf#ing appetite for his falvation; and it is the mouth whereby the foul feedeth hungrily upon him. What wedding-garment can (inners bring with them more delightful than this to their bountiful God, whofe great defign is to nianifeft the abundant rich. is of his glorious grace and bounty in this wedding. feaft ? The Father himfelf loveth them, becaufe they love Chrift, and believe that he came out fromGod, John xvi. 27. But yet we fee that the excellency of faith lieth in this, that it accounteth not itfelf, nor anyotherworkof ours,a fufficient ornament to make us acceptable in the fight of God. It will not be our wedding garment itfelf, but it buyeth of Chrift white raiment, that we may be clothed, and that " the fhame ofour nakednefs maynot appear, Rev. iii. 18. Though it loveth and defireth the free gift of holinefs; yet it abandons all thoughts of praEifing holinefs immediately, before we come to Chrift for an holy nature. It putteth on Chrift himfelf, and in him all things that pertain to life and godlinefs. Thus every true believer is " clothed with the fun," Rev. xii, r. even with the " Sun of righteoufnefs," the Lord Jefus ; who is pleafed to be himfelf both our wedding. garment and feafl, and all our fpiritual and eternal happinefs. For the more full fatisfaEtion and confolatiort of thofe diftreffed fouls that lie under the terrible ap- prehenfions of their own finfulnefs, and the wrath of God, and dare not venture to truft ftedfaftly on Chrift for their falvation, until they can find in them- felves fome change from fin to holinefs, I (hall men- tion particularly feveral of thofe things that fuch would find in themfelves; and I (hall {how, that, if fume of them be not partly comprehended in faith
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