A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

IIDvkCjOf260 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGAnd to him * that is athirst I will give to drink of the waterof life freely ' (Revel, xxi, 6). And David doubted not tosay, 'The Lord heareth the desire of the humble' (PsalmX, 17)*."" I think, whensoever the humbled sinner sees an infiniteexcellency in Christ, and the favour of God by him, that itis more worth tiian all the world, and so sets his heart uponit that he is resolved to seek it without ceasing, and topart with all for the obtaining it ; now, I take it, is faithbegun."— "What graces thou unfeignedly desirest, andconstantly usest the means to attain, thou haslt."" There is no rock more sure than this truth of God, thatthe heart that complaineth of the want of grace, desirethabove all things the supply of ihat want, useth all holymeans for the procurement of that supply, cannot be destituteof saving grace |."**Such are we by imputation as we be in affection. Andhe is now no sinner, who for the love he beareth to righteousnesswould be no sinner. Such as we be in desire andpurpose, such we be in reckoning and account with God,who giveth that true desire and holy purpose to none but tohis children whom he justifieth §."" We must remember that God accepts affecting foreffecting ; willing for working ; desires for deeds ;purposesfor performances ;pence for pounds ; and unto such as dotheir endeavour, hath promised his grace enabling themevery day to do more and more ||.""If there be in thee a sorrow for thine unbelief ; a willand desire to believe ; and a care to increase in faith bythe use of good means ; there is a measure of true faithin thee, and by it ihou mayest assure thyself that thou artthe child of God If.""It is a great grace of God to feel the want of God'sgraces in thyself, and to hunger and thirst after them**."" If you desire healing of your nature, groan in desire forgrace, perceive your foulness unto a loathing of yourself,fear not, sin hath no dominion oyer you."— " Sense of wantof grace, complaint and mourning from that sense, desire,settled and earnest, with such mourning to have the wantsupplied, use of good means, with attending upon himtherein for this supply, is surely of grace."— " What graces* Byfield, In his Exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossiaiis,chap, i, ver. 4.t Rogers of Dedhani, iu his Doctrine of Faith, chap. ii.t (!rook, scrm. ill. $ Greenliani.vSelf-Deceivinjr, chap. xix. % Perkins, on (iaiatians.* * Broad, p. 88.