A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 269Ueason 4. That which Paul tells us in the point of communicatingto the necessities of the saints ; to wit, " Ifthere be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to thata man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Cor.viii, 12), holds true also in all other services and divine duties; so that we are accepted with the Lord accordingly aswe are inwardly affected, although our actions be not answerableto our desires. He that hath a ready and resolvedmind to do what he may, would undoubtedly do a greatdeal more if ability were ministered. God, saith Paul," worketh both to will and to do." If both be his ownworks, the desire as well as the deed, he must needs loveand like both the one and the other, both in respect of acceptationand reward. David did but conceive a purpose tobuild God a house, and he rewarded it with the buildingand establishing of his own house (2 Sam. vii, 16). He didbut conceive a purpose to confess his sin, and God's ear wasin his heart before David's confession could be in his tongue(Psalm xxxii, 5). To poor beggars that wanted food forthemselves, Christ shall say at the last day, Ye have fedme when I was hungry, only in regard of their strong affectionsif they had had means. The prodigal child, when hewas but conceiving a purpose of returning, was preventedby his father first coming to him ; nay, running towards him(Luke XV, 20). God will answer us before we call (Isa.Ixv, 24) ; that is, in our purpose of prayer.Besides scripture and reasons, I add ancient a,nd modernauthority ; not for any other confirmation, but only to showconsent." To desire the help of grace is the beginning of grace,"saith Austin*." Only thou must will, and God will come of his ownaccord," saith Basil t." He that thirsts, let him thirst more ; and he that desires,let him yet desire more abundantly ; because, so much as hecan desire, so much he shall receive."— Bernard t." Christ," saith Luther§, " is then truly omnipotent, andthen truly reigns in us, when we are so weak that we canscarce give any groan."Again :" The more we find our unworthiness, and theless we find the promises to belong unto us, the more wemust desire them ;being assured that this desire doth greatlyplease God, who desiieth and willeth that his grace shouldbe earnestly desired ||."* Lib. tie Correptioiic ct Gratia, cap. i. t 8erm. de Penitentia.t De Lectione Evaugelica, senn.i. i Tom. iv, p. 124.Ibid,II r- 300.2A 3