A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 271CHAP. IX.By uiiut Marks true Desires of Grace in us may be known.BtFORE 1 come to the use of this comfortable point, lest anydeceive themselves about it, as the notorious sinner, themere civil man, and the formal professor may all do veryeasily, take notice of some marks of this saving desire.It is—1. Supernatural ; for it follows an effectual conviction ofsin and co-operation of the spirit of bondage with thepreaching and power of the law ; for a thorough casting aman down in the sight of the Lord, showing and convincinghim to be a sink of sin, abomination, and curse ; to be quiteundone, lost, and ruined in himself (which preparativework, precedent to the desire I speak of, is itself abovenature); whereupon the soul thus enlightened, convinced,and terrified, being happily led unto and looking upon theglorious mystery of the gospel, the excellency and otier ofJesus Christ, the sweetness and freeness of the promises,the heavenly splendour and riches of " the pearl of greatprice," doth conceive by the help of the Holy Ghost thisdesire and vehement longing, which you may then know tobe saving, when it is joined with a hearty willingness andunfeigned resolution to sell all, to part with all sin, and tobid adieu for ever to our darling delight. It is not then aneffect only of self-love, not an ordinary wish of natural appetite,like Balaam's (Numb, xxiii, 10) ; of those who desireto be happy, but are unwilling to be holy ; who wouldgladly be saved, but are loath to be sanctified.2. It ever springs from a humble, meek, and bruised spirit; very sensible, both of the horror of sin and happiness ofpardon ; both of its own emptiness and of the fulness inChrist ; never to be found in the affections of a self-ignorant,self-confident, unhumbled phaiisee.3. It must be constant, importunately greedy after supplyand satisfaction. Not out of a pang or passion only, orbegot by the tempest of some present extremity, like a flashof lightning, and ihen quite vanishing away when the stormof terror and tempation is over. For if a sincere thii st afterChrist be once on foot, and takes root in a heart truly humbled,it never determines or expires in this life or the life tocome.4. It is ever linked and enlivened with a continued andconscientious use and exercise of the means ; and draws