[ 621] A sense of the want of Grace, a true sign of Grace.
IT is the first step unto Grace, for a man to see no Grace, and it is the first degree of Grace,* 1.1 for a man to desire Grace; as no man can sincerely seek God in vain, so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain: A man may love gold, yet not have it, but no man loveth God but is sure to have him; Wealth a man may desire, yet be never the neerer for it,* 1.2 but grace no man ever sincerely desired, and missed it; and why? It is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart, and he will never fru∣strate the desire that himself there hath wrought:* 1.3 Let no man say, I have no Faith, no Repentance, no Love, no fear of God, no sanctifying, no saving grace in me; Doth he see a want of these things in himself? yes, that is it which so grieves him, that he cannot love God, stand in awe of him, trust in his mercy, repent of sin as he should; yea, but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus? yes, he desires it above all things in the world, and would be willing (as it were) to buy, even with a whole world the least measure, or dram, or drop onely of such grace; Who is it,* 1.4 let me ask him, who is it that hath wrought this desire in him? Not the De∣vil, he would rather quench it all he could in him; Not his own corruption, that is naturally averse thereunto; It must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God, and of him who affirmeth all them to be in a blessed plight,* 1.5 that thus desire af∣ter grace.