The life of Mr. John Hieron with the characters and memorials of ten other worthy ministers of Jesus Christ / written by Mr. Robert Porter ...

They are blessed that do hunger and thirst after Righteousness, af∣ter Christ for justification, and sanctification: Do not you so? Are not you empty, naked, barren of grace in your self, a dry tree? Are not you sensible of your your wants, and of your beggarly condition? Do not you not say with David, I am poor and needy Psal. 70 5. And with Paul, Rom. 7. 18. in me dwells no good thing? Is not your appetite and thirst after grace, as strong as Sampsons was for water, or Rachels for Children, give me Children or else I dye? Do you not thirst after more grace, and covet earnestly farther degrees of holiness, and wish you were the holiest, rather than the richest, or greatest, Lady, or Prin∣cess in the world? If so, then I question it not, but you are one of the blessed ones, in the judgment of Christ, who is infallible, and cannot mistake. What have you to say against this? I hope you rest satisfied about vile and vain thoughts, which do not lodge in you, but you repel them and reject them. These may be your grief and affliction, but are not your sin, cannot prejudice your good estate; nor ought your imperfecti∣ons, passions, corruptions (from which the best on earth are not free) to cause you to question your justification, or your being in Christ; So long as you bewail them, strive against them, and are humbled for them: your desire is to reach after perfection, and further Measures of holiness. These desires are of and from the Spirit of God. And he accepts the will for the deed, as was shewed in divers instances. Nay this to me

makes it clear, if God account impious desires, vicious, ungodly, in∣ordinate lusts for the sin it self, or deed done; as Hatred with him is imputed Murder: 1 Joh. 3. 15. Lusting after a woman, though she remain chast, is Adultery (in Gods account) in the man. So much more longing and thirsting desires after grace, are beginnings of grace; and such desires God accepts, and will fulfil them; Psal. 145. 19. provided they be gracious and holy desires, humble desires springing from a bro∣ken heart, from one that is poor in Spirit, if they be constant, unsatis∣fied, vehement in the use of means; and that a man so prize Christ and his grace, that he be ready to sell all to buy the Pearl. Now this being your condition, what cause have you to leave your doubting, and spend your dayes in rejoycing, and praising God for his singular Mercy in con∣ferring on you so excellent a gift, as is saving grace; which is so rare a gift, like gold to be found with few persons; but more excellent than millions of gold and silver. Let your meditation of God be sweet, and admire his wonderful love to you in Christ, and how great things he hath done for you.

Yours.