The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

Answ. 1 I answer. 1. God works this holy importunity in the hearts of his people at their first conversion, then is the time when they are most earnest after God in duties. Austin tells us it was so in his ¹time. first, Converts were most fervent, and affectionate towards God in duty, when they were first brought from the state of nature into the state of grace. At the first taste of the excellency of grace they are much ravished with it, because ⟨p. 30⟩of the newness of the conditions; New things do most affect men.

Answ. 1 I answer. 1. God workes this holy importunity in the hearts of his people at their first conversion, then is the time when they are most earnest after God in duties. Austin tells us it was so in his ¹time. first, Converts were most fervent, and affectionate towards God in duty, when they were first brought from the state of nature into the state of grace. At the first taste of the excellency of grace they are much ravished with it, because ⟨p. 30⟩of the newnesse of the conditions; New things doe most affect men.

1. 1Plurimi novitate conversionis serventes erant.

2. There is the most holy importunity in a man, when he lives under the clearest apprehension, and assurance of Gods love ¹in Christ. Psal. 42. 4. When I remembered these things, I pour out my soul in me: when he remembered, and considered the marks and tokens of Gods grace in him, and love to him, this made him importunate. A Christian may be compared to a Marigold, which while the Sun shines upon it, opens it self, but afterwards shuts. Christians, when the Sun of Gods favour shines upon them, their souls are enlarged, their affections inflamed towards God; but when God hides his face, they are troubled, their hearts are straitened, and they cannot pray as they used to do. It is said of the Nightingale, that when she thinks any one is near, she sings more sweetly then when she is alone in the wood. The soul, when it sees that God is near it, and that his favour is towards it, then it sings most sweetly, then it prays most fervently; but when the love of God is clouded, and the soul left as it were alone; then the affections flag, and grow remiss in prayer.