Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

2. In particular: they daily weigh all their particular Actions §. 38 in the balance, and find them wanting, as to any such completeness, as upon their own account to be accepted with God. Oh! says a Saint, if I had nothing to commend me unto God, but this prayer, this duty, this conquest of a Temptation, wherein I my self see so many failings, so much imperfection, could I appear with any boldness before him? Shall I then piece up a garment of Righteousness out of my best duties; ah! it is all as a defiled cloth, Isa 64. 6. These thoughts accompany them in all their duties: in their best and most choice performances. Lord what am I in my best estate? How little suitableness unto thy Holiness is in my best duties? O spare me! in reference to the ^*best thing ⟨p. 216⟩that ever I did in my life. When a man who lives up on convictions, hath got some enlargements in duties, some conquest over a sin or temptation, he Hugs himself, like Micah when he had got a Levite to be his Priest; now surely it shall be well with him, now God will bless him, his heart is now at ease; he hath peace in what he hath done. But he who has Communion with Christ, when he is highest in duties of sanctification and holiness, is clearest in the Apprehension of his own unprofitableness, and rejects every thought that might arise in his heart, of setting his peace in them, or upon them. He says to his soul, do these things seem something to thee? Alas, thou hast to do with an infinitely Righteous God, who looks through and through all that vanity, which thou art but little acquainted withal; and should he deal with thee, according to thy best works, thou must perish.

2. In particular: they dayly weigh all their particular Actions §. 38 in the ballance, and find them wanting, as to any such compleatnesse, as upon their own account to be accepted with God. Oh! says a Saint, if I had nothing to commend me unto God, but this prayer, this duty, this conquest of a Temptation, wherein I my selfe see so many failings, so much imperfection, could I appeare with any boldnesse before him? Shall I then piece up a garment of Righteousnesse out of my best duties; ah! it is all as a defiled cloath, Isa 64. 6. These thoughts accompany them in all their duties: in their best and most choice performances. Lord what am I in my best estate? How little suitablenesse unto thy Holinesse is in my best duties? O spare me! in reference to the