If a man can truly say, Lord, I would believe more steadfastly if I could, and I strive to believe, and I would pray better, if I could, yet as well as I can, I now present my supplications ⟨p. 221⟩before thee, I would serve thee more fully, more entirely, that is the desire of my soul, and my endeavour, if I had wherewithal, thou shouldst have a better heart, more lively affections, more ample and cheerful duties, all should be better, if I had a better power: I say that notwithstanding the many imperfections, yet this uprightness, this holy frame of a complete and active will (wherein all the powers of the soul are bent to services according to the present power of the measure of grace •••eived) is a most sweet smelling sacrifice, and mounts into the most gracious acceptance of God in Christ. I pray you remember that of David, like as a father pities his child, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Psal. 103. 13. And that of the Prophet, I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him, Mal. 3. 17. The father commands his child to lift up the weight, and the child readily addresseth to the obedience, he lifts, and assays, and still he gives another ha at it, but perhaps he cannot get it quite up; why? the father likes his child for this, and though perhaps the weight be where it was, yet he calls this act of his child true obedience, why? because, though that be not done which the father imposed, yet it had been done if the child had more strength, and he endeavoured with all his strength for to do it. Or thus, the father wills the child to shoot an Arrow, the child draws the Arrow, perhaps but half way, and though his eye were upon the mark, yet his arrow falls short many Bows length; why? the father will yet commend all this, for though he sees that the Arrow is short, yet he observes that the Bow was drawn, and although the mark be not hit with the Arrow, yet it was aimed at with the eye of the child: so is it with God our father, who commands such and such duties, to which, if we address our selves with uprightness, he will wink and pass by the weakness in action, whiles he both observes and accepts the integrity of intention and affection.
If a man can truly say, Lord, I would believe more stedfastly if I could, and I strive to believe, and I would pray better, if I could, yet as well as I can, I now present my supplications ⟨p. 221⟩before thee, I would serve thee more fully, more intirely, that is the desire of my soul, and my endeavour, if I had wherewithal, thou shouldst have a better heart, more lively affections, more ample and chearful duties, all should be better, if I had a better power: I say that notwithstanding the many imperfections, yet this uprightnesse, this holy frame of a compleat and active will (wherein all the powers of the soul are bent to services according to the present power of the measure of grace •••eived) is a most sweet smelling sacrifice, and mounts into the most gracious acceptance of God in Christ. I pray you remember that of David, like as a father pities his childe, so the Lord pitieth them that feare him, Psal. 103. 13. And that of the Prophet, I will spare them as a man spareth his own sonne that serveth him, Mal. 3. 17. The father commands his childe to lift up the weight, and the childe readily addresseth to the obedience, he lifts, and assayes, and still he gives another ha at it, but perhaps he cannot get it quite up; why? the father likes his childe for this, and though perhaps the weight be where it was, yet he calls this act of his child true obedience, why? because, though that be not done which the father imposed, yet it had been done if the child had more strength, and he endeavoured with all his strength for to do it. Or thus, the father wills the childe to shoot an Arrow, the child draws the Arrow, perhaps but half way, and though his eye were upon the mark, yet his arrow falls short many Bowes length; why? the father will yet commend all this, for though he sees that the Arrow is short, yet he observes that the Bowe was drawn, and although the mark be not hit with the Arrow, yet it was aimed at with the eye of the childe: so is it with God our father, who commands such and such duties, to which, if we addresse our selves with uprightness, he will wink and passe by the weakness in action, whiles he both observes and accepts the integrity of intention and affection.
