Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

A seventh benefit is, The acceptance of their fruits of holiness before the Lord. Though they be very imperfect they are accepted, because they savour of Christ the blessed stock, which the branches grow upon; while the fruits of others are rejected of God, Gen. ii. 4, 5. And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: But unto Cain and his offering he had not respect. Compare Heb. xi. 3. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. O how defective are the saints duties in the eye of the law! The believer himself espies many faults in his best performances; yet the Lord graciously receives them There is no grace planted in the heart, but there is a weed of corruption hard by its side, while the saints are in this lower world. Their very sincerity is not without mixture of dissimulation or hypocrisy, Gal. ii. 13. Hence there are defects in the exercise of every grace; in the performance of every duty: depraved nature always drops something to stain their best works. There is still a mixture of darkness with their clearest light. Yet this does not mar their acceptance, Cant. vi. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning? or as the dawning? Behold how Christ's spouse is esteemed and accepted of her Lord, even when she looks forth as the morning, whose beauty is mixed with the blackness of the night! When the morning was looking out, as the word is, Judges xix. 26. i. e. in the dawning of the day, as we read it. So the very dawning of grace, and good-will to Christ, grace peeping out from under a mass of darkness in believers, is pleasant and acceptable to him, as the break of day is to the weary traveller. Though the remains of unbelief make their hand of faith to shake and tremble; yet the Lord is so well pleased with it, that he employs it to carry away pardons and supplies of grace, from the throne of grace, and the fountain of grace. His faith was effectual, who cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief, Mark ix. 24. Tho' the remains of sensual affections make the flame of their love weak and smoky; he turns his eyes from the smoke, and beholds the flame, how fair it is,