contemplative1st. An unregenerate man may have many faint velleties, and wishings, and wouldings after grace.
When he hears so much spoken of the beauty and excellency of holiness, he is convinced, in his judgment, that these things are true: that without holiness no man shall see the Lord: that though, while he is carnal, spiritual duties are tedious and a burden to him; yet, where he spiritual, they would become more delightful to him, than those pleasures of sin, which keep him from closing with grace: and that, where he renewed, those very pleasures of sin would become unsavoury to him; and that, which now he is afraid to lose if he would turn to conscience, he would not value the loss of. When an unregenerate man, I say, is thus convinced of this, it will make him to break out into pangs of affectionate wishing for grace. "Oh, that I were holy and gracious! I wish my heart were changed and renewed. I wish I were better, and could do better." I appeal to every man's conscience, when he hath been convinced of the excellency and desirableness of holiness, whether he hath not breathed forth such wishes as these. . ." pg. 404 Ezekiel Hopkins 'The Almost-Christian Discovered'