ínConttíbíngOatt5 311etnitiptiort 303 Exceptye be converted and become as little children, ye Chap, z 6. fhallnot enter into the Kingdomof Heaven. As by Hu- t,/1/ß mility he purchas'd our Salvation, fo by that Grace we Mat r8' a' poffefsit. And fince Pridearifes out ofIgnorance, the Gofpelto caufe in us a juft and lowly fenfe of our un- worthinefs, difcovers the nakednefs andmifery of the humane Nature, deveftedofits primitive Righteoufnefs. It reveals the tranfmifonofOriginal Sin, from thefirft Man toall his Pofterity, wherewith they are infefted and debafed ; a Myftery fo far from our knowledg, that the participationofit feems impoflible, and unjuft to carnalReafon : We are dead in Sins and2'refpaffes,with- out any Spiritual ftrength to perform our Duty. The Ephef. z. Gofpel afcribes all that is good in Man to the free and powerful Graceof God : He works in us towill and to Phil. 2. rz; doofhisgoodpleafiare. He gives Grace to fome becaufe He is good, denies it to others becaufe He is Juft ; but doth injury to none, becaufe all being guilty Heows it tonone. Grace in its being and a&ivity en- tirely depends upon Him. As the drowfie Sap ;is drawn forth into fíourifhingand fruitfulnefs by theap- proaches of the Sun ; fo habitual Grace is drawn forth into ail by the prefence and influences of the Sun of Righteoufnefs. Without me, our Saviour tells his Dif- John rg. ciples, ye can do nothing. Ihave laboured more abundant- z Cor. r 1.13, ly than theyall, faith the Apoftle, yet not I, but the Graceof God inme. The operations ofGrace are ours, but the Power that enables us is from God. Our pre- fervation from Evil,and perfeverance in Good, is a moft free unmeritedFavour, the effeft ofhis renewed Grace in the courfeofourLives.Without his fpecialaffiftance, we fhould every hour forfake Him, and provoke Him to forfake us. As the Iron cannot afcend or hang in the Air longer than the virtue of the Loaditone draws it; Soour ,ffeEtions cannot afcend to thofe glorious things that
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