Chap. o. and the Covenant of Grace. 09 3. This will make vain and void the prayers of' the people of God, which in the Scripture is put into their mouths; 'Draw me, and we will ronne, Cant. i. y, Turne than us, O Lord and fo fhall eve be turned, Lament, 5.21. Create in me a clean heart, and renue a right jt ar;t;acknowledging their own weaknefs to do, and a necef- fity of grace to effe&,what in order to their falvation is called for. 71.Y. If the Apoftle may be heard, his authority will put it out of queflion, exhorting to work out our own falvation with fear and trembling ( which is done no other way then in coming up to that which God calls for in Covenant :) he gives in his reafon for encouragement ; It is God that works in us the will and the deed. The fpeciai hand and power of God concurring in this work is our encouragement from the Apoflle to fet upon it. How can he encourage to this work upon this account that God works in us , to will and to do , if there were not a work of God upon us before there be any loci work done by us ? we work , but he fets us on working ; we will, but he fees us on willing; let all the glof- fes that have ever been put upon thefe words to promote the will and work of man , and enervate the free grace of God, in the great concernments of falvation be examined, and they will all fall"of themfelves before this Text of the Apoflie. See Dr Ward on the words in his Sermon. called Gratia diicriminans. CHAP..X. Obejc`tzions againfi the former Doc-trine anj,uered. Ur Tome fay, Abfurdities,and thole not a few follow upon this Doet rine.Then falvation in this new Covenant , is qs impoffible for a man, as in the old had he flit' remained under a Covenant of Works. If we can no more rife up to the terms of the Covenant of grace . then we can to the Covenant of Works, where then is the difference? To which ? anfwer ; that a man void of grace can no more be i faved by the Covenant of Grace, then a man under an impoflïbi- lity to work can be faved by the Covenant of W órks , will eafily be granted. By grace we are raved Epef. 2.8. not of our felves. It is flill equally impo(lìble in both to be feif- faviours. Here is the difference. Grace railes us unto that to which gie Gofpel calls us, to falvation in a feif- denying way through faith , but works K 3 us Objea e.4nfxm.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=