Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

Chap. t o. and the Covenant of Grace. %i fo that all unconverted Rand equally diftant from the grace of it fo that, that can be Paid of no one rather then another, which Chrift faid to the Scribe, Thou art not farre from the I: mgdonae of God, Mar. 12. 34 fee not how thefe can make the preaching of the word of any ufe ; our Brethren that went into eAmerica, and offer the Gofpel to favage Indians there, may as well finde Chrift there, as bring him thither. The dark places of the earth may be equally happy, with thofe where light is in molt glory, if light contribute nothing to the work of change, and the happy frame of Chrift in us. But thofe that have learn't that infufed ha- bits are wrought in the foul in the fame manner as thofe that are acquired, may eafily rerurn a fatisfying anfwer. That opinion that the foul is by an immediate creation infufed, how generally foeverit is received, yet never was thought offorce to render the way of marriage ufeleffe for procreation; God infufes not a foul by creation into any but an organized body, an Embryo fitted to receive it. Neither can this opinion of the power of grace in the work of Converfion, render in vain the labours of thofe that are fpiritual Parents. Convic4ion is in order before Converfion, and men muff fee thernfelves neceffìtated to do what they do, before ever they enter upon it. The foule knoweth what it doth, when it firft beleeves, and fees a neceffity to accept Chrift before it re- ceives him, which is the work of the Word in the foules of thofe that are brought to Chrift Jefas. It is not in vaine for God to fend his Minifters to fhew the myfteries of the Kingd'ome of hea- ven to thofe that are blinde, when this is the way of God to open their eyes and give them fight. It is not in vain that he fends them to thofe that are without ftrength, when this is his I way to enable them with power. It is not in vain that maul plants,and .4polloswaters, when yet it is God that gives the in- ¡creafe, when God will ufe Paul and eApollos for the increafe that i he gives. Minifters fhould perfwade and people improve en- i deavours though they were Pelagians,and no help of grace affor- ded they fhould pray and beleeve and reff on grace as though ¡ they were Antinomians, nothing of endeavour to be looked after; fo that both the injury that the Pelagian doth to grace , and the e4ntinomiin to our endeavours may be avoided, C H A`.P: Habitus infufz infitnduntur ad ' modum torum.

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