S u c r,N;j, ixGOdi Statutes, andkeeping his.ttdgerenas. S49 catfe ne re walkin hisflames : So that the former part of thepromife, is for the principles of grace ; this latterpart, forthe alts and exercife of grace. We read in Scripture, that David, Peter, and others, who hadthe inward -princi- ples of grace, yet for want oftheactual exercife ofthem,did grievounywound their own fouls and fadly difhonor the name of God : So that betewe have a fpecial remarkable point afforded us, viz. That God deth not onely at firfl infufe the principlesofgrace in his children, but We. bjerv: itsnecefrary he fhould alfo inable them to all and improve thole principles. He Bothnot onely give us power to holy adions,but he works allo theholy anions themfelves : So that not onely theprinciples of Believing, Repentance, &c. are the gift of God, but the very as alto of thefe graces: Thus the Apotile faith, That God worketh in tu, not only towill, but redo, Phil.a.i 3. not onclythe power, but the a&ionit felf. This point in the explicationof it, will much manifeft andexalt thegrace of God as all in all ; and then it will let forth the exaR dutyof Chriflianity, whofe glory lieth in the daily exercife ofgrace, not in the principlesor root of it : And Pir1l, We Will epee thefenfe of the D oDlrine,'and thenprove it by feveral Ar- guments ; for Pelagian; Arminian, and feveral Papi/ts, are agamn this ex- cellent and glorious truth, attributing indeed the fufficiency and power ofdoing a good aftion, to Gods grace, but the adualefficacy of it to a mans will. Cderäti bathe fief#place therefore, conlider,that there is a twofold graceof God,as to C onG - a taopen Our matter is hand ; There isgrace Regenerating, or Converting ; wherebyofmen the Cenfe of dead in fin, andwholly fenfelefs, we come to have a life of Grace, and a Di- this Doetriol. vine Naturewe are made partakersof. Secondly, there is after thisapicking, preventingorexcising grace; where- ai by that former principle'of grace is furred up, and provoked to aftion. Ithan not aridly attend to the School diftinetions of grace, Prevenient, Conco- mitant, and Subfequent, of grace operant, and co- operant: I !hall ufe the Scripture phrafe,Luickning Grace ; which is not onely at flri'c of men dead in fin, and giving life unto them, inwhich,fenfe Paul ufeth it, Ephef..2. hot alfö for the exciting and furring up thofe principlesofgrace in us, both to aft, and alfotoincr of ; asDavid,Tfdaa9. prayeth many times, efpecially verfe 88. Ruickenme after thy loving kfndeneJs, fo flail I keep thy teJitmonies: This is a bleffed temper, and happyare thofe who do not by negligence , or any other fin, provokeGod to withdraw this exciting grace ; for although a godly man loofe not his principles of grace, yet if he look this quickning, this ac4mg of grace, be is for theprefent like a barrenwildernefs: So then you fee, God bath à twofold grace, Initial and Converting, Exciting and ickning, which .ut need every hour, every moment,, and mull pray for more earnenly, then we would for our daily bread. Secondly, Tots mufl know,. that there is a great difference inmany while lee re- f6 eeiveththe one, and while Godenableth himto `the other : Theft arenot fpeeulative notional points, that tend not toedification, but are exceeding profitable; for if we confider man as the fubjell of thatfirft-convertinggrace, fo he is meer- ly paflìve, he Both not at all co- operateor workwith the grace of God ; for you heard, he had Aßony heart, and he is deadinfin ; and grace converting, is compared to theRefurreflion: So that as Lazarus, when he was mired tolife, didnot contribute any help thereunto of himieif, but was wholly pave; fo it is in everyman that is at fiat converted toGod, heduth not further this great work,heBothnot defire,heBoth not fet it on;yea, he ufeth all the power and re- finance hecan againfl it, tillGodconquer the heart by his Omnipotent power; but it is orherwile in this exctingand quicknitog grace,for there being theCaper,. natural principles of gracebefore,when he is flirted up,he is not meetly paffive ; but being fin i ailed by the graceof God,we thenaft & move alfo;fothat weare voluntary andfree in thofeexetcifes ofgrace ;though grace moves, yet We alfo mover r
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