Goodwin - BV4500 G66 1650

4 Chritiaflls Growth. 17 cloth not fo ; if he finds Qrength, and power, and vigour to per- forme, and quicknelfe in the performance , he lookes ino fur- ther. That Poore Haan in the Gofpel, as he acknowledged his want of faith, that he had much unbeliefe in him, fo he goes out to Christ for the fupply, Lars/kip my unbeliefe, for he knew that it washe was tobe the worker ofevery degree of faith in him. And again,a truebeleever being thus fensúle of his own unability, doth (when he is any thing aflifted) attribute all to Chritt when he ha.th done ; and honours him as the Anther of it in himfelfe ; confeffeth in his heart, between Chrift and himfelfe, that it was not he, but Chrift that ftrengthned him : It is not I, (Cayes the Apofile) but thegrace ofClod in me, though I have lakeured more then they all. But another, though he receives all, yet not being emptyed ofhimfelfe, boafleth as ifhe had not received it. As the Pharifee, though he thankedGod in words, yet in his heart at- tributed all to himfelfe ; fuch an one is the more full, and lift up when he bath done,but the true branch more empty and humble. A truebeleever glories not of himfelfe as inhimfelfe, but onely as he is u man in Chrifl ; and that as a man in Chrift, he did thus or thus as Paul did, and no otherwife. So z Cor. 12. z. Ikneir a min in Chrifl, rc. offuch a man I will glorie, but of myfelfe I will not glorie. And yet it was himfelfe he fpake of, but yet not in himfelfe as ofhimfelfe, but as he was in Chrifl. And if it be asked, whether in every acî a Ch:iCtian Both thus ? 3 anfwer, It is in this as in that other parallel to this, The making Goda mans end : Now as it doth not require, that in-eve- ry anion a man shouldaftually think of that his end, whin} yet habituallyhe makes it his aime : (as a man in his journey, doth not think of the place he goes into every ftep he takes, yet fo ha- bitually bath it in his thoughts, as he keeps in the way to it.) Pa- rallel co this is it in doing all in Chrifl, it cannot be fuppofed that in every aa a manhath fuch a diftina thought of recourfe to Chrift ; but at the beginning and entrance of greater ac$ions, he fä11 bath fuch aecings and exercife of faith ; And alto often, ill the progreffe he reneweth them, and in the conclufion, when he hath performed them, he loth fan&fie Chrift in his heart, by afcribing the praiseof all unto him. C 3. If: `uef. .Anfv. Whether in e- very aft a Be- leever doth all in Christ.

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