Be firong in the Lord.. 2L laid in glory, where Saints fhall more plainly fee, how God was not only Founder to begin, but Benefaefour alto to finifh the fame. The gloryof the work (hall not be crumbled, and piece-meal'd out, fome to God, and fome to the creatura, 1 but all entirely paid in to God) and he acknowledged all in all. S E C T O N 2. Isthe Chriftians ftrength in the Lord, not inhimfelf, Surely Vfe a .. , then the Chriffleffe perfen mull needs be a poor impotent crea- ture, voidof all ftrength and ability ofdoing any thing of it felf towards its own falvation. If the fhip launch't, rigg'd, and with her fails fpread cannot air, till the winde come faire and fills them, much leffe can the timber that lies in the Carpenters yard, hew and frame it felf into a fhip. If the living tree can- not grow, except the root communicate its fap, much leffe can a dead rotten flake in the hedge, which hath no root, live of its own accord. In a word, if a Chriflian,' that bath this fpiri. tual life of grace, cannot exercife this life, without fliength from above ; then furely, one void of this new life, dead in fins and trefpaffes, can never be able to beget this in himielfe, or concur to the produetion of it. The flate of unregeneracy is a flate of impotency, when we were Wi;,b6utfirength in due I ms Chrift died for the ungodly, Rom. 5, 6. And as Chrifl found the lump of mankinde covered with the -alines of their lapfed e- ftate, (no more able to raife themfelves from under the weight of Gods wrath which lay upon them, then one buried under the rubbifh of a fallen boufe, is to free himfelfe of that weight I without help) fo the spirit findes fanners in as helplefs a conditi- 1 on, as unable to repent, or believe on Chrift for falvation, as i they were of themfelves to purchafe it. Confounded therefore for I ever be the language of thole ions ofpride, who cry up the power 1iof nature, as if manwith his own briciondJaime of natural a- bilities were able to reare up fuch a building, whole top may 1 reach heaven it felfe. It is not of him that trigeth Or runneth, but Rom.9.x6 ., 1 god that fhstreth mercy, God himfelf bath /coffered fuch 7? ahel- D .3 builders ,
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