TS g The CoRel-Illjftery Direa. X . clothmake it eafy, or CuiTer it to be difficult, according - as he is pleafed to communicate his grace in various degrees unto our fouls. 3 Though we cannot pofribly perform this great work in a right manner, until the Spirit of God work faith in our hearts by his mighty power; yet it is neceffary that we fliould endeavour it; and that before we can find the Spirit of God working faith ef}eaually in us, or giving ftrength to believe. We can perform no holyduty acceptably, except the Spi- rit of God work it in us , and yet we are not here- by excufed from working ourfe:ives, but we are the rather ftirred up to,the greater diligence : " Work " out your falvation, with fear and trembling ; for " it is God that worketh in you both to will and to '' do of his good pleafure," Phil. ii 12. 13. The way whereby the Spirit works faith in the ele&, is by ftirring them up to endeavour to believe. And this, is away fuitable to the means that the Spirit uf- eth; i. e.`the exhortations, commands and invitations of the; gofpel ; which would be of no force, if we were nbt to obey them, until we find faith already wrought-in üs. Neither canwe poffibly find, that the Spirit of God doth effectually work faith, or give ftrength to believe, until we of it for all inward graces, as well as all other inward habits, are dif- cerned by their aas, as feed in the ground by its fpringing. We cannot fee any filch thing as love to God or man in our hearts before we aCt it. Children know not their ability to ft and upon their feet, un- til they have made trial, by endeavouring fo to do fo we knownot our fpiritual ftrength, until we have learned by experience from the -ufe and exercife of it. Neither can we know, or allure ourfelves abfo- luteiy, that the Spirit of God will give us ftrength to believe, before we aét faith; for fuQh a knowledge and affurance, if it be right, is Paving faith itfelf in. part; and whofoever trufteth on Christ. affuredly for fyrenggth to believe byhis Spirit, doth, in efleCt, truft
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