182 TILE NATURE, CA self a-new, or to be born again of himself; to make him- self differ from others, by that which he path not in an especial manner received. It takes away the analogy that there is between the forming of the natural body of Christ in the womb, and the forming of his mystical body in regeneration. It makes the act of living unto God by faith and obedience, to be a mere natural act, no fruit of the mediation or purchase of Christ, and al- lows the Spirit of God no more power nor efficacy in or towards our regeneration, than is in a minister who preached) the word, or in an orator, who eloquently and pathetically persuades to virtue, and dehorts from vice. And all these consequences, it may be, will be granted by some amongst us, and allowed to be true; to that pass are things come is the world, through the confident pride and ignorance of men. But-not only it may be, but plainly and directly the whole gos- pel and grace of Christ are renounced where they are admitted. Sect. 21. This is not all that we s' pray for, either for ourselves or others, when we beg effectual grace for them or ourselves. There was no argument that the ancients more pressed the Pelagians withal, than that the grace which they acknowledged, did not answer the prayers of the church, or what we are taught in the scripture to pray for. We are to pray only for what God bath promised, and for the communication of it un- to us in that way whereby he will work it and effect it. Now he is at a great indifferency in this matter, who only prays that God would persuade him or others, to believe and to obey, to be converted or to convert him- self. The church of God bath always prayed that God would work these things in us; and those who have a real concernment in them, do pray continually that God would effectually work them in their hearts. They pray, that he would convert them, that he would create clean heart, and renew a right Spirit in them; that he would give them faith for Christ's sake, and increase it in them; and that in all these things he would work in them by the exceeding greatness of his power both to will and to do according to his good pleasure. And there is not a Pelagian in the world who ere once pray- Insniter et perfunetoriepodus quern veraciterpro eisut doctrinacui adversantur credendoconsentisnt, Deo fundimus preces, si ad ejus non pertinet Graham concertere ad fidem suam, ipsi fidel contrariesvoluntates. August. Epist. 107, USES, AND MEANS Med forgrace, or gracious assistance against sin and temp- tation, with a sense of his want of it, but that his pray ers contradicted his profession. To think that by all these petitions, with others innumerable dictated unto us in the scripture, and which a spiritual sense of our wants will engage into, we desire nothing but only that Godwould persuade, excite, and stir us up to put forth a power and ability of our own, in the performance of what we desire, is contrary unto all Christian experi- ence. Yea, for a man to lie praying with importunity, earnestness, and fervency, for that which is in his own power, and can never beeffected, bin by his owe power, is fond and ridiculous. . And they do but mock God who pray unto him to do that for theist which they can de for themselves, and which God cannot do for them, but only when and as they do it for themselves. Sup- pose a man to have a power in himself to believe and re- pent; suppose these to be such acts of his will as God loth not, indeed cannot by his grace work in him, but only persuade him thereunto, and she,v him sufficient reason why he should an do; to what purpose should this man, or with what congruity could he pray that God would give him faith and repentance. This some of late, as it seems, wisely observing, do begin to scoff at and reproach the prayers of Christians. For where- as in all their supplications for grace, they lay the faun- dation of them in an humble acknowledgment of their own vileness and impotency unto any thing that is spi- ritually good, yea, and a natural aversation from it, and a sense of the power and working of the remainder of in-dwelling sin in them; hereby exciting themselves un. to that earnestness and importunity in their requests for grace, which their a condition makes necessary, (which bath been the constant practice of Christians sincethere was one in the world;) this is by them derided and ex- posed to contempt. In the room therefore of such des- pised prayers, 1 shall supply themwith an ancient form that is better suited unto their principles. t The pre face unto it is, 14 111e ad Deum digne elevat manes, ille Prima Divini munerie Gratia est, uterudiat nos ad nostra+ bumili- taste confessionem, et agnoscere faciat, quod si quid boni agimus per ilium possumus, sine quo nihil possumus. Prosp. sentent. 105. ea Angustino, } Quiconque tributecibi bosom quod facie, etiamsi videtur nihil mali manibus opera i, jam cordis innocentiam perdidit in quo se tergitori Lo- norum prasulit, Ilieron. in cap, 16. Proverb. iq,r' .:wF"a'' .î-`.^::--- . -.. _ _
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