SANCTIFICATION A PROGRESSIVE. WORK. ried on, and holiness increased. And this addition of one grace unto another, with the progress of holiness thereby, is also from the Holy Ghost. And three ways there are whereby he accomplisheth his work herein: (I.) By ordering things so towards us, and bringing of no into such conditions, as wherein the exercise of these graces shall be required and necessary. All the afflic- tions and trials which he bringeth the church into have no other end or design. So the apostle James expres- seth it, chap. i. 2, 3, 4. " My brethren, count it all " joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing u this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience. ,e But let patience have its perfect work, that you may " be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." These temptations are trials upon afflictions, troubles, perse. cutions, and the like. But take them in any other sense, it is the same unto our purpose. These are all guided unto us by Christ and his Spirit; for it is he who rebukes and chastens us. But what is his end. therein? It is that faith may be exercised, and patience employed, and one grace added unto another, that they may carry us on towards perfection. So he bringeth us into that condition as wherein we shall assuredly miscarry, if we add not the exercise of one grace unto another. (2.) In this state of things he ef- fectually minds us of our duty, and what graces ought to be put upon their exercise. We may dispute whe- ther it be better to act faith, or to despond; to add pa- tience under the continuance of our trials, or to trust unto ourselves, and irregularly to seek after deliverance, or to divert unto other satisfactions. Then doth he cause us e, to hear a word behind us,- saying, this is the "way, walk in it, when we turn to the right hand, and ,e when we turn to the left," Isa. xxx. 21. When we are at a loss, and know not what to do, and are ready, it may be, to consult with flesh and blood, and to di- vert to irregular courses, he speaks effectually to us, saying, No, that is not your way; but this is it, namely, to act faith, patience, submission to God, adding one grace to another, binding our hearts thereby to our duty. (3.) He actually excites and sets all needful graces at work in the wayand manner before spoken unto. This then is to be fixed, that all this increase of holiness is immediately the work ,of the Holy Ghost, who therein graduallycarries on his designof sanctifying us through- out in our whole spirit, souls, and bodies. There is, 3M 231 in our regeneration and habitual grace received, a na- ture bestowed on us capable of growth and increase, and that is all; if it be left unto itself it will not thrive, it will decay and die. The actual supplies of the Spirit are the waterings that are the immediate cause of its in- crease. It wholly depends on continual influences from God. He cherisheth and improves the work he bath begun with new and fresh supplies of grace every mo- ment. Isa. xxvii. 3. I the Lordwater it every moment. And it is the Spirit which is this water, as the scrip- ture every where declares. God the Father takes on him the care in this matter; he watcheth over his vine- yard to keep it. The Lord Christ is the head, foun- tain, and treasure of all actual supplies; and the Spirit is the efficient cause communicating them unto us from him. From hence it is, that any grace in us is kept alive one moment, that it is ever acted in one single duty, that ever it receives the least measure of increase or strengthening. With respect unto all these it is that our apostle saith, Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, Gal. ii. 20. Spiritual life, and living by it, in all the acts of it, are immediately from Christ. I concern not myself much how moral virtue, that is no more, is preserved and sustained in the minds and lives of men, though I am not ignorant of the precepts, directions, and instructions, which are given unto that end by some of old, and some of late. But for grace and holiness we have infallible assurance, that the be- ing, life, continuance, and all the actings of it in any of the sons of men, depend merely and only upon their relation unto that spring and fountainof all grace which is in Christ, and thecontinual supplies of it by the Holy Spirit, whose work it is to communicate them, Col. iii. 3. John. xv. 5. Col. ii. 19. There is no man who hath any grace that is true and saving, that bath any seed, anyóeginningofsanctifica- tion or holiness, but that the Holy Spirit, by his watch- ful care over it, and supplies of it, isable to preserve it, to extricate it from difficulties, to free it from op- position, and to increase it unto its full measure and perfection. Wherefore let the hands that hang down be liftedup, and the feeble knees be strengthened; we have to do withhim who will not quench the smoking flax, nor break the braised reed. And, on the other side, there is none who bath received grace in such a measure, nor 26
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