314 OF THE. ACTS AND DUTIES OF HOLINESS. ofconvictions, to do many things that are materially the second part of his work in our sanctification. And so. But that which is, on all considerations, spiritually good, and accepted with God, he can do nothing of. The inquiry is, what believers themselves, who have received this principle of spiritually life, and are habitu- ally sanctified, can do as to actual duties, by virtue thereof, without a new immediate assistance and work- ing of the Holy Spirit in them? And, I say, they can no more do any thing that is spiritual good, without the particular concurrence and assistance of the grace ofGod unto every act thereof, than a man cannaturally act, or move, or do any thing in an absolute indepen- dency on God, his power, and providence. And this proportion between the works of God's providence and of his grace, the apostle expresseth, Eph. ii. 10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God bath before ordained that we should walk in then. God, at the beginning, made all things by a creating power, producing them out of nothing, and left them not merely to themselves, and their own powers, when so created, bat he upholds, supports, sustains, and preserves them in the principles of their beings and operations, acting powerfully in and by them, after their several kinds. Without his sup - portment of their beings, by an actual incessant emana Lion of divine power, the whole fabric of nature would dissolve into confusion and nothing. And without his influence into and concurrence with their ability, for operation, by the same power, all things would be dead and deformed, and not one act of nature be exerted. So also is it in this work of the new creation of all things by Jesus Christ. We are the workmanship of God; he bath formed and fashioned us for himself by the reno- vation of his image in us. Hereby are we fitted for good works, and the fruits df'righteousness, which he bath appointedas theway ofour living unto him. This new creature, this divine nature in us, he sopporteth and preserveth, no as that, without his continual influ- ential power, it would perish, and come to nothing. But this is not all; he cloth, moreover, actuate it, and effectually concur to every singular duty, by new supplies of actual grace. So then, that which we are to prove, is, that there is an actual operation of the Holy Ghost in us, necessary unto every act and duty of holiness whatever, without which, none either will or can be produced or performed by us, which is there are several ways whereby this is confirmed un- to us: Sect. 8. First, The scripturedeclares, that we our- selves, cannot in and by ourselves, that is, by virtue of any strength or power that we have received, do any . thing that is spiritually good. So our Saviour tells his apostles, when they were sanctified believers, and in them all that are so, withoutme ye cando nothing, John xv. 8. x ,ps ewe, so, without me, Seorsim a me, so sepa- rated from me, as a branch may be from the vine. If a branch be so separated from the root and body ofthe vine, as that it receives not continual supplies of nour- ishment from them, if their influence into it be by any means intercepted, it proceeds not in its growth, it brings forth no fruit, but is immediately under decay: it is so, saith our Saviour, with believers in respect unto him. Unless they have continual uninterrupted ,influ- ences of grace, and spiritually vital nourishment from him, they can do nothing. Without me, expresseth a denial of all the spiritual aid that we have from Christ. On supposition hereof, we can do nothing; that is, by our own power, or by virtue of any habit or principle of grace we have received: for when we have received it, what we can do thereby, without further actual-assist- ance, we can do of ourselves. You can do nothing, that is, whichappertains to fruit-bearing- unto God. In things natural and civil we can do somewhat, and in things sinful too much; we need no aid or assistance for any such purpose. But, in fruit-bearing unto God, we can do nothing. Now, every act of faith and love, every motion of our mindsor affections towards God, is a part of our fruit- bearing, and so unquestionably are all external works and duties of holiness and obedience. Wherefore our Saviour himself being judge, believers, who are really sanctified, and made partakers of habit- ual grace, yet cannot of themselves, without new actual aid and assistance of grace from him, do any thing that is spiritually good or acceptable with God. Sect. 9.Our apostle confirmeth the same truth, 2 Cor. iii. 4, .5. " And such trust have we through, " Christ to Godward; not that we are sufficient of our- " selves, to think any thing as of ourselves, but our " sufficiency is of God." It is a great and eminent grace, which he declareth that he was acting, namely, trust in God through Christ, in the discharge of his
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