OF THE ACTS AND DUTIES OF HOLINESS. 317 Glaring the great labour be had undergone, and the pains he had taken in preaching of the gospel: but yet immediately, least any one should apprehend, that he ascribed any thing to himself any gracious holy actings in those labours, he adds his usual epanorthosis, Not I; let me not be mistaken; it was not I, by any power of mine, by any thing in me, but it was all wrought in the by the free grace of the Spirit of God. Not I, but grace, is the apostle's assertion. Suppose now, that God, by his grace, doth no more but aid, assist, and excite the will in its actings; that he Both not effectually work all the graciousactings ofour souls in all our du- ties; the proposition would hold on theother hand, Not grace, but 1 seeing the principle relation of the effect is unto the next and immediate cause, and thence bath it its denomination. And as he worketh them, to will in us, so also to do, that is, effectually to perform those duties whereunto thegracious actings of our wills are required. Sect. 15. And what bath been spoken may suffice, to prove, that the Holy Spirit as the author of our sanctification, worketh also in us all gracious acts of faith, love, and obedience, wherein thefirst part of our actual holiness and righteousness doth consist. And the truth thus confirmed, may befurther improved unto our instruction and edification. (I.) It is easily hence discernable, how contrary, are the designs and expressions of the scripture, and the no- tions of some men among us. There is not any thing that is good in us, nothing that is done well by us in the way of obedience, but the scripture expressly and frequentlyassigns it unto the immediate operations of the Holy Spirit in us. It cloth so, in general, as to all gracious actings whatever; and, not content therewith, it proposeth every grace, and every holyduty, distinctly affirming the Holy Ghost to be the immediate author of them. And when it comes to make mention of us, it positively, indeed, prescribes our duty to us, but as plainly lets us know, that we have no power in or from ourselves to perform it. But some men speak, and preach, and write, utterly to another purpose. The freedom, liberty, power, and ability of our own wills; the light, guidance, and direction of our own minds or reasons; and from all, our own performance 'of all the duties of faith and obedience, are the subjects of their discourses; and that in opposition unto what is ascribed in the scriptures unto the immediate operations ofthe Holy Ghost. They areall forgrace; Not I, but grace, not I, but Christ; without hies we can do nothing: these areall for our wills; not grace, bitt our wills do all. It is not more plainly affirmed in the scripture, that God created heaven and earth, and that he sustains and preserves all things by his power, than that he creates grace in the hearts of believers; preserves it, acts it, and makes it effectual, working all our works for us, and all our duties in us. But evasions must be found out, strange, forced, uncouth senses, be put upon plain, frequently repeated expressions, to secure the honour of our wills, and to take care, that all the good we do, maynot be assigned to the grace of God. To this purpose distinctions are coined, evasions invented, and such an explanation is given of all divine operations as renders them useless and insignificant. Yea, it is almost grown, if not criminal, yet weak and ridiculous in the judgment of some, that any should assign those works and operations to the Spirit of God, which the scripture doth, in the very words that the scripture useth To lessen the corruption and depravation of our nature by sin; to extol the integrity and power of our reasons; to maintain the freedom and abilityof our wills in and unto things spiritually good; to resolve the conversion of men unto God, into their natural good dispositions, inclinations, and the right use of their reason; to render holiness to be only a probity of life, or honesty of con- versation, upon rational motives and considerations, are the things that men are now almost wearied with the repetition of. Scarce a person that hath confidence to commence for reputation in the world, but immediately he furnisheth himself with some new tinkling ornaments for these old Pelagian figments. But whoever shall take an impartial view ofthe design and constant doc- trine of the scripture in this matter, will not be easily carried away with the plausiblepretences of men exalt- ing their own wills and abilities, in opposition to the Spirit and grace of God by Jesus Christ. Sect. 16.(E.) From what bath been discoursed, a further discovery is made of the nature of gospel-obedi- ence, of all the acts of our souls therein, and óf the du- ties that belong thereunto. It is commonly granted, that there is a great difference between the acts' and duties that are truly gracious, and those which are called by the same name, that are not so, as in any
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