48o The .NATURE and POWER frame of fpirit, God meets with him by converting grace, fin withers in the womb, and he cleaves to Paaa and his doctrine, Afis xvii. 18--_34, The like difpenfation towards Ifrael we have Hof. xi. 7, 8, 9, so. But there is no need to infift on more inftances of this obfervation. God is pleafed to leave no generation unconvinced of this truth, if they do but attend to their own experiences, and the examples of this workofhis mer- cy amongft them. Every day, one or other, is taken in the fulnefs of the purpofeof his heart to go on in fin, in this or that fin, and is ftopt in his courfe by the power of converting grace. (a. God doth it by the fame grace in the renewed communications of it, that is, by fpecial aftìfling grace. This is the common way of hisdeal- ing with believers in this cafe. That they alfo through the deceitfulnefs of fin may be carried on to the conceiving of this or that fin, was before declared. God puts a ftop to their progrefs, or rather to the prevalencyy of the law of fin in them, and that by giving in unto them fpecial affi- fiances needful for their prefervation and deliverance. As David fays of himfelf, Pfal. lxxiii. 2. His feet were almofl gone, bis flogs had well nigh pips; he was at the very brink of unbelieving, defpairmg thoughts and conclufions about God's providence in the government of the world, from whence he was recovered, as he afterwards declares. So is it with many a believer; he is oftentimes at the very brink, at the very door of fume folly or iniquity, when God puts in by the efficacy of actually affifting grace, and recovers them to an obediential frame of heart again. And this is a peculiar work of Chrift, wherein he manifefts and exerts his faithful- nefs towards his own, Heb. ii. r8. He is able to fuccour them that are tempted. It is not an abfolute power, but a power cloathed withmercy that is intended. Such a power as is put forth from a fenfe of the fuffer- ing of poor believers under their temptations. And how doth he exer- cife this merciful ability towards us? chap. iv. 16. He gives forth, and we find in him grace to help in time of need. Seafonable help and affi- flance for our deliverance, when weare ready to be over-powered by fits and temptation. When lufthath conceived, and is ready to bring forth; when the foul lies at the brink of fume iniquity, he gives in feafonable help, relief, deliverance, and fafety. Here lies a great part ofthe care and faithfulneCs of Chrift towards his poor faints ; he will not fuffer them to be worried with the power of fin, nor to be carried out unto ways that íhall difhonour thegòfpel, or fill them with frame and reproach, and fo ren- der them ufelefs in theworld ; but he Reps in with the laving relief and affiftance ofhis grace, ftops thecourfeof fin, and makes them in himfelf more than conquerors. And this affiftance lies under the promife, t Cor. a. 13. There bath no temptation takenyou, butfuch as is common to man, but God isfaithful, who will not fuffer you to he tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation alfo make away to efcape, thatyou may be able to bear it. Temptation (hall try us, it is for ourgood; many holy ends doth the Lord compafs and bring about it. But when we are tried to the utmoft of our ability, fo that one affault more would over-bear us, a wayof drape is provided. And as this may be done feveral ways, as I have elfewhere declared, fo this we are now upon is one of the molt emi- nent, namely, by fupplies of grace, to enable the foul to bear up, raft, and conquer. And when onceGod begins to deal in this way of lovewith a foul, he will not ceafe to add one fupply after another, until the whole workof his grace and faithfulnefs be accomplifhed. An example hereof we have, Ifa. lvii. 17, 18. poor finners there are fo far captivated to the power of their lofts, that the firft and fecund dealings of God with them are
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=