488 The N T vx E and PowE R evey part, maketh increafe ofthe body unto the edifying of itfelf in love. The endof all communications of grace, and fupplies of life from this liv- ing and bleffed head, is the increafe of the whole body, and every member of.it, and the edifyingof itfelf in love. His treafures of grace are un- fearchable, his flores inexhauftible. His life, the fountain of ours, full and eternal, his heart bounteous and large, his hand open and liberal ; fo that there is no doubt, but that he communicates fupplies of grace for their in creafe in holinefs abundantly unto all his faints. Whence then is it, that they do not all fiourilh and thrive accordingly? As you may fee it often- times in a natural body, fo is it here. Though the feat and rife oftheblood and fpirits in the head and heart beexcellently good and found, yet there may be a withering member in the body ; fomewhat intercepts the influ- ences of life unto it : fo that though the heart and head do perform their office, in giving of fupplies no lefs to that than they do to anyother mem- ber, yet all the effeft produced is merely to keep it from utter periíh- ing; it grows weak, and decays every day. The withering and decaying of anymember in Chrift's myftical body, is not forthe want of his com- munication of grace for an abundant life, but from the powerful inter- ception that is made of the efficacy of it, by the interpofition and oppofi- tion of indwelling fin. Hence it is, that where luft grows ftrong, a great deal of grace. will but keep the foul alive, and not give it any eminencyin fruitfulnefs at all. Oftentimes Chrift gives very much grace, where not manyof its effefts do appear. It fpends its ftrength and power in with- !landing th continual affaults of violent corruptions and lulls, fo that it cannot put forth its proper virtue towards farther fruitfulnefs. As avir- tuous medicine, that is fit, botltto check vicious and noxious humours, and to comfort, refrefh, and ftrengthen nature ; if the evil humour be ftrong, and greatly prevailing, fpends it whole lrength, and virtue, in the fubdu- ing and correling of it, contributing, much lefsto the reliefofnature than otherwife,it would do, if it met not with fuels oppofitions: fo is it with the eye-falve, and the healing grace which we have abundantly . from . the wings of the fun of righteoufnefs. It is forced oftentimes to put forth its virtue to oppofe and contend again!, and in any meafure fubdue prevailing lofts and corruptions: that the foul receiveth not that ftrengthning unto duties and fruitfulnefs, which otherwife it might receive by it, is from hence. How found, healthy and flourifhïng, how fruitful and exemplary in holinefs might many a foul be, by andwith that grace which is conti- nually communicated to it from Chrift, which now, by reafonof the pow, .er of indwelling fin, is only not dead, but weak, withering, and ufelefs ? And this, if any thing, is a notable evidenceof the efficacy of indwelling tin, that it is able to give fuch a lop and check to the mighty and effec- tual power of grace; fo that notwithftanding the blefled and continual fupplies that we receive from our head, yet many believers do declineand decay, and that habitually, as to what they had attained unto ; their loft ways not anfwering their fir!. This makes the Vineyard in the very fruitful hill to bring forth fo many wild grapes. This makes fo many trees barren in fertile fields. 4.) Betides the continual fuppliesof grace, that conftantly, according to the tenour of the covenant, are communicated unto believers, which keeps them that they thirl no more as to a total indigence ; there is moreover a readinefs in the Lord Chrift to yield.peculiar fuccour to the fouls of his, according as their occafion !hall require. The apoftle tells us, that he is a merciful big?-priefi, and able, (that is, ready prepared and willing) to fut. rove them that are tempted, Heb. ii. a8. And we are on that account in- vited
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