242 SIXTH SERMON deceived, nor can deceive, is the object of the will's election : and thus God by his exciting grace worketh in us that every act whereby we choose Christ, and subscribe our name in the call of his soldiers and servants, answering the call of God by a most cheer- ful consent thereunto. (2.) By assisting and co- operating grace, it is fur- ther enabled to put forth this good will into deed, and so to work towards its salvation, Isa. xxvi. 12. 1 Cor. xv. 10. Lastly, by subsequent grace, it is carried on towards perfection, to finish what was begun, and so to pro- ceed from the beginning of faith in vocation, to the end of faith in salvation, the Spirit of Christ working in us, as he himself did work for us, unto a consum- mation, saving to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, Phil. i. 6. 1 Pet. i. 9, 10. Eph. iv. 13. Heb. vii. 25. And by this means the native obstinacy of the will both in and after conversion is subdued, so that it neither doth nor can overcome the grace of God working effectually with his word : 1. Because of the purpose of God, to show mercy where he will show mercy, which can in no wise be resisted. 2. Because of the power of God, in the effec- tual applying of that mercy unto the souls of men with admirable sweetness, with undeniable evidence, with ineffable persuasion, with omnipotent and in- vincible energy, which no hardness of heart is able to refuse, because the proper operation of it is to take away that hardness which would refuse it ; and that by an act of equal power with that whereby Christ was raised from the dead, which all the world was not able to hinder or prevent, Eph. i. 19. Col. ii. 12. 1 Pet. i. 5. Thus we see, though we desire, and
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