The Life of C hri fi. Power of God; not by Faith alone are we kept, but Yee are kept, faith Saint `Peter, By the Power of Cod through Faith unto Salvation : and that not fuch a Power as that is wherewith he concurreth in the ordinary and na- turail operations of the Creature which proportioneth it (elfe, and condefcendeth.ánto the exigency of fecond caufes failing where they Eile, and accommodating the meafure of' his agency to thpfe materials Which the fecond caufes have fupplyed (as wee fee when a Childe is born witla fewer parts than are due to naturali integrity, Gods concurrence bath limiteni it felfe to the materials which are defetive , and bath not fupplyed nor made up the failings of nature) but that power whereby bee preferves men unto Salvation Both prevent, bend, and carry the heart of man (which is the fecondary agent ) unto the effeEt it felfe, doch remove every obMMacle which might endanger his purpofe in laving the Creature , and maketh his people a willing people. But you will fay, Faith as indeed by thefe meanes fironger than finne when it worketh,but not when it flee - perh ; and the working of Faith, being dependant upon the faculties of the foule which are eflentially mutable and inconflant in operation, mutt needs bee uncertaine too : that finne, though it bee farre weaker than Faith , may yet, when by our fecurity Faith is fallen Aleepe, fùrprife and kill it , even as Iael a weake woman upon the fame advantage killed Sifera a ftrong Captaine. But though Faith fleepc, yet Hee that keepeth Ifrael loth neither {lumber nor ileepe, and wee are kept not only by Faith, but by His power, which power worketh ail our workes for us and in us, giveth us both the Will and Du magruiia the Deed ; tho Gift cf continuing in His Feare, and quuedata es7 pri- me Adam ell dig qua fit ut Homo habeat tuflitiam [i velie ; f cundda, quæ potentior e(d i a f ecundo Adam, pies Do :efl , qua etiam fit ut velit, & tantum velie , tantoque dore diligat, ut tarns yobs; calm, con/mild contupifcentem, voluneate fpiritus Vince, &c. vid. Aug. de Gel_ rapt. & G;.at.cap. I i. La. 445 l the
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