ten Virgins Opened and Applied., 2. Becaufe the Graces in m, a;:e received from the Lord Jefus his fulnefs, John 1. 16. Now the Graces in ~hrifi are '~or dea~, b~r li-;:ing,a;~ not.weak, but powerful ; the Spirit of Grace ns n~w mumphmg m htm .' ns fo m us o~ly: •tis in him in rhe h1ghell degree, 111 us malower•. ~nd therem confifl:s our hkenefs to Chril1 , 2. Cor. 3· 18. And to deny thts, ts to deface thelmage of.the Lord Jefus; ;md this is p·arr of the Beauty ~nd Glory of Chritl:h~nce tp deny ·th!s,,is to obfcure rfle glory of the Lord Jefus.. ~l[h?u~ Cnnfl: a Chrifhan can do nothtng: but h::>IV dorh Chritl clo all, by the Spmt )Vithout Graces ? (I fpea)} not of Converfion where 'ris without Graces as caufes) No truly,, as he ac1s, fo we act iH part. Unlefs any will fay, we have n0t rec~ived grace fo~ grace ; or are in no meafure like the image of Chrifi. . . 3. If the firH A dam hoth conveyed to all his members a power of corrlJption , then rh~ fecond Ad11m alfo apower of Godline(l;, contrary to that, 2. Tim.3. 5. yet in meafure Hill, fo as the Apofl:le faith, wt can do uothing againft the TrHth, but for the Truth. 2 Cor. I3 .8. . But wh11t meaf•m .of power is it? · £2l!eft· I know no man that can from any ground limit the meafure of ir. Forit may Anfw; . be in forue men in greater power, i~ fome men in!efs, iri thefarpe man .at one time in agre.rer meafure, at another ttme lefs. If one ask o( crees, .what meafure offruiij they can bring forth; we cannot tell ,beca11fe fomerime more,fometime lefs : and the fame rree more one year tnan another , and more at one time of che year then another ; for th~y have their winter feafon. Only this, whereas before converfion he is !lark de~d to ac1, now he is aliv~ and is not dead. And if a man ihould after converfion be but in che. next difpofir.ii>n ro receive Grace, then how could one Chri!lian be more grown and fl:rqnger in Grace in his inner man than another? I know not any to quellion this, only I fpeak it ro cut oft tooir carnal hopes, that think ChriO: is th~~:ii:s, when they have nothing, can do nothing, and!leightly fay hemufl: 'do all; I .cannot, I tell you the Saints can, they cmnot but love the Lord, and choofe the Lord. . &c. . Buo mufl: not a Chrifiian deny himfelf, and alway go eo Chri!l: for power eo do, Objeel. :X. and fo be humble, and empty ? . , 1. You mufl:,becauferhis is the meanes to l_ive eo Cht:ifi;buc this~othnot argue Avfw. 1 you have no power at all. A man mufi pray for lo!is daily bread, much more for r:WifJ.grace; but doth this argue aman hath ijO bread in his houfe ?- No, ,this is the means to have it continued and ble!l. Ealily can the Lord cake away bread, or the ftaff of bread. Graces extingui!11 not Faith; buo help it. · z. A Chritlian can do no duty perfectly. , hence mull: repair to Chrifi to help him to do every duty better; hence though he niu!l ufe rhatpower·he hath, and do what he can, yet he mull-not cancent himfelf with what he hath, but feek for more, and what a fweet life is this ? What honour would here come in? Go!i lets in a new light into my mindc, now I may and mufl: fee his truth, I faw it yefierday,bLlt I may and muft go to Chrifl: to do it better;I mull mt quel}ch the . Spiri.tof prayer,butcarry thekeywith me,and next day pray better. And thus the foul1s thankful for whlt it harb, and emptying it felf no~witbllandinu that, and dail¥ then receiving from Chrilt. Aad I beleeve many Chriilians" fail here : As 111 the body , meat fo:ds and !l:rengthens life, fo I cannot live without Chri(t. .. . Bur dorb .not thls\_\rliiake aman trufl: c~ graces ? · O,bjeef. z . Tp ac1 from them is not t6 truil eo rhem, no more then for a diligent 'hand Anfw. to trult to his diligence, when he aCts diligently that fo he may be rich; Buvdoth not cliis·diilionour grace eo do all by the power of it ? . Ohjeef. 3. Then the Sal.nts' in heaven that are made perfec1ly like Chrill, and that Anfw. !o~e the Lord pe;fecUy, fuould noc honour grace by this means, when as chis 1s tt that makes the~ honour it mofl: of all. As D~~Vid, Lord what am I, I~ ~
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