ten Virgins Opened and Applied. opcnrive v<=rrue of H. ro: ic',; nou like Cbrilts now, which i> lt•ong rhrough God, not we1k; which is living, noc dead. This i~ not like the glorious Gr~ce; of Sail'!ts triumphing. This nukes the Guces ofSaimsoflefs excellency rhen co:nmc~nGrace> : co:nmon Gr.;cewillmakea man ride over many a fin; and run exceeding 'f.1lt, t~ough h:f.1ll at !aft. A man rh~t ha::h bin angry, it will make hi:n very quiet ~nd !hll, and IS there no t;lOre )?O~"yer 111 this ? . • 2. This wtll m.tke aman content htmfelf With a bare for:n,w1th afalfe conhdence if this be uue. For t.1ke a man that hath bin long feeking eo get 11rength againlt avile hem, and be f)nd,; none; there is no powec of heavenlinefs1 he is emhy ; no meeknefs, he i; proud; I would fay to him, do you ever think to get any power of meeknefs, love, faith, 0'"c. You !hall never doir, never have it here ;all your 11renorh is i:n·nedi.ttly fro:n Chri/1, look for it then: ; in ·confcience a man muft ccafe0tbere. And ' ti< cemin all our ihength is in, and fro:n the Ldrd; but 'ti.l difpenfed mediatly , Eph. 3· I6. Paul prays he may beflreitgthntd with_might in the irmer mAll. Or thus, ~mm m.1y not pray for fuength of Grace, which Paul refufednor. , 3. Then the Saims if t:1ey be asked whether they believe, orcan love theLord Jefu; ; cheic anfwer mult be, no I have no power to love, nor beleeve ~ afld then Peter did ill to anfwer fo, L?rd thouftnowe/f that I love thee. Then Paul to fay, we can do nothing but for-the Truth. Then thlt Mlrtyr thlt tO then that faid, the Lordflrengthen JQH : yes f.1ithhe, c.he Lorddoth. ~know if the Lord with~raw his . Spirit, we aregone, as 4d.tm ; bat ts there not the Immutable affiftance of It? Is there not the Pro:nife, I will never leave thee, though fo:neti:nes )Vezker, fo :neti:nes (honger ? -+·Thiswill make aChcif.tian hide and nor improve his TJlen:s; he hath Grace, but no power to put it forth. Then fuppofe God give; power to fee Truth one day, I :nuft no: fee it with this e;e the next ; bur Ieo~< up to Chrif!: , and fay , I cannot fee at all. II. Caufes of this. , I. In oppoftng che outw?.rd principle of life, or firft principle , and this fecond, I mu(t live on C~rift; hence I muft n:Jt,l have no power ro act my felf in anyme.1fare, becaufe all my ftrengrh isinhi:n• . Whelihhisw~retrue, a mm might argue, becaufe all Grace is originllly in Chri/1, hence n) Grace iri me, bec.mfe all Glory i<; in Chri/1 origiaally; hence no Gldry !hall be coa- ' 'eyed to me. No, ·this Scripture reconcile; thefe : Bewefe I live , therefore JOlt {ha!llive al(o, Jo'm I 4· I 9· Becmfe Chtill is 11rong, hence he will make us llrong in the inner mm , and not in the Spirit only: becaufe Chrill is glorious, hence we am predellinated to be made lik.! unto him. Becaufe all f.tp lie; iR the roor,to fay therefore there is no fap or power in thebrmch ro' fruClifie; this is falfe. ~.The hypocritiCll aCtivity of falfe Profelfors,wbo having no fpring to feed their wel! s,n:J Cbrill,n·>r bucketto draw fro n hi11;hence are their o•:vn men,and feo up for the:nfelves, till chercurn bmkrupts. An@ now becmfe a Phuifee is fo aCtive as ro go through fel and land to make a Profelyte; therefore PAul hath nd aCtivity of Gr~ce ofChrift in hi:Jl to go fro:n land to ~a to make Chriftians. ; • Sloth, Aman fees upon aduty, and. no1v becaufe he cannOt do it eaftly, ri0r quic\l y,hec~nnot do it acall. .Aman would have Grace acl:ivewirhouc mems; and God will not help in that way: and he1ce m1ny Chriftims cannot cle1ve to Chrill by love, or deftte; no, fo long as they pore upon rheir wants, no encourage1lenr, bur turn rhe mind, and confider well c:ithelove and glory of Chri!l, then with Pall!, 2 Csr. 5. 14.Chrij1s iove miflrAms. . 4· Judging rli1r ro berhepower ofGrace at all rimes, which is at fomerimes; A man hath given fpecial occafio.n for the Lord to le1ve him, as the Camp in Jofhut~hr time, J•fh·1· and he thinks there is no more power at any rime in any man. For then aman fees all rhe world cani\Ot help, when if Achan were A~ 2 remo-
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