3 20 The Neceffity of Supernatural Grace, Vo1.1I: nothing. 'Tis true indeed, that without God we can do nothing; we cannot think, or fpeak, or do any natural action, without the common Affiance and con- currence of his Providence; for in him we live, andmove, andhave our being. But, this Affiance is natural, and ordinary , and commonly afforded to every Man in theWorld : but the Grace and affiftance of Chrift fi nities fonietlting extraordinary and fupernatural, that which Divines mean by fupernatural Grace, in oppofition to the ordinary concurrence of divine Providence to all the adións of Men. Secondly, In what Senfe, and with what Limitations we are to underftand that éxpreffion, we can do nothing. Withoutme ye can do nothing. And this is necef- fary to be limited to fuch Effects as our Saviour was fpeaking of viz. the proper as of a Chriftian life, Obedience to the Laws and Precepts of the Gofpel, which our Saviour here, in purfuance of the Allegory, calls bearing fruit, and bringing forth much fruit. For if it be not thus limited, but extended to all kinds of adi- ons, Natural and Civil, it is not true that we cannot do thefe without füpernatü.. ral afliftance, and the graceof Chrift. For thefe we may do by Mr common and naturalaflìftance and concurrence of God equally afforded to Men; nay, more than this, we may by this common Affiance do thofe a&ions, which tend to make us fpiritually good, and are the means appointed by God for that purpofe. We may go to Church, we may read and hear God's Word, and upon the hearing of it may refle& upon the adions of our lives, and may be convinced ofour fin and danger, and upon this couvi&ion, may beg God's Mercy and Grace to reform and grow better. But then we cannot effect this without fupernatural Grace and aff- fiance. So that this affertion here in theText, is to be limited to the purpofes of Regeneration, and Sanctification, and perfeverance in Holinefs; that a Man cannot make himfelf good, he cannotconvert and change himfeif, nor by his own ftrength continue and hold out in a good courfe; we can do nothing of this, without the Grace and affiftance of Chrift. So that the plain defign of this Propofitionhere in theText, is to affert the ne- ceffity of fupernatural Grace, to make Men good, and to make them perfevere in a courfeof Holinefs and Obedience. In fpeaking to this Argument, I !hall, Firfl, Shew what it is we mean by the fupernatural Grace and afliftance of Chrift. Secondly, That to this the Scripture doth conftantly attribute our Regeneration, and Sanctification, and Perfeverance in Holinefs. Thirdly, 'That there is great reafon to affert the Neceffity of God's lupernatural Grace and Affiftance to thefe purpofes. Fourthly, That this fupernatural Grace and affiftance does not exclude, but fup- pofe the concurrence of our own endeavours. Fifthly, That this Grace and Affiftance is derived to us from our Union with Chrift. Firfl, What we mean by the fupernatural Grace and Affiftanceof Chrift. What- ever natural power we have to do any thing, is from God, and an effe& of his Goodnefs; but God confidering the lapfed and decayed condition of Mankind, fent his Son into theWorld, to recover us out of that finful andmiferable conditi- on into which we were fallen, to reveal eternal life to us, and the way to it, and to purchafe happinefs for us, and to offer it to us upon certain terms and conditi- ons to beperformed by us: But we being weak and without ftrength, llaves to fin, and under the power of evil habits, and unable to free our felves from this bon- dage by any natural Power left in us, our Bleffed Saviour, in great pity and ten- dernefs to Mankind, hath inhis Gofpel offer'd, and is ready to afford to us an ex- traordinary affiftance of his Grace and Holy Spirit, to fupply the defeds of our natural Power and ftrength. And this fupernatural Grace of Chrift is that alone, which can enable us to perform what he requires of us. And this, according to the feveral ufes and occafions of it, is by Divines called by feveral names. As it puts good motions into us, and excites and flies us up to that which is good, 'tis called preventing Grace; becaufe it prevents any motion or defire-on our parts as it affifts and ftrengthens us in the doing of any thing that is good, it is called 2 afJ'ing
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