3 24 The Neceffity ofSupernaturalGrace, &c. vo1. II. I Iha 11 conclude my Difcourfe upon this Subject, with three or 'bur inferences fromwhat hath been delivered. I. Ifthe Grace of God be fo neceffary to all the ends ofHolinefs and Obedience, and to our perfeveranee in a good courfe, then there is great reafon whywe fhould continually depend upon God, and every day earneftly pray to him for the aids and afliftances ofhis Grace, and the influence ofhis Holy Spirit, to.guide, and di- red, and ftrengthen us in all goodnefs, and to keep us by his mighty power through faith untofalvation. For tho' God have promifed his affiftance to us, and is al- ways ready to afford it ; yet we are to remember, that it is a free difpenfation of his graceand goodnefs, He works in us both to will and to do, of his owngoodplea- fure. And the promife of this Grace is not fo abfolute, but that he experts we fhould earneftly fue and beg to him for it. He hath not promifed his Holy Spirit, but to them that aft him, and that with great earneftnefs and importunity; we muft aft, and feek, and knock. Even where he promifeth togive us a newheart and a new fpirit ; yet he fays, thatfor all thefe things be will be fought to by the hoof ofIfrael. And tho' fometimes he be foundof them that feek him not, and do frequently prevent us with his Grace, and the motions of his bleffed Spirit' yet we have no reafon to expert it without our feeking of it. II. We fhould thankfully acknowledge and afcribe all the good that is in us, and all that we do, to the grace and Affiance of God, exciting and ftrengthning us to every good work, without which we can do nothing ; and fay, with David, Not unto us, not unto us, 0 Lord ; but to thy name be the praife. And withSr, Paul, Tet not I; but the grace ofGod which was with me. As the Children of Ifrael were brought out ofEgypt, and conducted to the poffeffion of the good sand (which is a type of Heaven) by the prefence and power of God going alongwith them, not by their own fword and bow, but by a mighty hand, and an out/tretched arm: So if ever we be refilled from the bondage offin, and quickned to newnefs of life, if ever we be faved, and come to Heaven, we muff be aífifted and conclu- ded, and kept by the mighty power ofGod: for by grace we are faved, and that not ofour ¡elves, for it is the gift of God. II[. Let us take heed that we reff not the fpirit ofGod, and receive not this grace of God in vain. And this we do, whenever we refit the motions of God's bleffedSpirit, anddo not make ufe of that grace and affiftance which God offers to us, by being workers together withGod, and co-operating with his grace by our own fìncere endeavours. God's Spirit doth frequently put good motions into us, and is ready to further them, if we comply with them, and to enable us to bring them to effet : but Men may, and many times do, refill the Holy Ghofi, andquench the motions of that bleffed Spirit of grace; and then God juftly leaves us, and withdraws his affiance, and takes away his Holy Spirit from us. But if we com- ply with them, his grace and help is ready to carry us Rill farther, and to affift us more and more, that we maygo from firength to ffrength, till we come to ap- pear.before bim in Sion. IV. The corifìderation of our own impotency, is no excufe to our floth and ne- gligence, if fo be the grace of God be ready to aflìft us. For if that be offer'd to us, and always at hand to help us, where Men have not provoked God to with- draw it; then it is our own fault, if we do not do our Duty, and if we fall Ihort of eternal happinefs. For we are really able to do all that which God's graceand Affiance is ready to enable us to do. St. Paul reckons upon the ftrength of Chrift as in force fenfe his Power. I am able to do all things through Chrifl flrengtb- ning one. V. And la/lly, The confideration of our own impotency is no juft ground of di- fcourageinent to our endeavours, confidering the promife of divine grace and affi- ftance. Now that God is enter'd into a new Covenant of grace with us, and of- fers us eternal Life upon the conditions of Faith and Repentance and fincere O- bedience, the greater our w aknefs is, the more reafon we have to expect his grace and Affiance ; becaufe*e know that he deals fincerely withus, andintends to bring us to that Happinefs Which he offers to us ; and therefore we are of ured' that 3
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