614 GRACE MUST BE GLORIFIED, grace without his Spirit: True, they are happy instru- ments in the hand of his Spirit, when his Spirit pleases to use then, but the rod must not stand instead of the hand that shakes it. Afflictions are only God's instru- ments, and he himself is the sovereign cause. III. Grace must have the honour of every step in our way to heaven. God will not give his honour to any thing but himself, though sometimes he will confer grace while he uses the rod, yet sometimes he suffers them to backslide beyond the recovery of all afflictions whatso- ever, to shew that my text must come in .place. It is only the touch of the finger of God himself on our hearts that can turn us to himself. I would make two uses of this doctrine : I. Of the exceeding power of remaining corruption even in the hearts of saints. . We are not to think that in is nullified when it first receives its mortifying wound, and this is not to be softened over with the name of mere infirmities, and thereby easily indulged and slightly thought of, for such goings back as these are deserving much harder names; the flesh or corrupt nature is very guilty and deserves condemnation, though the law of God cannot provide it with justification : see here afflic- tions are unable to restore us unto God by reason of the flesh, of the sin and corruption that still remain in us, but it does not therefore follow, that we are guiltless, no, we are so much the more guilty. The Second use, that we should wonder that God has not cut us off with eternal destruction which he has used so many means with us, and yet not one of them has pre- vailed. O how should we glorify his sparing mercy, had we but a sense of the greatness of our sin in the continu- ance in such obstinate backslidings; but believe, believe still that he that has had patience enough to spare you all this while in rebellion, he has grace enough in his heart to recover you, and he has treasured up grace enough in his Son, and then you will be prepared for the next words, I have seen his ways and will heal han, I will lead him also, andwill restore comforts to him and to his mourners.
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