232 It is grace which be. ginneth and endette all good. An Expofition upon Chapa, fame, but differs at leaft in words ; for here the words (good and evil) be put in, which were left out before : Again, thole repetitions and rehearfals, are not idle,but ferve togood purpofe,for there- by the Apolilewould admonifh us of 2. things.Firll,that we are to think, that there things which he writeth of the fpi- ritual combat, are very necelfary for us, andcan nover be too much known of us. Secondly,through our dulnefs they are not enough conlidered and marked;and therefore have need -to be much urged and often repeated; repetitions have good ufe when they aretimely ufed. Ti M. What is meant bythis, that he faith, he would have done good? SIL. That it was the earnell delire and purpofe of his heart to pleafe God. T I M. What are we to learnfrom hence, that he faith [ I do not that good I would ? ?] S i L. That the godly purpofes of good men, do not alwaies attain fittea- bleand good effefìs; for they do not atwaies perform that good they delire to do, nor in that meafure that they de- fire to do it; becaufe their godly defires and wits, are not atwaies accompanied with fuch ftrength of grace as to make them effeua11 by fuppreflìng contrary affaults of corrupt nature: examples hereof we have in this our Apoftle, alto in the Apoftle Peter, the Prophet David, the I fraelires, &c. TIM. What is theprofit !bat we are to mare of this grunion? S t L. It Both admonifh the faithful!, that when they find in thenfelves the grace that they will well, they fhould alto pray for a feconi grace, to enable them to do the good which they would; for otherwife defires and purpofes though good, yet they will vanifh and come to none effe&. Secondly, it re- proves fuch ás think it enough to have fome good defires, and are never hum- bled for want of good deeds,correfpon - dent to their defires. TIM, What meaneth be by this that be faith, [I do the evil! that I would not ?] S I L. That the force of his natural corruption did fontetimes compel him to fetch things, as the Law of God for- bids, and himfelf abhorred : by which it doth appear, that although Paul were not fuffered to fall into any grofs fins, yet he did many things which were repugnant to the Law ofGod;therefore he had caufe to fay he was not already perfe&, Phil. 3.I2. Tim. What ü the infirullion iba: we are to learn from hence? S i L. That Gods children do fail and offend, not only in doing good things unperfe&ly, and leaving fame good things undone ; but alto by fome evil a&ions, which are direly repug- nant, both to the notions of their own renewed mind, and to the rule of Gods Law. Example hereof we have in the lye of Abraham, Jacob, Rebecca: alto the doubting and laughter of Sarah, the anger of/1?/1i', the impatiency ofjob, the vainglory of Hezeliiab, and groffer fins in other Saints: the reafon why God fuffereth it to be fo, is that Saints feeling their ownemifery and weaknefs, may not prefume upon their own ftrength, butwholly relie upon Gods grace. Secondly, that all, even the belt men, may perceive what need they have ofa Saviour, and of remiflion, even for their good deeds as well as for their fins and evil deeds. T t M. What profit is to be made of this point? Sit. It flirreth up all faithful perlons to ufe great care andwatchfulnefs; for if the Apoftle Paul did fometime the evil which he would not, what reafon have other men not to fufpe& thernfelves? TIM. What is the contents of the 20. verf, with the fum thereof? S I L. The twentieth verle contains the fame inference or conclufion fol- lowing the fècond fit of temptation, which doth follow the firft fit, verfe 17, The fum whereof is thus much, that he may thanke his remaining fin or dwel- lingcorruption,(and notGodsLaw,)as the canto and fountain from whence did flow all the (pots, Rains, and evils that were in him. For were it fo, that Gods Children were without this cor- ruption, they íhould never fin at all, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=