IV. Moment, where all the Benefit of a good SERM. LET us then wifely concur with the Grace of God, neither fcornfully difdaining it, nor flothfully relying altogether upon it ; and let us work out our own Salvation according to his prescribed Method, not by our attempting fo arduous a Task independently of him, but by his working in us and with us, both to will and to do of his good Pleasure. In this middle Way we shall be fure to walk fafely; and not incur the Guilt of tempting God on the one Hand, nor the Folly of trusting to a broken Reed on the other. AND that you may avoid both these dangerous Rocks, on which many have before you made Shipwreck of a true Faith, and a pure Confcience, a few Directions, how to fteer a right Courfe, fhall be given you in the enfuing Difcourfe: Which may, not without fome Edification, be opened by obferving, ---What is meant by God's working in us to will and to do. And profecuted by fhewing, that this is necessary to our SERM. our Salvation. And concluded by proving, IV. ---that what is thus neceffary on God's Behalf is wrought by him, though not in fuch an abfolute Manner, as to fuperfede our joint Endeavours. As to the First, By God's working in us to will and to do, our Apoftle cannot be understood to mean, whatever any may conceive, fuch a forcible Operation of the Almighty upon the Soul, as that Man fhould be quite paffive under it, and no other than a mere Inftrument in the Hand of an irrefiftible Agent: But the Phrafe muft fignify only fuch an additional Supply of Divine Strength vouchsafed to the human Incapacity, as is fuitable to the prefent weak Circumstances of our Nature,---as is proper for a rational and moral, but at the fame time an ignorant and depraved Being. To fuppofe more than this to be fignified by the Expreffion, is to countenance a very groundlefs Pofition, That human Nature was not only unhappily damaged, but perfectly changed by the Fall of Adam, and its Freedom not only impaired but loft. To fuppofe lefs than this to be the Senfe of the Words is to broach an Error as unwarrant able able as the former, That Man is at least as SERM. perfect now, as he was, when firft created,--. IV. that his Will is as regular, his Paffions as calm, his Appetites ás moderate, as in his original State. BUT if both thefe Suppofitions are, as will probably be feen hereafter, equally falfe and contrary to the Teftimony of God and Experience of Man; then our Interpretation of the Paffage, we are confidering, ftands firm, and the Foundation of our Truft in God's gracious Affiftance (to a certain Degree only) remains unfhaken. And what we are to conclude is, that Power fufficient is given to Mankind by the Spirit of Grace to render them capable of fulfilling the Divine Will, but no impulfive Violence, inconfiftent with Liberty, is offered to them: No one has Reafon to complain of having too heavy a Burden laid upon him, or a Task too hard for him to go through with; nor yet is there Occafion afforded to any to be idle and negligent, as though all the Work would be performed without his Labour, and he had nothing to do, but to receive the Reward, THE THE Operation of the Holy Ghost in our Hearts, as far as his auxiliary Prefence is neceffary, is never denied us; but further than this we have no Authority to extend our Hopes. Grace is bestowed on us, whereby we may ferve God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear (b), as, fays St. Paul; and St. Peter tells the true Believers, Ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit (c). He prepares the Mind of them to whom the Gospel is preached, to attend to, confider, and receive it, which if Men with a thoughtless Inattention reject, they must not wonder, that it fhould be hid from them, and themselves left under their natural Blindness and Depravity; though on their embracing it and ftriving what in them lies, to comply with the Terms of it, the great Sanctifier of the Faithful furely beftows a proportionably larger Measure of Grace according as they grow in Goodness: So that our Bleffed Saviour's Promise is very exactly accomplished, Whofoever bath, to him fhall be given, and be fhall have more abundance (d). AND (b) Heb. xii. 28. I (c) 1 Pet. i. 22. (d) St. Matth. xiii. 12. AND that it is requifite, God fhould give to Mankind fuch fpecial Grace as this,---fuch as in their Circumstances is abfolutely expedient to lead them into, and conduct them in, the certain Road to Life and Glory, is manifest from their universal Inability to pay God an acceptable, or even tolerable Obedience otherwife, and of their own Strength. What our dear Lord faid to his first Disciples, without me ye can do nothing (e), is full as true with Respect to all future Believers; without the Affistance of his Spirit, whom he fends from the Father, they cannot obey God to the faving of their Souls. THE Pride of Man, which fhews rather the Obliquity than the Rectitude of his Nature, may boast of his Reason, as a fufficient Guide in his forming a right Judgment on what he ought to do, and of an inherent Power to determine and act accordingly. But how weak is the one, and how obfcure the other, every one of us, in Fact feels within himself. And should any one be fo far infatuated as to deny this, and expect to gain Credit with us; we may SERM. IV. |