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SERM.

THE Force of the former of thefe Argu- IV. ments has been already in a good Meafure feen: Yet it can be very well fupported by obferving, how God promifed by his Prophets, that in the Gofpel-ftate he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh (p), and upon the Houfe of David the Spirit of Grace (q). This he has amply performed by bestowing both the extraordinary and the ordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft on them, that obey him (r), whofe fupporting Prefence helpeth our Infirmities (s), and ftrengtheneth us with Might in the inner Man (t), whofe Fruit is in all Goodness, and Righteoufnefs, and Truth (u), and by whofe Power we abound in Hope, and are filled with all foy and Peace in believing (x).

AND as we read this comfortable Affurance in God's Word, fo may we also prove it from his Nature; and be as certain of it, as that he is confummately just and good. Goodnefs and Juftice are Perfections, which belong to him in the higheft Degree, and he can be as foon without Exiftence, as without

(p) Joel ii. 28.
(r) A&ts v. 32.
(t) Ephef. iii. 16.
(*) Rom. xv. 13.

K 4

(9) Zech. xii. 10.

(s) Rom. viii. z6.

(u) Ephef. v. 9.

SERM. without thefe Attributes. If then it be in-
IV. confiftent therewith for God to deny Man

all neceffary Grace and Affiftance towards
ferving him acceptably, and duly discharging
the Offices enjoined, we may fafely conclude,
that he will not withold it: And that fuch
a Procedure in God, would no way coincide
with his infinite Perfections, a flight Atten-
tion to the Subject will difcover. In Re-
fpect of Goodness the Point is clear, neither
can it be reconciled with Juftice. For the
one in the ftricteft Notion of it requires,
that no Perfon be miferable without his own
Fault; and the other, that every one be
happy according to his Capacity. But fince
Man, if refused the Aids of God's Holy
Spirit, is unable to please him, to will and
to act, as he commands, it follows, that
the expecting his Obedience and not vouch-
fafing the proper Helps towards the Per-
formance, is in Effect the calling upon him
for what it is impoffible, he fhould ever pay;
and fuch a Demand can never be made by
a Being perfectly good and juft, efpecially
under the Penalty of Damnation on Non-
payment. Because this would be to con-
demn a poor undeferving Creature to the
moft dreadful Sufferings, contrary to the
known Rules of Goodnefs and even Juftice

too:

too: And undeferving he must be, who SERM. fails in his Duty and comes fhort of the IV. Glory of God through his Misfortune rather than his Crime, and offends more from a natural than an acquired Depravity..

GOD was not pleased, it is true, to prevent the Fall of our firft Parents; nor can we fee, that he was obliged to: Yet it feems to have been his Concern, dictated to him by his own effential Excellencies, to work out a Recovery; which he has fufficiently doné by the Redemption of his Son and the Sanctification of his Spirit. To have destroyed human Nature immediately upon Tranfgref fion, when the deplorable Effects were to reach down to Millions of Defcendants, not Parties in it, would have been fo far from an Injury, that it must have been the utmoft Compaffion to them: Though to continue the Species and make all suffer for the Crimes of two Individuals, what can be called unjust and unmerciful, if this be not? But every fuch heinous Charge God has fully guarded against by providing a Remedy as efficacious, as the Difcafe is malignant. For the Merits of Christ, and thro?. Faith in his Blood, Repentance is granted unto Life, and by his prevalent Mediation

abundant

SER M. abundant Grace is enfured to us towards IV. both our new Birth and fpiritual Growth.

So that it is evident from the unfolding of the Divine Scheme under the Gofpel, no one fhall mifs of Happiness and incur Mifery, except for his own wilful perfonal Demerit. The original Taint communicated from Adam is cleanfed by Jefus, and the confequent Inability to obey God in Righteoufness, is repaired by the fupernatural Affiftance of the Holy Ghoft. This, as Matters now ftand, it is neceffary that Man fhould receive, or be punished for not performing Impoffibilities; this therefore is imparted to him as certainly, as God is good and juft.

HERE, however, we fhould be warned against raifing our Expectations too high, it being a faulty Prefumption to promise ourfelves more than our kind Benefactor has

promised us. What is needful for him to work in us, in order to make up the Deficiency of our own Strength, and only That is, in the common Courfe of his Dealings, wrought by him; he does nothing unneceffarily; our Wants he graciously Supplies But that he will do all for us, when we can do fomething for ourfelves,

felves, we have no Room to hope, and fhall SERM. be fure to have fuch vain Hopes miferably IV. disappointed.

THIS Doctrine may be very ufefully illuftrated, by applying it to the three great Duties of the Gofpel, Faith, Repentance, and Obedience: Thefe all are in a found Senfe the Gifts of God, and what is requifite on his Part to their Production in us, he never with-holds.

THUS with Respect to the first of them, Faith. The Lord is faid to have opened the Heart of Lydia, that she attended unto theThings which were spoken of Paul (y), and was baptized being found faithful. Yet this Faith of hers, which qualified her for Admittance into the Chriftian Church, is faid to be the Ef fect as well of her own bearing as of the Lord's opening her Heart. These are alfa our Saviour's Declarations, that all, that the Father giveth me, fhall come unto me: and that no Man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father, or except the Father, which bath fent me, draw him (z),---draw him not by Force and Violence, like a Brute Beaft, that hath no Will or Understanding;

(v) Acts xvi. 14. (x) St. John vi. 37, 65, 44.

but

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