The returning backslider, or, A commentary upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy…The returning backslider, or, A commentarie upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy…

Sol. Hence it is, from me is thy fruit found: it comes from the freedom of God in Christ, who according to his good pleasure gives the will and the deed, whence we have grace sometimes in the vigour, sometimes in a weaker and lesser degree, the fault being in our selves too. Yet notwithstanding there is a liberty in the Spirit of Christ, to give a more or less measure of grace, to show that our good we do springs not from our selves. Which also is the reason of the difference betwixt Christians, because God will show that he is the disposer and the dispenser of his own graces, and comforts. And that is the reason also why we must perform this duty of waiting upon God in the use of means, though we find no sense of grace, and comfort from him for the present, From him our fruit is found. Waite his leisure, he suspends grace and comfort until a fit time, ⟨p. 409⟩in regard of the degree: but yet there is alway some grace left, though he suspends the increase thereof until a fit time, because he would have us know that it is of his giving. Christians who are acquainted herewith, they w•ll not tie God to their time, but humbly go on in the use of means, who though they find not their spirits and their comforts enlarged so as at other times, nor so great, nor as other folks are, yet can say, Lord thou givest the Will and the Deed according to thy good pleasure, all comes from thee, therefore I will use the means and depend upon thee, because J have all from thee freely. God gives a spirit of Prayer, and then the thing we pray for, all is from him, From me is thy fruit found. Do we find the Ordinances fruitful, the preaching of the Word to open our understandings, to kindle our affections, to enlighten our judgements, it is the Spirit of God that joins with the means, that are dead of themselves, to make them fruitful: what are the Ordinances without God, but empty conduit pipes of themselves? therefore, From me is thy fruit found.

Sol. Hence it is, from me is thy fruit found: it comes from the freedome of God in Christ, who according to his good pleasure gives the will and the deed, whence we have grace sometimes in the vigour, sometimes in a weaker and lesser degree, the fault being in our selves too. Yet notwithstanding there is a liberty in the Spirit of Christ, to give a more or lesse measure of grace, to shew that our good we doe springs not from our selves. Which also is the reason of the difference betwixt Christians, because God will shew that he is the disposer and the dispencer of his owne graces, and comforts. And that is the reason also why we must performe this duty of waiting upon God in the use of meanes, though we finde no sense of grace, and comfort from him for the present, From him our fruit is found. Waite his leisure, he suspends grace and comfort untill a fit time,