CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Secondly, Although we say, It's the power of God only that keeps the godly and not their own strength, yet it cannot be denied, but that the Scripture, as in some places it affirmeth, Gods keeping of us, So it also speaketh of a godly mans keeping himself. Thus 1 Tim. 5.22. [Greek or Hebrew], Keep thy self pure, James 1.27. Pure Religion is to keep a mans self unspotted from the world, 1 John 5.18. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself. Sometimes they are put together, Jude v. 21. Keep your self in the love of God, and not long after he addeth, To him that is able to keep you. So 2 Tim. 1.14. Timothy is exhorted, To keep the good thing committed to him by the holy Ghost. ¹By these places we see a godly man is said to keep himself, and Gods power likewise, Doth not this seem to attribute too much to man, or at least divide the work of preservation between God and our selves?

Secondly, Although we say, It's the power of God onely that keeps the godly and not their own strength, yet it cannot be denied, but that the Scripture, as in some places it affirmeth, Gods keeping of us, So it also speaketh of a godly mans keeping himself. Thus 1 Tim. 5.22. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Keep thy self pure, James 1.27. Pure Religion is to keep a mans self unspotted from the world, 1 John 5.18. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself. Sometimes they are put together, Jude v. 21. Keep your self in the love of God, and not long after he addeth, To him that is able to keep you. So