A30241:1451
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermon 56: That it's not enough to be put into a state of Grace, unless by Gods Power we are kept…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1I answer, No. For first, Our own keeping is wholly insufficient and unable without Gods keeping, when man attends to the utmost, with all watching, and diligence, yet if God come not in with his power, all is in vain. We like Gehezi may lay the staff to the dead child, but it will not rise till the Prophet himself come. Satan and his power is greater then ours, if considered in our selves: Therefore no wonder, if we of our selves cannot combat with him; he that is with us is stronger then the devil, but not we our selves. And
1I answer, No. For first, Our own keeping is wholly insufficient and unable without Gods keeping, when man attends to the utmost, with all watching, and diligence, yet if God come not in with his power, all is in vain. We like Gehezi may lay the staffe to the dead childe, but it will not rise till the Prophet himself come. Satan and his power is greater then ours, if considered in our selves: Therefore no wonder, if we of our selves cannot combate with him; he that is with us is stronger then the devil, but not we our selves. And
- 1Answ.
2. Though we keep our selves, yet this is wholly from and by God: We act with subordination and dependence on him, we keep our selves, because God enableth us to do so, as the less wheel is moved by the greater, as the greater orb moveth the less; so that here is no glory or praise due to us no more than the pen that writeth, or the hatchet that cuts, for we depend wholly upon God, both quoad esse, the essence and being of grace would not continue did not he uphold it, as also, quoad posse, and quoad operari; Therefore our keeping is not à contra-distinct or separate keeping from God, as if he were one partial cause, and we another, as when two lift one burden; but ours is from him, by him, and under him, as the Master guideth the hand of the Scholar to write.