A30241:1462
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.
Sixthly, The power of God keeps us corroborando, by strengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work. A man that is paralytical, though he hath life in him, yet cannot steadily and firmly move the parts of his body, but they shake as if they did not belong to the body: Thus even while the people of God are acting, and working what is good, they do it so remissly, so faintly, that did not the Lord confirm them, all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them. Hence Paul so often prayeth, That God would strengthen and settle them, that he would establish and build them on the work. It's a blessed thing to walk in the paths of godliness, with an emboldened and confirmed heart.
Sixthly, The power of God keeps us corroborando, by strengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work. A man that is paralytical, though he hath life in him, yet cannot steadily and firmly move the parts of his body, but they shake as if they did not belong to the body: Thus even while the people of God are acting, and working what is good, they do it so remisly, so faintly, that did not the Lord confirm them, all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them. Hence Paul so often prayeth, That God would strengthen and settle them, that he would establish and build them on the work. It's a blessed thing to walk in the paths of godliness, with an imboldened and confirmed heart.
Seventhly, The power of God doth keep us suaviter alliciendo, by putting strong consolations, and sweet delights in our soul, while we are doing his will. Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your strength. We glory in tribulations, when we are filled with joy. As fear and unbelief make feeble knees and weak hands; so joy and heavenly delight doth strengthen and confirm the soul, What is that which makes Angels and Saints so inseparably adhere to God, and that to all eternity, never weary of him? Is it not the infinite joy and delight they have in God? So while God doth thus give us to taste and feel how good he is, while we have an experiment of the preciousness of Christ upon our hearts, we stand immovable like so many Rocks in the same place, though never so many waves beat on us.