A30241:1491
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 57: Reasons proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his Children in Grace, That God keeps…
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.
3. Faith doth instrumentally preserve us, in that it renounceth all our abilities, and carrieth out to God only; This Faith hath peculiar to its nature above ⟨p. 315⟩all other graces, it emptieth a man of himself, it makes a man renounce whatsoever privilege and righteousness he may seem to have; Thus Phil. 3 Paul refuseth all privileges, accounts all gain loss in respect of Christs Righteousness which is by Faith: As the Cripple cast his eye upon the Apostles, hoping to be healed, he had no thoughts of his own Sufficiency but their power only, So it is here; Faith makes a man cast his eye upon God, and look up to him only for ability; Oh then prize and nourish this grace of faith which doth so nullify thee and omnify God.
3. Faith doth instrumentally preserve us, in that it renounceth all our abilities, and carrieth out to God onely; This Faith hath peculiar to its nature above ⟨p. 315⟩all other graces, it emptieth a man of himself, it makes a man renounce whatsoever priviledge and righteousnesse he may seem to have; Thus Phil. 3 Paul refuseth all priviledges, accounts all gain losse in respect of Christs Righteousnesse which is by Faith: As the Criple cast his eye upon the Apostles, hoping to be healed, he had no thoughts of his own Sufficiency but their power only, So it is here; Faith makes a man cast his eye upon God, and look up to him only for ability; Oh then prize and nourish this grace of faith which doth so nullifie thee and omnifie God.
4. Faith is serviceable to keep us by improving and making effectual those instituted means appointed by God for to preserve us, Such is the Ministry of the Word preached, &c. These are ordained by God to keep a man in holiness; Those that think they are above these, and can be kept without them, Let them think as well that they can live without food: But how come these instituted means of grace to be effectual in us, the Scripture attributes it to believing; The Word did not profit when it was not mixed with faith,