A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Now for the Application of this, if it be so that it is the Almighty Power of God only that can keep us from Sin, This may then be Convictive of that Error that now a Days is very rife in the World, that ascribes our preservation in our standing, not so much to the Almighty Grace of God, as to the Liberty and Freedom of our own Wills. Truly this is an Opinion that proceeds much from the Pride and Stomach of such who are loath to be too much beholding to the Grace of God for their Salvation. It is true, no Man Sins, nor no Man abstains from Sin, but it is with his Will, but yet still there is an Almighty Influence from God, an Influence of common Providence to the Wicked, without which they could not so much as Will, and an Influence of Special Grace to the Godly, without which they could not abstain from Sin: It is God, saith the Apostle, that works ⟨p. 311⟩in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure; it is not, whether or not the Will be free in abstaining from Sin that is acknowledged, but whether the motion of the Will be principally and primarily from God, or from it self; and this the Apostle concludes to be from God. From him it is that we both will and do; he gives the first beginning, he adds the progress, and he concludes. He first begets Grace, then he increaseth it, and at last he crowns it. All is from God.

Now for the Application of this, if it be so that it is the Almighty Power of God only that can keep us from Sin, This may then be Convictive of that Errour that now a Days is very rife in the World, that ascribes our preservation in our standing, not so much to the Almighty Grace of God, as to the Liberty and Freedom of our own Wills. Truly this is an Opinion that proceeds much from the Pride and Stomach of such who are loath to be too much beholding to the Grace of God for their Salvation. It is true, no Man Sins, nor no Man abstains from Sin, but it is with his Will, but yet still there is an Almighty Influence from God, an Influence of common Providence to the Wicked, without which they could not so much as Will, and an Influence of Special Grace to the Godly, without which they could not abstain from Sin: It is God, saith the Apostle, that works ⟨p. 311⟩in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure; it is not, whether or not the Will be free in abstaining from Sin that is acknowledged, but whether the motion of the Will be principally and primarily from God, or from it self; and this the Apostle concludes to be from God. From him it is that we both will and do; he gives the first beginning, he adds the progress, and he concludes. He first begets Grace, then he encreaseth it, and at last he crowns it. All is from God.