1. This should not cut off our endeavours after grace:1 we should so earnestly labour to get grace, as if there were no way to have it but by our endeavours, we should so strive to get heaven, as if it were to be gotten by by our fingers, by our own pains. Gods promises and purposes of giving grace should rather quicken, and greaten, then any ways slacken our endeavours after grace. See how the apostle makes Gods working grace in us, a ground why we should work: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 2for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And again, I know the thoughts that I think towards you (saith the Lord,) thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; but see also how God joins their duty with his promise, the means unto the end: 3Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go, and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. So also in the prophecy of Ezekiel, the Lord had promised to do great things for them,4 and then adds, Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. Gods promise to David to build him an house, did not at all slack his prayer to God for that purpose; for thus we find David praying, Thou, O my God hast told thy servant, 5that thou wilt build him an house, therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. And now Lord (thou art God, and hast promised this goodness to thy servant) now therefore let it please ⟨p. 196⟩thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever, for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever. 6Thus also did Paul, By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. See how he joins Gods grace and his own endeavours together. Thou must then so endeavour after grace, as if it were to be gotten by labour, and not bestowed by favour, yet when thou hast done all thou canst, thou must acknowledge grace to be free, as if thou hadst not laboured at all.
1. This should not cut off our endeavours after grace:1 we should so earnestly labour to get grace, as if there were no way to have it but by our endeavours, we should so strive to get heaven, as if it were to be gotten by by our fingers, by our own pains. Gods promises and purposes of giving grace should rather quicken, and greaten, then any ways slacken our endeavours after grace. See how the apostle makes Gods working grace in us, a ground why we should work: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 2for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And again, I know the thoughts that I think towards you (saith the Lord,) thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end; but see also how God joyns their duty with his promise, the means unto the end: 3Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shal go, and pray unto me, and I wil hearken unto you. So also in the prophesie of Ezekiel, the Lord had promised to do great things for them,4 and then addes, Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. Gods promise to David to build him an house, did not at all slack his prayer to God for that purpose; for thus we finde David praying, Thou, O my God hast told thy servant, 5that thou wilt build him an house, therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee. And now Lord (thou art God, and hast promised this goodnesse to thy servant) now therefore let it please ⟨p. 196⟩thee to blesse the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever, for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever. 6Thus also did Paul, By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vaine, but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. See how he joyns Gods grace and his own indeavours together. Thou must then so indeavour after grace, as if it were to be gotten by labour, and not bestowed by favour, yet when thou hast done all thou canst, thou must acknowledge grace to be free, as if thou hadst not laboured at all.
- 1Cant. 1.
- 2Phil. 2. 12, 13.
- 3Jer. 29. 11, 12.
- 4Ezek. 36. 37.
- 51 Chro 17. 25, 26, 27.
- 61 Cor. 15, 10.
