Hence 1. the fear that Christ shall be wanting in bestowing influences,1 (so do many weak ones) is a broken half faith, looking upon Christ as half a Saviour; what? he that died to purchase the spirit, shall he not carry on the work of redemption, by applying it, and carrying on of what he hath begun? Indeed among men, he who made the Ship by art, hath neither art nor power to command wind and tide for sailing, for they are done by diverse powers, the one by a created, the other by an uncreated power; but here the same merit of blood which purchased grace habitual, did also make due and connatural (in its own kind) actual influences of saving grace to carry on the work; hence a case of Christian and supernatural prudence, it is so to fear our own sinful weakness, and to be humbled and cast down for our propension to fall away, as to believe that constant and everlasting love shall work to will and to do to the end: Then 1. tormenting Popish fear, Ah I shall, I may fall away. (2.) And the weak practical doubting of this, it may be, I shall perish, I cannot stand out. And 3. the law, spirit of bondage, I cannot be saved, who am so sinfully weak and wicked, have all three this, in commune; an undervaluing of the power of the free love, and an overvaluing of the strength of corruption; as if wickedness, and he that in the world, were greater then he that is in these who are born of God, 1 John 4. 4. and stronger then grace; for its natural to be of that opinion, that grace worketh not irresistibly, prevailingly, and with all might, according to his glorious power. Collos. 1. 11. and according to that [Greek or Hebrew] exceeding great power, by which he raised Christ from the dead, Ephes. 1: 18, 19. and so while legally we distrust and fear our own weakness, we do unbelievingly doubt of the mighty power of grace, though we see it not; for to see unbelief, (it is so spiritual a sin) is almost to overcome it; among ⟨p. 13⟩all sins it is most invisible, and best seen with the light of the Spirit; faith sees well unbelief, but unbelief can neither see faith nor it self. 2. There is required of believers the exercise of faith, in laying hold on the promises of actual influences from Christ the Mediator.2 John 15. 2. Every branch that leareth fruit (in me, for that must be repeated) the Father purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Hence 1. the fear that Christ shall be wanting in bestowing influences,1 (so do many weak ones) is a broken half faith, looking upon Christ as half a Saviour; what? he that died to purchase the spirit, shall he not carry on the work of redemption, by applying it, and carrying on of what he hath begun? Indeed among men, he who made the Ship by art, hath neither art nor power to command wind and tide for sailing, for they are done by diverse powers, the one by a created, the other by an uncreated power; but here the same merit of bloud which purchased grace habitual, did also make due and connatural (in its own kind) actual influences of saving grace to carry on the work; hence a case of Christian and supernatural prudence, it is so to fear our own sinful weaknesse, and to be humbled and cast down for our propension to fall away, as to believe that constant and everlasting love shall work to will and to do to the end: Then 1. tormenting Popish fear, Ah I shall, I may fall away. (2.) And the weak practical doubting of this, it may be, I shall perish, I cannot stand out. And 3. the law, spirit of bondage, I cannot be saved, who am so sinfully weak and wicked, have all three this, in commune; an undervaluing of the power of the free love, and an overvaluing of the strength of corruption; as if wickednesse, and he that in the world, were greater then he that is in these who are born of God, 1 John 4. 4. and stronger then grace; for its natural to be of that opinion, that grace worketh not irresistibly, prevailingly, and with all might, according to his glorious power. Collos. 1. 11. and according to that 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 exceeding great power, by which he raised Christ from the dead, Ephes. 1: 18, 19. and so while legally we distrust and fear our own weaknesse, we do unbelievingly doubt of the mighty power of grace, though we see it not; for to see unbelief, (it is so spiritual a sin) is almost to overcome it; among ⟨p. 13⟩all sins it is most invisible, and best seen with the light of the Spirit; faith sees well unbelief, but unbelief can neither see faith nor it self. 2. There is required of believers the exercise of faith, in laying hold on the promises of actual influences from Christ the Mediator.2 John 15. 2. Every branch that leareth fruit (in me, for that must be repeated) the Father purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
- 1We are to believe that he who purchased by his merit the habit of grace, shall give suitable influences, and to fear also our propension to fall.
- 2The promise of influences in Christ.
