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curring with our natural Powers, and carrying them farther on in their Duty, than their own Strength would reach for the Holy Ghoft does not now overpower our Faculties in any irrefiftible way, but co-operates with them, helps their Weakness, and, where they fail or come short, fupplies them with fresh Succour, to enable them to do what of themselves they cannot perform; it fhews them their way, when they are turning out of it either to the right Hand or to the left, and helps them to go on when they are apt to fall or faint in it. This is the Spirit's helping our Infirmities, whereby he directs us in our way, and enables us to walk in it, by rectifying our Wills, and fupplying the Defects of our Obedience: for which Ends his Grace is fufficient for us, being ever ready to affist a willing Mind, and to accept according to what a Man bath, and not according to what he hath not. This is our Sufficiency here mention'd in the Text, or that special Grace mention'd in the Catechifm, whereby we are in fome meafure enabled to walk in the Commandments of God, and to ferve him. But,

Secondly, Whence comes this Sufficiency, or where may we have it? That the next words of the Text will inform us, Our Sufficiency is of God. And this will be evident, by confidering,

It, That our very natural Powers are of God: He giveth us Life and Breath, and all things; and 'tis in him we live, move, and have our Being. 'Twas God that infpir'd our Souls with the Breath of Life, and endow'd them with all their Faculties: he form'd our Bodies and gave them all their Powers; fo that all the Faculty we have of knowing the Will of God, or doing any thing towards it, is entirely his for which reafon he is faid to work in us both to will and to do according to his good Pleafure; and elsewhere, to work all our Works in us and for us.

2dly, All our fupernatural Aids and Affiftances are alfo of God; 'tis he that ftrengthens our Faith, raiseth our. Hope, and increaseth our Charity; thefe are the Works of his Holy Spirit acting within us, whereby he affifts our Weakness, and helps us on farther in the Paths of God's Commandments, than of ourfelves we are able to go. This is that Grace of God which is faid to be fufficient for us, by which is meant fome fuperadded Strength to our natural Powers, whereby they are rais'd and enabled to

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higher Degrees of Virtue and Obedience, than otherwise they could arrive to. In fhort then, all our Sufficiency, both natural and fupernatural, is of God, and all the Powers of Nature and Grace are entirely owing to his Wisdom and Goodness.

This being a matter of great Concernment to us to know, I fhall endeavour to illuftrate it to you by this Refemblance: An Artificer, in making a Clock or Watch, furnisheth it within with Wheels and Spring, and all other things neceffary to its orderly Motion; which being done, he fets it a going of itself, and leaves it to move by the Power and Influence of its own Spring: till by Time or Accident becoming out of order, he repairs the Decays of his own Work, and by his additional Art reftores and continues it in its regular Motion. In like manner, the great Artificer of the World made Man upright, and endow'd him with thofe Faculties, that like fo many Wheels and Springs enabled him to move on orderly in the ways of God, till by an unhappy Fall he crack'd and diforder'd his Faculties, and thereby contracted fuch an Impotence, as difabled him from moving and acting as he could before; whereupon his Allwife Maker graciously repairs the Decay of his Nature, and by the Supplies of his Grace enables him to move and act as he would have him.

By which we fee, how our Sufficiency is of God, he having given us fome natural Powers, which, tho left to our own Liberty, yet he hath will'd and encourag'd us to ufe aright; and if we exert thefe as far as they will go in doing our Duty, we fhall be farther affifted, and when they fail, fhall receive that fuperadded Strength, which fhall enable us to perform the Will of God in fuch a manner as will be accepted of him.

This Leffon the Catechifm would have all Perfons inftructed in, not only for the clearing of their Knowledge in this great Truth, but for the good Ufe and Influence it may have upon their Lives and Converfations: which is the last thing propounded to be fpoken to. And,

1. As the Senfe of our own Weakness fhould keep us from all Prefumption and trufting to our own Strength; fo the Senfe of this Sufficiency we have from God, may keep us from Despair, and check all Diftrufts of his Grace and Goodness. Tho we are unable of ourfelves to do any thing that is good, yet his Grace we fee is fufficient for us; and this is never wanting to our fincere Endeavours, God Almighty

Almighty being more ready to give, than we are to ask it of him. This the eminent Servants of Chrift have ever acknowledg'd, and we ourselves, by trying the Experiment, would furely find; which fhould teach us never to prefume upon our own Strength, nor at any time to defpair of the Divine Grace and Affittance.

2. This Difcourfe may ferve to check the arrogant Conceit of Merit, and teach us to afcribe all that we are, have, or can do, to the Divine Bounty: For if all our Sufficiency be of God, then 'tis not of ourselves, and confequently we can have nothing to boast of but our Infirmities, which rather need Pity than deferve a Reward. To merit any thing at God's hands, we must give fomething which is our own; whereas we have nothing but what we receive from him, being beholden_to him for our very Being, and daily depend ing upon his Bounty. Again,

To merit any thing, we must give fomething that we do not owe; for no Man merits for paying his Debts, but for doing fome good Offices above and befide them: whereas we owe ourselves and all that we have to our Maker, and are indebted to him far more than we can discharge; infomuch that when we have done our beft, we are but unprofitable Servants, having done but our Duty, and in many things falling fhort of that too. Befide,

To merit any thing, there must be a proportion between the Work and the Wages; whereas nothing that we have or can do, bears any proportion to the promis'd Reward. In a word, having nothing of our own but Infirmities and Imperfections to pretend to, we can look for nothing but Pity or Punishment.

3. If all our Sufficiency be of God, then let us thankfully own and employ what we have in his Service; this is the way to procure a Bleffing upon what we have already, and likewife to obtain more. He that us'd his Talents to his Mafter's Honour, was commended and rewarded with a larger Share; whereas he that neglected or mifimploy'd them, forfeited all, and was with Shame and Infamy depriv'd of it. Which fhould teach us to beware of mifpending our Time, Wealth, or Strength in the Service of Sin, of abufing the Gifts of God, or turning his Grace into Wantonnefs: But rather let us ftudy to employ the Blef fings of Heaven to the Glory of him that gives them; fo fhall they be multiply'd upon us, and in the end promote our own Glory. Let us ufe that natural Power and Strength

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we have already in keeping of God's Commandments, and then we shall not fail of having more as our need fhall require, nor mifs at laft of the Reward of fo doing; for God will give Grace and Glory, and no good thing will be withhold from them that lead a godly Life.

Laftly, If all our Sufficiency be of God, then may we learn hence where to find Grace and Strength to help in time of need; and likewife how we may obtain it. But this will lead me to the next thing in our Catechifm, which is the Way and Means of obtaining Grace and Strength to keep God's Commandments; and that is, by calling for it by diligent Prayer. Of which in the next.

DISCOURSE III.

MAT. vii. 7.

Ask, and it shall be given; feek, and ye Shall find; knock, and it shall be open'd unto you.

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AVING feen our natural Weakness and Inability of ourselves to keep God's Commandments; together with the Fulness and Sufficiency of God's Grace to help and further us in the performance of them : 1 proceed now, in the third place, to confider the way and means to which our Catechifm here directs, for the obtaining of this fpiritual Aid and Affiftance for the keeping of them and that is, To call for it by diligent Prayer. Of this I fhall treat from these words of our Saviour, Ask, and it fhall be given, &c. where both the Text and Catechifm direct to the Duty of Prayer, as the most effectual means of obtaining Grace to help in time of necd.

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As for the Nature and Qualifications of Prayer, the Reader will find them explain'd in the eighteenth Difcourfe of the first Part of the Catechifm, to which I refer him. As for the feveral parts of Prayer, we find them mention'd by the Apoftle in i Tim. 2. 1, 2. where we have,

1. Supplications or Petitions for all manner of Good to Body and Soul.

2. Prayers

2. Prayers or Deprecations for the averting of all manner of Evil to both.

3. Thanksgivings for all Mercies both publick and private. 4. Interceffions for all Men, for Kings, and all that are in Authority, and likewife for all others whom we are bound to pray for.

As for the times of Prayer, the Apoftle tells us, that must be continually, and without ceafing, 1 Theff. 5. 17. not that we are always to be upon our Knees, or that we muft never ceafe from the Act of Praying; for that would interfere with other Duties, and hinder us from the Bufinefs of our Callings, which we are likewife requir'd to mind and attend to but that we be always in a due difpofition and preparation for this Duty, that we frequently lift up our Hearts unto God, and mingle fome pithy and pious Ėjaculations with all the Affairs and Bufinefs of this Life: But chiefly, that we obferve the ftated Times and Seafons f Prayer, both in publick, private, and fecret; as on the Lord's Day, and other fafting and festival Days, appointed for folemn and publick Prayer; every day for private and family Prayer, in Conformity to the daily Sacrifice appointed by God Almighty, for our daily Wants and Bleffings; and at convenient Seafons to enter our Clofets, and Jhut the Doors, praying to our Father in fecret, who hath promis'd to reward us openly, Mat. 6. 6.

But that which we are here principally to confider, is the benefit and usefulness of Prayer, in order to the attaining of Divine Grace and Affiftance, together with the Succel and Efficacy of Prayer to thofe Ends; both which are here declar'd and promis'd by our Bleffed Saviour: Ask, and r Shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall Le open'd unto you. Where we have

The Duty of Prayer requir'd of us. And,

The Promife of Audience and Acceptance to recommend it to us; both which are here varioufly expreffed. As,

I. 'Tis exprefs'd by asking, or making our Requests known unto God: In which we are confider'd as humble Supplicant at the Throne of Grace, fuing for Mercy and Pardon for paft offences, and begging for Power and Strength against them for the future: which we are encourag'd to ask by a Promife of receiving; Ask, and it shall be given; and effe where, Ask, that your Foy may be full.

2. Prayer is here exprefs'd by feeking, and fo 'tis often ftyl'd in Scripture, a feeking unto God: By this we are re

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