as a preacher of religion. In the verfe from which the text is taken, he ftiles it an infirmity. In his epiftle to the Galatians, he alludes to it in fimilar expreffions. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh. I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flefb, ye defpifed not nor rejected. From the tenth and eleventh chapters of his fecond epiftle to the church at Corinth, we learn that the enemies of the apoftle represented him as rude in fpeech, contemptible in fpeech, and weak in bodily prefence. Here perhaps we obtain fome infight into the nature of the infirmity with which he was vifited. But whatever the thorn in the flesh might be, the apostle, grieved at the prospect of its interference with the efficaciousness of his ministry, with earnest and repeated fupplication befought the Lord Jesus that it might depart from him. The prayer Chrift did not fee fit to grant. The motive which prompted it he beheld with complacence. He beheld the heart of his apoftle filled with zeal for his glory. But he knew, what the apostle could not know, the methods by which his glory might beft be promoted. He knew that the feebleness of the fervant would conduce to the glory of his Lord; that the imperfection of the inftrument would magnify the ftrength of of him by whom it was wielded; that the fuccessful labours of the apoftle, in the face of circumstances which might in fome degree. contribute to excite fcorn or difguft, would prove that the faith of his converts flood not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. He replied unto the petitions of St. Paul; My grace is fufficient for thee: for my Strength is made perfect in weakness. 66 "Be not afraid; be not difpirited. I the Lord "am able to complete my own work. My grace, without which thou canft do no"thing, fhall be with thee: and that grace can accomplish every thing." 66 In this reply of our Saviour to the request of his apoftle, we read a diftinct intimation of the nature and the importance of divine grace. The inftruction thus conveyed to St. Paul is applicable to every man. In the farther confideration therefore of the fubject, I propofe, in the prefent and in two fubfequent difcourfes, to explain the neceffity of the grace of Chrift to falvation; to prove that every man is enabled to obtain this grace; to indicate the means by which it is to be acquired; to point out the tefts and proofs by which the poffeffion of it is to be ascertained; and to evince its complete and unalterable fufficiency. Some obfervations will afterwards be severally addreffed, to those who disregard or despise the grace of God, and to thofe who labour to obtain and to improve it. I. The grace of Chrift is indifpenfably neceffary to falvation. Is a long train of argument requifite to eftablish this propofition? Contemplate the picture which the Scriptures prefent of the corruption of human nature; and of the confequences, in which that corruption by its own inherent tendencies would terminate. If the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; if the heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked; if in us, by nature, dwelleth no good thing; if we are altogether gone out of the way, altogether become abominable, fo that by nature there is no one that. feeketh after God, no one that is righteous, no not one: how is fanctification to be attained; how is deftruction to be efcaped? How is the Ethiopian to change his fkin, and the leopard his fpots? How is the fervant of fin, to become the fervant of holinefs? How is the foul, groaning under the chains of the prince of darkness, to be restored to the glorious liberty of the children of God? How is the bofom which is the habitation of every impure thought, every unhallowed de fire, to become the temple of the Holy Ghost? Will you answer, "By repentance; by faith "in Chrift; by perfeverance in every good "work?" Beit fo. Is repentance then, is faith, is perfeverance in good works in your own power? Confult the Scriptures on each of these points. The Scriptures call upon every man every where to repent. But do they affirm, do they imply, that man can repent by his own ftrength? Do they admit the poffibility of fuch a fuppofition? What then is the import of the expreffions of the prophet Jeremiah, expreffions not less wifely, than piously interwoven into the liturgy of our church; Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord; and we shall be turned: turn thou me, O Lord; and I shall be turned: for thou art the Lord my God (a)? What is the import of the following paffages in the writings of St. Luke and St. Paul? God bath exalted Fefus to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Ifrael. Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. In meekness inftruct thofe that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth (b). Is it not clear that repentance is to be fought as a gift from God; as a gift through the grace of Jefus Chrift? Enquire farther how the cafe (a) Jerem. xxxi. 18. Lam. v. 21. (b) Acts, v. 31. xi. 18. 2 Tim. ii. 25. ftands ftands with respect to faith. Without faith it is impoffible to pleafe God. By faith a man is tures defcribe faith as an attainment within the grasp of human ability? What is the language of the Son of God? No man can come to me, except the Father who kath fent me draw him(d). What faith St. Luke? Apollos helped them much, which had believed through grace. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul, and was baptized (e). How fpeaks St. Paul? Faith is the fruit of the Spirit. No man can fay that fefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft. To you, O Philippians, it is given to believe on Chrift (f). Then with respect to practical holinefs. Are Chriftian tempers and good works the produce of your own exertions? Do you learn fuch imaginations from the Scriptures? It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do. It is God who maketh you per fect in every good work, to do his will, working you that which is well-pleafing in his fight. Let us have grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably. Righteousness, truth, love, longfuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, tempe in (c) Heb. xi. 6. (d) John, vi. 44. (e) Rom. iii. 28. Gal. ii. 16. A&ts, xvi. 31. rancés |