Certain select discourses on those most important subjects, requisite to be well understood by a catechist in laying the foundation of Christian knowledge in the minds of novitiates viz., First discourses on I. The doctrine of the two covenants both legal and evangelical, II. On faith and justification / by William Allen. Secondly, Discourses on I. The covenant of grace, or baptismal covenant, being chatechetical lectures on the preliminary questions and answers of the Church-Catechism : II. Three catechetical lectures on faith and justification / by Thomas Bray, D.D.

THE XXVIII Lecture. And by God's Help so I will. And I pray unto God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my Live's End. (Book 28)

IN the discoursing of those Means whereby we shall perform the Covenant we have enter'd into with God; having First shew'd you, that to put on a firm and fix'd Resolution faithfully to dis∣charge the same, will be a great means towards the performance of it.

Secondly, I am now to shew you, that it must be a Resolution took up, not in Confidence of our own Strength, but of God's Grace and Assistance. And by God's Help so I will. In order to make which appear,

1. I will briefly represent how great our own natural Weakness is; And in what necessity we do therefore stand of God's Grace and As∣sistance, to enable us to overcome the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, and to perform our Covenant with God.

2. I will then shew you what Measures of Divine Assistance pro∣portionably to such our Necessity, God will bestow upon us.

* 1.1And, First, Let us take a View of our own Natural Weakness, so as to see in what necessity we do stand of God's Grace and Assistance, to enable us to overcome the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, and to perform our Covenant with God. And here we are to reflect, that ever since the Fall of our first Parents, when they did break their Covenant with God, and lost their Innocence by eating of the Forbidden Fruit, and did thereby forfeit the perfect Light and Strength wherewith God had endow'd 'em at the Creation, and had deposited with 'em as a sacred Treasury for them, and their Posterity: Ever since that fatal Forfeiture then made, it must be confess'd that our whole Nature is corrupted, and all the Powers and Faculties of

our Souls and Bodies, are so depraved, that every thing within us inclines us to yield to Temptations, and to sin against, and to disobey our God.

The Lig••t of our Ʋnderstanding* 1.2 is ever since become very dim to discern the Beauty of Holiness, of Religion, and of Spiritual Things. The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are Foolishness to him; neither can be know them, because they are spi∣ritually discern'd, 1 Cor. 2.14. Our Wills* 1.3 they also are naturally crooked and perverse, and altogether for chusing what pleases our Appetites, and our Senses, and are very backward to Religion and Goodness. Our Affections* 1.4 run with so strong a Biass towards World∣ly Things, that we cannot easily set our Affections on Things above, as the Apostle commands us, but on Things on Earth. And lastly, our Lusts and Appetites* 1.5 are naturally very evil, and carry us out to please our Senses, in direct opposition to the Laws of God, and the Dictates of right Reason. Thus is our whole Nature corrupt, and every Power and Faculty thereof does incline us to yield to the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and Devil, and so to sin a∣gainst our God, and to break our Covenant with him. In a word, the Temptations of all sorts, which we do often meet with to draw us into Sin, are mighty; and the Duties we are to perform in oppo∣sition to 'em all, are many, and sometimes very difficult; and our own natural Strength, whereby we should do all this, is very weak. We see, as the Apostle words it, Rom. 7.23. A Law in our Members, warring against the Law of our Minds, and bringing us into Captivity to the Law of Sin, which is in our Members: So that if we consider our selves as we are in our natural State, we have reason to bewail our Condition in the following Words of the Apostle; O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin, Verse 24.

But however,* 1.6 notwithstanding this our Natural Corruption and Weakness, we have reason to take Courage, and with the same Apo∣stle, V. 25. to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For our Blessed Saviour with the Price of his most Precious Blood, amongst other high Benefits, has purchac'd that excellent Gift of sufficient Grace and Assistance, for all that enter into the Covenant with him, to enable them to perform the Conditions of it. And as he has purchac'd it, so he does convey it to the Hearts of all such, to enable them to renounce, and overcome the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; to believe in God, and to obey him: So that though we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves, yet we have Sufficiency of God, to enable us both to think, and to do what is good, 2 Cor. 3.5. And indeed we can do all things required of us through Christ that strengthens us, Phil. 4.13. And this brings me to my

Second Proposal, Which was to shew you, what the Divine Assi∣stance is,* 1.7 and what Measures of it, Proportionably to such our Ne∣cessity, God will bestow upon us to enable us to perform our Covenant with him.

And as to the Grace and Assistance of God, by it I do mean some∣thing over and above that Reason and Perswasiveness there is in the Gospel it self to work a Change in us; whereby on the one hand, by

the proposal of infinite Rewards to Well-doing; on the other hand, by the threatning of fearful Punishments to wicked Living; the Go∣spel is apt of it self to prevail upon us, and to change our Natures. But by the Grace and Assistance of God, I do mean, I say, something over and above this, viz. A secret Power and Efficacy of the Divine Spirit accompanying the Word into the Mind and Will, by means where∣of the Gospel does the more readily and effectually work upon both, to the Renewing of 'em, and to the restoring of the Image of God in the Soul; namely, that Righteousness and Purity which we had lost by our Fall. This I mean by the Divine Assistance.

* 1.8And as to the measures of this Assistance, every Member in Christ's Body, in what Station soever he be, shall have sufficient Supplies of Grace derived down from Him our Head, proportionable to his Ne∣cessities, by those means of conveying it, which Christ has appointed for that purpose: I say, every Member in Christ's Body in what Sta∣tion soever he be: For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the same Office, so we being many are one Body in Christ, and every one Members one of another, Rom. 12.4, 5. that is, there are different Members in the Church of Christ. Some are to be Governours and Teachers of others, and accordingly must be endow'd with a Spirit of Government and Gift of Teaching; and others are of a more private Capacity in the Church of Christ, what∣ever they be in other Respects, and their Business is to keep a Consci∣ence void of Offence, both towards God and Man, and faithfully to discharge their Duties to God, their Neighbour, and themselves. And whatever, I say, those several Duties are, which arise from their several Stations in the Church, they shall have a competent measure of Divine Grace, enabling 'em to discharge the same. They have not a Promise of those Gifts that are necessary to the Discharge of other Persons Offices, but are distitute of those necessary for their own; that is, a private Christian, call'd to no Office in the Church, is not to expect, nor ought to pretend, to have receiv'd Gifts of Go∣vernment and Teaching, in a publick Ministerial way, for God is not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints, 1 Cor. 14.33. But every Member of the Mystical Body, by keep∣ing himself united to the Head, in such ways as has been shew'd, shall have such Graces and Assistances derived down to him from Christ, who is that Head, as are necessary and proper for him.

* 1.9And that too in such Measures and Proportions, as according to the different Times and Occasions in the Church, are wanting. Thus in the first Plantation of the Gospel, when the Work was so extraor∣dinary, that there was need of Miracles to convince the Jews of the Insufficiency of Moses's Law: And the Gentiles of the Falshood of the Pagan Superstition, then did Christ bestow upon his Apostles, divers Extraordinary Gifts, viz. of Miracles, Prophecy, discerning of Spi∣rits, divers kind of Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues, 1 Cor. 12.10. And as to all Christians in general, as the Malice of Satan did then most violently rage against the Church, Persecu∣ting to the Death, those who would not Renounce Christ and his Religion; So all the Christians in those Times were very extraordi∣narily strengthned, no doubt, to resist such strong Temptations.

But now, that the Church is establish'd,* 1.10 and the Truth of Chri∣stianity already prov'd and Believ'd, God does assist the Ministers of Religion only with the Ordinary Graces of his Spirit, in the discharge of their Ministry.

And as to Lay Christians therefore, except it be when the Ortho∣dox are call'd out into any part of the World (as sometimes they are to this day) to suffer for the Truth, they receive no other than ordinary Assistances.

But this both Ministers and People are sure to do, in the use of those Means which Christ has appointed in his Church for that pur∣pose.

And yet even these ordinary Assistances,* 1.11 Blessed be the Infinite Mercies of God towards us therein, are extensively very large and diffusive, so as to reach to all the Parts and Powers of our Nature, which are Evilly Affected, Corrupted, and Deprav'd by Sin; and Intensively very powerful in working a blessed-Change within us.

And, First, the Grace of God is extensively very diffusive and large in the Change and Reformation it works within us, in that there is no Power and Difficulty in our Natures, which by Sin is Corrupted, but by his Grace and Assistance is Renew'd. I do mean, that the Assistances which God does afford us to enable our Weak∣ness to perform the Conditions of the Covenant, is so apply'd to us by the Goodness of God, that every Power and Faculty within us, which is render'd weak by the Corruption of our Nature, is strength∣ned by his Grace to perform its proper part and Duty. Are our Un∣derstandings dull to apprehend and conceive of Spiritual things as they ought? His Grace does enlighten our Understandings: Thus we read, Luke the 24.45. that our Saviour opened the Ʋnderstand∣ings of his Disciples, that they might understand the Scriptures. And to this purpose St. Paul, Eph. 1.18. did earnestly Pray, That God would give unto 'em the Spirit of Wisdom, that the Eyes of their Ʋn∣derstandings being enlighten'd, they might know what is the Hope of their Calling, and what are the Riches of the Glory in the Inheritance of the Saints, Are our Wills backward in performing the Conditi∣ons of the Promises, why God by throwing good Suggestions into our Souls, and by Imprinting important Considerations upon our Minds, does perswade and bend our stubborn Wills, and by degrees, works us into a ready Compliance with the Divine Will: Thus is God said to work in us both to will and to do, of his good Pleasure, Phil. 2.13. And upon this account also all our Christian Virtues are call'd, the Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. Are our Affections list∣less and lukewarm to Spiritual things? particularly, Are they dull and heavy in our Devotions? Why the Holy Spirit helps to raise in us Holy Desires, Lise, and Quickness in our Prayers? Thus the A∣postle, the Spirit helps our Infirmities, making Intercession for the Saints, according to the Will of God, by Inspiring 'em with such De∣sires and Groanings that cannot be utter'd, Rom. 8.26, 27. And, Lastly, Are our Lusts and Appetites violent to carry us out to gra∣tifie them in unlawful things? Why? If by the Spirit of God we shall mortifie the Deeds of the Body, we are Promis'd, that we shall Live, Rom. 8.13. which implies, that by the Grace and Assistance

of God's Holy Spirit, we shall be able to subdue those unruly Lusts within us, and so shall live Eternally.

* 1.12And, Secondly. The Divine Grace and Assistance, even in its or∣dinary Distributions, is Intensively powerful, and strong enough to Renew our Corrupt Natures. This secret Power of the Holy Spirit does not indeed so forcibly and Irresistably work a Change in us, as that it will be impossible to Resist this Divine Grace and Efficacy, and to render it ineffectual to our Renovation. The Grace of God may be resisted, and his Spirit may strive in vain with us, no doubt, as it did with the old World, as you may see, Gen. 6.3. yet, by the opening of the Heart, as it did the Heart of Lydia, so that it shall attend to the Word, Acts 16.14. by fixing of the Mind to consider, and by enlightning it to discern the Nature, Tendency, and Useful∣ness of things reveal'd in the Gospel: Also by sweetly disposing the Will to weigh the Importance of Divine Truths, and by giving it to taste and feel the Goodness of Spiritual Things; by these Methods it adds such a Perswasiveness in the Word of God, that the most wickedly dispos'd Persons shall be thereby Converted and chang'd into most Vertuous and Good Tempers. Hence from this powerful Concurrence and Co-operation of Grace, whereby it has an Edge given it to pierce the most stony'd, harden'd Hearts of Men, is the Word of God said, Heb. 4.12. To be quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edg'd Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts, and Marrow; and that is a Di∣scerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart.

And hence St. Paul speaking of the Gospel, which he preach'd unto the Thessalonians, 1 Epist. 1.5. tells them, that the Gospel came not unto them in Word only, but also in Power, and in the Holy Ghost; that is, it came accompany'd not only with the Power of Miracles, as some do interpret it, but with a great internal Power and Efficacy of the Holy Spirit, working in the Hearts of those to whom it was preach'd, as others do rightly expound it. It came indeed accompany'd with both in those days, both the Extraordinary Gifts, and the more Ordinary Graces of the Holy Spirit made way for its Entrance, and Entertainment in their Hearts. And so great is the Measure of Grace afforded now under, and accompanying the preaching of the Gospel, to what was given under the Law, that the Gospel is dignify'd, 2 Cor. 3, 6. with the Title of Spirit, whereas the Law is stil'd the Letter; the Apostle making this difference be∣twixt 'em, that the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life. Here the Gospel is call'd by this Title of the Spirit, says a learned Com∣mentator, because Grace is a Gift of the Spirit, and is now joined to the Gospel, which was not to the Law; which Administration of the Spirit, and annexing of it to the Word under the Gospel, gives Men the Means to attain Eternal Life; when the Law is the Occa∣sion, and by accident the Cause of Death to 'em, in denouncing Judg∣ment against Sinners, and yet not giving Strength to obey. And indeed, lastly, well may it be stil'd the Spirit, since so great a pro∣portion of Grace is afforded us now under the Gospel, to work in us a Change and Reformation; and so main and principal a Means is the Grace of God of such a Change, that the whole Work of Rege∣neration

is call'd, Tit. 3.5, 6. the renewing of the Holy Ghost; and so little Efficacy is attributed barely to the preaching of the Word, in comparison of what is attributed to the Grace of God going along with it, that St. Paul tells the Corinthians, 1 Epist. 3.7. who by pre∣ferring one Teacher above another, and dividing into Parties and Factions thereupon, seem'd to impute the whole Success to the Ex∣cellency of some Men's Preaching above others: He tells them, that neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the Increase; where the whole Success of our Preach∣ing in rendring it effectual, he tells us, is from God's Grace, not from our Skill who preach it: So that intensively, it appears God's Grace is very strong, mighty, and powerful, in working a Change and Reformation in us.

To conclude then this Second Means of performing our Covenant with God: As great as our natural Weakness is since our Fall, you see we have the Grace and Assistance of God ready at hand to re∣store in us the Image of God, consisting in that Righteousness from which we fell by Transgression. We shall have that Grace and As∣sistance, I say, which is extensively very diffusive and large, so as to renew in us all those Powers and Faculties of our Nature, which by Sin have been deprav'd; and intensively very strong, mighty, and powerful in working a Change and Reformation within us. And this is a second Means whereby we shall be enabled to perform our Covenant with God.

The Third Means whereby we shall both obtain the Divine Assi∣stance, and be thereby enabled to discharge our Covenant, is Prayer unto God to give us his Grace, that we may continue faith∣ful in our Covenant unto our Live's End. But of the Efficacy of Prayer, I shall speak the next Opportuntty.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The whole Na∣ture of Man deprav'd.
• * 1.2

  Ʋnderstand∣ing••.
• * 1.3

  Wills
• * 1.4

  Affections.
• * 1.5

  Lusts and Ap∣petites.
• * 1.6

  Christ ha•• purchac'd suf∣ficient Grace to renew 〈◊〉〈◊〉 throughout.
• * 1.7

  What the Di∣vine Assistance is.
• * 1.8

  The Measures of it proporti∣onable to the necessity of the Church.
• * 1.9

  Extraordina∣ry Gifts of the Spirit in the first Ages.
• * 1.10

  Ordinary in succeeding Times.
• * 1.11

  Even the or∣dinary Assi∣stances exten∣sively very large: so as to repair all the Powers of Na∣ture deprav'd by Sin.
• * 1.12

  And Inten∣sively very pow∣erful to renew our corrupt Natures.