dd. It must be stirred up and improved to holy actions — ' A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things.' God hath given us a treasure to trade withal. Grace teacheth no man to be lazy. The doctrine of dependence on Christ doth not take us off from endeavours, but from resting in them. But you will say, What can we do with habitual grace, if there be not some predetermining influence ? I answer —
[Is^.] Some small power there is to an act, otherwise what difference were there between a regenerate and an unregenerate man, if a renewed man were totally disabled ? The days of our unregeneracy are thus described, Kom. v., ' Then were we withoiit strength;' but certainly, when we are taken to grace, there is some kind of power ; God's image is repaired in such persons ; they have renewed faculties, Eph. iv. 23. God hath given us gifts and abilities to work which are not altogether in vain ; motion and operation followeth : Col. ii. 6, ' As you have received Christ, so walk in him.' Something you may do by virtue of the new nature. Thou mayst call upon thy soul, and awaken it ; it is thy work to quicken habitual grace, and to do what thou canst to
228 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK 1.
bring it forth : 2 Tim. i. 6, ' Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee/ It is an allusion to the priest that kept in the fire of the altar ; so we are to stir up ourselves as much as we can. Isa. Ixiv. 7, The Lord complains, ' There is none that stirs up himself.' As we are men, we have understanding and memory, and can revive truth upon the con- science in an outward and literal way ; but as we are renewed men, so we have a sanctified understanding and memory, and that is more, and a greater advantage ; so we may call upon the soul and stir it up, and grieve for deadness.
[2rf.] I answer, all the moral actions of the regenerate are com- manded by God : though the principle of motion be but natural, yet we are under a command to be doing; want of predetermining grace will be no excuse. God may do what he will as to matter of assistance, but I must do what I am commanded in matter of duty. God is at liberty to act, but we are not; we are bound, but the Spirit is free. Therefore, putting forth the exercise of grace, being a moral thing, and that which falls under a command, we are obliged to it.
[SfZ.] It is God's way to meet with his creatures in the midst of their endeavours: Eom. viii. 26, 'The Spirit helpeth our infirmities.' Helpeth together — the word importeth such help as when another steppeth it, to sustain the burden that lieth too heavy upon us. When we wrestle and strive in a way of duty, God will come in with his assist- ance.— We know not the counsel of God ; he may join with us, but we refuse his help and put it away if we act not. Up and be doing, and the Lord will be with thee. Within there must be a habit of grace ; without, there is an assisting grace. We must be doing, and leave alone God with his own gracious work.
[4th.] This strength, though it must be improved and stirred up to action, yet it must not be rested in. When God frames the new creature, he doth not leave us as a clock to go of ourselves. God hath reserved the dominion over particular acts of grace to himself, that so he may keep the creature in a constant dependence. Not only the seed, but the tree ; and not only the tree, but the fruit, dependeth upon grace. We are not only the planting of the Lord, grow in his courts, but our fruit is found in him : Hosea xiv. 8, ' In me is thy fruit found.' Grace is not only seen in renewing the faculty and strengthening the habit, but also in quickening it to bring forth fruit. Because this is the matter in hand, I shall lay down several reasons and considerations to enforce it.
[Is^.] Because though we are renewed, yet it is but in part. The maim of nature is not fully recovered till we come to heaven ; we still halt of the old fall ; our natiu-e is not altered of a sudden, but still tasteth of the old leaven ; there is a constant weakness while we are in the world. Many would flatter nature, and say of it as Christ said of the damsel, she is ' not dead, but sleepeth,' as if original corruption were not a deadly maim, but only a swoon and languishment. After grace is put into the heart, we still find that our graces are weak and feeble. The children of God complain, Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' We cannot act with such freedom and courage as we would in the holy life. So Paul, personating a legenerate man, saith, Eom. vii. 18, ' To will is