Book IV. SECT. 4· of hJptn_g in {efm in tharrefpea. 4· L Et us h!pe in {efm co;rrying on the great work of our ,. falvation in his life. By this hope I meane not a flu- ·ctuating, wavering, doubtful hope, bot an affu ·ed hope, an hope· well grounded. The maine foul qudtion is, whether Chrifis l1fe 'be mme? whether all thofe paffages of his life laid open, bebng: •\ln·o me? whether the hab1tual righteoufneffe, and actual holinelfe of Chrift be imputed to my juftificarion? arld what are the grounds and foundations on which my hope is built? the Apoftle tells us, that Godgives good hope! through gr~tce; if hope ~The[ 1o1l. be right and good, it will manifeft it felfe by operations offaving grace : 0 lo0k into thy foul ! what gracious elfed:s of the life .ofChrift are there? certainly his life is not without fome inflt1:.. .ence on our fpirits, if weare his members, and he be our head: ,the head we fay, communicates life, and fenfe, and motion to the members, and fo doth Chrift communicate a fpirituallife, and [enfe, and motion to his members; 0 the glorious effects flow; ing out of ( hrifis life into a beleev-ers foul ! I fhalllay down thefe. As - ·I. IfChriLls life be mine, then am Ifreed from the law ofGn . .this was the Apol.lles evidence, for the l~tw of rh~ Spirit of life i~ Chrift JefuJ, hath made me free from the law of fin. Chrills life Rom. 3 • ~ tis called the Spirit of life, becau!e of its i'erfc:d:ion; and this Spirit oflife hath fuch a power in it, here termed"' law, that it works out in beleevers a freedome from the law or piwer in fin. !cannot think, notwithfianding the influence of Chrills life on. ·me, but that fin ftill fiicketh in me, I am ftill a finner in refped: of the inherency of fin, but I am freed from the power offin, ( i.) from the guilt of fin as to its condemning power, and from the 'filth of fin as to its ruling reigning power: let net (inne reigne in Jour mortal lwJirs. , that ye jbould obry it in the· lufts thereof. Rom. 6, 1 ., ; I grant there is fome difference among divines in th.eir expreffions, concerning the fins ofGods own people~ though they meane one and the felfe-fame thing. Seme call them only }ins of
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