ti Juftbfying Faith cannot bewithoutLove. 53 good works ? It is a ftrange perfeb}ionthat can beattained without all good deeds fpirituall or corporal But they continuednot (theywill fay) in their formercharitie, when yet they prefumed flrongly onthe affuranceof their falva-' uon, as is apparent by their confident demanding tobe let in : for they laid, Lord, Lord, open unto m. Indeed they never had either true faith or love, and therefore couldnot continue therein. Forifever they hadbeene partakers of either in truth,theywouldhave perfevered in both untothe end : and where the one is utterly wanting,the other never was. Their earned demanding tobe let in, fhewes rather their defire than theirhope : andyet howmany hope pre- fumptuoufly without true faith in Chrifl ? Faith is groun- ded upon the wordofGod, andthe thingwhich it belee- veth, is that which the Lord hathPaid. Whatfoever wee conceiveof God befides his Word, it is imagination, opi- nion, prefumption,but faith it is not. But the wordofGod denounceth def ru&ion to the workersof iniquitie, tothe fruitlefíe and barren fig-tree : how can it thenbe laid, that they that worke iniquitie, that bring forth no good fruit, have faith to beleeve affuredly that they (hall beePaved ? The Apoftle makes mention offome, who profefred that they knew God, but were indeedunbeleevers, as the Vulgar reads it. And wee knowit is often threatned in the Pro- phets, that the wicked (hall cry, and not beheard: call in Prov.:.:8. feare, but not in faith : for they that in faith call upon the nameofthe Lord(hallbefaved. But theApoI+leJames (as they objeôt)fuppofeth plain- ly, that a man may have faith without good works, that is, without charitie, laying : What Jball itprofit, ifa man fay he bathfaith,and loathno work!? Canfaithfavehim? Wherein they take for granted what can never bee pro- ved, that the Apofile takes works for charitie. Doe they thinke that they againfl whom the Apoftle writes, would grant that they were without the love of God ? the Gnof?icks were never fo abfurd. But the queflion was, whether a man that profeffed Jefus Chrifl to beethe Savi- E 3 our Romao.8,1g. - Titus 146. ROm.:O.1s. james 2.14. 6e1lar. ubifuera.
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