(403) life it felf, ofthe Grace and gift of God, for Chrift apprehended by faith. But yet it is a caufe, in fame fort, adminiiiring, helping and promoving towards the poffeflionof this r...ife;he right where- of we had before. Inwhich regard it is called the way in which we walk toheaven, Eph. 2.10. And it promoteth our life, both ofits own nacure,as being come degree of that Life it felf,aill tend- ing to perfection : and alfo by venue of Gods promile, who bath promifed eternall life to them that walk in his precepts, Gal. 6.8. For thoughall our obedience be impel-Fet, 8tc. yet in ChriR it is fo grateful toGod, that it is crowned with the greatest Thepromises therefore made to the obedience of the faithful!, are not Legal,but Evangelical,thoughCome call them mixt, Mat .S. 3. Andh. I. cap. 26. he makes Vocation to have two parts, the offer of Chaff and the Reception of him : in refpea of which re- ception, he faith Sea.29 . Vocation is called ConverCion, and Rem. oeneration ; and cliffinguifhing this Reception into Pafsive and r)A6tive, he faith,Sea. 2I. The Pafsive Reception ofChrift is that whereby thefpiritual 'Principle of Grace is ingenerated in the will ofman. For this Grace is the foundation ofthat Relation in which man is tinitedto Chrift. See more the defcription felt . 19. Though I do not think that the Reception of the Principle of Grace is to be called the Reception of Chria ; (himfelf faith, fea. 2. that the union is Relative : and then the Pafsive Receptionmurk unavoidably be the Reception ofa Relation, or ofChrift as Rela- ted, or to be Related to us, and not of a quality) yet here is more given to internal Grace then I do : when that this Pafsive Recep- tion of Grace, called Regeneration, as being the beginning of the newLifeand ConverRon,becauleall they that are called effectually are in whole converted from fin to Grace, from the world to follow God in Chria, I fay, when this which himfelf doth thus defcribe,is made the veryfoundation(that is, the neerefl efficient) of our Rela- tive Union with Chriff, and fo giving us Chriff,rnuft give us j tifti- fication and other benefits with him ; this is much more then ever I laid, for any internal qualification Of man vvhatfoever, much Lefs for outward works. Fff z 4r. V rfine
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