Io Ephefians, Chap. TO Cf 7JJez. Secondly, This lettethvs fee that we muffnot lightly let paffe the bleffing of theMinifter,but flrengthcnour faith byir,and heglad that it commeth vpon vs. Doth not eueryvertuous childe reiovice and know themfelues the better, that the blengsof their Fathers and Mothers haue beenheartily giuen them ? fo fhouldit thou further thy felfe in the faithfull perfwafion of all good toward thee, that the blefïingsoffuèh whoare the fpirituall fathers, haue come vtofl thy head. In times of fuperftition, euery hedge-Priefts bleflìng was highly efleemed, if hehad giuenhis benediction in Nominepatris, Filij es, Spìritu f nili, howwell they thoughtthemfèlues r butas eue- ry whereelfe, that whichthey fuperititioufly and idolarroufly often m agnified, that the Atheifmeof our time vtterly neglcdìeth. Thus in Generali : nowin particular. Deg. Firft,note that he wifheth themGrace whomhe had called Saints andbeleeuers in Chrifl. Whenceobferue, that the hoard iuftified perfons haue need of Grace. The Papiftswill grant it meere grace in comparifon that our frenes are forgiuen, and that wee haue the fpirit ofGrace giuen vs ; but after this they fay wee haue to deale with Iuftice,frornwhich wee mutt expeth eternal' life. Amìlera- ble Dofftrine, Grace is in the beginning, Grace is in the middle, Grace is in the ending. A Chriflian man may be confidered in three diftances of time. r. In the time of his conuerfion: a. In the time betwixt his beleeuingand recciuing the end of his Faith: 3. in the time when God will giue him the Crowne of glory, life eternal'. Nowfor the firil, all grant that wee enter by faith into Grace; but for our after-time, that wee (landnotvnder Iuftice,but Grace,it ismanifeff,Rom.s.a,inwhich Grace alfo we ftand : At the day ofiudgment, thatwe haue to dealt with mercy, not with iuftice, it is manifeft,a Tim. i. 18. where the Apoftle prayeth that the Lord would thew onefypharue (a molt godly man) mercy, in the day of judgement, and life it felfe, thevery thing weecome to. Now the gift ofGods fpirit whereby wee cometo it, is called grace,Rom.6 . theme', life eternall; not a ftipend, bur , a giftofgrace ; thus it is one way cleared. Againe, in what Mould grace manifeft it felfe, butin thefe three things. Firft, is forgining finne Second- ly, in attaining life ; Thirdly,in continuing in the prefent grace. Now when weeare concerted, wehaue neede offorgiueneff of finne, otherwife what neede we to pray, Lordfrgiue vs curvy/Wes? Be- fide, euery Saint findeth himfelfe fold under finne, and that as an euill within the will ofhim, which cannot therefore increafe his merit, but maketh himmore guilty; for heauen we haue no need ofgrace, for according to the Law, continue in all perfealy to doe them, and liue ; noneconfcious of finne can hope tohue this way. Nowfor perfeuering in flare ofgrace, wee haue neede of grace, for this we cannot deferue; but as Gods gracious pleafüre made him to come vnto vs, fo it maketh him abide with vs, to accomplifh his good worke, which fhould beenor, all would come tonothing in vs ; Foras the foule entring into the body, giueth it life; felfe and motion, which prefently ceafein thebody, ifthefoule departed:So hereGod, the foule of our feules, returning to them,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=