E A. 9. Ephefians, Chap.z. But the Apoftic feemeth to forbid it, Paying, Why rejoyceft thou in that thou haft, as ifthouhadft not received it The Apoftie doth take away this, with this confideration, as if thingswere of our fclves ; but doth not therefore give leave to re- joycc in thefe things, if we know they are given; for he placeth our rejoycing out of our {elves and our gifts. The Papifts yeeld it unexpedient,not fate without fundry provifo's diligently obferved: As, that it be of good things; that we know them of God; that wee remember imperfc&ions; that wee go forward. Wherefore the truth being fo clear in our own confciences, we mutt learn our duties ; Let our rejoycing before God be onely in his love, in Chrift; glory in nothing but in the eternalllove of God that faves us : we are the Circumcifion,which worfhip god in(firit,andrejoyce inChrifi lefue, and have no confidence in theflefh, Phil. z.3. Another point here tobe obferved is this , That whatfoever we re- ceive in Cbrifi, cannotfiand in defert of falvation. The reafon is plain ; Firft, whatfoever muff be meritorious in fal- vation and righteoufnefhe , mull be given us in creation. The Cove- nant of the Law was ftricken with 4dam on his perfeverance in innocencie, and on the worksof thofe ftrengths received in innocen- cie: If a mancould now fulfill all the Law being in Chrift, he could not challengerighteoufncffe in the Law. Why,but the Scripture faith, Do this and live ; True, but it meanetk, of thy own ftrength. Secondly, whatfoever is receivedin Chrift, mull ftand with grace; for,Grace, Chrift, Faith,ftand together. But whatfoever in us fhould deferve, cannot ftand with grace; therefore whatfoever we are in Chrift cannot deferve : Faith is not of doing , grace is not of working. Thirdly, if this which we become in Chrift, fhould finable us to juftifie and fave our fclves, then Chrift fhould bring us back again to the Law : But wee arc dead to the Law , Romans 6. GAla. tianr 2. Fourthly, if we fhould, by that we are in Chrifl, deferveour fal- vation, then Chrift fhould makeus our own Saviours : If Chrift have deferved it, we have not; if we have, he hath not. Fiftly,it is a contradi&ionto fay,Chrift hathdeferved heaven for us, fo that he maketh us deferve it ; as if it fbould be laid, One hath paid my debt for me, fo I will pay it my felf: One hathpurchafed fuch a thing for me, but fo, that I mull: purchafe it my felt. But it may be faid, It is no prejudice that Chrift fhouldmerit in xe : As God is more glorious that he doth many things mediately, then if he fhould do them alone, as he giveth light, but by the Sun. This urged and granted, Chrift fhould efficiently, we formaliter, merit. What we come to receive in Chrift , is falvation and glory. If Chrift fhould make us alto by grace to deferve, then he fhould make 57 objelt. Anf. Do&r. Nothing of our own, though in Chrift, merits falvation. Afafont. 3. 3. 4 5. O6jek. Anfxi+. Chill} merit- ed, not that we fhould me- riti but be ac- cepted.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=