z58 Ephefan.r,Chap. 2. V B R, to. make us able to make his death in vain. Any thing joyned with Chrift,doth overthrow Chrift. Chrift bath not deferved that his own defert fhould be in vain. You may fee then, that the true fcopeof the Text in a word is,to Phut out the worksof grace from our whole falvation, as defers. The Papists Phut out all our works done before grace, from deferving our falvation begun, our pardon of fin, and fanCtification habitual]. See how the fpirit of Popery croffeth the Scripture; to fay, Chrifts merit is communicable, is wicked, for it is as incommunicable as his Perfon or Godhead : to fay, This was his merit, that we fhould be able to deferve, and procure, and fo fave our felves, is a molt impudent fall- hood : Forgiveneffeof fins, life, f lvation,he dyed for,that we might receive there things through him : But that we might deferve them for our felves, there is not a word. Thefefour falfe Conclufions are held by thePapists: t. Works onely of Nature, and Ceremonial!, are excluded. z. Works ofgrace areGods penny,and may deferve without im- peachment to his grace. The fi r t of 3. Works that we have in Chrift , may be rejoyced in, and A°"ch"u trulted to. 4. Becaufe of Chrift and his merit, our works come to be me- ritorious. How abfurd, and contrary to Scripture and reafon thefe are, I have proved; and now I proceed. VERS. to. V E R s. O. For we are his workmanfhip, created in Chrift lefiu autogoadworks, which Gadbathordained, that wefhould walk in them. TheApoftle having (hewed that our falvation is onely of grace, and the means by whichwe are made capableof all Paving good in Chrift, by Faith, excluding all caufes in man, and that from the end, left he fhould boaft himfelf : he now gives a reafon , why Gods grace is all in all , drawn from our redemption by Chrift. As in the firft creation, there was no difpofition in man to make himfelfa man: fo no vertue in man now created, tomake him able to bring him- fell to eternal] life; he confersnothing to the works of his new crea- tion in Chrift, no motion of mans will , thought, or deire, or any preparatory work; all proceeds from the infinite creating power of God, he gives all. The fcope of this Verfe is, firlt, to lay down a reafon why we by that we are, and works cannot merit : Secondly, to prevent anobje- étion couchingworks. For (worksexcluded) it may beasked, what place they have, if they do not merit in the matterof falvation The Apoftle anfwers, that though they are excluded in cafe of falvation, yet they have their place; for, theyare wayes in which the heirs of falvation mutt walk in. Summe. The words then render a reafon, proving the matter be- fore, defcribing good worksfrom God preparing them : and from the end ofthem in regard of us. The
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