E R.26. Epfiefians, Chap.5. 48i fhip in the power thatdoth work it ; but thiswould dcifie the creature, andwhen Chrift faith, Mae.r 5.18. thatno creature can defile the foul; we may fay on thecontrary,Nor we,but JefusofNazareth-hath made thisman towalk, Ails 3. In the pooleofShiloh there is a refemblance, for a manby going into the poolc was cured, yet the water had no virtue, nor was not lifted up to theAngell todoe the cure, for then it couldnot but havehealed twoas well as one: naturali caufes cannot fufpend theiractions, when there is fit matter, as fire cannot but burne ifyou put onoyle, orcall: on wood. TheSacraments though theyhave no power tocreategrace in the inner man ; this though Patel faithof the Word preached, it isno- thing, r Car, 3.7. yet Rom. r. 16. bee faith that it is the powerof God to Salvation, that is, a powerful! inftrument. To underftand it, youmuff know a man, or a thing may be a caufc of that whichhe Both not properly worke : for example : I come and tell you there is a poore man; prayyou to relieve him, yougo and give him fome- thing, I caufethis aimes, and yet the matter that doth properly work it,is the inward compaffion which flirtedupdoth move you to doe the alines : foEzech. 16. 57. Wicked luit breathed, men did by pitture grow to be filthy, the devill flirting up their luff, was the proper cafe, though the otherwere the inftrumentall : fo the Sacramentsby reafon of the Word of promife, and the proportion of their effects tothat which Chrift worketh, who is fignifiedby them, they doe tell us that Chrift is ours, given us, his blood fprinklcd onus, they goe no further : now the Spirit ftirrethup faith, and fo maketh us finde that inwardlywhich they fpeake outwardly. God therefore fantlifieth, the blood of Chrift fandifieth,l am lehova your fanfifier, the blood of Chrift purgeth from finne, the Word fanuifieth, Joh. 57. Yam are pareby the Word : theSacraments fanttifie : God by his Almighty po- wer doth immediately from himfelfe alone worke, Chrift his blood doth procure it : theWord and Sacraments Phewus this blood, that we beleeving on it, might have the Spirit ofSanctification. Though God ufeth thefe things, yet he doth it as pleafethhim, to whom and when he rhinketh good, for he doth all after the pleafure of his Will ; it pleafed him, r Cor. 1. zr. wemuff not binde God to the fount: Hence fome that have the figne never have the thing, as SimonMagees, ltedus, &c. tome at that prefent receiveboth : force have the effeetof Baptifine long after. But one may fay, then the figns are emplie figns, if they work not at all, or not for a long time, that they lignifie. Anfv. Thus we may fay,a good medicine is no medicine if it work not in a body irrecoverablyobftrutted : or the feed is no living feed,becaufe `it fheweth not the fruite all the winter. obi. One thinghere is to be anfwered : How it can be fäid,that God fanfifieth usby baptifine,when we muff have faith and fanûification, before it can be effctluall in us, as was manifeft that Cornelius had. Anfv. Things are faid tobe done, when they are manifefted and more fullyperformed. i will chafe lernfalem, Zach. 2. The Conclut. z. Concltef. 3.
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