274 / 808
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 fcope
of
the
Text
in
a
word
is,
to
Phut
out
the works
of
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
:
Forgiveneffe
of
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.
Thefe
four
falfe
Conclufions
are
held by
the
Papists:
t.
Works
onely of
Nature,
and
Ceremonial!,
are excluded.
z.
Works
of
grace
are
Gods 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
auto
goad
works, which Gad
bath
ordained,
that
we
fhould walk
in
them.
The
Apoftle having
(hewed
that
our falvation
is
onely
of
grace,
and
the
means by
which
we are made capable
of
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
himfelf
a
man:
fo
no vertue
in
man
now created, to
make him able to bring
him-
fell
to
eternal] life; he confers
nothing
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
an
obje-
étion couching
works. For (worksexcluded) it may be
asked, what
place
they have,
if they
do
not merit
in
the matter
of
falvation The
Apoftle anfwers,
that though they
are excluded
in cafe
of
falvation,
yet they have their
place; for, they
are 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
of
them
in regard
of
us.
The