Brown - BS2685 B86 1695

C ii A P. 2. Naturally we cry sip Self , in 3tuflification: 9 ge made from death to life. And this way ( or not much different ) of argueíng in this fame debate , we fee the Apoftle followeth Rpm. 4. where from what wasfaid of Abraham, a canfiderable time after he was a be- leever, he pròveth juftification by faith , without works, or that Abraham was juttified by faith , & not by works. The Import then of the TeRi- mony is, that this life, whereofbeleevers are made partakers , is begun, continued & carried on by faith , & therefore it is not by the worksof the Law, but by faith , that they are juftified & brought into a Elate of life; If it be true, that without faith , even belevers cannot be fupported , nor in cafe to live , as becometh , to the glory of God , &to their own peace & Comforts , in new Trials & Difficulties; much more is it true , that without faith thole, who are in nature , & in Rate of Enmity to God , can- not live the life of juftification & with it alone they can & (hall. Before we come to fpeak particularly to any Truthes , deducable from the words, we (hall premife force few things confìderable. C H A P. I I. Naturally we are inclined to cry up Selff, in Ju(tificatiou. THe Apoftle, as we fee, in all his writtings about this mátter, is very carefull to cleave the queftion of juftification fo , as Man may have no caufeof boafting, or ofglorying in himfelf, upon the ac- count of any thing he hath, or he bath done in order to jutiification; that hereby he might cart a copie unto all fuch , as would approve them - felves faithful unto the Lord , in being co- workers with Him , in the Gofpel; & that he might fo much the more fet himfelf againft that innate *ittufting of heart , that is in all naturally , unto an exalting & crying up of Self, in the matter of their juftification before, & Acceptance with God; and efpecially we finde, how zealoufly, how frequently, & with what Rrength & multitude of Arguments, he fetteth himfelf againit, & cryeth down that, which men do fo naturally, & with fuch a vehement byaffe, incline unto; to wit, juftification by their own works, or by their own obedience to the Law ; to the end , their innate pride may have ground of venting it feif, in boafting & glorying before men. From this we may premit, in fhort, the confideration of there Three things, to prepare our way unto the clearing -up of the Gofpel Doctrine in this matter. Fi,ß. That there is a corrupt byaffe in the heart of men by nature , & a thong Inclination, to rejeEt the Gofpel- DoEtrine of free juftification, through faith in Chrift ; & to afcribe too much to themfelves, in that affaire : as if they would hold the life of juftification , not purely of the free grace Sc rich mercy of God, through Jefus Chritt ; but of theinfelves, either in whole, or in part, in one meafure, or another. $ Secondly,

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