Brown - BS2685 B86 1695

o Naturelll, we cry up Self, an ` uflification. CHAP. 2. Secondly , That it is the duty of all , who would be found faithful Am- baffadours for Chrift , after the example of the Apoftle ,, fo to preach forth the Grace of God , in this myftery, & to explaine the fame, as corrupt Nature within , & fuch without , as are byaffed with miftakes about this matter, & are led away with proud & carnal felf conceits , may have no apparent or Teeming ground of boafling 3 nor be confirmed in their natu- ral prejudices & Miftakes therein. Thirdly, That in very deed free Gofpel- juftification is to contrived & ordered as that none have any real ground of boafting , or of glory- ing in themfelves, or of afcribing any part of the glory thereof unto them- {elves, as if they , by their deeds & works, did contribute any thing to the procuring thereof. It will not be neceffary to fpeak to thefe at any length , but only briefly to touch upon them , to make way unto what followeth to be laid on this weighty fubjea~f, which is of fo much concernment to us all. As to the Phil of thefe ( CO which we {hall fpeak little, in this Chap- ter , & thereafter of the relt, in their due order ) it is too too apparent to be a truth from thefe groundsfollowing. I. This' is molt manifeft from the many Errours & falfe opinions, that are Vented , Owned & Maintained, with fo much Violence & corrupt Leal, & all to cry -up Self, in lefs , or in more; & to cry down Grace., Hence fo many do plead , with great confidence , for an Intereft of our works, in our juflification; Such as Papifls, ( who quire mitt?ke the na- ture of true juflification ) Socinians, Arminian:, & Others , who fide with thefe in lefs, or in more;. & will plead for a juftification by our inherent Righteoufnofs, or works of Righteoufnefs , which we do. Others, that will not plead for fuch an early Intereít of our works , in this matter, will plead for faith, as our Gofpel Righteoufnefs; & affirme, that the very aft of our Obedience in us, is imputed for a Righteoufnefs to us, & is accounted fuch by God; & fo, bath the fame place in the New Covenant, that compleet & relied obedience had in the Old Covenant of works; made with Adam; which, as fhall hereafter appear, driveth us upon the fame rock. I I. It is manifeft likewife from the large & frequent Difputes about this matter , that we have in Paul's Epifiles. If there had not been a great pronnefs in man, by nature , to cry -up hímfelf , & to fet up his own Righteoufnefs; in matter ofjuflification, why would the Spirit of the Lord have been at to much pines (to - fpeak fo) to cry down Self Sr our works, in this matter, as He is, in thefe Epiftles of Paul, if He had not teen the great neceffity thereof , by, reafon of this ftrong Inclination, that men Naturally have hereunto ? We muff not think, that any thing is there (poken in vaine; or that the Spirit of the Lord would have left that Doc- trine fo fully cleared , wherein our works are foexprefly excluded , if there had not been a neceffity for it, & if it had not been as neceffary in all after ages of the Church, as at that time, when firft written. Whate- ver the truth be , that is fo frequently & pungently inculcated in the Scrip- tures,

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