2 96 ofGods Workmanfhip. Suer. VI. ttMditttAVAMttt wtittitt WWWWWWWWWs MVP ERMON XLVIII. Ofgood lvorks. What to be createduntogood2vorkr implies, and tivhat'ivorks aregood, Er is as.a.it). For we are his workmanfhip created ha Chrifi feftcs togoodworks. He next thing in Order confiderable inthis Text , is the meritorious caule ofthisfplrttuälworkmartfhip, ,and that is Chrift Wae. Butthisparticu- lar I (hall pals by, asa fubjedt requiring a more large and diltinét dileourfe of t Pelf. I proceed therefore to the finaltaufeof this fpiritual creation , and that is, zoo good works: In the Greek it is Creatod in good Works. I"he final caule (faithEraJmus) is nothere tignified,but the effaa of gracecreating : fo that in his fente theHoly Gholt fhould not intend the end, ofcreating us.anew, but the effe& of hisgrace, as ifthat did work all the good inus ; and which is a wonder , Effiue a Papi t goeth this way, quoting Ifa 26. that place,O Godthou haft wronghr aß`oser works in off : It is much for him todo fo, for this feemeth greatly to exclude the poWer of free will: But I rather take i[ for the final caufe,andcommend our Iran- flators whorender it, unto goodWorks ; and it is an Hebraifin to life the Prepofiti- on in, forunto, although the Grecians alto do fo, as m 1r4J'er, áa, ores c for gains fake , for arewards fake. There bin denoteth a final caufe,though indeed this is fo the final caufe, as thatit is alto the effell. creatures Obf. That all Agewho areneW creatures, are createduntogoodwork;fi that a New gods life u. a necefary fruit oftbeir renovation. This new creaturecanbe no more created unto w ithout an external godly eonverfation , thenfire without heat, or bony without good works. fweetnets. In tome fente it is more thenthe fruitof a tree; for a tree may live and grow, andyet bear no fruit ; but this newcreature cannotbe, unlefs there be allo thole good and holy works which God requirethof as. This point is of great con- cernment when fo many fatisfie themfelves with hopes of this glorious citate, &yet their works are the works of the flefh, and ofdarknefs t As Chrift Paid of the falte Prophets, By their fruit you may know them; fo it is allo trueof falle Chriftians, by their fruit youmay judgewhat they arc. For the underltanding of this point , let usconfider what the phrafe implieth &eaird togoodworks;and that comprehends, a.What to be Firft , An inclination andpropenfity to agodly life. For asGod created all cres- treated togood tares with an inclination to their proper operations , thus this fpiritual man is en- works implieth dued with a willing tendency unto thole a@ions that are heavenly. Thus as the fparks flie upward, and the (tone fallsdownward from an inward inclination of nature, fo they arecarried out to faith, repentance,holinefs, from a free principle within. 49'riflotle delneth that tobe the natureofevery thing, which is the prin- ciple
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=