Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133 .D76 C551 1608 v.1

1 °That our wovenhitresJhouldnot make vsdrn&t ofGods loue.i53 and finifhedbyhis gracious fpirit? what are the graces in vs That eurfans butGods freeand vndeferuedgifts? what areour bell: works ttifrcation is but the fruitesofhis Spirit working invs ? forbynature \ ee God cevit of are dead in our finnes, and the children ofwrath as well as the vnbeleeuing heathenor roof prophaneworldling, Eph..Epb.:.t.3. 2.T .3. Bynature we are not ablefo much as to thinke a good thought, or to will that which is good, no more than thofe who remaine in the {fate of condemnation, as appeareth . 2.Cor.3.5.Phil.2. i 3 but it is our Sauiour Chrif,1 rho fo loued , Con 3, f, his Church ,that be gamehimfelfe for it, that he might fanEtfze it Phil.z.i t. andcleanfe it,by the roafhi>rg ofcrater through the word,&c. as it'Eph.f.zs,z6, isEph.5.25.26. So that whê wehaue attained to the highef meafure offanaification that we canpofibly attainevnto, we muff in all humilitie confeffe withPaul,that by the grace ',Cora 5.10. ofGodwe are that weare,as it is r.Cor. i 5. o.Neither muff wee attribute any thing in the worke ofour.faluation, vnto our fan&ification and good works, but afcribe all to the free. grace and vndeferued loue ofGod in Chriff,wherebywe are fan6fificd and ffirred vp to new obedience, whowere alto-. getherpolluted, yeadead in our fins; fo that our fanaifica -- tionandworthineflè is not the caufe ofGods loue and mer- cie towards vs,but his loueand freegoodwill is the caufe of our fanótificatiô,and maketh vs,who were vnworthie in our felues,worthiein Chriffofhis loue and fauour. And therfäre we muff not niealire Gods loue byour vvorthinesand abun- dance ofgrace as being a caufe thereof; nor dcfpaireofhis fauour and mercie, whenwe feeour vnworthines and weak-. nes in fanUifying graces; for thefe arc no caufes ofhis loue but effeas, and confequently when weewant them altoge- ther,though,there beno caufe ofhopewvhilef we remaine in this fate, yet wee are notvtterly to dcfpaire for.thetime to come,feeing theLord in his good time maybeginhis good worke in vs;and when it is begun,andw'ehaue receiued the leafmeafure of fan6fification, citen a defire and holie ende- uour to liue inholinefle and righteoufneffe, wemaybe aflbu- r.ed that it is Gods worke,w hich hehauing begunwill finifh and accomplifh, according to that,Phil.i,6. In the meane philj,6, timeletvspoffeffe our fouler with patience,and ttiith a quiet atad

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