Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

What itrequired tofatting verticesandgoodworkes. 59 ricall faith, whereby we know and belecue, that that vertue nongisniur,re. which we embrace, or that dutie which wee performe, is iigrtævirtares warranted and commanded in the word of God, but a true bon e tfJi non liuely and iuflifying faith,whereby we lay hold vpcn Chrifl æ 2; edam! P andall his benefits for our iuftification. For without this &c.Greeor. neither ourperfons, nor workes are accepted ofGod : not moral.hb.z. our perfons,becaufe weare enemies, vntill byChrifl we be caP14. reconciled; not our vertues,dutiesand workes,becaufe they t.T " "rs are imperfe& and flained with ourcorruptions, and therfore they cannot indure the fight ofGodsiuflice,till theirimper- fe&ion bee couered with Chriflsperfeó`lrighteoufaes,and their pollutioncleanfed andwafhed awaywith hismoll pre- cious blood. So that whofoeuer are not enduedwith this faith haue no true vertues, but counterfeit fhadowes, their bel aions are but glorious finnes;which howfoeuer they are magnifiedamong men, yet are they odious and abomi- nable in the fight ofGod. And to conclude, when they are moll iuflified in theworld, theyare in the flareofdeath and condemnation; for the Apofllefaith,thatall,without excep. lion,fbal16edamsaedwhich beleeue not thetruth;which doome z.Thefi z.tz. is focertaine, that our Sauiour Chrillfaith,that hewho belee. lohn 3.i8. ueth notis condemned alreadie; becaufe he beleeueth not in the name oftheonlySonneofGod. Fifthly, all our vertues mull be imbraced, and all duties 4Seci.B. muulbeperformed inobedience to God,andbecaufehe hath 111 "rV"."1" commanded and commended them vinovs in his word : for cmedteR be imbra- if theyarife from felfe-loue orloue of theworld, either for dgood feareofpunifhment, or becaufe we wouldhaue the pralle ofbedienceto=n men, or otherwife aduance our worldly ends, they cannot wards God. bepleating vntoGod,becaufe we donot refpedl hiswill,but 430.9. our owne, norferue him, but our owne turnes. With all oar o- Sixthly, with our other vertueswe mull ioyne humilitie, the viruses we which is that precious ornament that beautifieth all other muHioyneüu- milrtie vernies and goodparts in the fight ofGod and men: without Size canja labo. which humilitie (as one faith) helaboureth invatnéwhichQa- ratq si virtu- thereth othervenues : for in anotherplace he faith, Hee that tes ägoAar. rarhercth othervertices without humilitie, dothas it werecarrie Bernard. de dsiíhinto the wind. True humilitie therefore doth open the eyes, ordine vita. tbhiles`l 1i1).8...

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