622 / 772
AEi.i1,16.
Tit,3.s.
g
Se41.3.
The motiue
caufe
Gods
fole
mercie.
3.PCt.1.3.
EpheL
z. S.
Eph.a.i.3.
596
OfSanETi
fcation
andthe
caufesthereof.
vertue
ofChrills
death and
refurrec`lion
vnto
vs,
and
fo ìm-
mediatly
beginneth, continueth,
and
perfc
Ìeth this
worke
in
vs, and therefore
moll
vfually
in the
Scriptures
this worke
is
afcribed
veto him,Ioh.3.5.6.
A6t.
t
x
,
t
6.
Tit.3.5.
And thus
it
appeareth
that
God
himfelfe
is
the principali
and onely
efficient caufe
ofour
fan6lification;
vpon
which
point I
haue the
longer
inffled,
to
the end that
we
fhould
not
in
this worke reft vpon
our
ovine
flrength,
for
then wee
Ihall
bee fiibieól
to
many
difcouragements,
and
lie
open
to
innumerable temptations,grounded
vpon our
f
nall weafure
and
flow progreffe in
our
fand}ification,
as
alfo vpon
the
great
difficulties
and manifolde
difcouragements,
which
both
flay
vs
in
the
birth,
and
hinder
our
full
growth
in
true
godlineffe
;
all
which in
refpe&
of
our
ovine
power prooue
this worke
not
onely
hard,but
euen
impolble
for
vs
to bee
perfe&ed and accomplifhed. But
rather
that
wee relie
our
felues
vpon the Lords infinite power and gracious promifes,
whereby
wee
are affured,
notwithflanding
our owne
excee-
ding
weakneffe,
that
hee will
not onelybegin,but
alto finifh
and perfedl this
good
worke
in
vs.
And thus
much
concerning the
principal)
efficient caufe
ofour
fan&ification.The motiue
caufe
which mooned
the
Lord to
fand}ifie
vs,
was his ovine mercie and
Chrifls me-
rits. The
firfl
is
expreffed
by the Apofile,
i.Pet.1.3.
whereas
it
is
faid,
that
Godaccording
to his
abundant
mercie
bath bejot-
tenvsagaine, &c.
The
Other is
implied
by Paul,
Ephef
a.5.
where
hee
faith,that God
bath
quickened
vs in
Chrifi; who
by
his death
merited
not
onely the
remiffìon
of
finne
for vs,
but
alfo
Gods
fpirit, whereby
wee
are
fan6hfied. So
that it
was
not
any
good
inclination
vnto holinefïe in
vs,
or any
thing
elfe
wherein
we
excelled
others, which moued
God
to
fan6lifie vs,
for wee were
all alike
the
children
o
f
wrath, and
dead
in
our
17nnes,
but
onely his
owne boundleffe
mercie
and
the
alfufficient
merits
of
Chrift
our Sauiour,
were the
onely
caufes
which
mowed
the
Lord
to giue
vs
his fpirit,
whereby
we
are
regenerate
and railed from
the death
of
finne
to ho-
lineffe
and
newneffe
of
life.
And therefore let
vs
not
arro-
gate the praife
of
our
fan6}ification
in whole or
in part vnto
our