to the EPHESIAN S. ' ~ In the opening of this I !hall (becaufe it is the main ) fpend a little time upon Scrm.XXf. it now, and in the next Sermon,. And firfr, I !hall open·to you all thefe Par- ~ ticulars which are natural and proper to the Text. r. That as the whole ofSalvation is given by Grace, fo it is wholly received by Faith, and by Faith only; and there is nothing in Man that could have received this whole Gift ofSalvation, or lay hold on it, or apprehend it, or have been ca– pable ofit, but only Faith, not Works, nor anything elfe. 2. I mull: !hew you what this Faith is, and that out ofthe Text, that this Faith which bath the Grace ofGod, and the Grace of Chrifr for its Obje/.1:, and hath Salvation for its aim, this Faith and no other doth receive and cloth polfefs us ofthe whole ofSalvatiorr. 3· I mull: Jikewife !hew you, how this Faith cloth polfefs us ofall this, that it is conveyed through this Faith, and what kind of Conlideration this Faith !hould have in our being Caved by it, whether as a Condition, or an Infrrument, or what. I !hall !peak to all of thefe things briefly ; and the fir({ two are implyed in the Word Faith; and the other in the Word through Faith; and fo I !hall clear it to you what is meant by this,through Faith,and !hew you how through Faith it is convey– ed to us, which indeed are Come ofthe Controverlies and Agitations ofthefe times. That which I l11all do at this prefent, it is only this, (for I fee I cannot fini!h it) That as the whole ofSalvation doth come immediatly out of the Hand of God and his Free Grace, fo there is no Principle in Man, or that can be fuppofed to have been in Man, which could have received this whole of Salvation, but on!y Faith. As Grace, I fay, is the thing that gives all, fo this Principle in Man,Faith; is that which fuits this Grace wholly and fully, and nothing elfe could. You read in Rum. 3· 24. ofthree Caufes, as I may fo exprefs them, but I will not call them all Caule$, I !hall !hew you what Influence Faith may be faid to have into our Salvation, by and by. Ye ore jnflifjed (faith he) freely by hi; Grace, through the Redentption that i; in Jef~~< Chrifi, whom God bathfit forth to be a 'Propi– tiation, through Faith in hi< 'Blood. You have thefe three, by Grace, through the Redemption that i; in Chrifl, and through F~ith in hi< Blood. Now by Grace there, is meant, all the Favour in God's Heart towards us, which did contrive and intend all fort of Benefits to us, to the praife ofit fel£ But yet this Grace that was in the Heart of God, needed Jefus Chrifr as a Mediatour (if you will have me fo fpeak) in refpe/.1: ofcompounding it with Jufrice, therefore it is added there, throt~gh t/;e Redemption that n in Jef~~< Chrifl. And Grace pitch'cl upon the fittefr Infrrument, the fittefr Servant it could have, to execute all its Will, and to derog:lte nothing from it felf, that is Jefus Chrifr. Look what Salvation you do defign faith Chrifr, I will purchafe, and notwithfranding my Purchafe you !hall give all freely; (for. though it be given through the Redemption that is in Chrifr, and fo as in refpeCl: ofChrifr, it is not free, yet as it is to us it is free) and faith he, Grace !hall not be robbed by me one whit, but advanced,the Revenue ofit lliall not be one whit impaired by me, no, the giving of me, and that I die by Grace (as the Phrafe is, Heb. 2.) it !hall magnify Grace fo much the more, and make it double Grace. So that now the Grace that was jn God, bath a Saviour for us fitted to his own Heart. Well, but now faith God (that I may exprefs it in this £1miliar manner) I fee how that the giving ofJefus Chrifr, and his Redemption, will very well O:and with my Grace, and advanceit: But I mu({ come and apply this Salvation, the whole ofSalvation, out of meer pure Grace, refpe1.1:ing nothing in the Creature, ond I mull: make the Creature fenlible ofthis, and what is it that I !hall do it by that!hall magnify both my Grace and this Chrifr? If! can now but get an Infrru– ll'ent, fomething in Man's Heart, that doth no more derogate from Grace than Chrifr's Redemption cloth, then Grace is advanced indeed. Now my Brethren, as Jefus Chrifr was fo fit an Infrrument, and a Servant to all Free Grace's Ends and Purpofes; the Truth is, fois Faith every whit, it is fuited to the very Spirit and Strain, it is according to Free ~race's own Beart too; let me tefl you fo. As Grace r
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