An Expojition of the Epijlle S "-"xll fl:rong in Fairh, but in the Point of Jufl:ification he takes notice of Chrill: in the er. X · Heart. T he truth is, boafiing would be as much of Faith, as of Works if ( '-"'"V'~ were jufiified by the Atl: of Faith; whereas the Apoll:le faith, Not o[Wor~: left any Mm j/Jo11/d boaJ1. But how fhall we underfl:and this thing, tbro11gh Faith ? . It is not for Faith, it is through Faith. This word denotes out Caufality, then 1t notes out a Way: What ts Fatth? It ts the way he Caves us by: Prepare the Way, Mat. 3· 3· It ts alfo aptly exprelfed by entring in at the jlrait Gate, Mat. 7· 13. How are we faved by Grace through Faith? Faith lets in that Salvation, lets in that Grace whereby we are Caved (as the Sun comes in at theWindow, when the Shuts are open) and the Soul' receives that Grace by Faith, and take Jobn's Expreffion, Job. 2 0 . 11ft. that believing you might have Eternal Life, by Grace you are faved and that through Faith· becaufe Faith lets Chrill: into the Soul, and he comes to dwell in the Soui;God f;., Chrifl: there, and he fo jufl:ilies us_and Caves us in a~d through C~rill:, ~hrough Faith,and that not ofyour !elves. Th1s Word,and that,lt refers to Fanh, 1t IS the Gifi: ofGod th~t is a ~iminitive Phrafe, he faith, _he faves through Faith, and this little thing Fatth, 1t ts the G1fi: ofGod, he magmliesGrace, he took the leall: thing in us whereby to account us faved, which is our Faith. IfChrill: were now to appear' what is the leafl: thing you could do, or could be expetl:ed th~t you would do,yoJ wtll fay tt were to look up to fee h1m, and to hope for Salvation from him. iji.4 5 . 2 2. Look._ to me, allyo11 ends oftbe Earth, andhefaved, J require nothing elfe, by Grace you are Caved, it isbut a look, and that not ofyour felves, and you fhall beCaved by that Grace. How much ofSelfis againfl: Faith I have fhewn,hisScope i!here to magnifyGrace in Application.There is a great Controvetfy in the World which isthe greater Grace, this, or for God to vouchfafe to Man, that he fhould go and make an univerlal Grace and Love to Mankind, and give every Man Means to affill: him by Degrees, fo that ifhe will not refufe thole Means, he fhall be Caved, his own Grace having a fhare with God in it. And he fhall be Co– Partner with God, [o it fhall be ofhis Free Will, this puts much on the Spirits of Men, and it fcrves (fay feme) greatly for the clearing of God. Tho I think, to clear God there need not be this Doctrine; but we fay, it" not i11 him that WiUs or &tm, b11t in God that jhews Merry, he works the Will and the Deed, and by Grace you are faved,and you are faved throughF'aith,and the workingofthis Faith is of God not ofyour !elves, he carries on the Will of Man, opens the Under– fhmding by a Spiritual Light, which the common Works of the Spirit give not. The QQ.efl:ion is, which ofthefe two magmlies Grace more ? fure the latter. If the way ofSalvation had been through Faith, partly ofour !elves, and partly of Free·Grace, all Mankind would have fallen every day one after another. There isthe greatefl: Inll:ance that can be, (that ofthe old World) Noab was a Preacher ofR.ighteoufnefs, the Spirit ofChrifl: preached unto thole Souls of Men that are now in Hell. And, lays God,my Spirit jba/111ot alwayrJirive with Man,Gen.6.3. The Holy·Ghofl: did fl:rivc with Man, gave him aJlifl:ing Grace, there was not a Man faved by that Grace. It is the highefl: Infiance that can be, only one Man C.ved and his Family, when all Mankind thus fell, and every one fell, one after ano– ther ; how came he "to be Caved, it was not with that common Grace; it is laid, N otdJ jo1111d Gracehz the EJes of the Lord, Gen. 6. 8. by Grace be was Caved, not ofhimfelf, it was by a fpecial Grace tbat gave him Faith ; it was not of himfelf, when all the refl: fell away by that common Grace Men plead for, he was faved by the fpccial Grace ofGod. The Text bath another Inll:ance, by Faith ye are faved, you th"' were without God in the World, without the Promife, lead away witb dumb Idols, in whom the Devil ruled, you were remote from Faith, if you had beenlcfttoF'reeWill, whatwouldhavebecome of you ? how comesittopafs that you are faved who areGentiles,when the jewrare call off? if common Grace would have got it, the '1ews had the Advantage : but I!J Gr41:eJOIIare faved, Not . J if
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