~ Ser.XXIII. ~ An Expojition of the Epiflle SERMON XXIII.' E p H E s. :z.. 8, 9, l o. 8. For by grace ye are fa)ledthrougbFaith, andthatnotofyourfel)les ~ it is the Gift of god : · ' 9• 'J{ot of Works, lest any Man jhould boap; 10. For we are his Workmanfbip, created in Clmft Jef~ unto good Works, which God bath before ordained, that we jhould walk in them. - I Shall proceed fiill, as I propounded in the opening the Nature of that Faith, which Iaves and jufiifiesus, and never ceafes till it bath put us into the Hands ofChrifi. I handled fomething ofit in the lafi Difcourfe. I fhewed you what aglorious Grace this is, and how it will of all Graceselfe be fQIInd to the,Praife, .Honour, and GlorJiifC!mjl, 1 Pet. 1. 7· · I fhall now Demonfirate the Greatnefs ofit in refpea: ofits Workings,and fhall alfo difcover the vafi difproportion, that is between our Selves and our Hearts, in which it is wrought, and this Grace it fel£ How hardly it is attained, and that it is fetched out ofthe Rock, by an Almighty Power. To that end I have cho– fen this Text, and it is the particular Head ; That not o!Jour.felvet, it is the Gift of God: which I will by way ofCommon-place explain to you. Only in General, take the Scope of the Apofile before in this Chapter. IfJS Scope is to magnify the Free Grace ofGod, as the foie Author of our Salvation, which he magnifies in two Refpefu; 1. By !hewing that Mifery, which Man lay in, whan God firfi fet his Heart upon him; dead in S!ns and Trejpajfes, deferving athoufan~ Deaths, Ch!ldren of Wrath ; as you have lil, ver.1,2. and yet that God had provtded a Salvation, and a great Salvation forfuch a forlorn Creature. 2. He magnifies it in refpetl: ofthe way ofbringing us to Salvation,and imports thus much to us, that fince Free Grace was the Contriver of our Salvation, its great End was to magnifY it felf, and being to make its own Laws,it would be fure to order Man'sSalvation fo,That tho ofNeceffity fomething was to be wrought in Man, or elfe he could not be faved ; yet it would pitch on fomething,that lhould have an Ingredience into Salvation, and yet fo that as little as could be, !hould be attributed to Man, and alllhould be afcribed to Grace. There are two things required ofus, Faith and Works. He puts a difference between thefe two. In that Faith is taken up intoCommillion with Grace, ['By Grace yo11 are faved through Faith,] which Works are not [not ofWork.!J the Works are required as well as Faith, yet God faith, he will not own you in Corn– million with his Grace, not ofWork.f. The Reafon is, this Fairh (as I !hewed you) is that Grace,which fo glorifies God ; that he was not jealous to pur it into Corn– million with himfel£ Now when God required but as little as could be, yet he mufl require that we lhould know his Grace, and lay hold on it, fince otherwife Free Grace will be loft : but yet in this laying hold on it, Fairh will give al! to Free Grace. But you will objetl:, May not a Man fiep in, and fay, l haveFaith, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=