356 TheSpiritual!Sonne-/hip. whowonldbeDeans , andyet onderflandnet what theyfpeake, neitberwhereofthey grTw,t.y. airmer, doethinke there fpecches, Faithiuftifietb,Fanbadepterb,Faithfaucth,ro beederogatory to theglory ofGod , and to carrya contraditlion to thefe, Chriffiuflifetb,Cbrifl adeptetb,Cbrifìfauetb. Vnderftandwe therefore, andbee not deceiued : One thing maybee fpokenofdiuers particulars in a different fenfe;as forexample, GadtheFather adeptetb,Chr Jejruadeptetb, theholyGhafl adepteth,Faitb adapteth:thefe areall trueand withoutanymutual! contrariety: theybeenot as the yongmen which carne forth out oft hetwo armies before e aSam. s.t6. lea& and Abner, euery one which trifft hisfword in bit fellowctfide. , but ra- bPlemt;3.i. ther like thebrethren that Daniel fpeakes of, They dwelltogether invaity b. God theFather Adopteth,as thefaumaineofadoption: Cbrifi atthe groundofadoption; the holy Ghofl, as the applierofadoption:Faithas the insrrument ofadoption;and fo,in the cafe ofiuftification.Befides,when in ourcommon fpeech,we fay oftome man, his leafsmaiutaines him, isthereanyabfurd{tyin therewords ? No for euery man doth conceiue,thatit isnot aparchment linedwith a formeofwords,and accomplifhedwith a waxed labell,that that man linesvpon;but it is thus ap. prehended,thatlay hiswriting,fuchorfuch anestate ismadeoileruntohim,& by theprofits riling out ofthat,he is maintained: fowhen Ifay,Fdab imftifern, Faithadoptetb,I afcribenot filch power ¡imply unto faith;but this I intend, that Faitheauploth onevntobim,bywboferighteoufneilan, arceptedwitb God, and leywhofi right ,Ireceixetheadoptionofafranc. Thus then wee muftvnderfland this point; that faith,or belecuingbrings iuftiflcation and adoption, not by any fpeciall excellency that it bath in itfelfe , butmee relyand onelyby that place andoffice which the Lordofhisowne will and mercy hash alligned it, tMio55.3!. turn to be theconditiononour parts: Beleetee,aadthaußialt beefaueda. Theor, dinanceofGodmakes athing tohaue that vertue in it,which ofit(elf it can. not haue. Put cafeNasytanthe Syrianhad ofhimfelfegone andwashed him- felfe in Iordan feuen times, fhouldbeehaue been healedof his leprolie ? No doubtleffe i but being commanded by the Prophet , and fohavinga warrant fromGod,he wafhed,andhis flelb cameagaioq llkg *pepsefa littlechild, and dñing.1.t4, heyroas cleaitea.. So, howifthe Ifraelitesbeing flung in the wilderneffewithfie- ry ferpents,had out offome privatemotionof theirowne, fetvp a ferpent of braffe upon a pole,and looked on it,lhould they haue been cured? Itwere idle to imagine itsbut Godappointing it,hisordinance gaveableffìngunto it : bee eNum,at. g, that looked,latede.I.may truly fay untoyou, that ifweeofour felues(withouta promifeandwarrant fromGod) should haue call our felues whollyvpon the meritsofChrift for faluation,it could not haueholpen vs : but thepromifeof the Lord,Belstueaadbeadopted, glues ftrength to theaóiion, and faith by this, not by it felfe,vnites toChriff,and inuefisvs intothe tfeandcomfort ofall his benefits. And thusis faith the instrument ofadoption,not as it isa habite in vs,but asit is ana& appointedbyGod, andbleffedby him toroth a gracious purpofe.Thethird point'vndertooke,wasto thewhow this faith iswrought in the heartsofthe adopted. The fuprcamr gluer ofPaith is God, Emerygood f lame, T. ty.gift isfrom himt. Tocome to Cbrifl,andto beleeue isChrd?,etroall once : Nownone gSohn6.3I. cancome toCbrif1,except God theFather drawban h : Toyou itisgioen for Chrífl to . John 6,.µ, helmurin him,. Butnow inas much as(according to the rayingoft he woman i,Phila.sy, s aSam.rq,34 ofTekoahtoDaad,)Gadbathapprtedameanes,what that maeiswemutt ¡tom roa4, enquire.h is plainlytaught in tholewell knowne wordst,How/hall theybeleeue inhim ofwhom theybane not heard ? andhew shall they Bearewithout a Preacher t When we magnìfieour calling, and(hew theneceffstyofour minisiry for the es, Cor.a;a. begettingof faith,fomefwellingfpirits,who (as theApofle fpeakesm,)thint theyknowfomething, when theyknowaotbmgattheyought toknow it, cry to vs asKo- raband hiscomplicesdid to /Witand Aaron;You take toomachvponyou , feting atrheeengregation ieholy,eueryon, ofthem,andtheLordamong them,wberef.erethen lift
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