Hooker - BT780 H7 1637

z 88 The Sodes eeEtuallealling to Chrift. Father,: to reft it felfe,&c. this I adde in the fe- condplace upon the fame ground, becaufe a man hath no legs of himfelfe to bee carried to the Lord Jefus Chrift, tobeleeve inhim,further than God doth convey this, and communicate to the foule, amannaturally is as well able tokeepe the law, which is doe and live, as hee is ofhimfelfe, ( in himfelfe fo confidered) to beleeve in the Gofpell, and to keepe the fecond covenant of grace, which is beleeve and live : but the diffe- rence is here, the Gofpell requires abilitie, and gives it; the Lord cals us to come, and inables us to come; whereas the law reveales a mans cor- ruptions , but never gives him power againft them; but as the Lord called Lazarus, fo the Lord gave Lazarue power to rife ; fo when the Lord cals a poore firmer, he gives ftrength and fpirituall ability to come, according to the call which the Lord reveales, that he may come by that laving and precious faith,(as S. Peter cals it) therefore it is of neceffity required, that as the foule beleeves, the Lordmuff give firength that it may beleeve, and therefore it is eifeerually per- fwaded. Now that I might meet with that erronious opinion of Pelagian., confider what I fay, they fay it isofneceflìty required, that a poore firmer leavehis minde inlightened, but thewill of man isunaltered , and left free to refuteor chufe grace if it pleafe ; fo that they put a kinde ofability in thewill, to takeor refufe Chrift andgrace when it is offered ; but here is adeepe miffake,becaufe the

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