9 The Soaks efeí1 taallcalling toChrift. 383 and combination betweene finne and the foule, and to withdraw the heart from thefe corrupti- ons, andfrom that power which finne and Satan andGods juf}ice would expreffe in the foule, no mancandoe it, but onely hee that hath agreater power thanboth thefe, which none but theLord Juts Chriffbath, Revel. T. i 8. which baththekeyea ofhellandofdeath : now thekey is a fige ofcom- mand:now the Lord JefusChrift onlybath thekey ofhell ,Sc death:tis he that bath led captivity cap- tive: tis he that triumphed over all hisenernies: therefore he only can pull the foule from the go. vernment of fin and Satan, and fo preparea way for faith, and therebybring the foule toGod. Secondly, confider the g!or'ous nature and the excellencies of this grace offaith, looke upon the furpafling excellency of the worke of faith above all othergraces.; for we have made it good by argument heretofore, that faith is a worke above man in his corrupt ef}ate: fo that a man may truly fay, that this worke of faith is more than natural! : now for nature to worke above nature,tis above common fenfe: that a tree fhould fee and walke,andabeet toreafon, thefe things nature abhorres. Now becaufe faith is above corrupted nature, therefore it is impoflïble for man toworke it inhimfelfe : thisI take tobe the reafon why this gracious worke ofGod findes morecontradi&ion in the heart, than any grace I know. Aman findes agreater doewithhis owne heart, and agreater hardneífe and erofneil inthe heart tocome in and beleeve., than to doe any C c c z thing
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