53 4 Tiffseats ssfe uaNcallinLtoChrift. of Chriftians are taken off from Peeking often this blefí'ed precious graceoffaith : there are ma- ny grounds why menare driven to this kinde of conceit, there are many reafons that make way for this conceit : As firft, to beleeve, is a fpirituall thing be- tweene God and thy owne foule, to pray and re- forme, belongs to the outward praciice, brat to beleeve,is a clotureof the heart, with an enter- tainingofthe Lord and his truth, and the giving way ofour foules thereunto : now bccan fe men cannot fee their faith therefore no man will yeeld, but he doth beleeve. Secondly, men conceive, that it is an eafemat- ter to take of mercie fromChrift, and fay they,is there any manthat will not have mercie? is itEach a hard matter to receive favour efFcred,or to take a gift whenit is tenderedunto us ? Thirdly, there doe apprehend, that the afl'en- ringto the GofpellofChrift, wherein is revealed the riches ofGods mercie, is all that is required in faith,when the Lord faith,He bath lent his Sonne into the world, that hebathpreparedfalvatioon inhim, andwrought redemption through him : they acknow- ledge andafí'ent to the truth, and conceive, this is whole to beleeve; upon thisground, poore crea- tures thinke it is in their power tobeleeve, and take grace and helpe fromChrift, though they cannot helpe themfelves; therefore they labour not toget grace fromGod to deft this worke, be- caufe they thinke they can performe this worke by their owne abilitie and power. The
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