An ExpofttiQn, with Notes "" Faith, not by Work!: And therefore certainly our .ApofHe mean.. ' \ eth ap--etence of Fflith, otherwife there would be a direct contra– .dic1ion ; and it may be collected out of all the whole difcotwfe: The two next Vcrfes l.bew, he meaneth fuch a Faith as is in the tongue and lip.r, fuch a Faith as is alone and by itfelf, Verf. I 7· fuch a Faith as the Devils may have, Verf. 19. fuch a Faith as is dead, thac is, no more can be accounted faith then adead m'an can ·be accounted amr,n. ' TheNoteJ out of this Verfe-are thefe: objerv. I. I. That pretendedgraces arefruitlefs and unprofi~ble, Formal graces, as well as formal duties, bring in nothing to tne fpirit, for the prefent no grace, no comfort; and can beget no hope of glory for rhe future. · Pretences of the Truth are adi{advantage, for they argue aconviElionof the Truth, and yet arefufal ofit. •ris akinde \ of prarlic/z. Bla!fhemy to vail an•impure life under a proft7fsion of Faith ; for we do as it were tack on, and faHen the errors and ex· cdfes of our lives upon Religion: therefore ..tis faid, Revel. :z. 9· I k_,now the Blaflhemy ofthem that fa1 they are rews,and 11.re·not. There is lefs diilionor brought to God by open oppofition, then·by profefsion u[ed as a cover and excnfe for profanenefs : and in the Gofpel 'cis determined, in that Parable, Mat.2.1. 28, 29. that that fon was lefs culpable,that faid, I will not, then tbe other, th:tt faid, I will, and did not. All this is fpoken toillufirate thatpa!fage,wh~t doth it profit, if a man fay he hath faith? Ob/erv. 2. 2. Pretcn~es of Faith are cajie and~fual~ ·Men are11pt to flty theJ have Fattb; when they fee the vamtyof Works, and cannot fiand before God by that claim, they pretend toFaith : In fo free a difcovery ot the Gofpel, men are apt to declaim againfi refhng in. Work.!; but 'tis as dangerous to reO: in afalfe Faith. · Obftrv . 3• 3· From that [And hathnoWor~s,J he proveth, ~cis but afay~ ing they have Faith, if there be not Works and fruits of it. The Note is, Th.>lt where there is true Faith, thtrc Will be Work.!. Thereare three things that' will incline the Soal to duty: I. A for– cible Principle, amightyAid, an high Aim; ·all thefe are where Faith is: Theforcible Prir~ciple is Gods L()ve, the mighty Aid is Gods Spirit, the high Aim is Gods Gtory. I. For the Principle, where there is Faith; there will be·Love: ·affection followethper- · aHeb. 6 . 10 , fwa.jion, and where there is Love, therewill be ~ork; therefore 1 lhdl, 1 3 , do we often read of the a l;tbqr of Love.; and Favth ·wor.k§th bJ l-ove
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=