ì 3c3 The Gafpel-lllvffery DireEt. Vi>r. 15. Eph. ii. t o. in whom we are partakers of a di- vine nature, far different from that which we receiv- ed from the firft Adam. Now, faith is the uniting grace, whereby Chrift dwelleth in us, and we in him, as hath been (hewed ; and therefore it is the firft grace Wrought in our regeneration, and the means of all the reft : when you truly believe, you are rege- nerated, and not till then. Thofe that receive aria by believing, and thofe only, are the fans of God, Fá which are born not of blood, nor of the will of t' the flefh, nor of the will of man, but of God," John í. 12, 13. idly, They account it neceff'ary to receive Chrift as their Lord and Lawgiver, by a fincere refignation of themfelves to his government, and a refolution to obey his law, before they receive him as their Savi- our. This is one principal lefron of the new divi- nity, and fuch a receiving Chrift as Lord, is made to be the great as of faving faith ; without which, fuch faith as I have defcribed, whereby we trùft on Chrift for falvation, is reckoned no better than grofa. prefumption. They teach, that Chrift will not be- flow his falvation on thofe that do not firft yield their fubjec`tíon to his kingly authority ; but he calleth them his enemies, becaufe they would not that he fhould reign over them, and requireth that they be brought and (lain before him, Luke six. 27. And I own it as a certain truth, that Chrift will fave none but thofe that are brought to refign themfelves fin- cerely to the obedience of his royal authority and laws. But yet we muff obferve that they are not brought to this holy refignation, or to any fincere purpofe and refolution of obedience, before they re- ceive his falvation, but rather by receiving it. Men that were never thoroughly fenfible of their natural death in fin, do eafily bring thernfelves to refolve iitniverfal obedience to God, when they are on their death-beds, or in any imminent danger, or when they would prepare themfelves for the Lord's Sup-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=