Marshall - BT765 M37 1788

29Q the Ccfpel-Myiery Direct. XIV. to believe the fall and original fin, that we may be furred up to fly to Chrift by faith for holinefsby free gift, knowing that we cannot attain it by our own power and free-will, 2 Cor. i. 9. Mat. ix. I2, 13. Ratn. "vii. 24, 25 2 Cop. iìi. 3. Eph. v. 14. There were no need of a new man or anew creation, if the old were not without ftirength and life, John iii. 5, 6. Eph. in 8. But original deadnefs cannot hinder God's working faith, and hungerings and thirftings after Chrift, by the Spirit through the gofpel, in thofe that God chufeth to walk holily and blameleff- lybefore him in love. i Theff. i. 4, 5. Acts xxvi. i S. And fo we are made alive hi a new head, and be- come branches of another vine, living to God by the Spirit, not by nature. 2. It confirms us in the doarine of predeftination, which many deny, becaufe they fay, it takes men of , from endeavour, as fruitlefs, by telling men, that all events are predetermined. This argument would be more forcible againft endeavours by the power of our own free-will, but not at all againft endeavours for holinefs by the operation of God, giving us faith and all holinefs by his own Spirit working in us through Chrift; we are to truft on him for the grace of, the elect, and God's good-will towards men;Mat. iii. 17. Luke ii. 14. Pfal. cvi. 4, 5..lection by grace deftroys feeking by work", but net by. grace, Rom. xi. 5, 6 And we axe here taught to feek for falva- tion only in the way of the eleCit, and we may con- clude that holinefs is to be had by God's will, and not by our own ; and it may move us to defire holi- nefs by the will of God, Rpm. ix. r6. Pfaim cx. ,3. And feeing it appears, by this doarine of-fanetifica tion through Chrift, that we are God's workmanfhip as to all the good wrought in us, Phil. ii. 12, 13. Eph. ii. x o. We may well admit, that he hath ap- pointed his pleafure from eternity, without infring- ing the natural liberty of our corrupt wills, which reachethnot unto good works, Acts xv. i 8: compar. ed with 36. Man's natural freewill may well con-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=