Perkins - BS2685 P37 1604

one God,they arebutone caufc:andyet in regard oftheman- ner of working; they are two diftind caufes . For the father giues grace fromnone but himfelfe, by the fonnc; and Chad procures grace and peace , andhe glues it vnto men from the 5 I father.Furthermore Chrift is defcribed by his propertic, Onr Lord,and by his cffeas in the next verfe. The vfc.Whereas Paul beginnes his praier with grace , we learns that Grace in God is tite fiat caufe and beginning ofall good things in vs.EleRionis ofgrace. Rom. t i. v.;. Vocation to o falnation itofGrace. z.Tim. r .9.Faith is ofgrace. Phil. i . 29. lrs- flification isfreely by grace.Rom.3.14Loue i.r bygrace. 1.1011.4. 9,Euerygoodinclination isofgrace. Phila. 13 . Foerygood worke is ofgrace.Ezech.36.27. Eph.z. io. Life etuerlafììingù ofgrace. Rom.6.2 3. To auoide any mill is the leaftgood ,and cuery gs good is ofGod .It may be faid,that will in man is the caufe and beginning of tome good things. Anfwer:In the creating or im- printing of thefirft grace in theheart,will is no caufe at all,but a ftibicet to rcceiue the grace giuen . Afterthe fiat grace is gi- uen,will is anAgent in the recciuingofthe fecondgracc,and in 20 the doing ofanygoodworke. Yet this mutt be remcmbred, that when will is an a gent , it is no more but an inttrument of grace, and grace in God is properly the fief}, middle, and laft caufe ofgrace invs,andofcuerygood :ale. Hence it followcs, that therebe not any meritorious workes that ferne toprepare 25 men to their iuflification : and that the Cooperation ofmans will with grace in theaae ofconuerfion, wherebywe arecon- uertedofGod,is but afiClion ofthebrameof man. Laftly,this doetrine is,the foundation ofhumilitie : for it teacheth vs to af- cribe all to graceand nothing toour felucs. o Secondly we learne,that the cheife good things to be fought for,are the fauour of God in Chrit , and the peaceof a good confcience.Confider the example ofD Pfal. 73.v.24,z ç.andofPaul , who accounted all things dung for ' grace and peace in Chrift.And the peace ofgood confcience is 1 3;5 as a guard to keepe our heartsand minds in Chrift. Phil.4.7. The fault of moll men is, They fpend their daies and their flrength in feekingriches,honours, pleafures : and theythinke not on grace and peace. After the manner of beafls, they vfe thebleflings of god,but they looke not at the caufe;namely,the graceofGo-d . Ourdutie. Aboue all things to feeke for grace acid i

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