the Epíflle to the Galatians. Chap. 2. Iflifie of it felfc : for it is imperfecî, and is to be increafed to the endc ofour daies. Faith therefore iuflifieth , becaufe itis an inllrurent to ap prebend , and applie thatwhich iuflifieth , namely, Chrifi and 5 his obedience. As the Ifraelites flung of fierie ferpents were cured, foare we failed : Ioh. 3.16. the Ifraelites did nothingat all, but onelylooke upon the brafen ferpcnt ; fo are we to doe nothing for our iuflifzcationand faluation, but to fixe the eye of our faithon Chrifl. Thebankrupt paies his debt by accep- ao tin; the paiment made by his furetie. It is the propertie oftrue religion todepreffe nature,and to exalt grace : and this is done when we make God , the onely worker of our faluation, and make our flues to be nomore but receiuers of the merde and grace ofGod by faith,& receitters not bynature, but by grace, reaching out the beggers hand , namelyour faith in Chilli, to receiue the gift or alines of mercic. The laftt point is , that faith alone iuflifieth. For herePaul faith , that ire are¡u]?ifred tJ'.fatth, zrit bout the y orkes ofthe lino : and that is as much as ifhe had faid,byfaith alone.Sorne Papifis 20 to helpe themielues tranflate the words of Paul thus, Knozrino' that a man is not iufliftedby the work: ofthe lam, [ xv NIn ifnot Gy faith, that is, except faith goe withal! : then if faith be ioyned with workcs,(fay they)workes iuflifie. I anfwer, that this man- ner os'tranflation corrupteth the text. For[ixvpqmufl here be 5 tranflated, but: as appeares by thewordes following, Weheue' beleened in Chri/l,that we might be iuflifiedbyfaith in Ghrtflrwith- out theLrorkZe:of the l w. We cannot doe more in thecuring of our fpirituall difeafes, then in the dinner of the difeafes of our bodie : ofwhich Chrifi faith, Gnelybeleeue,Mark.5.36. When Abraham abounded both in faith and works, Rorn.4.it is faid, that he Wac iuflifiedbyfaithwithout workes. This doctrine is of great vie. Fiat , we learne hence, that a' man is iuflifiedby the meere mcrcie of God : and that there is excluded from iulIification, all Merit of congruitie, all merito- 3 5 rious workes of preparation,wrought by vs , all Cooperation of mans will with Godá grace, in the of eetingof our Mil ifi- cation. Secondly,welearne, that a man is iuflified'by the taeere me rit of Chrif$ : that is , by themeritorious obedience , which he wrought in himfclfe, and not by any thing wrought by him in .R a vs. r'9
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