Chrift the true andperfe'Elqaine. 661 prcfcntwhenhewasaChriflianApoll!e:and .A \bde<ue. None comes to Chrill but hee is therefore he excludes all righteoufrJetft of his drawne ofthe fat~er:& to bedrawne,is,when owne which he had by the law,eoen »he!' he the vnwillingwill is changed,& by the power I was a~ Apoflle.And the obJeCtion, Rom 6, t. ofGod ~<Jade awilling wii.I addefurther,tbt Whatthen?jhall weftnnethatgrace may abound? faith in the Mefsias isa fpedall gift tor two cannot bee inferred vpon iuflilicatwn by caufes.Fnfl,becaufeJtlsa g1frabouenotonly workes of grace: bnt vpon aiuflification by corrupted, bnt alfo aboue the firll created nathe obedience of Chrill imputed to vs, Withtore. For Jt was neucrm mans nature by<'reaout all workesofour owne. tion.Adamneuer hadit:neirherdidthemorall Againe that we are iuflified not by the iulaw reuealeit vntovs; becaufe itneuer knew lliceofth:law,but by the iullic~offaith,here this faith. Nenerthdd.feother vertu.,,as loue isthe foundation ofourcomfort. For hereupofGod andman,fcarc ofGod,&c. are rcueaon.ifwe be tempted inthetimeofthis life,we' led ofthe law, and were in mans ~ature by may oppofe againfl the tempter this our iucreation. Againe, whereas all other giftsof llice.IfSatan plead againll vs,that we are finGod aregiucn to them that areingrafttd into ncrs,& therfore fobiea toetmial damnation,, B Chrifl,faith is giuen to them that (a)are to be letvs anfwer him, thatrheobediece cfChrift ingrafted:becaufe it is the ingrafring,&therehath freed vs fromthisdamnation.Ifheplead fore cannot be giuen to them thatare already further,that we neuer fulfilled thelaw;& conin Chrift, tut to rhem that are to be in Chrjll. ftquetly ,that we haue no right to eternalllifet Further,I fay,that by faith,we belee?" Chrill, we mufl anfwer him, that Chrill fulfilled the and hJSbcnefitsto be ours. For thJS Jstheprolaw for vs. Ifhe fhal vexe and vpbraidvs with pertic offaith, whereby itdiflers from all otheconfideration of our manifold wants and ther graces of God. When Thom.u had put corruptions;letvs tell him,thatfo long as we his finger into the fideofChritl, he faid, .My turne vnto God, from aUour euill waie>, beLord,4ndmy God:to whom.Chrifl replied,7Jewaile our corruptions,& bdeeue in Chrill,all caufe thou haftfeene, thou h.j/ b(ieeu•d: where our waHtsarecouered iu his obediece. Again, ,we f<e,thatthis isfaith,tobeleeue Chrifl robe ifin the time ofdeath, the feare & apprehen1 \ our Lord aod et:r God. Paul faith, I lilleby the lion of the iudgement& anger ofGod tcrrif•ithofChrif/:nowwhat hemeansbyfaith, he fie vs,we are to oppofe this obedienceof our Jl;ewes in the n<xtwords: who hathtou,dM£, Mcdiatour Chrill lefus, totheiudgement of 4ntlgiuenhim{itft FOR M E. God, and ro putitbetweone Gods anger and C lta mJn fhalldemand, on what grounds vsoyeawe arc to re!\ vponir,and toinfoldand (becaufe weo are not to goebyimagination) wrappe our foules in it .. and thus eo prefent I fay.. vpon whatgrounds he is to concciue a them toGod. l{ay the Prophet faith, that tbe faith,that Chri!l is his Chrifl; I anfwer, the Ir.. 3'·'· Mefsiah is apt.ceofrofuge, fhelter,or fhade,4grounds are two. The firll i.che commandeoNon infiris,fc:d inii.ron.. dis. loh. 1o. 2.8,1,9. G:ll.l-.zo. Rori>.J· gainj/ the""'P'fl,or burning heat ofthe wrath ment ofGod, to belecue Chrill at~d his bene. :.r. ofGod. And Paul fiirh, hcUoHrpropitiatwie: firs tobeours, 1.loh.3•23· This is hi6c-omm~:n~ M..-k. ~ 1 • to fignifie, that, as the propiriatorit: couered dement, thAt we beluJJe in the name of his S1m te2.-f. thefirke,and the law intbe Arke,whichis the fm Chrij/. Now to belecuc in Chrill, is to put hand·wriring againlt vs, from the prefencc of I our confidence in him:and we can put no con– God : fo Chrill coucreth our finn<S, and puts I fidcnce io him, vnlctfe we be lirfl affured that hJmfdfc betweene vs and the indignation of he with his benefits is ours. And whatfoeuer his Father. we askein prayer, wee arc commanded tobeThe third and lafl point ofdochine here del"ue that it jha/1begiumvntovs. Nowabou~all huered by Part/, is;Thatfaith isthemeanes to things weare to aske, thar Chrill & his benerecei"e& to obtaine the obedience of Chrill fits may be giuen to vs of God. This therefor ouriuflice.Thatthi.s may the betrer bec6- D fore mull webelceue. The fecond ground is ceiued,foure points are to be handled. What this,we muft confider the mannerthat God vth.is faith is f how it isa:. meanes'to obtaine iufeth in propounding thepromife ofgrace vn- !hcelwhctheralone by If felfe,or by the helpe to vs:for hce doth not onely fet it forth vnto ofother vcrtue>? when,andhow long it is the vs inagcnerallfort, butalfo he vfethmeere & onl~means? Forehe firfl: Faith isafpeciaJ gift conuenie~t tueanes to apply it to theperfon• ofGod, whereby we beleeue Chnll & hJS beofmen.FJrll ofal,heconfirmes itbyoath,that nefits to beours. In the firfl place I fay!itiso we ou~ftlucsmightthe betterapply it & reap g1ft ofGod:becaufe 1t comes wholly ot God, fure cofolatJon thereby.Secondly,God giueth and not from the minde or will of mm. Thus vnto vs the fpirit ofadoption; which beareth Pb;J.r.,. '1'a11l faith, it u giuenyouforChrift to beluucin wirnetfe to our confcieoces of fuch things as Luk.'•· him: and Chrif! our Sauiour faith to two of God hath giulm vnto vs inparticular and are 'f· hisdifciples,O foolifhandjlowofhrarttobelecue. onely in generall manner propounded in the Ifi: be obieaed , that when we beleeue firll, promifc. And this teflimony mull becertainci we then belceue willingly:! anfwer,it is fa inin it felfe, ond alfo plainely knowne vnto deed: yetisnot this willingn~fle inv~ bynavs; elfe is it no teflimony. Thirdly, boththe ture,butb~ grace: becaufe. whe God gmes.vn• Sacraments are f•ales of the promife: in the tovsthe g1fts off:uch,hegmes vs alfoto w1l to lawfull vfe whereofGodoffers,yeaexhibites Chrilf Hcb.6. :8.
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