pleciatio fan. 213 condition there ; wherefore lets than righteous he cannot be. Thus much touching the fiat thing , that this holy fruit grows upon Faith. Secondly, The next thing is the manner how it grows there; Hoiv we are Paid to be juftified by Faith; unto which I thall An- fwer firft Negatively, and then Affirmative- ly. Firft, Negatively: Faith doth not juflifie by its own intrinfecal value and and dignity. There is nothing in it commenfurate to fo great a bleíling ; nothing in it to meafure with the pure Law; nothing in it to pay off divine Juftice ; nothing in it to weigh againfr the guilt of Sin; nothing in it to purchafe the favour of God; nothing in it to cover a Soul withal ; no, nor the nakednefs of its own im- perfe6iions. It is a poor felf- emptying , felf- annihilating thing , which lives upon Alms, and goes up and down in the Gofpel from one door of the Promifes to another to beg a Spi- ritual livelyhood : all that it bath is in a way of .deceiving. It receives the atonement , re- ceives the gift of righteoufner, receives the ffiirit of Grace , receives remifon of fins; but gives none of them out of its own. Hence it is well obferved by Divines , that the Scrip- ture never faith, Faith juftiieth in an ative fenfe ; but alwaies, we are juftified by Faith in a paflive fenfe , becaufe it receives all from Chrift. This humble Grace , whofe'pofture is to fall down and worfhip before the thrones P 3 of
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