174 The 'Parable of the i.e. his imvard conformity ro the Law,-and his external obedience ro rhe La1 v. So char graces as they are in ChriH become our juftificarion ; and hence he is faid to be our righteoufnejfe. No man can ftand before God bur by pe;fect holinefle, bm by doing whatever the Law requires, and continuing fo to do; rhis is nor in us, this \s in Chri11:: This as 'ris in Chrift is properly our righteoufnefle or JuHilication. Now what is ::>Ur fanetificarion? if nor graces in Chri11:, rhen graces received from Chrift Jefus, which is this inward principle 11ow I fpeak of; and therefore ro deny this is no lclfe than to fay Chril't is nor our fanc1:ific.ltion : Bur faith P aut, The L.rd fanftijie you in foul and body_ and fpirit, I Thelf. 5. 2 3. And if it were fo, a man may have a heart unfanetified and Chrift too. 2. lf rhere !hould not be thofe gr .Kes, then aChri(tian \Vas nor bound to adde one grace to another, bur then the Apoftles precept iliould be broken, 2 Pet. I. 7,8. and fo ~ Chriftian could ~or grow i_n grace,_ for gr~ces are perfect in ChriH; , .md the Spul[ dorh nor grow m grace, and the 1mmed1ate operations of rhe Spirit increafing in us, are not properly graces, no more than the aet of feeing is ihe eye, no more rhen giving goo:ls to be burned is love. - 3. Then we are not ro pray for graces, if there be ne fuch things to be found in the hearts of S<tints, bur Pfal.si.Io. David praies, Create in me a clean heart; now if ir be a thing created in me, 'tis nor the Spirit only in me, for that c.1nnot be created. I doubt nor but David had a clean heart, but he fell in part; and therefore look as there needs acreating power to.make, fo there is a creating po1ver to reftore us again to what is loft. ' 4.Then the Sainrs have noneofrheir tins mortified ;"for 'cis as with the eye, being made to fee; if light goes out, darknefs comes in, and if that be fubdued, fight is renewed: So the Soul being made only for GBd, and to bear his image; blot out that darknefs and fin comes in: caft out tin, the Lord and his Im~ge and Graces come in. If therefore there be no Graces in the Saints, then no fin· mortified: truly if fo , then the end of Chri!l:s comitJg, and dying is quite aboliihed, I 1ohn 3· 8. ~ Rm1. 6. z, 3· 5. Then the Lord iliould be falfe in his Covenant, and break 0Jth, and be forfworn: for, 'ftr. 31. 32· I'lo~rire "'! L~tw ;, their heartS • Luk! I. 73, 74· So that if you will not believe man, yet believe God: and if you !V ill not believe his Word, yet his Oath. Oh, but many good Chriltians find no fuch rhing. But is it fo, as they find it indeed ? Either then tl:!ey are no Chriltians, or elfe the Lord is forfworn. ' Thirdly, That by the inward principle of Spirit,and Graces,our lamp burns,and iliines,our aCtions ilfue.The Spirit enables a mao· to know, & hence the aet flows, he cloth know the Lord. The Spirit enables inwardly forto love the brd, and hence it cloth love him. That as Chrifi fairh, a good tree brings forth good fruit, from an imvard fap received from rhe root, and by abiding on the root; So here. \ I . Thofe that are renewed to A dams imaoe in their meafure, have according .to thar meafure, power to a er ; or in thofe Graces there is power to a er, fgr he had power fo to d0. Every creature in the world h.1d aLaw of Nature eo carry them ro their end; and fo were carried to ir. Bur Adam had a Law ofDivinity, whereby he being acaufe by Counfel , was enabled by God to carry himfelf toward his end.Now we are renewed to that image in p.ut,Eph+ 24.1 know there is dtlference between A dams power to aet, which had no Fmh, ours th•t hath.And do not think that this doth advance nature,&: the power of man, no more than the execution of the Promife ofrhe Covenant of Grace, doth deHroy Grace and advance nature. For the writing aoain the Ltw in our hearts , is that which this ~ovenam promiferh ; nay, this dgth honour the riches of Grace: that a man be- ; mg under the power of tin, and cannot aet deliverance , the Lord iliould now \ give_an humble conquering Spirit: neve~ a precious heart but will be thankful for It. · :z. Becaufe ,
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