i oq. An .Expofìtion upon Chap.3 renewed; but Come will fay haply, it is allo we which beleeve : Howbeicour faith it is no more but the hand to re- ceive Chrift and his righteoufn fTe, to be thereby accounted righteous in Gods fight. T I M. het fume rejoycing is left, in that Chri jts righteou /n. f fe is not ours, unlefe we take it bt faith ? S I L. No more then a poor Leper for that he hath reached out aleprous hand, to take a Kings gift bellowed up- on him, to enrich hftnfelf thereby : for notwlthftanding his reoching out his hand, yet he (hould remain poor if no gift were given : and that (hews, that not the taking, but the thing given, venChrift,is our jullice,which yet muff be taken hold of, that it may be ours. But all the vertue of faith, whereby it juliiifiieth, is not in it Cell, but commeth from the obje/} Chrif , who is laid hold on, i Cor, r. 29. which tendeth much to humble all llcfh before God, that we glory in none but Chrif}, DIALOGUE XVIL Verfes 2a,29; Therefore we conclude that a man is juffified by faith without the works of the Law. God, is he the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles a/ ? Tea, even of the Gentile' a fo. TIMOTasus. VV' it the femme and drift tf this Text ? S i L. It is a conclufion of the for- mer difpute, touching juftification by faith, and bath three new reafons to prove the fame. Fir ft, jollification is by faith, becaufe by that way God is molt glorified Secondly, if we were jufti- fied by the works of the Law, it might be thought that God were God of the Jews only; but the Gentiles which beleeved, and had not the law of /llefel, have God for their God, therefore it is by faith. Laftly, juffification by faith, doth much ratifie and greatly confirm the Law; therefore it is by faith that we are jullified. TiM. Whence i,- ihefrfl re fm fetched? S i L. From the word [ Therefore j which hash reference to that which was faid before ; as if he fhould fay , teeing God declareth his righteoufi;effeby our justification by faith; and thereby all matter of rejoycing and glorying is taken from us, that it may be in God alone; in rhefè regards we conclude, inferre and gather,that r ghteoufnelle is by faith. Tilt What meaneth this word [Con eútde? S i L. It importeth the certain and infallible truth of that which is here in- ferred, becaufe the-word figmfieth the calling up of many (unis into one; as of two tens pur together is made twenty: fo certain is this truth, as there is It0', doubt to be made of it. Ti M. WhereJire f rvetb this ? S i L. FirR,to lay tae confcfence up- on this truth of righteoufneffe by faith, being fo firm. Secondly, ro reach that in matters of religion, things ought tobe proved by firm demonllration , or em- gainfayable arguments, which may evi- dently prove the thing in queftion, and ftrongly evi& the confcience. Ti sa. What meaneth be by [man?J S L. Even evcryChriftian, of what fex, age, or country whatfoevcr. Tim. What meanetbhe to fay, that juJli- fcation a [by faith without mirlr ? } Si L. That is to Cav, the man that be- Ieeveth,is therebyabl'olved from his fins without any refp.Et of fulfilling the Law by works;or without any merit by works; from whence is inferred, that faith onely juRifieth. S i L. Will not this open a gap to licenti- oufneffe and negle/ l of good work,!? S t L. No fìtrely, becaufe they are neceffary to falvation, as a way that leadeth thither, though not to juftifica- don, which goeth before works as a j cattle of them. Ti M. Faith it fetf it a workofthe Spirit, therefore if we be juffi fled by faith, we are juffifted bya work, yob. 6.27. S t L. It doth not jullifie us as a work, for fo it is unperfe&and needeth par- don; but as it goctb out of us, and lay- eth ,
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