130 An Expofition upon Chap.5, Saints by them to come to God, as wee come unto Kings, by Dukes and Earles; my anfwer is, that the comparifon is not like.); irff,becaufeearthly Kings can- not be every where to hears and fee all, whereas Chrift is infinite, and is every where. Secondly, God alone hat h ap- pointed us to come unto him by Christ; and by himalone. T t M. What then thinly ye of them who fay,We muff come unto God through tearea, farrow, repentance,andgood work ? S! L. Theyhonourthofe things too much, and make Chrift of them, by whom alone it is,that we have acceffe to his Father:we nit& bring thofe things to God as fruits of his grace,but by the merit of them we may not looks to bee brought into Gods favor & acceptance. T i M. Why dab he mention faith? S r L. Becaufe both Chrift himfelfe and all his benefits , come to us by the meanes of faith. T 1 M. Rehearfe the third fruitofajufti- fying Faith. S a L. Standing in the grace of God. By which is meant the perfeverance of beleevers in the grace and favor of God, and in that bleffed eflate into which they are brought by his favor : that this is here meant,may appear both in Scrip- ture fpeech,and common fpeech : perfe- verance and continuance, is noted by handing, as PJal, 1.1.and 122,1 Cor.16. 13.1 Tbef. 2.8. And wee ufe to call a place of continuance a flation or a han- ding : alto ofa man that is refolved,we ufe to fay he flood to it. Tr m. What then doe ye gather from hence? S! L. That a true beleever which once hath peace with God, being reconciled to him by Chrift, cannot wholly and for ever tal from this grace of reconcile- ment, but abideth to the end in that grace. Tr mdtrby doye fay he cannot rvh illy fall? Si L.Becaufe partly,or in part he may lofe grace ; that is, hee may lofe many tokens and gifts of grace : as peace of confcience,touching the fecret feeling of it, joy in the Spirit,cleerneffe of under- ftanding, feeling and afteáion to good - nefíe, fervency of love, holy boldneffe, confeffion of God,with many fuch like, as appeareth in David and Petera cafe. For as a healthfull found man falling lick, bee may lofe many benefits and comforts of life;as health,flrength,live- lineffe, favour,beauty,appetite,and fuch like,but yet retains life it felfe : So he that once by faith liveth to God,cannot wholly lofe this life of faith, though he lofe many effe&s and companions of this life, which the godly doe look when they wax proud, grow fecure,or fall into fume grievous finnes. T h M. why doyee adde that belrevera cannot fail for ever? S 1 L. Becaufe the falls of the.faith- ft;l are but for a time,for they rife again by repentance, and after recover them felves;as in David,andPeter, and others. T IM. Wby doe }e fay that beleevera ears - not fall from the grace of reconcilement? S t L. Becaufe all others which are not true beleevers may utterly and for ever lofe all grace, and beleevers themfelves may lofe many graces and fruites of faith;but the grace of atonement with God, being once by true faith laid hold on,can never totally bee loll, nor that faith whereby it is imbraced, becaufe Gods love and Covenant be eternal!. T 1 M. Nothing is unchangeable but God, therefore grace is changeable and -may he loft. S 1 L. Grace is double : Firfl, a grace making us gracious and freely accepted with God : this is unchangeable as God himfelfe, for it is his free love and favor.', Secondly, a grace freely given; that, is, every gift which floweth from his free favour,as the grace offtnâification, of faith, repentance, hope, love, &c.Thcfe graces in themfelves be changeable, but being preferved of God by a fecònd grace,they be durable and Jailing ; to the grace of faith Gost addeth another gift of perfeverance, by which the for- mer gilt is kept alto, h Pet, 1. S. T 1 M. But Saul, Judae,and Efate, diet` w holly lofe grace. St L. The grace of reconcilement and true faith whereby it is reccived,they ne- ver lofl,becaufe they never had it : they loft'only that they had,even a general! il- lumination,& common gift ofthe Spirit. TIM.
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