Ver. i 7. the Epifile to the Romanes. loch as thinke they have none, becaufe they have fo little and mingled with ma- ny imperfeEtions. Prefumption and dif- trtdf, are the extreames of a true Faith. Ti m. What be the f ruit,. whereby a weake Faith may bee knowne ? S s L. Thefe : Firft, daily exercife of private prayer. Secondly, true love of the word, and of Gods Children be- caufe they be fo. Thirdly, true forrow for finne, and earneft endeavour to mortifie our lulls. Fourthly, diligence in the duties of our particular calling. Laftly, patience in adverticy. Allo, the fruits of a ftrong Faith bee thefe. Firft, to cleave to God, in great danger g as Stephen and Paul did. Secondly, to fuffer joyfully the loffe of Goods and life for Chrift and his word, as Antipan and Hebrewes did, Heb.`I0.34. Revel.2 13. Thirdly, to beleeve the promifes when all meanes lghsagainff us, as Da- vid and Abraham. Romans 4'3,4,5 Fourthly, great contempt ofthe world. Fiftly, great fervency and confidence in prayer, Rom.8.i5. Sixtly, burning love of the Brethren, John 3. 14. Seventhly, bountifull releeving the poore mem- bers of Chrift Jefus, even to the empai ring of our owne fubftance 2 Cor.8.3. for Chrift his fake, if need and caule fo require. DIALOGUE IX. Verfe 17. Ai it it written,The ju ft(halllive by faith. Ti se. VV Hat is the drift of thefe words? S I L. To prove by authority of Scrip- ture, that whofoever beleeveth the Go- fpell, fhall be accounted righteous, and fo bee faved.This fen fence of Habakkuk, is alto an illustration, as if Paul fhould fay; ThisDo &rine,by Faith to bejufti fled, agreeth with the Prophets, and is neither new nor abfurd. Ti M. What may we note in this Text ? S t L. Two things :Firft, the man- ner how this authority is brought in [As it is written.] Secondly, the autho- rity it felfe [Tbe jeo fi fhall live by Faith.] 27 Ti Ds. Wí at mar obferved in the manner ofalleadging this authority ? S IL. Thefe few things : Firft, that Saint Paul citeth not fo much the verfe, as the Booke of Scripture wherein it is written. Secondly, that he contenteth himfelfe, to prove Do &nine by authori- ty of Scripture. Thirdly, that he citeth but one Teftimony. Fourthly, that the Do&rine of free pardon and imputed righteoufneffe, is hard to be perfwaded unto men, yet hath witneffe from the Prophets.it bath ever leered to humane reafon very repugnant, and a thing un- likely to be true ; that a wicked liver, a perjured perfon,a common !yer,a jailer, an oppreffor, an unchaft liver, a blood - fucker, or Inch like ; onely by beleeving the Gofpell, fhould fuddenly become juft, and be accounted righteous and unblameable. Against which Do&rine, the Papilla to this day like Dogs doe barke, railing at it, and the Preachers of it,fa; ing;that it overthrowesall f.awes and Difcipline,and takes away out of naens fòciety, all ufe of punifhments and rewards, laying open a gap to all wic- kedneffe, ( ifit fhould bee preached, ) that without righteous workes,without any habite or a &ions ofjuftice,onely by Faith in Chrift, finners may be jultified with God. Therefore, out of good dif- cretion, to flop the mouths of calumni- ous flanderers, and to put humane rea- fon to filence, Paul, citeth this place of the Prophet, left he be thought to have brought in a DoEtrine full of novelty and abfurdity;it being received long be- fore in the Jewifh Church, by authori- ty of propheticall Oracle, which is three times alleadged iï the new Teflament. Firft, Here : Seèondly,Gal.3. s t;Thirdly, Heb. to.' 8.to illuftrate this Do &rive of juftice and life eternall, ,to be had by faith alone ; and howfoever the Prophet who fiat ufed thefe words, might aime (in part) at the refreshing and comfor- ting of the godly in thole troublous ti mes,under Nebuchadnezzar, whets their captivity was fharpe, and their delive- rance long deferred; yet becaufe tempo - rall di liverance were Types of eternal!, la nd depended upon Chrift, it is not to D 2 bee
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=