erf.6,7. Doítrine. the Epp to the Romans. 4 3 3 were to put together things that cannot agree, to make debt no debt, merit no merit, works no works, grace no grace, nd foto affirm and deny one and the tame thing ; which is a molt abfu rd mat- ter, and utterly not poflible to make contradi&tories to be both true. For as a fon that is willed to go on an errand to Roehefler on foot, his father promifing him a crown or an angell at his coming back ; if his Father aske hint how he will have his money ? fuppofe that he anfwer, that he will have it part- ly by favour, and partly by defert : the reply to him is ready, Thou canft not fo have it; for if it be of favour, then it tometh freely, therefore not by de- fert ofthe work : and if it be by defert of the work, then not by favour; for it is due thatcomethby merit and delèrt, and there is no being beholding to fa- vour for that. T i M. What is the Doiirine to be learned from hence? S i L. That mens works have no place nor fkroke at all in the ele &ion and calling of Iinners,neither is their jo- llification nor falvation. The reafon is;, becaufe works prefup ofe merit, and merk prefttppofeth debt, debt is flat againft grace ; but men are called and ale &edof grace, alto juftified and glori- fied, as appeareth verf.5. and Rom. 3.24. thereforeeleaion, calling, and the ref, depend not upon works, which defiroy grace, and grace deftroyeth them, when the taufe ofeternall life is difputed and debated. T i M. list goodworks tome ofgrace, bow then ere they fueh enemies? S T L. This is true, grace is themo- therand rootof every good work, we haveno power at all to think or will well naturally, 2 Cor.3.5.Joh. 15.5. but grace and works cannot be joynt caufes of ele &ion and falvation. In this cafe they fight together, as put and admit the one, and the other is taken away and fhut out; affirm the one, and deny the other. This Antithefis or oppofition, is to be marked againft all jofìiciaries, whole mouth is flopped and fealed up, with this one fhort (entente. T i M. What uje Leto be made of this Do -' Ilrit..e? Si L. Firft, it confuteth loch as will Vfe. have grace and tvorks to joyn together, in the juflification and falvation of fin - Hers, which they fay is partly of Gods grace,partlyof men s merits We fay with the Apoftle, they be altogether of grace, and therefore not at all by merit. T i M. But how can fuck avoid this con- clufion of Paul, If it beofuorl c, then not of grace ? S t L. The enemies of Gods grace have fundry fhifts to avoid the torce r °P'a' of this confequence : for fometimes ''fionc they fay the Apoftle fpeaks only of ce- remoniall works of the Law, as of Cir- cumcifion.Sacrifices. &c. But this can- not be to, becau fo Pauli words be gene- ral!, (hutting cut all works whatfoever, whethernatnrall, morall, or lcoall'ce- remonies. Of them all he faith , that if eteEkionto life eternall conk of them, then it cometh not ofgrace. Alfo Abra- ham and Davidhad morall works as well as ceremonial!, yet in Chap.4.verf 4,5, 6: Paul dcnieth that Abraham or David were juflifled and Caved by any works which they had done,but by faith. Secondly, they fay that the Aponte fpeaks of the works of Nature; Which (fay the Rhemifit) do exclude grace, fa- vuur,and mercy,challenging ofdebt,not ofgift: but not ofChriftian mens works'! which come from the Spirit and grace ofGod ; thefe works coming from grace may evidently confift with the fame, and bejoyned with Gods grace as caufes of falvation. This fhift cannot be currant, not only for that his words be general], but becaufe Paul fpeaks of the elebkion, by grace, by which all are faved. There- fore the merits of all works are exclu- ded, by whomfoever they be done, whe- ther by circumcifed Jew, or baptized beleeving Chriflian , or unbeleeving Gentile. Secondly, in Ephef -ì'. 4. good works are faid not to be the caufe of ele&ion, but the end and fruit,and effeet thereof. Lafily, Ephef. 2.8, 9. Paul faith exprefly, we are Caved not ofworks,but by grace through faith: where note,that grace and faith may well nand together, but. _
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=