434 Vie. An Expofition upon but they do (hut out all fort of works from being any moving or meritorious caute of our juffification and falvation. Thirdly, they fay that good works are (hut out from ele &ion to the firft grace, but not from eleEtion to the fecond grace ; that is, they fay that the ele& are chufen ofgrace only, and ara freely cal- led and illuminated of the holy Gioft, . without all works: but the fecond grace, that is, Ju[lification, alto San&i - fication, and Glorification, thefe do ad- mitnterit of works to joyn with grace. Unto this fhift of theirs; I anfwer, that that Scripture which faith that the ele- &ion ofgrace, and we are called accor- ding to grace, 2 Tim! .9. doth alfo fay that we are juftified by grace, not by works,Rom.3.24.. that eternall life is the gift of God,Rom.6.23. alto jollification, & glorification be fetched from Gods e- ernal love & fore knowledge, as the firft and only efficient caufe,as wel asele&ion and calling,Rom 8.3o.Moreoverele&ion is not only to the firft grace, but to all the mean s,and to heavenly glory, which is the end, Rom. 9. ít.23. Lafily, the Phari fee who afcribcd righteoufnefs and falvation partly to grace, and partly to his good works, went away unjuftified. Whatfoever therefore the Papifts can al- ledge to (hake and weaken the credit of this Text, yet it is fo ftrong to over- throw the do&rine of Popifh merits, and juftification by works, as one of themfelves Andreas Proles was wont to fay in his publickReadings; My bre- thren, fithence holy Scripture attribu- teth what(oever we are,or have,all unto grace, whence conical that horrible darkneffe and fuperftition, to afcribe fo much to merit of works? Truely the cftate of Chriffianity, needs very great and 1peedy reformation. T t M. What other ufe of the former Do ¿Irirre ? S t L. Here is an admonition to all Chrlftians, that albeit they are bound to do goodworks of all forts, and to abound in them, yet it is they duty to renounce the merit of them, and all trull in them, and to flick wholly and on- ly in the grace of God through Jefus Chap. Ile Chrift, for all things belonging to their falvation, left if we put never fo little . trot} in any thing done by us, we be found the adverfaries ofGodsgrace Fur- ther, we are taught hereby,tbat the Ro- mi(h Synagogue cannot be the true Church of Chrift, becaufe moll obfti- nately and impudently they perlift to afcribe mans juftification and falvation partly to grace, and partly to merit of works ; and thereby do ovbrthrow the do &rine of grace,which is the very foul and life of a true Church : for takeaway the Do&rine of free Ele &ion, Juflifieati- on,and Salvation,and prefently the very foundation of all Religion is ( haken to pieces; fo far it is off that they can be the true Church, having call down the ground -work whereon it refteth. Lafily, it convið Inch of error, as under - ftand thisTextto be meant of grace, in- fufed into mans heart, whereas grace being fct agaìnft works: therefore as works do fuck in men as in their proper fubje &, fo grace here fpoken of,hath no other fubje&, hut God. T t M. What Do£frine doti, arifè out of the feventh verfe ? S t t,. Firft, that in the Church of Dotïriee. God there are fundry which feek for righteoufneffeand falvation, and never obtain it, as Rom 9.31. T t M. How comes this to paffe, feeing it is prontifed to /itch as feekjhat they (hall (rude ? S t t.. Thereafon is,becaufe they leek Reap. amiffe,and not as they ought ; whereas that promife is made to fuch as Peek aright. Unto which,two things are to be confidered : Firft, the manner, that we leek thefe things by faith : and fe- condly,that we intend Gods glory as the end of our feeking : See Rom. 9.3o. Many Ifraelitesfailed in both thefe, for they fought righteoufneffe and life by they own works,and therefore obtained it not, as it is written, Rom.9.3 t, 32. & 10.3, And they robbed God ofthe glory of his grace. T i mt. What ufe is to be made of this Da- ¿irine ? S t L. It warneth us that it is not enough for us to be juftified and faved, unleffe we take the right courfe pre fcribed j 1 vl.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=