470 An Expofition upon Chap. i good works, fo infidelity is the mother of all evil' : for from thence it is that we run into all evil', becaufe we do not beleeve the word of God; whereas other fins fpoil God of his authority, the unbelief (trips him of his effence and very being. Lattly, unbelief is fetch a fin as doth violate and deface the whole do&rineof the Gofpell, whereas other fins are committed but againft fome one part or parcel' of the word of God. T I ut. What profit are Chr ?fans to receive from the knowledge and meditation of this dolirine? S 1 L. It ferves to inform us in what miferable cafe the members of the Church of Rome live and dye in ; in fo much as they do flie to the merit of their own works for life and falvati on before God, reje&ing the grace of Chrift by unbelief, even as thefe Jewes did. Secondly, it ferveth to exhort us Chriftians,that we never feek otherwife to be ju ftified and faved, then by the faith of Jefus Chrift. For if the Jewes fell from the covenant of God, and loft all their dignity temporali and eternal', becaufe they fet up their own righte- oufnefl^e by works, and would not feek to be juftified by beleeving in Jefus Chrift ; how maywe look to keep our dignity, degree, and ftanding, if we fhall refufe Chrtft through infidelity, and truft in our own merits ? Laftly,it warneth us above all other fins, to ftrive again({ an unbeleeving heart : for whatfoever fins we have, yet they deftroy us not, fo we have faith to be- leeve the remiffion of them : and wicked men are damned not fo much for com- mitting fin, as for unbelief,becaufe they refufe mercy and pardon offered. Not but that the leali fin hath in it the merit ofeternal' death,Rom.6.verfe laic: much more the greateft. But as the fmalleft fin thall be imputed to him which is an unbeleever, fo not the foulefk thall be laid to his charge, which truly repen- teth and beleeveth in Chrifi; as we learn from Mar.16.16. Joh. 3.16,18, 35. Aii.1 o. 4 3. DIALOGUE XVII. Verf. 20, 21. And thou ftandefi by faith, be not high min- ded but fear, for if God fared not the n turall branches, ere.. TI MOT H E U S. OF what f(inde be thefe words ? S t L. They be extraordinary, furring up the beleeving Romany unto Chriftian humility and godly fear : and they be dehortatory, dehorting them from pride,arrogancy,and fecurity. T r M. What be the parts of thefe words ? S 1 t. Two : fief} a propoftion, [be not high minded] let forth by the con- trary [humble reverence of God, or reverent humility.] Secondly, the ren- dring of reafons to confirm the duty propounded. Thefe be two, the one is taken from their prefent good conditi- on, to wit, their free infition, or ingraf fingintoChrittby faith, [thou fiandef by faith.] The fecond is drawn from their future danger, if they fhould grow proud and carnally fecure, then they fliould be broken off as the Jewes are. This reafon thould be thus amplified by an argument (a minori,) for it is leffe likely that God would call away and cut offthe naturali branches and true Olive (the Jewes, his firft and peculiar people,) then the wilde branches the Gentiles, which were afterwards plan- ted in. Therefore if he have done that he will alto do this, except they fear the offence of God,and be humbled by the due fight of their unworthineffe. The fum and fcope then of this Scrip- ture is,to perfwade the beleeving Gen- tiles,in regard of Gods free and great mercies, alfo in reppe& ofvery great pe- ril', that they be not puffed up with Gods benefits, and fo wax proud and careleffe; but rather be careful!, labou- ring day and night in godly fear to pre - ferve their faith, and to keep themfelves in that gracious eflate wherein they are fetled by the faith of Chrifl. T 1 M. Come to the words and tell us
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