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3.

It is true, that God commands, accepts, delights in, will graciously reward good works; what, for their own fake? No,for his mercies fake he will fave the man whofe heart is holy, and whole life is fruitful; What, for the works fake? No, but for his Chrifts fake.

It cannot be denied, but that there is fome relation twixt good works and falvation, as between the meanes and the end; but there is not that relation as 'twixt an efficient cause, and an effect; for the efficient cause of our falvation is only Gods grace and favour; Nor, as 'twixt a meritorious caufe and the reward, for the meritorions cause of our falvation, is only the obedience of Jefus Chrift; Nor, as 'twixt an apprehensive cause, (may I ufe fuch an improper fpeech) for that only is faith, the instrument of our falvation, &c.

There is not in regenerate men fuch an adequation or full Noe ability to answerableneffe of duty, as to keep and fulfil the Law, as it is the keep the whole Law wholly. Covenant of life and salvation.

There are divers Arguments to cleare this, I will touch one 3. Reasons, or two.

1. Imperfect actions do not fulfil a perfect Rule, no more then a fhort line answers a long copy, or a line partly crooked doth that which is ftreight:But the duties which regenerate men perform, are imperfect actions, for as much as they flow from an imperfect agent, viz. from the foul of a Chriftian, which is partly spiritual, and partly carnal not wholly fpiritual,nor wholy carnal;even from this doth the Apoftle conclude the impoffi bility (for us) to fulfil the Law, Rom.8.3. viz. from the weakness or infirmity of the fieb (that is) of the old man not yet fully purged and changed.

2. If any man could perfectly fulfil the Law, then fome man had no need of Chrift, either to be his Redeemer, or to be his Interceffor; for a Redeemer and Interceffour is,in case of tranfgreffion and failing, and fo Chrift fhould be to a regenerate perfon, at leaft an idle and fruitleffe interceffour; for as much as it doth appertaine to his interceffion, to pacific, and reconcile, and ingratiate: but what use of this, where all things and services are juft already, as they should be without any animadvertency of the Law against them? But Chrift is an Interceffor even for the Saints. He makes interceffion for us,

faith Paul,Rom. 8. and Saint John implies that an Advocate is for a finner, only for him, 1 John 2.1. If any man finne, we have an Advocate, &c. If for a finner only, then for a tranfgreffor of the Law, and if for a tranfgreffor of the Law,then not for one who doth perfectly fulfil it.

3. If the just must live by faith, Then he cannot perfectly fulfil the Law; for then he might live by his works, but the just shall live by his faith, Gal. 3. 11. That no man is justified by the Law in the fight of God,it is evident, for the just shall live by faith; Mark the place (shall live by faith) If it comes to the matter of life and death, then farewel works, Curfed is every one that doth not continue in all that is written to do them; If he will fave his life, he must get him faith to fly to mercy and Chrift: yea, and mark of whom he fpeaks this, It is not of a perfon un. converted, but it is of the juft,even the just must live by his faith, (that is) By Christ, on which faith doth reft, not by his own. merits, works, obedience.

Now,put all this together, there are but two ways to fave a man, either by faith in Chrift, or elfe by the obfervance of the Law, But none can obferve the Law, fo as to be juftified by it; Because, 1. His holineffe is fhort. 2. His works ineffectual. 3. His performances unanswerable, Ergo,to beleeve in Chrift is the only way.

Every mouth is stopped (by the Law) and all the world is to become gilty before God,Therefore by the Deeds of the Law, there fball no flesh be justified in his fight, for by the Law is the knowledge of fin, Rom.3. 19,20 Suppofe a man had many great debts, and feveral poore friends, and he feeks to one of them, good fir be bound for me, alas faith be, all my eftate will not reach or extend to fatisfie half of what thou oweft; Then he goes to another; Sir be you pleafed to engage your felf; Alas, faith he, I am fo poore that the Creditor will not take my word; Even thus it is when a man will runne to fomething in bimfelf, to justifie him before God; alas, faith holineffe, I am not able enough, and faith good works, God may finde reafon enough to difcard us: Therefore, faith Faith, To Chrift, To Chrift, None. but Chrift.

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SECT. II.

Econdly, All that can justifie and fave a man,is only to be found

Sin Chrift, as in the meritorious canfe, Ergo, the only way to

be faved, is to be beleeve in Jefus Chrift. Hence is Chrift called, Heb. 2. 10. The Chapia ne of our falvation, Heb. 5. 18. The Author of eternal falvation.

There be two things, which if a man had, he should be faved, one is the forgivenesse of his finnes. Ergo, faith David, Pf. 32. 1. Bleed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose fin is covered, ver.2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord impu teth not iniquity.

Another is, the poffeffion of a most compleat righteoufneffe, by which he might ftand and appeare perfectly juft before the judgement feat of God; fo that if divine juftice fhould look on it, with the exacteft eye, yet it were every way unspotted and full. Now these two are to be found only in Christ, and by him,

First, Remiffion of finnes. It is the purchase of his blood onely, and therefore often in Scripture affigned thereto. thou canft not with all thy teares wipe off (meritorioufly) the leaft of thy finnes, nor with all thy grace, buy out the pardon of thy prefent failings. All Remission is by blood, by the only blood of Chrift.

Secondly, the righteoufneffe which juftifies and faves us, is only in Chrift, He is made righteoufneffe to us, 1 Cor 1.30. and Rom.5.19. As by one mans disobedience, many were made finxers; fo by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous; fee verfe 21. Grace reignes through righteousneffe unto eternal life by Jefus Christ our Lord.

I know that this Point of imputed right eoufne fe, is the great quarrel 'cwixt us and the Church of Rome, I fhall therefore referve the handling of it to the Ufes, where I may more fitly clear our doctrine.

Now put things together, Whatfoever will fave us, is in Chrift, And faith is the only grace to conjoyne us with Chrift, nd therefore, To believe in Jefus Chrift is the only way to fa

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SECT. III.

Hirdly, Salvation is by grace only, Eph. 2. 5. Rom. 11.6. And it is a free gift, Rom.5.15. The free gift, the grace of God, and the gift of grace, which is by one man Jesus Chrift, bath abounded unto many, and v. 16. the free gift is of mang offences to juftification, and v.18. the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. Now if it be fo, then here's roome for beleeving; For Faith brings nothing of its own, but receives all as gift from God. It is the receiving grace, Lord give me thy Son, Lord give me the pardon of my finnes, Lord give me a righteoufneffe, Lord give me eternal life, all these things. are gifts, and faith only receives these gifts, Ergo.

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SECT. IV.

Ourthly, Salvation is only conferr❜d in such a way; whereby God only may have the glory of it. Though God doth beftow great matters on us for our good, yet all the end of them is for his own glory. To commend the riches of his grace and mercy, Ephef.2.7,8. lo v.9. Not of works,least any man should boaft; (that is) he should vaunt, and fay, I have got heaven by my own merits, I have my wages for my labour, and my happineffe for my penny.

Now the way of beleeving is the only way of acknowledgeing,a God,and of emptying of our proud imaginations; whatsoever faith hath, it hath taken the fame out of a gracious hand; All is almes which comes to faith, and it will confeffe, I have nothing, and am nothing; but what I have received, and what I expect, I expect it for bis Jake who promiseth it, not for my sakewho receives it, and thus faith puts all the glory on God.

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SECT. V.

Ifthly, neither would our falvation befure, nor our comfort fure, if we were to be saved any other way then by believing in Jefus Chrift.

Salvation would not be fure, because, First, our happinesse would be no more fure, now being in our own bands, out of Chrifts, then was Adams,left to himself.

Secondly, we would never be fure of falvation by any thing against which God might take juft exception.

No fure comfort, because confcience troubled with the fence of fin, could never be pacified with imperfections and fins. That which will not satisfie God, can never pacific confcience. But faith the Apostle, Rom. 5.1. Being juftified by faith, we bave peace with God: faith findes one who was delivered for our offences, who pacified Ged to the utmoft, who was without spot, whofe righteoufnelle is full, imputed to us, accepted for us, and fo hereupon doth graciously quiet and still the heart.

We muft diftinguish 'twixt the root and fountaine and ground of our comfort, and between the teftimonies of our interest in the root of our comfort; only Jefus Chrift is the ground of a Chriftians comfort, and therefore faith Paul, God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing, but in the croffe of Christ. If at any time we behold holineffe, or any part of it in our hearts, we take comfort in it, not as the ground, but as in the teftimony, because it doth manifeft our intereft in him, who is our comfort, our peace, our joy, . our (alvation, our all in all.

Thus much for the Explication and confirmation of this great affertion, viz. That to beleeve in Jefus Chrift is the only way of falvation. Now I defcend to the useful Application of all to our felves.

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