But that it is the first cause of salvation, I
deny; or that it is the second, I deny. It is only the instrument or
hand that receiveth the benefits that God hath prepared for thee
before thou hadst any faith; so that we do nothing for salvation, as
men. But if we speak properly, it was God's grace that moved him to
give Christ a ransom for sinners, and the same God with the same
grace, that doth give to the soul faith to believe and by believing
to close in with him whom God out of his love and pity did send into
the world to save sinners; so that all the works of the creature are
shut out as to justification and life, and men are saved freely by
grace.
TRUE AND FALSE FAITH DISTINGUISHED.
There are two sorts of good works; and a man may be shrewdly guessed
at with reference to his faith, even by the works that he chooseth
to be conversant in.
There are works that cost nothing, and works that are chargeable;
and observe it, the unsound faith will choose to itself the most
easy works it can find: for example, there is reading, praying,
hearing of sermons, baptism, breaking of bread, church-fellowship,
preaching, and the like; and there is mortification of lusts,
charity, simplicity, and open-heartedness with a liberal hand to the
poor, and their like also.
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