A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

Secondly, We must incite and stir up our selves to receive the promises of everlasting life, by consideration of the free and rich grace of God, his truth and faithfulness, the sufficiency of Christs merits and greatness, excellency and worth of the benefit promised. Awake, my soul, why sleepest thou; arise, and lay hold upon the promises of life, which God of his great mercy in Jesus Christ doth offer unto thee in the Gospel. Be not dismayed by reason of thine unworthiness, for the promise is of grace, freely offered, and freely given to them that be most unworthy in their own eyes. Thou art unworthy of the least crumb of mercy, but of his rich mercy God hath made promise of highest advancement unto thee,¹ if thou wilt embrace it. I will be a ⟨p. 273⟩Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, And I will be his God, & he shall be my son. ²And it shall be in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people, that there they shall be called the children of the living God. Life eternal is given of grace, not sold for works; received by faith, not purchased by desert: and the more worthless thou art in thy own lowly conceit, the more shall the grace of God be magnified in thine exaltation. Christ hath purchased righteousness & everlasting life: believe in him, and live for ever. The Son of God debased himself to become the Son of Man,³ and to be made under the law, that he might redeem us that were under the Law; that we might receive the Adoption of sons. Oh the bountifulness and love of God to man,⁴ by so great a price to purchase so high a dignity, that we should be called the Sons of God, and be partakers with Christ of all his glory in his Fathers kingdom. O my soul, why art thou so dull and sluggish? Wherefore dost thou not put forth thy self to embrace and receive such an inestimable benefit. If the worth of things may be measured by their price, well then may the Sonship of true Believers be valued at the highest rate. Who can sufficiently admire the dignity of this estate (to be the Son of God) which could not be procured save only by this infinite price, the making of him become nothing, by whom God in the beginning made every thing?