The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse showing a Christians…The guard of the tree of life, or, A sacramental discourse shewing a Christians…

3. There is a necessity of Christ in regard of acceptance. Our works, ^*they are not only impotent, but impure too, as they come from us. It is Christ that must put validity to them, and Christ that must put his own odours to them; Christ must put both his spirit & ^*merit to them, his Grace to work them, and his blood to own them; what ever comes from his Spirit, is presented through his Spirit.

1. *Nihil ab homine exit quamvis perfecto quod non sit aliquae macula inquinatum. Calvin.
2. *Meritū meum miseratio Domini, non sum planè meriti inops quandiu non fuerit il•e inops miserationum. Domine meminero justitiae tuae solius, ipsa enim est & mea, &c. Calv. Instit. lib. 3. c. 120. Sect. 3.Meritū meum miseratio Domini, non sum planè meriti inops quandiu non fuerit il•e inops miserationum. Domine meminero justitiae tuae solius, ipsa enim est & mea, &c. Calv. Instit. lib. 3. c. 120. Sect. 3.

And here is a great comfort; thou looks over thy performances, and canst not see, how ever God can accept them: so much deadness, so little life, so much ⟨p. 34⟩coldness; ¹But God looks upon them not as thine, but as Christs, in whom not only our persons, but our performances are accepted. Christ gives us his Spirit, and Christ is willing to own what we present by his Spirit, and God is willing to own what ever is presented to him by his Son.