Master it is joyned with open contempt of him no marveil therefore if disobedience to God be also a contempt against God as the Prophet saith If I be a Master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes This teacheth that doubtlesse many stand guilty of a multitude of sinnes which they never thought of Vse 1 neither once dreamed upon Many men happly will grant there is some conscience to be made of committing evill who never thinke it a sinne to omit a good duty Such will confesse it a sin to worship a false god but never consider they are commanded to vnite their affections to the true God to trust in him to beleeve him to love him to feare him and to depend upon him that it is an heinous Crime to pray to a strange God or to Saints and Angels or to bow downe to an image who regard not to worship God in truth and sincerity and to call upon him in the day of trouble Many will refraine from working on the Sabbath day and prophaning it by riding about their businesse or running after their sports and pastimes they would be loth to doe these but in the meane season how doe they sanctifie and keepe it holy when they care not to heare the word or to performe publike and private duties of religion upon it We must all give account at the great day of the Lord as well what good we have done as what evill we have done That good governour of the people Nehemiah desired the Lord to remember him concerning the good deedes which he had done for the house of his God Neh. 13.14 It had beene small comfort to him if he had onely done them no hurt and gone no farther for so much might be said of an image or of the bruit beast but his comfort was he had endeavoured and employed himselfe to doe them good And how did Obadiah shew his religious heart in the dayes of persecution toward the Lords Prophets what did he rest in this that he had done them no hurt No 1 King 18.13 he did an hundred of them by fifty in a cave and fedde them with bread and water Or how did Rahab the harlot testifie her faith toward the spies that were sent to search the land did she content her selfe to offer them no injury and to bewray them or deliver them into the hands of their enemie No doubtlesse she was justified by her workes Iam. 225. Heb. 11.31 when she had received the messengers with peace and had sent them out another way But the religion of most men in our dayes is a negative religion they have little positive you may sooner obserue what they doe not Gal. 6.10 then understand what they doe We must obserue the rule of the Apostle As we have opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Secondly it reproveth such as content themselves with idle shewes and appearances of obedience and sincerity It will not serve our turne to be Christians onely in outward profession if we be fruitlesse and faulty in conversation It is not enough to make us sound Christians to come to Church to be at prayers to heare the word and receive the Sacraments when we yeeld no fruit of obedience as if it were sufficient that the fig-tree were planted in the Vineyard albeit it bare nothing but leaves Psal 1.3 but we must be as trees of righteousnesse planted by the rivers side which bring forth fruite in their season True it is the Church hath alwayes had such painted Sepulchers or gilded tombes outwardly as the Iewes that had the Temple of the Lord alwayes in their mouthes who yet remained wicked and prophane persons in their lives The sound Christian is not discerned by the leaves of outward appearance but by the precious fruits of the spirit not by his profession but by his practise and they are the true Israelites which are so within whose praise is of God and not of men The fig-tree had leaves good flore which were seene a farre off Mar. 11.13 and seemed to promise great store of fruit but when Christ drew neere and looked for fruit found none he said Never more fruit grow upon thee Let us take heed in time of such a wofull sentence For may not Christ Iesus trow you finde store of such fruitlesse fig-trees in this Vineyard of his nay when he commeth to looke upon his Vineyard will it not be a rare thing and an hard matter to see a fig-tree with any fruit upon it Nay are we not for the most part come to this passe that we have scarce any leave at all to be seene that a man may take a Candle and search for leaves and yet find none upon them This is the state and condition of sundry among us how neere are such to the curse and to be burned up which have neither fruit nor leaves neither substance nor shew neither body nor shadow neither truth nor appearance but openly and evidently make plaine Demonstration of wild and wicked fruit Deut. 32.32.33 their grapes are grapes of gall their clusters are bitter their wine is the poison of Dragons and the cruell venime of Aspes Such shall never be suffered to remaine within the Vineyard the axe is laid to the root of the tree to cut them downe Thirdly this checketh and controlleth the slanderous mouthes and pennes of the Romish Church opened wide and enlarged against our doctrine which they knew not or will not know who beare the world and their ignorant Disciples the multitude in hand that our religion destroyeth good works Math. 5.16 whereas we call upon the people to bring forth the fruits of the Gospel and to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is heaven Nay we teach a necessity of good workes as well as they to be in all true beleevers that they which have beleeved in God might be carefull to maintaine good workes these things are good and profitable unto men Wherein then lyeth the difference between us they teach them to be the causes of our justification we that they be lively fruits and effects of faith they doe not goe before him that is to be justified but they follow him that is already justified they are not necessary in the act or office of justification but they are necessarily required to be in every justified person Lastly let us all be provoked to the diligent practise of good workes No man must thinke himselfe exempted or priviledged from good workes albeit he be never so poore or simple The most sort post over this duty from one to another and thinke when we call for good workes it is a doctrine that toucheth onely rich men and such as have the wealth of this world at will and none other as if there were no good workes of charity that did deserue the
this Iam. 1.18 Of his owne will begate he us with the Word of Truth And Paul to like purpose Hee hath opened to us the mystery of his Will and hath made us accepted in his Beloved Ephes 1.6 Phil. 2.13 according to his rich grace And elsewhere It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure This will further appeare to be the first mover that setteth forward the other second causes For our whole salvation proceedeth from the grace of God as election Christ himselfe vocation faith justification regeneration love good workes conversion of sinners the finall perseverance of the Saints and eternall glorification Even as the body and branches of the tree issue from the root so is the good pleasure of God the root out of which all these blessings grow which in due time we partake Let us see this better by induction of particulars No man can bee saved and obtaine eternal life except he be predestinated chosen unto it For the Kingdome is not given but to such for whom it is prepared Matth. 25.34 20.23 Ephes 1.4 Matth. 25.34 20.23 but this is done according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1.4 No man could be saved except Christ Iesus had come and had satisfied the wrath of his Father for the sinnes of the world Acts 4.12 for there is no other name under Heaven whereby we can be saved But this benefit proceedeth from the grace of God Ioh. 3.16 and his everlasting love toward us Ioh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne for all that beleeve in him There is none saved that is come to yeeres of discretion except he be effectually called to Christ and his Gospell but whence commeth this but from his grace for he hath called us with an holy calling according to his owne purpose 2 Tim. 1.9 Gal. 1.15 which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 No man is saved except he have faith and beleeve in Christ for the Just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Heb. 11.6 and without it It is unpossible to please God and whatsoever is not of faith is sinne But from whence have wee faith it is by grace Ephes 2.8 Ephes 2. By grace yee are saved through faith it is the gift of God No man can be saved except also he be justified Psal 34.15 for the eyes of the Lord are over the iust but the face of the Lord is upon the evill to root out the remembrance of them from the earth Psal 34. Now whence is this but from his free grace Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 No man can bee saved except he be regenerated and sanctified by the holy Spirit for except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Ioh. 3.3 Joh. 3.3 But whence is this also but from grace that we should be holy and without blame before him Ephes 1.4 5. Tit. 2.11 12. 1 Cor. 16.14 22. Ephes 1.4 5. Tit. 2.11 12 No man can bee saved without love toward God and our neighbour 1 Cor. 16.14 For he that loveth not the brethren abideth in death 1 Joh. 3.14 1 Ioh. 3.14 4.7 19. But this love proceedeth from grace for love is God 1 Ioh. 4.7 19. and we love him because he loved us first No man can bee saved without bringing forth good workes Ephes 2.10 and walking in them for wee are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them But this commeth from his grace who hath promised to give us his Spirit Ezek. 36. Ezek. 36.27 I will cause them to walke in my wayes No man can be saved without remission of sinnes for in many things wee all offend daily Jam. 3.2 Iam. 3.2 Ephes 2.7 Esay 43.25 but this is from grace Ephes 2.7 Esay 43.25 No man can bee saved except hee persevere and continue in faith in good workes and in all Christian duties for hee that continueth unto the end shall be saved Matth. 24.13 Matth. 24.13 but when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned but in his sinne that he hath sinned he shall die Ezek. 18.24 Ezek. 18.24 Now whence is this that we stand fast Is it from our selves No it is from his grace who will give them an heart to feare him for ever Ier. 32.39 Phil. 1.6 that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.39 40. Phil. 1.6 Lastly no man can be saved without eternall life for what is our salvation but our glorification now this is also of grace for here Christ saith It is the good pleasure of our heavenly Father to give us the Kingdome and the Apostle elsewhere Eternall life is the gift of God Rom. Rom. 6.23 6.23 The reasons first Reas 1 because God will have the praise of all his workes Ephes 1.11 12. Ephes 1.11 12. Rom. 11.36 All things are from him and through him and for him To him be rendred all glory for ever Rom. 11.36 But if our salvation were any way of our selves that we did part stakes with him in the grace there were reason wee should also share with him in the glory Hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God Secondly grace otherwise were no grace at all and salvation were not of his good pleasure but of our owne good pleasure For grace is not grace except it be every way gracious or free Rom. 11.6 Rom. 11.6 If it bee of grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace were no more grace but if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Thus the Apostle reasoneth from the contrary Thirdly God oweth nothing to any man neither taketh he ought of any man so that hee may give or not give what when where to whom and how much it pleaseth him being independant upon any creature and free from all obligation which might binde him to any of them He hath absolute right and jurisdiction over all men as the Potter hath over his clay Hee may doe with his owne what he please and who shall say unto him Iob 9.12 Rom. 9.20 Esay 10.15 45.9 What doest thou Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it What makest thou Shall the Sonne say to the Father What begettest thou or to the Woman What hast thou brought forth Shall the Axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith Ier. 18.6 Or shall the Saw magnifie it selfe against him that shaketh it As if
to our owne selves 1 Cor. 1.29 The doctrine of the nevv Sectaries This is to reioyce in an arme of flesh and not in the mercy of God 1 Cor. 1.29 The new Sectaries teach that Election resteth and dependeth upon the foreknowledge of faith and that it is made for faith foreseene which the sounder sort of Papists begin to be ashamed of as appeareth in Bellarmine The Apostle teacheth plainely Ephes 1.3 4. that all spirituall blessings whatsoever are given us according to Election before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.3 4. and therefore Election must of necessity bee before those blessings Againe we are elected that we should be holy and without blame he saith to holinesse not for any holinesse and consequently to faith not for faith So Paul obtained mercy 1 Cor. 7.25 Acts 22.14 That he should be faithfull 1 Cor. 7.25 not because God considered him as already faithfull Christ Iesus chose his Disciples not already bearing fruit but that they should bring forth fruit Ioh. 15.16 Acts 13.48 Ioh. 15.16 This also Luke sheweth that such as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. Election therefore is before faith and it is the cause why men doe beleeve whereas our new Sect-masters and Strife-makers set the Apostle and the rest of the Church to Schoole and teach him to speak as they do yong children that they beleeved afterward were ordained to eternall life Rom. 9.16 The words of Paul It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy could not be true if God had mercy on men for faith foreseene For what could he foresee but his owne gifts which himselfe determined to bestow upon us This teacheth us also to pull downe all high conceits of our owne worth as if our salvation depended upon our owne selves and that wee were able to guide our waies and order our steppes to life and on the other side admonisheth all Gods Children to thinke humbly of themselves and of all that they can doe or have done touching the cause and foundation of their salvation and withall to magnifie highly the riches of the mercy of God and the aboundance of the love of Iesus Christ our Saviour shed abroad in our hearts acknowledging the beginning proceeding continuing and finishing of our salvation to spring from him onely True it is our destruction is not of God Hos 13.9 Iam. 1.13 14 15. but of our owne selves but our salvation is not of our selves but of God Wherefore then hath God chosen us and refused others made us vessels to honour 2 Tim. 2.20 Rom. 2.5 and left others to be vessels to dishonour why hath hee taken away the hardnesse of our stony hearts and given over others to walke in their hardnesse and hearts that cannot repent as he did Pharaoh Wherefore hath he sanctified us with his Spirit and passed by many thousand others that they might worke out their owne destruction and damnation Doubtlesse he hath not done all these nor any one of all these things for any good he saw in us nor for any goodnesse he foresaw would be in us nor for any inclination to goodnesse hee could perceive in us nor for any workes of preparation to make us fit for grace for what could he see in us though he be of pure eyes but matter of his wrath to feed upon as the fire doth upon the fuell It was not greatnes of wealth noblenesse of birth highnesse of estate worthinesse of condition multitude of friends that hee respected who respecteth no mans person so that when we consider what we are of our selves and how graciously God hath dealt toward us we should cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 Lastly seeing it is of Gods good pleasure that he saveth us and not any thing that is in our selves that moued him this ought to stirre us up to thankefulnesse and our thankefulnesse to dutifulnesse and obedience toward him The greater his mercy is and the more free his grace is the more wee ought to praise and magnifie his great Name It is he that hath given us all let him therefore have the praise of all We have nothing in our selves therefore let us challenge nothing to our selves The worke is his owne and properly belonging to him let us take heed we commit not sacriledge and robbe him of the glory due to his Name They are pure or rather impure naturall men that set up nature and they are destitute of grace that pull downe the post or piller of Gods grace which holdeth up the whole building We cannot ascribe too much to him wee cannot detract too much from our selves We cannot deny too much to Nature we cannot ascribe too much to grace Our good thoughts our good desires our good deeds our good words if we have any come from without Matth. 15.18 as evill thoughts come from within and doe defile us as water comming from an uncleane fountaine All our good is of his good pleasure and therefore it is good reason that hee should bee honoured and glorified in it and for it Hence it is that the Apostle saith What is it that thou hast not received Wee are so farre from comming to our iournyes end without his direction that we cannot set one foot forward in the right way Wee are so farre from being able to practise any thing that is good that wee haue no power to prepare our selves to it Psal 10.17 forasmuch as it is he that prepareth the heart Psal 10.17 And the Apostle saith We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 but all our sufficiency is of God This use doth Christ our Saviour point unto Mat. 11. I thanke thee O Father Matth. 11.25 26. Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father for it seemed good in thy sight That which Christ our Saviour doth ought we all to practise and performe It belongeth to all the Elect and godly to shew great love to him that hath loved us first and continuall thankefulnesse toward him because wee hold our selves and all that we have of his gracious favour We enjoy not any good through our owne deservings but all besides our merits nay directly against our merits For by the guilt of sinne we deserve to be in the same condition with the reprobate and it is the great goodnesse and mercy of God who hath separated us and allotted unto us a better estate and that it goeth better with us How often doe we requite his love with unkindnesse for wee give him nothing but he giveth us all neither doe we prevent his liberality but he preventeth our ability if