But they speak they know not what For when we affirme that by the power of grace mans wil becomes willing to obey this is not to take away or destroy but rather to rectifie the liberty of our will which consists not in an vnstable changeablenesse to bend euery way but in a settled and firme resolutiō in al things to doe that which God requireth When the will by the power of grace doth pitch vpon Gods wil adheres vnto it with a resolution not to swarue frō it is the will then compelled or the libertie thereof violated No wise man dares so say I suppose When Dauid said I will keepe thy Statutes Psal 119. 8. And againe I will delight in thy Word vers 16. And againe I haue chosen the way of thy truth ver 30. And againe I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart vers 32. was heere any violence or compulsion offered vnto Dauids will Or was Dauids will moued vnwillingly when hee intreated the Lord to knit his heart vnto him that he might feare his Name No no this desire and holy resolutiō of Dauid proceeded from the truth of grace infused into his hart after which infusion the will inclines it selfe most willingly and cheerefully to obey the will of God Doe wee not pray daily Thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen Those heauenly spirits obey willingly cheerefully constantly hauing neither will nor power to disobey How so are their wills manacled and fettered or is it a wrong vnto them that they can doe no other Surely no for the power and strength of grace in them will giue them no leaue to doe otherwise This obeying and seruing God is perfect liberty and freedome and it is the LORD by the worke of grace in our hearts which must make vs thus free Now because an hypocrite wanting grace may goe far in outward obedience it will be very requisite to lay downe some differences betwixt that obedience which is performed by the powerfull worke of grace and that which is done vpon outward by-respects For you must know that an hypocrite may goe far in outward obedience Did not Cain offer sacrifice as well as Abel Did not Ahab humble himselfe at the hearing of threatnings as well as Hezekiah in some particulars Ahab out-stripped Hezekiah for he rent his cloaths he fasted and lay in sack-cloth which acts of humiliation are not reported of Hezekiah Did not Iehu bestir himselfe in fulfilling the commandements of God Did not Iudas preach Was not Simon Magus baptized Did not Ananias and Saphira sell their possessions and lay them downe at the Apostles feet Act. 5. 1 2. And many other instances there may be brought to proue how far hypocrites may wade in outward obedience therefore outward obedience and conformity is no infallible euidence of true grace Wherein then lyeth the difference In these particulars First true grace aymes at the whole will of God it teacheth a man to walke in all Gods Commandements As it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. They walked in all the Commādements of God without reproofe Psa 119. 5 6. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Statutes then should I not be confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy Commandements For he that is bound to one is bound vnto all and he that offendeth in one is guiltie of all Iam. 2. 10. Whereas counterfeit grace picks and culls out heere and there such precepts as stand with ease or profit It will boast with Saul and say I haue fulfilled all the Commandements of God yet Agag must liue and the fattest of the cattell must be spared Wherupon Samuel told him that hee had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 19. For to say truth he that wilfully and of purpose breakes any one of Gods Lawes cannot bee said to keepe any of them because he keeps them not of conscience for if hee made conscience of one he would make conscience of all If Iehu his obedience and zeale had beene sound it would haue beene manifested in the pulling downe of Ieroboams calues as well as Ahabs Baal but his suffering of the one discouered his obedience and zeale to bee vnsound and counterfeit in the other Againe a gracious heart labors to obey at all times in all places in all company Hee will not for feare or flattery go against Gods precepts It is not profit or pleasure that shall draw him vnto euill for he resolues and labours to doe righteousnesse at all times Psalm 106. 3. Gods Commandements are not grieuous but delightfull vnto him and therefore as it is said of Hezekiah 2 King 18. 6. He cleaues to the Commandements of God and departeth not from them Whereas the obedience of the hypocrite is like vnto Ephraims Hosea 7. 8. As a cake on the hearth not turned halfe baked His goodnes is as the morning dew quickly dryed vp for he sets not his delight on the Almighty Iob. 27. 10. neither seeketh he to God at all times But doe not the best of Gods children sometimes halt in their obedience Yes for in many things we sin al Iam. 3. 2. Grace is but imperfect in the best of Gods children and corruption in the vnregenerate part keeps downe too often hinders the work of grace not that corruption is of it selfe stronger than grace if God will put to his strength for this were to make God weaker than man and the flesh stronger than the spirit but because if God at any time leaue vs to our selues or neuer so little withdrawes the power of his Spirit we are more inclined to follow the sinfull motions of our corrupt flesh than the holy and gracious inclinations of the Spirit of God For if Adam in his innocencie when he knew no euill being left but a while vnto himselfe and wanting the efficacious presence assistance of Gods grace was so quickly so easily drawne to sin much more the corrupted children of sinful parents who are but in part sanctified and haue too much affinity with sin are easily brought to disobey God if he help vs not with his Spirit against the motions of sin and back vs against all tentations and prouocations to disobedience For you must know that God is not alwayes alike present with his children but in great wisdome withdraws from them sometimes that effectuall presence of his grace which at other times he affords them and that for these and some other causes First of all to shew vs our owne instability and weaknesse how vnable we are of our selues to stand any longer than we are vpheld of him If hee takes from vs his Spirit as sometimes he took the wheeles from Pharaohs charrets downe wee fall presently How quickly did Peter fal being left vnto himselfe Secondly the Lord doth this to humble and abase vs to cut our combes and to coole our courage who are ready
and in the next verse He made vs accepted in his beloued Which places and diuers other doe plainly teach vs that all grace bestowed vpon vs is by the meanes of Iesus Christ He is the conduit-pipe in and thorow whom all grace runs from the Father vnto vs hee is the head which conueyes all spirituall life sense and motion into all his members which was typified by that Oyntment which ran downe from Aarons head to his beard and so to the skirts of his garment In him it pleased the Father that al fulnesse should dwell Coloss 1. 19. And of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. So that from hence wee may learne vnto whom we are to returne the praises of any good thing wee partake of whether alreadie exhibited or promised God in Christ is to be glorified for all Therfore such as sacrifice to their owne nets doe sacrilegiously rob God Christ of their due We are not able to thinke a good thought much lesse to speak a gracious word most of all vnable vnto any pious and holy work without Christ for without him we can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. It is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 1. 13. Not I sayes Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. But the grace of God in me If God bestowes vpon thee any good which hee hath denied vnto others it is not because hee saw thee better or more worthy than another but because hee is pleased to bee more gracious and mercifull vnto thee in Christ than to another Againe here we learne whither to goe for such grace as is wanting in vs seek it from God through Christ What doest thou hope to finde it through thy seruice thy prayers thy good meaning or good works Away with these menstruous rags goe to God through Christ No man commeth to the Father but by him Ioh. 14. 6. All other hopes and helps without Christ are but as Aegyptian staues vnto which if a man leane they will strike into his hand and pierce him Make sure of Christ by beleeuing then sure of grace Want of true vnion and communion with Christ makes seeming grace in many temporizers to welter and come to nothing as standing pits shallow brooks drie vp in Summer for want of some fountain and spring to fill or feed them It followeth Forgiue vs our sinnes This also is euident Ephes 1. 7. By whom wee haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sins according to his rich grace Hence it is that the Lord proclaimes himselfe Exod. 34. 6. Gracious mercifull forgiuing sins as if the fruit yea the excellencie of his grace lay in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes grace being illustrated in this act of forgiuenesse as much as in any other Benefits bestowed vpon vs though they proceed meerely from loue doe not so much magnifie the clemencie of the forgiuer as the setting downe by great wrongs and intolerable iniuries or requiting of euil with good Many a man will easily giue that cannot so easily forgiue Herein appeares the excellency of Gods grace in passing by our infinite and lothsome iniquities transgressions To say truly it is only grace which can forgiue forgiuenesse being a free and gracious pardoning of some fault committed and of some punishment deserued Besides the grace of God is the more to bee magnified in that it extends vnto all sinnes great as well as small and small as well as great For if God should forgiue some and not other some it would be thought that hee is either not so willing or not so able to remit all sin as some yes his grace reacheth to the forgiuenesse of all sin Coloss 2. 13. And yee which were dead in sins hath he quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses So 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sin the guilt of one transgression makes vs lyable to eternall torments and our sins haue beene multiplied they are like to the sand by the sea-shore innumerable yet grace is able to remit all Then are the Romanists foully mistaken First in saying that some sinnes need no forgiuenesse and secondly that some sinnes may be forgiuen without the free grace of GOD. Some sins they say need no forgiuenesse as Concupiscence which they make to be no sinne whereas in truth it is the spawne and seed of all sinne as Iam. 1. 14. Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed Againe they say that many veniall sinnes which are not done against but besides Gods commandement which are not acted with a peruerse minde with a rebellious heart against God these sins though they displease God yet they make not God displeased with the doer of them and therfore may be done away by our selues through the saying ouer a few Aue Mariaes or the doing of some work of charity or if that will not serue the turne a little Holy-water will wash away al filth or if that faile the breath of a Bishops blessing will blow away their sinne or if all these faile here a little Purgatory-fire hereafter with his Holinesse pardon will make them as cleane as need be Most horrible and blasphemous vntruths against the grace of God which alone is the prime cause and chiefe meanes of the forgiuenesse of all sin Esay 43. 25. I am bee that putteth away thine iniquitie for mine owne sake If thou hast committed any sin it must be forgiuen else thou shalt perish for the soule that sins it shall die Ezek. 18. 4. If sins be forgiuen God must doe it for this is a prerogatiue royal proper to the Lord Who can forgiue sins but God onely Mar. 2. 7. If God forgiues any sins it must be of his meere grace Eph. 1. 7. For his owne sake In the second place let the consideration hereof prouoke vs to vnfained and hearty thankes for that when our estate was so desperate our condition so damnable as there was no possibilitie of deseruing grace we were so farre indebted to the law of God as no way able to make satisfaction that then the LORD of his rich grace should forgiue all Suppose thou wert ready to be cast into prison by thy Creditor for a thousand pounds all thou hast to bee seazed vpon and sold and yet thy Creditour vnsatisfied at length in meere pitie hee should set thee free bestow great things vpon thee oh how would thy heart be knit to such a man thou wouldest thinke that thou shouldest neuer be able to require his loue God hath done ten thousand times more then so for thee how then art thou bound to loue him to praise him to tel vnto others what great things the Lord hath done for thee What all debts forgiuen all reckonings cleered and made euen betwixt the Lord and thee without any satisfaction made on thy part
not thou more strength vnto them by yeelding vnto them When thy knowledge telleth thee that these and these things must not be ioyne issue with thy knowledge and say as Ioseph did How can I doe this euill and sinne against God Gen. 39. 9. I tell thee it is a grieuous euill to sin against knowledge when a mans knowledge within cryes out to the contrary this will make bloudy wounds and strike deepe gashes one day into thy conscience In the mean time thou art in a fearefull condition if thou allowest thy selfe in the practice of any one sinne condemned by thy knowledge for thou lyest open vnto any kind of impiety yea to any error euen vnto Popery for that person which denyeth the power of godlinesse will easily be brought to forsake the profession thereof if one sinne loued and delighted in be enough to pull a man from God to the Deuill yea into hell may it not then pull a man into Popery A wicked gracelesse person is a fit piece of stuffe to make a Papist of He that will not bee perswaded nor brought to leaue his sinne for the truth sake will easily be perswaded to leaue the truth for his sinnes sake How much better had it been for such a one neuer to haue known the way of righteousnesse than to turne away from that holy commandement giuen vnto him 2 Pet. 2. 21. Thirdly be instant and earnest with the Lord in prayer that he would manifest his power in thy weaknesse that he by his holy Spirit would conuey some life and power into thy knowledge that by the practice therof thou maist manifest the life of thy knowledge in al obedience and good conscience To this purpose Dauid makes many petitions to the Lord Psal 119. 88. Quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth The Scribes and Pharisees knew the letter of the Law and were perfect in the Scriptures but the Lord by his Spirit had not taught them and therfore there was no spirituall life nor power in their knowledge Howsoeuer they boasted of their knowledge and thought scorne to be taught of others yet their knowledge being but a dead knowledge did increase their iudgement as appeares by those words of Christ Ioh. 9. 41. If yee were blind ye should not haue sinne but now yee say We see therefore your sinne remaineth A second Euidence of Grace THe next Euidence of Grace is Faith which followeth Knowledge as the frame doth the foundation for vntil such time as the minde be inlightned with the truth no man can beleeue There must be knowledge or else there can be no faith Wee haue knowne and beleeued saith Iohn No man can beleeue in Christ without the knowledge of him For how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. Faith must needs be an euidence of grace because it is a speciall and a principal part and member therof not the fountaine of all other graces as some doe hold nor the root out of which all fruits of sanctitie doe spring For the soule must first be endued with the life of grace before it can beleeue vnlesse we wil say that faith may be in a gracelesse heart which cannot bee because being regenerate and sanctified by the Spirit we come to beleeue and to rest vpon the promise for the remission of sinnes and saluation by Iesus Christ Saint Paul calls Faith a fruit of the Spirit by whom we are sanctified therefore it cannot be the efficient cause of our sanctification It is true that Paul hath a passage tending that way Act. 26. 18. That they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith but by the Word sanctified we are to vnderstand the fruit not the grace of sanctification we are dead in sinnes vntill such time as wee come to be quickned by the Spirit Ioh. 6. 3. It is the Spirit which infuseth all diuine qualities into the soule The Apostle calleth them the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. Amongst which fruits Faith is one of the principall as that which puts a kinde of liuelihood into all other graces and therefore after a certaine manner may bee said to sanctifie vs For according to the strength of faith will be the power of other graces hope loue c. If faith be weak hope and loue cannot be strong little faith little hope little loue no faith no hope no loue at all So that faith must needs be a sound euidence of grace for vntill such time as the heart bee purified and washed in the lauer of regeneration it is either Atheisticall to depraue the Word of God by doubting of diuine truths if not denying thē or else it is Sophisticall to peruert and wrest the Word so as oft-times bloud commeth out of it to choak strangle Gods people in stead of milke to feed and nourish them But if the heart be once sanctified by the Spirit then is faith wrought in vs which doth further and more effectually cleanse and purifie vs through the Word Ioh. 15. 3. Now because as in the former euidence of grace so in this also many a man and woman is mistaken the heart being so infinitely deceitfull it will bee no lost labour to examine the truth of our faith For you must know that it is possible for a wicked and gracelesse person to beleeue that Christ died for him yea to die in a strong perswasiō of Gods loue and fauour and so of his owne saluation Hath not experience taught vs thus much Who so confident who so full of faith if you will beleeue them as many vile wretches and gracelesse persons They wonder what people mean to doubt of Gods loue for their part they neuer as yet called it into question They thanke God they haue euer had as strong a faith as the best so they hope to continue This is euident by examples in the Scripture The Lord by the Prophet Ieremie speaks to the wicked Iews which had polluted the Land with their whoredomes and malice which had a vvhores fore-head and would not bee ashamed saying Did'st thou not still crie vnto mee Thou art my Father and the guide of my youth So in Mica 3. 11. The Lord speaking of corrupt Iudges of mercenary Priests merchandizing Prophets which set the Word to sale and prophecie for money saith that yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among vs no euill can come vpon vs. By which it appeares that wicked and gracelesse people may bee confident of Gods fauour How then may wee distinguish the faith of Gods children from the presumption of vnbeleeuers There lyes a great difference betwixt them The first difference is in the ground out of which true faith springs or the meanes by vvhich it is wrought in beleeuers True faith is wrought in all Gods children by the ministery of