must attend and accompany Works of Devotion yea and in some Cases of Exigency be preferred before them I will have mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6. 6. God delights not in aâ— naked Piety though never so specious if stript and divided from the Fruits of Charity God cares not for the Fruiâ— of the Lips in confessing to his Name if there be not also the Gifts of the Hand in dispersing and relieving for his sake In short they that offer the Sacrifice oâ— Praise unto God must not forget to do good and to communicate unto others That from the coâ—nexion of these two Again secondly from the order and ranking of these two Duties or Sacrifices I shall observe that Christian Piety must lead the way and lay the ground for â—ue Charity First solid Devotion and then Christian Compasion First the right and due Service of God in Sacrifices of Praise and confessing to his Name and then the doing good and communicating unto others This is the order of the Text here and of the Scripture else-where Acts â— 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms says the Angel to Cornelius are â—e up before God and so Verse â—e 31. First his Prayers and then his Alms. The expressions of his Piety are first mentioned â— God 's acceptance before the â—ercises of his Charity yea â—d they ought to have the preâ—dency and that for a double season First Ratione objecti because Gods Due is before Mans Good God is first to be served and honoured in the main before Man be help'd or benefited Secondly Ratione motivi Because Piety to God is and ought to be the proper Motive to a true and a right Charity For what is Piety but the due regard and respect we have unto God in the first place And what is Charity but the loving of God for himself and of our Neighbour for Gods sake So the Schools define Charity stretcheth it self both to God and Man Homily 2. Sermon of Charity P. 38. it Amor Dei propter seipsum Proximi propter Deum Now to love God for himself is plainly Piety both in the Principle and Practise and to shew love or to do good unto others for the sake of God this is still Piety in the Motive though Charity in the Practice And indeed without the pious intention and disposition going before the very Works of Mercy Bounty and Liberality will scarce deserve the Name â— Charity as the Apostle iâ— mates in that supposition â— makes 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give all my Goods to feed the Poor and have not Charity The Rule in Christian Ethicks â—s that of St. Ambrose Virtutes non â—tibus sed finibus pensantur 't is the right and due End and Motive added that makes a true Christian Vertue and not the meer outward Action For a Man to give Alms meerly or mainly for Mat. 6. â— the love of Praise or to be seen of Men is but Vain-glory. For a Man to do it out of any other by Partial or Selfish End or respects Luke 6. 32 33 34. is but a kind of worldly running and policy But for a Man to do it for Gods sake and out of a Pious Love to God this this is Charity even that Charity which the Apostle calls Love out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfained â— Tim. 1. 5. Having premised thus much out of the Context and as I hope not impertinently to the Business in hand I shall now return to the Text it self in these words To do good and to communicate for get not for with c. Which Words are an Exhortation to a very great and important Duty to a very considerable and concerning Piece of Christianity i. e. The exercising of our selves in Acts of Bounty Mercy and Charity In the whole Verse for orders sake we may observe three main Particulars First the matter of the Duty i. e. To do good and to communicate Secondly the Motive to perswade it For with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Thirdly and lastly the manner of enforcing it by way of special Item and Memento To do good c. forget not For the first of these the Sum and Substance of the Duty here exhorted to 't is expressed in the Text by two words much to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To do good and to communicate First 't is the doing of good or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendered Well-doing The same with that â— Galat. 6. Verse 9. Be not weary of well-doing Good for the matter and well for the manner This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But then we must know 't is not every doing of good that is here meant but good in a certain kind There is the good of â—â—iety and Religion the good of justice and Honesty the good of Temperance and Sobriety But that in the Text here is the good of Charity To the purpose there is a two hold kind of Good Bonum in se 〈◊〉 Bonum alteri Good Good in it self and Good to another In the first sence the doing of good takes in the whole duty of Man whether to God or to our Neighbour according to that in Mica 6. 8. He hath shewn thee O Man that is good that is good in it self what is fit and fair right and duty to be done even to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God All this is good in the larger sence But then secondly there is a more special doing of good not only good in it self but good to another In which sense the Scripture frequently means when it speaks of Good Works Mat. 26. 10. She hath wrought a good Work upon me 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich that they do good that they be rich in good Works i e. such Works as are some way or other helpful profitable and beneficial unto others Works of Mercy Works of Bounty and Liberality Such Works whose good effects reach to the Benefit of our Neighbour either publick or private such as are extended to the relief ease comfort or supply either of the outward or inward Man For Example sake such as are the feeding of the Hungry the cloathing of the Naked the helping or curing of the Sick the visting and comforting the Afflicted the succouring of the Helpless Friendless or Fatherless the harbouring of Strangers the redeeming of Captives the defending or delivering the Oppressed in short all kind of free and charitable contributing to the relief comforting or maintenance of others or distributing to the necessities of others These with many of the like nature are those which in the Language of Scripture frequently come under the Name of Good Works i. e. good in a peculiar and abounding sense in respect of the sensible yea or Spiritual good and benefit thence and therby arising and redounding unto others And that this is the Good here
in me With many the like Passages Now where there is a command on Gods part the Thing commanded to be done must needs be an Obedience on our part Secondly Faith is an assent upon Authority yea upon the highest and greatest Authority In believing of the Positive Truths of the Gospel Faith goes not upon the sight and evidence of the things in themselves but upon the Revelation Testimony and Authority of Gods Word 1 Thes 2. 13. Ye received the Word not â—s the Word of Man but as it is in Truth the Word of God This is it that Commands and captivates the understanding into a compliant persuasion Sic dicit Dominus Thus and thus saith the Lord. Since then Authority is the Ground and Basis of Faith in perswading Obedience must needs be the Act of Faith in assenting in submitting to that Authority Again thirdly Faith or Assent it comes from or depends upon an imperate Act of the Will and upon that score puts on the Nature of Obedience True indeed we do not believe with ouâ— Wills * See Dr. Stillingfleets Rational Account P. 137 138. against T. C. as some of the Pontificians seem to teach For no Man really believes as he list oâ— meerly because he please but upon evidence of Grounds and Reasons But yet since those Evidences will never produce Faith unless we bend and hold our Minds to a due and serious attention to them as 't is said of Lydia a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom in locum God opened her Heart to attend and so to believe Acts 16. 14. And since it is the Heart or Will b Recté Tho. Anglus in Sono Buccinae p. 197. Voluntas applicat intellectum ad cogitanda motiva cum sollicitudine desiderio veritatis that under God commands and fixes the Attention both unto the Matters and Motives of Faith it evidently follows that though we do not formally believe by our Wills yet â—ot a Non potest intellectus credere quando vult si absque eo quòd velit nunquam credat White Sonus Buccinae P. 201. See Dr. Stillingfleets Rational Account Pag. 138. without our Wills and that the assent of Faith though it be not the immediate Act of the Will yet 't is undoubtedly under God the Effect of the Will enforcing the Attention against all carnal fears or interests that would divert us from the Faith Upon which score the infidelity of Men seems to be resolved into their unwillingness John 5. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye will not come unto me i. e. you will not believe or become my Proselytes by Faith Again fourthly and lastly Consider that our assenting to the Doctrine of Faith 't is expresly call'd by the Name of Obedience in Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth i. e. in a firm believing it Gal. 3. 1. Who hath bewitchâ—â— you that ye should not obey the Truth i. e. in not sticking to right Belief of the Gospel in the Article of Justification And so Rom. 10. 16. The Apostle having said They have not â—â— obeyed the Gospel expounds it â—â— the very next words by believing for Esaias saith Who hath believâ—â— our report So that 't is evident ouâ— very believing receiving embracing retaining of the Truths of the Gospel 't is a part and piece of our Evangelical Obedience All that I shall draw from this Head is only two short Inferences First is our assenting to the Matters of Faith a piece of Obedience then surely there is more of Disobedience in the World thaâ— some are aware of Even the forsaking or rejecting of Gospel Truths is a piece of Disobedience For Gods Truth comes with Authority comes in Gods Name and lays an obligation upon all that hear it or can hear it to attend and believe And therefore he that either shuts or casts it out of his belief he thereby refuses to be subject and obedient to God Who hindered you that ye should not obey the Truth says the Apostle to the erring Galatians This perswasion comes not of him that calleth you Gal. 5. 7 8. So that whosoever withholds or with-draws his assent or perswasion from such Divine and Evangelical Truths he therein with-draws his Obedience or Subjection Whatsoever Points of this nature we hear from the Gospel we must one day give an account of how we received or why we refused them For where God has a Mouth to speak we must have an Ear to hear and a Mind to attend and a Heart to believe or answer for the neglect of it Secondly Is this a part yea the first part of our obedience our assenting to Gods Truth ouâ— receiving and retaining it in opposition to Errour and corruption of Doctrine Then sure it is a thing of great consequence of what Faith and Belief or perswasion we are in matters of Religion that we mistake not 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. 2 These 2. 10 11. 1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Darkness for Light Error for Truth that we embrace not Deceits and Delusions in stead of sound Doctrine the bold Fantasies and Novelties of corrupt Minds in stead of the Verities and Mysteries of Christ in stead of the Words and Truth of Soberness I say 't is a thing of some concern what we shut out or take in into our Minds as Matter of Faith because accordingly we shall be counted of the number either of the Obedient or Disobedient According to the soundness or rottenness of our Principles and Perswasions as to the main accordingly shall we be so John 8. 32. 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. far found either the Subjects of Christ or the Slaves of Satan of error and darkness Would we therefore be true that is obedient Servants unto God Here we must begin and hold on our course Labour for a sound establishment in the main Truths of the Gospel Read and meditate on the Scriptures of Truth as they are called Dan. 10. 21. Attend unto the guidance of those whose Office it is to divide â—nto you the Word of Truth Pray for the Spirit of Truth to 2 Tim. 2. 15. John 16. 13. â—ead you into all necessary Truth â—n a word as it is Prov. 23. 23. Buy the Truth and sell it â—ot that is spare no cost no â—ains in the getting of it And being gotten part with it upon â—â— terms barter not away the plain and pretious Truths of God for the meer fancies and bold presumptions of Men. Let the Word of Christ dwell Col. 3. 16. richly in you in all wisdom that ye may be strong and grounded Christians Not Children in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. Heb. 5. 13 14. 1 Tim. 3 9. but Men skilful in the Word of Righteousness and holding the Mystery of Faith in â—â— pure Conscience the best and easiest Depository for Divine Truth Quia facile male creditur ubi nâ—â— recte vivitur But I have done with the first
a bare Trusting or Confiding Faith but to a Professing Engaging Contracting Covenanting Faith whereby the persoâ— pass'd himself over gave himâ—â—â—â— a See Mr. Scudder quoted P. 35. Thus to embrace Covenant of Grace and to receive Christ in whom it â—â—â—firmed is to Believe â—â— Preston Treatise of effectual Faith P. 92. If Men 〈◊〉 Faith as it is in it self a Marriage of our selves to 〈◊〉 with all our heart and affections when he hath giâ—â—â—imself to us in Marriage and we are given to him â—â—ing this we should never be deceived 〈◊〉 Brinsley Treatise of christs Mediatorship P. 141. 〈◊〉 i. e. Faith and Obedience without any just ofâ—â— I may call the conditions of this Covenant Faith â—â—â—eby the Covenant is accepted upon the Terms on which it â—â—dered and Christ the Mediator of it received Obeâ—â—â—â—ce whereby it is kept viz. in an Evangelical way in 〈◊〉 of desire and endeavour 〈◊〉 Faith is it self in the life and reality of it A 〈◊〉 and undertaking of such works as are due to Christ Believing received for Lord Saviour and King And â—â—fore he that doth not deport himself towards Christ 〈◊〉 manner as is due upon such his Offices doth deny Faith 1 Tim. 5. 8. i. e. falsify and relinquish his 〈◊〉 For the Faith that is accepted is not speculative practical and pactional They are the words of a â—â—umous Manuscript left by a Judicious Divine up to Christ as to his Lord Master as to his Head Hope Saviour I would not here be misconstruâ—â—â—â—â— when I derogate from a bare â—â—usting Far is it from me to â—ight that precious Act of Faith 〈◊〉 Trust or Affiance much less to deride those expressions which even Scripture seems to set it forth by As a laying or leaâ—â—ing on our Beloved Cantic 8. 5. A staying of our selves upon God Isa 50. 10. Or if we will casting a Psal 55. 22. 37. 5. rowling or restinâ— of our selves upon him who iâ— able to save unto the utter most For surely there can be no greater no sweeter repose unto thâ— Soul than a Trusting in its Saviour a Resting on the Bosom oâ— his Love on the fulness of hiâ— Merit Righteousness Satisfactâ—on and Redemption Isa 26. 3â— Thou shalt keep him in perfect peaâ—â— whose mind is stayed on thee becauâ—â— he trusteth in thee Always provided that this Trâ—sting be well and rightly grounâ—ed that it proceed upon thâ— Terms and Conditions b That is Such Conditions as are joyned with it Isa 50. 10. fearing of the Lord aâ— obeying the voice of his Servants Such as the Book Homilies adds to it Homily of Salvation second 〈◊〉 circa finem A Trusting in Gods Mercy to obtain there â—ods Grace and remission as well of our original sin in â—ptism as of all Actual sin committed by us after our â—ptism if we truly repent and turn unfeignedly to him 〈◊〉 And so Homily of Faith first part circa mediural we return again unto him by true repentance And aâ—â—â— the end of it We trust that our offences be continuly washed and purged whensoever we repenting truly return to him stedfastly determining with our selves â—rough his Grace to obey and serve him Such is the 〈◊〉 Faith that the Scripture doth so much commend of thâ— â—ospel and that in all other â—hings it answer the Call of the â—ospel Otherwise there may 〈◊〉 as the Prophet speaks Mic. 〈◊〉 11. a leaning upon God a â—aying of our selves upon the God 〈◊〉 Israel mentioning his Name 〈◊〉 48. 2. but not in Truth Verse â—e first not warranted by the â—ord of Truth not coming from â—e Grounds of Truth but meerâ— springing from wrong and false â—nd mis apprehensions of God â—nd of his Covenant And therefore as an a Dr. Stillingfleets Sermon upon Rom. 1. 16. Page 165. circa finem able and learned Defender of the Protestant Religion says great care should be taken lest by misunderstanding the notion of believing so much spoken of as the condition of our Salvation Men live in the neglect of whaâ— the Gospel requires and so believe themselves into eternal miâ—sery Affiance or Confidence in God i. e. in him as reconciled abstracting from the Grace of Repentance or not-supposing conversion from sin unto God is noâ— a 2 Tim. 2. 19. Psalm 25. 1 2. Where trusting in God and wilful transgressing against God 1. without a cause are put as terms iâ—compatible as things inconsistent And that no wicked or impenitent person can have a surâ— trust or a true confidence in God or in Christ is fully evidenced from what is delivered in the Homily of Salvâ—tion Part the third Page 18. And more fully in the Hoâ—iâ— of Faith Part the third per totam Christian-confidence but caâ—nal presumption Neither will iâ— ever hold when it comes to trial but sink and succumb notwithstanding all the Artifices to shorâ— and prop it up The real guilt anâ— conscience of sin in the Hearâ— and Life will easily recoil anâ— beat down all such fond forceâ— and ill-founded confidences or perâ—asions And it will be found a â—â—â—tain truth that nothing will â—ord a vivid or lasting hope toâ—ards God or trust in God save â—â—ly the consciousness of our sinceâ—â—y in obeying the Call of the Goâ—â—â—l According to what is hintâ—â— 1 John 3. 21. If our Hearts â—â—demn us not i. e. of prevariâ—ing with God and with the Goâ—â—el by impenitency or hypocriâ—â— then says he and then 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1. 12. have we confidence towards 〈◊〉 And thus have I done with the â—â—cond Branch of Evangelical Oâ—â—dience i. e. Obedience to the â—ll of the Gospel There is yet a third Branch beâ—â—nd to be added to the former make it full and compleat and â—â—at is Obedience to the special â—â—les to the more particular Preâ—â—pts of the Gospel directing 〈◊〉 appointing us how to live and â—alk in our conversations As for this Branch of Obedience yâ— may know it by the Names of iâ— in Scripture 'T is called a Doinâ— of Righteousness 1 John 3. 7 10 An Obedience unto Righteousness Rom. 6. 16. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a keeping oâ— observing of the Commandments 1 Cor. 7. 19. John 15. 10. Anâ— lastly a walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thâ— Rule or Canon of the Gospel Phil 3. 16. Let us walk by the samâ— Rule Gal. 6. 16. As many as walâ— according to this Rule Peace be oâ— them and Mercy i. e. the Rule oâ— the New Creature Verse 19. Thâ— Rule and Measure of a Gospel life For this we must know anâ— remember that the Gospel is noâ— only a Rule of right believing buâ— a Rule of holy living as it is thâ— Power of God for our Salvation so it is the Will of God for our instruction in righteousness For there are not only the Crâ—denda the Truths of the Gospeâ— in matters of Faith but all the Agenda the Precepts the Directions and Injunctions of the Gospel in matters of Life and Practise Titus
Hearts to consider That of our Saviour Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that says in profession Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven That of St. Paul Gal. 6. 15. In Christ Jesus i. e. in the Profession or Religion of Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature or as it is Chap. 5. 6. but Faith that worketh by Love or as it is 1 Cor. 7. 19 But the keeping of the Commandments of God Lastly that of St. John 1 John 3. 7. Little Children let no Man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous As if he should say take heed 't is an easie thing for a Man to slip into such a deceit as this Namely to think that if he has but some measure of knowledge in the matters of Christ and a Belief of the Doctrine of Christ if he has but the Name of Christ in his Mouth and a Profession of him in his Life with some attendance upon him in his Ordinances that then it is enough enough to righteousness enough to acceptance here and to Salvation hereafter Yea but let none flatter himself into so gross a deceit For he that doth righteousness is righteous He only shall pass for such in Gods account that brings forth the real Fruits of righteousness in the conscionable care and discharge of his Duty towards God and Man in every kind For as it is Acts 10. 34. God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him And Rom. 2. 7 8. God shall one day render unto every Man according to his Deeds To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality shall be Eternal Life But unto them that obey not the Truth but obey unrighteousness to them indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul that doth evil Ye hence see what is it shall carry the main stroke with God what is it that shall weigh with God and cast the ballance of his favour to us another day Namely a beginning in Faith and a patient continuance in well-doing in short an obeying of his Truth in righteonsness And I would to God this it were a thing more preach'd and press'd upon the Consciences of Men and more practised in the lives of men For it will be found a true saying of His what ever his Judgment was otherwise in reference to the thentimes I say it will be found a great truth what I meet with in a fast Sermon delivered six and thirty years ago where speaking of the Duty of the Ministers he has these words Says Mr. Herbert Palmer his Sermon before the House of Commons June 28. 1643. P. 35 he ' When we all have preached up Repentance to which let me also add Obedience as much as we have preached first Confidence and then Faith we shall then be reformed and saved but I doubt not till then Tit. 1. 3. This Word or Witness true Thirdly and lastly by what has been said of the several Parts and Branches of Evangelical Obedience we may be able to make Judgment how much of it goes before the Grace of Pardon and Justification and what it is â—ust follow and come after Obedience to the Truths of Christ by â—elieving them and Obedience â—o the call of Christ by returnâ—ing and resigning up our selves to â—im These are clearly and fundamentally necessary as antecedents â—o our justification And beâ—ides what has been said were there no other Scripture save that only in Rom. 8. 30. it were enough to prove it Where 't is said by the Apostle That whom God calls them he justifies Them and them only does he justify whom he first calls that is calls a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoe quando nobis contingit praedestinationem nostram ex effectu cognoscimus Paraeus And that this is the Judgment of our Church appears plainly from the 17th Article of Religion Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season They through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely they be made Soâ—s of God by adoption effectually so calls as that they fully answer to his Call neither can the words with truth bear any other sence So that the Blessing of Justification belongs to none but such as are the Called of God that is such as obey his Call by a sincere repentance towards God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ And upon this measure b It is for the honour of Christianity to maintain that God for Christ's sake is ready to admit the Heirs of everlasting damnation into the Inheritance of everlasting happiness in never so short a time as we can believe they can change their resolution from following sin to prosess that Belief and Conversation which Christianity importeth Mr. Thorndike Epilog L. 2. c. 30. P. 256. of Obedience without more ado the true Believer who thus far answers the Call of God a The sincere undertaking the trust of a Christian really entitles him to the promises of the Gospel Mr. Thornd ibidem L. 2. C. 7. P. 38. It would be a disparagement to that Fountain which God has opened for Juda and Jerusalem that there should be â—â—y sin which it cannot cleanse supposing the change sinâ—â—re which the undertaking of Christianity professes Mr. Thornd ibidem L. 2. C. 5. P. 22. presently enters and passes into a state of favour and acceptance with God As for the third Branch of Obedience consiâ—ing in a course of holy Actions and in a continued observance of the particular Rules of the Gospel God stays not for this God does not suspend the Grace or benefit of Justification till the Person has run through a course of Obedience through all the Precepts and Instances of a Holy Life but forthwith bestows it on the faithful Believer upon his first Faith and Obedience unto Gods Call provided it be real and sincere which God can see and discern though Man cannot And therefore this last kind of Obedience i. e. to the particular superstructive Rules of a Holy Life though it be necessary in its place for we stand bound to it by the Law of Faith by the Rule of the Gospel and are obliged to it in the vertue of Gods general Call yet if we speak of it in relation to our Justification with God 't is not required as an antecedent to go before it but as a consequent to come after it as the Evidence that must prove and testifie the effectualness of that Call and our sincere obeying it For he that would be found a Tunc veraciter fideles sâ—mus si quod verbis promisimus operibus complemus Gregor in Evangel Hom. 19. true to that Call he must and will pursue and prosecute it through all the