God through Iesus Christ c. For is God the God of Paul only Is his grace sufficient only for Paul or some few other specially beloued indowed with supereminent graces Is he not also our helpe our strength hee that yeelds sufficiencie of grace to euerie poore sinner that trusteth in his goodnesse beleeueth in his promise Surely yes for the Lord is nigh vnto all that call vpon him hee also will heare their cry and will helpe them Psal 145. 18 19. Secondly this may wonderfully comfort vs against the outward crosse as well as the inward tentation The way to heauen we know is not strowed with rushes and violets but beset with thorns a rough narrow and troublesome way whereupon many of Gods childrē are disheartned and are ready to faint vnder the crosse when it lyes any thing heauie vpon them If these had eyes to see and hearts to consider of the excellency and sufficiency of grace which makes vs willing to vndergoe whatsoeuer the Lord will lay vpon vs well content with the Lords ordering and disposing of vs they would reioice in heauinesse and be comforted against the crosse It may be thou thinkest thy troubles are such as thou shalt neuer bee able to ouercome therfore art ready euen to faint vnder thē and giue ouer in the plain field Oh but consider the excellencie of grace wherewith the Lord hath hitherto supported thee in thy afflictions Hath not God said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Hath he not said My grace shall be sufficient for thee What though thou beest plunged into a gulfe of sorrow through manifold afflictions which haue befallen thee so that for a season thou art in heauinesse through them yet through the power of grace thou shalt be able to hold vp thy head from sinking yea to reioyce in the end with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. What though the Deuill swell rage against thee What though his wicked instruments doe combine and bandie themselues against thee seeking to spoile thee of all outward and inward comfort What though thy neerest and dearest friends doe now turne away their faces from thee yea hate and abhorre thee as an out-cast alien Let Dauids comfort be thine who being in great sorrow because of the rage of the people which intended to stone him comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. So doe thou comfort thy selfe in the grace of God Hath he bestowed his loue vpō thee Hath he giuen thee of his grace Though thy outward calamities be neuer so many neuer so great though thine enemies be neuer so mighty neuer so powerfull yet stronger is he that is in thee than he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 4. 4. If God grace thee what though all the world should cast the dung of reproch in thy face to disgrace thee If he loue thee his loue is better than life and he will keepe thee from taking infection or hurt from the rage and malice of all the world that hate thee Last of all the consideration of that which hath beene spoken concerning the excellencie of Grace may comfort thee against the dregs and reliques of corruption and the remnants of the old man yet abiding in thee which it may be doe so perplex thy soule and wound thy conscience that thou gronest vnder this pressure and cryest out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Know thy condition is no other no worse than the best of Gods children who so long as they liue in this earthly tabernacle do carry about them the remainder of sin which wil defile their best actions oft blemish their profession yea grieue Gods holy Spirit and make their heauenly Father offended with thē yet comfort thy selfe and bee assured that though corruption may vex and molest thee it shall neuer subdue nor vanquish thee because of the grace of God abiding in thee For sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for ye are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Rom. 6. 14. It is a good signe there is life where wounds do bleed smart the griefe of thy soule for sin argues the life of grace abiding in thee for those that are dead in sins feele no smart are not grieued with corruption Sin is not ponderous in the heart and cōscience of gracelesse persons because it is in its proper elemēt place where it is welcomed and entertained where it liues and raignes Therfore if at any time thou feelest as which of Gods childrē feel not a rebellious law in thy mēbers rebelling against the law of thy minde and carrying thee into the practice of such euils as thou hatest and hast vowed against let not this perplex thy soule as if grace had forsaken thee because it is no better with thee but collect thy spirits call vpon grace and say Where art thou my friend my guide my hope my help stand by me and strengthen me against corruption which is too strong for me if thou help me not I am vndone I tell thee for truth for I know what I say to be true that by the vertue and strength of grace a poore distressed soul cleauing to the groūd abhorring its selfe and lying at the very brinke of despaire ready to be swallowed vp of Death and Hell consulting and resoluing to try whether hell torments or the hellish pangs of an afflicted conscience were more tolerable I say a poore soule in such a desperate condition hath by the strength of grace beene brought back from death to life and as it were from hell to heauen receiued new or reuiued againe its old comfort beene at defiance with sin and Satan challenged Hell and Death and bid them doe their worst saying Who shall separate me from the loue of God c. Therefore yeeld not either to thine owne corruptions or Satans tentations though they haue got thee on the hip giuen thee the foile Set speedily vpon the repairing of grace and making vp those breaches which sinne hath made in thy soule conscience A good husband as hee hath a care to keepe his house wind-tite and water-tite so if through the violence of any storme or tempest any thing be blowne down or rent he speedily sets vpon the repairing of it lest through negligence delayes things grow worse and worse euen so deales euery good man with his own soule if any thing be amisse or out of order he lets not all runne to ruine but speedily sets vpon the repairing and amending of that which is any way weakened in him Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that yee fall not and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory that is To God only wise our Sauiour bee Glory and Maiestie and Dominion and Power both now and for euer Amen FINIS Grace how taken in Scripture Iam. 1. 17. Grace
doctrine To put it out of all question that grace is the free gift of God Saint Faul telleth vs 2 Tim. 1. 9. that it was giuen vnto vs before the world was True say the Papists But how thorow Gods foreseeing our workes But this the Apostle confutes in the same verse telling vs that it is not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace Againe in Eph. 1. 5 6. He telleth vs that He predestinated vs to be adopted through IESVS CHRIST vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace Therefore to conclude this point knovv that vvhatsoeuer good thing hath befallen vs or is comming tovvards vs all fauours and mercies exhibited or promised all are of Gods free grace all according to the good pleasure of his vvill the ground of all is vvithin himselfe as Beza well rendreth the vvords Ephes 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teaching vs that no cause present or future without God mooued God to bestowe his grace vpon vs. For if God had not loued vs before vve loued him vvee had neuer been beloued 1. Ioh. 4. 19. If God had not loued vs before we had been amiable fit to be beloued vve had neuer tasted of his loue for he found vs filthy in our bloud Eze. 16. 6. If God had not loued vs before vve had been able to procure or deserue his loue vve had neuer been beloued Rom. 5. 7 8. If vve be at any time able to doe God any seruice it is not we but the grace of God in vs 1. Cor. 15. 10. Or if at any time vve being any thing vnto God we must say as Dauid said 1 Chron. 29. 14. All things O Lord come of thee and of thine owne hands haue wee giuen the. If God respect or reward any seruice of ours what doth hee but crowne his owne gifts The consideration wherof cryes shame in our faces for making the Lord so vvretched a requitall for so free and vndeserued grace Our case was desperate our condition damnable nothing of our owne to bring vs into grace and fauour vvith God only his own goodnesse mooued him to take pittie vpon vs and freely of his grace to instifie vs Rom. 3. 24. How should this knit our hearts vnto the Lord A benefit the more freely it comes the stronger it tyes the receiuer vnto the giuer The Sun shines not more freely vpon vs nay not so freely for that can doe no other it shines by vertue of an higher and commanding power and that order which God hath set Psal 104. 19. then Gods grace is bestowed vpon vs. How should this fill our hearts and tongues with the praises of the Lord Had we the tongues of men and Angels we could not sufficiently expresse his praises for the freenesse of his grace How should this tye vs vnto the Lord and knit our hearts vnto him who hath so abounded in loue vnto vs and that so freely so vndeseruedly Againe here is matter of comfort vnto all deiected and drooping spirits cast downe in the sight and sense of their owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse these should consider that Gods grace is free hee lookes not at any thing in vs in the bestowing of his grace What doest thou thinke thou are vncapable of grace because thou art vnworthy of it This is a meere fallacie Doe not cast away thy confidence because thou seest not in thee that goodnesse thou desirest It is goodnesse enough for thee to bee bad enough in thine owne esteem Be but vile enough base enough bad enough and then thou art good enough to partake of grace Thine emptinesse wil make some way to fulnesse Luke 1. 53. He fils the hungry with good things Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters ye that haue no siluer come buy wine and milke without mony yea or monyes worth all conditions of our own worth and merit are here vtterly excluded Therefore comfort thy selfe and cheere vp thy heart thou poore vnworthy sinner in this that God is most free of his loue though thou hast nothing whereby to deserue any grace from God yet he hath enough in himselfe to moue him to giue to all poore deiected and humble sinners The deuil it may be wil teach thee to put a price vpon Gods wares he will make thee beleeue that thou must haue thus much holinesse or thus much obedience or thus much faith to purchase or procure the loue of God as if we had grace from God by way of exchange we being thus and thus qualified but I tell thee that thou must come to God with a bare naked hand with a poore emptie soule else thou art vncapable of his grace Me thinkes this should vphold poore soules that faint and are ready to sinke vnder the waight and burden of their sinnes mourning like Rahel and will not be comforted casting away their hope and confidence yea and forsaking their owne mercy by waiting vpon lying vanities Ion. 2. 8. Whereby they doe not only rob God of the glory of his grace but euen defraud their owne soules of comfort through slauish feare and vnbeleefe Hath not the Lord made a generall inuitation calling to the throne of grace all hungring thirsting and mourning soules that so they might partake of his wine and milke Yea that they may receiue mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 16. If God hath giuen thee but a heart to desire grace thou hast a warrant to beleeue that God will freely bestow it vpon thee For he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him He also will heare their cry and will saue them Psal 145. 19. I tarry the longer vpon this point for the comfort of those poore ignorant fearefull and vnbeleeuing soules whose consciences speaking bitter things against them passe the sentence of death vpon themselues as vncapable of any grace because they are guilty of these and these sinnes If they were thus thus qualified they say they should haue some hope that God would be good vnto them but know thou poore deluded soule that no mans goodnesse is the ground of Gods loue vnto him no no it is Gods loue is the cause of our goodnesse Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen vs that we should be holy Holinesse is not the cause but the effect of Gods louing vs. Thou must be in Christ before euer thou canst bee good or haue any inclination vnto goodnesse for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Vine Iohn 15. 4. no more can we vnlesse we be in Christ It followes Whereby he accepteth of vs in Christ This truth is euidenced by diuers places of Scripture Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ So Ephes 1. 5 6. Hee hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through him
if they faile or fall they beare downe his godlinesse vvith them whereas sound grace in an honest and good heart being built vpon a sure rock the foundation whereof is laid in Christ holds it out in all stormes he is no reed shaken with the wind no vvauering vveather-cock no time-seruer he knowes in vvhom he hath beleeued and therefore abides the heat of Summer the rage and violence of persecution he endures the frost in Winter all those crosses and losses vvhich befall him still runneth with patience that race vvhich is set before him Heb. 12. 1. So that it is with hypocrites and counterfeit professors as with many rotten worme-eaten peares and plummes in a garden looke vpon them vvalke by them and none so beautifull to the eye none so louely to behold as they but lay hands vpon them or shake the tree on which they grow and down they tumble presently whereas that fruit vvhich is sound though it make not so faire a shew hangs still for all your shaking Gods people in this are like the Cedars of Lebanon the stronger the wind blowes them the deeper root they take the surer they stand Now in a few vvords to apply that vvhich hath beene formerly deliuered concerning this point of difference let that vvhich hath beene spoken bee a meanes of sending vs euery one into the Closet of his owne heart let vs seriously search and try our selues that vve be not mistaken about the truth of grace It is a thing of the greatest consequence that can be I meane the triall of the truth and soundnesse of grace in vs for if we be deceiued in this one particular vvee are vndone for euer A man may be mistaken in outward things bee deceiued in vvorldly bargaines and yet neuerthelesse a happy man hee may haue his soule though he lose his substance but if he be gulled in the matter of grace he is irrecouerably miserable Doth it not then stand vs vpon as I said before to consider whether vvee be deceiued or not If there were plenty of washt gold stirring or great store of bad counterfeit siluer abroad euery one would looke vvhat he takes for feare he should be deceiued O my beloued brethren these are the dayes wherein many make faire shewes godlinesse is growne in appearance into some credit amongst vs almost euery body would be accounted religious but as for the power of Religion and the truth of godlinesse God knowes it is found in very few All is not gold that glisters all haue not grace that are taken and do also take themselues to be gracious A man may goe farre in outvvard appearance and yet goe to hell in the end for want of sauing grace As for example First a man may be free from grosse sinnes from scandalous crimes enormous vices yea euen loath and detest many euills as did the Scribes and Pharisees Luke 18. 11. Secondly a man may be strict in the duties of the second Table iust of his word true in his dealings as many ciuill persons and Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. Cato and many other Heathens were admirable in respect of Morality Thirdly a man may set vp Gods seruice in his family and giue himselfe to fasting and prayer as the Iewes did Esay 58. 2 3. Seeke God daily know his wayes enquire of God in the ordinances of iustice as a people that would doe righteously Fourthly a man may set vpon the worke of reformation ioy in a good Sermon reuerence Gods faithfull Ministers as knowing beleeuing that they are such as feare the Lord and shew vnto him the vvay of saluation as Herod did Mark 6. 20. Lastly a man may leaue his old courses and companions as Simon Magus did Act. 8. he may be escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and yet returne with the dogge to his vomit and for want of sound and sauing grace bee damned in the end Now seeing it may be thus tell mee in good sadnesse if thou dost not think it to be a matter of great importance to search and trie thine owne heart How many thousands be there which come short of these things before-named and yet take vp their rest flatter themselues and speake peace to their owne soules resoluing to be no other desirous to bee no better and therefore neglect this duty of triall and examinatiō of themselues But assuredly a time vvill come vvhen the consciences of these people which are now cast into a deepe if not a deadly sleepe will be awakened when death iudgement and hell will present themselues vnto their view when their sins like toads will croake vengeance against them when Ezekiels book will be laid open before them where is written within without lamentations and mourning and woe then what howling what roaring what wringing of hands and breaking of hearts to consider that old and new sinnes doe bleed afresh before them and that many thousand thousand reckonings are to be cleered betwixt the Lord and them and they not able to answer one of many thousands Then when it will be too late they will crie out vpon themselues condemning their folly and madnesse that they so trifled away their time let slip the golden season of grace and mercy passed ouer their soules to Satan for momentany bables and vanities Tell me then my beloued in coole bloud if it be not a point of high wisdome to looke to this betimes not to trust our hearts too farre in this weightie matter seeing our hearts are aboue measure deceitful and as those lying spirits in the mouths of Ahabs false prophets wil flatter vs bid vs go on and prosper when we run to our owne destruction I beseech you therefore my beloued brethren by the tender mercies of God and in the bowels of the Lord Iesus I entreat you to looke to your selues in this one particular search and trie your owne hearts how things stand betwixt the Lord and you doe not desperately run on as many carelesse bankrupts do neuer minding to make euen with their Creditor vntil the Bayliffe hath gotten them vnder arrest if not carried them into prison Slight not ouer these things lest hereafter when it will bee too late you finde and feele that to be true which now you cannot be brought to feare Consider I say with your selues what sinne is aliue in you what lust is crucified in you whether your life be the life of grace and whether grace be truly begun and settled in you Doe not thinke these things are skar-crowes to mock children withall and so slight them ouer for I tell thee if thou canst not finde leasure to search and trie thy wayes that thou mayest turne vnto the Lord in seeking for grace and suing for mercy thou wilt not finde I feare leasure to escape the wrath of God hell and condemnation Of the Euidence of true and sound
in the regenerate makes the heart to stoope to Christs Scepter to heare his voice and follow him It is faith which apprehēds the authority and soueraigntie which Christ hath ouer vs and approues of the holines goodnes of his Cōmandements so inclines the heart vnto a willing and cheerefull obedience Whereas the hypocrites faith doth embolden him vnto liberty it makes him loose and licentious laying all vpon Christ back saying Christ dyed for vs his bloud shall cleanse vs c. Let the Ministers of Christ say what they can threaten what they wil they are resolued to hold on they will not shift one foot nor stir any further than they list Let iudgements bee threatned against them threatned folke they say liue long they can laugh in their sleeues at the zeale of Gods seruants no more moued or remoued with a Sermon than with the wagging of a straw Oh take heed therefore that thou beest not deceiued in the truth of thy faith Thou mayest haue a great deale of carnall confidence and bold presumption and yet not one dram of true sauing faith Take heed brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Do not thinke that thy comming to Church thy hearing of Christ preached and receiuing of the Sacraments are infallible euidences of true faith for many thousands who take vp their religion vpō trust and take themselues to be sound beleeuers haue their hearts fraught with vnbeliefe their faith being no better nay scarce so good as the faith of deuils for they tremble at the power displeasure of the Lord whereas these are not once touched nor any thing affected therewith And this shall suffice to haue spoken of faith the second Euidence of true Grace A third Euidence of Grace NOw I come to the third Euidence of true Grace and that is the subduing of our Lusts and the conquering of our corruptions This is meant by those words of Paul I beat downe my body and bring it into subiection By body the Apostle doth mean the old mā sin corruptiō which doth lust against the spirit All such as are truly regenerate by the quickning power of the Spirit are sanctified as was said before in all the faculties of their soules members of their bodies not only inlightned in their iudgements to dislike that which is euill but their hearts also are set against it They know that all fleshly lusts doe fight against their soules and therefore they maintaine open warre with them and will not yeeld any voluntary obedience or subiection vnto them Grace cānot stād with the regiment of sin For as Paul saith Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Howsoeuer the Lord to checke the security presumption pride selfe-conceitednesse vnthankfulnesse of his children may for a while leaue them vnto themselues and with-draw as it were the powerfull presence of his grace wherby corruption may bustle swell yea and breake forth also yet by the power of grace they shall bee brought againe to mislike and condemn themselues for those euils wherewith they haue beene ouer-taken and crie out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Therefore the Anabaptists and others are foully mistaken who hold that after the work of grace is once truly wrought in a man sinne hath no being in him that is regenerate for you must know that in euery one that is regenerate there is flesh as well as the Spirit in euery faculty there is grace inclining the heart to goodnes and there is corruption like a back-byas drawing it the contrary way For grace and corruptiō in euery regenerate person as Iacob and Esau did striue in Rebeccaes womb are euermore strugling and striuing one with the other yea there is a cōtinuall war betwixt them as was between the House of Dauid and the House of Saul but as the House of Dauid waxed stronger and the House of Saul weaker So fares it betweene Grace corruptiō the flesh may striue but the Spirit ouercomes for by vertue of habituall grace infused the will is so sanctified the affections are so rectified the heart is so purified as the whole man resignes vp himselfe to be at Gods seruice imbraceth a holy and a heauenly life as the only true comfort and sound happinesse and desires and resolues so to hold on euen vnto the end Therefore they are grossely deceiued who hold that after the work of grace is wrought in the heart of Gods children the will hangs like a beame vpon the ballance equally inclining to one hand as well as to the other A foggie and a mistie errour contrary to the current of the Scriptures which teach vs that a regenerate person labours to keepe a good Conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly as Heb. 13. 18. That person in whom the work of grace is wrought desires and endeuours to be euermore furnished with the Panoply the compleat armour of God that so he may stand fast resist the Deuil be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked The strength and bent of his wil and affections are for God and goodnesse he chuseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former euils with a detestation of them he leaues them with a resolution neuer to take them vp againe As Ephraim said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe any more with Idols So saith he of his old courses and companions Away from mee and as Christ to Peter Get thee behinde me thou art an offence vnto me Matth. 16. 23. He daily prayes and cries earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed to keep thy Statues continually Psa 119. 5. He is not for God to day and the Deuill to morrow he is no morning Saint and euening Deuill but desires and endeuours to walke before the Lord in all pleasing and to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life Well then if the case so standeth consider with thy selfe what combate thou doest daily maintaine against thy corruptions Doest thou delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man as Rom. 7. 22. though thou seest another law in thy members rebelling against the law of thy minde Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation vnto thy soule Dost thou finde and feele that nothing vnder the Sun doth more sting and pierce thy heart than to be at any time ouertaken with passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and holy resolutions Why then cheere vp thy drooping spirits the Lord by the power of his grace hath takē possessiō of thee for nothing but grace is able to keepe the loue of sin out
affections Psal 51. 6. passeth by all outward failings where the heart is vpright before him sincerity being a grace which makes al obedience sauour vvell to the Lords pallat Therefore that thou mayest be drawne to such a kinde of obedience consider of these motiues First know that vntil thou findest thy heart inclined and thy wil framed to this obedience which I haue formerly spoken of thou art no friend of Christs Yee are my friends saith Christ if ye do whatsoeuer I command you Many can bee content to receiue good by Christ and to account him their Iesus but few returne loue and duty vnto Christ by acknowledging him their Lord in keeping his Word obeying his wil doing whatsoeuer hee commandeth them Secondly thou wantest as hath beene formerly proued sound euidence of thy regeneratiō for whom God reneweth he sanctifieth throughout he fills him with the seeds of righteousnesse so as his life is fruitful in obedience Thirdly the richer thou art in obedience the more bountiful wil the Lord be in rewarding He that gained fiue talents had the rule ouer fiue Cities For euery one shall receiue according to his worke Rom. 2. 6. Fourthly and lastly this wil procure as you shal heare by and by outward prosperity it wil fetch in a rich portion of outward benefits and blessings Esay 1. 19. If yee be willing and obey yee shall eat the good things of the Land Now then to draw to a conclusion of this point seeing you haue heard of these euidences of true grace let me in the bowels of the Lord Iesus beseech you my brethren to goe home to your own hearts make there a diligent scrutiny and narrow search whether you finde these euidences in your possession or not Are the eyes of your vnderstanding enlightned with sauing knowledge Is thy knowledge rightly qualified Is it practicall or is it meerely theorical Is it a transforming knowledge moulding thee to the Word Is it such a knowledge as vents it selfe continually for the glory of God and the good of others Dost thou find thy heart by beleeuing knit vnto God through Christ louing him and fearing him for his owne sake as well as for his Christs sake Dost thou find the throat of thy corruption cut in thee and thy sins bleeding to death and gasping in thee Is thy heart set against euery euil way and thy soule delighted in the practice of that which is good Doth thy heart stoope to GODS Word and thou yeeld vp thy selfe to be at his command and that willingly cheerefully and in singlenes of heart fearing God Then blessed be the time that euer thou wert made acquainted with these high prerogatiues God hath done more for thee than if wanting these he had put vpon thee all the honour pompe and glory of the world But woe and alas how few are there in whō these euidences are to bee found Oh that such as want them had but eyes to see their misery and hearts to consider how full of vnconceiueable horror their consciences will one day be when they come to bee awakend perceiue how they haue trifled away the day of grace turned the grace of God into wantonnesse receiued the grace of God in vaine so as they haue no part in the inheritance either of grace or of glory Know and beleeue deare brethrē that things will not alwayes stand at this stay with you A day is comming wherein yee must lay down these earthly tabernacles of yours with them all your pleasures profits and honours when none of all these will stand you in any stead or afford you any comfort but will rather wanting grace to vse them aright increase your griefe sorrow A day will come wherein if these euidences be not in thee thy conscience will not spare to tell thee to thy face that wanting grace thou art a vessell of wrath ordained and prepared for destruction Oh the troubles sorrowes and feares into which in that day thy poore soule will be plunged for want of grace Oh what wouldest thou not then giue for one dram of grace How happy wouldest thou take thy self to be if thou hadst but a little time to redeem wherein thou mightest come to partake of the meanes of grace which formerly thou hast slighted ouer making no more account of them than of thine old shooes Thou wilt then cease to wonder at Gods faithful Ministers so inueighing against the neglect of grace and so vehemently pressing and vrging the necessitie thereof Thou wilt then say that a little grace were more worth than all the world beside and that they are only happy that doe partake of it Whereas the childe of God hauing tasted of Gods goodnesse and made partaker of his grace is filled with vnconceiueable ioy comfort finding himselfe deliuered from the power of darkenesse and translated into the Kingdome of Iesus Christ His conscience being purged frō dead works by the bloud of Christ his heart purified by faith he can looke death in the face take him by the hand and bid him welcome he can lye downe and rest in peace and in full assurance or if any doubtings through Satans malice do arise in hope of eternall life through Iesus Christ And this shall suffice to haue spoken of the euidences of true Grace I now come according to the method and order which in the beginning I propoūded to lay downe some grounds and reason Why Grace is the best thing we can partake of First because it is the onely thing which giues content to the heart and minde of a Christian in euery estate and condition whatsoeuer God hath placed him Contentment is the thing which euery one aymes at and desires in all his courses Why do men toile and moile in the world early and late thorow thicke and thin but to satisfie their minds in these outward riches Why do people follow and with vnwearied and vnlimited desires and affections hunt after the honors and pleasures of this world but to satisfie their desires and as they suppose to giue themselues content But this is a meere imposture of our wicked heart falsly thinking that our desires are satisfied with desiring when as the truth is they are increased Why doe men and women deck and adorne as they thinke whereas indeed they deforme their bodies with strange attire with costly ornaments but to giue themselues content and to please their mindes For if you aske them a reason of their practice they will tell you it is their pleasure so to doe But they deceiue themselues in looking for content in worldly things or to be satisfied with thē as appeares Esay 55. 2. Wherefore doe you spend money for that which is not bread and labour for that which satisfieth not Is it possible that vanity and vexation of spirit should giue content to the heart of man All things vnder the Sunne are no better no other than vanity if wee will beleeue the Preacher Eccles
As in bodily labour when a man beginnes to giue in when there is not that strength and power in his armes legs and back which sometimes hath beene wee see and say nature is debillitated and weakened in such a man euen so when we performe not holy duties with that zeale and spirituall vigour though it may bee with lesse strength of bodie the organes being decayed through age or sicknesse which formerly we haue done wee may feare grace is in some declēsion Consider therefore my brethren I beseech you seriously of these things that so you may by the grace of God be the better able to preuent declining or being fallen may remember from whence yee are fallen and repent and doe your first worke Thus hauing acquainted you with the differences betwixt true and counterfeit grace hauing laid downe the euidences of true grace and thirdly hauing shewed the reasons why grace is of that excellencie worth aboue all the world I now come to the fourth and last thing which I propounded and that is to make some vse application of the point Is it so as hath beene proued that grace is the best thing wee can partake of Then lamentable is the blindnesse and pitifull is the ignorance of the greatest part of the world who neither see their want nor yet the worth of grace How many be there who place all happinesse in these outward things riches honours pleasures c Taking those to be the onely happy men whose bellies the Lord fills with earthly treasures O he is a happie man say they he cannot doe amisse hee hath the world at will These are such as liue by sense Whose hearts goe after their eyes as Iob 31. 7. These are such as minde earthly things and therefore say as Psal 4. 6. Who will shew vs any good They encumber thēselues with the things of this life neglecting grace the only thing needfull yea that which is of absolute necessity vnto saluation Is it not a thing much to be lamented that in this glorious noone-tide of the Gospell people should so dote vpon the world as if there were no other goodnesse vnder the Sunne but to be great to be honourable to eat and drink to take their sports and follow their pleasures and profits If Paul in his daies could not speake nor write it without griefe and weeping to consider how many went a madding after the world minding earthly things surely if hee liued in these our times his heart would not ake but breake to see how eager people are vpō the world how little grace is respected and looke after no more than the reffuse and parings of our nailes Whereas if a man had all the world want grace hee hath in account nothing but if he want all outward things and be indowed with grace he hath enough for grace is sufficient for him yet alas as the Israelites were scattered vp and downe Aegypt to gather stubble and to picke vp strawes so the greatest part of the world hunt vp and downe beat their brains vse their wits and stretch their consciences for those things which compared with grace are no better than straw or stubble The condition of many people would bee a great deale more tolerable if any toleration may be of euill if their want of grace proceeded from meere ignorāce of the price worth or the necessitie of grace but too many there bee who are destitute of grace meerly through their neglect of the means of grace nay which is worse from a gracelesse wicked contempt of it scoffing and scorning the practice of it wheresoeuer they behold it Where shall a man liue or whither shall hee goe where hee shall not meet with some scoffing fleering Ismael or some scorning Michol to flout the practice of pietie tooth and naile to bring it into disgrace If any amongst them be like Saul amongst the people higher in matters of religion or more forward in the practice of holinesse than themselues how is hee maligned and contemned Hee is hunched at as Ioseph was amongst his brethren who could not speak peaceably vnto him hee is hated of them as Iacob was hated of Esau because his owne works were euill and his brothers good 1 Ioh. 3. 12. Had not our sweet Sauiour foretold vs of the iniquitie of these last times we might wonder that these dayes of the Gospel should bring forth such prodigious monsters as these are Oh let vs pitie them and bewaile their gracelesse cōdition I haue read of one Marcellus a Romane Captaine who hauing taken Siracusa and entred the Citie teares fell from his cheekes to see so great a multitude of people and so goodly a Citie to be captiuated Hath the outward and bodily misery of others occasioned sorrow in those that were heathens yea enemies and shall not we that are Christians weepe and mourne to see so many soules so many of our friends and acquaintance to be captiuated of sinne and Satan to perish bodie and soule through the wāt of grace Shew we our true compassion not only in being affected with the misery and danger of gracelesse persons but also in labouring to pull them out of the snares of the Deuill of whom they are captiuated at his will Of old Gods people were enioyned to bring home their neighbours yea their enemies Oxe or Asse if they met them going astray Exod. 23. 4. Will God haue vs to take care of Oxen and Asses and not much more to regard the soules of our brethren Let him know that he which conuerts a sinner from going astray out of his way shal saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Iam. 5. 20. Againe is grace the most excellent thing we can attaine vnto Then let this set an edge vpon our affections let it be as a spur in our sides to make vs mend our pace and make more haste after grace If you were perswaded of your happinesse in the possession thereof if you were sensible of your misery in the want of it as Rachel cryed vnto her husband for children Gen. 30. 1. Giue mee children or else I die so thou wouldest crie out Lord giue mee of thy grace or else I die I see how wretched and miserable I am wanting grace Oh what shall I doe that I may obtaine grace Be intreated therefore to throw downe thy selfe before the throne of grace confesse thy sins vnto the God of Grace intreate his Maiestie to pitie the poore confounded worke of his owne hands by the malice of Satan and the poison of sin most wofully defiled Beseech him for his Christs sake to breathe into thy emptie soule some blast of grace to fill thy emptie barren and gracelesse heart with the fruits of his Spirit This earnest desire of thine will be a good euidence to thy soule of some good comming towards thee of some seed of grace already sowne in thee it being an effect of