Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	bring_v	salvation_n	ungodliness_n	2,454	5	11.7039	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66610	Totum hominis, or, The whole duty of a Christian, consisting in faith and good life abridged in certain sermons expounding Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians, Epist. 2, Chap. 1, Vers. 11, 12 / by the late reverend and worthy Mr. Samuel Wales ...	Wales, Samuel.; Wharton, Philip Wharton, Baron, 1613-1696.; Wharton, Thomas, Sir.	1681 (1681)	Wing W296; ESTC R41158	76,673	232

and call our selves from the masters we serve and the Lord grant that whosoever heareth or readeth may be perswaded or this doctriue may put a sting into his conscience never giving him rest till he resolve to lead the life of a Christian And so I pass on to The third instruction A Christians walking worthy of his calling is from God All ability in believers to grace and adorn their profession is Gods gift Therefore doth the Apostle beg this grace at the hands of God for the Thessalonians And there is good reason for it First no man is of himself sufficient to think much Iess to accomplish that which is good This that great Apostle who was taken up into the third heaven confesseth and confirmeth in himself therefore all the sufficiency of the faithful must needs be from that Father of lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift Secondly God gives the first grace whereby they begin both to deny ungodliness to renounce all that spiritual uncleanness of sin which is contrary to their calling and to do those good works to which they are called to bring forth new fruits of holiness and righteousness a greeable to their new calling Thirdly he continues and confirms this grace or gracious work by a subsequent upholds them in their integrity stablisheth their hearts in holiness gives wisdom to espie and shun the snares of the tempter Delivers from every evil work and consequently preserves from shameful fals disgracing their calling waters them as a garden that they may be fruitful in good works which are a comely ornament to their profession Lastly he limiteth or restraineth their adversaries spiritual corporal whether solliciting to defection from the faith or tempting to sin in conversation suffers them not to affault his children when where with what weapons with what force and fury they would or else ministreth strength to withstand and overcome them Now he that curbs or puts to flight the enemies which would draw us to dishonourable acts must needs be the cause of our honourable standing in the day of battel and consequently of our winning credit to our calling First then hast thou escaped many dangerous pit-falls and quick-sands in which others have been overthrown many foul sins of youth of age which have foiled others and defiled both them and their profession Hast thou as a brave Souldier of Jesus Christ warded or repelled those blows of temptation which have brought others on their on knees or driven them from their station Hast thou purchased the name and repute of a worthy Christian by a godly harmless meek sober peaceable conversation gained honour not only to thy self but to the general calling of Christianity and so sent abroad the smell of the ointment of thy graces that others have been thereby induced to speak honourably of Religion for thy sake Be not proud of it its Gods work in thee ascribe the glory of it wholly to him who keeps back his children from evil and confirms them in good without whom we have no stedfastness no power to live well or hold out in good courses but should certainly after we have begun in the spirit end in the flesh It s truly said of an Enemy the least temptation if God forsake us and suffer the Devil to work as powerfully as he can will be intolerable invincible Secondly Vse 2 Dost thou desire to honour thy Christian calling by walking as beseems the Gospel Do for thy self what Paul did for his Thessalonians send every day post to the Court of heaven none other but thine own heart on the winged horse of Prayer Spread thy petition as Hezek his letter before the Lord say unto him Lord as thou hast made me partaker make me also worthy of the heavenly calling give grace that whiles I live I may shew such behaviour as is fitting the honourable condition to which thou hast brought me Let me die rather than I should admit or commit any thing which might impair the reputation of Religion and cause Christianity to find worse entertainment in the world Guide me therefore by thy counsel till thou receive me to glory hold me by thy right hand strengthen me with thine own might turn from me shame and contempt order my steps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over thy servant keep my spirit ever waking and watchful against sin stablish my heart in thy fear my feet in the way of thy precepts enable me to continue holy and faithful unto death and lead me in the way everlasting to the land of righteousness This is the way to obtain this excellent grace and he that perseveres earnestly begging it adding thereunto holy endeavours making the matter of his prayer the matter of his practise shall be preserved from opprobrious evils The second petition of Paul followeth wherein such things are begged as mainly and necessarily conduce to the honouring of a Christians calling especially by undaunted constancy and perseverance in the time of tribulation The means are two 1. General 2 Special The general is fulfilling all the good pleasure of his goodness By good pleasure I understand Gods decree and promise of bestowing on his children all spiritual blessings needful for the attainment of eternal glory or his love and favour now begun to be executed and manifested to the Thessalonians by effects and real gifts accompanying salvation this is amplified by the cause What is the root fountain and foundation of this good pleasure the goodness of God that is the kind and gracious nature of God whereby he is ready to deal bountifully with his creature The meaning then is we pray that the Lord would accomplish and finish all those good things he hath intended to work in you and for you that he would give the fulness and perfection of all those graces wherewith of his meer grace and goodness he hath purposed promised and already begun to enrich you The words may admit two other readings and interpretations for they may be turned all the well-pleasing of goodness that is all that goodness and holiness which is acceptable and well-pleasing to God And again All the desire of goodness that is all the good and godly desires of your hearts But this latter sense is barren and not so suitable to the Apostles words and scope the former is included in that which we gave in the first place which I judge to be fullest most proper and therefore most worthy to be preferred and followed The instructions to be drawn out of this clause are three First That all good in man is from the meer goodness of God Whatsoever grace God willeth to and worketh in his children it flows only from his free grace God saith the Apostle God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure You shall find the Scripture exemplifying this point in particulars ascribing all the saving benefits of God bestowed on his people to his grace and good will election

kindness of God and that unspeakable love of Christ the Mediator which he shewed in giving himself for us that he might bring us to the glory of the Father and through whom all the effects of that eternal grace of God are derived and conveyed unto us Observe hence only this instruction Heavenly glory is from Gods meer grace Ye are saved by grace Doct. It is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom Where good pleasure signifies the meer loving kindness of God as a Jesuite confesseth against himself I suppose Other places we shall see afterwards For First Predestination to glory is meerly from grace this a Papist will not deny therefore induction into glory is meerly from grace The consequence is good For first no man can properly be said to be freely chosen to a place of dignity for which he pays sweetly as we say which he procureth by his own mony Election to life is not wholly of grace if collation of life be not wholly from grace 2. The root is the cause of the several branches that grow out of the stock as well as of the stock it self Grace is the root Predestination the stock wherefore grace hath no less a stroke in all subsequent benefits whereof glorification is one than in predestination Secondly Life eternal is an inheritance following adoption a childs portion yea such an inheritance as is assigned by lot like the several seats of the Tribes of Israel in the land of Canaan and therefore as antiquity did hence truly gather comes not by humane acquisition but Gods gracious disposition and donation Thirdly Whatsoever is procured for us by Christ and given us for Christ is from grace For that which is the cause of giving Christ must needs be the cause of giving all the riches of Christ which cannot be separated from himself and Christ cannot make an imperfect purchase But we attain life eternal by and for Christ he hath procured it for his Members he is given to them to be their redemption as well as righteousness and sanctification he is our life our hope our hope of glory through his righteousness we continue to reign in life by his bloud we have liberty to enter into the holiest Hence we are said here and elsewhere to be saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ If the purchase be already made by one so sufficient there remaineth nothing for us to do but thankfully to receive what the grace of God is ready to bestow Fourthly Holiness is the beginning of glory they differ not in kind but in degree holiness is glory inchoate glory is holiness perfected Now holiness begun in regeneration is from grace if Gods grace give the entrance into glory why not the upshot and consummation It may be objected life eternal is from justice because purchased by Christ therefore not grace The most common and received answer is it s from both in divers respects From justice if we look at Christ because he payed dear for it from grace in respect of us who bring nothing to our own salvation But others say thus Christs satisfaction or the price of redemption which he paid doth not buy life at the hand of justice but remove the bar which justice had put into the door of Gods storehouse the which being taken away grace hath full power to bestow salvation which before she had not They explain themselves thus God out of meer grace appointed some to life These have defiled themselves with sin whereupon justice flepping sorth puts a caution into the Court of Mercy I will and must be satisfied before Man shall see life and happiness Christ comes and gives full contentment to justice whereupon grace may now freely go forward with her dole and finish the work she had intended and begun The summe is Christs satisfactory obedience doth not put falvation into the hands of Justice to bestow but enables grace to bestow it justice not gain saying Let him that readeth chuse whether of these answers he liketh better or judge if he be able whether is the foundder This fighteth against that devilish doctrine of Papists which saith heavenly happiness is not to be expected as an inheritance but won and procured by our merits and consequently comes not from grace but from justice So that if Paul were alive again the Italian Idol I mean the great Bridge-maker of Rome the Porter of the bottomless pit would compel him to change his stile or else anathematize him and make a bon-fire of his bones Were there no other difference betwixt us and the Romanists this alone is a sufficient cause why we should abhor them and damn their Doctrine to the bottome of Hell unless we will be Traitors to the Grace of God But a Papist will object it may be both from grace and justice from grace because its the grace of Christ which gives power to merit from justice because the Apostle saith The just Judge will in the last day give a crown of Righteousness to all that love him I answer 1. Their Goliah seems here to stagger for tho sometimes he maintain that good works do merit eternal life by reason of an inherent dignity which he endeavours to prove by seven most silly sophismes yet elsewhere he saith We attribute not to works such merit as hath an answerable wages due unto it from Justice and again setting aside the promise of God he is not bound so to accept our works as to reward them 2. That place of the Apostle is not to be understood of Justice commutative or distributive respecting mans merit but of Gods verity of fidelity who hath promised this Crown to all that strive lawfully the faithful fulfilling of which promise is a part of his Justice For else the Apostle should manifestly contradict himself as who in other places hath taught most plainly that grace and debt grace and mans works in respect of causation of salvation can never stand together that eternal life is a free gift not wages they shall never be able to make other construction of Pauls words yea such a gift of grace as is not any way from our selves all the wit in the world shall never elude so perspicuous a passage 3. This will better appear if we do briefly shew that the Scriptures do not know but overthrow the doctrine of mans merit for themselves cannot deny but it s a good rule in expounding Scripture to compare one place with another First therefore the faithful Israelites did not merit the possession of the land of Canaan Deut 9.4 5 6. Psal 44.3 2. It s impossible man should merit by paying his debt but whatsoever we do or can do for God in this present world its debt 3. They that are but instruments doing all things by a power received from and continued by another cannot merit at his hands but such are we 4. Could we merit we might by our works make God a debtor to us but this may not be granted My goodness extendeth not to thee saith David which phrase is not to be expounded by that Thy vows are upon me O God that is have made me obliged and indebted to thee 5. If the best mans best works cannot endure the strict judgment of the Lord if the best men shall need mercy in the last day there is no place for merit But the first is true 6. We cannot deserve the least morsel of bread but must seek it at Gods hands like beggars Lastly if we must not look to have our Prayers heard and granted much less Heaven bestowed upon us for our merits But the first the Scripture teacheth Dan. 9.18 and Papists confess and therefore in one of their Missal-prayers they intreat God not to weigh their merits but to pardon their offences Secondly Let us look and trust only to this grace of God in Christ that we may find salvation renouncing and disclaiming all meriting causes of salvation in our selves and all creatures Let us never think of challenging any thing at Gods hand by desert much less the Kingdom that cannot be shaken They that put confidence in their works are like little children beginning to go by themselves who that they may stand more firmly take fast hold on their own clothes but alas they are never a whit further from falling Nay well were it if it were no worse but further they forsake their own mercy and are abolished from Christ Indeed we must labour strive run fight before we be crowned but when we have done all still we are to acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants and confess that Heaven is Gods free gift called a reward not because by our working it is deserved but because by God graciously promised Hold this fast that if Satan object thus unto thee on thy death-bed How canst thou hope for any part in the Kingdom of God who art conscious to thy self of so great sins so many haltings and imperfections thou mayest have what to answer indeed Satan it were something thou sayst and might shake me terribly if I did challenge or expect salvation for my own works my own preaching praying holiness zeal serving of God c. But I abhor my self my worthiness is none my righteousness is spotted my merit is hell I depend aad rely only on the Lords mercy and Christs purchase this is my rock and portion for ever Notwithstanding this hindreth not but if Satan assault us another way we may lawfully look at Gods image graces and works in us as testimonies of our faith seals of the truth of our calling evidences that Gods grace hath not been ineffectual in us and that we are of the number of those to whom salvation is promised FINIS

rather in the path of perdition stabbing and wounding themselves continually and like mad men treasuring up wrath which shall burn themselves in the bottom of hell Can we see these things and not pity them and pitying shall we not by prayer seek to help them 3. Seeing all our speech without the inspiration of the Almighty can neither call nor keep men in the state of grace have we not need with the Apostle night and day exceedingly to pray for them The converting of a sinner a work no less difficult than the quickening of one dead is far above the activity of any means or labour we can use yea the power of the Angels of Heaven A moral dispute of an heathen Philosopher much more a divine discourse of a Christian Preacher may stirr up strange pangs and passions but cannot imprint grace in the soul no more than turn a stone into flesh Should we waste our lungs and weary yea wear our tongues with speaking if God bow not the heart we spend our strength in vain and for nothing Now how can we expect or promise to our selves this great blessing I mean the winning and saving of souls by our doctrine which a good Pastor thristeth after more than any earthly commodity and vvherein he rejoyceth more than if ten thousand royal diadems all garnished vvith pretious stones vvere set upon his head if vve crave it not of God by fervent prayer Thirdly Hearers must hence learn to crave the help and comfort of their godly Ministers prayers I doubt not but they fare better for them in their persons children estate travels sickness seed-time harvest It s a good and commendable custom to commend the afflicted in Congregations to the prayers of the Pastor Hezekiah seeing himself and his People in a great and dangerous strait by messengers intreateth the Prophet Esay to lift up his prayer for the remnant that were left in the Kingdom of Judah The Apostle wills the faithful when any are sick among them to call for the Elders of the Church that they may pray over them If any be so godless as to despise or make light account of the praiers of Gods Messengers not only the godly but the wicked shall condemn them For reprobate Pharaoh when the hand of God presseth him can say to Moses intreat the Lord for me and Simon Magus to Peter Pray to the Lord for me that none of these things come upon me But here let Jothams Counsel be remembred Hearken to me you men of Shechem that God may hearken unto you If thou wouldest have thy Teacher to be a speeding spokesman to God for thee if either thou desirest or thinkest thou shalt ever need the relief of his prevailing prayers in the day of thy calamity see that now thou obey from the heart the doctrine he delivers submit as a good Child to his holy counsels and admonitions If thou continuest to rebel against the word which he brings from God it may be as the Lord charged Jeremy not to lift up a cry for the Jews nor to make any intercession for them because he was determined not to hear so he will lock the heart and close the lips of thy Minister that though he would fain speak for thee he shall find neither words nor affections of prayer God shutting the door of prayer against him because he meaneth to shut up his mercy from thee and not to be intreated to do thee good And this is just that he who would not hearken when God besought him in his Minister to repent should not be heard when by the Minister he sueth to God for favour Thus much of the duty The first thing whereby it is amplified is the adjunct circumstance of time when or how often they prayed always which is not so to be understood as if they were continually upon their knees or did nothing else but pray without intermission but the meaning is that they continued and renewed every day the practise of this duty at fit times and seasons So Solomons servants are said to stand continually before him King 10. and Jehoiachim to eat bread continually before the King of Babylon that is he had a daily allowance or portion at meal-times And the daily Sacrifice in the Law is called the continual burnt-offering because it was constantly repeated twice a day that is offered continually morning and evening as elsewhere the Holy Ghost expoundeth himself Now because Paul and his fellows may and must be considered both as Ministers and as Christians hence we observe that Christians must daily exercise themselves in Prayer The servants of God must keep a constant course of calling on God day by day This lesson is taught by the most holy mouth of our Saviour both in that Parable of the Widow importuning the wicked Judge the scope whereof is to teach that men ought always to pray and in his pattern of prayer wherein he directeth us to beg every day bread for the day likewise by the example and practise of the Saints David Daniel Anna Paul The reasons are many and evident First What more equal than that part of every day be given and consecrated to him who is the Lord of the day and of all our time Is it not reason we should daily do homage and service to him by whom we are maintained and sustained daily in whose hand are all our days all our ways Is it not fit he have a sheaf of his own Field a Cake of his own Lump They had a morning and evening sacrifice in the time of the Law shall we who have greater light than they had come behind them in honouring the Lord shall we want that truth whereof they had the shadow Secondly Prayer is a singular means of near and Heavenly communion with God therein the godly not only seek but enjoy the face of God talk familiarly with him And have we not need every day to maintain this communion which is the root and fountain of all our comfort to hold and continue acquaintance and fellowship with him who is our life strength best friend Is it not a shame for Children living in house with their Father to pass a day without speaking to him or looking him in the face Thirdly Prayer sanctifieth to us that is obtaineth of God for us a lawful and comfortable use of all the things and affairs of the day Without prayer therefore our callings and our labour in them are unclean whatsoever we enterprise or do is unclean to us we cannot expect Gods blessing on any thing for our good we cannot be assured that it shall beprofitable or wholesome to us vve may justly fear we shall be brought to Judgment and condemned for every thing we do take or use because vve defile it Fourthly every day vve stand in need of many things belonging both to temporal and spiritual life We want much knowledge vvisdom faith love fear c. our graces have no less need to be

portion at once an exceeding great stock of grace but he quickly forgetting both God and himself spent it and proved a bankrupt Wherefore our heavenly Father thinks fit to give us ours by little and little that we may know and all the days of our life acknowledg our selves to be beggers depend upon him for a continual subministration of new grace learn better to husband and improve that little which he hath put into our hands First Vse 1 this Doctrine confutes all those that dream of perfection attainable in a short moment As 1. Papists teaching that in Baptism the soul is made inherently as pure spotless glorious as the Sun and grace infused by which a man is made able to fulfil the Law Alas no marvel men roave strangely speak absurdly and ignorantly of the state of grace and the saving workings of the holy Ghost when they have no experience of these things in themselves 2. Familists and such like fanaticks who boast of such a fulness of holiness that they need no further purging who if their confident affirmations may be believed have so much joy that they need or desire no more in heaven brag that they are past the doctrine of the hearts deceitfulness never crave pardon of sin and deridingly tell them that do they have their pardon on their back acknowledge no use of the Law after justification feel no need of preaching prayer Sabbaths use these things rather least they should give offence than for any necessity professing to the same purpose this to be their opinion that the new man may be so strong as it shall not need any means and to this height they are mounted in a few months I might truly say days even by hearing one or two Sermons Well we need no other argument if we be wise to perswade us to stop our ears against such erroneous spirits but this that they boast of and arrogate to themselves the possession of such things as Paul the greatest of the Apostles had not attained many years after his conversion not many before his death as appears by his complaint to the Romans his confession to the Philippians Secondly this must comfort and stay those righteous souls who are much dejected because they find much corruption and great want of grace in themselves I forbid them not to deplore and grieve for their spiritual defects not to seek to the fountain for supply and perfecting his work in them only I exhort them not to be dismaied nor to conclude they have no grace because they have not the measure they desire Thy case is the common case of all the godly not one of them but hath his wants to complain of not one of them but feeleth in himself much emptiness great weakness of holiness much ignorance vanity unbeliefe hardness deadness inordinacy of affections nay evil motions and inclinations yea the better any man is the more he discerneth and groaneth under these things and confesseth himself far short of perfect fulness Look not the Lord should deal otherwise with thee than with all the sons he brings to glory Be content therefore first to be a babe in Christ for so thou must before thou canst be a tall man be content that the seeds of grace do first poorly peep up and sprout in the mould of thy heart which in time will grow to be great herbs and fill the whole garden If thou wert recovering of a great sickness though health should return very slowly wouldst thou not be glad and praise the Author of life Do here in like manner rejoyce and bless God that thou art begotten again and come into the new World of new Creatures though thou wantest much of that strength which some have attained The third instruction is Doct. 3 Christians should desire a full measure of all graces or spiritual gifts That which Paul beggeth for his Thessalonians every believer ought to desire for himself but Paul desireth that God would accomplish in them all good things needful for their salvation This is further confirmed in those places in which the Apostle prays or testifies that he prayed for them to whom he writes Ephes 3.19 c. That they might be filled with all knowledge of Gods will abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment be filled with the fruits of righteousness yea with all the fulness of God made perfect in every good work to do his will those places also which exhort to such things as Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect be ye filled with the Spirit and such like And good reason For first Reas 1 there is a certain fulness attainable in this life which appeares because 1. God hath promised to replenish and satiate the hungry soul to poure his Spirit abundantly on his people to fill the earth with the knowledge of himself as the waters cover the sea to make the parched ground a pool the thirsty land springs of water the feeble in the Charch like David in strength so that they shall mount up with wings like Eagles run and not be weary walk and not faint Now he that promiseth wanteth neither will nor power to perform his word being the All-sufficient a most bountiful Father and Master Rich to all that call upon him giving liberally and upbraiding no man delighting in the posperity of his servants 2. The Scripture affordeth examples of such as have attained it I speak not of extraordinary persons such as the Apostles of whom joyntly it is said They were filled with the holy Ghost as the same is affirmed particularly of Peter and Paul such also as were sundry ministers believers in that first Church for example Steph'n others with him in Jerusalem Barnabas c. but of ordinary Christians Doth not the Apostle give this honourable testimony of the ancient Romanes Rom. 15.14 that he was perswaded they were full of goodness filled with all knowledge Of the Corinthians and Ephesians that they were enriched with all knowledge utterance wisdome prudemce Now that which God hath promised and the Saints have received from him why should not the godly still desire and hope to obtain If in any thing this point contradicteth other Scriptures and the places mentioned in the former Doctrine I answer fulness is either absolute such a perfection as admits no defect this is reserved for the life to come or comparative such a measure or degree of grace as sitteth falleth into a grown Christian is answerable to the age of a Father in Christ which in respect of the weak beginning of young Christians may be termed fulness this is that we affirm may be found enjoyed here on earth wch thing the Apostle also plainly teacheth for in the very same place where he denies himself to be perfect he calleth himself those believers in Philippi that were of good standing and growth in Christianity perfect wch sentences seemingly contrary are to be reconciled

it appears that his doubts are the enemies of Gods Word and Spirit and therefore not the eccho of the word nor the just verdict of conscience speaking from the word but the voice of Satan Secondly a believer finding doubts in himself is exceedingly grieved for them bewails want of Faith as his greatest misery willingly accuseth and condemneth himself for these pangs and qualms of unbelief as for greatest sins they are very burthensome to him chiefly because they rob God of his glory and make him less cheerful in rendring unto the Lord praises and other obedience But the hypocrites doubts trouble him and he wisheth to be rid of them only because they are attended with inward disquietness terrours fears of the Lords judgments not because they are sins against God whereof this is a sufficient proof that if he enjoy a kind of peace and perswasion that he is the Child of God though his evil heart full of infidelity secretly deny or call into question an hundred things in divinity one after another he relents not he is not troubled tush these are but flitting motions nor worthy check or controlement Thirdly doubts drive a true believer first to God by earnest requests for the discovering and diminishing of his unbelief strengthening of his faith then into himself by a more exact and impartial scrutiny of his own Conscience and estate they quicken him unweariedly and constantly to go forward in resisting and subduing them in seeking and lamenting after Christ and never to sit down till God have brought his heart into the harbour of a stablished assurance till he see feel and as it were handle eternal life in himself till he know Christ and all the treasures of grace and glory in Christ as undoubtedly to be his own as his apparel money house lands till the Holy Ghost have signed sealed and delivered the heavenly inheritance in the Court of conscience in a word till he have gotten such a faith as can glory in God insult over Hell Death Devil Sin the Curse of the Law and out-wrestle all difficulties but the unsound Christian either builds himself a Castle of imaginary assurance upon the sand of false grounds or lies under his doubts irrecoverably giving over seeking before he receive a sound certain and satisfactory answer from the Lord either out of sloth or despair of obtaining or because he hath learned the strongest faith is subject to some faintings and therefore judgeth it needless to strive any longer or labour for more faith seeing that which he hath will serve his turn and it s no otherwise with him than it is with a true Christian Thirdly We must hence be admonished not to disdain or condemn such Christians as sometimes bewray some feebleness of faith in word or work Thou seest or hearest thy brother is impatient in affliction fears poverty shrinks at the approach of persecution or death is discouraged by reproaches and slanders not so zealous and valiant in maintaining Gods glory and cause as it were to be wished for fear of the wrath of Man omits some necessary good defiles himself with the doing of some evil do not now think or say such a one is a faithless temporizer take heed of such judgment lest thou be judged seeing the truly faithful have done as much thou shalt do well to be sparing in thy censures till thou canst shew a perfect faith Fourthly Vse 4 see the reason why sometimes the lives of very godly men are blemished with some faults Alas the tree is imperfect therefore the fruits must needs be so for nothing can give that it hath not Though the godly by the grace of God may be free from notorious sins yet they cannot obey perfectly because they believe but in part Why then do carnal men if they spie but a spot in a godly mans face a frailty in his conversation though it be but a moat in comparison of their beams Why do they presently cry out These that make so much profession are naught they are naught all of them they are dissemblers they are not what they seem c. Absurd unreasonable men do you expect they should be perfectly holy when they are but imperfectly faithful If one of your children have a slow or unseemly pace by reason of lameness or debility in some member you think he is rather to be pitied than upbraided If you will not learn to judge mercifully of the godly when they fall and to impute their slips rather to the imperfection of their condition than the hypocrisie of their hearts and naughtiness of their disposition you shall but prove your selves to be haters of your brethren and he that hates his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3.15 and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Fifthly hence we are taught Vse 5 that believers must not trust to the strength of their faith as is by the power of it alone they were able to stand against all blasts resist all temptations for though it 's an excellent grace yet it 's but a creature and imperfect too and therefore in sense and distrust of our own weakness we have need to cry to God that he would shield us with his grace and support both us and our faith by his power Lastly it follows hence Vse 6 that faith doth not justifie by any valour vertue dignity of its own neither as an habit or quality nor as a work but as it is a means or instrument of obtaining that for which we are justified it s not the gift of Faith dwelling in the Heart nor the act of believing as the Novellers teach but the thing holden and possessed by believing which is our Righteousness For that thing by which we are in proper sense absolutely and as I may say formally justified and presented spotless before God must be perfect yea expiate infinite guiltiness answer the Justice of God but this faith cannot do because it is imperfect as we see The second Instruction or Conclusion to be drawn out of these words is Christians must desire the accomplishment and perfection of Faith above all other Graces Doct. 2 The reason is because Faith of all Graces which exist in us is the noblest for excellency and of necessity it hath the preeminence whether we consider the Glory it brings to God or Profit to Man First Reason 1 no grace exalteth and honoureth God as faith doth For 1. In the cause of Justification and Salvation Faith utterly annihilates man tramples under foot all the glory of nature all goodness all privileges all works of man seeks righteousness and life onely from Gods grace in Christ when a poor sinner seeth himself a condemned rebel and traitour feels nothing in himself but darkness unworthiness wrath and death hath nothing to bring to God but shame and misery Faith leads him to the Throne of Grace and makes him bold to beg and expect pardon in Christs blood for no other cause but because God is gracious yea

when his many mighty ugly sins discourage and terrifie him to cleave still to the free and everlasting goodness of God acknowledging the Bords mercies infinitely to surpass his iniquities Thus Faith gives the whole praise of mans salvation to the grace of God 2. Faith believes God upon his bare word if God have revealed or promised this or that though all the world say it cannot be though reason cannot comprehend how or why it should be though many reasons appear why it should not be beleeved none at all why it should but this that God hath spoken faith will still all contrary surmises and subscribe to Gods testimony as more stable and stedfast than the foundation of the earth Thus faith highly honours Gods truth 3. Faith proclaims God to be able to effect whatsoever he hath promised and believeth that though a thousand difficulties stand in the way the overcoming of which flesh and blood judgeth not only a thing improbable but impossible it 's as sure as if it were done already Rom. 4.20 21. Thus it gives glory to the power of God 4. Faith causeth a man denying and renouncing his own judgment wisdom will as foolishness to bless God as well when he denies or takes away as when he gives as well for the worst as the best and to rest perswaded that the worst estate is the best for him when God is the Author of it that poverty is better than abundance when God will have him poor restraint than liberty when God will have him restrained c. that it 's greatest gain to lose all things for Christ that God loves in smiting heals by wounding exalts by humbling thorow the gates of death brings unto life Thus faith extols the wisdom of God 5. Faith makes man justifie God in all his decrees judgements dealings subscribe to the equity of them all even when he conceives not of them adore the unsearchableness of them reverently submit unto them yea when they thwart his desires pronouncing approving all his ways to be pure and righteous when he neither seeth nor asketh any reason thereof but Gods will Is not this a great honour which faith gives to Gods righteousness 6. It beholds him that is invisible every where present perswaded that he seeth and knoweth all things and so glorifieth him in respect of his omnipresence In a word that I be not too long in multiplying particulars Faith if I may so speak gives unto God his whole Divinity and of all graces most sanctifies his Name by acknowledging and confirming as it were by seal all those excellent properties and perfections which the Scripture ascribeth to him Indeed other graces also as love fear joy and the rest do honour God nor do I mean to rob them of their due praises but neither primarily for the cause and foundation of all that honour is in faith nor yet in such ample and full manner as faith Seeing then nothing is so glorious to God as Faith and consequently the more faith any man hath the more he glorifies God doth it not stand every Christian in hand above all graces to labour for perfection of Faith Secondly Reason 2 No Grace is more useful more profitable to man than Faith whether we consider life spiritual or natural For spiritual life 1. Faith espouseth and conjoyneth man to the Son of God in whom he findeth and obtaineth the dignity or prerogative of Son-ship and justification of life which things the better they are known the more they are felt and sealed up in the Soul by believing the more is the heart refreshed with unspeakable comforts 2. Faith purifieth and sanctifieth because 1. Being a gift of an holy and heavenly nature descending from above it will oppose and fight against corruption as light expels darkness heat cold and antidote poison 2. Laying hold on Christ it draweth and deriveth from him the Fountain Vertue and Power whereby corruption is mastered and mortified as a leaden pipe brings water from the spring wherein vessels are washed and cleansed 3. Faith is the mother and root of all other holy graces in a Christian and therefore as faith increaseth the rest will increase the more perfect that Faith grows the nearer the perfection is the whole cluster of heavenly gifts in the children of God the more a man knows and believes the love of God to him the more fervently he will love God the more reverently he will fear him burn with zeal of his glory patiently hope earnestly desire to be with him in heaven and so of the rest 3. Faith strengthens 1. To obey God in leading an holy life in performing all duties and doing all the good works he requireth of his people so as they may please him in all things 2. To fight against and foil all spiritual enmity faith makes a poor soul able to resist the Devil a spirit of exceeding great power to stand fast when he is buffeted by Satans suggestions which Adam in innocency could not do and to overcome whatsoever is evil in the world faith either wards off the blows or so heals the wounds received in this battel that the soul becomes more sound and healthful than before the Apostle therefore to the Ephesians arming and training the spiritual souldier bids him Above all take the shield of faith Hence it is that this grace is of all others most assaulted by the Prince of darkness 3. To persevere and continue in the way of salvation to the end because it doth seat and keep believers in the impregnable fort of Gods faithfulness and tower of his Almighty power wherein the gates of hell cannot prevail against them In a word what is said of Sampsons locks may be said of faith a Christians strength lies in it yet not simply and for it self but because it lays hold upon Christ the rock of Israel who strengthens his Members to do all things Secondly for natural life 1. Faith procureth temporal good things For God who is faithful hath promised to them that fear him and will subject themselves to his government following him wholly like Caleb even outward and temporal benefits so far as they may be good for them and not prejudicial to their spiritual prosperity or soul-thriving now a Christian by believing and suing to God in prayer of faith obtaineth them and so findeth relief and supply of temporal wants 2. Faith makes evils tolerable sweeteneth crosses enables to endure afflictions by assuring the believer that in them God offers himself as a Father will moderate the stroke minister sufficient strength give an happy issue turn them to his good by setting before his eyes such a Crown such a weight of Glory with which the light and momentany sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared Now to knit up this reason if there be such necessity and use of Faith for Justification Sanctification corroboration in holy obedience and in the spiritual warfare sustentation and consolation in afflictions and