THE GROVND OF A CHRISTIANS LIFE Deliuered in a Sermon at Harwood in Lancashire the first day of December 1618. By ROBERT WORTHINGTON Minister of Gods word at Acceington Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God Iohn 6. 68. Lord to whoÌ„ shall we go Thou hast the words of eternall life LONDON Printed by R. Field for Robert Mylbourne and are to be sold at the great South doore of Paules 1620. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHristian Reader the Apostle prophesied that in 2. Tim. 3. 5. 2. Tim. 4. 3. the last dayes shold come perillous times when men hauing a shew of godlinesse should denie the power therof refusing wholsome dostrine through their itching eares should get themselues an heape of teachers What proud Anabaptist that vaunteth himselfe vppon the stage of vaine Imagination or secure Papist that trusteth to the broken staffe of Egypt can free himselfe from such spirituall maladies who leauing the key of knowledge and fountaines of liuing water haue digged vnto themselues broken cisternes And no maruell since Satan cantransforme himselfe into 2. Cor. 11. 14. an Angell of light how can he worke in the darkened vnderstanding and the heart not truly humbled He that dare enter combat with the Lord of glorie wisdome and soueraigntie and offer disputation in the full and onely point of mans redemption how boldly will this politicke and puissant enemie inuade Gods Church wrastling with vs about that staffe of faith whereby we stand seeke to strip vs of that shield which is Ephes 6. 16. able to keepe backe all his fierie darts What soldier is there in Christs campe if he do but watch that shall not be acquainted with his subtill enterprises Christs watchword was not in vaine Watch pray lest ye enter into teÌ„ptation Math. 26. 41. nor his prayer needlesse for his seruant Peter I haue prayed for thee Luk 22. 32. that thy faith faile not For what greater treacherie then to strike at the root witnessed in the Gunpowder treason hatched by Satan and his instruments or what greater follie then to build an house without a foundation To this purpose is my weake vnperfect labor at this time the which I had thought to haue shrowded vnder some Christian refuge but considering with my selfe I thought so small a worke deserued not a patronage of anie worth and the rather therefore haue I sent it to the broade world to seeke for it selfe trusting that there is no faithfull heart that will denie so plaine and needfull a doctrine entertainment Yet I feare that if it shall either meete with Atheist Anabaptist Papist or earthly worldling it is like without Gods mercie to finde as litle friendship as Christ the author of faith did among the Gadarens But howsoeuer Math 8. 34. I haue at the earnest desires of some as also for the defence of my selfe if haply anie popish surmiser or other secret opinionist should arise in opposition it being preached in a countrey where are many aduersaries of our faith presumed to commit that to publike view which before I deliuered in open assembly not aduenturing to change my style lest I should bewray my selfe of follie in bringing vnto light a groundlesse action it being like to be perused by shallower iudgements then manie of those who were present wheÌ„ it was at the first diuulged Wherfore I beseech thee gentle Reader that if by Gods blessing thou shalt gaine to thy selfe hereby either information of thy iudgement or confirmation in thyÌ„ iudgement or thy will proucked to a more constant vigilancie ouer thy wayes remember to returne to him that rent of thankfulnesse vnto whom thou art bound from whom thou receiuest euery good and perfest gift praying withall for the vnitie of Gods Church the propagation of the Gospell that through the meanes of grace in season and out of season thy faith being strengthened when this life of faith shall be finished Christ the obiect of thy faith may assigne thee the end of thy faith seating thee in his celestiall Ierusalem with true beleeuers Thine in Christ Iesus Robert Worthington Acceington The ground of a Christians life deliuered in a Sermon at Harwood the first day of September 1618. ROM 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne THe blessed Apostle in the The cohetence of the Text. eight verse of the former Chapter exhorteth vnto that royall law of Charitie being that new commandemeÌ„t Loue a grace of absolute necessitie in Gods church Iohn 13. 34. propounded by his Lord and Sauiour as a grace absolutely necessary to be in Gods Church A new commandement saith he giue I vnto you that ye loue one another as I haue loued you that you also loue one another Now inuisible graces must haue visible testimonies both for the manifestation of the graces themselues as also for our iustification before men therefore in this chapter the Apostle taketh occasion to describe and teach the proper effect of this Christian grace it being of that nature as to edifie and support according to his owne testimonie Loue 〈◊〉 and 1. Cor. 8. 1. 1. Cor. 14. 26. his generall command is Let all things be done to edifying There were in this church some strong Sound Christians are builders vp of Gods church others weake as there shal be euer poore in the world that the rich may exercise their pity and compassion so weake in the Church that the strong may exercise their loue and affection to shew themselues hereby faithfull disposers and practisers of the manifold gâ—aâ—es of God Christ was the nursing father of his little flocke neuer was it knowne that he Esay 42. 3. broke the bruised â—eed or quenched the smoaking flaxe so must Christians whose Image they beare and whom they are to follow daily exercise this grace of loue since God hath giuen to euery one the measure of faith Hard was it to bring this people from the traditions of their fathers or to wean them from the law â—f ceremonies Touch Coloss 2. 21. not taste not handle not Therefore the Apostle dealeth with them as new borne babes putting a difference Corruption not easly weaned from custome and ceremonie betweene them and the strong Some had receiued the full power of Christian liberty others had not attained vnto it but were like punies in their A B C not fully satisfied in this poynt that vnto the pure all things were pure Tit. 1. 15. Now the drift of the Apostle is to schoole the strong and teach the weake not ruinating but nourishing the worke of God which was in both shewing the necessitie of faith and loue in the Church of God for as he correcteth the one for The correcting of sinne must be the erecting of grace putting a stumbling blocke before the weake in things indifferent so he teacheth the other to be fully perswaded in his mind For he that doubteth is condemned if he eate that is
1. Cor. 8. 10. chap. 10. 21. the Idols table Therefore vntill they proue vs Babilonish and besides all that to be incurable their pretended grounds shall end in meeare conceits for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The last sort or sect that I purpose to meddle with who would faine seeke a staffe from Scripture to hold themselues by is the Papist One of their mainest grounds is in the Epstile of Iames 2. 24. Ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified Iam. 2. 24. and not of faith onely Here they ground their second iustification for Second iustification a mere inuention they would haue him that is iust to be more iustified although comparisons of greater and lesser do not make a seuerall kind but declare an increase in the same kind of iustification and not a new kind of iustification Now wheras the Apostles Paul and Iames may seeme to contradict and oppose themselues the one prouing so often in his Epistles that we are iustified by faith without the workes Rom. 4. 3. Galat. 3. 6. of the Law alledging the example of Abraham for iustification by faith whom the Apostle Iames here vseth for iustification by works We must therefore examine and scanne sundry necessarie questions for the reconciling of them as also for the remouing the aduersary from off his blind ground in this weighty point The first question to be scanned is what faith the Apostle Iames meaneth or speaketh of in this place the which he maketh so insufficient whether historicall miraculous hypocriticall or liuely and operatiue It is true that the Apostle Paul speaketh of the last as appeareth Gal. 5. 5. 6. Galathians 5. 5. 6. Circumcision auaileth nothing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue But the Apostle Iames No opposition betweene the Apostles I am 2. 19. Great difference betwixt a liuing faith and a dead faith speaketh of the first namely historicall as appeareth in the 19. verse of this second chapter which he calleth the faith of diuels So then they both speake the truth the one that we are iustified by faith onely without workes speaking of a liuely faith the other that we are not iustified by faith onely speaking of a dead barren and counterfet faith The second question to be scanned is what iustification the Apostle Iames meaneth for there is a twofold iustification as there are sundry sorts of faith First therefore we are iustified before God of which iustification the Prophet Dauid speaketh Psa 32. 1. 2. Blessed is that Rom. 43. Psal 32. 1. 2. man vnto whom the Lord imputeth not his sinne Of which righteousnesse and iustification the Apostle Paul speaketh who saith That Abraham beleeued and it was Gods promise a sufficient ground for iustifying faith counted vnto him for righteousnesse The other iustification is before men which we haue by workes they being as euidences that we are righteous before God Of this iustification doth the Apost Iames speake for Abrahams offering vp of his sonne could not be the cause of his righteousnesse before God for his Rom. 4. 18. faith in the promise was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse thirty yeares before he offered vp his sonne Therefore before God was his faith not made perfect through workes but before men Besides we reade of but few workes that the theefe on the crosse wrought Yet Luke 23. 42. 43. through faith was he iustified and the heauenly paradise promised vnto him The third question to be scanned is what works the Apostle Iames meaneth whether workes going before or after faith It is certaine that the Apostle Paul speaketh of workes going before faith which he denieth to be able to iustifie vs as appeareth Galath 5. 2. 3. 4. Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Gal. 5. 23. 4. Christ shall profit you nothing for I testifie againe to euery man which is circumcised that he is bound to keepe the whole Law Ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law ye are fallen from grace But Saint Iames speaketh of workes which follow faith as appeareth in the 18. verse Iames 2. 18. In nature causes of things go before their effects where he saith thus Shew me thy faith out of thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Besides the author to the Hebrewes declareth that Abrahams obedience and sacrifice was a worke following faith for he saith That by faith Hebr. 11. 17. Abraham offered vp his sonne Isaacke Workes then that follow Iustification cannot be the causes thereof wherefore the Apostle Iames must needs speake of Iustification before men and not before God The fourth question to be scanned is touching the persons with whom they haue to deale a distinction is very apparent Rom. 103. The Apostle Paul was to deale with pharisaicall hypocrites and Iewish teachers who held and taught that vnlesse they obserued the law of Moses they could not be saued But the Apostle Iames was to deale with carnall libertines and Epicure-like professours who boasted of a barren faith and neglected to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse Many there were that vpon the preaching of faith gaue libertie to the flesh and thereby became the seruants of corruption as the Apostle Peter witnesseth 2. Pet. 2. 18. 19 therefore there must needs be necessitie of their seuerall doctrine and no opposition in it the one being to deale with such as too much preferred workes the other being to deale with such as too much neglected them From whose examples People of different qualities must haue different doctrine preached vnto them the Ministers of the Gospell may learne that one kind of doctrine cannot be necessarie at all times in all places and to all persons therefore must they take heede to their flockes wisely and perfectly to guide by the rule of faith in the life of life for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vse 5 The fift vse is an admonition against ignorance Our doctrine will not giue vs libertie nor licence to pleade for simplicity Knowledge very necessarie to the life of faith Christians may make some vse of Satan for he knowes much and laboureth much Pro. 8. 10. 11. for where there is blindnesse in the iudgement there cannot be but sin in the practise Therefore search we for knowledge as for hid treasures let vs make choise of wisedome before gold and preferre it before pearles But for our better proceeding consider we of some motiues and speciall inducements The first is the necessitie of knowledge Our grand enemy the Diuell is subtill and well practised in our manifold corruptions yea he vnderstandeth historically the Scriptures he rageth in these last and worst dayes insomuch that although he cannot hinder many from profession yet he keepeth many from sauing knowledge driuing men into extreames conceits and base absurdities Pray we therefore earnestly for a sanctified vnderstanding Secondly knowledge
chuse rather to wander in the wildernesse of naked hope openly descrying and publishing that condemnation which is in the world spoken of by our Sauiour Iohn 3. 19. 20. This is the condemnation that light Ioh. 3. 19. 20. is come into the world and men loued darknesse rather then light because their deedes were eâ—ill for euery â—an that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light lest his deedes should be reprooued Others through the blindnesse of their vnderstanding and peruersnesse of their wills and affections account the He that knoweth not Gods day and worship knoweth not God Lords day but as the Scholler doth the Thursday onely a day of sport and pastime examining more their appâ—rell theâ—â— the day or their hearts as also their naturall and base companions more then the assembly of Saints in the Sanctuary Whence it commeth to passe that they neither prepare to nor take any delight in Gods publike worship The reason is because they ground not on faith being both ignorant of the mystery of the day wherein our chiefest happinesse is resembled as also being led by their owne sensualities and carnall appetites following rather the direction of their own wils then the guide of faith Thus as they are grounded vpon themselues so they remaine ignorant of Christ and secrets of the Gospell and for want of a sensible He that thirsteth not for knowledge hath no care to liâ—e well thirst and appetite vnto the word shall neuer be able to liue the life of faith or walke the way to euerlasting happinesse But let vs come to more close and vnwarrantable courses of men not grounded on this rocke of faith Aâ— first when we receiue the blessings of God not sanctified by the word and prayer whereas the Apostle teacheth 1. Timoth. 4. 4. that euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued God is to be remembred in all his blessings with thankes-giuing Wherein is implyed the contrary that the creatures are not good vnto me without thankesgiuing the reason followeth for they are sanctified by the word of God and prayer and not sanctified without it Besides the examples in former times the poore maides of Ramath Zophim told Saul that 1. Sam. 9. 13. the people would eate no meate vntill the Prophet Samuel had blessed the sacrifice 1. Sam. 9. 13. Iohn 6. 11. Yea Christ himselfe did neuer eate meat but he practised this duty and the Apostle would eate no bread but first gaue thanks in the presence of them Acts 27. 35. all and commandeth it as a speciall dutie In all things giue thankes and addeth 1. Thess 5. 18. this reason for this is the will of God If these Scriptures and examples were well weighed there would not be such brutish receiuing of the creatures as there He that seeth God in the lesser blessing wil praise him for the greater commonly is Nay many that do coldly performe this duty if God euer enlighten them to see further the necessitie and excellencie of this duty they will not neglect to blesse the Lord for greater mercies they will I say be more carefull to performe and offer vp morning and euening Sacrifices It would be holden a very inhumanâ— and shamefull dealing to forget the kindnesses of men how vnnaturall then is it and intollerable to forget so many Learne to blesse God by the light of nature renewed mercies of the Lord He therefore that is without sobriety praier and thankesgiuing in the vse of Gods creatures plainly manifesteth that he neither by faith dependeth on God nor in faith receiueth his blessings but Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly when men confesse their sinnes in generall and cry for pardon for them but they cannot credit these two things First that all thoughts words Pure actions are strained actions and actions must be strained through faith or else they will be impure Secondly that God forgiueth no more knowne sinnes then a man earnestly endeuoureth to forsake they being blotted Sin is forgiueÌ„ by God when it is mortified in vs. out of Gods register when they are dead in vs the power and vigor of them being extinguished and we in all things as ready to glorifie God as we would haue him to glorifie vs. But alas when prayers are not grounded vpon a liuely sense of sinne and Gods eternall vengeance due vnto them as also godly sorrow and faith in the promises how sodainly do men turne to their old vomite and filthy wallowing in the vncleannes of sinne causing sound iudgement and grounded reason to subscribe to peruerse Where there is not thesense of sin there cannot be the forsaking of sinne will and carnall affection preferring Ishmael before Isaac Esau before Iacob Zidkijah before Michaiah the Pharises before Christ custome before conscience tradition before the commandement Thus for want of diuine illumination as also a correspondencie betwixt their supplication and conuersation confession and affection their vngrounded prayers become a vaine lip-labour impure and abhominable in the eares of God Thirdly when men apparell themselues beyond their estate and aboue their degrees although God hath threatned to visite all such as weare strange attire Zeph. 1. 9. and hath granted grounds for our attire namely the presidence of the wise graue and godly of that degree we liue in Whatsoeuer things are pure honest and of Phil. 4. 8. good report saith the Apostle if there be any vertue or any praise thinke on these things which you haue both heard and seene in me But the wantons of our dayes turne their eyes from Gods booke and people fixing them vpon their owne fancies and backs of Iesabels imagining that if they be out of the fashion they be out of the world Hence it followeth that seruants attire themselues like their Masters Carters like Courtiers Yeomen like Gentlemen Schollers like Souldiers Thus vnseemely and vnwarrantably do men and women apparell themselues preferring the garments of corruption before the image of Christ oftentimes against iustice equitie and common honestie cutting their suites in another mans cloth being daily vagrants from the life of God and ground of faith But Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Fourthly when men liue vpon the sweate of other mens browes crushing the back of the diligent workman Such are wandring vagabonds prying busie-bodies These and such like sin against the second Table â—â—llish tale-bearers gamesters stage-players who sinfully transgresse the law of charity walking in the wayes of Balaam who loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse being without God and without Christ Fiftly when with offence and without edification we vse things of an indifferent nature whereas the Apostle telleth vs that in some cases and amongst some persons it is euill to eate with offence Rom. 14 2â— meaning to the weâ—ke not wilfull For the law of loue and spirit bindeth where the law of commandements bindeth not
is guiltie of impietie before God which is expounded in the words following because he eateth not of faith To conclude by an Antithesis in my Text Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Where there is not faith there must A wicked cause bringeth forth a bad effect needes be doubting and where is doubting there is sinne a miserable cause ordinarily produceth a lamentable effect for so much is verified in this conclusion Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne In these words are three things remarkeable The diuision 1 The generalitie Whatsoeuer that is anie actioÌ„ though not indiffereÌ„â— wherin is included thoghts words works 2 The cause Not of faith that is not assured in conscience vpon sound ground 3 The effect Is sinne that is impietie a breach of the Law of God It is not said That which is against The opening of the Text. faith but that action which is without faith displeaseth God whether greater or lesser matters either things absolutely necessary or casually indifferent Now There may be a conscience where there is no faith 1. Cor. 10. 29. some take faith for the conscience which cannot be for the weake may haue a conscience when they haue not faith as witnesseth the Apostle himselfe And the conscience I say not thine but of that other meaning the weake For why should my liberty be condemned of another mans conscience Secondly errour is not faith but the conscience is oftentimes erronious therefore the faith of heretiâ—kes is no faith but rather credulitie yet they haue a conscience Neither is euery opinion perswasion of the mind and conscience faith but that which is grounded vpon the word So then faith is a sound perswasion of Fides dicitur firma animi certitudo quae ex Dei veritate concepta sit à quâ— si minimum deflectit non iam fides sed incerta est credulitas vagus mentis error Caluin in lib. Instit cap. 5. The maine doctrine from the full scope of the Text. the mind conceiued from Gods truth the man that would do an acceptable worke with the Lord must worke it of faith that is as I haue partly said an assurance in conscience grounded vpon the word that it may be done or not be done For such things as are required in the Scriptures are pleasing vnto him wherefore where the word of God is not there is no faith The doctrine then to be examined and extracted from hence is this That whatsoeuer is done without knowledge and perswasion from the tenor of the Scriptures to be truth to them that do it that action is a sinne Many haue aduentured from their variable opinions and vanishing conceits to draw peremptorie conclusions and these in themselues haue carried a golden glosse and appeared as Cristall but when they haue beene laid to the touchstone of Gods sacred truth for further triall they were found to be but splendida peccata beautifull deformities yea meere fallacies not any whit auaileable to pacifie the minde or giue full and sound satisfaction to the conscience In what high esteeme and reputation Humane wisdome and carnall imagination not a sufficient guide in diuine and spiritual affaires among the people were the Pharisees phylacteries and what glistering shewes of an vnblameable profession did they make But when the day-starre arose and he who was brighter then the Sunne appeared their glorious profession is but like an house without a foundation yea as vaine as Agrippaes pompe or Herods apparrell Christ with his owne mouth giueth testimony of their folly telling them in plaine speeches that That which Luke 16. 15. is highly esteemed of among men is an abhomination in the sight of God Nay further what good intentions as they are called yet how naked without their garment of faith how slipperie for want of a stay taxed by our Sauiour and reproued in the disciples themselues Peter put vp thy sword into his place As if Matth. 26. 52. he should say Thy intent is good but thou wantest a ground for I must suffer How could I be deliuered into the hands of the Iewes but that the Scriptures Verse 54. must be fulfilled which say it must be so I haue a grouÌ„d for my suffering but thou hast none for thy striking Peter therfore put vp thy sword for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Iames and Iohn likewise are very peremptory Luke 9. 54. for want of entertainement among the Samaritans but Christ taxeth them of a preposterous zeale and an vnwarrantable assertion For he came to be a Sauiour and not a destroyer therefore at this time they want a ground for their rash purposes and indiscreete desires though otherwise they make neuer so goodly a shew in zeale and intention Num. 15. 32. Furthermore the man that gathered stickes vpon the Sabbath and Vzzah that put 2. Sam. 6. 7. Bare intentions and naked suppositions cannot be the ground of a sound faith foorth his hand to stay the Arke of God the open shaking it cannot be thought to want good intentions for that they enterprised yet because they went against the great command of that high Commander his direfull hand of iustice irreuocably subuerteth them for Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The reasons follow First because without faith no action is not can be good or acceptable as witnesseth the Authour to the Hebrewes Without faith it is impossible Heb. 11. 6. to please God If God accept any worke it is through Christ◠〈◊〉 which worke there is required not onely the doing but the well doing vnto the which there is needfull sound maâ—er a right maner and a good end the Lord Iesus himselfe being not onely adiutor but also a Doctor to his Church The materiall tabernacle must be framed and fashioned and Exod. 25. 9. furnished according to the Lords owne direction there must likewise be neither addition nor abstraction from those ten words deliuered in the Mount as it is written in Deuteronomy Take heed therfore Deut 5. 32. that you do as the Lord your God hath commanded you turne not aside neither to the right hand nor to the left The Iew and Papist they worship the true God but Wil-worships were euer abhominable before the Lord. not according to that manner the Lord requireth therefore their seruices are not of faith and if not of faith not acceptable Christ and his Father are one so are their lawes therefore whatsoeuer we ask the Father in his name he heareth vs. Yea saith the Apostle whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him because we keepe his 1. Iohn 3. 22. commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight but without faith we cannot please God therefore without faith there can be no acceptance for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Reason 2 My second reason is taken from the infallibilitie and truth of Scriptures We haue saith the Apostle a most true word