and in the next verse He made vs accepted in his beloued Which places and diuers other doe plainly teach vs that all grace bestowed vpon vs is by the meanes of Iesus Christ He is the conduit-pipe in and thorow whom all grace runs from the Father vnto vs hee is the head which conueyes all spirituall life sense and motion into all his members which was typified by that Oyntment which ran downe from Aarons head to his beard and so to the skirts of his garment In him it pleased the Father that al fulnesse should dwell Coloss 1. 19. And of his fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. So that from hence wee may learne vnto whom we are to returne the praises of any good thing wee partake of whether alreadie exhibited or promised God in Christ is to be glorified for all Therfore such as sacrifice to their owne nets doe sacrilegiously rob God Christ of their due We are not able to thinke a good thought much lesse to speak a gracious word most of all vnable vnto any pious and holy work without Christ for without him we can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. It is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 1. 13. Not I sayes Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. But the grace of God in me If God bestowes vpon thee any good which hee hath denied vnto others it is not because hee saw thee better or more worthy than another but because hee is pleased to bee more gracious and mercifull vnto thee in Christ than to another Againe here we learne whither to goe for such grace as is wanting in vs seek it from God through Christ What doest thou hope to finde it through thy seruice thy prayers thy good meaning or good works Away with these menstruous rags goe to God through Christ No man commeth to the Father but by him Ioh. 14. 6. All other hopes and helps without Christ are but as Aegyptian staues vnto which if a man leane they will strike into his hand and pierce him Make sure of Christ by beleeuing then sure of grace Want of true vnion and communion with Christ makes seeming grace in many temporizers to welter and come to nothing as standing pits shallow brooks drie vp in Summer for want of some fountain and spring to fill or feed them It followeth Forgiue vs our sinnes This also is euident Ephes 1. 7. By whom wee haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sins according to his rich grace Hence it is that the Lord proclaimes himselfe Exod. 34. 6. Gracious mercifull forgiuing sins as if the fruit yea the excellencie of his grace lay in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes grace being illustrated in this act of forgiuenesse as much as in any other Benefits bestowed vpon vs though they proceed meerely from loue doe not so much magnifie the clemencie of the forgiuer as the setting downe by great wrongs and intolerable iniuries or requiting of euil with good Many a man will easily giue that cannot so easily forgiue Herein appeares the excellency of Gods grace in passing by our infinite and lothsome iniquities transgressions To say truly it is only grace which can forgiue forgiuenesse being a free and gracious pardoning of some fault committed and of some punishment deserued Besides the grace of God is the more to bee magnified in that it extends vnto all sinnes great as well as small and small as well as great For if God should forgiue some and not other some it would be thought that hee is either not so willing or not so able to remit all sin as some yes his grace reacheth to the forgiuenesse of all sin Coloss 2. 13. And yee which were dead in sins hath he quickned together with him forgiuing you all your trespasses So 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sin the guilt of one transgression makes vs lyable to eternall torments and our sins haue beene multiplied they are like to the sand by the sea-shore innumerable yet grace is able to remit all Then are the Romanists foully mistaken First in saying that some sinnes need no forgiuenesse and secondly that some sinnes may be forgiuen without the free grace of GOD. Some sins they say need no forgiuenesse as Concupiscence which they make to be no sinne whereas in truth it is the spawne and seed of all sinne as Iam. 1. 14. Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is inticed Againe they say that many veniall sinnes which are not done against but besides Gods commandement which are not acted with a peruerse minde with a rebellious heart against God these sins though they displease God yet they make not God displeased with the doer of them and therfore may be done away by our selues through the saying ouer a few Aue Mariaes or the doing of some work of charity or if that will not serue the turne a little Holy-water will wash away al filth or if that faile the breath of a Bishops blessing will blow away their sinne or if all these faile here a little Purgatory-fire hereafter with his Holinesse pardon will make them as cleane as need be Most horrible and blasphemous vntruths against the grace of God which alone is the prime cause and chiefe meanes of the forgiuenesse of all sin Esay 43. 25. I am bee that putteth away thine iniquitie for mine owne sake If thou hast committed any sin it must be forgiuen else thou shalt perish for the soule that sins it shall die Ezek. 18. 4. If sins be forgiuen God must doe it for this is a prerogatiue royal proper to the Lord Who can forgiue sins but God onely Mar. 2. 7. If God forgiues any sins it must be of his meere grace Eph. 1. 7. For his owne sake In the second place let the consideration hereof prouoke vs to vnfained and hearty thankes for that when our estate was so desperate our condition so damnable as there was no possibilitie of deseruing grace we were so farre indebted to the law of God as no way able to make satisfaction that then the LORD of his rich grace should forgiue all Suppose thou wert ready to be cast into prison by thy Creditor for a thousand pounds all thou hast to bee seazed vpon and sold and yet thy Creditour vnsatisfied at length in meere pitie hee should set thee free bestow great things vpon thee oh how would thy heart be knit to such a man thou wouldest thinke that thou shouldest neuer be able to require his loue God hath done ten thousand times more then so for thee how then art thou bound to loue him to praise him to tel vnto others what great things the Lord hath done for thee What all debts forgiuen all reckonings cleered and made euen betwixt the Lord and thee without any satisfaction made on thy part
not thou more strength vnto them by yeelding vnto them When thy knowledge telleth thee that these and these things must not be ioyne issue with thy knowledge and say as Ioseph did How can I doe this euill and sinne against God Gen. 39. 9. I tell thee it is a grieuous euill to sin against knowledge when a mans knowledge within cryes out to the contrary this will make bloudy wounds and strike deepe gashes one day into thy conscience In the mean time thou art in a fearefull condition if thou allowest thy selfe in the practice of any one sinne condemned by thy knowledge for thou lyest open vnto any kind of impiety yea to any error euen vnto Popery for that person which denyeth the power of godlinesse will easily be brought to forsake the profession thereof if one sinne loued and delighted in be enough to pull a man from God to the Deuill yea into hell may it not then pull a man into Popery A wicked gracelesse person is a fit piece of stuffe to make a Papist of He that will not bee perswaded nor brought to leaue his sinne for the truth sake will easily be perswaded to leaue the truth for his sinnes sake How much better had it been for such a one neuer to haue known the way of righteousnesse than to turne away from that holy commandement giuen vnto him 2 Pet. 2. 21. Thirdly be instant and earnest with the Lord in prayer that he would manifest his power in thy weaknesse that he by his holy Spirit would conuey some life and power into thy knowledge that by the practice therof thou maist manifest the life of thy knowledge in al obedience and good conscience To this purpose Dauid makes many petitions to the Lord Psal 119. 88. Quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth The Scribes and Pharisees knew the letter of the Law and were perfect in the Scriptures but the Lord by his Spirit had not taught them and therfore there was no spirituall life nor power in their knowledge Howsoeuer they boasted of their knowledge and thought scorne to be taught of others yet their knowledge being but a dead knowledge did increase their iudgement as appeares by those words of Christ Ioh. 9. 41. If yee were blind ye should not haue sinne but now yee say We see therefore your sinne remaineth A second Euidence of Grace THe next Euidence of Grace is Faith which followeth Knowledge as the frame doth the foundation for vntil such time as the minde be inlightned with the truth no man can beleeue There must be knowledge or else there can be no faith Wee haue knowne and beleeued saith Iohn No man can beleeue in Christ without the knowledge of him For how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. Faith must needs be an euidence of grace because it is a speciall and a principal part and member therof not the fountaine of all other graces as some doe hold nor the root out of which all fruits of sanctitie doe spring For the soule must first be endued with the life of grace before it can beleeue vnlesse we wil say that faith may be in a gracelesse heart which cannot bee because being regenerate and sanctified by the Spirit we come to beleeue and to rest vpon the promise for the remission of sinnes and saluation by Iesus Christ Saint Paul calls Faith a fruit of the Spirit by whom we are sanctified therefore it cannot be the efficient cause of our sanctification It is true that Paul hath a passage tending that way Act. 26. 18. That they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith but by the Word sanctified we are to vnderstand the fruit not the grace of sanctification we are dead in sinnes vntill such time as wee come to be quickned by the Spirit Ioh. 6. 3. It is the Spirit which infuseth all diuine qualities into the soule The Apostle calleth them the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. Amongst which fruits Faith is one of the principall as that which puts a kinde of liuelihood into all other graces and therefore after a certaine manner may bee said to sanctifie vs For according to the strength of faith will be the power of other graces hope loue c. If faith be weak hope and loue cannot be strong little faith little hope little loue no faith no hope no loue at all So that faith must needs be a sound euidence of grace for vntill such time as the heart bee purified and washed in the lauer of regeneration it is either Atheisticall to depraue the Word of God by doubting of diuine truths if not denying thē or else it is Sophisticall to peruert and wrest the Word so as oft-times bloud commeth out of it to choak strangle Gods people in stead of milke to feed and nourish them But if the heart be once sanctified by the Spirit then is faith wrought in vs which doth further and more effectually cleanse and purifie vs through the Word Ioh. 15. 3. Now because as in the former euidence of grace so in this also many a man and woman is mistaken the heart being so infinitely deceitfull it will bee no lost labour to examine the truth of our faith For you must know that it is possible for a wicked and gracelesse person to beleeue that Christ died for him yea to die in a strong perswasiō of Gods loue and fauour and so of his owne saluation Hath not experience taught vs thus much Who so confident who so full of faith if you will beleeue them as many vile wretches and gracelesse persons They wonder what people mean to doubt of Gods loue for their part they neuer as yet called it into question They thanke God they haue euer had as strong a faith as the best so they hope to continue This is euident by examples in the Scripture The Lord by the Prophet Ieremie speaks to the wicked Iews which had polluted the Land with their whoredomes and malice which had a vvhores fore-head and would not bee ashamed saying Did'st thou not still crie vnto mee Thou art my Father and the guide of my youth So in Mica 3. 11. The Lord speaking of corrupt Iudges of mercenary Priests merchandizing Prophets which set the Word to sale and prophecie for money saith that yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among vs no euill can come vpon vs. By which it appeares that wicked and gracelesse people may bee confident of Gods fauour How then may wee distinguish the faith of Gods children from the presumption of vnbeleeuers There lyes a great difference betwixt them The first difference is in the ground out of which true faith springs or the meanes by vvhich it is wrought in beleeuers True faith is wrought in all Gods children by the ministery of
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