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
What no accusation in that black and terrible day lyable against thee All sinnes done away through his free grace O the deepenesse of the riches of his mercy How vn-vtterable is his goodnesse What wilt thou render vnto the Lord for his vnspeakable grace How should this inflame thy heart with the loue of God as Luk. 7. 47 Such as doe not heartily loue the Lord may feare they haue no part no share in his rich grace Vnthankfulnesse is a grieuous sinne and that which moues the Lord I am perswaded many times to hide away the ioy and comfort of the pardon of their sins from many of his children How ready are many if they be but a little crossed in some petty matter to swell and hang the lip yea with a little helpe could be perswaded to quarrell and be angry with the Lord as Ionas was If we fall short of our hopes in some good thing we haue promised to our selues or if God cut vs short of some outward comforts lent vnto vs what grumbling and repining is there against the wisedome and righteousnesse of our good God All sense of his infinite loue in forgiuing an infinite debt vnto vs is swallowed vp wee haue little ioy in it and God hath as little thankes from vs for it whereas better lose all the world than misse this grace for as Mat. 16. 20. What will it profit a man to gaine the whole world and lose his soule which doth perish without it partake of the grace of God It followes Giues vs his Spirit here This necessarily followes as Sanctification succeeds Iustification Ezek. 36. 25. I will powre cleane water vpon you and ye shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse Here is our Iustification Then followes in the next verse A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit wil I put within you And againe the 27. verse I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and do them Which words imply our Sanctification Gods Spirit is made manifest in vs by our walking in Gods Commandements which wee can neuer doe to any purpose vntill by the Spirit corruption be deaded and grace inviued in vs. Grace in the child of God workes in him more and more sanctificatiō through the Spirit that is a cleansing of our selues daily frō all filthinesse and neuer can we haue any euidence of the truth of grace as shall be made more plaine hereafter or of our iustification but by our sanctification vntill we see sinne purged we may not thinke that it is pardoned for whomsoeuer Christ frees from the damnation of sin he doth also deliuer from the dominion of sin From hence then we may be assured of the presence and abode of Gods Spirit in vs which whoso hath not partakes not of grace is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. is none of Gods Gal. 4. 6. Because yee are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts If the Spirit of God hath taken vp its abode in thee all the house shall fare the better for it it will worke a holy change in thee it will make thee a new creature changing thy thoughts words and workes from euill vnto good For as euery creature in nature hath a facultie to produce its kinde Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 6. 16. No Thornes produce thornes so a sanctified a gracious heart brings forth fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse fruits agreeable to the nature of the Spirit If the holy Spirit of God once takes footing in the heart of a man as the Idoll Dagon fell downe as soone as the Arke of God was brought neere vnto it so down goes Satans throne a man is no longer a slaue to his base lusts no longer vnder the bondage of any one sinne For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedome and libertie freedome from the slauery of any corruption freedome from the bondage of any ruling sinne And last of all eternall life hereafter Rome 6. 23. The gift of God is eternall life So 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath giuen vs euerlasting saluation and good hope through grace Thus haue I presumed through your patience to tarry a while vpon the explanation of the definition of that grace which is the fountaine and well-head from whence all grace is deriued vnto vs. Now to proceed in the vnfolding of the Differences betwixt true and counterfeit grace The first difference as hath beene said lieth in the ground or root from whence true grace springeth If thou wouldest not be deceiued or mistaken about the truth of thy grace doe but seriously consider with thy selfe out of what soyle or from what roote that grace which appeareth and peraduenture thou beleeuest to bee in thee did spring and come forth whether from the seed of God frō the presence and working of the Spirit or out of Natures garden or from education or else out of some worldly carnall and by-respects if it came not from God it will quickly appeare in its proper colours it will ere long discouer its rottennesse it will vanish perish and come to nothing Some there be in whom the corruption of Nature is so restrained that they are of a very ingenious temper and disposition affable courteous gentle peaceable not giuen vp nor inclined vnto any exorbitant courses not affecting any notorious vices but rather hating and abhorring them who comparing themselues with grosse sinners and finding in themselues a freedome from those foule sinnes which others are defiled withall doe by and by blesse themselues in their owne hearts yea and it may be they are taken of others like or worse than themselues to be maruellous good people very religious and gracious persons whose grace is no other no better than meere ciuilitie which is as farre from sanctitie and true grace as chalke is from cheese as the old saying is Others also there be who hauing beene well bred piously and vertuously educated sucking it may be the Scriptures with their mothers milke as it is spoken of Timothy brought vp in a family where haply they had no euill example though this be very rare to corrupt them doe hold on still that course into which they were entred young and haue beene trained vp frō their childhood approuing of good duties frequenting Gods house vpon all good occasions vsing and which is more delighting in the society of the people of God and all this not by vertue or strength of sauing grace but through an habituated practice of godly exercises so that they can say as the young man in the Gospell I haue obserued all these frō my youth Are all these thinke you arguments strong enough to proue the truth of grace wrought in the heart of such a person Then Paul his condition was good enough before his conuersion for he was well educated brought vp and liued after
A TOVCH-STONE OF GRACE Discouering the differences betweene true and counterfeit Grace Laying downe infallible Euidences and markes of true Grace Seruing for the triall of a mans spirituall estate By A. H. Bachelor in Diuinitie and Minister of Gods Word at Cranham in Essex 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things yee shall neuer fall LONDON Printed by R. B. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith 1630. TO THE PEOple of my Cure and Charge Grace and Peace be multiplied DEarely beloued my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that yee may be saued And that ye may be the better perswaded of my heartie affection to you-wards I haue heere presented to your eyes that which heretofore hath been offred vnto your eares nothing doubting but that as then it found attentiue audience so now it shall receiue kinde acceptance Yee haue runne well endure vnto the end that yee may bee saued To helpe you and others forward in the Christian race I haue vndertaken this taske hoping that yee vvill haue remembrance of these things after my departing from you that so yee may follow the truth in loue in all things grow vp vnto him which is the head that is Christ In the meane time I shall thinke my trauaile and pains happily bestowed my ministry and seruice highly blessed and my poore labours richly honoured and rewarded if I may bring any one to a more serious examination and triall of himselfe to a godly sorrow for the vvant of grace and to a holy hungring and thirsting after more grace And thus my brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all that are sanctified Pray for mee The Watch-man of your soules A. HARSNET To the godly and wel-affected Reader GEntle Reader I haue here presented vnto thy view the summe and substance of diuers Sermons which I preached vnto mine owne Charge and some adioyning neighbours who receiuing as they professed much good by my Labours were earnest with me either to bestow vpon them some of my notes or else to publish in Print that which I had deliuered in word Whose requests I could not well with-stand being vrged by some that my calling makes me a common seruant for any good I may in publike as well as in priuate And I was rather induced vnto this taske in a double respect First because amōgst the heape of bookes that are printed too few strike downe-right at sin or lend a hand to helpe forward the worke of Grace Secondly because the iniquity of the time is such that with too many who follow the fashions of the world grace is out of fashion and of all other things the least regarded or looked after although as I shall make it plaine it be the only thing to be desired as that which sanctifies and well-seasons euery condition heere and makes way for happinesse hereafter for the want of Grace cuts off all hope of future glory and precipitates people into endlesse woe and misery Nature by its strength may in time worke out or weare out many bodily maladies without the aduice of the Physician or any helpe of physick but the soule so deadly sin-sick as it is can neuer be helped and healed without the Balsam of grace which alone is able in time to worke out those malignant humors which the soule hath contracted vnto it selfe A rare thing it is to finde that man or woman which wil not easily be perswaded for the preuenting or curing some deadly disease to take though otherwise loathing physicke such things as shall be prescribed them for their good for Nature seekes to preserue it selfe Hence it is that the Toad vpon distemper runs to the Plantin the Hart to the Dittany and the Dog to the Grasse Therefore vnlesse we will shew our selues to haue lesse vnderstanding than the vnreasonable creatures wee must looke out for Grace the only cure of our distempered and diseased soules Reade then I beseech thee this small Treatise with the same affection and heart in which it was compiled for thee and that is God knows an earnest desire of bettering thy spirituall estate and helping forward thy saluation that the worldly wise-man may grow more wise for his soule that the vngodly may labour for grace that the hypocrite may be more sincere and vpright and that the gracious heart may grow in grace and with more comfort hold it out vnto the end If vpon the first taste thou findest but little or no sweetnesse herein let me intreat thee to assay the second time one bit may draw down another It is a rare feast where euery guest likes and loues all the prouision that is made yet he is an vnworthy guest which will feed of no dish or bee offended with his friend which inuited him because some one or two dishes bee prepared which hee likes not Reade taste and consider If thou receiue any good by these my Labours giue God the praise and pray for mee Thy seruant in the Lords worke A. H. A briefe Table directing to the principall things contained in the Treatise following GRACE how it is taken in the Scripture Pag. 3 A three-fold difference betwixt true and counterfeit Grace 10 First in the ground secondly in the growth thirdly in the falling and rising 13 Grace is Gods free gift 14 Grace cometh through Christ 30 Grace forgiues sinnes 35 The gift of the Spirit is from Grace 44 Eternall life from Grace 48 Ciuilitie is not Grace 50 True Grace groweth many wayes 59 True Grace perseueres 74 Sauing knowledge an euidence of Grace 93 Sauing knowledge is operatiue and practical 98 Sauing knowledge changeth vs. 102 Sauing knowledge seekes Gods glory 104 Sauing knowledge groweth 106 Directions to make our knowledge powerful FIrst consider that our knowledge should make vs lights vnto others 118 Secondly wee must side with our knowledge against our corruptions 121 Thirdly we must pray that the Lord would put life into our knowledge 124 Faith an Euidence of Grace 126 Difference betwixt the faith of Gods children and the presumption of the wicked 133 The first difference is in the ground out of which they spring ibid. The second difference lyeth in their fruits and effects 143 Thirdly true faith makes the heart to stoope to Christ his Scepter 144 Subduing of lusts is a sound Euidence of Grace 147 Differences betwixt the leauing of sin through the strength of Grace and some other by-respects 157 Obedience to the will of God is an Euidence of Grace 164 An Hypocrite may goe farre in outward obedience 170 Differences betwixt that obedience which proceeds from Grace and that which is done by hypocrites vpon by-respects 172 First true Grace aymes at the whole will of God ibid. Secondly a gracious heart labours to obey at all times 174 God oft with-drawes
himselfe from his children for diuers ends 177 First to shew vs our weaknesse 178 Secondly to humble vs. ibid. Thirdly to make vs more watchfull 179 Fourthly to bring vs closer to God 180 Fifthly that wee might pitie others fallen ibid. Sixthly that we may loue the Lord the better for restoring of vs. 181 Thirdly a gracious heart obeyes willingly and cheerefully 183 Fourthly he obeyes sincerely 185 Motiues to obedience 190 Reasons of the Doctrine GRace giues content to the heart 199 Grace inables vs to hold vp our heads in the time of affliction 203 Grace helpes vs to liue godly 205 Grace brings in outward and temporall benefits 208 Grace makes vp decayes in nature 217 Grace giues vs a sanctified vse of all those things we partake of 221 Grace paues a way to glorie 222 No falling from Grace 226 First in regard of Gods promise 228 Secondly in regard of Gods attributes 229 Thirdly in regard of the all-sufficiencie of Christ 233 Fourthly in regard of the nature and â—â—fice of Gods Spirit being Gods Seale and earnest 234 Grace may be cooled 241 Symptomes of declining in Grace FIrst an inordinate appetite to things that are hurtfull 243 Secondly an abating of our spirituall taste ibid. Thirdly if wee digest not the Word as of old 244 Fourthly if there bee a cold and drowsie performance of holy duties 245 The want of Grace a wofull thing 247 Labour for Grace 255 Striue to grow in Grace 260 That we may grow in Grace we must first pluck vp such weeds as ouer-grow and choake it 262 Pride 263 Selfe-confidence or securitie 265 In-sinceritie want of vprightnesse of heart 269 The cares of the world and deceitfulnesse of riches hinder the growth of Grace 271 All noysome lusts doe hinder the growth of Grace 274 The society of the wicked hinders the growth of Grace 276 Helpes to grow in Grace FIrst keepe the heart soluble 280 Secondly vse the society of the godly 281 Thridly be oft in hearing and reading 282 Fourthly Exercise Grace let it not be idle 285 Fifthly bee oft and earnest in prayer 286 Signes of our growth in Grace FIrst if we more and more dislike sinne 290 Secondly if we more and more delight in Gods ordinances 291 A difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their taste of Gods Word 295 Grace will carry vs through inward tentations 297 Grace will comfort vs against crosses 302 Grace will help vs against corruption 306 The end of the Contents Errata PAge 22. line 17. for being reade bring p. 73. l. 12. for rescued r. rescue p. 79. l. 10. for haue r. saue p. 82. l. 1. leaue out in p. 116. l. 3. for Therefore r. Secondly p. 216. l. 3. r. in a wrong tenure p. 233. l. 6. for preserue r. present p. 242. l. 9. r. it liueth p. 270. in the margin for Phil. r. Psal p. 285. l. 17. for approuement r. improuement p. 295. l. 8. for wickeds r. wicked A TOVCHSTONE of Grace HEBR. 13. 25. Grace be with you all IT is not my purpose to spend many words about the Author or authority of this Epistle which are questioned by some and controuerted by others Lest I should seeme to trifle out the time with matter of no great importance Although the Author cannot speake for himselfe to claime his right or to vindicate that wrong which hee hath sustained yet the matter of the Epistle speakes sufficiently for its Author and authority Why should any question the Author when it beares Saint Pauls Ensigne and marke though not his name Great wisdome there was in concealing of his name the want whereof is no sound argument to proue it was not Pauls for then by the same reason we may say that it had no Author because it hath no Owner no name put vnto it And as for its authoritie me thinkes it should be out of question the matter thereof being so heauenly so liuely setting out the offices of Christ so soundly prouing him to be the promised Messias the only Prophet and Archbishop of his Church The words which I haue read vnto you are the ordinary salutation and farewell which Saint Paul vseth in all other his Generall Epistles the sense and meaning whereof I will giue you in a few words Grace in Scripture hath well-nigh twentie seuerall acceptations I will acquaint you with some of the principall Sometimes it is taken for the free and vndeserued loue and fauor of God electing and calling of vs 2 Tim. 1. 9. Hee hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Somtimes it is taken for the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Rom. 5. 17. Much more shall they which receiue the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse c. Heere grace standeth in opposition vnto the guilt of Adams sinne and so is taken for Iustification Sometimes grace is taken for the guidance direction and operation of Gods Spirit in vs as Rom. 6. 14. Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace where it may be taken for Sanctification Sometimes Grace is taken for the blessed estate of Gods children after they be iustified and sanctified Rom. 5. 2. By whom we haue accesse through Faith vnto this grace wherein we stand Sometimes grace is taken for the practice of piety 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in Grace And sometimes it is taken for glory the perfection of grace 1 Pet. 1. 13. Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought vnto you at the reuelation of Iesus Christ Here grace cannot well bee vnderstood of any thing else but glory And glory may very well bee termed grace in two respects First because it comes through grace Ephes 2. 8. And secondly because by grace we come to haue some assurance of glory 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace But grace in this place is taken for the free loue and fauour of God to man-wards together with all those benefits spirituall eternall which doe flow from thence as Adoption Regeneration Remission of sinnes Iustification and Sanctification all which doe properly come vnder this terme Grace From whence we may lay this foundation vpon which we intend God assisting to build our ensuing discourse to wit that seeing Paul wisht grace vnto the Hebrewes and all others vnto whom hee wrote aboue and before all other things The chiefest good which we can wish one to another or can receiue and be made partakers of is Grace No doubt if any thing could haue beene more beneficiall or necessary vnto the Hebrewes he would haue wished it vnto them but seeing he begins and ends this and other his Epistles with this prayer Grace be with you we may safely conclude that Paul esteemed Grace to be the best good which he could wish them or they par take of Long and large disputes haue
been amongst Naturalists cōcerning the chiefe good seuerall verdicts and iudgements haue beene giuen of it some calling pleasures some esteeming profits and some accounting honours the chiefe good some this thing and othersome that as their seuerall humors affections haue swayed them but we haue not so learned Christ and therefore from a better principle beyond the reach or pitch of all Naturalists we conclude that the prime good the best thing we can partake of is Grace for I may truly say of it as Dauid speakes of Goliahs sword 1 Sam. 21. 9. None to that All earthly comforts yea the greatest prefermēts the largest possessions the most excellent endowments either of bodie or minde in respect of Grace are but as dung and drosse The excellencie of Grace will appeare the better if we acquaint our selues with the truth and worth thereof which that we may the better do obserue wee these particulars First of all I will lay downe the differences betwixt true and counterfeit Grace Secondly I will giue you some euidences and markes of true Grace Thirdly I will shew the reasons of the doctrine And then in the fourth and last place I will come to make some profitable vse and application of the point Differences betwixt true and counterfeit Grace FIrst of the differences betwixt true and false sound coūterfeit Grace A necessary search and a point wherein we haue all need to be skilfull because of the deep imposture and deceitfulnesse of our owne wicked wretched hearts which like vnto lying spirits will flatter and deceiue vs telling vs that we are in a good way and that all is well with vs when as it is worse than nought and therefore we should be the more willing to heare of it For a man may haue a gracelesse wicked hart and yet not know it nor beleeue it and we are beguiled in nothing so much in nothing so soone as about our spirituall estate the estate of grace pleasing our selues with shewes and shadowes in stead of matter and substance Besides the Deuill is subtill and he will not bee wanting to teach vs the art of hypocrisie and hence it is that vertues are oft taken vp by vicious persons and fiends of darknesse will for their owne ends sometimes appeare like Angels of light How much then doth it stand vs vpon how neerely doth it concerne vs to search and trie whether our coine be currant or counterfeit lest that as for the present we beguile others in the end wee deceiue our owne soules The differences twixt true and counterfeit grace lye especially in foure things First the ground or beginning of Grace Secondly the growth or proceeding of it Thirdly the declension or falling thereof Fourthly and lastly the rising and perseuerance thereof First of the ground and beginning of grace Know we that all grace commeth from God the fountain of grace Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights Grace commeth from grace for there is grace infusing and grace infused Now that you may the better distinguish the one from the other before I fall vpon the differences giue me leaue to acquaint you with the nature of that grace from whence all grace is deriued vnto vs. Peter Martyr doth thus define the grace of God Grace is the free good will of God to man whereby he accepteth of vs in Christ forgiues vs our sinnes giues vs his Spirit here and eternall life hereafter First it is called the free good will of God vtterly to exclude all merit on our part Hence it is that the Scripture in diuers places doth diametrally oppose grace and merit As Rom. 11. 6. If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace For grace is all grace or no grace So Ephes 2. 8 9. By grace yee are saued it is the gift of God not of works c. Light is not more contrary vnto darknesse good stands not in more opposition vnto euill than grace and merit do oppose each other Merit in the best sense in the least sense doth marre the sense of grace Yea grace excludes that preuision of our workes which some imagine to be the ground of Gods louing vs or if not the ground a maine motiue and great meanes of Gods bestowing his grace vpon vs. But the nature of grace will not admit of any such preuision foreseeing of our workes The ground of all grace is in God himselfe and therefore grace must needs bee free it being his meere good wil and owne goodnesse to respect vs. As he told the people of Israel Deut. 7. 8. Nothing without God moueth him or can any wayes allure him to bestow his grace vpon vs. Hee found vs in our bloud vnlouely lothsome vnworthy to be beloued wherefore we conclude that grace is Gods free good will The Church of Rome hath beene much puzled about this doctrine of Gods free grace and therefore in generall termes they will seeme to ioyne issue with vs as if they said not as if they held not any other thing than that the Apostle alleageth Rom. 3. 24. That wee are iustified freely by his grace but like the Deuill their father they speake the truth in a false manner their words haue a wicked meaning which ouerthrowes the nature of Grace and the very foundation of Christian religion For by Iustification they doe not vnderstand the free grace of God in himselfe and that right0eousnesse of Christ freely imputed vnto vs but such a righteousnesse as God freely works in vs So by grace they do not vnderstand the free and vndeserued loue fauour of God to man but certaine gifts of grace certaine habituall graces as faith loue mercy c. which God freely workes in vs and for which say they he doth accept of vs. Now what is this but to ouerturne grace to ouerthrow Iustification and to make vs our owne sauiours When for certaine graces of our own and our owne inherent righteousnesse God doth accept of vs. From whence we may boldly conclude that the doctrine of the Church of Rome doth ouerthrow the foundation it peruerts the nature of grace and takes away the truth of Iustification For Iustification rightly considered implies two things First an vtter emptinesse and want in vs Secondly an absolute fulnesse and sufficiencie in Christ I would know how this can be if any merit or worth be in vs if we merit there is something in vs if something in vs then not an vtter emptines neither is there an all-sufficiencie in Christ thus they take away Iustification they make Christ no absolute Sauiour and so no perfect Christ and so no Christ at all Let vs therefore abominate the doctrine of the Church of Rome that satanicall Synagogue let vs hold it to bee Antichristian against Christ and their doctrine to be against the truth of grace and to say truth a gracelesse
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
Grace NOw I come to the third thing which in the beginning I propounded and that is to consider of the euidences of true sound grace the which before I come vnto it will not be amisse to let you know that the worke and truth of grace wrought in the heart of Gods childe hath in Scripture sundrie appellations though all signifying one and the same thing Sometime it is called Spirit as Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Sometimes it is called A new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ let him be a new creature Sometimes Calling as in diuers places of Scripture Rom. 9. 24. Euen vs whom he hath called 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore brethren giue rather diligence to make your calling and election sure Sometimes Sanctification as 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit All which places tend to this purpose to let vs know that we are then spirituall renued or borne againe effectually called and sanctified when the work of grace is truly wrought in vs Which work sooner or later more or lesse is wrought in euery one of GODS elect whereby he becomes purged from the former filthinesse of his flesh and spirit and sanctified throughout for as sinne like an Epidemicall euill diffused it selfe into al parts of a man as Wine or Beere put into a mustie cask is all equally tainted so grace if it enter into any it sanctifies him throughout it puts a spirituall life not into one or two parts but into the whole man renewing euery part and faculty of body and soule For grace comes into the soule as the soule comes into the body not infused by degrees though it be a maxime in Philosophy that the heart first liues which is not so to be vnderstood as if life were some while there when it is wanting to all other parts of the body but because the heart is the seat as it were of life and first of all moues manifesting life aboue any other parts of the body So grace is wrought at once though it growes by degrees being first weak as is a babe before wee bee strong men in Christ Know also that though grace once wrought bee infused into the whole man yet it shewes it selfe not alike in all faculties at all times because of the contrary habit of corruption which is stronger in some part and faculty of the body and soule than in other some yet if the life of grace be inspired it shewes it selfe more or lesse in the whole man This much I thought fit to premise to let you vnderstand that if the truth of grace appeare in any one thing though not in another or but weakely you may assure your selues that you are truly regenerate and so members of the Lord Iesus by spiritual vnion neuer after to bee rent off from him as more largely hereafter shall bee proued Now to the Euidences The first Euidence of grace THe first euidence of sound grace is a sanctified and sauing knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his Word I call it sanctified because it helps froward our Sanctification Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth and I call it Sauing because it tendeth to our saluation as appears Coloss 1. 9 20. This Knowledge some Diuines vpō good groūd doe make the prime and first worke of grace in Gods childe and the foundation of all other Hence Coloss 3. 10. The new man is renewed in knowledge By new man you are to vnderstand as was said before the worke of grace Hence it is that the Gospel is called the Word of life Phil. 2. 16. because it is a meanes of working perfecting this life of grace as 1 Pet. 1. 23. No life of grace therefore can bee where this Word hath not been I vnderstand of those that be of yeeres and capacitie to worke the knowledge of God and Christ Not that euery knowledge of God is life eternal for there is a Knowledge of God which profits not as may easily be proued First all they which beleeue God to bee such an Essence as may be expressed by any bodily likenes or the similitude of any creature know not God aright for if we conceiue God to be like any thing that may be imagined we fancy to our selues an Idol we are to conceiue of God by way of negation and to abstract him from all similitudes Esay 46. 5 9. Therefore Papists and all other which conceiue of God in a carnall and grosse manner know not God aright so gaine little benefit by their knowledge of him Secondly they that beleeue not God to bee the chiefe Good and the only thing to be desired loued and feared know him not aright Such as cannot say as did Dauid of the Lord Psal 73. 25. Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue none in the earth to be desired in comparison with thee receiue little benefit by their knowledge of God Therfore all Mammonists and couetous persons which prefer their riches before God all Epicures and Bacchanalls which make their belly their God all voluptuous and sensuall persons which make their pleasures and honors their god know not God aright to their benefit and comfort Lastly all that know not God in Christ receiue no benefit by their knowledge of God To know God out of Christ is to know him to be a terrible and angry God taking vengeance vpon vs for our iniquities and transgressions Therefore if thou wouldest haue comfort by thy knowledge of God behold him in Christ see his iustice satisfied and his wrath appeased by that satisfaction and atonement which Christ hath made for thee so trusting to him for saluation which knowledge because almost euery one that liues within the pale of the Church seemes to haue we are to vnderstand that this knowledge if it be meerely theoricall will not saue vs for it may be in the temporary beleeuer and hypocrite therefore vnlesse this knowledge be sanctified it is no euidence of grace it profits not How then may wee bee assured that our knowledge is sanctified sauing By these effects First Knowledge if it be sanctified is operatiue it is a working knowledge it is no idle knowledge but reduced into practice Psal 86. 11. Teach me thy wayes O Lord that I may walke in thy truth Grace teacheth a man to put his knowledge in practice A gracious heart had rather doe and not know if it could bee than to know and not to do he desires to be taught that he might walke not that he might talke as too many doe Hence Dauid Psal 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart In saying he would keepe Gods Law it shewes he was no Temporizer in religion which turns with the wind and
vse of this point Is it so that sanctified knowledge is a sure euidēce of true grace this then may speake heauily first to the heart of all ignorant persons they must know that their condition is dangerous deadly damnable because gracelesse and it is gracelesse because they are ignorant wanting sauing knowledge An ignorant heart must needs bee a naughty heart because without knowledge the minde cannot be good Prou. 19. 2. What goodnesse can possibly be where Gods Spirit is not Ignorance doth manifest the want of the Spirit For the Spirit is giuen vnto vs that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God as 1 Cor. 2. 12. Therefore when any know not the things of God needfull to bee knowne it is euident that they want the Spirit of God And yet how hardly can this be beaten into an ignorant head They will not beleeue they want grace or that the Deuill hath them in his snare or that they are taken captiue by him at his will yet thus they are vntill they bee brought to repentance That they may know the truth 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. O the lamentable condition of ignorant persons especially such as are folded vp in the mantle of their own conceitednesse for many of these though they bee ignorant of the truth yet the Father of lyes their lord master hath taught them to cauill against the Word and to lay downe execuses for themselues that they are not booke-learned that they haue no leasure or that they haue a good heart though they cannot talke as many doe that so he may with-hold from them the truth in vnrighteousnesse O the heauie doome that belongs to those that haue eyes and see not eares but heare not harts and vnderstand not that they might conuert be healed Esay 6. 10. This is the condemnation that light is come amongst them and they loue darknesse rather than light Ioh. 3. 19. The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to ignorant persons 2 Thess 1. 7 8. For as Hell is appointed to be the habitation of the wicked so this is the place of him that knoweth not God Iob 18. 21. Mee thinkes then this should set vp the price and worth of knowledge set an edge vpon our appetite and make vs call after knowledge and cry for vnderstanding To seeke her as siluer and search for her as for treasures as Prou. 2. 3 4. O the paines that men take the dangers they vndergoe in the mines to digge out and fetch forth siluer and treasure out of the earth vvhich vvhen they haue gotten they haue got iust nothing if we will credit Salomon nothing in comparison of knowledge For riches auaile not in the day of wrath Prou. 11. 4. Neither siluer nor gold shall be able to deliuer in the euill day Zeph 1. 18. Whereas if wisdome entreth into thy heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserue thee and vnderstanding shall keepe thee and deliuer thee from the euill way Prou. 2. 10 11 12. Therefore aboue all gettings get knowledge aboue all increasings grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. Therefore make we triall of our knowledge whether it be rightly qualified what vse thou makest of thy knowledge and whether thou doest improue it to Gods glory others benefit and thine owne saluation If thy knowledge a be barren and gracelesse knowledge woe worth the time that euer thou knewest for in some sort it may be applied to thee which the Preacher speaks Eccle. 1. 18. He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow For thou shalt be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. 47. Consider therefore what life and power is in thy knowledge Many abound in knowledge but their knowledge is so weak and feeble that it is vnable to withstand any corruption or to keepe vnder any one sinne in them It is said of the Thessalonians That the Gospell was vnto them not in word onely but in power 1 Thess 1. 5. Would you know what is meant by power Euen that force wherwith God doth open the hearts of his Elect to beleeue and that strength of the Word wherby they are regenerate and made new creatures Hath thy knowledge manifested any such vertue and power in thee Then it is a sauing and sanctified knowledge else but a weak and vnprofitable knowledge Therefore that for time to come thou mayest haue thy knowledge more powerfull to subdue thy corruptions obserue these few directions following First consider with thy selfe wherefore God hath endued thee with knowledge euen to make thee to differ from others in thy life and practice and that thou shouldest bee a light vnto others Phil. 2. 15 16. That yee may bee blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middest of a naughtie and crooked nation amongst whom yee shine as lights in the world holding forth the Word of life Thy knowledge should make thee a light Thrue light retaines its light in whatsoeuer darknesse it shines so thy knowledge if it be sanctified will teach thee to gouerne thy selfe to looke to thine owne feet and to direct thine owne wayes and if it fall out that thou beest cast amongst the children of darknesse yet their darknesse shall not be able to extinguish and put out thy light that is make thee goe or doe against thy knowledge but thy light will bee able to discouer their darknesse to guide and direct thee Againe true light as it hath light in it selfe and retaines that light not extinguished by others darknesse so doth it communicate light to others whersoeuer it shines others do or may partake of it receiuing benefit by it and comfort from it So thy knowledge if it bee sanctified will tend and bend it selfe to the edifying of others For the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. Euery good disposer of the grace of God as he hath receiued the gift will minister the same to others 1 Pet. 4. 10. Looke to it therefore thou hast much to answer for who hast receiued much knowledge and certainly if thou doest not good with thy knowledge thou wilt doe harme with it thy sin will be exemplary thou wilt draw on others vnto euill they taking heart and being emboldned by thine example as appeares 1 Cor. 8. 10 11. Now how will thy knowledge doe good to others if it doth thy selfe none as it doth not if sin be as powerfull in thee as if thou haddest no knowledge Secondly thou must side with thy knowledge against thy corruptions What good will a sword doe to any man if he take it not into his hand put strength vnto it Help thy knowledge to fight against thy corruptions take part with thy knowledge against thy lusts which fight against thy soule 1. Pet. 2. 11. Thy lusts are too strong of themselues adde
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
of the heart though peraduenture as was touched in the beginning some other thing may for a while keepe it out of thy hand Ciuility and hypocrisie may a little snib sin or bid it for a while to stand aside and giue way to better things but it is only grace that strikes this Goliah dead and takes off his head It is only grace which cures a soule-sick sinner of those diseases which by sinne hee hath contracted vnto himselfe as only Iordan aboue al other waters could heale Naaman of his leprosie Now lest any one should bring himselfe into a fooles paradise and please himselfe with an opinion of his owne goodnesse because of the abating of some sinne or the laying downe of some base carriage which formerly hee had taken vp let him know that there is a maine difference between the forsaking of sin in through the strength of grace and any other by-respect whatsoeuer Corruption is kept vnder in a gracious heart meerely in loue to God and hatred of sinne as Hosea speakes of those that shall bee conuerted vnto God They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. 5. Though naturally thou mayest loue this or that sinne more than ordinary yet grace will helpe thee to abhor and loath it a better euidence of grace cannot be then when the heart is set against its old loue for it must needs be a supernaturall power and the worke of grace which moues any to dislike and loath that euill which naturally he loues Whereas in the hypocrite sinne is somtime forsaken because sinne hath left him he hath no meanes of committing it or else he forbeares sin as many a fearful dog doth meat in the platter because of the whippe or cudgell that is held ouer him So the hypocrite loues his credit loues his purse loues his skin it may may bee and therfore lest the committing of some sin which hee lingers after should make a flaw or a hole or rent in him hee forbeares the committing of it Examine thy heart therefore in this particular what mooues thee to forbeare thy sin what is the ground of that diuorce vvhich seemes to be betwixt thee and thine old louer If any thing in the world but grace thou art in a bad condition whatsoeuer is become of thy sinne Art thou one whose heart likes well of sinne though thou canst not or darest not commit it Art thou one who when thou art conuinced of or reproued for any failings thy heart riseth against the rebuke though for thy credit or profit sake thou seemest to welcome thankfully to entertaine that reproofe I tel thee thou art in a dangerous condition thou hast but weake and slender euidence of grace if any at all For where true grace is there howsoeuer as was said before for a time in a passion or tentation corruption may preuaile will be a welcomming of the meanes and helpes that may keepe vs from falling into sin as appeares in Dauid who blessed the Lord and Abigail for the good coūsel which she gaue him there also the heart will bleed the tongue will freely against it selfe acknowledge the foulenesse of those sins he hath committed Know moreouer that the nature of grace is to strike at all sinne great and small whether more or lesse profitable pleasing as Psal 119. 104. Therefore I hate all the wayes of falshood A gracious heart is set for the glory of God in all things in all places at all times he labours to shun all things displeasing to God or grieuous to his Spirit makes conscience not only of open but secret sinnes not onely of grosse and foule but of the least euils not onely murder but heart-burning or enuie not only of blasphemie and periury foule-mouthed sins but of those that seeme more faire as faith and troth c. So that as some Physicians haue their Catholicon for the purging out of euery peccant humour so grace is a Catholike expeller purger of all knowne sinnes whereas hypocrites and double-minded men represse sinne but in part and that very partially too not out of any hatred they beare to sinne but because of some euill consequent which waits vpon sin He keepes one sinne or other close one hole in his heart for some base lust or other one Dalila or darling sinne he hath from which he will not be diuorced as if God and men must giue him leaue in some thing to take his libertie hee hath one sin which al the world shall not bring him out of loue withall much lesse to leaue and to forsake it But let al such know that God will none of their patcht holinesse and piece-meale reformation as good neuer a whit as neuer the better All such will one day bee confounded vvhich haue not a respect vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6. A fourth Euidence of Grace A Fourth Euidence of Grace is obedience vnto the wil of God The Lord by his Prophet tells vs that those which are taken into couenāt with him shall haue his Spirit put into them and he will cause them to walk in his Statutes to keepe his iudgements and doe them Hence it is that the Apostle sayes Wee are elect through sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. Vnfained obedience vnto the wil of God is the character of a gracious heart for vntill such time as grace hath seasoned sanctified the heart little or no obedience will appeare in the life and conuersation Heartie obedience doth distinguish a sound heart from an hypocrite To abound in knowledge to haue a forme of godlinesse to be forward in the outward professiō of the truth to partake of the Sacraments make no essentiall difference betwixt a gracious and a gracelesse heart To obey frō the heart that forme of doctrine which is deliuered is a sure marke to distinguish the one from the other Not the hearers of the Law are iust before God but the doers of the Law shall bee iustified Rom. 2. 13. It is not Lord Lord the naked performance of holy duties which will bring vs vnto heauen it is obedience The doing of the will of my Father sayes Christ which is in heauen Matth. 7. 21. Bee ye doers therfore of the Word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Iam. 1. 22. All knowledge as hath beene said before without obedience is in Gods esteeme no better than ignorance He that saith I know him keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him 1 Iohn 2. 4. Grace teacheth a man to reduce his knowledge into practice for by the power and strength of grace the will of man is made willing to obey God in all things so that it wil be our meat and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father Here some will be ready to cry out and say that by this doctrine wee destroy the liberty of mās will and turne it into a meere necessity
But they speak they know not what For when we affirme that by the power of grace mans wil becomes willing to obey this is not to take away or destroy but rather to rectifie the liberty of our will which consists not in an vnstable changeablenesse to bend euery way but in a settled and firme resolutiō in al things to doe that which God requireth When the will by the power of grace doth pitch vpon Gods wil adheres vnto it with a resolution not to swarue frō it is the will then compelled or the libertie thereof violated No wise man dares so say I suppose When Dauid said I will keepe thy Statutes Psal 119. 8. And againe I will delight in thy Word vers 16. And againe I haue chosen the way of thy truth ver 30. And againe I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart vers 32. was heere any violence or compulsion offered vnto Dauids will Or was Dauids will moued vnwillingly when hee intreated the Lord to knit his heart vnto him that he might feare his Name No no this desire and holy resolutiō of Dauid proceeded from the truth of grace infused into his hart after which infusion the will inclines it selfe most willingly and cheerefully to obey the will of God Doe wee not pray daily Thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen Those heauenly spirits obey willingly cheerefully constantly hauing neither will nor power to disobey How so are their wills manacled and fettered or is it a wrong vnto them that they can doe no other Surely no for the power and strength of grace in them will giue them no leaue to doe otherwise This obeying and seruing God is perfect liberty and freedome and it is the LORD by the worke of grace in our hearts which must make vs thus free Now because an hypocrite wanting grace may goe far in outward obedience it will be very requisite to lay downe some differences betwixt that obedience which is performed by the powerfull worke of grace and that which is done vpon outward by-respects For you must know that an hypocrite may goe far in outward obedience Did not Cain offer sacrifice as well as Abel Did not Ahab humble himselfe at the hearing of threatnings as well as Hezekiah in some particulars Ahab out-stripped Hezekiah for he rent his cloaths he fasted and lay in sack-cloth which acts of humiliation are not reported of Hezekiah Did not Iehu bestir himselfe in fulfilling the commandements of God Did not Iudas preach Was not Simon Magus baptized Did not Ananias and Saphira sell their possessions and lay them downe at the Apostles feet Act. 5. 1 2. And many other instances there may be brought to proue how far hypocrites may wade in outward obedience therefore outward obedience and conformity is no infallible euidence of true grace Wherein then lyeth the difference In these particulars First true grace aymes at the whole will of God it teacheth a man to walke in all Gods Commandements As it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. They walked in all the Commādements of God without reproofe Psa 119. 5 6. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Statutes then should I not be confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy Commandements For he that is bound to one is bound vnto all and he that offendeth in one is guiltie of all Iam. 2. 10. Whereas counterfeit grace picks and culls out heere and there such precepts as stand with ease or profit It will boast with Saul and say I haue fulfilled all the Commandements of God yet Agag must liue and the fattest of the cattell must be spared Wherupon Samuel told him that hee had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 19. For to say truth he that wilfully and of purpose breakes any one of Gods Lawes cannot bee said to keepe any of them because he keeps them not of conscience for if hee made conscience of one he would make conscience of all If Iehu his obedience and zeale had beene sound it would haue beene manifested in the pulling downe of Ieroboams calues as well as Ahabs Baal but his suffering of the one discouered his obedience and zeale to bee vnsound and counterfeit in the other Againe a gracious heart labors to obey at all times in all places in all company Hee will not for feare or flattery go against Gods precepts It is not profit or pleasure that shall draw him vnto euill for he resolues and labours to doe righteousnesse at all times Psalm 106. 3. Gods Commandements are not grieuous but delightfull vnto him and therefore as it is said of Hezekiah 2 King 18. 6. He cleaues to the Commandements of God and departeth not from them Whereas the obedience of the hypocrite is like vnto Ephraims Hosea 7. 8. As a cake on the hearth not turned halfe baked His goodnes is as the morning dew quickly dryed vp for he sets not his delight on the Almighty Iob. 27. 10. neither seeketh he to God at all times But doe not the best of Gods children sometimes halt in their obedience Yes for in many things we sin al Iam. 3. 2. Grace is but imperfect in the best of Gods children and corruption in the vnregenerate part keeps downe too often hinders the work of grace not that corruption is of it selfe stronger than grace if God will put to his strength for this were to make God weaker than man and the flesh stronger than the spirit but because if God at any time leaue vs to our selues or neuer so little withdrawes the power of his Spirit we are more inclined to follow the sinfull motions of our corrupt flesh than the holy and gracious inclinations of the Spirit of God For if Adam in his innocencie when he knew no euill being left but a while vnto himselfe and wanting the efficacious presence assistance of Gods grace was so quickly so easily drawne to sin much more the corrupted children of sinful parents who are but in part sanctified and haue too much affinity with sin are easily brought to disobey God if he help vs not with his Spirit against the motions of sin and back vs against all tentations and prouocations to disobedience For you must know that God is not alwayes alike present with his children but in great wisdome withdraws from them sometimes that effectuall presence of his grace which at other times he affords them and that for these and some other causes First of all to shew vs our owne instability and weaknesse how vnable we are of our selues to stand any longer than we are vpheld of him If hee takes from vs his Spirit as sometimes he took the wheeles from Pharaohs charrets downe wee fall presently How quickly did Peter fal being left vnto himselfe Secondly the Lord doth this to humble and abase vs to cut our combes and to coole our courage who are ready
to thinke too iollily of our selues and to lift vp our selues aboue our brethren as Peter did who tells Christ that he would stick fast vnto him though the rest of the Apostles should flinch and fall off from him but they stand when he falls to his greater shame and deeper humiliation Thirdly the Lord doth this to make vs the more watchfull ouer our selues that we be not too bold or secure so through selfe-confidence and carnal presumption rush vpon occasions and tentations vnto euill as Peter did who would needs aduenture into the High Priests Hall in confidence of his owne strength where being left vnto himselfe he fell most shamefully and foully aboue the rest of the Apostles who durst not be so foole-hardy as to plunge themselues into danger when they might keepe out Fourthly the Lord doth this to bring them closer vnto him by continuall earnest prayer for the assistance of his grace that he would stand by them that he would not leaue them nor forsake theÌ„ The child when it hath caught a fall through selfe-confidence or letting goe its hold of the mother oh how it will cling to the mother how fast it wil gripe her finger lest being left vnto it selfe it fall againe Fifthly the Lord doth this to worke in vs a tender-heartednesse compassionate feeling of our brothers frailty and weaknesse that we do not beare our heads too highly ouer him looke too bigly vpon him if his foot hath slipt and hee by occasion hath fallen into a sinne but that we labour to restore him or set him in againe as the word imports Gal. 6. 1. with the Spirit of meeknesse considering our selues being of the same metall and making who either haue or may in the like manner be tempted as our brother hath beene Sixthly and lastly that so we may loue the Lord the more for restoring of vs and lifting vs vp when we were fallen Now the childe of God being for these or some such like other causes left vnto himselfe and wanting the assistance of grace to bring him well off from the tentation into which he was fallen listens to Satans charme stoops to his lure vntil such time as the Lord who hath formerly laid earnest for him returnes againe with the gracious and powerfull presence of his Spirit vindicates his owne right curbs and subdues the mutinous and rebellious lusts of the flesh sets grace in its seat againe to direct and gouerne the whole man and so the wil and affections set in tune the childe of God falls againe to his former course of obedience Thirdly a gracious heart obeyeth willingly and cheerfully he yeelds a hartie obedience Rom. 6. 17. Ye haue obeyed froÌ„ the heart Hee loues the Lord with all his heart with all his soule with all his strength as Luk. 10. 27. There may be an vniuersall obedience I meane in outward shew and appearance and yet not a hearty and cheerefull obedience A seruant may goe thorow-stitch with his worke and doe all his task and yet shucke and grumble and wish his worke were lesse or of some other kinde or at some other time appointed him So hypocrites may obey but it is no heartie and cheerefull obedience but a halting and vnwilling willingnesse if they could tell which way to saue their credit coÌ„passe their ends and come fairely off they would leaue off to obey Whereas a gracious heart performes duties not by constraint but willingly and of a readie minde 1 Pet. 5. 2. He yeelds himselfe as a seruant to obey Rom. 6. 16. Whatsoeuer good seruaÌ„ts doe they doe or at least should doe it cheerefully Coloss 3. 13. without any mumbling or wording or reasoning the case with their master which cheerfulnesse and willingnesse makes the work accepted though there be many failings 2 Cor. 8. 12. If a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath c. Therefore seeing the Lord calls for the heart Prou. 23. 26. and measures all obedience by the heart For with God the minde is the man and it is not the outward action but the inward intention of the heart which the Lord looks vpon let vs learne to deny our selues and whatsoeuer we doe to doe it heartily though troubles and crosses doe attend our obedience to the vtmost of our power let vs endeuour to bring forth fruit with patience A fourth difference lies in sincerity and singlenesse of heart A good man obeyes for conscience sake without any respect of any carnall earthly ends as Dauid exhorted his son 1 Chron. 28. 9. Salomon know thou thâ—â—â—d of thy Fathers and serue him with a perfect heart and willing minde It is said of Dauid 1 King 3. 6. He walked before the Lord in truth and vprightnesse Euery one that obeyes willingly and cheerfully obeyes not sincerely Iehu was forward enough in fulfilling the coÌ„mand of God and rooting out Ahabs posterity but he aymed more at the settling the crowne vpon his owne head making sure work for his posterity after him than the obeying of Gods Word Wheras a gracious heart hath his conuersation in simplicitie not subtilty in godly purenesse not dissembled and counterfeit sanctity or fleshly wisdome He walkes not in craftinesse but approues himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. Therefore to conclude this point as we desire any sound euidence to our owne hearts of true grace let our life be a life of obedience and that we may not be losers in the end by all our obedience but gainers looke I beseech you that your obedience bee rightly qualified let it be an intire and perfect obedience make conscience of all good duties and that at all times and in all places beware of displeasing God to please man Beware of culling out here and there some good duties to serue thy turne withall there must be no parting of stakes betwixt God and the Deuill betwixt Christ the world A piece-meale obedience is in Gods esteeme no better no other than disobedience as appeares in Sauls killing the Amalekites and sparing Agag and some of the cattell To reforme some things nay to conforme in many things and not in all is no conformity at all but deformity What auailes it a man to bee a Saint abroad and a deuill at home To frequent the assembly of Saints and to fashion himselfe to the world To be strict in the duties of Religion loose in the workes of morality outward righteousnesse Or to walke in a tracke of ciuility and to neglect if not abandon the way of pietie As if holinesse and righteousnesse were two enemies and could not accord and agree together Againe that which thou dost do with al thy might and to make al good last of al cast in the salt of sincerity to season al thy doings doe nothing to bee seen of men for then thou losest thy reward vvith God who loueth truth in the inward
make sure the inheritance of Gods chosen All that partake of the couenant of grace are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Ephes 1. 13. which sealing is not for a day a month or a yeare but for euer vnto the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. The nature of a Seale all know is to make things sure The decree of the Medes and Persians that it might bee irreuocable was sealed with the Kings seale Dan. 6. 8. Lest the Disciples should come by night and steale Christ out of the sepulchre wherein hee was laid They went and made the sepulchre sure and sealed the stone Matth. 27. 66. When wee haue put our seale to a writing by the law of Nations it is firme Shall the Seale of a mortall man bee of that force that no law can alter it and shal the obsignation of the holy Spirit be of lesse vertue and power This were to make God lesse than man Againe it is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glory Now the nature of an earnest we know is to binde any contract or bargain and to giue a kind of state and possession of the thing bargained for Gods Spirit is his earnest which he hath laid for his to assure the hearts of his children of their full possession of that inheritance which Christ hath purchased God hath prepared for them Now if any shal obiect that we may either lose or forfeit our earnest and so misse of the bargaine you must know that the Spirit of God doth neuer finally and wholly depart from those vnto whom it is once giuen as appeares Ioh. 14. 16 17. But had not Dauid lost the Spirit of God when he prayed so earnestly vnto the Lord that hee would restore vnto him the ioy of his saluation and stablish him with his free Spirit This obiection may be said to answer it selfe Could Dauid without the presence and assistance of the Spirit haue beene thus earnest with the Lord in prayer Again a difference must be put betwixt the presence of the Spirit and the feeling or comfort of the Spirit A hand benummed with cold or stunted with some blow may hold a thing and yet haue no feeling of it It doth not follow that therefore Gods Spirit hath vtterly forsaken a man because in his apprehension and feeling he takes it to be so Therefore in stead of perplexing and troubling thy selfe about needlesse feares of reiection and finall falling from grace labour to bee furnished with sound euidences of true grace and then my life for thine God who hath begun a good worke in thee will confirme it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. Here some weake beleeuer may reply and say If I had as good a heart as many haue or if I were indowed with as much grace as some be I should then haue lesse feare and more hope of holding out vnto the end but alas I am a poore sinful creature full of frailties and compassed about with manifold infirmities and therefore feare my selfe For thy comfort thou must know that Gods grace is sufficient for thee and his power is made perfect through weaknesse It is not the greatnesse but the truth of grace which the Lord respects A bruised reed shall he not breake and smoking flax shall he not quench vntill he bring forth iudgement vnto victory If grace in thee be sound and true though it be no more than a graine of mustard-seed it shall bee able to bring thee vnto glory It may be so if I could beleeue this but I cannot be fully perswaded of this thing If thou beleeue not yet abideth God faithfull he cannot deny himselfe as the Apostle sayes 2 Tim. 2. 13. Let no man from this which hath beene spoken grow secure carelesse as if he were out of all feare and danger of losing his comfort or lessening that grace which he hath receiued For though it be true that true grace cannot bee vtterly lost yet through pride securitie earthly-mindednesse and the like the childe of God may fall into such languishing fits that the life of grace may appeare to bee vtterly extinct in him Suppose our bodies were of that temper and constitution that no poison or infection could make a rent betwixt the soule them were it not folly nay were it not madnesse for any one to cut wound himselfe or through mis-dieting of himselfe and surfets so to impaire his strength and health that his life should bee a continuall faintnesse and sicknesse Euen so it is with vs in respect of grace the life of our soules for that soule which is destitute of grace is dead whiles liueth as appeares 1 Tim. 5. 6. What though grace once seazing vpō the soule cannot be wholly separated from it yet may it through our spirituall distempers take such a surfet as little strength or power thereof may euer appeare in vs. Therefore that no man may bee settled vpon the lees of security or sing a requiem vnto his owne soule consider daily what strength and life is in that grace which God hath bestowed vpon thee lest before thou beest aware of it grace be cooled and declining in thee which if it be will appeare by these symptomes The first is an inordinate appetite vnto such things as are noxious and hurtfull vnto the soule For as our bodily health is impaired and weakened by feeding vpon such things as are in antipathie vnto our nature and constitution so it fares with our soules if wee bee bold with sinne the soules bane the strength of grace growes quickly feeble in vs. The second is the abating of our spirituall taste when wee finde not the sweetnesse and comfort in the Word which formerly we haue done when we feed not vpon the Word with that desire and appetite which once wee did this argues some distemper in the soule For as in bodily meates when they grow vnsauoury to our pallats it is most euident that our stomackes haue in them some distemper so it is with our soules if the same Word haue not the same rellish with vs now which sometime it had we may say there is some spirituall distemper Thirdly when we brook not when wee digest not the Word as well as formerly we haue done Euill concoction of onr meat argues a cold stomacke or at least an abatement of the natiue heat so when people digest not Gods Word the food of their soules but vomit it vp againe either by storming against it censuring of it or wilfully neglecting the power and practice of it it is a signe of declining in grace Fourthly and lastly if there bee a cold drowsie and formall performance of the duties of Gods worship and seruice when a man is not so cheerefull and liuely vnto in good duties as of old this argues a decaying of his spirituall strength
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
grace to bewaile the want of grace and to be earnest with the Lord for a supply thereof If thou wert in any bodily want or necessity Towne and Countrey peraduenture should heare if not ring of it Thou canst heartily pray for and earnestly seeke out for outward necessaries food clothing fire c. But to whom dost thou make thy complaint of the want of grace Whereas grace being the most excellēt thing should in the first place be desired for thy selfe thy wife thy husband thy children c. If thou hast grace thou hast gotten a rich portion a great possession thy line is falne in a faire ground If thou seest grace wrought in the hearts of thy children thou mayest be freed from carefulnesse or seeking great things for them they haue a great a rich portion The Heathen could say that Vertue was a sufficient Dowrie And the Scripture saith The Lord wil not famish the soule of the righteous But how hard a thing is it for a Minister of Christ to beat this into the heads of people especially the poorer sort who most neglect grace and therefore they can rise early lye downe late and eat the bread of carefulnesse they can call and crie for these outward things for themselues and theirs but how few will stirre one foot or wet a finger for the obtaining of grace How many poore soules neuer had any one thought tending that way not so much as once dreame of the necessitie of grace and therfore trouble not themselues about it Let all such beware lest as a Captaine who finding one of his watchmen which kept sentinell asleepe cut off his head saying Dead I found thee and dead I leaue thee so the Lord cut off these with the sword of his wrath and vengeance leauing them for euer dead in sinne as he found them Thirdly if Grace be the most excellent thing why should wee not labour and striue to grow in grace as we are exhorted 2 Pet. 3. 18 An honest and good heart is neuer weary of increasing its stock of grace as worldlings are vnwearied in heaping vp transitory riches and lading thēselues with clay though sometimes it falls out that outward things haue their satiety and wee may bee cloyed with them whereas in grace there is no nimiety a mans heart cannot be cloyed nor clog'd with it Our life is a wayfare a walke no time of standing we must still forwards on and on as those that haue a great iourney to goe As the Lord said to Elias when hee found him sitting and sleeping vnder a Iuniper tree Vp eat thou hast a great iourney to goe 1 King 19. 7. So we haue a long way a short day to finish it in and therfore had need bestirre our selues to purpose Therefore as Paul said to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 4. 1. so I to you Now I beseech you brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye increase more and more Grace in the heart of Gods child should be like the waters flowing from the Sanctuarie Ezek. 47. 3 4. which were at the first to the ancles and after to the knees and so to the loynes and at last to a great deep that could not be passed ouer Though grace below and shallow at the first in vs we should so nourish and cherish it that it may grow to ripenesse and full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Which that wee may the better doe obserue these directions First we must be careful to remoue away all euil hindring grace and secondly set vpon the practice of that good which will further it First of all we must be carefull to plucke vp root and rinde of al such weeds as may ouer-grow choak and hinder the prospering of grace One maine and ranke weed is spirituall pride and selfe-conceitednesse which growes too fast in the best soile being watered and cherished by the Deuill who when he cannot procure the childe of God to stoope to his lure and bite at his bait of impietie and profanenesse then labours he to poison him with his owne venome to puffe him vp and make him swel with pride of his gifts He will make him proud of his knowledge proud of his preaching praying c. yea rather than faile hee will make him proud of his humility proud that he is not proud Pluck vp this weed therefore for it much hinders grace God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble He fills the hungrie with good things and sends away the full emptie Luk. 1. 53. Humble your selues therfore and the Lord will exalt you The more humble and lowly thou art the freer thou art from shaking and ouer-turning for wee see low houses stand fast when many loftie and high buildings are blowne downe fall The higher any hill or mountaine is the more barren it is for the dew and raine which waters the earth to make it fruitfull tarries not vpon high hils but fals down into the valleyes makes them fruitfull euen so the meanes of grace lighting vpon an high and lofty spirit do fall from him without soaking or entring into him whereas lighting vpon the humble and lowly they make him fertile for the humble he will teach his way Psal 25. 9. Another weede which must bee pluckt vp is selfe-confidence or securitie When Christians begin to beare thēselues vpon their own strength and to grow presumptuous the Lord oft withdrawes from them the strength of his grace and then downe they fall Dauid was too selfe-confident when he said I shall neuer be moued therefore God soone hides away his face and Dauid was as quickly troubled But of all other examples there is none for our purpose more remarkable than that of Peter who took it in foule scorne to be thought to be such a dastard and white-liuerd souldier yea such a false-hearted seruant as to forsake his Lord Master in greatest extremitie and therefore if you will take his word he will neuer flinch hee will die for Christ before he will deny him But when Christ fore-told his Apostles of their flinching from him if Peter had thus replied Lord it may be thou seest more into me and know'st my heart better than I know my selfe we are of our selues weake and fraile ready to pull in our heads vpon euery storme but Lord the spirit is willing though the flesh be fraile of our selues we can do nothing any further than thou wilt assist vs strengthen vs therefore with thy grace and then we will neuer flie from thee If thus Peter had answered Christ all had been well but being foole-hardy and selfe-confident the Lord sets him vpon his owne legs leaues him vnto himselfe and what became of this boaster at the word of a Maiden he denyes and forsweares Christ curses and damnes himself if euer he knew him Thus when Gods children grow carelesse too confident or are ouer-takē with a dead sleep
wicked I will keepe the Commandements of my God Psal 119. 115. If thou wouldest haue grace thriue in thee Be a companion of those that feare God and keepe his Precepts Psal 119. 63. For euil men deceiuers grow worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued Now as these euils must be auoided so if you would grow in grace good things must be practised as the means to procure health of body is first to purge out malignant humours and then to take cordialls and to obserue a good diet Therefore first of all labour to keepe thy heart soluble be euery day abased at the sight of thy sins and the sense of thy vilenesse and vnworthinesse The way for a man to get any good at Gods hand is to acknowledge and bewaile his emptinesse to grieue and mourne for his vnworthinesse God hath made a promise to fill the hungry with good things Apoc. 21. 6. I wil giue to him that is athirst of the Well of the water of life freely c. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Hee giueth grace to the humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you Secondly vse the societie of Gods people by whose example you may bee incouraged to godlinesse and by whose means you may bee furthered in the way of happines Firebrands being laid together and blowne will increase their heat light so doth cōmunity and society with those where the Word of God is kept on foot by holy and Christian conference increase the light of knowledge and the loue of goodnesse in vs. Thirdly Be frequent in hearing and reading of the Word the Word of God is the Word of grace which is able to build vs vp further Act. 20. 32. Therefore 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new-borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that you may grow thereby If this Word be thy delight it will make thee fruitfull Psal 1. 2 3. Hence it is that in Esay 55. 10 11. the Word is compared vnto raine which watereth the earth and makes it to bring forth and bud that it may giue seed c. The barrennesse of many souls proceeds from the want of the Word to make them fruitfull Paul tels the Colossians Chap. 1. 6. That they were fruitfull through the Gospell from the day that they heard it and truly knew the grace of God The ministry of the Word is Gods holy ordinance to beget and increase grace in his children beating them off from the world raising them vp to a higher pitch of heauenly-mindednesse teaching them which way to preuent occasions of sin and to beat backe the tentations of the Deuill c. Oh pity then pity those poore soules which want these liuing waters this bread of Life How many thousands in this our English Israel perish for want of vision the meanes of grace What will become of all cruell soule-murtherers in the day of the Lord Oh let vs continually bow the knees of our hearts to the Father of spirits that hee would put bowels of compassion into those that haue authority that the Church may be purged of all vnsauoury salt and a supply made of a faithfull Ministery which might feelingly and tenderly respect the flocke of Christ which hee hath purchased with his bloud And let all such as to whom Wisdom hath sent her maidens calling them that are destitute of wisdome to come and eat of her meat and drinke of her wine know that God looks for fruits of increase answerable to the meanes of grace bestowed vpon them lest they be in the number of those which receiue the grace of God in vaine 2 Cor. 6. 1. Fourthly if thou desirest to increase thy stocke of grace set thy grace on work let it not be idle The diligent hand maketh rich saith Salomon Prou. 10. 4. And in all labour there is abundance Prou. 14. 13. I dare boldly say it is in nothing more true nay in nothing so true as in the approuement of grace vse grace and haue yea increase grace That seruant which vsed and improued his Masters Talents gained by thē increased them Whereupon Christ inferred Mat. 25. 29. Vnto euery one that hath it shall bee giuen and he shall haue abundance Instruments and vessels for want of vse doe oft-times grow worse and vnseruiceable Gifts and graces of the Spirit are bettered by improuing them according to the cōmon saying Vse makes perfect Hence it is that 1 Tim. 4. 15. Paul aduiseth him These things exercise giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest Fifthly and last of all bee earnest with the Lord in prayer that he would put a spirit of life power into all those meanes vsed by thee or bestowed vpon thee for the increase of grace For Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God must giue the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. without his blessing all meanes are but naked and empty He is the Author and perfecter of euery good thing begun in any Hence it is that the Apostle prayes for the Philippians 1. 9. that their loue may abound more and more And that the Colossians 1. 9. may bee fulfilled with knowledge and vers 10. fruitfull in all good works Teaching vs that prayer is the only helpe to obtaine increase of any good from God Now because of the deceit̄fulnesse of our hearts and the abundance of selfe-loue which abides in the best of Gods children we are too readie to flatter to thinke too well of our selues taking oft-times mole-hils for mountaines it will not bee amisse to make some priuie search whether wee finde any growth of grace in vs or whether it stand at a stay or bee in declension A shame it will be for al such as liue vnder the meanes vpon whom God doth daily bestow cost watering them with heauenly dewes if they thriue not If grace bee true and not counterfeit more or lesse some way or other it will grow For to say truth it is only the good heart that groweth and brings forth fruit and euill heart may giue some appearāce make some shew of growth but growes not like to an Atrophe one whose meat doth him no good he eats and drinkes and it may be with a greedy appetite deuoures more than is fitting yet battles not but rather falls away euery day more meager and leane than other This as was touched before shewes there is no soūd vnion betwixt Christ and such that they are no true and liuely members of Christs body for thē there would appeare some fruitfulnesse Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Well then seeing the Lord hath planted vs amongst the riuers of waters let vs take a view of our growth fruitfulnes First thou mayest know thou growest in grace if thou growest more and more into a dislike of sin as was said in the beginning if thy wants
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
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
1. 14. Onely grace is that liuing water or water of life of which whosoeuer drinkes shal neuer thirst Iohn 4. 14. Grace teacheth vs in euery estate and condition to be content Phil. 4. 11. We can be abased and we can abound we can be ful and wee can bee hungry Gods grace is enough and sufficiēt for vs able to supply all defects to fulfill all our necessities But if grace be absent the minde is full of blindnesse the heart is fraught with wickednesse and the conscience perplexed with guiltinesse the flesh the world and the Diuell doe there Lord it and what content or rest can there be where such lords of mis-rule doe rule and beare sway Againe it is through the strength power of grace that we are able to hold vp our heads in any storme of trouble and affliction that we are not swallowed vp of tentations that wee are not in distresse when wee are afflicted that in pouertie wee are not ouercome of pouertie and that wee perish not when wee are cast downe we are able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthens vs Phil. 4. 13. Many a deare childe of God in the agony of his soule through the heat and pressure of some hot and heauie affliction is ready to cry out Neuer man troubled and crossed as I am cōplaining as the Church Lam. 1. 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto mee thus is hee ready to sinke vnder his burden were he not supported by the grace of God who being faithfull will no suffer his to bee tempted aboue that which they are able to beare but will giue the issue with the tentation that they may be able to beare it 1 Cor. 10. 13. Though weake and weary of themselues yet the Lord will renue their strength they shall lift vp their wings as the Eagles they shal run and not be weary and they shall walke and not be faint Esay 40. 31. Grace vpholds them in and carrieth them thorow euery triall and affliction whatsoeuer In wrongs iniuries it makes a man to sit down without reuenge in afflictiōs to lay his hand vpon his mouth not repine or murmure but to be as a man dumbe in euery pain to apply some plaister for ease and comfort Through the strength of grace the soundnesse of the heart supports the weaknesse of the body so that whē the outward mā fainteth and faileth the inward is renued more and more Thirdly it is grace which as hath been sufficiently proued before teacheth and helpeth a man to liue godly and to walke in the wayes of godlinesse which in regard of the manifold lets and discouragements within vs and without vs without grace can neuer be effected The way of vertue is very hard in regard of our manifold weaknesses wāting strēgth to wade throw the difficulties and passe ouer the rubs which lye in a Christian race weaknesse of iudgement and vnderstanding in the duties of piety rightly to discerne which coast the right way bendeth weaknesse of wil and affection to take the right way when it is prescribed vnto vs weaknesse of ability to moue one foot forward in the way much lesseable to encoūter with those difficulties which through the allurements of the world and the subtiltie of that old Serpent and rage and malice of the Dragon will be laid before vs and last of all weaknesse in regard of perseuerance and continuall progresse in our iourney Whence it falls out that many proue idle loyterers which not only make many baits and pauses in their way but at last fall short and take vp their rest before they come to their iourneyes end Against all which weaknesses it is only grace that affords a Christian strength and enables him to continue to the end as appeares Ierem. 32. 40. and Ezek. 36. 27. and to runne with patience the race that is set before vs Hebr. 12. 1. Fourthly Grace brings in outward and temporall benefits the surest and the speedyest way to get goods is to get goodnesse For Godlinesse hath the promise of this and of another life 1 Tim. 4. 8. When the children of Israel had professed their obedience to the Lord Deut. 5. 29. the Lord replyes to Moses O that there were in them such hearts to keep my Commandements alwayes that it might goe wel with them not only in respect of their soules but their bodies also as Moses told them afterward Deut. 28. 1. If you diligently obey the voyce of the Lord and obserue and doe all his Commandements Then as it followeth Thou shalt bee blessed in the Citie blessed in the field c. So Esay 1. 19. If yee consent and obey yee shall eat the good things of the Land Grace paues a way to outward prosperitie Hence Prou. 3. 16 17. it is said of Wisdome That length of dayes are in her right hand and in her left riches and glory her wayes are the wayes of pleasure and all her pathes prosperity What else was implyed by that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you Outward blessings attend vpon grace as its appurtenances get grace and be sure of these This may seeme a paradox to many and ordinary experience some will say teacheth vs the contrary For first of all doe we not oft see that piety and pouerty goe hand in hand that many gracious people abounding in goodnesse haue but a poore pittance of outward goods And on the other side is there not many a deuill incarnate that is clad in purple and scarlet fares deliciously euery day and hath more than enough Loe sayes Dauid Psal 73. 12. these are the wicked they prosper and increase in riches For answer to both these Obiections know first that the promise of temporall good things is but conditionall when they are expedient for vs when they may be furtherances and not coolers of grace in his children The Lord doth all things by weight and measure all his works are done in wisdome and righteousnesse It may be the Lord sees that riches beginne to steale away the hearts of his children and therefore he wil withdraw riches from them for the Lord is a iealous God if once hee beginne to see vs dote vpon or to delight in the things of this world more than in him he will cut vs short of them as he dealt with Ionas who took too much content in his Gourd and therefore the Lord smites it that it withered Ionas 4. 17. Or it may bee the Lord withdrawes outward benefits that so wee may see their vanitie how changeable and flitting they are and therfore will haue vs to minde riches more durable and labour for the food that perisheth not and for the bag that will neuer wax old
grace herein hath its precedencie and excellencie aboue al earthly things it neuer wholly leaues vs but prepares vs and brings vs vnto glory Grace is heauen vpon earth and therefore they which follow Christ in the regeneration shall sit in the throne of glory Mat. 19. 28. Grace prepares vs for glory two maner of waies First by remouing those euils which may hinder vs. And secondly by enabling of vs to practise those good things which may further vs. The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto al men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. Whether you vnderstand here by grace the Word of grace as some doe or the free grace of God as others take it I am sure it is true also of the grace of sanctification for this helpeth vs to eschew euill and to choose and cleaue to that which is good As it is in the lightning of any darke place darknesse giues way when light approcheth so when grace commeth into the soule away in part goes darknesse and blindnesse of minde ignorance impietie prophanenesse c. Paul telleth vs that he was sent to preach vnto the Gentiles To turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God Such as liue in darknesse vnder the power of any one sinne those know not what the powerfull presence of grace meaneth Grace pulls downe sinne and sets vp righteousnesse Rom. 5. 21. Grace raignes by righteousnesse It holds vp the Scepter of Christ within vs helpes vs to be holy in all manner of conuersation and so hauing our fruit in holinesse wee come in the end to euerlasting life Rom. 6. 22. O the excellencie of grace that it thus brings vs to glory Let this comfort vs against that cōfortlesse doctrine of falling away frō grace Consider we from whom grace proceeds euē from God the Father And will not God perfect the worke of his owne hands I am perswaded that he that hath begun this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. The gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. The righteous shall neuer bee moued but had in euerlasting remēbrance Psal 112. 6. But we are weake and feeble we haue strong corruptions within vs and mighty and subtill tentations without vs and therefore like to fall away True if there were not an higher power and a stronger arme than our owne to support vs. Our help stādeth in the name of the Lord. We are strong in the power of his might For it is God which stablisheth vs in Christ and hath anointed vs 2 Cor. 1. 21. Our stabilitie is deriued from God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost The grounds of our stability which we fetch from God are these First the promises of God Ier. 24. 7. I will giue them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God So Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Now to say that these are generall promises made vnto the whole Church and therefore not to be appropriated to particular persons will be but a silly euasion For doth not the whole consist of particular members And doe not we finde in Scripture promises made to particular persons generally applyed and likewise generall promises particularly applyed The Lord made a particular promise vnto Iosua 1. 9. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Which promise S. Paul Hebr. 13. 5. applyes generally Other instances there be Secondly we proue it frō the attributes of God his power his faithfulnesse and constancie If any of those whom the Lord hath effectually called should vtterly fall from grace and perish it must needs follow that God wants either power to saue those whom hee would or else wants faithfulnesse to saue as hee hath promised either of which wants the deuils thēselues dare not auouch to be in God Concerning his power the Lord himselfe tells vs Esay 43. 13. I will doe it and who shal let Again Esa 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Christ also tels vs Ioh. 10. My Father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to take thē out of my Fathers hand For sayes Peter we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation 1 Pet. 1. 5. And for his faithfulnesse that Wizard Balaam could say Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should die neither as the son of man that he should repent hath he said it and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Yes surely for the Lord is faithfull which will stablish you and keepe you from euill 2 Thess 3. 3. The Lord purposing to frame vnto himselfe a Church against which the gates of hell should neuer be able to preuaile thought it fit to lay the foundation of it deepe and strong euen in himselfe his owne purpose Things many times decay and perish for want of a firme good foundation But the foundation of God sayes Paul remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2. 19. So that vntill such time as God doth alter his purpose which shall neuer be for as Malac. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Gods children are sure to perseuere in his grace For whom hee once loues to the end hee loueth them Ioh. 13. 1. Secondly assurance of perseuerance in the grace of God may be gathered from many things in the Sonne First from his al-sufficiencie Hebr. 7. 25. Hee is able perfectly to saue all those that come to God by him Iude 24. To him that is able to keepe you that you fall not and to preserue you faultlesse c. As hee is able so is hee willing Ioh. 6. 37. and 40. Secondly from the vertue of his passion and sufferings Hebr. 10. 14. For with one offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Thirdly from the efficacie of his prayer which God alwaies heares Christ prayed for all beleeuers Ioh. 17. first that the Lord would keepe them from euill vers 15. and secondly That they may bee one with him vers 21. and thirdly That they may be with him and behold his glory vers 24. And this prayer the Lord Christ our Aduocate still continues though not in a vocall manner seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for vs Heb. 7 25. These things considered it is as possible to plucke Christ out of his kingdome as to rent the poorest beleeuer from him once made a true and liuely member of his mysticall body Thirdly wee proue it from the nature and office of the Spirit which is to seale vp and