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
if they faile or fall they beare downe his godlinesse vvith them whereas sound grace in an honest and good heart being built vpon a sure rock the foundation whereof is laid in Christ holds it out in all stormes he is no reed shaken with the wind no vvauering vveather-cock no time-seruer he knowes in vvhom he hath beleeued and therefore abides the heat of Summer the rage and violence of persecution he endures the frost in Winter all those crosses and losses vvhich befall him still runneth with patience that race vvhich is set before him Heb. 12. 1. So that it is with hypocrites and counterfeit professors as with many rotten worme-eaten peares and plummes in a garden looke vpon them vvalke by them and none so beautifull to the eye none so louely to behold as they but lay hands vpon them or shake the tree on which they grow and down they tumble presently whereas that fruit vvhich is sound though it make not so faire a shew hangs still for all your shaking Gods people in this are like the Cedars of Lebanon the stronger the wind blowes them the deeper root they take the surer they stand Now in a few vvords to apply that vvhich hath beene formerly deliuered concerning this point of difference let that vvhich hath beene spoken bee a meanes of sending vs euery one into the Closet of his owne heart let vs seriously search and try our selues that vve be not mistaken about the truth of grace It is a thing of the greatest consequence that can be I meane the triall of the truth and soundnesse of grace in vs for if we be deceiued in this one particular vvee are vndone for euer A man may be mistaken in outward things bee deceiued in vvorldly bargaines and yet neuerthelesse a happy man hee may haue his soule though he lose his substance but if he be gulled in the matter of grace he is irrecouerably miserable Doth it not then stand vs vpon as I said before to consider whether vvee be deceiued or not If there were plenty of washt gold stirring or great store of bad counterfeit siluer abroad euery one would looke vvhat he takes for feare he should be deceiued O my beloued brethren these are the dayes wherein many make faire shewes godlinesse is growne in appearance into some credit amongst vs almost euery body would be accounted religious but as for the power of Religion and the truth of godlinesse God knowes it is found in very few All is not gold that glisters all haue not grace that are taken and do also take themselues to be gracious A man may goe farre in outvvard appearance and yet goe to hell in the end for want of sauing grace As for example First a man may be free from grosse sinnes from scandalous crimes enormous vices yea euen loath and detest many euills as did the Scribes and Pharisees Luke 18. 11. Secondly a man may be strict in the duties of the second Table iust of his word true in his dealings as many ciuill persons and Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. Cato and many other Heathens were admirable in respect of Morality Thirdly a man may set vp Gods seruice in his family and giue himselfe to fasting and prayer as the Iewes did Esay 58. 2 3. Seeke God daily know his wayes enquire of God in the ordinances of iustice as a people that would doe righteously Fourthly a man may set vpon the worke of reformation ioy in a good Sermon reuerence Gods faithfull Ministers as knowing beleeuing that they are such as feare the Lord and shew vnto him the vvay of saluation as Herod did Mark 6. 20. Lastly a man may leaue his old courses and companions as Simon Magus did Act. 8. he may be escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and yet returne with the dogge to his vomit and for want of sound and sauing grace bee damned in the end Now seeing it may be thus tell mee in good sadnesse if thou dost not think it to be a matter of great importance to search and trie thine owne heart How many thousands be there which come short of these things before-named and yet take vp their rest flatter themselues and speake peace to their owne soules resoluing to be no other desirous to bee no better and therefore neglect this duty of triall and examinatiō of themselues But assuredly a time vvill come vvhen the consciences of these people which are now cast into a deepe if not a deadly sleepe will be awakened when death iudgement and hell will present themselues vnto their view when their sins like toads will croake vengeance against them when Ezekiels book will be laid open before them where is written within without lamentations and mourning and woe then what howling what roaring what wringing of hands and breaking of hearts to consider that old and new sinnes doe bleed afresh before them and that many thousand thousand reckonings are to be cleered betwixt the Lord and them and they not able to answer one of many thousands Then when it will be too late they will crie out vpon themselues condemning their folly and madnesse that they so trifled away their time let slip the golden season of grace and mercy passed ouer their soules to Satan for momentany bables and vanities Tell me then my beloued in coole bloud if it be not a point of high wisdome to looke to this betimes not to trust our hearts too farre in this weightie matter seeing our hearts are aboue measure deceitful and as those lying spirits in the mouths of Ahabs false prophets wil flatter vs bid vs go on and prosper when we run to our owne destruction I beseech you therefore my beloued brethren by the tender mercies of God and in the bowels of the Lord Iesus I entreat you to looke to your selues in this one particular search and trie your owne hearts how things stand betwixt the Lord and you doe not desperately run on as many carelesse bankrupts do neuer minding to make euen with their Creditor vntil the Bayliffe hath gotten them vnder arrest if not carried them into prison Slight not ouer these things lest hereafter when it will bee too late you finde and feele that to be true which now you cannot be brought to feare Consider I say with your selues what sinne is aliue in you what lust is crucified in you whether your life be the life of grace and whether grace be truly begun and settled in you Doe not thinke these things are skar-crowes to mock children withall and so slight them ouer for I tell thee if thou canst not finde leasure to search and trie thy wayes that thou mayest turne vnto the Lord in seeking for grace and suing for mercy thou wilt not finde I feare leasure to escape the wrath of God hell and condemnation Of the Euidence of true and sound