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A65648 A sermon preach'd at the anniversary meeting of the sons of clergy-men, in the church of St. Mary Le Bow, on Tuesday, Decem. 3, 1695 printed at the desire of the stewards of the feast, to whom it is humbly presented / by Tho. Whincop ... Whincop, Thomas, d. 1730. 1696 (1696) Wing W1665; ESTC R34743 10,856 31

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A SERMON Preach'd at the ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE SONS of Clergy-Men A SERMON Preach'd at the Anniversary Meeting OF THE SONS of CLERGY-MEN IN THE Church of St. Mary Le Bow On Tuesday Decem. 3. 1695. Printed at the Desire of the STEWARDS of the FEAST To whom it is humbly Presented By THO. WHINCOP D.D. Rector of the United Parishes of St. Mary Ab-Church and St. Lawrence Pountney London LONDON Printed by Tho. Hodgkin for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. St. Paul 's Epist to Titus iii. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men IT hath been a mistaken Opinion of some and an invidious Objection of others that those who are true Believers need not be solicitous about good Works and whatever they did they could not fall but had a Liberty of doing what they would without Danger or Sin And this hath been improved by the Enemies of our Reformed Church as if we had laid aside all thoughts of Duty towards God or Christian Regard and Compassion of our Neighbour not supposing as they represent us that we make them Articles of our Christian Faith or necessary Terms of our Salvation Since therefore we have hitherto God be thanked out-lived these unjust Reproaches the Church whereof we profess our selves Members strictly requiring not only Duty towards God but a compassionate Sense and helping of our Christian Brother's Indigence and that we are now once more met together Brethren of the same Stock and Linage descended from those who contended earnestly for the Faith and were as zealous for good Works Witness those many charitable Bequests since the Reformation and the Purpose of our Annual Assembly this Day is an Evidence that we do not either discountenance or explode doing Good The Enemy as in the Parable thus scatters his Tares to choak at least if not destroy the Wheat but maugre all the industrious Designs against our Holy Faith we do not forget the Doctrines of our Church or our Fore-fathers Precepts but as we believe in God are careful also to maintain good Works Which Direction of the Apostle's immediately follows other good Advice given unto Titus how he should behave himself in the Church of God of which he was made a Bishop as if he should have said Those things which I have spoken concerning the Love of God our Blessed Saviour to wards Man of his being saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost of our being justified by his Grace and made heirs according to the hope of eternal life as in the former Verses are not fabulous doubtful or uncertain things no Philosophical Conjectures of Jewish Traditions but faithful sayings and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 as elsewhere he so phraseth it and therefore ought to affirm constantly This he directs him to assert and publickly teach all Persons as undoubtedly true by which precious Promises they might be excited to good Works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should be intent and solicitous about remarkable and eminent for them as Captains and Leaders to every Body else both for Doctrine and Example Piety towards God and Charity towards their Neighbour as I take the Word in the largest Sense And that they should be above others so remarkable the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is frequently used may properly enough intimate The Summ of this Apostolic Precept is that those who have learned and profess Christ's Doctrine should practise that Obedience it requires and be eminent for all good Actions especially those of Mercy and Charity In pursuance therefore of which Design of the Apostle's and to establish the Truth of which Proposition I do design to shew I. That it is not enough to believe what God hath said to be true and to give our Assents to the Certainty of Divine Revelation unless our Belief doth influence our Hearts and Lives II. That this Practice of good Works in absolutely necessary for all unto Salvation III. And lastly more especially necessary for those that are more particularly acquainted with God's Will and early instructed therein I. First I say It is not enough to believe what God hath said to be true or to give our Assent to the Certainty of Divine Revelation unless our Belief doth influence our Hearts and Lives We cannot suppose Believing to be a bare Notion and a meer Speculation a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius calls it but an obedient Faith believing the Truth performing the Commands omitting the Prohibitions fearing the Threatnings and embracing all the Promises of God's Word a Faith working by Love a new Creature a keeping the Commandments all which are almost equivalent For God's method of transacting our Redemption by Christ was not only by him receiving a full Satisfaction for our Offences but by him also proposing a more rational way to please him by requiring us to perform as Instances of our Faith all manner of Holiness and Purity as Conditions and Terms on our part of our being accepted thro' Faith in Christ Christ's Laws as well as any other run in this disjunction either Do or Suffer either live Holily or perish Everlastingly nothing is therein promis'd but upon Condition of our Obedience This is the Rule and Spring upon which they all move as Moses spake to Israel Deut. 5.1 that we take heed and hearken and do the commandments and statutes which God commanded us St. James tells us that he who is a doer of the work shall be blessed in his deed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his working and Practice not in his Knowledge or Believing only for that is but a shadow of Godliness only which hath no Power with those in the Gospel which cry Lord Lord but our Blessed Saviour tells them Mat. 7.21 they shall not enter into the kingdom only they that do the will of his Father which is in heaven Wherein is intimated Knowledge enough having Prophesied in his Name but no Salvation on that Account Every Article of our Creed may be made use of as a proper Argument against Sin in general and a powerful Motive to Obedience in particular the great Design of our Saviour's gospel and our believing in him being to reform the Lives of Men and in order thereunto by Faith in Christ who made himself a sacrifice was a sufficient Atonement and left us an unparalell'd Example of well doing we have an admirable Pattern to do what he did as a reason of our Faith and Hope that we have by him That Gospel which we believe and brings us the glad Tidings of Salvation teaches us not only to believe what he delivers but to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 and live righteously soberly and godly in this present world for such as have given up