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
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
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