vs an affected féeling of the loue of God towards vs Rom. 5.5 it works in vs an vndoubted expectation of eternal life it works in vs a sonne-like loue feare reuereÌ„ce whereby wee loue Christ are delighted in Christ and desire to please God carefully auoyd offeÌ„ding of him it workes in vs consolation 1. Pet. 1.8 peace of conscience for the forgiuenes of our sinnes gladnes spiritual ioye through the tast of Gods fauour it workes in vs sighes of the spirite that cannot be expressed a confideÌ„ce whereby we call God Abba Father Rom. 8.26 it works in vs patience in aduersitie and reioycing in affliction it works in vs a coÌ„tempt of the world Gal. 4.6 and a spirituall securitie and constancie thorough the grace and friendship of God Lastly Rom. 8.15 Rom. 3.33 38. Psal 16.3 Rom. 10.9 14. Faith workes in vs Charitie and Loue towards our neighbor for Gods sake curtesie kindnes geÌ„tlenes a delite in the godly as the Psalmist saies of himself That all his delite was in the Saints that were on the earth Faith is liuely in respect of our actions for out of the foresaide inward affections there breakes out godlines 2. Cor. 4.13 Matt. 7.7 Rom. 12.8.9 Phil. 4.11 Gal. 2.20 Gal. 3.26 Act. 10.43 Acts. 13.39 Rom. 9.12 Eph. 3.12 Act. 15.9 â— Ioh. 5.14 and righteousnes and thanksgiuing and prayer and confessing of Christs Faith and peace and concord with all men and mercie towards all euen our enemies and newnes of life and a good conscience and an holy care faithfulnes and diligeÌ„ce in our calling contentation in whatsoeuer state of life So that that the godlie are engraft into Christ and are in him and haue fellowship with him and are made the Sonnes of God and obtaine remission of sinnes and are righteous in the sight of God and are not ashamed haue bolde accesse and entrance to God haue their vnderstanding and will regenerate and their hearts purged and are saued and do obtaine their petitions of God and doe conquere the world and Sathan and doe renounce Sathan and all his works Eph. 5.11 in heart word life and manners and doe altogether relie vpon God and are delighted with his Lawe day and night Psal 1.2 All these things Faith works in the godly and yet to speake as the thing is Faith performes not these things but hée whom Faith appreheÌ„ds that is Phiâ— â— 3 IESVS CHRIST in whome we are able so doe all things necessarie to saluation Yea but may some say where shall wée finde such Faith that is adorned with all these things It is true that the like measure of Faith is not giuen vnto all men Rom. 12.3.9 Eph. 4.16 but to some is giuen more Faith and to some lesse and to euery one of the Elect is giuen faith sufficient vnto saluation For God moderates and orders the matter so that those which shal beare the more brunts in the world and shew foorth Gods glorie more theÌ„ other they should haue the greater measure of faith for that purpose Notwithstanding more and lesse changeth not the nature of things a dwarfe is as much a man in substance as a Giant a féeble and fraile Faith in Christ though not perfect yet is a true Faith and shall saue if it be fixed on Christ and straye not from Christ and shall attaine attonement with God and remission of sinnes eternall life no lesse then the strongest Faith Therefore Isaiah saith of Christ Isai 42.3 A brused Reede shall hee not breake and the smoaking flaxe shall hee not quench that is Hée shall mercifully succour the weake he shall strengthen the wauering in faith and hée shall foster and cherish those that haue but a sparkle of true godlines and grace in them though it be almost dead and extinguished God doth not at an instaÌ„t plant place a full perfect faith in our hearts but he doth it by degrées and steppes and encreases in that measure and manner time it pleaseth him For as the Philosophers say that wee are and are nourished by the same things and as an Infant is fed and sustained with the same blood when hee is borne beeing turned into milke So God confirmes Faith in vs by the same meanes by which hée plants it 1. Pet. 2.2 The principall meanes is the often hearing of Gods word And therefore S. Peter sayes As new borne Babes desire that sincere milke of the Word that yee may growe thereby And Saint Chrysostome sayes Fides nostra instar Lampadis accensae quae facile extinguitur nisi subinde is fundâ—tur Oleum That our Faith is like to a Lampe set on fire which is easily put out if Oyle be not now then powred vpon it This Oyle is the Word of God Another meanes is the often receiuing of the Lordes supper according to Christs commandement Eate this Drinke this Another meanes are daily Prayer supplication with Dâ—uid that God would stablish that he hath wrought in vs Ps 68.28 and with the Apostles that the Lorde would increase our Faith Luk. 17.5 Another meanes of bréeding and féeding true Faith in vs is a desire of godly life and Charitie towards our Neighbour And therefore Paul saith that we must hold fast Faith and a good conscience 1. Tim. 1.19 2. Pet. 1.5.6.7.8.9.10 And Peter saith that wee must make our calling and Election sure by giuing all diligence to ioyne Vertue with Faith and with Vertue Knowledge and with Knowledge Temperance and with Temperance Patience and with Patience Godlines and with godlines brotherly kindnes and with Brotherly kindenes Loue. For if these things bee among vs and abound they will make vs that wee neither shall be idle nor vnfruitefull in the acknowledging of our Lord IESVS CHRIST For hee that hath not these things is blinde and cannot see a farre off and hath forgotten that hée was purged from his olde sinnes but if we doe these things wée shall neuer fall Are works necessary then vnto saluation will some say If wee take it thus that workes are necessary to saluation as the meritorious cause of Righteousnes and eternall life it is false If we take it thus that new obedience is necessarie as being a sequele and effect necessarily following our reconcilement to God it is true For God will saue none without Repentance and the giuing of the holie Ghost is necessary to eternall life as CHRIST saith Ioh. 3.3 Except a man bee borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God Againe Faith without which we cannot be saued cannot be wtout good works for Faith hath euermore Loue ioyned with it either actually Gal. 5.6 De interpellatione Daâ—â—d 4. vel Psalm 7â— or potentially Againe Bernard saith truly Bona opera sunt via Regni non causa regnandi Good works are the way to the Kingdome of Heauen not the cause that
liberall to the distressed and doest thou shrinke from thy former bountifulnesse either for the multitude of the poore or for the vnthankfulnesse of the néedie or for that other doe so little regard them or for that thou accountest it a disparagement to thy worthinesse to haue care of the afflicted or for that thou doest not presently sée the reward Yet be not wearie of well doing 2 Thess 3.13 though the Haruest come not by and by yet in due time it will come and thou shalt reape in due season Iam. 1.14 if thou be not weary of doing well Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Hast thou shewed thy faith by many good workes and therefore doest thou now think that thou mayest loyter in the way of life Remember Lâ—uit 3.9 that as GOD commaunded the rumpe also of the beast to be sacrificed so hee requireth the ending also of our life to be spent in his seruice Luk 1â— â— 8 It is not enough for the seruant to worke in the field hee must after hée comes home attend his Maister also at Table and when he hath done all yet hee doeth but his dutie Ioh. 8.3 The true Disciples of Christ must continue in his word Act. 2.42 Act. 11.23 Act. 13.43 1 Cor. 15.58 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Tim. 4.16 2 Tim. 3.14 Heb. 3.12 1 Ioh. 2.24 Iude v. 20 and must continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles and must with full purpose of heart continue in the Lord and must continue in the grace of God and must be stedfast vnmoueable aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord and must watch stand fast in the faith quite themselues like men and be strong and must continue in and follow the good Doctrine they haue receiued and which is committed vnto them and must take héed least at any time there be in them an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing GOD and must haue that same trueth abiding in them which they haue heard from the beginning and must edifie themselues in their most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost The Libbard takes the pray not by pursuing and hunting but by leaping and skipping and if he take it not at the third or fourth leaping hee frets with rage and falles away as though hee were ouercome Such are they that would attaine to perfection in well doing at one iumping and would be frée from all crosses and tentations at the first push and therefore if an impediment come twice or thrice they start back from doing good But we must not leape and skip in vertuous workes as though Heauen could be obtained at an instant but we must runne perseuere and proceede continually in godlinesse For as in Chesse-play when one draught either is not made when it ought to be or else is otherwise made then it should be the whole game and gaine is lost so when one good worke is carelesly neglected or one sin is presumptuously committed the whole fruite and reward of righteousnesse is put in hazard Wherefore let vs so runne our race Ezek. 33.12 that we may obtaine 1 Cor. 9 24.26 2 Tim. 2.1.3 2 Pet. 1 1â—.12 and receiue the prize let vs not fight as one that beateth the aire but let vs be strong in grace and fight as good Souldiours of Iesus Christ that we may receiue that vncorruptible crowne let vs giue diligence to make our calling election sure and ioyne together these pretious linkes in a chaine that may adorne our soules namely with faith vertue with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godlinesse with godlines brotherly kindnes with brotherly kindnes loue that doing these things we may neuer fall but by this meanes an entring may be ministred vnto vs aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen FINIS
reÌ„negates which walked no more with Iesus working their destruction by the very doctrine of saluation whereas firme professors will say with Peter Maister Ioh. 6.68.69 to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Many will salute the Brethren for a time and labour for the truth and promote the Gospell of Christ Col. 4.14 2. Tim. 4.11 but when the perillous scirmishes come they will flee with the dastardly souldiour and with Demas forsake Paul and cleaue to this present world Many will say Lord I will follow thee whithersoeuer thou goest but when they heare that Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen nests but the Sonne of man hath not wherein to lay his head and when they call to minde their worldly businesses they will first goe and burie their father and they will first bid them farewell that are at their house and then they will follow Christ Luk. 9.17 c. But no man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh backe is apt to the kingdome of God When the Philistines sent home the Arke of God setting it on a carte drawne with heifers whose calues were shut vp at home they tooke this for a signe that it was Gods Arke and that they were plagued for kéeping it if those heifers whose calues were so shut vp at home did goe on directly into the land of Israel 1. Sam. 6. did not returne vnto their calues till they had brought the Arke into it owne proper place So when the faithfull soule suffereth much for Christ and his faith and doth much good it is an argument that they are workes of godlines if we directly and still proceede in good workes walking from vertue to vertue Psal 84.7 till we appeare before the God of Gods in Syon But the soule that returnes to the Calues shut vp at home that is to sensuall passions and appetites and affections and reliques of the old man it shewes that it beares not the Arke nor is the true and liuing Temple of God When the Apostle saies Rom. 13.14 Gal. 3.24 that we must put on the Lord Iesus Christ and that as many as haue bene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ he commends vnto vs the vertue of perseuering For what else meanes the scripture by putting on of a thing but to be so ioyned vnto it as neuer to depart therefrom So the wicked man that delights in cursing is laid to be cloathed with it as with a raiment and to be couered with it Psal 109.18.19 as with a garment and to be compassed with it as with a girdle so Christ that is the absolute patterne of all righteousnes Isai 11.5 is said to be girded about the loines with iustice and girded about the reynes with faithfulnes so the obstinate sinner Iob. 8.22 that bewraies his hatred towards God by continuance in sinne is said to be cloathed with confusion and shame whereby wee may learne that to put on Christ is to be apparelled with the new man and to be so arraied with the Armour of God as not to put it off againe but to be found harnessed therewith It may be said of many that they are like new broomes that for a little space sweepe cleane but they daily decrease and decline shewing themselues not to haue a true affection to godlines and the heauenly wisedome Ecclus. 24.24 for she protesteth that they that eaâ—e heâ— shall haue the more hunger and they that drinke her shall thirst the more When the painter Euphranor had vndertaken to paint twelue Gods at Athens Val. Mar. l. 8. c. 12. he delineated the Image of Mercurie with as excellent colours of Maiestie as he could making shew as though he would haue represented Iupiter with greater dignitie but al his endeuour being consumed in the former worke his latter attempts could not rise to the height at whiâ—h they aimed For though Nature do often suffer Arte to imitate her power yet sometimes she smiles at the vaine enterprise of Arte as Euphranors pensill did truly prooue But God in working out our saluation followes not the order of Arte but of Nature procéeding from that which is imperfect to that which is perfect As in the whole matter after the letter and ceremonies of the law he gaue the lawe of grace and the Spirit kéeping the good wine with the bridegroome of Cana vntill the end of the feast so in particular Ioh. 2.10 God procéedes from the good vsing of a smaller grace to the bestowing of a greater Nature by continuall operation brings forth an high trée of a small plant or séede and the drop of water frets the stone not by force but often falling and the fire is maintained by continuall putting of fewell thereunto so the God of Nature by his grace as by a séede and by a perpetuall influence doth produce admirable vertues in his elect causing the latter ende euer to be better then the beginning 1. Cor. 15.46 For that is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall is first and after succéedes that which is spirituall God commanded that in Aarons garment beneath vpon the skirts there should be made pomegranats of blew silke and purple and skarlet round about the skirts thereof and bels of gold betwéene them round about that is Exod. 28.33.34.35 A golden bell and a Pomegranate round about vpon the skirts of the robâ— The bels were that when he ministred and went into the holy place before the Lord and came out his sound might be heard and why may not the Pomegranates expresse the perfection and consummation of vertue and godlines in that the Pomegranate among al other fruits séemes to haue the resemblance of a crowne and the end is the glorie and crowne of the worke and this crowne as it were was set not in thâ— highest part nor in the most but about the lowest edge or skirts of the high Priests to be and why may we not gather hereby that we must abide in godlines vnto the last gaspe and continually speake well and doe well Yea but how may we obtaine to this constancie and perseuerance By earnest praier to God For the spirituall Armour by which we ouercome the wicked Eph 6.10 Phil. 1.6 Phil. 2.13 and quench his firie darts is the Armour of God God that hath begun this good worke in vs will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ God worketh in vs both the will and the déed euen of his good pleasure 1. Thes 5.24 1. Pet. 5.10 Heb. 13.21 Eph. 3.16 2. Thess 1.1 2. Thess 2.16 3.3 God is faithfull which calleth vs who will also doe it God will stablish vs. God makes vs perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in vs that is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ God graunteth vs