sanctification Secondly it is Gods ordination We are his wormāship Eph. 2 10. created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them Thirdly there is a necessity of the doing and presence of good workes for the manifestation of the righteous iudgments of God when he will come to be glorified in his Saints and crowne his owne works in them Mat. 25.35 Reu. 22.12 For he will iudge all men according to their deeds And giue to euery man as his worke shall be Fourthly a necessity is imposed vppon vs because we are debters as it is said Luk. 17.10 We haue done what was our dutie to do Rom. 8.12 And Paul saith Ye are debters but not to the flesh but to God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier Euer thinke we on it Tit. 2.14 that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purifie vs to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes The obligation and bond of our debt is our Baptisme We are buried with him by Baptisme into death Rom. 6.4 that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the Father so we should walke in newnesse of life Fiftly because there is no other way to eternall blessednesse but by the practise of holinesse For though good workes cannot be the cause of saluation but onely Iesus Christ as it is said Isa 49.6 I will giue thee for a light of the Gentiles that thou maist be my saluation vnto the end of the world yet are they the way and path vnto life and blessednesse Pro. 12.28 In the way of righteousnesse is life and in the path thereof there is no death Ye haue your fruite in holinesse Rom. 6.22 and the end euerlasting life The vses of good works are many and great in regard of God our selues others and our holy profession First God is glorified by our good workes which are being rightly performed a speciall part of his holy worship and seruice Ioh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruite His grace is manifested by enabling vs vnto a measure of obedience Eze. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and do them God is honoured and praised for them and by them They glorified God for me Gal. 1.23 1. Pet. 2.9 Ye are a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him which hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light 1. Pet. 4.11 Do it as of the abilitie which God giueth that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ As a father delighteth in a dutifull sonne so God delighteth in all those that beare his image imitate his holy nature that take pleasure in well doing Ioh. 4.34 whose meate and drinke it is to do their fathers will Secondly by our blamelesse and good conuersation we become followers of the example of Christ of his Saints Ioh. 13.15 I haue giuen you an example that ye should do as I haue done to you As Christ forgaue you Colos 3.13 so also do ye Take the Prophets who haue spoken in the name of the Lord Iam. 5.10 for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Thirdly by our holy life and obedience to God we gaine assurance that God hath chosen vs to be heires of saluation 2. Pet. 1.10 Giue diligence that ye make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall neuer fall If we loue in deed and truth We know we are of the truth 1. Ioh. 3.19 and shall assure our hearts before him Thus the truth of faith is knowne for faith that hath no works is dead Gal. 5.6 being alone Neither Circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but faith which worketh by loue Thus also is the soundnesse of repentance knowne Act. 26.20 I shewed to them that they should repent and turne to God and do works meete for repentance Fourthly by carefulnesse of well performing our dutie we are heartned to looke for the performance of Gods free promises made vnto vs. So Moses had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.26 Godlinesse hauing the promises of this life 1. Tim. 4.8 and that which is to come We may looke for obtaine if God see it expedient for vs long life a blessed posterity peace plentie ioy of heart preseruation in the euill day and whatsoeuer good is 1. Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vaine in the Lord. Gal. 6.9 Let vs not be wearie of well-doing for in due time we shall reape if we faint not Know that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth the same he shal receiue of the Lord. Fiftly they that liue righteously escape curses and calamities when the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience 2. Pet. 2.5 For when God spared not the old world he saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnesse God said he would spare Sodome and Gomorha Gen. 18.32 Isa 65.14 for ten sake that were righteous Behold my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart but ye shall crie for sorrow of heart and shall houle for vexation of spirit Sixtly they that are of vpright conuersation and are studious to abound in good workes shall auoid offences Giue none offence 1. Cor. 10.32 neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God Mat. 18.7 2. Cor. 6.3 For wo vnto the world because of offences Giuing none offence in any thing that the Ministerie be not blamed Seuenthly by our good deeds we win others to God or make way and prepare some to conuersion I am made all things to all men 1. Cor. 9.22 that I might by all meanes saue some Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2.12 that whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation Rom. 11.14 I magnifie mine office if by any meanes I may prouoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might saue some of them 1. Pet. 3.1 Ye wiues be in subiection to your husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be wonne by the conuersation of the wiues Eightly righteous behauiour stoppeth the mouthes of the aduersaries that they cannot speake ill of vs. So the loyall and iust cariage of Dauid towards Saul ioyned with loue and meeknesse preuailed so far that he made this acknowledgment Thou art more iust then I. 1. Sam. 24.17 1. Pet. 2.15 So is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the
euery one whereof deserueth Gods curse and damnation yet if we be truly humbled for them seeke vnto Christ and beleeue Heb. 10.19 We haue boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Iesus and are commanded that we draw not backe vnto perdition Heb. 10.39 but be of them that beleeue to the sauing of the soule For albeit our sinnes are as bonds death as a tormentor hell an eternall prison the diuell as a sergeant to arrest and as a iaylor there to keepe vs because we are indebted ten thousand talents to the great King who will haue the debt payd and we are vtterly vnable yet one comfort Ioh. 8.36 and but one is left vs. If the Sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed Now he hath freed the beleeuing as our High-priest Heb. 7.22 and as our suretie paying our debts to God for vs. Christ hath once suffered for sinnes 1. Pet. 3.18 the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God Colos 2.14 Yea hath blotted out the handwriting that was against vs and is a iustifier of him which beleeueth in Iesus Rom. 3.26 And like as Abraham with a strong hand rescued Lot his kinsman Gen. 14.16 when he was vnder the captiuitie of his enemies after the like manner Iesus our King and kinsman Colos 2.15 conquered Satan spoyled principalities and powers and deliuered vs out of his clawes For when the Iudge and the Law are satisfied what hath the Iaylor any more to molest the prisoner Yea such is Christs louing kindnesse to all vnfeined repenting sinners that beleeue with the whole heart seeke to him Tit. 2.14 that He redeemeth them from all iniquitie withall doth purifie them to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works A second obiection and doubt Iam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when he had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar Out of these words of S. Iames some gather that to be freed from sin so to obtaine blessednesse for blessed is the man to whom God imputeth none iniquitie is for the merit and worthinesse of good workes To which we answer that not onely the words but the true meaning of them is diligently to be pondred lest we should thinke one Scripture to be contrary to another which cannot be Gather we then the true sense of them from the word it selfe for as no man can see the Sunne that shineth but by the light of the Sunne so neither attaine we to the right vnderstanding of the word but by the other Scriptures as this may clearely be vnfolded by the words of S. Iames going before For he well knowing that many who by their profession were Christians but in their conuersation Libertines and Epicures such as made shew of Religion but denied the power of it speakers of the word of God but not doers of his will euen such as turned the grace of God into wantonnesse laboureth to set before them the danger thereof and how they deceiued themselues either not vnderstanding or not regarding the nature of true faith he maketh it plaine to them that they had no true faith and by this argument that they had not such workes as necessarily proceed from a right faith Reasoning as our Lord Iesus Christ did Iohn 8.39 If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the workes of Abraham but ye go about to kill me that tell you the truth this did not Abraham Assuring them that faith if it haue no workes is dead in it self Iam. 2.20 Wilt thou know O vaine man that faith without workes is dead For as where there is no heate there is no fire so where there is no good fruit there is no true faith But where faith is there workes follow and flow from it as Abraham by a rare and readie obedience in a seruice so contrary to nature and in appearance also to the great promise made vnto him did make it manifest what true trust and stedfastnesse of faith he had in the Lords holy promises By faith Heb. 11.17 Abraham when he was tried offered vp Isaac and he that had receiued the promises offered vp his onely begotten sonne of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called God gaue testimonie of these fruites of faith when he said Gen. 22.12 Lay not thy hand on the child for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thy onely sonne from me On the other side an hypocriticall and dead faith Mat. 21.19 is like the fig tree with faire leaues but hath no fruite on it or if it haue a fruite all we reade of is compared to the faith of diuels the fruite feare and trembling Thou beleeuest there is one God Iam. 2.19 thou doest well the diuels also beleeue and tremble But true faith hath with it ioy and gladnesse 1. Pet. 1.8 Though ye see him not yet do you beleeue and reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious The manner of speech which the holy Ghost vseth must be carefully obserued if we will not fall into heresies What a dangerous noueltie of speaking is it to say holy works done in faith are satisfactory and meritorious of eternall life whereas the word of God onely saith Heb. 11.4 That they obtaine witnesse of righteousnesse As we reade By faith Abel offered vnto God a more excellent sacrifice â—hen Cain by which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous As faith that is effectuall and fruitfull giueth glorie to God for his goodnesse and true performance of all his holy promises in their appointed time so the works that spring out of it beare witnesse to our selues and others that we are not fruitlesse trees which are neare the curse but planted by the waters side that bring forth fruit in due season whereby God is glorified our hearts comforted and the faithfull praise God for vs. But on the contrary such as haue a bare knowledge assent vnto the truth or presumptuous perswasion not rightly grounded such as beleeue there is a God but beleeue not in God hauing no assurance he is their God their gaines in the end is to be deceiued of their hope and to be put in feare horror and trembling Yea the fearefull and vnbeleeuing shall haue their part in the lake which Reu. 21.8 burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death If any will yet persist to presse the words of Iames we vrge his words for our assertion who saith Iam. 2.23 The Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God But to reconcile Paul and Iames vnderstand that Iames speaketh how Abraham was iustified declaratiuely but Paul actiuely or effectually which distinction ariseth both from the words handling of the subiect in question If we would compare Genes 15.6 with Genes
the name of his elder brother and in his clothing so we putting on the Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 3.9 may be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ and may say with the Church or seede which the Lord hath blessed I will greatly reioyce in the Lord Isa 61.10 my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation he hath couered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with iewels Now concerning faith we do not teach nor beleeue that we are iustified or saued for our faith or the worthinesse of it but we cleaue to the word and beleeue as therein we are taught namely Gal. 3.11 The iust shall liue by his faith We are iustified by faith haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 Gal. 3.26 We are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus To him that worketh not Rom. 4.5 but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is COVNTED to him for righteousnesse And that comfortable bill of acquittance Act. 13.38 Be it knowne vnto you men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Vnderstand for a fuller clearenesse in this point that like as it is said of Timothie continuing in holinesse and sound doctrine 1. Tim. 4.6 In doing this thou shall saue thy selfe and them that heare thee It is not meant that Timothie or any Minister doth saue otherwise then as instruments Who is Paul 1. Cor. 3.5 or who is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeued So though no other faith iustifieth but that which worketh by loue the same neither iustifying together with loue nor faith hauing his efficacie from loue yet faith which saueth Eph. 2.8 Ye are saued by grace through faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God saueth not as it is a worke or as it worketh by loue but as it receiueth Christ Iohn 1.11 that in him we may be righteous Euen as fire giueth comfort to the frozen and be nummed with cold not by the light thereof but by the heate of it As God giueth his Sonne vnto vs and in him eternall life so giueth he also to euery of his faith to be as a hand to receiue the gift so that they which receiue abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 and of the gift of righteousnesse shal reigne in life by one Iesus Christ It is true that true faith is neuer alone that is it is not fruitlesse barren or idle as that in Hypocrites but it is effectuall or there is a worke of faith 1. Thes 1.3 and labour of loue Yet it alone and no other grace iustifieth as to them that will be wise according to the word it is very manifest Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified This needeth no further declaration but is as cleare as that short speech of Christ to the same effect Mar. 5.36 Onely beleeue And that also Luke 8.50 Feare not beleeue onely and she shall be made whole And this doctrine maintaineth Christs honour and extolleth his bountie who giueth to the thirstie of the fountaine of the water of life freely Reu. 21.6 And it giueth to the broken in heart and sorrowfull soule much and sound comfort in greatest conflicts and terrors of conscience and when for sinne Satan would draw vs to despaire Let vs then cheare vp our hearts refresh our fainting spirits with the holy harmonie of the Apostles all of thē so sweetly sounding out this learning of our blessednesse by faith in Iesus Christ Saint Iude thus exhorteth Iude 21. Build vp your selues on your most holy faith looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iames requireth we aske in faith Iam. 1.6 nothing wauering Iohn assureth vs that it is the commandement 1. Ioh. 3.23 that we should beleeue on the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ Paul setteth downe very briefly the summe of the Gospell Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 16.31 and thou shalt be saued Peter in a great assembly taught Act. 15.9 that God put no difference betweene them and vs after that by faith he had purged their hearts Why tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples necks which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they do Yea To him giue all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10.43 that through his Name whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes A fourth obiection If good works do not answer the righteousnesse of Gods Law nor iustifie nor satisfie nor merite before God it may seeme they are vile in your eyes or at least you make small account of them and you set a doore wide open to carnall liberty and all licentiousnesse of liuing O be it farre from all that professe Christianitie so to thinke or speake for good workes are a maine part of that worship of God which he commandeth and will call vs to account for they are the end of our Election assurances of our Calling companions of our Iustification the practise of Sanctification forerunners of Glorification the effects of grace the life of Religion the beauty of Christianitie witnesses of faith nurses of hope fruites of loue euidences of thankfulnesse our sacrifice to God our acceptance with men the difference betweene Saints and reprobates the truth of repentance a turning from dead workes preseruatiues from scandals a lasting debt and dutie they adde honour to our profession peace to our consciences further our reckning they are seales of saluation the way to the kingdome follow vs to Gods tribunall they are our walking in the waies of God and our blamelesse conuersation without which we are as fruitlesse trees fitted for the fire and hypocrites that without all helpe shall be cast into hell for as the word of truth teacheth Heb. 12.14 Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Take knowledge then and be minded that we beleeue and teach both a necessitie of good works and sundry excellent vses of them A necessitie of good works we do beleeue First because of Gods commandement Psal 119.4 Thou hast commanded that we should keepe thy precepts diligently Leu. 19.2 Be ye holy for I am holy This is the will of God 1. Thes 4.3 euen your