life plotted by all the Nobles of Persia by an irreuocable decree cease off to pray as he was wont to doe three times a day and yet was he not as men religiously affected now are tearmed a good plain simple man one of Gods fooles of a good meaning but of no great witte for by Ezechiel the Prophet hee was called the wise Daniell Indeede he imployed not wholly his wisedome after the world as men now doe hee suffered religion to haue in him the rule which men in these daies haue least regard of Hee would not be politick to lose the peace of a good conscience which carnall men for honour and wealth care not to make shipwrack of If these examples be of no force to perswade men to thinke that wee can neuer be religious enough nor ouer-precise so wee keepe within the compasse of the word for a warrant let them consider the Lord Iesus who was without sinne vncapable of euill prone to all goodnes yet did hee addict himselfe to holy exercises praying whole nights thorow then assuredly ought we to doe much more then wee doe yea more then we can should we doe and as much as we can is too little for when we haue done all that yet still are we vnprofitable seruants For the world we thinke wee doe We keepe no measure in earthly things neuer enough to satisfie our wils or our selues in wilfull pleasures wee iudge it not amisse to keepe no measure delight draweth vs to spend much time to bee at much cost yet nothing too much nothing too deare â—ustfull appetites set vs to labour both long and tedious yet to attaine the purpose proposed we can endure the paines in a word nothing after our corruption is at any time beyond that which is meete where Will ruleth and the heart delighteth there nothing for that is vntunable nothing vnmeasurable though in superstition setting vp of Idols Israelites will giue their earerings appoint a day for cost and expenses because they will haue a golden calfe Papists practise herein doth shewe this plaine they go farre on pilgrimage they burthen themselues with infinit number of prayers they are at great cost to maintaine many Priests and many orders of their religion they night and day ty themselues to their taske thrice a weeke they fast many daies in a yeare they keepe after their fashion holie and doe striue to doe more then euer God commanded that they might merit And shall the pure religion of Christ the truth of God be held so little worth as wee wickedly should imagine that wee therein can doe too much that we may therein be too holy Surely these enemies of God this antichristian generation shall rise vp in iudgement against vs except religion be of more precious accompt we better in practise and cease to be so too too prophane as too many be whom the Lord God of heauen amend in his due time Amen To make your calling election sure THere are diuerse ends of our vertuous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Firmam vel certam rataÌ„ vestram vocationeÌ„ electionem faccre Eight ends of good workes liuing in religion To shew our loue and thankfulnesse to God in obedience to winne such as are not yet called to confirme the conuerted to stop the mouthes of the wicked shaming them by wel doing when they speake ill of vs to make our calling and election sure as the Apostle here exhorteth to assure to our selues that inward graces in vs are true and not counterfait to shew that we are truly ingrafted into Christ and lastly for the mutuall benefit one of another for our quiet peaceableness in the Church and Common-wealth These ends of good workes wee finde in the word these we acknowledge know to be attained by well liuing but that popish point of good workes wee may not approue to doe good workes to merit heauen by in any sort a deuise of man without the word It taketh away Many reasons against iustification by works from the sufficiency of Christs satisfaction it lifteth vp the heart of man in the imagination of his owne worthines it is contrary to Christs words When you haue done all you can you are vnprofitable seruants The godly are commended for good workes but not said thereby to merit rewarded they are but it is onely in mercy our best deedes are imperfect so farre as wee rely vpon workes of the lawe so farre are we accursed and haue lost righteousnes by faith in Christ before God we staÌ„d iust in Christs iustice the forme of our iustification is the imputation of Christs righteousnes or the mutuall donation and acception the giuing and receiuing of Christ Iesus betweene God in his mercie and a poore sinner by faith Our goodnes is a menstruous cloth and none wholly sanctified in perfection In Adam we lost our spirituall life In Christ and by him only and alone wee purchase our primarie happines but not perfectly till wee be in heauen in our owne persons Accursedly blinde therefore as beetles are our Antichristian aduersaries who hauing so many ends of good workes prescribed plainely by the Word yet cannot see them but haue added one of their owne against all truth against the honour of Christ yea and a mans owne saluation And thus much to preuent the aduersarie in his heresie of merit by workes of which wee had occasion to speake both from the Apostles scope vrging to a vertuous life by the argument here laid downe the gaining of assurance of saluation thereby as also from the diuerse reading of this text for in some copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is thus To make sure by good works your calling and election and so it is in the vulgar which is commoÌ„ly called Ieromes translation which may well stand with the drift of the text and truth of diuinity in this point as that very reason added to this exhortation sufficiently confirmeth Let the aduersarie peruert good things as he pleaseth veritie is warrantable Words of good workes sound well euer to religious mindes though peruerse spirits wrest them heretically to an ill end But to proceede Two generall lessons may be collected from this matter of the exhortatioÌ„ Doctrine First that it is no easie thing to be in our selues sure of our saluation and setled in the way of life because the Apostle vrgeth vs to so great diligence care and endeauour about it which if it were easie needed not Light things aske not much labour easie things are soone done and wisedome requireth not to be much about a little therefore in that whereunto the spirit presseth with such reason vrgeth with so earnest an exhortation as here there is difficultie to attaine thereunto it is not easie And for proofe of this doctrine let vs weigh I beseech you how hard a thing it is to enter How this doctrine is confirmed into the way to abide in it being entred how easie to
so liue eternally Amen Your calling and election sure Doctrine YOur calling that is which you haue tasted of by the ministry preaching of Gods word giue all diligence to make it sure see it be not vocall but effectuall not a calling to an externall profession but to an internall sanctification blossoming forth in good workes Make this sure but doe you aske how How to make our calling sure by good workes that is by knowing feeling and euer retaining such graces as are Gods good workes wrought in a man effectually called at the time of his conuersion The true knowledge of By knowledge the Lord Iesus is a worke of God in a mans conuersion Act. 9. 5. 18 who openeth the eies of the blinde turneth men Ier. 31. 33 from Satan to God from darknes to the light Act. 26. 18 True sight of sinne with humiliatioÌ„ for the same is an other HumiliatioÌ„ when certaine were conuerted they saw their sinnes confessed them left them Act. 2. 37. and. 19. 18. Faith in the Lord Iesus is an other the first grace of one truly standing in the state of grace for he is not by the word called effectually that beleeueth not faithfully for hearing bringâ— beleeuing and such as are Rom. 10 14 called of God beleeue in the sonne Ioh. 8. 30. Act. 8. 37 After this followeth a plyable hart to obey God the stony heart remoued in stead thereof God giueth a heart of flesh yielding subiection to God his word and spirit Eze. 36. 26. 27. This will make Paul going to persecute ignorant of Christ after one question made and answered Who art thou Lord I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Act. 9. in the next place to say Lord what wilt thou that I doe not making any more resistance This made Dauid ready to do any thing willingly at Gods bidding yea and it causeth vs humbly to condiscend to his good pleasure and say with Ezechias The word of the Lord is good with Ely It s the Lord let him do what seemeth him good and alwaies with Iesus Christ Father not my wâ—â—â—ut thy will be fulfilled Lastly the Vnion with Christ Lord worketh an vnion of hart spirit with other in Christ * â—er 32. 40 wherby it coÌ„meth to passe that we do conioine in one together one with another thus Act. 2 42 the church is set forth in that verse are 8 graces of the Church their constancy in this word they coÌ„tinued in the next word The eight graces of the Church daily their seruencie with one acord their vnitie in the Temple their audacitie in other words following their charity familiarity alacrity sincerity vnto which by the voice of Christ they were called and wherewith we must be endued and therein continue else we cannot make our calling sure Vse Therfore such as remaine in blindnes such as are not humbled for sins neuer came to the sight of them neuer sorrowed or sought for pardon for theÌ„ but liue in their lusts loden themselues with iniquity such as giue not credyt to the word of God beleeue not his faithfull messengers such as be obstinate stubborne refusing the easie yoke of Christ or to draw with the godly therin but rather mocke at holy exercises raile on such as desire to please God endeuor to bring trouble vniustly vpon them these though they be come to externall bare profession yet sithen they are not come to reformation by their calling they cannot bee sure that they are saued they may liue in the Church but yet are none of it tares they be but none of the Lords wheat they are in that number of the many called but not of the fewe that shall bee saued they are like the guest comming in without his wedding garment whom the Lord one day will command to bee bound hand and foote and to be cast into vtter darkenes where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Calling and election In the order of Exposition causes election is before vocation for therefore are we called because wee are elected Rom. 8. but in searching out our saluation according to the work wroght vpon vs and the same felt in vs calling must be before election so is it in iustification and sanctification that is before this if we note the cause and effect but this must wee finde in vs before the other for our owne assurance sanctified we be in our owne persons but iustified onely in Christs righteousnes Election is secret in God and by effectuall vocation knowne and reuealed to vs and the first sensible worke of GOD vpon vs touching soules safety God commeth forward beginning in and from himselfe to doe vs good wee to find this must goe backward from within our selues by sanctification to iustification by vocation to election and thence conclude our eternall saluation Therefore Esay 43. 1. is it that here the holy Ghost hath thus set downe the words and the like else where The wisedome of God doth nothing without iust cause he breaks not order as ignorant of order neither sets downe matter as mistaken but euer to teach vs from thence somewhat which by the help of Gods spirit we vnderstaÌ„ding may further to saluation Doctrine From this order first wee learne how to make sure our election if wee haue made sure our vocation There is no doubt of the former where wee make certaine the latter and hee that cannot finde himselfe called cannot possibly be truly perswaded that he is one of the elect for he hath not the next and immediate worke of God following election going before iustification Vse Therfore to know our election watch for our Rom. 8. 30. calling follow the meanes the ministry and preaching of Gods word the ordinary means to bring men to Christ It pleaseth him by the foolishnes thereof to 1 Cor. 1. 21. Rom. 1. 16 saue them that beleeue It is the power of God to saluation where this is carelesly neglected such shall finde no other means to be saued and such as persecute it may feare iustly to be damned Sythen our election is made sure by our calling and our calling confirmed to vs as is said I neede not say more of this yet because the word affordeth vs more marks to settle our selues in better assurance a word thereof or two also Our election is further made sure by Markes of election other markes of the elect if we find them in vs they euer remain vpoÌ„ vs which is to be sanctified 1. Pet. 1. 2 fruitfull in good things Iohâ—â— 16 sequestred from the world Ioh. 17. 6. 15. 19 a note which is notto be loued of the meÌ„ of the world perseuerance Ioh. 15. 16 following after Christ Ioh. 10. 28 without departing from him 1. Ioh. 2. 19 loue to the godly 1. Ioh. 3. 14 faith in Gods promises and a holy reuerence to Gods ordinaÌ„ces his word and sacraments and he that
gluttonie which who-so doth shall not inherite life In the second of Timothie 3. 2. 3. 4. 5. are reckoned vp nineteene sorts of the 2. Tim. 3. 2. 3 4. 5. Niâ—eteene sorts of vngodly wicked and vngodly who will rise vp in the last daies when times shall be perillous louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankfull vnholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them which are good traytors headie hye minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shewe of godlinesse but haue denyed the power thereof from whom such as truly professe Christ must turne away In the Reuelations 21. 8. there are eight sortes threatned with the second death and Reu. 21. 8. Eight sorts to be tormented in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Fearefull vnbeleeuing abhominable murtherers whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and lyers The spirit saith Reuelations 21. 20 None defiled shall enter into heauen But our sauiour in Mark. 7. 21. Mark 7. 21 22. are 14. 22. whereto ad Math. 15. 19 telleth vs of foureteene euils which defile a man Euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers thefts couetousness wickedness deceipts vncleannesse a wicked eie backbiting pride foolishnes false testimonies and slaunders And therefore such shall not inherit the kingdome of God and of Christ These six be the chiefest places Sixtie and od distinct sins mentioned in six places in all the newe testament setting forth so many particular vicious persons hate ful sinnes wherein albeit in some the same be againe repeated yet in all there be distinct and seuerall in number three score and odde besides other sinnes mentioned in seuerall places elsewhere which without repenting of and forsaking depriue men of life and saluation If any of vs yet blesse our selues in our hearts hearing so plainly these things then consider what the Lord saith to such Deut. 29. 20. Great and fierce is the wrath of God against such a one Maâ—ke and coÌ„sider thou that readest presume not First he saith plainly that he will not be mercifull vnto him secondly that his wrath and his iealousie shall smoke against that man thirdly that euery curse written in the booke shall light vpon him as if the curses in the former chapter mentioned aboue forty and three were too few to plague such a presumptuous Catiffe but all the curses in the booke must light vpon him and lastly the Lord will roote out his name from vnder heauen and separate him vnto euil out of all the tribes of Israel What is this but to depriue him of the coÌ„munion of saincts and to pronounce sentence of damnation against him in the last day O therfore thou that hearest consider as some that haue heard it If Gods truth herein may be taken for truth with thee if the anger of God may preuaile to feare thee if the fierce-wrath of God may terrifie thee if all the curses in Gods booke denounced may worke any dread in thee hope not vainly of mercy whilst thou liuest vnrepentant of any sinne let not conceipt of pardon make thee put farre from thee the euil day for surely else in one sinne thou shalt bee punished and thine end confusion marke vnderstand and pray Ye doe The condition is if wee doe Doctrine these things not heare learne professe them doing is that which hath with God approbation after our deedes shall we be rewarded Rom. 2. 6. Math. 16. 27. 2. Cor. 5. 10. Math. 25. 35. 42. Vse Therfore let vs hope well if we be doers here is approued the reading in the exhortation make your calling and election sure by good vvorkes for the reason of assurance here is from deedes If ye doe these things that is If ye shew the fruits of these eight Christian vertues in good works ye shall neuer fall This is seriously to be noted for that most thinke to haue eternall life and yet are no doers of these things but vpon false euidences claime a right in that which without good workes they shall neuer enioy For as assurance here is vpon condition that we be doers so there is nothing otherwise approued though wee doe bring in many things to perswade Eighteene deceiue able euideÌ„ces which men presume to clame heauen by without good workes vs otherwise 1 Thou art baptised what then Neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but the keeping of the commandements 1. Cor. 7. 19 but a nevv creature Gal. 6. 15. 2 Thou art a hearer what of this Not the hearers but the doers of the Lavv shall be iustified Rom 2. 13. He that heareth doeth not is a foole Math. 7. 26 deceiueth himselfe â—ames 1. 22. Thou knovvest the vvil of God neuer a whit better without obedience thou shalt be beateÌ„ vvith many stripes Luke 12. 47. thou increasest thy sinne Ia. 4. 17. and the scripture saith Hee that saith hee knoweth me keepeth not my coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts is a lyer there is no truth in him Thou beleeuest so do the diuels and more also they feare treÌ„ble which thou dost not so art worse then a diuell but if thou hast faith shew it by thy works Iam. 2. 8 els its dead and thou a dry tree for the fire Thou louest God then hearken This is the loue of God that we keepe his coÌ„mandements 1. Ioh. 5. 3. Thou hopest yet well but without cause at all for he that hath this hope in him purgeth himself as he is pure 1. Iohn 3. 3 Thou fearest God then thou must ad with Eccle. 12. 12. Salomon to it feare God keep his coÌ„mandements for they are neuer separated Thou dost profess Christ the Lord so did the diuels but Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord lord shal enter inâ—o the kingdome of Mat. 7. 21 heauen but he that doth the wil of my father which is in heaueÌ„ Thou canst preach a souÌ„ding brasse tinkling Cymball without workes many will say in the day of the Lord that they haue prophecied and cast out diuels yet as workers of iniquitie God will reiect them send them packing with diuels Mat. 7. 23. Thou vsest to pray but where no practise is there is but hypocrisie Let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 3. 19 else may we call but God will not heare vs. Isai 1. 15. Thou happily dost fast but it is no fast that God requireth without obedience Isa 58. 6. 7. Thou commest orderly to the Church more of fashion then of sincerity without doing Gods will God requireth it not at thine hands to treade in his courts whilst thou liuest vnreformed â—â—ai 1. 12. Thou makest the house of God a denne of theeues Ier. 7. 10 11. Thou payest duely tithes and offerings and obseruest the appointed daies to keepe them holy Without subiection to Gods will and commandement he is wearied with theÌ„ he cannot suffer
them and to thy selfe they are iniquity Isa 1. 13. Thou hast often good motions and flashes making thee wish well to thy selfe so had did Balam that wicked wisard Thou hast more then so Thou canst be moued to weepe now and then so could Saule 1. Sam. 24. 17 and Esau found no place to repentance though hee sought the blessing with teares Heb. 12 17. Thou canst bow at the name of Iesus and often be made sad by the word and canst in countenance and gesture carry thy selfe religiously So Diuels did fall downe and worship Christ Felix he at the word trembled and Ahab humbled himselfe before the Lord. 1. King 21 27. 29. Scribes and Pharises looked sad and were in shew full of grauitie holiness Iudas did shewe reuerence to Christ and said Haile master yet Diuels are damned spirits Felix a heathen miscreant Ahab an accursed Idolater who had sold himselfe to worke wickedly in the sight of the Lord Scribes and Pharisees notorious hypocrites and sworne enemies of Christ and Iudas was a diuell and a traytor And therfore it s not bowing nor becking nor lookeing sowrely vpon the matter neither any gesture or fawning fashions that can without holy obedience make men perswade themselues truly of their happynesse Thou dost speake vvell of God and his ministers praise them and commend them as they deserue So did the Herodians commend Christ with most high commendations Mark 12. 14. so as they could not speake better So did the Pythonist so commend Act. 16. Paule and Barnabas as no man can say more of the worthiest seruants of God nor more truly yet the one sorte Christ his enemies and the other possessed with a diuell Good words then cannot go away with it wee may like Sermons now and then wee may commend the preachers of Gods word and yet be out of the state of grace to conclude Thou musest of thy good meaning though thou dost amisse but remember Vzza had 2. Sā 6. 7. no ill meaning To saue the arke from falling yet against Gods word for which it cost him his life Meane well but let the word rule thee and liue thereafter and then doubt not to finde peace for euer Vse This I haue vrged thus much first to pull downe the presumption of common and time seruing protestants and secondly against the Papists who doe say we allow not good workes but do make our religion a religion of liberty of faith without workes Doing The word is in the time present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrine Exod. 3. to shew that onely present doers may looke for a blessing God is I am not I was or wil be so must wee all bee now that which wee ought to be Psal 15 the question pronounced in the first verse Lord who shall dwel in thy tabernacle Psal 15. who shall rest in thy holy hill the answere is made in the time present he that walketh worketh speaketh to shew that such as is in the verse 5 shall neuer be moued This serues to reproue two sortes of Vse of reproofe against backslyders persons first such as haue done wel men of the time past but haue falne away frō that which they were these are hopeless of heauen except they returne againe because they haue lost that which shold giue them assurance Well doing also for that the scripture saith that such can looke for nothing but vengeance Heb. 6. 10. Therefore if we haue left off either in whole or in part let vs returne to our first loue else wee shall neuer be able to Reue. 2 5 answere it for what do wee dislike that maketh vs not either at all religious or not so much as we haue ben the Author Nothing in religion should cause vs to leaue it that is God the euerliuing God matter that is Iesus Christ verity holiness vertue maner that is in spirit truth the end that is Gods glory our eternal sasafety wee therefore haue no cause from religion it selfe to leaue it but the cause must be found to be either the diuell as in Iudas or in the world as in Demas or the cursed corruption of our flesh as in Salomon that hath drawne vs away from God to the Diuell from heauen to the earth from the spirit to the flesh a madde and miserable exchange neither let any of vs dreame to bee better for that we haue beene except wee be as we ought For the righteousness of Eze. 33. 12 the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of his transgression They that forsake the Ier. 17. 13 Lord shall bee confounded they that depart from him shall be vvritten in the earth Dogs are such as returne to their vomit 2. Pet. 2. and swine to wallow againe in the mire It will not serue Iudas turne to say I was an Apostle no◠Demas that he was a disciple nor Iehu that hee had a zeale for the Lord God of hoasts nor Ioash that he was a good king for a time for then would Sathan shuffle in amongst the rest hope to haue a share might say Lord let me haue entrance for I was an Angell in heauen and so neuer were any of them Brethren know this If our lamps light goe out before the bridegroome come wee may call the gates being shut but the Lord will say Go ye cursed I know you not Therefore let Heb. 3. 12. vs take heede brethrē least at any time there be in any of vs an euell heart of infidelity to depart from the liuing God Second sort are such as be all for the time to come who haue not yet attained Reproofe to such as deferre off their amēdement to well doing liuing in hope for hereafter youth dreaming to see olde age and then thinke they it is time enough to repent as if it were not said Remember thy creatour in the daies of thy Eccles 12. 1. youth while the euill daies come not nor the yeares approache wherin thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them May we giue the first of our life and best of our yeares to the seruice of Sathan and thinke wee that God will receiue vs in old age when sin hath forsaken vs and not we it old persons suppose to liue yet longer and so deferre off till the last gaspe when the generall sūmoner hath called them vppon their death bed but late and constrayned repentance is seldome true Our time is not when we will but when God doth call heare we must when he Pro◠1. 28 speaketh or else hee will not hearken when we pray The first and best is his due the last worst of vs he iustly may reiect our yielding to his will by his word is voluntarie subiection which he accepteth but to his wil by his work is constrained obedience for feare of destruction which he little regardeth God indeede receiued to mercie the thiefe in the last