continueth herein vnto the end shal be saued Again this order obserued preuenteth Another vse how to preueÌ„t the abuse of that holy doctrine of PredestinatioÌ„ presumption in the doctrine of predestination If I be ordained to a certain end saith the wicked wight and that Gods decree must stand theÌ„ it s no matter how I liue it s all one to serue God or to liue as I like best if I be ordained to be saued I shall not be damned if to daÌ„nation it s in vaine to hope for heauen It is true that Gods decree shall stand but it s a desperat spirits collection to hold therefore that we may liue as we list Election is secret so Gods decree his will vnreuealed whence wee may gather nothing but as the scripture the written word his reuealed will teacheth It auoucheth predestination Gods vnchaÌ„geable decree but it saith Work out your saluation with feare trembling so beareth downe presumption It talketh of reprobation but not to make meÌ„ desperat for touching euery mans self in particular he is to hope the best may say with the king of Niniuie Who can tell if God wil turne and repent and turne away Ionah 3. 9. froÌ„ his fierce wrath that we perish not Euery man in particular by the reuealed will of God is commanded to liue religiously and so bound to beleeue his owne saluation this word are wee to liue after and striue we must to go in at the strait gate hoping to finde passage Math. 7. No man is to iudge himselfe to be damned whilst he here liueth in the way to be saued if hee wilfully refuse not the meanes None will so reason from Gods decree concerning the bodie It is said that mans daies are determined the number Iob. 14. 5. of his monthes are with God that hee hath appointed the bounds which man cannot passe who hereupon will thus resolue then will I be carelesse of my life I will neither eate nor drinke nor vse meanes of life because I cannot liue beyond my appointed time Herein is none so madde but for all this will vse the meanes which God hath appointed to liue by for that his time is kept secret from him and onely knowne to God euen so should we do in this case for our soules vse the meanes to liue for euer so are wee commanded this wee know but whither God hath reiected vs before the end we know not neither may any one herein make search but vnderstand in sobrietie that which is meet obey what is commanded beleeue what is promised and cease to imagined desperately and sinne not presumptuously hope well in the end And so shall wee make sure to ourselues that which is euer certaine and vnchangeable with God this note And thus much for the exhortation the reason followeth For a note of a reason of the exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Enim which goeth before concluded as an vse from the former arguments a graÌ„maticall obseruation in this coÌ„iunction to be well marked there is differeÌ„ce between for therefore both in this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quapropter for sheweth the reason of that which goeth before therfore concludeth somewhat from the antecedent by necessarie consequent The thing chiefly herein to What to be obserued as the doctrine from the Apostles practise be marked is that the Apostle neither exâ—orâ—eth to practise but vpon manifold instructions before neither endeth the vse in the exhortatioÌ„ without shewing also further reason why Thus he guardeth before and behinde his words vrging by reason as did Iohn Baptist and our Sauiour to well doing that so they might take place He well knâ—w mens slownes to practise and that they neede haue good grounds laid before them to build thereon the exhortation to obey and also reasons after to perswade thervnto All of vs naturally affect to know but without loue to doe whence it is that men vnregenerate can run to heare sermons of coÌ„trouersies such as preach by sentences that can now and then satisfie fantasie with some noueltie returne with their mouthes full of praise applauding the person who hath â—ailed happily to presse all to practise and sanctification of life Learning is Gods good gift eloqueÌ„ce a singular blessing wit and memorie rare â—auours to make men amongst men honourable but vnlesse these be employed in the ministry to make men vertuous as the Apostle doth here Saint Paule in his Epistles as the Prophets did and profound I see with his admirable eloquence we may heare learne speake and admire as without obedience so without hope of that heauenly inheritance Vse Therefore let our wit for inuention of reasons our learning to collect sound grounds bee guides to our liberty of speech in vtterance and this gift end in exhortation to good workes and to make men zealous So deale we faithfully the people shall reape benefite and we that preach gaine great comfort by our labours in winning soules which onely we ought to aime at and therein reioice If yee doe these things The conditionall word If in the Original is not expressed nor the person Yee the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec facietâ—s beeing These doing but the person and the condition is necessarily vnderstood and therefore expressed in the translation very fitly which wee following in the diuision of the Text do take as granted implied in the text Doctrine Whence we learne that God so promiseth assurance of saluation as we haue care in vs to liue well and to keepe the condition the one cheareth the heart but least we be wanton the other is added to keepe vs in awe but neuerthelesse here may we not thinke therefore that Gods gift is not free or that it is changeable except we make it sure no such end of the condition GOD first bestoweth freely without any thing on mans pâ—â—t so hee gaue Adam first 〈◊〉 preheminence ouer all his other creatures and placed Gen. 1. 26 him freely in Paradise without any forenamed condition then afterward expresseth he mans duetie to be performed not as a cause procuring or continuing Preuention goodnes but as an effect of loue in harty thankfulnes or as a token and signe by which we may know God to be so long in vs and with vs God promised Christ of his mere good pleasure Adam neuer once desiring noâ— at all deseruing Ioh. 3. 16. that fauourâ— Christ came in the appointed time and was freely giuen for vs of loue in mercie and compassion all this done truely fully and absolutely on Gods part yet after commanded hee the obedience of faith and promiseth saluation with condition of beleeuing Mark 16. 16. on our behalfe not as a cause but as a signe by which men may know to whoÌ„ Christ is freely giuen of the father and in him haue eternall life It is then as if â—eter had said If ye do these things
Many of singular note haue fallen and neuer could returne againe 2. Kings 9 10. gifts of great note in the Church famous for worthy acts haue falne neuer returned againe as appeareth in couragious and valiant Iehu a captaine for the Lord of hostes against the house of Ahab who slew two kings Iehoram and Ahaziah of Iuda and Israell by him was Iezabel cast downe that cursed Queene and the dogs did eat her in the gates of Isreel hee ouerthrew Baall his Priests and temple he was zealous for the Lord and tooke Ionadab to bee a witnesse thereof with him So Demas Col. 4. 14. intertained the Gospell accompanied the Apostle in his afflictions saluted the Saincts and was famous in Churches Ioash long liued religiously he honoured 2. Kin. 12. godly Iehotada and was counselled by him he repaired the Temple and did many things worthy praise Iudas was a follower of Christ three yeares he preached Christ in his name cast out diuels Mat. 10. and was an Apostle one of the twelue chosen by Christ out of all the world yet was not Iehu his heart vpright but he embraced Ieroboams calues and fell from God and claue to his Idolatrie yet did Dâ—mas forsake the Gospell and entertained this present world and no meÌ„tion of his returne againe yet did Ioash fall to Idolatrie and cruelty ouerthrowing Gods worship and persecuting yea murthering his prophets without repeÌ„tance And lastly Iudas became a miserable miscreant a thiefe a traytor and in horrour of mind so desperat as after the fact being hopelesse of mercy he hanged himself Who readeth feareth not who heareth and trembles not we see our beginning is it easie thence to conclude our ending Doe wee see such so qualified so famous men to faâ—â— vtterly shal we presume of a better end without any such tokens of grace Vse By all this which hath beene said it Theâ— are deceiued that think assurance of saluation easily atteined is more then manifest that it is not easie to attaine assurance of saluation It is therefore altogether a fault in such as labor the least in this matter Of the world we feare to want heauen wee make no question of For the body here wee take care and doe vpon euery light occasion distrust fall to shifts in feare of want but for the soule wee make our selues sure that it is well albeit it doth want all the meanes of saluation and we our selues liue in our naturall corruption vnreformed What is this but carnall presumption it commeth from Sathans suggestion A motion from the diuine spirit it is not where this giueth hope of heauen there it moueth to goodnesse this teacheth that the assurance of things aboue after death is beyond reason and therefore more hard to bee attained then things belowe in this life present Many waies are here to make supply for the bodie in earthly things but one way for heauenly Men may bestow vpon thee for this time but God onely for the time to come Thine own labour here may procure thee maintenance and what thou canst not get other may giue thee but no man can redeeme a soule and giue life man must let that alone for euer here wee are led by sense but in the other by faith money can here purchase but onely mercy there man may deserue well of man but nothing can he merit of God We may be superiours amongst men and yet touching the future good of the soule may be worse then beasts Diues may fare deliciously euery day and yet bee so farre from assurance of life as that he is damned at his death All the world may we winne yet lose our owne soules Dauid can tell vs that hee neuer sawe the righteous forsakeÌ„ touching the things of this life but the wicked flourishing yet come to a fearefull end The way is brode and the gate wide that leadeth to destruction and many runne that way but the gate to heauen is straight and the passage narrow leading to life and many seeke it but fewe finde it many set foote in the way few go on any time and of these fewe some turne back againe and a very small number perseuere to the end Of the world wee are and the world will loue her owne but we are vncapable of grace and enemies to goodnes so as God in iustice abhorreth vs. In the world we may liue thogh we haue offended in many things keeping them secret from men and neuer make satisfaction but in an other wee cannot if but one sinne be vnrepented of and God not satisfied and the price of blood payed to redeeme vs by faith in Christ Here offences committed may bee pardoned by many the King not taking notice of them but there is no euill in the soule though neuer so secret but the King of heauen is acquainted with the same and a pardon must be procured from his owne person and by none but by his own sonne else that offendor shall vtterly be condemned and pay the punishment duely for euer according to the trespasse Therefore if all these things be well considered and the weight of the reasoÌ„s seriously weighed we may rather suppose our selues to be deluded by imagination to thinke the assurance of saluation to be so easily attayned then to be the settlednes of our iudgement from a grounded perswasion And thus much for the first lesson Doctrine The second lesson is this that yet there is in this life a true assurance of saluation in a certaine measure to euery one in time ordained to be saued else the Apostle Peter here would not haue exhorted vs to labour for this assurance which the Apostle S. Paule attayned also Rom. 8. 38 vnto in this life which hee publisheth not onely singularly in the behalfe of himselfe but plurally for the rest of all those whom God loueth in Christ Iesus Neither doe I say that it is that fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith but a certaine measure nor at once but by little and little nor to euery professour but to such as are ordained to eternall life And this is effected by How to get assurance By meditation meditation inspiration sanctificatioÌ„ To haue assurance we must meditate of Gods inchangeablenes both in his owne nature Iam. 1. 17. as also in his gifts and calling which are without repentance Rom. 11. 29 we must think vpon Gods euerlasting decree without alteration of his promises made irreuocably with the manner of deliuery in the time present Ioh. 3. 36 He that beleeueth Ioh. 3. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sonne hath euerlasting life to take away doubting and to establish our harts in an assured possession thereof No lesse gaine ariseth by remembring the Lords couenant which hee maketh with his how it is a couenant euerlasting Ier. 32. 40 not for a time and with such as he maketh it he giueth them grace putteth his feare in their
houre this caÌ„not be denyed but yet one onely though there were two one that a true penitent sinner may not despaire but one that vngodly wilfull traÌ„gressours may not presume Many cannot heare the threats of the Law for feare of desperation yet can they willingly run on in sin so perish by presumption By this many millions of thousands haue fallen headlong downe into hell remember what Christ said of Luke 17. 27 28. Sodom the old world but the Scripture mentioneth few that haue gone to destruction by desperation Cain Sauâ—e Achitophel Iudas Dost thou hope to speede as did the good thiefe and why rather dost thou not feare to be like the bad thiefe they both were in one case had the like punishment Christ betweene them and death before theÌ„ nay the worse thiefe had the good thieues rebuke admonition to warne him of his wickedness and to cease to sin yet he had no grace to repent Meanes wil not preuaile in the latter end where God vouch safeth not the gift to amend If thou dost perswade thy selfe that God wil giue thee grace then to repent thou art deceiued if now hee offer grace and thou refuse it At what time so-euer a sinner doth repent from the bottome of his heart at that time will GOD freely forgiue but that time is not when we lift God is not at our beck but the time is at his call To day if ye will heare Heb. 3. Psal 95. his voice harden not your harts to day if we be not ready wee shall be lesse apt to morrowe the longer we continue in sinne the older it is and the more strength it getteth It is not as other things the older the weaker but daily it groweth stronger If we say we can repent when we wil that is not in our power and if it be then if thou dost not repent now and can thou encreasest sin by wilfull transgression and so makest more iust thy deserued damnation Therfore let vs now amend not deferre Conclusion off till he eafter when at death there is no remedie but either to heauen or to hell to God or to the diuell in which case men hardly or neuer finde that coÌ„fort which presumptuously they haue expâ—cted but doe dye as they haue liued in sinne without sense or taste of ioies euerlasting prepared onely for the righteous for Hee that beleeueth in Iohn 3. 36 the sonne hath euerlasting life but he that obeyeth not the sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him These things that is which before he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath mentioned Men do many things some the inuentions of their owne braine some the custome of forefathers some one thing some another but not these things that is which the word teacheth Men do but not what they should doe the perfect rule of righteousnes from which we may not decline to the right hand or to the left neither adding thereto nor taking there from for if wee doe we keepe not our standing we lose our comfort and wander without our guide we know not whither some wholy as Apostaâ—ates some in part persisting obstinately as hereticks some against loue as schismaticks and most as lawlesse for our liues like prophane Esaus will despise our birthrights and sell heauen soules health conscience comfort the words of eternal life for a mease of pottage euen for our momentanie pleasures lusts and liking in this life Many there are which will doe this Men doe some things but not all things thing and that thing these singularly but not these things plurally when a maÌ„ desirous of the assurance of saluation must be studious of euery vertue which helpeth thereunto It is the nature of vertue to loue vertue whence it is that one vertuous man imitateth an other wherein one seeth another to go before him any way One two or few vertues cannot liue where other vertues are either hated or not sought after one dependeth vpon another as links in a chaine and cannot be sundred we may not be like Agryppa almost a Christian for almost is not a Christian neither content our selues with many things as Herod though with gladness whilst we nourish some sinne and be infected but with one notorious vice God will haue all of vs or none of vs though Sathan desireth but any least part he wel knowing that where he hath any thing at all God will haue there nothing at all He that breaketh one of the least of these commandements shal be the least in the Mat. 5. kingdome of God Iames saith He that Iames. 2. breaketh one is guilty of all and one vice is enough to ouerthrowâ—s though wee haue some vertues one sinne of couetousness ouerthrew Iudas the desire of a bribe got Gehezi the leprosie Sampson his lust lost him his strength and eies Caines enuie made him so to sinne as hee became accursed Ismaels mocking cast him forth Esaus prophanenesse lost him his birth-right Ely his indulgency was his breaknecke Michols deryding spirit made her barren and Ananias for hypocrisie was a spectacle of iudgement to others Herod albeit he doe many things yet will haue his Herodias his beloued sinne still for enioying whereof wee are content to leaue other vices I Wee will leaue any sin to keepe our beloued sin will saith the boone companion doe any thing and let me bee but drunke And I saith the carnall caitiffe and let mee but satisfie my lust bee wanton liue in dalliance and commit filthynesse And I saith the couetous man and let mee gaine goods and wealth And I saith the proud man and yield me honour little knowing that such a maister-sinne is not without his many attendants It ruleth but the other haue their power to which the miserable is also in bondage vnwittingly for we must know that no one vice wil be singled out from his fellowes but if one get head other haue gone before as harbengers and other waite and followe after as Assistants one breedeth an other and one nourisheth an other continuallie Examples hereof not onely in the wicked who heape sinne vpon sinne as Ioash murther to his Idolatrie Iudas treason to his couetousnesse but euen in the falles of the faithfull children of GOD Dauid his lying in the bed and gazing idlely abroad bred his lust lust adulterie and adultery murther Therefore such as suppose to walke with a partie coloured coate betweene vertue and vice or rather with some vertues and some vices these men yet know not that vertue will dwell alone as God or vice alone they are contraries they neuer can accord in one where vertues are carelesly neglected there no one vertue hath full possession and where any one sinne beareth sway there viciousnesse is Lord master Therefore let vs not doe this or that The meere ciuill honest man is no commendable ChristiaÌ„ vertue for so may we sinisterly but endeuour to doe
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
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