doctrine To put it out of all question that grace is the free gift of God Saint Faul telleth vs 2 Tim. 1. 9. that it was giuen vnto vs before the world was True say the Papists But how thorow Gods foreseeing our workes But this the Apostle confutes in the same verse telling vs that it is not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace Againe in Eph. 1. 5 6. He telleth vs that He predestinated vs to be adopted through IESVS CHRIST vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace Therefore to conclude this point knovv that vvhatsoeuer good thing hath befallen vs or is comming tovvards vs all fauours and mercies exhibited or promised all are of Gods free grace all according to the good pleasure of his vvill the ground of all is vvithin himselfe as Beza well rendreth the vvords Ephes 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teaching vs that no cause present or future without God mooued God to bestowe his grace vpon vs. For if God had not loued vs before vve loued him vvee had neuer been beloued 1. Ioh. 4. 19. If God had not loued vs before we had been amiable fit to be beloued vve had neuer tasted of his loue for he found vs filthy in our bloud Eze. 16. 6. If God had not loued vs before vve had been able to procure or deserue his loue vve had neuer been beloued Rom. 5. 7 8. If vve be at any time able to doe God any seruice it is not we but the grace of God in vs 1. Cor. 15. 10. Or if at any time vve being any thing vnto God we must say as Dauid said 1 Chron. 29. 14. All things O Lord come of thee and of thine owne hands haue wee giuen the. If God respect or reward any seruice of ours what doth hee but crowne his owne gifts The consideration wherof cryes shame in our faces for making the Lord so vvretched a requitall for so free and vndeserued grace Our case was desperate our condition damnable nothing of our owne to bring vs into grace and fauour vvith God only his own goodnesse mooued him to take pittie vpon vs and freely of his grace to instifie vs Rom. 3. 24. How should this knit our hearts vnto the Lord A benefit the more freely it comes the stronger it tyes the receiuer vnto the giuer The Sun shines not more freely vpon vs nay not so freely for that can doe no other it shines by vertue of an higher and commanding power and that order which God hath set Psal 104. 19. then Gods grace is bestowed vpon vs. How should this fill our hearts and tongues with the praises of the Lord Had we the tongues of men and Angels we could not sufficiently expresse his praises for the freenesse of his grace How should this tye vs vnto the Lord and knit our hearts vnto him who hath so abounded in loue vnto vs and that so freely so vndeseruedly Againe here is matter of comfort vnto all deiected and drooping spirits cast downe in the sight and sense of their owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse these should consider that Gods grace is free hee lookes not at any thing in vs in the bestowing of his grace What doest thou thinke thou are vncapable of grace because thou art vnworthy of it This is a meere fallacie Doe not cast away thy confidence because thou seest not in thee that goodnesse thou desirest It is goodnesse enough for thee to bee bad enough in thine owne esteem Be but vile enough base enough bad enough and then thou art good enough to partake of grace Thine emptinesse wil make some way to fulnesse Luke 1. 53. He fils the hungry with good things Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters ye that haue no siluer come buy wine and milke without mony yea or monyes worth all conditions of our own worth and merit are here vtterly excluded Therefore comfort thy selfe and cheere vp thy heart thou poore vnworthy sinner in this that God is most free of his loue though thou hast nothing whereby to deserue any grace from God yet he hath enough in himselfe to moue him to giue to all poore deiected and humble sinners The deuil it may be wil teach thee to put a price vpon Gods wares he will make thee beleeue that thou must haue thus much holinesse or thus much obedience or thus much faith to purchase or procure the loue of God as if we had grace from God by way of exchange we being thus and thus qualified but I tell thee that thou must come to God with a bare naked hand with a poore emptie soule else thou art vncapable of his grace Me thinkes this should vphold poore soules that faint and are ready to sinke vnder the waight and burden of their sinnes mourning like Rahel and will not be comforted casting away their hope and confidence yea and forsaking their owne mercy by waiting vpon lying vanities Ion. 2. 8. Whereby they doe not only rob God of the glory of his grace but euen defraud their owne soules of comfort through slauish feare and vnbeleefe Hath not the Lord made a generall inuitation calling to the throne of grace all hungring thirsting and mourning soules that so they might partake of his wine and milke Yea that they may receiue mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 16. If God hath giuen thee but a heart to desire grace thou hast a warrant to beleeue that God will freely bestow it vpon thee For he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him He also will heare their cry and will saue them Psal 145. 19. I tarry the longer vpon this point for the comfort of those poore ignorant fearefull and vnbeleeuing soules whose consciences speaking bitter things against them passe the sentence of death vpon themselues as vncapable of any grace because they are guilty of these and these sinnes If they were thus thus qualified they say they should haue some hope that God would be good vnto them but know thou poore deluded soule that no mans goodnesse is the ground of Gods loue vnto him no no it is Gods loue is the cause of our goodnesse Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen vs that we should be holy Holinesse is not the cause but the effect of Gods louing vs. Thou must be in Christ before euer thou canst bee good or haue any inclination vnto goodnesse for as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Vine Iohn 15. 4. no more can we vnlesse we be in Christ It followes Whereby he accepteth of vs in Christ This truth is euidenced by diuers places of Scripture Ioh. 1. 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ So Ephes 1. 5 6. Hee hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through him
God through Iesus Christ c. For is God the God of Paul only Is his grace sufficient only for Paul or some few other specially beloued indowed with supereminent graces Is he not also our helpe our strength hee that yeelds sufficiencie of grace to euerie poore sinner that trusteth in his goodnesse beleeueth in his promise Surely yes for the Lord is nigh vnto all that call vpon him hee also will heare their cry and will helpe them Psal 145. 18 19. Secondly this may wonderfully comfort vs against the outward crosse as well as the inward tentation The way to heauen we know is not strowed with rushes and violets but beset with thorns a rough narrow and troublesome way whereupon many of Gods childrē are disheartned and are ready to faint vnder the crosse when it lyes any thing heauie vpon them If these had eyes to see and hearts to consider of the excellency and sufficiency of grace which makes vs willing to vndergoe whatsoeuer the Lord will lay vpon vs well content with the Lords ordering and disposing of vs they would reioice in heauinesse and be comforted against the crosse It may be thou thinkest thy troubles are such as thou shalt neuer bee able to ouercome therfore art ready euen to faint vnder thē and giue ouer in the plain field Oh but consider the excellencie of grace wherewith the Lord hath hitherto supported thee in thy afflictions Hath not God said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Hath he not said My grace shall be sufficient for thee What though thou beest plunged into a gulfe of sorrow through manifold afflictions which haue befallen thee so that for a season thou art in heauinesse through them yet through the power of grace thou shalt be able to hold vp thy head from sinking yea to reioyce in the end with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. What though the Deuill swell rage against thee What though his wicked instruments doe combine and bandie themselues against thee seeking to spoile thee of all outward and inward comfort What though thy neerest and dearest friends doe now turne away their faces from thee yea hate and abhorre thee as an out-cast alien Let Dauids comfort be thine who being in great sorrow because of the rage of the people which intended to stone him comforted himselfe in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. So doe thou comfort thy selfe in the grace of God Hath he bestowed his loue vpō thee Hath he giuen thee of his grace Though thy outward calamities be neuer so many neuer so great though thine enemies be neuer so mighty neuer so powerfull yet stronger is he that is in thee than he that is in the world 1 Ioh. 4. 4. If God grace thee what though all the world should cast the dung of reproch in thy face to disgrace thee If he loue thee his loue is better than life and he will keepe thee from taking infection or hurt from the rage and malice of all the world that hate thee Last of all the consideration of that which hath beene spoken concerning the excellencie of Grace may comfort thee against the dregs and reliques of corruption and the remnants of the old man yet abiding in thee which it may be doe so perplex thy soule and wound thy conscience that thou gronest vnder this pressure and cryest out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Know thy condition is no other no worse than the best of Gods children who so long as they liue in this earthly tabernacle do carry about them the remainder of sin which wil defile their best actions oft blemish their profession yea grieue Gods holy Spirit and make their heauenly Father offended with thē yet comfort thy selfe and bee assured that though corruption may vex and molest thee it shall neuer subdue nor vanquish thee because of the grace of God abiding in thee For sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for ye are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Rom. 6. 14. It is a good signe there is life where wounds do bleed smart the griefe of thy soule for sin argues the life of grace abiding in thee for those that are dead in sins feele no smart are not grieued with corruption Sin is not ponderous in the heart and cōscience of gracelesse persons because it is in its proper elemēt place where it is welcomed and entertained where it liues and raignes Therfore if at any time thou feelest as which of Gods childrē feel not a rebellious law in thy mēbers rebelling against the law of thy minde and carrying thee into the practice of such euils as thou hatest and hast vowed against let not this perplex thy soule as if grace had forsaken thee because it is no better with thee but collect thy spirits call vpon grace and say Where art thou my friend my guide my hope my help stand by me and strengthen me against corruption which is too strong for me if thou help me not I am vndone I tell thee for truth for I know what I say to be true that by the vertue and strength of grace a poore distressed soul cleauing to the groūd abhorring its selfe and lying at the very brinke of despaire ready to be swallowed vp of Death and Hell consulting and resoluing to try whether hell torments or the hellish pangs of an afflicted conscience were more tolerable I say a poore soule in such a desperate condition hath by the strength of grace beene brought back from death to life and as it were from hell to heauen receiued new or reuiued againe its old comfort beene at defiance with sin and Satan challenged Hell and Death and bid them doe their worst saying Who shall separate me from the loue of God c. Therefore yeeld not either to thine owne corruptions or Satans tentations though they haue got thee on the hip giuen thee the foile Set speedily vpon the repairing of grace and making vp those breaches which sinne hath made in thy soule conscience A good husband as hee hath a care to keepe his house wind-tite and water-tite so if through the violence of any storme or tempest any thing be blowne down or rent he speedily sets vpon the repairing of it lest through negligence delayes things grow worse and worse euen so deales euery good man with his own soule if any thing be amisse or out of order he lets not all runne to ruine but speedily sets vpon the repairing and amending of that which is any way weakened in him Now vnto him that is able to keepe you that yee fall not and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory that is To God only wise our Sauiour bee Glory and Maiestie and Dominion and Power both now and for euer Amen FINIS Grace how taken in Scripture Iam. 1. 17. Grace
himselfe from his children for diuers ends 177 First to shew vs our weaknesse 178 Secondly to humble vs. ibid. Thirdly to make vs more watchfull 179 Fourthly to bring vs closer to God 180 Fifthly that wee might pitie others fallen ibid. Sixthly that we may loue the Lord the better for restoring of vs. 181 Thirdly a gracious heart obeyes willingly and cheerefully 183 Fourthly he obeyes sincerely 185 Motiues to obedience 190 Reasons of the Doctrine GRace giues content to the heart 199 Grace inables vs to hold vp our heads in the time of affliction 203 Grace helpes vs to liue godly 205 Grace brings in outward and temporall benefits 208 Grace makes vp decayes in nature 217 Grace giues vs a sanctified vse of all those things we partake of 221 Grace paues a way to glorie 222 No falling from Grace 226 First in regard of Gods promise 228 Secondly in regard of Gods attributes 229 Thirdly in regard of the all-sufficiencie of Christ 233 Fourthly in regard of the nature and â—â—fice of Gods Spirit being Gods Seale and earnest 234 Grace may be cooled 241 Symptomes of declining in Grace FIrst an inordinate appetite to things that are hurtfull 243 Secondly an abating of our spirituall taste ibid. Thirdly if wee digest not the Word as of old 244 Fourthly if there bee a cold and drowsie performance of holy duties 245 The want of Grace a wofull thing 247 Labour for Grace 255 Striue to grow in Grace 260 That we may grow in Grace we must first pluck vp such weeds as ouer-grow and choake it 262 Pride 263 Selfe-confidence or securitie 265 In-sinceritie want of vprightnesse of heart 269 The cares of the world and deceitfulnesse of riches hinder the growth of Grace 271 All noysome lusts doe hinder the growth of Grace 274 The society of the wicked hinders the growth of Grace 276 Helpes to grow in Grace FIrst keepe the heart soluble 280 Secondly vse the society of the godly 281 Thridly be oft in hearing and reading 282 Fourthly Exercise Grace let it not be idle 285 Fifthly bee oft and earnest in prayer 286 Signes of our growth in Grace FIrst if we more and more dislike sinne 290 Secondly if we more and more delight in Gods ordinances 291 A difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in their taste of Gods Word 295 Grace will carry vs through inward tentations 297 Grace will comfort vs against crosses 302 Grace will help vs against corruption 306 The end of the Contents Errata PAge 22. line 17. for being reade bring p. 73. l. 12. for rescued r. rescue p. 79. l. 10. for haue r. saue p. 82. l. 1. leaue out in p. 116. l. 3. for Therefore r. Secondly p. 216. l. 3. r. in a wrong tenure p. 233. l. 6. for preserue r. present p. 242. l. 9. r. it liueth p. 270. in the margin for Phil. r. Psal p. 285. l. 17. for approuement r. improuement p. 295. l. 8. for wickeds r. wicked A TOVCHSTONE of Grace HEBR. 13. 25. Grace be with you all IT is not my purpose to spend many words about the Author or authority of this Epistle which are questioned by some and controuerted by others Lest I should seeme to trifle out the time with matter of no great importance Although the Author cannot speake for himselfe to claime his right or to vindicate that wrong which hee hath sustained yet the matter of the Epistle speakes sufficiently for its Author and authority Why should any question the Author when it beares Saint Pauls Ensigne and marke though not his name Great wisdome there was in concealing of his name the want whereof is no sound argument to proue it was not Pauls for then by the same reason we may say that it had no Author because it hath no Owner no name put vnto it And as for its authoritie me thinkes it should be out of question the matter thereof being so heauenly so liuely setting out the offices of Christ so soundly prouing him to be the promised Messias the only Prophet and Archbishop of his Church The words which I haue read vnto you are the ordinary salutation and farewell which Saint Paul vseth in all other his Generall Epistles the sense and meaning whereof I will giue you in a few words Grace in Scripture hath well-nigh twentie seuerall acceptations I will acquaint you with some of the principall Sometimes it is taken for the free and vndeserued loue and fauor of God electing and calling of vs 2 Tim. 1. 9. Hee hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his purpose and grace Somtimes it is taken for the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse Rom. 5. 17. Much more shall they which receiue the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse c. Heere grace standeth in opposition vnto the guilt of Adams sinne and so is taken for Iustification Sometimes grace is taken for the guidance direction and operation of Gods Spirit in vs as Rom. 6. 14. Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace where it may be taken for Sanctification Sometimes Grace is taken for the blessed estate of Gods children after they be iustified and sanctified Rom. 5. 2. By whom we haue accesse through Faith vnto this grace wherein we stand Sometimes grace is taken for the practice of piety 2 Pet. 3. 18. Grow in Grace And sometimes it is taken for glory the perfection of grace 1 Pet. 1. 13. Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought vnto you at the reuelation of Iesus Christ Here grace cannot well bee vnderstood of any thing else but glory And glory may very well bee termed grace in two respects First because it comes through grace Ephes 2. 8. And secondly because by grace we come to haue some assurance of glory 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace But grace in this place is taken for the free loue and fauour of God to man-wards together with all those benefits spirituall eternall which doe flow from thence as Adoption Regeneration Remission of sinnes Iustification and Sanctification all which doe properly come vnder this terme Grace From whence we may lay this foundation vpon which we intend God assisting to build our ensuing discourse to wit that seeing Paul wisht grace vnto the Hebrewes and all others vnto whom hee wrote aboue and before all other things The chiefest good which we can wish one to another or can receiue and be made partakers of is Grace No doubt if any thing could haue beene more beneficiall or necessary vnto the Hebrewes he would haue wished it vnto them but seeing he begins and ends this and other his Epistles with this prayer Grace be with you we may safely conclude that Paul esteemed Grace to be the best good which he could wish them or they par take of Long and large disputes haue
What no accusation in that black and terrible day lyable against thee All sinnes done away through his free grace O the deepenesse of the riches of his mercy How vn-vtterable is his goodnesse What wilt thou render vnto the Lord for his vnspeakable grace How should this inflame thy heart with the loue of God as Luk. 7. 47 Such as doe not heartily loue the Lord may feare they haue no part no share in his rich grace Vnthankfulnesse is a grieuous sinne and that which moues the Lord I am perswaded many times to hide away the ioy and comfort of the pardon of their sins from many of his children How ready are many if they be but a little crossed in some petty matter to swell and hang the lip yea with a little helpe could be perswaded to quarrell and be angry with the Lord as Ionas was If we fall short of our hopes in some good thing we haue promised to our selues or if God cut vs short of some outward comforts lent vnto vs what grumbling and repining is there against the wisedome and righteousnesse of our good God All sense of his infinite loue in forgiuing an infinite debt vnto vs is swallowed vp wee haue little ioy in it and God hath as little thankes from vs for it whereas better lose all the world than misse this grace for as Mat. 16. 20. What will it profit a man to gaine the whole world and lose his soule which doth perish without it partake of the grace of God It followes Giues vs his Spirit here This necessarily followes as Sanctification succeeds Iustification Ezek. 36. 25. I will powre cleane water vpon you and ye shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse Here is our Iustification Then followes in the next verse A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit wil I put within you And againe the 27. verse I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and do them Which words imply our Sanctification Gods Spirit is made manifest in vs by our walking in Gods Commandements which wee can neuer doe to any purpose vntill by the Spirit corruption be deaded and grace inviued in vs. Grace in the child of God workes in him more and more sanctificatiō through the Spirit that is a cleansing of our selues daily frō all filthinesse and neuer can we haue any euidence of the truth of grace as shall be made more plaine hereafter or of our iustification but by our sanctification vntill we see sinne purged we may not thinke that it is pardoned for whomsoeuer Christ frees from the damnation of sin he doth also deliuer from the dominion of sin From hence then we may be assured of the presence and abode of Gods Spirit in vs which whoso hath not partakes not of grace is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. is none of Gods Gal. 4. 6. Because yee are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts If the Spirit of God hath taken vp its abode in thee all the house shall fare the better for it it will worke a holy change in thee it will make thee a new creature changing thy thoughts words and workes from euill vnto good For as euery creature in nature hath a facultie to produce its kinde Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 6. 16. No Thornes produce thornes so a sanctified a gracious heart brings forth fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse fruits agreeable to the nature of the Spirit If the holy Spirit of God once takes footing in the heart of a man as the Idoll Dagon fell downe as soone as the Arke of God was brought neere vnto it so down goes Satans throne a man is no longer a slaue to his base lusts no longer vnder the bondage of any one sinne For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedome and libertie freedome from the slauery of any corruption freedome from the bondage of any ruling sinne And last of all eternall life hereafter Rome 6. 23. The gift of God is eternall life So 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath giuen vs euerlasting saluation and good hope through grace Thus haue I presumed through your patience to tarry a while vpon the explanation of the definition of that grace which is the fountaine and well-head from whence all grace is deriued vnto vs. Now to proceed in the vnfolding of the Differences betwixt true and counterfeit grace The first difference as hath beene said lieth in the ground or root from whence true grace springeth If thou wouldest not be deceiued or mistaken about the truth of thy grace doe but seriously consider with thy selfe out of what soyle or from what roote that grace which appeareth and peraduenture thou beleeuest to bee in thee did spring and come forth whether from the seed of God frō the presence and working of the Spirit or out of Natures garden or from education or else out of some worldly carnall and by-respects if it came not from God it will quickly appeare in its proper colours it will ere long discouer its rottennesse it will vanish perish and come to nothing Some there be in whom the corruption of Nature is so restrained that they are of a very ingenious temper and disposition affable courteous gentle peaceable not giuen vp nor inclined vnto any exorbitant courses not affecting any notorious vices but rather hating and abhorring them who comparing themselues with grosse sinners and finding in themselues a freedome from those foule sinnes which others are defiled withall doe by and by blesse themselues in their owne hearts yea and it may be they are taken of others like or worse than themselues to be maruellous good people very religious and gracious persons whose grace is no other no better than meere ciuilitie which is as farre from sanctitie and true grace as chalke is from cheese as the old saying is Others also there be who hauing beene well bred piously and vertuously educated sucking it may be the Scriptures with their mothers milke as it is spoken of Timothy brought vp in a family where haply they had no euill example though this be very rare to corrupt them doe hold on still that course into which they were entred young and haue beene trained vp frō their childhood approuing of good duties frequenting Gods house vpon all good occasions vsing and which is more delighting in the society of the people of God and all this not by vertue or strength of sauing grace but through an habituated practice of godly exercises so that they can say as the young man in the Gospell I haue obserued all these frō my youth Are all these thinke you arguments strong enough to proue the truth of grace wrought in the heart of such a person Then Paul his condition was good enough before his conuersion for he was well educated brought vp and liued after
of the heart though peraduenture as was touched in the beginning some other thing may for a while keepe it out of thy hand Ciuility and hypocrisie may a little snib sin or bid it for a while to stand aside and giue way to better things but it is only grace that strikes this Goliah dead and takes off his head It is only grace which cures a soule-sick sinner of those diseases which by sinne hee hath contracted vnto himselfe as only Iordan aboue al other waters could heale Naaman of his leprosie Now lest any one should bring himselfe into a fooles paradise and please himselfe with an opinion of his owne goodnesse because of the abating of some sinne or the laying downe of some base carriage which formerly hee had taken vp let him know that there is a maine difference between the forsaking of sin in through the strength of grace and any other by-respect whatsoeuer Corruption is kept vnder in a gracious heart meerely in loue to God and hatred of sinne as Hosea speakes of those that shall bee conuerted vnto God They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. 5. Though naturally thou mayest loue this or that sinne more than ordinary yet grace will helpe thee to abhor and loath it a better euidence of grace cannot be then when the heart is set against its old loue for it must needs be a supernaturall power and the worke of grace which moues any to dislike and loath that euill which naturally he loues Whereas in the hypocrite sinne is somtime forsaken because sinne hath left him he hath no meanes of committing it or else he forbeares sin as many a fearful dog doth meat in the platter because of the whippe or cudgell that is held ouer him So the hypocrite loues his credit loues his purse loues his skin it may may bee and therfore lest the committing of some sin which hee lingers after should make a flaw or a hole or rent in him hee forbeares the committing of it Examine thy heart therefore in this particular what mooues thee to forbeare thy sin what is the ground of that diuorce vvhich seemes to be betwixt thee and thine old louer If any thing in the world but grace thou art in a bad condition whatsoeuer is become of thy sinne Art thou one whose heart likes well of sinne though thou canst not or darest not commit it Art thou one who when thou art conuinced of or reproued for any failings thy heart riseth against the rebuke though for thy credit or profit sake thou seemest to welcome thankfully to entertaine that reproofe I tel thee thou art in a dangerous condition thou hast but weake and slender euidence of grace if any at all For where true grace is there howsoeuer as was said before for a time in a passion or tentation corruption may preuaile will be a welcomming of the meanes and helpes that may keepe vs from falling into sin as appeares in Dauid who blessed the Lord and Abigail for the good coūsel which she gaue him there also the heart will bleed the tongue will freely against it selfe acknowledge the foulenesse of those sins he hath committed Know moreouer that the nature of grace is to strike at all sinne great and small whether more or lesse profitable pleasing as Psal 119. 104. Therefore I hate all the wayes of falshood A gracious heart is set for the glory of God in all things in all places at all times he labours to shun all things displeasing to God or grieuous to his Spirit makes conscience not only of open but secret sinnes not onely of grosse and foule but of the least euils not onely murder but heart-burning or enuie not only of blasphemie and periury foule-mouthed sins but of those that seeme more faire as faith and troth c. So that as some Physicians haue their Catholicon for the purging out of euery peccant humour so grace is a Catholike expeller purger of all knowne sinnes whereas hypocrites and double-minded men represse sinne but in part and that very partially too not out of any hatred they beare to sinne but because of some euill consequent which waits vpon sin He keepes one sinne or other close one hole in his heart for some base lust or other one Dalila or darling sinne he hath from which he will not be diuorced as if God and men must giue him leaue in some thing to take his libertie hee hath one sin which al the world shall not bring him out of loue withall much lesse to leaue and to forsake it But let al such know that God will none of their patcht holinesse and piece-meale reformation as good neuer a whit as neuer the better All such will one day bee confounded vvhich haue not a respect vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119. 6. A fourth Euidence of Grace A Fourth Euidence of Grace is obedience vnto the wil of God The Lord by his Prophet tells vs that those which are taken into couenāt with him shall haue his Spirit put into them and he will cause them to walk in his Statutes to keepe his iudgements and doe them Hence it is that the Apostle sayes Wee are elect through sanctification of the Spirit vnto obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. Vnfained obedience vnto the wil of God is the character of a gracious heart for vntill such time as grace hath seasoned sanctified the heart little or no obedience will appeare in the life and conuersation Heartie obedience doth distinguish a sound heart from an hypocrite To abound in knowledge to haue a forme of godlinesse to be forward in the outward professiō of the truth to partake of the Sacraments make no essentiall difference betwixt a gracious and a gracelesse heart To obey frō the heart that forme of doctrine which is deliuered is a sure marke to distinguish the one from the other Not the hearers of the Law are iust before God but the doers of the Law shall bee iustified Rom. 2. 13. It is not Lord Lord the naked performance of holy duties which will bring vs vnto heauen it is obedience The doing of the will of my Father sayes Christ which is in heauen Matth. 7. 21. Bee ye doers therfore of the Word not hearers onely deceiuing your selues Iam. 1. 22. All knowledge as hath beene said before without obedience is in Gods esteeme no better than ignorance He that saith I know him keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him 1 Iohn 2. 4. Grace teacheth a man to reduce his knowledge into practice for by the power and strength of grace the will of man is made willing to obey God in all things so that it wil be our meat and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father Here some will be ready to cry out and say that by this doctrine wee destroy the liberty of mās will and turne it into a meere necessity
the Word as Rom. 10. 17. First the Law conuincing vs discouering vnto vs our sins Rom. 7. 7. shewing vs both the nature the danger of them and our misery into which sinne hath plunged vs and not onely so but an vtter impossibility of our selues either to satisfie the iustice of God for the least transgression or to bee freed from that wrath vengeance which hangs ouer our head by reason of our sins The consideration whereof terrifying and afflicting a poore sinner makes him to cry out as the Iews did Act. 2. 37. What shall I doe Then commeth in the Gospell the Word of comfort and the message of reconciliation which discouers and prescribes a remedie whereby a poore sinner may be brought into fauour with God and accepted with him come out of the snares of the Deuill and be freed from the curse and malediction of the Law and that is by receiuing of the Lord Christ in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen And by whom wee haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sins Ephes 1. 7. Whereupon he begins to hunger and thirst after Christ seeing and knowing no other way no other meanes whereby he may be saued or haue his spirituall wants supplied As the prodigall saw no meanes of comfort but starue he must vnlesse hee get home againe and bee receiued into his fathers family so the poore sinner knowes his soule will famish if he get not into Christ and therefore hee labours to bee made one with Christ his soule hungers and thirsts after nothing so much as Christ all the world is dung vnto him in comparison of Christ Oh that he may be found in Christ to liue or die Christ is all in all vnto him hee layes hold vpon his righteousnesse and shrowds himselfe for comfort vnder his wings and as Ioab laid hold vpon the horns of the Altar saying I will die heere 1 King 2. 30. So the poore beleeuer layes hold vpon the Lord Christ resteth onely vpon Christ and if he perish he will perish at the feet of Christ whereas the faith of vnbeleeuers and hypocrites ariseth either out of their education common illumination or from some vaine perswasion of some good in themselues for which they are perswaded God loues them or else hee would neuer haue bestowed so much vpon them haue done these or these things for them So that their faith is no other than a faithlesse cōfidence a vaine presumption or some Satanicall illusion neuer wrought in them by the Lord Christ the Author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. by the ministry of his Word For they were neuer throughly hūbled or if they were it was but for a while a little Sermon-sicke their consciences wambling while the Word was deliuered vnto them and no longer If this mans faith had bin begun or hee begotten again of the Word of God as a new borne babe hee would more and more desire it that hee might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. for wee are nourished with that by which wee are begotten but he finds no sweetnesse takes no true content in the Word any further than he is sensible of some art or some noueltie in the same which doth affect and delight him Tell mee then thou that boastest or presumest so much of thy faith how thou diddest attaine vnto it when it was first wrought in thee which if thou canst not thou hast iust cause to fear thy faith is but thy fancie Heere a question will fall in very fit to be answered and that is whether euery one that beleeueth can tell when or how faith was wrought in him This scruple and scrutiny hath troubled many a deare childe of God who hath been ready to questiō the truth of their faith because they cannot precisely lay downe the time when or the meanes how faith was wrought in thē For their education and bringing vp was alwayes godly and religious from their child-hood they haue entertained the Word of God they haue alwayes borne a good will to godlinesse and loued the professours of the truth alwaies approued of the best things and therefore question the truth of faith and grace in them For the cōfort of such let me first of all tel them that if all were not well twenty to one the Deuil would not be so busie with them to perplex trouble them with these pious feares holy doubtings We seldome heare or reade of any but the Lords people that haue these troubles or that put these doubts questions But for the satisfying of thy scruple consider first what Christ said to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth c. The meaning of which words is to teach vs that the operations of grace are sometimes as it were hid from the regenerate themselues neither knowing the time when they first began to work nor whēce they sprung nor to what measure they will grow Therefore though thou canst not tell by what meanes or at what time the Spirit of God commeth into thine heart or how at first its quickning and sanctifying presence gaue spirituall life vnto thy soule yet blessed and happie is thy cōdition if thou now findest faith to bee wrought in thee which thou mayest be assured of if thou findest thy soule enlightned with the sauing knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth if thou hast been abased and humbled vnder the hand of God in the sight and sense of thy vnworthinesse and if thou prizest Christ aboue all the world labouring to winne him and desiring to be found in him not hauing thine owne righteousnesse but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 9 10. But if thou findest not these to bee in thee then thou mayest well question the truth of thy faith A second difference lies in the fruits and effects of faith Where grace is faith workes by loue Gal. 5. 6. A heart knowing and beleeuing what the Lord hath done for it cannot but loue much Luke 7. 47. being so dearely beloued And this loue of God workes the heart to a hatred of all things displeasing vnto God Psal 97. 10. and to a practice of that which he requireth Psal 26. 3. Thy louing kindnesse is before mine eyes therefore haue I walked in thy truth Wheras the faith of the vnregenerate works no change in him makes him no better than hee was vnlesse it bee in shew and appearance Confidence of Gods loue emboldens him to wickednesse and makes him to sin more and more as Ier. 3. 4 5. rather then abate sin in him Certainly if euer the Lord speake peace to thy soule through Christ hee will so inflame thine heart with the loue of his truth his Image his ordinances that these will so take vp thy heart that thou shalt not turne againe vnto euill Psal 85. 8. Thirdly and lastly faith
in the regenerate makes the heart to stoope to Christs Scepter to heare his voice and follow him It is faith which apprehēds the authority and soueraigntie which Christ hath ouer vs and approues of the holines goodnes of his Cōmandements so inclines the heart vnto a willing and cheerefull obedience Whereas the hypocrites faith doth embolden him vnto liberty it makes him loose and licentious laying all vpon Christ back saying Christ dyed for vs his bloud shall cleanse vs c. Let the Ministers of Christ say what they can threaten what they wil they are resolued to hold on they will not shift one foot nor stir any further than they list Let iudgements bee threatned against them threatned folke they say liue long they can laugh in their sleeues at the zeale of Gods seruants no more moued or remoued with a Sermon than with the wagging of a straw Oh take heed therefore that thou beest not deceiued in the truth of thy faith Thou mayest haue a great deale of carnall confidence and bold presumption and yet not one dram of true sauing faith Take heed brethren lest at any time there be in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Do not thinke that thy comming to Church thy hearing of Christ preached and receiuing of the Sacraments are infallible euidences of true faith for many thousands who take vp their religion vpō trust and take themselues to be sound beleeuers haue their hearts fraught with vnbeliefe their faith being no better nay scarce so good as the faith of deuils for they tremble at the power displeasure of the Lord whereas these are not once touched nor any thing affected therewith And this shall suffice to haue spoken of faith the second Euidence of true Grace A third Euidence of Grace NOw I come to the third Euidence of true Grace and that is the subduing of our Lusts and the conquering of our corruptions This is meant by those words of Paul I beat downe my body and bring it into subiection By body the Apostle doth mean the old mā sin corruptiō which doth lust against the spirit All such as are truly regenerate by the quickning power of the Spirit are sanctified as was said before in all the faculties of their soules members of their bodies not only inlightned in their iudgements to dislike that which is euill but their hearts also are set against it They know that all fleshly lusts doe fight against their soules and therefore they maintaine open warre with them and will not yeeld any voluntary obedience or subiection vnto them Grace cānot stād with the regiment of sin For as Paul saith Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Howsoeuer the Lord to checke the security presumption pride selfe-conceitednesse vnthankfulnesse of his children may for a while leaue them vnto themselues and with-draw as it were the powerfull presence of his grace wherby corruption may bustle swell yea and breake forth also yet by the power of grace they shall bee brought againe to mislike and condemn themselues for those euils wherewith they haue beene ouer-taken and crie out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Therefore the Anabaptists and others are foully mistaken who hold that after the work of grace is once truly wrought in a man sinne hath no being in him that is regenerate for you must know that in euery one that is regenerate there is flesh as well as the Spirit in euery faculty there is grace inclining the heart to goodnes and there is corruption like a back-byas drawing it the contrary way For grace and corruptiō in euery regenerate person as Iacob and Esau did striue in Rebeccaes womb are euermore strugling and striuing one with the other yea there is a cōtinuall war betwixt them as was between the House of Dauid and the House of Saul but as the House of Dauid waxed stronger and the House of Saul weaker So fares it betweene Grace corruptiō the flesh may striue but the Spirit ouercomes for by vertue of habituall grace infused the will is so sanctified the affections are so rectified the heart is so purified as the whole man resignes vp himselfe to be at Gods seruice imbraceth a holy and a heauenly life as the only true comfort and sound happinesse and desires and resolues so to hold on euen vnto the end Therefore they are grossely deceiued who hold that after the work of grace is wrought in the heart of Gods children the will hangs like a beame vpon the ballance equally inclining to one hand as well as to the other A foggie and a mistie errour contrary to the current of the Scriptures which teach vs that a regenerate person labours to keepe a good Conscience in all things desiring to liue honestly as Heb. 13. 18. That person in whom the work of grace is wrought desires and endeuours to be euermore furnished with the Panoply the compleat armour of God that so he may stand fast resist the Deuil be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked The strength and bent of his wil and affections are for God and goodnesse he chuseth holinesse with a full purpose and resolution to walke in it he turnes from his former euils with a detestation of them he leaues them with a resolution neuer to take them vp againe As Ephraim said Hos 14. 8. What haue I to doe any more with Idols So saith he of his old courses and companions Away from mee and as Christ to Peter Get thee behinde me thou art an offence vnto me Matth. 16. 23. He daily prayes and cries earnestly to God for strength against corruption and wisheth O that my wayes were so directed to keep thy Statues continually Psa 119. 5. He is not for God to day and the Deuill to morrow he is no morning Saint and euening Deuill but desires and endeuours to walke before the Lord in all pleasing and to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of his life Well then if the case so standeth consider with thy selfe what combate thou doest daily maintaine against thy corruptions Doest thou delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man as Rom. 7. 22. though thou seest another law in thy members rebelling against the law of thy minde Are thy failings matter of daily humiliation vnto thy soule Dost thou finde and feele that nothing vnder the Sun doth more sting and pierce thy heart than to be at any time ouertaken with passions or carried away with the swinge of any corruptions against thy godly purpose and holy resolutions Why then cheere vp thy drooping spirits the Lord by the power of his grace hath takē possessiō of thee for nothing but grace is able to keepe the loue of sin out