Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile Bee glad oh ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord. But who are righteous And be ioyfull ye that are true of heart Ver. 10. Heare we Dauids prayer for such Psal 125.4 Do good to those that bee good and vpright in heart Whereas that man that wants this soundnesse of heart in doing of good duties he doth but loose his labour they are but abhomination vnto the Lord As it is said of Amazia 2. Chron. 25.2 He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a sound heart Now the grounds of this are Reas 1 God hath commanded it Gen. 17.1 Walke before me and bee thou perfect or sincere Reas 2 Secondly it is onely comfort a Christian hath in all that we do that the same is performed of vs in singlenesse of heart In the world we see the best duties of a Christian traduced and oftentimes they are called Hypocrites for their paines and mocked and derided as Dauid was when he danced before the Arke But this was Iobs comfort when his friends layed such an imputation vpon him Iob 27.5 I will not part with my innocency saith he vntill I dye And this was Hezechias his comfort at such time as hee was summoned to death Isa 38.3 Remember Lord that I haue walked before thee in truth and with an vpright heart Reas 3 Thirdly it is that which distinguisheth a true Christian from an hypocrite who may go as far in the worke done as the best Christian in outward performances The thorny ground and the stony ground went wondrous farre our Sauiour sheweth that these receiue the word with ioy and beleeue for a time Matth. 13. onely the good ground are they which with honest and good hearts heare the word and keepe Reas 4 And last of all God hath appointed a day in the which all our actions shall be iudged and scanned not as they haue seemed to men but as they haue beene indeed and in truth before God We must al appear before the iudgment seat of Christ 2. Co. 5.10 that euery one may receiue the things done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or bad Vse 1 It may serue to admonish euery one in the feare of God that we labour after this sinceritie and puritie of heart without which no dutie that we can performe can finde acceptation with God But how shall I know in the performance of holy duties Quest that my heart is thus qualified There are many markes and tokens of this integritie of heart Answ whereby it may bee discerned amongst the rest these Marks of a sincere heart First it is discerned by the manner of performance of any dutie it doth the same humbly keeping an eye still vpon it's owne wants in doing of them fearing still that something may be amisse that may hinder the Lords gracious acceptation of them a sincere heart is still ready to complaine of its best actions and dare not present any seruice it doth vnto God further then it hath the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ to couer all the imperfections of the same Secondly it is discerned by the ready and chearfull performance of holy duties God loueth a chearfull giuer This was the great commendation of the Church of the Romans Ye haue obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine that hath beene deliuered vnto you Thirdly with much affection and loue Psal 119. So Dauid O that my wayes were so direct that I might keepe thy statutes c. Fourthly it is the propertie of a good heart to haue an eye vnto all the commandements of God to the duties of the second Table as the first This was the great commendations of Cornelius when he could say Act. 10. Wee are all here before God to heare whatsoeeuer is commanded vs of God So Dauid I shall not be confounded whilest I haue respect vnto all thy commandements And lastly it wil do them constantly not by fits when he is in a good mood but at all times in prosperitie as in aduersitie in sicknesse as in health which an Hypocrite doth not for so saith Iob Doth an hypocrite pray alwayes Iob 21. The meaning is he doth not Secondly this may serue for matter of singular consolation vnto the godly that can approue themselues vnto God that whatsoeuer they do in his seruice and worship they do the same in singlenesse of heart such need not to doubt but they shall meet with the Lord in his owne ordinance And albeit they may haue in them many wants and infirmities yet this singlenesse and integritie that is in the heart makes amends for all and causeth the Lord to passe by them all An husband beares with many infirmities of his wife so long as she keepeth her faith to him in the maine duties of Matrimoniall loue So dealeth the Lord with his seruants so long as they keepe their hearts vpright with him See we this in King Asa a catalogue of whose infirmities the Scriptures affoord vnto vs as namely that he tooke not away the high places that in his displeasure hee cast the Lords Prophet into prison that hee oppressed his people that in the time of his sicknesse he sought to the Physitian and not to the Lord. And yet for all this see the account the Lord made of this man the Text saith 1 Kin. 15.14 Asas heart was vpright with the Lord all his dayes The Lord so regarded that as that he passed by all the rest And he said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God Philip hath no sooner put the question Doct. A Christian must be readie to giue an account of his faith 1. Pet 3.15 but the Eunuch makes the answer readily and willingly It is a commendable duty in a Christian to giue an account of his faith whensoeuer he shall be demanded it is an Apostolicall iniunction Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And hence is it that Christians are exhorted To keepe the profession of our faith without wauering Heb. 10.23 See this in Paul in his boldnesse before Felix I confesse vnto thee Act. 24.14 that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers The grounds of this we haue heard before The vse serues to perswade to this duty Vse as a most necessarie fruit and consequence of faith Psal 116.10 I beleeued and therefore did I speake What faith beleeueth the mouth will speake Hee that is afraid to make an open confession of Christ hath not as yet by a liuely faith put on Christ But is a Christian bound at all times to giue an account of his Quest Faith and of his Religion he doth professe to
that should serue him but one day in a weeke and all the weeke besides serue himselfe This serues then to reprooue such as are present sometimes at the publique duties of Gods worship Vse 1 such as are the preaching of the word receiuing of the sacrament and the like but make no reckoning or accompt at all of priuate duties Surely such men can neuer approue themselues to God to performe either in faith and obedience as hee ought so long as hee labours not after an vniuersall obedience to bee the same in priuate that he is in publique Let vs then bee admonished in the feare of God Vse 2 that as wee desire to bee Christians indeed and therein to approue our selues to God to labour to be the same at home as abroad in our owne houses as in the Church otherwise we can neuer assure our owne hearts of the truth of grace wrought therein or that wee goe before an hypocrite or a wicked man who many times is exercised in the one when he makes no reckoning or accompt at all of the other He read Isaiah the Prophet This Noble man did not worship God at a venture or as haply his forefathers had done before him as many in our dayes who will doe thus and thus because their fathers before them did so But hee will worship God as hee had learned out of his word And herein will teach all men vnto the end of the world a necessarie dutie That if wee will worship God aright Doct. In Gods worship we must fetch our direction out of Gods word we must fetch our direction from Gods word and not out of the Popes Chaire The word must bee our loadstarre to guide vs the way to Christ and to keepe vs in the way No seruice can please God but that which is done by direction from his word The Lord himselfe giues expresse charge concerning this Deut. 4.2 when hee saith Ye shall not adde vnto the word which I command mand you neither shall ye diminish ought from it That ye may keepe the Commandements of the Lord your God which I command you The meaning is Thou shalt doe no more or lesse in my seruice then what I command thee Yea it is no better then Idolatrie Num. 15.39 and spirituall whoredome for vs to follow our owne hearts or to bee led by our good meanings in matters appertaining vnto Gods seruice This is such a sinne as doth highly prouoke God to anger as wee may see in Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.1.2 in offering vp of their strange fire who were therefore destroyed with fire from heauen And for this cause Ieroboam drew the curse of God vpon him and his posteritie after him Because of those golden calues that hee had caused to bee erected at Dan and Bethel without warrant from God And how sharply doth our Sauiour reproue the Scribes and Pharisees for this who vsed a world of ceremonies and traditions in Gods worship which hee commanded not and therefore saith In vaine doe ye worship me Mat. 15. teaching for Doctrine the traditions of men Isa 1.11.12 And therefore the Lord will say to such as to those idolatrous Iewes of old Who hath required these things at your hands And hence is it that the Apostle Paul when hee went about to remoue those errours that we crept into the Church of Corinth about the Sacrament he brings them to the first institution of the same by Christ himselfe for where things are brought to the first institution all humane errours then cease And this doth the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.23 when he saith That which I haue receiued from the Lord deliuer I vnto you c. So that we see it is a most cleare and grounded truth that if we would worship God aright we must not be led by our fantasies and carnall reason good meanings or the like but we must fetch our direction out of Gods word And great reason For God will be acknowledged the onely Law-giuer Reas 1 the King of his Church and the onely Prophet to instruct his people For so saith the Apostle There is onely one Law-giuer Iam. 4 12. who is able to saue and to destroy So that none may presume in matters appertaining to his worship and seruice to adde or detract lest hee incurre that curse Cursed is he that shall adde to the words of this booke Reu. 22. Secondly Ro. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Now faith we know is grounded vpon the word So that it is impossible for a man to please God in any seruice he doth that hath not his word for his warrant and direction It was Christs last commandement that he gaue vnto his Disciples teaching them to obserue all things that I haue commanded you Mat. 28.20 And surely this strikes at the foundation of Popish Religion Vse 1 for wherein for the most part stands the seruice and worship of God that is performed amongst them but in grosse superstition and in the inuentions of their owne braine in the traditions of men Popes Councels Cardinals and the like in a multitude of vaine and idle ceremonies and obseruations all which haue no ground or footing out of Gods word as namely their whipping of themselues their crossings and coniurings praying on beads going on pilgrimage and a thousand the like all which haue no ground or warrant at all out of Gods word to whom we may truly say as our Sauiour to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what And surely herein we may iustifie our Religion against the Papists and against all the Aduersaries of Gods truth that wee know whom we worship And if we be deceiued God hath deceiued vs and his word hath deceiued vs which is impossible For his word is true as himselfe is Secondly Vse 2 we are taught hence to acquaint our selues with the Scriptures that so wee may be directed how to worship God aright Now Gods word is a perfect rule and a perfect guide Saint Peter calls it a Sure word 2 Pet. 1.19 whereunto saith he ye do well if ye take heed So Dauid Psal 119.31 I haue cleaued vnto thy testimonies O Lord confound me not And it is worth our best consideration what Samuel spake vnto Saul that would sacrifice where God had not appointed Hath the Lord saith hee as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices 1. Sam 15.22 as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Lambes And last of all this sheweth the miserable condition that such are in Vse 3 that are not neither may they be acquainted with the word of God as in the Church of Rome that haue the Scripture locked vp in an vnknowne tongue they can neuer auoide that woe our Sauiour pronounced against the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 23.13 They neither entred into the
whom soeuer shall require an accompt thereof No Answ Indeede I confesse a Christian is bound especially when he is called by authority though it be before an Infidel to make an Apologie of his Faith and to defend the truth And so likewise at all times when Gods glory is like to suffer a Christian must stand it out whatsoeuer come of it But when a question shall bee asked vs to no other end but to deride the truth or for some other euill end Wee haue the example of our Sauiour himselfe not to answeare in such a case Iesus held his peace Mat. 26.63 at that time wheÌ„ they went about to intrap him in his words So that if a man bee questioned concerning his Faith or Religion hee is wisely to consider whereto the question tendeth and accordingly returne his answere I beleeue This was the thing that Philip so much desired that this Eunuch might bee brought to beleeue in Christ that so the Sacrament might be effectuall to the sealing vp and confirmation of his Faith Here we haue the happy fruite and effect of his Ministery hee is brought to be a beleeuer Philip hath not beate the aire in vaine neither hath the word been cast as the Seede on the high way side on the stony or thorny ground but it hath lighted now on a good heart a heart prepared for the same The happy fruit and effect whereof is heere set downe he is made a beleeuer I beleeue It teacheth vs That there is a particular Faith Doct. required of all that looke to reape life and saluation through Christ A partâ—cular Faith necessary to Saluaâ—iâ—n If we looke to reape fruit and benefit by the Sacraments of the Church we must euery particular man haue a particular Faith of our owne to qualifie vs for the same to this are we often exhorted To stand fast in the Faith 1 Cor. 16.13 to bee rooted and grounded in Faith To make our calling and election sure 2 Cor. 13.5 And to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Phil 2.12 For the further clearing of this truth Hear wee the speech of Faith in those whom God hath honoured with this grace in the scripture Iob 19 25. Esay 45.24 truely to beleeue I am sure my Redeemer liueth Hee shall say surely in the Lord haue I righteousnesse and strength Doubtlesse thou art our Father Esay 63.16 though Abraham bee ignorant of vs. We may see heerein the maruelous affiaÌ„ce the faithfull haue had through their owne particular Faith Gal 2.20 They were sure and certaine of their owne saluation after this life Heb. 2 4. Wee know that we are translated from darknesse to light c. They were sure of the grace of perseuerance they should perseuere in Gods loue vnto the end Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life Psal 23.6 It is not presumption but Faith saith an Ancient Non est arrogantia sed fides predicare quod acceperis August to say thou shalt bee accepted through Christ The point is cleare and plaine The grounds are Reas 1 First in regard that all the promises of life and saluation run in generall tearmes and therefore must bee applied in particular to euery one Christ hath loued vs saith the Apostle and giuen himselfe for vs wherevpon a learned Diuine saith From the vniuersall euery one is to bring the benefit of Christs death to his owne particular Ab Vniversali quis que debet ad suum particulare hoc Christi bew ficium transferre Zâ—nch in Ephs 5. that hee may bee able in some good measure of Faith to say with the Apostle Christ gaue himselfe for me and without this there can bee no sound comfort for what though wee haue by vs neuer so precious a salue that will heale all soares if this be not applied we are not the better for it such are the promises of the Gospell to an vnbeleeuer the man wanteth the hand of Faith to make the application Reas 2 Secondly the very order of our Creed which wee are taught to beleeue teacheth so much where we say I beleeue not wee beleeue which is to bee referred to euery Article I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in Iesus Christ in the holy Ghost c. An euident proofe we must haue this particular Faith of our owne Reas 3 Thirdly this is it which furnisheth a Christian with a holy resolution to goe on throughly in his Christian course What Souldier were he assured aforehand to win the field and to haue the dividing of the spoiles would not with Iesus march furiously to meete his enemy in the face this valour doth well become Christs Souldiers who hath made vs Kings and Conquerors through Christ Vse 1 This serues first of all to condemne that Doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach and hold that it is arrogancy and presumption for any man to conclude the certainty of his owne saluation By the Doctrine of the Councell of Trent No man say they can attaine any assurance of his owne saluation other then coniecturall vnlesse by speciall revelation He that will bee a Papist is bound by the renet of the Church all the dayes of his life to liue in suspence a most vncomfortable Religion a most vncomfortable Doctrine Nay more let him be accursed saith the same Councell if he either think or indeuour any grounded certaintie or assurance Miserable comforters are they and herein what doe they else but rob God of his glory and depriue a Christian soule of his cheefest comfort Surely it must needs bee a Satanicall and Antichristian Spirit that shall contradict the spirit of God in so plaine and euident a truth Reas 2 Secondly seeing such a particular Faith is required to partake of Christ and of all those benefits that accrue vnto euery true beleeuer through him Let this then admonish vs to labour for this assurance and to prouoke hereunto Consider Motiues to get a particular faith First that it is an excellent meanes to free the heart of man from slauish and seruile feares and to worke an holy securitie in the soule So Dauid Psal 46.1.2 God is our hope and strength therefore will we not feare though the earth he moued Againe Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 I will feare none euill for thou art with me Secondly it is this that will regulate and temper our affections in times of prosperitie when we shall consider that we are reserued for better hopes and kept for a better condition How ready are we to poure out our hearts to our lusts and pleasures especially in prosperous times With the disciples we are ready to say It is good being here But when wee shall consider that wee are here but in the suburbs and that whatsoeuer we haue and enioy is but the earnest of a more glorious inheritance we shall then put