IV.As there is no fin fo fmall,but it deferves damnation h; fo there is no fin fo great, that it can bring damnation upon thofe who truly repent i. V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavour to repent of his particular fins particularly k. VI. As every man is bound to make private confeffion of his fins to God, praying for the pardon thereof 1; upon which, whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given affurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. IV. h Rom. 6. 23 For the wages of fin is death; but the gift of God iseternal life, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Rom. 5.12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entred into the world, and death by fin; and fo death palled upon all men,for that all have finned. Mat. 12. 36. But I fay unto you, that every idle word thatmen hall fpeak,they thall give account thereof inthe dayof judg ment. i lía. 557. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him re turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for hewillabundantly pardon. Rom. 8. 1.Thereis therefore now no condemnation, to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walknot after the flesh, but after the fpirit. Ifa. 1.16. Wash ye,make youclean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes,ceafe to do evil. v. 18. Come now and let us reason together, faith the Lord: though your fins be as fcarlet,they fhall be as white as fnow; though they be redlike crimpfon,they fhall be as wool. V. k Pfal. 19. 19. Keepback thy fervantalfofromprefumptuousfins, let them not have dominion overme; then fhall I be upright, and I fhall be innocent from the great tranfgreffion. Luke19 8.AndZac cheus flood and faidunto the Lord, Behold, Lord,the half of mygoods I give to the poor: and if I have taken any thing from any man by falfe accufation I restore him fourfold.1 Tim. 1, 13. Who was before ablafphemer,and a perfecutor,and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I diditignorantly,in unbe lief.v. 15.This is a faithfulfaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the worldto favefinnners;of whom Iamthechief. VI. Pfal. 51. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy light: that thou mightest be juftified when thou fpeakeft and be clear when thou judgelt. v. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity:and in fin did my mother conceive me. v. 7. Purge me with hyffop, and I fhall be clean: wash me,and I fhall be whiter than fnow. v. 9. Hid thy face from my fins; and blot out all mine iniquities. v.14. Deliver me from blood guiltinefs,O God, thou God of my falvation: and my tonguefhallfing aloud of thy righteoufnefs. Pfal. 32. 5.1 acknowledged my fin unto thee,and mine iniquity have I not hid: Ifaid,I will confels my tranfgreffions unto the Lord: and thou forgaveft the iniquity of my fin. Selah, v. 6. For this fhall every one that is godly,pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayeft be found: furely in the floods of great waters, they fhall not come nigh unto him, m Prov. which, and the forfaking of them, he fhall find mercy m; fo he that fcandalizeth his brother, or the church of Chrift, ought to be willing, by a private or publick confeffion and forrow for his fin, to declare his repentance to thofe that are offended n; who are thereupon to be reconciled to him and in love to receive him o. GR CHAP. XVI. Of Good Works. OOD works are only fuch as God hath commanded in his holy word a and not fuch as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention b. m Prov. 28. 13. Hethatcovereth his fins, fhall not profper: but wholo confefleth and forfaketh them, fhall have mercy. John 1.9. If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and juft to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all unrighteousness. n Jamess.16.Confefs your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteousman availeth much.Luke 17.3. Take heed to yourfelves: If thy brother trefpafs against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. v. 4, And if he trefpafs against thee feven times in a day, and feven times in a day turnagain to thee, laying, 'repent; thou fhalt forgive him. Jah. 7. 19. And Joshua faid unto Achan, My fon, give,I pray thee glory to the Lord, Godof Ifrael,and nrake confeflion. unto him; and tell me now what thou haft done, hide it not from me. (Pfal. 51. throughout.) 0 2Cor.2.8.Whereforel befeech you, that you would confirm your love towards him. J. a Micah 6.8. He hath fhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doththeLord require of thee, but to dojultly,and to love mercy, and to walk humbly withthy God? II. Thefe Rom. 12. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformedby the renewing of yourmind, thatye may prove whatis that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God. Heb. 13.21. Make you perfect ip every good work to do his wl, working in you that which is well pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift; to whom bc glory for ever and ever. Amen. b Mat.15.9.But in vain they do worshipme, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Ifa. 29. 13. Wherefore the Lord faid, Forafniuch as this peopledrawnear me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me istaugh by the precept of men. 1Pet.1.18 forafmuch as ye know that ye werenotredeemedwith corruptible things,asfilver andgold,from your vain converfation,received bytradition fromyourfather Rom. 10.2. For L bear them record, that they have zeal of God, but not according to the knowledgeJohn. 16.2, They fhall put you out of the fynagogues.yea,thetimecometh,that whofoever killeth you, will think that he doth God fervice. 1 Sam. 15. 2.. But the people took of the fpoil, theep and oxen, the chief of F 3 the II. These good works, done in obedience to God's com mandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith c: And by them believers manifeft their thankfulnels d, ftrengthen their affurance e, edify their brethren f, adorn the profeffion of the gospel 8, stop the mouths of the ad the things which fhould have been utterly destroyed, to facrificeunto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. .22. And Samuel faid, hath the ord as great delightinburnt-offerings and facrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than facrifice; and to hearken, than the fat of rams. v. 23 For rebellion is as the fin of witch craft,and stubbornefs is as iniquity and idolatry: because thou haft rejected the word of the Lord, he hath alfo rejected thee from being king. II. c James 2. 18. Yea, a man may fay, Thou haft faith, and I have works: fhew me thy fath without thy works, and I will thew thee my faith by my works. v. 22. Seeft thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect. ence; and to patience, Godliness; 7.7. And to Godliness, brotherly kindnefs; and to brotherly kindnefs, charity. . 8. For if these things be in you, and abound,they make you that ye fhall neither be barren,nor unfruitful in the knowledgeofour Lord efus Chrift. 9. But he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot fee far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins. ". 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election fure: for if ye do thefe things, ye fhall never fill. 1 2 Cor 9 2.For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boalt of you to them of Macedonia, that Achia was ready a year ago; and your ealhath provocked very many. Mat. 5. 16, et your light fo fhine beforemen,that they mayleeyour good works, and glorify yourfatherwhich is inheaven. d Pfal. 116.12. What fhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? y. 13. I will take g Tit. 2. 5.To be difcreet,chalte, the cup of falvation, and call upon keepers at home, good, obedient the name of the Lord. 1 Pet. 2. 9. to the own hufbands, that the But ye are a chofen generation, word of God be not, blafphmeed. aroyalpriefthood,andholynation,y. 9. Exhort fervants to be obedi a peculiar people; that ye fhould thew forth the praifes of him, who hath called you out of darkness in to his marvellous light e John 2. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments...But whofo keepeth his word, in km verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are inhim. 2 Pet. 1.5. And befiles this giving all diligence, add to your faith. virtue; and to virtue,knowled 7.6 And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, pati tent unto their own mafters, and to lenfe them wellinallthings: not anfering again. 10. Not purJom but theying all good fideTity may adorn the doare of God our Saviour in all things. For the grace of. Gothat bringeth falvation, hath appeared to all men; v. 12. Teach"ing us, that denying ungodliness and worldly luits, we fhould live foberly,righteoufly, and godly in this prefent world.1 Tim.6.1.Let as many fervants as are under the yoke,counttheir own malters wor thy adverfaries h, and glorify God i, whofe workmanship they are,created in Chrift Jefus thereunto k; that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the eternal life 1. III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themfelves, but wholly from the fpirit of Chrift m. And that they may be enabled thereunto, befides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the fame holy fpirit, to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure n; Yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty, unless upon a fpecial motion of the fpirit; but they ought to be diligent in ftirring up the grace of God that is in them o. IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest height which is poffible in this life, are fo far from being able thy of all honour; that the name of God and his doctrine be not blafphemed. h1 Pet. 2.15.For fo is the will, of God, that with well-doing ye may put to filence the ignorance of foolish men. i 1 Pet.2. 12. Having your conversation honeft among the Gentiles; that whereas they gainst you as evil doers,they may by yourgoodworkswhichtheyfhall behold, glorify God in the day of vifitation. Phil. I. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which areby Jefus Chrift, unto the glory and praife of God. John 15. 8. Herein is my father glorifi ed, that ye bear much fruit,fo fhall ye be my difciples, k Eph. 2. 10. For we are his workmanship,created in Chrit Jefus unto good works, which God hath before ordainedthatwe fhould walk in them 1 Rom. 6. 22. But now being made free from fin, and become fervants toGod,ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlafting life. me, III. m John 15.4. Abide in and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itfelf, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, ex to cept ye abide in me. v. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringethforth much fruit. for without me yecan do nothing. v. 6. If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch,and is withered; and men gather them and caft them into thefire,and they are burned. Ezek.36,26. A new heart alfo will I give you,and anew fpirit wiil I put within you, and I will take away the ftony heart out of your flesh,and I will give you an heart of flesh.v.27. And I will put my fpirit within you, and caule you towalk in my ftatutes, and ve fhall keep my judgments, and do them. n Phil. 2.13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleafure. Phil, 4. 12. I can do all things through Chrift which strengthneth me. 2 Cor.3.5. Not that we are fufficient of our felves to think any thing as of our felves: but our fufficiency is of God. o Phil.2. 12. Wherefore,mybe. loved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my prefence only, but now much more in my abfence; work out your own falvation with fear and trembling.Heb.6.11.And to fupererogate and to do more than God requires, as that they fall fhort of much which in duty they are bound to do P. V. We cannot, by our best works merit pardon of fin or eternal life at the hand of God, by reafon of the great dif proportion that is between them and the glory to come, and the infinite diftance that is between us and God, whom by them we can neither profit, nor fatisfy for the debt of our former fins q; but, when we have done all we can, we have we defire that every one of you do fhewthe fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope unto the end : v. 12.That ye be not flothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promifes, 2 Pet. 1. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godlinefs,through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. v. 5. And be fides,this, giving all diligence,add to your faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge. v. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren,give diligence to make your calling and election fure: for if ye do these things, ye fhall never fall: v. 11. For fo an entrancefhall beminiftredunto you abundantly, into the everlafting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Ifa. 64.7. And there is none that calleth upon thyname, that ftirrethuphimfelf to take hold of thee; for thou haft hid thy face from us, and haft confumedus,becaufe of our iniquities 2Tim.1.6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou ftir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands. Acts 26. 6. And now I ftand, andam judged for the hope of the promife made of God unto our Fathers", 7.Unto whichpromile our twelve tribes inflantlylerving God day & night, hope to come, for which hopes fake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Juce 20. But ye be done loved, building up yourselves on your molt holy faith, praying in the holy Ghoff. v. 21. Keep your felves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift onto eternal life. IV.pLuke17.10. So likewife ye, when ye fhall have done all thofe things which are commanded you, fay, we are unprofitable fervants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Neh. 13. 22. And I commanded the Levites, that they fhould cleanfe themselves,andthat they fhould come & keepthe gates, to fandity the fabbath-day. Remember me, Omy God,concerning thisalfo,and spare meacccording to the greatnefs of thy mercy Job 9. 2.1 know it is fo of a truth; but how fhould a man bejuftwithGod? v. 3. If he will contend with him, he cannot anfwer him one of a thoufand. Gal. 5. 17. For theflesh lufteth against the fpirit and the fpirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would. : V. q Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no fleh be juftified in his fight for by the law is theknowledge of fin, Rom, 4.2.For if Abrahamwere ju❤ ftified byworks,he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. v. 4. Now to him that worketh, is, the reward notreckoned of grace, but of debt. 6. Even as David allo defcribeth the bleflednels of the man, 7. |