Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

but, when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants r; and because, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit; and, as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with fo much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the feverity of God's judgment t.

VI. Yet notwithstanding, the perfons of believers being accepted through Chrift, their good works alfo are accepted in him v, not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable ..and

which we have done, but according to his mercy, he faved us by the wafhing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft: v. 6. Which he shed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour. v. 7. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to the hope of eternal life. Rom. viii. 18. For I reckon that the fufferings of this prefent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which fhall be revealed in us. Pfal. xvi. 2. O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee. Job xxii. 2. Gan a man be profitable unto himself? v. 3. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righ teous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? Job Xxxv. 7. If thou be righteous, what giveft thou him? or what receiveth Le of thine hand? v. 8. Thy wickednels may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteoufnefs may profit the fon of man.

☛ Luke xvii. 10. (See letter p in this chapter.)

Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith, . 23. Meeknefs, temperance: a. gainit fuch there is no law.

Ifa. Ixiv, 6. But we are all as an

unclean thing, and all our righteoufnefs are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Gal. v. 17. For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spiit againft the fcfh: and thefe are contrary the one to the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Rom. vii. 15. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would, that do I not, but what I hate, that do I. v. 18. 1 know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. Pfal. cxliii. 2. And enter not into jodgment with thy fervant: for in thy fight fhall no man living be justified. Pfal. cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, fhouldt mark iniquities: O Lord, who fhall stand?

VI. Eph. i. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Ye alfo, as lively ftones, are built up a spiritual houfe, an holy priesthood, to offer up fpiritual facrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift. Exod. xxviii. 38. And it fhall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Iftael faall hallow in

all

and unreproveable in God's fight w; but that he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleafed to accept and reward that which is fincere, although accompanied with many weakneffes and imperfections x.

4.

VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good ufe both to theinfelves and others y: yet, because they

all their holy gifts; and it fhall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord, Gen. iv. 4. And Abel, he allo brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof; and the Lord had refpect unto Abel, and to his offering. With Heb. xi. 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent facrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witnefs that he was righteous, God teftifying of his gifts and by it, he being dead, yet Speaketh,

w Job ix. 20. If 1 justify myself, my own mouth fhall condemn me: If I fay, 1am perfect, it fhall alfo prove me perverse. Pfal. cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy fervant, for in thy fight hail no man living be juftified.

x Heb. xiii. 20. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the everlaiting covenant,

21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Cor, viii. 12. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Heb. vi. 10. For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have fhew

proceed

ye

have

ed toward his name, in that miniftred to the faints, and do minifter. Mat. xxv. 21. His lord faid unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things s enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. v. 23. His lord faid unto him, Well done, good and faithful fervant; thou hast been faithful over few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,

VII. y 2 Kings x. 30. And the Lord faid unto Jehu, Because thou haft done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and haft done unto the houfe of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generati on fhall fit on the throne of Ifrael. . 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Ifrael, with all his heart, for he departed not, from the fins of Jeroboam, which made lfrael to fin. Kings xxi. 27. And it came to pafs when Ahab heard these words that he rent his cloaths and put fackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in fackcloth, and went foftly. v. 29. Secft thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his fons days will I bring the evil upon his house. Phil. i. 15. Some indeed preach Chrift even of envy and strife; and fome al

fo

proceed not from an heart purified by faith z; nor are done în a right manner, according to the word a; nor to a right ends' the glory of God b; they are therefore finful, and cannot pleafe God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God c. And

fo of good-will. v. 16. The one preach Chrift of contention, not fincerely, fuppofing to add affiction to my bonds. v. 18. What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Chrift is preached; and therein do I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

x Gen. iv. 5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not refpect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. With Heb. xi, 4、 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent facrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God teftifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead, yet fpeaketh. Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impoffible to please him: for he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him.

a 1 Cor. xiii. 3. And though I beltow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Ifa. i. 12. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

b Mat. vi. 2. Therefore, when thou doft thine alms, do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the fynagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their reward. v. 5. And when thou prayeft, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray ftanding in the fyna

[ocr errors]

men.

[ocr errors][merged small]

gogues, and in the corners of the ftreets, that they may be feen of Verily I fay unto you, they have their reward. v. 16. Moreever, when ye faft, be not as the by. pocrites, of a fad countenance : for they disfigure their faces, that they, may appear unto men to fast. Verily I fay unto you, they have their reward.

Hag. 14. Then answered Haggai, and faid, So is this people, and fo is this nation before me, faith the Lord; and fo is every work of their hands, and that which they. offer there is unclean. Tit. 2 15. Unto the pure all things are pures but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but e ven their mind and confcience is defiled. Amos. v. 21, I hate, I defpife your feaft-days, and I will not fmell in your folemn affemblies. v. 22. Though ye offer me burnt offerings, and your meat-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts. Hof. i. 4. And the Lord faid unto him, call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the houfe of Jehu, and will caufe to cease the kingdom of the houfe of lfrael, Rom. ix. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,but of Godthat sheweth mercy. Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righ teoufnefs, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

d Pfalt

yet their neglect of them is more finful, and difpleafing unto God d.

CHAP. XVII. Of the Perfeverence of the Saints.

TH

HEY whom God hath accepted in his beloved, effectually called and fanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the ftate of grace; but shall certain ly perfevere therein to the end, and be eternally faved a.

II. This perfeverance of the faints depends not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of elec tion, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father b; upon the efficacy of the merit and interceffion of Je

d Pfal. xiv. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who cat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. Pfal. xxxvi. 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit : he hath left off to be wife and to do good, Job xxi. 14. Therefore they fay unto God, depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways. v. 15. What is the Almighty, that we should ferve him? and what profit fhould we have, if we pray unto him. Mat. xxv. 41. Then sha!} he fay alfo unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, v. 42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: v. 43. I was a ftranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: fick and in prison, and ye vifited me not. v. 45. Then fhall he answer them, faying, Verily, I fay unto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the leaft of thefe, ye did it not to me. Mat. xxiii. 25. Wo unto you fcribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and annife, and cum

fus tier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: thefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

I. a Phil. i. 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jefus Chrift. 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election fure; for if ye do these things, ye fhalf never fall. John x. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they' fhall never perifh, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand. v. 29. My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all: and none is ablé to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed remaineth in him: and he cannot fin, because he is born of God. 1 Pet. i. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. v. 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the falvation of your fouls.

II. b 2 Tim. ii. 18. Who conceraing the truth have erred, fay

min, and have omitted the weighing, that the refurrection is past al

ready;

[ocr errors]

fus Chrift c; the abiding of the Spirit and of the feed of God

ready; and overthrow the faith of fome. v. 19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, the Lord know eth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Chrift, depart from iniquity. Jer. xxxi. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, faying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindnefs have I drawn thee.

c Heb. x. 10. By the which will we are fanctified, through the offering of the body of Jefus Chrift once for all. v. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are fanctified. Heb. xiii. 20, Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great fhepherd of the fheep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant. v. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleafing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift; to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen. Heb. ix. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. v. 13. For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an beifer fprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; v. 14. How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without fpot to God, purge your confcience from dead works, to ferve the living God? v. 15. And for this caufe he is the mediator of the new teftament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the

within

tranfgreffions that were under the first tellament, they who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Rom. viii. 33. Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: v. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifenagain, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interceffion for us. v. 35. Who shall feparate us from the love of Chrift? fhall tribulation, or dif- : trefs, or perfecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or fword? v. 36. (As it is written, for thy fake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as fheep for the flaughter.) v. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors thro' him that loved us. v. 38. For I am perfuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, v. 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord. John xvii. 11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep thro' thine own name, thofe whom thouhaft given me, that they may be one, as we are. v. 24. Father, I will, that they also whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou haft given me; for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world. Luke xxii. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art con verted, ftrengthen thy brethren Heb, vii. 25. Wherefore he is able

alfo

« AnteriorContinuar »