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 so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment t. VI. Yet notwithstanding, the perfons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him v, not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable and unreproveable in God's fight w; but that he, looking up-on them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is fincere, although accompanied with many weakneffes and imperfections x. which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renew ing of the Holy Ghoft: v. 6. Which he thed on us abundantly, through Jefus Christ 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 sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Pfal. xvi. 2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee. Job xxii. 2. Can a man be profitable unto himself? v. 3. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? Job Xxxv. 7. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? v. 8. Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. Luke xvii. 10. (See letter pin this chapter.) Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long fuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ▼. 23. Meekness, temperance: against fuch there is no law. Ifa. Ixiv, 6. But we are all as an and unclean thing, and all our righteousness 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 Spirit against the flesh: and these 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 present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. Pfal. cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy fervant: for in thy fight shall no man living be juftified. Pfal. cxxx. 3. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities: O Lord, who fhall stand? VI. v Eph. i. 6. To the praife of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved. I Pet. ii. 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual facrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Exod. xxviii. 38. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Iftael shall hallow in alf VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and others y: yet, because they proceed all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord, Gen. iv. 4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof; and the Lord had respect 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 witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it, he being dead, yet Speaketh, w Job ix. 20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me: If I fay, lam perfect, it shall also prove me perverfe. Pfal.cxliii. 2. And enter not into judgment with thy fervant, for in thy fight shall no man living be justified. x Heb. xiii. 20. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 9. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his fight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Cor, vili. 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 unrighthous, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shew ed toward his name, in that ye have ministred to the faints, and do minister. Mat. xxv. 21. His lord faid unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, 1 will make thee ruler over many things s enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. v. 23. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Vil. 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 house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall fit on the throne of Ifrael. v. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of lfrael, with all his heart, for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Ifrael to fin. Kings xxi. 27. And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words that he ren his cloaths and put fackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in fackcloth, and went foftly. v. 29. Seeft thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his fons days will 1 bring the evil upon his house. Phil. i. 15. Some indeed preach Chrift even of envy and strife; and some alfo proceed not from an heart purified by faithz; nor are done in a right manner, according to the word a; nor to a right end, the glory of God b; they are therefore finful, and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God c. And yet their neglect of them is more finful, and difpleasing unto God d. so of good-will. v. 16. The one preach Christ of contention, not fincerely, fuppofing to add affliction to my bonds. v. 18. What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ 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 sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead, yet speaketh. Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 2.1 Cor, xüi. 3. And though 1 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 dost thine alms, do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily, I say 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 standing in the syna : yet men. gogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of Verily I say 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. Ve rily I say unto you, they have their reward. v. 22. a Hag. in 14. Then answered Haggai, and faid, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, fairh the Lord; and so is every work of their hands, and that which they offer there is unclean. Tit, i 15. Unto the pure all things are pure, 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 feast-days, and I will not fmell in your folemn affemblies. 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 said unto him, call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Ifrael, 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 teousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghaft. d Plalt la qued CHAP. XVII. Of the Perseverence of the Saints. THEY ly called and fanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certain ly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved a. II. This perfeverance of the faints depends not upon their own free-will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father b; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jefus Chrift ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the feed of God 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 say unto God, depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways. v. 15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him. Mat. xxv. 41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, 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 stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: fick and in prison, and ye visited me not. v. 45. Then shall he answer them, faying, Verily. I say unto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the leaft of these, ye did it not to me. Mat. xxiii. 25. Wo unto you scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and annise, and cum min, and have omitted the weigh fus tier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith: these 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 Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. John x. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. v. 29. My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all: and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I 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 salvation, 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 concerning the truth have erred, faying, that the refurrection is past already; ready; and overthrow the faith of fome. v. 19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Ghrist, depart from iniquity. Jer. xxxi. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old, unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.. - Heb. x. 10. By the which will we are fanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ 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 a gain from the dead our Lord jefus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. v. 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his fight, through Jesus Christ; 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 heifer sprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to the purifying of the fiefh; v. 14. How much more shall 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 cause he is the mediator of the new teftament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the within transgressions that were under the first testament, they who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Rom. viii. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God'select? It is God that justifieth: v. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risenagain, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. v. 35. Who shall feparate us from the love of Chrift? shall tribulation, or diftress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. (As it is written, for thy fake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as theep for the slaughter.) 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, uor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, v. 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Chrift Jesus our Lord. John xvii. II. 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, those whom thou haft 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 hast given me; for thou lovedst 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 converted, strengthen thy brethren. Heb, vii. 25. Wherefore he is able 1 alfo |