Neither let us run into the contrary error, as if in a stupid wilfulness, what good soever we did, we could not hope that God in Jesus Christ would accept it. There is a threshold of despair below to stumble at, as well as a post of high presumption to break our heads at. There is a base dejection, a sordid humility. Bar•ena the Jesuit told another of his order; that when the devil appeared to him one night, out of his profound humility he rose up to meet him, and prayed him to sit down in his chair; for he was more worthy to sit there then he. This did appear a strange kind of dejectedness. Surely I think, a man should by Gods word and warrant, take comfort in his well doing, and be cheered in the testimony which a good conscience, on good cause beareth to him. So David heartened himself against all the malicious slanders of his ⟨p. 57⟩his enemies; O Lord thou knowest mine innocence. Good works are the necessary and inseparable effects of a true faith. We are by nature all dead in sin, and by sin concluded under death. Our Saviour bore for us this death, and by his passion freed us from eternal damnation. It was not enough to scape hell, how shall we get to heaven? Lo, we are clothed with the garment of his righteousness, hung with the Jewels of his merits. So not only hell is escaped by his sufferings, but heaven got by his doings. Why should we then work? what need our gardens stand so full of herbs? Good reason. Shall God do so much for us, and shall we do nothing for him, for our selves? If the Lord of a Forrest gives me a Tree, it is fit I should be at the cost to cut it down, and bring it home, if I will have it. I cannot say that I deserved the tree; it was another's gift: but my labours must lead me to enjoy that, which was freely given me. Neither, can the conscience have assurance of eternal life, so frankly bestowed in Christ, without a good conversation. Faith doth justify, and works do testify that we are justified. In a clock, the finger of the dial makes not the clock to go, but the clock it: yet the finger without shows how the clock goes within. Our external obedience is caused by our inward faith; but that doth manifest how truly the clock of our faith goes. As a mans corporal actions of sleeping, eating, digesting, walking, declare his recovery from sickness, ⟨p. 58⟩and present health.
Neither let vs run into the contrary errour, as if in a stupid willfullnesse, what good soeuer wee did, we could not hope that God in Iesus Christ would accept it. There is a thresholde of despaire below to stumble at, as wel as a post of high presumption to breake our heads at. There is a base deiection, a sordid humility. Bar•ena the Iesuite told another of his order; that when the deuill appeared to him one night, out of his profound humility hee rose vp to meete him, and prayed him to sitte downe in his chaire; for hee was more worthy to sitte there then he. This did appeare a strange kind of deiectednes. Surely I thinke, a man should by Gods word and warrant, take comfort in his wel doing, and be cheared in the testimonie which a good conscience, on good cause beareth to him. So Dauid hartned himselfe against all the malicious slanders of his ⟨p. 57⟩his enemies; O Lord thou knowest mine innocence. Good workes are the necessary and inseparable effects of a true faith. We are by nature all dead in sinne, and by sinne concluded vnder death. Our Sauiour bore for vs this death, and by his passion freed vs from eternal damnation. It was not enough to scape hell, how shall wee get to heauen? Loe, we are cloathed with the garment of his righteousnesse, hung with the Iewels of his merits. So not onely hell is escaped by his sufferings, but heauen got by his doings. Why should wee then worke? what need our gardens stand so full of herbes? Good reason. Shall God do so much for vs, and shall we do nothing for him, for our selues? If the Lord of a Forrest giues me a Tree, it is fit I should be at the cost to cut it downe, and bring it home, if I will haue it. I cannot say that I deserued the tree; it was anothers gift: but my labours must lead me to enioy that, which was freely giuen me. Neither, can the conscience haue assurance of eternal life, so frankly bestowed in Christ, without a good conuersation. Faith doth iustifie, and workes do testifie that we are iustified. In a clocke, the finger of the dyall makes not the clocke to goe, but the clocke it: yet the finger without shewes how the clocke goes within. Our external obedience is caused by our inward faith; but that doth manifest how truly the clocke of our faith goes. As a mans corporall actions of sleeping, eating, digesting, walking, declare his recouery from sicknesse, ⟨p. 58⟩and present health.
