A29368:185
The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference…
The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference to 1. their services and suffering, 2. their consolations, and 3. their salvation and eternal glory : together with the excellency of the fear of God, the goodness and pleasantness of brotherly love, the wisdom of hearing the voice of the rod, repentance the only way to prevent judgements / delivered in several sermons by the late reverend and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. William Bridge ...The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference to 1. their services and suffering, 2. their consolations, and 3. their salvation and eternal glory : together with the excellency of the fear of God, the goodness and pleasantness of brotherly love, the wisdom of hearing the voice of the rod, repentance the only way to prevent judgements / delivered in several sermons by the late reverend and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. William Bridg ...
London: printed for Nath. Crouch, 1671
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, If we be saved by free grace, if free grace and love be the foundation of our Salvation, why should we not then stand clear from all our own works, as to the meritorious ends of them: for grace and works are opposed, and therefore faith as a work can neither Justify nor save. I confess the Apostle saith, work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling, but what follows, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.12, 13.
First, If we be saved by free grace, if free grace and love be the foundation of our Salvation, why should we not then stand cleer from all our own works, as to the meritorious ends of them: for grace and works are opposed, and therefore faith as a work can neither Justify nor save. I confess the Apostle saith, work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling, but what follows, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.12, 13.
Secondly, If we be saved by grace, why should we not be tender of the grace of God, of the name of God, of the free grace of God, and of the great name of God; Are you saved by grace, and will you turn grace into wantonness? Oh my friends I say, if you be saved by grace, and by grace alone, how tender should you be of the name of God and of the free grace of God.
Thirdly, If we be saved by grace, then we may here see the reason, why many do take so much pains, as they think, for heaven, and yet fall short of it, and go to Hell; why it is because Salvation lies under the conduct of free grace: Some men abstain from sin, that they may not be damned, others perform holy duties, read and hear, &c. That they may go to Heaven, yea many strive and shall not enter, because salvation is of free grace.