A Complete collection of farewell sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…

But how is it possible flesh and blood should attain to this? that they should be perfect in every good work? Why, saith the Apostle, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. Working in you: You see thereby all our works depend on God, and 'tis in vain for us to build on any Foundation but this; for 'tis God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure, &c. Col. 2.12. through the faith of the operation of God; working in you, or doing in you, or causing in you, or making in you, that which is well-pleasing in his sight. Our work is to depend on Gods work; our outward working, depends on Gods inward working.

Again, that which is acceptable in Gods sight, but 'tis only through Jesus Christ; good works themselves, though never so good, agreeable to the Law and Gospel; yet if God look not on our persons and works through Christ, they will not serve the turn, ye cannot be accepted; working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. Will God be pleased with nothing, but only for Christ Jesus his sake? and if it do not please Christ, it will not please God. 'Tis truly, plainly, verily so. That which God cannot accept of through Christ, he doth not accept at all; but now things are so ordered, that God hath put all things into Christs hands; Christ Jesus hath the ordering of the Worship and Government of the Church; he hath the making of all the Articles of the Christians Creed; a Christian is bound to believe nothing, but what Christ teaches, as necessary to Salvation; so that in ⟨image 116⟩Christ we are complete, if we believe as he teaches us to believe; and if we worship God as he teaches us to worship God, and have such order and government concerning his house, and walk so as we desire in all things to please our Lord and Master, and have him before our eyes; then are we returned unto Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. But if we present God with any kind of Creed, Model of Worship, or Government, that hath not Christs Image and stamp upon it, God will say, as Christ concerning the money, Whose Image or Superscription doth it bear? If we can say Christ's; the way of worship we have learned from Christ, that Order and Government in the Church we have learned from Christ, then the Father and Son will own it: If it have Mans superscription upon it, not Gods or Christ, I cannot tell how we should presume it can be acceptable to God, through Christ; for God hath so confined himself, he will not be pleased, but through Christ; and that all Matters of Religion in the New Testament should be ordered according to Christs mind, as the Old according to Moses. 'Tis necessary we enquire after Christs mind in what we do: If we can do any thing, and in doing it, are sure it will be acceptable to God through Christ, well and good; otherwise not. This is the Apostles prayer, That God would make them perfect in every good work to do his will, working in them that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ.