The Saints Sacrifice, Section 59
§. 59. Of practiſing duty.
I. MAns inward affection to God muſt be manifeſted by his outward converſation. It is uſuall with the Holy Ghoſt to inferre upon feare, and love of God (which are the two principall affections whereby our high eſteeme of God, and due reſpect to him are manifeſted) a walking in his waies, and keeping his commandements, thus, aPſal. 1…8. 1.Bleſſed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his waies. bEccl 1…. 1….Feare God and keepe his commandements. cDeut 11. 22.—19. 9.Love the Lord and walke in his waies. d1 Ioh. 5. 3.This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements. The duty compriſed under this Metaphor of walking is oft and much preſſed thorowout the Scripture, and that under this very word. It is eGen. 17. 1. Deut 10. 12.commanded, fGen 6. 9. Luke 1. 6.commended, gGen. 5 24.rewarded, and thereupon conſcionably h2 King. 20. 3it hath beene, and ſtill muſt be obſerved: and that in regard of
1 Gods glory.
2 Others good.
3 Our owne good.
1 By practice it is that the virtues or i1 Pet. 2. 9.praiſes of him that hath called us out of darknes into his marvelous light, are ſhewed forth. kMat. 5. 16.Thus men may ſee our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heaven. Good cauſe therforehad the Lord to ſay, lIoh. 15. 8.Herin is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit.
2 By practice it is that ſuch as are called are ſtirred up to an holy mHeb. 12. 1.emulation (for they that walke aright, become n1 Theſ. 17. 2 Cor. 9. ….enſamples to others:) and ſuch as are not called may either o1 Pet 3. 1, 2.be wonne, or p—16. Fidem …u…m dilectio anim…t, pro… et actio B…r. ſuper Cant. Serm 2…. …st…monium praeſentiae ſpiri tu… pr…ent opera Idem de S. And… ▪ Serm. 2.hauehave their mouthes ſtopped.
3 By practice it is, that ſincerity of heart, integrity of conſcience, ſoundneſſe of faith, and truth of all graces are manifeſted, cheriſhed, and increaſed. Yea and the preſence of Gods Spirit in us, teſtified. Hereby inward aſſurance is gained, and outward evidence is given of our election before the world, and of our ſalvation after the world. Many judgements are by this walking or prevented, or removed, or mitigated, or ſanctified: and everlaſting perdition avoided. If motives may be of force to provoke us to performe a duty, motives are not wanting to provoke us to this duty of walking, as here it is profeſſed.
Reprehenſion of ſuch as practiſe not what they know and like. Ne ſcientiam tibi ſatisfacer… putes, propterea adiecit qui ambulant. &c. Baſil. in Pſal. 117.What may now be thought of ſuch, as having attained to a ſufficient meaſure of knowledge, and are with that which they know of God, and of his kind dealing with them inwardly affected, and are thereupon moved to profeſſe as much louelove as the Prophet here doth, but yet faile in performance, in practice? They walke not. Their apprehenſion, affection, profeſſion are all in vaine; except to be as ſo many evidences againſt them, to make them the more inexcuſable, and to aggravate their judgement the more. I deny not, but that knowledge of God and of his favour towards us, a good liking thereof, and a cheerfull acknowledgement and profeſſion of what we know, are very needfull and uſefull. For walking without knowledge muſt needs be prepoſterous and erroneous: without a good affection, hypocriticall and vaine: and without a free profeſſion, too too timorous. So as theſe three are neceſſary, though not ſufficient. Queſtion may be made of the truth of them all, where they are not ſealed and ratified by an anſwerable walking and practice. And adverſaries of the truth will take the more occaſion to ſlander the truth. Our adverſaries doe much urge againſt us and our profeſſion that we walke not: that we practiſe not: and alleage this againſt our profeſſion, to impeach the integrity of our religion: which ſhould make us more conſcionable in ſhewing forth our good workes for ſtopping of their mouthes. Our doctrine is even in this point, as in others, ſound and orthodoxe. In Schooles, in Churches, by preaching, by printing we teach a neceſſity of walking, of practiſing, of doing good works, according to this rule of the Apoſtle, (Tit. 3. 14.) Let ours learne to maintaine good works for neceſſary uſes, that they be not unfruitfull. Or… ut ad agenda bona op…ro ſ…ſ…inemus. N…q …nim a…er ſalvari nos p…ſſibil… eſt. Chryſ. Hom 47. in Gen. 22And we acknowledge them to be ſo neceſſary, as without them we cannot be ſaved.
The ground of their cavilling againſt our doctrine about good works is, becauſe we do not ſet too high a prize upon them, and make them meritorious, which is to make them no good works, but proud, preſumptuous, damnable, diabolicall works. There be many forceable reaſons for the neceſſity of good works, though that vaine, frothie, windy, falſe, arrogant, impious, blaſphemous reaſon of merit be not preſſed. They are expreſly commanded of God: therefore neceſſary. Though they be not the cauſe of raigning, yet Via regni non cauſa regnandi Bern. de Grat. & lib. arbitr.they are the way to the kingdome, out of which way we cannot attaine to the Kingdome: therefore neceſſary. Though the faithfull are not juſtified by them, yet by them is their faith juſtified (Iam. 2. 22.) therefore neceſſary. Vt ad meritum ſatis eſt de meritis non praeſumere: ſic carer… meritis, ſatis eſt ad iudicium. Bern. ſup. Cant Serm. 68. Luk. 17. 10.Though the doing of them do not merit eternall life, yet the not doing of them meriteth everlaſting death, (Mat. 25. 41, 42) therefore neceſſary. Though by the ſtrict ſtanderd of the Law being found unperfect, they are rejected, yet by the gracious mitigation of the Goſpell being found ſincere, they are accepted: therefore neceſſary. Though when we ſhall have done all thoſe things which are commanded us we are unprofitable ſervants, yet by doing according to our ability what we are commanded, we ſhew our ſelves gratefull children: therefore are good works neceſſary. This laſt motive is of more moment with an ingenuous child, then any merit can be. For when the beleever thorowly pondereth the free grace and rich mercy of God in giving him Chriſt, in accepting him in Chriſt, in pardoning all his ſinnes, in reſerving eternall life for him, his heart is ſo inflamed with a deſire of teſtifying all gratefulneſſe, as he is ready with his uttermoſt power to do whatſoever he may know to be well-pleaſing unto God. Now Gods Word declaring that to do good is a ſacrifice well-pleaſing to God, the fore-named deſire doth Heb. 13. 16.more enforce him to do good, then the merit of many heavens could. Gratefulneſſe more worketh on an ingenuous ſpirit then reward can. And that which in way of gratefulneſſe is wrought, is much more kindly wrought, then that which is done for recompence. Anſwerably it is alſo more acceptable to God: for it manifeſteth a better reſpect towards him.
2 Ye that have taſted of the bounty of the Lord, and are well informed in his good-will towards you and thereupon have your hearts inflamed with the heavenly fire of love, and are ſtirred up to purpoſe and promiſe to approve your ſelves to him, have a care of your cariage, and ratifie the truth of all by an anſwerable walking. Sweet is that melodie, and happy is that harmony, where mind, heart, tongue, life and all conſent to make a concent. Say therefore (and do as ye ſay) I will walke: and that with ſuch a mind as is ſet out in the next doctrine.