Sermons Upon Romans 11:2-8, Sermon 6
The sixt Sermon.
Thus it followeth. Verse 6.
And if it be of grace, it is no more of workes, or else were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke.
THe Apostle hauing spoken before of the election of Gods Saints to be according to grace, saying (as you hauehave heard) that there was a faithful remnant, reserued according to the election of grace. Now in these words, least it shold be thought, that those which were preserued either in the dayes of Elias, or in the time wherein S. Paule himselfe liued, deserued the same preseruation at Gods hands by their workes: he therefore amplifieth that which he touched before of election, by an argument of contraries, opposing grace and workes together, as one meerely repugnant vntounto the other. If it bee of Grace (sayth he) then is it not of workes, &c. If election bee free, and according to Gods meere grace and goodnesse, then is it not for works, nor in consideration of any deserts; but it is a sure thing (saith the Apostle) that they who are elected, are elected freely of Gods meere grace and fauour: Therefore not for Workes, nor in consideration of any deserts. Grace and Workes beeing so contrary the one to the other, that wher one hath place, the other must of necessity be remoued and taken away. This in few words is the sence of this amplification.
Doct. 3 The Apostle after this manner, giuing to vnderstand, not onelyonly that such as belong to eternall life, are elected through the meere grace and free mercy of God, and that in the action it selfe of their election, Workes hauehave wrought nothing at all, whereby God should the sooner bee mooued thereunto: but also, that it is a very foolish and absurd thing once to immagine, or to be perswaded; that Grace and Workes can be ioyned together, in the question of election, seeing they are so disagreeable in themselues. If a man be elected by grace, that is freely, it standeth with no reason at all, to thinke or say, that he is elected by Workes, or in consideration of any deserts. For that which is deserued eyther in part, or in whole, cannot be sayde to be giuen freely, seeing there is a consideration of the guift, or at least wise, some cause, wherefore it should bee giuen. And nowe, that election is of grace, and of grace alone; besides the plaine and expresse words of this Text, this dooth the Apostle confirme. Ephe. 1. where he deriueth all our holinesse and righteousnesse, and whatsoeuer good thing either is, or can be in vsus, from the election of God: Hee hath chosen vsus in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in louelove. Also 2. Tim. 1, 9. Who hath saued vsus (sayth hee) and called vsus, with an holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpose and grace, which was giuen vsus through Christ Iesus, before the world was. In these words it is plaine, that we are neither called nor saued in regard of workes, much lesse elected then, either for them, or in regard of them. Most notably also. 1 Cor. 4, 7. doth the Apostle vtterly disanull all the glory that men can chalenge to thēselues in regard of woorkes, saying; who separateth thee? And what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? If thou hast receiued it, why reioycest thou as though thou hadest not receyued it? In which words, hee speaketh not of one or two graces, but whatsoeuer belongeth to eternall life▪ the apostle there affirmeth the same to be receiued; yea, & that of free grace, as yet more plainely. Eph. 2, 8, 9. By grace are ye saued thorough faith, and that not of your selues, it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any man shoulde boast himselfe. Now, if man hauehave nothing that belongeth to eternall life, but what he hath receyued of grace of free gifte, of fauor and mercy, is it not an odious pride and an horrible vnthankefulnesse for any man to imagine or say, that for his faith or Good-workes, God hath elected and predestinated him to the dignity of saluation? Much might be alledged, but in one worde it is most certaine, that if the whole Scripture bee searched, there will no one sentence be found, that affirmeth God to hauehave chosen vsus in respect of workes, or because he foresaw that we would be faithfull, holy and iust; but contrarywise, all the Testimonies that concerne this matter, do euidently affirme, that we are freely chosen of God in Christ Iesus, according to the purpose of his wil. Euen as heerunto belongeth this notable confession of the Church, and elect of God. Reuel. 4, 11. who casting their crowns before him that sat vponupon the Throne, Thou art woorthy O Lord (say they) to receiue glorie, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all thinges, and for thy wils sake, they are, and hauehave beene created. And afterward in Chapter 5. they falling down before the Lambe, do sing a new song, saying; Thou art worthy to take the Booke, and to open the Seales thereof, because thou wast killed, and hast redeemed vsus to God by thy bloud, out of eueryevery Kindred, &c. No mention at all do we see heere, of any works, or worthinesse in man, but the worke of Creation, Redemption, and the whole sum of glory and blessednesse, is ascribed and attributed onelyonly and altogether to the free grace and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. The grace and mercy of God in Iesus Christ (I say) is the Originall and efficient cause of all our happinesse and felicity. From thence proceedeth, not only our election, but also our redemption, our calling, our iustification, our sanctification, and all our hope of eternall life, and in no measure at all from any worthinesse or deserts of ours, wee being so farre from deseruing anye part of Gods louelove, as that beeing his verie enemies (by reason of our sinnes) wee are woorthy of nothing but of his fearefull wrath. And therefore notably sayeth the Apostle, Romanes 5, 8, 9. That GOD setteth foorth his LoueLove towardes vsus, seeing that while wee were yet sinners, Christ dyed for vsus. Much more then beeing iustified by his blood, wee shall bee saued from wrath thorough him. And 1. Iohn 4, 9, 10. In this appeared the louelove of God towards vsus, because God sent his onelyonly begotten Sonne into the Worlde, that wee may liue thorough him. Heerein is louelove, not that wee loued God, but that he loued vsus, and sent his Son to be a reconciliation for our sinnes.
Thus you see, how truely the Apostle sayeth heere of election, that it is of Grace, and that most truely the same is also to bee verifyed, as touching Redemption, Calling, Iustification, with whatsoeuer else dooth belong, or in any wise, appertaine vntounto eternall Life. And nowe, if that they bee of Grace, it is then absurde (as the Apostle heere teacheth) to impute the cause of them in any measure vntounto workes: eyther they must bee wholly of grace, or wholly of workes, for seeing they are so contrarie, they cannot possibly be ioyned together in one and the same action. If it be of grace then is it not of workes, and if it be of workes, then is it not of grace. And surely, this is such a notable argument of the Apostle, that whosoeuer cannot see the clearnesse of the same, to confesse and extoll on the one side, the grace and mercy of the lord, in election, redemption, calling, and iustification: and on the other side, to depriue himselfe and all others generally, of all opinion and imagination of meriting or deseruing eyther the one or the other, he giueth vndoubtedly, a very great Token, that the Lord hath blinded his eyes, and vtterly giuen him ouer to a reprobat sence; yet the Papistes notwithstanding, (thorough the iust iudgement of God against them) are nothing at all ashamed to deny and cauel at the light and clearenesse of the same, affirming that the apostle speaketh heere of such good-workes onelyonly, as are doone of nature, and not of such as are doone of faith; and so consequently, that it is neuerthelesse true, that the Lord God in election, had regard vntounto the good-works which the elect shold do afterward; and whereby they should deserue their election; and that such as are iustified, are not iustified through the free grace and mercy of God in christ Iesus, apprehended and aplyed by faith, but through faith and workes ioyned & concurring together. Wherein, besides their grosse absurdity, in calling workes doone of Nature [Good-works] whereas whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sin; and without faith it is impossible to please God, as Rom. 14 23 and Heb. 11, 6. It is most cleare & euident that the Apostle speaking of election by grace, by which all are saued, that are saued, hath relation not onelyonly to works of Nature, but excludeth from the same the merit of al works generally, aswell of the circumcised Iewes, and baptized Christians, as of the vnbeleeuing Gentiles. And whereas they alledge, that God in election, had regard vntounto such Good-workes, as should afterward be performed, & that Fayth and Workes, are of necessity to be ioyned together in the matter of Iustification; although these verie wordes of the Apostle, bee of such sufficient force to ouerthrow both the one, & the other (as that eueryevery one that delighteth not in ignoraunce and errour, may plainely perceiue the weakenesse of their assertions:) concluding euidently, that Grace, which we apprehend by Fayth in Christ, and Workes, are so contrary, that where Grace is, there all merit of workes, must of necessity bee displaced: yet notwithstanding partly, because this Doctrine of theirs, is wonderfull iniurious to the efficacy of the death and passion of our lord Iesus Christ, vtterly making the same of no effect; and partly, because this is the most principall and waightiest point and principle of all Popery, so as take away this, and the whole substance thereof falleth to the ground, And heerewithall also, to the end, that (through the grace of Gods spirit) you might both effectually be confirmed in the truth, and be able to confute the contrary assertions of the aduersaries. For these considerations, it shall not bee amisse, to adde that which hath beene spoken, some other authorities of the Scripture, with manifest Reasons drawne from the same; that it may plainely appeare, howe plentifully the Word of God, teacheth that truth which wee professe, and not in one place alone, but in many places handleth the same. As touching the first; whereas they say, that election is grounded vponupon the foreknowledge of such Good-works as God fore-saw the elect would performe: It is most certaine, that (forasmuch as wee were all corrupt in Adam) GOD coulde fore-see nothing in vsus, that should moue him to choose vsus. So as take away election, and what remayneth, but that wee be vtterly lost and accurssed. Al our righteousnesse (as the Prophet Esay speaketh) Esay 64, 6. is as filthy clowts. Nowe, if this bee true, that all our Righteousnesse is no better then filthy Clowtes, and yet God (as the Papists would make men beleeue) did chuse men in regard therof, thē must it needs follow, that he chose them in regard of that which was filthy & vncleane; but God forbid that any such cogitation shoulde once take place in anie Christian heart. God hath chosen vsus in his eternall purpose for his owne glorie to be manifested in vsus, and this hee did in Christ his sonne, in whome alone is our whole perfection. How grosly and falsly they conclude also concerning the other point; where they affirme that faith and workes must bee ioyned together in the question of iustification; we neede go no further then to the expresse Testimonies of the Apostle, Rom. 3, 20, 21, &c. where he sayth not onelyonly that by the workes of the Law, no flesh shalbe iustified; and a little after, that the Righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law, and is by the faith of Iesus Christ, vntounto al, and vponupon all that beleeue. And againe, that we are iustified freely by his grace, thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesus: but also after al this, maketh this euident conclusion; We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law. Againe, according to that in chapt. 4. if Abrahams faith onelyonly, were imputed vntounto him for righteousnes then through the imputation of Christes righteousnesse, we are iustified by Fayth onelyonly, but the first is true in that place, Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse; therefore the second must needs also bee so to. Another like saying to that of this Text, hath the same Apostle in the nexte verse of that chapter, To him that worketh (sayth hee) the wayes is not counted by fauor, but by debt. But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly, his Fayth is counted for righteousnesse. The Apostle in these words plainly shewing, that the iustification by any workes at all, dooth cleane ouerthrow and destroy the grace of God, and doth make grace and workes as contrary, the one to the other. And if our iustification be partly of works, then by the apostles reason, it is partly of debt, and cannot be counted of fauour, but the reward (as hee teacheth) is rendered according to grace, and not according to debt; therfore we are not iustified before God in any measure, by workes, althogh they proceede neuer so much from faith. And wheras they obiect further, that the Apostle in all these places, excludeth only the Ceremoniall workes of the Lawe from iustification: it is very cleare to the contrary, that the Apostle writing this Epistle to the Romanes (who were Gentiles, and neuer troubled with keeping of the Iewish Ceremonies) had no cause at al, to exhort them frō any confidence of iustification by the same. But to come to some other Reasons, wherefore al works are thus excluded from Grace and Fayth in the questions of election and iustification. First we must knowe, that all our workes,Reasons. euen the very best, are vnperfect, and therefore cannot deserue any thing, according to that, Galathians 5, 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirite, and the spirite against the Flesh; and these are contrarie one to the other, so that yee cannot doo the same things that ye would. Secondly, all the Good-workes which we at any time can do, are al due and indebted vntounto god, as Luke 17, 10. When yee hauehave done al those thinges which are commaunded; Say (sayth Christ) wee are vnprofitable seruantes, we hauehave doone that which was our duty to doo. And wee must do our duties, and pay our debts, before wee can deserue any thing. Thirdly, it appeareth plainly, Rom. 9, 11, 12, 13. that we are both elected and iustified, before we do any Good-workes, as it is there proued, by the example of Iacob and Esau, as concerning whom, euen before they Were borne, and when they had neyther doone good, nor euill, that the purpose of God might remain, according to election, not by workes, but by him that calleth. It was sayde vntounto her, the Elder shall serue the younger, As it is written, I hauehave loued Iacob, and hauehave hated Esau.
Againe, if any thing should be required of vsus to iustification, then Christ should not giuegive vsus true and perfect righteousnesse and saluation; and thereupon it would follow, that our Sauior should not bee perfect; but hee is most perfect, according to this notable saying of the Apostle, Eph. 1, 6, 7. That God to the praise of the glory of his grace hath made vsus accepted in his beloued, by whom we hauehave redemption through his bloud, euen the forgiuenes of sins, according to his rich grace. Moreouer, in al the Goodworks that we do, It is God which worketh in vsus both the wil and the deed, euen of his good pleasure, as the Apostle speaketh. Phil. 2. But euil (as he teacheth also in another place) is so present with vsus, that the good which we would do, we cannot do. Thorough the motion of Gods grace wee would do it, but through the corruption of our nature we cannot do it; yea, when we do any good at all, we are so far from perfect doing it, as that it may rather bee tearmed a will in vsus to doe good, then a right doing indeed. For we ought to louelove God with all our heart, with al our soul, and with all our minde, but so long as the flesh lusteth in vsus against the spirite, and there is a lawe in our members rebelling against the Law of our mind (which will be so long as wee liue in this world) wee cannot be saide to louelove God with all our hart, with all our soule, and with al our mind; so then, in far lesse measure then we ought. Now that which is lesse then it ought to be, is imperfect, as transgressing the rule of Gods Law. Deut. 4, & 12. Wherefore, seeing our works in this life ought to be done in perfect louelove toward God & man, and that perfection of louelove we hauehave not in this life, it most clearely followeth, that all our works in this life are faulty, yea although they be wrought by the grace of Christ. Not that the grace of Christ in it selfe hath any blemish or imperfection, God forbid; but because we, in whom it worketh, are corrupt, euen as water, though it flow from a fountaine most cleare, yet if it run through a filthy and muddy channell, becomes corrupt and muddy as the channel is. Much might be spoken, but this is a sure thing, that we fulfill the Law of God, neither in all, nor in any of our workes, and failing of the perfection thereof, in any or in all: we are by the sentence thereof, denounced accursed, as Gal. 3, 10. out of Deut. 27 Curssed is eueryevery man, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the Booke of the Law to do them. So then we see, that the workes of Gods children; yea, euen the very best of them, howsoeuer they are termed Good-workes, yet are they not during this life, properly or perfectly good, but imperfectly good, and imperfectly holy. They are good by comparison, and good by acceptation: by comparison, and in respect, as the Prophet Habakuk, chap. 1, 13. calleth a man righteous, not simply, but in comparison of the wicked. And good by acceptation, in the sight of God, who (dealing as a louing Father with his Children) vouchsafeth to take that in good part, which we do willingly, although we do it weakely, graciously beholding vsus in Iesus Christ, and so imputing vntounto vsus his righteousnesse and obedience, as that we remaine without danger of condemnation, and in due time are exalted to eternall glory. But now against this trueth, there are diuers Obiections. First, it is probable (say our aduersaries) that workes must be ioyned with grace and fayth, in the questions of election and iustification, seeing at the latter day, when wee are all to appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, the triall of euerie mans cause, shal not be made by grace or faith, but by workes, alledging to this purpose diuers places of the scripture, as Ioh. 5, 29 where our Lord Iesus doth not say, that at the later day, they which beleeue, shal hauehave eternal life, and they which belieue not, eternall death, but they That hauehave done good, shal come forth to the resurrection of life, & they that hauehave done euil, to the resurrection of condemnation. Also that of the apostle, 2 Cor. 5, 10. where he sayth, That we must al appeare before the iudgment seat of Christ, that eueryevery man may receiue the things that are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or euil. Thirdly, that Reuel. 20, 12. And I sawe the dead (saith Iohn) both great and small stand before God; and the Bookes were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, & the dead were iudged of those thinges, which are written in the bookes according to their workes. But of al other places, that seemeth most manifest in Mat. 25. where the reason of calling of the elect to the inheritance of the heauēly kingdom, is expresly taken from workes, it being there recorded, that the heauenly iudge (after the pronouncing of the sentence, wherein hee calleth them blessed of his heauenly Father, and giueth them possession of eternall glory) shall proceed, saying, For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate, I thirsted, and ye gaue me drinke, I was a stranger, and ye lodged me, &c. But now, howsoeuer by these places it is certaine, that the trial and examination of eueryevery mans cause, shall be made (after this manner) not by Faith, but by works, yet that it is not any thing at all in regard of works, but onelyonly of Faith, that the heritage of eternall life is imparted, it is so cleare in the places already alledged, as that we cannot desire any thing more apparant. Whereunto may also be added, this comfortable saying of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iohn 3, 14, 15, 18. As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse, so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shoulde not perish, but hauehave eternall life. And again, He that beleeueth in him shal not bee condemned, but he that beleeueth not, is condemned already, because he beleeueth not in the name of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. Also Iohn 6, 40, 47. This is the will of him that sent me, that eueryevery man which seeth the sonne, and beleeueth in him, should hauehave euerlasting life, and I wil raise him vp at the last day. And a little after, Verily, verily, I say vntounto you, hee that beleeueth mee, hath euerlasting life. Heereunto belongeth that also of the Apostle. Acts 13, 38, 39. Bee it knowne vntounto you therefore, men and Brethren (sayth hee) that thorough this man (that is to say thorough Christ) is preached vntounto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and from all things, from which ye could not be deliuered by the Law of Moses, by him eueryevery one that beleeueth, is iustified. By all these (with many other testimonies that might be produced) it is most cleare, that howsoeuer the heauenly Iudge shal make mention of workes at the latter day, and howsoeuer thereby it may seeme at the first, that workes are as auaileable, or rather more auailable then faith, to the obtaining of saluation, that yet it is farre otherwise, the Lord receyuing his elect into eternall blessednesse, through his onelyonly mercy, and free grace in Iesus Christ, and so accordingly crowneth their works, being wroght as fruits of faith in him. The kingdome of heauen (as wee must know) is not a rewarde for seruants, but an inheritance for sons, and which they onelyonly shall enioy, who are adopted of the Lord for his children, and that for no other cause, but for the same adoption, For the Son of the bond-woman, shal not be heire with the son of the Free-woman. The Lorde God doth examine our workes in louelove, and not in rigor and extreamity, rewardeth them with infinite glory, not in regard of themselus, but as they proceed from faith in Christ, & are no other but his owne meere gifts. For euen as natural Parents, bestow gifts vponupon their children, as reward of their wel doing, thereby to encorage them to the greater vertue and godlinesse, when as yet the true and proper cause of the gifts is not the obedience of the child, but the meere goodwill and louelove of the father; euen so, the Lorde allureth vsus with rewards, to holinesse of life, and esteemeth vsus as righteous and worthy, when as in the meane season, all the righteousnesse and worthinesse that is in vsus, proceedeth wholly from his free grace and goodnes. Secondly, they obiect against this Doctrine of election and iustification, by Vse. 2 grace and faith, that it is a Doctrine of liberty, and openeth a wide gap and window to sinne and licentiousnesse. For who say they, will make any conscience of forsaking sin, when he knoweth forgiuenesse to be so ready? Who wil bridle his affections, and punish himselfe by Fasting, Prayer, and other godly exercises, when he sceth so easie & light a way to heauen, as by grace and faith onelyonly? But first we are heere to know, that this is no new reproach and slaunder Fathered vponupon the Gospell and heauenly Doctrine of our saluation. For euen after this manner, did the proud and self-liking Pharisees, vpbraide and quarrell with our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe, because he preached and offered Gods free grace to Publicanes and Sinners. And Rom. 6, 1. wee may see, howe readie the Enemies of the Gospell were to cauell with S. Paule, as though the same Doctrine preached by him, had giuen liberty to sin and dissolutenesse. Secondly, that this is a very false and wicked slaunder of the Papists, not bearing any countenance or likelyhood of truth in it. It is heereby manifest, because the same spirit, which is the spirit of faith, and perswadeth our Consciences to beleeue the great goodnesse and mercy of God towardes vsus in Christ Iesus, is also the Spirit of louelove, and doth enflame our hearts to louelove so bountifull and mercifull a God, as did vouchsafe (when wee were yet his enemies) to deale so graciously and louingly with vsus. Nowe then, if by the motion of one and the same spirit, we doo by faith assuredly know Gods goodnesse towards vsus, & by the knowledge and true sence thereof, do louelove him for the same; Needs must there follow obedience to his Law, and perpetuall studye to please him. Faith then of necessity breedeth louelove of God, and louelove bringeth forth obedience to his will. For if any man louelove me (saith Christ) he wil keep my word, Iohn 14, 23. This louelove, I say, leadeth Gods children to obedience, and is the root of all their good dooings. For euen as nothing can keepe good children so much in obedience, as to knowe their Parents louelove and good affection towards them; so nothing can more effectually moue true Christians, to the true feare of God, and to the performaunce of that which he requireth, then by the Gospell to learn and to be assured of his vnspeakable goodnesse towardes them. Moreouer the same Doctrine, that teacheth vsus that by Gods free grace and meer merciemercy in Iesus Christ, wee are become his children and heires of saluation: the same doctrine doth teach vsus also, that the end and cause of this grace and speciall fauour is, that we should glorify God in our mortall bodies so much the more, and not be slaues and seruants vntounto sin. No man ransometh a captiue, to the end hee should continue to serue his enemy. Christ hath ransomed vsus, not with Golde and Siluer, (as Peter speaketh, 1 Epist. 1.) but with his owne precious bloud, to the end wee should be wholy employed in his seruice, and not in the seruice of our lusts and corrupt affections. This was the end of his incarnation, wherefore he tooke vponupon him our sins, with the curse & condemnation due vntounto them, that we being deliuered from the guiltinesse of sin, from the wrath of God, and torments of hell, might be his peculiar people, sanctifyed to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life, euer-more vnfainedly acknowledging (as the truth is) that the best seruice that we can doo, is vtterly of no value, in comparison of the least of his mercies towards vsus. Thus you see, how little cause the Papists hauehave to slander & reproch this doctrine of the Gospel, as if it gaue liberty and encouragement to sin and licentiousnesse. But oh (say they) you talke much indeed of Good-workes, but what vse is there of doing Good-works, if by them we cannot merit the fauor of God and eternall life? For answer wherunto, we must know, that there are diuers necessary and notable endes of dooing Good-works, though this proud popish opinion of meriting, sinke downe to hel. As first, that by the dooing of them wee Vse. 3 may glorify God. Now God is glorifyed in our workes, when we do such workes as he hath commaunded, not to aduance our owne estimation and credite among men, neither yet with any purpose to deserue at Gods hands; but to expresse our obedience to his commaundements and thankfulnesse for his great mercies & benefits towards vsus, VntoUnto the which kinde of glorifying God, doth the Apostle exhort, 1 Cor. 6, 20. For ye are bought, saith he, for a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirite, for they are Gods. Secondly, we must do Good-workes, to approue our faith, & to make our calling & election sure. For eueryevery tree is known by his fruit, & goodworks are assured arguments, signs and testimonies, of a true faith; & therfore Shew me thy faith, saieth Iames ch. 2, 18. out of thy works, & I wil shew thee my faith by my works. Thirdly, we must do good-works for the better winning & alluring of others to faith & obedience, according to that of Iesus Christ. Mat. 5, 16. Let your light so shine before mē, that they may see your Good-workes, & glorifie your Father which is in Heauen. And whereunto agreeth that of the Apostle Peter. 1 Pet. 2, 12. Dearely beloued, I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims, abstaine from fleshly lustes which sight against the soule, and hauehave your conuersation honest amongst the Gentiles, that they which speake euil of you, as of euil dooers, may by your Good-workes which they shal see, glorifie God in the day of the visitation. And lastly, we must do Good-workes for the helping and comforting of such as are any way in neede of our helping hand, according as heereunto tend the plentifull precepts and exhortations of the Scripture, as Luke 6. Be ye merciful, saith our Sauior, as your heauenly Father is merciful, and giuegive sayth he, and it shalbe giuen vntounto you; and many other, which are so often remembered that I neede not heere stand vponupon thē. By this which hath bin deliuered, you see I trust, now clearly, that althogh we hold and beleeue that wee are neither elected, nor iustifyed in regard of workes, but by grace and faith onelyonly, yet condemne wee not Good-workes (as the Papists slander vsus) but earnestly teach and require, a true and lawfull doing of them, according to the will of God; Knowing (as the Apostle speaketh. Eph. 2, 10.) that we are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Iesus vntounto good-workes, which God hath ordained that we should walke in them. Let this then stande Vse. 4 for the last vse and conclusion of all, that howsoeuer we hold it not a matter indifferent, whether we do good-works or no but that we be zealous in the accomplishment of eueryevery good duty, which the lord requireth of our seueral places & callings: yet when there is any question of saluation, we euermore take diligent heede (as we tender Gods glory & our own good) that wee neuer trust to our workes, but knowing & acknowledging the very best of them, to be doubtfull, corrupt, wauering, and vncertaine (and that the promises of God therefore do not depend vponupon them, neither hauehave they any thing at all in themselues, and as they proceede from vsus that shuld moue God to make vsus blessed.) Wee repose and settle all our confidence and hope of saluation, onelyonly and altogether in the free grace and meer mercy of God, through the righteousnes and obedience of Iesus Christ. The which grace, the Lord vouchsafe vsus for his sake, Amen.