you that ye shall to their own masters, and to please free from sin, and become servants to brethren, adorn the profession of the gospels, stop the mouths of the adversaries 5, and glorify God', whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereuntok, that , having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end eternal life! III. Their Rre in him. 2 Pet. i. 5. And be. but shewing all good fidelity ; thar sides this, giving all diligence, add to they may adorn the doctrine of God your faith, virtue; and to virtue, our Saviour in all things. Ver. 11. knowledge; Ver. 6. And to know For the grace of God that beingeth -:ledge, temperance ; and to tempe- salvation hath appeared to all nen; rance, patience ; and to patience, Ver. 12. Teaching us, that, denying godliness ; Ver. 7. And to godli- ungodliness and worldly lusts, we ness, brotherly kindness'; and to should live soberly, righteously, and brotherly kindness, charity. Ver. 8. godly, in this present world. i Tim. For if these things be in you, and vi. 1. Let as many servants as are abound, they make under the yoke count their own neither be barren nor unfruitful in masters worthy of all honour; that the knowledge of our Lord Jesus the nanie of God and his doctrine Christ . Ver. 9. But he that lack be not hlasphemed. eth these things is blind, and can hi Pet. ii. 15. For so is the will not , see far off, and hath forgotten of God, that with well-doing ye that he was purged from his old sins. Ver. 10. Wherefore the ra may put to silence the ignorance of foolish nen. ther, brethren, give diligence to il Pet. ij. 12. Having your conmake your calling and election sure ; for if ye do these things, ye versation honest among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by your * 2 Cor. ix. 2. For I know the good works which they shall beforwardness of your mind, for which hold, glorify God in the day of I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year visitation. Phil. i. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, ago; and zeal hath provoked which are by Jesus Christ unto the covery many. Matth. v. 16. Let glory and praise of God. Joha xv. 8. your light so shine before men, that Herein is my Father glorified, that they may see your good works, and ye be glorify your Father which is in ye bear much fruit, so shall my disciples. & Tit. ii. 5. To be discreet, chaste, k Eph. ii. 10. For we keepers at home, good, obedient to workmanship, created in Christ Jesus their own husbands, that the word unto good works, which God hath of God be not blasphemed. Ver. 9. before ordained, that we should walk in them, Exhort servants to be obedient un 1 Rom. vi. 22. But now being made them well in all things; not answering again; Ver. 10. Not purloining, God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. m John 27 shall never fall. your heaven. are his IV. They and I in you. consumed Us, because of our ini: thou stir up the gift of God which III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ m. And that they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure": yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in themo TII. m John xv. 4. Abide in me, much more in my absence; work As the branch can out your own salvation with fear and not bear fruit of itself, except it trembling. Heb. vi. 11, And we abide in the vine; no more can ye, desire that every one of you do except ye abide in me. Ver. 5. I shew the same diligence, to the full am the vine, ye are the branches : assurance of hope unto the end: he that abideth in me, and I in Ver. 12. That ye be not slothful, him, the same bringeth forth much but followers of them who, through fruit; for without me ye can do faith and patience, inherit the pronothing. Ver. 6. If a man abide nises. 2 Pet, i. 3. According as not in me, he is cast forth as a his divine power hath given unto branch, and is withered; us all things that pertain unto life gather them, and cast them into and godliness, through the knowthe fire, and they are burned. ledge of hin, that hath called us to Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart also glory and virtue. Ver. 5. And bewill I give you, and a new spirit sides this, giving all diligence, add to will I put within you ; and I will your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, take away the stony heart out of knowledge. Ver. 10. Wherefore the your flesh, and I will give you an rather, brethren, give diligence to heart of flesh. Ver. 27. And I will make your calling and election put my Spirit within you, and sure; for if you do these things, ye cause you to walk in my statutes, shall never fall; Ver, 11, For so an end ye shall keep my judgments, entrarce shall be ministered unto and do them, you abundantly into the everlast1) Phil. i 13. For it is God ing kingdom of our Lord and Sawhich worketh in you, hoth to will viour Jesus Christ. and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. And there is none that calleth upiv. 13. I can do all things through on thy name, that stirreth 1p. Christ, which strengtheneth me. self to take hold of thee; for thou 2 Cor. iv. 5. Not that we hast hid thy face from us, and hast sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves: but our suf quities. 2 Tim. i. 6, Wherefore ficiency is of God. I u Phil. ii. 12. M'herefore, ny be. put thee in renicmbrance, that loved, as ye have always' obeyed, is in their by the putting on of not as in my preserce only, but now my hards, Acts xxvi. 6. And now 26 and men Isa. Ixiv, 7. him are I stand, ote our fathers : Ver. 7. Unto which Elede pourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord And I conimanded the Levites, the gift of God. keep the gates, to sanctify the sab bath-day: Remember me, O my according to his mercy he saved for et spare me according to the great and renewing of the Holy Ghost : how should man be just with God? Ver. 3. If he will contend justified by his grace, we should be IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest de height which is possible in this life, are so far from being as the able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are and bound to do P. V. We cannot, by our best works, merit pardon of sin, ay door eternal life, at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come, by them we can neither profit nor satisfy for the debt of our The former sinso; but when we have done all we can, we have donc Spirit, and the Spirit against the one to the other; so that ye can- not do the things that ye would. serving God day and night, hope V. 9 Rom. ii. 20. Therefore by to come; for which hope's sake, the deeds of the law there shall no King Agrippa, I am accused of the flesh be justified in his sight : for Jews Jude, ver. 20. But ye, be- by the law is the knowledge of loved, building up yourselves on Rom. iv. 2. For if Abraun p'qur most holy faith, praying in ham were justified by works, he the Holy Ghost, Ver . 21. Keep hath whereof to glory, but not be fore God. Ver. 4. Now, to him that worketh is the reward not Jesus Christ unto eternal life. reckoned of IV. P Luke xvii, 10. So likewise grace, but of debt. Ver. 6. Even as David also descri- beth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. vants : we have done that which Eph. ii. 8. For by was our duty to do. grace are ye saved, through faith; Neh, xiii. 22. and that not of yourselves ;, it is Ver. 9. Not of and that they should come and Tit. iii. 5. Not by works of righ teousness which we have done, but concerning this alsn, and us, by the washing of regeneration, Job ix. 2. Ver. 6. Which he shed on rough Jesus Christ our Saviour : Ver. 7. That, being sill, rekord igente elci ered ereksi God, ness of thy mercy, with him, he cannot answer him Gal. v. 17. made heirs according to the hope Rom. viii. 18. For E present done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants'; and because, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirits; and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment VI. Yet notwithstanding, the persons of believers being i accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in him“; not as though they were in this life wholly unblameable present time are not worthy to be For that which I do, I allow not: compared with the glory which shall for what I would, that do I not ; be revealed in us. Psal. xvi. 2. but what I hate, that do I. Ver. 18. O my soul, thou hast said unto the I know that in me (that is, in niy Lord, Thou art my Lord : my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to goodness extendeth not to thee. will is present with me, bụt how to Job xxii. 2. Can a man be profit perform that which is good I find able unto God, as he that is wise riot. Psal. cxliii. 2. And enter not may be profitable unto himself? into judgment with thy servant: for Ver. 3. Is it any pleasure to the in thy sight shall no man living be Almighty that thou art righteous ? justified. Psal. cxxx. 3. If thou, or is it gain to him that thou makest Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O thy ways perfect ? Job xxxv. 7. If Lord, who shall stand ? thou be righteous, what givest thou VI. u Eph. i. 6. To the praise him? or what receiveth he of thine of the glory of his grace, wherein hand ? Ver. 8. Thy wickedness may he hath made us accepted in the hurt a man as thou art, and thy Beloved. 1 Pet. ii. 5. Ye also, as righteousness may profit the son of lively stones, are built up a spiri tual house, an holy priesthood, to "Luke xvii. 10. (See letter P in this : offer up spiritual sacrifices, acChapter ] ceptable" to God by Jesus Christ . sGal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Exod. xxviii. 38. And it shall be Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron suffering, gentleness , goodness, faitħ, may bear the iniquity of the holy Ver. 23. Meekness, temperance : things, which the children of Isagainst such there no law. rael shall hallow in all their holy i Isa. lxiv. 6. But we are all as an gifts : and it shall be always upon unclean thing, and all our righ his forehead, that they may be teousnesses are as filthy rags, and accepted before the Lord. we all do fade as a leaf, and our iv. 4. And Abel, he also brought iniquities, like the wind, have ta. of the firstlings of his flock, and of Gal. v. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the fat thereof; and the Lord had the Spirit against the flesh :' and fering. With Heb. xi. 4. By faith respect unto Abel, and to his ofthese are contrary the one to the Abel offered unto God a more other; so that ye cannot do the excellent sacrifice than Cain, by things that ye would. Rom. vii. 15. which he obtained witness that mar: Gen. ken us away. he cause is in 7 mine own mouth shall condemn me; zhe through the blood of the everlast , Well done, thou good and faith- preach Christ of contention, not Well done, good and faithful ser. unblameable and unreproveable in God's sight w; but that pirt: he, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and is reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with eyting many weaknesses and imperfections. VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although, for the matter of them, they may be things which God commands, and of good use both to themselves and others; yet, behe was righteous, God testifying vant; thou hast been faithful over his gifts; and by it he, being dead, a few things, I will make thee ole yet speaketh. ruler over many things: enter thou * job ix. 20. If I justify myself, into the joy of thy lord. VII. Y 2 Kings x. 30. And the if I say, I am perfect, it shall also Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou prove me perverse. Psal. cxliii. 2. hast done well in executing that god li And enter pot into judgment with which is right in mine eyes, and thy servant : for in thy sight shall hast done unto the house of Ahab no man living be justified. according to all that was in inine * Heb. xiii. 20. Now, the God heart, thy children of the fourth of peace, that brought again generation shall sit on the throne Ver. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his do his will, working in you that the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. 1 Kings xxi. 27. which is well-pleasing in his sight, And it came to pass, when Ahab through Jesus Christ; to whom heard those words, that he rent be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Cor. viï. 12. For if there be liis clothes, and put sackcloth up on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in that he himself before me? because he me, I will not bring the evil in his days : but in his son's days will I bring in that ye have ministered to the the evil upon his house. Phil. i. 15. saints, and do minister. Some indeed preach Christ even Matth. of envy and strife ; and some also of good will Ver. 16. The one tion to my honds. Ver. 18. What Z Gen. quis! thood hat A the and not according to hath not. their bij breed 1 |