Worship service 12/24.

Greetings and grace to you brethren, the chosen and elect of God, His sheep He hath called to Himself by the ministry of the word. Mercy and peace be multiplied unto you through the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm‬ ‭23:1‭-‬3‬ ‭says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” The people of God take the LORD for their shepherd, trusting in His promises and knowing that He will lead us into our heavenly habitation though it be through manifold difficulties. The Christian therefore can confidently exclaim in the midst of dire need, I shall not want. In the midst of arduous labor, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. In the midst of crisis, He leadeth me beside the still waters. In the midst of loss, He restoreth my soul. And in the midst of many temptations, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. God’s name is faithful, and though it be through the valley of the shadow of death He will give us faith and courage to overcome, that we might at the end of our journey enjoy the riches of His free grace in the heavenly kingdom. Therefore we can trust Him despite the daily obstacles and difficulties in this life. And therefore trusting Him with the safe passage of our souls, committing our lives to His tender care, we come before His throne to worship. And that we may be blessed in the reading and contemplation of His holy word, let us beg of grace for protection and profit. Our gracious and merciful Father, we come unto thee empty of all merit, for that we of ourselves and in our fathers have sinned, we acknowledge our sin and guilt before thee and therefore in all reverence and humility, bowing ourselves before thee in shame and contrition, acknowledging our faults and weaknesses in the light of thy incomprehensible greatness and majesty, we come before thee and ask for thy mercy to be shed upon us by Jesus Christ. (and now in the reading of the word, seeing that we do in thy presence now in a special manner appear) we freely confess our own vileness and unworthiness to approach so near unto thee, and the utter inability of ourselves to accomplish so great a work, (even to understand the doctrine contained in the holy scriptures and profit therefrom); and we do humbly beseech thee for pardon, assistance, and acceptance, in the whole service here to be performed; and for a blessing on that particular portion of thy holy word now to be read in the assembly of the saints: All in the name, and through the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom we pray, Amen.

Psalm 14: 1 He describeth the perverse nature of men, which were so grown to licentiousness, that God was brought to utter contempt. 7 For the which thing, although he was greatly grieved, yet being persuaded that God would send some present remedy, he comforteth himself and others.

1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 All are gone out of the way, they are all together corrupt: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

4 Do not all the workers of iniquity know that they eat up my people, as they eat bread? they call not upon the Lord.

5 There did they tremble in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his refuge.

7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

Previously we looked at an essential theological principle taught in this Psalm to which all other ideas must subscribe. David who was without the supreme helps and theological treatises we are afforded today by grace, yet was not without the blessing of inward sanctity and holiness, and therefore declares all men universally to be corrupt and therefore fools who inwardly deny God. Yet as David is speaking by the inspiration of the Spirit, He is speaking in a certain vein, according to a certain doctrine and for a specific purpose. When the people of God speak of the depravity of man it is not to set the wicked in contrast with themselves to the end of boasting over them, imagining that they themselves have somehow evaded this condition. The Christian religion is established on the doctrine of free grace, as Paul says in Romans, “where is boasting? It is excluded.” and again in Ephesians, “lest any man should boast”. Therefore we see the reason of the Psalmist setting forth the depravity of man is not to rejoice over him in proud conceit, but to praise God for deliverance. For God not only saves us from the malice of the wicked, that they harm us not, but also from malice itself, from perishing with the wicked as wicked men. God has delivered us from bondage to sin and has caused us to serve Him in newness of life in the Spirit. He has made us righteous in His Son that we might not be like the wicked, and having delivered us from such an evil condition, has promised also to deliver us from the cruelty of those yet in their sins. Therefore although the behavior of the righteous and the wicked is often set in contrast in scripture (especially Psalm 1 and 119), it is not to the end that we should boast, but bow in Thanksgiving to God even as the Psalmist does here saying, “All are gone out of the way, they are all together corrupt: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” and finally praying to God for deliverance assures himself and others of the same, “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” showing us that when we are surrounded by enemies, either in a spiritual sense as in the temptations of the devil, or a material sense, as the wicked in the church and in the world who oppose heavenly doctrine, we can confidently assure ourselves that salvation will come out of Zion (that is victory in the preaching of the word in the church) and God will bring His people out of all their troubles. Just as we read in Psalm 23. Therefore although all men oppose us and make warfare against the doctrine of Christ, yet we hope in the word of God and trust that God will make all things right and deliver us from the wicked. That which lurks in our own bosom from within, and those who seek to do us hurt from without. And seeing the promised victory by faith, we rejoice in our Lord Jesus Christ who promises it to us in His word.

Calvin writes an excellent summary,
Many of the Jews are of opinion that in this psalm there is given forth a prediction concerning the future oppression of their nation: as if David, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, bewailed the afflicted condition of the Church of God under the tyranny of the Gentiles. They therefore refer what is here spoken to the dispersed condition in which we see them at the present day, as if they were that precious heritage of God which the wild beasts devour. But it is very apparent, that in wishing to cover the disgrace of their nation, they wrest and apply to the Gentiles, without any just ground, what is said concerning the perverse children of Abraham. We cannot certainly find a better qualified interpreter than the Apostle Paul, and he applies this psalm expressly to the people who lived under the law, (Romans 3:19.) Besides, although we had not the testimony of this Apostle, the structure of the psalm very clearly shows that David means rather the domestic tyrants and enemies of the faithful than foreign ones; a point which it is very necessary for us to understand. We know that it is a temptation which pains us exceedingly, to see wickedness breaking forth and prevailing in the midst of the Church, the good and the simple unrighteously afflicted, while the wicked cruelly domineer according to their pleasure. This sad spectacle almost completely disheartens us; and, therefore, we have much need to be fortified from the example which David here sets before us: so that, in the midst of the greatest desolations which we behold in the Church, we may comfort ourselves with this assurance, that God will finally deliver her from them.

Calvin on the secret atheism of the wicked,
The Psalmist says that they speak in their heart They may not utter this detestable blasphemy, There is no God, with their mouths; but the unbridled licentiousness of their life loudly and distinctly declares that in their hearts, which are destitute of all godliness, they soothingly sing to themselves this song. Not that they maintain, by drawn out arguments or formal syllogisms, as they term them, that there is no God, (for to render them so much the more inexcusable, God from time to time causes even the most wicked of men to feel secret pangs of conscience, that they may be compelled to acknowledge his majesty and sovereign power;) but whatever right knowledge God instils into them they partly stifle it by their malice against him, and partly corrupt it, until religion in them becomes torpid, and at last dead. They may not plainly deny the existence of a God, but they imagine him to be shut up in heaven, and divested of his righteousness and power; and this is just to fashion an idol in the room of God. As if the time would never come when they will have to appear before him in judgment, they endeavor, in all the transactions and concerns of their life, to remove him to the greatest distance, and to efface from their minds all apprehension of his majesty. And when God is dragged from his throne, and divested of his character as judge, impiety has come to its utmost height; and, therefore, we must conclude that David has most certainly spoken according to truth, in declaring that those who give themselves liberty to commit all manner of wickedness, in the flattering hope of escaping with impunity, deny in their heart that there is a God.

And thus eagerly anticipating the return of Christ and victory over all our enemies we come before Him to pray for His speedy return and the safety and preservation of His church until that day.

Opening prayer,
Our gracious and merciful Father in heaven, we beseech thee for grace and pardon, for we are unworthy even in our best works to come before thee, yea all our righteousnesses are filth before the purity of thy holiness. Therefore before we ask for cleansing and the renewal of our nature we must ask for pardon and acceptance through the righteousness of the Son of God. We come before thee humbly and ask thee for protection from our enemies and strength to resist temptation. Our enemies are many and they seek for the destruction of our soul, spreading vile heresies, enticing the flesh with the love of the world, and doing all they can to take our eyes off of thee, to stop our feet from running in thy ways and our hands from doing thy work. We ask for deliverance from their will for thou only art powerful, wise and gracious. Powerful to overcome the devil and his minions, wise to know their schemes and counteract their plots, and gracious for that we cannot earn thy favor but it must be freely given. Therefore do we ask for salvation from the enemy, for all men are fools who though they profess to know God, in works they deny thee, turning the incorruptible God into an image made like to corrptible man. They turn the sovereignty of God into weakness bringing in free will, or into licentiousness making the grace of God a cloak for sin. But upon us O Lord shed the light of thy grace and keep us from falling. Cause us to be zealous for the glory of thy name, and for the cause of true religion in the world. We have no strength of our own but rely wholly on thee. Therefore do we pray to thee for support and assistance, for the whole work of salvation is thine. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through His mediation we pray, Amen.

Lesson 43. A summary of the Epistle to the Christian Reader. Part 1.

1. As we cannot but with grief of soul lament those multitudes of errors, blasphemies, and all kinds of profaneness, which have in this last age, like a mighty deluge, overflown this nation; so, among several other sins which have helped to open the flood-gates of all these impieties, 2. we cannot but esteem the disuse of family instruction one of the greatest. The two great pillars upon which the kingdom of Satan is erected, and by which it is upheld, are ignorance and error; the first step of our manumission from this spiritual thraldom consists in having our eyes opened, and being turned from darkness to light, Acts xxvi. 18. How much the serious endeavours of godly parents and masters might contribute to an early seasoning the tender years of such as are under their inspection, is abundantly evident, not only from their special influence upon them, in respect of their authority over them, interest in them, continual presence with them, and frequent opportunities of being helpful to them; but also from the sad effects which, by woeful experience, we find to be the fruit of the omission of this duty. It were easy to set before you a cloud of witnesses, the language of whose practice hath been not only an eminent commendation of this duty, but also a serious exhortation to it. As Abel, though dead, yet speaks by his example to us for imitation of his faith, &c., Heb. xi. 4; so do the examples of Abraham, of Joshua, of the parents of Solomon, of the grandmother and mother of Timothy, the mother of Augustine, whose care was as well to nurse up the souls as the bodies of their little ones; and as their pains herein was great, so was their success no way unanswerable. We should scarce imagine it any better than an impertinency, in this noon-day of the gospel, either to inform or persuade in a duty so expressly commanded, so frequently urged, so highly encouraged, and so eminently owned by the Lord in all ages with his blessing, but that our sad experience tells us, this duty is not more needful, than it is of late neglected. For the restoring of this duty to its 3. due observance, give us leave to suggest this double advice. The first concerns heads of families in respect of themselves; 4. That as the Lord hath set them in place above the rest of their family, they would labour in all wisdom and spiritual understanding to be above them also. It is an uncomely sight to behold men in years babes in knowledge; and how unmeet are they to instruct others, who need themselves to be taught which be the first principles of the oracles of God, Heb. v. 12. Knowledge is an accomplishment so desirable, that the devils themselves knew not a more taking bait by which to tempt our first parents, than by the fruit of the tree of knowledge; So shall you be as gods, knowing good and evil. When Solomon had that favour shewed him of the Lord, that he was made his own chuser what to ask, he knew no greater mercy to beg than wisdom, 1 Kings iii. 5, 9. The understanding is the guide and pilot of the whole man, that faculty which sits at the stern of the soul: but as the most expert guide may mistake in the dark, so may the understanding, when it wants the light of knowledge: Without knowledge the mind cannot be good, Prov. xix. 2; nor the life good, nor the eternal condition safe, Eph. iv. 18. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hos. iv. 6. It is ordinary in scripture to set profaneness, and all kind of miscarriages, upon the score of ignorance. Diseases in the body have many times their rise from distempers in the head, and exorbitancies in practice from errors in judgment: and indeed in every sin there is something of both ignorance and error at the bottom: for did sinners truly know what they do in sinning, we might say of every sin what the Apostle speaks concerning that great sin, Had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; did they truly know that every sin is a provoking the Lord to jealousy, a proclaiming war against Heaven, a crucifying the Lord Jesus afresh, a treasuring up wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath; and that, if ever they be pardoned, it must be at no lower a rate than the price of his blood; it were scarce possible but sin, instead of alluring, should affright, and instead of tempting, scare. It is one of the arch devices and principal methods of Satan to deceive men into sin: thus he prevailed against our first parents, not as a lion, but as a serpent, acting his enmity under a pretence of friendship, and tempting them to evil under an appearance of good; and thus hath he all along carried on his designs of darkness, by transforming himself into an angel of light, making poor deceived men in love with their miseries, and hug their own destruction. 5. A most sovereign antidote against all kind of errors, is to be grounded and settled in the faith: persons unfixed in the true religion, are very receptive of a false; and they who are nothing in spiritual knowledge, are easily made any thing. Clouds without water are driven to and fro with every wind, and ships without ballast liable to the violence of every tempest. But yet the knowledge we especially commend, is riot a brain-knowledge, a mere speculation; this may be in the worst of men, nay, in the worst of creatures, the devils themselves, and that in such an eminency, as the best of saints cannot attain to in this life of imperfection; but an inward, a savoury, an heart knowledge, such as was in that martyr, who, though she could not dispute for Christ, could die for him. This is that spiritual sense and feeling of divine truths the Apostle speaks of, Heb. v. 1,1, Having your senses exercised, &c. But, alas, we may say of most men’s religion what learned Rivet speaks concerning the errors of the fathers, “They were not so much their own errors, as the errors of the times wherein they lived!’ Thus do most men take up their religion upon no better an account than Turks and Papists take up theirs, because it is the religion of the times and places wherein they live; and what they take up thus slightly, they lay down as easily. Whereas an inward taste and relish of the things of God, is an excellent preservative to keep us settled in the most unsettled times. 6. Corrupt and unsavoury principles have great advantage upon us, above those that are spiritual and sound; the former being suitable to corrupt nature, the latter contrary; the former springing up of themselves, the latter brought forth not without a painful industry. The ground needs no other midwifery in bringing forth weeds than only the neglect of the husbandman’s hand to pluck them up; the air needs no other cause of darkness than the absence of the sun; nor water of coldness than its distance from the fire; because these are the genuine products of nature. Were it so with the soul, (as some of the philosophers have vainly imagined,) to come into the world as an abrasa tabula, a mere blank or piece of white paper, on which neither any thing is written, nor any blots, it would then be equally receptive of good and evil, and no more averse to the one than to the other: but how much worse its condition indeed is, were scripture silent, every man’s experience does evidently manifest. For who is there that knows any thing of his own heart, and knows not thus much, that the suggestions of Satan have so easy and free admittance into our hearts, that our utmost watchfulness is too little to guard us from them? whereas the motions of God’s Spirit are so unacceptable to us, that our utmost diligence is too little to get our hearts open to entertain them. Let therefore the excellency, necessity, difficulty of true wisdom stir up endeavours in you somewhat proportionable to such an accomplishment; Above all getting, get understanding, Prov. iv. 7; and search for wisdom as for hidden treasures, Prov. ii. 4. It much concerns you in respect of yourselves. Our second advice concerns heads of families, in respect of their families. Whatever hath been said already, though it concerns every private Christian that hath a soul to look after; yet, upon a double account, it concerns parents and masters, as having themselves and others to look after: some there are, who, because of their ignorance, cannot; others, because of their sluggishness, will not mind this duty. To the former we propound the method of Joshua, who first began with himself, and then is careful of his family. To the latter we shall only hint, 7. what a dreadful meeting those parents and masters must have at that great day, with their children and servants, when all that were under their inspection shall not only accuse them, but charge their eternal miscarrying upon their score. 8. Never did any age of the Church enjoy such choice helps as this of ours. Every age of the gospel hath had its Creeds, Confessions, Catechisms, and such breviaries and models of divinity as have been singularly useful. Such forms of sound words (however in these days decried) have been in use in the Church 9. ever since God himself wrote the Decalogue, as a summary of things to be done; and Christ taught us that prayer of his, as a directory what to ask. Concerning the usefulness of such compendiary systems, so much hath been said already by a learned divine of this age, as is sufficient to satisfy all who are not resolved to remain unsatisfied. Concerning the particular excellency of these ensuing treatises, we judge it unneedful to mention those eminent testimonies which have been given them from persons of known worth, in respect of their judgment, learning, and integrity, both at home and abroad, because themselves spake so much their own praise; gold stands not in need of varnish, nor diamonds of painting: give us leave only to tell you, that 10. we cannot but account it an eminent mercy to enjoy such helps as these are. It is ordinary in these days for men to speak evil of things they know not; but if any are possessed with mean thoughts of these treatises, we shall only give the same counsel to them that Philip gives Nathanael, Come and see, John i. 46. It is no small advantage the reader now hath, by the addition of scriptures at large, whereby with little pains he may more profit, because with every truth he may behold its scripture foundation. And, indeed, considering what a Babel of opinions, what a strange confusion of tongues, there is this day 11. among them who profess they speak the language of Canaan, there is no intelligent person but will conclude that advice of the prophet especially suited to such an age as this, Isa. viii. 20, To the law, and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. If the reverend and learned composers of these ensuing treatises were willing to take the pains of annexing scripture proofs to every truth, that the faith of people might not be built upon the dictates of men, but the authority of God, so some considerable pains hath now been further taken in transcribing those scriptures; partly to prevent that grand inconvenience, (which all former impressions, except the Latin, have abounded with, to the great perplexing and disheartening of the reader,) the misquotation of scripture, the meanest reader being able, by having the words at large, to rectify whatever mistake may be in the printer in citing the particular place; partly, to prevent the trouble of turning to every proof, which could not but be very great; partly, to help the memories of such who are willing to take the pains of turning to every proof, but are unable to retain what they read; and partly, that this may serve as a Bible commonplace, the several passages of scripture, which are scattered up and down in the word, being in this book reduced to their proper head, and thereby giving light each to other. The advantages, you see, in this design, are many and great; the way to spiritual knowledge is hereby made more easy, and the ignorance of this age more inexcusable. 12. If, therefore, there be any spark in you of love to God, be not content that any of yours should be ignorant of him whom you so much admire, or any haters of him whom you so much love. If there be any compassion to the souls of them who are under your care, if any regard of your being found faithful in the day of Christ, if any respect to future generations, labour to sow these seeds of knowledge, which may grow up in after-times. That you may be faithful herein, is the earnest prayer of, Henry Wilkinson, John Fuller, Edward Perkins, Richard Kentish, James Nalton, Ralph Venning, Alexander Pringle, Roger Drake, Thomas Goodwin, Jeremiah Burwell, William Wickins, William Taylor, Matthew Pool, Joseph Church, Thomas Watson, Samuel Annesley, William Bates, Has. Bridges, John Jackson, Thomas Gouge, John Loder, Samuel Smith, John Seabrooke, Charles Offspring, Francis Raworth, Samuel Rowles, John Peachie, Arthur Jackson, William Cooper, John Glascock, James Jollife, John Cross, William Jenkin, Leo. Cooke, Obadiah Lee, Samuel Clerk, Thomas Manton, John Sheffield, Samuel Slater, Thomas Jacob, Matthew Haviland, William Whitaker, George Griffiths, William Blackmore.

1. That the greater part of the world, nation, church and Reformed church is swallowed up in deadly ignorance, a most lamentable condition.
[1] the world in unbelief.
[2] the nation in liberal politics.
[3] the church in wicked heresies.
[4] the Reformed church in deadly compromise.
2. That a great cause of this darkness is the lack of family education.
[1] the problem of public education.
i. Ignorant and wicked teachers.
ii. The society of the ungodly.
Answer to a common objection:
“where will your children learn to socialize?”
a. As if socializing with sinful mortals bent on the destruction of the country is to be commended.
b. We pray for large families so that our children have friends enough within their own household.
[2] The necessity of family worship.
i. Morning and evening.
ii. Daily reading of the word.
iii. Family prayer.
iv. Conversation about occurances for the prevention of strife and sedition.
v. Time spent together (sanctified by God) will breed unity and love.
[3] The duty of both parents to be educated for the teaching of their children.
Even if they are not educated, it is better for their children to be separated from the world, sanctified by godly devotion, then let out to be torn apart by wolves.
3. That is is the Christian’s duty to establish godly practices of true religion in his home.
[1] The principle of duty.
i. The absolute nature of God’s law.
“Cursed is everyone that continues not in all things…”
ii. The covenant of works obligates us to obey.
“You shall keep my laws, I am the LORD.”
iii. The covenant of grace causes us to obey.
“I will put my laws in their mind.”
4. That each one of us is commanded to obtain spiritual knowledge by the right use of the means of grace, in order to impart it to those under our care.
[1] hearing the word of God.
[2] reading the Holy Scriptures.
[3] Prayer and supplication knowing the whole of success depends not on us but on God to give grace.
[4] Studying those able ministers who left us with godly treatises worthy of our endeavors.
[5] Teaching this method to those under our care and inspection.
5. The right way to spiritual knowledge is to be grounded in the faith. It is not enough to know what the word of God contains as to its material, if it is not according to sound doctrine.
(Many heretics in the church have been of the most learned and intelligent.)
[1] the gospel is justification by faith.
Luher:
“St. Paul therefore in this Epistle goeth about diligently to instruct us, to comfort us, to hold us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness. For if the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost. And as many as are in the world that hold not this doctrine, are either Jews, Turks, Papists or heretics. For between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of Christ, or between active and passive righteousness, there is no mean. He then that strayeth from this Christian righteousness, must need fall into the active righteousness; that is to say, when he hath lost Christ, he must fall into the confidence of his own works. This we see at this day in the fantastical spirits and authors of sects, which teach nothing, neither can teach anything aright, concerning this righteousness of grace. The words indeed they have taken out of our mouth and writings, and these only do they speak and write. But the thing itself they are not able to deliver and straightly to urge, because they neither do nor can understand it, since they cleave only to the righteousness of the law. Therefore they are and remain exactors of the law, having no power to ascend higher than that active righteousness. And so they remain the same as they were under the Pope, save that they invent new names and new works, and yet notwithstanding the thing remains the same: even as the Turks do other works than the Papists, and the Papists than the Jews, etc. But albeit that some do works more splendid, great, and difficult by far than others, notwithstanding the substance is the same, the quality only is different: that is to say, the works do differ in appearance and name only, and not in very deed, for they are works notwithstanding, and they which do them are and remain, not Christians, but hirelings, whether they be called Jews, Mahometists, Papists, etc. Therefore do we so earnestly set forth and so often repeat this doctrine of faith or Christian righteousness, that by this means it may be kept in continual exercise, and may be plainly discerned from the active righteousness of the law. (For by this only doctrine the Church is built, and in this it consists.) Otherwise we shall never be able to hold the true divinity, but by and by we shall either become canonists, observers of ceremonies, observers of the law, or Papists, and Christ so darkened that none in the Church shall be either rightly taught or comforted. Wherefore, if we will be teachers and leaders of others, it behooves us to have great care of these matters, and to mark well this distinction between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of Christ.”
[2] the gospel produces in us works of godliness.
” Faith worketh by love”
Luther:
“For Paul goeth not about here to declare what faith is, or what it availeth before God; he disputeth not, I say, of justification (for this hath he done largely before), but as it were gathering up his argument, he briefly showeth what the Christian life itself is, saying: ‘In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth anything, but faith working through love.’ That is to say, faith which is not feigned nor hypocritical, but true and lively. That is that faith which exerciseth and requireth good works through love. It is as much to say as: He that will be a true Christian indeed, or one of Christ’s kingdom, must be a true believer. Now he believeth not truly, if works of charity follow not his faith. So on both hands, as well on the right hand as on the left, he shutteth hypocrites out of Christ’s kingdom On the left hand he shutteth out the Jews, and all such as will work their own salvation, saying: ‘In Christ neither circumcision,’ that is to say, no works, no worshipping, no kind of life in the world, but faith alone without any trust in works [or merits] availeth [before God]. On the right hand he shutteth out all slothful and idle persons, which say: If faith justify without works, then let us work nothing, but let us only believe and do what we list. Not so, ye enemies of grace, saith Paul. It is true that only faith justifieth, but I speak here of faith, which, after it hath justified, is not idle, but occupied and exercised in working through love. Paul therefore in this place setteth forth the whole life of a Christian man, namely, that inwardly it consisteth in faith towards God, and outwardly in charity and good works towards our neighbor. So that a man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God, who hath no need of our works, and outwardly before men, whom our faith profiteth nothing, but our charity or our works.”

Therefore let us stay vigilant and keep in the way of uprightness and be ever mindful of turning to the right hand or to the left, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us walk with God, yea run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, our chief delight, our hope and our salvation, let us keep the eyes of our faith fixed on His blood and righteousness and let that holy contemplation stir us up to good works, that when He appear we may not be ashamed, but glory at His appearing, and may the God of peace grant us safe passage to the eternal abode through Jesus Christ the Son, blessed be His name!

Closing prayer,
Our merciful and righteous Father, thou who art all just and good in thy dealings with men, which according to the law means we ought to be destroyed from thy presence forever, but because thou art merciful and wise also, thou hast found a way for us to be saved according to thy justice, even in the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou hast taken pity on us. Thou hast clothed our Lord Jesus with flesh and hast sent Him into the world to be our propitiation. Thou hast turned away thine anger from us in His person and hast accepted us on His behalf. Thou hast done all this for us and shall we continue day after day in unthankful idleness? Nay but we will be stirred according to the grace of the Spirit and busy ourselves willingly in heavenly services. We will endeavor more and more to know thee that we might love thee and in loving thee do thee willing service, even to study to know thee more that our joy might increase and thou wouldst be pleased with us and perfect thy love in us by the working of thy free Spirit. Even so work in our hearts. Cause us to love thee more. Cause us to be more zealously devoted to thee, that thy name might be magnified by us and thou wouldst not be ashamed to look upon us. So prepare us for the final day and perfect thine own work in us, for we rejoice in thee, and do await thee patiently. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Save us from our daily afflictions and do it for thy names sake. Take pity on us for we trust in thee. Thou who are our Lord, our Captain, our hope. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/FJfU07Bqj_E