called a kingdome and therefore euery godly one shall bee a king in heauen How commeth this kingdome by grace or desert By the onely grace of God in Iesus Christ Declare the same more euidently First it is the blessing of God and therefore of grace Secondly it is giuen to vs as to heires not as the wages of a seruant which commonly deserueth more then a sonne Thirdly it was prepared for vs from the beginning of the world and therefore is of the meere loue of God and not of merit So much of the sentence What is the reason of it When Christ was an hungred they fedde him when hee was a thirst they gaue him drinke when he was naked they clothed him when he was sicke and in prison they visited him Doth not this reason plainely strengthen the doctrine of merits For. Not so seeing for importeth not heere the cause but the effect as wee say Summer is come for flowers doe spring and It is a good tree for it bringeth forth good fruit these are effects and not causes Moreouer if Christ would haue taught merit then would hee haue chosen the greatest and chiefest workes as of his owne worship in the first table else some might iustly complaine that they were not rewarded according to the measure of their good workes hauing yeelded a greater obedience to the first table then others Why then doth Christ choose those workes of the second table Because they are most manifest to the world following therein the custome of earthly Iudges who insist most vpon plainest proofes either to conuince the guiltie or cleere the innocent so Christ pronounceth his sentence rather according to workes then to faith and those of the second table rather then of the first because that workes are visible and faith inuisible and for that it is easier to play the hypocrite in the obedience of the first table then of the second Why doth Christ heere vse so long a catalogue of these workes To teach vs to exercise mercy in all those duties and not content our selues with any one of them How could they doe these things vnto Christ whom most of them did neuer see When they did any of them to the poore then they did it vnto him What gather you of this That it was a great honour to lodge Angels at vnawares in stead of strangers but this is a farre more excellent honour whereunto Christians are called being assured that in receiuing the poore they receiue Christ himselfe which should stirre vp the bowels of mercy and compassion in vs towards them seeing not so much as a cup of cold water shall bee vnrewarded But how is it that they being then immortall seeme not to know the meaning of this dutie It is set downe not to note ignorance but to teach vs the exceeding bountifulnesse of Christ which is able to astonish them in the middest of their greatest knowledge for the more men know of God the more they wonder at the vnsearchable wisedome of God So much of the former sentence What is the latter It is spoken to the wicked Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels VVhat is the equitie of this speech It is likewise answerable to their owne desires that in their life thrust away from them the day of the Lord and bid Christ depart When doe the wicked say so to Christ When they refuse to know his will when they disdaine the ministerie the poore and the stranger or doe not prouide for them according to their abilitie What are the parts of this his iudgement First to bee depriued of Gods presence as it is a great part of glory to be continually in his presence Secondly to be euerlastingly tormented in hell fire What is the reason of this sentence It is cleane contrarie to the former in leauing those duties vndone And although the former good workes were not the causes of saluation yet these euill workes are the very next cause of damnation How can that bee Because the best workes of the godly are imperfectly good and cannot deserue life but the euill workes of the euill are perfectly euill and therefore deserue death What is to be considered in their answere Their exceeding wretchednesse whiles they liued heere that neuer considered whom they reiected in reiecting the poore Hitherto of the iudgement What say you to the execution of it Contrarie to the order of the sentences it shall beginne at the wicked for to the end the Angell that shall presently take binde and cast them into hell may attend our Sauiour Christ returning his elect triumphantly going into heauen the sentence must be first executed vpon the wicked Beside that it is agreeable to the order of iustice the Lord appointeth in the Law that the malefactors should be executed in the eye of the Iudge and the godly also that shall see it to abide euerlastingly DAN chap 12. vers 2.3 2 And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer WHat is the scope of this place The scope of the Prophet is to hold the faithfull afflicted in a constant course of duety and obedience to the Lord by consideration of the rich reward of the godly and fearefull punishment of the wicked at the second glorious comming of Christ It seemeth by the word many that all shall not rise There seemeth indeed to bee some aduantage giuen to the Iewes who of the first Psalme gather that there is no resurrection of the wicked which notwithstanding is manifestly confuted euen by this place it selfe where it is said that many shall awake to shame euerlasting And when he saith many the word is not restrained to either the iust or wicked but as many of the good should awake and not all so many of the wicked should awake and not all How then is this to be taken It is taken seuerally by it selfe as one whole which is diuided into his parts As if he should say an infinite number shall awake an infinite or a great number of iust and an infinite or great number of the wicked And the like forme of speech to this is vsed of the Apostle Rom. 5. vers 15.19 he saith that many are dead by the sinne of Adam and yet in the 18. vers he sheweth that by those many hee meaneth all and so speaketh that all were condemned in Adam Likewise in the 18. vers it is said that the benefit of Christs death commeth to all meaning the faithfull that by faith are one with Christ as we were all naturally with Adam yet in the 15. and 19. verses those that he called all he tearmeth many Although if he speake of the wicked by themselues and of
corruption that cleaueth vnto the best of our good workes be taken away But when our sanctification here begun shall bee perfected in the world to come shall we not then bee iustified by an inherent righteousnesse No but by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ which being once giuen vs is neuer taken from vs. How is this pollution conueied into the good workes which God worketh in vs There is beside the worke of his owne hand through the operation of his holy spirit a pollution in vs and an infection of ours which commeth from the sin that dwelleth in vs as cleere water put into an vncleane vessell or running thorow a filthie channell receiueth some euill qualitie thereof Wherein doe our good workes faile of Gods Iustice Partly in the instrumentall causes from which they proceed and partly in the finall cause or end whereunto they aime What are the instrumentall causes hindering the perfection of our workes First our vnderstanding in that the worke is not done with knowledge absolute and throughly perfect Secondly in that our remembrance is infeebled and doth not so fully retaine that which the vnderstanding conceiued Thirdly in that the will and affections are short of their dutie Last of all in that the body is not so apt and nimble for the execution of good things as is required Expresse this by a similitude We are in the Instrumentall causes like to a common labourer which being hired by the day worketh with one hand whereas both are required or worketh a piece of the day being hired for the whole What is the finall end wherein good workes faile In that we haue not a direct eye to Gods glory or the good of our neighbour as is required but looke a squint as it were at those duties which are enioyned to vs like to such artificers as prefer their owne credit in their skill before their masters profit If then it be so that sinne cleaneth to our best workes are not our good workes sinne and are not all euill workes equall No doubtlesse bee it farre from vs to thinke it for their imperfection is sinfull but the good worke is not a sinne and euen in bad actions as hath been said some are lesse euill then other How is this pollution taken away Exod. 28.36.37.38 By the intercession of our Sauiour Christ through which our good workes are of account before God VVhat doctrine is here to be gathered A doctrine of great comfort to the children of God to stirre them vp to abound in good workes sith they are acceptable to God in Christ Iesus for where men know any thing to bee delightsome to their Prince they will with all endeauour striue for it Matth. 12. how much more ought we to be pricked forward to the seruice of God who quencheth not the smoking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed yea Matth. 10. which forgetteth not a cup of cold water giuen in faith and for his sake VVhat other reasons are there to stirre vs vp to good workes We ought to remember Gods benefits bestowed vpon all his children as our Election Creation Redemption Calling Iustification Sanctification continuall Preseruation and then particularly such blessings as God hath seuerally bestowed vpon euery one of vs. Are not the iudgements of God also to bee thought vpon for furtherance to this dutie Yes verily to make vs feare to offend in our waies Remaineth there yet any more Good companie Psal 119.63 Pro. 13.20 which with Dauid wee must cleaue vnto not the noblest or of greatest account but the godliest for if we will auoid such a sinne we must auoid all company that delight therein which is no lesse dangerous then good companie is profitable VVhat gather you of this That whosoeuer maketh no choice of companie maketh no conscience of sinne as those that dare keepe companie familiarly with Papists thinking that they may keepe their conscience to themselues VVhat are the parts of sanctification Two first Mortification secondly viuification or a rising to righteousnes What is mortification Mortification is a continuall dying vnto sin slaying killing deadning of sinne proceeding from the vertue of Christ his death and buriall What is the sinne that must be mortified First our naturall corruption or old man called originall sinne which is a readinesse and pronenes to that that is euill and a frowardnes and backwardnes to that which is good called also flesh or the body of sinne Col. 3. Then the fruits thereof which are called the members of that body What is mortification of sinne further compared vnto Col. 3. It is set forth by the name of ragges and filthie stained clothes which wee are loath to looke on as it which we should cast off and lay aside What is Viuification or Quickening or rising to righteousnesse Rom. 6.4.5 It is a rising to newnesse of life proceeding from the power of Christ his resurrection Hitherto of Sanctification What is redemption It is the happie estate that the children of God shall haue in the last day 1. THES chap. 5. vers 19.20 19 Quench not the Spirit 20 Despise not prophecying BY what meanes doth God effect these things and how ruleth he till the last day By the meanes of his spirit and word ioyned together according as the words doe make mention What meane you by the spirit of God to this place That power of God which worketh in the hearts of men things which the naturall discourse of reason is notable to attaine vnto Being incomprehensible how may wee come to some vnderstanding and sense of it By the things whereunto it is compared first Acts 2. Heb. 1. Ioh. 4. Matth. 3. Acts â— to wind to shew the maruellous power of it in operation Secondly to oyle that is of a hote nature that pierceth and suppleth Thirdly to water that cooleth scoureth and cleanseth Fourthly to fire that seuereth drosse and good mettall How is the operation of it Diuers as softening and hardening enlightening and darkning which it worketh after a diuers maner by the word in the hearts of the elect and reprobate according to the good pleasure of God and secret will only and after that according to the good pleasure of his reuealed will and so the lawfull vse thereof is rewarded with a gratious encrease of blessing and the abuse punished with further hardnes to condemnation Is by the word prophecying onely meant the preaching of the word No but by a figuratiue speech all those outward meanes whereby God vseth to giue his holy spirit as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church ouer and aboue the preaching of the word which being principall of all is heere set downe for the rest Before we enter into this watter there are some difficulties to be auoided in these words and first I aske why the Apostle hath 〈…〉 spirit before the preaching of the word meaâ—â— by prophecie considering that by and after preaching of the word the Lord giueth his
the face of the earth the Lord God is said to haue wrought most holily For as Iudas the Iewes and Pilate are all said to haue giuen Christ to death so the father and Christ are said to haue done the same and that in the same words though the maner and purpose bee diuers Doth not God then suffer such things to be done He suffereth indeed but this is not an idle permission Act. 2.23 3.18 4.28 as some imagine but ioyned with a worke of God as in the crucifying of Christ it is said they did nothing but that which the hand of God had determined before But doth not this draw God to some slaine of sinne from which he is most free as that which hee punisheth Act. 17.28 In no wise for God is the author of euery action and the diuell and our concupiscence the author of the euill in it as he that rideth on a lame horse causeth him to stirre but is not the cause of his halting How can God haue a hand in these things and yet be free from sinne Hee is a cunning workeman which with an ill toole will worke cunningly and as a most excellent Apothecarie maketh a medicine of the mixture of poyson in it which is not yet poyson but rather medicinable so the Lord in guiding and managing the poyson of sinne draweth treacle from the sinnes of men as it were the poyson in such sort as they turne to his glory good of the Church and cannot be charged with sinne no more then the Apothecarie with poysoning in so gouerning the poyson as it doth the contrarie by his skill vnto that which by nature it would doe And as in painting the blacke colour giueth grace to other the beautifull colors in making them shew better so it is in this worke of God in which the sinne and vntruth of men as by a blacke and darke colour causeth the truth and righteousnes of God as the white to bee more commended and to appeare better But how are these actions of the wicked discerned from the worke of God in them First from the cause from whence the action commeth for Iosephs brethren of enuie sent him into Egypt but God of loue So Shimei cursed of malice but God of iustice against Dauids murther and adulterie Rehoboam out of the vnaduisednesse of his heart refused the request of his people but God by his wise counsell did so dispose of it The diuell from hate to Achab was a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets but God in iustice against his Idolatrie Pilate of ambition and feare the Iewes of malitious ignorance and Iudas of couetousnesse but God gaue Christ and Christ himselfe of loue How else are Gods actions discerned from the actions of the wicked By the end whither they tend for Iosephs brethren sent him to the end he should not come to the honour he foretold out of his dreame but God sent him to prouide for his Church and to fulfill that was foretold Shimei cursed to driue Dauid to despaire but God directed him for exercise of Dauids patience The diuell lied in the false Prophets to ruine Achab but God iustly to punish him for his Idolatrie Rehoboam to satisfie the desire of his yong beardlesse counsellors but God to performe the word that hee had spoken by his Prophet Pilate to please the people and to keepe his credit with Caesar Iudas for the obtaining of the money he desired and the Iewes that our Sauiour Christ should not reigne ouer them but God and Christ to saue his people But were it not better to say that these things were done by Gods permission then by his prouidence and gouernment thereby to auoide an absurdity in Diuinitie that God is the author of euill It is most truely said that God is not the author of sinne whereof he is the reuenger and also that they are done by Gods permission but it is not an idle permission separated from the prouidence and gouernment of God and therefore a distinction of Gods permission separated from his gouernment of sinne is not good Why so Considering that the distinction of such a permission doth not defend the Iustice of God for the which it is deuised How may that appeare If he permit sin he doth it against or with his wil if he doe it against his will then is he not Almightie as one that cannot let that he would not haue done If with his will how can his iustice bee defended if there were not some good thing for which hee doth willingly permit it for if a captaine should suffer willingly his souldiers to be murdered when hee might hinder the slaughter of them although hee put no hand to the murder he is not therfore excusable and free of the blood of his souldiers What else can be alleaged against the permission that is separated from the gouernment of the prouidence For that by this meane God should be spoiled of the greatest part of the gouernement of the world seeing the greatest and most part of the world are wicked al whose actions are as they themselues are wicked Is there yet any further matter against this distinction If in that God doth permit sinne he should haue no hand in guiding and gouerning it then he should haue no hand in the guiding and gouerning of good things for as it is said that he permitteth sin Heb. 6. so it is said also that he permitteth the good May not earthly Magistrates thus punish sinne No verily it were a cursed thing in Magistrates so to doe but God is aboue all Magistrates who euen for our naturall corruption may iustly giue vs ouer to all naughtie affections Why doe the Papists say And suffer vs not to be lead into temptation Exod. â—â— 1. 9.16 â— Kings 22.20 2.1.22 Rom. â— 24.26.18 2. Thes 2 11. In a vaine and foolish feare of making God to be guiltie of sinne if hee should be said to lead vs into temptation and therefore lay the Lords words as it were in water and change his tongue and set him as it were to the Grammar schoole to teach him to speake which teacheth all men to speake whose follie is so much the greater as it is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture What inconuenience followeth vpon this addition Very great for by this bare permission of euil they rob God of his glory working in the most things that are done of men Heb. 6.3 yea euen of the best things the doing whereof is attributed to his permission What learne you from hence The wisdom and iustice of God which can work in an euill action and be free from euill May wee not offer our selues into temptation as Christ did In no wise for hee was carried extraordinarily by the power of his God-head into the desert to bee tempted for our sakes that in his victorie wee might ouercome What learne you of this First that no man should chuse his dwelling