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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94261	The crovvne of righteousnes: or, The glorious reward of fidelity in the discharge of our duty. As it was laid forth in a sermon, preached in S. Botolphs Aldersgate, London, Sept. 25. 1653. At the solemn funerall of Mr. Abrah: Wheelock, B. D. the first publick professor, and reader of Arabick, and of the Saxon, in the University of Cambridge. Whereunto is added, an encomium of him. / By William Sclater Doctor in Divinity, now preacher of the Word of God in Broad-street, Lond.	Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1653 (1653)	Wing S916; Thomason E221_6; ESTC R4044	30,757	39

saith the great Apostle shall he appear the u See my Sermon stiled The Grand Assizes pag. 37. edit 1653. preached at Winchester second time without sinne that is without suffering any more as a sacrifice for sin unto salvation Heb 8.28 Leaving then those Millenarian conjectures to such as abound with leisure rest we in the solid determination of Orthodox and stable judgements who resolve by the day and by the appearing here mentioned in this text to be meant the last great day of the generall Judgment according to that Scripture Acts 17.31 and the Lord Christ his second w 2 Tim. 4.1 coming upon that day in * Mat. 25.31 glorious Majesty unto the judgement of all the wolrd so that however those who x 1 Tim. 5.17 labour in the Word and Doctrine meet often with so great discouragements that they seem to labour all in vaine and spend their strength for nought as the Prophet speaks Isa 49.4 yet surely their Judgement is with the Lord and their worke that is the reward of their work is with the Lord his goodnesse is laid up for them O how great Psal 31.19 In the mean time let it be our delight and contentment that we y Mat. 24.46 doe our Masters work not as by constraint but z 1 Pet. 5.2 willingly sith indeed such a vertuous service ever carryeth its owne reward with it as being a thing to be desired and embraced for its own worth and certainly that sweet comfort and complacency that a righteous soule findeth in the sincere discharge of his duty within its proper station in conscience of God is infinitely more valuable than all the a H●b 11.25 treasures the earth can afford without it only as the Husbandman we may not anticipate the season of the Harvest but we must b Jam. 5.7 wait then in due time we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 Heb. 10.36.37 when the reward actually cometh it being so large will abundantly recompence all our work yea end all our patience too sith the manner of it will be the more manifest and conspicuous before all in that great day when c Rev. 20.12 all of all sorts both great and small shall upon the generall summons stand before the last Tribunall and then upon the appearance of the Chiefe Shepheard we shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 Hereof S. Paul had a particular assurance in his owne person when he saith Henceforth is laid up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse and if for him why may it not be also possible for others to be in like manner assured of the same especially provided that we are such as do love his appearing This question I confesse is solid yet such as wanteth not its intricacies The Roman Catholicks in this controversie are wont to resolve thus that indeed for so great a Saint as S. Paul was this assurance might be possible yea was attained to by Revelation extraordinary by meanes of his fides privilegiata his special and priviledged faith which as an Apostle and a d Act. 9.15 chosen vessel of honour he was endowed and adorned withall from Heaven for that God had a great e 2 Tim. 4.17 service for him to do who was selected as it were to take up the Gauntlet in the quarrel of the Gospel against the manifold fierce and potent f 1 Cor. 16.9 Adversaries of the same so that as I said in the beginning to steele his resolution with the greater courage he was fortifyed before-hand and armed with an extraordinary assurance of a glorious reward after his work and warfaring therein was over Quer. But now whether this assurance be possible for an ordinary Christian by the use of ordinary lawfull means to attaine is the next disquisition Answer To which the resolution is affirmative the thing is possible though confessedly very difficult and this possibility is both Certitudine Objecti and also Certitudine Subjecti both as it is sure in it self as it is determin'd by God likewise in the particular evidence speciall experience of the same in the soule of a true believer and this is proved partly from those Scriptures which exhort unto a diligent endeavour after it 2 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.5 Now the nature of Evangelicall precepts and exhortations in a contradistinction to those of the Law is that they carry a spirit a secret energy vertue and power with them inabling through grace unto observation therefore the Gospel is called g John 6.63 life and spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 and I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 partly also this is proved from one principall end of the spirits Donation his being given us namely That we may know the things that are freely given unto us of God and to co-witnesse with our spirits that we are his Sons and Daughters 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 8.16 1 John 5.13 Thirdly from the duties required of us upon this account as thankfulnesse Ephes 1.3 Col. 1.12 13. What wise man will give thanks for that which he hath no certainty that he doth enjoy this were for a man to boast of a h Prov 25 14. false gift as of a i Jud. v. 12 cloud without water so likewise of Love we love God because he first loved us 1 John 4.19 in so freely giving his Son to us John 3.16 and together with him all things that do accompany salvation Rom. 8.32 even to be the Author of life and salvation unto all that obey him Heb. 5.9 And how come we to know of all this love but by that experimentall proofe thereof that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5.5 And lastly by the examples of Saints that have had this assurance in themselves as Job 19.25 Abraham Rom. 4.21 and here in my Text Saint Paul which eminent Saints were not set forth in Holy Writ as Wonders meerely to be gazed at but as Patternes of imitation and though ordinary Christians and Saints cannot reach to the same steps yet they may walk in the same path and may possibly attaine though not to the same measures yet to the same foundnesse of perswasion and indeed as a reverend k B. King lect 38. on Joan. Divine observes its firmnesse rather than fulnesse of assurance namely in respect of adherence or of recumbency that the Saints in this life arrive unto but to this firmnesse they may come by the use of the ordinary and of the right means as here S. Paul did by fighting the good fight by finishing his course and by keeping the faith hereby as by the ordinary meanes he concluded therein likewise shewing us an example that from henceforth there was a Crowne of Righteousnesse laid up in Heaven for him yea and for all others with himselfe who loved the appearing of the Lord Jesus But though it be

the positive assertion of our Saviour himselfe John 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing He meanes k 1 Pet. 2.5 Acceptably He doth not say as Saint Austin observes sine me difficulter potestis or non potestis perficere without me ye can hardly doe any thing or ye are not able to bring any act unto perfection but simply and expressely thus Without me that is without l Cant. 8.5 leaning upon me having my speciall and gracious assistance Ye can doe nothing at all that is good and gracious and our Apostle also elsewhere professeth that all our sufficiency namely in things supernaturall is meerly and solely of God alone 2 Cor. 3.5 Therefore we may well conclude that whatsoever good workes there are in us they be none of our owne Secondly As they must be our owne so likewise are they in the sense of those grand Impostors of the Christian world to be perfect as in which nothing is to be found defective nothing redundant whereas all our righteousnesse as it is inhaerent in us Alas it is but as a defiled nasty and polluted menstruosity Isa 64.6 the highest pitch or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of perfection that whilest we are clad with the raggs of our m Pyil 3.21 vile flesh we the very best of us all can attaine to in this life is as I have shewne n See my Sermon styled The Remedy of Schisme preached at Pauls Lond 1640 p. 18 19. elsewhere but to see and to acknowledge our imperfections as in the clearest serenity of the Firmament some speckling cloud may be discovered so in our most accurate and exact performances either in the Matter or in the Manner or in the Degree measure or end of doing we all prove some way defective even the very best things that we doe have enough in them to be pardoned if the Lord should discusse them without mercy in a rigorous severity and be so extreme as to o Psal 130 3. mark what in them is done amisse To this effect the forementioned School Divines have styled the greatest Saints as they are yet Members but of the Church militant on earth but Viatores walkers in the way whose motion is but only progressive not Comprehensors till actually instated Members of the Church Triumphant above in glory in the meane while that maxime in Divinity is Orthodoxe and solid Successivorum non simul est esse perficere Those things which admit of a succession in their motion or degrees of growth their being and perfection is not all at once nor altogether wherefore our very Apostle elsewhere Phil. 3.12.15 professeth though he were perfect in regard of sincerity and uprightnesse yet not so in regard of the full measure He was so in respect of Parts he was not so in respect of Degrees therefore he said that he had not as yet fully apprehended Fuit perfectus spe futurae glorificationis Fuit Imperfectus onere Corruptionis Fuit perfectus expectatione muneris Fuit Imperfectus fatigatione Certaminis as most appositely to our present purpose p Fulgent lib. 1. ad Mo●im Fulgentius perfect he was in the Hope of future Glorification he was imperfect under the burthen of present corruption He was perfect in the expectation of his reward but yet imperfect being tyred under the great conflict and encounter that he had with the opposers of the Gospell of Truth compleate perfection he professed not much lesse may others so farre inferiour unto so great and most illustrious a Saint as S. Paul was 3. Workes meritorious as they must be our owne and perfect so also in their sense Indebita more than due supererogatory transcending the Command whereas proud Catharists and brittle pot-sherds as they are they might observe what the great Law-giver hath declared in that Case Luk. 17.10 When we have done all that we are able to doe we remaine still most defective and most unprofitable servants and have at the utmost if we could reach to that done but duty 4. Lastly Works meritorious must be proportionata ad mercedem exactly proportionable unto the just Reward but surely if as they cannot our Passions and q Rom. 8.18 Sufferings cannot equall the Reward much lesse can our Actions or our imperfect doings sweetly singeth the Psalmist God Crowneth indeed but it is in his owne mere mercy and loving kindnesse not for any possible desert in the primest Creature yea Meritū meum miseratio Domini Be●n it 's a maxime in the very Schoolmen themselves That Principium meriti prius est merito and that principium is Gods free Grace Mercy favour Quaer So then yeild all this But How then is it free and yet a Reward of Justice Answ Answ Some answer thus namely by understanding Justice in this Text of Gods Fidelity and faithfulnesse in keeping promise as in that Text 1 John 1.9 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are joyned together if we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and Just to forgive us our sinnes And in this sense rightly apprehended its true indeed to say that its Debita merces A reward of Debt because God hath after a sort bound himselfe by his owne promise to give it unto us Promittendo se fecit Debitorem saith r S. Aug. de verb. Apost Serm. 16. Debitor Deus factus est Non aliquid â nobis accipiendo sed quod ci placuit promittendo illo ergò modo possumus exigere Dominum nostrum ut dicamus Redde quod promisisti quia fecimus quod jussisti hoc tu fecisti qui laborantes juvisti Non dicimus Deo Redde quia accepisti sed redde quid promisisti Gonr Dieteric Dn. 9 post Trin. in Fine Augustine he hath made himselfe a Debtor to his Church by promise in which only regard it is that we may exigere Dominum as he speakes urge and presse the Lord upon his word so we reade the Church under affliction did Jer. 14.21 Remember breake not thy Covenant with us compare herewith Neh. 1.8 Deut. 9.5 Others more directly give us this answer Aeternall life is in respect of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mere Gratuity or free gift But in respect of the personall merit of Christ it s a reward of Justice The Lord Christ Jesus having purchased unto all his true Believers by his Humiliation and Obedience this Crowne of their Imputative righteousnesse how imperfect soever their owne personall Righteousnesse was And from this title of the Lord his being a righteous Judge all his faithfull Servants may assuredly rest upon the Infallibility of the reward of their Service and Fidelity sith the Lords owne word aequity and faithfulnesse is ingaged for it Surely he is faithful who hath promised Heb. 10.23 nor can he faile or deny himfelse 2 Tim. 2.13 Yea he himself is our shield and our exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 and indeed in enjoying God we enjoy all happinesse and soule-satisfying Contentation wherefore it s not impertinently

observed by the Hebrews that in the Essentiall Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Letters are Litera quiescentes Letters of Rest to denote that without God there can be no solid joy or quietnesse of Soule which will still be tossed in a kinde of restlesse inconsistency till it doe indeed terminate at last in him which made that man so much after Gods owne heart as in a flame of fervent zeale experimentally to put the question Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee The next particular that fals under my consideration is the time of donation when this Reward is to be actually conferred expressed to be in That Day and at the Lords appearing These s 1 Tim. 4.1 and 2 Tim. 3.1 latter times into which the t 1 Cor. 10.11 ends of the world are fallen abounding as men in old age with variety of u Mund●● senescens patitur phantasias Gerson phancies have given us occasion to enquire what Day of the Lords appearance it is which is here meant whether it be the great and w Act 2.20 2 Tit. 4.1 notable day of the x Joh. 6.39 40 41. last generall Judgement or else of some other manifestation of the Lord Christ upon earth before that last day of all doth come There are some otherwise abundantly knowing whose wits have herein proved more wanton than their judgements solid whose apprehensions have led them to conjecture if not to believe an appearance of the Lord Christ personally in a way of raigne and triumph to be manifested upon earth a thousand yeares before the last day of the Generall Judgement such in the Greek expression are called Chiliasts and by the Latines y Vid. Aug. lib. 20. De Civ Dei c. 7 Philastr c. 59. De Heres Aug. De Heres c. 8. Mistenaryes some have fetched the name and conceit so high as from z Euseb 1.3 c. 25. Histor Ecclesiast Cerinthus a blasphemous Heretick even in the dayes of the Apostles themselves who daringly avouching the Lord Christ to be no more than a meer man and borne after the common way of humane generation which gave occasion to S. John that soaring a Euch. 1.10 Eagle to write that his so sublime Gospel wherein in the very b Joh. 1.1 2 c. entrance of it He proves his Divine Nature He gave out that after the resurrection there should be in the great City Jerusalem an outward way of pomp and a kinde of voluptuous indulgence to corporall vanityes and delights during the terme of a thousand yeares which opinion He was thought to have sucked from the Breasts of the Jewish Synagogue that people mistaking the nature and quality of Christs c Mat. 20.21 A 1.6 Kingdome thinking it to be after an externall glory and not as it is indeed consisting d Luk. 17 21. within in the soule after a e Rom. 14.17 spirirtuall manner ruling and raigning over the spirituall part of man But this Blasphemer being exploded and cryed down by all the Primitively-Orthodox Fathers and Christians as the Historyes of those Times informe us The next who most clearely speak of it or was indeed supposed the first who more directly vented the opinion was one Papias Bishop of Hieropolis as f Euseb l. 3. c. 36. Eccl. Hist Eusebius acquaints us a man of a weak and slender judgement who if not utterly neglecting yet but slightly valuing the Authority of the Holy Scriptures pretended for his conceit Apostolicall Traditions and by reason of the venerable name of Antiquity it is not to be denyed but that some of the ancient Fathers received some tang of the same opinion from him as may be seen or collected of g Justin Martyr Dialog Cum Triphon Jud pag. 239 Justin Martyr and in the end of Trajans time h Baron in Annal. Ann 118. sect 2. Hieron in Catalog illustr cap. de Papiâ Apollinarius i Tertul. l. 3. advers Marc. c. 24. Tertullian too much misled by Montane and Lactantius who were in part spiced with this Millenarisme so perilous a thing it proves to the Supine and out of a secure or carelesse disregard to suffer Humane Tradition to become a Diotrephes and to have the l 3 Epist John 9. preheminence above the infallibity of the undoubted Scriptures which sacred and unerring written Word of God doth hold forth as of certaine credibility inspired by the Divine and first verity that can never deceive no such clear truth that the Lord Christ shall in Person before the General Resurrection come visibly and corporally upon the earth and as by a m Re 20.6 first resurrection cause all those who dyed n Re. 14.13 in and for him to arise and with him in a peacefull tranquility and glory to reigne and to beare sway over the wicked as Vassals for a thousand yeares which date of time being expired immediately shall ensue the General Resurrection and the day of the last Judgement No such evidentiall verity is demonstrated in Holy Writ as of Absolute Necessity to be believed unto salvation But whatsoever is alledged out of the prophetick Scriptures for the stablishing of that opinion is to be understood either of the first coming of Christ in the flesh or of the state of the N. T. in generall or else of the glorious estate of the Church triumphant to be expected hereafter in the eternall Kingdome for ever in Heaven as o Joh Gerard loc com To. 9. c 7. sect 80 Gerard judiciously I have not time to alledge or you patience to heare on this occasion the severall Texts cited by the Chiliasts or of the Orthodox many p See Bish Hall in his Revelations unrevealed edit 1650. D. Prid serm on 2 Pet. 3.13 serm on Joh. 6.14 Per. Dem. of Probl. vid. Dierer In die fest Bar. Ap. p. 7 14. c. vol. 4. Bul. l. 2. c. 11. con●r Anabapt sixt Senens l. 6. Annot. 347. reverend and renowned Divines have eased us all of that labour let it suffice at the present to take notice from our Saviours own lips that his Kingdome is not of this world John 18.36 but within us Luke 17.21 and from Heaven and besides we finde in our Creed which is founded on k Lactant. l. 7 c. 24. Institut the Scriptures and may in every article thereof be q Art 6. of the Ch of England proved by them we finde I say in our Creed mention made but of two visible comings of Christ the first in r Phil. ● 8 Mat. 21.5 Humility to suffer and to be judged the other at the end of the world but not before in the s 2 Pet. 1.17 glory of his Father to t Acts 17.31 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Pet. 4.5 judge the world both quick and dead in righteousnesse and unto them that look for him

cautionately understood thus possible notwithstanding it is very difficult and hard to be attained and that for many weighty and important reasons As First in regard of the difficulty to put a distinction between seeming Vertues and reall Graces which are the signes and fruits of Election and which give the best evidence of glory so that there needs much discussion and an exact spirit of l Phil. 1.9 10. Discerning to put a Difference and to discriminate the one from the other yea we are to take notice that there are many Vices neere of * Fallie cnim vitium proximitate honi kinne to many Vertues and carry in semblance a neare affinity as it were with them There is saith devout Bernard à minium virtutis a certaine kinde of Vermilion wherewith Satan paints over the outside of Vices and makes them shew like Vertues and but by an Eye and an Heart m Heb. 5 14. exercised in piety hardly discernable each from the other thus Flattery sometimes carryes the style of affability Covetousnesse of Frugality Rashnesse of Fortitude a Divellish Matchiavelisme of a lawfull policy excesse and ryot of good fellowship and under this mistake of judgement that is taken for zeale which is nothing but an impetuous n 2 Tim. 3.4 headinesse or a fiery kinde of vehemency that in stead of heating the house is apt to burne it Thus in short presumption passeth often for Faith this being the o Jer. 17.9 2 Cor. 11 3. guile of our hearts and Satan complying with it who can transforme himselfe into an p 2 Cor. 11 14. Angell of Light and set a faire glosse upon naughty wares making the tinsell of Hypocrisie to passe for the Silver of sincerity we must not too much relye upon our q Prov. 3.5 owne Judgements in this matter but bring things to the r 1 Thes 5.21 beame of the Sanctuary and there s Rom. 12.2 prove and weigh them the Word of God ever giveth right Judgement and the searching hereinto John 5.39 t Act 17.11 and examining of these matters hereby requiring great deliberation this makes the assurance difficult when the Evidence is perplexed and not presently cleared Secondly its hard in regard of the plenty of Lusts and of the u Gal. 5.19 workes of the flesh which too much over-grow and abound in every mans Heart but graces are but rare and come up thin much chaffe and little solid graine our graces are like Gideons Army but a handfull in comparison but our sinnes and like Midiknites w Jude 7.12 Innumerable as Grashoppers Hipps and Hawes saith one grow in every hedge when choycer fruits are but in some few Gardens and every soyle almost yeilds stone and rubbish but Gold and precious stones are found in very few places ●nw S. Peter who exhorts to give diligence to make Election sure exhorts also 2 Pet. 1.5 6. to adde to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge c. a large enumeration or induction of graces is required to clear up this assurance and certainly that is a matter of no ease Thirdly that I may hasten this is difficult in regard of the great progresse that an Hypocrite or a Cast-away may make in the wayes of Christianity and yet never attaine to this assurance He may have some degrees of Illumination Heb. 6.4 much like a Coruscation that a suddaine flash of Lightning maketh in the Ayre He may have good wishes as Balaam Numbers 23.10 A sight of sinne as Cain had Gen. 4.13 Confesse sinne as Judas did Matthew 27.4 have zeale as Jehu had 2 Kings 10.16 in these and in like other gifts may a very Cast-away make a great progresse But no child of God can have any reall comfort in any thing wherein he cannot say he hath yet therein gone beyond a Cast-away and yet but in the ground or rule or end of doing these things are hardly discernable each from other All which and much more that might be added to the same purpose shew though not the utter impossibility yet surely the very great difficulty of attaining unto this assurance that a man can say as S. Paul doth here in a particular application unto his soule Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and henceforth is laid up for x Gal. 2.20 me a Crown of Righteousnesse There yet remaines but one Pearle more in the Cabinet of this Text which I shall onely offer to your short notice and so conclude it is that due qualification which renders other Christians as well as it did S. Paul capable of the Crown of Righteousnesse they must be such as who do love the Lord Christ's second appearing in the day of Judgement And indeed it is the property of none but Saints to love it and long for it See Phil. 1.23 Rev. 22.20 Amen even so come Lord Jesus Some cautions notwithstanding must be here remembred sith it 's possible that times may fall out when we tremble at the thought or mention of it as when conscience is wounded afresh with some gross act of sin this made David afraid yea to roar out and to make a noyse through the disquietnesse of his spirit Psal 38.8 Psal 55.2 and under that state of soul to begg earnestly to be spared that he might recover strength in Gods favour before he went hence and was no more Psal 39.13 or else when the Lord shall for divers ends and reasons surcharge the soule and conscience with the sins of youth for which perhaps men have not as became them been sufficiently humbled thus dealt he even with his servant Job writing bitter things against him Job 13.26 see also Job 1.6.4 But out of those cases it is proprium quarto modo onely the Saints love it all such love it and alwayes and no mervaile sith by this second coming and appearance of Christ in the day of the last Judgement they receive very great and inestimable benefits such as are finall Redemption of the Body from corruption Rom. 8.23 Freedome from the society of the wicked which here y Psal 119.136 afflict the godly by their violation of Gods Law and Precepts Deliverance not onely from the z Rom. 6.12 raigne and a Psal 19.13 dominion but even from the inhabitation and being of sin which here they finde as a clogg and a b Ps 38.4 burthen to c Mat. 11.28 heavy for them and so long to be rid of it Rom. 7.24 and lastly the beatifical d 1 Joh. 3.2 vision and perfect fruition of the ever-blessed and all-glorious Trinity in the e Heb. 12 2 23 24. Heavenly Hierusalem among the innumerable company of Angels being admitted to the generall Assembly and Church of the first-borne which are enrolled and written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant in whose presence there is fulnesse of joy and at whose right