out of the hands of corruption into liberty which is glorious Justice because he hath offered up himself a Sacrifice for sin but Sanctification because he hath given us his Spirit Christ therefore unto us is all these but yet not all these by imputation for then his Wisdom should be imputed too yea and even the redemption of our bodies from the grave imputative also Indeed we can dream willingly of nothing but imputation All seems nothing worth unless Christ did so do all for us as we may not have any thing to do for our selves I doubt we may come in time to conceive that he did believe and repent for us too for these are his Commandments and so believe only this that neither Faith nor Repentance are in our persons necessary For if Christ as a surety hath absolutely undertaken any thing for us we like the scape-Goat must go free upon his performance The same debt may not with justice be required of the surety and principal too if so then do what we list all things are done to our hands already O this were to be a gracious Saviour to purpose if we might take our pleasure ryot in Intemperance and Luxury and withal have his Abstinence and Moderation imputed to us be beheld of God at the time as no less Temperate and Chaste than Christ himself Were it not glad tidings a Gospel indeed that we might be Feasting Carousing Swearing Drinking and yet under the eye of God at the same instant as if we were Watching Fasting Praying Weeping even with Christ himself in the Garden As though God beheld Men through Christ as Men do other things by a perspective which representeth them to the Eye not in their own colours but in the colour of the glass they pass through No God is not deceived with shadows neither doth Christ cast any such He takes not good for evil nor yet evil no not for Christs sake ever for good And let not us be deceived with vain shews neither The truth is it is well that upon our Repentance we are justified by imputation we shall be too putative if we conceipt an imputed sanctification too for two such imputations will not well agree together one of them will be needless ever or impossible for justification that is remission of sins is it self sufficient without imputation of farther sanctity because as St. Austin hath it Omnia ut fact a deputantur quando quod factum non est ignoscitur And perfect sanctification imputed on the other side will leave no room for remission or imputative justification so Christs death might have been spared since we should then be saved by his life for what use may there be of his blood for Remission so long as beheld in his righteousness that never sinned If no sinner he needs no pardon if he need a pardon he must of necessity be beheld as a sinner and therefore Remission of sins and perfect Righteousness are opposite forms that cannot at the same time possibly be imputed unto the same person for they expel and shut out one another Let it suffice then that our blessed Lord vouchsafed to shed his blood for our sins let us not therefore suppose that we are not bound to forsake them ourselves that were to shed his blood afresh and crucifie him again as the Apostle speaks But as he did that for us which if we neglect it not will prove our justification so we through his assistance must do this for our selves otherwise we shall want our sanctification and wanting it want the other also That indeed is the meer act of God but on those that are qualified for it This proceeds from God and his grace but is the true duty of man and which gives him his qualification and in man therefore it must inhere for the righteousness of justification is perfect but not inherent but the righteousness of sanctification now inherent but not perfect hereafter in that glory whither it leads us it will be both perfect and inherent yea inherent perfect and perpetual also Rightly therefore to conclude all this righteousness of the Commandments the duty of man still and since Faith is included in it as being now commanded as rightly the whole duty of man That duty which doth accomplish his election for if any man purge him self from these things he shall be a vessel unto honour fulfils the end of his Creation created unto good works that we might walk therein makes effectual the Divine Vocation for we are called unto holiness is it self our sanctification for the Commandment is holy and just and good procures our justification they wrought righteousness and gained the promises and lastly leads into Glory for they that have their fruit in holiness have their end everlasting life That fruit here this blessed end hereafter the God of Glory grant unto us all in his Kingdom even for Jesus Christ his sake the righteous To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit c. Amen A SERMON OF CHRIST'S Coming to JUDGMENT SERMON III. Upon MATT. XVi. 27. For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels And then he shall reward every man according to his works I Left untouched in my former Text the second reason wherewith Solomon ends his Book and confirms his Conclusion of Fear God and keep his Commandments which is this For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil And now for variety sake I have chosen to prosecute the same subject not in Solomons words but in our Saviour's for these are infer'd unto the same end and much too after the same manner In the verses precedent What shall it profit a man saith Christ to gain the whole world and lose his own sâ—ulâ— or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul As if he had said Gain any man what he list or what he can be it never so much for the world indeed runs all after gain and never enough yet if by this means he come at last to lose his own Soul there is no profit in it He will still be a loser by his gain Or on the other side lose in this life whatsoever he hath or may lose Pleasures Profits Honours or any thing else even Life it self yet if in the loss of all other things he may preserve and gain his own Soul he will be a winner even in his losings To keep his Soul he can part with nothing that is too dear or if he would part with his Soul he can receive nothing that is dear enough for what can either way be of sufficient value to make a just exchange for the Soul But yet so it is small things are given in exchange for great and according to the momentany works and behaviour of men here so shall their Souls be gained or lost eternally hereafter For the son of man c. The words deliver
tryal of that fire which will prove whether they are Gold or Stubble or else dispure them so calmly as neither peace be disturbed nor charity destroyed according si non sententiis saltem animis if not in opinion yet in love and affection And for these regards and many more indeed any but that of imputation is justly termed his Righteousness the Righteousness of God It is that Image of the Father the chief lineaments of that similitude of God wherein we were at the first formed and whereunto we are still created Created unto good works that we might walk in them Eph. ii 10. It is the end and purpose of the Sons Redemption That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives The intent and effect of the Spirits vocation for we are called not to uncleanness but to holiness and that not outwardly only by the word but inwardly by the power of the Holy Ghost cleansing from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit that he may purge unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works yea it is I say not the form that doth justify in it self but the quality that only can qualifie for justification and entitle unto it as it is taken for remission of sins in Christ. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right unto the tree of life Revel xxii That tree of life is Christ in whom without Righteousness no Man hath any right who came by water and blood saith the same St. John elsewhere first cleansing and then pardoning For as he doth sanctifie as well as justifie so I take it he doth first sanctifie before he justifie and no longer justifie than he doth sanctifie Lastly it is the direct and unavoidable means though not merit of glorification without holiness no man shall see God nor any enter into the Kingdom of God So many ways is it the Righteousness of God and so many ways no less necessary for Man as being indeed All in All the fulness of the Law the full effect of the Gospel the substance of Gods revealed will in both This is the will of God even your sanctification But what then becomes of Faith for this seems to be altogether work Is that nothing unto the way that leads unto the Kingdome Surely yes much every way but yet without Righteousness not any thing For Faith is not opposite to Righteousness but a part of it the very fountain or root from whence it is immediately derived For true Faith is ever that of the Heart not of the Brain and with the heart man believeth unto righteousness It is neither Faith nor Works apart and severed that can do us good but Fides operans a working faith faith working by love and love is the fulfilling of the law saith the Apostle This is that active Faith so much magnified in the xi to the Hebrews by the power whereof those Worthies there of whom the world was nor worthy besides many other great things especially wrought righteousness and gained the promises v. 33. And to these and the like Worthies it is that that Angel points in the Revel Hi sunt These are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Iesus To shew that none keep his faith as they should that do not keep his Commandments Revel xiv 12. Indeed it is the keeping not the believing of the Faith that is available I have kept the faith saith St. Paul henceforth is laid up for me Corona Justitiae a Crown of righteousness Faith kept is Righteousness and such faithful righteousness only it is that shall be crowned at last Righteousness therefore the only way unto the Kingdom and so by all those that would come thither of all things else and in all regards most especially to be sought for with their best strength and utmost endeavour For it is not quaerite but primum quaerite not seek only but seek ye first The last point but must be briefly handled though indeed it hath two points As First hath a double signification for it either respects time or earnestness of intention And in both regards for time and intention of travel we are to seek and first to seek the righteousness of God if we desire to enter the Kingdom of God The actions of Piety and Righteousness are the highest and noblest operations of the Soul and therefore of more worth They run cross and counter to the bent of our corrupt affections and so of more difficulty than may be lightly and easily archieved Indeed facilis descensus averni it is a descent down the hill the swing of our own corruptions can carry us headlong thither but the way of life is on high said King Solomon Virtue must upwards and hale the heavy body after it climb Hills and craggy Mountains hic labor hoc opus this is not without sweat and difficulty But notwithstanding all difficulties virtus aut inveniet aut faciet viam The spirit of God by the power of that almighty faith to which all things are possible will and must break through them all To do good and suffer evil to deny our selveâ— and take up the Cross to â—ubdue lusts and root out affections and the like till it come to that point these are justitiae culmina the heights and steps of righteousness and up we must though like Ionathan and his Armoâ—bearer we creep on all four hands and knees for it on the knees of humble and fervent prayer but using the hands too faithful and diligent endeavour And therefore it is not every cold and careless seeking that will be sufficient The way is narrow and the gate strait contendite intrare strive saith our Saviour for many shall seek seek negligently and shall not be able to enter Nay more than strive and struggle too I press hard saith the Apostle for the price of the high calling which is in Christ Iesus He well knew that though no Man be Crowned unless he strive for it yet that every striving doth not presently gain the Crown nisi legitimè certaverit unless he strive as he ought And therefore he fought not as those that beat the air but as he that means to conquer for even this Kingdom is not gained but by conquest The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force In this point we need not fear offending in excess Modus amandi Deum est sine modo amare the measure of loving God is to love him without measure In opinions indeed and disputes that have their extreams moderation may be good and commendable disputants in heat and passion supposing they are never far enough asunder till both be equally sundred from the truth and then in this case to halt as they say between two opinions may be to walk most uprightly but no such here to halt between two Masters between God and Mammon God and
Oaths in weighty matters though the Scribes and Pharisees and subtile Glosses had corrupted it for they had a Tradition as appears by Philo in the beginning of his Book that in lesser and smaller matters they were not to swear by the name of the immortal God but by some of his Creatures supposing that though they sware never so idly by them yet they were free from any breach of the Law since they took not the name of their God in vain which that did forbid And therefore so long as they sware truly they cared not for swearing lightly and frequently so it was not by the Lord himself but by some of his works Our Saviour therefore seeking in this place not to inlarge the Law but to free it from those depravations and corrupt comments of the Pharisees shews them that they were to refrain as well from swearing rashly and undoubtedly idly as falsly As also that they are no less guilty of the vain abuse of his name who swear by it obliquely and covertly under the Creatures than those that assume it directly and plainly in a proper appellation since there is not any work or workmanship of his whereon he hath not in some sort as it were ingraven himself and his Name All of them from his Throne unto his Footstool being either pledges of his favour or illustrations of his power and glory if not both so that Oaths made by them do reach home even unto himself whose they are and whose greatest Attributes of Glory and Goodness they do plainly set forth And therefore the sense is Swear not usually and vainly at all that is with no kind of Oath neither by heaven nor Earth nor any thing else whether Creature or Creator for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all doth not so much relate unto swear not that goes before as unto those several forms of swearing that follow after and therefore doth not exclude all Cases wherein an Oath may be required but all forms which for difference and distinction the Pharisees had invented as shewing that no forms or titles may justify an Oath that in it self is vain and unnecessary And this is the exposition of Mr. Calvin lib. 2. Inst. c. 8. Peter Martyr and divers learned men besides and it agrees well with that interpetation of St. Austin in his Book de Mendacio where he says We are not so much forbidden by this place to swear as to love affect and delight in the use of swearing And indeed that which our Saviour adds Let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay plainly shews that he relates unto the frequent and affected Oaths of daily and familiar discourse And thus much of the Inhibition which rightly understood you see concludes nothing for the objectors Now one word of the reason of it for whatsoever is more than these to wit yea and nay cometh of Evil And I think this will conclude as little St. Austin de Serm. Domini doth interpret this Evil from whence an Oath doth proceed to be the infirmity and incredulity of Others which though it be not a sin yet it is evil and as the effect of sin so the cause of swearing for no man should need an Oath if another would believe his word And after the same manner doth Innocentius the 3d. expound it de Jurejurando A malo est sed non tam culpae quà m poenae nec exhibentium sed exigentium Juramentum It is from Evil saith he but the evil not of offence but of punishment neither the evil of him that exhibits the Oath but of him that exacts it Others again otherwise A malo hoc est à mendacio from evil say they that is from evil deceit and lying for if the lips of men were not subject to falshood no man would require an Oath for the assurance of the Truth Chrysost. Euthymius Theophylact do render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not from evil but from the evil one the evil one by an Antonomasie that is the Devil because as some render the reason the Devil first brought in sin and sin first occasioned an Oath since in the state of Innocency where there could be no suspicion there needed also no confirmation of any mans speech But all these Interpretations though they are true in themselves yet they are not pertinent to the place First because they concern all Oaths for there is none so good and lawful but in these senses proceed from evil 2. Because they place the evil from whence the Oath doth proceed not in him that swears but in him to whom the Oath is made whereas our Saviour doth not restrain all Oaths promiseuously as is proved already but only some because they proceed from evil which could be no sufficient reason of the restraint neither if confest that evil be an offence and an offence not of another but of the swearer himself for if such a general and occasionary original from evil were sufficient ground for a prohibition we might as well be forbidden to believe in Christ or repent from dead works since if sin had not entred into the world there had never been any use either of such faith or repentance And therefore I rather like Abulensis Commentary A malo est Juramentum id est malum est the Oath here forbidden is so from Evil and the evil one as it is evil it self and so evil as it deserves condemnation saith St. James for Christ here speaks only of irreverent and unnecessary Oaths Quae mala sunt à malo Peccatore ore proficiscuntur which are both evil and proceed from the evil mouth of an evil sinner saith Barradius Neither doth this any way prejudice our cause for whatsoever the Term of Universality here in the Reason will help them as little as the not at all hath done in the precept which is not at all for they must be both conversant about the same matter and therefore as that doth restrain so this doth condemn only vain and superfluous swearing so that the whole sence is only this Swear not idly and vainly in any form whatsoever for whatsoever is more than yea and nay in your daily and ordinary communication proceedeth from evil So that both do leave room for the moderate and charitable use of an Oath when any urgent and necessary cause as the benefit of our Neighbour the Church or Commonwealth do require it so that the Gospel you see doth not thwart with the Law and swear not at all in the one if rightly understood doth not hinder but that there may be necessary Causes wherein we may say Thou shalt swear with the other that inhibition of idle Oaths no way destroying this precept of such as are serious and requisite but as they are great sins so these may be holy services and a man may as well offend against Charity in omitting these as sin against God in committing the other And therefore it still remains firm and unshaken