Selected quad for the lemma: work_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A09780
|
The fauourite: or, A plaine demonstration from Holy Scripture of Gods especiall loue to the righteous, in a sermon preached at S. Andrewes in Norwich, the 18. of Nouemb. 1611. since enlarged and newly published for the comfort of Gods people. By Timo: Plummer preacher of Gods word
|
Plummer, Timothy.
|
1622
(1622)
|
STC 20050; ESTC S105176
|
25,009
|
62
|
onely the outward shew and conceit of righteousnesse without the inward sound solide and substantiall change in heart and life Math. 23.27 28. Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites for you are like vnto painted Sepulchres which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all vncleannesse euen so ye also appeare righteous vnto men but within are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Therefore let me say vnto you as our Sauiour said vnto his hearers Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies Math. 5.20 ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ye see in what damnable estate you are in ye are in no better case then notorious sinners nay I feare in worse There are most woes denounced against such Math. 23. The hypocrite is hatefull to God and man Fained sanctity is accounted double iniquitie and when God threatneth to punish extreamely hee will giue them their portion with hypocrites Mat. 24.51 Vse 4 Fourthly wee hence enforce a double exhortation 1. That euery one of vs would goe out of our selues First exhortation Rom. 13.14 Matth. 22.11 and get into the true fountaine of righteousnesse Put on the Lord Iesus Christ Put him on as a rich robe of righteousnesse the onely wedding garment of our soule Let vs not content our selues with a dreame figment and vaine shadow of righteousnesse but labour with S. Paul to be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 the righteousnes which is of God by faith If we be not found in him cloathed with his righteousnesse we shal be cloathed with perpetuall shame Let not the enemies of Gods grace the Papists perswade vs to weaue the spiders webbe of our owne workes Act. 13.10 Esay 39.5 They shall not become garments neither shall they couer themselues with their workes saith the Prophet Indeede if we presume to bring before God our workes they will bee in his sight but workes of iniquitie Verse 6. as in the same place Yea Beloued in the Lord Knowing that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Lawe Gal. 2.16 but by the faith of Iesus Christ let vs freely confesse In the Lord we haue our righteousnes and strength Esa 45.24 If God should enter into iudgement with vs no man liuing could be iustified Psal 143.2 Doth not Saint Iames labour to make men see 1. Obiect Iam. 2.24 that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith onely And yet S. Paul from good premises concludes That a man is iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3.28 Doe these Master builders and maine pillars of the Church differ and disagree in this fundamentall point of our saluation Answ The seeming iarres and oppositions found in Scripture may be easily reconciled if we plow with Gods Heifer S. Iames speaketh of iustification before men and so he maketh workes to iustifie Declaratiuè declaring who are to be accounted righteous in the Court of Sanctification and by this meanes the Apostle layeth the idle emptie verball professour vpon his backe who onely braggeth of faith not hauing the fruits thereof but remaine a dead and fruitlesse tree ready to bee cut downe and cast into the fire But Saint Paul speaketh of iustifying before God and so he maketh the poore hand of faith to iustifie Apprehensiuè apprehending Math. 3.10 applying and appropriating the righteousnesse of Christ vnto the sinner Rom. 4.5 by which the sinner may with boldnes appeare before Gods tribunall in the Court of iustification and by this meanes the Apostle beateth downe the proud conceited Pharisaicall Iusticiary that dares obtrude and thrust vpon God his owne good workes good intents and good meanings Yea this shall bee found an infallible truth that Christ came not to call such righteous but sinners to repentance Math. 9.13 The poore Publican that humbly confesseth his sinnes and desireth Gods mercy in the merits of Christ Luk. 18.14 is the man that goeth away iustified rather then the other Obiect 2 Doth not Dauid say Iudge me oh Lord according to my righteousnesse Psal 7.8 Ans I answer by distinguishing of righteousnes there is a double righteousnes one of the person another of the cause Dauid there would haue God to iudge him according to the goodnesse or righteousnes of his cause therefore if thou lookest euer to come to heauen cast away thine owne righteousnes as dung and drosse For as the Israelites did not possesse the land of Canaan for their righteousnes Deut. 9.4.5 6. Tit. 3.5 so thinke not thou to climbe vp to heauen by thine own workes and merits Let me deale plainely bee not so sortish to thinke of deseruing at Gods hands by thy workes of legall righteousnes considering what thou maist reade in Job against this conceit Iob 22.3 35.7 Is it any pleasure to the almighty that thou art righteous or is it gaine to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect If thou be righteous what giuest thou him or what receiueth hee of thine hand When we haue done all things commanded vs of God let vs say in truth and humility wee are vnprofitable seruants Obiect 3 Are not we enemies to good works by this doctrine Doe we not hinder well doing May not men say what vse haue we of good works when you so strictly preach faith onely Ans No we call as feruently and frequently for good workes as any Papist in the world and vpon farre better grounds and will any wise man say We are enemies to Noblemen if wee saye that Noblemen must not bee Kings Is there not other good vse in the state for Noblemen though they be not Kings and sit vpon the Regall throne So are there not other good vses of good workes though they be not admitted to be Causae regnandi and put in the top of Iustification May they not be Viae ad Regnum Eph. 2.10 wayes that God haue appointed vs to walke in Is it nothing that our heauenly Father is glorified by good workes Mat. 5.16 Gal. 6.10 2. Pet. 1.10 And that our brethren are many wayes bettered by them and that wee our selues are by the same assured of our effectuall calling and eternal election And know further that wee doe not so strictly call for faith onely but that we require works Iam. 2.18 the fruites of faith to iustifie and testifie the life and truth of the same faith Gal. 5.6 yea although faith other graces and workes be together in a Christian yet they doe not iustifie together they concurre not in the act of Iustification But as the cares and eyes are together in a man and the eyes onely see and as light and heate are together in the fire and the heat onely warmeth So faith loue and workes are in a true Christian but
faith as it is an instrument to lay hold not as it is a vertue grace or worke onely iustifieth To make an end of this matter we are vndoubtedly to beleeue that this doctrine of Gods free iustification doth most plainely arise from holy Scripture It doth most fully establish the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.21 22 23 c. It doth most plentifully demonstrate the deepe miserie of man It affordeth most strong consolation to euery true Christian soule for then may Gods Childe say with courage and boldnesse Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 when hee is throughly perswaded that It is God that iustifieth 2. That euery one of vs would follow after righteousnesse Second exhortation 1. Tim. 2.22 Pron 2.20 Luk. 1.6 and daily walke in the way of good men and keepe the pathes of the righteous that it may be said of vs as of Zacharie and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commaundements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse though not without all sinne yet without open reproofe or blame So let vs endeauour to be blamelesse and harmelesse the sonnes of God Phil. 2.15 without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation amongst whom let vs shine as lights in the world To presse this point yet further Let vs but seriously consider why God did elect vs but to be like to the image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 Why did he create vs I pray but that wee should beare and shew forth some resemblance of himselfe Psal 145.17 who is righteous in all his waies Did hee redeeme vs for any other purpose then to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Luk. 1.75 were we not made free from sinne for that very cause that wee might become the seruants of righteousnesse Rom. 6.18 And wherefore did God reueale his Gospel of grace called the word of righteousnesse but to teach vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12. Heb. 5.13 and to liue righteously To what other end tendeth Gods ordinance of preaching but to turne men vnto righteousnesse Doth not the Apostle call true Preachers the Ministers of righteousnesse Dan. 12.3 Are not the Sacraments which wee receiue seales of righteousnesse 2. Cor. 11.15 Rom. 4.11 2. Pet. 2.21 I thinke true Religion is nothing else but the way of righteousnesse and can we please God better then by this or bee any way better assured of his loue and acceptation Prou. 15.9 Psal 11.7 45.7 and 146.8 Math 21.32 Hee loueth him that followeth after righteousnesse And againe the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse Finally how can we thinke to escape death and attaine to life vnlesse we walke in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 12.28 Jn the way of righteousnesse is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death Wee must resolue to finish our course of well-doing if wee looke for the crowne of righteousnesse 2. Tim. 4.8 which God the righteous iudge will giue vnto vs We must not foolishly thinke to dye the death of the righteous Numb 23.10 Psal 15.2 Gal. 6.7 Prou. 11.18 Hos 10.12 except we liue the life of the righteous O vaine world be not deceiued as a man sowe so he shall reape To him onely that soweth righteousnesse shall bee a sure reward God rendreth to euery man according to his worke Esa 32.17 It is the worke of rightenesse that shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for euer Part. 2 The second thing which I propounded obserueable is That for the most part the righteous haue but a poore pittance a very little of these outward things when on the other side many wicked are full-handed build there nests on high haue riches Hab. 2.9 as it is in the text If we expostulate the cause with Ieremie Ier. 12.1 we must acknowledge the iustice of God as he did and that for good reasons hee thus vnequally disposeth and dispenseth these common things to the wicked and to the righteous First he dealeth thus bountifully with the wicked for these reasons 1. To shew his absolute power and infinite goodnesse The Lord is good vnto all his mercy is ouer all his workes Psal 145 9. He stampeth and printeth some of his communicable goodnesse vpon the vilest of his creatures and who may controule him doing what he will with his owne Mat. 20 15. Psal 17.14 Therefore hee giueth the wicked their portion in this life and they may looke for no more for euen as Abraham gaue all he had to Isaac Gen. 25.5.6 and sent away the sonnes of his concubines with gifts so God giueth the wicked outward gifts Gal. 4.28 reseruing the eternall inheritance to the children of promise 2. To leaue them without excuse Act. 14.17 and himselfe not without witnesse in doing them good in giuing them raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons and in filling their hearts with foode and gladnesse Hee can say to them as he said to wicked Saul 1. Sam. 15.17 When thou wast little in thine owne sight I aduanced thee c. and they shall not be able to say vnto him Math. 25.24 Wee knew that thou art an hard man 3. That he might giue vs an example of doing good against euill Matth. 5.44 45. Rom. 12.20.21 1. Sam. 24.17 as we may reade in the Gospel A dutie too much neglected yet further commanded by S. Paul and practised by Dauid and many other of the Saints of God 4. In iudgement many times for their hurt Eccles 5.13 1. Tim. 6.9 Opes irritamensa malorum Horat. Horum semper ego optarim pauperrimus esse bonorum Psal 39.6 J haue seene saith the preacher riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt So they prooue as a knife in the hand of a childe or as a sword in a madde mans hand dangerous and deadly Surely many men had neuer beene so deepe in sinne and miserie if they had not beene so rich Euen their wealth through Gods iudgement is a snare and a trappe vnto them To say nothing of the care feare and sorrow that accompanie the same in getting keeping and loosing of them to conclude As God gaue the children of Israel quailes daintie meate but a plague with it Psal 106.15 he gaue them their request but sent leannesse into their soule they had better haue beene without it So God giueth the wicked the wealth of the world in seuere iudgement as I might enlarge in many particulars Hence a Reuerend Doctor of your owne was wont to pray Doctor bound Giue vs nothing Oh Lord in thine anger though we should aske it of thee Secondly he dealeth thus sparingly with the righteous for these reasons 1. That hee may bring them to some conformitie and correspondencie with his Sonne Christ there head and elder Brother who though