person or by a more ciuill honest man who is void of faith of religion of the loue and feare of God although materially they be good yet are they euill as they proceed from him For whiles the tree is euill the fruit cannot be good whiles the person is not accepted as just in Christ as none but the faithfull are his actions cannot be acceptable for without faith it is impossible to please God And this is that which the Apostle saith that the end and consummation of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnsained In respect of the manner our good workes must be performed vprightly not in hypocrisie and dissimulation otherwise it is vnfained and counterfeit For though we doe that which is right yet if we doe it not with an vpright heart we doe it not rightly neither can we be sayd to worke righteousnesse In respect of the end we are to perfome good workes that by the discharge of our duty God may be glorified But if our end be to be seene of men if to win praise and glorie to our selues if to merit of God and as it were to bridle him by our good deed all our workes though neuer so glorious in the eyes of the world yet are they splendida peccata that is to say glorious sinnes To this purpose we are to remember that we are to worship God not onely in holinesse but in righteousnesse also and we worship him in righteousnesse when as in a sincere obedience to God we seeke by performing the duties of righteousnesse to our brother to glorifie God From this note therefore of Gods children we distinguish the seeming good workes first of infidels without the Church or of more naturall men within because there can be no true righteousnesse or loue of men without faith pietie and loue of God Secondly of hypocrâ—tes and dissemblers who do no good but for sinister and by-respects and therefore their righteousnesse being hypocrisie is double injustice Lastly of all Pharisaicall and Popish justiciaries who by their good workes thinke such is their Satanicall pride to make God beholding vnto them and to merit heauen to themselues most sacrilegiously injuriously vnto Christ our Sauiour placing the matter of their justification and the merit of their saluation in themselues In a word that is no true righteousnesse which is seuered from holinesse neither is that a worke of righteousnesse which is not a righteous worke rightly done as that is not which is done in hypocrisie or to an ill end He therefore vndoubtedly is the sonne and heire of God who professing the true faith laboureth to demonstrat his faith by good works his faith working by loue and his loue proceeding from faith vnfained who in vpright obedience towards God seeketh by the exercise of righteousnesse and discharge of his dutie towards his neighbour to glorifie God The third note of the child God is Truth which the holy ghost expresseth in these words and speaketh the truth in his heart Which words sayth Augustine are not thus to be vnderstood as though keeping the truth in the heart we should vtter vntruth with our mouth But the holy ghost vseth this phrase of speech because a man may with his mouth vtter the truth which will nothing auaile him if he hold not the same in his heart Wherefore although this phrase of speaking the truth in his heart seeme somewhat harsh notwithstanding if it be rightly vnderstood it doth more fully expresse the disposition of a man which is addicted to the truth than if it had been said from the heart Thus therefore I read who speaketh the truth which is in his hâ—rt that is who vttereth with his tongue the truth which he hath conceiued in his mind For that we may be vcraces that is speakers of the truth there is a double conformitie or agreement required which is here expressed the one of the speech with the mind namely that we should speak as we thinke the other of the mind with the thing it selfe namely that wee should conceiue in our mind according to the truth of the matter For as the rule and measure of truth in words is the agreement of them with our thoughts so the rule and measure of truth in our thoughts is the agreement thereof with the things themselues It is true indeed that in some sciences either agreement alone sufficeth vnto the truth as in morall philosophy he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speaker of the truth who speaketh as he thinketh although perhaps he thinketh otherwise than the thing it selfe is And in Logicke he is said to speake the truth who speaketh as the thing is although perhaps he thinketh otherwise But in diuinitie both as I said is required Neither can we be said if either be wanting to be veraces that is such as speake the truth which is in our heart for he which deliuereth an vntruth supposing it to bee true howsoeuer hee bee free from the vanitie of lying yet he cannot be said to bee a speaker of the truth for in his mouth he vttereth an vntruth though in his heart he be well affected to the truth Contrariwise he that speaketh the truth which he thinketh to be false he is a lyar though he speake the truth because he hath truth in his mouth but not in his heart Such a one therefore because hee speaketh with an heart and an heart may not vnworthily be said to lie For mentâ—ri est contra mentemire to lie is to speake otherwise than a man thinketh Wherefore that a man may bee said to speake the truth which is in heart there is a double agreement required the one of the tongue with the mind the other of the mind with the things themselues And to this double conformitie in speaking the truth there is opposed a double falshood namely when a man speaketh either that which is false or falsely He speaketh that which is false who speaketh otherwise than the thing is whether he thinkes it to be so or otherwise He speaketh falsely who speaketh otherwise than hee thinketh He which speaketh a falshood supposing it to be true is not so much to be blamed for lying as for vnaduifednesse and rashnesse For we ought to be sure of those things which we affirme But he which either speaketh that which hee knoweth to bee false or speaketh that which is true falsely that is animo fallendi with a purpose to deceiue as the diuell sometimes doth he is a lyar neither can you easily determine whether is in the greater fault for as the one hath lesse truth in his mouth so the other hath more deceit in his heart Now that the loue of the truth and likewise the detestation of falshood is to be reckoned among the notes of Gods children it is testified not onely in this place but also elsewhere in the Scriptures Zeph. 3. The remnant of Israell that is
The righteous shall neuer be remoued And so certaine is the saluation of the righteous that the booke of the liuing is the booke of the just eternall glorie is the crowne of righteousnesse the rising againe vnto glory is the resurrection of the just And as justice containeth all those vertues which haue reference to our neighbour so the reward of it is the heape of all rewards namely blessednesse For as the Scriptures testifie blessed are those that worke righteousnesse and not onely they but those also which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse are blessed Wherefore seeing not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the Scriptures eternall life is promised to those that worke righteousnesse the consideration of this reward ought to be a motiue to prouoke and stirre vs vp to the exercise of justice Which I do not speake to this end as though the workes of justice were to be performed with that mind as that we should hope thereby to be justiâ—ied before God or by them to merit eternall life for that is an opinion sacrilegious and blasphemous against Christ whose justice alone apprehended by faith justifieth vs before God and maketh vs accepted vnto eternall life In respect of which justice we are to esteeme all our owne merits if we had any as dung that we may gaine Christ and may be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is by the Faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God through faith And therefore if we desire that the workes of righteousnesse which we do performe should be acceptable vnto God they are not to be performed to that end that we might by them attaine to justification or saluation for good works performed to that end are glorious sins but in doing the workes of righteousnes these ends are to be propounded First in respect of God that we may glorifie him for which end we were elected created redeemed regenerated For by the workes of righteousnesse God is glorified Herâ—in saith our Sauiour Christ is my father glorified that ye beare much fruit For which cause Paul prayeth for the Philippians that they might be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Neither is God glorified in vs alone but in others also which are the witâ—esses of our good deeds Therefore Christ exhorteth vs so to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen And Peter likewise counselleth vs so to haue our conuersation honest among the Gentiles that by our good workes which they shall see they may glorifie God in the day of the visitation Secondly that we may testifie our thankfulnesse vnto God for all his benefits bestowed vpon vs and may auoid the punishment which is due to vnthankfulnes For whereas the Lord in lieu of all his benefits both temporal and spirituall as election vocation redemption regeneration expecteth at our hands these fruits alone of holines and righteousnes assuredly it were vnthankfulnes vntollerable if either we should be barren of good fruits or bring forth euill fruit For wherefore hath the Lord elected vs that we might be saued howsoeuer we should liue No but he hath elected vs that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Why hath Christ redeemed vs from the hand of our spirituall enemies that being freed from them we might sinne the more freely No but that being deliuered from the hand of our spirituall enemies we might worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Wherefore hath he freed vs from the seruitude of sinne that we might haue freedome to sin No he hath freed vs from sinne that we might be the seruants of righteousnesse and being now freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God we haue our fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Why did he beare our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse that we liuing in sin should not die for them No he bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne might liue in righteousnesse Wherefore doth he regenerate vs by his spirit and as it were create vs anew that we should doe nothing our selues NO Wee are the workmanship of God created in Christ Ksus to good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke in them Why doth hee bestow his temporall benefits vpon vs that like well pampered horses we should kicke against our Lord and Maister No he crowneth vs with his manifold blessing to this end that we might keepe his statutes and obserue his lawes For what else doth the Lord require of thee which art the people of God in lieu of all his mercies but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule that thoukeepe the Commandements of the Lord and his ordinances which he commaundeth thee for thy wealth Let vs remember that we are trees of righteousnesse which the Lord hath planted in his garden that is his Church that we may bring forth the fruit of righteousnesse But if he shall come to seeke fruit as euery yeare he commeth and shall find none howsoeuer he may forbeare for a time yet at the length he shall cut downe the vnfruitfull trees for he cannot abide that they should cumber the ground and make it also barren Let vs remember that we are the branches of the vine which if we be vnfruitfull the Lord wil cut off Let vs consider that the axe is layd to the root of euery tree that euery one which bringeth not forth fruit may be cut off and cast into the fire Againe in respect of our neighbour we are to worke righteousnesse that we may helpe him either with the benefit or the example of our good worke For the benefit of justice belongeth to others For whereas other vertues are referred to the good of him that hath them justice onely seemeth to be the good of another man for justice attendeth the duty of one man to another but in other vertues is attended the duty of the inferiour faculties vnto reason as one saith But thou mayst helpe thy neighbour also by the example of thy good worke For when thou goest before thy brother with the light of thy good example thou shalt gaine him vnto Christ if he be not already wonne vnto him that he also may glorifie God in the day of the visitation Or if he be already ingrafted into Christ by thy good example thou shalt edifie him and as the Apostle testifieth of the Corinthians thou shalt prouoke him to good workes Lastly we are to performe the workes of righteousnesse in respect of our selues
or passing on in hope of transâ—ation to a better estate This word therefore the holy-ghost doth vse to signifie that a citizen of heauen is a pilgrim on earth and that his life here is a pilgrimage And so Peter calleth the time of our life the time of our pilgrimage And Iacob professeth that the daies of his pilgrimage meaning his life were few and euill And likewise Dauid I am a stranger saith he before thee and a pilgrim as all my forefathers were In a word it was the profession of all the faithfull That they were strangers and pilgrims vpon the earth Here therefore wee are taught so many as desire to be citisens of heauen to behaue our selues as pilgrims on the earth Who being exiles in a forraine land desire to come vnto our owne country He that hath a good patrimonie in his owne countrey great wealth kind and able kinred and friends and is forced for a time to sojourne in a strange land where he is ill intreated disturbed molested assailed by his enemies on euery side hee will affect nothing in that strange countrey neither will he set his heart vpon any thing there but his mind is vpon his countrey desiring nothing more than to returne thither But our countrey is in heauen where we haue an euerlasting inheritance an incorruptible and inestimable treasure where is God our heauenly father Christ our eldest brother and the rest of our brothers and sisters the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the quire of heauenly Saints and celestiall spirits and wee are pilgrims for a time here vpon earth where we are hated ill intreated assaulted with the temptations of Satan the world and the flesh subject to many inward infirmities and outward troubles And therefore it behooueth vs not to set our hearts on worldly things or to place our paradise vpon the earth For if our hearts be on the earth how is our treasure in heauen if the earth be our countrey how are we citizens of heauen Wherefore if we bee pilgrims in the world let vs not bee addicted to worldly desires let vs not mind earthly things but being wained from worldly cogitations let vs mind those things which be aboue Let vs vse the world as though we vsed it not and let vs be so affected towards earthly things as pilgrims and wayfaring men are toward such delights or commodities as they see in their journey or at their inne Which if they vse as meanes to further them in their journey yet they set not their hearts vpon them And yet assuredly our abode in this life in respect of our continuance in the mountaine of Gods holinesse is not so much as the time of our lodging or bait in an Inne Therefore howsoeuer such as be but earth-wormes doe crawle as it were vpon the earth and mind earthly things Yet must we remember that we are citisens of heauen and pilgrims on the earth Are wee pilgrims liuing as it were exiled from our celestiall countrey and heauenly father What ought wee then more feruently to desire than to be in our country and that this earthly Tabernacle of our body being dissolued wee might dwell in that habitation made without hands eternall in the heauens Are we such pilgrims as indeed desire to be in our countrey Let that then bee our chiefest care and indeuour to trauell into our countrey Let vs first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and carefully vse the meanes of our saluation And let vs thinke that if wee bee pilgrims wee must also be wayfaring men Are we wayfaring men in this life then will wee vse hac vita vt via This life as a way and the things of this life as they may bee helpes vnto vs in this way Let vs make choise of the high and as it were the Kings way which leadeth vnto heauen the way of true faith and vnfained repentance Let vs insist and persist therein though it bee a narrow and an afflicted way Let vs walke before God in the duties of our lawfull callings and in those good workes which God hath prepared for vs. This is the way let vs walke therin Let vs not returne to our sinnes let vs not deâ—â—â—ne from the way of Gods commaundements either to the right hand or to the left let vs not stand at a stay nor looke backward with Lots wife and much lesse goe backward but with Paule let vs doe one thing forgetting that which is behind and striuing to that which is before let vs make on towards the marke vnto the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ knowing that whosoeuer perseuereth to the end he shall bee saued And this was the former part of the question concerning a true member of the Church militant which the holy ghost hath expressed in these wordes Who shall soiourne in thy Tabernacle calling the Church militant the Tabernacle of God and teaching that hee which is an heire of the kingdome of heauen is a pilgrim on earth Now followeth the later part of the question which is concerning the member that shall bee of the Church triumphant and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen in these words Who shall dwell in the mountaine of thy holinesse The kingdome of heauen by a metonymy of the signe he calleth the mountaine of God For the mountaine of God was a type of the kingdome of heauen And this mountaine was either the land of Canaan which was a type of the coelestiall Canaan as it is said Exod. 15. Thou shalt plant them O Lord in the mountaine of thine inheritance in the place which thou hast made for thine habitation or else the mount Sion which elsewhere is called the mountaine of Gods holinesse and was a type of the heauenly Ierusalem or lastly the Mount Moriah where the Temple was placed which is somewhere called the mountaine of the congregation standing on the North part of Sion and is therefore called the holy mountaine because it was the place of the holy assemblies which the Lord sanctified for his habitation and for his worship and this alâ—â— was a type of the temple of God that is to say of heauen Whereas therefore heauen is called the mountaine of God it is a metonymy such as wee find elsewhere in the Psalmes I cried vnto the Lord and he heard me out of the mountaine of his holinesse that is heauen And thus the most interpret this place as namely among the Greekes Basil saith this mountaine doth signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The supercelestiall religion which is euery way conspicuous and bright which some call Coelum Empyrium wherof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12. Among the Latines P. Lombard in thy holy mountaine that is saith he In euerlasting blisse where is the vision of peace signified in the name Ierusalem and the supereminence or height of
specially to liue or to walke in a calling or else to professe religion Hereupon in the Scriptures our life or course of liuing our vocation our religion is called a way But the generall signification which comprehendeth the other best fitteth this place This word therefore the holy Ghost doth vse to teach vs that this life of ours is a way and that we are way-faring men whom it behoueth to be vpright in our way as the Psalmist elsewhere speaketh Now if we be trauellours or way-faring men we are to be carefull of three things First that we go in the right way For if we go out of our way the farther we go the farther we shall be from our iourneys end And therefore as Christ himselfe exhorteth enter yea striue to enter at the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth vnto destruction and many there be which go in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that find it This way is the true religion of Christ which in the Scriptures is called the way the way of life the way of peace the way of saluation teaching two things especially repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. For by faith we come vnto Christ who is the way the truth and the life and by repentance we bring forth the fruits of faith namely good workes which God hath prepared for vs that we should walke in them This as I say is the way let vs walke therein 2. The next thing whereof we must be carefull is that being set in the right way we go forward therein proceeding from faith to faith and from a lesse measure of grace vnto a greater till at length we come to a perfect or growne stature in Christ. For neither must we stand still in this way neither must we go backe for if we do so how shall we come to our iourney 's end The Apostle Paule although he had proceeded very farre in this way he thought it not his duty to surcease but the nearer he came to his marke the more he striueth towards it forgetting those things which â—e behind And thereupon inferreth whosoeuer therefore are perfect or growne men let them be of this mind Must those that are perfect be of this mind how much more behooueth it vs who are but of small growth in comparison to giue all diligence that we may increase and grow vp in grace that as the Apostle exhorteth we may abound more For not to go forward in this way is as one faith to go backward euen as a boat which is caried against a swift streame either it is rowed forward or else it runneth backward We must take heed therefore leâ—t we be non-proficients and let vs feare lest when we cease to be better we begin to be worse The third thing is that we be vpright in the way neither treading awry by secret dissembling nor halting downeright betwixt God and Mammon betwixt Christ and Antichrist As the Israelites in Achabs time halted betweene God and Baal and those counterfeit Christians of whom Paule complaineth Phil. 3. there be many saith he which walke that is maketh a profession of Religion of whom I haue told you heretofore and now I tell you weeping that they are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and their glory is to their shame who mind earthly things But of Integrity we are to speake more at large forasmuch as it is here set downe as the first and principall marke of a true Christian. The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsually translated perfect not that it signifieth such an one as is altogether free from sinne or is indued with righteousnesse for so this note would agree to no man liuing For who can say that his heart is cleane yea if we say that we haue no sinne saith Iohn the beloued of Christ we deceiue ourselues and there is no truth in vs for in many things we offend all and there is not a righteous man vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not But it signifieth him who in the desire and purpose of his heart is free from hypocrisie dissimulation and guile whom we call Vpright For Nâ—ah Iacob Iob Dauid Ezechias and others are said in the Scriptures to haue bene perfect that is vpright men who all notwithstanding had their faults Yea Asa is said 2. Chron. 15. to haue had a perfect or vpright heart all the dayes of his life and yet in the next Chapter there are recorded three sinnes of his together that he rested vpon the King of Syria that he committed the Prophet to prison that in his sicknesse he trusted in the Physitions more than in God The perfection therfore which is signified in this word is not so much to be measured by the goodnes of the outward act or worke but by the vnfained will sincere desire and vpright indeuour aspiring towards perfection For the Lord accepting the will for the deed esteemeth of the sincere will and vnfained indeuour for perfect obedience in his children insomuch that vprightnesse euery where in the old Testament goeth vnder the name of perfection and those things which are done with an vpright and entire heart are sayd to be done with the whole heart and with a perfect heart Thamim therfore we may rightly interpret vpright that is void of dissumulation and it may be two wayes considered as it is referred to God and so it signifieth sincere or void of hypocrisie as it is referred towards men and so it signifieth simple or void of guile So that he in this place is said to bee vpright who is void of hypocrisie towards God and free from guile towards men And first we are to speake of vprightnesse in respect of God in handling whereof I purpose to obserue this order First to shew what it is Secondly that it is as here it is made a note proper to the children of God And thirdly because we are not to be idle hearers of this discourse we are to try and examine our selues whether this note agreeth vnto vs or not And fourthly if we do find our defectiuenesse therein either in whole or in part we are by certaine forcible arguments to be stirred vp to embrace it And lastly we are to shew the means whereby to obtaine it 1. What vprightnesse is towards God it may be gathered by those phrases of speech whereby it is expressed in the Scriptures For first to be vpright it is to walke with God or before God as the Lord saith to Abraham Walke before me and be vpright that is so to lead our liues as in the sight and presence of God who seeth the hearts and searcheth the reynes of men when as the Scripture therefore sayth
calleth it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherein all the precepts of righteousnes that is to say of the second Table are summarily contained And the rule of exercising this righteousnesse is that law of nature commended vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ Mâ—t. 7 Whatsoeuer you would that men should do to you euen so do you to them for this is the law and the prophets Which sentence is sayd so to haue pleased the Emperour Alexander Sâ—uerus that in his pallaces and publicke buildings he caused it to be written and engrauen and when he punished any man he caused this saying to be proclaimed by the crier Quod tibi non-vis alteri ne â—eceris Do not to another what thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe Now the exercise or working of this righteousnesse is here made a note of the child of God For he doth not say he that can talke of righteousnesse nor he that delighteth to heare anoter man speake thereof nor he which professeth righteousnesse or maketh a pretence thereof but he that worketh righteousnesse shall dwell in the holy mountaine of God For there are some which can notably discourse of righteousnesse than whose life nothing is more vnjust And there are others who with Ezeâ—â—iels auditors delight to heare the Minister preaching of righteousnesse as if he were some skilfull Mulitian that hath a pleasant voyce but it is to heare onely and not to practise There be many also who with the Pharisies say and do not which professe righteousnesse but do not practise it Qui Curios simulant Bacchanalia vivunt But with the folly of these men the holy Ghost meeteth in diuerse places of the Scripture Mat. 7 Not euerie one that sayth Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Rom. 2 Not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Iam. 1 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your selues c. Mat 5 Vnlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies who sayd and did not you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Wherefore brethren let no man deceiue you not he that heareth nor he that speaketh not he that professeth or prâ—tendeth but he that worketh righteousnesse he is righteous Neither is that to be omitted that the holy Ghost speaketh in the present tence thereby signifying a continuall act as Basill hath obserued Marke saith he the accuratnesse of the speech he doth not say who hath wrought but he which worketh For it is not one action that maketh a vertuous man but it behooueth a man in his whole life to keepe a constant course of well doing For Iustice is an habit induing a man with a perpetuall and constant will to do euery man right But here some will object The Scriptures testifie that there is not a righteous man vpon the earth Rom. 3. There is not a iust man no not one If therefore the righteous onely shall be saued and scarcely they as Peter saith How can any man liuing hope to be saued seeing there is not a just man vpon earth that doeth good and sinneth not as Salomon professeth I answer If we should be summoned before the Iudgement feate of Gods justice and the Lord should deale with vs summo iure according to extremitie exacting at our hands that full and perfect righteousnesse which is required in his law assuredly the Lord entring into judgement with vs no man liuing could be iustified But we must appeale from the judgement seat of Gods justice to the throne of his mercy and from the sentence of the Law concluding all vnder sinne to the sentence of the Gospell pronouncing all those that truly beleeue in Christ not just onely but also blessed that so being clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ by faith we may in him be justified though vnjust in our selues in respect of legall righteousnesse Now those which truly beleeue in Christ are sayed to be righteous two wayes before God by Faith that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by Faith before men by the fruits of Faith that is by righteousnesse inherent in vs and performed by vs. For those which beleeue in Christ their Faith is imputed vnto them for righteousnesse because they apprehending Christ who is our righteousnesse and by the same Faith being vnited vnto him his righteousnesse and obedience is imputed vnto them and accepted of God for them as if they had performed the same in their owne persons But they who are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ are also sanctified by his spirit regenerated and as it were created a new to good workes which God hath prepared for vs that we should walke in them For so soone as we are deliuered by Christ out of the bondage of sinne we become the seruants of righteousnesse That as in former times we gaue our members as seruants of sinne vnto vnrighteousnesse we should from henceforth giue them as seruants of righteousnesse vnto holinesse And howsoeuer the best obedience of the faithfull is but an imperfect obedience ioyned with manifold infirmities and wants and stained with diuerse corruptions wherewith they are infected and sinnes whereinto they fall in so much that Esay compareth the righteous works of the faithfull to menstruous clouts notwithstanding the Lord beholding them in Christ and accepting their will for the deed and sincere indeuour for the performance not onely themselues are termed righteous but are also said to worke righteousnesse And this working of righteousnesse the perfection whereof is not to be measured by the perfectnesse of the worke but by the vprightnesse of the will and sinceritie of the indeuour aspiring towards perfection is an vndoubted note of a true citisen of heauen who in this Psalme is described And that the Lord accepteth those for true members of the inuâ—sible Church who worke righteousnesse the Scriptures testifie In euery nation saith Peter he that seareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him And this is so vniuersall a note of the children of God and so proper vnto them that whosoeuer worketh righteousnesse he is truly said to be borne of God and he that worketh not righteousnes is not of God but of the diuell But as they that worke righteousnes are the seruants of God in the kingdom of grace so shall they raigne with him in the kingdome of glory For that which is said in the beginning of this Psalme That he which worketh righteousnesse shall rest in the mountaine of God and in the end That he shall neuer be remoued the same is coÌ„firmed by the holy ghost in other places of Scripture Esay 33 He that walkâ—th in righteousnes c. he shall dwell on high And Prou. 10
as being both profitable and necessary forts profitable First because by them we may make sure our calling and our election as Peter teacheth they being so many testimonies vnto vs thereof True indeed it is that we were elected without respect of workes and we are called by grace not according to workes we are justified by faith without workes and by grace we are saued through faith and not by workes But if a man would know whether he be elected called justified and shall be saued as we are bound to giue diligence that we may haue a firme knowledge of these things we are not to pry into the secret counsell of God but we are to examine our selues by our fruits for both we and others are to be discerned by our fruits As our Sauiour saith by their fruits you shall know them do men gather grapes of thornes or â—igges of thistels a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit By the fruits therefore of righteousnes we may euidently discerne our selues to be sanctified And none are sanctified but such as first are justified and whosoeuer are justified are effectually called and none are effectually called but such as are elected and none are elected but such as shall be saued To this purpose Iames sheweth that the faith whereby we are justified must be demonstrated by good workes And Iohn affirmeth that by the the loue of our brethren which is all one in effect with righteousnesse we know that we are translated from death vnto life Againe good workes are profitable because they haue the promises both of this life and of that which is to come They are also necessary not as the causes of our justification and saluation as though we were either justified by them or saued for them but as necessary fruits of faith and testimonies of our justification according whereunto the sentence of saluation shall be pronounced for although vnto the act of justification good workes do not concurre as any causes thereof yet in the subject that is the partie justified they concurre as fruits of our faith and consequents of our justification For as breathing is such a fruit or consequent of life as where that is we judge the body to liue where that is not we judge it to be dead so is the exercise of righteousnesse and performance of good workes such a consequent of faith as that where good workes are the faith is liuely where they are not at all the faith is dead They are necessary also in respect of saluation not as the causes thereof but partly as the way for we are his vvorkmanship created vnto good workes which he hath prepared for vs to walke in them and therefore they are fitly sayd to be Vni regum non causa regnandi The way to the kingdome not the cause of reigning and partly as the euidence according vnto which the Lord proceedeth in judgement to the sentence of saluation Come you blessed of my father sayth Christ the judge inherit you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungrie and you gaue me meat I thirsted and you gaue me drinke c. It is most certaine that Christ our Sauiour by his obedience hath merited and purchased eternall life for all those that beleeue in him according to the maine promise of the Gospell that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall be saued By that righteousnes and obedience of Christ apprehended by faith not by or for any righteousnes inherent in vs or obedience performed by vs are we made sonnes heires of God entituled vnto the kingdome of heauen acquitted from our sinnes and accepted vnto eternall life Notwithstanding seeing all that be in the Church professe themselues to beleeue whereof many deceiue either themselues with an opinion or others with a profession of faith therefore the Lord proceedeth vnto judgement according to the fruits either of faith or infidelity taking for granted that in those who are members of the true visible Church where good workes are there is faith and where are no good workes there is no faith And therefore it behoueth vs as we desire either to haue assurance of our saluation whiles we liue here or to heare the comfortable sentence of saluation pronounced to vs in the day of judgement so to be carefull to demonstrat our faith by good workes And hereby it appeareth against the malicious slaunder of the Papists that although we deny good workes to be meritorious of euerlasting life yet we do not teach men to cast off all care and well doing Now for the auoiding of errour Whereas the workes of righteousnesse are made a proper note of the sons and heires of God we are first to restraine this part of the Lords answer to that subject whereof Dauids question is propounded namely to those who liue in the true visible Church and professe the name and religion of God Of these because there be many hypocrites and vnsound professors among them Dauid desireth to be informed who are the true professors The Lord answereth He that worketh righteousnesse and so by his good workes doth demonstrat his faith There are many workes materially good to be found not onely among heretickes and idolatours as the Papists but also among Turkes and Pagans But we speake not of those that are without for they are not within the compasse either of Dauids question or Gods answer And secondly we are to know that all works in respect of the matter or the thing done seeme to be good workes are not straightwayes the workes of righteousnesse neither doth he which performeth them alwayes worke righteousnesse For it is not a good and a true worke of righteousnesse indeed vnlesse it proceed from the right fountaine vnlesse it be done in a right maner and to a right end As touching the fountaine it is a good rule of Gregory That the streames of righteousnes towards our brother must be deriued from the fountaine of pietie towards God For we loue not our brother aright vnlesse we loue him in and for the Lord and we cannot loue him in and for the Lord vnlesse we loue the Lord much more and we loue the Lord because we are by faith persuaded that he loueth vs first his loue being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and we cannot beleeue in God and Christ our Sauiour vnlesse we know God aright and vnderstand the mysterie of our saluation by Christ. If therefore we be ignorant persons we haue no faith if we be vnfaithfull persons we haue no true loue or feare of God nor any other sanctifying grace If we haue no true loue of God we haue no true loue of our brother For euen as the loue of God seuered from the loue of our neighbour is hypocrisie so is the loue of our neighbor seuered from the loue of God counterfeit The good workes therefore that are done either by an ignorant
truth he cannot be excused This is that which Salomon sayth Prou. 18 The words of a tale-bearer are like the words of them that are wounded that is they be dolefully vttered but they goe dowue into the bowels of the belly that is they inflict though hidden yet deadly and incurable wounds By this which hath beene said it appeareth what is the dutie of euery good Christian namely to admonish or reprooue our brother if need be to his face but behind his backe to say nothing of him but good vnlesse we be compelled thereto by necessitie and that to this end either that his neighbour of whom hee speaketh may bee cured from the corruption of the sinne or he to whom he speaketh may be freed either from the injurie or from the contagion of the sinne or he who speaketh may be preserued from the guilt of the sinne which by silence hee should incurre This Christian dutie is duly to be practised of vs all who would be accounted the sons and heirs of God and with so much the greater diligence care we are to eschew the foule vice of backbiting and slaundering as it is more common in vse and more hard to bee left And to this purpose there are some things to be considered of vs some things to be done Consider first the grieuousnesse of this fault for euery slaunderer is a man-slayer striking his brother in secret and wounding him as it were behind his backe yea as I said before killing three men with one stroke he is a serpent which biteth secretly a diuell deprauing also such things as are well done Consider that by backbiting thou makest thy selfe guiltie of the breach of two commaundements to wit the fixt and the ninth Consider that in other sinnes men communicat with beasts but in this with the diuell himselfe Consider that all thy slaunders are registred in the booke of Gods prouidence and howsoeuer the Lord seemeth for a time not to regard them yet he will reproue thee and set them in order before thee Consider how much thou wouldest be abashed if thy neighbour whom thou backbitest should take thee with the manner and tâ—nquam lupus in fabula heare thy tale how much more oughtest thou to be ashamed seeing God himselfe doth heare thy slaunders Consider when thou art about to speake of thy neighbours faults with what mind thou speakest of them for if of hatred of enuie of selfeloue if to diffame him or by disgracing him to grace thy selfe bid Sathan auaunt who seeketh to be a lying and slaunderous spirit in thy mouth Lastly consider that of idle words an account is to be made how much more of malicious and slaunderous words There are three things also to bee put in practise that we may auoid this sinne First wee must flie curiositie whereby men vse to prie busily into other mens behauiour and securely neglect their owne So doth Plutarch not vnfitly define curiositie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire to be acquainted with other mens euils For there are many curious persons and busie bodies who with Lamia or the witch in the fable put on their eyes when they goe abroad but lay them aside when they come home Such kind of persons Peter by an elegant name calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superintendents ouer other mens affaires and as it were bishops ouer other mens dioces And Paule likewise fitly describeth such kind of women which being idle learne to goe about from house to house yea not onely idle but also prattlers and busie bodies speaking things which are not comely We are indeed to obserue one another to prouoke vnto loue and good works but we are not like busie bodies to pry into the conuersation of others that espying their wants we should censure them disgrace or diffame them Wee may not be many masters to censure others For in many things we offend all Therefore thou are inexcusable ô man whosoeuer thou â—rt that iudgest for in that thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that iudgest doest the same things And â—hereunto belongeth the exhortation of our Sauior Christ Mat. 7 Iudge not that you be not iudged For with what iudgement you iudge you shall be iudged and with what measure you meat it shall be measured to you againe And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and behold a beame is in thine owne eye Hypocrit first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clearely to cast the mote out of thy brothers eye The second thing therefore is that we should be conuersant in judging of our selues and should as Plutarch sayth turne our curiositie inward For as Bernard well sayth Woe be to that man who neglecteth to amend his owne life and ceaseth not to carpe at the life of others If thou wilt be carping râ—tort thine owne sinnes vpon thee behold not other mens faults but thine owne For if thou view thy selfe well thou wouldest neuer detract from others Defile not thy mouth with another mans sinne neither backbite him that offendeth but be sorry for him For backbiting is a grieuous sinne Chrysostome sayth The diuell bringeth men into this custome That enquiring into other mens liues they should neglect their owne for he that maketh busie enquirie into the life of others hath no leisure to regard his owne Thirdly wee are to imitate the example of Dauid Psal. 39. 1. I said that is I fully purposed and set downe this resolution with my selfe I will obserue my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth as it were with a bridle For if we let loose the reins to our vntamed tongue we shall find it to be as Iames sayth a world of wickednes And because it is a hard thing to tame our tongues which Iames calleth an vnruly euill we are with the same Dauid to pray vnto God in this behalfe Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the dore of my lips For of our selues we are not able to gouerne our tongues as Iames sayth For the whole nature of beasts and of birds and of creeping things and things of the sea is and hath been tamed of the nature of man But the tongue can no man tame And hereunto belongeth that storie of Pambus recorded in the tripartite hystorie of the Church For he being vnlettered went to a learned man to be taught a Psalme and when he had heard the first verse of the 39. Psalme I said I will obserue my wayes that I offend not with my tongue he desired his master to stay there for that was sufficient for one lesson And six moneths after being reprooued by his teacher that hee came not in all that while to take out a new lesson he answered that as yet he had not learned that one verse And being long after demaunded whether as yet
counsell or example For he that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no scandale in him Nay they desire to be so farre from hindering the saluation of others as that they acknowledge it to be their dutie to further by all good meanes the saluation of their brethren and to win them to Christ and to that end obserue one another to stirre them vp to charitie and good workes They instruct the ignorant reclaime those that erre admonish those that are backward and exhort them reproue those that are fallen and restore them comfort the weake minded go before others in good example and by all good meanes desire to edifie them Neither are they hurtfull to them in temporall matters but labour as much as in them lieth to preserue the life the chastitie the goods and good name of their neighbour Neither doe they good onely to them that deserue well at their hands but also to those that deserue ill they requite good for euill striue if it be possible to ouercome euill with goodnesse For howsoeuer the wicked deserue ill of them yet they will not defile their hands with doing ill but with Dauid they will say according to the ancient prouerbe Let wickednesse proceed from the wicked but my hand shall not be vpon thee For if we be the true children of God we will doe as our Sauiour Christ exhorteth Mat. 5 Loue our enemies blesse them that curse vs do good to them that hate vs and pray for them which hurt vs and persecute vs resembling therein the disposition of our heauenly father who maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust This is the studie and indeuour of Gods children howbeit sometimes they faile through infirmitie contrary to their purpose But in the rest who are not Gods children this innocencie cannot be found for although all men almost are readie to alleadge that they neuer did any man hurt as though it were a very easie thing for a man to containe his hands from euill yet as Basill saith This is a dutie hard to be performed and requireth great diligence neither is it comon to the reprobat but peculiar to the childrē of God for as Iohn saith The whole world that is the whole company of the wicked lieth as it were buried in euill And as Paul testifieth This is the common corruption of all that are not regenerat by the spirit of God not to do good but euill Rom. 3 There is none righteous no not one all are gone out of the way they are become altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one c. And as in respect of Gods children that prouerbe is verified Homo homini Deus Man towards man resembleth the goodnesse of God so in respect of the rest that other is no lesse true Homo homini lupus Man is as a wolfe to man For that we may descend to particulars If any man receiue an injurie who either may or dares requite it he will neuer lightly vnlesse he be the child of God suffer it to go vnreuenged For not to reuenge the lest injurie that may be it is with most men esteemed cowardise For that which the children of God thinke to be a glorious thing namely to passe by an offence that the rest account to be ignominious The vnderstanding of a man maketh him long-suffering and it is his glory to passe by an offence Now the children of God abstaine from reuenging wrongs which the rest will neuer suffer to go vnreuenged for these causes First because they acknowledge Gods singular prouidence in all things and are assured that nothing can happen to them which the Lord himselfe hath not before ordained And therefore when wicked men do them any wrong they acknowledge them to be the instruments of God which being euill he vseth well to their either chastisement or triall and therefore they will not with the dogge snarle at the staffe neglecting the smiter but they wil looke vp vnto God and as Esay speaketh Turne vnto him that smiteth them Dauid when he was reuiled by Shemei acknowledged Shemeis cursed tongue which was set on fire from hell to haue bene the Lords instrument to correct him when Iosephs brethren feared lest he would reuenge the injurie which they did vnto him in selling him into Egypt he acknowledgeth that God by their meanes had sent him thither for the preseruation of the Church Secondly because they are indued with charitie towards all men and therfore if it be good that the injurie should be dissembled they are content to couer it and to burie it in the graue of obliuion For as hatred stirreth vp strife so loue couereth the multitude of offences But if it be not good either for their neighbour or for themselues or for the common wealth that the injurie should be put vp then flye they to the magistrat for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill or if the magistrat neglect his dutie in this behalfe then do they commit their cause to God who hath promised to reuenge it Thirdly because they know all priuat reuenge to be vnlawfull and condemned in the Scriptures as Leuit. 19 Thou shalt not auenge nor retaine a purpose of reuenge against the children of thy people but shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord. And Rom. 12 Deerly beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to the anger namely of God For it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. But especially Math. 5 For when as the Pharisies had wrested that law Talionis of requiting like for like which the Magistrates were to obserue in punishing the offences of men committed against their neighbor vnto priuat reuenge Christ opposeth himselfe against this corruption Ye haue heard that it hath bene sayd saith he an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say vnto you resist not euill but whosoeuer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also Which words we are to vnderstād 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say comparatiuely or spoken by way of comparison For Christ would haue vs to be so farre from desire of reuenge that he would haue vs readie rather to receiue a second injurie than to reuenge the former And hereunto appertaineth that admonition of the Apostle 1. Thes. 5. See that none recompence euill for euill vnto any man but euer follow that which is good both towards your selues and toward all men Fourthly because they know that the Lord who is the God of reuenge hath threatned to auenge those that reuenge themselues And well is it said of the sonne of Syrach he that seeketh vengeance shall find vengeance of the Lord and he will surely keepe his sinnes For
as Christ himselfe saith Mat. 6 If you do not forgiue men their trespasses neither will your heauenly father forgiue you your trespasses Now if this be the propertie of Gods children not to requite euill for euill we may easily conceiue in what number those Caualliers and fool-hardie fellowes are to be reckoned all whose courage and manhood consisteth in offering and reuenging injuries who also vpon euerie occasion are readie to quarrell and fight But let these men know First that all priuat reuenge is vnlawfull and that if euerie priuat man might be his owne caruer the magistrat should carrie the sword in vaine Secondly that all fighting vnlesse it be in lawfull battell is murther in the sight of God Thirdly that he which taketh the sword viz. not deliuered vnto him by warrant from God as it is to the magistrat to the souldier in lawfull battell to the priuat man in case of present necessitie shall perish with the sword Fourthly that it is a most fearfull thing either to kill or to be killed as oft it happeneth in priuat fight for he that killeth is a murtherer who so polluteth the land with bloud as that it cannot be purged but by his owne bloud Not to speake of that which euerie man knoweth that manslayers haue none inheritance in heauen but shall be excluded out of the heauenly Ierusalem and shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death in the meane time who is able to vtter what horror of conscience vsually accompanieth those who are guiltie of murther Neither is their case better who are slaine in fighting a priuat quarrell For if as the tree falleth so it lieth how fearfull may we thinke their estate to be after death who in thirsting after another mans bloud do shed their owne bloud and in a desire to murther another are murthered themselues Wherfore whē we are stirred vp to fighting or reuenge let vs remember the Apostles aduice Ephes. 4 Not to giue place to the diuell for vndoubtedly they are inspired with a fatanicall spirit who breath out reuenge Wherefore Dauid when Abishai stirred him vp to reuenge Shemai answered What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah that this day you should be vnto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of Satan But to returne to my purpose This is a common thing to all them that are not citisens of heauen that so oft as either they can or dare they are readie to requite euill for euill and verie manie proceed further who not only do euill to them that haue deserued ill but manie times also either through hatred or hope of gaine doe ill to those who are innocent neither haue deserued euill at their hands Yea manie there are who render euill for good and seeke to harme them of whom they haue receiued good Seeing then all other men who be not the sonnes and heires of God are so accustomed to euill doing it cannot be hoped that they should vse to practise the affirmatiue in doing good For may we thinke that those who vse to do euill not onely to them that deserue ill but also to the innocent and those that deserue well that they will be readie to do good offices to them that deserue not and to requite euill with good Or is it credible that those who are carelesse of their owne saluation should be carefull for others to winne them to Christ Nay the greatest number are affected as Cain was who being demaunded by the Lord concerning his brother asked if he were his brothers keeper Yes verily we are all appointed keepers of God to obserue one another To stirre vy one another to loue and to good workes for loue seeketh not her owne things but is also carefull for others And those which be the children of God are also members of one and the same bodie among whom is the communion of Saints But others are so farre from promoting the saluation of their brethren that by all meanes they seeke to hinder the same whiles either by prouocation counsell or example they bring them into sinne which is the cut-throat of the soule so become murtherers not of mens bodies but which is more grieuous of mens soules Wherefore seeing this Innocencie agreeth to all the sons and heires of God and onely to them it is of good right reckoned among their proper notes not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the scriptures as Ps. 24 Where to the like question Who shal ascend into the mountaine of the Lord c. the like answer is shaped He that hath Innocent hands and a pure heart c. And as the Psalmist in this place affirmeth that he which doth none euill to his neighbour shall neuer be remoued but shall rest in the holy mountaine of God so the Prophet Esay pronounceth that man blessed who keepeth his hand from doing any euill It remaineth therefore that euerie one should apply this note to himselfe for howsoeuer all men almost will affirme that they neuer did harme to their neighbor yet it is to be feared lest this Innocencie can be found but in a few especially of those who would seeme more wise and politicke than others for such is the generall wickednesse of these times that none but fooles are counted Innocent And therefore those which would be citisens of heauen they must be content to be esteemed fooles in the world that they may be wise to God Now followeth the sixt note in these words And receiueth not an euill report against his neighbour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an opprobrious speech or as the Septuaginta translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reuiling and slanderous speech a sinister or euill report tending to the infamy of our neighbour The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitteth diuerse significations The first and principall is to take vp and so a slaunder may be taken vp either in the mind to thinke or deuise it or in the tongue to vtter it or in the eare to harken or to giue eare to it all which Gods children are to auoid For as touching the first howsoeuer many men thinke their wicked thoughts to be free yet notwithstanding the Scriptures teach vs that they are repugnant to charitie for as the Apostle saith Charitie thinketh none euell that they are sinnes for the wicked thought of a foole is sinne that they are not onely forbidden for so the Prophet Zacharie saith Let none of you imagine euill in your heart against his neighbour but also punished for the holy Ghost doth note that the Lord destroyed the world by the vniuersall deluge Because the thoughts of mens hearts were continually euill that they are an abhomination to the Lord and consequently that we are to bewaile them and craue pardon for them and also to repent vs of them Let the
report Yea a heathen man could say That it is no honest thing either for men to deliuer slaunderous reports one to another or for the hearers to receiue them And how hurtfull it is there is euidence sufficient in our mother Eue who because she gaue eare to the father of all liers and slaunderers the diuell ouerthrew as much as in her was both her selfe and her whole posteritie It is also a thing of ill report because it is a signe of a wicked man For as Salomon sayth The wicked giueth heed to false lips and a liar hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue Whereas contrariwise the detestation of slaunders and false reports is a good signe of the child of God as the Prophet here sheweth But some man will say Is it neuer lawfull for a man to heare another report the faults of his neighbour being absent I answere that it is lawfull when either it is profitable for him that is absent or expedient for thee which hearest or necessarie for him that speaketh It is profitable for the partie absent when his faults are intimated vnto thee hauing authoritie ouer him that he may be reclaimed It is expedient for thee when by the fault of him that is absent there is danger to thee either of injurie or infection For he that is forewarned in such a case is fore-armed Necessarie for him which speaketh when silence would make him accessarie to the offence concealed Otherwise of them that are absent nothing is willingly either to be spoken or heard but that which is good And thus haue we had in this verse three notes of the citisen of heauen which are so many branches of charitie to wit a charitable tongue a charitable 〈◊〉 and a charitable eare All which euery one is bound to apply to himselfe c. Now followeth the seuenth note vers 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth those that feare the Lord. Pagnin and others read thus Who despiseth himselfe in his owne eyes and abaseth himselfe And true indeed it is that the children of God howsoeuer they endeuour to lead an inoffensiue course of life notwithstanding they thinke very meanely of themselues for the more holy euery man is the greater sence he hath of his owne corruption and the more perfect he is the more he feeleth and acknowledgeth his owne imperfection But albeit this assertion be true yet this exposition doth not fit this place For the Prophet maketh a plaine opposition or Antithesis betweene the contrarie dispositions of Gods children towards men of contrarie disposition namely that they reuerence those who feare God and contemne those that despise the Lord. And so the words sound Contemned in his sight is the reprobate So also the Chaldee paraphrast expoundeth The vile person is despised before him And Hierome The wicked man is despised in his eyes The Septuaginta whom the vulgar Latine translation followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wicked is set at nought in his sight And likewise R. Shalomoh as Bucer reporteth vnderstandeth the words thus That those who are for their wickednesse truly contemptible are despised of the citisens of heauen Neither doth the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie him that despiseth himselfe but simply despised as may appeare by other places of Scripture Neither is the conjunction copulatiue in the Hebrew text This note therefore containeth an opposition or Antithesis of the contrarie disposition in the child of God towards men that are contrarie betwixt themselues And therby it is signified that he without partialitie or respect of persons is so affected towards men as he judgeth them to be affected towards God to wit that he contemneth those that contemne God though they seeme honourable in the world and contrariwise that hee honoureth those that honour God although they be contemned in the world For the children of God labour as their dutie is to conforme their judgements to the judgement of their heauenly father and therefore they honour those whom God would haue honoured and despise those whom God would haue despised But God would haue those honoured that honour him and those that despise him hee would haue despised as himselfe professeth 1. Sam. 2 Those that honour me shall be honoured but those that contemne me shall be contemned Now of this opposition there are two parts which being such as are not to be seuered doe therefore belong to one and the same note For whosoeuer doth truly and without respect of persons despise the wicked because of their wickednesse the same will also honour the godly for their godlinesse and contrariwise But as these two branches are to be joyned together so also they are generally to be vnderstood Otherwise they doe not seeme to be perpetuall notes of Gods children For this is not a sufficient note of a good man that hee contemneth the wicked vnlesse also he reuerence the godly For whom a man hateth them commonly he thinketh to be wicked And therefore if the contempt of the wicked were a sufficient note of a godly man then all that be haters of their brethren would challenge this title of godlinesse to themselues But the godly man doth not only despise the wicked but also he honoureth the godly Neither doth he set at naught this or that wicked man onely from whom perhaps he hath receiued some wrong or whose outward estate is contemptible in the world neither doth he honour only this or that godly man from whom perhaps he hath receiued some good turne or whose outward estate is honourable in the world but generally he hateth and contemneth all those that be wicked for their wickednesse sake and contrariwise he loueth and reuerenceth all those that be godly for their godlinesse sake for either affection if it be sincere must be generall and without respect of persons But howsoeuer these two branches are not in vse and practise to be seuered yet are we to entreat of them seuerally And first of the former part In whose eyes a reprobate or wicked person is contemned The Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth reprobated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ierem. 6 Reprobat siluer are they called for the Lord hath reprobated them the Chaldee paraphrase expoundeth it vile the Septuagints respecting the meaning rather than the word it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wicked or one that liueth wickedly For thereby they giue vs to vnderstand who they are that are to bee held for vile and reprobat persons namely the wicked but not euery one that sinneth is to be held for a wicked or vile person but in whom sinne reigneth who committeth sinne with greedinesse who is to euery good worke reprobat and giuen ouer to a reprobat sence such kind of men though neuer so mighty or wealthy in the world are notwithstanding vile persons and contemptible In which sence Antiochus Epiphanes Dan. 11 though the sonne of a mightie
if to borrow vpon vsurie vpon necessitie were to vse an vnlawfull meanes or if it were to sinne that this euill were not to be done though much good might come thereof this vnlawfull meanes were not to bee vsed though our end and intent be neuer so good and that no necessitie should compell vs to commit this sinne But this is the matter in question which must be prooued and not taken for graunted For the contrarie part I haue prooued That to borrow in time of need is a lawfull meanes and to yeeld to vsurie vpon necessitie with such cautions as before haue bin specified is not to do an euill namely of sin that good may come thereof but to suffer a lesse euill namely of losse for the auoiding of a greater Hitherto we haue spoken of the negatiue that is to say of that which the sound Christian and citisen of heauen doth not viz. That he doth not put forth his money vnto vsurie Now we are briefly to consider the affirmatiue which euerie true Christian in respect of his goods is bound to do For whereas the vsurer offendeth two wayes both in respect of the vse that hee exposeth his money to vsurie and in respect of his gettings that he increaseth his wealth by vsurie we are to shew that two contrarie duties are required of euery faithfull man both in regard of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the getting that hee get his goods lawfully and also in respect of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the vse that hee freely communicate them to the good of others Of just getting because it is equally opposit to the vice mentioned in the next note I will intreat after I haue spoken thereof as being the common affirmatiue to both these negatiues The communication of our goods whether by free giuing or free lending to the good of others as our abilitie shall afford and their necessitie require is that spirituall vsurie which the Lord who so seuerely condemneth all worldly vsurie doth highly commend vnto vs in diuerse places of the Scripture affirming That those who are bountifull towards the poore and needie whether by free lending or free giuing doe lend as it were vpon vsurie to the Lord who will repay and recompence them with aduantage Wherevpon Augustine Deus noster qui te prohibetesse foener atorem iubet te esse foeneratorem dicitur tibi foener◠Deo Our God saith he who forbiddeth thee to be an vsurer commandeth thee to be an vsurer and to thee it is sayd Lend as it were vpon vsurie to the Lord To which purpose we are elsewhere exhorted to distribute or communicate vnto the necessities of the saints And againe To do good and to destribut forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased But there are three obstacles and impediments of free lending and free giuing by the remouing whereof we may be effectually persuaded to put in practise this spirituall vsurie The first is an erronious conceit of worldly men who imagine that the goods which they possesse are their owne to dispose of as themselues thinke good and therefore that they are not bound to distribut or communicat them to others c. But the Scriptures do teach vs that we are not absolut Lords of that which we enjoy but the stewards of the Lord who hath committed these goods as talents to be imployed to his glorie in the good of our brethren and that of our stewardship we are one day to render a straight account neither may we thinke that our account will be accepted if we shall refuse to imploy the good gifts of God to such vses as he hath appointed If a noble man should commit a certaine summe of money to his steward appointing him to destribut the same to the reliefe of the poore would not euery man esteeme that steward to be worse than a theefe if hee should conuert that money to his owne vses or if the Princes Almoner should not communicat vnto the poore the money committed to his trust but withhold it from them or diuert it to other vses would not euery man condemne him in like sort But we are the Lords stewards and so many as are of abilitie are the Lords Almoners and therefore if when God hath commanded vs to communicat or destribut some part of our goods to the poore and needie are not we as bad or rather worse than theeues if we being of abilitie shall refuse to communicat to the necessities of our brethren Let vs then consider whether the Lord hath not required this dutie at our hands The precepts of free lone I haue mentioned before and for almes and free giuing the Scripture is plentifull charging not onely the rich to be apt to communicate and so to be rich in good workes but euerie one that is not poore to giue almes according to their abilitie and we must not onely giue if we be able but also we must doe our indeuour that we may bee able and if other meanes faile we ought to lobour and worke with our hands that which is good that is to take paines in some lawfull calling that we may haue to giue to him that needeth Yea if the necessitie of our brethren so require we are to make sale of our goods and possessions for their releefe according to the commaundement of our Sauior Christ and the practise of the primitiue Church And these duties of free lending and free giuing are to be performed readily without delay Pro. 3. 27 28 constantly without wearinesse 2. Cor. 8. 11 cheerfully without grudging for the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Corinth 9. 7. And that we should not thinke these duties to bee arbitrarie or the neglect of them not to draw vpon vs either guilt or punishment therefore the Lord besides his manifold precepts straightly enjoyning these duties hath added both seuere censures and dreadfull comminations against the neglect thereof it is censured as an euident signe of no loue of God 1. Iohn 3. 17. as a sinne Deut. 15. 9. yea as a sinne of Sodome Ezech. 16. 49. The comminations are either generall as Prou. 28. 27 He that hideth his eyes from the poore shall abound with curses or speciall in this life that hee shall not obtaine any thing at the hands of God For he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also cry not be heard in the life to come that he shall bee cast into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his angels For such shall be the sentence of Christ our judge at the last day Depart from me you cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred viz. in my poore members and you gaue me no meat I thirsted and you gaue me no drinke c. Seeing therefore our goods are not our owne but the Lords whose stewards we are it cannot bee denied but that we