Works, Part 2 · Treatise 11
A TREATISE OF BLESSEDNES.
HE may bee saide to hauehave tasted true blessednesse, whom the Lorde before all beginnings hath chosen▪ to saluation; whose saluation purposed by God the father, is performed by God the sonne: to whom the election by God the father, and redemption by God the sonne is ratified by God the holy Ghost: in whome this assurance of faith is wrought by the word preached: faith breeding peace of minde; thisA golden chain of t…e causes of Saluation. peace causeth ioy, ioy being accompanied with securitie, securitie working in louelove, louelove labouring with a care to please God, with a feare to displease God▪ from whence issueth a desire of weldoing to others, indeuouring to bring them to the peace with God and man, which he tasteth of himselfe. Lastly, he is truely blessed, who besides all the former things, knoweth how to vse prosperitie moderately, and aduersitie patiently, wayting and looking for the accomplishment of God his promise in the kingdome of heauen. More particularly we will intreate of true happinesse by the causes and by the effects of it.
The originall cause is the louelove of God, in ordaining vsus to bee heires of life eternall,1 The cause of our happines, Gods louelove. Ephes. 1. 4. Matth. 25 34. Wherein is laide open the bountifull riches of the merciemercy of God to vsus ward, in that before the foundation of the world was laide, the foundation of our saluation was made: before we sinned, the remedie against sinne was found: before the maladie, the Lord had prepared a medicine; before wee were damned, he had purposed a way how wee should be saued. In respect whereof, seeing we are rather to reioyce in this, that our names are written in heauen, than if wee had power (without hurt) to treade on Scorpions, or had spirites subdued vntounto vsus, Luke 10. 19. 20. wee conclude with the Prophet, Psalm. 65. 4. Blessed is the man O God▪ whom thou chusest, and causest to come vntounto thee.
The substance of this blessednes is our redemptiō in Christ Iesus, which is the Lambe of2 The substāce of our blessed nesse, the redemption of Christ. God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world, Ioh. 1▪ 29▪ by whose blood we hauehave the forgiuenes of our sinnes, Ephes. 1. 7▪ and by whose Spirit (when we hauehave beleeued the Gospel) wee hauehave the earnest of our inheritance, Ephes. 4. 14. The excellent price whereof is set out vntounto vsus herein, in that being filthy in the blood of our sinnes, he washed vsus with his owne blood, Heb. 9. 14. in that hee being iust, suffered for vsus being vniust, 1. Pet. 3. 18. in that we being of no strength & vngodly, he died for vsus, Rom. 5. 6. in that we being enemies through sinne, were reconciled by him to God the Father, Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore seeing he is Blessed whose wickednes is forgiuen, and whose sinne is couered, Psalm. 32. 2. let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome, as though it made him happie, nor the strong man glorie in his strength, neither let the rich man glorie in his riches, but let him that glorieth glorie in this, that hee knoweth the merciemercy of the Lord, wherein consisteth our saluation Ier. 9. 23▪ 24. And let vsus all learne the meaning of the salutation of Elizabeth to the virgin Marie, Luk. 42. Blessed art thou because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed.
The formal cause is the illumination, of God his spirit, making vsus capable of the former3 The formall cause of Saluation. Rom. 8. mysteries, sealing them to vsus with such assurance in our hearts, that wee dare boldly crye Abbafather, that wee dare boldly say, If God bee on our side, who can stand against vsus? Such blindnesse, folly, and incredulitie possesseth vsus by nature, that of our selues we can neither see into these mysteries of our saluatiō, nor beleeue the thing we see concerning our comfort vntill we hauehave receiued of this Spirit, which cōmeth from aboue. For none commeth to Christ, vnlesse the father draw him; and how draweth he but by inlightening the hearts ofIohn. 6. his elect by the holy Ghost, Ioh. 6. 44? Wherefore seeing these things are not reuealed vntounto vsus, but by the Spirit, 1. Corinth. 2. 14. we end with that blessing of the Lord Iesus to Peter, Matth. 16. 17. Blessed art thou Simon, thou sonne of Ionah: for flesh and blood hath not opened this vntounto thee, but my father which is in heauen.4 The instrument all causes. Faith.
The instrumentall cause is partly within vsus, as faith, & partly without vsus, as the word, and the appurtenances accompanying the same, as Prayer, the Sacramēts, the discipline of the Church▪ Faith being the ground of things, which are hoped for, & the euidence of things which are not seene Heb▪ 11. 1. doth so applie the promises of God to our proper and peculiar comforts, that it sealeth vsus vp to the Lord, affoording a certaine testimonie to our hearts, that we hauehave not in vaine receiued of the good spirit of God. Now, because there is a certaine kind of faith, which Satan himselfe doth broach in his schoole, and propounds as a principle to all his schollers; seeing the Papists vrge faith in their vnwritten verities,A false faith. the Familists will hauehave it in their foolish reuelations. The Turke requireth it in his dry speculations of Mahomet, and the wizzard will seeme to demaund it in his deuillish incantations: we must not beleeue eueryevery spirit, but trust to the word onelyonly▪ which is our sure loadstarre and touch-stone, and being it selfe firme, doth make our faith in it most firme, sure and vnchangeable. This blessednesse to hauehave the Lord communicate himselfe to vsus by his word, is priuiledged aboue that praise, which the woman gaue our Sauiour Christ, Luk. 11. 27. as may appeare by his sharpe answer, Yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. Wee conclude then with the Psalmist, Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord, they will euer praise him. Blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord, and in whose heart are his waies, Psal. 84. 4. 5. If the Queene of Saba coūted those men happy, that might stand before Salomon, and heare his wisedome, 2. Chron 9. 7. if Dauid thought it a high recompence and princelike benefit to preferre the sonne of Barzillai to sit at the table of Salomon: 1. King. 2. 7.how great is our happines to heare the wisedome of Christ? how high is our blessednes to sit at the table of the Lord, where not Salomon, but a greater than Salomon is present; where not Salomon, but a wiser than Salomon speaketh vntounto vsus? Behold then the causes of true blessednes, which are our election, redemption, illumination, & sanctification: all which are sealed vntounto vsus by the holy Ghost, the spirit working faith through the word preached, Christ Iesus so sending his Spirit to renue vsus, God the Father sending his Sonne to redeeme vsus, redeeming vsus to call vsus, calling vsus to iustifie vsus, iustifying vsus to sanctifie vsus, sanctifying vsus hee sealeth vsus by his spirit: and so by all these doth hee lay the sure groundworke of our saluation and eternall blessednes.
Concerning the effects of blessednesse, some are inward and some are outward, the effects inward are partly in respect of our selues only, & partly in regard both of our selues and of others: those in our selues are either concerning mortification, or about our sanctification. The first of these is both truly & orderly couched in that sermon of the Lord Iesus,Matth 5. The first degree of blessednesse. Marth. 5. where those men are set in the first ranke, who are emptied both of the opinion of their owne wisedome, and of all perswasion of their owne righteousnesse: and of those it is said, Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the (kingdome) of heauen. Now because many hauehave lost their hold in iudgement, who hauehave not so throughly giuen ouer in affection: in the next degree happines is promised to such, who are so farre descended intoThe second degree. the sight of their owne vilenes and sense of their naturall coruptions, that they are not onelyonly conuinced of an vnrighteousnesse inherent in their iudgements, but also are much humbled for it in their affections, of whom the Lord of comfort hath thus determined: Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be comforted. Further, for that Sathan laboureth and preuaileth much in ouer comming exercised mindes with pettie shames (a thing oft incident to afflicted consciences) the next be atitude is allotted to them, that are meeke in spirit, The third degree.who mourne rather in themselues, possessing their soules in patience, thā murmur against others, as labouring in a secret disdaine of them: and of this sort of mourners the Lord Iesus hath pronounced this iudgement, Blessed are the meeke, for they shall inherit the earth. Neither must we be of too abiect a spirit, as they that will patiently suffer all things, because they would be troubled with nothing (for that were rather a stoicall and vnchristian sottishnes, than an heroicall and Christian meekenes): but willingly submitting our necks to the yoke, by the Lord his appoyntment imposed vponupon vsus, we are rather patiently to waite for the time of our deliuerance, and by labouring to keepe a good conscience, weThe fourth degree. are to hunger and thirst after righteousnes: where with vponupon the credite of the Lord his owne word, we shall in his good time be satisfied.
Now that wee may continue sanctification with mortification, as wee ioyne together Christ his passion and resurrection, let vsus adde somewhat of those quickening graces of the spirit, wherin some effects of Blessednesse doe appeare most euidētly: the first is peaceEffects of blessednes. of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost, Rom. 5. 2. wherby we finde both truce with God, and are at league with his creatures: so as both for our comfort in the promises of God we1 Peace of conscience. hauehave accesse to him, to reioyce vnderunder the hope of his glorie: and for our confidence in the promises of God, we can lie downe and sleepe in many perils, because God hath either meanes to deliuer vsus out of them, or else is readie to sustaine vsus in them, Psal. 3. 6. and 4. 8.2 Affiance and trust in God. False peace and ioyes. Of this thus speaketh the Prophet: Blessed is the people that can reioyce in thee, they shall walke in the light of thy countenance, O Lord, Psal 89. 13. Now, least we should deceiue our selues with some false peace and illuding ioy, we put vntounto this peace of minde sinceritie, which the holy Ghost hath linked together, Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie, and in whose spirit there is no guile. And Psal. 119. Blessed are those that are vpright 3 Sinceritie.in the way, and walke in the way of the Lord. Beware, least this vprightnes of minde be boysterous) and voide of louelove, without which all is as nothing but a swelling pride: so with this we make knowne our faith by fruites, and our feeling by sweete effects: For louelove the enemie of securitie is carefull to please God, and fearefull to displease him: and blessed is the man that feareth alwaies, Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh 4 Feare.in his waies, Psalm. 128 1. Lastly, this feare is ioyned with a care to please God in the obedience of his word, Luk. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. Those effects, which concerne not onelyonly our selues but others, are of two sorts, and comprehended Matth. 5. The first, a Christian care to worke in others a taste of that sweete reconciliation, which is from God to man, or from man to man: whereof it is said, Matth. 5▪ 9. Blessed are 1 Peace-makers.the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God. Many may vndertake this dutie, but vponupon some sinister affection: and therfore we require a fellow-feeling of the euils of others, mourning both for their inward defects & outward necessities, of whom Christ hath said, Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine merciemercy. Of the other the Psalmist speaketh,2 MercieMercy. Note. Psal. 40. 2. Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore, &c. And when wisedome ioyned with compassion & pitie, mixed with policie, doth worke such a moderation in our affections, as that wee may vse such a mercifull seueritie, where it is needefull, and a seuere lenitie, where the matter so requireth it: this causeth vsus to auoide on the one side taking of offence; for, Blessed are they (saith the Lord Iesus) that are not offended at me: and on the other side it teacheth vsus to reach out our hand to the needie: for it is a blessed thing to giuegive rather than to receiue, Act. 20. 35. The outward effects are prosperitie, as a signe of God his louelove; and aduersitie as a thing sanctified vntounto vsus in the crosse of Christ, Psal. 128. Many temporal blessings are propounded, not vniuersally, but as restrained to them that feare the Lord, because indeed they hauehave the surest interest in them & right vntounto them The like felicitie falleth out, Psal. 144. but to such as hauehave God for their Lord. And much more is, a certain gain and handsell of happines ariseth euen out of the bitternes of affliction, to them that feare God, in that thereby the Lord strippeth them from some sin, wherewith they might hauehave rotted; or whetteth them vp to some actions of godlinesse, wherein their zeale began to freeze for cold; or to trie their faith, which else would hauehave beene drosse; or for the good of others that might make their profit thereby. The Prophet his testimonie of this is, Psal. 99. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest, O Lord, and teachest him in thy law Herevnto may be ioyned that beatitude of the Lord of all blessings, Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. To draw at the last to the consummation of all, this we make the full heape of all happines after this life to be filled with the Lord of life, and with the sweetnes of his presence, who is happie aboue all, that can be thought and counted happie. This is foreshewed, Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my father, possesse the kingdome prepared for you. And Reuel. 14. Blessed are they that die in the Lord, &c. For thus shall we be ioyned to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes, then shal our infirmities be taken from vsus, then shall we dwell with the Angels, & with all the hostes of heauen in most happines, and blessednes it self. We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine, but framed out of Gods his word, that he is indeed blessed, whom God chuseth, whom Christ redeemeth, whom the Spirit renueth, whom faith staieth, whom the Word, Prayer, Sacraments, and discipline build vp in the Lord, in whom faith breedeth peace, peace sinceritie, sinceritie louelove, louelove a feare of displeasing, and a care of pleasing God: in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde, this pouertie comming from a mourning heart, possessed in a meeke spirit, which hungreth after righteousnes: all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sinne of others, and relieueth the wants of others, knowing to vse prosperitie and aduersitie as pledges of God his fauour, and vndoubtingly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come. If any of these linkes be missing, the chaine is broken: if any of these members be wanting, the bodie of blessednesse is vnperfit.
FINIS.