The Godly Mans Journey to Heaven, Treatise 7 · Robber 5
THE FIFTH ROBBER is the Popish Seminarie, subtily stealing from the babes of God that royall, and sweet smelling garment of Christ his righteousnesse put on by faith; and obtruding to them that rotten ragge of iustification by their owne workes.
EVerie proud man is odious before God, ô my soule, but specially the proud hypocrite, who looking vntounto man, his brother, is not ashamed to crie out: Stand apart, Esay 66. 5.come not neere me, for I am holier then thou: O God, I thanke thee that I am not as other men, Luke 11. 12.extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publican; I fast twice in the weeke, I will giuegive the tyth of all that euer I possesse. For is not this testimonie giuen to the one?Esay. 65. 5. These are as smokes in my wrath, and a fire that burneth all day; and this to the other by our God who knoweth all Iustifiers of themselues, and abhorres them:Luk. 18. 14. but this man went home vniustified. Could these blinding Robbers, and proud Pharisees the Papists of this our age see this, ô my soule, would they not begin to curse the first inuenters, and venters of that hellish doctrine of Iustification by workes and aduancing of mans merits?The inuē ters of Iustification by workes are to be cursed. To my iudgment, there is not a Papist liuing this day, yea, that there was neuer a Papist, who liued before these our dayes, who is or was sanctified in a higher measure, or made instruments of such good workes, as Moses that faithfull seruant of God was, louing his God with a zelous louelove, louing Gods people with a laborious louelove; yea, what Papist could euer hauehave alledged, or can this day alledge, that he was or is more crucified to the world; or had, or hath the world more crucified to him, then Moses had it? for cannot Moses (through the grace of God) renounce all the honours, riches, and pleasures of the land of Egypt, and content (esteeming the rebuke of Christ, his onelyonly riches, honour, and pleasure) to affliction…, yea most sharpe long affliction, with, and for Gods people. And yet when this great God drawes neare this same Moses, Moses must be content to heare this said to him:Exod. 3. 5. Come not hither, put thy shoes off thy feete, for the place where thou standest is holy ground. What Papist can with a conscience, or countenance aduance himselfe aboue Ioshua, that faithfull seruant of God? and yet when that mightie holy God draweth neare to him, Ioshua must heare that said to him which was said to Moses before him:Iosua 5. 15. Lose thy shoes off thy feete, for the place where thou standest is holy. What if the Papist could compare that which he may reade by Moses in the 34. of Exodus, and by Paul in the 4. of the Romanes, with that (a alas) he hath brought to his eares by the smooth flattering tongues of his lying Seminaries and to his eyes by the poysoning volums of his deceiuing teachers? would he not be ashamed before God to alledge anie Iustification by workes, or to obtrude vntounto his Maiesties owne merites? When I reade the 34. of Exodus, I first see Moses comming downe from the mount Sinai where he had stayed 40. dayes talking with his God: Secondly, I see the skum of Moses face shining so brightly after that God had talked with him, that not the children of Israel only, but Aaron also is affrayed to come neare him; whereupon Moses was compelled to couer his face with a vaile when he spake to them, albeit when Moses came before the Lord to speake to his Maiestie,Exod. 34. 29. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. he tooke off the couering from his face. When I reade the 4. to the Romanes, I heare Paul confessing that Abraham looking vntounto man might hauehave maintained Iustification by workes, but that he looking vntounto God, behoued to renounce all such Iustification, fleeing by faith to the free merciemercy of God onelyonly, remitting him all his sinnes to his euerlasting blessednesse in his blessed Sonne: one man compared with another man, and comparing before him, may appeare to shine gloriously; but if a man could bring himselfe before his God, all his shining glorie should proue obscure vanitie, yea blacke like the tent of Kedar. What wonder that the Papist hath not learned this, for will he search Scripture? dare he attempt to search Scripture, albeit that Scripture be that onelyonly true looking-glasse in the which he may see his God, he may see himselfe? And which is to be lamented, ô my soule, can he ceasse to lend his eare, yea wholely to sell himselfe ouer to lying mans vaine traditions, which makes white appeare to be blacke, and blacke appeare to be white; which makes good appeare to be euill, and euill appeare to be good.1. Cor. 4. 4. Shall Paul say I know nothing by my selfe,Iob 39. 37. 38. & 42. 5. 6. Yet I am not thereby iustified? yea, shall Iob who could talke freely and largely before his friends, lay his hand vponupon his mouth, repent in dust and ashes when he is drawne before his God? And dare the Papist comming before God boast himselfe, or dreame that he shineth in Gods eyes to the Iustification of himselfe? Bernard reprouing the dead blindnesse of his time could say: Nec talia sunt hominum merita, vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure, vt Deus aliquam iniuriam faceret nisi eam donaret. Nam vt taceā quod merita omnia dona Dei sunt, & it a homo propter ipsa Deo debitor est, magis quā Deus homini. Quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam? denique quis melior est Propheta, cui Dominus ipse tam insigne testimoniū perhibet dicens, virum inueni secundum cor meum? Veruntamen ipse Propheta necesse habuit dicere ne intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo Domine. The merites of men be not such that by anie law euerlasting life can be due vntounto them or as if God should do any wrong vnlesse he recompensed them with eternall life: for besides this which I will passe with silence, that all merites of man are the gifts of God, so that a man for them is rather a debtor to God, then God a debtor to him; what proportion possibly can there be betwixt mans merits and that great weight of glorie which is layed vp in heauen? And to conclude, what is man better then that Prophet, to whō God gaue so notable a testimonie saying: I hauehave found a man according to my owne heart, Psal 143. 12& yet this same Prophet behoued to say: O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified. No works can iustifie.Must thou not know, ô my soule, y• all workes which be done by man here, be either euill workes repugnant to Gods Law, and forbidden of God; or good workes agreeable to his Law and commandement, yea, commanded by him. EueryEvery man of himselfe can easily do euill workes, which be condemned and forbidden of God: (for Man drinketh iniquitie like water; Iob 15. 16.yea euen the iust man falleth seuen times a day) and do grosly infect and defile man.Pro. 64. 12. Good works againe commanded and commended by God can no man of himselfe possibly do; for hearest thou not, ô my soule, the Spirit speaking thus to thee: We are dead in sinnes and trespasses: Ephes. 2. 1.Of our selues we are not sufficient to thinke any thing as of our selues, 2. Cor. 3. 5.but our sufficiencie is of God. Hearest thou not thy Sauiour (who can deceiue none) saying to thee:Ioh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. Yea speakes not Paul thus: We are Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus vntounto good workes, Ephes. 2. 10which God hath ordained that we should walke in them. And will he not resolue the Philippians thus? It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed of his good pleasure. Phil. 2. 13.Now I must tell thee, ô my soule, that all men, euen the dearest Saints and seruants of God, are so defiled with sinne, that whensoeuer our God by his Spirit worketh any good worke in them, and by them, they cannot but (by that sea of filth which alwayes remaines in them) defile that good worke of God, and make it abhominable in his eyes, if in iustice he would looke vponupon it. And therfore euen the Saints and seruants of God knowing this, when they are made instruments of good workes, can crie out:Iob 14. 4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of vncleannesse? there is not one. Yea treading the pathes of that Euangelicall royall Prophet Isaiah, they will not be ashamed thus to blesse themselues, to the end they may honour their God:Isa 64. 6. We hauehave all bene as an vncleane thing, and all our righteousnesse as filthie clouts. This moued Augustine to say:Aug. ep. 106 Opera ex gratia, non ex operibus gratia; quoniam fides quae per dilectionem operatur, nihil operatur, nisi ipsa dilectio Dei diffundatur in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis; nec ipsa fides esset in nobis, nisi Deus vnicuique partiretur mensuram fidei. Good workes are of grace, and not grace of good workes; because faith which worketh by charitie, could worke nothing vnlesse the louelove of God were shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy Ghost which is giuen to vsus; yea faith could not be wrought in vsus, vnlesse our God imparted to eueryevery one of vsus a measure of faith. Yea, this moued him to say: Cum malus sum, nihil aliud est confiteri tibi quam displiceri mihi; cum vero pius, nihil aliud est confiteritibi quam hoc non tribuere mihi quoniam tu Domine benedicis iustum, sed prius cum iustificas impium. When I am wicked, offending thee, I cannot otherwayes confesse my selfe to thee, but being displeased with my selfe for grieuing of thee: when I am vpright, doing good, I cannot better confesse my selfe to thee, then by not challenging the doing of that good to my selfe, because thou, O Lord, doest blesse the iust man, and yet before that, thou iustifiest him being vniust and without God. This moued him also to hold this for a firme ground: Cum Deus remunerat opera nostra, coronat in nobis dona sua. While our God rewards our workes, he crownes in vsus his owne gifts. For as Bernard, who liued in a corrupt time long after Augustine, saith, Gratia non solum peccata lauat, sed etiam merita donat. The grace of God not onelyonly washeth vsus from sinne, but gifteth vsus also with merit. Iustifiers of themselues are no sons to God but mercenary slaues.Alwayes here led by Scripture I must say more to thee, ô my soule, whosoeuer dare attempt to thinke or alledge, that he should onelyonly refraine his hands from euill, walking before God and among men holily, to the end that thereby he may merit eternall life at the hands of God, cannot possibly carrie the honest heart of a louing sonne, nor the cleane hand of an vpright seruant, but doth prooue himselfe to be a very mercenarie slaue worthie to be put out of Gods doores; for as God loued vsus freely, so he will be freely loued of vsus. This moued our wisest Maister, whose words neuer sauored Popish doctrine, thus to direct his disciples:Luk. 17. 10. When ye hauehave done all these things which are commanded you, say we are vnprofitable seruants, we hauehave done that which was our dutie to do. The sense hereof moued Augustine sweetly to say: Hoc affectu & desiderio colendus est Deus, vt sui cultus ipse sit merces. August. ep. 120.Nam qui Deum ideo colit, vt aliud magis quam ipsum promereatur, non Deum colit, sed illud quod assequi concupscit. Our God is with this affection and earnest desire of heart to be worshipped by vsus, that he himselfe may be the reward of that worship wherewith we worship him: For whosoeuer worships God, to the effect that thereby he may merit to himselfe some other thing beside God, worships not God, but that other thing which he desires to obtaine at his hands. The sense whereof moued him, toning his sweete song with a loud voice, to crie out: Tunc enim recte, tunc iuste, tunc pie fit; cum opus bonum in eius laudem fit, cuius gratia donatur vt fiat. Then a good worke is done rightly, iustly, and holily; when it is done for the glorie and praise of his name, whose fauour and grace made the doer of it able to do it. In Ioan. tract. 3.And againe. Si gratiam ideo Deus tibi dedit quia gratis dedit, gratis ama; noli ad praemium diligere Deum, ipse sit praemium tibi. If God hath giuen grace to thee because he hath giuen it freely, see that thou louelove thy God freely, louelove not thy God for any reward, let God himselfe be thy reward to thee. It was holily and couragiously said by the three children vntounto Nebuchadnezzar, ô my soule, We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter; Dan. 3. 16. 17. 18.behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vsus from the hote fierie fornace, and he will deliuer vsus out of thy hands ô King. But if not (marke this my soule, I pray thee) be it knowne to thee, ô King, that we will not serue thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set vp. Resoluing hereby Nebuchadnezzar, albeit they should be left by their blessed onelyonly true God to be deuoured by the burning flames of his fornace, yet they would not ceasse to worship God, or appeare to regard his idoll. O when shall the selfe iustifying Papist begin to take some paines to know God, and his owne heart? for could he know these two, he would seeke for some secret place with Peter, there to weepe bitterly that euer he inuented or vented, or professed and maintained, that damnable poysoning leauen of iustification by workes, considering that great and onelyonly true teacher of our soules hath said:Luk. 16. 15. Ye are they which iustifie your selues before men, but God knoweth your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abhomination in the sight of God. Ignorance the mother of the vile doctrine of humane merit.Ignorance then, ô my soule, yea, most grosse ignorance (as thou mayest see) hath rikled vp that sandie bray of the Romane synagogue, now running speedily by its owne force to a decay; and fearefull vncouth ignorance hath made the blind Papist to inuent, and vent that mischieuous doctrine of mans merits.He who would merit must do 3. things. For must not euen the simplest man confesse, that whosoeuer would merit any thing by his working at the hands of God must do three things: for first, that which he doeth, he must do it of himselfe, and by himselfe; for if he do it by the grace and strength of another, that other merits and not he.Ioh. 15. Now if Christ be true, no man can do any thing which is good but him. And if Paul be not deceiued, no man doing any thing by the grace of God can but with shame boast himselfe of y• which h… doeth.1. Cor. 4. Secondly, that which the meriting man doth, must be done of meere good will, and not of dutie; for if it be done by the force of any obligation binding him thereunto, the doer cannot possibly merit any thing by the doing of it: and yet I hope the Papist (if he hauehave not both cauterised his conscience, and seared his face with a brasen countenance) will blush to alledge that he is not bound to do all, and more then possibly he can do, and when he hath done it, that he cannot merit thereby, if he could heare the voice of God and beleeue it, as the voice of him who would be his Father and shepheard: Ishow merciemercy vntounto thousands of them that louelove me, Ezod. 26.and keepe my Commandements. Thirdly, that worke which is done by a man to the end that he may merit by it, must be proportionable, and answerable to that reward a man expects for the doing of it. Now what man liuing here can possibly do or suffer that which can be answerable to the worth and excellent valew of that eternall life layed vp in heauen? Paul saw that it was a greater gift to suffer for Christ, then to beleeue in Christ: and therefore could speake touching the Philippians thus:Phil. 1. 29. VntoUnto you it is giuen for Christ, that not onelyonly ye should beleeue in him, but also suffer for his sake. And yet that same Paul writing to the Romanes can say:Rom. 8. 18. I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vntounto vsus. And so from my heart I pray God make the hautie Papist at length subscribe from his heart and with his hand vntounto that heauenly poesie:
Datua, sed quae non debes, proportio constet,
Haud aliter meritum dixeris esse tuum.
GiueGive those things which be thine owne, but which thou art no wayes bound to giuegive; let there be a proportion betwixt the gift and the reward, otherwise alledge not that thou hast any merit. Conclude then, ô my soule, if thou wouldst appeare iust before that onelyonly iust Iudge, as I saiah concludeth: We hauehave all bene as an vncleane thing, Isa. 64. 6.and all our righteousnesse as filthie clouts; as Paul concludeth: I know nothing by my selfe, 1. Cor. 4. 1.yet I am not thereby iustified. As Bernard concludeth, taught by the Spirit, and led by the Scripture long ago. Sufficit mihi ad omnem iustitiam, Ber. serm. Cant. 23.solum habere propitium eum, cui soli peccaus; non peccare Dei iustitia est, hominis iustitia Dei indulgentia. It suffices me for my whole and perfect righteousnesse, to hauehave him mercifull vntounto me, against whom I hauehave sinned. Gods righteousnesse is not to sinne, mans righteousnesse is Gods indulgence and free pardon. And therefore ô how neatly, how truly, how pretily was it said: Dare non dignis res mage digna Deo est. It is a thing most worthie of our God, who is goodnesse, merciemercy, liberalitie it selfe, to giuegive euer grace and glorie vntounto those who being vnworthy of themselues merit confusion and eternall death.