Commentary on Titus, Part 2 · Chapter 3 (3 of 7)
Vse. 1. Let all men learne hence to be humbled vnderunder that vile estate of our nature, by which we are not onelyonly laden with simple ignorance, but euen oppressed with affected contumacie against it; such as our Sauiour chargeth vponupon the Iewes, Ioh. 8. and such as breaketh out in many of our people, who not seldome in hearing vsus teach them the truth of God, say as the Iewes of Christ, who can heare him. Alas,Ioh. 6.60. how farre better were it with vsus, to hauehave beene heathen or infidels, and neuer hauehave heard of Iesus Christ, that our ignorance had beene simple and inuincible, then such Christians as abound not onelyonly with ignorance, but such as the Apostle speaketh of, Rom. 1.24. Which is caused of the hardnesse of heart which is in them.
2. Hence may we cease to wonder, why so fewe obey the Gospel, why after so much teaching, there is so little fruit, so little knowledge, so little turning to God; because the degree of corruption of mind, is beyond bare ignorance; as to assent to the word is a further degree of grace then bare knowledge. The Minister may hale and pull, but vnlesse the Father drawe, none come to the Sonne, such is the contumacie and stubbornenes of mens hearts naturally, that no curse can terrifie, nor promise affect it: and this was it which made Christs own ministerie vnprofitable to the Iewes, as we reade, Ioh. 8. Let hearers and students of the Scripture labour and pray for the sanctification of mind, and the spirit renewing their inner man: without which they may heare, and study, and reade, but as the Eunuch, without vnderstanding for want of a guide. Without this teacher our report shall not be beleeued, nor without this finger of God shall the arme of God be reuealed. A sound of words may be heard, and the report of truth may be so strong, as to winne acknowledgment of it selfe, but faith shall not be founded, nor louelove quickned, nor hope confirmed, nor that change wrought, without which thou shalt continue a cauiller still, yea froward, and an enemie to God and his truth.
3. If we be such as are called out of this estate, to whom God hath giuen hearts to beleeue, assent, and obey the truth; let vsus not depriue God of his glorie, but acknowledging his gift, giuegive him the honour due vntounto him, for here is an exceeding great power of God put forth, if it be giuen thee to beleeue: the worke of faith is a worke of great power: see 2. Thess. 1.11,
Deceiued,] Out of this third degree of corruption of mind,Before men be brought to Christ their whole life is but a wandring from the waies of God. we learne, That before men be brought vntounto Christ, they infinitely erre, and their whole life is but a wandring from God and his wayes. For 1. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and therefore to be out of Christ, is to be out of the way that tendeth to life. 2. Our selues by our sinne are cast into the darke night, and hauehave not the least glimpse of Sun, Moone, or starre, but walking in darkenesse knowe not whether we tende. 3. We hauehave a wandring and vagrant vaine euen after our calling,1. Ioh 2.11. and therefore much more before: how hauehave the Saints of God complained in their owne, and in the name of the Church, Isa. 53.6. we hauehave all wandred like lost sheepe. The like Dauid confesseth of himselfe, and euen after conuersion the Lord must still be seeking vsus vp, Psal. 119.176. oh seek thy seruant, for els we hauehave no list to returne to the sheepheard of our soules Iesus Christ.
Now the reason of all this error, is a filthy flatterie of the heart, and a guilfull securitie of spirit, which holdeth men from seeking happinesse where it is to be had, while they mistaking their condition, make faire weather with their soules, when in the meane time all is amisse, and they for truth embrace nothing but dangerous and damnable error. We shall not neede trauell farre to seeke instances of such vagrants out of the wayes of God: and yet aske any of them what way they trauell, all of them hast to heauen, and will be there as soone as the best, if we may beleeue them. I might here saue some labour, but that the world swarmeth with such wanderers; and that I take it much materiall to our point and purpose, to shew how farre many are out of the right way, how little acquaintance many Christians hauehave with Christ, of whom, some neuer saw his face, neuer saluted him: others hauehave thought it their best securitie to stand a loose and follow him a farre off: and others after a little acquaintance with him, doe as many disciples did, fall off from him, and walke with him no more. But a little further to prosecute the point in particular.
The deceit of the heart putting forth it selfe in sundrie vngodly practises.First, what a fearefull deceit is that of many ruffianly Protestants, who strengthen themselues in their sinnes, sometimes putting off all the feare of Gods iustice, and growing into contempt of his iudgements; sometimes absoluing themselues from the guilt and curse of sinne in hope of impunitie; as though the Lord were become an idle essence, who hath put off the power of iudging the world, and reuenging the wickednesse of it. The Prophet Zephanie noted in his time such a knot of vngodly men that were frozen in their dregges: Zeph. 1.but how came they to this setlednesse in sinne? they said in their hearts, tush, the Lord will doe neither good nor euill. And did this sinne die with that age? How could it then be that men should so generally fauour themselues in their lusts, and become so violent in fulfilling them, if they did not conceiue peace in them? how could so many of our age scorne religion, contemne godlinesse, outface goodnesse and conscience? how could it be if the Lords silence bred not securitie, that we should in vaine crie out so loud vponupon profaners of the Lords sabbaths and ordinances, against adulterers, drunkard… ▪ …, swearers, raylers, and other swarmes of such sinners, all whome the Apostle hath barred from any portion in heauen;1 Cor. 6. and after our lifting vp of our voyces like trumpets against them no reformation should follow? But what a wofull deceit it is appeareth, Deut. 29.20. If any man shall blesse himselfe and say, I shall hauehave peace, and yet walketh in the stubbornenesse of his owne heart, The Lord will not be mercifull to that man, but the wrath of the Lord, and his iealousie shall smoake out against him, and euerie curse that is written in this booke shall light vponupon him. And so the Lord in the forenamed Prophet hath threatned, that whereas they thinke to lie close from vnderunder his eye, who hath put a darke cloud betweene himselfe and them, yet he will search as with lights, Zeph. 1.12.such frozen fellowes, to bring spoyle vponupon them, and to lay their houses desolate: Consider this all yee that forget God, Psal. 50 22.least he teare you in pieces and none shall rescue.
A second and as fearefull deceit as the former, is that proude conceit of a kind of inbred and inherent righteousnesse of many reputed Christians, but indeede of such as wanting Christs righteousnesse, seeke to sew their owne …igleaues together. The Pharisies in their time thanked God that they were not as other men; they were whole and needed no Physitian. The Laodiceans tooke themselues to be rich and encreased, and stood in neede of nothing; but were deceiued, and sawe not themselues in a true glasse, which would hauehave shewed thē blindnes, & nakednesse, and pouertie. So how many ciuill, iust dealing, and harmeles men, euerie where are there at this day, who ouerthrowe themselues with this deceit? which ariseth sometimes by measuring themselues with themselues; as the proud preachers of Corinth, seemed somewhat comparing themselues with themselues: and otherwhiles by comparing themselues with others whom they take greater sinners then themselues, as the Pharisies did: but especially through ignorance, or a dead knowledge of the righteousnesse of the law, they see not what strict righteousnesse God requireth, nor their owne corruption boyling within them, and so neglect all the sence of their secret lusts rising vp against the louelove of God or man, and that incessantly in them. Paul himselfe without the lawe was aliue, and so are these in all vnconscionable wayes, without feare of damnation, without trouble of conscience, and sence of fearefull sinnes, because they want the true knowledge of the lawe to worke vponupon them; while they look at themselues, they see themselues liue strictly according to humane lawes▪ they keepe their words, are good to the poore, iollie housekeepers, hold them to old rents without racking, their tenants pray for them, they are well thought of in their country, and what neede of further righteousness…? while they looke at others, they see some adulterers, some drunkards▪ some extortioners; they thank God none can charge them with such crimes. Yea sometimes they will braue themselues with great professors, they would not for a world be so bad as they, so couetous, so contentious, so hypocriticall, or some other infirmities shall be fathered vponupon them, or imputed vntounto them: and thus they puffe vp themselues ouergrowne with desperate diseases, while they scorne others as it were for the toothach.
Now alas what a generall deceit is this? where is there a soule in towne or country, but in it owne conceit is aliue? which yet liueth in all profanenesse. Poore people in the countrie especially content themselues with going to Church, and a formall seruice, but without all spirit and life, yea indeed despise the word and prayer, and yet say they serue God as well as others, or as they neede, or as himselfe giueth them leaue. They meane no man harme they say, yet their nature must needes be angrie, and reuenge too, if men much prouoke them; they can ordinarily sweare without touch, because they say they hope they sweare nothing but truth, or by nothing but that which is good. If they curse or banne, they were vrged vntounto it: they can seeke out to the witch for themselues, their children, and cattell, because God hath prouided a salue for euerie sore: they defie drunkennes, but can sometimes in the weeke resort to the alehouse for good fellowship sake: they are no common gamsters, but after seruice on Sundaies (as they say) can spend away the time for good neighbourhood. Oh how hath the deceitfulnes of sinne ouerreached these poore ones, and put out their eies to destruction; if there were no law indeede there could be no transgression, nor these could be no sinnes: but let that light shine once vponupon the conscience, let the voice of it once awaken the soule out of these dead sleepes, they would as fast crie out of themselues and their courses: then would all such Pharisaicall righteousnesse vanish as the smoake in the winde: then would they no longer say with the Iewes,Ier. 8.8. we are wise, the word of the Lord is with vsus, so we are not farre from heauen: or so farre as these forward Ministers would make vsus beleeue, we come to Church, we louelove a good pulpitman, and hauehave good and faire seruice; no no, the voice would be, that other which followeth, we hauehave all this while reiected the word of the Lord, 9.and what wisedome can be in vsus? and it were to be wished, that euen Gods children were wise to discouer this deceite in themselues, which otherwise will often dead their diligence in the waies of God, while they looke in themselues, or compare themselues with others who are not come so farre as they: but let them with the Saints looke vp vntounto the pure nature of God, and to the perfect law of righteousnesse; the former will keep them low in their own eyes, and the latter prouoke to truth in the inward parts which the Lord by that law requireth.
A third sort of men as farre deceiued as the former, are secure persons, who beeing baptized into the name of Christ, as yet neuer came vntounto him, but plod on in all dirtie and sinnefull waies; with many pretenses vnderpropping themselues, but neuer examining duly whether they be right or no. And because the waies of this error are infinite, we shall not do amisse in discrying some few of them: and tracing them, we shall not find them so vnfrequented, but that infinite numbers of secure men and women shall be found in eueryevery of them, who all of them are still deceiued, and as they were borne, so they liue in errour. Of these I will mention fiue sorts, all in seuerall pathes, but neuer one in the right.Fiue sorts of men in seuerall paths, and neuer one in the right.
1. Are superstitious persons, who take vp a voluntarie religion, which hath some shew of wisedome and humblenesse of minde; worship God they thinke they doe, but it is vncommanded, deuout they are, but resist the truth, as those deuout women who resisted Paul. What a number of Popish minded men wander after vanitie, they looke at antiquitie, at consent of numbers and multitudes of men, who are readie inough to betake them to their owne inuentions. Hence is it that you shall ouertake hundreths that are set forward on their Pilgrimages: and see thousands who are set downe or kneeling before their Idols; besides numbers that are wilfull prisoners, cheined in their own bands and wicked vowes of pouertie, single life, abstinence, and such like. And what ground hauehave they for all this? they hauehave learned the protestation of the Iewes, We will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth, we will offer to the Queene of heauen as we hauehave done, euen we, our Fathers, Ier. 44.16.our Princes, and our people; for then we had store of all things, and eueryevery thing was cheape. Nay, as though the truth were impropriate vntounto them, they are so zealous in their way, that if Peter or Paul should stand against their traditions, they would thinke they did God good seruice to kill them, as Christ foreprophecied:Ioh. 16 2. a pregnant marke of a Popish and Antichristian spirit, to hate and cast out the brethren for the name of Christ, and yet to say, Let God be glorified; yet sit they downe here most securely as in a good way, whereas alas, all is deceit; this beeing the way which is good in a mans owne eyes, but the issues of it are death: Prov. 14.12. and 16.…2.25.and the end of it is foreprophecied in the place of Ieremie alledged, that the Lord will watch ouer such persons for euill and not for good, and consume them with sword and famine, and sundrie destructions.
2. Sort are generall or Catholike Protestants, of all, any, or no religion; these content themselues with the Iewes to say, the Temple, the Temple, the Couenant, Abrahams seed, &c. so these finde a religion established, and they louelove it because it is crowned, and bringeth in abundance of prosperitie with it; they hate Poperie also, because the lawes hate it; but neuer knew, nor care to know what the power and life of godlinesse euer meant; to whom the Lord may say as to them. Say not the Temple,Ier. 7.4. the Temple, trust not in lying words: we hauehave the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, Peace, &c. but get the power of godlinesse, if you would not beguile your owne soules; Amend your waies and workes, execute iudgement, oppresse not the stranger, fatherlesse, and widowe, follow not after other Gods.
3. Sort are a rable of idle Protestants, whose carnall hearts turne the grace of God into wantonnesse. Charge his conscience with his sinnes, strike him downe for his vnlawfull courses, or neglect of good duties; he can saue his head with the doctrine of free iustification without works, or tell you that the best man sinneth seauen times a day, or that we are concluded vnderunder sinne, that God might hauehave merciemercy on all, or that where sinne aboundeth, grace aboundeth much more, and that we are not saued by the workes of the law: but O vaine man, saith Iames, dost thou imagine a sauing faith without repentance, and works of pietie and louelove? dost thou professe an holy religion, and by the loosenes of thy life, makest that holy way of God euill spoken of? did not the latter end of the former Chapter teach vsus, that Christ died not only to set vsus free from the curse of sinne, but from the courses of iniquitie, that we should become zealous of goodworkes? Christ saueth no other, and therefore deceiue not thy selfe.
The fourth sort may well carrie the title of craftie Christians, as also of free-will Protestants, who for the present walke in a secure path, and will not yet be acquainted with repentance for their sinne: they thinke it fit to be knowne and practised, and so they meane hereafter, but in the meane time because their sinne is not vnpardonable, and God calleth at all houres, and they may as well afterward repenting find forgiuenesse: therefore are they deafe against all our doctrine of repentance: all the meanes we vse auaile not for their good, but by Gods iust iudgement to their hardning, blinding, and further damnation: and this is as fearefull as flie, and as generall a deceit as any of the former. What meane those many exhortations, seeke the Lord while he may be found, and to day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts; and this is the acceptable time: the which gratious inuitations while men hauehave put off, how hath the seueritie of the almightie cut them off suddenly by strange deaths? and this most deseruedly, in that they had so long abused the time of his patience. Rev. 3.21. The Lord gaue Iezabel a time to repent, but she repented not: and what was the issue of it? Behold I will cast her into a bed of sorrow and great affliction. So the Lord would hauehave purged the impenitent Iew, but he would not be purged, therefore saith the Lord, Thou shalt not be purged till I hauehave caused my wrath to come vponupon thee.
The fifth sort of secure persons may be called sensible Protestants, who by outward things iudge themselues highly in Gods bookes: and many both rich and poore tread in this path. Rich men need not seeke for further ground of Gods fauour, then that their hand hath found out riches, and they are increased in their possessions, and prospered in their labours: And how can it be other, seeing vengeance must pursue the wicked, and if they were so, they could not be prospered so long, and diuersly as they are. Thus Dauid obserued of wicked rich men: their houses were peaceable without feare; and because they are not in affliction like other men, pride compasseth them as a chaine: they seeke not after God, nor sound and setled peace in him: but little knew they the end of that fat pasture; he learned at the sanctuarie,Tolluntur in altum vt lapsu g…aviore ruant. that they were lifted vp aboue other, as fellons on the ladder, to come downe with a greater mischeife and breaknecke. But more merueilous it is that corrections and afflictions should become a pillow for securitie in many, which are Gods spurres in the …anke of the godly to pricke them vp, and rouse them from their drowsinesse; and yet many determine hence, and conclude without further ground, the Lords louelove towards them, because of long, and durable afflictions, of which they could neuer come to make good vse, nor take any profit by them: whom God loueth, say they, he chasteneth: and we are iudged of the Lord, that we should not be condemned of the world: and when they are exceedingly crossed in the world, and indeed cursed in their counsell and attempts, they thanke God they hauehave their punishment here in this life, & so secure themselues from all future paines. But this is but a guile and stratageme of Satan, to cast his poyson into the Lords cup, and bane and destroie men with that which might be a speciall meane of their good, euen a speciall prouocation to make them seeke reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ: which many men who will not much murmur at affliction, but generally can confesse it a fruit of their sinne, little thinke of; the affliction it selfe is a token of louelove inough alreadie, though no amendment accompanie it, nor any sorrow for sinne, feare of offending, or diligence in good duties follow it. Thus by all these meanes securitie eateth vp the soules of infinite professed Christians, who are all miserably deluded, and not yet gotten out of their naturall corrupted estate, but for the present are the children of wrath.
The fourth and last sort of men who are deceiued ▪ and wander out of the good way, are some that seeme to themselues and others to be very good Christians, at least none of the worst: and yet many of them little better then some of the former. And these are of two sorts: some are deceiued in regard of their sinnes; others in regard of their graces or vertues.
Of the former sort. There be some, who because they are not carried to such sinnes as they see others, they conclude presently that they are in the right way to heauen, whereas there may be a worke of the word and spirit forcible against many sinnes, where there is no sauing grace in the soule. Hence is it that many, 1. before sinne, are vexed at it and affraid of it, and are loth to be too bold with it, but hating the punishment more then the sinne, they goe through stitch at length as Herod against Iohn, and Pilate against Christ. Others can auoide sinne, as swearing, drinking, vncleannesse, &c. but hauehave a false finger that hath laid hold vponupon some one or moe, which shall bee dearer then to forgoe for naught; so as all sinnes shall not be left: nay they will in some cases be very commendable, euen aboue good Christians, in repressing corruptions, and yet not bee clensed from their filthinesse. Thus Haman could a long time refraine himselfe from Mordecay. 2. After sinne many moe can deceiue themselues with a counterfeit repentance, whereby they can feele it, crie out vponupon it, and confesse it vvith griefe: d…sembling Saul, cursed Cain, treacherous Iudas, and hard hearted Pharaoh … doe thus much; and yet this is all the repentance of many, vvho think that hereby they hauehave receiued a sound cure. Hence hauehave vve many, that after their sinne vvith a Lord hauehave merciemercy, or saying ouer of a prayer, vvith a forced sigh, dravve a skinne ouer their consciences, and for the time there is peace. And others vvho hauehave spent their vvhole liues in oppression, and grinding the faces of the poore; eueryevery pennie of vvhose vvealth is vvorse gotten then other; if about the time of their death they giuegive a little trifle to the poore, or be liberall for a sermon, or set apart some small thing to some good vses; they rest herein as a sufficient acquittance from all their vnrighteousnesse: vvhereas they neuer thinke of …tisfaction, and restoring againe that they hauehave robbed, according to the …avv of repentance. Let such punish themselues, pray, fast▪ giuegive almes, and yet the Lord vvill neuer a vvhit regard, for here are no bands of vvicnednes loosed. Others by some short humiliation in a seruile kinde of flatterie of God proceeding of slauish feare and selfe-louelove, vvill come and confesse their sinne, and promise they vvill no more so transgresse, but yet they dissemble with their double hearts: for how many hauehave we knowne whose extorted righteousnesse hath been as the morning dew? In their sicknes and distresse they hauehave humbled themselues, but with the Iewes for corne and wine: they hauehave howled and cried vponupon their beds, but they returned not to the most high; they affected deliuerance, not repentance: nor further fawned vponupon God then to get out of his hands. By these wordly sorrowes, infinite men deceiue themselues, and rest in them as sufficient repentance.
The latter sort are they, that deceiue themselues in turning their eyes from their sins, to some vertues or graces which they find in their soules. Hence hauehave we men, that can be diligent in hearing the word, and that gladly with Herod, and thinke that enough to dispence with their holding of their Herodias, some sweet sinne or other. Others can reioyce and be affected, as we hauehave knowne soft hearted Protestants, that could melt at sermons into teares, with great affection, and yet hauehave made little conscience of their wayes: but not mortifying the deeds of the flesh, hauehave yeelded to their lusts the raines in all libertie. Others can receiue the word, talke of it, yeeld a seemely obedience vntounto it, any man would say, they were surely good Christians, yet as bad ground they giuegive it not depth enough; they giuegive it the vnderstanding and some affection, but the will and the whole ioy is not carried vntounto it. If they talke of it, it is but as such as onelyonly hauehave tasted it with their tongues, (as cookes do their seruices) but they hauehave not filled their bellie with it, as they for whom it is prepared. Their sightly obedience is like Herods, who did many things because Iohn was a good man. In a word, they can be reuerent & liberall to Ministers, kind to professors, forward in good motions, can lend their hands or purses to helpe the godly out of trouble; & yet in all these commendable duties are like a deceitfull bow, which being cast & crooked, let the eye aime neuer so right at the marke, it casteth it quite besides all the way; euen so all these proceeding frō deepe hypocrisie, & done not purely, but sinister respects furthering them, deceiue the soule, & keepe it farre from the happinesse of it. I graunt that in a good heart naturall hypocrisie will be mingling it selfe in the bringing forth of such fruites; but yet it swayes not the heart, it is resisted and mastered; so as the maine sway of a good heart is sincere, choosing good things and doing them purely for God and themselues; but thus it is not in the former.
Vse. 1. All this so large a doctrine sheweth, what a number of men and women, who seeme good Christians, are yet in their naturall condition, and hauehave not a…tained the first degree of their renouation; but deceiued they were borne, so they liue, & so without Gods great merciemercy are they like to die. And …he miserie of this condition, is like that of a man that hath a thousand deadly diseases on him, and yet is sencelesse of them all, whose case euerie man will say is remedilesse. Let eueryevery man and woman enter into the narrowe examination of themselues, and neuer be at rest till they finde themselues renewed in the spirit of their minds.
2. If God hauehave let any man see his error hereby, that he can truely say that he hath beene deceiued, but now hath the path of life reuealed vntounto him; let him acknowledge all this to be the finger of God, and still pray with Dauid, open mine eyes that I may see further into thy lawe, for so I shall see mine owne errors the better: and▪ hide not thy commandements from me.
3. If thou seest any man goe on in any of these deceiueable courses, pitie him, pray for him, counsell him, deale meekely and tenderly with him, for thou wast also in time past deceiued.
Seruing the lusts and diuerse pleasures,]
Hauing spoken of the corruption of mind in men vnconuerted, now we come to the depravation of their wills; the which is liuely described in two degrees. 1. In that it is a seruant, and hath lost the freedome wholly. 2. In that it is a seruant to lusts, and that not to one but diuerse pleasures.
foreign.The word whereby the former is expressed is borrowd from seruants, who at that time vsed to be sold and bought, and were meere vassals wholly at the appointment of their Masters, without all power in themselues. Wherein we hauehave the true portraiture of eueryevery naturall man, who in his will is a most base seruant to sinnefull lusts and pleasures, and cannot but obey and fulfill them: but without the least power to will the least morall diuine good.Free will considered in the subiects. Now that we may come rightly to conceiue of the bondage of will, we must first restraine it to the right subiect, and then to the right obiect. First, according to the subiects it is diuersly considered. 1. In some subiects the will is confirmed and free to nothing but good, and that either by nature, as in God himselfe, or by grace, as in the good angels, and in men who are renewed in the highest degree, that is, the Saints departed, who immutably will onelyonly good and onelyonly well. 2. In some other subiects the will is ob…med and hardened in euill, and free to will nothing else, as in the wicked angels and damned men. 3. In some other it is more indifferent, as in men on earth, whether renewed, or in the state of corruption. In the former of which, as the subiect is but in part freed from the power of sinne, so is the will: it is so farre as flesh and sauouring of the old man, free to will things belowe according to the corrupt nature: and as farre as it is spirit, and hath a worke of renovation, it is freed to will supernaturall and diuine things. But all these subiects are remooued as not that which our Apostle speaketh of; who not obscurely speaketh of naturall men, and their wills so farre as vnchanged.
Secondly, for the obiect of this bondage. 1. We denie not in the will of vnconuerted men a passiue power vntounto good, that it can posse velle: but by this I meane a capablenes or abilitie of willing that which is truely good, not by any principle in it selfe,The bondage of will considered in the right obiect. but when God shall send out the grace of conuersion. 2. We denie not in such a will an actuall freedome from all coaction and compulsion, which the nature of will cannot admit, for it is not will vnlesse it be thus free. And therefore while it willeth euill, it willeth it most freely;Bellarmine saith we hauehave turned men into beasts, by taking away freewill. Praefat. de lib arb. Ob. Sol. and when it commeth to will good it assenteth to the word and spirit: it is not now purely passiue as a blocke, nor yet forced, but worketh according to the nature of will freely; for beeing mooued by God it selfe mooueth, and becommeth not onelyonly as before a subiect, but an instrument of the spirit. Where by the way lyeth the answer to that Popish obiection, that will cannot be free vnlesse it be inclinable alike to good and euill: for will is not properly free in regard of the obiect, to which it is mooued, but of the efficient moouing it: and what say they to the will of God? they cannot denie it to be most free, and yet cannot without blasphemie affirme it to be equally inclinable to euill as well as good.
3. We denie not but that the vnconuerted will hath a more full freedome in naturall actions, as to eate, drinke, walke, speake, which without this speciall grace, although not without generall, it can commendably, but not holily performe. 4. We denie not to this will a maimed power and freedome in morall humane vertues, as of prudence, chastity, fortitude, iustice, which are bestowed in great measure by the cōmon grace of the spirit, not onelyonly to some within the Church, as Saul, who was changed into an other man: but euen without, as to Cyrus, Alexander, Aristides, Socrates: but yet in the actions of these vertues this will is halfe dead and wounded. I call it a maymed power and freedome, because it is a certaine kind of libertie in some externall obedience and discipline towards the lawe of God; and yet vtterly separated from the internall and spirituall obedience of it. Which meeteth also with an other chiefe obiection of the Papists:Ob. that many vnregenerate men doe and hauehave done many good and glorious actions, and that not by the speciall grace we speake of, but by the freedome of will. To which hence is answered,Sol. that although these things are materially good, yet are they wanting in the formall righteousnesse, which the lawe requireth,Quae eun que agimus dum …umus alieni à deo non possunt illi placere. Basil. de baptis. lib 2. quaest. 7. Extra Christum omnis virtus in vitio est. Hier. and therefore hauehave beene farre from pleasing God, and properly nor good actions, but rather, goodly and glistering sinnes: the defects of them beeing euident. 1. The persons doing them are out of Christ. 2. The deede it selfe done not of faith. 3. Not hauing perfection either in it selfe or in the Mediator. 4. not directed to right endes, namely, the pure honour and worship of God: Now to such incompleat actions, beeing no better then ciuill men can performe in abundance, we denie not some libertie of will in the vnregenerate.Vbi nulla vera religio …bi nulla vera virtus. Augustin. 5. We denie not to such a will freedome and libertie in spirituall actions, but in such as are altogether euill, vntounto which as it selfe is most free, so can it determine itselfe most freely.
And therefore where the Apostle affirmeth it a meere seruant, it must be meant of morall good, secundum gratiam. Whence the conclusion ariseth, That in such things as pertaine to God and true godlinesse, the vnregenerate hath no power nor freedome of will at all, no not so much as to will his owne conuersion.Ob. Obiect. But the will of receiuing grace must needs goe before the action of receiuing it. Answ. But this will as it is the beginning of conuersion,Sol. in the very first moment and motion of it is from grace, and none can will and desire grace truly but by grace.
This conclusion directly bendeth it selfe against that which is the maine of the Controuersie betweene vsus and the Church of Rome, about this point of free-will: which (not to bring downe so farre as from their master Lumbard, who was Bishop of Paris about 400. yeares since, and the schoolemen after him, Thomas, Scotus, Bonaventure, Byel, &c.) we will gather out of the present doctrine of the Church of Rome, as it is auouched in the councell of Trent, the Romish Catechisme, and Bellarmine himselfe: from whence I take out the maine difference betweene vsus into these two positions. The former, that a man hath free-will left in his nature in things pertaining to saluation, although not without all grace. The cursed Conventicle curseth those that dare affirme free-will since the fall to be lost, or extinct: and that they meane in spirituall things, the other Canons following shew.Councel of Trent. sess. 6. can. 1. Bellarmine affirmeth, that men vnregenerate, onelyonly by the strength of nature, without the speciall aid of God, can so performe a morall good, that they sinne not in it, if they be without the molestation of some more grieuous temptation.Tom. 4. lib▪ 5. cap. 9. The latter conclusion of the Romish Church is, that in the first moment of conuersion, the will of man concurreth and cooperateth with the grace of God, by a certaine kind of naturall power, not wrought, but helped by the holy Ghost. The counsell curseth those that denie, that free-will cooperateth with God, and that it disposeth not it selfe to obtaine the grace of iustification, or is meerely passiue. Bellarmine in the tenth cap. of the former booke affirmeth,Co…nc. sess. 6. ca…. 4. that where the Scriptures call vsus coworkers with God, so often is the facultie of our freewill affirmed in such works, and that not as it is wrought by the grace of God, but as it is in it selfe, and in it own nature. Such testimonies out of their writers were infinite; but these as cleare inough shall suffice.
We teach the cleane contrarie vponupon good grounds, of which I will giuegive a tast briefly. 1. If we be wholly flesh, which is flat contrarie to the spirit, then can there be no preparation to iustification before regeneration. That which is contrarie maketh no preparation to the contrarie,Grounds drawn out of Scripture agai…st the Popish doctrine concerning free will. the flesh cannot make way but necessarily resisteth the spirit; neither can any contrarie bring forth the effect of the contrarie; no more then darknesse can either prepare to light, or produce the effects of light. 2. If before conuersion we be dead in trespasses and sinnes, then can we rot away and consume in them; but to know or performe the things of spirituall life we no more can, then a man naturally dead can prepare himselfe vntounto or performe the actions of naturall life. But howsoeuer the Papists mince the matter, and say we are like the Samaritane left halfe dead and wounded, the Scripture saith plaine inough that we are dead in trespasses, and like Lazarus dead and rotting in the graue: to which purpose we might amplifie those many phrases of our quickning, of our raysing, of our new birth, and of our new creation. I hope they will blush to say that a thing not created, can dispose it selfe to the creation of it selfe. 3. In how many places are these things laid out of the power of man? as where it is said, …e imagineth onelyonly euill continually, that is, naturally. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? can a blackmoore change his skinne, or a leopard his spottes? can euill trees bring forth good fruits? how can ye speake well beeing euill? I knowe (saith Ieremie) it is not in man to dispose his way: and we are not able to thinke any thing of our selues: and much lesse are we able to thinke any thing well: and yet steppeth out a Popish spirit and saith, yes by Saint Pauls leaue, we can both thinke well, and will well, and dispose well, and doe well, without the speciall aide of God: let them beleeue him that preferre Romish traditions before Apostolicall writings. 4. How often is our whole conuersion for the beginning and proceeding, the first, middle, and last of it, attributed wholly to the grace of God? None commeth to the Sonne, vnlesse the Father drawe him: drawe me, and we will runne after thee: without mee yee can doe nothing: It is he that worketh both to will and to doe: If the Sonne set you free, ye are free indeede: conuert vsus Lord, and we shall be conuerted: we are his workemanshippe created to good works: I will giuegive an heart of flesh: But I may not be infinite in testimonies. 5. We hauehave heard that the whole vnderstanding is corrupted; and therefore much more the will, which is nothing but a facultie of willing, or …illing that which is first vnderstood and iudged of in the minde: yea indeede if either be worse then other, it is the will: hence is that speach, the good that I see and approoue, I doe not: by the benefit of vnderstanding, men often see their dutie;Video meliora probo que deteriora sequor. but by rebellion of will performe it not, although it want not direction sufficient. Thus the obstinacie of the will of the Gentiles oppugned and darkened the light of the mind in them,Rom. 1.21.28. of whome Paul speaketh, that they knewe God, but glorified him not as God. The maine obiections are briefly answered alreadie, and we will spend no more time in them, but come to the second point or degree of this corruption.
The second degree of corruption of will is, that it serueth lusts and diuerse pleasures. Sinnes are called lusts, because they be indeede so many inordinate desires against the commandement. And pleasures, because of the imagination of them that commit sinne, beeing carried away with the present pleasure and sweetnesse of them. And diuerse pleasures, 1. because they are many in themselues: and though euerie man yeeld not seruice to eueryevery one,Diuers pleasures why so called. yet some serue this, and some that, and eueryevery wicked man some. Samson will be a slaue to his Dalilah, in the lust of the flesh and vncleannesse: Nabal to his wealth, in the lust of the eye: Herod to his vaine glorie, in the lust of pride of life. 2. because they diuersly carrie men, euen as a man in the sea is carried, backeward and forward, and hurryed with diuerse waues: for there is no stabilitie nor …etlednes, but in the feare of God: the wicked are like the raging sea, and there is no peace to them, saith the Lord: but as slaues hauing serued one lust, they must presently be at the call and command of another; and if it command they must obey, although it call to the cleane contrarie course.
Vse. 1. These two degrees lead vsus further into our miserie then before, when we see the will yet more rebellious then the minde was blind: and yet more then so,Our miserie enlarged in that the will is more rebellious then our minde was blind. that we naturally take delight and pleasure in our bonds and chaines: what a wofull miserie is it, that men should be sold vnderunder sinne, and that with consent, yea delight? and that which is indeede sinne, and inordinate lust should be their chiefe pleasure, vntounto which they sacrifice? whereby they become dead while they liue: nay, are not onelyonly taken in these dangerous snares, but that they weare out and spend themselues in plotting and contriuing, who should get themselues deepest and surest in? which Paul noteth in the phrase of taking care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.Rom. 13 14. Hence is it that a number wil be rich, and rush into manifold snares of the deuill: Others to gaine their voluptuousnesse and vncleane lusts and pleasures, goe on as an o…e to the shambles, and spie no danger till the dart be stricken thorough their liuer. Others that hauehave bound themselues to serue prentiships among the pots, are so bewitched with the sorcerie of the sinne, as they sleep on the toppe of the mast, and are smitten, but they knowe not when, how, or by whom. And thus is it in other sinnes, wherein although for the present, nothing but profit or pleasure appeareth, and the seruice seemeth somewhat more easie then the seruice of righteousnesse, yet marke when this master commeth with his wages, what becommeth of the louers of pleasures more then of God? consider the fruit of sinnefull pleasures for a season, the best is shame and sorrowe, and what then is the worst? Salomon that tried his heart with such pleasures more then inough, proclaimed of them all, that they were but vanitie and vexation of spirit: and truely, for who can conceiue the shame, terror, guilt of conscience, and torment of spirit, which as a shadow followe vnlawful stolen pleasures, euen in those that at length escape from them? but for others that hauehave set downe their resolution, to make it their pleasure, to liue deliciously for a season, they shall not faile to receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse. 2. Pet. 2.13.Oh miserable seruice.
2. This doctrine sheweth, that such men as hauehave not receiued grace to moderate themselues, and their affections in their pleasures, are not yet regenerate. It is a dangerous note when pleasure must take place of things of an higher straine, euen matters of Gods worship, publike or priuate. The Apostle Peter teacheth, that where grace taketh vp the affection, and worketh effectually,1. Pet. 1.13. there is a girding vp of the loynes with sobrietie.
3. It teacheth vsus to striue in the renewing of our selues; that seeing this seruice of lusts is so deceitfull and dangerous, we should neuer finde our selues at ease till we find a charge in our will, till these sinnefull pleasures be as bitter, as euer they were sweete, till we can striue as resolutely against them, as euer we serued vnderunder them cheerefully. And because this change is not wrought all at once, but by degrees; nor sprowteth vp as the lilies, which growe but neither labour nor spinne: we must vse the meanes appointed hereunto: as namely, the daily vse of the word, prayer, faith, obedience, watchfulnesse, combate against sinne, and no grace must be wrapped vp in the napkin, or hid in the earth: but as these means worke and vphold this change, by begetting and confirming faith, which is a daily purifier; so must they be carefully vsed of eueryevery one that would find this blessed worke of grace within his soule.
4. Seeing when we are most renewed in this life, we shall be changed but in part; and the law of the members will be still rebelling against the lawe of the minde, let vsus looke vp, and long after that glorie wherein we shall be totally set free from this rebellion, and hauehave the full accomplishment of that saluation, the beginnings of which we hauehave here onelyonly attained vntounto; wherein we shall not onelyonly not sinne, but not will to sinne; nay we shall as perfectly hate and resist it, as we shall perfectly louelove God, and inseparably cleaue vntounto him for euer.
5. Especially professors must encrease their skill in knowing, iudgment … discerning and diligence in auoiding these disordered and noysome lusts, which otherwise will blemish the best things they hauehave receiued, and darken the best duties they attempt. It is pitifull to see how Christians and professors not watching as they were wonte, are hurried back into their old seruice, and bolts, to the which they long since seemed to hauehave bid adew. One hath his passion and inordinate desire of malice, bitternesse, sullennes, and vnquietnesse to which as if he had neuer beene free borne he willingly serueth. Another serueth his tooth, his appetite, his backe and bellie; he must be delicate in dyet, costly in apparell, and no whit abate of his superfluitie when hard times should call him to remember Iosephs affliction much more then he doth.Miserrimus est qui misero servit. Another is seruant to the lust of the eye, he is insaciable in his desire of wealth, and sometimes he can drinke a draught of stollen waters. And a rare professor is he that can auoid an earthly minde in earthly matters, or while he layeth vp in earth hath a free mind to treasure in heauen. Thus vngodly and vnbeseeming lusts carrie many professors away as a streame. Let them looke if Christ be learned whether he be learned as the truth is in Christ;Eph. 4.…. and know that as eueryevery thing is poysoned where these are vnconquered; so the greatest toyle in Christianitie is ouer, when these are mastered.
Liuing in maliciousnesse, and envie, hatefull, and hating one another.
foreign.First, to distinguish the words. The first of them mallice, is an euill affection of the heart, which properly desireth the hurt of our neighbour,foreign. and reioyceth in his fall. Envie, is a contrarie affection but as wicked, for it grieueth at the neighbours good, and fretteth it self at his prosperous and fortunate successe in any thing.foreign. Hatefull, may to good purpose be taken either actively as it is read, namely, for such as are in such extremitie of wickednesse, as they eueryevery way are abhominable creatures in themselues: or else passively, and so may be read hated, that is, iustly execrable and odious vntounto others, both God and men. And hating one another, foreign ▪as full of poyson and venemous hatred towards others as they could be vntounto vsus, requiting like for like: all which although they shew a most godles and comfortlesse condition, yet we liued in this gracelesse course, that is, passed our daies, or at least a great part of them in time past before we came to know the grace of God.
Now this beeing the estate of eueryevery naturall man, that his whole conuersation is monstrously depraued, so as he spendeth his daies and consumeth his time in mallice, enuie, hatred, and such hatefull courses: it may let many a man see how little they are escaped from the filthinesse of nature. For 1. how doe the liues of most men shew that the spirit which lusteth after envie ruleth them?Iam. 4 5· and how doth that bitter roote of mallice and hatred shoot forth buds and blossomes at all seasons: both in 1. the affections, 2. speeches, 3. the actions of men.
First,The spirit in man lusteth after enuie: prooued. in affection when as men greiue at the good and greatnesse of an other, and cannot looke vponupon the prosperitie of a man whom they wish not so well vntounto, but with an euill eie, and the more they looke vponupon it, the sorer still groweth their eie; accounting themselues after a sort wronged by him, if they cannot attaine to his estate. If the virgins shall sing to Dauid his ten thousand, and to Saul but his thousand, Saul will be so incensed as he will carrie an euill eie to Dauid euer after. Againe,1. Sam. 18.9. others in their hearts wish and desire the fall, the harme, and losse of some whom in some sinister respect they cannot brooke. If the name of such a one be blotted, or his estate weakened, this fall of such a one is matter inough of their reioycing: he is perhaps of the same trade, or hath iniured him, or standeth in his light one way or other, but …owsoeuer it is, here is a brand of a bad and vngodly heart, to reioyce in euill: Be not glad, saith Salomon, when thine enemie falleth, Prou. 29.17.nor let thine heart reioyce when he stumbleth, which is a needefull lesson in these times wherein charitie is growne so cold.
Secondly, in mens speaches, how doth Satan tippe many mens tongues and set them on fire with all manner of malicious and murdering speaches? what is more common speach then detraction and impayring from the iust praise of men? no companie freeth it selfe but a man may obserue some mens names nibled at, and gnabled vponupon: that eueryevery mans mouth is become a verie moath vntounto the good name of his neighbour. And others a little prouoked, speake nothing but swords, as though they would with euerie word kill their brother: and hence are such distempers as men in companies breake into; if their patience be neuer so little assayled, it is ground enough of disgorging without all respect of person or place, truth or falshood, whatsoeuer malice it selfe can mischieuously deuise: here is a picture of a pure naturall man, or if a Christian, of one that hath too farre forgot himselfe.
3. In the actions of life, what a cloud of friuolous suites, and yet firie inough, witnesse the malice and enuie of mens hearts; if a mans beast look but ouer an other mans hedge, and so make but offer of a trespasse, or any other such triuiall colour, is sufficient to fire the gunpowder within, and to carrie the controuersie with such violence, as one must yeeld or both be blowne vp. But the most fearefull and wretched worke of this inbred corruption is most apparant, in the pursuit of good men, because they are good: for who be he neuer so good can stand before enuie, which feedeth euen vponupon vertue and goodnesse it selfe? this was the deuills sinne, tormenting himselfe because our first parents retained with their innocencie their place in paradise, when himselfe by his sinne was throwne downe from his habitation. A vile fruit of this sinne appeared not long after in Caine, who cast downe his countenance vponupon his brother, and slewe him, because his workes were good and acceptable, and his owne euill: then begun the persecution of the Church, and hath continued till this day. How this envie and malice of vnconuerted hearts wrought against Christ himselfe, the historie maketh plaine: The Pharisies were euer carping at his gracious words, and glorious workes, and at the last, deliuered him for enuie to be crucified. And how it is not idle at this day against his members, experience prooueth: Is it not the common sinne of this day, to style all the profession of religion vnderunder the title of hypocrisie or precisenes, or brand it with the affectation of a Saintish puritie? How furiously doe men breath out all manner of indignities and contumelies against such as more carefully looke toward the wayes of God? But alas what hath the righteous done; for what good work do men lay such load on them? why was Ioseph hated of all his brethren, and sold and bought among them, what had he done? surely his carriage was so wise, so dutifull, and respectiue, that his father could not but louelove him aboue the rest; and his life was a reall reprehension of all the rest: so is it the verie light which is hated, because it checketh the darkenes of the world, which loueth her owne. But how do these men iniurie them selues most of all? what manner of men may we repute them, who the better any man is, the lesse they can abide him? A good man the more of Gods image he espieth in an other, the more (as he is bound) doth he louelove and honour him. Againe, whereas euerie man should imitate the best examples and so walke more cheerefully to heauen together: the malice of these towards them will not suffer them, either to do good vntounto them, or take any good from them. Which worke of malice is so bold, as wee may reade it in mens foreheads, and heare it from their mouths, that they will take no good neither by the doctrine, nor by the life of that minister, whose light reprooueth their darkenesse. But Ahab while he acknowledgeth Micha a Prophet of God, will hate him notwithstanding, and therefore will receiue no direction from him: euen so we want not such as hearing the preacher rebuke, and apply the word against their particular sinnes; no sooner commeth the finger to the bile, or the quicke touched, but the carnall heart beginneth to boyle, and saith, this man meaneth me, he hath some spite at me, he hath heard something of me, he spendeth some of his anger against me, I will heare him no more; whereas indeed it is the light of the word alone which ransaketh their consciences, and it is no other but the natural malice of the heart against the truth, and bringers of it, which hindereth the entrance of the word for the time present and to come. By this meanes thorough Gods iust iudgement a number lay the blocke in their owne way, whereupon they break the necke of their soules: and it is to be doubted, that many of our meeke hearers would entertain vsus, & our word as curteously as Herod did Iohn, so long as we meddle not with their Herodias, their damsell sinne: but if Iohn shall meddle with that, there is no way but one, he must kisse the prison, and buy his boldnes dearer then so.
Secondly, this must teach vsus that professe our selues to be the Lords, to abhorre all the sinnes of this suite, and to banish such filthy fruits of the flesh, which God giueth them vp vntounto who are of a reprobate mind;Gal. 5. Rom. 1. and hauehave nothing to do with such wicked inmates, which are euer plotting to set the whole tenement on fire, and which bring rottennes into the owne bones & bowels: as well said a godly man of Cain, he had halfe killed and consumed himselfe with malice before he killed his brother. And not to vrge the multitude of reasons which to this purpose offer thēselues,Professors must be carefull to banish all the sinnes of this suit. I will onelyonly name those two, which are couched in the verse. 1. Because that we professe that we were such in times past, but now are begotten vntounto God: which were it not a forceable reason, the Apostle would not so often beat vponupon it: as Col. 3.8. But now put away all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousnes, cursed speaking, wherein yee walked once when ye liued in them: and if we would prooue our selues a newe lumpe, we must purge out the old sowering and swelling leauen of malitiousnesse: 1. Cor. 5.8. So the Apostle Iames, 1.18. of his owne good will he begate vsus, wherefore lay away all filthinesse, and superfluitie of maliciousnesse: and, Pet. 1.2.2. laying aside all guile, envie, malitiousnesse,—as newe borne babes desire, &c. If euer thou wouldst hauehave euidence of thy conuersion, thou must put on as the elect of God, these bowels of merciemercy to Gods people, and louelove to Gods image in whomsoeuer: for how else wouldst thou be knowne to be a disciple? 2. These hatefull sinnes make vsus iustly odious, 1. to God, Prou. 14.32. The wicked is cast away for his malice both roote and fruit. 2. to man, in that they wage battell against Christian louelove, which is the preseruatiue of all societie.
Thus hauehave we been somewhat large in discouering the nakednesse of our corrupt nature, by which not onelyonly our cheife, but all our holds are taken, and we turned naked into the curse of God. Now how fewe returne backe to the pit whence they are digged? how fewe acknowledge and bewaile this mother sinne, which is the roote of all sinnes, and layeth vsus open to all inundations, both of sinne, and the curses due thereunto? for so the Lord mentioneth it as the cause of the f…ood, because hence sprung all those actuall sinnes which were the next causes of it.Gen. 6.5. I knowe not how those Popish positions hauehave preuailed in the practise of most men, who are yet of an other iudgement; who call this naturall corruption lesse then all sinnes, yea, then any veniall sinne; yea indeed not properly sinne, but a propensitie to it, as tinder not as fire; not deseruing death of it selfe: yea too many Christians liue as though it were not in them at all, as though they had drunke that Popish dregge, that originall sinne is not in the regenerate any sinne at all. But mistake not our Apostle, he saith not, we were thus or thus, as though any were quite escaped from this corrupt condition; but it is a most fearefull sinne pressing down and hanging fast on the best,Rom. 5.1…. subiecting them in it selfe to the wrath of God, still vrging them to bring them backe if it were possible into deepe condemnation: such a corruption as is contrarie to all the commandements, bred in the bone, lurking close in the soule, hardly seene, hardly resisted, neuer abolished in the best, while they carrie this house of clay. This is the cause why so few perceiue this estate of theirs, that so few see the necessitie of beeing renewed in the spirit of their minds, and that so few seeke in true humilitie to be shrowded vnderunder the righteousnesse of the Lord Iesus. But if euer thou wouldst be raised, labour to see and bewayle the poyson of thy nature; the more thou seest it the lesse it is; and the more thou art sanctified, the more weakenes thou findest; yea little else but death and darkenes in thy soule.
There is as great difference betweene two sorts of men, as betweene fire and water. The former hauehave alwaies found a good disposition in themselues, they hauehave grace at will, they neuer doubted of Gods louelove, they hauehave euer loued and serued God without let; yet these pitifull deluded creatures liue no otherwise then the very Stoiks, who followed nature for their guid, and neuer find fault with their estate. Another sort of men such as Saint Paul can cry out of themselues as miserable men, ouermatched with a bodie of sinne and death; they pray for a free spirit, and then when first the Lord hath enlarged them and loosed their bolts, they can promise to runne the way of his commandements. These would doe good but they cannot; they would not doe euill, but they do it; which of these two now are more Puritanes? Againe, in their falls and slippes they differ no lesse. The former if he sinne he layeth it vponupon something without himselfe, as the sight of some obiect, and beholding of some Bathsebah, some Achans wedge; or his inward sences call to his minde some iniurie, vanitie, or some such occasion or other,Men are naturally possessed with this point of Poperie, that this corruption is seated in the bodie, sences, and inferiour faculties of the minde onelyonly. which had he escaped all had bin well, thus he will lay his sinne any where but on himselfe. The other know and acknowledge that they are led away by their owne concupiscence, and that their sences, obiects, and occasions are but seruants to their corruption: Dauid beeing checked for one sinne goeth to this roote, Psal. 51.5. and such as he, vponupon eueryevery occasion can set vponupon this sinne as the most dangerous enemie of their saluation. If they find ignorance in themselues they presently hauehave recourse to this darknesse of mind which naturally hath depriued it selfe of the knowledge of God. If they come short of doing any good as they would, or doe it not so well; they can blame this inbred euill which is present with them: when they finde themselues heauie to that which the vnderstanding rightly conceiueth, they can grone vnderunder the rebellion of their will, which is renewed but in part only: when they goe halting, and fall downe sometimes in their course, here they can espie their owne counsells casting them downe: when they see a conquest to will and effect that which is good, they can returne the honour to the author, and glorie in him who hath wrought both the will and the deed; yet so as they forget not the combate and molestation of this their familiar foe, who continually eateth, drinketh, and sleepeth in his bosome, watching Dalilah-like to deliuer him to his destruction.
Lastly, let eueryevery one learne timely to take in hand this crooked nature, before he be accustomed to euill;Timely take in hand thy crooked nature. for else as hardly as a blackmoore changeth his skin, shalt thou become changed when wicked nature, and worse custome hauehave both barred thy repentance, and bound thy sinnes faster vponupon thee. And because much of this folly is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants, let masters and fathers seeke seasonably to driue it out; fathers especially because they helped their children into it, must by Christian instruction, godly example, and the rodde of correction, labour to helpe them out, and thus do their best to make their children a part of a mends. Zuinglius calleth this corruption the disease of nature. And herein it fitly resembleth the diseases of the bodie,Morbus & languor naturae. the which the longer they continue the more incurable they are; and if they be let go too long they bring certaine death: and therefore let parents and masters (many of whom are carefull inough to preuent and seeke out for helpe against the diseases which threaten the bodily death of their children and seruants) take vp some care to remooue that euerlasting death which this euill threatneth, and will certainely bring if in due season it be not repressed. Teach thy child, and traine him in the Scriptures from a child: teach thy seruant the trade of Christianitie and godlinesse, for thou art no lesse bound to deliuer him the principles of this calling as the particular to which he is bound: vse good meanes to get them the light of knowledge, opposed against this blindnesse of mind: worke vponupon their wills to breake them from the follies and vanities of youth, opposed to this rebellion of will: bring them at least to outward conformitie in their conuersation, opposed to this generall deprauation of manners: these things they will not forget in their age, or if they do, the perill is their own, thou hast done thy duty, one thing remember, thy seruants, thy children are all poysoned, and hauehave need of some present antidote.
Verse 4. But when the bountifulnesse, and louelove of God our Sauiour towards man appeared,
5. Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done, but according to his merciemercy he saued vsus, by the washing of the new birth, and renewing of the holy Ghost,
6. Which hee shed on vsus abundantly, through Iesus Christ our Sauiour,
7. That we beeing iustified, &c.
Our Apostle hauing so largely described the miserable condition of man in his naturalls, whose whole temper we hauehave seene to be such as carieth him to all rough and gracelesse courses: he now setteth by it a liuely description of a new condition, vntounto which those who are good in Gods sight are called: and this he doth in these foure verses, in this order. First, by the principall efficient cause of it, which is the bountifulnesse and louelove of God: fitly opposed to that hardnesse and vnmercifulnesse of men, which was the ground of feircenes in their speaches and behauiours: God was not so feirce against man, but when we were in that miserable condition: as he is the fountaine of all goodnes in himselfe; so his gentlenes and philanthropie streamed out; and the glorious beames of his grace shined out vponupon vsus through his Christ, ver. 4. Now this principall efficient is illustrated, 1. by the time, when. 2. by remoouing the contrarie things, which whatsoeuer they may seeme, are so farre from beeing causes, as they are rather diametrally opposed; namely the workes of righteousnesse which we had done, that is, the verie best and floure of our workes, which indeed had no righteousnesse; here was no such thing concurring to the helping of vsus into this estate, but his meere merciemercy saued vsus: which assertion of Gods free merciemercy is inserted and repeated againe, to take downe the arrogancie of some presumptuous spirits in those dayes. This he doth in the former part of the 5. verse.
Secondly, by the instrumentall or ministeriall efficient cause, which helpeth vsus into this change, and new condition; and this may be conceiued either proper, and that is the renewing of the holy Ghost: or typicall and sacramentall, and that is the lauer of regeneration. By which some vnderstand Baptisme in a larger sence, including all the gifts necessarie to saluation; as it is taken, Ioh. 3.5. and 1. Pet. 1.3. because the verse following casteth eye to such places of the old Testament, which speake not of the effusion of sacramentall water, but of the plentifull powring out of such graces of the spirit, as were prophecied to be in abundance conferred to the Church of the new Testament: as Ezech. 36. I will powre out cleane waters: Ioel. 2. I will powre out of my spirit, that is, the waters of grace vntounto a new life. But I will not leaue the high way, where I may (as I take it) more conueniently goe in it. I will speak of this lauer of regeneration, in the stricter sence, taking it for the sacrament of Baptisme: for so I shall not confound things which the text seemeth plainely to distinguish; the whole former sence beeing expressed in those words, and the renewing of the holy Ghost; as after in prosecuting them we shall see.
Thirdly, this new condition is amplified by the finall cause of it, and this ende is twofold: 1. nearer hand, namely our present iustification, That by his grace we beeing iustified, that is, accounted righteous; 2. more remote and further off, but annexed, and inseperably tyed vntounto the former, namely our future glorification, when we shall be manifested to be heyres of life eternall; which yet is not so farre off vsus, but that we hauehave sure hold of it by hope. So as the whole carriage and meaning of these 4. verses, seemeth to be this.
Howsoeuer formerly we were in our old estate, lost in wandring and vagrant courses, yet after that the most free louelove and good will of God our Sauiour (whose sole merciemercy alone mooued him in his sonne to embrace vsus) through the preaching of the Gospel, did more clearely shine out; then not of any workes of righteousnesse which we had done, for what could we then doe? but of his meere merciemercy he saued vsus: and to this purpose he powred vponupon vsus his holy spirit to the renewing of vsus, and the purging of our consciences from all the impuritie of them: of which inward purging that lauer of Baptisme is a signe and representation, wherein he doth not sparingly and drop by drop, besprinkle our consciences with those pure waters, but abundantly and with a liberall hand sheddeth them, and powreth them ou… vponupon our soules, through Christ our Sauiour. All which our good God hath done for vsus, that we might obtaine righteousnesse, and all spirituall graces attending it; and so might be led to the fruition of that glorie which he hath alreadie put in our hands by faith and hope, which shall not make vsus ashamed.
In the principall efficient, we are to speake of three things in order. 1. of this louelove, and bountifulnesse of God, which is the positiue cause of our saluation. 2. The time when it appeared vntounto vsus, But when the bountifulnesse and louelove of God towards man. 3. The remoouall of a supposed cause, not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done, but by his merciemercy he saued vsus.
In the first we must first distinguish these two words, bountifulnesse, and louelove of God towards man.foreign The former noteth rather that natiue nesse which is in, or rather which is his owne nature, who is goodnesse it selfe, and readie to be implied to the good of the creature. The latter a communicated and participated goodnesse vntounto others,foreign. as a streame issuing from the former fountaine; for it is said to be such a goodnesse as hath appeared. And whereas the goodnesse of God shineth out in and to all his creatures, not only in creating them all verie good, but in the daily ordering and preseruing of them; this is not such a generall goodnes, but more speciall and peculiar to mankind, which he loueth better then all the workes of his hands besides, as creating him in his owne image, and giuing him Lordship ouer the rest of the creatures; and hence he delighteth in the title,He calleth himselfe foreign, not foreign, or foreign. and stileth himselfe from his louelove to man, and not from his louelove to the Angels, or any other creature. And yet this louelove of God must be brought a little lower, if we would settle it on his right obiect: for it is not generall nor absolute, but respectiue and hauing reference vntounto Christ, as the verse implieth: in whom it freeth from the miserie mentioned in the former verse, and accepteth vntounto that especiall merciemercy mentioned in the next. In a word, here is a greater and more glorious louelove then was seene in the creation and preseruation of all things in the world: here is a louelove electing, redeeming, regenerating, and glorifying miserable men; a louelove aduancing our humane nature in his sonne, who tooke not the seed of Angels but of Abraham; a louelove which hateth worldly Esaus in comparison of his Iacob, whom he calleth out of the world; not by the outward sound of the Gospel only, but by the effectuall call of his spirit in their hearts; whom he loueth not as creatures but new creatures, liker vntounto himselfe then all the other, by a restored and renewed image: and for whom he hath reserued more louelove in heauen when they shall become yet liker vntounto him in all holines in the holy of holyes.
How God can be so good to man, seeing so many vessells are prepared to destruction.Quest. But how can such louelove of man be ascribed vntounto God, seeing that so many vessels are prepared to destruction, and so many millions are hated before they hauehave euer done good or euil: and secondly, of those that are dearest vntounto him, many yea the most are so afflicted and distressed that they scarce see any good day: can this stand with such a bountifull louelove? Answ. First, the goodnes of God must stand with his wisedom, which affoardeth not the same degree of goodnes to euerie one: it is not against the goodnes of a potter to make ignoble vessels to dishonour as well as to honour, seeing the former hauehave also their good vses. How could the goodnesse of a father appeare, if he should set vp hogs, and dogs at his table as well as his children? as the Lord is good, so he is wise to be so good to each in their degree as may make for his owne honour and advantage. 2. This goodnes and louelove of God must stand with his iustice also as well as his merciemercy. Hence the Apostle would hauehave vsus to cast our eye on two things at once in God, when we would be satisfied in this point. The goodnesse and the seueritie of God:Rom. 11.22. for this goodnesse cannot suffer euill and sinne in the impenitent vnreuenged: it cannot suffer the good and bad to be alwaies mingled together, no more then the good husbandmen can alwaies suffer the wheat and chaffe on the same floore. 3. This louelove and goodnesse is more seene and shining in sauing one soule by his Christ, then his seueritie in the deserued death of al the vngodly; the former beeing meere merciemercy, the latter due desert. Secondly, he correcteth indeede his children often sharpely, but the ground is good, euen this louelove and goodnes. 2. the manner and measure is good, with rods of men, and not aboue their strength. 3. the ende is good to drawe them nearer vntounto himselfe. Doth a father loose his louelove when he correcteth his sonne whom he tenderly loueth? was Christ hated when he was on the crosse or in the graue? so when the adopted sonnes are conformed to the naturall, they are not lesse but more loued, in that they are not suffered to runne with the world, that so they may not be condemned with the world.
Vse. 1. This goodnesse of God is a singular consolation to such as are his. It will not suffer them to want any good thing that is good for them, but it will most certenly and seasonably communicate it: it hath giuen the sonne, and how can it but with him giuegive all things? remission of sinnes, peace of conscience, wealth, length of dayes, grace and glorie. Is the fountaine in thy fathers grounds? then maist thou looke to drinke to sacietie of eueryevery good thing: shall any good thing be wanting to him that feareth the Lord: no surely, for his goodnes is entailed vntounto them, by promise, by oath, yea by season and possession. But looke well to the purity of thy heart, seeing God is good especially to the pure of heart.Psal. 73.1.
Secondly, we are taught hence sundrie dutyes. 1. In the want of any good thing, in confidence & affiance of our hearts to flie to this fountaine of goodnes: it is a liuing fountaine that knoweth not the yeares of drought; here faithfully aske it, hopefully expect it, and in longer delaies or denials onelyonly know it is a wise louelove of a father, who neither giueth his child hurtfull things, nor yet any store of good things, till he know how to vse them. 2. In the receiuing or enioying of any good thing, the praise and glory must be returned to this wel head, which is the sea from which all the riuers of goodnesse flowe, and to which they ought to refl…we: as eueryevery fauour then commeth from the Father of lights, so let it lead vsus vntounto him againe. 3. To admire and speake often of this goodnesse of our God, and say with the Church, who is a God like vntounto thee: Mich. 7.….for he not onelyonly is pleased to take away iniquitie and passe by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage; but to walke friendly and familiarly with men: not onelyonly the worthies of the former world; such as Enoch, who walked with God: Moses with whome he talked face to face as a man with his friend: Abraham with whom he imparted his secret counsels: Iacob with whom he wrastled familiarly: but euen vntounto our selues, whome he hath pleased not onelyonly to admit vntounto eternall saluation in his sonne, but hath in the meane time reuealed vntounto vsus his secret thoughts; sent out his spirit to accompanie, comfort, quicken, raise, and enlighten vsus, and his word to rule and direct vsus, and in the ministerie of it euen striueth with vsus, that he may leaue vsus a blessing behind him. It was his great familiaritie that he should shewe Moses the land of Canaan before his death: but he hath shewed vsus a farre off, that euerlasting rest and receptacle of all the Israel of God. And Paul himselfe was not more beholding to this goodnesse, when he was taken vp into the third heauen, then we are in hauing so many high mysteries reuealed vntounto vsus, and so many great things put into our hands by faith and hope, which we cannot vtter with our tongues, nor yet with our hearts conceiue: and shall our hearts be barren in the meditation, and our mouthes mute and dumbe at such a goodnes as this is? 4. To imitate this goodnesse of God, whose nature and image we must put on daily: we must grow better by it, we must be led to louelove him more for his goodnesse; and a shame it were that this bountifulnesse of God should not lead vsus vntounto repentance. Besides, none are partakers of it, but such as being borrowers become seruants vntounto the lender: for although the Lord be boundlesse in all bountifulnes, yet is he not so regardles in conferring it, as that he looketh not for answer of louelove for louelove; and if he be kinde to the vnkind what is it else, but the heaping of coales on the heads of those who are in fitting to destruction: for any man then thus to reason, God is full of goodnesse, and abundant in merciemercy, and therefore I will doe as I list; it is the abusing of his patience, and the treasuring of wrath against the day of wrath. Let such knowe, that as with the vpright he will be vpright, to bring on them all his promised goodnes, so with the froward he wil deale as frowardly: and that there is not a more seuere plague abiding the reprobate, then to hauehave all the goodnesse of God turned to his euill and hurt by his owne sinne; to whome let merciemercy be shewed, yet in the land of vprightnesse hee will do wickedly: let the Gospel be preached, it is the sauour of death, 2. Cor. 2.15.yea let Christ himselfe be offered, the greatest gift of louelove that euer was giuen, hee will be but a rocke of offence and a stone to stumble at. 5. In regard of others we must learne to communicate our goodnes euen to the helping and winning of them that as yet are not called; so also must this bountifulnesse of our Master, withhold vsus from taking our fellow seruants by the throate; for hauing beene forgiuen ten thousand talents, we may well forgiue an hundred pence. Thus shall we manifest our selues to be the children of our heauenly father, by resembling that goodnes of his which worketh in the winning and sauing of sinners; and in shewing merciemercy, and remitting of manifold debts.
The second point in the efficient of our saluation, noteth the time when God saued vsus, namely, when his bountifulnesse, and louelove appeared, and shined out in the Gospel; then came this blessed saluation vntounto vsus, when God the inexhaust fountaine of all goodnesse by the tidings of the Gospell, shewed that he was become our friend in Iesus Christ: when this cleare sunneshine and dayspring began to shine in our hearts, then beganne our saluation.
Doctr. 1.Then are we saued when we are sanctified. Then are we saued when we are sanctified and changed by the word and spirit: for as no sooner are we in the first Adam, but we are in the state of damnation, so no sooner are we in the second Adam, but we are in the state of saluation. The Scriptures are plaine to this purpose, Rom. 1.17. The righteousnes of faith is revealed by the Gospel, and by this faith the iust man liueth: which place hath relation as well vntounto the life eternall, at this temporarie: 1. Cor. 2.9, 10. The great things which eye hath not seene, &c. the spirit reuealeth vntounto vsus: yea more, the spirit maketh vsus knowe the things that are giuen vsus of God. Now what be these things that are giuen vsus, but grace, iustification, and saluation, reached out vntounto vsus in the ministerie of the Gospel, and receiued of vsus by faith and hope, the which also are wrought and confirmed by the same meanes. But more expresse is the Apostle Iohn, wee are now the sonnes of God: and, Eph. 2.7. by grace ye are saued through faith: and,1. Ioh. 3.2. Ioh. 10. I giuegive to them life eternall, he saith not, I will giuegive, but noteth a continued act begun in the present. The euidence of this truth appeareth also in the contrarie: for if the wicked be condemned alreadie, as the Scriptures affirme, namely, both in the counsel of God, and 2. the word of God which pronounceth the sentence,Ioh. 3.18. 3. their owne consciences which speake bitter things against them, 4. present execution of inward and outward plagues which are the beginnings of hell: then it will not be hard to conceiue that on the contrary the beleeuers are saued alreadie, and passed from death vntounto life, both in the counsell of God, and in the Gospel, which pronounceth the sentence of absolution, in their owne consciences, which hauehave peace with God through Iesus Christ; and in respect of the beginning… of life eternall, which make them happy men while they are yet euen absent from the Lord.
Obiect. If it be here said, that we cannot be said to be saued, so long as we carrie this flesh about with vsus, subiected and tending to death and corruption, yea subiect to become an instrument of sinne: and besides, those phrases of the Apostle, that we are now saued by faith, and by hope, seeme to denie our present saluation, seeing neither of them are of things present, but both of things not seene, and both in the fruition of saluation must cease.Saluation considered two waies. Answ. We must consider our saluation two waies. First, in Christ our head, in whom we hauehave not attained one or moe parts, but full saluation. Secondly, as it is in our selues his members, and this in two degrees. The former, as it is only inchoate and begun, which is, when beeing regenerate and adopted into the number of the sonnes of God, we hauehave attained in Christ remission of sinne, freedom from the seruitude of sinne, and Satan, and deliuerance from the curse and condemnation of it: so as although sinne as a poyson will be in our flesh so long as we are in the flesh, yet is there no condemnation for it to those that are in Christ: neither is there a raigne of it vntounto death, but a …alking after the spirit; and as for the reliques of sinne which are left in their mortall bodies, they are not deadly, no nor the last enemie that shall be destroied their death it selfe. Now in this first regard we are not as we were before, the sonnes of wrath, but truely and properly may be said to be iust, reconciled, heyres of grace, and saued from wrath. The latter degree, is the perfect consummation and finall accomplishment of our saluation: which is nothing else but a putting off of death and corruption, and the putting on of full glorie of bodie and soule. Now we may not conceiue this another saluation in kind then the former; but another degree of the same, which as certainely shall follow the former, as the former is certainely begunne. And thus are we saued by hope, not that by our hope we expect another saluation then that which now in Christ we hauehave in our hands; but for that we certainly waite for a further and more full degree of that we hauehave. A man that lyeth sicke of a desperate disease is restored and recouered by two degrees: the former, when the force of his disease is by the skilfull application of physicke broken, the humors purged, a temperature in part procured: now the disease is not deadly, hee beginneth to eate, to drinke, to sleepe, to walke; here if we say the partie is recouered and safe, we speake truth; although he be not attained to the second degree which is a perfect recouerie of all parts to former soundnesse; which shall certainely follow the former, because it is not another recouerie, but a further degree of soundnesse, the principles of which he hath alreadie attained and is in possession of: euen so is our case, God looking vponupon vsus in his Christ, accepteth vsus as perfectly saued, our selues are freed from the imputation and damnation of sinne, and so perfectly iustified; our reliques of sinne by the spirit of God, are daily mortified, and so our selues in good measure sanctified:Alia est depositio pecca…i. quae donatur ex parte. Alia mortalitatis quae speratur. it must needes be granted that our saluation is in our hands, and that sinne, death, hell, and the graue cannot hinder vsus from the highest degree of it: nay rather we must certainely expect death, the graue, and the iudgement day, to set vsus in full fruition of our perfect glorie.
Vse. 1. Whosoeuer would be saued hereafter, must be saued here: a Saint hereafter, a Saint here: the gate of heauen is here below,None saued hereafter who are not saued here. and the suburbs of that great citie into which the iust doe enter. Christ is the doore, by him we must enter into the paradise of God. Laie hold on him with his merits by the beleefe of thy soule, thou hast gotten saluation alreadie; and in not beleeuing in him, thou art condemned alreadie. Fearefull is the estate of men, that neuer acquaint themselues with saluation before the end of their daies; and then they will be other men, and dreame of another condition. But Saints in heauen, must be the same men they are vponupon earth, and change not their condition but onelyonly in obtaining a further degree of grace, glorie, holinesse, life, and happinesse which they had beginnings of euen in this life; they purchased heauen while they were vponupon earth, treasured in heauen while they wandred in the earth, conuersed in heauen while they liued vponupon the face of the earth. Alas, how few are acquainted with such a life as this, which is the beginning of all happinesse and saluation? We call men to forsake the world in affection, as the Saints in heauen hauehave actually done; to flie the corruptions that are in the world through lust, as they hauehave put off all corruptions and sinnefull lusts: to hauehave no fellowship with the vngodly ones of the world, no more then they whose sole conuerse is with God and his Saints. But how knocke we (as they say) at deafe mens doores: the most hauehave no portion, no treasure but below, and therefore their hearts must be below where their treasure is. As for the auoiding of sinne, whereby as the elect of God, they might shine in vnblameable and vndefiled conuersation, and so reprooue the darknesse of this euill world; they say they cannot be Saints here where all men are sinners, and because they cannot be so, their lusts are let loose and are at all manner of libertie. As for the societie of the vngodly, they must goe out of the world if they would auoid it: it is inough if in heauen after the finall separation, they hauehave nothing to doe with them; but while they are in earth mixed with them, they settle themselues to runne with them into all riot and excesse of wickednesse. Is this now a beginning of the kingdome of heauen? or is it not rather a course that tendeth to nothing else but destruction. And as we call men from earth, earthly courses, and companie; so also we call them vntounto the beginnings of fellowship with God, with the Saints of God, to a perpetuall Sabboath or rest from sinne, and a constant and cheerefull performing before him all the parts of his worship and seruice both publike and priuate: because in the perfection of these, consisteth the heauenly life of the Saints. But how vnwelcome is our counsell? it seemeth to seeke their torment before their time. How many be there that cannot abide the least shew of heauenly life in themselues? how many scorne it in others? and how many who thinke it more necessarie then vtterly to neglect it, yet are content to cast the care of it into their last accounts, as if they were loth to be saued before they be dead, or as if they would leape into the perfect libertie of the sonnes of God at one iumpe? But let it be well remembred, that he that is not saued before death, shall neuer be saued after death; and that he that findeth not heauen vponupon earth, looseth it for euer. The Apostle maketh two degrees of the vision of God: the former is as in a mirror, or glasse, and that is here vponupon earth, in the word, Sacraments, and meanes of his worshippe; the latter is face to face, in heauen when the kingdome in regard of these meanes shall be giuen vp to the Father: and concludeth, that we must knowe in part, before we can come to knowe as we are knowne.