The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The Subiect or things required: and firſt of Righteouſneſſe.
THere be, who either not well vnderſtanding the word, or wedded to their owne affections, labour to abridge and reſtraine the ſcope thereof to three particular workes of Mercy, as namely, almes deeds, prayer, and faſting: in regard wherof,Rhem. Teſta. in mat. 6.1. they bluſh not to tranſl…te the word Almesdeede into Iuſtice: as, Take heede yee do not your Iuſtice before men. Others, apply it to iudicials, iudgements, and diſtributatiue Iuſtice, as if the Prophet aymed onelyonly to theſe things, and rather to that particular dutie which eueryevery man was to regard and performe in his owne perſon and place, as well towards the Lord, as towards all men. But ſounding the ground of the Hebrew veritie, we finde that the word is of an higher nature and a greater content. The word in the Hebrew is Tzed…cah, The ſignification of the word Iuſtice, or Righteouſneſſe.the which the Septuaginta hauehave tranſlated, Dicaiosune, the Latins, Iustitia, from whence wee hauehave the word Iuſtice or Righteouſneſſe: betweene the which two wordes wee neede not to place that difference, which our aduerſaries would compell vsus, who whiles they endeuour to attribute ſomewhat to the abilitie of mans nature in the demerite of ſaluation by his own Iuſtice, they aſſay to robbe Chriſt of his glorie, and declare themſelues rather heathen Philoſophers, then the Diſciples and followers of the King of Righteouſneſſe.
But howſoeuer be the acceptation of the word, the thing thereby ſignified hath bin of diuers men diuerſly defined: and although of the better ſort (both of the Philoſophers and of the Diuines) it hath not beene extended to an equall analogie of conſent in all parts: yet hath there not beene any great difference touching the foundation, nor hauehave they much erred from this generall ſcope that Iuſtice is not onelyonly that Vertue, A definition of Iuſtice.or habit of the minde which is moſt agreeable to nature, reaſon and maners: but that which (before all others, hath a certaine communion, or fellowſhip with God, in equalitie or likeneſſe. Pro. 22.Which definition is compounded of an vniuerſalitie, and a particularitie: The former comprehendeth thoſe diuine motions which are inſpired into mans mind by the holy Ghoſt: The latter thoſe particular duties required of man towards man.Phil. Melant. Clem. Alexand. To yeeld eueryevery one his due And this did that learned Philip take from Clement, where in after the ſentence of Symonides (the which Plato alſo receiued) there is found Vis tribuendi ſuum cuique: A vertue or power of yeelding to eueryevery one his owne.
Others reſtraine the word to that good affection or motion of the minde, whereby a man wiſheth that onelyonly to another,Do to another as thou wouldeſt he ſhould do to thee. which hee would gladly ſhould betide himſelfe: and againe, would not that any thing ſhould fall on any other, which he would ſhould not fall on himſelfe: the which (indeed) we grant a particular point of this vertue, but not that which comprehendeth it, except wee would conclude the whole within ſome certaine parts of the ſame. Therefore Lactantius approacheth neerer to the veritie: affirming Iuſtice to be that vertue which hath both Pietie and Equitie, Pietie and equitie.the firſt whereof reſpecteth the holy Religion and right GODS ſeruice; the ſecond, the honour and benefite of man.
Another allotteth vntounto Iuſtice, Equalitie, Equalitie.Medietie Medietie.and Stabilitie, Stabilitie.defining it to be a conſtant and perpetuall will, which giueth to eueryevery one his right: and it is called a will, for that the Art of Iuſtice is voluntarie, and not conſtrained: for then were it not a vertue.
Conſtant, to deſigne the ſtabilitie of the good purpoſe, 3. perpetuall, to declare the perſeuerance of the Action: and againe, this perpetual will is double, as firſt in the conſideration of the action of the iuſt perſons which laſteth for euer, as the wil of god, next of the part of the Obiect,Anſel. his definition of Iuſtice. Maiori reuerentiam, part concordiam, &c. which would euer in ſome ſort be doing ſomewhat. But Anſelmus maketh this more plaine, defining Iuſtice to bee that libertie of the minde which duly yeeldeth to eueryevery one his proper dignitie: As to an elder reuerence, to an equall concord, to an inferiour diſcipline; to God obedience, to thy ſelfe holines: to an enemie patience: to the needie the worke of merciemercy. For all theſe good fruits the Tree of Iuſtice yeeldeth, being (indeed) all,Obedientia ſecundum legem ſeu virtus congruentia cum tota lege: ſeu eum Deo. All vertues contained in Iuſtice. & ſo much as the law of God requireth. And therfore it hath bin alſo not amiſſe defined, An obedience according to the Law: or a vertue agreeable with the totall Law, or with God. In ſuch an acceptation the Philoſophers hauehave vnderunder this word vnderſtood all Vertues, yea, and the ſame which they call Vertue. Therefore as Chaeremon (after Theogius in his Elegies) ſaide, that Prudence contained in her all good things: ſo the famous Ariſtotle wrote of Iuſtice, that ſhee ſummarily comprehended all vertues. Ariſt. li. mor. Nico.The ſame hath Plato in his Dialogues, En dè dicaioſynem ſullábdén pas, aret, eſtin: and no doubt to this ſcope aymed the learned Latin Poet, when hee ſaide; Diſcite Iustitiam moniti, & non temuere Diuos, Virgil.howſoeuer the Commentor on Alciatus Emblemes hath conſtrained the ſignification thereof to the morall vertues.
To be briefe,The acceptation of the word Iuſtice in the holy Scriptures. howſoeuer the word hath beene or is taken, either for the Iuſtice of Nature, or of the Lawe, or of manners, or for any other particular vertue or habite, either priuate or publique, it is certaine that the word abſolutely placed in the holy Scriptures (eſpecially in the old Teſtament) noteth not only that diuine motiō which is agreeable with the lawe of God, which is enkindled of the ſpirit of God, by the which a man reſemble the image of God, in the which he was created: but the fear of God, obedience to the Lawe, holineſſe, integritie, honeſtie, goodneſſe, and grace: and therefore (as the Genus or generall voice of all vertues) it hath beene rightly oppoſed to the Hebrew Reſchayah, or Greek Adikia, that is Iniuſtice, the generall voice of all malice, tranſgreſsion, guiltineſſe, profanity, impiety, naughtineſſe, and vice.
Thus therefore the holy Pſalmiſt placeth thoſe two wordes oppoſite the one to the other; Thou (ſpeaking to God,Pſal. 45. loueſt Iuſtice or Righteouſneſſe, and hateſt Iniquitie or naughtineſſe. The ſame obſerueth Saloman, Iuſtice preſerueth the vpright: but Wickedneſſe ouerthroweth the ſinner. In which two places there is found a diuers acceptation, and reward, according to the diuerſitie of the perſons and their contrarie qualities: God loueth the one, hee hateth the other: the one he ſaueth, the other hee deſtroyeth: for thus being contrarie in nature and qualitie, they may not partake the like life and lot.
And as in thoſe two wordes, namely Iuſtice and Iniuſtice, or Righteouſneſſe and wickedneſſe, hath beene well obſerued the oddes and difference betweene all vertue & all vice: ſo by two other words of the ſame rootes, is ſet foorth the contrarietie betweene the perſons in whom thoſe contrarie qualities raigne and beare ſway: the firſt whereof hath the Hebrew Tzadic, expounded by the Greeke Dicaios, by the Latins Iuſtus, and by vsus tranſlated, A Iuſt, or Righteous perſon. Such as was Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, and Lot, and Zacharie, and Elizabeth, and Iames, and other like, who although as beeing men they were not free from originall guilt, were neuertheleſſe before manie others cloathed in the habite of vertue, accepted with the Lorde, approoued by an honeſt life before men, and ſet forth for examples of imitation, to the poſteritie. The ſecond word is Raſchay, and is tranſlated by the Apoſtle, Adocamos, that is, vniuſt, wicked, vnquiet, a troubler, a ſeditious and damned perſon. Such as was Cayne, and Nimrod, and Eſau, and Saul, & Iudas, and their like, whoſe iniquities and naughtie natures are depainted forth to be abandoned. And of this contrarietie, vnderunder thoſe two wordes, we hauehave many teſtimonies both in the old and new Teſtament. Abraham (ſpeaking to the Lord touching the ouerthrow of the wicked Sodomites, amongſt whom as yet inhabited righteous Lot) ſaide:Gen. 18.23. And wilt thou deſtroy the luſt with the vniuſt? the righteous with the wicked? And ſhall Catzadic Caraſchay the righteous be as the wicked? that be far from thee. Dauid alſo in the Pſalm, by the ſame words makes the like common difference betweene thoſe two contrary perſons and their liues, the which hauing deſcribed, thus concludeth: For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the vngodly ſhall periſh. Pſal. 1.6. Prou. 12. Verſ. 2.5.6 16.12.13 14.21 26. Eccle. 3.17.Salomon no leſſe then nine times in one Chapter of his Prouerbs, puts the like differēce vnderunder the ſame words, betweene thoſe vnlike perſons. And in his Preacher he ſaith: I ſaid in mine heart, God ſhall iudge the righteous and the vngodly. Finally, to thoſe two perſons, as to thoſe of a farre contrary conſtitution, nature, qualitie, and life, the Sonne of God, both applieth a farre contrary title, and alſo to either of them giueth a contrary reward: when to the one (that is the Righteous) hee ſaith, Come yee bleſſed of my father, receiue the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And to the other, (that is the wicked and vngodly) hee ſaith, Depart yee curſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the Diuel and his Angels. But hereof wee ſhall ſpeake ſomewhat more in the combination of thoſe two vertues, Iuſtice and Mercy, hereafter in place conuenient.
The holy man Iob ſpeaking of this Vertue, declareth what the ſame is, with the true vſe thereof in his owne perſon.Iob. 29.14. I put on Iuſtice and it couered mee, and iudgement was as a Roabe and Crowne. For the godly being cloathed in this habite, hauehave therein neither rent nor ſeame, beeing artificially wrought and compoſed of many golden threedes; as Faith, LoueLove, Charitie, Hope, Prudence, Chaſtitie, Diligence, Liberalitie, Mercy, Goodneſſe, and other like: the which in the Apocalips are called the pure raines of the Bride:Apo. 19.8 and interpreted in the Plurall number, the Iuſtifications of the Saints.
In regard hereof, Noah was witneſſed to be (Iſch tzadic tamim) A man righteous and perfect, Gen. 6.9.or righteous of perfections, that is, iuſt and mercifull: in the which ſenſe Chriſt calleth him a iuſt man, which is a man of mercies. The prophet Ezechiel Ezec. 18.5deſcribeth ſuch a man generally, in two points, that is, he forſaketh euill, & he doth that which is good: and then (ſoone after) he numbreth vp certaine particular vertues, alluding as to that of Dauid in the firſt and fifteene Pſalmes. And thus the wiſe Collectors of Salomons Eccleſiaſts, Gal. 12, 13.hauing declared his contempt of the ſtudies, deuiſes, and vanities of worldly men, reduced all his particular & ſundry precepts touching mans righteouſnes & perfection, vntounto two general heads: that is to ſay; Fear God, and keepe his commandements: the which (as they teſtifie) is the whole dutie of a man, as whereof hee is eſteemed iuſt.Noah was iuſt, and walked with God. Gen. 6. And this was notably expreſſed in that excellēt cōmendation which the holy Scriptures giuegive vntounto that righteous man Noah, before mentioned, who hauing the habite of vertues, walked with God: which is ſo much to ſay, as that he had conformed himſelfe, or applied himſelf in all things to the Lord: the which may be well gathered of the word Hithhalech, which being coniugated in the Hebrew Hithpael, hath a reciprocall ſignification, & noteth, that Noah dedicated, conſecrated, applied, and conformed himſelfe vntounto God: that is, in holines, righteouſnes, and perfections. Loe, thus we ſee what is ment by the word Iuſtice, or Righteouſneſſe.
Neuertheles, as one thing ought to be conſidered with another, that thereof wiſedome may bee had: wee muſt note,This is not wrought of mans abilitie: but by God. that yet there is no righteouſneſſe, no iuſtice, no vertue, no perfection, nor any meet conformity of man to the diuine image, that is either wrought or effected in man, of mans owne witte, wiſedome, ſtudie, induſterie, action or merite: for thereof is man vtterly depriued, ſeeing that eueryevery man is a lyar, a vaine thing, and being a ſinner, hath euer neede of the grace and mercy of God: but all the abilitie, wiſedome and ſufficiencie of man, and eueryevery good gift, commeth down from him that ſaith vntounto his people: I made thee that thou ſhouldeſt ſerue me; that is, God Almightie, to whom belongeth the kingdome, the power, and the glory for euer. For as the learned Doctor ſaith: In omni opere bono, non nos incipimus & poſtea dei omnia adiuvamur, Aug. in Pſal. 51.&c. In eueryevery good worke, wee our ſelues doe not firſt begin the ſame, and then afterward are aſsiſted by the mercy of God: but it is he, that firſt inſpireth both our faith and louelove toward… him, without any of our good deſerts preceeding. And ſeeing that this vertue (as it is ſaide) is a diuine motion inſpired into mans heart, I remember that Dauid praying to God for the ſame, did firſt deſire God,Pſal. 51.10. to Create a newe heart within him. As if he ſhuld ſay; That which muſt ſteed me in this matter, muſt come from aboue, neither is there any thing in mine heart already that can be made to ſerue in this buſineſſe, therfore it is needfull, not that my old heart be renewed, but that I hauehave another heart, not made or framed of the old, but created: to the which alſo (ô Lord) I beſeech thee to renew within me thy ſpirit, which I hauehave enioyed heretofore of thine eſpeciall louelove and fauour towards me. Therefore although the Lord both commandeth and commendeth the labour and diligence of man, as the meanes wherby he is willing to exhibite vsus his graces: yet doe all our labours and diligence nothing profit vsus therin, except there be both louelove and grace in the Giuer, that is, in God, who iuſtifieth and frameth mans heart to his Image and will, for the ſake of his ſonne. For this grace and mercy proceeding from that diuine louelove, doth euer preuent vsus, and go before our faith, our louelove, our vertues, our Iuſtice. Yea, this is the ſame whereby wee hauehave further engendred in our hearts, and made able to apprehend that Iuſtice, the which as a good Tree groweth and buddeth and beareth fruite: namely, all thoſe godly vertues, qualities, and actions which are required of that man whom the Lord hath iuſtified. And therefore in our iuſtification,Two things in our Iuſttification. there is not onelyonly the faith of the Belieuer, but alſo the grace of him that iuſtifieth. This meate our Sauiour when in his Doctrine he ſaide:Ioh. 15. Without mee ye can doe nothing: that is, yee cannot bring fourth any manner fruite, either healthfull or profitable, neither are yee able to doe any good work acceptable to the Lord, except ye belieue in me, and by your faith remaine in me. And hereof is it, that when Saint Paul ſpeaketh of mans iuſtification, being very warie that nothing thereof be yeelded to mans workes or merits, hee ſaith that we are iuſtified, ſometimes by grace, ſometimes by mercy, ſometimes by faith approaching grace: for it is moſt certaine (as Auguſtine ſaith againe) that the grace is of him that calleth; Ad Sympli. g. 2. vocantis eſt Gratia, &c. Grace and faith.and the good workes followe him which hath receiued that grace: neither yet are the workes ſuch as obtaine grace, but ſuch as proceede of grace. And this he maketh plaine by a notable Simbole or ſimilitude: For the fire (ſaith he) ſcaldeth not that it may be hoate: but therefore becauſe it is hoate: nor therefore runneth well the wheele that it may be round, but for that it is already round: So no man worketh well that hee may thereby receiue grace: but therefore hee worketh well becauſe hee hath already obtained it: for how can he liue iuſtly, which hath not bin iuſtified? how can he liue holily, who hath not bene ſanctified? So ſaid Auguſtin, alluding to the words of Chriſt: Firſt make the tree good, and then the fruit will be good: for a good man from the good treaſure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good: but on the other ſide, yee can not gather figges of thiſtles: the euill man from the euill treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is euill: and how can ye think, or ſpeake, or do well, when your ſelues are euill? By this wee ſee, that howſoeuer our aduerſaries would that our perfect iuſtice ſhould depend on our workes: that no worke (ſeeme it neuer ſo good before men) is a perfect worke of Iuſtice, except it be wrought by the perſon iuſtified. Whereof it was ſaide, that the very Prayers of the vngodly are turned into ſin: Neither may wee imagine,No good worke but that which followeth grace. that any work, endeuour, ſtudie, thought, or Action, is eyther acceptable to the lord, or profitable for mans ſoule, without this precedēt grace which proceedeth from the eternall louelove of God in his ſonne: the Which we may explane by a familiar example, (though taken frō an heathen Hiſtory) without iuſt offence. Valerius Maximus, Valer. Max. Lib. 2.among his examples of memorable deeds, maketh mention of one Liuius Torquatus Manlius, a noble Conſul of Rome, and of his Son … right valiant and couragious gentleman. This gentleman (ſaith he) being of a couragious mind, went forth with his men of Warre, & waged battaile againſt another Nation, his fathers enemie, but without his ſaid fathers leaue, fauor, or know…edge, and thereof got the victory, and a famous conqueſt in the iudgement of all men, who at his returne home praiſed his valiant exployt & noble action, with the higheſt applauſe, the which they all hoped would not onelyonly be confirmed, but alſo tripled by his moſt noble father. Howbeit, Torquatus contrary both to their hope, and his expectation, did not onelyonly preſētly vnfold his great diſlike of his ſon, who aduentured to goe forth without his will & conſent (and ſo in his diſgrace) but alſo al the action & great exploit of his aduenture, for he commanded him to be ſlaine for a ſacrifice. Satius iudicaus, patrem forti filio, quam patriam mili…ari diſciplina, carere: Iudging it better that a father wanted ſuch a valiant ſon, then that the country ſhould be depriued of her militarie diſcipline. In like maner, we ſhould beware, that we preſume not to get credit with the Lord by any worke that we ſhall endeuour to doe, without his grace & good wil preuenting vsus, or to thinke, that we can be righteous, holy & acceptable vntounto him, but that he firſt iuſtifie vsus in his ſon. And truly, beſides this memorable example, the very experiment of mens dealing (after the courſe of nature and reaſon) informeth vsus of thoſe things.
The order of Noahs approbatiō. Gen. 6.8.9But paſſing by them, let vsus againe returne to thoſe examples & Teſtimonies of the holy Scriptures, and therein, firſt conſider the method and order of the righteouſneſſe and approbation of holy Noah. It is reported of him: Firſt, that he found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Secondly, that he was a righteous man. Thirdly, that he was perfect. Fourthly, that he walked with God. In that he found grace, are two things obſerued: Firſt, that the Lord louing him, did fauour him: next, that hee gaue him faith wherby to finde and apprehend that diuine grace. In that hee is ſaide to be righteous, wee are taught that the Lord who had fauoured him, and graunted him faith, did alſo approue and enable him for his diuine ſeruice, whereof hee was not onelyonly eſteemed, but was indeed a righteous man. Thirdly, hee was clad in the full habite of vertues, whereof hee was perfect, and eſteemed as worthy to walk with God, as thoſe Saints which are eſteemed by grace worthy to ſtand before the Sonne of man. The like we finde in the holy father Abraham, who being firſt loued and graced of God, did by the diuine gifts of faith, apprehend that grace, by the which hee pleaſed the Lord God, in that which he did, anſwereable to that cōmandement of the Lord:Gen. 17.1 I am God all ſufficient, walke before me, and be thou perfect. This conſidered, the Apoſtle writing to the Hebrewes: Heb. 13.28Let vsus (ſaith he) retaine grace: to what end? that thereby we may ſerue God, to to pleaſe him with reuerence and feare. As if he ſhould adde: for without this grace, we may neither ſerue nor pleaſe God, as he requireth.
But on the other ſide we finde,The works of the Iewiſh Hypocrites. not onelyonly by the teſtimony of the Prophets; but alſo of the lord Ieſus himſelfe, that albeit the Iewes did many great workes, made mightie ſhewes of integritie and perfection, offred vp many Sacrifices and oblations, vſed much prayer, Almeſ-deedes, faſtings: and obſerued many ceremonies of the Law, and traditions of their Elders, with wonderfull deuotion: they were neuertheleſſe both blamed & condemned for Hypocrits, with this ſaying:Iſa. 1.11.12.14. Mat. 9. But Who hath required thoſe things at your handes? Goe yee, and learne what this meaneth: I will (hauehave mercy,) and not thoſe ſacrifices. For the Lord would that their harts ſhould firſt bee graced and conformed to his will, by faith, apprehending his grace, of and by the which, they might be iuſtified and well approued in his ſight. Therefore,1. Sam. 15 although King Saul gaue a glorious pretence to the honour of God, when hauing ſubdued Agag the Amalakite, he reſerued part of the ſpoile to be offred vp in a burnt Sacrifice to the Lord of heauen: yet becauſe his heart was not well qualified by grace going before, whereof hee might hauehave taken his approbation with the Lord, hee was not onelyonly nothing commended, but much blamed and threatned to bee caſt off from the kingdome of Iſrael. For had hee bene graced, he would hauehave belieued, and hauing belieued, he would hauehave obeyed; and in his obedience pleaſed the Lord, which offreth his grace, and would not that wee ſhould receiue the ſame in vaine.
Righteouſnes is the effect of Iuſtification.Theſe things well conſidered we find that righteouſnes or Iuſtice, is the very effect or fruit of that Iuſtification of man before God, of the which we ſhall hauehave occaſion to ſpeake hereafter. And thus hauehave we ſeene, what it is which the Lord God requireth of vsus, and what we are to yeeld him vnderunder this word Iuſtice, or Righteouſneſſes. Neither may we doubt, but as thoſe perſons of vertue & prowes in all ages,Io. 12.26. hauehave bene thoughe worthie of honour among the children of men… the Lord will reward and crowne thoſe his graces and workes in vsus, as if they were not his, but ours: as not only the holy ſcriptures warrant vsus, but the exāples of his Saints and children remembred in the ſame for our conſolation, ſufficiently confirme. In regard wherof, they hauehave attributed to this noble Vertue manie princely prerogatiues: as that (among others) ſhe yeeldeth to her louers & followers, Honour, life, glory, ſecurity, goodnes, peace, quietnes, cōſtancy, boldnes, conſolation, proſperity, & the higheſt felicitie, through Ieſus the true king of righteouſnes.