The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. 1. Of Iuſtice and Mercy conioyned. 2. And of ſuch their acceptation for the vſe of Pietie.
AS we often find thoſe two words (Iuſtice and Mercy, diſioyned & ſet a part: ſo alſo wee finde them often conioyned: the which (after the firſt ſight) ſhould ſeeme,Hoſ. 10 12 that the former ſignifie the thing required of man: the latter the reward or benefite that man is to expect thereof:Iſay. 55. as elſewhere it is ſaid: Let the vnrighteous man forſake his owne waies: ſo ſhall the Lord be mercifull vntounto him: ſo the Lord ſhould heere ſay by his Prophet: Sowe to your ſelues for Righteouſnes: and then ſhall ye reape according to the meaſure of mercy. Howbeit, although I will not vtterly impugne that ſenſe: yet (conſenting with the beſt) it is certaine, that the Prophet (as well here as elſe-where) inviteth the Lords people not onelyonly to the former, but alſo to the latter, in both the which conioyned, and enioyned to man, conſiſteth Omnis ſumma Chriſtiana Diſciplinae & Religionis: the ſumme of all Chriſtian diſcipline and Religion.
Now therfore, we may firſt gather & conſider of the moſt pregnant teſtimonies; then of the examples in practiſe; & thirdly, the ſignification of the words ſo conioyned: as which beeing knowen, we may the better vnderſtand & obſerue the true meaning of the Prophet, and the Diuine will in this his exhortation.Iuſtice and MercieMercy. Iſay. 57.1. The Prophet Iſaiah conioyneth the words thus: The righteous man periſheth, and no man regardeth it in his heart. The men of Mercy are taken away, Pro. 21.21and no man conſidereth it. Salomon hath this combination: Who ſo loueth Righteouſneſſe and MercieMercy, findeth Life, Righteouſneſſe, and Honour. Daniel in his good Counſaile to Nebucadnezar, Dan. 4.27.maketh this conjunction, Breake off thy ſinnes by Righteouſneſſe, and thine iniquities by MercieMercy to the poore. Micheas the Prophet in his Chaine lincketh them together thus: Hee hath ſhewed thee (ô man) what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee,Mich. 6. namely to doe Iuſtice, and to louelove MercieMercy. The like hath Zacharie, ſaying in the Name of the Lord: They ſhalbe my people,Zach. 8.8. and … wil be their God, in Righteouſnes and MercieMercy. To …e ſhort, Chriſt Ieſus in the newe Teſtament,Mat. 5. ha…ing pronounced them happie that hunger and …hirſt after Righteouſnes, by & by added: Bleſſed …e the Mercifull. In this, and many other places, wee finde not onelyonly the apte coniunction & commendation of thoſe two vertues ſo placed: but …lſo the glorious rewarde of the ſame annexed …hereto, as that which orderly followeth the peer…eſſe plough of Pietie in the true vſe.
And truely, as wee hauehave found for the former,2 Examples of practiſe. …s Iuſtice and MercieMercy diſioyned and ſet apart, & for …ither of them (beſides the teſtimonies) many no…able exāples of practiſe, ſo alſo hauehave wee for thoſe …oth conioyned, as wherin the Saints of yore de…laring themſelues (as the children of the higheſt) Righteous & Mercifull,Heb. 11. hauehave in their times bene wel reported of (as the Apoſtle ſaith writing to the Hebrews) & left behind them, not only a perpetuall memory of their Pietie, but alſo the like inſtru…tion and example thereof to all others in poſteri…ie, who ſeeing and conſidering well of thoſe ver…ues & holie perfection, might be thereby occaſioned to follow them therein to the high praiſe of God, & their owne ſoules health.Gen 6. It is therefore …eported of Noah, that hee was not onelyonly a righ…eous man, but alſo that he was perfect & walked wt God: Abraham being a righteous man,Gen. 18, declared himſelfe mercifull in his kindnes to the Sodomites, to Lot, Gen. 18.to the Angels, to Strangers, and in a word in many ſuch workes of Mercy.Iob. 1 8. Epoc. 32.3….32. The like may be eaſily found and approued in the holy man Iob: in Moſes the ſeruant of God: in Dauid the King in the noble Captaine Nehemias, Neh. 1.4. and 58.10 11.16.in good Tobiah: Tob 1. Luk. 1. Mat. 1.in the Prieſt Zachary, and his wife: In Symeon the… iuſt and godly man: in Ioſeph the husband of Mary: and (to paſſe by many others) beyond all, the Iuſtice of the Lord hath bene mixed with mercy, in the admirable redemption of mankind, in and by the meanes and merite of his ſonne Ieſus, in whom alſo theſe vertues, as in the image of the father, hauehave and doe euer ſhine, and declare themſelues to the glory of God, and eternall benefit of his elected Saints.
3 A double Iuſtice.Thirdly, finding theſe wordes with ſemblable examples thus conioyned and of ſuch affinitie, we may well perceiue how the Prophe… aymeth to that double Iuſtice required of man: that is, not onelyonly to that contained and commanded in the ſecond; but alſo in the firſt Tabie of the diuine law: by the which men might obſerue that word of Chriſt:Pelican. in Prou. 21. Gual. in Hoſ. 10. To make not onelyonly the fruite good: but firſt the Tree, and then the fruite, wherby the Tree is known and approued. For except the Tree be firſt good, there commeth thereof no good fruite. Whereby we ſee this matter likened to a Tree with her fruit. The Tree is our Iuſtice, *The Tree of Iuſtice.the fruite is our Mercy: in the former is reſpected Iuſtification: in the latter Sanctification: And this neceſſarily followeth the former, as the fruit, the Tree: if the Tree be good. Wherof I may ſay, that the former produceth Iuſtification, & the latter, Opera Iustficati, the works of the perſon iuſtified. For the former (which is the Tree, whereof merciemercy ſpringeth) it is doubtles that Righteouſnes of God,Iuſtice is approued. which being perfect & blameleſſe, holy, and ſound in it ſelfe, was yet neuer reprehended or reprooued by the wiſedome of God, nor iuſtlie condemned by the children of of mē: but hath bin, and is, & ſhal be (by …he …a rāt of holy Scripture) worthelie iuſtified, approued, and commended by God and his Saints, and not denyed, but rather acknowledged and confeſſed, euen by the verie Diuels and vngodlie perſons, though againſt their willes, by the conſtrainte of the ſpirite of trueth, to the glorie of God, and the conſolation of the godlie.
But Chriſt hath ſaid: Obiect. that the holy Ghoſt comming into the worlde, reproueth the worlde, not onelyonly of ſinne: but alſo of Righteouſnes, Iob. 16.8.9.becauſe they beleeue not in him. This indeede is true, neither may the word of Chriſt be thought to contrarie …he worde of the Prophet in this place: for wee muſt vnderſtand, that our Lord diſtinguiſheth of …he word Righteouſnes or Iustice: and as a learned …ather writeth, Niſi eſſet institia falſa; Iustitia Dei …on diceretur vera, were there not a falſe Iuſtice, the …uſtice of God ſhould not be called the true Iu…ice. But the Iuſtice of God is called (as it is indeede) the true Iuſtice: therfore there is ſome o…her Iuſtice, which is the falſe Iuſtice, and lyable to …hat reprehenſion of the holy Ghoſt, neither (as the caſe now ſtandeth) is there any Righteouſnes either naturall, morall, legall, phariſaicall, or politicall in man, which may be iuſtly exēpted from the ſame.No Iustice approued, but that which is of God, 1. Cor. 1.19. For the naturall Iuſtice was loſt in Adams fall: the morall, wanting faith, by mans concupiſcence is ſinfull: the legall, is abandoned by tranſgreſsion: the phariſaicall reprobated by hypocriſie: and the politicall is by lewd fooliſhne… oppoſed to the Iuſtice & wiſedome of God. The maine reaſon of this reprobation of mans iuſtice, is the want of ſaith, as Chriſt witneſſeth: (becauſe they beleeue not in mee) without the which whatſoeuer is done,Iob. 16.1… is condemned for a ſinne, ſeeme the ſame neuer ſo goodlie to the eyes and iudgement of men. But that wherto the Prophet Hoſeas exhorteth, is that Righteouſnes of God, and the true & perfect Iuſtice of the LORDS Elect,Hoſ. 10. after the which as from a cauſe, there followe for effects good Actions, good endeuors, good works, and an holie and ſounde life, in and by the which a man is iuſtified and commended before men, as hee is iuſtified and commended in the ſight of God by the former: The former is called Iustice: the latter is called Mercy. And as the former is taken for the cauſe,Calu. in Heſ. 10. the latter for the effect, or the one for the tree, the other for the fruite: ſo is this latter made the definition of the former, being indeede the very Symbole or ſigne, as whereby the Righteouſnes of God in Chriſt, by the which we are approued with him, is plainely expreſſed and ſet forth as elſewhere it is ſaid, that the obſeruation of the ſecond table of the law, plainly teſtifieth the true performance of the firſt Table. Therfore,Faith expreſſed by dec…es. Matt. …5. aſwel to teach & perſwade this vntounto the Saints, as to comfort & encourage them in their dutie therin, Chriſt remembreth and commendeth in them, rather the obſeruation of thoſe workes of the ſecond Table, then thoſe of the firſt; that is, their workes, before their faith, as that wherby indeed their true faith appeared: therefore he ſaith not, I was hungry, thirſty, naked, harborles, ſick and in priſon, and ye beleeued in mee: but he ſaid: I was thirsty, & ye gaue me drinke: naked, & ye cloathed me: harbourles, and ye lodged me: ſick, and ye viſited mee: in priſon, and ye came vntounto me. Thus he commended the work which expreſſed the faith: for, as a learned father wryteth (after the ſaying of Saint Iames) Pistis choris ergon necra, hos erga dicha piſteos. Gre. Naz. Eisto ha…ion baptiſma. Iam. ….18 Matt 5.Faith is dead without works, euen as the wo…ks are dead without faith. Therfore it was the counſaile of the ſame Apoſtle, that we ſhould declare our faith by our workes, alluding to that Commandement of the Lord: So let your light ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, &c.
In this cōſideration, let vsus remēber that (as I ſaid) the Prophet Hoſey commendeth to vsus a double Iuſtice, whereof, the one is before God, the other is towardes and before men.Ro. 3 2.24.8. 1. Cor: 1 30. Ia… 2.….2…. Of the former ſpake Paul: ſaying, wee are iuſtified by faith: and Chriſt is our righteouſnes. Of the latter ſpake Iames, wee be iuſtified by works, and Abraham was iuſtified by works. And as eyther of them (as the cauſe, the time, the perſons, and the occaſions required) hauehave duely attributed aſwell to faith, as to works,Faith and works. the due prerogatiue, and honor of both; ſo hauehave they taught and eſteemed not onelyonly the one, but both of thē neceſſarie in a godly man.
The firſt, which is the tree, or cauſe of the latter, is defined in the Newe Teſtament,Our Righteouſnes before God of two parts. to be our Reconciliation with God, by the means of Chriſt Ieſus our Mediator: Or, our Approbation with the Father, through the merite of the Sonne. Or, the free Remiſsion of ſinnes, obtayned by them which beleeue in God, and by the which, we who who are guilty, God pronoūceth iuſt, for the ſake of his Sonne. And this defintiion hath two generall partes: the one, is remiſsion of ſinnes: the other, is the imputation of Iuſtice: A remiſsion of our owne ſinnes: An imputation of the Iuſtice of another: wherin, there is a fit alluſion to the order and vſage of a gratious Prince, towards his guiltie Subiect, whom notwithſtanding his faulte, hee doth not onelyonly pardon for his offence: but alſo doth adorne with benefites. The ſinne is pardoned through him, by whoſe Iuſtice and merite we are approued and pronounced Righteous, & that is, not by any Angell, or man, or any other creature whatſoeuer (which were not onelyonly aſhamed, but alſo blemiſhed by mans ſinne) but only in, & by the holy Meſsias the Lord Ieſus, who (indeed) for that purpoſe came down from his Father, and died, and with his pretious blood payed the debt of our tranſgreſsion, and ſet vsus at libertie: yea, he beautified vsus with the glorious beautie of himſelfe. Of the former member of this our Iuſtice, wee hauehave a notable teſtimony of the Lord in Iſaiah: Iſa. 53.…1where he ſaith, My righteous Seruant (meaning Chriſt) ſhall iuſtifie the multitude with his wiſedome: and how? he tells, for he ſhall beare their ſinnes. And that approoueth the Apoſtle: where hee ſaith of Chriſt, that he bare our ſinnes in his body, 1. Pet: ….21.14.hanging on the tree, when there was no guile found in his mouth. To this belongeth that example of the Publican,Luke. 18. whom the Lord approued before the proud phariſie: for he prayed for pardon for his ſinne which he confeſſed, and that being granted, hee was ſaid to be iuſtified: for his ſinnes were not imputed, & therefore both after the Teſtimony of Dauid, and of Paul, he was bleſſed:Ro. 4.….8 Gal. 3.8. as bleſſed is that mā to whō the Lord imputeth not ſin. Of the latter member of this Iuſtice, the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaking, ſaith, that God imputed Righteouſnes to thē that beleeued: that is,1. Cor. 1.30. the Righteouſnes of Chriſt, to the faithful: & that he is made vntounto vsus of God, not onelyonly wiſedome, ſanctification and redemption: but alſo Righteouſnes: and in one other ſentence, he comprehendeth either member thus: Chriſt dyed for our ſinnes, Ro: 4.1….& hee roſe againe for our iuſtification: that is, he dyed to aboliſh ſinne, and roſe againe to worke our perfect Righteouſnes.
This is our Righteouſnes with the Lord,The order of our Iuſtification. to the which the former Iuſtice muſt be referred, & the order therof, in the merite of the Sonne of God, is as followeth. viz. Firſt, we conſider the eternall louelove of God to mankind in Ieſus Chriſt before all worlds: according to that ſaying: I loued thee with an euerlaſting louelove. Secondly, his diuine grace and fauour, wherby he powreth forth on vsus of his diuine bleſſings: as of whoſe fulnes, we all receiue grace vponupon grace. Thirdly, his MercieMercy, in drawing vsus vntounto him: as hee ſaith by the Prophet: By my merciemercy hauehave I drawen thee vntounto me. Fourthlie, the merite of Ieſus Chriſt, working & deſeruing it in the Iuſtice of his Father. Fiftlie, his perfect Righteouſnes, the which of that his louelove, grace, merciemercy, and merite extended vntounto vsus, Chriſt is made ours, and his graces and vertues eſteemed ours, in & by the which,Mans merite excluded. we are accepted (as is the Sonne or Mediator) Righteous and glorious before God. Thus farre forth we finde man to be vtterlie excluded, not onelyonly from all merite, but alſo from all action or meanes in himſelfe of this Iuſtice, and therfore hath hee no cauſe to boaſte, of that which is not found in or of himſelfe towardes his acceptation and Iuſtice before God. Moreouer, this Treaſure is not laid vp in the fraile nature of man;Where Iuſtice dwelleth. but in the ſtrong habitacle of the perſon of Chriſt, as both in his proper place, & there wher it findeth the greateſt preſeruation and ſafetie for our better benefit. For when Adam had that in his poſſeſsion,Pro. 3. after his free will, the ſubtle Serpent preuented him, & he was iuſtly depriued thereof in his ſin: As if the Lorde ſhould thus hauehave ſaid: I will from henceforth take on my ſelfe the protection of this high Treaſure, as where it ſhalbe full ſafe and ſurely defended from all danger of loſſe. And therfore (in…eed) when he came in the fleſh, although he were mightily tempted and aſſaulted by the Enemie of mans ſoule, he was not vanquiſhed or ouercome, …ut being moſt ſtrong, he vanquiſhed and ſubdu…d Satan and all his Angells to his power, as wher…f he ſaid: The Prince of the world commeth, Ioh: 22.3… & 14.30. & 16.14.and findeth nought in mee. Againe, Now is the iudgement of …his world, & the Prince of this world is cast out. Howbeit, the faithfull neuer want, nor are they denyed …he benefit of this treaſure, whenſoeuer they look vp vntounto him, and draw towards his Diuine Grace with their Faith, as the Eagles haſten vntounto their praye, in and by the which they finde peace and reſt vntounto their ſoules, howeſoeuer they be tempted, perſecuted, and afflicted in this miſerable world.
Loe: this is that former Iuſtice or Righteouſnes to the which the Prophet directeth vsus, when hee ſaith, Sow yee to yourſelues for Righteouſnes. Whereof wee hauehave ſpoken more largely in our*A book… ſo intituled Acolaſtos. Dialogu. 7. vv. and not vnworthy the reading of all true Chriſtians, with godly deliberation and like conſideration.