Eighty Sermons, Candlemas · Sermon 8
SERMON VIII. Preached upon Candlemas Day.
MAT. 5.16.
Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven.
EIther of the names of this day, were Text enough for a Sermon, Purification, or Candlemas. Joyne we them together, and raiſe we only this one note from both, that all true purification is in the light; corner purity, clandeſtine purity, conventicle purity is not purity. Chriſt gave himſelf for us, Tit. 2.14.ſayes the Apoſtle, that he might purifie to himſelf a peculiar people. How ſhall this purification appeare? It follows; They ſhall be zealous of good works; They ſhall not wrangle about faith and works, but be actually zealous of goods works. For, purification was accompanied with an oblation, ſomething was to be given; A Lamb, a Dove,Levit. 12.6. a Turtle; All, emblemes of mildneſſe; true purity is milde, meek, humble, and to deſpiſe and undervalue others, is an inſeparable mark of falſe purity. The oblation of this dayes purification is light: ſo the day names it, Candlemas-day, ſo your cuſtome celebrates it, with many lights. Now, when God received lights into his Tabernacle, hee received none of Tallow, (the Oxe hath hornes) he received none of Waxe, (the Bee hath his ſting) but he received only lampes of oyle. And, though from many fruits and berries they preſſed oyle, yet God admitted no oyle into the ſervice of the Church, but only of the Olive; the Olive, the embleme of peace. Our purification is with an oblation, our oblation is light, our light is good works; our peace is rather to exhort you to them, then to inſtitute any ſolemne, or other then occaſionall compariſon between faith and them. Every good work hath faith for the roote; but every faith hath not good works for the fruit thereof. And it is obſervable, that in all this great Sermon of our Saviours in the Mount, (which poſſeſſeth this, and the two next Chapters) there is no mention of faith, by way of perſwaſion or exhortation thereunto, but the whole Sermon is ſpent upon good works. For, good works preſuppoſe faith;Mat. 6.30. and therefore he concludes that they had but little faith, becauſe they were ſo ſolicitous about the things of this world, O ye of little faith. And as Chriſt concludes an unſtedfaſtneſſe in their faith, out of their ſolicitude for this world, ſo may the world juſtly conclude an eſtabliſhment in their faith, if they ſee them exerciſe themſelves in the works of mercy, and ſo let their light ſhine before men, that they may ſee their good works, and glorifie their Father which is in heaven.
Theſe are words ſpoken by our Saviour to his Diſciples in the Mount;Diviſio. a treaſure depoſited in thoſe diſciples, but in thoſe diſciples, as depoſitaries for us; an Oracle uttered to thoſe diſciples, but through thoſe diſciples to us; Paradiſe convayed to thoſe diſciples, but to thoſe diſciples, as feoffees in truſt for us; to every one of us, in them (from him, that rides with his hundreds of Torches, to him that crawles with his ruſh-candle) our Saviour ſayes, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, &c. The words have two parts; ſo muſt our explication of them; firſt a precept, Sic luceat, (Let your light ſo ſhine before men) and then the reaſon, the purpoſe, the end, the effect, ut videant, (that men may ſee your good works, and &c.) From the firſt bough will divers branches ſpring, and divers from the other; all of good taſte and nouriſhment, if wee might ſtay to preſſe the fruits thereof. We cannot; yet, in the firſt we ſhall inſiſt a while upon each of theſe three; Firſt, the light it ſelf, what that is, Sic luceat lux, Let your light ſo ſhine; And then, ſecondly, what this propriety is, lux veſtra, (let your light ſhine, yours;) And laſtly what this emanation of this light upon others is, coram hominibus, (let your light ſhine before men.) The ſecond part, which is the reaſon, or the effect of this precept, ut videant, (that men may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven) abounds in particular conſiderations; and I ſhould weary you, if I ſhould make you ſtand all the while under ſo heavy a load, as to charge your memories with all thoſe particulars, ſo long before I come to handle them. Reſerving them therefore to their due time, anon, proceed we now to the three branches of our firſt part, firſt the light in it ſelf, then the propriety in us, laſtly, the emanation upon others, Let your light ſo ſhine before men.
Firſt,1 Part. Lux. John 1.9. for the light it ſelf, There is a light that lightneth every man that commeth into the world. And, even this univerſall light is Chriſt, ſayes S. Iohn, (He was that light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world.) And this univerſall enunciation, (He lightneth every man) moved S. Cyril to take this light for the light of nature, and naturall reaſon.John 1.3. Coloſ. 1.16. For even nature and naturall reaſon is from Chriſt. All things were made by him, ſayes S. Iohn, even nature it ſelf. And, By him, and for him, all things viſible, and inviſible were created, ſayes the Apoſtle. And therefore our latter men of the Reformation, are not to be blamed, who for the moſt part, purſuing S. Cyrils interpretation, interpret this univerſall light, that lightneth every man, to be the light of nature. Divers others of the Fathers take this univerſall light (becauſe Chriſt is ſaid to be this light) to be Baptiſme. For, in the primitive Church, as the Nativity of Chriſt was called the Epiphany, Manifeſtation, ſo Baptiſme was called Illumination. And ſo, Chriſt lightens every man that comes into the world, (that is, into the Chriſtian world) by that Sacrament of Illumination, Baptiſme. S. Auguſtine brought the expoſition of that univerſall propoſition into a narrow roome; That he enlightned all that came into the world, that is, all that were enlightned in the world, were enlightned by him; there was no other light; and ſo he makes this light to be the light of faith, and the light of effectuall grace, which all have not, but they that have, have it from Chriſt. Now which of theſe lights is intended in our Text, Let you light ſhine out? is it of the light of nature, at our comming into the world, or the light of Baptiſme, and that generall grace that accompanies all Gods Ordinances, at our comming into the Church, or the light of faith, and particular grace, ſealing our adoption, and ſpirituall filiation there? Properly, our light is none of theſe three; and yet it is truly, all; for our light is the light of good works; and that light proceeds from all the other three, and ſo is all thoſe, and then it goes beyond all three, and ſo is none of them. It proceeds from all; for, if we conſider the firſt light, the light of nature,Epheſ. 2.10. in our creation, We are (ſayes the Apoſtle) his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Ieſus unto good works. So that we were all made for that, for good works; even the naturall man, by that firſt light. Conſider it in the ſecond light, in baptiſme; there we dye in Chriſt, and are buried in Chriſt, and riſe in Chriſt, and in him we are new creatures, and with him we make a covenant in baptiſme, for holineſſe of life, which is the body of good works. Conſider the third, that of faith, and as every thing in nature is, ſo faith is perfected by working;Jam. 2.26. for, faith is dead, without breath, without ſpirit, if it be without workes. So, this light is in all thoſe lights; we are created, we are baptized, we are adopted for good works; and it is beyond them all, even that of faith; for, though faith have a preheminence, becauſe works grow out of it, and ſo faith (as the root) is firſt, yet works have the preheminence thus, both that they include faith in them, and that they dilate, and diffuſe, and ſpread themſelves more declaratorily, then faith doth. Therefore, as our Saviour ſaid to ſome that asked him,John 6.28. What ſhall we do that we might work the work of God? (you ſee their minde was upon works, ſomething they were ſure was to be done) This is the work of God, that ye beleeve in him whom he hath ſent, and ſo refers them to faith, ſo to another that asks him, What ſhall I do, that I may have eternall life? Mat. 19.16.(all goe upon that, that ſomething there muſt be done, works there muſt be) Chriſt ſayes, Keepe the Commandements, and ſo refers him to works. He hath ſhewed thee O man, what is good, Mic. 6.8.and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to ſhew mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? This then is the light that lighteth every man that goes out of the world, good works; for, their works follow them. Their works; they ſhall be theirs,Apoc. 14.13. even after their death; which is our ſecond branch in this firſt part, the propriety, lux veſtra, let your light ſhine.
I cannot alwaies call the works that I do, my works; for ſometimes God works them,Proprietas veſtra. Eſay 28.21. and ſometimes the devill: Sometimes God works his owne worke, The Lord will do his worke, his ſtrange worke, and bring to paſſe his act, his ſtrange act. Sometimes he works my works, Thou Lord haſt wrought all our workes in us. In us, and in all things elſe,Eſay 26.12. 1 Cor. 12.6. Epheſ. 1.11. Eſay 43.13. Rom. 7.15. Operatur omnia in omnibus, he worketh all in all. And all this in all theſe, Secundum conſilium voluntatis ſuae, After the counſaile of his owne will; for, I will worke, and who ſhall let it? But for all this his generall working, his enemy works in us too. That which I doe, I allow not, ſaies the Apoſtle; nay, I know it not; for, ſaies he, what I hate, that I doe. And, if I doe that I would not doe, it is no more I that doe it, but ſin that dwelleth in me. Yet,ver. 20. for all this diverſe, this contrary working, as S. Auguſtine ſayes of the faculty of the will, Nihil tam noſtrum, quam voluntas, there is nothing ſo much our owne, as our will before we worke,Auguſt. ſo there is nothing ſo much our owne, as our workes, after they are done. They ſtick to us, they cleave to us; whether as fomentations to nouriſh us, or as corraſives, to gnaw upon us, that lyes in the nature of the worke; but ours they are; and upon us our works work. Our good works are more ours, then our faith is ôurs. Our faith is ours as we have received it, our worke is ours, as we have done it. Faith is ours, as we are poſſeſſors of it, the work ours, as we are doers, actors in it. Faith is ours, as our goods are ours, works, as our children are ours. And therefore when the Prophet Habakkuk ſaies, Fide ſua, Hab. 2.4.The juſt ſhall live by his faith, that particle His, is a word of poſſeſſion, not a word of Acquiſition; That God hath infuſed that faith into him, and ſo it is his, not that he hath produced that faith in himſelfe. His faith muſt ſave him, his own, and not anothers, not his parents faith, though he be the ſon of holy parents, not the Churches faith, (if he be of yeares) though he be within the covenant, but his own perſonall faith; yet not his ſo, as that it grew in him, or was produced in him, by him, by any plantation,Rom. 1.17. Gal. 3.11. Heb. 10.36. or ſemination of his own. And therefore S. Paul in citing that place of Habakkuk (as he doth cite it three ſeverall times) in all thoſe places leaves out that particle of propriety; and acquiſition, his, and ſtill ſayes, The juſt ſhall live by faith, and he ſayes no more. And when our bleſſed Saviour ſayes to the woman with the bloody iſſue, Fides tua, Daughter, Mar. 5.34.thy faith hath made thee whole, it was ſaid then, when he had ſeen that woman come trembling and fall down at his feet; he ſaw outward declarations of her faith, he ſaw works. And ſo, in divers of thoſe places, where Chriſt repeats that, fides tua, thy faith, we finde it added, Ieſus videns fidem, Ieſus ſeeing their faith. With what eyes? he looked upon them with his humane eyes, not his divine; he ſaw not (that is, conſidered not at that time) their hearts, but their outward declarations, and proceeding as a good man would, out of their good works concludes faith. Velle & nolle noſtrum eſt, to aſſent or to diſ-aſſent is our own;Hieron. we may chooſe which we will doe; Ipſum que quod noſtrum eſt, ſine Dei miſeratione noſtrum non eſt; But though this faculty be ours, it is ours, but becauſe God hath imprinted it in us. So that ſtill to will, as well as to doe, to beleeve, as well as to work, is all from God; but yet they are from God in a diverſe manner, and a diverſe reſpect; and certainly our works are more ours then our faith is, and man concurres otherwiſe in the acting and perpetration of a good work, then he doth in the reception and admiſſion of faith. Sed quae non fecimus ipſi, ſayes the Poet; and he was Vates, a Prophet in ſaying ſo, Vix ea noſtra voco; nothing is ours, but that which we have done our ſelves; and all that is ours. And though Chriſt refer us often to beliefe, in this life, becauſe he would be ſure to plant, and faſten ſafely that which is the only true root of all, that is, faith, yet when he comes to Judgement, in the next life, all his proceeding is grounded upon workes, and he judges us by our fruits. So then, God gives us faith, immediatly from himſelfe, and out of that faith, he produces good works, inſtrumentally, by us, ſo, as that thoſe works are otherwiſe ours, then that faith is. And this the propriety, lux veſtra, let your light ſhine, which we propoſed for the ſecond branch in this firſt part, that God vouchſafes to afford us an intereſt, in the working of our ſalvation; And then our third branch is, the emanation of this light, from us, to others, Coram hominibus, let your light ſhine before men.
There was a particular Holy-day amongſt the heathen,Luceat, Emanatio. that bore the name of this day, Accenſio luminum, Candlemas day; A ſuperſtitious multiplying of Lamps, and Torches in Divine Service.Lactant. This ſuperſtition Lactantius reproves, elegantly, and bitterly. Num mentis ſuae compos putandus eſt? can we think that man in his wits, that offers to God, the Father, and Fountaine, the Author and Giver of all light, a Candle for an Oblation, for a Sacrifice, for a New-yeares gift? Solem contempletur, ſayes he; Let that man but conſider ſeriouſly the Sun, and he will ſee, that that God who could ſpare him ſo glorious a light as the Sun,Tertul. needs not his Candle. And therefore ſayes Tertullian, (reprehending the ſame ſuperſtition) Lucernis diem non infringimus, we doe not cut off, we doe not ſhorten our dayes, by ſetting up lights at noone, nor induce, nor force, nor make night before it comes.
I would not be underſtood to condemne all uſe of candles by day, in Divine Service, nor all Churches that have or doe uſe them; For, ſo, I might condemne even the Primitive Church, in her pure and innocent eſtate. And therefore, that which Lactantius, almoſt three hundred yeares after Chriſt, ſayes of thoſe Lights, and that which Tertullian, almoſt a hundred yeares before Lactantius, ſayes, in reprehenſion thereof, muſt neceſſarily be underſtood of the abuſe, and imitation of the Gentiles therein; for, that the thing it ſelfe, was in uſe, before eyther of their times, I thinke, admits little queſtion. About Lactantius time, fell the Eliberitan Councell; and then the uſe, and the abuſe was evident. For, in the thirty fourth Canon of that Councell, it is forbidden to ſet up Candles in the Church-yard: And, the reaſon that is added, declares the abuſe, Non ſunt enim inquietandi ſpiritus ſidelium, That the ſoules of the Saints departed ſhould not be troubled. Now the ſetting up of lights could not trouble them; but theſe lights were accompanied with ſuperſtitious Invocations, with magicall Incantations, and with howlings and ejulations, which they had learnt from the Gentiles, and with theſe, the ſoules of the dead, were, in thoſe times, thought to be affected, and diſquieted. It is in this Ceremony of lights, as it is in other Ceremonies: They may be good in their Inſtitution, and grow ill in their practiſe. So did many things, which the Chriſtian Church received from the Gentiles, in a harmleſſe innocency, degenerate after, into as peſtilent ſuperſtition there, as amongſt the Gentiles themſelves. For, ceremonies, which were received, but for the inſtruction, and edification of the weaker ſort of people, were made reall parts of the ſervice of God, and meritorious ſacrifices. To thoſe ceremonies, which were received as ſigna commonefacientia, helps to excite, and awaken devotion, was attributed an operation, and an effectuall power, even to the ceremony it ſelfe; and they were not practiſed, as they ſhould, ſignificativè, but effectivè, not as things which ſhould ſignifie to the people higher myſteries, but as things as powerfull, and effectuall in themſelves, as the greateſt Myſteries of all, the Sacraments themſelves. So lights were received in the Primitive Church, to ſignifie to the people, that God, the Father of lights, was otherwiſe preſent in that place, then in any other, and then, men came to offer lights by way of ſacrifice to God; And ſo, that which was providently intended for man, who indeed needed ſuch helps, was turned upon God, as though he were to be ſupplied by us. But what then? Becauſe things good in their inſtitution, may be depraved in their practiſe, Ergonè nihil ceremoniarum rudioribus dabitur, Calv. Inſtit. l. 4. c. 10. § 14.ad juvandam eorum imperitiam? Shall therefore the people be denyed all ceremonies, for the aſſiſtance of their weakneſſe? Id ego non dico; I ſay not ſo, ſayes he. Omnino illis utile eſſe ſentio hoc genus adminiculi; I think theſe kinds of helps to be very behoovefull for them; Tantum hîc contendo, all that I ſtrive for, is but Moderation; and that Moderation he places very diſcreetly in this, That theſe ceremonies may be few in number; That they may be eaſie for obſervation; That they may be clearely underſtood in their ſignification; wee muſt not therefore be haſty in condemning particular ceremonies: For, in ſo doing, in this ceremony of lights, we may condemne the Primitive Church, that did uſe them, and wee condemne a great and Noble part of the reformed Church, which doth uſe them at this day.
Theſe ſuperſtitious lights, are not the lights we call for here, ſic luceat, let your light ſhine out; but lux veſtra, your light, the light of good works; let that ſhine out. Truly, this carrying, and diffuſing of light to others is ſo bleſſed a thing, as that though Lucifer, (whoſe name ſignifies the carrying of light) be now an odious name, an infamous name, applyed onelyonly to the Devill, yet a great Biſhop in the Primitive Church abſtained not from that name, forbore not that name, Lucifer Talaritanus; that he might carry about him, in his name, a remembrancer, ferre lucem, to carry light to others, he was content with that name, Lucifer. God had made light the firſt day, and yet he made many lights after. One light of thine ſhines out in our eyes, thy profeſſion of Chriſt; let us ſee more lights, works worthy of that profeſſion. God calls the Sun, and the Moone too,Gen. 1.16. Great lights, becauſe though there be greater in the Firmament, they appeare greateſt to us; thoſe works of ours are greateſt in the ſight of God, that are greateſt in the ſight of men, that are moſt beneficiall, moſt exemplary, and conduce moſt to the promoving of others to glorifie God. To ſuch rich men, as produce no light at all,Auguſt. (no works) that of S. Anguſtine is appliable, cimices ſunt, they are as theſe wormes, or flies, the cimices, qui vivi mordent, mortui foetent, They bite, and ſuck a man, whilſt they live, and they ſtink peſtilently, and offend ſo, when they are dead. The actions of ſuch rich men are miſchievous whilſt they live, and their memory odious when they are dead. But all rich men are not ſuch, to be abſolutely without all light. But then they may have light, (a determined purpoſe to doe ſome good works) and yet this light not ſhine out. No man can more properly be ſaid to hide his light under a buſhell, (which becauſe Chriſt ſayes, (in the verſe before our Text) no man does, certainly no man ſhould doe) then he, who hath diſpoſed ſome part of his eſtate to pious uſes, but hides it in his will, and locks up that will in his cabinet; For, in this caſe, though there be light, yet it does not ſhine out. Your gold, and your ſilver is cankered, ſayes S. Iames, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſſe, James 5.3.and ſhall eate your fleſh, as it were fire. He does not ſay the gold and the ſilver it ſelf, as reproving the ill getting of it, but the ruſt, the hiding, the concealing thereof, ſhall be this witneſſe againſt thee, this executioner upon thee. That man dyes in an ill ſtate, of whoſe faith we have had no evidence, till, after his death, his executors meet, and open his Will, and then publiſh ſome Legacies to pious uſes: And we had no evidence before, if he had done no good before. For, ſhew me thy faith without thy works, James. 2.18ſayes the Apoſtle; and he propoſes it, as an impoſſible thing, impoſſible to ſhew it, impoſſible to have it. And therefore, as good works are our owne, ſo are they never ſo properly our owne, as when they are done with our owne hands; for this is the true ſhining of our light, the emanation from us, upon others. And ſo have you the three peeces, which conſtitute our firſt part, the precept, Let your light ſhine before men; The light it ſelfe, not the light of nature, nor of Baptiſme, nor of Adoption, but the light of good works; And then the Appropriation of this light, how theſe workes are ours, though the goodneſſe thereof be onelyonly from God; And laſtly the emanation of this light upon others; which cannot well be ſaid to be an emanation of our light, of light from us, except it be whilſt we are we, that is, alive. And ſo we paſſe to thoſe many particulars, which frame our ſecond part, the reaſon, and the end of this, That men may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven.
In this end, our beginning is, ut videant, that men may ſee it. The apparitions in old times, were evermore accompanied with lights; but they were private lights;2. Part. Vt videant. ſuch an old woman, or ſuch a child ſaw a light; but non videbant homines, it did not ſhine out, ſo that men might ſee this light. We have a ſtory delivered by a very pious man,Cantiprat. l. 1. c. 9. and of the truth whereof he ſeemes to be very well aſſured, that one Conradus a devout Prieſt, had ſuch an illuſtration, ſuch an irradiation, ſuch a coruſcation, ſuch a light at the tops of thoſe fingers, which he uſed in the conſecration of the Sacrament, as that by that light of his fingers ends, he could have reade in the night, as well as by ſo many Candles; But this was but a private light, & non viderunt homines, It did not ſhine out,Epiſt. 205. ad Cyrill: Jeroſolym. ſo that men might ſee it. Bleſſed S. Auguſtine reports, (if that Epiſtle be S. Auguſtines) that when himſelfe was writing to S. Hierome, to know his opinion of the meaſure and quality of the Joy, and Glory of Heaven, ſuddenly in his Chamber there appeared ineffabile lumen, ſayes he, an unſpeakable, an unexpreſſible light, noſtr is inviſum temporibus, ſuch a light as our times never ſaw, and out of that light iſſued this voyce, Hieronymi anima ſum, I am the ſoule of that Hierome to whom thou art writing, who this houre dyed at Bethlem, and am come from thence to thee, &c. But this was but a private light, and whatſoever S. Auguſtine ſaw, (who was not eaſily deceived, nor would deceive others) non videbant homines, this light did not ſhine ſo, as that men might ſee it. Here, in our Text, there is a light required that men may ſee. Thoſe lights of their apparitions we cannot ſee; There is a light of ours, which our adverſaries may ſee, and will not; which is truly the light of this Text, the light of good works. Though our zeale to good works ſhine out aſſiduouſly, day by day in our Sermons, and ſhine out powerfully in the Homilies of our Church, compoſed expreſly to that purpoſe, and ſhine out actually in our many ſumptuous buildings, and rich endowments, (in which works, we of this Kingdome, in this laſt Century, ſince the Reformation of Religion, have perhaps exceeded our Fathers, in any one hundred of yeares, whilſt they lived under the Romane perſwaſion) yet ſtill they cry out, we are enemies of this light, and abhorre good works. As I have heard them, in ſome obſcure places abroad, Preach, that here in England, we had not onelyonly no true Church, no true Prieſthood, no true Sacraments, but that we have no materiall Churches, no holy Convocations, no obſerving of Sundayes, or Holy dayes, no places to ſerve God in; ſo I have heard them Preach, that we doe not onelyonly not advance, but that we cry downe, and diſcredit, and diſſwade, and diſcountenance the doctrine of good works. It is enough to ſay to them, as the Angel ſaid to the Devill, Increpet te Dominus, The Lord rebuke thee. Iude 9.And the Lord does rebuke them, in enabling us to proceed in theſe pious works, which, with ſo notorious falſhood they deny; And we doe rebuke them,Heb. 10.24. the beſt and moſt powerfull way, in that, (as the Apoſtle ſayes) we conſider one another, (conſider the neceſſities of others) and provoke one another to love, and good workes.
But then, if this be Gods end in our good works, ut videant homines, that men may ſee them,Mat. 6.1. why is Chriſt ſo earneſt, in this very ſermon as to ſay, Take heed you do not your almes before men, to be ſeene of them? Is there no contradiction in theſe? far from it; The intent of both precepts together make up this doctrine, That we doe them not therefore, not to that end, that men may ſee them. So far we muſt come, that men muſt ſee them, but we muſt not reſt there; for, it is but Sic luceat, Let your light ſhine out ſo, it is not, let it ſhine out therefore; Our doing of good workes muſt have a farther end, then the knowledge of men, as we ſhall ſee, towards our end, anon.
Men muſt ſee them then,Opera. and ſee them to be workes, Vt videant opera, That they may ſee your works: which is a word that implies difficulty, and paine, and labour, and is accompanied with ſome loathneſſe, with ſome colluctation. Doe ſuch workes, for Gods ſake, as are hard for thee to doe. In ſuch a word does God deliver his Commandement of the Sabbath; not that word, which in that language ſignifies ordinary and eafie works, but ſervile and laborious workes, toyleſome and gainefull workes, thoſe workes thou maiſt not doe upon the Sabbath. But thoſe workes, in the vertue of the precept of this text, thou muſt doe in the ſight of men; thoſe that are hard for thee to doe. David would not conſecrate nor offer unto God,2. Sam. 24.24. that which coſt him nothing; firſt he would buy Araunahs threſhing floare at a valuable price, and then he would dedicate it to God. To give old cloathes, paſt wearing, to the poore, is not ſo good a worke as to make new for them.Mar. 12.42. To give a little of your ſuperfluities, not ſo acceptable as the widows gift, that gave all. To give a poore ſoule a farthing at that doore, where you give a Player a ſhilling, is not equall dealing;Amos 8.6. for, this is to give God quiſquilias frumenti, The refuſe of the wheat. But doe thou ſome ſuch things, as are truly works in our ſenſe, ſuch as are againſt the nature, and ordinary practice of worldly men to doe; ſome things, by which they may ſee, that thou doſt prefer God before honour, and wife, and children, and hadſt rather build, and endow ſome place, for Gods ſervice, then poure out money to multiply titles of honour upon thy ſelfe, or enlarge joyntures, and portions, to an unneceſſary, and unmeaſurable proportion, when there is enough done before.
Let men ſee that that thou doeſt,Opera Bona. to be a worke, qualified with ſome difficulty in the doing, and then thoſe workes, to be good workes, Videant opera bona, that they may ſee your good works. They are not good works how magnificent ſoever, if they be not directed to good ends. A ſuperſtitious end, or a ſeditious end vitiates the beſt worke. Great contributions have beene raiſed, and great ſummes given, to build, and endow Seminaries, and ſchooles, and Colledges in forraine parts; but that hath a ſuperſtitious end. Great contributions have beene raiſed, and great ſummes given at home, for the maintenance of ſuch refractary perſons, as by oppoſing the government and diſcipline of the Church, have drawne upon themſelves, ſilencings, and ſuſpenſions, and deprivations; but that hath a ſeditious end. But, give ſo, as in a rectified conſcience, and not a diſtempered zeale, (a rectified conſcience is that, that hath the reſtimony and approbation of moſt good men, in a ſucceſſion of times, and not to rely occaſionally upon one or a few men of the ſeparation, for the preſent) give ſo, as thou maiſt ſincerely ſay, God gave me this, to give thus, and ſo it is a good worke. So it muſt be, A worke (ſomething of ſome importance) and a good worke, (not depraved with an ill end) and then your worke, Vt videant opera veſtra, That they may ſee your good works.
They are not your works, if that that you give be not your owne. Nor is it your own,Opera bona v…ſtra. if it were ill gotten at firſt. How long ſoever it have beene poſſeſſed, or how often ſoever it have beene transformed, from money to ware, from ware to land, from land to office, from office to honour, the money, the ware, the land, the office, the honour is none of thine, if, in thy knowlege, it were ill gotten at firſt. Zacheus, in S. Luke, Luke 19.8.gives halfe his goods to the poore; but it is halfe of his, his owne; for there might be goods in his houſe, which were none of his. Therefore in the ſame inſtrument, he paſſes that ſcrutiny, If I have taken any thing unjuſtly, I reſtore him foure-fold. Firſt let that that was ill gotten, be deducted, and reſtored, and then, of the reſt, which is truly thine owne, give cheerefully. When Moſes ſaies, that our yeares are three ſcore and ten,Pſal. 90.20. if we deduct from that terme, all the houres of our unneceſſary ſleep, of ſuperfluous ſittings at feaſts, of curioſity in dreſſing, of largeneſſe in recreations, of plotting, and compaſſing of vanities, or ſinnes, ſcarce any man of chreeſcore and ten, would be ten years old, when he dyes. If we ſhould deale ſo with worldly mens eſtates, (defalſe unjuſt gettings) it would abridge and attenuate many a ſwelling Inventory. Till this defalcation, this ſcrutiny be made, that you know what's your owne, what's other mens, as your Tombe ſhall be but a monument of your rotten bones, how much gold or marble ſoever be beſtowed upon it, ſo that Hoſpitall, that free-ſchoole, that Colledge that you ſhall build, and endow, will bee but a monument of your bribery, your extortion, your oppreſſion; and God, who will not be in debt, (though he owe you nothing that built it) may be pleaſed to give the reward of all that, to them, from whom that which was ſpent upon it, was unjuſtly taken; for,Prov. 13.22. The wealth of the ſinner is laid up for the righteous, ſaies Solomon. The ſinner may doe pious works, and the righteous may be rewarded for them; the world may thinke of one founder, and God knowes another. That which is enjoyn'd in the name of light here, is works, (not trifles) and good works, (made good by the good ends they are directed to) and then your workes (done out of that which is truly your owne) and by ſeeing this light, men will be mov'd to glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; which is the true end of all; that men may ſee them, but ſee them therefore, To gloriſie your Father which is in Heaven.
He does not ſay, that by ſeeing your good works,Patrem, non Filios. men ſhall glorifie your ſonnes upon earth. And yet truly, even that part of the reward, and retribution is worth a great deale of your coſt, and your almes; that God ſhall eſtabliſh your poſterity in the world, and in the good opinion of good men. As you have your eſtates, you have your children from God too. As it is Davids recognition, Dominus pars haereditatis meae, Pſal. 16.5. Gen. 4.1.The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, ſo the Poſſedi virum à Domino, was Eves Recognition upon the birth of her firſt ſon, Cain, I have gotten, I poſſeſſe a man from the Lord. Now that that man that thou poſſeſſeſt from the Lord, thy ſon, may poſſeſſe that land that thou poſſeſſeſt from the Lord, it behooves thee to be righteous; for ſo, (by that righteouſneſſe) thou becomeſt a foundation for poſterity,Prov. 10.25. Prov. 13.9. Prov. 14.23. (The righteous is an everlaſting foundation) his light, (his good workes) ſhall be a chearefull light unto him; (for, The light of the righteous reioyceth him.) They ſhall be ſo in this life, and, He ſhall have hope in his death, ſaith Solomon; that is, hope for himſelf in another world, & hope of his poſterity in this world; for, ſaies he, He leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children; that is, an inheritance,Prov. 23.22. out of which hee hath taken, and reſtored all that was unjuſtly got from men, and taken a bountifull part, which he hath offered to God in pious uſes, that the reſt may deſcend free from all claimes, and encumbrances upon his childrens children.Pſal. 37.26. The righteous is mercifull, and lendeth, ſaies David. Mercifull as his Father in Heaven is mercifull; that is, in perpetuall, not tranſitory endowments, (for, God did not ſet up his lights, his Sun, and his Moone for a day, but for ever, and ſuch ſhould our light, or good works be too.) Hee is mercifull, and he lendeth; to whom? for to the poore he giveth; he looks for no returne from them, for they are the waters upon which he caſts his bread. Yet he lendeth;Eccleſ. 11.1. Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity on the poore, lendeth to the Lord. The righteous is mercifull and lendeth, and then, (as David addes there) His ſeed is bleſſed. Bleſſed in this (which followes there) that he ſhall inherit the land, Pſal. 37.29. Pſal. 112.4.and dwell therein for ever, (which he ratifies againe, Surely he ſhall not be moved for ever; that is, he ſhall never be moved, in his poſterity) And as he is bleſſed that way, bleſſed in the eſtabliſhment of his poſſeſſion upon his childrens children, ſo is he bleſſed in this, that his honour, and good name ſhall bee poured out as a fragrant oyle upon his poſterity,Ibid. The righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance. Their memory ſhall be alwaies alive,Prov. 10.7. Prov. 11.30. and alwaies freſh in their poſterity, when The name of the wicked ſhall rot. So then, the fruit of the righteous is the tree of life, ſaies Solomon; that is, the righteous ſhall produce plants, that ſhall grow up, and flouriſh; ſo his poſterity ſhall be a tree of life to many generations;Prov. 17.6. and then, The glory of children are their Fathers, ſaies that wiſe King; As Fathers receive comfort from good children, ſo children receive glory from good parents; in this are children glorified, that they had righteous Fathers, that lent unto the Lord. So that, (to recollect theſe peeces) it is no ſmall reward that God affords you, if men, ſeeing your good workes, glorifie, that is, eſteeme, and reſpect, and love, and honour your children upon earth. But it is not onelyonly that; your good workes ſhall bee an occaſion of carrying glory upon the right object, They ſhall glorifie your Father, which is in heaven.
It is not the Father which is in Heaven;Non Patrem. that they ſhould glorifie God, as the common Father of all, by creation. For, for that they need not your light, your good works; The Heavens declare the glory of God, Pſal. 19.1.ſaies David; that is, glorifie him in an acknowledgement, that he is the Father of them,Deut. 32.6. and of all other things by creation. Is not hee thy Father? hath he not made thee? is an interrogatory miniſtred by Moſes, to which all things muſt anſwer with the Prophet Malachie, Malac. 2.10.yes, He is our Father, for he hath made us. But that's not the paternity of this text, as God is Father of us all by creation. Nor as he is a Father of ſome in a more particular conſideration, in giving them large portions, great patrimonies in this world; for, thus, he may be my Father and yet diſinherit me; hee may give me plenty of temporall bleſſings, and withhold from me ſpirituall, and eternall bleſſings. Now, to ſee this, men need not your light, your good workes; for, they ſee dayly, That he maketh his ſun to ſhine on the evill, Mat. 5.45.and on the good; and cauſeth it to raine on the juſt, and the unjuſt; He feeds Goates as well as Sheepe, he gives the wicked temporall bleſſings, as well as the righteous. Theſe then are not the paternities of our text, that men, by this occaſion, glorifie God as the Father of all men by creation, nor as the Father of all rich men, by their large patrimonies, not as he is the Father, not as he is a Father, but as he is your Father, as he is made yours, as he is become yours, by that particular grace of uſing the temporall bleſſings which he hath given you, to his glory, in letting your light ſhine before men. For, it were better God diſinherited us ſo, as to give us nothing, then that he gave us not the grace to uſe that that he gave us, well: without this, all his bread were ſtone,Mat. 7.9. and all his fiſhes ſerpents, all his temporall liberality malediction. How much happier had that man beene, that hath waſted thouſands in play, in riot, in wantonneſſe, in ſinfull exceſſes, if his parents had left him no more at firſt, then he hath left himſelfe at laſt? How much nearer to a kingdome in Heaven had hee beene, if he had beene borne a begger here? Nay, though he have done no ill, (of ſuch exceſſive kinds) how much happier had he beene, if he had had nothing left him, if hee have done no good? There cannot be a more fearfull commination upon man, nor a more dangerous dereliction from God,Pſ. 50.8. & 12. then when God ſaies, I will not reprove thee for thy ſacrifices; Though thou offer none, I care not, Ile never tell thee of it, nor reprove thee for it, I will not reprove thee for thy ſacrifices. And when he ſaies, (as he does there) If I bee hungry I will not tell thee; I will not awake thy charity, I will not excite thee, not provoke thee, with any occaſion of feeding me, in feeding the poore. When God ſhall ſay to me, I care not whether you come to Church or no, whether you pray or no, repent or no, confeſſe, receive or no, this is a fearfull dereliction; ſo is it, when he ſaies to a rich man, I care not whether your light ſhine out, or no; whether men ſee your good works or no; I can provide for my glory other waies. For, certainly God hath not determined his purpoſe, and his glory ſo much in that, to make ſome men rich that the poore might be relieved, (for, that ends in bodily reliefe) as in this, that he hath made ſome men poore, whereby the rich might have occaſion to exerciſe their charity; for, that reaches to ſpirituall happineſſe; for which uſe, the poore doe not ſo much need the rich, as the rich need the poore; the poore may better be ſaved without the rich, then the rich without the poore. But when men ſhall ſee, that that God, who is the Father of us all, by creating us, and the father of all the rich, by enriching them, is alſo become your father, yours by adoption, yours by infuſion of that particular grace, to doe good with your goods, then are you made bleſſed inſtruments of that which God ſeeks here, his glory, They ſhall glorifie your father which is in heaven.
Glory is ſo inſeparable to God, as that God himſelf is called Glory, They changed their Glory into the ſimilitude of an Oxe; Their glory, their true God into an inglorious Idol.Gloria. Pſal. 106.20. Pſal. 85.10. That glory may dwell in our land, ſayes he; that is, that God may dwell therein. The firſt end of letting our light to ſhine before men, is, that they may know Gods proceedings; but, the laſt end to which all conduces, is, that God may have glory. Whatſoever God did firſt in his own boſome, in his own decree, (what that was, contentious men will needs wrangle) whatſoever that firſt act was, Gods laſt end in that firſt act of his was his own glory. And therefore to impute any inglorious or ignoble thing to God, comes too neare blaſphemy. And be any man who hath any ſenſe or taſte of nobleneſſe, or honour, judge, whether there be any glory in the deſtruction of thoſe creatures whom they have raiſed, till thoſe perſons have deſerved ill at their hands, and in ſome way have damnified them, or diſhonoured them. Nor can God propoſe that for glory, to deſtroy man till he finde cauſe in man. Now, this glory, to which Chriſt bends all in this Text, (that men by ſeeing your good works, might glorifie your Father) conſiſts eſpecially in theſe two declarations, Commemoration, and Imitation; a due celebration of former founders and benefactors, and a pious proceeding according to ſuch precedents, is this glorifying of God.
When God calls himſelf ſo often, The God of Abraham, of Iſaac, and of Iacob, Gloria ex Commemoratione. Ezech. 14.14.God would have the world remember, that Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob were extraordinary men, memorable men. When God ſayes, Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Iob were here, they ſhould not deliver this people, God would have it knowne, that Noah, Daniel, and Iob were memorable men, and able to doe much with him. When the Holy Ghoſt is ſo carefull to give men their additions,Gen. 4.20. That Iabal was the father of ſuch as dwell in Tents, & keep Cattell, & Iubal the father of Harpers, and Organiſts, and Tubal-Cain of all Gravers in Braſſe and Iron. And when he preſents with ſo many particularities every peece of worke, that Hiram of Tyre wrought in Braſſe for the furniſhing of Solomons Temple,1 Reg. 7.13. God certainly is not afraid that his honour will be diminiſhed, in the honourable mentioning of ſuch men as have benefited the world by publique good works. The wiſe man ſeemes to ſettle himſelfe upon that meditation; let us now praiſe famous men, ſayes he,Ecclus. 44.1. and our fathers that begot us; and ſo he inſtitutes a ſolemne commemoration, and gives a catalogue of Enoch, and Abraham, and Moſes, and Aaron, and ſo many more, as poſſeſſe ſix Chapters; nor doth he ever end the meditation till he end his booke; ſo was he fixt upon the commemoration of good men;Heb. 11. as S. Paul likewiſe feeds and delights himſelfe in the like meditation, even from Abel. It is therefore a wretched impotency, not to endure the commemoration, and honourable mentioning of our Founders and Benefactors. God hath delivered us, and our Church, from thoſe ſtraights, in which, ſome Churches of the Reformation have thought themſelves to be, when they have made Canons, That there ſhould be no Bell rung, no dole given, no mention made of the dead at any Funerall, leſt that ſhould ſavour of ſuperſtition. The Holy Ghoſt hath taught us the difference between praiſing the dead, and praying for the dead, betweene commemorating of Saints, and invocating of Saints. We underſtand what David meanes, when he ſayes, This honour have all his Saints, and what S. Paul meanes,Pſal. 149.9. 1 Tim. 1.17. when he ſayes, VntoUnto the only wiſe God be honour, and glory, for ever and ever. God is honoured in due honour given to his Saints, and glorified in the commemoration of thoſe good men whoſe light hath ſo ſhined out before men, that they have ſeen their good workes. But then he is glorified more, in our imitation, then in our commemoration.
Herein is my Father glorified, (ſayes Chriſt) that ye beare much fruit. Gloria ex Imitatione. Iohn 15.8. Mar. 4.20.The ſeed ſowed in good ground, bore ſome an hundred fold, the leaſt thirty. The ſeed (in this caſe) is the example that is before you, of thoſe good men, whoſe light hath ſhined out ſo, that you have ſeene their good workes. Let this ſeed, theſe good examples bring forth hundreds, and ſixties, and thirties in you, much fruit; for herein is your Father glorified, that you beare much fruit. Of which plentifull encreaſe, I am afraid there is one great hinderance that paſſes through many of you, that is, that when your Will lyes by you, in which ſome little lamp of this light is ſet up, ſomething given to God in pious uſes, if a Ship miſcarry, if a Debtor break, if your ſtate be any way empaired, the firſt that ſuffers, the firſt that is blotted out of the Will, is God and his Legacy; and if your eſtates encreaſe, portions encreaſe, and perchance other legacies, but Gods portion and legacy ſtands at a ſtay. Chriſt left two uſes of his paſſion; application and imitation. He ſuffered for us, 1 Pet. 2.22.ſayes the Apoſtle; for us, that is, that we might make his death ours, apply his death, and then (as it follows there) he left us an example. So Chriſt gives us two uſes of the Reformation of Religion; firſt, the doctrine, how to doe good works without relying upon them, as meritorious; and then example, many, very many men (and more by much, in ſome kindes of charity ſince the Reformation of Religion, then before) even in this City, whoſe light hath ſhined out before you, and you have ſeen their good works. That as this noble City hath juſtly acquired the reputation and the teſtimony of all who have had occaſion to conſider their dealings in that kinde, that they deale moſt faithfully, moſt juſtly, moſt providently, in all things which are committed to their truſt for pious uſes, from others, not only in a full employment of that which was given, but in an improvement thereof, and then an employment of that emprovement to the ſame pious uſe, ſo every man in his particular may propoſe to himſelfe, ſome of thoſe bleſſed examples which have riſen amongſt your ſelves, and follow that, and exceed that; That as your lights are Torches, and not petty Candles, and your Torches better then others Torches, ſo he alſo may be a larger example to others, then others have been to him, for, Herein is your Father glorified, if you beare much fruit, and that is the end of all, that we all doe, That men ſeeing it, may glorifie our Father which is in heaven.