The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
The answering of the obiection which the deceitfull heart of man might gather out of the former doctrine of the heartes deceitfulnesse.
Vers. 10. I the Lord search &c.
THis verse dependeth vponupon the former, as a secret preuention of an obiection which vponupon occasion of the former doctrine of the heartes deceitfulnesse the wicked Iewes might make against the Prophets threatnings, in this manner. If the heart be so immeasureable, and vnsearchably deceitfull, that none can know it, then we trust to do well enough, for all the inward wickednesse, and hypocrisie of our heartes. For if none do know it, then none can punish it. The Lordes answere is, as if he should more largely thus hauehave spoken. Nay soft a while, you runne to fast. The heart cannot be knowne of any creature, but I the Lord, the creatour, hauehave a priuiledge aboue all creatures, throughly, and perfectly to know the inmost corners of your heartes. And therefore neuer thinke that the closenesse, and secrecy of your corruption shall free you from punishment; for my knowledge of your hearts is not an idle, and vaine knowledge, but therefore doe I know them, that, thereafter as I shall see their inward soundnesse, or falsenesse, so I may dispense my rewardes, and punishments accordingly. This is the cohaerence.
The sence. Search, and try.] That is, most exactly know. A metonymie of the efficient. For by searching, & trying perfect knowledge is attained. And withall an anthropopathy, that is a manner of speach, whereby God, for our better vnderstanding, is made affected like man. For God needes not any searching, to come to the knowledge of any thing, as mens ignorance doth: But because mens knowlegde is best there, where the greatest triall, and search hath beene made, therefore vnderunder this phrase it pleaseth the Lord to signifie his full, and absolute knowledge. Heartes, and reines.] That is, both thoughtes, and affections, the raines being the seate of the strongest affection, namely that which is for generation. So Pro. 23. 15. 16. My sonne if thou be wise, my heart shall reioyce, and my reines shall leape for ioy.
To giuegive.] Either reward or punishment. According to his waies. Sometimes the word way is taken more specially for some speciall course in the cariage of some particular action; as Num. 22. 33. Iud. 4. 9. More commonly, for the generall course, and cariage of our whole lifes, as Psal. 119. 1. Math. 10. 5. So here. According to the fruite of his workes. Num. 22. 33. Iudg. 4. 9. Math. 10. 5.If his workes be good fruite, then reward, if euill, then punishment. In the wordes thus opened I consider two pointes. 1. Gods knowledge of our heartes, which is set forth by the exactnesse thereof, both in regard of the manner, in the wordes search and try, and in regard of the matter, Hearts & reines. 2. The end of his knowledge, That I may giuegive &c.
To beginne with the first. It is the constant doctrine of the scriptures eueryevery where that it is proper to God alone of himselfe, throughly, and exactly to knowe the secretes of the heartes of men. And therefore denying this knowledge to all others in the former verse, Who can know it? here he chalengeth it to himselfe, I the Lord know it. But I say, 1. Of himselfe. Because by reuelation from him, others may know. As Christes humanity Ioh. 2 24. Ioh. 2. 24.But Iesus did not commit himselfe to them. For he knew them all. And had no neede that any should testifie of man. For hee knew what was in man. So also the Prophets. As 1. Sam. 9. 19. I will tell thee (saith Samuel to Saul) all that is in thy heart. No maruaile, when God had 1. Sam. 9. 19.told him before. Thus Elisha saw the hollow, and hypocriticall heart of Gehezi, (Went not mine heart with thee in the way) and Peter of Ananias, and Zapphira. 1. Kings. 5. Acts. 5.So in the primitiue Church there were such as had the spirit of discerning. But that phrase of the spirit of discerning sheweth that they discerned not 1. Cor. 12. 9.mens hearts of themselues, but by a speciall worke of Gods spirit discouering them to their eyes, and that vnlesse they had plowed with Gods heyfer, they could neuer hauehave found out the so secret mysteries of deceitfull heartes. 2. I say that God only knoweth the heart exactly and certainely. Because man, and Angels may know it coniecturally, and by way of ghessing. Pro. 20. 5. Counsell in the Pro. 20. 5.heart of man is like deepe water but a man of vnderstanding will draw it out. Here euen naturall wisedome is compared to a bucket, which is able, being let downe into the deepest well, to bring vp the waters thereof. So though the heart of many men be full of deepe deceit, and can cunningly couch naughtinesse, yet a wise man by obseruation of their countenance, gestures, speeches, and such like outward signes will go neere to discouer them. And therefore Salomon afterward in this capter, vers. 26. hauing said that a wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them, because it might be said, how can he do so, since wicked men hauehave so many couers for their wickednes to hide it from the eyes of the world? he addeth, as answering this obiection, The soule of man is the light of the Lord, and Pro. 20. 26. 27it searcheth all the bowels of the belly. So sharpe is the nose euen of naturall sagacity that it is able to smell out, and ferret out wickednesse, euen when it lurkes in her secretest holes, vsing those meanes I spake of, of diligent obseruation, inquisition, of comparing, and laying speeches, and actions together, and such like. But now Gods eye needes no Solus Deus solā nescit ignorantiā. Et totus videt, & totū, quia minimè fallitur, quia minimè claudr, quia extra se lumen nō quaerit vt videat. Ipse enim est qui videt, & vnde videt. Bern.such spectacles to looke into these blind corners of the heart. For hee hath a fiery, and flaming eye, which is both the organe, and the meane of seeing, ministring light to it selfe, to discerne all thinges. Whence it is, that, as the Psalmist excellently saith, he knoweth our thoughtes, a farre off, long before there go any outward signes in the face to bewray them. According to that which the Lord speaketh of himselfe concerning his knowledge of the Israelites heartes; I know his thoughts euen now, what hee Psal. 139. 2.will doe, before I bring him into the land which I sware. Whereas the wisest men know them onelyonly when Deut. 31. 21.they are neere at hand, when they are ready to breake out at our faces, eyes, mouthes. So that in this regard wee may iustly vse that of the Prophet, Am I God neere hand only, & not also a farre off. Ier. 23. 23.Yes Lord thou must needes bee a God a farre off, who knowest our thoughtes so farre off, euen before we know them our selues, yea before euer we had any being our selues. Whereas we pore-blind creatures cannot see the heart, vnlesse we may pore vponupon it, hauing it laid neere our eyes in outward signes; and yet neither then can we see it otherwise then the man in the Gospell saw men walking as trees. Thou seest the deceits of the heart, with an vnerring and vndeceiuing eye. We with an vncertaine, and erroneous. As our heart is deceitfull, so our eye also in seeing, and iudging of the deceitfulnesse thereof, so that it cannot, when it is at the cleerest, giuegive any infallible, definitiue sentence concerning any mans heart, but only probable, by way of diuining. But in this coniecturall knowledge the angels specially excell, by reason their eies pierce deeper then ours, euen to the sight of the inward partes of our bodies, as well as of our outward, thogh yet in the outward they are able to see far more, then we. Hence Dauid for his wisedome in finding out of secrets cōpared to an angell of God, 2. Sam. 14. 20.by the woman of Tekoa. The Diuell therefore may be able to giuegive a shrewd gesse at our thoughtes, the rather for that he himself often suggesteth thoghts vntounto vsus, & hath liberty giuen him to come, though not into the priuy chamber, of the soule, yet into the outward chmaber, the fansie, & to work vponupon those phantasms, which ther he finds. Neuertheles he cannot directly, and certainly set downe what our owne secret thoughtes be, but still this doctrin remaineth true, onelyonly God of himselfe, exactly knowes the secrets of the heart. There is indeede a great mingle mangle, and confusion of thoughts, euen as there is of drosse, and good metall in siluer and gold, which lie so confused together, that to the eye of man the drosse is not discernible. But when they are in the furnace, and fining potte, then we may see them both distinctly. That which is the furnace to the gold, the fining pot to the siluer, the same, saith Salomon, is the Lordes flaming eie to the heart of man; euen in the middest of the greatest Pro. 17. 3.shuffles, and confusions, it is a notable distinguisher, cleerely discerning the bad from the good, the baggage, and refuse from that which is good and fine, though they be neuer so troublesomely jumbled together. And no marueill; for euen hell, (a place farre deeper, then the heart Luke. 8. 31. Pro. 15. 11.farre vaster, and wider, being of so infinite receit, that able to hold all the damned soules and bodies, Esay. 30. 33.) and destruction, (the infinite paines Isay. 30. 33.of this hell) which (as the Prophet speaketh of heauens ioyes) eye hath not seene, eare hath not heard, nor the hart of man once able to apprehend the thousand part of them) are open to the eyes of the Lord, how much more then the heartes of the children of men. And hereof the scriptures giuegive a double reason.
1 Gods omnipresence. If a man could be in any place where God were not, hee might escape the sight of his eye. But, can any man (saith the Lord) Ier. 23. 24.hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him. Doe not I fill heauen and earth. This reason Dauid persueth notably Psal. 139. throughout.
2 Gods forming of the heart. He that made the eye shall not he see? the eare, shall not hee heare? the heart shall not he vnderstand? Artificers know the nature, and properties of their workes: And shall God onelyonly be ignorant of his workmanship? This reason also Dauid vrgeth in the same Psalme, vers. 12. 13. The darkenesse hideth me not from thee. Ps. 139. 12. 13.For thou hast possessed my reines, thou hast couered mee in my mothers wombe.
To these 2. reasons I adde a 3. namely that God is the preseruer, and vpholder of the heart. Act. 17. In him we liue, mooue, and hauehave our beeing. Which is Act. 17. 28.to bee vnderstood as well of the motions of the mind in thoughtes and desires, as of the body. The mind is borne vp by God, euen in the act of thinking, farre otherwise then the earth beareth vsus in walking. Therefore it cannot bee but God must needes perceiue the motions of our mindes, euen as the senselesse earth, if it had sense, must needes perceiue the motions of our bodies.
The vse, 1. This serueth to assure our faith, that the scripture is the word of God. For it is proper onelyonly to God to know the secretes of our heartes. But the the scriptures doe notably lay open the close corruptions of our heartes vntounto vsus, insomuch as we must needes be forced with the vnbeleeuing idiot to fall downe on our faces, and to say, verily God is here, it is he that speaketh. And as the woman of Samaria, when she heard Christ discouer her secret adultery, then she gaue ouer wrangling, and went to her neighbours, saying Come and see a man, that hath told me all that euer I hauehave done, is not hee the Messiah? so wee, seing our hearts so liuely deciphered vntounto vsus in the scriptures, may in like sort cry out one to another, come, and see a booke, that tels vsus all that is in our heartes. Must not this needs be his booke who only knoweth the heart? Besides that as the scriptures do detect our thoughts in generall, so some particular mens in speciall. As, what was Hamans proude thought, when the King asked him what should bee done to the man hee would Ester. 6. 6.honour, what was Micals despightfull thought, when she sawe her husband dancing, what was Sauls murtherous thought, when Dauid played on the harpe before him, what was Felix couetous thought when he talked priuately with Paul, what was the Pharisees detracting thought, when the woman wiped our Sauiours feete at the table. These persons had so much wit as to keepe their owne counsell, and in many of them shame must needes be of force to keepe them from blabbing their own secrets, and vncouering their owne filthy nakednesse. How then is it possible for vsus to imagine how the writers of those histories should come to the knowledge of such secret, otherwise, then by the reuelation of the spirit of God?
2 This must teach vsus in confession of our sinnes not to conceale any thing, but to poure out our soules like water, for God hath a darting, and piercing eye that sees the very bottome of our heartes. This vse Ioshua made of this doctrine to Achan, when God by lot had detected him, My sonne giuegive Iosh. 7. 19.glory vntounto God, namely the glorie of his omniscience, thou seest already the depth of his knowledge Iosh, 7, 19.is greater then the depth of thine owne deceitfull heart, confesse thy sinne therefore vntounto God, euen the whole circumstance of the matter. A malefactor Et tibi quidem Domine, cuius oculis nuda est abyssus humane conscientiae, quid occultū esset in me, etiāsi nollem confi…eri? Te enim mihi absconderem, non me tibi. Aug. conf. 10. 2. 1. Thes, 2, 3, 4.would not conceale any thing from the iudge, if he were certaine the iudge knew all. And in truth when wee goe about to hide any thing, wee rather hide God from our selues, then our selues from God, we put out our owne eies, not Gods.
III. This must cause vsus to bee sincere and constant in all the duties of godlinesse. 1. Thes. 2. 3. 4. We handled not the word of God deceitfully, wee speake not as they that please men, but God which trieth the hearts. So the Church Psal. 44. 18. 19. 20. 21. After the profession of their integrity euen in the midst of heauie persecutions giueth this as the reason of this their so doing, If we hauehave forgotten the name of our God, and holden vp our hands to a strange God, should not God search this out, for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart. When something we are to doe must be subiect to the censure of some speciall wise, iudicious man, alas how doth the sharpenesse of his iudgement skare vsus, and what care, and circumspection vse wee in such cases? well all our actions whatsoeuer must come vnderunder Gods scanning, and they must abide the censure of that pure and seuere eye that cannot behold the least iniquity. And shall we nothing reuerence, or respect this eye? Shall wee take no care how to please it? O that wee could but bring our selues once to giuegive that respect to Gods eye which we doe to mans. It is true indeede the Apostle condēneth eyeseruice in seruants to their masters. But yet this eyeseruice to men shall condemn our want of eyeseruice to God: & would to God by their example, we could learn to perform eyeseruice to God. The seruant though he worke idly, and lazily, when his masters eye is off him, yet painefully when it is on him. Gods eye is alway on vsus, and therfore if wee had that respect of our heauenly master, which of our earthly, we should alwaies performe obedience to him. Eyeseruice, performed to God, must needs be lasting, & continuing seruice. If thou canst finde a time when Gods eye is off thee, I will then giuegive thee leaue to giuegive ouer thy worke, or to worke vntowardly: but since Gods eye is alwaies on thee, why is not thy eye also alway on him, as Enochs was; why walkest thou not as in the presence of this God? Why labourest thou not in all thy seruices to approue thy selfe to this eye that seeth in secret, and is able by it owne christ all brightnesse to discouer the smallest mote of hypocrisie in the blindest nook of thy hart? that so when it shall come to take a view of them, it may giuegive witnesse to them, and acknowledge them, though not, as once those solely his owne in the creation, for very good, yet for good in part, for good sincerely, though not good perfectly. This vse Dauid made of this doctrine to himselfe, Psal. 119. 168. I hauehave kept thy precepts, namely constantly, Psal, 119, 168.and sincerely, for all my waies are before thee.
IV. This must restraine vsus euen from secret sins, which we might commit without the priuily of any other. For wheresoeuer thou art, there is an eye that sees thee, an eare that heeres thee, a hand that registers thy actions. By this argument Salomon dehorteth from adultery, which for the most part is committed in the night. Iob. 24, 15. because all the waies of men are open, & naked to Gods eies. What horrible Atheisme doth this argue, that the presence Pro, 5, 21.of a little childe shall hinder vsus from the dooing of some wickednesse when Gods presence cannot? but as our Sauiour speaketh concerning killing, so I of seeing, feare not them that can see the body onelyonly, but feare him that can see the soule also, to whome night and light, day and darknesse all one, who can as easily see thee in the dead darknes of the night, as at high noone in the cleerest sunshine, as well when the candle is out, as when sighted, him I say feare. If wee did beleeue this vbiquity of Gods eye, how would it quash the very first risings of euill thoughts in our heatts? The eye of man drawes from vsus a care of our outward behauiour, why then should not the eye of God draw from thee a care of the inward behauiour of thy hart? since God sees thy heart, better then man thy face, and vnderstands thy thoughts better then man thy words. Little children, when in the middest of their disorders they spye once their fathers eye, they are hushed presently. So should it bee with vsus when through forgetfulnesse of this all-seeing eye of our heauenly Father continually ouerlooking vsus, our hearts hauehave begun to breake loose, and to sport themselues in vaine, and idle thoughts, and desires; then should wee consider tha… all this while Gods eye hath beene fixed on vsus; Wretches then that wee are that hauehave had our Fathers eye to bee a witnesse of our misdemeanour! Then in this case should this spiritual eye of God worke the same effect in vsus which once the bodily eye of Christ, in Peter. It should euen dash vsus, and shame vsus in the middest of our sinne. If being in the sight & presence of our betters, whose grauity and authority claymeth speciall reuerence at our hands, wee yet, not knowing of it, hauehave beene otherwise in our speech and behauiour, then became vsus, wee no sooner see them, but are ashamed presently, & are ready to cry them mercy. Should we not do the like much more, when wee hauehave offended & greeued the holy eye of the Lord with any vndecent behauiour, though but of our hart only? Should we not say as once Iakob in Bethel, (since God is present in all places, as well as in Bethel, though not with so speciall a kind of presence) Surely God is heere, and I was not aware of it.Gen, 28. 16.
V. This must make vsus take heede of deceiuing our selues, with vaine pretences, in shifting off good duties, or in excusing our sinnes. If wee can find but the least starting hole, if wee can get but the silliest pretext by the fingers ends, how glad are wee of it? how fast doe we hold it? But alas Gods eye can easily see through these figge-leaues, it can easily fetch Adam out of the thickets. The anatomist doth not so cleerely see the inwards of the body he hath opened, Heb, 4.as God doth the secret deceit of our hearts, though neuer so fairely cloaked and coloured. Away then with all daubing. Be not deceiued said the Apostle to those, whose witte could find out lurking-holes enough for their wickednesse in defrauding Gods ministers, God will not bee mocked. And excellently Salomon, Deliuer them that are drawn to death, Gal, 6, 6. Pro, 24, 11, 12and wilt not thou preserue them that are led to be slaine? If thou say, Beholde we know not of it, he that pondereth the hearts doth not he vnderstand it?
VI. This doctrine is full of sweete comfort, and that in sundry cases. 1. In the peruerse iudgement of men often vnderunder valuing of vsus, and depressing vsus far beneath our inferiours. As the Corinthians did Paul vnderunder their shallow headed verbalists, not worthy to carry his bookes after him for sound and substantiall learning. Our comfort heere is this, that God seeth not as man seeth, iudgeth not as man iudgeth, by the seeing of the eye, by the hearing of the eare, by outward 1. Sam. 16. Es. 11.apparances. Whence it comes to passe, that when the false and iniudicious eye of man, too too much affected with outward showes, hath preferred bold Thrasoes before their betters, that cannot in like pompous ostentation set forth themselues, and hath adiudged preeminence rather to Eliashibs outward person, then Dauids inward parts, yet God comming after reuerseth and repealeth this vnrighteous iudgment, thrusting downe proud ignorance from the head of the table to the foote, and lifting vp humble knowledge from the foote to the head. Thus Paul relieued himselfe when he was thus disparaged by the Corinthians. I passe not saith hee to bee iudged of you. I measure not my selfe by any mans iudgement. He that iudgeth mee, is the Lord. Wherefore as wee hauehave no reason to flatter our selues, when men flatter vsus, so neither alwaies to discourage our selues, when men discourage vsus. As mens praises must not tickle vsus, so neither alwaies their dispraises trouble vsus. For true, both praise and dispraise is from God, who searcheth the heart, and trieth the raines. Heed not then mens judgement ouermuch, but against their blacke coles, comfort thy selfe with Gods white stone. 2. Here hence also we may gather comfort in false imputations and slanders. As this was Iobs comfort in the aspersion of hypocrisie, my witnesse is in heauen, and my record on high. 3. It steedeth also for comfort in the preuailings of the wicked against vsus, and that vnderunder colour of right, Psal. 7. 9. O let the malice of the wicked come to an end. But guide Psal. 7. 9.thou the iust. For the righteous Lord searcheth the harts and the reines. And therefore hee seeth the innocencie, and sincerity of the one, the fraud, and hypocrisie of the other, notwithstanding all their goodlie wordes. The eies of the Lord looke downe from heauen 2. Chr. 16. 9.to shew himselfe strong to them that are of a perfitte heart, namely in the end at least, euen when they are most weake in thēselues, to giuegive thē the victory.
Fourthly But most cordiall is that consolation which this doctrine ministreth in our temptations, and inward conflicts with Sathan, and our owne consciences, crying out against vsus, that we are not that which others, and our selues hauehave thought, that wee hauehave not so much as the least dramme of any goodnesse. And indeede, in temptation, our sins often present themselues in such a multitude, that they wholy intercept from our eyes the sight of grace. Yet here, in the defect of our owne knowledge, we must comfort our selues with Gods; and say with Ezehiah, in that his grieuous triall, O Lord Isay. 38. 3. Ioh 21. 15. 16.thou knowest I hauehave walked with a perfit heart before thee. Thus Peter, when Christ lay grating vponupon him with that threefold interrogation, Simon louest thou mee, thereby renewing the bitter memory of his threefold deniall, and in effect saying thus much, How can I thinke that thou who hast so often denied me doest louelove me? he yet susteined himselfe with this meditation of Gods knowledge; Lord thou knowest all thinges, thou knowest that I louelove thee. The Apostle sheweth Rom. 8. 26. that sometimes, in the extremity of affliction, we are so confounded in our selues, that though indeed we do pray in our secret sighes, and sobs, yet we perceiue not that wee pray. For so I take it that text may be read, wee know not Rom. 8. 26. 27.what we pray, the flesh with her murmurings makes such a dinne that we can hardly heare the voyce of the spirit mixing with the fleshes roaringes and repinings, his praying sighes and sobbings. But because a poore soule would hence discomfort it selfe, and thinke what good will such confused prayers doe mee, which I scarse discerne my selfe? the Apostle answereth notably, opposing to this obiection the comfort of this doctrine of Gods knowing the heart. But he that searcheth the hearts he knoweth the meaning of the spirit. Marke how he opposeth Gods knowing of our prayers to our owne not knowing. As if hee should say. Let not this trouble thee, that thou cannest not perceiue that thou praiest. Do not therefore thinke thou canst not, thou doest not pray. For though thou know not what it is thou praiest, yet God the searcher of the heart, who is greater then thy heart, he knoweth, and approueth also thy praier. Discourage not then thy selfe ouer-much in the want of feeling of grace in thy selfe. Remember that God sees, as that euill, so also that good, which sometimes thou seest not in thy selfe. And therefore as thou oughtest not to bee ouer confident in the not feeling of sinne in thy selfe, but to say with the Apostle, though I know nothing (that is no euill) by my selfe, yet I am not thereby iustified; so neither to bee too farre dejected in the not feeling of grace, but by like proportion to say, Though I know no good in my selfe, yet am I not thereby condemned. So much of the first point, 1. Cor. 4. 4.Gods knowledge of the heart: The second followeth, the end of this knowledge, That I may giuegive to eueryevery man according to his waies &c. The which words we will consider first in their reference to the former, secondly, apart by themselues.
Out of the former consideration we learne
1 That good and euill thoughtes, and desires, in Gods account, are good and euill workes. For God here sayeth hee taketh through notice of the heart, that he may recompence men according to their workes. Thereby implying, that if he did not see the heart, there must needs scape many wicked thoughtes, & desires vnpunished, many good ones also go vnrewarded; and so hee should not be able to giuegive to eueryevery work his proper recompence, namely to the inwarde workes of the heart, the thoughtes and desires thereof. Concerning euill thoughtes, Peters speach is excellent to Simon Magus. Pray to God that if it bee possible the thought of Act. 8. 22.thy heart may be forgiuen thee. Forgiuenesse presupposeth desert of punishment▪ punishment an euill worke meriting it: for punishments are only awarded to workes. For good thoughtes and desires Pauls speach is excellent, It is God that worketh both Philip 2. 15.to will and doe. If both be his owne workes, the desire as well as the deede, he must needes louelove, and like both the one, and the other. This maketh against them, that make no bones of euill thoughts, as though no other euill workes then such as bee outward. 2. It serueth for comfort to the children of God, disabled sometimes by want of outward helpes, or otherwise, for the performance of some kind of outward obedience. These must remember, how highly God apprizeth good purposes, and desires, accepting, and rewarding them, when they come to him, as if they came accompanied with the deeds themselues. Dauid did but conceiue a purpose to build God a house. God rewarded it with the building, and establishing of Dauids house 2. Sam. 7. 16. he did but conceiue a purpose to confesse his sinne. Gods eare was in his heart, before Dauids confession could be in his tongue Psal. 32. 5. The poore beggers that hauehave wanted foode for themselues Christ yet shall say at the last day, yee hauehave fed me, when I was hungry, onelyonly in regard of their stronge affection, if they had had ability. The prodigall child, when he was but conceiuing a purpose of returning, was preuented by his father first comming to him Luc. 15. 20. and Isay. 65. 24. God will answere vsus before we call, that is, in our purpose of praier. O sweete comfort! when wee addresse our selues to prayer in our priuate meditations, and bethinke our selues of our sundry wantes, we purpose with our selues to begge such, and such things. Whereof yet haply we forget some in the vocall praier. Shall any good soule now think that the memories weaknesse shall any thing preiudice her in this case? no, thy purpose of asking the thing forgotten was a most effectuall asking of it, and vntounto thee belongeth the comfort of that saying. I will heare before they call.
2 That God esteemeth of the goodnesse of our outward workes by our hearts. Therefore here he saith that he first searcheth the heart, before he recompense the worke. If God iudged of workes only by the outward matter of them, there needed then no looking into the heart, for the iust dispensing of rewardes, and punishments. Now there are two thinges more especially in the heart, whereby God judgeth of our workes. 1. Faith, which clenseth the heart, and maketh it a good treasury, fit for a good man to bring forth good thinges, which also propoundeth vntounto vsus, and vrgeth vponupon vsus the commandement of God prescribing the good 1. Tim. 1. 5. Act. 15. Math. 12. Rom. 14. 23. Rom. 3. 27. Rom. 1. 5.worke to bee done, whence that title of the lawe of faith, and whence also our obedience is called the obedience of faith. 2. A sincere affection chiefly respecting Gods glory, and the Churches good in that wee do. The vse 1. Against the Papists, that vponupon such places as this would found the doctrine of merit. But here God saies he lookes into the hart, when hee would reward the outward worke. So that the…e is no worthinesse in the outward worke it selfe, but it is something within the heart, which procureth the reward to the outward worke, and that is specially as I shewed faith in the bloud of Iesus Christ. 2. Against the workes of morall, and ciuill men; which though beautiful in the eies of the world, are yet deformed before God, because they neither flow out of a pure fountaine of a purged heart, nor are referred to iust endes. Let the ciuill man then know, that when hee presents God with his outward righteousnes, looking for some reward, the dunge of his sacrifice shall bee throwne in his face. For God will looke into his heart, and finding it vnbaptised, he will bidde him looke into the rocke, whereout his workes were hewen, and into the hole, whereout they were digged, & then aske him, how that can bee cleane, which hath so impure an originall? 3. Against hypocrites that with their leauen soure the best workes they doe. If God in judging of good workes did not looke to the heart, an hypocrite might speede as well, as the best Christian. But heere wee see the affection, and disposition of the hearte is all in all with God. We indeed iudge of the heart by the worke: God Gen. 4. 4.contrarily judgeth of the worke by the heart. Wee first approue the worke, and then the workeman. But God first hath respect to Habel, and then to his sacrifice. Though the matter of the worke be neuer so good, yet the corruption of an vnsanctified hart will marre all, and change the nature of it. And as it will be no excuse before God, when the matter of the worke is ill, to plead the goodnesse of the heart, so neither, when the heart is naught, to plead, that the matter of the worke is good. Wherof we hauehave notable examples Es. 58. in the Iewes vrging God with their fasting, and yet sent away empty; and in those reprobates Math. 7. alleadging their preaching in Christs name, casting out of Diuels, &c. but receiuing that fearefull answere, Depart from mee yee Math. 7. 23.workers of iniquity, I know yee not. Loe preaching it selfe though in Christs name, because yet not for Christs name, is, with God, but a worke of iniquity, and hell fire is the reward of it. So Cains outward workes in sacrificing were the same with his brothers, and yet Saint Iohn saies Caines workes were euill, and Abels good. And God himselfe said to 1. Ioh. 3. 13.Cain, If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? as though, for all his sacrifices, hee had not done well as yet. And so the Iewes sacrifices are in indignation reiected with a, who required these things? because indeede God did not require bodily exercise diuorced from the spirituall, the shell without the kernel, the huske without the corne, the carcase without the soule. Hence it is that the Lorde calleth the Iewes incense and sacrifice though commanded by himselfe, their owne waies. And in another place his Esa▪ 66, 3. Eccles, 5. Quem recitas, meus est, ô fidētine, libellus, sed male dum recitas incipit esse tuus.owne sacrifice, the sacrifice of fooles. For as Martiall said to Fidentine, the booke thou readest is mine, but when thou readest it ill, then it begins to be thine: so may God say to hypocrites; These workes of praier, hearing &c. are mine, but when you go about them thus vntounto wardly, and perfourme them thus corruptly, then they are your owne. I will acknowledge them no longer for mine. I see then that it is not safe for vsus to rest in the outward work, but that we had need to looke to our heartes in all the seruices we performe. For God will looke to our heartes in judging, and in rewarding. And that which God most lookes to in rewarding: that had wee need most looke to in practising. As the workeman in the doing of any worke will bee most carefull in that part of it, wherein he knoweth the eye of him, for whom he worketh, will be most curious. If God, when thy praier shall come to bee weighed in his ballances, should then specially stand vponupon thy tongue, vponupon thy phrase of speach, vponupon the tune of thy voice &c. then it would stand thee in hand in praying, specially to minde these thinges. But since it is the affection of thy heart he will aboue all thinges make inquiry of, consider then what a folly it is in practising, to bee most diligent in that, whereof God in examining wilbe most regardlesse, and to be most negligent there, where we shall be sure to finde him most strict, & seuere. And withall consider thine owne misery, who depriuest thy selfe both of mans, and Gods reward. For the very matter of thy worke will make thee odious to the world, as carefully flying the very apparance of good, as the Apostle biddeth vsus to fly the apparance of euill. But the corrupt manner of thy worke will make thee twise as odious to God, to whom alwaies fained sanctity is double iniquity. Withall consider, what a griefe it must needs be to thee, at the last day, to see others mites receiued for their sincerity, & thine owne talent refused for thy hypocrisie; to see others cups of cold water mercifully rewarded, and thine owne giuing the cup of Christs bloud, the water and bread of eternall life, seuerely punished.
4. This must teach thee when after long outward practise of godlinesse, thou findest not the true reward of godlinesse, then to enter into thine owne hart by examination, and to consider whether thou art not guilty of hypocrisie or no. For true godlinesse is great gaine: and God alwaies is iust, giuing men according to their workes, but yet measuring the workes by the heart. If then thou doing workes outwardly good, receiue no answerable reward, doe not therefore challenge God of vniustice, (as those Iewes, wherefore hauehave we fasted, and thou seest it not?) but thy selfe of vnsoundnesse of hart. Which correct Isay. 58. 3.thou, and thou then shalt see there will bee no cause for thee to complaine of the Lord.
V. Heere also is comfort to those that hauehave with good hearts done many good workes which yet are ill taken, and ill rewarded of men. Men cannot see our hearts, and therefore what maruell, if they doe not alwaies reward vsus according to our workes. If the wicked Iewes could hauehave seene how louingly & tenderly Christs heart was affected to them, they would better hauehave rewarded his ministery, then that he should hauehave needed to complaine, I hauehave laboured in vaine, I hauehave spent my strength &c. But our comfort is, so as was Christs, that our worke, though neuer so much reiected of men, is yet with our God, in time to be rewarded of him. Because he seeth our sound and faithfull hearts, and that to this ende, that hee may reward vsus according to our workes. The duety of reprehension Christianly performed is a good worke, yet how distastfull to the reprehended, and how thankelesse an office? yet wee must not bee discouraged though by the performance of this duetie we purchase ill will at mens hands. For God seeing the integrity of our heart will reward vsus accordingly, causing vsus at length to find more fauour, euen with the reprehended themselues, then those that hauehave clawed or flattered, Pro. 28. 23.
Now I come to consider the words in themselues, obseruing three points in them, the rewarder the rewarded, the rule of rewarding.
1. The rewarder, God. That I may giuegive, &c. Here we learne;
1. That God hath an infinite treasury both of rewards, and punishments, who giueth to eueryevery particular man his iust portion, either of the one, or of the other. He is an vnemptiable fountaine of goodnesse that can neuer be drawne dry. His rewarding of one doth not disable him for rewarding another, neither doth hee so spend himselfe in conferring his blessings vponupon any, that they which come after should need to speake vntounto him, as Esau to Isaak, Is all gone? hast thou neuer a blessing left behinde for vsus? Gods reward is not like the blessing of Isaak, which could bee bestowed onelyonly on one. For God himselfe the rewarder, is also the rewarde, and therefore Gen, 15. 1.as he tels Abraham, an exceeding great, an infinite reward, able to satisfie infinite worlds. His iustice also, being as infinite as his mercy, cannot but furnish him with like variety of iudgements, that as in heauen there are many mansions, and princelie pallaces, so in hell also many prisons, many dungeons; Ioh. 14. 1.and as his chests and cofers are full of pretious pearles and iewels, so his quiuers of pestilent arrows prepared for the ribs of the vngodly. So that we need not feare that of our Iehouah, which they of their Iupiter, that if, as often as men sinne, the thunderbolts should flye abroad, he would quickly be vnfurnished Si quoties p…cc…nt h…min…s, s… fulmina mittat …upiter, exiguo temp…re inermis erit.of weapons. The vse then is as to terrifie the wicked, so to incourage the godly. It is a comfort to serue such a master, as besides his willingnes, is also able to reward vsus. Therefore we see how kings seruices in this regard are most sought after. Neuer then grow wee weary of seruing this master with whom is such plenty of reward, whose is the earth, and the fulnesse thereof, the heauens and all their furniture, and at whose right hand is fulnesse of pleasures for euermore. Who may say vntounto vsus of all other base masters, as Saul of Dauid, Can the sons of Ishi giuegive you vineyards, and orchards? Can they make you captaines ouer fifties, and ouer hundreths? so, can the Deuill, the world, the flesh instate you into the felicity of my chosen? can they make you Kings, and set you in the chayre of estate? The seruice of God is a reward sufficient to it selfe, and farre from his seruants is the base minds of mercenaries. Neuerthelesse it is fit, with Moses, to quicken our dulnes with the consideration of the great recompence Heb. 11. 26.of reward.
2. That whosoeuer bee the instruments either in our rewards, or punishments, God still is the cheefe, both rewarder, and punisher. That I may giuegive. The vse wherof is, both to teach vsus thankfulnesse to God, when rewarded, and patience, when corrected by men. It may be thou hast deserued well of those men, that deale vnkindly with thee. But yet consider whether in the same thing wherein thou hast deserued well of man, thou hauehave not deserued ill of God, because happely in these dueties performed to man, thou haddest no respect of God. If so, then acknowledge that God hath found out thy sinne, complaine not of mens vnkindnes, and iniustice. God is iust in their iniustice. It is he that thus punisheth thee.
3. That whatsoeuer be the worke for which we expect a reward, it is God that must reward it. This must teach vsus in the workes of the second table, which respect man, to hauehave an eye vntounto God, and to performe them as vntounto God, and so in seruing of man to serue God. For it is God that must reward them and that (as I shewed) doth reward them, euen then when men reward them. For it is hee that inclineth their hearts thereto. How then can we expect a reward of God there, where wee hauehave done him no seruice? If in seruing of men thou hast serued thy selfe, and sought thy selfe rather then God, when thou commest for thy reward, Gods answere will bee; let him reward thee whom thou seruedst. Thou seruedst thy selfe, reward thy selfe then, if thou wilt; for I neuer reward any seruices but mine owne. Had wee not then neede in all duties done to men, to doe them as vntounto God, least otherwise as wee loose mans, so also Gods reward. But do them vntounto God, and then we are sure, if not of both, yet of the best reward, and wee take a very safe course for our selues. For euen the best men may prooue vnkinde, and vnthankfull vntounto vsus. But God cannot but abundantly recompence the seruice done to himselfe. The duties of louelove & liberality done to men, which some of those to whome they were done had happely forgot, yet Christ remembers at the last day, onelyonly because they were done as to himselfe, Math. 25. 40. Yee hauehave done them vntounto mee. There is the cause of the reward. This is Pauls counsell to Christian seruants yoaked with cruell heathenish masters, to be obedient vntounto their masters, according to the flesh, as vntounto Christ, seruing the Lord and not men, and that vponupon this consideration: Whatsoeuer good thing any man doth, the same shall he receiue of the Eph, 6, 7, 8.Lord, whether he be bond or free. Seruants in such cases are ready to obiect. Why should wee hauehave any care to please them, that hauehave so little care to pleasure vsus, nay that are ready to do vsus all the displeasure they can? Yea but for this cause they had neede so much the rather to make conscience of their duetie euen to the full, because by this meanes they shall prouide a notable remedy against their masters iniuries, namely the bountifull reward of God himselfe. Thy master wrongs thee: what then? wilt thou therfore wrong thy selfe? he denies thee his reward: wilt thou therfore increase thy punishment? and as though this were not enough, depriue thy selfe also Gen. 31, 42.of Gods reward? Labans tyranny could not tyre out Iakob in the course of his faithfulnesse, and behold in the ende the Lord himselfe in spite of Labans teeth richly rewarding him.
II. Circumstance is the persons rewarded. EueryEvery man, of what degree soeuer.
1. Marke heere Gods vnpartiall dealing. Among men, grosse vices of great ones are winked at, and eminent vertues of meane ones are not heeded. But with God neither shall thy greatnesse helpe thee from punishment, nor thy basenesse hinder thee from reward. This must humble the great states of the world. God is no respecter of persons. They must not looke for a chaire and cushion, when they appeare before Gods tribunall. Nay thou must then be stript starke naked of all outward pompe. God will put no difference betwixt thee, and the poorest Lazarus. He iudges eueryevery man alike.
2. Hence I gather that there is a particular prouidence taking notice of men and their actions in speciall. For Gods rewards are proportioned to his knowledge. I know the heart that I may reward. But he rewards eueryevery man in particular. Therefore also he knowes him, and all his waies. Particular rewards argue particular knowledge. Terrible is this to the wicked, but most comfortable to the godly. If the King take notice of a meaner man, he will bee ready De natura. deor. l. 2. Concinne{que} Timaeus, qui …ū in historia dixisset qua nocte natu… Alexander erat, eadem Dianae Ephesia templum deflagrauisse, adiū…it minime id esse mirandum, quod Diana cū in partu Olympiadis adesse voluisset abfuisset domo.presently to say in admiration, What, doth the King know me? But let the poorest Lazar, that is withall the childe of God, know for his comfort, that the great King and mighty God takes speciall notice of him, and that for his good. It is not with our God as with their idol that hath no leysure to attend smaller matters. He is not like Baal, that pursuing his enemies cannot heare his friends, nor like Diana, that beeing present at Alexanders birth could not at the same time preserue her Ephesian temple frō the fire.
III. Circumstance followes, the rule of rewarding, according to their owne waies, &c. Heere we learne, That God proportions his rewards and punishments to our workes, as it were the line to the rule. This proportion hath sundry branches.
1. The euill of sinne shall hauehave euill of punishment in hell, the good of obedience, the good of reward in heauen. Mat. 25. 2. As our workes are better or worse, so shall our ioyes in heauen, our paines in hell be more or lesse. Capernaum exceeding Sodome and Gomorre in sinne, shall feele also an excesse of punishment, and the wilfull seruant shall receiue more stripes then the ignorant. So also the greater our zeale, paines and trauell hath beene in Gods cause, the greater shall be the waight of our glory. The twelue Apostles shall hauehave twelue speciall thrones at the day of iudgement, and whereas other wise men shall but shine with the brightnesse of the firmament, they that turne others from their euill Dan, 12, 3.waies, with the brightnesse of the starres; that soweth liberally shall reape liberally. And eueryevery good worke added to the number of the former, helpeth to further Phil, 4, 17.our reckoning in the day of the Lord. Sleepe is sweete, euen to him that hath passed the day more easily, but the sleep of the labouring man, it is sweet indeede. So also though that sleepe in Abrahams bosome be sweet euen to such as hauehave liued a more quiet and easie life heere, yet euen there also, the sleepe of the labourer will be specially sweet. The greater our toyle and trialls hauehave beene, the more we hauehave sweat, and suffered heere for Christ, the sweeter shall wee finde that rest, and repose in heauen. The Martyrs shall bee pillars in the house of God. Apoc. 3. 12. Our Sauiour in his answere to the petition of the two brethren, seemes to imply, that there are some, for whom places of preeminence are prepared, as it were to sit at his right hand, and left, neither doth this doctrine of vnequall degrees of heauenly glory any more fauour merit, then the vnequall degrees of grace in this life, which oftentimes the Lord proportions to our desires, and endeuors in the vse of the means, the wider we open our mouths, the more abundantly hee will fiill vsus, and with what measure we meate to him in painefull and heedefull Mar, 4. 24.hearing of his word, with the same will he measure to vsus in the dispensation of his grace; Neither yet doth our hearing of the word, desiring opening our mouthes wide, merit that which they obtaine. And if the danger of the doctrine of merit hinder vsus not from holding that which is indeede apparent to our eyes, that according to the degrees of grace, and sanctificatiō God dispenseth many of his tēporal rewards in this life, as a greater good name, greater inward reuerence and honour in the hearts of men to such as excell in mortification aboue their brethren, why should it feare vsus heere? since the one drawes merit with it no more then the other. 3. Besides this generall, there is also a speciall proportion, agreeing to the workes in speciall, in such manner that a man may almost read the sinne in the punishment, the vertue in the reward. The midwiues built the houses of the Israelites by preseruing their children Exodus 1.contrary to the Kings bloudy edict. God therfore built them houses. Dauid purposed to build God a house: God presently promised to build his house for euer. Ebedmelech saued Ieremies life: God therefore gaue him his owne life for a pray. So hee hath Ier, 39. 17.promised to recompence our zeale of his glory with his zeale of ours, I will honour them that honour me, neither doth God keep this proportion in actiue only, but also in passiue obedience. Heere Iosephs example 1, Sam, 2, 30.is most remarkable if wee compare his sufferings and rewards together. In stead of his brethrens hatred he got strangers louelove, his brethren that sould him as a slaue, adored him as a Lord. In stead of the prison, hee met with a throne. In stead of iron fetters, he found a chaine of gold, in stead of the labor of his hands, a ring on his hand, in stead of the party coloured coat, his brethren stript him of, the princely roabes Pharaoh put vponupon him, in stead of the vnlawfull pleasure of adultery, the lawfull comfort and contentment of an honourable marriage, in stead of beeing a seruant in the prison, beeing halfe a Soueraigne in the Kingdome. The like measure keepes he also in punishment. Absaloms haire, his pride, became his halter. The waters which Pharaoh appointed to destroy the Hebrew babes, were afterwards made fit to poyson the Aegyptians. Pharaoh had infected them with bloud of innocents, God turnes them into bloud: and in their colour shewes the tyrant the colour of his sinne. Pharaoh slayes the Israelites children: God afterward slewe his, and all the Aegyptians first borne. Diues denied Lazarus crummes of bread; Abraham afterward denied him a droppe of water. Those that will not hearken to the sweet and familiar voyce of God, shall be schooled by the strange language of cruell strangers ouertopping them. The Aegyptians had vexed the Israelites with much wearinesse, and thirst, in ouerburdening them with labour: God therefore by depriuing them of the vse of their waters, afflicted them with the same thirst, and with the same wearines in going about and seeking for water. Saul because he slew those that did weare the Ephod, therefore God would not answer him either by Vrim or Thummim: & his owne hands reuenged vponupon himselfe the innocent bloud of others. The wicked because in this life they say to God, as it is in Iob, Depart thou from vsus, therefore in the life to come, God shall say to them, depart from me ye cursed. Adams desire of the godhead Esay, 14, 14, 15was punished with mortality and misery: And vntounto him that in Esay vaunts himselfe saying, I will ascend aboue the height of the clouds, and will be like to the most high, the Lord will hauehave this answer to bee made, Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue, to the sides of the pit: Hypocrites performe temporary obedience, God onelyonly giues them a temporary reward heere in this life Math, 6. verily they hauehave their reward, namely heere in this life, they shall hauehave none heereafter. So Ahabs temporary humiliation obtained the reiourning of a temporal Iudgment. Hypocrites also performe an imperfect obedience, they will doe some few things commanded, but not al: God serues them in their owne kinde, he giues them some few of his meaner blessings, but denies them principall: Whence that excellent exhortation, 2. Iohn 8. Looke to your selues that wee loose not the things wee hauehave done, but may receiue a full reward. There is then a plenary reward to a full, and a partiall or halfe reward to a scanty and halfe obedience. Thus Iehues obedience in destroying Ahabs house was recompenced with Gods blessing vponupon his house to the fourth generation: answerable to his curse in the second commaundement vponupon the wicked to the fourth generation as in Ioram whose posterity is not remembred till the fourth generation in the Genealogie Math. 1. But yet because Iehues obedience was not sincere, it was not rewarded: so as is true obedience, whose reward is far aboue the punishment. Euen to 1000. generations. So that euen in rewardes, as well as in punishments, God will put a difference betwixt an Israelite and an Aegyptian; Es. 27.that as gods children are not smitten so as their smiters the wicked; because their disobedience is not so full as the wicked therefore they hauehave but halfe a punishment; So the wicked are not rewarded as are the godly; because their obedience is not so perfit, and compleate, therefore they hauehave but halfe a reward answerable to their halfe obedience. Againe hypocrites giuegive God an outward obedience, without the inward affection. So God giues them his externall benefites, but without any heartie louelove, or affection vntounto them; Looke how they seuer their hearts from God, in their obedience, so doth God his from them, in his benefits. So euen, and equall is the retribution of diuine justice. The vse. First against the papists vrging their doctrin of merit out of this, and such like places; but here we see, all the prophet teacheth is a proportion betwixt our workes, and wages, betwixt our paines and pay, that is betwixt that we do, and that wee receiue. And therefore he maketh our workes to be the rule, not the cause of the reward. The rule is not the cause of the line drawen by it. Neither doth God here say, that I may giuegive to eueryevery man for, but, according to his workes. Surely if good workes, as they teach, should be meritorious, then as it is vniustice in man, to detaine the labouring mans wages, when his worke is don: so also should it bee in God, if he did not presently recompence eueryevery good work of his seruants, as soone as it were done. And as the hire of the labourers detained crieth against the couetous oppressors, so by like reason should the reward of our obedience, so long oftentimes deferred, cry against God. Euen this one argument is enough to ouerthrow merit, Gods slownesse as it were in rewarding his childrens seruices, and that liberty which hee taketh to himselfe for the times of the reward. And therefore here hee saith, That I may giuegive to eueryevery man according to his workes, without making any mention of the time when, leauing himselfe free for that. Wee see that in paying of wages to ourseruants, wee limite our selues to sett times, as to the quarters, or halfe yeares end, because it is a matter of desert: but in our giftes, and gratuities, wee doe not so tie our selues, but giuegive them when we thinke good. And if there were any such worthinesse in our workes, what need then that modesty, of the holy men in scriptures, who when they hauehave desired their faithfull seruice might bee remembered with Gods reward, hauehave withall desired it might be remembred with Gods forgiuenesse? as Nehemiah, Remember me Nehe. 13. 22.ô my God concerning this, and pardon me according to thy great mercy. Our best workes then need forgiuings, and that which needes forgiuing merits not giuing. Our Sauiour when he would hauehave vsus craue daily bread, as our bread, due to our obedience by gods promise, then withall he would hauehave vsus craue forgiuenesse, for the wants of that our obedience, and to adde vntounto, giuegive vsus this day our daily bread, and forgiue vsus our trespasses. Secondly, against our loose professors, promising to themselues, though liuing, and lying in their sinnes, the reward of glorie. Noe, as thou sowest thou must reape, and as thou bruest thou must drinke. If thou sowe tares, neuer looke to reape wheate. If thou brue with crabbes, neuer looke to drinke milde beere. As our Sauiour comparing the man to a tree, the workes to the fruites, saies, Can men gather figges of thornes, thistles of grapes, so I comparing our workes to trees, their rewardes to the fruites, say the like, Thinke you euer of the thornes and thistles of couetousnesse, pride, vncleannesse, blasphemy, swearing, prophanation of the saboathes, euer to gather the sweete figges, or pleasant grapes of glory, and happinesse? will this gall, and wormewood euer make pleasant drinke? will these wild, and sowre grapes euer yeeld sweete wine? ó that we could seriously lay this to heart, that wee must all appeare before Christ, to receiue according to that which here we hauehave done, whether good or euill, that he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption, and he that soweth of the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting. Then would we begin presently to reason with our selues. Alas how poore how barren am I in good workes, how fruitfull in ill? Is it true indeede that according to the quality of our workes we shalbe iudged? Alas, what other workes can I present the Lord with, besides the workes of death and darkenesse? If these had the promise of reward, then were my case good. Examine thy heart my brother, and thinke with thy selfe: Thus long hauehave I liued, but what good hauehave I done? either to my selfe, or others. Where are my praiers, fastings, humiliations, meditations, wel spent Saboathes, well gouerned children and seruants? where are the workes of mercy to my brethrens, ey their souls, in holy admonition, reprehension, exhortation; or bodies in ministring releife to their necessities? How can I looke for the penny that hauehave stood idle in the market place all the day long? for the crowne that refused to runne? for a good croppe in haruest, that would not sow in seede time? Let vsus no longer deceiue our selues. That which Salomon speaketh of sloath in the thinges of this life, is true also of spirituall sloath. He that being sloathfull in winter will not plowe, shall begge in sommer, and hauehave nothing; as wee may see in the rich glutton begging water of Lazarus to coole his tongue, and in the foolish virgins begging oyle of the wise. It were madnes to seeke for fishes in woodes, for apples and peares in the seas. But what madnes to seeke heauen in hell, glorie in shame, light in darkenesse, to thinke we shall finde eternall life in the way of wickednesse. Why seeke ye the liuing among the dead? said once the Angell to those women. But why seeke yee life in death, why seeke ye that eternall life, among those dead workes of darkenesse? No glory honour and immortalitie can be found of any but such as seeke it by continuance in well doing, Rom. 2. 7. If thou goe about to seeke Gods kingdome, seeke Gods righteousnes. So seeke it, and finde it. Otherwise thou doest but take a great deale of paines to goe to hell. If thou pray thy kingdome come, pray also, thy will be done. Gods will Mat. 6. 35.must bee done of thee, before his kingdome can come to thee. III. Since the degrees of glory hereafter shall bee according to the degrees of grace heere, it must teach vsus, if wee would then shine in glory, now to shine in grace. Naturally wee affect preeminence, and precedency in all things. Take the aduantage of this thy corruption, to shake off all spirituall sloth, vse it as a goade in thy side to make thee sweat againe in Gods worke. Double paines shall bring thee double pleasure, double dilligence double delight, double holinesse, double honour: who would bee a common stone in the building, when he might be a pillar? who would bee a doorekeeper, or porter in a house, when hee might bee a steward? IV. Look we to the whole course of our liues. God rewards not according to our good, or euill worke, but according to our workes, to the ordinary course of them. One euill worke shall not preiudice thee, who walkest in the ordinary tract of good workes; nor contrarily, one good worke shall not profit thee who makest an ordinary trade of doing euill workes. V. This must teach vsus, faithfully to walke before the Lord in the discharge of our seuerall callings, without any carking care, or distrustfull thought taking, for any of the comforts of this life. All the cares that belongs to vsus is how to doe our worke well. The care of the reward of our works is Gods. Looke we well to doe our worke, and God will looke farre better to reward our worke. And this is that which our Sauiour teacheth; when to those whinings, What shall we eat, what shall wee put on, hee apposeth a contrary care of seeking Gods kingdome, and righteousnes: for then if they would take care to worke the worke of God, the reward of God should not be wanting. O then that in stead of taking thought how to get this or that good thing promised, wee could once take thought how to doe this or that good thing commanded, and so doing our duetie, rest vponupon God in the beleefe of this doctrine; that hee rewards eueryevery man according to his workes. Our Sauior forbidding his disciples ouer diligent care in prouision of these outward things, not to gather siluer or gold, giues this as a reason why he so forbids them, The labourer is worthy of his wages. Matth. 10.The force of which argument consists in this doctrine of Gods iustice in rewarding well that which is done well. For the disciples might obiect, True, the labourer is worthy of his wages, but the vnthankfull world is vnworthy of our labours, for it detaines the wages due to our labours.
Therefore this speech of Christ is founded vponupon this holy iustice of God, that cannot, whatsoeuer be the vnkindnes and iniustice of the world, suffer good seruices to go vnrecompenced. It is therefore as if hee had said. Mind you the worke of your ministery, let your onelyonly care be how to fulfill it. Do not disgrace God so much as to trouble your selues with the thoughts of your maintenance, as though God was so vniust, as not to giuegive good wages to good workmen. VI. Heere is great variety of comfort. 1. Art thou discouraged with the meannesse of thy good workes? Thou art no Preacher to conuert soules, no rich man to giuegive almes, to build Colledges, &c. but onelyonly a poore seruant keeping sheepe, going to plough, &c. Heere for thy comfort remember that God rewards eueryevery one according to his workes, without making any curious choyce of workes. But as he will punish the least euill worke, euen an idle word: Math. 12. so will he much more reward the least good worke: euen a cup of cold water Mat. 10. eating not onelyonly of our hony, but euen of our hony combe. Cantic. 5. 1. for his mercy to vsus is greater then his iustice. Yea at the last day notice will bee taken of inferiour sort of workes, as giuing a peece of bread, or a piece of cloath; when workes far more glorious, as preaching, praying, martyrdom are not named, yet these are mentioned, Mat. 25. Neither is this without reason, for the basenesse, or the meanenesse of the matter doth especially shew the skill of the workeman. For where the matter is excellent there it lendeth some helpe to the workman, where it is otherwise, there nothing but the bare and naked cunning, and artifice of the workeman is to bee seene. We will not so wonder at him that maketh a good Image of gold, as at him that maketh as good of meaner matter. So to see zeale, faith, louelove in preaching the word, in gouerning a kingdome, and such like workes, is not so admirable, as in the poore and seruile offices of vnderlings, as in keeping of sheepe, sweeping the house, &c. 2. Art thou troubled at the worlds vniust and preposterous rewarding of workes, iustifying the wicked, condemning the godly, recompencing Iohns preaching with the prison, Herodias daughters dancing with the promise of halfe a kingdom; (so that, as Caesar once said, It were better to bee Herods swine then sonne, because he killed his sonne in that massacre of Bethlem, when his sow was spared: so thou likewise thinkest, thou maist as well say, It were better to be Herods minstrell then minister, player thē preacher, dancer then doctor, because of his minions dancing recompenced with his preachers head) comfort yet thy selfe with this, that God one day will deale otherwise, nay let this peruerse Iudgement of the world be an assurance to thee, that there must needs be a day of Gods righteous Iudgements. It is true, we may say to the world as Christ to the Iewes, many good workes hauehave I done among you, for which doe ye stone me, yet let vsus not waxe weary, though after our sowing, stormes and tempests, and the pinching colde of winter doe follow, for in due time wee shall reape if wee faint not. God is not vnrighteous to forget the labour of his seruants. There are 4. kinds of rewards: first of good for good: secondly, of euil for euil: thirdly, of good for euill: fourthly, of euill for good; the two former are the rewards of iustice, the third of mercy, the last of iniustice, and therefore is not incident to Aug. in Psal. 119. 17.God. God forbid then that any shold say with those in Malachy, It is in vaine to serue the Lord. Hear thou God saying, Behold I come quickly, and my reward is Apoc. 22.with me. When Mordecay had performed a worthy seruice to Ahashuerosh, in the discouery of a daungerous treason, he had not his reward presently: but yet his seruice was registred, and so afterward, when the King looked vponupon the records, it was royally recompensed. So Malachy teacheth vsus that there are Malachy 3.bookes of remembrance written for them that feare the Lord. In them all our good workes are inrolled. Our labour then shall not be lost. Not so much as our teares but they are botled. Men may forget vsus, as Pharaoh did Ioseph, Exodus. 1. and the Sechemites Gideon, Iudg. 9. 17. but God will not; Our reward is sure, though not so speedy, as wee desire; God heere assures vsus of reward: the time hee determines not.
3. Doth it trouble thee, that thy good workes worke not that good thou desirest? Remember that God rewards vsus according to our workes, not according to his owne worke. Now the successe of our workes is his worke, not ours. Do thou thy endeuor to do that which belongs to thee, to performe the duety required, with an honest heart; if there follow no successe, thou art neuer the worse worker. The good Orator alwaies perswades not, the good captaine alwaies ouercomes not, the good Phisitian alwaies heales not, the good preacher alwaies conuerts not. It is enough if thou doe that which lies in thee: Then whatsoeuer thy successe bee on earth, small or great, assuredly thy reward is great in heauen. Nay, the lesse the successe, the greater shall be the reward, so thou bee patient. For now vntounto thy actiue obedience in well doing, thou addest passiue in patient suffering; & double obedience must needs hauehave more then a single reward. 4. Art thou greeued at vncomely fights to see seruants on horseback, and princes walking on foot? to see seruants to hauehave rule ouer Princes, that is, the wicked flourishing in their pompe, and pride, to tyrannise ouer the godly? dost thou see the whip which is most seemely for the fooles backe, to be held in his hand, to afflict the backes of others? dost thou see that asses, in stead of a halter, are set out with golden bridles? are these things prickes in thine eies as once in Dauids? comfort thy selfe in the meditation of this doctrine. Grudge not that the wicked are rewarded according to their workes. Grudge not, their externall obedience proportionable reward in the outward things of this life: God herein does no otherwise, then as sometimes noble captains, who hauehave honoured their enemies, when they hauehave fought valiantly; to put some spirits into their owne souldiers; or then sometimes parents doe, rewarding their seruants diligence and dutifulnesse, thereby to prouoke their owne children. So shouldest thou interpret Gods temporal rewards giuen to the vnsound obedience of the wicked, his enemies his slaues, as a spurre hee puts into thy side his owne souldier, his owne sonne: for if thou wilt do thy duty as thou oughtest, how much more maist thou assure thy selfe of a farre greater reward. For Gods bounty is not as manies, like to the riuers, who are greater further off, then neerer home, at the head, and well-spring where they first rise. Withall, consider these mens damnation sleepeth not. The day of iudgement hasteneth, wherein the godly, in this life standing at the barre, shall sit on thrones, and iudge their Iudges, binding nobles with chaines, and princes with fetters of iron. Though in this life Diues feast, while Lazarus is without, begging: yet in the life to come (lo a change) Lazarus shall feast at Gods table, or on Gods bed, lying in Abrahams, as once Iohn in Christs bosome, Diues in the meane time looking ouer, and begging. Then shall God make good that which heere he speakerh of rewarding eueryevery man according to his workes. Then, and not before shall the equalitie of Gods rewards fully Si nemini faceret, quasi non vigilare videretur diuina prouidentia: si omnibus faceret, non seruaretur diuina patiētia. Aug. in Ps. 30.appeare. Some of the wicked indeed euen in this life he rewardeth with condign punishments, lest his prouidence, but not all, lest his patience and promise of the last iudgement might bee called into question.
FINIS.
End of the text · Daniel Dyke, The Mystery of Self-Deceiving (1614)