The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 23
VERSE 23.
And that he might declare the riches of his glory upon the veſſels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory.
IN this Verſe our Apoſtle amplifieth the Manifeſtation of Gods glory and power, in manifeſting his patience to the wicked, by the end of their puniſhment, in reſpect of Gods Elect, and that is to declare the riches of his glory upon the veſſels of mercy prepared to glory. Now the general things conſiderable in this verſe, are two; Firſt, the end which we have ſpoken of, propounded and laid before us, that he might declare the riches of his glory. And ſecondly, the perſons unto whom, and that is the Elect, who are deſcribed to be veſſels of mercy, and thoſe prepared unto glory; And that he might declare the riches of his glory unto the veſſels of mercy which he hath prepared unto glory.
Now come we to the opening of the words,
And that he might declare] Or in like ſort, that he might make known to all the world, men, and Angels, the riches of his glory. The word, glory, here, ſignifieth that whereby God is glorious, in particular, it ſignifieth the glory of the grace and mercy of God; whereby God ſheweth himſelf to be moſt glorious: and hence it is the Apoſtle putteth glory as an Epithet of Gods grace, in Epheſ. 1.6. to the praiſe of the glory of his grace; and thus the word glory, is uſed, in Epheſ. 3.16. That he might grant you according to the riches of his glory, what is that? the riches of his grace, and of his mercy; and the word riches, (as it doth often in Scripture,) ſignifieth plenty, and abundance; as the Apoſtle calleth it, the bountifulneſſe of God, Rom. 2.4. the ſuperabundant bountifulneſſe of God; ſo that his meaning is, that he might declare his abundant grace and mercy upon the veſſels of mercy: veſſels of mercy are here oppoſed unto veſſels of wrath, ſpoken of in the verſe before, and thereby we are to underſtand Gods Elect, who are called veſſels of mercy, becauſe they are created of God, fit to receive mercy, even as veſſels are fit to receive water by reaſon of their concavity, ſo they are veſſels of mercy prepared unto glory, that is, which the Lord hath from everlaſting ordained, and fore-appointed to everlaſting happineſſe and glory in heaven, 1 Theſſ. 5.9. God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but he hath appointed us to obtain ſalvation by the meanes of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
So then thus conceive we the meaning of the Apoſtle; as if he had ſaid,
And in like ſort that God might make it known to all the world, both to men and Angels, his exceeding great and abundant grace and mercy toward, and upon his Elect, who are veſſels as capable of mercy, as any veſſel to receive water, the Lord having from everlaſting ordained and appointed them to the Kingdom of glory.
Now the words being thus underſtood, I will onelyonly point at one thing briefly: We ſee here the Apoſtle maketh it apparent, and known, that God ſheweth his Juſtice, and maketh his power known upon the Reprobates; thereby to amplifie, and to ſet forth the greatneſſe of his mercy toward his choſen, and make known the riches of his mercy upon the veſſels of mercy; This is the ground of the Obſervation. And the Doctrine hence ariſing is this, viz.
Doctrine. That Gods mercy vouchſafed to his Children in any kind whatſoever, whether concerning ſoul, or body, it appeareth the greater, and is felt the ſweeter, by conſidering Gods wrath and puniſhment in the ſame kind inflicted upon the wicked: The riches and the greatneſſe of Gods mercy toward any of his children, is more evident, more apparent, and more conſpicuous, and the better diſcerned, by comparing it with his juſt puniſhing hand, that he layeth upon others. And to this purpoſe we have many evidences of Scripture, the mercy of God in ſaving Noah and his Family in the Ark; when the flood was upon the earth; being conſidered with the Lords wrath and vengeance upon the whole world beſides; it made the mercy of God to be more conſpicuous; and better diſcerned of Noah. So the freedome that the people of Iſrael had in the Land of Goſhen, in Egypt, from the plagues of Egypt, when the heavy hand of God was upon the Egyptians, being conſidered with thoſe heavy plagues, did exceedingly ſet forth the riches of Gods mercy to his Children, that they ſhould be ſaved, and the other puniſhed in the ſame land; and in Exod. 14.30, 31. the Text ſaith of the Iſraelites, they ſaw the Egyptians dead upon the bank, and ſaw their final overthrow; and no doubt that Gods Juſtice in their overthrow made the mercy of the Lord in their deliverance appear the better, and thereupon they were ſtirred up to praiſe God after an extraordinary manner, for an extraordinary bleſſing, in the 15. Chapter. And to theſe places I might adde many more, all expreſſing, that the mercy of God vouchſafed to his Children, feeleth ſweeter, and the more comfortable; Conſidered together with Gods wrath in puniſhing the wicked and reprobate; yea it doth raviſh the ſoul of a Child of God, and maketh it more comfortable.
The Reaſon Reaſon. and ground of it is from that Logical rule, Contra juxta ſe poſita, &c. Contraries ſet in oppoſition, maketh them the better to appear; black and white ſet together, it maketh white more reſplendant, and appear the clearer; ſo Gods mercy, oppoſed to Gods Juſtice, maketh his mercy appear more conſpicuous.
And for the Application, Ʋſe. let this teach us to conſider the mercy of God to us that are his Children, in compariſon of his Judgment to others, (as for example,) thou being a Child of God, conſider God hath given thee ſanctification in thy heart and ſoul, a feeling of thy ſins, and groaning under it; then conſider this thy Illumination, and ſanctification, together with the Ignorance and obdurancy of others, and it will make thee to praiſe and ſet forth the greatneſſe of Gods mercy: ſo again in outward mercies, the Lord hath given thee abundance; thou haſt ſtrength and ability of body, thou haſt liberty and freedom from impriſonment, and thou ſeeſt others that are blind, ſick, lame, and under the heavy hand of God in ſome Affliction, they are weak, and poor. And in this hard time that now is upon us, thou ſeeſt others wanting firing, wanting lodging, wanting means to defend them from the injury of the weather, ſurely the Lord ſetteth theſe before thee, not onelyonly that thou ſhouldeſt be pitifull unto them, and help and relieve them; but herein alſo to ſee the greatneſſe and goodneſſe of Gods mercy towards thee: Lay not out ſo much upon thy pride in exceſſe of Apparel, but extend ſome to the poor, and praiſe the Lord for his greatneſſe and goodneſſe, that hath made thee rich and healthfull, and others lye up and down ready to be famiſhed. Oh conſider this, what the Lord hath done for thy body and ſoul; he hath inlarged his hand to thee, inlarge thou thy hand in giving to others; and inlarge thy heart in praiſing of God, and let it ſtirre thee up to great thankfulneſſe unto God for this his mercy to thee.
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the veſſels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory.
ANd in the next place obſerve that the Apoſtle here ſaith not barely, God will extend and reach out his abundant mercy toward his Children, or that he might ſhew his mercy upon them abundantly, but mark the manner of his ſpeech, he putteth down his mind and meaning in theſe tearms, that God might declare the riches of his glorie upon his Chil? dren, every word is very emphatical and full of weight, and the meaning is that God might make known to all the world, to men, and Angels his exceeding great and abundant grace and mercy upon his Elect, and toward his Children. Hence then we may eaſily gather this concluſion.
Doctrine. That God will one day manifeſt his exceeding great and abundant mercy toward his choſen, and he will one day make it appear to all the World, to Men and Angels, that he is a moſt wonderful and gracious God unto his Choſen; indeed God is exceeding gracious and abundantly merciful unto his Choſen at all times, eſpecially after their effectual Calling and Converſion, and turning from ſinne unto him, from the eſtate of Nature unto the eſtate of Grace, then giving unto them the pardon of all their ſinnes, ſealing his love unto them in Chriſt, as it is in Romans 10.5. Then giving unto his Children libertie to approach and come near unto his holy preſence with comfort and thankeſgiving, then beautifying their ſoules with many excellent gifts of his Spirit, with Faith, with Zeale, and with Humilitie; ſo that God is exceeding great and abundantly merciful unto his Choſen: yet let me tell you that his abundant grace and merciemercy to his Elect is not ſo apparent to the eyes of men. It lieth hid and obſcured either under that excellent grace of Humilitie, or under their afflictions, ſo as that the world ſeeth it not, yet the time ſhall come that (howſoever it is now darkned) it ſhall appear to men and Angels, yea, men and Angels ſhall admire at the wonderful merciemercy of God to his Choſen; and to this purpoſe is that of the Apoſtle in the 2 Theſſalonians 1.10. where the Apoſtle ſaith, that Chriſt Jeſus at the day of judgement he will come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be made marvelous and wonderful in all that believe; He will inveſt his Saints then with heavenly glory, and manifeſt his rich grace and abundant mercy upon them, and that to the admiration and aſtoniſhment of all the world that ſhall looke upon him, and be eye-witneſſe of it; in 1 John 3.2. Dearly beloved ſaith the Apoſtle, We are now the Sonnes of God, yet it doth not appear, what we ſhall be is not now apparant nor evident to the eye of the world, but the time ſhall come, when it ſhall be apparant and manifeſt; and that ſhall be when Chriſt ſhall come in glory unto judgement then the Saints of God, then the true believers, and the Choſen of God ſhall be made like unto him in fulneſſe of grace, and in fulneſſe of glory not equal unto him, but like unto him, a plain Text evidencing and confirming this Truth, That God will one day manifeſt his exceeding greatneſſe and mercy to his choſen, and make it appear to all the world, to men and Angels, that he is a merciful God to the confuſion of the wicked, and the admiration of the Angels.
Now beloved, if ſo be we deſire to be further enformed touching this, what ſhall make men and Angels to admire the wonderful mercy of God to his Choſen: Beloved, it ſhall be not onelyonly in reſpect of the abundant greatneſſe of Gods mercy to his Choſen, but alſo in reſpect of the freeneſs of Gods grace, and of Gods glory, that God beſtoweth abundance of grace and of mercy and that freely; for when as the wicked and reprobates ſhall at that day have juſtly (according as they have deſerved) inflicted upon them, even everlaſting wrath and vengeance, ſo on the other ſide God hath revealed the greatneſſe of his mercy upon his choſen, not for any merits, or deſerts of theirs, and herein appeareth the wonderful admiration of Gods merciemercy in that he giveth it not in reſpect of any merit or deſert of theirs, for they have deſerved the ſame wrath with the Reprobates; but onelyonly of his free mercy; this ſhall make men, and Angels to wonder at it, that God vouchſafeth ſuch a weight of glorie, which they have not deſerved freely out of his own merciemercy, and it muſt needs be ſo for theſe Reaſons.
Becauſe the glorie of his merciemercy is as dear unto him as the glorie of his Reaſon. 1 Juſtice, and he will no more looſe the glorie of his merciemercy, then the glorie of his Juſtice.
Becauſe God having promiſed grace unto his Choſen, yea fulneſs of Reaſon. 2 grace, and fulneſs of mercy according to their meaſure. The Lord will be juſtified in his Word, and in his ſayings, and in his promiſe he will make it good, yea the moſt wicked in the world ſhall one day juſtifie the goodneſs and the merciemercy of God to his Choſen, and he will make them one day, (will they nill they) to confeſs his goodneſs, and this is not done in this world, but in the world to come, then he will wring a confeſſion from them, howſoever now they will not confeſs it, yet: then they ſhall manifeſt the riches of Gods grace to his Choſen.
The due conſideration of this yieldeth matter of ſweet and excellent comfort to Gods Children two waies.
Firſt, in reſpect of the cauſe and eſtate of Gods Children as it ſtandeth with them when they are under ſome great and grievous affliction, or under ſome ſtrong temptation and violent aſſaults by Sathan; in that he feels ſuch a weight of ſinne, and ſuch a burthen of corruptions, lying and preſſing down his heart and ſoul; as for the preſent he hath no apprehenſion of the ſpecial love of God unto him; nay, he concludeth the Contrarie even againſt himſelf, as that God hath forgotten him and left him, though there be no ſuch matter, but God is pleaſed to exerciſe his Faith, and to trie the ſoundneſs of his grace, and he will have him to know that his faith and grace is even as pure gold tried in the furnace, 1 Peter 1.7. That the trrial of your Faith is much more precious then gold. Now in this caſe a Child of God may call to minde in this miſerable eſtate (he thinketh himſelfe) may call to minde what comfort and what merciemercy the Lord hath vouchſafed upon me, and what pledges of his ſaving goodneſs the Lord hath vouchſafed, and then he may conſider, that though the ſaving mercy of God be now hid from him for a time, and that he can finde no comfort, yet he having had experience of his ſaving grace formerly, he may reſolve that he will again return and manifeſt his merciemercy unto him; for conſider to reaſon thus, Will God one day make it apparant to all the world that he is a merciful and gracious God to his Children, and will not the ſame God make it manifeſt and apparant to thy ſoul here in this life at one time or other, it cannot poſſibly be, thou having had love tokens of his favour, though they ſeem to be loſt, yet the Lord will come with abundance of grace and goodneſs, Romans 15.13. Yea the Lord one day ſo expreſt his grace as that the Child of God ſhall himſelfe wonder and magnifie the grace of God, unto his own ſoul, yea he ſhall be raviſhed with the wonderful merciemercy of God unto his Choſen in general, and to himſelfe in particular: For though when the Devil oppoſeth the godly by temptations, they feele not the merciemercy of God to them, yet the time ſhall come, when it ſhall be manifeſt to all the world much more then to themſelvess and to, their own ſouls.
Again, will God one day manifeſt his abundant merciemercy unto his Choſen Ʋſe 2 making it to appear to the view of men and Angels? it yieldeth a matter of comfort to Gods Children, in reſpect of the cenſure and judgement that they paſs upon Gods Children. The men of the world ſeeing Gods Children, walk humbly before the Lord, and looking upon their humble and low carriage and behaviour which they account baſeneſs, they preſently ſhoote out their fools bolt, that they are the Reprobates, they look upon the outſide and ſee not what is within, they are not able to, ſee what mercy the Lord vouchſafeth unto his Children even in this world, in that he giveth them aſſurance of his love unto them in Jeſus Chriſt, and a feeling of the ſweetneſs of his grace and of merciemercy, and the pardon of their ſinnes, this they are not able to ſee through the darkneſs of affliction, and the cloud of their miſerie.
Now this is to be remembred, and to be thought upon for our comfort that are Gods Children in reſpect of this cenſure, that howſoever the grace and the merciemercy of God be obſcured, and they cannot ſee it, yet comfort thy ſelf, the time ſhall come that God-wil make it appear to men and Angels, that he is a gracious God, and that he is rich in mercy unto them, and that the love of God is ſpread abroad in thy heart; yea the time ſhal come that men and Angels ſhal ſe thee Crowned with a Crown of glorie, and a Crown of merciemercy, that they ſhalbe driven to an admiration of it, and then they ſhal befool themſelves, and ſay, we fools thought theſe mens lives to to be madneſs, yea we accounted them contemptible and baſe fellows; but now behold the riches of Gods merciemercy, that he is wonderfully gracious and merciful unto his Children, they ſhal befool themſelves to ſee the greatneſs of Gods merciemercy unto his Choſen, which ſhal be ſo great that they ſhal admire at it, yea the verie Angels ſhal wonder at it; Angels that are able to underſtand more then all the men in the world, they ſhalbe amazed and wonder at the riches of Gods merciemercy unto his choſen. Therefore let the calumnie and the ſlander of the wicked paſs by unregarded, for the Lord wil one day manifeſt his merciemercy to the admiration of Men, and Angels.
And that he might declare the riches of his glorie unto the veſſels of mercy prepared unto glorie.
AGain, obſerve we here the Apoſtle putteth glorie for merciemercy, and maketh them both tending to one end: from hence the Doctrin is this, viz.
Doctrine. That God in ſhewing of merciemercy unto his Choſen intendeth the glory of his grace, and the glorie of his merciemercy. The Lord in ſhewing of merciemercy unto his Choſen doth it to this end, that he might have his praiſe and glorie by it, he aimeth at this end, that it might be known, and admired and ſpoken of and magnified, and that he might have glorie by it, as good Kings and Princes, next after the things that concern Religion, they doe eſteem this above all the honour of their name, that they might be reſpected of their Subjects for their Clemencie and bountie unto their Subjects; ſo it is with the Lord the great King of Heaven and Earth, all the graces and favour, and mercy that he vouchſafeth unto his Choſen, from the firſt merciemercy, to the laſt; from their Election, to their glorification; in Heaven it tendeth to this end, that his grace and mercy unto his Choſen may be manifeſted and appear, and that he may have the praiſe, and the glorie of his grace, and of his merciemercy. In Epheſians 1.5. God ſaith the Apoſtle, He hath Predeſtinated us to be Adopted through Jeſus Chriſt in himſelf, (nothing moving him thereunto out of his own bleſſed Majeſtie) according to the good pleaſure of his Will; to what end? To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, of his rich and abundant grace and merciemercy. And as glorifying of the riches of his grace and mercy is that which the Lord delighteth in, ſo he aimeth at it as the ſupream and higheſt end in ſhewing of mercy: And the Lord may ſafely ſeek his own glory and praiſe without any danger of pride in it, as it is in man, for they looking at their own praiſe and eſtimation among men; they are tainted with pride, but it is not ſo with the Lord, becauſe indeed he is the higheſt, and there is none above him. And hence it was in Exod. 34.6, 7. when the Lord ſhewed himſelf unto Moſes, he magnified his mercy above all other attributes, and he proclaimeth his mercy by many ſeveral titles and paſſages, The Lord, the Lord, ſtrong, merciful and gracious, ſlow to anger, abundant in goodneſſe, and in truth, reſerving mercy unto thouſands, forgiving iniquities, tranſgreſſions and ſins: there is mention of Gods power in a word very ſparingly; but there is nothing ſufficient to extol the glory of his mercy, explicating that in variety of expreſſions, and ſetting it out to the full.
Now this being a truth, firſt of all this ſerveth to ſtir us up to give God Ʋſe 1 the praiſe and glory of his mercy vouchſafed unto us in any kind whatſoever; this is the main thing the Lord aymeth at, in ſhewing of mercy unto his choſen, that it might be known and glorified. Oh then ſurely we ought never to let the grace, and the mercy of God to be out of our mouthes, this is that he delighteth in; and therefore we muſt have his mercy in our mouthes, eſpecially we profeſſing our ſelves to be his children and ſervants; for conſider, I beſeech you, how will thoſe ſervants that belong and appertain to bountiful Lords and Maſters, how will they be ever ſetting forth and extolling the bounty, and beneficence of their Maſters in what company ſoever they are, commending their frank Houſe-keeping, and good hoſpitality, in being beneficial to the poor, and good to their followers. And ſo indeed they are not the children of God, that do not thus magnifie the riches of Gods mercy unto them, and have them in their hearts and mouthes continually, crying out, Oh the mercy of God to us is large; elſe they are baſtards, and not the children of God, for ſuch as belong unto Gods grace, God giveth them grace unto this end, that his grace and mercy might be known and magnified, that they may ſay, Oh what hath God done for my ſoul; this is the practiſe of a holy ſervant of God; therefore we are to be ſtirred up for any mercy the Lord hath vouchſafed in any kind, not onelyonly for health reſtored, or for any ſuch things that are temporal, but alſo for things that are ſpiritual; or for any mercy that he hath beſtowed upon us, we are to be thankful, and eſpecially we are to give praiſe and thanks unto God, for his great and wonderful mercy beſtowed upon us in Chriſt Jeſus, in that he gave Chriſt Jeſus to be a Saviour for our ſoules; this we ought to be thankful unto God for above all other mercies.
Again, is this ſo, that Gods ſhewing of mercy unto his choſen, it tendeth Ʋſe 2 to the glory of his mercy? ſurely then it cannot be, that life and glory is given unto Gods choſen, from the hand of Juſtice, as a thing due unto them by their meritorious deſerts, this cannot poſſibly be; for mercy is given for the magnifying of his mercy; for if it were ſo (as the Papiſts teach) given for their merit by the hand of Juſtice, ſurely then God ſhould aym at his Juſtice, as the main and higheſt end of all in their glorification, which is not ſo, for he aymeth at the glory of his mercy; for indeed, as God intendeth, and aymeth at the glory of his Juſtice and power, as the higheſt end in the deſtruction of the Reprobate and wicked, and ſo he aymeth at the glorification of his mercy, as the higheſt end in the ſalvation of the Elect and godly. And whereas the Papiſts ſay, that life and glory is given as an act of mercy, and of Juſtice, and ſo they would make a hotch-potch, and a compound of that which cannot be compounded; for it is as poſſible that God ſhould ſend a man to hell, and condemn a man, out of his revenging Juſtice, and ſaving mercy, at the ſame time; as that God ſhould give a man mercy and ſalvation out of his hand of Juſtice, and of mercy: it is as poſſible that God ſhould be merciful to a man that he ſendeth to hell; as to be juſt to a man that he giveth ſalvation unto, theſe two can never ſtand together, revenging Juſtice, and ſaving mercy; for the Lord vouchſafeth ſalvation, that his mercy may be glorified, and not his juſtice; ſo that mercy cometh not from the hand of Juſtice, but of mercy.
Again, in that the Apoſtle ſaith, that God declareth the riches of his mercy to the Elect; hence I might note; That Gods grace and mercy vouchſafed unto his choſen, it is full and perfect, fulneſſe of mercy, and perfect mercy; when God forgiveth the ſins of his choſen, he forgiveth them not in part, or by the halves, as the Papiſts teach, that God forgiveth the ſinnes of his choſen, in reſpect of the eternal puniſhment, but he leaveth the Temporal puniſhment for them to do penance for in the time of Lent: whereas God doth give unto his children full and perfect remiſſion, full and perfect Juſtification, full and perfect glorification, Heb. 7.25. He is able perfectly to ſave all that come unto him, ſaith the Author to the Hebrewes; not to give a half ſalvation, but a full ſalvation; but to paſſe from that.
And in the laſt place obſerve we, that the Apoſtle affirmeth it of Gods choſen, that they are veſſels of mercy prepared unto glory, that is, God in his eternal decree hath ordained them to everlaſting glory: ſo that hence I might ſhew, that ſome particular perſons amongſt men are appointed of God to ſalvation in heaven; but that I have often met withal, and therefore paſſe by it: but hence we may truly take up this Obſervation,
That life and glory, and happineſſe in heaven, it cometh unto Gods choſen in time, Doctrine. moſt freely, from the free grace and mercy of God, without any merit or deſert of theirs at all; it was prepared for them, and they for it, before they had a being, and before the world was, Matth. 25.34. Come you bleſſed, inherit a Kingdome prepared for you before the world was, or from the beginning of the world, ſaith our Saviour; and this truth the Scripture ſaith in Epheſ. 2.8. by grace yau are ſaved, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God: and in Titus 3.5. Not according to the works of righteouſneſſe that we have done, but according to his mercy he hath ſaved us: ſtill running upon the free grace and mercy of God; in Luke 12.32. Fear not little flock, ſaith Chriſt, it is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdome; it is the free gift of your Father, without any of your deſerts. And alſo in Rom. 6.23. the Apoſtle having ſaid, the wages of ſin is death, then preſently he ſubjoyneth unto it, not as the ſequel of the Text doth require (as the Remiſts themſelves do confeſſe in their Annotations,) he ſaith not, the wages of ſin is death, and the wages of holineſſe is ſalvation; but he changeth the term, (ſaith he) the wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life; thereby evidencing, that the eternal life and ſalvation of the godly in heaven, it cometh freely, without any merit or deſerts of theirs at all: and hence it is that eternal life in heaven, it is called in Scripture an inheritance, in Coloſſ. 1.12. giving thanks that he hath provided for us an inheritance: 1 Pet. 1.4. an inheritance immortal, and undefiled: Now who knoweth not this, that an inheritance cometh to a child from the father, out of the mere love of the father, when the child it may be is not born, and cannot do any thing to merit it; ſo the inheritance of heaven being prepared for the godly, and they for it, it muſt needs come from the grace of God.
And the Reaſon Reaſon. and ground of this is, becauſe that the whole glory of this may be unto the Lord; the Lord will have the glory in the ſalvation of his choſen; in Epheſ. 2.9. you are ſaved by grace through faith, not of works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt; (and brag of it, that he brought ſomething to his ſalvation.)
Now this being ſo, it meeteth directly with the opinion of our adverſaries the Papiſts; Ʋſe. thoſe of the Antichriſtian Synagogue of Rome, it quite over turneth their opinion, in that they hold & teach, that life and glory in heaven belong to ſuch as are firſt of all juſtified by Chriſt, as admitted for the merit, and deſert of their own good works, and it belongeth to them for the merit of their own good workes. Now this errour, beſides the errour in the ground of it, ſuppoſing a two-fold Juſtification in the ſight of God, (which can never be proved in the Book of God,) when God juſtifieth, he juſtifieth once for all; beſides this errour in the ground, it cannot ſtand with the truth of God now delivered; for if ſo be life and glory come unto Gods choſen in time moſt freely then not for their deſerts, for free gift and due debt cannot ſtand together, with relation to the ſame ſubject.
But (ſay the Papiſts) life and glory in heaven, it is called a reward; therefore merited.
To this I anſwer, The Holy Ghoſt hath taught us to diſtinguiſh of reward, as two-fold, in Rom. 4.4. and that is either of favour, or of debt; now eternal life is a reward indeed, not of debt, but of favour. But whereas the Papiſts further reply, Chriſt hath merited that the good works of his Choſen, ſhould be meritorious to life and ſalvation; A mere idle ſhift; we find in the Book of God, that Chriſt hath merited for his choſen, and died for their ſins, but we never find he died for their good works, to make them meritorious; no, it is a thing altogether impoſſible; that the beſt works of Gods choſen ſhould have in them the true and whole nature of merit, becauſe they be imperfect, and they are ſtained with ſin; the beſt work that a man can do, when he hath ſtriven to do his beſt, he muſt go to God to crave pardon for his imbecility; now theſe two cannot poſſibly ſtand together, to ſtand in need of mercy, and yet be meritorious.
Yea let me tell you, we muſt take heed we do not abuſe this Doctrine of Ʋſe 2 God, and ſavour it to our deſtruction, and hereupon do as many do, caſt off all care of good works, becauſe they do not merit; yet it is our duty to ſhew unto God our thankfulneſſe for his mercy unto us, in giving us right and title to heaven, and to expreſſe our thankfulneſſe unto him in all holy obedience; yea without queſtion we are bound to thankfulneſſe for external and temporal good things; becauſe we find that the uſe and comfort of it cometh from God: Oh much more are we then to be thankful unto God for heaven, and in giving us hope of inheritance in heaven.
And now becauſe every one will be ready to ſooth up himſelf, and to ſay, I hope I ſhall come to heaven▪ and I am thankful for it; every one will ſay ſo, we are therefore to look unto it, that we be thankful unto him indeed: how ſhall we know that? we may know it by this, if ſo be we find that we are truly thankful unto God for his mercy unto us in outward good things: and thereby we are moved to walk humbly before the Lord; and the more the Lord openeth his hand, and giveth good things unto us, the more we do prove thankful unto him, and walk before him humbly, Mich. 6.8. and then we may aſſure our ſelves we are truly thankfull. But on the contrary part, if ſo be we find that we are not thankfull unto God for the things of this life, but (after the manner of the world) the more the Lord doth open his hand unto us, and give them riches, the more they increaſe in pride, in vanity, in ſcorn, in diſdain and contempt of others, becauſe we are richer then others, therefore we will be prouder then others, and diſdain and ſcorn our brethren; let us pretend what we will, we can never make it good, that we are thankful unto God, as David, in 2 Sam. 7.18. conſidering the mercy of God in advancing him to the Kingdom, ſaith, O what am I, that the Lord ſhould vouchſafe ſuch a mercy unto me? ſo where that ſpirit is that was in David, it will cauſe thee to be thankful unto God for every bit of bread, and not to be proud and ſcornful, conſidering it cometh from the free mercy of God; ſo that this doctrine is not a doctrine of liberty, but it is a ſpecial means of thankfulneſſe, to ſtirre us up to be truly thankful unto God.