Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 23
SECT. 23.
This Doctrine (being the very plaine and evident …uth of God, Vſe hereof.as wee have …eene) both lets us ſee what …ur duty is towards him, …alſo what is the immuta…lity of his counſell and …ood purpoſe to us.
1. Hence we learne to give all glory to God, and not to … ſelves.We are hence taught … give all glory unto God, …d not to glory in our …lves; and for ever to re…ember that of the Apoſtle, …at we learne not to think of others or of our ſelves) …ove that which is written, ……at no one of you (ſaith …ee) bee puffed up for ont againſt another, (much leſ… then againſt God himſelf… for who maketh thee t… differ from another, and what haſt thou that thou … not received; Now if th… didſt received it, why doſt … glory, as if thou hadſt not received it? Let God th… have all the glory of tha… grace and goodneſſe wherby thou differeſt from … nother; for it is hee wh… hath predeſtinated us, un… the adoption of Childre… by Jeſus Chriſt, to himſelf according to the good pl… ſure of his will; Epheſ. 1.5.To the Pra… of the glory of his grace, … But in ſuch caſe, let us w… the Pſalmiſt in another ca… ſay, Pſ. 115.1.and that from the hear… Not unto us O Lord, not … us, but to thy name g… glory.
Thus to doe is truely Chriſtian; 1Thus to do is Chriſtian.For God hath ſo (according to his eternall Counſell) diſpoſed of all things here below, 1 Cor. 1.29. I…r. 9.24. Rom. 3▪27. Rom. 4.2.that no fle…s ſhould glory in his preſence. Let him then that glorieth, glory in this, ſaith the Lord, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord that exerciſeth loving kindneſſe, &c. The Law or Faith excludes all boaſting in our ſelves: otherwiſe if wee will bring ought of our owne, we may rejoyce and glory, but not before God. To glory in our ſelvs is heathen…th.Bet us then leave all glorying to the prophane Heathen, who indeed, wholy ignorant of Gods grace, have avouched, that we truly and juſtly may glory of our vertue; Which ſay they wee would never doe if it were the gift of God, and not a thing of our own; And ſaith another, it is one principall ſtep to happineſſe, for a man to admire himſelfe, that is, to doate upon his owne excellency.
Let us then give glory to God, Ci…ro de nat. Deorú, lib. 3. Seneca de vita Beata, c. 8. Popiſh.and depend wholy upon him, and on his grace. Papiſts (not to ſay others) will be as little beholding to Gods grace as may bee, where they imagine their owne will and naturall ſtrength to bee ſufficient, there they think not the gift of ſpeciall grace to be ſo neceſſary: they thinke it need full to make us to doe good duties, Bellarm…de gratia, &c. …ib. 5. c. 7.more eaſily & readily; So that to overcome tentations, that no ſin be committed, they doe not alwayes require Gods ſpeciall helpe, that is internall illumination, and ſupernaturall motion, but any help whatſoever; But what availes it to be a Chriſtian, if this be ſo? The Heathen indeed thinke they may come to happineſſe, and avoyd all ſinne, by the good Husbanding of their owne Freewill; and therefore flatter themſelves, ſaying, it is enough that they pray to Jupiter, for long Life and riches; As for a good mind and vertue, they wold give that to themſelves, (and ſo not be beholding to Jupiter f…r it,) Herat. Ep. 18. Lib. 1.ſo one flattered a great man, ſaying: The Gods grant thee long life, for as for other things, thou wilt give them to thy ſelfe.
Now theſe are no Poeticall flouriſhes, but agreeable to the Doctrine and moſt ſerious meditations of their beſt Philoſophers; Dit tibi de…t annos, tranquille caetera ſm…es, ſint m…do virtuti tempora long a tuae Ovid. lib. 2. de ponto Eleg. 1. a… Germanic. Ariſ…ot. in Ethic. Sene…. Ep. 31. Ep. 54. Iemiſh.ſeeing great Ariſtotle, the Maſter of morality tells us, that both vertue and vice are in our power, or elſe we were neither to be praiſed for weldoing, nor diſpraiſed for ill-doing; and that every man is the forger of his owne Fortune Hence Seneca is angry with thoſe that trouble the Gods with their prayers, that they might bee happy; ſaying withall, make thy ſelfe happy: Ye… hee tells u… moreover, that in ſome reſp…ct man hath the …d vantage of God himſelfe, ſeeing God is happy by the benefi… of nature, but man is happy by his owne good Huſbanding of his min… that is, God is happy, and cannot be otherwiſe; He is happy of neceſſity, but a good man is ſo by his owne Election & choyce, (whēce by the way wee ſee from whoſe forge wee receive thoſe Doctrines, wch dayly do ſomagnifie mans power▪ …gainſt Gods grace, even frō Philoſophers & Poets) hereun…o ad what I read cōcerning …ne Barcozba a Jew, Morn. de veritate religions Chriſt. c. 29.who would make himſelfe Chriſt though it were forty yeares …fter the deſtruction of the …econd Temple,) & who hav…g gathered ahūdred thou …nd men about him did ſo ruſt to their invincible …rēgth, as that he did cut off …e of each of their ſingers; …d going to battell he was …ōt to ſay, Prophane.help us not thou …ord of the World, ſeeing …ou haſt forſaken us, &c.
Anſwerable to which artogancy is that of the gre… Turke of late, who attempting againſt Polan… preſumed even without▪ Gods aſſent, that they we… able to deſtroy that Nation; for when the chie… Muphty, at the inſtance … Scander Baſha, Generall … gainſt the Polonians, appointed ſolemne prayers i… their Meſchites, for the good ſucceſſe of his Army; the Great Turke did forbi… them; ſaying, that without any ayde from God, the… were able by their own… forces to deſtroy the Polonians; as was intimated … our late Soveraigne of f… mous and happy Memery King Iames by the Cou… George Oſſolniski Ambaſſadour of the King; of Poland, in his Oration to him.
See from theſe Examples what a height of pride men, who admire them …elves, and truſt in their …wne ſtrength, may attaine …nto; Even to think them…elves, if not in whole, yet …n part ſufficient without God; every one carries an …dol in his heart, which is a …ans owne ſelfe, whom he …eft to himſelfe) would ſet …p againſt God himſelfe …ſſe or more.
To conclude this applica…on, wee ſee how juſtly S. …uſtin of old, and wee now …ay challenge the enemies …f Gods grace, with mani…ſt diſhonour done unto …od, & monſtrous pride, …hich appears from hence; …ecauſe in very deed, ſuch …n neither pray aright, Such can never pray …right.nor give thankes unto God fe… any good thing; For ſar… S. Auſtin, August. de nat. & gratia. c. 18.what is more fooliſh then to pray for th… which I have in mine ow… power? And ſo may I ſ… to our new Maſters, what … that which I am to begg… and aske of God? Is it ſu… cient grace? Nay they w… tell mee, I enjoy that already, by Covenant (in Ba… tiſine, D. Prid. lect. 4.in which is given … each ſufficiēt grace to ſer… God if they will) and this have with ſuch Hypocrit… as never begge it. Is it th… the good uſe of that grace… But this I can draw into A… by mine owne endeavou… out of the inbred indi… rencie of mine owne free… will. Nor be truly thankef…llNow who I pray y… can ſeriouſly begge that … another, which hee hath … poſſeſſeth already? yea or …ew can any be truly thāk…ll for that which hee hath …ot ſo much received as gi…en and himſelfe afforded? …ow can wee glorifie God …y offering him praiſe when …ee aſeribe (though but in …art and in the ſecond …lace) the praiſe and power …f weldoing to our ſelves? …et them ſee to it who will …ave Gods grace in mans Converſion to be common, …niverſall and ſuch as they alſo partake as truly of, yea …nd as effectually, who re…maine unconverted.