The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. The reaſon of Chriſts ſevere Sentence, and a question reſolved, whether the Righteous, by their Acts of Charity, do not deſerve Heaven as well, as the Wicked, by their Omiſſion thereof, deſerve Hell.
Thirdly, THe reaſon of Chriſt's ſevere Sentence againſt them, verſ. 40, 43. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirſty, and ye gave me no drink. I was a ſtranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not: ſick and in priſon, and ye viſited me not.
The words have nothing of difficulty in them, and therefore I ſhall not waſt time in the explication of them. Every one knows what it is not to give meat to the Hungry, or drink to the Thirſty, or Raiment to the Naked, &c. That it is the omiſſion of a Duty, viz. Charity, which God commands, and alſo that Believers are the Members of Chriſt, Epheſ. 1. ult. Chriſt myſtical, 1 Cor. 12.12. And therefore what injuries are done to them, are done to Chriſt, Acts 9. Only it may be needful to ſpeak to theſe two particulars, before I raiſe the Doctrine.
1. Whether there be not the like ground of the Salvation of the bleſſed that there is of the damnation of the wicked; namely, the merit of their works. Both ſeem to ſpeak it, Come ye bleſſed, &c. For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat. Again, Go ye curſed, &c. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat? &c.
2. Why Chriſt will try men at the great day by the performance or neglect of this Duty of Charity, and not rather by their performance or neglect of Prayer, Hearing, Watchfulneſs, or ſome other Duty, or by their Humility, Heavenly-mindedneſs, Patience, Temperance? &c.
In anſwer to the firſt, though Bellarmine affirms, There is the ſame reaſon in each, and Cornel. A Lapide, with the reſt of the Papiſts, concur therein, yet if they were not wilfully blind, they might ſee enough in the Text to diſprove them.
1. In that Chriſt calls to the bleſſed to inherit the Kingdom, foreign, which word ſignifieth Haereditatis jure poſſidere, to enjoy a thing by right of Inheritance, from Parents and Anceſtors, and not by right of Purchaſe, or deſerving; therefore Heaven is often called foreign, an Inheritance, Col. 1.12. Epheſ. 1.14. 1 Pet. 1.3. So the Type of it, the Land of Canaan is often called by the 70, probably from the diviſion or diſtribution of the Land by lot to them,A foreign ſors & foreign Lexceu foreign, Diſtribuo quia hereditates olim per ſortem diſtribul ſolebant. Joſh. 14.2. which to a word is the import of the word. Now they who enjoy an Eſtate by right of Sonſhip, do not poſſeſs it by Merit. What can a Child who may inherit his deceaſed Fathers Eſtate in his Child-hood or Infancy do to deſerve that Eſtate.
2. In that Chriſt tells them, That this Kingdom was prepared for them before the foundation of the World. Now what could they do before they had a Being to deſerve this Inheritance. And the Apoſtle is poſitive, that all is to be referred to the Purpoſe of God, not to the piety of any men. For (ſaith he) the Children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the Purpoſe of God according to Election might ſtand, (mark) not of works, but of him that calleth. It was ſaid unto her, The Elder ſhall ſerve the younger, Rom. 9.11, 12. Eph. 1.4. Rev. 13.8.
If it be Objected, That God foreſaw that they would improve their Free will unto the performance of ſuch good Works, whereby they would deſerve Heaven, and therefore choſe them to Heaven, which the Papiſts ſtand much upon. I anſwer,
1. The fore-ſight of their Faith and good Works cannot be the cauſe of their Election, becauſe their Election is by God himſelf declared to be the cauſe of their Faith and good Works. If their Faith and Obedience be the effect of Election, they cannot be the cauſe of it; but ſo they are, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father hath given me ſhall come to me, i. e. believe on me. Again, As many as were ordained to eternal life believed, Act. 13.48. So for good Works, Joh. 15.13. Eph. 1.4. Rom. 8.30.
2. Then mans will muſt be the ground of God's Actions, not his own Will. The Scripture tells us, That God worketh all things after the Counſel of his own will, Epheſ. 1.11. But ſay the Papiſts in Election, God worketh according to the imp… vement of mans will.
3. Then the accompliſhment of Go… Decree depends upon the mutable and uncertain will of man, ſo that there is a poſſibility that God may be diſappointed of his Choice, and his Elect of that Happineſs to which they are choſen, if both depend on a changeable Creature. But the word of God ſpeaks the contrary, that God cannot be fruſtrated of his Choice, Pſal. 33.10. The Counſel of the Lord ſtandeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all Generations. His Decrees are ſure, 2 Tim. 2.19. though his ſentence may be alter'd, Jer. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. Nor can the Elect be diſappointed, Matth. 24.24. If it were poſſible, they would deceive the very Elect. Here the impoſſibility of their ſeduction is grounded on the ſtability of their Election.
4. Then there can be no Election of Infants to everlaſting life. I mean, of ſuch as God fore-ſeeth or ordaineth to die in their infancy, becauſe God cannot fore-ſee that theſe will improve the liberty of their wills unto Faith and Repentance. That Infants may be ſaved, is clear, Matth. 19.14. Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew calls them foreign, Luke foreign, the firſt word ſignifieth Puerulus, a little Child, one, ſay the Criticks, that is in the firſt ſeven years of his Age. But the latter, Luke 18.15. ſignifieth Infants newly born, or ſucking Babes. Now if of ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven, then they may be ſaved. But none are ſaved, ſave ſuch as are elected; therefore without any fore-ſight of Faith or good Works, rational Creatures may be elected, Rom. 8.30. Rom. 11.7.
5. If fore-ſight of mens Works be the cauſe of their Election, then man hath whereof to glory. He is then the cauſe of his own Salvation. Election is the Original of all, a ſpring that runneth under ground for a time; firſt bubleth up and diſcovers it ſelf in effectual Calling, ſo glideth along in a life of Faith & Holineſs, and at laſt emptieth it ſelf in the Ocean of Peace, and Joy, and Happineſs: So that if man be the Cauſe of his Election, then he may thank himſelf for his Salvation. John is no more beholden to God than Judas, for 'tis the improvement of the freedom of his Will which brings him to Heaven. God did as much for Judas (ſay they) as for John. But how contrary is this to the word of Truth? Rom. 4.2. But if Abraham were justified by Works, he had whereof to glory. The Scripture ſpeaks in another Dialect, By Grace ye are ſaved, through Faith, not of Works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt, Eph. 2.4, 5. The Knife with which Adam cut his own Throat, and wherewith he murther'd his Poſterity, was Pride. He would hold of himſelf, and not of God. The wiſe and gracious God, in the way he hath taken for our Recovery, is pleaſed to lay this Knife as far as may be out of our way, leſt we be ruin'd by it a ſecond time: Though this Pride, the Popiſh Doctrine of Merits, and fore-ſight of good Works maintains; but God tells us, Man is nothing, and God all in all; that no fleſh might glory in his preſence, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29.
6. The Holy Ghoſt gives us the true ground or motive of Election, far differing from this of the Papiſts, and that is the Will and Pleaſure; Having predeſtinated us according to the good Pleaſure of his Will, Epheſ. 1.5. Being predeſtinated according to the purpoſe of him, verſ. 11.
Rom. 9.18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth.
Matth. 11.26. Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.
2 Tim. 1.9. Who hath ſaved us, and called us with a holy Calling; not according to our work, but according to his own Purpoſe and Grace which was given us in Chriſt before the world begun. Again, the Particle For, enim, foreign is counted cauſal,Piſcat. in Loc. not that always it noteth the Cauſe, but ſometimes a Reaſon or Argument, whether taken from the Cauſe or Effect, Matth. 1.18. Matth. 15.14. 2 Tim. 2.7. Beſides this is ſufficient for parity of reaſon, or the reſemblance, that as ſome go by the way of good Works to Heaven, ſo others by the way of evil Works to Hell. Good Works are not foreign, ceu cauſa ſalutis ſed foreign, reſpectu fidei & finis ejus, vitae aeternae, Glaſſ. not the cauſe of reigning, but the way to the Kingdom. Once more, Let the Papiſts ſhew the ſame proportion between a few imperfect defective good Works, which men are enabled to do by the help of God, and the unconceivable eternal Joys and Glory of Heaven that is between the evil works of men, and the endleſs pains of Hell, and then let them plead their merits. They may, if they pleaſe, obſerve, that the Saints themſelves are ſo far from pleading their Merits, or boaſting their deſerts, that they hardly remember that they ever did thoſe Works which Chriſt proclaims to their praiſe, and rewards through his own blood with a Kingdom. Lord, when ſaw we thee hungry or thirſty? &c. O what a vaſt difference is there between an upright humble Chriſtian, who acknowledgeth himſelf leſs than the leaſt of all Gods mercies, and a proud Papiſt that dares ſay, Coelum gratis non accipiam.