Forty Sermons, Sermon 12
SERMON XII. ON PHILIPPIANS 3. 6.
foreign.
Touching the Righteouſneſs which is in the Law, Blameleſs.
IN which words our Apoſtle riſeth yet higher to a more deſireable qualification than thoſe that went before: for he might have been a Phariſee and yet a ſcandalous hypocrite, as moſt of them were, and he might have been zealous too, and yet he might have been foreign (as Chryſoſtom noteth) raſh, and all that might be foreign out of an ambitious aſpiring to rule and dominion, as it was with the Prieſts, and other of their zealots, but he was more ſingle-hearted, and in his carriage innocent, As touching the righteouſneſs which is of the law, blameleſs, i. e. quoad externam coram hominibus converſationem, for his Calvin, Zanchy, Hyperius. Luke 1. 6. Aquinas.outward carriage before men, he was (as it is ſaid of Zachary and Elizabeth) ſine querelâ, not blamed or complained of by his neighbours, and ſo not guilty of any thing, for which, according to the courſe of their law then in uſe, he might juſtly and legally be accuſed before the Judgment-ſeat, and ſentenced by the Judge, as Grotius expounds it [Nomen legis hîc accipit pro illis praeceptis ſecundum quae judicia exercebantur; dicit ergo ſe nihil feciſſe ob quod tribunali ſiſti debet] So that his zeal in perſecuting Grotius.the Church was not upon an humane and ſelfiſh, but a Divine intereſt, as Theophylact obſerveth. Nor was it ſtained with a vicious life, but (quod praecipuum erat, as he ſaith) this was C. à lapide in loc.the top and crown of all his other excellencies, that he was a ſober, virtuous (in a word) a compleat moral Man, zealous in his miſtaken Religion, and a juſt, civil, fair man in his outward converſation, not only of the moſt exact ſect, Acts 26. 5. but alſo of a moſt exact life; which in real worth was more than all his forementioned priviledges, which he ſometimes thought he might well eſteem gain, ſeeing that thereby he gained ſo much repute from abroad with others, and ſo much inward content and ſatisfaction in his own mind. And yet upon his converſion, even this as well as all thoſe other things that were before gain, he now counts loſs for Chriſt, v. 7. And ſo ſhould we. And ſo the Note hence is
That it is not Morality nor the … moſt unblameably vertuous Note 5.either inward habits, or outward performances in an eſtate of irregeneracy, which can ſo commend us to God as that we may ſafely rely on, or reſt in them for our acceptance with him, but even theſe alſo (as to that) are to be accounted loſs and dung that we may win Chriſt. In handling of which I ſhall follow the ſame method that I did in the former particulars.
1. Shew the true value and intrinſick worth of this vertuous unblameable frame and outward carriage.
2. That it is ſo great, eſpecially in many mens eſteem, that they think it ſafe, and beſt quietly to reſt in it.
3. That yet ſo it ſhould not be, but that in compariſon of Chriſt it ſhould be accounted loſs and dung for him and his righteouſneſs, by which only we are juſtified and accepted.
For the firſt, That a moral, civil, vertuous, and unblameable life and carriage is of great worth, and very highly to be valued, the Apoſtle fully intimates in that he doth not only reckon it up amongſt his former choice excellencies, but alſo ſets it on the top and head of them all, as chief and moſt eminent, as Interpreters obſerve, whilſt dum ſurgit, creſcit oratio, in this his heaping his excellencies one upon another, this is ſet inter foreign, becauſe laſt named, it is to be underſtood to be firſt in place and diguity, and that moſt deſervedly.
And therefore I deſire that no mans quickneſs, as ſoon as he hath heard the Doctrine, may either prevent my future diſcourſe, or prejudge my preſent meaning, as though I intended to decry morality, as I have heard from this place ſome pretty ſharply inveighed againſt for it with reflections as though they were defective in that which they ſo ſpeak againſt. For our carriages, it's beſt that every one would look to his own. For the Doctrine that now I am upon, I deſire that I may not be ſo miſtaken, as though I meant to un-man him, whom I would have to be a Chriſtian, or that I forbad him to get up the lower ſteps, to whom I ſay, Friend you muſt aſcend higher, or elſe you will never reach heaven. He that deſireth you to add to your vertue faith, doth not either bid or permit you to be vicious; but when the Apoſtle Peter in a contrary method commands you to add to your faith vertue (if by vertue 2 Pet. 1. 5.there be meant that which we now ſpeak of) he ſeemeth to me to hint that
1. As faith ſhould not be without vertue, ſo
2. That vertue ſhould not be without faith: when he would have them ſo joined together.
3. And this further, that faith ſhould not be an additament and ſuperſtructure to vertue, but rather the foundation of it, that ſo it may be true vertue, for (as Auſtin ſaith) Abſit ut in aliquo ſit Contra Julian. lib. 4. cap. 3.vera virtus, niſi fuerit juſtus: abſit ut ſit juſtus, niſi vivat ex fide: juſtus enim ex fide vivit. And ſo indeed I deſire that Chriſt (and faith in him) ſhould be laid as the foundation, (for no other foundation did Paul know that any man can lay) of all our moral 1 Cor. 3. 11.qualifications and performances, but ſo as to be the Corner-ſtone too to go up to the top of the building, that ſo our foundation may be laid ſurer, and our building raiſed up higher. For ſine Chriſto omnis virtus in vitio eſt, and ſo in getting up to heaven by Hieron. in 3 ad Galat.this Jacob's Ladder, let the foot tread the rounds, let us work and walk in Gods way: but withal let the hand before lay hold, (as it uſually doth in going up a Ladder) the hand of faith, I mean, withal firſt lay hold of Chriſt and his Righteouſneſs for our juſtification. That the principle may be more noble, not the Spirit of a man, but of Chriſt; as a man ſeeth and heareth as a bruit doth, but not from a brute but a rational Soul, which riſeth higher than a bare ſenſitive Creature can attain to, ſo I would have a Chriſtian be ſober, juſt, temperate, as the moſt compleat Moraliſt can be, but this from the ſpirit of Chriſt, and not only from a bare ſpiritleſs dull morality, and ſo (as according to his higher well-head and principle) to riſe higher to thoſe more noble ſpiritual operations of Goſpel-faith and love, which ſuch a pure moraliſt is ſo far from attaining to, that he doth not ſo much as think fit to deſire or endeavour after, but rather to deſpiſe and hate.
This premiſed, I come more particularly to ſhew the true value and worth of morality in a vertuous and blameleſs Converſation.
1. It's the honour of humane Nature, a chief part of our humanity, whereby we are men, yea (though not the chief yet) the more viſible part of the image of God wherein at firſt we were created, and what of this kind is in any of us ſince our fall are (as uſually they are taken) ſome of the rudera and broken pieces of that firſt goodly building. Which were they wholly demoliſhed and quite raſed out of us, we ſhould ceaſe to be our ſelves, to be men, and degenerate into the ſenſuality and ferity of brute Wild-beaſts, immanitate omnem humanitatem repellente, as Tully Offic. lib. 1. Notanda eſt Dei humanitat. Calvin. in Dan. 10. 13.ſpeaks: for humanity in the true ſenſe and common uſe ſpeaks ſomething of erudition, gentleneſs, virtuouſneſs, and that not only in Heathen, but even in Scripture Language, in which foreign virga hominum & plagae humanae, the rod of men, and the ſtripes of the Children of men, 2 Sam. 7. 14. have ſomething of gentleneſs and moderation, i. e. of humanity, in the true ſenſe of that phraſe. Premunt ità ut non comprimant. And therefore I Sanctius in loc.muſt needs ſay to you, be ſober, chaſt, juſt, vertuous, if you would be men, not Beaſts, not Devils.
2. But ſecondly, there is more than humanity, ſomething Divine in it, as being the product of a more common and inferiour working of the ſpirit of Chriſt, ſome dimmer and cooler rayes of the ſun of righteouſneſs as he is the light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world, John 1. 9. as he ſaid, nec Hieron. in Gal. 1.quenquam ſine Chriſto naſci. How often doth Auſtin call theſe lower workings the gifts of God? and if Polemon by hearing of Xenocrates of a drunkard prove ſober, ne id ipſum quod melius in eo factum eſt, humano operi tribuerim, ſed Divino: He accounts it a Divine work to make only a moral change and reformation. It's a ſpecial gift of God, qui dona ſua, prout ipſe judicaverit, hominibus & magna magnis & parva largitur parvulis, as Bede In 1 Cantic.ſpeaketh. Gods largeſs. Some kind of fruit of the death of Chriſt. foreign to reſtrain ſin as the word ſignifieth, Dan. 9. 24. part of the preventing reſtraining grace of the ſpirit of Chriſt. And therefore ſuch a gift of God is not be ſleighted. Nay ſuch a part of the purchaſe of the bloud of Chriſt, and the work of his ſpirit is duly to be valued.
3. Thirdly, As being abſolutely neceſſary for humane Society, and our quiet and orderly living and converſing in the world: for were not men hereby civilized, and the rage and violence of luſt reſtrained, take away once juſtice and temperance, morality, indeed humanity from humane Society, how would it come to homo homini lupus, and in ſtead of a Society of men, what herds of brutes and wild beaſts, even of Devils in an hell let looſe ſhould we ſee in the world? What ſome Romaniſts unhappily R. Thomſon. Elench. cap. 2. pag. 18, 19.made the Emblem of Bellarmine, a Tiger held in a chain with this motto, Solve me, & videbis qui ſiem: Let me but looſe and you ſhall ſee what an one I am, would be too ſadly verified of us all if once by God or Man let looſe, and it ſhould be ſaid of us as once of Ephraim, Ephraim is joyned to idols, let him alone, Hoſ. 4. 17. it would not come to ſo good as was ſaid of Naphtali, that he was a hind let looſe that gave goodly words; there would Gen. 49. 21.but few good words and fewer good deeds proceed from us, no nor ſo good as what was ſaid of Ephraim that he was a wild aſſe alone by himſelf, Hoſ. 8. 9. (though that would be wild enough, Jer. 2. 24.) but yet with leſs hurt and miſchief to others and our ſelves than when we ſhould ſee what horrid metamorphoſes of creatures in the ſhapes of men into brutes for ſenſuality, ravenous beaſts of prey for bloud and violence, yea incarnate devils for pride, malice and blaſphemy, partly of our ſelves and partly from Satans temptations this would come to; and as in our dayes we ſee our Ranters and other Enthuſiaſts deveſting themſelves of all morality, civility, yea even humanity, are faſt poſting to. For the preventing of which, God the moſt holy and wiſe Governour of the world, as ſometimes in a way of outward afflictions he hedgeth our way with thorns, Hoſ. 2. 6. to keep us from treading down all bounds and running into all exceſs of ri…t Epheſ. 4. 19.with greedineſs, ſo alſo by inward common workings of his ſpirit he doth not only lay checks and reſtraints upon our unbridled ſpirits and luſts, but alſo compoſes and regulates our tempers and carriages, that we may live at leaſt like men, civilly and orderly one with another.
This Auſtin in ſeveral places, eſpecially in his books contra Julianum Epiſt. 5. lib. 4. c. 3. hujus tantum temporis vitam fteriliter ornavit. de voc. gent. c. 7. Epiſt. 130. Proſp. contra collatorem cap. 22. 26. Fulgent. de incarnat. c. 26.obſerveth in the vertues of the Heathens, the Romans and others, that they attained to a moral and vertuous deportment, ad mores civitatum, concordiamque populorum, & temporalis vitae ſocietatem, praeſentis vitae honeſtatem, as he and Proſper expreſs it, to maintain and promote peaceable and civil converſe, and humane ſociety in the world, which he that doth not value deſerves not to live in it.
4. And which yet is more valuable in Chriſtians as being a choice ornament of the Goſpel and credit of their Religion, when they do not only far exceed them in ſpirituals, but even out-go them in morals which is their higheſt perfection, in which they therefore uſe to excel, as becauſe ſenſe is the higheſt perfection of brutes therefore uſually they excel man in it; But it ſhould not be ſo here, that becauſe morality is the higheſt attainment of an Heathen, therefore they ſhould exceed a Chriſtian in it. But on the contrary, if Chriſtians out-ſhoot them in their own bow, if a Paul with his foreign, Ye are witneſſes, and God alſo how holily, and juſtly, and unblameably we behaved our ſelves, 1 Theſſ. 2. 10. can out-vie the Greek's Socrates or Ariſtides, and all the Fabii, Reguli, and Fabricii, ſo famous amongſt the Romans, oh! this is to walk, foreign, ſo as is worthy of the Goſpel, ſo as becometh it, and is an honour to it, when Clement writing to the Corinthians, can congratulate, foreign pag. 2.foreign, their ſober and gentle piety, when Chriſtians are ſober and juſt, godly men, godly, but righteous, meek, merciful, and every way vertuous withal, that whileſt the Heathen, the Hypocrite, the natural man doth but turkeſs an old ſuit, which makes it only look handſomely, with the true Chriſtian, All 2 Cor. 5. 17.is made new, and ſo is more comely; the one is like him that by ointment drives in the itch, the Chriſtian takes inward phyſick and purges it out; the one rubs in the ſpot, the other waſhes it out, but ſo that as we exceed them for inwards, ſo we ſhould more than equal them in an outward, ſeemly, vertuous carriage. This, This would much redound to the honour of Chriſt and the Goſpel, and therefore if his Glory be to be eſteemed, this that makes ſo much for it is truly valuable.
5. And laſtly yet the more, becauſe as it ſo much conduceth to the glory of Chriſt, ſo alſo to our own inward ſatisfaction and peace. So the Apoſtle takes notice of the Heathens thoughts excuſing Rom. 2 15.of them when innocent, and if Epicurus his placing happineſs in pleaſure meant only that joy and ſatisfaction of mind which follows a vertuous temper and action as a ſweet air after the ſtroke of a well tuned and touched inſtrument, it was not ſo much amiſs, as his Scholars afterward perverted it. Surely a ſober, eſpecially a Chriſtian, ſober, juſt, and unblameable temper and carriage prevents, as many unquiet diſturbing brabbles and conteſts with others, ſo, many tumultuous hurries of unruly paſſions within our ſelves, and the many ſad reflexions even of a natural Conſcience, when the bluſter of the paſſion is over; as Abigail ſaid to David, 1 Sam. 25. 31. that it would be no grief, nor offence of heart to him afterward that he had not cauſl…ſly ſhed bloud, or avenged himſelf: ſo it will at the laſt be no ſorrow of heart or inward wounding, nay much ſatisfaction and joy of heart, for which we ſhall (as David there did, v. 33, 34.) bleſs God that we were kept from ſuch out-rages, which after we ſhould have dearly paid for; and ſaved thoſe many ſad ſighs and groans for the pains and ſmart of thoſe bruſhes and wounds, which our former miſcarriages gave us, and then rejoice in reflecting upon that ſober and orderly deportment which we at leaſt by reſtraining grace were trained up to. Now theſe and the like particulars fully ſhew that a vertuous unblameable courſe is truly valuable, (which ſecundùm Auſtin. de Sp. & litera c. 27. v. Philip. 4. 8, 9.juſtitiae regulam non ſolùm vituperare non poſſumus, verùm etiam meritò recté que laudamus.) And truly ſo valuable, that we are very apt ſo to over-prize it, as
(Which is the ſecond thing) Even as to our Acceptance with God to build our hopes on it, and to reſt in it. That he was no extortioner, unjuſt, no Adulterer, or like the profane Publican, was that which the proud Phariſee, Luke 18. 11. gloried of and looked to be juſtified by, for there juſtification is ſpoken of, v. 14. And to be juſtified and ſaved for our good works is that which not only the moſt ignorant people, but our moſt compleat Moraliſts build upon, and theſe latter more than the former, becauſe more out of judgment, from a ſelf-flattering intuition of their vertuous qualifications and performances; their juſtice, ſobriety, temperance and good neighbourhood, ſo gliſter and glare in their eyes, and are ſuch realities, that Chriſt and faith in him they look at as Notions; and being whole in themſelves, they need not the Phyſician, Matth. 9. 12. And ſo Auſtin on Pſal. 31. ſheweth that In praefatione.many of the moral Pagans would therefore not become Chriſtians, as being by their good life ſelf-ſufficient, and therefore bring, them in thus ſpeaking, What would Chriſt enjoin and command me? to live well? why, I do that already, and why then is he neceſſary? Nullum homicidium, nullum furtum, nullam rapinam facio, &c. I neither murder, nor ſteal, nor commit Adultery. Let any of theſe be found in my life, & qui reprehenderit, faciet me Chriſtianum, and he that finds it ſhall make me a Chriſtian. And the like are, if not the words, yet the thoughts of our exact Moraliſts. They are, they think, got high enough, that they need not aſcend higher, nay ſo high in themſelves that they look at faith, at leaſt at true believers, as much under them. But however their Morality they reſt in,
1. As firſt more ſuiting with the Law of Nature, and ſo with their natural light, whilſt Chriſt and Faith in him is only and wholly from Divine and Supernatural Revelation, an hidden myſtery, which they therefore neither are, nor deſire to be much acquainted with: and eſpecially for this cauſe that this diviner light diſcovers motes in their brighteſt ſun-beams; many defects and blemiſhes in their moſt refined purgative vertues, pride, and ſelf and many ſpiritual luſts, which ſuch Moraliſts pleaſe and pride themſelves in, and ſo they rather hate the light than come to it, leſt their deeds ſhould be reproved, John 3. 20.
2. Secondly, They yet the rather ſute and cloſe with it becauſe that hereupon it's more within the reach and ſphere of their activity. Which upon a double account works in them a complacency and acquieſcence in it.
1. Becauſe it is more eaſy, far more eaſy to forbear a vice from a ſelfiſh or moral conſideration, than upon a ſpiritual, to deal juſtly, and give an alms, and carry it fairly, than to deny carnal, natural, moral ſelf, to repent Evangelically, in caſe of ſtraits and temptation to believe ſavingly. It's indeed a very eaſy thing to opine, and preſume, but nothing harder, than when heart and Pſal. 73. 26.fleſh faileth to make God the Rock the ſtrength of our heart, when ſenſe is at a ſtand, and carnal reaſon contradicts, for faith to depend and cut theſe knots which they could not untie, and with Abraham in hope to believe againſt hope, Rom. 4. 18. It's eaſier to be vertuous than truly gracious, and we naturally ſo love our eaſe, that if the one we think will ſerve, we have no mind needleſly to trouble our ſelves in advancing further to the other.
2. Being within our reach, as thereby it is more eaſy, which pleaſeth us well, ſo there is more of ſelf in it, and ſelf is that which we hug and love moſt of all. To have only an empty hand of faith to receive all from Chriſt is naturally and to a carnal heart too poor and beggerly, we would herein be ſome body, and do ſomething, as Pharaoh ſaid he made himſelf, Ezek. 29. 3. Ego feci memet ipſum. Vulg.So we would fain be able to ſay I have ſaved my ſelf. Something it is that we would bring to God by which to commend our ſelves to him, which too often the true penitent ſinner hath an hankering after, and therefore ſufficiently ſmarts for; but the moral ſelf juſtitiary is chiefly for, and therefore for that moſt which gives him a hand in it. And therefore becauſe in theſe morals he hath an foreign, and a liberum arbitrium, and ſo can ſee in them much of a ſelf-efficiency, he hath from what to applaud himſelf, and with hand on his ſide to ſay with Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babel which I have built by the ſtrength of my power; than which nothing is more pleaſing to proud Nature, or a ſelf ſufficient Moraliſt, which therefore he gloryeth of and reſteth in.
3. And yet the rather, becauſe this outward Civil deportment is more viſible, and ſo more taken notice of and taking with other men, with whom he converſeth; which, as the Phariſees of old, Matth. 6. 2, 5. he is carried away with, whileſt faith, which is ſeated in the heart, and grace being of a more ſpiritual nature and leſs outward gariſh luſtre, is by him not at all looked after.
Upon theſe and the like grounds bare morality is too often reſted in, which was the ſecond particular.
But the third and laſt is, that ſo it ſhould not be; but that after Paul's example here in the Text, this as well as the former as to our acceptance with God ſhould be accounted loſs and dung, that we may gain Chriſt, To a Soul wounded with ſenſe of ſin, and languiſhing and dying away for want of Chriſt, it will be no foreign much leſs any healing Medicine to ſay, But why are you ſo trou…led that have lived ſo vertuouſly and unblameably, that have been ſo ſober in your carriage, ſo juſt in your dealing, ſo fair in your converſe? for this will be but a faint cordial, and you prove but a miſerable comforter, when it can look on all this but as a fair ſuit put on a dead Carcaſe: nay on all this kind of righteouſneſs, as Iſa. 64. 6.ſo many menſtruous rags: And wo to him, if he have nothing better than ſuch Fig-leaves to cover his nakedneſs; and wo to me, if when it comes to trial, and I ſhall be ſet at the Bar of Juſtice, I be found in my own righteouſneſs, and therefore paſſing by Philip. 3. 9.all theſe, But ſaw ye him whom my ſoul loveth, ſaith the Spouſe now ſick of love, Cant. 3. 3.
And there is great reaſon for it.
1. Becauſe this Morality may be found in them who never ſavingly knew Chriſt, and ſo are far enough from Salvation, for as Auſtin obſerves (de ſp. & lit. c. 28.) you ſhall hardly find the life of the worſt without ſome good works, ſo in ſuch as are not ſo bad you may ſometimes find many. So it was in many of the Heathens that knew not God, in our Paul when he was a ſtranger, nay an Enemy to Chriſt, and how hopeful and ſafe we may think our ſelves or others to be whileſt in that State, yet he now by grace brought into a better, would not for a thouſand Worlds be in the former. And hence it is that Auſtin gives it ſuch homely Elogies, ſometimes of a terrena, carnaliſ que juſtitia, and ſometimes Babylonica dilectio; of an earthly carnal righteouſneſs, of a Expoſit. ad Gal. 3. contra Julian. l. 4. c. 3.Babyloniſh Love, ſuch as may proceed from nature (ſed aliud eſt quod impenditur naturae, &c. ſaith Gregory, *Homil. 27. in Evangel. Naturali bono motus fecit bonum, non propter Deum. Chryſoſt. hom. 7. ad pop. Antioch.I…'s one thing that Nature yields, and far another which Grace …: Or if not only from Nature for the Cauſe, yet ſuch …s meer natural men may be capable of for the ſubject. But as trim as Nature may look in ſome mens eyes, yet ſordet Natura ſine Gratia in Proſper's judgment, that which is highly eſteemed among men may be abomination in the ſight of God, Luke 16. 15. and if by nature we be children of wrath, Epheſ. 2. 3. that ſure cannot pacific God's anger, which we may have, whilſt we are in a meer natural condition.
2. Which alſo may conſiſt with the full power and dominion of divers, eſpecially ſpiritual luſts, wholly inconſiſtent with Chriſt and his Grace, and inſtead of giving check may give ſuck to them, and feed them.
1. One is Domineering Pride, which ariſeth from nothing more than a conceited ſelf-fulneſs, an foreign, which of all others our compleat Moraliſts are moſt full of. So you find the Stoicks the moſt moral of all the Philoſophers, moſt turgid and ſwoln with pride and ſelf-conceit of all others. How full and ſelf-ſufficient their wiſe man was, let but one Seneca inform you, who equals him with God, and in many things prefers him, Epiſt. 73. And with little leſs haughtineſs and pride do our compleat Moraliſts applaud and almoſt adore themſelves, and with greateſt ſcorn and diſdain, either over-look or ſet their eyes on the poor puling penitent, that mourns for ſin, and the crack-brain'd Phantaſtick believer, as he eſteemeth him, who is looking out of himſelf for righteouſneſs by another, whileſt he doth domi habitare, hath a better and nearer at hand at home of his own: which Plethora and proud ſelf-fulneſs
As intùs exiſtens, leaves no room for Chriſt, who as upon conceit of their freedom was not accepted by the Jews, John 8. ſo from this proud conceit is rejected by theſe our ſelf-juſtitiaries, the full ſoul loathing the honey comb, Prov. 27. 7. I ſay it admitteth not of Chriſt.
Directly croſſeth the main deſign of the Goſpel, which is to exalt Free-Grace, which our Free will-vertuous ones think would diſparage their better deſervings.
And laſtly, is diametrically oppoſite to the true notion and nature of faith, which as to juſtification is only on the receiving hand, John 1. 12. takes all, giveth or brings nothing to God, but faults to pardon, and debts to diſcharge, and an empty hand to receive all of Gods free largeſs. Chriſt ſhall be All in All, ſaith faith. Nay, ſaith Pride, if I be not all, I muſt at leaſt be ſomething. Pride filleth us with our ſelves: but faith wholly emptieth us of our ſelves. Pride which at firſt aſpired to make us like God, would have us ſpeak like him, I am that I am, i. e. in and of my Exod. 3. 14.ſelf; but although faith may ſay too, I am that I am, yet ever remembers to add, by the grace of God I am that I am, 1 Cor. 15. 10. And can any things then be more contrary?
2. Another ſin inconſiſtent with Chriſt, which yet exacteſt (if it be but bare) morality breeds, at leaſt beareth with, yea uſually runneth out in, is a contemptuous diſlike, hatred and oppoſition, yea oftentimes (as occaſion ſerves) perſecution of the grace and ways of Chriſt, and the ſpiritual Profeſſors of both; for ſuch thinking goodly of themſelves as beſt and higheſt, cannot endure to be over-top'd, out-vied, eclipſed by any, and therefore cannot ſo far deny themſelves, as not to malign and oppoſe that way, and thoſe perſons that do or ſeem to exceed them. So the Phariſees did Chriſt. Simon Magus, that foreign, Peter. And ſome think that Stevens eminency, and his face ſhining like an Angel's, was an eye ſore to our Saul, heated his hot young bloud, and natural fervid ſpirit into an inflammation againſt him, and proved ſuch Wild-fire, that catched as it went, and bred a further combuſtion in the whole Church, which he here confeſſeth that out of his zeal he perſecuted. So the grave vertuous Philoſophers proved the greateſt oppoſers and perſecutors of Chriſtianity, ſo that what was ſaid of him, ſobrius ad evertendam Rempublicam, may be ſaid of them and others, ſobrii ad evertendam Eccleſiam, ſo we find Paul at Athens encountred with by their Philoſophers: but it's worth conſidering by which Sects of them eſpecially: and for that it's ſaid, Acts 17. 18. that they were the Epicureans and Stoicks, duo genera Philoſophorum maximè alienorum à Chriſtianâ Religione, as Grotius well noteth upon the place, two ſorts of Philoſophers that were moſt averſe from the Chriſtian Religion, and what were they? not only the more looſe Epicureans, but alſo See Gatakers Praeloquium ad M. Antoninum.the moſt ſober Stoicks, whoſe diſcipline ſome conceive came neareſt to Chriſtianity, and Hierom ſeemeth to be of that mind when he ſaith, *Com. in Iſa. 11.Stoici noſtro dogmati in pleriſ que concordant. But by this appears the truth of that ſaying, Quae minimè differunt maximè opponuntur. The leſs they differed, the more they oppoſed, for ſo we do not only find here the Epicureans oppoſing Paul, and afterward Creſcens the Cynick perſecuting Juſtin Martyr to the death, Porphyrie the Pythagorean, a profeſt bitter Enemy to Chriſtianity, but the grave Stoicks alſo here in a paſſion, as your ſo famed Hierocles See praefat. in Hieroclem.of that Sect, a cruel perſecutor. It ſeems this Enmity to Chriſt and his Goſpel was an Epidemical Diſeaſe of all the Tribes of the Philoſophers, and that the moſt moſt ſober and diſpaſſionate Stoicks eſcaped it not; It were well if they were not moſt deeply infected with it, as to this very day many of our moſt ſober moraliſts are the moſt bitter Enemies to the power of Godlineſs. And can that then make us pleaſing to God which entertaineth and nouriſheth ſuch diſpleaſure againſt his grace, wayes and ſervants?
3. And as ſuch bitter Enmity againſt the ways of grace ſeldom goeth alone, but by God's juſt judgment is uſually accompanied with ſome outwardly foul and filthy miſcarriages; ſo the more accurate morality if reſted in (God delighting to ſtain the glory of all that we think ſo goodly of) is by him permitted to be oftentimes foully blemiſhed with ſome filthy vices and practiſes; for ſo it is obſerved, that thoſe that lifted up themſelves (as Miriam, Ʋzziah, and Gehezi) were wont for their greater debaſement Numb. 12. 10. 2 Chron. 26. 19, 20, 21. 2 King. 5. 27.to be ſmitten with the filthy and loathſome plague of Leproſie. So the more to debaſe the pride of theſe ſelf-admiring, and ſelf-exalting Moraliſts, God ſuffereth them oft-times to be loathſomely defiled with ſome more filthy leprous blemiſhes. It ſeems our Saul's unblameableneſs could conſiſt with his perſecuting the Church, and however his being beſmeared with the blood of Saints made him ſeem beautiful in his own and ſome others eyes, yet ſurely it looked ugly in the ſight of God and all good men; and as grave and demure as the Philoſophers looked, yet they are belied by their own (and why ſhould they?) if the very beſt of them, their very Socrates and Seneca were not ſoul enough, the one for unnatural defilements, and the other for unjuſt pract…ſes.
I ſhall not inſiſt on or now inquire after the like miſcarriages of the like perſons in after-times, or in our days. Which yet may be found out without ſecret ſearch, as the Prophet ſpeaketh of the blood that was openly to be ſeen in the skirts of Judah; and the Jer. 23. 4.like without any ſtrict or prying obſervation may be eaſily taken notice of in the lives and practiſes of the men we ſpeak of, and if ſo, then as the ſame Prophet in the words immediately going before, ſaid to Adulterous Judah, why trimmeſt thou thy way to ſeek Jer. 2. 33. V. 22.love? for though thou waſh thee with nitre and take thee much ſoap, yet thy iniquity is marked before me, ſaith the Lord. So I may ſay to ſuch, why think you by your outward modes and compoſures to impoſe upon God, when you cannot ſo delude men? But ſorex ſuo indicio perit. For what meaneth this lowing of the Oxen; 1 Sam. 15. 14.and bleating of the ſheep? If you be ſo intirely blameleſs and vertuous, as you pretend, what mean thoſe ugly bleaches and deformities? Think not by wiping of your mouth with the Harlot to Prov. 30. 20.wooe God, when your inward abominable pride and enmity againſt the ways of God, ſhew that your purgative vertues have been ſo far from making you clean in his eyes, that they could not keep your inward corruption from breaking out into loathſome practiſes in the ſight of men, and if ſo, your other ſober compoſed deportment will not ſo much cover thoſe defilements with a Robe of honour, as thoſe foul blemiſhes render both you and your gariſh beauties deformed and ridiculous, as the more neat the man is, and his cloaths are, the more conſpicuous are foul blaſhes upon him, and the more unſightly do they make him.
But oh then how much more glorious and deſireable is that foreign, that Garment of Jeſus Chriſt (the Lamb without ſpot) which Ʋſe. reacheth down to the foot, covereth us all over, and hath not one Rev. 1. 13.ſpeck in i…. Wo to all ſuch as cover with a covering, but not of my Iſa. 30. 1.ſpirit, ſaith the Lord. Beſides the Robe of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, all other coverings of the beſt ſuits of your moral vertues have ſpots and rents, at beſt are more narrow than that a man can wrap himſelf Iſa. 28. 20.in them, ſo as perfectly to cover his nakedneſs. Oh therefore that we might be all found in him, not having our own righteouſneſs, Phil. 3. 9.but that which is through the faith of Chriſt.
And ſeeing that now at laſt we have gone through all the forementioned particulars, and ſeen the comparative nothingneſs of them all in compariſon of Chriſt; what remains but that we ſhould with our Apoſtle ſo eſteem of them, and labour for our juſtification and acceptance with God, ſo to be found in Chriſt, as to be able to ſay with him, Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. Dominus meus, Deus meus, Chriſtus meus, Amor meus & omnia. He may well be All, when as by an induction of particulars we have proved all elſe beſides him as to this are nothing, nay leſs and worſe than nothing, when but loſs and dung. Nor need we be puzled with Photius his queſtion; if they be foreign loſs, how could he add, foreign, omnibus iſtis meipſum multavi, I have ſuffer'd the mulct of all Beza.theſe. Could it be a Puniſhment, or Mulct to eſcape a loſs? The anſwer is eaſy. To natural and carnal ſelf they were gain, v. 7. and therefore the loſing of them was loſs; which fleſh and bloud coun…ed an heavy mulct and puniſhment. But to Paul now better informed, confidence in them would be a loſs indeed in the loſs of Chriſt and our ſelves together and ſo according to the phraſe, Act. 27. 21. we may foreign, gain a loſs, be gainers by ſuch See Grotius in locum.loſings, if by a leſſer and only a conceited loſs we eſcape a greater, and that a real one. Though we loſe much for Chriſt, yet ſum up all, and we ſhall not be loſers by him, by renouncing all confidence in every thing elſe which will either make or at leaſt leave us miſerable, …o lay hold of Chriſt, and his righteouſneſs, which alone can juſtifie us and make us happy. And therefore what according to the ſenſe of fleſh and bloud was foreign, he preſently checks and t…ns into a foreign. By ſuffering the loſs of other things he proved a great gainer by winning of Chriſt. Oh! had we but Paul's eyes we ſhould diſcern this incomparable beauty and excellency in Chriſt Had we but his ſenſe of Chriſts fulneſs and Alſufficiency, we ſhould ſee a foreign, a tranſcendent Excellency in the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, above all other knowledge, and with a free and joyful heart ſhould readily and roundly come off with his foreign. For whom Tu ſatis es nobis & ſine to nihil eſt.I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win, or gain Chriſt.
To God by Jeſus Chriſt be all glory. Amen.