Gods Husbandry, Sermon 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Containing the firſt vſe of the poynt, for the refutation of two errours: viz. the merit of workes, and the conceit of perfection in this life.
NOw this truth, in the firſt place, Vſe 1 is ſtrong enough to ouerthrow two grand errours at once.A confutation of two errours, 1. of the merit of workes, dreamed of by Romaniſts. The firſt is of the Papiſts, of the merit of works. No obedience can poſſibly merit in any kind of meriting, but that which is compleat, abſolute, and perfect. For the life promiſed by the Law, cannot bee chalenged by vertue of the Law, vnleſſe the condition, whereupon the Law doth promiſe it, bee wholly, and in eueryevery part and particle fulfilled: ſeeing if one man make a couenant with another of giuing him ſuch a reward, vponupon condition that he doe goe to ſuch a place, and diſpatch (for example) foure ſeuerall buſineſſes: the man with whom this bargaine is made, cannot, by vertue of the bargaine, chalenge from the bargaine-maker, the reward ſpecified, if he goe to the place and diſpatch but halfe the buſineſſes, or all, or any of them but by the halues: for a conditionall promiſe, in reaſon and equity, bindeth not the promiſe-maker, but vponupon the perfect fulfilling of the worke for which the promiſe was made. Now the Law, the couenant by which we muſt chalenge life, if wee will ſtand vponupon any kind of merit, ſaith, Doe this, and liue, and that we may know its meaning to bee, do it fully, perfectly, exactly, without any failing; it explicates it ſelfe, ſaying, Curſed bee the man that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them. Wherefore by vertue of the Law, vponupon the worth and deſert of the workes thereof, no man can lay claime to life, vnleſſe hee can ſay, I hauehave done this, I hauehave confirmed the whole Law to doe it. Now whoſoeuer hath ſinnes and corruptions, and diſorders in him, whoſoeuer offendeth in many things, whoſoeuer doth the euill he would not, cannot ſay that he eſtabliſheth the whole Law by doing it: and our poynt hath made it plaine, that the beſt of all Gods Saints the Apoſtles, Paul, Iames, Iohn, Peter not excepted, (and I hope, none will be bold to thinke himſelfe better then theſe pillars) muſt bee faine to confeſſe that they tranſgreſſe in many things, and muſt not dare to ſay that they hauehave no ſinne in this life; wherefore it followes ineuitably, plainly, cleerly, incontrollably, to any reaſonable mans vnderſtanding, that they can in no ſort lay claime to heauen, by any manner of worth, or deſeruing of their workes. And in very deed, the Papiſts themſelues are faine to yeeld vsus this cauſe in ſomwhat a cloſe manner, and with a faire couer of words, that they may not ſeeme to yeeld it. For they tell vsus, that theſe workes of the Saints are dipt in the blood of Chriſt, and ſo being cleanſed of all ſtaine and blemiſh, what hinders but that they may merit? This is in a ſhew of difference to come vntounto vsus, and grant the poynt controuerted. For now who ſees not, that if there bee any worth in theſe workes, it doth not abide in themſelues, nor grow from themſelues, but from gracious acceptation of them in that blood, by dipping wherein, the ſpots of them are done away. For there is (I thinke) none of vsus which denyeth, but that God accepting our workes as perfect in Chriſt, doth reward vsus for them, as if they were perfect; but ſeeing the reward becomes due in Chriſt, and not by the workes themſelues, wee thinke it a fooliſh pride to maintaine the ſtately name of merit of workes, when wee are faine to beg the reward for anothers ſake, and cannot chalenge it ſimply for the workes ſake.
Thus this truth inforceth them, after much turning and winding, in effect to confeſſe it, though the truth is, they would not hauehave it ſeeme ſo, for feare of a ſore loſſe that might follow thence vntounto their Clergies kitchin and manger, I meane their liuing and pompe. But let them paſſe.
There is a ſecond errour of heretickes,2. Of perfection of holineſſe in this life, dreamed of by the ancient Puritans. (ſo they may well be called) no leſſe dangerous, yea verily, I ſuppoſe much more dangerous then the former, of old condemned vnderunder the name of Puritans, from a conceited and imaginary purity, or abſolute freedome from all ſinne, whereof they boaſted, and now as the ſpeech goes, reuiued in ſome parts of this Land. This is that the Saints duplicate page duplicate page of God in this life may attaine to ſuch perfection, as not at all to commit any ſinne, (with ſuch gay fancies they pleaſe to ſeed themſelues, and their ſeduced followers) Now it is moſt certaine, that theſe men are the moſt abominable and diſſembling hypocrites in all the world, or elſe the moſt beſotted and benummed ſpirits: for their owne whole carriage, and continuall experience doth confute them, euen to themſelues, and yet they will not ſee themſelues confuted. If euer any of you meet with any fooliſh Hypocrite, offering to tel you a tale of ſuch perfection, that he hopes to get, or that he hath gottē, or that may be gotten by any in this life, as neuer to ſinne any more, neuer any more to need repentance: doe no more but turne him to Saint Iohns Epiſtle, and tell him, that he that ſaith he hath no ſinne, deceiueth himſelfe, and the truth is not in him. Bid him conſult with Salomon againe, who propoundeth the queſtion as of a thing impoſſible, Who can ſay, his heart is pure? and tell him againe, that the ſame Salomon knew what he ſaid, when he ſaid, that there is a generation which is pure in their owne eyes, but are not cleanſed from their filthineſſe: and tell him, that thoſe branches in Chriſt which need no pruning, are ſure (like a branch ouerladen with Grapes) through the conceit of their much fruitfulneſſe, broken off from him: for he ſaith, that eueryevery one remaining in him, needeth, and receiueth pruning; which were not needfull, if he were faultleſſe. And ſo leaue the fond, deceiued, and ſelfe-conceited Hypocrite vntounto himſelfe, and hauehave no more to doe with him. For either he ſpeaketh altogether againſt his owne heart, or elſe his heart is nought worth: as Salomon ſaith of the wicked; yea, more hope is there of the ſaluation of the moſt deſperate ſinner aliue, then of ſuch an one. For Chriſt alwayes … the full, empty away, and pronounceth a … vponupon theſe ſpiritually rich perſons. Seeſt thou a man wiſe in his owne eyes, ſaith Salomon? there is more hope of a foole, then of him. Surely he is wiſe in his owne eyes that thinketh he hath no ſinne: wherefore we can hauehave little hope of him.
This errour is ſo contrary to all the feeling and ſenſe of all Gods Saints, who are faine ſtill to ſay with Dauid, Lord, who can know his errors? as that a man would maruel how any man, in whom there was euer any knowledge of the Word, and any ſhew and beginning of goodneſſe, ſhould bee ſo farre ſeduced and drawne away, as to entertaine ſuch an opinion. But the cauſe is manifeſt: hypocriſie is alwayes accompanied with pride; and the growth of hypocriſie breeds alſo a growth of pride, and pride ſwels out the eyes, that a man cannot ſee the cleereſt truthes.
And thus hauehave we briefly diſcouered vntounto you theſe errours, to rectifie your iudgements. For if the words of Chriſt be true, theſe opinions that are directly oppoſite vntounto the truth contained in them, muſt needs be falſe. Now heare ſome other vſes to rectifie your practice alſo.