only meant of their posterity and off-spring and not of the persons of Esau and Jacob. Answ When God saith unto Rebekah two Nations are in thy womb two manner of people shall proceed out of thy bowels it could not possibly be taken literally and in the proper sense that two Nations should be in her womb then she were a Monster but the meaning is that in her womb there were the Authors and the Fathers of two Nations Esau the father of the Edomites and Jacob the Father of the Israelites and that two Nations shall spring from them so Rebekah her self did conceive of it that it was meant of her two children and therefore she set her affection upon Jacob and not upon Esau and she was marvellous industrious that the blessing should light upon the younger and not upon the elder Gen. 27.6 to the 14. she causeth her son to bring a Kid and informeth him what he shall do and Isaac affirmeth in the 40 verse that Esau should be his brothers servant Rebekah knowing it from the Oracle of God yea the two brothers themselves Jacob and Esau were even so perswaded Jacob was perswaded that the blessing of his father did belong to his person and not his posterity only and Esau was inraged because Jacob was made his lord and he made a servant to him and therefore he threatned the death of Jacob Oh saith he Isaac my father will dye shortly and then I will take away Jacobs life he was not troubled with his posterity which came to passe in the time of David so that this is to be understood first personally and afterward historically in their posterity 750 years after Then thus conceive we the meaning of the Apostle in these two verses When these two children which Rebekah conceived were in her womb and had done neither good nor evil that the purpose of God which he had decreed from everlasting touching the free choyce of some and the rejection of others might be firm and stable not depending upon any works of these two brethren Jacob and Esau but his own free grace calling his elect effectually even then was it said to Rebekah by the Oracle the elder shall serve the younger and the younger rule over the elder and that was fulfilled in their persons and afterward in their posterity But yet further for the clearing of these words Object a doubt remaineth to be removed some may say that the words of God here the elder shall serve the younger do not prove this conclusion that the one should be received to salvation and the other rejected to damnation for why a man may be in poverty may be poor in bondage and in miserable slavery so as that the Turks and others may be lords over them doth it thereupon follow that the one of them is elected and the other a reprobate therefore it seemeth this was meant only of a temporal and outward servitude and not of eternal election and say the Anabaptists the Apostle here doth not write of eternal election and reprobation he treateth of an outward servitude that is one may serve another and be in bondage to another doth it follow the one is chosen and the other rejected Those words of God the Elder shall serve the Younger Answ have not only respect to temporal servitude and dominion the one shall be a lord and the other an underling in respect of outward estate but they had also a spiritual meaning and a spiritual sense and had respect to spiritual things of a heavenly life eternal life and eternal damnation how prove you that Thus Jacob in his own person in outward things was never as a lord over Esau but Esau was rather a lord over him and Jacob his servant yea Jacob doth often acknowledg in Gen. 32.18 20. Gen. 33.8 13 14 15. My lord Esau it is a Present sent to my lord Esau by thy servant Jacob so that Jacob in his own person was rather a servant then a lord yet doubtlesse this did concern Jacobs person as appeareth by the words of Isaac the elder shall serve the younger and the Oracle of God was fulfilled in Jacobs person yet you say Jacob was rather in subjection to Esau 't is true yet it was fulfilled in a spiritual manner in that the birth-right was bestowed upon Jacob therein was Esau made a slave unto Jacob in the time of this life for Jacob was a holy and good man and the birthright conferred upon him and in that respect Esau was an underling and a slave though he was a lord for Esau being deprived of the birth-right was cut off from the covenant of grace the birth-right being a type of adoption and he being deprived of that was cut off from the hope of grace from life everlasting from the heavenly inheritance which was properly and truly annexed to those that had the birth-right now he having lost this and being derived to Jacob he became a slave in his very person though he was a lord and had many Dukes came of him yet Esau a slave a servant in comparison of Jacob and therefore these words of God they had not only respect to temporal Dominions and outward servitude the one a lord and the other a servant which was fulfilled in their posterity but they had a spiritual meaning and had respect to heavenly things that concern eternal life and eternal damnation and do fitly prove the matter of Gods election and reprobation the elder shall serve the younger Come we now to matter of observation And from the general view of this text in that the Apostle here treateth of eternal election and reprobation in particular persons in Jacob as the Elect and Esau as the Reprobate hence we are given to understand thus much Doctrine That Gods electing and appointing of men to life and salvation is only of some men of a certain number of men not of all and onely some amongst men are appointed of God to life and salvation as Jacob was and others rejected as Esau was Gods appointing of men to life and salvation it is of a certain number and others are rejected to reprobation this is proved Joh. 10.3 saith Christ he calleth his sheep by their names and leadeth them forth he is able to know them by their very names and he taketh notice of them in particular and not of others as he saith in the 14 verse I am the good Shepherd I know my sheep and they know me and others know me not Luke 10.20 Christ biddeth the seventy Disciples rejoyce in this that their names were recorded in the Court Rolls of heaven And hence it is that we read of the book of life in Exod. 32.33 Psal 69.28 Rev. 20.12 wherein the Holy Ghost doth descend to the capacity of man meaning that God hath as it were a remembrance wherein he doth write down the names of his children they stand upon Record which doth evidence unto us that Gods eternal election is of particular
Testimony of our Reverend Brethren of the Province of London to the truth of Jesus Christ and to our solemn League and Covenant as also against the Errours Heresies and Blasphemies of these Times and the Toleration of them subscribed by 59 of the Ministers of Cheshire Some Observations and Annotations upon the Apologetical Narration humbly submitted to the Honourable Houses of Parliament by the most Reverend and Learned Divines of the Assembly and all the Protestant Churches here in this Iland and abroad by Adam Stuart D. D. Wholesome Severity reconciled with Christian Liberty or a true resolution of a present Controversie concerning Liberty of Conscience by George Gillespy Consolations for troubled Consciences of Repentant sinners by M. William Perkins The English Presbyterian and Independant reconciled setting forth the small ground of difference betwixt them both therein clearing the misunderstanding between the English and the Scots as which Nation hath broken the Covenant each with other setting forth withal on which side the offensive War betwixt us and them on which side the defensive is and how it came to be waged by John Stafford Esq The Deafe man cured wherein three things are handled First Christian Charity 2. Humane misery 3. The Divine Power and Mercy of Christ upon Mar. 7.32 33 34 35. by Tobias Higgins The strife of Brethren and a Treaty for Peace in two Sermons on Gen. 13.8 and Ier. 9 2. by M. Iohn Fathers Divine Meditations and Contemplations upon several heads of Divinity by G. Raleigh The Signs or an Essay concerning the assurance of Gods love and mans salvation gathered out of the holy Scriptures by Nicholas Byfield The spiritual Touchstone or the signs of a godly man drawn in so plain and profitable a manner as all sorts of Christians may try themselves thereby together with directions how the weak Christian by the use of these signs may establish his assurance The Sum of the Principles or a Collection of those Priciples of Religion which are set down in the little Treatise called the Principles or Pattern of wholesome words where they are at large explained proved and applyed Luthers fore-runners or a Cloud of Witnesses deposing for the Protestant faith gathered together in the History of Waldensis who for divers hundred years before Luther successively opposed Popery professed the truth of the Gospel and sealed it with their blood being most grievously persecuted and many thousands of them Martyred by the man of sin and his superstitious adherents and cruel instruments translated out of French by Sampson Lennard Canaans Calamity Jerusalems Misery and Englands Mirror The Doctrine of the Sabbath wherein these five things are contained First that the fourth Commandment is given to the Servant and not to the Master onely Secondly that the fourth Commandment is Moral Thirdly that our own light works as well as gainful and toylsome are forbidden on the Sabbath Fourthly that the Lords day is of Divine Institution Fiftly that the Sabbath was instituted from the beginning by Richard Byfield The light of Faith and way of holinesse shewing what to believe and for what to strive together earnestly contend and suffer for in this contending Age and how to live in all estates conditions and degrees of relation according to this faith Altare Christianum or the dead Vicars Plea wherein the Vicar of Gr. being dead yet speaketh and pleadeth out of Antiquity against him that hath broken down his Altar by John Pocklington Dr. D. Ashes General Tables to the Common Lawes of England being a compleat and large Dictionary thereof c. The Doctrine and Conversation of John Baptist delivered in a Sermon at a Visitation on John 5.35 by Henry Denne A Sermon in Commemoration of the Lady Danvers late wife of Sir John Danvers by Iohn Donne Dean of Pauls together with her son G. Herberts Commemorations of her A Meditation meet for a Christian every day or an Epitome of Promises for the Saints support in times of trouble The Hunting of the Fox an excellent discourse against flattery by Henry Hartflete Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-Bishops Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland in the Convocation holden at Dublin 1615. Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical treated upon by the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York c. Hidden works of darkneknesse brought to Publick light or a necessary Introduction to the History of the Arch-Bishop of Canterburies tryal by William Prinne Esq The Book of Martyrs by Mr. Iohn Fox lately Printed in three Volumes in large Folio where unto is annexed certain additions of the like Persecutions which have happened in these latter times Psalterium Davidis Latino-Saxonicum vetus A Iohanne Spelmanno D. Hen. fil editum H. vetustissimo exemplari Ms. Bibliotheca ipsius Henrici cum tribus aliis non multo minus Vetustis Collatum 40. A Register or a General Almanack for every year containing an introduction to the knowledge of yearly Almanacks by J. Pont. M. Abbots holinesse of Christian Churches or a Sermon prepaced to be Preached at the Consecration of the Chappel of Sir Iohn Baker of Sussingherst at Cranbrook in Kent Baronet upon 1 Cor. 11.2 2. A taste of the truth as it is in Jesus consisting of ten Questions and Answers and a brief exposition upon the same together with ten General Directions how private Christians and Governers of Families are to serve God in all the parts of Gods worship The Reformed Spaniards or motives against Popery in French 12 o. Sir Ben. Rudyards speech for augmentations of Ministers Livings The Cure of hurtful Cares and Fears by Thomas Pierson on Phil. 4.6 with Mr. Christopher Harveys Conditions of Christianity or the terms on which Christ will be followed on Luk. 9.23 Samuel Hartlibs Legacy or an enlargement of the discourse of Husbandry used in Brabant and Flanders wherein are bequeathed to the Common-wealth of England more Outlandish and Domestick Experiences and Secrets in reference to universal Husbandry Antidotum Lincolniense or an answer to a book entituled the holy Table Name and Thing c. said to be written long ago by a Minister in Lincolnshire by Peter Heylin Mr. Harveys Synagogue in imitation of M. Herberts Temple An Explanation of those Principles of Christian Religion expressed and implyed in the Catechism of our Church of England set down in the book of Common Prayer useful for House-holders that desire heaven in earnest and are willing to discharge their duty in examination of their charge by William Crompton A Brief Treatise of Testaments and Wills very profitable to be understoood of all the subjects of this Realm of England desirious to know whether whereof and how they may make their testaments and by what means the same may be effected or hindred and no lesse acceptable as well for the rarenesse of the work as for the easiness of the stile and method Collected by Henry Swinburne sometimes Judge of the Prerogative Court at York The Bible of the last Translation in the Largest Volume that ever was Printed appointed to be used in all Churches The Bible in Folio of the Largest and fairest Roman Letter now Printed with the Concordance added to it Vindiciae Gratiae Potestatis ac providentiae Dei hoc est Libelli Perkinsiarii de predestinationis modo ordine institutum à Iacobo Arminio Responsio Scholastica III. Libris absoluta Authore Guilielmo Twisso D. D. The sum and substance of the Conference which it pleased his Majesty to have with the Lords Bishops and others of his Clergy concerning Religion contracted by William Barlow D. D. Cononel Robert Monro his Epeditions and Observations being an Abridgement of Exercise for the younger Souldier his better instruction ending with the Soudiers Meditations going in service Cyprianus de bono patientiae De Vnitate Ecclaesiae Collatus cum M. S. Oxoniensibus A Treatise of Love written by M. Iohn Rogers late of Dedham in Essex Run from Rome or a Treatise shewing the necessity of separating from the Church of Rome disputed in these terms every man is bound upon pain of Damnation to refuse the faith of the Church of Rome by Anthony Wotton B. D. Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum ex Authoritate primum Regis Henrici 8. inchoata deinde per Regem Edvardum 6. provecta adductaque in hunc modum atque nunc ad pleniorem ipsarum Reformationem in Lucem edita Danica Literatura antiquissima Vulgò Gotica Dicta Luci Reddita operà Olai Wormii D. Medicinae in Academia Hasniensi profess P. cui accessit de priscâ Danorum Poesi dissertatio FINIS
thy life and conversation throughly reformed thy corruptions mortified thy graces increased thy love and zeal inflamed and thy soul at last eternally saved let me beg thy prayers for my self in requital of my pains and thy best wishes at the throne of grace in behalf of the Stationer for his labour and his honest care and cost bestowed herein and herein forget not to go to God for his blessing upon thy reading this work and all our endeavors herein that all may tend to his glory In hope whereof I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace and the book once more to thy serious reading and practise heartily taking leave I hasten to write my self Albourn this present March 12 h. 1652. Thine in Christ Jesus William Harrison There is lately Printed Gods holy mind touching matters Moral which himself uttered in ten Words or ten Commandments also Christs Holy Minde touching Prayer which himself taught unto his Disciples discovered by the light of his own holy Writ and delivered by Questions and Answers by the late learned and faithful Preacher of Gods word Mr Edward Elton B. D. and Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Bar monsey near London A true Relation of the murders committed in the Parish of Clunne in the County of Salop by Enoch ap Evan upon the bodies of his Mother and Brother with the causes moving him thereunto by Richard More Esquire Printed by order of a Committee of Parliament The great Mystery of Godlinesse opened Or an Exposition upon the ninth Chapter of the Epistle to the ROMANS Romans 9. Verse 1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witnesse in the the holy Ghost Verse 2. That I have great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in my heart THis excellent Epistle to the Romans written by that famous Apostle Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles consisteth of these 3 parts in generall 1. A Proemium or Introduction 2. An Institution of Christian Doctrine 3. A Percration or conclusion Again in the Institution of Christian doctrine the Apostle proceedeth in this manner 1. He handleth the doctrine of Justification in the 5 first Chapters of this Epistle 2. He insisteth in the doctrine of Sanctification in the 6. and 7 th Chapters 3. Matter of sweet consolation flowing from the two former in Chapter the 8 th 4. He propoundeth and prosecuteth the doctrine of Predestination in the 9 th 10 th and 11 th Chapters 5. He proceedeth to matter of Christian exhortation to sundry duties generall and speciall Chapters 12.13 c. Now in this ninth Chapter he beginneth the doctrine of Predestination and openeth that great mystery of godlinesse concerning the rejection of the Jewes and calling of the Gentiles and herein we have 3 parts 1. In the first place we have not onely an insinuation of the Apostles dear and deep affection and a solemne and serious protestation of the truth of it but also a singular manifestation of his most admirable love to the nation of the Jewes notwithstanding the doctrine he was now about to deliver and this is amplified by sundry circumstances as 1. By the particular passion or affection wherein he manifested his dear love to them and that is his grief and sorrow for their casting off 2. The grief he here speaketh of is further amplified by two further circumstances or adjuncts viz. 1. The constancy of it 2. The sinceritie of it 3. This love of the Apostle to them is further illustrated by the great measure or extent of it viz. that he could wish himself accursed and separated from Christ in order to procure their salvation 4. Lastly by the affectionate and honourable mention that he maketh of the Jewish nation describing both fully and affectionately all their priviledges and prerogatives shewing what great cause he had to be so deeply affected with their rejection and thus he doth in the 5 first verses of this Chapter The second part of the Chapter is touching a vindication of the stabilility and constancy of the Lords promises though the Jewes were rejected and the defending of that promise of God for the stability of it against all cavils and all erring spirits and all humane reasonings that may be brought to the contrary and that from the 6. verse to the 24. The third part is a declaration of that wonderfull and deep mystery held from the beginning of the world concerning the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews which was a thing foretold though men did not understand it before Paul revealed it unto them which was foretold by the Prophets so laid down from the 24. verse to the end of the Chapter so you have the chief materials generall in the Chapter of these in order and first of the first The Apostle being about to propound that which he knew would be taken very harsh and hard and marvellous displeasing and offensive to the Jews to hear of he useth a very patheticall insinuation of his love unto the Jews that he speaks of love expressing that love by his inward and hearty sorrow for their present estate and the care that he had for their good thereby to gain their good will and not exasperate them against him And the Apostle being to lay down their rejection useth a Preface unto it that the thing he spake was the truth and for the more force and efficacy of it he putteth down the contrary and I lie not and he confirmeth it further by an oath he calleth Christ to witnesse I speak the truth in Christ I lie not And secondly he proveth it by the witnesses and testimony of his own conscience his own conscience bearing witnesse with him and this conscience renewed by the holy Ghost mine own conscience bearing witnesse with me in the holy Ghost And then in the second verse he delivereth and putteth down his sorrow and his grief and his heavinesse of heart and thus he setteth out by the continuance and greatnesse of it it was a great sorrow and a continuall sorrow and that in his heart and soul and not a dissembled fained or outside sorrow but in his very heart and soul there he putteth down the desire of their good in the third verse And he doth expresse that by a wonderfull strange speech even by a wish to be separated from Christ for their good their calling and conversion Thereby implying their rejection and not propounding it for otherwise there was no cause of such a wish to be wished to be separated from Christ for their sake if they were not rejected and therefore he desireth to be anathemated and accursed from Christ for their good and then he setteth down reasons why he so wished himself to be separated from Christ First of all because they were his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh Secondly a more waightier reason then this because they were the Israelites of God and Gods people and that he maketh further manifest and plain unto
That the glory of God and the glory of Christ ought to be most dear to us yea dearer to us then our own salvation we ought to prefer the glory of God and the glory of Christ before the best good thing we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before heaven it self and we are to be willing rather to lose our part of happinesse and glory in heaven if it were possible we being the Children of God then that God or Christ should lose any part of their glory And thus it was with the blessed Apostle in this place and thus also it was with Moses the servant of God Exod. 32.32 we there find that Moses desired the Lord if he would not pardon the sin of his people Israel but proceed in wrath against them and destroy them as they had deserved by their sins that then he would blot him out of his book of life that he had written Moses knew that with the preservation of the people of Israel who were then the visible Church of God was Gods glory joyned both in respect of the promises made to the Fathers which it was not for Gods honour to frustrate and in regard of the blasphemies which the Egyptians and other spiteful enemies to God would have been ready on the ruine and destruction of the Lords people to cast out against him Moses therefore did not onely look to the preservation of the people but to the glory of God also and in respect of that he was even carelesse of his own salvation and he preferred Gods glory before his own eternal happinesse and salvation indeed we find not any other example in the Scripture to this purpose saving onely these two of Moses and Paul but these do sufficiently shew that though we cannot attain to that measure of zeal to Gods glory that was in them yet we must aym at it and we are to labour and strive to the uttermost of our power to come to it and these examples do evidence to us that thus it ought to be with us that we ought to esteem the glory of God and the glory of Christ most dear to us and to prefer that before the best good thing we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before our own happinesse and glory in heaven it ought to be dearer to us then our own soules and the Reasons and grounds of it be these First the glory of God is the end of all the creatures of God and for Reason 1 his glory were all things made we live and move and have our being from God to this end principally to yeeld him glory and all our thoughts words and actions are to tend to this that God may have glory by them it is that we are taught to pray for in the first place Hallowed be thy Name 1 Cor. 10.31 And secondly the glory of God is the chiefest good it 's better worth Reason 2 then all things in heaven or earth And hence it is that the Angels and Saints in heaven make it their whole joy and felicity to sing praise and glory to God yea they are so ravished with the love of Gods glory that they never faint nor grow weary in sounding forth the praise and glory of God they cease not day nor night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and which is to come Revel 4.8 and therefore on these grounds it followes directly and necessarily that the glory of God and the glory of Christ ought to be most dear to us and we are to preserve that before the best good things we do enjoy or hope to enjoy yea even before our own happinesse and glory in heaven and it ought to be dearer to us then our own soules A duty to apply it and to lay it a little nearer to our consciences a duty I say wherein most of us come far short for consider it Vse are we so affected to the glory of God and to the glory of Christ as we hold that dearer to us then our own lives yea then our eternal good and comfort and the everlasting salvation of our own soules alas if we examine the matter we shall find that many of us prefer a little worldly pelf a little ease or pleasure or a little vain credit in the world before the glory of God and the glory of Christ Do not some who have abundance of wealth wherewith they might do much good and honour God and Christ exceedingly as Solomon exhorts Prov. 3.9 honour God with thy riches they might imploy their wealth to many good uses to the promotion of Gods glory and to the furthering of the Gospel of Christ And do they not prefer the keeping of their wealth after a base and sordid and miserable manner before the doing good with it to the advancement of the glory of God and the glory of Christ and do not some love their ease and the contentment of the flesh so well as they prefer that before the enduring of a little hardship or a little pains or a little suffering for the name and glory of Christ Jesus They will rather as they say sleep in a whole skin though it be with a breach a wound and an hole in their Conscience then they will undergo any trouble or hard measure from the hands of men for doing such things as ought and might bring glory to God and might advance the name of the Lord and whereby Christ might be magnified as Philip. 1.20 And so for the matter of vain credit and good liking of men in the world Be there not many so poysoned with the love of that as they prefer it before the glory of God and the glory of Christ Are not many ashamed to professe the name of Christ and to be sound and sincere in the profession of the Gospel because they shall be disgraced in the world and be counted Puritanes they will not adorn the doctrine of the Gospel they professe Tit. 2.10 they will not endeavour to be blamelesse and pure and the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation and to shine as lights in the world as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 2.15 Though God and Christ might be thereby much glorified because then they shall be out of favour and credit with men yea haply with their best friends as they account them with those on whom their preferment depends yea are there not many in the world and amongst us so far from accounting the glory of God and the glory of Christ so dear to them as they could be content for that to part with the best good thing they do enjoy or hope to enjoy even to part with heaven for it if it might be as that indeed they will not part with any one beloved sin for the glory of God and for the glory of Christ They will not for the glory of God and for the honour of the Lord Jesus part with their pride their
to the ground and not be accomplished to whom it belongeth it is impossible but that they should be accomplished and made good unto those that have title to them whatsoever standeth in opposition against them or gainsayeth them For the further confirmation of this point read Matth. 5.18 the Lord Jesus speaking of the Law of God and thereby meaning the whole Word of God he maketh it more firm and stable then the whole frame of heaven and earth heaven and earth shall passe away they shall perish but not one jot or tittle of the Law shall escape unfulfilled every tittle of the Word of God whether promise mercy threatning or Judgment and especially the Promises it shall not escape unfulfilled and in 2 Sam. 2.28 we read the Lord having promised to David to build him a house David doth assuredly rest upon the accomplishment of it and he groundeth his assurance thus For why thou are God and thou canst not change thou art most true and Rom. 3.3 4. The Apostle speaketh thus of the Jewes Though some of the Jewes do not believe shall their unbelief make the Word and Promise of God of none effect God forbid Let God be true and every man a lyar God is certainly true and in Josh 23.15 saith Joshua Now all things are come unto you which the Lord your God hath promised so in Act. 13.32 33. Paul saith to the Jewes the promise made unto the Fathers God hath fulfilled unto us their children evidence of Scripture might be plentifully brought for the clearing of this truth That all the Promises of God touching good things of this life or that to come they cannot possibly be frustrate but shall come to passe in Gods appointed time The Reasons and grounds of it are these two Reason 1 First from the Nature of God because God himself is unchangeable and therefore this word is proportionable and answerable to himself yea God is truth it self al-sufficient and able to make good his word and to fulfill his promise and to make it good in despight of all oppositions whatsoever whether it be men or devils he is the truth it self the God of truth and he is also infinite in power Reason 2 Secondly because all the promises of God they are made unto his in Christ he is the ground and foundation of all the sweet and comfortable promises unto his in him they are made good unto his children as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1.20 In Christ Jesus all the promises are yea and in him amen they are ratified and confirmed in him now Christ Jesus is a most sure and firm foundation all the devils in hell cannot shake this foundation and therefore doubtlesse upon this ground we may resolve that all the promises of God concerning this life and the life to come they are firm and stable and shall certainly in Gods appointed time be fulfilled Object I but say some God promiseth many excellent temporal blessings unto his children we read in the Book of God of abundance of promises that God doth promise unto his children in this life which many of his children never come to see Answ It is true indeed but yet withal know thus much that even these temporal things are fulfilled as they are propounded they are propounded conditionally with the condition of obedience and with the exception of a Crosse if his children do fear and obey him or if otherwise the Lord see it good to exercise them with some crosse or some affliction and therefore if that many of the children of God do not enjoy the Promises it is because the Lord is pleased to chastise them for their sinnes and he is pleased so to do for their good because the Lord seeth it better and fitter for them to be exercised with afflictions and yet the promises of God are fulfilled according to the tenour that it is made unto them so they are fulfilled with condition of obedience and exception of the Crosse Psal 34.10 Gods Children shall want nothing that God hath promised that he seeth to be good concerning their temporall estate or the good estate in the life to come thou shalt want nothing now for the Application of it First of all this truth that you have here delivered That the Promises Vse 1 of God shall certainly be accomplished whatsoever seemeth contradictory unto them this discovereth unto us what a foul sin it is to be discouraged and daunted to be dejected and cast down and to walk uncomfortably heavily sadly and unchearfully either because they be under some great affliction already or because some great tryal is like to come upon them and hereupon they begin to be sad whence cometh this unchearfulnesse in a Child of God that he walketh thus sadly surely from the bitter root of unbelief because Gods Children consider not as they ought to do the truth and the stability of the comfortable promises of God they trusted not God barely on his Promises where God hath promised I will be with thee when thou walkest through the water and passest through the fire Esay 43.2 in the time of their greatest distresse God will be with them they do not believe and trust this promise of God that he will deliver them in all danger to uphold them and assist them he hath made this promise and this they believe not but withdraw their trust and affiance from this promise of God and so they greatly dishonour God for he that resteth upon the bare promise of God and stable word of God when he hath nothing else to rest upon he doth assuredly honour God wonderfully if we rest upon God when we see all things opposite to us then to rest upon the stable promise of God hereby we shew our zeal unto God but he that withdraweth his heart back from trusting on God dishonoureth God and robbeth him of his truth and maketh God no better then a lyar for if we trust not God when means seem to be with us much lesse will we trust him when all things seem to be contrary unto us therefore we ought carefully to avoyd this sinne This truth in the second place That all Gods Promises are certain Vse 2 this truth duly considered and thought upon may afford matter of strong comfort and great consolation to as many of us that find our selves to be such that have right and title to the gratious Promises of God but if we find our selves to be none of those here is no comfort belonging unto us wicked and ungodly persons that go on in a course of evil howsoever the Doctrine is most sweet and comfortable thou that art an ignorant and a gracelesse person if so be thou findest not thy self qualified aright thou hast no right nor title to the gracious Promises of God but if thou findest thy self to be called to faith and holinesse seconded with a holy and godly life and conversation thou findest thy self now believing in Christ thou art not a debauched wretch or
passe that God giveth them over to strong delusions to believe lyes it may be they come to some understanding of the truth but they have no love unto it and therefore God sendeth them strong delusions that is such delusions as doth deceive them and hold them fast when they are deluded the Lord will not send unto them only such errours that do prevail but shall hold them and keep them and they think themselves in a very good case and in the right way when they are most perverse and so go on in a stubborn rebellion against the truth and their own salvation Therefore let us receive the truth in love to the truth and to testifie our love unto the truth by hating all contrary errours not only thinking indifferently of them and judging well of them but hating of them thus did David Psal 119.104 hate all wayes of falshood and thus it ought to be with us not onely to receive the truth after a slubbering manner but to hate all errours and assuredly it is a worthy speech of One to this purpose Unlesse we hate Atheisme and Irreligion we do not love the truth of God and his holy Religion nor God himself so unlesse we hate Papisme Anabaptisme and Familisme and Brownisme and other separations we do not love the truth as we ought to do we see the Papists can well endure the Familists and the Familists well indure the Papists they can live together quietly Oh say the Familists what need you make such ado against the Papists we can live amongst them and not be tainted I believe them for they both hate the truth But let us testifie our love unto the Gospel while it is amongst us and be well affected with every Sermon every threatening every comfort every promise published and hate all Papisme all Anabaptisme all Familisme all Brownisme all separations though they say we are too hot against the separation no if we love the truth we hate all errours and separations Neither onely this but when Rebekah also had conceived by one even by our father Isaac IN that the Apostle here bringeth an example and instance of Jacob and of Esau being an instance and an example more strong and free from all exception and cavils sufficient to answer the Cavils of the Jewes and to silence them they having nothing to say against it touching their Objection that all that came of Abraham by natural generation are heirs of salvation Hence we may note thus much That the Scripture hath sufficient ground of truth in it self Doctrine it hath evidence of truth and example sufficient for the clearing and resolving of all doubts all difficulties and questions and cases of Conscience and for the convincing of all manner of errours it is sufficient in it self to answer all false conceits and erroneous opinions in respect of the positions and examples of it even to answer all cavils and opinions whatsoever and convince all manner of errours 2 Tim. 3.16 saith the Aposile the whole Scripture is given by inspiration and it is profitable and useful not onely to teach and to instruct in the truth but also to improve and exhort And indeed in the Scripture is found the good acceptable and perfect will of God is revealed in the Scripture even that will in the Scripture 2 Tim. 3.15 which is able to make us wise unto salvation it containeth the perfect will of God that is able to make us wise to our comfort here and salvation hereafter what can we have more Vse Therefore wickedly and most injuriously deal the Papists in this point in that they charge upon the written Word of God imperfection and insufficiency and they say it is not a sufficient ground and rule of truth it is not able to clear all doubts and questions and cases without some addition without we adde some unwritten verities and therefore they joyn unto the Word of God and equal and match with it the Books Apocryphal and their traditions unwritten even the Popes Decretals and the constitutions and Canons of the Church they tender to the people to be received with the same reverence and the same affection as the true and perfect written Word of God is to be received So the Councel of Trent hath thus blasphemously decreed and set it down That they ought to receive upon pain of damnation as well the Decrees of the Pope and Canons of the Church with like love affection and reverence as they do the written and perfect Word of God thus blasphemously they deal But further come we now to consider the example of Jacob and Esau particularly as it is here laid before us And first of all the Apostle maketh known unto us in this tenth verse they being understood as before That Jacob and Esau were the children of the same parents they were begotten of the same Father and born of the same Mother and at one and the same time they were twins yet the holy Word of God doth further make known unto us that there was a large and a wide difference between these two brethren Jacob and Esau he maketh known they were of different dispositions and qualities and of a different life and conversation in other places of Scriptures as that Jacob was a plain man Gen. 25.27 a simple innocent a harmlesse a downright honest man a good man a holy man a man fearing God But the Holy Ghost saith of Esau and setteth this black mark upon him to be a prophane person a vile man one that sold his birth-right for a portion of meat Heb. 12.16 yea the context saith Gen. 25.34 that Esau contemned his birth-right which was a great honour and dignity he contemned it in respect of a portion of meat to satisfie his hunger for the present thus you see a large wide difference between these two men the one holy the other irreligious so that children of the same parents and born at the same time may differ one from another exceeding much and the observation arising hence is this Doctrine That the coming of the same Parents and blood and being born at the same time even under the same position of the heavens and stars and constellations these are not the things that do make children of the same mind and of the same disposition and quality children are not of the like qualities carriage and behaviour because they come of the same parents and blood and are born at the same time and under the same positions of the heavens and constellations and stars as we see in this example of Jacob and of Esau And to adde some further ground for the proof of this point we find that the Lord did forbid his people continually and from time to time to observe times and to mark the constellations of the heavens as if so be that either the manners or dispositions of men and the affaires of men and the successe of things were over-ruled and overswayed by them Deut. 18.10 Let there be
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 Vse 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 Vse 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
Act. 13.3 6. Advantage of Afflictions Hos 5.15 Mr. Hookers Faithful Covenanter on Deut. 25 24 25. Hudsons Essence and unity of the Church-Catholick Vindication of it in answer to Mr. Hooker M. Cotton and others History of the Anabaptists of Germany Mr. Jenkins Self-seeking discovered on Philip. 20 21. Reformations Remora on Hag. 1.1 2. Sleeping-sicknesse on Isa 29.10 Busie Bishop both in answer to John Goodwin The blinde Guide both in answer to John Goodwin M. Ley's Fury of Warre on Jer. 4.21 22. Monitor of Mortality first part on Jam. 4.14 Second part on Gen. 44.3 Answer to M. Saltmarsh's Query about the Presbyterial Government Light for Smoak a Reply to M. Saltmarsh An After-reckoning with M. Saltmarsh M. Mockets Churches Troubles Several Sermons on Gen. 22.14 Covenanters Looking-glasse on Deuter. 29.9 Gospel-Duty and Dignity on Matth. 13.46 and his Catechisme M. Mewes spoiling of Jacob and Israel on Isa 42.24 25. Moulins Buckler of Faith against Popery 4 o. M. Newcomens craft and cruelty of the Churches adversaries Neh. 4.11 Jerusalems Watchmen Isa 62.6 7. Use of disasters Josh 7.10 11. Against Toleration Phil. 1.27 All-seeing eye of God on Heb. 4.13 Popes deadly wound tending to resolve all men in the chief and principal Points now in controversie between the Papists and us by J. Burges of Sutton-coldfield in Warwick shire Dr. Potter of the Number 666. Parkers Altar Dispute Bewailing of the Peace of Germany and Prague M. Profits Englands Impenitency on Isaiah 9.14 M. Reyners Babylons Earthquake on Haggai 2.6 7. Randal on the 8th of the Romans with other Sermons Rutherford of Church-Goverment and excomunication M. Salwaies halting stigmatized 1 Kings 18.21 Dr. Stantons Rupes Israelis Deut 32 31. Phinehas Zeal Psal 106.30 Dr. Smith Psal 107.6 Stalham against the Anabaptists against General Redemption his Catechism Dr. Sclater on Malachy on the 4th to the Romans Mr. Thorowgood Moderation justified Phil. 4.5 M. Vdall's Good of Peace and Ill of Warre Psal 29.11 Udal on the Lamentations of Jeremiah Vindication of the Presbyterial Government and Ministery by the London Ministers Mr. Wards God judging among the gods Psalm 82.1 Good will of him that dwelt in the bush Mr. Woodcocks Christs warning Rev. 16.15 Lex Talionis 1 Sam. 2.30 Joseph paralleled Gen. 49.23 24. Mr. Whittaker Christ the Settlement on Haggai 2.7 D. Wilkinsons Babylons ruine on Zech. 1.18 19 20 21. Gainful Cost 1 Chron. 21.24 Miranda stupenda Num. 23.23 Whatelys New Birth Woodward on the Covenant 8º Large M. Abbot against Brownists wherein is justified against them that the Church of England 1. Is a true Church 2. Hath a true Ministery 3. Hath a true worship Bruens holy Life and happy Death Cholmlys Vindication of Bishop Hall against Burton Herodians History Gr. Lat. with Paraeus Notes Mastersons Arithmetick Wingates Arithmetick Logarithmes Mr. Hierons Manuel of Meditations on most of the Heads of Divinity 8º and 12 o. M. Robert Abbots 5. Sermons Angiers Help to better Hearts for better Times removing hinderances in the instant worshipping of God Belks Scripture Enquiry or Helps for memory in Duties of Piety Bakers Arithmetick Bifields Principles Bayns Christian Letters Directions for a Godly life Browns Catechisme Catelyns Catechisme Cottons None but Christ Dents Pastime for Parents Gregorius Magnus de cura Pastorali Dr. James Index Generalis viz. Sanctorum patrum Lawson for the Sabbath Jemmats settled Heart in unsetled Times Moulins Christian Combat Moors Relation of Enoch ap Evan. Rogers Catechisme Saltmarshes Practise of Christian Pollicy Major Gen. Skippons Treatise of the Promises of Vowes of Obedience to God Observations Advises and Resolutions Sweet Posie for Gods Saints Spira's Life and death Teppings Eternity and the fathers Counsel to his son Elegies on the Lord Veere by sundry Scholars Votiers Catechisme Ward de Magnete Welwood of the Sea-Laws Willis Meditations serving for a dayly practice of the life of Faith Yarrows Comforts for a troubled Conscience School Books Pueriles Confabulatiunculae translated by Brinsley Dux Grammaticus Farnabies Phrases on Martials Epigrams on Senecacs Tragedies on Juvenal and Persius on Ovids Metamorphosis Select Epigrams Gr. Lat. Index Poeticus Latine Syntaxis Greek Table Geers Rhetorick Scickards Hebrew Grammer Stockwoods Disputations Vicars Manuductio ad artem Rhetoricam Four necessary Cases of Conscience of daily use resolved by Mr. Thomas Shepheard of New England viz. First how a man may be rid of an Earthly Carnal heart sold to the contentment of the Creature Secondly of a proud heart which is unwilling to seek after to wait upon or to stoop unto the commands of God Thirdy of a self-seeking heart that eyes it self especially in the best of Duties Fourthly of a slighty heart under Gods hand in mercies and judgements The state of the Saints departed Gods Cordial to comfort the Saints remaining alive in a Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Smithee Harlakenden late wife of William Harlakenden Esq by R. Josselin The Angel of the Church of Ephesus no Bishop of Ephesus distinguished in order from and superior in power to a Presbyter as it was lately delivered in a Collation before the Reverend Assembly of Divines by Constant Jessop Minister of the word Twenty nine Lectures of the Church very necessary for the Consolation and support of Gods Church especially in these times wherein is handled First in general concerning First the Name Secondly the Titles Thirdly the Nature Fourthly the Division of the Church Secondly of the visible Church First the Definition Secondly the Causes Thirdly the Members Fourthly the Marks and Notes Fiftly the Government Sixthly the Priviledges Seventhly the adversaries Eightly the Authority And Lastly the Application of it to all Churches in the world so far as they are known to us by John Randal B. D. late Pastor of Andrews Hubbart in little East cheap London Paralipomena Orthographiae Etymologiae Prosodiae una cum Scholiis ad Canones de genere substantivorum de Anomalis praeterito supinis verborum Syntaxi Carminum ratione figuris ex optimis authoribus Grammaticorum Coryphaeis Collecta asserta in 4. Libros distributa studiis industrià Joannis Danesii Gods holy mind touching matters Moral which himself uttered in ten Words or ten Commandments also Christs Holy Minde touching Prayer delivered in that most holy prayer which himself taught unto his Disciples discovered by the light of his own holy Writ and delivered by Questions and Answers by the late learned and faithful Preacher of Gods word Mr. Edward Elton B. D. and Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen Barmonsey near London Also An explanation of the whole seventh eight and ninth Chapters of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans The Christian conflict a Treatise shewing the Difficulties and Duties of this Conflict with the Armor and special graces to be exercised by Christian Souldiers particularly applyed to Magistrates Ministers Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants by Joseph Bentham A Remonstrance of the state of the Kingdom An Attestation to the