for them then the Lord stayed him and stopt his passage by bringing in the sea to drowne him and his host Exod. 14. as hee did with Saul when he would have taken away Davids life the Lord set downe how farre hee should proceed to chase him from place to place but not to death By all which it appeares that wee make not God to bee an idle looker on which suffers every creature to doe what they will But when God gives men over to bee blinded and hardned by Sathan and suffers wicked men for a time to worke mischiefe yet sets bounds and limitts to their rage and fury and in the end wonderfully rescues his servants from trouble This surely is not to doe nothing Fifthly a reducing of the ends to the rule of justice The bringing of some good out of evill for though Sathan and wicked men propose their ends the wicked that hee may serve his pleasures the Devill that hee may destroy yet such is the goodnesse of God Bâ—â—um est mala esse vel â—ieri alioquâ—â— sumâ—â—è bonus non permitteâ—et ca ficri Loâ— hard lib. 1. distinct 46. that hee will never suffer evill to be done if it were not to bring good out of it It is good that evils be or bee done otherwise the most good God would not suffer them to bee done and such is the wisdome of God that out of worst things he can chose the best ends as for example Iosephs brethen sold him for envy but God sent him to prouide for his old father and his brethren to preserve their lives Gen. 45.5 So in the death of Christ Sathan and the Iewes intended onely his death but God turned it to the salvation of all that beleeve As poyson is in it selfe evill but the skilfull Physician by tempering it cures the sicke and workes good out of it So doth God with sinne Shimei by cursing would shew his hatred of David but God would make knowne the patience of David which was good Now these workes as they proceed from the next cause man and the Devth be evill they be evill trees which cannot bring forth good fruits But as they proceed from the supreme cause and as hee brings good out of them they are good God and Satan will both have Ierusalem destroyed But Sathan that hee might bee avenged on them God that hee might punish their rebellion Christ is delivered to death the Iewes they doe it onely in malice But God hath another end the redemption and salvation of man and therefore in Act. 4.28 Pilate and the Iewes Gentiles gathered together to doe whatsoever thy hand and Councell had determined S. Enchirid ad Laurent ca. 101. Augustine shewes how God man may will the same thing and God in willing it doth well and yet man sinnes in willing it The father of an ungratious child is sicke Vt citius perveniat ad haereditaâ—em paâ—ris Vuâ—t Deus jâ—â—sâ—e fil uâ— iâ— pie God will have him to die â—n his just judgement the sonne That hee may sooner come to his fathers inheritance God wills it justly the sonne wickedly Albeit God doe order Res mala non habet â—aulan essi cientem sed desi ie 〈◊〉 De 〈◊〉 taâ—e Dei Lib 12. cap 7. determinate and governe sinnes that be done yet is he not properly the efficient cause of sinne It was a good saying of Augustine An evill thing hath no a cause efficient but defficient as the corruption of iudgement and the perversnesse of will and further I say that though the Papist accuseth us for making God the author of sin yet I will change my religion if I will not shew to any Romanist that will challenge me that wee of this Church teach no otherwise than the Papists themselues have written not onely out of Occam Durand and Bannes but principally out of Thomas Aquinas and Bellarmine himselfe In Râ—m 9. Dea â—ass gratiae lib. 2. Cap. 13. By a figure hee commands it and incites men unto it as a Huntsman sets the dog upon the Hare by letting goe the slip That God doth not onely permit the wicked to doe evill nor onely forsake the godly that the wicked may doe what they will against them But he oversees their wills he rules their wills he governs their wills nay he bowes and bends them by working invisibly in them and not only inclines the will to one evill rather than to another by permitting them to bee carried into one sinne and not into another but also positively hee bends them by inclining them to one evill and turning them from another occasionally and morally as hee speakes out of Thomas Aquinas Let them looke well into these speeches and they shall finde that wee say no more than they and if they would expound ours as candidly as their owne there would bee small or no difference Briefly then we say first in generall That God is not the author of sinne but the devill and mans corrupt will and the contrary we defie as blasphemy Secondly in particular wee beleeve that God wills nothing which is formerly sinne but hee fulfills his good wills by our evill wills as P. Lombard as hee wills that which is good Lib 1. Distinct 48. but hates it rather whence it followes that hee inspires it into no man nor creates any corruption in our wills which was not there before but forbids it absolutely within us by the light of his spirit as Rom. 2.15 without by the commandement Thou shalt heare a word behinde thee saying this is the way turne not out of it Isay 39.21 c. The first entrance of sinne into the world and the continuance of it in the world was the voluntary action of mans will God infusing no evill into him for God is not the cause why man is worse but that which God doth about and concerning sinne is contained in three actions First as the universall cause of all things hee sustaines mankinde and upholds his being yea the being motion of all his actions good and bad So that no man could either move to any action or have being himselfe if God sustained him not as Act. 17.28 whence it followes that the very positive act which the schoolemen call the subject of sinne and the materiall part of sin whereto sinne cleaveth is of God in the same sort that all other actions of the creature are this proposition doth Zanchius well illustrate A man rides upon a lame horse in this action are two things Motion and Halting the motion is of man man makes him move but his halting is of himselfe so in sinne the action or motion is of God but the deformity of man himselfe Secondly he withholds his grace as Iohn 12.39 Therefore they could not beleeve because Isay saith he hath blinded c. as being bound to no man but leaves the wicked to themselves whereupon it followes that their hearts grow hard and they cannot chose
and perdition he is in danger to slip into everie hole and to fall into everie pit which the enemies of his salvation doe dig for him to be catched in everie trap and snare of tentation that is laid in his way he cannot discerne betweene the faire and sure path of holinesse and righteousnesse and the foule sloughes and deepe ditches of sinfull corruptions till he fall into them he is ready to run into briars bushes and obnoxious to all injuries which the enemies of his salvation shall be pleased to offer unto him They may rob him of all he hath and hee cannot avoyd them they may deceive him with any bait and he cannot discerne them yea they may wound and stab him to the heart and hee cannot defend himselfe from their rage and violence We have an example of this heavie judgement in Pharaoh who being smitten with this spirituall blindnesse thought that hee then did most wisely when like a Bedlam hee went on in that way which exposed him and his people to Gods searefull plagues and at the last brought them to utter destruction So Paul before his conversion had his minde so blinded that when like a mad man he raged against Christ in his members he supposed that herein hee did God good service Acts 26.11 And so bruitishly blinde were the Priests and Pharisies that they thought it was the onely meanes to bring safetie to their people to kill their Saviour Ioh. 11.48 51. which afterwards proved to bee the cause of their destruction and utter desolation Againe Vse 2 wee unto whom God hath given this grace to receive Christ by faith as our Saviour and Redeemer may hence learne to be thankfull unto God for delivering us from this heavie judgement which to this day lieth still heavie upon his ancient people and for the inlightning of our mindes with the saving knowledge of his truth The which our thankfulnesse wee must approve to bee unsained by walking according to this light of knowledge in the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse that wee may glorifie him who hath beene so gracious unto us Finally Vse 3 it should make us pitifull and compassionate towards those that lye under this heavie judgement of spirituall blindnesse and especially the people of the Iewes and to pray earnestly that they may bee enlightned with the saving knowledge of God his Christ and holy Gospell For if their case bee to bee pitied and lamented who through bodily blindnesse run into innumerable mischiefes and fal at last into a deepe gulph without hope of recoverie how much more should we pitie and bewaile their miserable condition who through spirituall blindnesse plunge themselves for the present into farre greater evils and at last fall irrecoverably into the pit of everlasting destruction Neither let their furie and faultinesse in opposing Christ in his truth and members lessen our pitie but rather increase it For what can they doe otherwise so long as they are under this heavie judgement of spirituall blindnesse What can be expected of mad men but the fruits and effects of folly and phrensie Who is angrie with a blinde man because hee goeth out of his way or stumbleth at everie blocke or falleth into everie pit and ditch or is mislead by everie false guide or exposed to the wrongs and outrages of everie malicious enemie Yea who doth not pitie him in all or any of these miseries and laboureth not that hee may either prevent or be delivered out of them And how much more then should wee stand thus affected towards those who lye under the punishments of spirituall phrensie and blindnesse which without all comparison are greater than the other and much more durable and desperate The third judgement or punishment which he prophetically denounceth by way of imprecation against the people of the Iewes The third judgement for rejecting Christ and the Gospell is set downe in these words And bow downe their backes alway Exposition In which consider 1. The judgement it selfe 2. The continuance of it The judgement is expressed like the former in a metaphoricall speech taken from the body where consider 1. the matter and 2. the māner of it The matter is their utter weakning and disabling to all good actions spirituall civill and corporall inward and outward For the Hebrewes seat the chiefe strength of man in his back and loynes which being broken bowed and buckled together he is thereby made utterly unfit for any actions and employment So that the meaning is as if hee had said Disable them wholly unto all holy and Christian duties so as they may have neither power not will to performe any holy service unto God to receive Christ as their Lord or to yeeld unto him obedience as to their Sovereigne let them bow downe under the intolerable burthen of their sinnes especially that of crucifying their Saviour without ease or comfort Deprive their state of all strength and pull out of their hands all civill government which they have abused to Gods dishonour to the opposing of Christ in his Kingdome and to the dammage and hurt of all his subjects and members overthrow their whole policie and Common-wealth subdue them as vassals and slaves to all their enemies and make them wholly desolate The which heavie judgements we see accordingly inflicted upon that Nation For their Kingdome was quite overthrowen by Titus Vespasian their politicke Lawes and government taken away their cities and townes sacked and fired their people for the most part slaughtered and the remainder sold for slaves and scattered among all Nations under whose servitude they remaine in great scorne and reproach even unto this day And thus also we see their backes broken in respect of spirituall strength For no Nation under Heaven is more desperately wicked and averse to all goodnesse none so maliciously opposite to Christ and his kingdome whom they delight to disgrace with reproaches and blasphemies none more given up to a reprobate minde to couetousnesse sordide basenesse injustice and all manner of deceit A people separated from all nations that they may bee the scorne of of all And this is the matter of the judgement The manner or qualitie of it is implyed by that phrase of bowing or making crooked For as those whose backes are broken and bowed doe bend their faces downeward towards the earth and are not able without great difficultie to lift them up towards heaven So this nation being broken with Gods heavie judgements weakened in all their strength spirituall and civill had this heavie punishment added to all the rest that hereby like bruit beasts their faces were bowed towards the earth ascribing all their calamities to worldly accidents and inferiour causes and never looking up unto God as the chiefe Author of them that they might humble themselves under his mighty hād see acknowledge their sins which were the causes of these heavie judgements and turning unto God by unfained repentance might obtaine the pardon of
Greeke and then highly honoured by the Persian Wee had perished if wee had not perished Petiramus nisi pertissemus If Iob be naked the Lord takes that occasion to cloath him if the Shunamites childe be dead the Lord quickly takes that occasion of shewing mercie in quickning it These be the steps wherein our Father walkes Vse and you that will be accounted sonnes must learne to follow him even to watch your times and opportunities when and where and how you may expresse and doe some good to the familie of the Saints and house of God The Magistrate must lie in wait for soules to save them by governing The Minister must lie in ambush for soules to save them by preaching The Iudge like good Othniel must watch his opportunitie to doe good in hearing and judging the causes Ladies and Matrons must watch their opportunitie to doe good in hearing the afflicted The Courtier like Mordecai must watch his time and opportunitie to procure the peace and welfare of Gods people by stopping the way against all malitious complaints and bils commenced against them Let us watch occasion to doe good if none be offered devise occasion and delight in doing them good that you may be sonnes and children of that Father who seekes and watches all opportunities to doe good to you I come to a third conclusion When God gives his word to a people Doct. and offers them meanes of salvation and yet they turne it off and fall away then God takes it from them and gives it unto others That 's the note of P. Martyr and may be backt with that place Act. 13.46 Then Paul and Barnabas said it was necessary that the word should first be preached to you but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selves unworthy wee turne to the Gentiles By that parable of the Vineyard in Mark 12.9 He will destroy those husbandmen and give the vineyard to others By that parable of the Supper in Luke 14. from 16. to 25. A man made a supper and invited many and said come for all things are ready but they began to make excuse c. The bread is first provided for the children and they must first be fed and by the children are meant the Iewes but if they refuse it must be cast to the whelps under the table as Christ said to the woman of Syrophenyssa in Mark 7.27 In all this you may see the fulfilling of that saying in Matth. 21.43 Therefore shall the kingdome of God be taken from you and given to a nation which will bring forth the fruits thereof It was the saying of our Saviour Matth. 25. To him that hath that is to him that useth shall be more given but from him that hath not that is useth not shall be taken away even that which he hath De doct Christiana Lib. 1. Cap. 1. vers 29. for so Beza seemes to expound that text and Augustine Which point may be a faire warning for us Vse who have thus long enjoyed the Gospell and the meanes of salvation wee have heard wisdome cry in the streets the Prophets have risen early and wooed us with arguments full of passion but may not the Lord say of us as he said of his vineyard in Isa 5.4 What could I doe for this people that I have not done We were like Aegypt when the plague of mist and darknesse was upon it even darknesse that might be felt Exod. 10.21 and the Lord hath made us like Goshen or like to those people that dwell under the poles who have no night but the Sunne still shining upon them Blundevil de Sphaera lib. 20. Cap. 16. Wee were like the mountaines of Gilboa but now the Lord hath watered us with the dew of heaven wee were overgrowne with weeds our fields brought forth nothing but cockle and darnell sowen by popish husbandmen but since that time the Lord hath gathered out those weeds and hath sowen amongst us the seed of the Gospell and he yet continues to be kinde and good unto us wee have our Churches open the Lord holds out unto us a candle like to that which Alexander held out to the Citie which he besieged let us yeeld and turne before the lampe be out for feare the Gospell be removed from us to another people What griefe did Israel conceive when they sate in Babylon as they make their complaint and moane Psal 137. By the waters of Babylon wee sate downe and wept c. The same may befall us and wee may be inforced to complaine with David Psal 84. that the case of the poorest creatures is better than ours The sparrow hath found her an house and the swallow a nest wherein she may lay her young Nidificant they build their nests and prope altaria neere the altars Ego prohibeor Calvin ia Psal 84. I am forbidden it saith Calvin Learne then that if God gives meanes embrace it if the word of salvation be preached heare it if the way to heaven be chalked out follow it if the Gospell be revealed receive it with cheerefulnesse and make much of it that God may not take his mercy from us nor bring that terrible famine threatned Amos 8.11 I come to one point more which I comprise in this conclusion Wheresoever the Gospell is preached Doct. there is salvation offered by God unto the people how beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that declareth and publisheth peace that declareth good things and publisheth salvation Isa 52.7 And therefore in Heb. 2.3 The Law given by Angels is called the great salvation How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation which at first began to be preached by the Lord and was afterward confirmed by them that heard him This is the great power of God to all that are saved 1 Cor. 1.18 that is t is the instrument divinely efficacious to salvation and is the power of God to salvation First in judgement because wee account it so Secondly in effect because indesalutem consequimur thence we obtaine salvation as Paraeus speakes that when the Gospell is preached to a people it may be said as it was to Zaccheus Luk. 19.9 when Christ lodged with him Behold this day salvation is come into thy house and therefore you should doe as he did run downe hastily and receive him gladly Imitate the rich Merchant Matt. 13.44 See first how gracious the Lord is in offering you salvation so many yeeres together Secondly how they that contemne the Gospell doe exclude themselves from all hope of salvation Thirdly they that esteeme meanly of preaching esteeme meanly of salvation they that will not maintaine it are enemies to their owne salvation They that pay much preaching with small rewards are unnaturall Gadarens and thinke their idols in their chests more pretious than the salvation of their soules But I passe this and come to the second part of the affirmative answer To provoke them to follow them There is saith Tho.
because we would be or were holy but that we might be holy saith Augustine Secondly Christ or our faith in Christ fore-seene cannot be the cause of our predestination seeing Christ himselfe in respect of his office of redemption and mediation was predestinate and preordained of God And the same thing cannot bee both the cause and the object of predestination Christ Ieus as hee is the head with his body which is the whole company of the elect are the object of predestination therefore not the cause adde unto this Luk. 12.32 It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome And if they first beleeved they chose him he chose not them and the Lord pronounced it himselfe of the children before they were borne I have loved Iacob and hated Esau Rom. 7. Thirdly to affirme that God conditionally hath appointed all men if they wil beleeve and that it is his will that all should beleeve if all beleeve not it is not for defect of grace but through their owne fault for God gives man free will power of himselfe to beleeve or not to beleeve which is first against the rule 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God against the rule It is not in him that willeth c. Rom. 9.16 against the rule It is God that worketh both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 against the rule Without me yee can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 Fourthly as it is in mans power to beleeve if hee will so is it to resist Gods will and grace against the Apostle Rom. 9.19 who hath resisted his will against the rule of the Prophet Whatsoever the Lord pleased that hee did in heaven and in earth against the rule Ioh. 6.37 All that my Father giveth me commeth unto me Sed ex nolentibus fuit volentes not that God saves any man against his will But of being unwilling makes them willing saith Augustine Excellent is his speech to this purpose a Non potest essectus miseritordae esse in hominis pot state ut homo nolit quta si vellâ—tr luctantium â—seteri possit ules vocare quoinodo illâ— aptom effet c. Aug. ad St â—plicianun lib. 1. quaest 2. The effect of mercie cannot be in mans power that man may not will it because if God would have mercie on those that resist he is able to call them so as should be agreeable to them they therefore are elect who are so called that they may not deny him that calleth the rest are not elect because they follow not although they be called b Volenti salvun facere nullam hominis arbitrili resistit Aug. de gratia corrept cap. 14. No mans will resisteth God willing to save him And c Non est dutitandum voluntati Dei voluntates kominum resistere non posse Ibid. It is not to be doubted that the wills of men cannot resist Gods will Well agreeing with that of Ambrose d Nihil potest obsistere divinae gratiae quò minus quod volnerit impleatur Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 1. cap. 10. Nothing can hinder the grace of God by how much lesse it might bee fulfilled which he willed There are many absurdities yet behinde As first that men are no otherwise elected but if they beleeve and so long elected as they continue in faith and therefore may lose their election and their faith and of vessels of honour become vessels of wrath This I have confuted at large already onely remember those distinctions of election vocation and faith and unto them joyne those reasons Begin with that in Hos 2.19 And so I come to the last part which is the Apostles conclusion of the whole Chapter VERS 33. Vers 33 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his wayes and his judgements past finding out THe occasion of these words Exposition Orig in Rom. 11. saith Origen was this Because he turneth the malice of the one to the salvation of the other Chrysostome saith Because hee hath cured contraries with contraries Quia contraria contrarus curaveris Chrysost brought so much good to the Gentile from the infideritie of the Iew. Some apply it to the whole mysterie of the Gospell whereof much is yet secret and which the Angels desire to behold 1 Pet. 1.12 O profunditas O profunditas in arconum Evangelii in bringing good out of evill But as the former restrained it too much so this is somewhat too generall Augustine restraines it to this particular mysterie of calling the Iewes and rejecting the Gentiles as if it were thus O the deepnesse of his wisdome in this who can search the causes of his judgements upon the one or finde out the wayes of his mercie to the other Calvin and Peter Martyr apply these words to the mysterie of Gods predestination O the depth in casting away some in saving others in paying to some due punishment to others undeserved grace as Augustine De praedest Sanct. lib. 1. c. 4. The whole occasion or the matter of his admiration I take to bee referred unto those deepe and mysticall conclusions which went before concerning both the calling of the Iew and the rejection of the Gentile concerning the saving of some and refusing of others concerning election and reprobation At these hee is amazed and cries O the deepnesse As if hee should thus have said I have expounded what I could I am now at a stand I am swallowed up of the deepnesse of Gods wisdome I must give over searching them I must give over preaching them they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsearchable not to be searched but to be adored The words are an explanation in which the Apostle goes about to silence two sorts of men The former is hee that curiously searches into Gods hidden and secret counsels The other that stormes and murmures at Gods proceedings and judgements The curious searcher and disputer in these words O the deepnesse of the riches His counsels are so deepe as he that wades into them may drowne himselfe but shall finde no bottome He is so rich in wisdome and knowledge that created and finite understandings of men and Angels doe dazle at the beholding of them The repiner and murmurer in the two next verses wherein he shewes 1. That God in his greatest workes needed none 2. That he is a debter unto none And therefore none can complaine of injustice though he be lost I begin with the former I must take onely some plaine observations for it were an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confusion or against method to goe about too precisely to open that whereat Paul was amazed The first I comprehend in this Conclusion It is proper to the godly Doct. and their office and duty to thinke speake and consider to admire the works and counsells of God to burst forth into
p. 258 Not to feare though meanes seeme contrarie p. 358 Shew our love to Christ to his members p. 53 Election is of mercie p. 62 God saveth man of free mercie p. 126 Mercie of God sâ—staining men even when they sin p. 160 All our good is of Gods mercie p. 314 Against the abuse of Gods mercie p. 3â—9 The greatnesse of Gods mercie p. 352 Where Gods mercie most aboundeth hee punisheth sinne p â—69 Many now in state of sinne shall finde mercie p. 435 The elect onely shall have mercie p. 440 Wee should disclaime our workes in respect of merit p. 52 Man ready to ascribe the good things hee hath to his merit p. 306 Eternall life not by merit p. 426 Love to Ministers a signe of election p. 35 Few love Ministers as they ought p. â—6 Ministers their dutie p. 91 Reverence and love to Ministers p. 97 Of the labour of Ministers p. 248 258 Complaint of the ill carriage of Ministers p. 252 Duty of people to Ministers p. 259 Multitude no roâ—e of the Church p. 101 The depth of Gods counsels should keepe in from murmuring p. 458 Reproofe of those that murmur against Gods works p. 464 Everie point of godlinesse a mysterie p. 366 Not to search too farre into hid mysteries p. 458 N. PApists brag only of the name of a Church p. 11 Nineveh the strength of it p. 12 Wee should most tender the salvation of those that are neare us p. 259 God will alter the course of nature for his childrens good p. 357 Iewes and Gentiles alike by nature p. 433 O. NEw obedience a signe of election p. 32 New obedience three conditions of it ibid. Assurance of glorie by obeying Gods call p. 73 Objections against the doctrine of election p. â—3 Oppose See Gospell God takes all opportunities to doe his children good p. 214 To imitate God in taking opportunities to doe good p. 215 Ordinances of God how to account of them p. 186 Wee should beware of those sinnes that wee see punisheth in others p. 342 How to keepe from censuring others p. 430 Ministers should chiefly intend the good of their owne people p. 247 Wicked men judge of their estate by outward things p. 9 Wicked men excell others in outward things p. 10 Not to judge our selves by outward things p. 13 Outward profession not to be rested in p. 113 Outward privileges exempt not from punishment p. 332 See Election P. PArentage neither furthereth nor hinders salvation p. 40 439 Meannesse of Parentage no prejudice p. 42 Paul his description of himselfe p. 18 Promises of God how made to men in particular p. 23 Good men defend Gods people from persecution p. 87 Who the wicked persecute most p. 93 New obedience perpetuall p. 32 Comfort to those that live in evill places p. 20 Everie sinne hath its plea. p. 296 Gods pleasure the impulsive cause of election p. 56 Power abused God takes away p. 194 Power of God absolute p. 407 Possesse See Satan Predestination what p. 49 Predestination and providence distinguished p. 50 Predestination defined ib. Predestination abused to sinne p. 53 Predestination the order of it p. 54 Predestination the parts of it p. 55 Predestination three effects of it p. 71 Predestination the impulsive cause of it p. 130 Prayer an effect of the Spirit p. 27 Example of Saints oft in prayer ibid. Three things make God not to heare prayer p. 106 See Weapons Forgetfulnesse the cause of pride p. 280 Pride how to abate it p. 281 Three things to keepe men from pride of gifts p. 291 Three reasons to keepe from pride p. 305 None should bee proud of that he enjoyes p. 366 Wicked men presume upon outward privileges p. 9 Not to be â—ortent with outward privileges p. 11 Sin will ruine a people notwithstanding all privileges p â—6 Privileges spirituall all by Christ p. 52 The Gentiles have the Iewes privileges p. 287 Sinne will bring downe these that have the greatest privileges p. 301 See Anger Outward Profession See Outward A miserie to heare and not profit p. 170 Meanes contemned profit not p. 175 What makes men so little profit p. 263 Promises of God assure us of salvation p. 22 Promises to the Iewes belong to us p. 275 What over God hath promised shall come to passe p. 401 See Particular When the Prophets are made away people fall from God p. 95 Good people feare the losse of their Prophets p. 243 Prudence in Ministers in denouncing judgements p. 200 Punishment three things in it p. 152 God punisheth men in their best things p. 184 Foure good effects God brings out of punishment p. 210 Like sinne brings like punishments p. 33 Punishments accompanie sinne p. 388 See Sin Outward Mercie Q. QVestions curious unnecessarie p. 466 R. MYsteries of salvation above reason p. 457 God receives great sinners p. 351 Christ reconciles man to God p. 398 The manner of Christs reconciling in five things ibid. Rejection of God twofold p. 47 Rejoycing of wicked men vaine p. â—9 Rejoycing in Gods promises p. 403 What causeth God to remove the Gospell 216 In great revolts God preserves some p. 372 The reward of holinesse 43 Reprobation what p. 56 Reprobation the causes of it p 64 67 Reprobation double p. 68 Reprobation two acts in it p. 69 Reprobation three questions concerning it ibid. The knowledge of God true riches p. 231 461 Motives to labour for the riches of the word p. 235 No man can attaine life by his owne righteousnesse p. 135 Three things in Christs righteousnesse ibid. Bellarmines objections against imputation of Christs righteousnesse p. 136 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse reconciles us p. 99 God rules all p. 92 S. THose in Christs keeping are safe p. 15 Those of all Nations that repent shall be saved p. 19 Those that doe good workes shall be saved p. 74 Three things in those that shall be saved p. 121 All men shall not be saved p. 134 Salvation offered by the Gospell p. 218 Ministers should aime at the salvation of their people p. 252 Salvation of whom to seeke it p. 400 None can satisfie for his sinnes p. 392 Popish satisfaction vaine ibid. Satans stratagems cannot cut off the elect p. 15 Satan how he holds wicked men p 45 Satan hardens the heart p. 147 186 Exhortation to read Scriptures p. 82 See Wise A judgement to have eyes and not see p. 167 Seeking two things in it p. 137 Seeking God five things in it p. 138 We must not search into secrets p. 459 Servitude under sin p. 386 A man should find the cause of judgements in himselfe p. 313 God made all things for himselfe p. 473 Sin cannot cut off the elect p. 15 Sin not the impulsive cause of reprobation p. 64 Reasons why God reprobates not for sin p. 65 The best workes of wicked men sin p. 74 Sin how God workes in it p. 152 Three things God doth concerning sin p. 158 God punisheth one sin with another p. 162 367 Foure good effects God brings out of sin p. 210 Sin the cause of peoples ruine p. 334 Sin how displeasing to God p. 337 Sin how God sits punishments to it p. 341 Sin the nature of it p. 395 Sin Christ weakneth it iâ— us p. 399 Sin two things in it p. 406 Sin what ever a carnall man doth p. 416 Sinne makes good things snares p. 180 Subjection See Bowing T. TO labour for tender hearts p. 143 Thanke God for preservation from idolatry p. 109 112 When Ministers must preach threatnings 349 Threatnings of God true p. 404 New obedience totall p. 32 Troubles to bee expected p. 95 Truth how the wicked dispute against it p. 99 God receives all that turne to him p. 173 God doth great things in short time p. 469 V. MAlice of wicked men against the Church vaine p. 119 Gods Church scarce visible sometimes p. 100 God hath alway a Church though not visible p 113 Heaven must be gotten by violence p. 397 Vocation an effect of election p. 72 God unchangeable p. 14 Comfort from Gods unchangeablenesse p. 93 To take heed of unthankfulnesse p. 160 How to bee ashamed of unthankfulnesse p. 225 Unbeleefe See Infidelitie Universall grace confuted p. 443 Universall grace an absurd doctrine p. 450 W. MInisters must give warnings of judgement p. 350 Weapons of the Church is prayer p. 89 Wicked men wearie of good things p. 28 Scriptures able to make wise p. 79 God most wise p. 464 The Iewes at their conversion shall be endowed with wisdome p. 239 Religion should have no winter p. 33 Will of God the impulsive cause of reprobation p. 69 Workes a fruit of election p. â—â— 74 Motives to good workes p. 7â— God in election had no respect to good workes p. 129. 307 Good workes justifie not p. 130 4â—9 Workes of God how to bee affected with them 456 Obedience must be grounded on the Word p. 34 Word abused to maintaine sinne p. 205 Counsel of God must not be searched beyond the Word p. 462 To bee weaned from the world a signe of election p. 27 Iewes called toward the end of the world p. 218 Wicked m n overthrow the meanes of Gods worship p. 98 God wil avenge the wrongs of his p. 195 FINIS
and had rather be a doore-keeper in Gods house that is have the meanest place than to dwell in the Tabernacles of ungodly men Psal 84.10 Salomon accounts it happinesse enough to stand at wisdomes gates and give attendance at the posts of thy doores Prov. 8.33 Si iste versus esset in hominum cordibus currerent ad convallem plorationis If that verse were in mens hearts they would run into the valley of teares or bewailing Aug. in Psal 84. When the Apostles seemed to grow proud that they could subdue the Devils our Saviour bid them rather rejoyce in this that their names are written in Heaven Luk. 10.18 19. There bee two things that make holinesse above greatnesse 1. The worke of holinesse 2. The reward of holinesse The worke is to heare the Lord sometimes threatning in the Law sometimes wooing and perswading in the Gospell sometimes to be praying unto him sometimes to be praising him sometimes to bee feeding him in his servants sometimes cloathing him in his members to have our whole conversation with him It is the repairing of Gods image in us and the quieting of those clamorous consciences that will never be friends with us till we be friends with God 2. The reward is blessing Blessing shall cover the head of the righteous Prov. 10.6 Blessed in the things of the earth Psal 37.20 For the righteous shall inherit the earth Blessed in his name for the memoriall of the just is blessed Pro. 10.7 yet if hee should have none of these the glorie hereafter would recompence all for if either life or glorie or kingdome or inheritance will doe it they shall have it in abundance What so much to be desired as life What life so much as the life of glorie The faithfull behold the image of the Lord with open face as in a myrrour and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie from this to eternall glorie 2 Cor. 3.18 So that when you have named the highest titles of honour and majesty you may say with David Psal 149.9 Such honour have all his Saints Or as Haman said of Mordecai when hee had upon him the royall apparrell Esth 6.9 I adde but one word more God is so strong with them that hee will have great ones to esteeme them above their greatest favourites as Zeresh told Haman If Mordecai be of the seed of the Iewes before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile but shalt surely fall before him Esth 6.13 To bee the sonnes of Nobles is nothing to the sonnes of God to bee borne of Princes is but basenesse in comparison of this to be borne of God Moab is but a washpot Edom but a wiper of shooes Psal 108.9 Let this pull downe the pride of wicked men Vse Be they never so high and honourable never so great and powerfull yet they are indeed base and worthlesse if they bee not children of faithfull Abraham for howsoever they may spit at the name of slave yet such they are See the Apostle Rom. 6.16 See August de Civit. Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. An evill man although he reigne he is a servant a good man although he serve hee is free c. And this sinne hath such a command in them as the Devill had in the man possessed sometimes it casts them into the fire where they burne in lust sometimes into the water where they swim and are drowned in vaine delights sometimes it blowes them into the aire with a giddy desire to hunt after preferment and sometimes casts them on the ground and weds them to the world and what basenesse was ever like unto this It was Plato's judgement Neminem regem non esse ex servis oriundum neminem non servum ex Regibus Seneca Epist 44. askes the question who is honorable and answers it thus Non facit nobilem atrium plenum fumosis imagâ—ibus an mus sacit nobilem A Court full of smoakie images maketh not noble but the minde maketh noble Quis fructus generis tabula jactare capaci Corvinum posthac multa deducere virga Fumosos equitum cum dictatore magistros Si coram lepidis malè vivitur c. Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus Lâ—â— enâ—l Sat. 8. I conclude this point with that 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee will I honour Thinke not to get you honour at the Court that honour is but glasse not by policie Achitophel had as much as any and yet died basely 2 Sam. 17.23 nor by great buildings they will fall downe againe on heapes if the foundation be not laid in holinesse nor by your eloquence Herod could not perswade the silly wormes Acts 12.23 But bee once the children of God Et nil poterunt regales addere manus All the Kingdomes of the earth cannot make thee so honourable I come to the last of the tribe of Benjamin The tribe of Benjamin The Tribe of Benjamin When Moses blessed all the Tribes Deut. 33 1â— he blessed Benjamin thus The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him the Lord shall cover him all the day long and dwell betweene his shoulders that was because the Temple should be built in Sion which was in the tribe of Benjamin and in the Temple the Lord would dwell and yet for all this privilege that Tribe was destroyed as well as any others and though destroyed for their sinnes yet some of them saved from whence come two conclusions The one Doct. There is no people so graced with privileges so crowned with blessings so beloved of God but sinne will bring ruine and destruction upon them as it did upon Benjamin That Common weales and Kingdomes have their fals and periods Let Athens Sparta Babylon Nineve and Carthage be witnesses who have at this day no other fences but paper-wals to keepe their memories But what have beene the causes of these subversions most men have beene verie ignorant The Epicure ascribes it to Fortune the Stoicke to Destiny Plato and Pythagoras and Bodin Method 6. to number Aristotle Booke 5. of Polit. Chap. 12. to an asymmetrie and disproportion in the members Copernicus to the motion of the center of excentricke circle Cardanus and the most part of Astrologians to starres and planets But all these have groped in the darknes for if we consult with the Oracles of God we shall finde that sinne is the onely cause why God falls out with his dearest children turnes Cities into ashes ruinates Kingdomes makes States but Ludibria fortunae The mocking stocks of fortune Everlasting monuments of desolation aske of Ierusalem she will tell you that this Doctrine is too true she will not sticke to tell you what she was and whither she is fallen c. So I come to the second argument from fore-knowledge VERS 2. God hath not cast away his people Vers 2 which he knew before Wote yee not what the Scripture saith of Elias how hee maketh intercession to God against Israel
changeth not his counsell 4. I adde they whom hee loved in Christ for whatsoever good the Lord promiseth as wee receive it it is per propter Christum through and for Christ He hath predestinated us to be adopted through Iesus Christ Ephes 1.5 yea no man is predestinate but for this purpose that hee may be a member of Christ for he predestinated us to be adopted through Christ into himselfe viz. into Christ 5. That they should bee justified and glorified So Paul Rom. 8.30 Whom hee predestinated them he will call whom he called them hee will justifie whom he justifieth them hee will glorisie 6. That he passed by others So Malac. 1.2 I loved Iacob and hated Esau Lastly to manifest his glorie in mercie and justice that hee might declare the riches of his glorie upon the vessells of mercie Rom. 9.23 But of this definition thus made and proved may arise these comfortable observations 1. Observ 1 God predestinated us because hee looked favourable on us in Iesus Christ both to holinesse and happinesse So the Scripture everie where attributes all the good that we have from God to bee through Christ Hee hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Ephes 1.2 Hee hath chosen us in Christ Ephes 1.4 Hee hath predestinate us to bee adopted through Christ Ephes 1.5 Hee accepted us in his beloved viz. in Christ Vers 6. He redeemed us by the bloud of his sonne Christ Vers 7. Hee hath gathered together reconciled all things both in heaven in earth by one that is Christ ver 10. And therfore when we beg any thing of God we are taught to beg it in the name of Christ So Christ himselfe Iohn 14.13 Whatsoever yee aske the Father in my name that will I doe for you that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne So Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoever yee aske the Father in my name hee will give it you Whence we learne to disclaime our worthinesse and our owne workes from being meritorious causes of Gods blessings Excellently Moses Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you because yee were moe in number for yee were the fewest of all people but because he loved you O then let us feed Christ if we cannot in himselfe Vse yet in his members and cloath him though not in himselfe yet in his servants let us entertaine and lodge Christ in our hearts and soules that procures thus many blessings of his Father for us our free election our powerfull calling our free justification and assurance of glorie wee have by him Let us say with Paul 2 Thess 2.16 17. The same Iesus Christ our Lord and our God which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation must also comfort and stablish our hearts c. 2. Observ 2 In that he predestinated us that we should be holy Note That whom God hath praedestinated to the end which is glorie them also he predestinated to use the meanes which is holinesse See Eph. 1.4 Hee hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and as the Apostle speakes of spirituall creation that we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes that we should walke in them Ephes 2.10 So of election and We are redeemed to be a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 3.7 8. I adde no more but that of Peter 1 Pet. 1.2 Wee are elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father to sanctification of the Spirit and to obedience Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Whence they are most justly to bee blamed who make predestination a libertie to their sinfull lives and use sinfully to reason after this manner If I bee predestinate unto glorie then I shall bee sure of it howsoever I live for Gods decrees bee immutable If I bee in Gods decree and purpose a reprobate then if I should strive never so much I shall be no better I cannot alter it Contra Colsum lib. 2. Vide P. Martyr Com. lec p. 447. like those in Origen Whereas thou shouldest rather reason thus If I belong to Gods election then shall I use the meanes to come unto glorie I will therefore use all holy and godly courses that I may get my election sure and sealed as Peter wils us a Pet. 1.10 when Paul had that promise I haue given unto thee the life of all that saile with thee Acts 27.24 Yet except they use the meanes to come to land the helpe of their ship if they shall now leape into the water they cannot be saved vers 31. So when Iacob feared his brother Esau and yet had that assurance from God that hee should prevaile with men Genes 32.28 Yet see how carefull he is of all meanes to pacifie him he will doe it with gifts Munera crede mihi placant hominesque Deosque and sends one drove before another Genes 33. And so I come from the definition to the order observed in it God hee conceives all things at once with one act of his understanding 2. Of the order of predestination to which all things both past and to come are present and as hee conceived so hee decreed all things at once but the reasonable creature being finite conceives one thing after another Therefore for our understandings wee may distinguish the counsell of God concerning man into two acts or two degrees 1. The purpose of God in himselfe in which he determines what hee will doe and the end of all his doings and that is to create all things specially man for his owne glorie as Isa 43.7 partly by shewing mercie on some and partly by shewing of his justice upon others 2. Is another purpose whereby hee decrees the execution of the former and laves downe meanes to accomplish the end thereof which two acts of the counsell of God are not to be severed nor yet confounded but distinctly considered with some difference for in the first God decrees some men to honour by shewing mercie and some to dishonour by shewing his justice upon them and this man more than that out of his will and pleasure and that is the onely cause that we can give even his will In the second are set downe the causes of the execution of the former decree and these are knowen and manifest for no man though left out of clection is condemned but for sinne no man though elected is yet saved but by the merits of Christ But I passe over this and come to the parts of predestination which are two The parts of Gods predestination are two 3. The parts of predestination The first the decree of election The second the decree of reprobation A diftinction plaine out of Rom. 9. and may be thus confirmed of some it is faid The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 And of others Christ shall say in judgement Depart from mee yee wicked I know you not Matth.
7.23 In the former viz. election note 1. what it is 2. Of election and first what it is the execution 3. the knowledge of particular election 1. Election is defined thus It is a decree in which God according to the good pleasure of his will hath certainly chosen some men to life for the glorie of his grace as Ephes 1.4 5. in this one I note these points 1. The impulsive cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of his will hee will have mercie on whom hee will have mercie Rom. 9.18 2. If his decree then it is immutable he is not as man that he should repont 1 Sam. 15.29 3. There is an actuall election made in time I have chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 4. The end his glorie for of the execution and the knowledge of particular election I will speake hereaster I come to speake a word of the other part of predestination viz. Reprobation which is A decree whereby God out of his pleasure purposed to refuse some men by meanâ—s of Adams fall and their owne corruption for manifeslation of his justice In this note only the matter or object of this decree viz. The rejection of some men in respect of mercie or the manifestation of justice upon some which howsoever men call it crueltie yet the Word tels it us Iude 4. They were of old ordained to this condemnation And Rom. 9.22 God makes vessels of wrath for destruction But this is a Doctrine that seemes to be hard and cruell for first men say it must needs bee crueltie to create a great part of the world to damne them in hell But they should know that by this decree God doth not create any to damne them but to the manifestation of his glorie in their due and deserved damnation for their sinne which is but justice and not crueltie 2. They say that by this God should hate his owne creature and that before it is whereto first I answer That God did not actually hate but purposed to hate justly and deservedly and if hee did I may say with Paul Rom. 9.20 O man what art thou that disputest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou in de mee thus Num. negandum quoâ— as crtum qâ—â—a intenni 〈◊〉 sotest â—â—d 〈◊〉 Aug. De buno persever lib. 2. cap. 14. And with Augustine May wee deay that which is plaine and evident because that which is hidden and secret cannot bee found out It is plaine out of Scripture that so it is and therefore it must needs bee sinne to object against it But that which makes the principal question is that which in the fourth placed proposed and which now I come unto to wir The causes of predestination Of the causes of election and because the parts of predestination are two I will take them severally and first begin with election Howsoever Gods will be the reason whereinto all causes must be resolved and end in that yet some imes there may bee given a reason of Gods will yet that reason must not be called an efficient cause of Gods will The reason why God placed Adam in Paradise was that hee might dresse it and keepe it the reason why God drove not the Canaanite out of the land was because the wickednesse of the Amorites was not yet full Gen. 15.16 The reason why God brought Israel thorow the desart rather than per compendia by more compendious and neerer wayes was that they might not easily bee met by their enemies Yet then onely must a reason of his will be given when he himselfe hath given it in his Word Of the finall causes of election For the finall causes of predestination they are plainly set downe by Paul especially citing that of Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 For this same cause have I stirred thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be glorified thorowout all the earth or for this verie cause have I appointed thee as it is Exod. 9.16 And of the elect hee saith it was that God might shew the riches of his glorie upon the vessells of mercie Rom. 9.23 and as there is a finall so there may be a materiall cause Men who are predestinated and the benefits which God bestowes on the elect vocation justification sanctification glorie But the question is touching the cause impulsive whether it were his meere will or his fore-seene faith and workes That faith and workes be Of the impulsive cause of election was the Tenent of the old Pelagians renewed in latter times by some counterfeit Lutherans at the first maintaining faith simply to be the cause of election yet afterward onely the instrumentall and not the meritorious cause of election See the Rhemists In Annotat. in Rom. 9. Observe then 1. what wee hold 2. our arguments 3. the opposition of the adversarie In the decree of election there is a double act The first concernes the end The second the means I ground this proposition upon Rom. 9.11 That the purpose according to election might remaine where I see first in Gods decree an election before the purpose of damning or saving And Rom. 8.29 30. Those whom hee foreknew he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne and whom hee predestinated them c. where there is a manifest difference betweene the decree viz. predestination and the execution of his decree which consists in these three 1. Vocation 2. Iustification 3. Glorification The first act I call a part of Gods divine purpose whereby hee bringeth some men into love and favour passing by the rest and makes them vessels of honour and these are the acts of the sole will of God without all respect to either good or evill in the creature Neither doth God wrong any though he chuse not all because hee is tied to none as a man having no childe of his owne and seeing a multitude of beggers adopteth one of them and leaveth out the rest though hee shew mercie on him whom hee adopts yet doth no wrong to the rest so is it with God The second act is a purpose of saving or conferring glorie and this hath no other impulsive cause than the former viz. the good pleasure of God as Ephes 1.5 Hee hath predestinare us to bee adopted through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will where note that this purpose of saving is with regard to Christ the Mediator who was first ordained to be a Mediator between God and man as 1 Pet. 1.20 Hee was ordained before the foundation of the world Secondly promised by the mouth of the Prophets as Isa 9.6 Thirdly revealed Fourthly applyed when Christ is given unto us of God the Father by the right use of the Word and Sacraments and received of us by true faith the last is the accomplishment of the application which is glorie when God shall bee all in all by Christ
in the word Where I finde that nothing deserves anger but sinne and God by damning such doth both prove himselfe to bee a just Iudge and takes away all cause of complaint from damned reprobates who run upon their owne damnation by their owne sinnes and so acquit God of it But to make the Doctrine plaine give me leave to premise three propositions and I will set downe my judgement in foure conclusions 1. A two-fold reprobation There is a two-fold reprobation eternall viz. Gods counsell eternall to reprobate those whom hee doth actually reprobate in time Of this speakes Paul Rom. 9.22 Vessels prepared to destruction And Iude vers 4. Temporall viz. the manifestation of his eternall counsell in reprobating those in time whom he decreed to reprobate from eternitie Of this God speakes 1 Sam. 15.23 2. Reprobation hath two acts the one negative will not shew mercie The other affirmative will condemne Two acts of reprobation The one called the decree of not shewing mercie the other the decree of punishing each of them hath two degrees The negative hath first the negation of the meanes or of grace Secondly the negation of the end and glorie The affirmative hath 1. a just hardening 2. An appointing to the punishment The 3. premise is this Reprobates may be considered either simply in themselves or comparatively with the elect whence come three questions 1. Why did God reprobate any at all indefinitely 2. Why this or that man definitely 3. Why this man rather than that Esau rather than Iacob comparatively These things being thus premised I come to the conclusions 1. Reprobation whether considered definitely or indefinitely conteining both the decree and execution is not to be called meerely absolute in respect of impulsive and finall causes but is grounded partly in Gods will partly in mans sinne a proposition partly proved already and these that follow will confirme it the more The 2. therefore is this The impulsive cause why God did reprobate some and not all according to both the negative and affirmative act was not the fore-seene sinne of any but the will of God for first God did fore-see sinne not onely in some but in all If therefore it had beene for sinne hee would have reprobated all as well as any one Secondly the potter makes not all to bee vessels of dishonour because he will So God Rom. 9.21 Thirdly why God did reprobate indefinitely some definitely these by the negative act from grace the cause was his meere will why from glorie partly his good will partly the sinne of the wicked For the first see Esau reprobated from grace by no desert but of Gods meere will Rom. 4.11 God cals to grace whom he will gives the meanes of salvation the Word and Sacraments to whom he will and calls not others because hee will not Paul did not preach in Bithynia why Because the Spirit suffered them not Acts 16.7 To you it is given to others it is not given to know the secrets of the Kingdome Matth. 13.11 Thou hast hid these things from the wise and revealed them to babes because it pleased thee Matt. 11.25 The cause why hee reprobates indefinitely some definitely these from glorie is especially the sinne of the wicked and I take it to bee sound for this reason God did eternally decree to reprobate men from glorie for that for which hee doth indeed reprobate them in time but God reprobates from glorie that is debarres from it for sinne and impietie for for this cause commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Ephes 5.6 therefore for sinne hee did decree not to give it The cause of the affirmative act of reprobation to the punishment of induration is Gods will whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 to the punishment of damnation for sinne for the soule that sinneth shall die Ezech. 18. Fourthly why God did these more than others this man more than that both by the negative and affirmative act there is no cause in men but onely the will and pleasure of God because he would so Why he freeth this man rather than that let him that can search it out so great is the depth of Gods judgements but let him take heed of a downe-fall Epist 105. ad Sixtum Cur illum potius quà m illum liberet scrutetur qui potest judiciorum Dei tam magnum profundum ver untamen caveat praecipitium saith Augustine And De bone perseverant cap. 11. Cur his potiùs quà m illis detur misericodia quis cognovit sensum Domini i. Why mercie is given rather to these than to those who knew the minde of the Lord saith the same Augustine So Ambrose De voeat Gent. lib. 2. Cur illorum misertus non sit horum sit misertus nulla comprehendit ratio i. No reason doth comprehend why he should not have mercie on those and should have mercie on these Latet discretionis ratio ipsa discretio non latet i. The reason of this separation lieth hid the separation it selfe lieth not hid And so I come to that which in the last place I proposed omitting the many by-doubts touching free-will and universall grace to wit the effects and fruits of predestination 1. Christ himselfe Of he effects and fruits of predestination 1. Christ who was predestinate to be the Mediatour and Saviour of all the elect as in 1 Pet. 1.20 he was ordained before time but in the last times declared for your sakes when God did purpose to save some then did hee purpose to send his Sonne as Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Whence followes this conclusion Doct. That there is no meanes to glorie but by Christ Wherefore he calls himselfe the way Ioh. 14.6 What way wilt thou goe Qua vis ire ego via quò vis ire ego veritas ubi vu permanere ego vita August 10 bune locum I am the way whither wilt thou goe I am the truth where wilt thou abide I am the life A man caunot come to God by repentance but by Christ for no man commeth to the Father but by me Ioh. 14.6 a man cannot come for a blessing but by him Ioh. 14.13 The Father gives nothing but by him Ioh. 16.23 O then let everie soule that lookes for glorie embrace Christ as Zacheus did Luc. 19.6 He came downe hastily and received him joyfully let him take that babe in his armes with old Simeon and say Lord now let thy servant depart in peace c. Luk. 2.28 29. Let him fall downe and worship him and with the wise men of the East offer unto him gold Aurum sidei thies devotionis aromatapretatis mentes bumiles probos mores animos digues Deo Tom. 10. pag. 622. incense and myrrhe The gold of faith the frankincense of devotion the myrrhe of godlinesse humble mindes good manners soules worthy of God saith Augustine Let us embrace Christ
yet say I not by God onely for there be three efficient causes of mans induration Man the Devill and God 1. The first cause of hardnesse of heart The wicked hardens of his owne heart so did Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not let Israel goe And Exod. 8.32 Pharaoh hardened his heart at that time also Therefore saith Moses to Israel Harden your necks no more Deut. 10.16 And 2 King 17.14 The Lord bade them turne from their evill wayes but they would not obey but hardened their hearts and necks like to the necks of their fathers that did not beleeve in the Lord their God And Ierem. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and have made their faces harder than a stone which phrase is frequent in the Prophet Ieremie as in Ier. 7.26 They hardened their necks and did worse than their fathers And Ierem. 17.23 They made their necks stiffe and would not heare by which it appeares that ungodly and wicked men are a cause of their owne hardening when they either oppose the truth acknowledged or persevere in sinne against their conscience as may bee seene in Cain Pharaoh Iudas and the Iewes A second cause is the Devill The second cause of hardnesse of heart helping forward the wicked and sinfull purposes of man plunging him everie day further than other into finne and easting thicke and foggie mists over his eyes as 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the Gospell might not shine unto them which God of this world is not the true everliving God as Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose expounded it when they dealt with the Manichees and Arrians but the same which is called the Prince that ruleth in the aire the Prince of darknesse viz. the Devill and these two efficients of induration doe both sinne most grievously man by his owne will Satan by instigation mans corruption is as the coale that sendeth forth sparkes the Devill blowes the coales and kindles the fire The third cause is God for first The third cause of hardnese of heart mans heart sends forth fire Satan blowes it and then God strikes on the anvill and frames and disposeth everie thing to his owne will The first and neerest cause is mans corruption the Instigator and Tempter Satan and God as a just Iudge I will harden Pharaohs heart saith God Exod. 4.21 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9.12 And the Prophet Isay 63.17 questions thus with God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare So God is said to give men over to a reprobate sense and reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 To blinde Isay 6.10 To deceive Ezek. 14.9 If that Prophet be deceived then I the Lord have deceived him to put a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophet 1 King 22.23 Behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these Prophets Now how God doth harden and blinde is not agreed Some say that all those Scriptures Hee hardened Pharaohs heart and hee gave them over to a reprobate minde c. are to be expounded by the word of permitting that God did suffer them to be done and not without shew of Scripture Psal 81.12 They would not hearken therefore I gave them up to the hardnesse of their heart and let them walke in their owne counsells And also from the speech of Barnabas and Paul Acts 14.15 16. when the people of Lystra would have sacrificed unto them Why doe you these things we be men as you are who preach unto you the living God who made all things and in times past suffered the Gentiles to walke in their owne lusts and when it is said that God gave them over to doe such things as are not meet they understand it that God suffered them to doe such things as were not convenient and that God hath no more to doe in hardening mans heart than a man that stands upon the shore and sees a ship to bee drowned when hee might have holpen it which was the interpretation of Iulian the Pelagian August contra luâ—â—anum Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine sheweth But Augustine shewes there that God doth it not by patience alone but by his patience which implyes an action for if he would not for no reason would hee have permitted it So that he doth not onely suffer it but will it for Gods permission is voluntarie and he suffereth willing not unwilling See Calvin Inst lib. 1. cap. 18. seâ—â— 2. God permits nothing against his will so that when God suffers sin to be done hee also wils it to be done Some say that they must be expounded by the word of substracting That God is no otherwise said to harden or blinde but by with-drawing his grace which they that are blinded and hardened are unworthy of As the ship-man withdrawing his helpe le ts the ship be drowned or a man that takes away the pillar that sustained the house then the house fals of it selfe and there bee two causes why God useth to withdraw his grace and spirit sometimes to punish the unthankfull that abuse his grace sometimes that they might better acknowledge the necessitie of grace that without it wee can doe nothing that is good that wee may bee more enflamed with a desire of it and embrace it joyfully when wee feele it and for these causes God sometimes denies his servants the powerfull working of his Spirit and suffers them to fall into foule sins and that not onely in justice to punish former ingratitude but also in mercie and for their good both in the sight of our owne weaknesse and in seeing the necessitie of Gods grace and in making us more carefull not to abuse grace when we have it So that God doth blinde when he takes away his light for take away light darknesse followes take away grace hardnesse followes and therefore Peter Martyr sayes That God is such a cause of sinne as is called in Philosophie the removing prohibiting cause that takes away the helpe by which they should bee kept from induration and though this bee somewhat yet it is not all for surely these sayings God did harden give over to a reprobate minde lead into temptation and encline the hearts of men doe signifie some action of God in man Some come a little neerer and say that God doth blinde and harden not by his owne but by an outward act indirectly that is by proposing to the eyes and eares such objects whereby they should be softned and enlightned and reclaimed from sinne but yet it comes to passe by their owne faults that they are thereby blinded and hardened and plunged further into sinne These objects are the preaching of the Word Sacracraments miracles mercies judgements
These God giveth to man for his good and man turnes them to his owne destruction As for example God proposed the Word to Pharaoh by Aaron miracles by Moses by these his heart should have been softened but by his owne fault it became more hard so were the Iewes at the preaching of Isay And to this purpose saith God in Ierem. 6.21 I will lay stumbling blocks before this people the fathers and the sonnes shall fall upon them the neighbour and the friend shall perish Yet surely though all this be true it is not all the truth for in the storie of Pharaoh I observe three things 1. The preaching of the Word by Aaron 2. The working of miracles by Moses 3. The hid action of God in the heart of Pharaoh And these three God did thus order that Aaron should speake the word Moses should doe miracles but hee would reserve to himselfe the action of induration I will harden the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 4.21 as if he should say I will reserve that to my selfe So that besides the outward objects of the Word and miracles proposed by Moses and Aaron there was an internall action of hardening wrought by God not to goe still about the point the conclusion is God doth blinde harden and give over to a reprobate minde not onely by suffering it not onely by withdrawing his grace and helping hand nor onely by proposing of outward objects against which the wicked may stumble but also by an inward and strange working in the heart of man and all these be acts of Gods just judgement whereby hee punisheth mans sinne So that hardnesse and excaecation in respect of it selfe is sinne In respect of the consequents the cause of sinne and it is in respect of 〈…〉 God workes is difficult from the blame God is free from the guilt he is also free let man looke to both these But the punishment of sinne being an act of his justice hee acknowledgeth and in the punishment note three things 1. The matter wherewith a man is punished 2. The contrarietie betweene the partie and the punishment 3. The order of consequence that where such an offence went before such an evill shall follow to make the offender feele the smart of it In those punishments which be punishments onely and not sinnes God is the Author of all things implyed In those which be sinnes as well as punishments God is onely the Author of the order of consequence and of the contrarietie betweene the punishments and the parties punished as for example Pride is punisht by envie now envie is not of God But there is a contrarietie betweene the soule of a proud man and it which makes it bitter and afflictive and there is an order of consequence that where such a sinne went before there such a punishment should follow This is of God So that God workes in sinne 1. Positively as it is a physicall act 2. Morally as it is a just punishment of sin 3. Permissively as it is a sin not by giving consent to the doing of it but in not hindring it Yet in all this we doe not say that God is the author of sinne Antid in Rom. pag. 715. as Stapleton accuseth Calvin and Becanus p. 6. who saith that the God of the Calvinists is the author of sinne nor as Bellar mine 〈…〉 Beza First that we say God to be truly and properly the cause of those sinnes which men commit De amissione gratiae et statu peccatt Lib. 2. Cap 4. Secondly that we say God truly properly to sinne Thirdly God alone truly to sinne whereas Calvin holds the quite contrary Insâ—â—ut Lib. 1. Cap. 14. Sect. 16. Lab. 2. Cap. 4. Sect. 2. Neminem indurat nisâ—â—eâ—â—ò Epist 106. Non inâ—uâ—dendo malitiam sed â—â—bâ—r â—â—endo gratiam Aug. ad Sixtum Epist 105. But wee say that induration and excaecation bee just judgements of God He hardens none but deservedly saith Augustine and in Calvins judgement there bee these parts to bee considered First the withdrawing of his divine helpe Not by infusing malice but by withdrawing grace The punishment of precedent sinne when God takes away those helps of grace which formerly they had and when man wants this help of his owne accord hee rusheth into sinne Hence Pharaos heart grew hard because God would not give him grace to hearken to his ministers Moses and Aaron And the Gentiles having their cogitations darkened that is God not enlightening them with his grace they gave themselves over unto wantonnesse and to worke all iniquity with greedinesse Eph. 4.18.19 and this denying of grace is no sinne because it doth not conferre grace Secondly the delivering of man into the power of Satan which is Gods just judgement upon man for sinne as 1. King 22.22 when hee bade Satan deceive the false Prophets Thou shalt intice him and prevaile goe forth and doe so and in this no sin for Satan being the executioner of Gods anger and judgements doth so plunge those that are turned over to him into eternall destruction that he punisheth their former sinnes by making them commit greater than they did before thus did God with the wicked people Rom. 1.24 Because they regarded not to know God therefore God gave them over that Sathan might punish them by driving them into greater sinnes than ever they had committed before Thirdly divine permission when God suffers Sathan and wicked men to runne into sinne but without his furtherance as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken Israel would not obey therefore I gave them over to the hardnesse of their heart let them follow their owne imaginations as he did here with the Iewes so did he with the Gentiles Act. 14.16 The God that made heaven earth in time past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies and in Zach. 8.16 I set all men every one against his brother and yet in this permission God is neither altogether unwilling that it should bee done for it were impossible to bee done if God were wholly against it neither is he simply willing because hee doth both hate sinne and punish it as Psal 5.5 So that if permission be referred to the act of sinne God hates it wills it not but unwilling permits it but if referred to the end not which the agent doth intend but which the divine wisdome deduceth from thence then he permits it willingly Fourthly the determination of sinne when God will not suffer the wicked to goe on in sinne so farre as they desire but sets them bounds that they cannot goe beyond and as hee did with the seas Iob 38.11 Hither shalt thou goe as hee did with Sathan in the tempting of Iob All that hee hath is in thy power but upon himselfe put not forth thy hand Iob 1.12 as hee did with Pharaoh he suffered him to vex and persecute Israell but when Pharaoh would have maliciously brought them backe againe and intended more exquisite cruelty
consecrated through affliction Heb. 2.10 And to that Image all the predestinate must be conformable Rom. 8.29 But concerning this I may say as the Philistines did of Sampsons riddle Iudg. 14.1 How can sweet come out of that which is sowre and meat out of the eater So say worldlings How can tribulation bring forth patience and how can a light affliction cause unto us a most excellent weight of glory But the children of God have learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterward it brings the quiet fruits of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12.11 There is more solid joy in enduring rebuke for Christ than in all the pleasures of sin for as Moses the typicall Mediator of the old Testament by prayer made the bitter waters of Marah to be sweet Exod. 15.25 so Chrrist the true Mediator by his passion hath mitigated to his children the bitternesse of the Crosse yea made it profitable to them The prodigall sonne concludes not to returne till he was brought low by affliction Hagar was proud in Abrahams house but humble in the wildernesse Ionah sleepes in the ship but watcheth and prayes in the whales belly Ionah 2.1 Manasses lives in Ierusalem as a libertine but bound in chaines at Babel he turnes his heart to the Lord his God 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Corporall diseases inforced many in the Gospell to come to Christ whereas others that enjoyed bodily health would never acknowledge him The earth if not tilled beares nothing but thornes the vines wax wilde if they be not pruned and cut So would our wilde hearts overgrow with the noysome weeds of unruly affections if the Lord by a sanctified trouble should not manure them I will adde no more but that example of Ioseph Iacob sends him to Dothan to visit his brethren Gen. 37.18 his brethren cast him into a pit Reuben releeves him the Midianites buy him and sell him to Potiphar his mistresse accuses him his master condemnes him the Butler after long forgetfulnesse recommends him and at last Pharao exalts him What strange instruments are here and how many hands about this one poore man of God! and yet never one of them looking to that which God proposed So much of the negative I proceed to the affirmative But through their fall Th. Aquin. in hunc locum Tho. Aquinas produceth that in the fourth of Iohn Salvation is of the Iewes to prove this that the salvation of the Gentiles was occasionally by the fal of the Iewes and makes a threefold interpretation First because by their fault in killing Christ followed the redemption of the Gentiles Secondly because they refused the doctrine of Christ which therefore came to the Gentiles Act. 13.46 Seeing you put the Gospell from you and iudge your selves unworthy of eternall life wee turne to the Gentiles Thirdly because the Iewes for falling from God were dispersed thorow the world and by that meanes brought the Scriptures and Word to the Gentiles and to this purpose brings that Psal 59.11 Kill them not but scatter them Secondly wee must not thinke that the fall of the Iewes was any cause but only an occasion of the salvation of the Gentiles Thirdly there was no necessitie that the one people should be cast off before the other could be received for God might have called both at once Fourthly though the Iewes had not beene cast off yet the Gentiles should have beene called because there is no such dependencie as effects have upon their causes The first thing that I collect is God works good for his servants by contrary and most unlikely meanes Doct. It was a great worke that he opened the eyes of the blinde but greater that he should doe it by the application of spittle and clay meanes more like to put out the eyes of a seeing man than to restore sight to a blinde man Thus in the worke of creation when there was nothing but Thou and Bohu upon the earth and Choshec-panai Tehom darknesse upon the face of the deepe in Gen. 1.2 then did the Lord make Light of it So in the worke of redemption hee wrought by unlikelihoods and contraries when by a cursed death he brought a happy life by yeelding to death he overcame death by his Crosse he won the Crowne and through shame he ascended into glory The same order he keeps in our second creation he casts downe that he may raise up he kils that he may make alive he accuseth his children for sinne that he may cause them to seeke remission he troubleth their consciences that he may speake peace unto them and most commonly the meanes which he useth is contrary to the worke which he intends for his children He sent on Abram a most fearfull darknesse even then when he was to communicate unto him most joyfull light Gen. 15.12 Hee wrastled with Iacob and shooke him to and fro even then when he was about to blesse him Gen. 32. He strooke Paul with blindnesse even then when he came to open his eyes Act. 9. Sometimes he frownes upon his beloved as Ioseph upon his brethren when with loving affection he is about to embrace them he seemes angry at our prayers and puts us backe with the woman of Canaan when he is about to grant a favourable answer unto them Learne Vse first never to murmur what meanes soever be use to worke with Secondly not to doubt but God will doe us good when all meanes seeme contrary and against us he is able out of darknesse to bring us light out of death to bring us life and out of falling to make us rise Secondly at the fall of the Iewes he takes occasion to call the Gentiles from whence observe That God watcheth any opportunitie Doct. and takes all occasions to doe his children good How gladly would he have taken occasion to have spared Ierusalem when for one mans sake he would have spared it Ier. 5.1 How passionatly did he affect the cure of Babylon when he intreated her with as powerfull oratory as the heavens were able to compose and the Angels to utter till she made this the burthen of her song I will not be cured Ier. 51.9 How did he watch an occasion to spare Sodome when for ten mens sake he would have spared it Gen. 18.32 Deus secat ut sanet He cuts and sliceth our flesh that he may have occasion of shew mercy in healing it So Augustine on Matth. Ser. 15. Deus savit ut parcat Aug. in Matth. ser 15. He casts into despaire that he may shew mercy in sparing it And in another place He kils us that wee may not die And againe He strikes to death Oâ—idâ—t ne neriamur Aug. in Iohan sern 38. Aug. Confess lib. 2. cap. 2. that he may have occasion to doe his servants good in restoring them to life So that a man may fitly take up that speech of Themistocles when he was first banisht by the
can desire no more want no more They that drinke of this shall never be thirstie Ioh. 4.14 That is he that is enriched with the Spirit of God and his grace cannot want any thing Habenti Deum nihil potâ—st deesse nisi desit ipse Deo quâ—a Dei sunt â—mnâ—a Cypr. orat Doâ— lib. he is rich enough To him that hath God nothing can be wanting unlesse he himselfe be wanting to God because all things are Gods saith Cyprian This wisdome and knowledge of God is truly the treasure that is in the field of the Church which when a man findes he hideth and preserveth it and for joy goeth and selleth all that he hath to buy it Disce home ubi sunt verae dâ—vitiae Regnum coeloruÌ„ vere divitâ—m facit praeslat vera bona Deum â—pâ—um quo â—raesente quid poterit deesse Matth. 13.44 Learne O man where are the true riches saith Ferus The kingdom of heaven maketh truly rich performeth the true good God himselfe who being present what can be wanting The Lord is my Shepherd therefore can I want nothing Psal 23.1 And as a man were he for land mony house friends as poore as Lazarus yet if he have a pretious and costly jewell cannot but bee rich So is hee that hath this pretious jewell of grace and the knowledge of God albeit he want worldly riches yet he is rich before God If you have Christ all is yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 If you have him you have all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge which are hid in him Col. 2.3 For conclusion if you will know what a great riches this knowledge of God is see Prov. 8.11 Wisdome is better than pretious stones and all pleasures are not to be compared to her and at the tenth verse Receive instruction rather than silver and knowledge rather than gold All wisdome in comparison of this is but foolishnesse all riches in comparison of this but drosse and rubbish all libertie in respect of the libertie to heare the Gospell but captivitie and bondage all outward pomps and greatnesse in respect of this but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 losse and dung Phil. 3.8 All the gold of Ophir Antiquit. lib. 8. cap. 2. which as Iosephus affirmeth is terra auri a land of gold all the water of Ganges and Tagus which as Suidas of the one and Pliny of the other have all the gravell gold are but dung and drosse in comparison of the riches that are in the Gospel For that shewes the glad tidings of our salvation Luk. 2.10 remission of sinnes by Christ Rom. 4.25 It gives eternall life by Christ unto the chosen of God according to his purpose and grace Ephes 1.7 9. It reveales the promise of eternall life The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared Tit. 2.11 He that hath this treasure is rich enough though hee have nothing else and hee that forsakes all for this shall receive an hundred-fold more and in the end eternall life Matth. 19.29 Which first may serve to confute that grosse conceit of the Heathens Vse 1 who if any evill befell their Countries or Cities were wont to lay all the blame upon Christianitie and the Gospell Teâ—ull in Apolog cap. 40. And what they were wont to say Sâ— Tybur is ascendat in maenia si Nilus non tâ—sâ—uat aâ—va si cerra movit si coelum sâ—â—tit si fâ—mis sâ— luâ—s statim acclamatuâ— Christiani ad Lâ—onâ—n Arnob. lib. 1. aâ—â—â—ers Geut Postquâ—â—â— gens Christiana coepit essein munde â—rbis tâ—â—rum ser iâ— multisorn ibus affectum fuit bumanum genus maâ—â—â— Cypr. contra Demâ—trianum If Tybur ascend to the walls if Nilus doth not flow into the fields if the earth moved if the heaven stood if famin if murraine presently they shouted the Christians were at the Lion After that the Christian Nation began to be in the world then the whole earth perished humane kinde was affected with sundry kinds of evils The same I finde in Cyprian That they were wont to say that the Gospell and Christianitie were the causes that in winter they wanted raine to feed their corne in summer the warmth of the Sunne to cherish it That montes were fatigati The mountaines were wearied and Metalla exhausta venae pauperes their metalls exhausted and veines poore Fontes qui venis exundantibus largitèr profluebant vix modico sudore distillant Their fountaines which their veines overflowing did abundantly gush out scarcely distill with a small sweat Much like to those unto whom Ieremie preacht Ierem. 44.17 18. All these be slanders for the Gospell is so farre from being the cause of povertie and miserie that in truth it is to be esteemed the greatest riches that the world enjoyes as Eusebius shewes in his Historie Eccles Hist lib. 9. cap. 7. where he consutes the grosse imputation of Maximinus the Emperour who laid the cause of all their hurts and wrongs upon the Gospell and the professors of it if you will know the reason why praedicato Euangelio mundus tot mala patiebatur the Gospell being preached the world suffered so many evils see Aug. Epist 122. Secondly let us learne not to doat and set our minds upon any riches so much as this There is no other riches that can make the possessors happie They are not long profitable to the soule Nec animae prosont nec coâ—pori dâ—u nor to the body saith Bernard This can make one blessed for blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luk. 11.28 God never chargeth us to be rich in worldly things but he commands us to be rich in knowledge Coloss 1.10 he never commands us to be sure that wee get our purses full of silver but by his Apostle he commands and prayes that wee be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding Coloss 1.9 We have no charge to gather wealth about us plenteously but we have charge to let the word of God dwell in us plenteously Coloss 3.16 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richly And though this be the rich minerall wherein wee must dig for the true treasure which is Christ yet I thinke not amisse to perswade it by two or three arguments First because it teacheth how the most vaine may learne to reforme their wayes and be reclaimed as Psal 119.9 Wherewith shall a young man c. Though they be like wax in the hand of Satan though led with the sollies of youth and heat of their bloud yet this Word will cleanse them Caereus in vitiuÌ„ st c◠〈◊〉 niteribus aspâ—â— Hora Secondly it will never faile to bring a man to life that followes it and therefore the Angell that came by night to the prison where the chiefe Priest had shut the Apostles bids them goe and stand in the Temple and speake to the people all the words of this life Act. 5.20 Never man
plea it selfe The branches are broken off that I might be grafted in It containes two members the one the disparagement of the Iew The branches are broken off the other the Gentile's proud conceit of himselfe that I might be grafted in I begin with the first They are called branches onely in respect of outward prerogatives from whence learne first That such branches as shall bee cut off are so like others that God onely can distinguish them Doct. A point manifest in that Parable Matth. 13.29 When the servant would have pluckt up the tares that were among the wheat Christ forbids him for this reason lest while you plucke up the tares you plucke up the wheat as not being able to distinguish one from another according to that of S. Augustine Deus nobis imperavit congregauonem sib reservavit separationem illâ—us est s â—parare qâ—inesâ—â—t errare Aug. ad virgin Faeliciam Epist 109. Quidam tenent paâ—â—ral sâ—athedâ—as ut Dugregem custodiant quidam ut suis honoribus serviâ—â—t Aug. ibid. Aug. contra Petilâ—anum lib. 3. cap. 55. God hath required of us the congregating hath reserved the separating to himselfe hee must separate who knowes not how to erre Who can distinguish S. Iude from the Traytour Iudas or Simon Peter from Simon Magus but onely Christ Some doe sit in the pastorall chaires that they may keepe Gods flocke some that they may serve their owne preferments saith the same Father Ibid. Iudas doth preach and baptize as well as Iude as the same Father speaketh There bee branches saith Ambrose according to present righteousnesse and there be some according to the fore-knowledge of God and none can distinguish them but God there bee branches which Christ hath planted and some which hee hath not planted and till God cut off the one and leave the other none can make a difference betweene them Our first parents have two children the one within the Covenant the other not yet so like hat none can distinguish them but God In one Arke Shem Ham and Iaphet none knowes who is in or who without grace but God In one wombe Esau and Iacob which is predestinate which not none knowes but God untill the great Shepherd come none can distinguish sheepe from goats untill the reapers come none can distinguish wheat from tares untill the Master of the house come none can distinguish betweene the vessels of honour and dishonour If you aske the reason why God suffers the branches that must bee cut off to grow amongst others I answer that it is for a two-fold reason 1. Because the coldnesse of devotion in the one should by an Antiperistasis stirre up zeale in the other as the wind striving to blow out the fire encreaseth the flame 2. That the glorie of the true branches might bee more illustrious and eminent Laus trâ—buenda Murenae non quod Asiam viderat sâ—d quod in Asia continenter vixerat Cic. Orat. pro Murena Murena is to be praised not because hee had seene Asia but because hee had lived continently in Asia saith Cicero Lots chastitie appeares more in Sodome than when hee lived in the mountaines Hence see how unsound they are who take upon them to determine Vse who is not of the Church and therefore separate themselves from us saying as Isa 65.5 Stand apart come not neere me for I am holier than thou I know not what to say of such but as Constantine said to Acesius a Novatian Bishop Erigito tibi scalam Acesi ut sâ—lus in coelum â—scendas Sâ—â—r Eccles Hâ—st lib. 1. cap. 7. A tendi â— zâ—zaenia triâ—â—â—uâ—e non attendu Set up a ladder for thy selfe O Acesius that thou alone mayst ascend up to Heaven If they leave us because we have faults by the same reason they must needs fly into Heaven for there is no place in earth for them Thou lookest to the cockle and the wheat thou regardest not When thou dividest thy selfe from hypocrites in the Church thou dividest thy selfe from the Church And in heterogene all bodies a member cur off perisheth O then forsake not the greene pastures Et membrum in hâ—â—erogâ—neis â—e rit â—bsâ—â—ssum because of the goats nor Gods house because of the vessels of dishonour nor Gods wheat because of the tares nor Gods net because of the bad fishes that are in it Rather follow the rule of S. Augustine against the letters of Petilianus a Tolera propter bonos commâ—xâ—â—onem â— alorum ne visles propter â—â—alos claritatem bonorâ—m Aug. Contra Petilâ—anum lib. 3. cap. 2. Beare with the mixture of evill because of the good lest thou violate the charitie of the good because of the evill b Nee propter mâ—los bonos deseramus sea propter bonos malos sâ—sserâ—mus Aug. contra Parmeâ—anâ—â— lib. 2. cap. 8. Neither let us forsake the good because of the evill but suffer the evill because of the good 2. If no man can distinguish the good from the bad learne first not to judge of another that is ill for hee may prove good nor of him that is good in shew for hee may prove ill nor of thy selfe that thou art happie because thou hast the outward privileges of true branches but seeke for the power of godlinesse in thine owne heart to sinde those graces whereby thine election may be sealed unto thee hearing the word Vse 2 fervencie in prayer meditation of heaven hungring after righteousnesse combating against the flesh now obedience love and a joyfull expectation of Christs comming to judgement in the clouds of Heaven Secondly the branches are broken off Observ 2 Therefore no people no Nation so farre preferred above others but sinne will bring them to naught and cut them off from God That all Nations have their fals and periods is granted by all but what may be the cause of their subversion the most be ignorant The Stoicke ascribes it to destinie Plato Pythagoras Meâ—bâ—d 6. Polyâ—ic lib. 5. cap. 1â— and Bodin to number Aristotle to an asymmetry in the body Copernicus to the motion of an imaginary encentrique Cardanus and the most part of Astrologians to starres and planets All these have groped in darknesse and being misse-lead with an Ignâ—â— fatuus have supposed with Ixion in the fable that they had found the true Iuno when it was but a cloud of palpable darknesse for if wee consult with the oracles of God we shall there finde that sinne is the cause why God falls out with his children turnes cities into ashes makes kingdomes but ludibria fortunae the mocking stocks of fortune c. But I am loth that it should be said of mee as it was of Micaiah That man doth not prophesie to us any good There is one point more Thirdly the branches are broken off God can no sooner cast a man downe but man is ready to tread upon him Observ 3 Its Iobs case who when he was cast downe and lay upon the earth
hee reasons thus with himselfe If I should live never so strictly I could be no better if never sobadly I can be no worse why should I cut my selfe short of any thing that I like He that beleeves not the judgements will never sticke to doe any evill he that beleeves not the promises will never be forward to doe any good so that all sinnes both of omission and commission arise from this Why doth one steale but because hee beleeves not that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.10 No theefe shall enter into the kingdome of God What makes another bee covetous a third a wanton but because hee beleeves not that in Ephes 5.5 Why doth another turne base Vsurer but because hee beleeves not Ezek. 18.13 Why will one breake the Sabbath but because hee beleeves not the promise Isa 5.6 and Isa 5.8 Why will another see the member of Christ to starve but because hee beleeves not that in Matth. 25. that Christ shall say Come yee blessed c. Why doe so many evilly entreat the Minister and doe him little or no good but because they beleeve not that Mat. 10.40 41. Hee that receiveth you receiveth mee and so in all other sinnes Hence Gregorie Resurgit infidelis ad tormentum non ad judicium Greg. Moral lib. 26. cap. 24. The unbeleever shall rise to torment not to judgement according to that Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeveth not is condemned already The Vse is to make us labour for true faith to beleeve all the promises and judgements of God Vse and to this purpose to make much of the Word for by that is faith wrought Rom. 10.17 Wait at the poole till the Angell comes sit at the feet of Gamaliel wait at the posts and porches of Gods house to learne wisdome Men would tarrie too long here if it were an Exchange where they might bargaine for wealth why will they not tarrie to heare him and of him in whom are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2.3 Many would rise early and provide to come into this house if it were to gather jewels and pearles But why will they not doe so to learne wisdome which is better than pretious stones Prov. 8.11 Why will they not doe so ro receive instruction which is better than silver and knowledge which is better than gold Prov. 8.10 O then if you would have faith wrought in you use the word as Alexander used Homers Odysses as Saul used his speare 1 Sam. 26.7 and as God commanded Ioshua chap. 1.8 let it never depart from thee I make short with this point because I meet it at the 30. verse and come to a third conclusion from this first answer Through unbeleefe they are broken off Man is the cause of his owne ruine Doct. 3 and his destruction is from himselfe Therefore saith God O Israel one thing hath destroyed thee Nimirum iniquitas tua desectio ad idola Hos 13.9 To wit thy inquity thy falling away to Idols saith Zanchius It seemes that they were wont to lay all the blame upon God whensoever they were destroyed and here hee instructs them where they should justly lay the blame to wit upon themselves for God never leaves a man till man have first left him as S. Augustine proves purposely Aug. De Civit. Dei lib. 13. ca. 15. The Apostle 1 Thes 5.3 tels us That destruction comes on men that be secure as paine upon a woman in travaile now a woman in travaile beares the cause of her owne griefe within in her wombe so doth man If it be said that mans condemnation and destruction is of Gods will in the act of reprobation for answer observe three premises and foure conclusions out of the second verse so that still it stands that man is the cause of his condemnation Adam shuts himselfe out of Paradise the Angels shut themselves out of heaven and whosoever dieth draweth that judgement upon himselfe by his owne sinne God being as free from it as the Iudge that pronounceth deserved death upon a wilfull murtherer is free from the death of the murtherer From whence learne that whensoever any judgment is upon us Vse 1 when God sends his destroying Angell among us when he makes the heavens as brasse when he hides his face and loving countenance away in displeasure to looke with nour selves for the cause of it as those that were with Ionas in the ship in the storme said Come and let us know for whose cause this evill is upon us Ionah 1.7 Seeke not thy selfe without thy selfe Nâ—te quaesevâ—ris extra and when the secret sinne which brings the trouble upon us is once found cast it out as they cast out Ionas into the sea Secondly learne that if ever God cast us off from being his people Vse 2 that wee acquit God of all hard dealing and thanke our selves if it goe ill with us Babylon is destroyed shee may thanke her pride Sodome is turned to ashes she may thanke her wantonnesse Ierusalem inhabited by Turks and Infidels shee may thanke her infidelitie and Idolatry If woe bee to Capernaum and Bethsaida they may thanke their contempt of the Gospell If Laodicea be spued out of the mouth of God she may thanke her lukewarmenesse If ever we be enforced to sit by the waters of Babylon and to remember Sion with tears if ever God make us a prey to our enemies stop the influence of the heavens take away his Gospell and suffer us to walke in darknesse we may thanke our selves for God may justly cut us off as hee did them Sodome for her wantonnesse our land is full of the sinnes of Sodome Babylon for pride our land is full of it men and women are in travaile of new and quaint devices houses are made palaces gardens made Edens womens heads and breasts like ped ers shops Seeke the religions of all Heretikes we have them the fashions of all Nations we have them the symtomes of a dying and decaying people we have them I pray God we may never see that day wherein God shall judge us but if it come we may thanke our selves And so I come to the second part of the Apostles reply in these words Thou standest by faith To prove that they were not ingrafted for their owne worthinesse By faith Whereby God hath freely given it thee saith Paraeus on Rom. Quá tâ— gratis donavit Deus Quia Deiâ— iseâ—icord â insiti sunt fiâ—e 11. Because out of Gods mercy they are engrafted by faith saith Soto on Rom. 11. Now by standing by faith is noted both our entrance and continuance in Gods favour whence the maine point to be learned is this It is Gods meere favour and mercy that ever we are Doct. or continue to be his children and no worth or merit of our owne Whatsoever good we have it is his mercy to us in his sonne In Ephes 1.3 Hee hath blessed 〈◊〉 with all stirituall blessings in heavenly things in
preferment of the Iew is none at all Quisque nascitur ex Adamo nascitur dimnatus de damnato Augan Psa 131. Whosoever is borne of Adam is borne condemned of him that is condemned saith Augustine Let the Iew say hee hath Abraham to his father yet if hee bee not borne of God that he is descended from the Patriarkes yet if hee bee not within the Covenant of grace and mercie not borne of water and the Holy Ghost hee is no better than the Gentile that knowes not God My conclusion is that of the Apostle Rom. 3.9 Is the Iew more excellent than the Gentile no in no wise For all both Iewes and Gentiles are by nature servants of sinne First learne Vse 1 that it is no privilege to be a Iew and have Abraham to his father to bee beautified with outward privileges if a man have not the faith of Abraham and bee marked and sealed for a childe of God To say Wee have Abraham to our father Vend care praerogativam religiosi nominis superare Gothes Vandales haerericâ pravitate Salvian de provident lib. 7. Ioh. 8. to crie the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord Ierem. 7.4 To challenge the prerogative of a religious name to goe beyond the the Goths and Vandalls in hereticall naughtinesse To use the words of Salvianus are but perizomata fig-leaves not able to cover our nakednesse Secondly they both alike stand in need of Christ Vse 2 Both be ransomed by that Lambe which they have slaine both washt with that bloud which they spilled both made alive by that Iesus whom they have killed I come to the second which is their future condition They also may obtaine mercie And first from the verie appellation and name of mercie they may finde mercie to come out of their former blindnesse I note That all the hope of any unconverted man to come from under the tyrannie of sinne Doct. depends upon the the mercie of God in Christ Iesus Who shall deliver me from this body of sinne I thanke God through Iesus Christ Rom. 7.25 as vers 26. To proceed Some have disputed of the time when this mercie shall be revealed unto this people All that I dare say of that is but probabilitie and may bee comprized in those conclusions of which I have before spoken vers 26. Some have disputed of the number whether all of this Nation which shall remaine alive at that time when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall finde mercie shall embrace Christ and be turned unto God Pererius to prove it produceth Chrysostome on vers 12. of this Chapter and vers 26. I come to the point viz. Doct. There be many in the state of sinne and infidelitie Sunt filu Des qui nondum sunt nobis sunt nobis qui non sunt Deo Aug. de correpi grat cap. 9. who shall in the end finde mercie with the Lord and be saved It is Augustines conclusion There are sonnes of God who are not yet so to us and there are some so to us who are not to God Of the one is mention 1 Ioh. 2.19 They went ou◠from us because they were not of us Of the other in Ioh. 11.52 It was the prophecie of Caiaphas It is expedient that Iesus should die not for the Nation onely but for the children that were scattered What would a man have thought of the Prodigall of Paul of Manasses of Peter of the Gentiles Many are asleepe in sinne that shall bee awakened many in a slumber that shall bee rowzed many dead in sinne that shall be started by the voyce of God in the Gospell Verily verily I say unto you the houre commeth and now is that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God Ioh. 5.25 Many sheepe doe now run astray who shall bee brought to the sheepe-fold and returne to the Shepherd and Bishop of their soules as the Apostle speakes 1 Pet. 2.25 To this purpose saith God to Israel Though a man have oppressed by violence lift up his eyes to Idols given to usurie yet if that man turne from his wickednesse hee shall save his soule alive Ezek. 18.27 The reason of all is taken from the infinite dimension of Gods mercie De natura Deorum lib. 1. whereof I may say as Simonides in Tully as before vers 23. So I come to the occasion The mercie shewed unto you By the mercie shewed to the Gentile God will provoke the Iew to seeke mercie and they that seeke it shall finde it The Conclusions are 1. God would have us men to bee at an holy emulation and strife which of us should be greatest in his favor and deerest in his sight 2. The good that we see in others and the mercies shewed unto others should bee strong provocations for us to follow them as vers 11. So I come to an inference that the Apostle makes upon this VERS 32. Vers 32 God hath shut up all in unbeleefe that he might have mercie upon all IN the former verse hee did equall the Iewes and the Gentiles in miserie in this verse hee doth equall them in mercie In which words note First a judgement upon man unbeleefe Secondly the generalitie and extent of it all men Thirdly the end and event of it contrarie to that which Satan intends that he might shew mercie Lastly the Author God These are the parts But I must invert them and take them as they stand And first of the Author God Blindnesse and infidelitie is most justly brought upon man by God yet say I not by God onely for there bee three efficient causes of mans induration and infidelitie Man the Devill God First the wicked brings hardnesse and infidelitie upon himselfe so did Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 as vers 8. But of this I have spoken before vers 8. And therfore I come to the generalitie all Hoc est incredulos esse ex Lege arguit demonstravit Chrysost Non injiciendo iis incedulitatem Origen Non vi sed rationc Hier. He hath shut up all c. viz. Hee hath convinced all by his Law and Word That is hee hath proved and shewed them to be unbeleevers out of the Law so Chrysostome Not by casting into them unbeleefe as Origen Not by force but by reason saith Hierome God shuts men up in unbeleefe as in a prison punishing them as a just Iudge with the gyves and fetters of their owne infidelitie Doct. Here note a difference between civill and spirituall imprisonment Civill imprisonment is for sinne but not sinne But spirituall imprisonment in blindnesse is both for sinne and is sinne The Conclusion is this God punisheth one sinne with another as above hath beene shewed and therefore he hath declared them to bee captivated and enclosed in the prison of their sinnes that so it might appeare to all men that the pardon of their sinnes and the salvation of their soules proceeds onely from Gods mercie From whence wee may learne Doct. That
holy exclamations to stirre and incite others unto it Thus doth the Prophet Psal 8. O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world Hee sets downe his glorie in ordaining strength out of the mouthes of babes vers 2. In creating the Heavens deckt with Sunne Moone and Stars vers 3. In the making of man little inferiour to Angells giving him dominion over all other workes of his hands yet after all this he is faine to admire O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world In another Psalme O Lord how glorious are thy workes and thy thoughts are verie deepe Psal 92.5 When David hath considered how the Lord redeemed his people from the hand of the oppressour gathered them out of the lands when they wandred in the wildernesse and had no Citie to dwell in hungrie and thirstie that their soule fainted in them hee breakes into this passion O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. Psal 107.8 Againe considering how often God hath satified the thirstie and filled the hungrie soule with gladnesse how he humbled their hearts with heavinesse and yet when they cried delivered them out of their distresse brought them out of darknesse and brake their bands in sunder He breaks out againe into that holy exclamation O that men would therfore praise the Lord vers 15. Againe considering how hee had broken for them the gates of brasse and smitten the barres of iron in sunder how hee sent his word and healed them and delivered them from the grave when their soule abhorred all manner of meat and they were hard at deaths doore Hee breakes out into that holy exclamation vers 21. Againe considering how they that goe to sea c. how they are mounted up to heaven and downe to the deepe againe how they reele and stagger and their skill failes yet the Lord turnes their storme into a calme and brings them to the haven Hee breakes out into that holy exclamation vers 31. Wee cannot remember how God hath called us Gentiles without God in the world Ephes 2.12 but it will cause an holy exclamation O the riches of the mercie and goodnesse of God how he hath cast off the Iew whom hee so much honoured but it should cause an holy exclamation O the unsearchable depth of the judgements of God! wee cannot looke upon the heaven beautified with starres upon the earth cloathed with flowers but it should cause an holy exclamation O the depth of his love and bountie unto us in Christ Iesus From whence wee may learne a three-fold dutie First Vse 1 to strive how we may affect and possesse mens hearts with the rarenesse and excellencie yea with an holy admiration of Gods workes and proceedings so doth David Psal 48.4 Sing unto God sing praises unto his name exalt him that rides upon the heavens in his name Iah According to thy name so thy praise shall be to the worlds end Psalm 48.10 And if wee doe remember his workes we must needs admire his workes Who can remember his worke of election and not wonder that hee should love Iacob and hate Esau His creation and not wonder how he could frame so many goodly creatures in heaven and in earth of nothing by nothing but a word His workes of redemption and not wonder at his goodnesse in sending his Sonne into the world to die for sinners His worke of vocation and not wonder how by the voice of his Gospell preached by weake men hee could subdue and convert Nations and Kingdomes Who can remember his framing in the wombe and not wonder I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 Who can remember how God hath kept him from the wombe fed him with the lives of his creatures preserved him from dangers From the arrow that hath flowen abroad by night from the sicknesse that hath destroyed at noone day yea When thousands have fallen beside him and ten thousands at his right hand and not admire the loving kindnesse of the Lord Let our tongues sticke to the roofe of our mouths our right hands forget to play Let fathers forget their sonnes nurses their sucking babes mothers the fruit of the wombe But let us never cease to magnifie and admire the wayes and proceedings of God whose workes are unsearchable and wayes past finding out The second Vse is Vse 2 That when humane reason is offended with the deepnesse of the doctrine of predestination that wee renounce reason and give glorie unto God and with reverence admire what we cannot understand Let us beleeve that it is so Dâ—spatare vis mecum mirare mecum clama O altituao aâ—bo consenâ—iamus in pavore ne in crrore pereâ—mus Aug de â—â—rbis Apost Serm. 11. because the word hath revealed it but when by reason we cannot apprehend the manner the cause let us fall downe worship the Lord whose wisdome is deeper than the Ocean whose wayes are unsearchable and judgements past finding out It was the modestie of S. Augustine Wilt thou dispute with me wonder with me and crie O deepnesse let us both hoth agree in feare lest we perish in errour Let us learne the lesson of our Saviour I thanke thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them unto babes Is it so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Matth. 11.26 Thirdly Vse 3 it serves to condemne such men as murmure at Gods order and course in matter of reprobation and thinke much that God should leave one in the masse of corruption rather than another that hee should reprobate them before they had done any evill and appoint them to be vessels of wrath and brands of an everlasting burning in a blacke and bottomlesse Tophet before ever their mothers conceived them whereas God is most wise and just and of absolute power and authoritie and therefore alwayes doth and cannot chuse but order rule and dispose of all things most rightly and most wisely albeit our weake and sinite apprehensions cannot see the reason of it The Conclusion Let us beleeve what we see not admire what we understand not reverence and adore that God whose councels are so deepe and wisdome so infinite that men and Angels cannot finde them out And so I come to a second point in generall Wee must in the hidden mysteries and secrecies of Almightie God Doct. not be curious to know impossibilities much lesse object and except against the manner of Gods proceedings but containe our selves within the precincts and limits of his word adore and admire his counsels without all vaine and rash attempting to search and finde them out It is Davids speech Psal 36.6 His mercie reacheth unto the heavens his faithfulnesse unto the clouds his righteousnesse is like the mightie mountaines his judgements like the great deepe And therefore can wee neither finde the reason of them nor except against them First it
weepe for sinne and turne to be saved as Ezech. 36.26 I will take away your stony heart and give you an heart of flesh but it is principally meant of a contracted kinde of hardnesse when men hearing the word whereby they should bee conuerted and judgements whereat the heart should melt as did the heart of Iosiah 2 King 22.19 yet notwithstanding make their faces impudent and their hearts hard and resolve to march on in their sinfull wayes this hardnesse is the verie harbinger of death and the fore-runner of everlasting destruction Which makes mine heart to tremble Application and my bowels to yearne and my soule to mourne in secret for many of our people whose hearts be like to anvils the more they are beaten the harder they grow who have both seene and heard the judgements of God and tasted the sweet mercies of God yet have neither beene affrighted from sinne by judgement nor allured to holinesse by mercie surely all the signes and symptomes of destruction are upon them when man breakes the Sabbath heares the promises Isa 58.14 and Isa 56.5 and casts it behinde his backe the threats and punishments as the man stoned Numb 15. that he will kindle a fire in their gates that shall never be quenched Ierem. 17.27 and makes his face hard against them and goes on still in his wickednesse must needs be in the state of reprobation and hath all the marks and tokens of a castaway upon him The contemner of the word that heares the gracious promises Prov. 3.2 Luk. 11.28 〈…〉 are they c. Iosh 1.8 The judgement against them that refuse to heare Prov. 1.24 Because I 〈◊〉 called and you refused c. Zach. 7.12 13. The 〈◊〉 made their hearts as an Adamant stone lest they should heare the Law and the words which the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the Prophets therefore came great wrath from the Lord of hosts Therefore it is come to passe that as hee cried and they would not heare so they cried and I would not heare saith the Lord of hosts He that heares this and yet hardens his heart against it and will neither mend for mercie nor judgement is in the estate of damnation and hath all the signes and symptomes of a reprobate upon him and therefore let us labour for soft and tender hearts that if God threaten may melt and tremble if hee promise mercie may rejoyce and be glad if hee doe us good let us take the cup of salvation Psal 116.13 Let us pray God that we may weepe because wee have not wept mourne because wee have not mourned that our hearts may not bee in the hand of the Devill like hard clay but in the hand of God like wax And so I come from the proposition to the confirmation vers 8. VERS 8. According as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and cares that they should not heare unto this day HEre is the confirmation of the rejection of the Iewes proved by two testimonies wherein I note first the Oracles whither he resorts for determination of this point In these words as it is written from whence the conclusion is Doct. That the written Word ought to bee the Iudge of all controversies and doubts It is able to make us wise unto salvation through the faith that is in Iesus Christ and is profitable for doctrine reproofe correction and instruction as above on these words What saith the Scripture And so I come to the confirmation if I may first cleere a doubt Origen saith There is no place of Scripture where it can bee found in the written Word which is as much as to say that Paul lied indeed it is not to the Word but to the sense and meaning both in Isa 29.10 The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and shut up your eyes your Prophets and your chiefe Seers hath he covered and their visions are as a booke that is sealed Buxtorfius and Arias Montanus translate the Hebrew word thus the spirit of slumber And it is againe in Isa 6.9 Make their eares heavie The Apostle addes of himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto this day that they might not thinke that this prediction was already finisht but that the judgement was upon them till this day I will not insist upon the difference betweene the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee hath made them drunke So they use the word in Isa 19.14 and the originall which signifies he hath covered them Nor is it materiall that the Septuagint expresse it by the active referring it to the people that they have shut their eyes and so Luke cites it Acts 28.27 they have winked with their eyes that they should not see and S. Paul referres it unto God God hath given them c. For it is a good observation of Peter Martyr That is said to be done of God Id dicitur fieri à Deo quod sit Dei imperio which is done by Gods command Nor will I insist upon the signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated slumber or compunction which some take from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to move or drive and interpret it the spirit of perplexitie or maligne spirit as Anselme Some call it the spirit of envie whereby they were offended at the calling of the Gentiles but this is but conjecturall yet appeares no reason why the Hebrew word Tardemah should bee rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying pricking and compunction of heart Therefore Beza and Tolet are of opinion that it signifies slumber or sleepe rather than compunction yet seeing that Chrysostome Origen and Theophylact who best knew the signification of the word and the Scriptures also used the word in this sense Acts 2.27 They were pricked in their hearts I thinke it had not beene amisse if it had beene rendred the spirit of compunction And yet I hold the sense and meaning to bee all one and Osiander gives a reason because they are pricked and stirred when they are called to the Gospel but as men asleepe are loth to awake my judgement is that this spirit of slumber or compunction is the same which Paul in 1 Tim. 4.2 cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conscience burned with an hot iron and that is all one with the spirit of giddinesse and answers fitly to that in the seventh verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall more fully expound the words when I come to them in particular In the first proofe I note 1. The judgement 2. The Author 3. The continuance The judgement the spirit of slumber 1. Generall 2. In two particulars the excaecation of the eyes the other the obturation and stopping of the eares The author he God hath given c. The continuance to this day of these in order and first of the author he he hath given Hardnesse of heart is brought upon man by God