stablishing 1. The Fountain of the afflictions of Gods Children Heb. 12.6 Gods Fatherly love not so with the wicked but in wrath 2. In measure See Isa 27.7 8. Ier. 30.11 10.24 3. See the use and end of afflictions 1. To prevent sin Hos 2.6 A hedge of thornes 2. To reduce Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray 3. To subdue Rebellion mans Nature is Rebellious Afflictions tame and subdue 4. To quicken Gods graces in us ease slayeth the foolish Pro. 1.32 Affliction makes grace flourish 5. To prevent Damnation 1 Cor. 11.32 And Beloved if we had the wisdome not to stay in our sence but to turn our eyes to the issue we would never thus reason Argument of love thus disposed If I have chosen you and your Fathers and rejected your Brethren and their Fathers then I love you but I have loved Jacob and hated Esau Ergo. What is meant by his love Paul best expounds Rom. 9. of Election The greatest evidence of Gods love is Election to Salvation There is generall love to all Creatures Observ some token of love to Saul that he was a King but nothing to this that we are elected all nothing without Election Wealth and Honour and Learning and Authority good Blessings but this the depth and height of Gods love to be chosen to Salvation First It is the fountain of all graces Secondly Of all blessings so far as Blessings Thirdly Those only exempt from Condemnation Fourthly Heirs of glory Rom. 8.17 Now then Beloved Vse see we if we would know whether we be beloved of God or no Look hath God elected us to Salvation then indeed he loves us And hence thou mayst soundly conclude God loveth thee and holds thee deare It is no Argument God hath enriched me therefore he loves me Eccles 9.1 Outwardly all things alike God hath advanced me therefore he loved me See Saul called me to be a Preacher therfore he loved me See Judas till thou commest to Election thou hast no sound argument that the Lord loves thee yea what ever afflictions betide thee This then labour to be assured of Two notes are 2 Thes 2.13 1. Faith of the truth I meane not a generall notice or assent to the Truth but beleeving of the truth in respect of thy self when God gives thee this Particularity and Propriety of Assurance that is a token of Gods love and Election 2. Sanctification of the Spirit known by this when thou hast ascended higher than Nature can reach unto Nature attains to civill honesty as were sundry Heathen famous for morall vertues of Temperance Justice c. but when the very inward affections are renewed there is the triall of true Sanctification Signs of it are 1 Hatred of sin because it is sin this a note of a sanctified heart detestation of sin because sin 2. Purging of our selves as well from little as from great sins 1 Thes 5.22 3. Conscionable walking in all Gods Commandements Luk. 1.6 Psal 119. Lastly Hatred of the World and Afflictions for Righteousness sake Joh. 15.19 Mat. 5.11 A second generall thing Observ how the Lord putteth difference in his Election and Love between parties neerliest conjoyned Esau Jacobs brother of the same Parents of the same Birth Conception yet Jacob loved The like we see in many places two in company the one received the other forsaken two in a bed the one received the other refused Father sometimes chosen Children refused as Abraham and Ishmael Isaac and Esau David and Absalom Let no man therefore please himself in this Vse that he is born of a religious Parent or hath religious Kindred as the Jews Joh. 8.33 They had Abraham to their Father See Mat. 3.9 Think not to say we have Abraham to our father Indeed A blessing it is to be born of religious Parents 1. Because within the outward Covenant 2. Benefit of holy Education 3. Vertuous Examples but Ezek. 18. If the Son shall turn from his Fathers vertuous example It is his curse that ever he had such a Father by consequent 4. Temporall mercies thou mayest partake by their means as the Lord speaks of Ishmael Gen. 17.20 Now as touching Election it self for the unfolding of it this order is observable to shew 1. That it is 2. What it is 3. Of whom 4. Why or the Cause Motive For the first that it is Infinite are the places to prove it Mat. 22.14 Few chosen Mat. 24.24 The Elect from the foure corners of the World And it confutes that sottish error of some otherwise learned that will have nothing determined certaine touching mans Election before his Birth but that the Lord made man without determining any thing certain touching his finall estate Object Then vaine Holy life Answ Not so for that is the meane of attaining the right end Heb. 12.14 Object Vaine Exhortations Answ Not so for they also are Means Object Freewill taken away and fatall necessity brought in Answ Necessity of Infallibility only not forced to believe but God that works the wills knows how sweetly to frame and encline them For the second What it is It is an Act of God whereby he chooseth and calleth some out of mankind to be Heires of Salvation Or as Bellarmine well describes it A part of Providence whereby some certaine men are mercifully selected out of the mass of Destruction and directed by infallible means to life eternall But see we the cause moving God thereto False cause Prevision of good works that no cause for we were predestinated to be holy Eph. 1.4 Not because we were holy And 2. Rom. 9. directly excluded 3. The very end of Election crossed which is to shew the works and glory of Gods grace 4. The first cause orders the secondary not on the contrary not good use of free-will foreseen See Ioh. 1.13 Jam. 1.18 Regeneration not caused thereby much less Election Nor could any inclinableness of will be foreseen in perverse man not Faith for that is a fruit of Election Act. 13.48 1 Cor. 7.25 And not cause of vocation but effect much less of Election Not Christ himself Reason is for that Christ as Mediatour falls under decree of Election the end first thought on before the means True cause the good will and pleasure of God Mat. 11.26 even because he would and Rom. 9.15 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy It teacheth us to ascribe all the glory of our Election Vse Calling and all fruits thereof unto God and still to say that God chose me was his grace not my merit or obedience Of whom Mat. 12.14 Of a few as appears by the fruits as faith sanctification holy obedience Few not in themselves but comparatively as a bag of sand hath a numberless number of sand yet in comparison of all the sands of the Sea even as nothing And let no man say This is hard in the Lord for that any one is chosen is his Free grace and he may do with his own what him pleaseth It is
's for the Chapters themselves at large Analytical for the Practical observations thence deduced synthetical disposed for the best advantage both of the memories and hearts of those plain people that heard him The scope is to discover Gods judgments in the causes and withal to hold forth means of prevention or removal in their due application Having on these and the like considerations pondered in my secret thoughts the usefullness of this work I was fully purposed to prepare it for the press and to let it see the light Yet because amidst so great Atheism abroad that now as Jacob did Esau hath taken the general h Isa 6.10 infatuation by the i Gen. 25.26 heel insomuch that the k 2 Tim. 3.5 power of godliness being long since lost now the very outward form is hardly to be found Foggy and wo is me too much uncontrolled errours l Mundus senescens patitur phantasias Gerson in this dotage of the world arising like those m Rev. 9.3 Locusts out of the bottomless pit have damp'd the ancient zeal and as the n Jon. 4.7 worm in Jonah's gourd eaten out the very sap and vigor of allmost all right holiness For this cause a patron must of necessity be sought to perfect this helpless posthume from the injuries of an o Act. 2.40 Philip. 2.15 untoward generation And to shelter a pious discourse I quickly knew where to finde one a very neer neighbour even your self most worthy Sir A gentleman 'twixt whom and the Authour there did ever pass constanly so dear and affectionate a reciprocation of most cordial and religious respects I cannot but well hope from so much candor and gravitie for a courteous entertainment of a suitor that comes thus in his name to Bradfield And the rather for that I have been informed of your Noble acknowledgments that Doctor Sclater's ministry was under God one of the first means of your calling at least of your firmer establishment in your first right wayes of truth and godliness insomuch that I begin to think on a sudden you might personally be an Auditor of some of these very Sermons the sum whereof I now crave the favour to present you with nor do I question but that your inward experience of the comforts of * The work of the Lord was precious in those dayes as 1 Sam. 3.1 See p. 79. of this book those dayes occasioneth even yet whereof I rejoyce so daily mention and so honourable a commemoration of his name at your refections deambulations conferences How willingly had I any tolerable skill in the musick of Oratory could I now strike the sweet strings and sound the pleasant Notes of your due prayses the garlands whereof about your Temples like the trees of Alcinous are ever green and not suffered to flag or wither through any defect of the radical moysture of Divine graces But herein me-thinks I am as in a straite betwixt two affraid on the one side of the Scilla of mine own insufficiencies your perfections as if in the very Tropick of Cancer are advanced to so great an height that if I should speak of them in a magnificent style they would * De quo non possum ità magnifice loqui id virtus quia superettua Terent. surmount the reach of my expressions this were an alloy for an abler pen on the other side of the Charybdis of q Laudator quasi adulator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flattery especially when as your piety is i cloathed with so great * Vir justus quantò perfectior efficitur tantò in oculis suis minuitur Peraldus tom 2. c. 5. De virtut vitiis humility that as those who live under the Equinoctial even at noon-day have no shadowes at all so in the very Meridian of your Sanctity you decline your own that God may have his glory quà m magnum est nolle laudari esse laudabilem Sene Yet sith the self-depressing * 2 Chro. 12.11 Apostle would ca. have his Converts to minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 due praise Phil. 4.8 and as ſ Granatens tom 3. conc de Temp. p. 460. vol. 8. Granado observes in praising of good men we in them honour the God of such men when we shew forth the vertues or praises of him who hath called them and though an humble man be shye of giving eulogies of u 2 Cor. 10.18 himself yet as St. Clement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.8 in his Epistle to the Corinthians a genuine piece of antiquity lately come to our hands hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him permit another to give testimony of him this kinde of laudation being saith a reverend x Davenant exposit in Coloss c. 2. v. 5. p. 170. confer p. 84. of this book Bishop but an artificial or effectual perswasion to persevere in things allready praise-worthy thereby withal to testifie good affection and to hold out the lamp of their vertuous lives unto others In this case as Austin speaks in the matter of commending the dead nec laudantem adulatio movet nec laudatum tentat elatio neither adulation may justly be imputed to the praiser nor Elation to the praised p Ecclus. 43.7 r 1 Pet. 5.5 t 1 Pet. 2.9 * S. Clemens Epist ad Corinth p. 50. edit Oxon. 1633. And on this Apology I must acqaint the world that my Rhetorick would here fail me before matter the * Inopem me copia fecit copiousness whereof hath brought upon me a penury of language to embellish it However sith my self have seldom departed from you without some improvement of Holiness by you I cannot forbear to break my box of prayses as of so much spikenard to perfume the Age with the mention of your Vertues and that if not in proportion to your * Quod si digna tuâ minim est mea pagina laude At voluisse sat est Lucan in panegyr ad Calpurn Pisonem merit yet in some measure to mine own desires Loe from a living root of worthiness there have sprang forth from you by an happy vegeration various branches of very eximious qualifications being made conspicuous and to be seen 1. In Artificial inventions 2. In Civil moralities 3. Oeconomical decorum's 4. In Political administrations And as the crown and glory of all these 5. In religious devotion For the first so singular in the universality of them as if the Universal had been but one singular as to another Bezaleel a spirit is given you to y Exod. 31.3.4 devise cunning works in all manner of workmanship and as some Christian Archimedes no engine or instrument for contrivance or motion exceeds your skill even the most extravagant Element the water is taught to make melody yea repast and delight for most of the senses Yet all this as being far beneath your better thoughts is made the business but of your spare succisive houres and regarded
his meer good pleasure to magnifie his grace upon his own First then Follow not the Multitude for they go the broad way 2. Strive to enter in at the straight gate and let this warne thee to labour and endeavour the more diligently to strive to make thy Calling and Election sure And hated Esau That is Reprobated Esau Now that there is Reprobation appears because there is Election 2. God hath not Mercy on all 3. There are Vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Rom. 9.22 and Jude 4. ordained to this Judgement 4. Effects denyall of means to many for Salvation If any aske what it is Reprobation is an Act of God whereby he determines not to have mercy on some but to leave them to destruction for the glory of his justice For the moving cause of Election that that may be known we are to conceive the Acts of Reprobation to be two 1. A decree not to have mercy this Absolute and hath no other cause but the Will of God And let none say this is injury for God is bound to none Rom. 11.33 therefore Saint Paul refers all to Gods Will and admires the depth of this secret which had been vain if the cause thereof be foresight of sin and disobedience 2. The second Act is ordination into punishment and Damnation this hath some respect unto sin being an Act of Justice in respect of Execution And therefore though it be true that God refuseth to shew mercy only because he will yet he ordaines no man to damnation but for his Sin Judas damned for his sin Comparative why this not that no other cause but Gods Will. Of whom Of the greatest part of the world Ob. Means vouchsafed to all Answ Not so Mat. 11.21 22. and to whom vouchsafed the end is to deprive them of excuse Object Christ ransomed all Answ Not so Joh. 17.9 Inst 1. Pet. 2. Answ The place to be understood of the Power of a Master over his Servant Ob. Then God cause of Damnation Answ Deficient not Efficient being not bound besides betwixt the Decree and Execution comes sin Marvaile not at this That the most part of the world believe not Vse nor are converted God hath armed us against this Temptation 2. See here the endless love of God to us whom he hath chosen that leaving many nay the more part that had deserved as much as we yet chose us and left them Signs 1. Denyall of means finall 2. Cursing of the means unto them Isa 6.10 3. Their own contempt of the means vouchsafed 4. Apostacy finall Heb. 10.26 27. These not known to us wherefore we hope well of all till the Lord discover VER 3 4 5. And I hated Esau and laid his Mountaines and his Heritage waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness Whereas Edom saith we are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places Thus saith the Lord of Hosts They shall build but I will throw down And they shall call them the border of wickednesse and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever And your eyes shall see and ye shall say The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel 1. GOds Protestation 2. The peoples Exception 3. The Lords Confirmation of what he protesteth by an argument from an effect wherein he appeales to themselves for witnesses De hoc supra Hatred of Esau manifested by a sign their desolation where the Antithesis is understood Wilderness for Dragons that is without Inhabitant as Isa 34.13 Hence observe That externall afflictions are unto Reprobates testimonies of Gods hatred Reason Because no such are freed from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.19 branches whereof even those outward afflictions are Deut. 28. examples are extant Not the least Sickness Infamy Penury Famine Banishment Death all stand unto such in the nature of Curses as the Law propounds them A sign of which is For that they all work together for evill unto such whereas it is contrary in them who love God Rom. 8.28 They do but harden such as Pharaoh or cause blasphemy as in many bringing out into the eyes of men the hidden Corruption of the Heart Object If any shall say They are made testimonies of love Heb. 12.6 Answ So are they to Gods Children not to Reprobates To them they are fatherly Chastisements To these severe Punishments a sign whereof is That they are driven by them the farther from God Hence then it will follow Vse That from Corrections we cannot conclude certainty of Election or of the Love of God No man can thus reason The Lord follows me with crosses therefore he hath chosen me to Salvation For To some men they are pledges and testimonies of his wrath and hatred and as one well terms them Atrium inferorum And therefore vain is that conclusion of many from Corrections to Gods love As How often heare we it from profane men They doubt not they say but God loves them Why Because he follows them with Judgments never without one cross or another in Children Goods good Name Body Mind In summe These Externall things are ever to be measured according to Persons not Persons according to them It is true That Crosses to Gods Chosen are tokens of his love but crosses to a Castaway are Pledges of his hatred And though it be said That whomsoever God loves him he corrects yet is it not convertible That whomsoever God corrects him he loves Saul had his punishment as well as David his Troubles Ishmael Famine as well as Isaac c. Yet neither beloved God What then is to be done in this case for comfort If thou wilt have comfort in a Cross look to this Art thou chosen called c. Then Crosses are Comfortable If no token of Election suspect thy self I might apply this unto our selves unto many amongst us whom the Lord hath long followed with heavy judgments externall robbing of Children or heart-breaking with ungracious Children Beloved I say not where these are there the men are hated but yet where these things are amongst some they are tokens of Gods Hatred What then to be done in outward Crosses First Look to their issue and fruit that they have in thee As 1. If they humble thee for thy sins Jer. 5 3. 2. If they bring neerer unto God Hos 5.15 3. If they make thee feare before God not only while they are felt but after they are removed Pharaoh cries peccavi and promiseth amendment while the Rod is on him Esau howls whilest he is under the hand of God the wicked Jews Ezra 9. crouch whilest the hand of God presseth them but when a little ease is given them they break the Commandements ver 10. God otherwise corrects his own Children Observ otherwise Castawayes I meane in respect of the measure and weight of his Corrections Psal 118.18 So David The Lord hath chastened and corrected me but he hath not given me over unto death Israelites carried Captives as well as Edomites but
are 1. A desire through hypocrisie to seeme righteous no man so vile but would gladly avoid the censure of Atheisme and profaneness 2. That they forget the Lord to be a searcher of secrets and trier of the hearts and reines 3. That opinion of righteousness and Religion they have obtained among men See Luk. 16.15 This sin through their gross ignorance rife among our People And Let it teach Gods Children better things The just man is the Accuser of himself Vse and free confession of sins his mark Ver. 7. Ye offer polluted Bread The Lord instanceth in particulars Observ So then Particularizing is the best mean to bring men to the acknowledgment of their sins So the Lord here So Samuel 1 Sam. 12.19 in asking a King So Peter Act. 2.23 The murther of our Lord So Stephen Act. 7.51 Their resisting of the Holy Ghost speaking in the Prophets John Baptist to Hâ—rod Mat. 14.4 Paul before Felix of Temperance Acts 24.25 The Reason is because it is naturall to every man to wind out of generall Accusations and when reproofes are ministred in gross they do little good such shifting there is from generalities Then see we here a Ministers warrant for particularizing the sins of his own people A course generally distasted Vse though most wholesome and the best means to make the Word work to humiliation 2. We are taught but so as we guid our words with discretion to whom the Ministry is committed to labour hereto for the good of our People 3. You that are the people To be content to have your particular sins the sores of your soules ript up and laid open 4. To apply generalls to particulars and so shall ye best profit in hearing A second sin laid to the charge of the Priests and people is sleight performance of the Worship of God So they sacrifice no matter how So then note this as an heavy sin For a man sleightly to performe the Worship of God Observ without regard to the Majesty of God or the holiness of his Worship yea though the things done be commanded for example To pray is a thing commanded but to pray sleightly or unreverently a thing abominable The Lord professeth Isa 1.12 that he had not required what they performed that is held them in as little esteeme as if he had not commanded them in regard of their bad manner of performance The Reason is because the Lord looks not so much to the outward work as to the inward Affection of the heart measures Religion by sincere Affection not by multitude or works done in the service of God Here then Vse see what our people may judge of all their services that unreverendly they performe This very sin is rife amongst our people whose whole worship consisteth in outward obedience pray they must how they pray not to be regarded Hence they think a duty receiving of the Sacraments c. But know Beloved That unreverence more displeaseth than outward observance can please Wherefore Let us all be admonished when we come before God to sharpen our affections and intentions to the utmost that the Lord may have pleasure in our sacrifices For this cause weigh 1. It is Gods work and remember who hath said Jer. 48.10 Cursed is he that doth the Lords work negligently 2. To whom to God himself a great King Mal. 1. ult 3. Before whom before God and Angels Act. 10.33 Hence learne we to humble our selves not only for the omission of duties but for the imperfect manner of our services Thou hast not all done in Repentance when thou hast bewailed thy gross sins and wilfull omissions but in every good duty thou hast cause of humbling in respect of the coldness of performance as hearing coldly praying coldly VER 8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evill and if ye offer the Lame and Sick is it not evill offer it now unto thy Governour Will he be pleased with or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts NOte here the fashion of a wicked Hypocrite Observ To keep the best to themselves and serve God with that that is most despicable See Gen. 4.3 Cain brings an offering but as if he cared not what of the fruits of the groung Abel of the first fruits and of the fat of the Flock 1. The first fruits 2. The fat 3. The first born 4. The first day of the week And generall is this sin Vse at this day See the strength of youth given to vanity when old then they will bethink themselves of serving God Health to the Devill sickness to serve God when no other business then heare a Sermon understanding and wit in the prime bent to other studies Religion the last when understanding is gone Therefore mark how Gods judgment is upon such their services utterly rejected and themselves given over to prerish in their sins seldome or never see you any such become religious being forsaken of God And let it be an admonition to take heed how we thus serve God with the refuse A Child of God thinks nothing to deare an Hypocrite any thing good enough Observ 2 Apply these types to the truth they had a double signification they figured Christ that Lamb undefiled and without spot but withall figured some things to be regarded of us in our services As 1. The blind sacrifice was a type of ignorant services which are ever held abominable therefore S. Paul every where calls for knowledge to be ground of all service pray with understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 Sing with understanding and Rom. 12.1 services reasonable called for Whence it is evident that all blind devotion of ignorant people are abominable sacrifices See Rom. 10.2 their excuse is God knows their mind but he looks thou shouldst also know c. Lameness Is hypocrisie double-mindedness Jam. 1.8 and 1 King 18.21 Halting betwixt two when no consent betwixt the Affection and Action God did not allow sowing of the field with seeds divers nor Linfie-woolsie in garments nor yoaking together of an Oxe and an Asse wherefore damnable is all doubling in hypocrites See Isa 29.13 They honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me Sick Or faint or languishing services that come from us faintly without cherrefulness the Lord would have the very strength of our Affections and Intentions the whole strength in his services given unto him those are faint and languishing that come coldly from us Another added Vnblemished Whereby absolute innocency signified in all those that worship him and not the least mixture of humane devices in Gods service So that the very Prayers of a wicked man are all abominable Last of all observe the Amplification of their sin what they would not dare to do to men Observ 3 that they presume to do unto God And see whether this be not right the disposition of our People If the King yea or a meane man should speak unto us would we gaze or sleepe or interrupt him A