in the 1. of Malachy speaketh of things appertaining to this life it cannot be denyed but yet he speaketh not of those things onely he speaketh of those external things but not onely of those things For the drift of the Apostle in that place was to reprove the Jews for their unthankfulnesse to God In that they did neither honour God nor fear him for saith God Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my fear who had indeed loved them effectually and testified his love in giving them a fruitful Land even the Land of promise and in the sequel he goeth on in a further matter and sheweth that God was angry with Esau for ever but he would be glorified and magnified in Jacob and in the borders of Israel as appeareth in the fourth and fifth Verses And therefore that testimony of the Prophet is not to be so applyed onely to things outward and temporal for the Lord saith he would be glorified in Jacob and he had hated Esau for ever but it concerneth the matter of eternal election and reprobation of which the Apostle in this Chapter treateth Come we now to the particular unfolding of these words I have loved Iacob and hated Esau Gods love it is essential in God it is of the same Nature with himself God is love saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.16 and so Gods love it is free even as his own blessed Majestie and it being extended and reached out unto man it is the free and eternal motion so I may describe it the free and eternal motion of Gods good will and pleasure the free motion and the eternal motion of Gods good pleasure touching the eternal and everlasting good of man God freely purposing and determining the everlasting good of man out of his good will and pleasure as the Apostle saith expresly in Ephes 1.5 we are predestinated to be adopted through Christ and that through the good pleasure of his will so then when God saith I have loved Jacob what is his meaning I have freely out of my own good will and pleasure nothing moving me thereunto I have freely and voluntarily from everlasting decreed the everlasting good of Jacob and his eternal salvation And I have hated Esau saith the text Now here some stumble and do think that this was spoken not simply but comparatively not simply I have hated Esau but comparatively and for this they say God indeed loved Jacob and Esau both though he loved not Esau with the same degree of love as he loved Jacob but with a lesse love and therefore it is said I have hated Esau and they instance in Deut. 21.15 where the Lord saith by Moses If a man hath two wives as in the Old Testament many of the Patriarks had the one is loved and the other hated this God speaketh not that a man that hath two wives hateth either but that he loveth the one not so well as the other as Jacob had Rachel and Leah he loved Leah with a lesse love then he did Rachel so that in comparison of Gods love to Jacob Gods love to Esau was a hatred But beloved these are exceedingly deceived for the Apostle calleth those whom God hateth in the 22. verse of this ninth Chapter of the Romans vessels of the wrath of God and his vengeance and therefore they are hated simply being vessels of his wrath to destruction And if we look in that text of Malachy alledged and duly consider it we shall find upon due examination that it will easily appear that God hated Esau simply Mal. 1.2 saith the Lord I have hated Esau and he doth exemplifie and make it appear that he hated Esau in that he laid his Mountain waste and a Wildernesse for Dragons as if he had said I have spoyled Esau of all his goods stripped him and turned him out naked and I have given his fair palaces and goodly houses for to be a den for Dragons if there had been any hope of Esau's coming to his habitation and palace and ancient possession then it may haply seem God did not hate Esau simply but comparatively but go on with the text Mal. 1.4 saith God Though Edom say we are impoverished and cast out and undone but we will return and build the desolate places yet saith the Lord of hosts they shall build but I will destroy and they shall be called The border of wickednesse and the people with whom the Lord is angry for ever that is against whom he proceedeth in wrath and Judgment for ever Oh see is this hatred but in comparison the Lord setting himself so purposely and professedly against Esau no it is simply Now for the simple meaning of the words I have hated Esau we must know hatred in Scripture applyed unto God it is not a disordered inveterate and distempered passion as it is in us but hatred applyed unto God in Scripture it signifieth three things First It signifieth a negation a denial of Gods love that God loveth not and chooseth not some to life and salvation that is the first signification of it Secondly hatred in Scripture applyed unto God it signifieth a just decreeing of punishment for sin and an inflicting of punishment for sin yea he hateth the wicked themselves Psal 5.5 thou hatest all the workers of iniquity Thirdly it signifieth Gods utter abhorring and disliking of that which is directly against Gods holy and righteous Law and so God is said to hate iniquity and sin as the breach and transgression of his most holy law so then the meaning of God in these words is this I have loved Jacob and hated Esau as if the Lord had said I have and that out of my good will and pleasure decreed and from everlasting purposed the eternal good of Jacob and his salvation and I have not out of that good will and pleasure of mine from everlasting so purposed and decreed Esau's eternal good nay I have before the world was in my secret counsel rejected him and have cast him off and refused him Come we now to such things as are observeable from hence and first of all observe the Apostle here maketh the ground of the advancement of Jacob over his brother Esau to be Gods love to Jacob in that he was preferred before Esau hence we may gather this conclusion Doct. That Gods free and eternal love is the cause of all the good that cometh unto Gods chosen both here in this world and hereafter in heaven all the good things in this life and the life to come even from a bit of bread to the glory of heaven they come from the good will and pleasure of God Jer. 31.3 the Lord saith unto his people Israel I have loved thee with â— everlasting love then presently he subjoyneth therefore with mercy have I drawn thee And hence it is that the Lord maketh known that the good things he hath bestowed upon his chosen from time to time they have
issued and sprung from that ever springing fountain of the free love of God Exod. 19.4 he carried his people upon Eagles wings he did favour and do them good from time to time and so in Deut. 30.10 he chose Jacob and the seed of Jacob and brought his seed out of Egypt by a mighty power and Deut. 4.37 he turned the curse of Balaam to a blessing Numb 23.5 when Balaam thought to curse the people of God God turned it to a blessing so I might instance in many particulars how the Lord manifested his love unto his people one for all Joh. 3.16 where Christ saith God so loved the world or his chosen in the world that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life the free love of God was it that moved God to send his Son to be a Saviour unto them Indeed I grant that Gods chosen now believing in Christ they have the pardon of their sins and they have all good things vouchsafed unto them for Christ his sake even for Christ his sake God is pleased to vouchsafe unto them pardon of sin and all other dependents thereon for we must know that though God out of his free love decreed to make Christ a means and a Saviour by whom and through whom men should have pardon of their sins conveyed unto them that he should be the conduit and person that they should receive it by yet the fountain and chief ground is Gods eternal love so that the first cause the first ground of all good things that come unto Gods chosen here and hereafter in heaven it is Gods free love and his free good will and pleasure though Christ be the means of conveyance Because God being most free as he is liberrimum agens he will not have Reason 1 any good thing come from any thing out of himself Because no good can be given above the good will and pleasure of God Reason 2 Christ himself saith so that we have nothing but the free and eternal pleasure of God so that this plainly sheweth Gods free love is the ground of all good things First of all this Doctrine doth put down a main difference plain and Vse 1 manifest between Gods love unto us and our love unto others we love others in respect of some good some worth we see some good quality some excellent and worthy thing in them which doth attract and draw our love unto them we see some beauty some wit some learning some strength or the like that draweth our love unto them and knitteth our hearts unto them and indeed we are bound so to do to love others in respect of their beauty wit learning and the Image of God in them in any manner Now with God there is no such matter our love is bounded and grounded and set upon some excellency or worth in the creature even our very enemies but with God there is no such matter his love is not stirred up nor caused by any good worth or excellency in us or any goodnesse in us no not by any thing out of himself Indeed I grant God loveth his own Image being renued in us and the more we are renued of God the more holy the more religious the more pleasing to God and the more dear and pretious to him God loveth his own Image in us actually but the cause of that is his eternal free love so that though the Lord love us we being renued and holy and righteous yet the cause is his eternal free love which proceedeth not from any thing out of himself but onely his free good will and pleasure Is this so that all good things in this life and the life to come do proceed Vse 2 from the good will and pleasure of God Upon this ground we must learn then to indeavour in every good thing we enjoy yea in the good things of this life that we have and possesse to see Gods love unto us in them to see in the bread we eat the apparel we clothe our selves withal and the good things we enjoy to see Gods love unto us It is not sufficient for us to know that the outward good things of this life are good things in themselves blessings of God a man may go so far by the very light of nature to know that meat and drink and maintenance is a blessing of God and there is no comfort in this knowledge no we must be able to know that these good things come out of Gods free and eternal love and to be blessings unto us in particular and that they flow out from Gods free and eternal favour wherewith he had loved us before the world was and that they coming thus we may use the Apostles form of thanksgiving Ephes 1.3 blessed be God our heavenly Father who hath blessed us with all heavenly and with all temporal good things with this health with this wealth this apparel but some may say how is that to be done I answer Labour thou in the first place to get thy part in the blood of Jesus Christ labour thou to apprehend and apply the merits of Christ his death and obedience to thine own soul by a true saving faith and never rest untill thou hast a true and a saving faith to apply and to apprehend the merits of Christ to thy soul for in Christ alone is the spiritual right and title of all good things applyed to Gods chosen Secondly having gotten this labour thou to find that the outward good things of this life they do stirre thee up and provoke thee forward to love God to fear God to walk humbly before the Lord and to be thankful unto his holy Majesty the outward good things of this life thou hast a true right and title unto them and are means to help thee forward in the wayes of God and to walk humbly before the Lord thy meat thy drink thy apparel are means to help thee forward to thy salvation and to further thee in the way of salvation And it is not with thee after the manner of the men of the world to abuse the good things of this life to vanity and pride to set out their hearts in pride of apparel garishnesse of attire riot and excesse as some do that a man may say and easily discern there is a proud person however you will say under a russet coat may be a proud heart yet a man may say where there is smoke there is fire It breaketh out in their foreheads and foretops and in their long shag'd ruffian-like hair and in their exteriour parts a man may say they are clothed with cruelty and pride hangeth as a chain about their necks Psal 73.6 and their houses and lands are priviledged places for all manner of abomination impiety and ungodlinesse and no man may speak against them especially being men of place and authority great men their greatnesse doth priviledge their places and houses for all manner of impious and abominable courses
Lord at the last opened mine ears and eyes and enlightened my mind gave me understanding and made me see what I would not see he touched my heart with his grace and the power of his Spirit and changed my Affections whereas before I had no mind of heaven no desire of salvation untill he made me see what I have not he hath not dealt thus with all many thousands there be that go on without this touch of heart and remorse of conscience without this powerful work of grace they go on in their sins though they hear the Word from Sabbath to Sabbath what was I better then they surely nothing at all by Nature Oh then how am I bound unto God nothing moving the Lord to shew mercy unto me but onely his mere good will and pleasure how am I bound to magnifie the goodnesse of God And indeed this is that glory of the free mercy of God which the Lord would have us to yeeld unto him he would have us to yeeld unto him this glory of his free mercy and how pleasing this is to God and how the Lord esteemeth of this magnifying of his mercy may appear by that description Exod. 34 6 7. The Lord the Lord strong merciful gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth Reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. Thus the Lord doth proclaim himself for this is that wherein the Lord doth take delight to have the glory of his free mercy given unto him And this is the name by which the Lord Jesus will be known to his Elect and chosen in all ages I am a merciful God this is the name by which I will be magnified and in which he delighteth that we should give him the glory of his mercy that we can say when the Lord vouchsafeth mercy unto us that it proceedeth onely from the Lords free will And know that it is not more vile pride in a Begger to attribute the almes that is given unto him unto his own deserts then it is for us to ascribe any the least mercy that God vouchsafeth unto us to our own worthinesse it is monstrous pride in a beggar to ascribe the almes that are given him to his own deservings But it is far more for thee to ascribe and attribute that to thy self which is freely given of God Let us therefore consider that every rag we have it is of the free mercy of God Oh did proud persons consider this they would not so gorgiously adorn themselves and disgrace the holy profession of God if they did consider they have nothing but from the free Fountain of Gods mercy nothing moving him they would not be such carelesse fellowes in their careless bands which sheweth their carelesnesse as they be Vse 3 Again Is Gods mercy reached out unto his chosen most free and depending upon nothing out of God himself surely then a child of God one to whom God hath reached out saving mercy may conclude and gather to his comfort that Gods saving mercy it shall never be removed from him but abide with him for ever for why it dependeth upon the free will of God and that is unchangeable even as God himself And I may say as Pilate saith in Joh. 19.32 when he had written a superscription over Christ and they demanded why he writ so he answered quod scripsi scripsi what I have written I have written so may the Lord say I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Mal. 3.16 I am Jehovah I change not Mercy is mine and who shall take it from me shall the devil no nor all the powers in hell can hinder or frustrate the will of God Oh then consider to thy comfort God hath reached out his mercy to thee and he will never take it from thee for he hath said I will have mercy on whom I will VERSE 16. So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth But God that sheweth mercy THe Apostle in this Verse determineth the point touching Gods Justice in his free choyce of some particulars amongst men to life and salvation In the Verse foregoing he proveth it by the speech of God unto Moses that God hath free liberty and absolute power to shew mercy unto whom he will and compassion to whom he will without respect had to any thing in them Now the Lord having thus described his shewing of mercy merely to depend upon his good will and pleasure hereupon our Apostle in this 16. verse doth bring in a consectarie and infer this conclusion that therefore Gods eternal election of some to life and salvation is not to be ascribed unto the will or unto the works of any man but unto Gods free grace in shewing of mercy So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy In this 16. verse the general things are two First a removal of that which is not the cause of Gods eternal election of some to life and salvation and what is that mans willing and mans running it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth Secondly the describing and the assigning of the onely true and proper cause of Gods choosing of some to salvation and that is Gods shewing of mercy but in him that sheweth mercy Now I will lay forth the sense and meaning of the words of this verse So then or So therefore it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the text Original these words it is are not to be found but they are necessarily to be supplyed So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth what is that that is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth surely that which the Apostle had spoken of Gods eternal election of some to life and salvation that is not in him that willeth nor runneth Some do here understand Jacobs willing and running particularly but by their favour that is too narrow and too strict for the purpose of the Apostle is more large and general these words being a conclusion of the verse foregoing I will have mercy on him on whom I will And this word him must have as large a sense as the words in the verses foregoing yet Jacob is not to be excluded but rather included and so the meaning is it is not in Jacob or in any other man that willeth or runneth in him that willeth That is in him that willeth and desireth good and endeavoureth after that which is good and that by the power and strength of his mind will and affections or any part or all the powers and faculties of his soul nor in him that runneth We are not to understand as some do Esau's runing onely no nor yet Jacobs running to the fold to fetch a Kid for his father Gen. 27. but the meaning is it is not in him that worketh as it is not in
matter of comfort to believing soules and particularly comfort those that are capable of comfort He telleth him that he believing in these promises shall certainly be saved For thus runneth the tenour of the Word and the Gospel Whosoever truly believeth in Christ Jesus shall certainly be saved hereupon the Minister standing in the room and place of Christ being his Ambassadour doth make this particular application and draw out this conclusion The text saith he that believeth shall be saved The Minister saith Believe thou Richard Thomas William or whatsoever thou art and thou shalt surely be saved And this is as much as if Christ himself did preach by his immediate voyce from heaven For why Christ hath committed to us Preachers the delivery of his Word as appeareth 2 Cor. 5.19 20. And therefore upon the ground of believing the general promises of the Gospel that such shall be saved they may assure themselves they shall be saved And a man finding faith in his heart and soul which he may prove by the fruits and works of faith may thereupon assure himself that he is in the number of Gods chosen and shall certainly be saved And thereupon we may see it is but a cavil that these enemies of God affirm That the Minister knoweth not whether a man belong to Gods election or no when the Minister assureth him not upon that ground but upon the ground of believing Is this so that the Minister of the Word must not onely make known Vse 2 general Doctrines but particularly apply them Surely then the hearers of the VVord must not onely hear the general truth of the VVord made known unto them but they must also be content to have those truths applied unto them particularly by way of instruction by way of exhortation and by way of just reproof as occasion is offered And beloved men must not start aside and fret and chafe and take on when that the truth of the word is brought home unto them and applied particularly unto their souls for the discovery of their particular sins as their pride and vanity of apparel or whatsoever it is no they must willingly chearfully and readily yield and submit themselves unto it and not begin to quarrel with the affection of the Preacher and say now he speaketh out of malice and spleen and distemper and now he speaketh against such a man as if the man and the sin were one substance the Minister cannot speak against pride garishness of apparel long shagged hair but he speaketh against the man as if the sin were the man and the man and the sin all one therefore take heed of being in a chafe when thy sins are reproved And know that if thou thus do fret and chafe it is not onely an Argument that thou art possessed with a spiritual pride and a spiritual frenzy and madness but it is a sign of Gods heavy wrath and judgment ready to break out upon the souls of those men that so fret and chafe and take on in impatiency It is an immediate fore-runner of Gods heavy wrath when men cannot abide to be touched or to have the word of God applied particularly they are impatient of reproof and must have the Preacher to speak pleasing things and to daube them up with untempered morter this bringeth upon them the hand of God unto remediless and easless Destruction Esay 30.13 14. of saith the Prophet this is a foul sin when men teach their Preachers what to say it is like the breaking of a high wall that is sodain or like a bump in a wall a swelling knob that upon a sodain falleth down to the ground and is broken all to pieces like a Potters Vessel that is broken in shivers and there is not so much left as to hold fire or water so it is with those that repine at the particular application of the word their destruction is sudden Again further consider we if so be we be willing and ready to hear the word of comfort applied unto us though it belongeth not unto us and we can accumulate the preaching of the Gospel and yet put away from us the word of reproof we cannot endure that surely the Lord will then punish us in the same kinde he will deal with us proportionably and accordingly he will make his word of comfort that we so eagerly take hold on an unprofitable word and a word that shall yield no comfort unto us when we lie on our sick beds and in the hour of death because we receive the word of comfort that appertaineth not unto us and put away the word of reproof therefore he will make the word of comfort comfortless Consider to this purpose the example of Herod Mark 6.20 Herod heard and did many things gladly that John Baptist taught and found much comfort in hearing of him but when John came to touch him and to hit him on the bare his beloved sore and pleasing Dalilah that it was unlawfull for him to have his Brothers Wife then Herod shewed what he was he carried then a splenative minde and a grudge in his heart and never left till he had his head what touch my beloved Sin And the Lord dealt with Herod accordingly for those comforts that he appropriated to himself from Johns preaching were fruitless he went on in his sin and perished fearfully in his folly Then learn we to hear the word not cunningly for our instruction and comfort but in matter of exhortation and just reproof to be taxed for our sins And when the Lord meeteth with us in his word for our particular sins to say it is his Mercy and his blessing and to thank God that we have Ministers which do not daube us with untempered morter and to say as David saith in Psal 141.5 let the righteous smite me it is a pretious balm this is the affection of the godly but if we do accumulate to our selves the comforts that are promulgated in the Gospel and cast away the reproofs denounced against our sins God will then make his comforts comfortless and they shall do us no good So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy HAving formerly handled the reference this verse hath with precedent matter I now come to handle the matter of the verse it self And first of all we see the Apostle in the first place doth deny Gods eternal election of some to life and salvation to be in him that willeth good or worketh good And so the observation is briefly this That nothing in man or done by man coming from him Doctrine is the cause and ground of mans election or salvation Neither any mans willing of good or working of good no not the willing or working of good by a regenerate person by a person truly sanctified and in the estate of grace not his willing or working of good that is the cause and ground of his election or salvation And so to prevent an
persons and not of all generally Reason And the ground of it is only the good will and pleasure of God it hath so pleased him to make this difference to chuse some and to refuse others Ephes 1.5 who hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the riches of the glory of his grace Vse This serveth to shew unto us the errour of such Divines and their opinion to be false that do hold that God for his part hath elected all men to salvation and so the Arminians say also and that man is reprobated is from himself for when we do ask them if God hath elected all for his part why are not all saved they answer because they will not it is their own default man is the cause of his reprobation but this is erroneous and false and contrary to the truth yea this opinion of theirs maketh mans will to over-rule Gods eternal counsel and the purpose of God to depend upon the will of man if man will he may be saved if not he may be damned this is like bills of the Chancery but there is no unablenesse in God for the will and counsel of God is the chiefest cause of all causes and we may certainly conclude that because all men are not saved therefore God doth not appoint all men to salvation And upon this ground learn to renounce this also as erroneous that Christ dyed for all universally effectually as some Divines teach universal redemption for Gods eternal election being not universal Christs redemption is not universal for Christ dyed only for the chosen of God only for the elect and he is the Saviour of his body Ephes 5.23 This is a common thing when men are convinced of their sins to say we are sinners but Christ dyed for all this is a staffe of rest to rest upon and will fail in time of tryal thou must have a better ground if thou wilt look for salvation how is that Thus thou must not only find thy self freed by Christ from deserved condemnation but also from thy vain conversation for certainly whomsoever Christ is a Saviour to by the merit of death to them he is also a Saviour by the power of his death and by the works of his Spirit turning them from sin to God Titus 2.14 Christ gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity that he might purge us to be a peculiar people to himself therefore if thou findest not thy self purged from sin from the rottennesse of thy heart thou art not wrought upon by the Spirit of God Therefore rest not upon that ground that Christ dyed for all For the Children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth It was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger COme we now to stand upon these two Verses more particularly and in that the Apostle here saith Before the children were born when they had neither done good nor evil it was said unto Rebekah by God himself that cannot lye from his Oracle it was said the elder shall serve the younger thereby implying the words having respect to spiritual things that the one of the children of Rebekah which she had in her womb was elected to life and salvation and the other rejected and refused this being the implication of that speech the Apostle pointeth out unto us thus much That Gods fore-appointing of some particular persons amongst men to life and salvation from everlasting Doctrine and his refusing and rejecting of others it is most free most absolute it dependeth not upon any thing in man or done by man but onely upon the good pleasure of God it dependeth upon nothing out of God himself but upon God merely and onely the Lord from everlasting appointing some to life and salvation and refusing others did it out of the good pleasure of his will merely without respect had to any thing in men themselves any quality good or bad or any thing done by them good or bad as a cause moving him hereunto Indeed to prevent an Objection in the beginning I deny not but I may safely speak it and hold it that there was reason and cause in the general why God would appoint some to life and salvation and why he would refuse and reject others why God would have some to be saved and others to be cast off and refused never to attain salvation I grant that why Because both the mercy of God in pardoning sin and the Justice of God in punishing sin might appear and be glorified God is a just God and a merciful God that these two might be manifested and declared for if all had been saved there is no place for his Justice but that his mercy and justice might appear the one is saved and the other rejected this is the reason in the general but why this or that particular man or woman was appointed to life and salvation and not the other man or woman why Peter and not Judas the onely reason of this is the good will and pleasure of God Gods fore-appointing of some amongst men to life and and salvation it did wholly and onely depend upon the good will and pleasure of God it had respect to nothing in man no difference between man and man arising from men themselves that the one was of a better nature and temper or thus and thus qualified or any thing done by them good or evil but onely in God himself Ephes 1.4 saith the Apostle God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundations of the world was what for any goodnesse or holinesse that was in us or he foresaw would be in us no but that we should be holy and without blame He hath chosen us not for foreseen holinesse but that we should be holy this is the language of Canaan then he subjoyneth in the fifth verse who hath predestinated us to be adopted through Iesus Christ himself according to the good pleasure of his will without respect had to any thing in us or any thing done by us so also in 2 Tim. 1.9 the Apostle speaking of God saith thus he hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works still he renounces that but according to his own promise and grace which was shewed unto us through Iesus Christ when before the world was before Jesus Christ was incarnate yea before there was a world and before we had a being And in Jude 4. verse we read that the Apostle speaking of some which were ordained of old when was that surely from everlasting before the world was or they had a being they were ordained of God to this condemnation these places doth sufficiently evidence unto us the truth of the point that God from everlasting foreappointed some particulars amongst men to life and salvation and refused and
rejected others out of the mere good pleasure of his will without any thing in man either good or bad quality or any thing done by man either good or evil No doubt God did foresee these things in man but not as a cause moving him thereunto but his election is free And indeed it is an act of Gods soveraignty that he hath over the creatures which is altogether independent upon any thing in the creature or done by the creature as the cause of it as for example In the first Creation of all things when God created the world he first made the matter of all things a confused Chaos and out of that he made the distinction of several things and creatures in their several kinds Now as in that first Creation when that the whole matter of it was alike a confused heap then there was reason why one part of that matter should become fire another water another the ayr and another earth Because this was necessary both for the beauty of the world and the use of the creatures that they might be useful both to man and beast but why this or that part of the first matter should be fire and not water why God would make that part water and another part earth a baser element no reason can be imagined of this but onely the will of the Soveraign Creator because it pleased God to make one part of that first matter water and another fire and another earth and another ayr he might have made that part fire which was water but it pleased the Almighty Creator to make them so So in the general there was Reason why the Lord would receive some to salvation and reject others to damnation both for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy and justice but why God would appoint this or that particular man or woman to life and salvation and not another man why Peter and not Judas not any reason can be imagined rightly and truly but the good will and pleasure of God Vse 1 First of all this truth serveth for the confutation of some erroneous opinions that are contradictory unto it as namely that of the Papists in that they hold and affirm that God indeed foreappointed some to life and salvation from everlasting no doubt say they but how upon his foresight of their free will working together with his grace upon a foresight that their free will would co-operate and co-work with his grace to the doing of good works and thereupon and in respect of that did God fore-appoint them to life and salvation a mere device and shift to delude silly people withal And likewise this truth now delivered meeteth with the erroneous opinions of the Arminians and Anabaptists for they are near one to the other The Arminians hold and affirm that God did decree the choyce of some to life and salvation not actually chuse them but decree some to life and salvation upon the foresight of their faith with perseverance and so say the Anabaptists it was upon the foresight of their faith and obedience to the Gospel so that they jump together in the matter the one upon foreseen faith and the other upon foresight of obedience to the Gospel the Lord did foresee that some would imbrace the Gospel some would believe in Christ some would seek salvation by faith in Christ upon the promises of God and thereupon did he decree the choyce of some to life and salvation or at least say they mincing the matter it was the rule which God did follow in his choyce we will not say they stand upon it to be the cause but it was the rule A frivolous distinction to distinguish between cause and rule or cause and reason But for the opinion it is most false for if so be the foresight of faith and of the obedience to the Gospel was the cause working God to decree the choyce of some to life and salvation then this will surely follow that that which hath onely a being in time was the cause of that which was altogether before time then faith which hath no being in nature but in time it shall be the cause working God to decree the choyce of some to life and salvation before all times a most grosse and absurd thing that the thing in time should over-rule the decree of God from everlasting Again if so be Gods fore-appointing of some to life and salvation had faith foreseen for the cause of it what need then had the Apostle to bring that question or make that Objection that he doth in the 14 verse of this Chapter What shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse with God there would be no shew nor semblance of any injustice or unrighteousnesse with God if so be this were true that Gods fore-appointing of some to life and salvation had faith foreseen for the cause if any had moved this question that it seemeth hard that before the children were born God should receive one and reject the other and so should conclude then God is unjust and unrighteous Then we might answer speaking in the language of the Arminians God did foresee long before that Jacob would believe and Esau would not and this would clear God from any suspition of injustice and this cavil would be quite taken away and so we should make the Apostle to speak very absurdly to move a question that needed not and make an objection needlesly which were most wicked and blasphemous once to suppose such a thing of the blessed Apostle which was guided by the holy Spirit of God infallibly who had cause to move this question so then let the Arminians and Anabaptists passe away with their idle fictions of their idle brains contrary to the truth of God Is this so that God hath fore-appointed some to life and salvation Vse 2 and rejected others merely of his good pleasure and will here then is ground of sweet comfort to thee that hast good evidence of it that thou art in the number of those whom God hath appointed to life thou art sometimes troubled it may be with the consideration of thine own unworthinesse of thy own great unworthinesse and the sight thereof doth many times perplex and trouble thee and make thee walk on very heavily and very uncomfortably and doth much trouble thy Conscience Oh then remember and consider this to thy comfort that the Lord hath set thee apart thou having evidence of thy election to life and salvation before thou hast done any thing without respect had to any thing done by thee either good or evil and will the Lord now reject thee and cast thee off because of thy unworthinesse which thou complainest of no surely he respecteth it not he respecteth neither thy worthinesse or unworthinesse he hath freely chosen thee to life and salvation before thou couldst do any thing and assuredly to thy comfort he will freely save thee he will passe by thy infirmities and pardon all thy sin he will hide them
Objection in the beginning For the Papists they say eluding the evidence of this text in this manner It is not in him that willeth or runneth after the flesh and according to Nature but by your leave say they it is in him that willeth and runneth by Faith which is grounded upon Gods mercy may agree with Gods mercy A poor shift and thus they seek to shift off the Evidence of this text directly contrary to the meaning of the Holy Ghost in this place For the opposition here is not between man willing and running after the flesh and mans willing and running by faith they are not here opposed But mark the opposition it standeth thus Between mans willing and running and Gods shewing mercy these are the things that be here opposed and set in Contradiction one to the other mans willing and running in a good way and in the way of sanctification and salvation and the Lords shewing of mercy so that neither the willing of good nor the working of good by any though a regenerate person is the thing that is available to election or salvation As in 2 Tim. 1.9 The Apostle there denyeth that either himself or any other true believer and regenerate person that they were either called or saved by their own works for saith he He hath called and saved us Not according to our own works but according to his own grace whether they were works natural or supernatural so also in Titus 3.4 5. verses he saith in the fourth verse when the bountifulnesse and love of God appeareth then in the fifth verse he subjoyneth not according to the works of righteousnesse which we have done but of his own mere mercy he saved us so that the willing or working of good is not the cause of any mans election or salvation The Reason is Because the goodnesse which is in the will of man Reason and the goodnesse which is in the works of man it proceedeth from Gods election it is an effect and a fruit of it It proceedeth from that root and so is the fruit of holinesse and righteousnesse as the Apostle saith expresly in Ephes 1.4 God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid that we should be holy so that holinesse followeth Gods eternal election And therefore the willing or working of good by regenerate persons cannot possibly be the cause of Gods eternal election it being the effect for it is not possible that the same thing can be the cause of the same thing and the effect in one and the self-same thing For Application First of all this meeteth with that opinion which Vse 1 some do hold That it is of God a man may be saved But that men are saved That particular persons amongst men come to be saved that is of themselves This do some hold and affirm And it is their tenent That the possibility of the salvation of man that it is possible for men to be saved that is of God But that this possibility becometh profitable and effectual to some men that is of their own free will A foul and a grosse errour directly contrary to the truth now handled and delivered unto us if it be so that the possibility of the salvation of man becometh profitable to some particular persons amongst men from the freedom of their own will surely then it must needs be from the goodnesse of their own will and from their well-willing And then a believing soul a soul that shall be saved and now is in the state of grace and of salvation hath ground to boast of in himself And may lift up himself even against God himself in ostentation and may thus magnifie himself say unto God Lord that there was any possibility for me to be saved it was of thee I freely confess it but that this possibility proveth not an impossibility to me as it doth to many thousands in the world that was my own doing I did that of my self That I could be saved the thanks of that belongeth to thee Lord but that I am now in the state of grace and salvation And that I am sure to be saved the thanks of that belongeth to me my self For thy love to me was no more then to them that are damned till my willingnesse to receive grace and faith put a difference between me and them till the inclination of my soul made me thine I might for all thy love have been damned eternally as well as Cain Judas Saul or any other Reprobate had not I out of the righteousnesse and freenesse of the freedom of my own will chosen grace it was not of thee Lord but of my self that I chose grace And damnation had been mine had I not of my own free and voluntary will chosen and used grace Oh beloved is not this intolerable and monstrous pride and ambition thus in ostentation for a man to lift up himself against God Is this a thought to come into any Christians heart no it is to be renounced For this boasting and ostentation doth naturally follow upon this their tenent that they teach the possibility of salvation cometh from God but that that possibility cometh into Act is of mans free will And this ought by every Christian to be abjured renounced and cast away as blasphemous erroneous and false Vse 2 Again This being a truth that no mans willing or doing of good is the cause of election or salvation Then let this teach us to take heed that we ground not our salvation upon any thing willed or done by us be it never so good yea though it proceed from the root and radix of true sanctifying grace It is mere madnesse in the Papists enemies to Gods grace to ground their hope of salvation as they do upon the performance of those good things that God requireth of them so far forth as they are able to perform them thus they ground their hope of salvation Now they so grounding their hopes they have no reason in the world to hope for any good at the hands of God for who seeth not unlesse he be wilfully blinded and blindfolded by his own self-love self-will and self-conceit who seeth not I say how far short we come of doing those good things we ought to do either in the state of nature or in the state of grace And the Papists themselves to joyn with them when they deal against that comfortable and holy truth of God that is held and taught in our Church That a Child of God may in time of this life be infallibly assured of our own salvation the Papists when they deal against this holy and comfortable truth then they plead and say alas we are frail and we are weak creatures and we fail in the manner of doing good duties and therefore we cannot assure our selves of salvation What say they do you say we may be assured of our salvation upon our faith and doing good duties Alas we are full of imbecillity
and weaknesse and cannot have any assurance It is true indeed if so be that our hope of salvation stood built upon the weak ground of our own good works But mark their subtilty when they speak against the Doctrine of our Church they plead imbecillity and weaknesse But when they plead for their own Doctrine then they say they ground their hope of salvation upon the performance of the good things God requireth of them so far forth as they are able to perform them what a madnesse is this in them thus to contradict themselves And beloved to apply it to our selves are there not many amongst us as mad as the Papists foolish ignorant sots That thus reason I know I must love God above all and my neighbour as my self And if I do my best endeavour to do these things I hope God will be merciful unto me and I shall go to heaven what is this but to make our own working of good the ground of our salvation and to ground the hope and certainty of heaven upon their own well doing Their conclusion is so simple and so foolish that upon loving God and their Neighbour they shall come to heaven maketh that the ground of their salvation It is true indeed that the willing and working of good coming from a right radix they be the fruits and assurances of our salvation but if we build our salvation upon our best good works yea upon saving and justifying faith or the best good thing we can perform we delude and deceive our selves neither our well willing nor well working is not the cause or ground of our salvation It is the rule of Christ himself Luk. 17.10 when we have done all that we can do and all that the Lord hath commanded us to do if it were possible yet we must say we are unprofitable servants And we must say so not onely for modesty sake as the Papists do absurdly glosse upon that text for modesty and humilities sake say they we must say so why beloved the Lord Jesus doth not teach us to lye And to say that which is not true for modesty sake no but he teacheth us to speak the truth for indeed it is so that for all our well willing and well doing we are unprofitable servants yet we must take heed that we do not hereupon cast off all care and endeavour of well doing no we are carefully and conscionably to do all that we can do that is good And know that working of good coming from the root of saving and sanctifying faith it is profitable and necessary to heaven for it is the beaten high way to eternal life and salvation it is a testimony of our obedience and thankfulnesse to God for his mercy And it is a means to set forth the glory of God and maketh much for the illustration of it And it is a proper mark of a true Christian it is a fruit ever flowing from saving and justifying faith and it is a necessary antecedent of the promises of eternal glory in heaven yet if we do advance this doing of good beyond this strain to merit salvation we do built it upon a rotten and unsound foundation Now further observe we the Apostle maketh an opposition between mans willing and running and Gods shewing mercy Hence I might note these particulars First of all that Gods mercy is the sole and whole and al-sufficient cause of mans election and not mans well willing or working good either foreseen as the Arminians teach or the present act and being And secondly that Gods free grace and the merit or works of men do not concur and meet together in mans salvation as the Papists teach But these things I have handled before And hence note we in a word thus much In that the Apostle saith that the eternal election and salvation of some amongst men is not in men themselves but in God that sheweth mercy Hence observe That the eternal salvation of men is laid up in the merciful powerful Doctrine and gracious hand of God It is laid up in the power of God which is essential with God himself Col. 3.3 the Apostle telleth the Colossians that their life is bid with Christ in God And hence God is said to be the Father of glory Ephes 1.17 because glory is as it were begotten of him And in 1 Tim. 6.5 the Apostle saith he onely dwelleth in immortality The Lord which hath eternal life and glory he doth give it to whom he will and he will give it in his due time and therefore he will certainly give it to his chosen Vse Then what a ground of sweet and excellent comfort is this to every one that findeth himself to be in the number of Gods chosen Hast thou good evidence of it that thou belongest to Gods election Oh then consider thy eternal happinesse which is laid up not in the hands of any creature no it is laid up in the hands of a gracious and powerful God and no enemy whatsoever can wrest it out of his hands if it were committed to thy own trust then thou hast just cause to doubt whether thou couldest keep it or no nay a thousand to one thou wouldest lose it Adam in his state of innocency being trusted with it wittingly and willingly lost it but thy salvation is kept by him who is able to keep it 2 Tim. 1.12 And not the force fraud or subtilty of the Devil or world without can fetch it from God who is the Author of it and keeper of it no nor our own flesh can prevail to the overcoming of him Oh then if thou hast evidence of thy salvation comfort up thy self let the Devil and the world spit their malice and use all the means they can they cannot possibly deprive thee or dispossesse thee of it for it is in the keeping of a powerful Creator and they cannot take it out of his hand How then may a child of God cheer up himself upon this consideration VERSE 17. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee And that my name might be declared through all the earth Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy And whom he will he hardeneth IN these two Verses the Lord sheweth by the Apostle that he is just in casting off some men and rejecting of them The Apostle having cleared God from the imputation of injustice in choosing some to life and salvation and passing over others out of his own free will though they were all one in regard of nature because the Lord hath absolute power and free liberty to shew compassion to whom he will Now the Apostle cleareth God from being unjust in rejecting of some particular persons of equal estate and condition with the elect in regard of nature every way equal unto them in themselves And the Apostle proveth the Lord not to be unjust in so doing by a testimony of
Oh take heed thou use not thy wealth as they do but the more bountiful the Lord is in pouring his blessings upon thee the more humble thou art the more holy thou art the more thy heart is inlarged with righteousnesse and in walking before God and in all thankfulnesse yea thereby thou art made ready and fit for every good work thy heart is not lock't up to choak the seed of the Word in thy heart but they open thy heart and thy hand and make thee ready to every good work to reflect upon the poor members of Christ the more thou hast the more abundant thou art in good works then certainly thou mayest conclude that God hath blessed thee with thy wealth and they are testimonies of Gods love to thee and God hath manifested his love unto thee which he bare before the world was and thou mayest certainly conclude God loveth thee indeed As it is written I have loved Iacob and hated Esau LEt us now proceed unto farther matter offered unto us from this testimony of the Prophet I have loved Jacob and hated Esau here cited by the Apostle and here we see that God did not onely love Jacob for the time present but also loved him from everlasting hence I observe thus much briefly Doctrine That Gods chosen they were alwaies beloved of God there can be no time given wherein Gods chosen were not beloved of God God loved his chosen before they had a being in the world yea before the world was and we cannot possibly prescribe a time when God loved not his chosen or when he began to love his chosen no his love was from everlasting Reason For as all other things were ever present unto God things past things present things to come they were all present unto him from everlasting he did look upon them uno intuitu with one full sight so were his chosen as many as belonged to his election he loved them before the foundations of the world was so that no time can be given wherein God began to love his chosen Object I but some may say doth not the Scriptures point out that though Gods children be now beloved of God yet there was a time when they were enemies of God as in Rom. 5.10 yea doth not the Apostle say in the Ephes 2.3 that they were children of wrath how can it be then that no time can be pointed out when they were hated of God It is true indeed the Scripture doth note out this unto us Answ that they are by nature children of wrath as well as others and we are to believe it to be a truth That Gods chosen before their effectual calling and conversion are enemies to God and God is an enemy unto them before their effectual calling and conversion in respect of sin and because of sin which is opposite and contrary to good and to God himself which is good yet even then Gods chosen are beloved of God in regard of election and even then God loveth his elect before their effectual calling as his elect uncalled and with that degree of his love which he beareth to his elect uncalled yea God maketh it appear manifestly that he loveth them as his elect uncalled in that he giveth unto them in time true repentance for if he did not love them he would not give them repentance and therefore they were then beloved of God as his elect in time to be called and he doth work upon them in time saving grace true conversion true faith and sanctification which are things tending to life and salvation and doth he give these to reprobates as testimonies of his love to them he loveth not no certainly he doth not and therefore certainly we may resolve upon this That God loveth his elect from everlasting and no time can be given when he loved them not Upon this ground it followeth that the Anabaptists and other such Vse 1 erring spirits are deceived in that they hold this as their tenent that God doth purpose and decree the salvation of some before the world was but God doth onely then actually choose them when he seeth faith and repentance in them For if this were true surely then God loveth not any sinner to life and salvation till he seeth repentance in them which is clean contrary to the truth of God now delivered That no time can be given wherein God loved not his chosen This being so that no time can be given wherein God loved not his chosen Vse 2 surely then upon this ground we may conclude to our comfort we being such that belong to Gods election that Gods love shall be continued unto us for ever as Gods love unto us unto life and salvation hath no beginning but is eternal so also it shall be without end as we cannot point out the time of beginning no more can we of the continuance but as God hath loved us from everlasting so doubtlesse he goeth on not only within his own blessed Majestie but in his love to us he goeth on continually without alteration or shadow of changing Joh. 13.1 whom he loveth he loveth unto the end so that this may be a ground of sweet and excellent comfort to as many as find themselves wrought upon by the Spirit of God and find Gods love shed abroad in their hearts that Gods love is everlasting for the beginning and continuance of it Now proceed we further I have loved Jacob and hated Esau here we see that as Gods love to Jacob was the cause of Jacobs advancement and preheminence so Gods hatred to Esau was the cause of Esau's servitude and subordination hence I might stand to shew that Gods hatred is the soveraign and chief cause of all evils of punishments that befall the wicked in this life and hereafter though sin be the next and subordinate cause yet the soveraign the main the chief the grand and Mother cause is Gods hatred but this I will not stand upon but rather note out the particular application of Gods hatred against Esau and observe we to that purpose it is here said God hated Esau that particular person Esau which being understood as before expounded affordeth unto us this conclusion That God hath from everlasting certainly decreed the rejection of some particular persons among men even of Esau and of such as Esau was Doct as God from everlasting decreed the election of some to life and salvation so hath he also decreed certainly the rejection and refusing of others for even as he loved the one so he hateth the other And this ground of truth hath evidence and proof of it in other places of Scripture in the 1 Thess 5.9 saith the Apostle he hath not appointed us to wrath but that we should obtain salvation by the means of Jesus Christ thereby implying that some are appointed of God to wrath and in his eternal counsel God hath appointed that some shall never come to life and salvation and in 1 Pet. 2.8 the Apostle
to the line and from the loynes of Abraham and of Jacob but us whosoever we be that have come of other Nations and People of the World and are called Gentiles and aliens and strangers even us hath he called Now then come we to such things as hence are offered unto us for our Instruction And beloved it is worth our marking in the first place that the Apostle putteth himself in the number of those that are called of God and doth aver himself to be a vessel of mercie whom God hath called even us you and I We that are effectually called are the vessels of mercie I as well as you and you as well as I are in that number Now then from hence it followeth directly That the Apostle Paul was assured of his own salvation Doctrine and he knew it that he in particular was one of Gods chosen and that God had appointed him to life and glorie in Heaven and that he should come to be partaker of it how By his true inward and effectual calling he knew it and was assured of it that he was a vessel of mercie and that he was in the number of Gods Chosen and should one day come to eternal salvation in Heaven Admit this and grant it to be true which the enemies of Gods Truth do contend about that he had a special and Divine Revelation from Heaven which declared to him that he was a chosen vessel yet he knew it not by special Revelation onely but also by his effectual calling here affirmed This Text is clear but he knew it also by his effectual calling and his effectual calling was an evidence that Heaven was prepared for him and he prepared for Heaven so that this is clear vnless they wil denie the evidence of the text And as this blessed Apostle was assured of his own salvation by his effectual calling so doubtless they that are true Christians that are effectually called they come to have a particular assurance of their own salvation that they are in the number of Gods Chosen for the Apostle if you mark it doth joyn others with himself he doth not only say I but you also speaking in the judgement of Charitie therefore we are to abhor and detest that same damnable Doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach that a particular perswasion of a mans own salvation is presumption it is an illusion and deceit of the devil and say they you mock the people and are blind leaders but this is a damnable doctrine of theirs for beloved take away all assurance of a mans salvation and you leave a Christian in a miserable case we strip him of all ground of joy and true comfort and rejoycing yea we take from him all ground of hearty thankfulnesse and encouragements of going on in a good course of life for how can a man truly and soundly rejoyce in the apprehension of the joyes of heaven when he is uncertain altogether whether he shall enjoy them yea or no how can a man be thankful for that thing that he is altogether uncertain whether he shall enjoy it yea or no And how can a man go on constantly in a holy and good course of life when he cannot tell whether it will bring him to heaven or to hell yea or no as the Papists Doctrine doth say Oh it is a most uncomfortable position a position of Desperation that those enemies of Gods grace do hold and teach that a special perswasion of Gods mercy and of a mans salvation it is presumption and a false illusion of the devil for this is a Position directly contrary to the evidence of this Text. Again we see that the Apostle having spoken of Gods vessels of mercy that they are such as are prepared unto glory he doth adjoyn a particular instance who they are that are prepared unto glory even such as are called of God I and you that are effectually called hence ariseth this Conclusion viz. Doctrine That Gods effectual calling is unto men a sure and certaine evidence of their election such as are effectually called amongst men and powerfully wrought upon by the preaching of the Word and brought from their ignorance and unbelief and set out of the estate of Nature into the state of grace they have hereby an infallible evidence that they are such as shall be saved eternally and this truth we finde made good unto us in many places of Scripture in Romans 8.30 VVhom he Predestinated them also he called where we see Gods effectual calling it is a fruit following necessarily upon Gods Predestination as the effect the cause in Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal Life believed they that belonged to Election they were wrought upon effectually to believe in Christ and the Gospel and through their Faith and effectual Calling they were made known to be such as were appointed to life and glorie in Heaven in John 10.16 saith Christ Other sheep I have that are not of this fold they also must be called and they shall answer my calling and voice and be effectually to their Calling and shall know of what fold they are of they shall receive my mark and know my voice and answer my call in 2 Thess 2.13 The Apostle having said That the believing Thessalonians were from the beginning chosen to salvation he presently subjoyneth in the 14. verse whereunto he hath called you by the preaching of his Gospel that you might obtain salvation thereby signifying that their effectual calling was an evidence of their election and to these many more might be added all proving that effectual Calling is a certain evidence of Election and it must needs be so for this Reason Because God in time doth call all those whom he hath before all time from everlasting fore-ordained and set apart to life and glory in Heaven and therefore effectual calling it is proper and peculiar onely unto Gods Elect others are called outwardly but Gods effectual calling is proper and peculiar to Gods Childeren and all those shall in Gods due time be effectually called that are appointed to salvation in Heaven so that it followeth necessarily that Gods effectual Calling is unto men a sure evidence of Gods Election of them unto salvation Now this point is of excellent use Vse in the first place it maketh known unto us how we may come to be assured of our own salvation and that that we in particular are in the number of Gods Chosen and such as shal be saved a matter of great weight and a thing indeed wherein many do erre and goe astray in this one point as those are strongly deluded by the Devil who thinke as many doe that if men doe live a civil and orderly life whatsover they be though they be Papists Familists Anabaptists or whatsoever yet if they leade a Civil and orderly life and carriage in the World they shall certainly be saved but these are deceived for it is not a Civil and orderly living in the World
16 Love whether due to the none Elected page 21 Love wisheth well to the souls of the beloved page 21 22 Love of the father in sending of Christ page 38 How God loved Jacob expounded page 105 Love of God eternal cause of all good to his page 106 Love of God to us how it differeth from our love unto others page 107 He should endeavour to see the love of God in all that we enjoy ibid. Love of God to his Eternal 1â—8 and how page 109 how God loveth his Elect when enemies ibid. Lump expounded page 176 M O MAn what is meant by it page 166 Mary the blessed Virgin saved not by bearing Christ in her womb but in heart by faith page 28 Merit of works the doctrine of it confuted page 94 see more 201 2. use 202 1. use Mercy of God towards his chosen dependeth onely on the good pleasure of his will page 124 125 Mercy of God to his then sweeeest when compared with his wrath on thewicked page 196 Mercy of God to his Elect and Chosen shall be one day manifested page 198 the special uses of that point page 199 Mercy of God to his Elect and Chosen is directed to his own glory page 200 Mercy of God is to be magnified page 201 Mercy of God the ground of our happinesse in heaven page 202 Ministers of God are to manifest both love and wisdom when they deliver harsh things to the hearers p. 3. Ministers must yet take heed of daubing or man pleasing ibid. Ministers must take care to apply the word of God to the hearers aright page 51 128 How they assure men of salvation page 129 use 1. Ministers of the word must use to deal plainly with the hearers page 228 N NAtural estate a miserable condition page 220 Natural estate of the Elect considered ibid. Necessity is twofold shewed page 110 Nicodemus his carnal reasoning page 158 O OBservation of times lawful and unlawful page 79 superstitious Observation of dayes reproved page 122 Opinions false and erroneous drawn from misconceit are very hardly left page 71 Opinions false and Erroneous to be disclaimed and utterly abhorred page 118 Opinions Erroneous arise chiefly from fleshly and carnal Reasoning page 158 P Painting of faces abominable and why page 174 Patinece of God towards the wicked and Reprobate shewed and the reason of it page 185 186 the end and use of Gods patience therein page 187 18 Patience of God abused very offensive to him page 188 Motives not to abuse the patience of God page 190 Papists can be no true friends to Protestant States page 32 use Papists overthrow the truth of Christs humane natures page 37 Popish slander answered and confuted page 41 78 Popish doctrine confuted page 94 132 133 Popish practise observed and reproved page 103 Papists abuse the written word and how page 121 137 Papists impudent cavil answered page 172 Popish Pilgrimages censured and reproved page 224 Peter whether ever Bishop of Rome questionable page 35 Piety the great force and power of it noted page 34 of Parents beneficial to children page 35 Places distinction taken away under the new Testament page 223 Pharaoh King of Egypt why raised up of God page 135 How God is said to harden his heart page 136 Preachers in applying the word may fitly and lawfully say this is a word of comfort c. page 71 Preachers must apply general truthes of God to particular cases and concernments page 128 Presumption how best beaten down in us page 167 Pride one special ground of it discovered Priviledge none whatsoever outward can make graceless persons accepted of God page 28 No outward Priviledge to be rested in no not outward profession of Religion ibid. Promises misapplyed are not comfortable page 50 Promises Rom. 9. what meant by them page 27 Promises of God firm and stable page 48 49 comfort to such as are interested in them ibid. Promises of two sorts page 71 Promises made good all the sorts of them page 72 Profane Proverb reproved page 35 Man fitly compared to Potters vessel with the use of it page 177 178 Q Quarrelling with Gods will very abominable page 173. Questioning the will of God great impudency page 169 not tolerable to do it page 171 Questioning of God a weaknesse in the Saints ibid. R REason carnal apt to gather false conclusions from true principles page 157 the ground of Erroneous Opinions page 158 Carnal Reason apt to abuse Scripture page 159 Religion the glory of a Nation page 32 Reprobation the decree of it from Eternity page 109 c. Reprobates how they sin of necessity page 110 what things cannot be found in them page 111 Reprobation the doctrine of it revealed in Scripture page 139 Reprobates hardened by God and how page 140 Gods highest end in their destruction page 194 Revelation besides or against Scripture to be rejected page 137 Revenge not to be sought by Christians and why page 193 S SAdnesse of Gods children reproved page 49 use Salvation of man wholly in Gods hand page 133 Stars their position not to be observed page 78 79 Separatists reproved and confuted page 52 53 Similitudes in Preaching must be of things known page 177 Scripture if obscure in one place is usually explained and made plain in another page 63 Scripture best expounder of it self page 65 Scripture sufficient to resolve all doubts page 77 136 used by the Apostles to prove doctrines page 103 Scripture sufficient in fundamentals and why page 137 how known to be the word of God page 138 Scripture expresse words not alwaies necessary to be used in preaching proved page 215 Scripture apt to be perverted by wicked men page 65 but ought not to be abused page 215 Successions of persons without truth and piety nothing page 35 Swearing lawful p. 5. but vain reproved ibid. Swearing must be by the true God onely p. 6 7 T TRuths of God how to be delivered page 113 subject to be perverted page 114 Truth in word and heart go together p. 7 V VIrginity whether justly to be preferred before Marriage yea or no page 28 Vessel of clay is man even the strongest page 177 178 Vessel of wrath explained page 183 Vessel of wrath and child of wrath differ page 183 Elect and Reprobate both Vessels page 184 Vessels of mercy how known ibid. W VVEaknesse of Saints discovered page 171 Wilful sinners dangerous condition page 193 Will of God in Predestination Independent page 180 Will of God irresistible page 163 Will of God ever backed by his power page 164 the right use of it ibid. Will of God in all things just and holy page 122 not to be opposed by carnal reason page 123 Will of God overthroweth not the freedom of mans will page 164 Will of God not to be questioned page 169 not to be quarrelled against page 172 Quarrellers against Gods will noted page 174 Wish of the Apostle Rom. 9.3 lawful page 19 the extent of that wish weighed page 20