save man Doct. was nothing in man but the free mercie of God and therefore the Apostle Ephes 1.4 5 6 7. Hee hath chosen us in him Hee hath chosen us according to the good pleasure of his will Hee hath accepted us in his Beloved to the praise of the glorie of his grace wee have the forgivenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace And Ephes 2.8 By grace are yee saved not of your selves it is the gift of God Ob. Yea but the Apostle saith Yee are saved by grace through faith therefore not onely grace but our owne faith is the cause of salvation I answer Faith is not here considered as any worke of ours but as an instrument whereby we receive grace and he must needs receive grace who will be saved by grace and how is grace received but by the hand of faith therefore faith doth not properly justifie and save a man either in whole or in part but receiveth righteousnesse and salvation and therefore is said to justifie because it receiveth salvation and righteousnesse and is the hand or instrument receiving but not deserving grace and salvation And when we say that faith doth justifie it is in respect of the object apprehended viz. Christ who only effectually and properly doth justifie by his grace So that this faith is so farre from being derogatorie from grace that no man can have grace that hath not faith to receive it and the Apostle joynes them fitly together grace whereby wee are saved and faith by which we apprehend it that which saves effectually and that which saves instrumentally that is grace and faith As the Israelites stung by serpents were healed by the brazen Serpent so are wee by Christ Ioh. 3.14 15. But they did nothing but onely looke upon the brazen Serpent so are we to doe nothing for our justification but to fix the eye of faith upon Christ whence wee see who must have the glorie for our salvation namely God 2. How vile and miserable we were before grace that there was nothing in us why God should love us or looke mercifully upon us or purpose to save us Before I proceed there is yet one generall note to be collected hence viz. That though the sins of the Iewes deserved a full rejection of them all yet God did not consider what they deserved but what might stand with his owne goodnesse and mercie So he did with rebellious Ephraim I will not destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man Hos 11.9 which is a wonderfull comfort to us poore sinner who many times deserve to be cast from Gods favour to have the meanes of salvation denied unto us to bee cast for ever from Gods presence yet God will not doe it for he considers what is sit to be done in mercie and therefore deferres his judgement from us and so I come to the conclusion of the application in the sixth verse VERS 6. And if it bee of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke THis latter part of the verse is left out by Origen Chrysostome and the Spanish Edition as Soto hath observed and also by the vulgar Edition but is constantly read by Arias Montanus Beza Casaubonus and in all the Greek copies they containe in them a porisme or inserence upon the former proposition the argument is raised from the nature of immediate contraries whereof the Law is in Aristotle that the putting off the one necessarily implyes the removing of the other The two contrarie termes grace and workes which cannot both be causes of election The Syllogisme seemes to bee made thus Both grace and workes cannot be the causes of election but grace is that was concluded in the fifth verse The reason of the sequele because then grace were no more grace but works But these be contraries Grace gives a reward not due a worke requires it as due As Paul distinguishing betweene faith and workes To him that worketh the wages is due not by favour but by debt Rom. 4.4 I will not insist upon the Apostles reciprocall argument I draw all to an Enthymeme we are elected of grace therefore not by workes and because the antecedent was handled before there remaines now nothing but the conclusion which I comprehend in one bare proposition thus God in mans election had no respect unto mans good workes Doct. I need not stand to tell you of Bellarmine who strongly confirmes the point in hand De grat lib. arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. In Hebr. 5. Sect. 7. contrarie to the Rhemists Annotation alleaging for themselves 2 Tim. 2.20 21. In a great house there bee vessels of honour c. If any man purge himselfe where say they by purging a mans selfe he is made a vessell of honour Bellarmines answer is good that Paul sayes not hee is made but he is that is it is hence manifest that he is a vessell of honor as if he should say there be two seals of mans being a vessel of honor the first inward that knowledge of divine approbation which is knowen onely to God the second outward the purging of our hearts and the cleansing of our consciences and reforming of our wayes of which Peter 2 Pet. 1.10 But for the further cleering of it I propose two or three reasons 1. That which is the effect fruit cannot justly be called the cause impulsive of election But all good works are effects fruits of election as the Apostle witnesseth He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world that we should be holy a Vt essemus sancti non quia suturi eramus secundium veluntatem suam non nostram quae bona esse non potest nisi ipse subveniat 〈◊〉 bona That we might be holy not because we were about to be holy and according to his will not ours which cannot bee good unlesse he makes it good saith Augustine And writing against Iulian the Pelagian b Nullum Dominus elegit dignum sed eligen do efficit dignū Lib. 5. cap. 3. The Lord chose none worthy but by electing man made him worthy 2. Our election depends not upon him that willeth Rom. 9.16 but of God that sheweth mercie c Vbi nune opera ubi merita praeterita velfutura liberi arbitrii viribus impleta Aug. in huncloc Epist 105. ad Sixtum Where are workes now where are merits past or to come filled with the powers of free will saith Augustine So that I may say of those who attribute election and justification to their workes as hee doth to Valentine a Glorianter quasi non acceperint qui opera jactitant in seipsis non in Domino gloriantur Epist 46. They glorie as if they received not who boast of their workes they glorie in themselves not in the Lord. And his conclusion against them shall be mine b Liberantur per
gratian dicuntur vosa non meritorum sed misericardiae Lib. 5. de natura gratia cap 1. They are freed by grace and are called not vessels of merits but of mercie Vnto these I adde a fourth reason if you read the ninth to the Romans where the Apostle sifts and searches out the impulsive cause of predestination hee brings all to one of these foure heads 1. To the purpose or good pleasure of God that the purpose might remaine vers 11. 2. To the will of God Hee hath mercie on whom hee will and whom hee will hee hardeneth vers 18. 3. To his power Hath not the potter power c. vers 21. 4. To his mercie It is not in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercie vers 16. But wheresoever he doth mention election he never makes mention of workes unlesse to exclude them as P. Martyr speakes as here he doth if of grace then not of workes Lastly if workes be the causes of election then in necessitie they are of justification also for that rule in Logicke is constant Whatsoever is the cause of the cause Quicq id est causa causae est causae causati is the cause of the thing caused But good workes are not the causes of justification for first that which justifies is that which can answer the extremitie of Gods justice But mans obedience cannot doe it being onely a begun conformitie as Chemnitius speakes Exam. Trident. Concil Sess 6. To them that will doe good evill is present Secondly if justified by workes then all boasting is not excluded but all boasting is excluded For wee are justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3.24 So that that which justifies a man is the satisfaction and obedience the justice of Christ our Mediator proposed in the Word apprehended by faith and by God imputed to all that beleeve So that we dare stand before God if that Christ stand betweene God and our sinnes that is our buckler wherewith we are protected from judgement by which we are emboldened to goe and appeare at the Tribunall of God and are there pronounced just So that though in respect of Christ it be satisfaction merit and righteousnesse yet in respect of us it is grace and mercie I could muster great Iuries of Scriptures and ancient Fathers to passe verdict on our side but I need not onely remember what Possidonius reports of Ambrose a Etsi non sic vixt ut pudeat inter vos vivere tomen non tâ—neo mors sed quia Don inum habeo bonum In vita August cap. 27. Though I have not so lived that I may be ashamed to live amongst you b Pateor non sum dignus ego nec propriu pessum meritis reguum abtinere culorum caeterum duplicâ— jure illud bâ—inens Dominuâ— hae reditate patris merito pessionu attero pse contentus alterâ—â—â— ihi dorat exenjus doâ—o jure illud vendans non cons nâ—or cap 12. yet I feare not to die not because I have lived well but because I have a good Lord. And I finde in the life of Bernard that seeming to be before Gods Tribunall and Satan opposing him and when Satan had done the good man seemed thus to reply I confesse I am not worthy neither can I by mine owne deserts obtaine the kingdome of Heaven but my Lord obtaining it by a do able right by his Fathers inheritance and the merit of his passion being content with one himselfe giveth mee the other of whose gift challenging it by right I am not confounded And therefore Bellarmine out of Bernard Because of the uncertaintie of our righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie Propter incertitudinem propriae jâ—â—tiae pericâ—lum in â—â—is glâ—ria tutissius â—â— est fidâ—i am totam insole Dei misericordia benâ—gnitate reponere De justif lib. 5. Cap 4. lib. 5. cap 7. propos 3. it is safest to put our whole trust in the sole mercie and goodnesse of God The Vse is to teach us first that we must not set up an Idoll in our owne hearts and thanke our selves Secondly an infinite comfort that our happinesse depends not upon our selves for then we should even be driven to despaire in regard of many sinnes and waverings which would breed not onely doubt but certaintie that wee should never be saved but seeing it depends upon God who is unchangeable Vse upon God whose promises are Yea and Amen upon God who is the same for ever wee may be sure that wee shall not misse of glorie which he hath laid up and prepared for all that love him And so I descend from the consolation of the rejected Iewes which was the first to the confirmation of their rejection which is the second maine point in the whole Chapter VERS 7. Vers 7 What then Israel hath not obtained that hee sought but the election hath obtained and the rest have been hardened IN the confirmation I note 1. The proposition to be confirmed 2. The testimonies and witnesses confirming it The proposition is aggregate and hath three branches 1. Israel hath not obtained what he sought 2. The elect have obtained what they sought for there is a taking of the abstract for the concrete 3. All the reprobates in Israel are given over to hardnesse of heart The witnesses to confirme all these are David and Isay that by the mouth of two or three witnesses everie word may be confirmed The testimony of David is in Psal 69.22 Let their table bee made a snare and a net and a stumbling blocke let their eyes be darkened that they see not which seemes to bee spoken by way of imprecation but is to be understood by way of prophecie The testimony of Isay is in Isa 6.9 God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare till this day I begin with the first branch viz. Israel hath not obtained Where note 1. Who is meant by Israel not the whole number of the twelve Tribes for then had Paul beene one of them for he was of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Benjamine nor must wee understand by Israel those that be called Israel Rom. 9.6 viz. the elect for then the second part of the proposition were false viz. the elect have obtained But by Israel we must understand the out-casts of Israel 2. Note what this Israel sought it appeares Rom. 10.3 They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God went about to establish their owne righteousnesse and then the meaning is that they sought life by their owne righteousnesse and therefore obtained not what they sought but for the elect who sought life by faith in Iesus Christ they found life where I would have you first note in generall the division of Israel into two parts Some elect some not some hardened some not some obtaine salvation and some doe not Doct.
not onely whilest they live by their sinnes treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and prepare a fire in which they shall everlastingly be burned but also by propagating their sinnes unto posteritie and leaving behinde them the example of their vices whereby others daily are successively corrupted doe adde fuell to that hellish fire and increase their never ending torments So Gods servants even after they are dead have still a stocke going when as they leave behinde them their Christian vertues for examples and their holy writings teaching and perswading others to follow them whereby a daily addition is made to their glorie and happinesse Such legacies after his departure hath this reverend and faithfull servant of Christ left for the use and benefit of the Church and such children to perpetuate his name and memorie unto all posteritie I meane the summe and substance of many his learned Sermons which he preached in his place charge at S. Marie Overies in Southwarke to the great benefit comfort and contenment of those that heard him The which though he had not polished and perfected for the Presse as he might have done if it had pleased God to have prolonged his life yet I thought it not fit that they should alwaies be hidden from the world because they had not on them their best apparrell They were I assure thee his owne legitimate children conceived and bred in his owne braine which were thus farre fitted for their birth and prepared for the Presse though himselfe wanted life and strength to bring them forth Esteeme them not the lesse because they are Orphans but entertaine them rather with the more love and if thou findest in them any defects and wants pitie them the more because they have lost their father who would had he lived have supplyed them and esteeme them both in their own worth and also for their fathers sake And if I finde that thou givest this kinde entertainment to these his fruitfull labours as it were his first borne there are divers other children of the same father which shall ere long bee brought to light I meane his Lectures on the twelfth Chapter to the Romans and on a great part of the â—19 Psalme with some others In the meane while I commend them to God and the word of his grace which is able to build thee up and to give thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Thine in the Lord Iesus J. D. The Contents GOds Ministers must not conceale comforts from the wicked pag. 5 Wicked men presume upon outward privileges pag. 9 No outward privileges exempt from Gods anger p. 12 The faithfull cannot finally fall away p. 14 All that carrie the name of Christians are not in the Covenant p. 17 Those of all Nations that beleeve and repent shall be saved p. 19 A man may be assured of his salvation in this life p. 22 Parentage can neither hinder nor further salvation p. 40 Grace is above greatnesse p. 42 Sinne will ruine a people notwithstanding outward privileges p. 46 God predestinated us in Christ p. 52 We are predestinate to the meanes as well as the end p. 53 Faith nor workes forseene no cause of election p. 60 No meanes to glorie but by Christ p. 71 All that doe good workes are elect and shall be saved p. 74 The elect cannot finally be cast off p. 76 The Scriptures able to make wise to salvation p. 79 There is a familiaritie between God and his children p. 85 Prophets and good men stand in the gap p. 87 Prayers the Churches best weapons p. 89 The wicked persecute the best most p. 93 When the Prophets are gone the people fall from God p. 95 Wicked men overthrow the meanes of Gods service p. 98 Wicked men dispute against the truth with the sword p. 99 Christs Church scarsly visible sometimes p. 100 Wicked men requite Gods Prophets evill for good p. 102 When Gods servants crie to him hee answereth them p. 104 A great grace in corrupt times to bee preserved from sinne p. 109 God owneth not Idolaters for his p. 110 God hath alway a Church though invisible to man p. 113 To bow before an Idoll is idolatrie p. 117 God at all times preserves his Church p. 118 Those that belong to God are not many p. 120 God saveth man of his free grace p. 126 God in electing man respects not good workes p. 129 All men shall not be saved p. 134 No man can attaine life by his owne righteousnesse p. 135 Those that stand upon their owne holinesse are hardned p. 137 We must seeke God in a right manner p. 138 A man elect shall certainly be saved p. 139 Hardnesse of heart a signe of reprobation p. 141 The written Word should bee Iudge of controversies p. 144 Causes of hardnesse of heart p. 145 God punisheth one sinne with another p. 162 An heavie judgement to neglect the meanes to know God p. 163 Meanes of salvation abused turne to destruction p. 168 A miserie to heare and not profit p. 169 Meanes contemned are not profitable p. 173 God receiveth all that turne to him p. 164 The best things of wicked men turne to their destruction p. 177 They that seeke life in the Law finde destruction p. 181 God repayes men in the same kinde p. 182 God punisheth unbeleevers with spirituall blindnesse p. 187 God hates and severely punisheth infidelitie p. 193 When wicked men abuse their power God deprives them of it p. 194 Prudence in Ministers in denouncing of judgements p. 200 Men stumble at those things that should support them p. 203 The best may stumble reprobates fall finally p. 206 God workes good out of evill p. 208 God workes good to his by unlikely meanes p. 213 God takes al oportunities to do his children good p. 214 When the Gospell is abused God takes it away p. 216 Where the Gospell is preached salvation is offered p. 218 God requires an holy emulation p. 221 The good that is in others should provoke us to follow them p. 223 Gods kindnesse should make us ashamed of unthankfulnesse p. 225 The grace and knowledge of God and Christ is true riches p. 231 The Iewes at their conversion shall be inriched with graces p. 239 Faithfull Preachers turne all they say to their peoples use p. 241 Good people feare the losse of their faithfull Preachers p. 243 Ministers should intend the good of their people p. 247 Ministers by preaching and liuing should grace their calling p. 250 Good Ministers aime at the salvation of soules p. 252 A good Minister Gods instrument to save soules p. 256 Preachers must neglect no meanes to convert soules p. 258 We ought most to tender the salvation of those that are neere us p. 259 Living in sinne is an estate of death p. 261 Wee should not despaire of the calling of the Iewes p. 264 The Gospell the meanes of raising men from the dead p. 266 What is due to God of his owne blessings
in all the elect So that our point is this God did predestinate all that shall bee saved both to grace and glorie for his good pleasures sake not for any faith that he did foresee should bee in them Faith sore-seene no causes of election nor for any workes which hee knew they would does and wee can confirme it by these reasons following First Reason 1 from Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God might remaine according to election not of workes but of him that calleth that is of the sole good pleasure of him that calleth from whence the argument may bee collected thus If election were for fore-seene faith then not of the sole good purpose of him that calleth but that is contrarie to the words of the Apostle Secondly Reason 2 Faith is a fruit of election and therfore must come after it therefore did God chuse us not because wee were about to beleeve but that we might beleeve See Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world not because wee were but that wee might bee holy So in Tit. 1.1 it is called sides electorum Dei the faith of Gods elect In Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Thirdly Reason 3 Faith is the gift of God by grace are ye saved through faith which is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 And Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given for Christs sake that you should beleeve in him Initiorum sidei incrementique lagitor Deus Ambros de vocat Gent. lib. 2. cap. 1. and suffer for his sake God is the giver of the beginnings and encrease of faith Now this being granted it followes that God was not moved by foreseene faith to elect for that which God in electing did give to man could not bee the cause that moved God to elect man I might urge the argument of Augustine De predest Sanct. lib c. 16. Workes foreseene no cause of election That grace goes before faith in the order of nature as the cause precedes the effect I come to shew that God had not respect to mens workes I will not stand to shew how Bellarmine Bellarm. de gratia libero Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. Sect. 9. affents unto my proposition and consirmes it contrarie to the Rhemists upon the Hebrewes who bring for themselves that in Heb. 5.9 He is made the Author of salvation to all that obey Hence they say a man is not elected without condition of obedience And that in 2 Tim. 2.20 21. in a great house there are not onely vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood c. and if any man purge himselfe hee shall be a vessell of honour where say they by free will and good workes a man is made a vessell of honour whereto I will shape them no other answer than that which is given by Bellarmine Deorâ—â—â—e lib. 2. cap. 13. For answer to the second testimony the Apostle faith not That a man by purging himselfe is made a vessell of honour but is a vessell of honour that is shall by this be knowen to bee a vessell of honour as if hee should say there bee two seales of mans being a vessell of honour one inward which cannot bee seene of us in this life that is the knowledge of divine approbation The other outward the avoyding of sinne and iniquitie that is by these it appeares that wee are surely predestinate and so wee are exhorted by Peter to make our calling and election sure Now the reasons whereby I prove my proposition are these 1. That which is the effect of election cannot be the cause Reason 1 But all good workes are fruits and effects of election as appeareth Ephes 1.4 upon which words Augustine Elegit nos ut essen us sanch non quia crornus secundum voluntatem suam non nostram quae bonaesse non possit nisi isse ut siat bona sabveniat Hee chose us that wee might be holy not because we were about to be holy and according to his will not ours which cannot bee good except hee helpe it that it may bee made good And verie excellent is that of the same Father against I ulianus the Pelagian He chose no man worthy but by chusing made him worthy 2. Lib. 5. cap. 3. Reason 2 Our election is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Rom. 9.16 but of God shewing mercie but if it were for our fore-seene workes it were not of mercie but of him that willeth and runneth Liberautur per gratiam aicnutur non vasa suorum meritorum sedm sericor diae August dexatura gratia lib. 5. cap. 1. They are freed by grace and are said to be vessels not of their owne merits but of mercie Yea the Rhemists upon Rom. 9.14 have confessed that election is a worke of Gods meere mercie contrarie to themselves and if of meere mercie then without all respect of our workes or fore-seene faith 3. Reason 3 It may be proved from Luc. 12.32 It is the Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome And Ioh. 15.16 Yee have not chosen mee but I have chosen you but if God should chuse men for good workes then they had first chosen him nor doth God chuse men because hee sees that men will doe good but chuseth men that hee make them workers of good and to persevere in good as Bellar mine proves it sufficiently Degratia lib. Arbit lib. 2. cap. 10. If any man be scrupulous and doubtfull let him but looke Aug. Epist 105. to Sixtus Epist 46. to Valentinus and Bellar mine in the place before noted I come to see what the adversarie hath against this doctrine that we may soone shape them an answer and shake them off The first may be out of Rom. 8.29 Object 1 Those whom he knew before he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne therefore Gods prescience of men to be like c. is the cause of Predestination whereto I answer first that their prescience is put for the proegumenicall cause that is his free mercie and the meaning is that whom God lookt upon in mercie hee did also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne by righteousnesse and holinesse So the word is used Iob. 10.14 Psal 1.6 Secondly the Apostle saith not he knew them to be like and therefore did predestinate them but did predestinate them that they might be like Secondly they dispute from Matth. 20.8 Object 2 Call the Labourers and give them their hire therefore Heaven is ordained for mens good workes Whereto I answer first that the place sheweth that good workes are the way wherein men must walke that come to Heaven but they doe not prove that God in his decree had respect unto them There is a difference betweene the decree of predestination and the execution Good workes goe before the possession of Heaven but not before the purpose
to offer to the Idoll they afterward in detestation of their former act would bee avenged of their hands which offered by the burning of their whole bodies I proceed to the application of this storie unto Pauls time VERS 5. Vers 5 Even so at this present time there is a remnant through the election of grace THis Application containes foure points 1. The time of this preservation this time 2. The number a remnant 3. The meanes efficient and ground of preservation the election 4. The impulsive cause of election grace and not workes I begin with the time whence the observation is Doct. That God doth at all times preserve a Church that embraceth the true worship of God In Isa 6. ult There shall be desolation in the midst of the land but yet in it shall be a tenth and shall returne c. The Assyrians may make the people of Ierusalem so few that a childe may tell them Isa 10.19 yet the remnant shall returne even the remnant of Iacob vers 21. Iudah shall dwell for ever and Ierusalem from generation to generation in Ioel 3.20 whereby is signified that there shall be some of Gods Church preserved to the end of the world and if ever God had wanted a Church it would surely have beene in the time of those ten bloudy persecutions begun under Nero Onpbius Fast lib. 2. in the yeare of Christ 65. when Peter and Paul were beheaded continued under Domitian when Iohn was banisht into Pathmos under Trajane when Ignatius Bishop of Antioch under Antoninus when Polycarpe under Severus when Leonides father of Origen was martyred Quo tempore universus orbis sacro martyrum cruore insectus erat Neque unquam maâ—ri triumpho vic mus quam ciâ—n decimorum annorum strage non potuimus vinci untill the the time of Dioclesian When the world did swim with the bloud of Martyrs Neither over came wee ever with a greater triumph than when we could not be overcome with ten yeares slaughter Or if ever the Church could have beene quite pulled downe it would have beene in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes when he entred the temple at Ierusalem burned the bookes of Moses and the Prophets proclaimed feasting and riot in the house of God and put to death young and old Carion Chron. lib. 2. that would not renounce the Law which Moses had delivered The reason Reason because God is constant and sure in the promise which he hath made touching the continuall keeping of his Church I will marrie thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 yea in faithfulnesse to shew that hee will never part with his Spouse againe vers 21. From whence we may take just occasion to answer the objection of the Papists Vse 1 who tell us that wee are surely not the Church because the Church was ever but we never till the time of M. Luther My reply that the Apostles and the Primitive Church for almost six hundred yeares after Christ taught as we doe and since those times hath Poperie had her growth and ever since some have maintained our religion till this day In matter of supremacie they taught as we doe till after Gregories times which was six hundred yeares after Christ yea Gregorie writing against Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Lib. 6. Epist 30. If any calleth himselfe universall Bishop he is Antichrist In matter of the Sacrament Th. Aquin. in 1 Cor. 11. Lect. 6. for a thousand yeares together the people received the wine as well as the bread Secondly to stay the malice of the Churches enemies for they labour but in vaine Vse 2 God is on her side Rom. 8.31 And when she hath none to take her part the Lord himselfe will doe it Isa 59.16 Thirdly a comfort for all good and religious hearts Vse 3 to thinke that howsoever they may bee punisht for their sinnes and enemies may bring them to the sword yet some of them shall continue and stand to see the enemies fall religion shall not quite goe downe So I come to the number a remnant There is a remnant Those that belong unto God are not many which must not bee simply understood for in themselves they be many even an hundred fortie and foure thousand Apoc. 7.4 among the Tribes of Israel and among the Gentiles a multitude which no man could number of all nations and languages stood before the Lord and before the Lambe with long white robes and palmes in their hands c. vers 9. But in comparison of those that shall be cast away they are but few as Matth. 20.16 the Apostle is peremptorie Though Israel were as the sand yet a remnant shall be saved there is much chaffe but little wheat many stones but few pearles If a man should divide the world into three parts with Ptolomie or into foure with some later writers or into six with our last Geographers as Quade and others Lib. 1. cap. 2. 〈◊〉 and you shall not finde one of seven that professeth Christ aright they are all confined into a narrow corner in the Northwest And in this corner remove Atheists Heretiques Neutrals Worldlings Hypocrites and the remainder will be verie small and there â—e doth Christ call it a little flocke Luk. 12.32 and the gate a strait gate Luk. 13.24 and the way a narrow way Matth. 7.14 And if you should but looke upon the lives and actions of most men and see how everie man wastes his life in sinne and vanitie you would joyne with mee and say there are not many that can be saved if you doe but see how all care for earth and few for heaven you will say that surely verie few can bee saved how everie man lives and rots in one sinne or other dandles and hugs one Dalilah or other you will say that few can be saved how everie man spends his dayes in libertie and loosenesse both of life and conscience how they gather and build upon earth and strive how they may continue their names here never dreaming of a building in heaven of writing their names in heaven you will say surely few can be saved What use may wee make of this but to see Vse that the ordinarie pace and course which men take can never bring a man to heaven If then we will ever bee saved and bee of that remnant 1. Wee must learne the way to heaven perfectly 2. When we know it we must walke in it 3. We must cast off all luggage and superfluitie that hinder us in it And so I proceed to that which is the foundation and ground of this preservation viz. the election of grace S. Origen in his wandring speculation Origen in Rom. 11. would here make a difference betweene those which are called by grace viz. those that beleeve in Christ and those which are called by election of grace which beside faith in Christ have good workes as if true saith could ever be without them and Chrysostome that they were elected of
p. 258 Not to feare though meanes seeme contrarie p. 358 Shew our love to Christ to his members p. 53 Election is of mercie p. 62 God saveth man of free mercie p. 126 Mercie of God sâ—staining men even when they sin p. 160 All our good is of Gods mercie p. 314 Against the abuse of Gods mercie p. 3â—9 The greatnesse of Gods mercie p. 352 Where Gods mercie most aboundeth hee punisheth sinne p â—69 Many now in state of sinne shall finde mercie p. 435 The elect onely shall have mercie p. 440 Wee should disclaime our workes in respect of merit p. 52 Man ready to ascribe the good things hee hath to his merit p. 306 Eternall life not by merit p. 426 Love to Ministers a signe of election p. 35 Few love Ministers as they ought p. â—6 Ministers their dutie p. 91 Reverence and love to Ministers p. 97 Of the labour of Ministers p. 248 258 Complaint of the ill carriage of Ministers p. 252 Duty of people to Ministers p. 259 Multitude no roâ—e of the Church p. 101 The depth of Gods counsels should keepe in from murmuring p. 458 Reproofe of those that murmur against Gods works p. 464 Everie point of godlinesse a mysterie p. 366 Not to search too farre into hid mysteries p. 458 N. PApists brag only of the name of a Church p. 11 Nineveh the strength of it p. 12 Wee should most tender the salvation of those that are neare us p. 259 God will alter the course of nature for his childrens good p. 357 Iewes and Gentiles alike by nature p. 433 O. NEw obedience a signe of election p. 32 New obedience three conditions of it ibid. Assurance of glorie by obeying Gods call p. 73 Objections against the doctrine of election p. â—3 Oppose See Gospell God takes all opportunities to doe his children good p. 214 To imitate God in taking opportunities to doe good p. 215 Ordinances of God how to account of them p. 186 Wee should beware of those sinnes that wee see punisheth in others p. 342 How to keepe from censuring others p. 430 Ministers should chiefly intend the good of their owne people p. 247 Wicked men judge of their estate by outward things p. 9 Wicked men excell others in outward things p. 10 Not to judge our selves by outward things p. 13 Outward profession not to be rested in p. 113 Outward privileges exempt not from punishment p. 332 See Election P. PArentage neither furthereth nor hinders salvation p. 40 439 Meannesse of Parentage no prejudice p. 42 Paul his description of himselfe p. 18 Promises of God how made to men in particular p. 23 Good men defend Gods people from persecution p. 87 Who the wicked persecute most p. 93 New obedience perpetuall p. 32 Comfort to those that live in evill places p. 20 Everie sinne hath its plea. p. 296 Gods pleasure the impulsive cause of election p. 56 Power abused God takes away p. 194 Power of God absolute p. 407 Possesse See Satan Predestination what p. 49 Predestination and providence distinguished p. 50 Predestination defined ib. Predestination abused to sinne p. 53 Predestination the order of it p. 54 Predestination the parts of it p. 55 Predestination three effects of it p. 71 Predestination the impulsive cause of it p. 130 Prayer an effect of the Spirit p. 27 Example of Saints oft in prayer ibid. Three things make God not to heare prayer p. 106 See Weapons Forgetfulnesse the cause of pride p. 280 Pride how to abate it p. 281 Three things to keepe men from pride of gifts p. 291 Three reasons to keepe from pride p. 305 None should bee proud of that he enjoyes p. 366 Wicked men presume upon outward privileges p. 9 Not to be â—ortent with outward privileges p. 11 Sin will ruine a people notwithstanding all privileges p â—6 Privileges spirituall all by Christ p. 52 The Gentiles have the Iewes privileges p. 287 Sinne will bring downe these that have the greatest privileges p. 301 See Anger Outward Profession See Outward A miserie to heare and not profit p. 170 Meanes contemned profit not p. 175 What makes men so little profit p. 263 Promises of God assure us of salvation p. 22 Promises to the Iewes belong to us p. 275 What over God hath promised shall come to passe p. 401 See Particular When the Prophets are made away people fall from God p. 95 Good people feare the losse of their Prophets p. 243 Prudence in Ministers in denouncing judgements p. 200 Punishment three things in it p. 152 God punisheth men in their best things p. 184 Foure good effects God brings out of punishment p. 210 Like sinne brings like punishments p. 33 Punishments accompanie sinne p. 388 See Sin Outward Mercie Q. QVestions curious unnecessarie p. 466 R. MYsteries of salvation above reason p. 457 God receives great sinners p. 351 Christ reconciles man to God p. 398 The manner of Christs reconciling in five things ibid. Rejection of God twofold p. 47 Rejoycing of wicked men vaine p. â—9 Rejoycing in Gods promises p. 403 What causeth God to remove the Gospell 216 In great revolts God preserves some p. 372 The reward of holinesse 43 Reprobation what p. 56 Reprobation the causes of it p 64 67 Reprobation double p. 68 Reprobation two acts in it p. 69 Reprobation three questions concerning it ibid. The knowledge of God true riches p. 231 461 Motives to labour for the riches of the word p. 235 No man can attaine life by his owne righteousnesse p. 135 Three things in Christs righteousnesse ibid. Bellarmines objections against imputation of Christs righteousnesse p. 136 Imputation of Christs righteousnesse reconciles us p. 99 God rules all p. 92 S. THose in Christs keeping are safe p. 15 Those of all Nations that repent shall be saved p. 19 Those that doe good workes shall be saved p. 74 Three things in those that shall be saved p. 121 All men shall not be saved p. 134 Salvation offered by the Gospell p. 218 Ministers should aime at the salvation of their people p. 252 Salvation of whom to seeke it p. 400 None can satisfie for his sinnes p. 392 Popish satisfaction vaine ibid. Satans stratagems cannot cut off the elect p. 15 Satan how he holds wicked men p 45 Satan hardens the heart p. 147 186 Exhortation to read Scriptures p. 82 See Wise A judgement to have eyes and not see p. 167 Seeking two things in it p. 137 Seeking God five things in it p. 138 We must not search into secrets p. 459 Servitude under sin p. 386 A man should find the cause of judgements in himselfe p. 313 God made all things for himselfe p. 473 Sin cannot cut off the elect p. 15 Sin not the impulsive cause of reprobation p. 64 Reasons why God reprobates not for sin p. 65 The best workes of wicked men sin p. 74 Sin how God workes in it p. 152 Three things God doth concerning sin p. 158 God punisheth one sin with another p. 162 367 Foure good effects God brings out of sin p. 210 Sin the cause of peoples ruine p. 334 Sin how displeasing to God p. 337 Sin how God sits punishments to it p. 341 Sin the nature of it p. 395 Sin Christ weakneth it iâ— us p. 399 Sin two things in it p. 406 Sin what ever a carnall man doth p. 416 Sinne makes good things snares p. 180 Subjection See Bowing T. TO labour for tender hearts p. 143 Thanke God for preservation from idolatry p. 109 112 When Ministers must preach threatnings 349 Threatnings of God true p. 404 New obedience totall p. 32 Troubles to bee expected p. 95 Truth how the wicked dispute against it p. 99 God receives all that turne to him p. 173 God doth great things in short time p. 469 V. MAlice of wicked men against the Church vaine p. 119 Gods Church scarce visible sometimes p. 100 God hath alway a Church though not visible p 113 Heaven must be gotten by violence p. 397 Vocation an effect of election p. 72 God unchangeable p. 14 Comfort from Gods unchangeablenesse p. 93 To take heed of unthankfulnesse p. 160 How to bee ashamed of unthankfulnesse p. 225 Unbeleefe See Infidelitie Universall grace confuted p. 443 Universall grace an absurd doctrine p. 450 W. MInisters must give warnings of judgement p. 350 Weapons of the Church is prayer p. 89 Wicked men wearie of good things p. 28 Scriptures able to make wise p. 79 God most wise p. 464 The Iewes at their conversion shall be endowed with wisdome p. 239 Religion should have no winter p. 33 Will of God the impulsive cause of reprobation p. 69 Workes a fruit of election p. â—â— 74 Motives to good workes p. 7â— God in election had no respect to good workes p. 129. 307 Good workes justifie not p. 130 4â—9 Workes of God how to bee affected with them 456 Obedience must be grounded on the Word p. 34 Word abused to maintaine sinne p. 205 Counsel of God must not be searched beyond the Word p. 462 To bee weaned from the world a signe of election p. 27 Iewes called toward the end of the world p. 218 Wicked m n overthrow the meanes of Gods worship p. 98 God wil avenge the wrongs of his p. 195 FINIS
p. 271 Gods promises belong to posteritie p. 273 Some of any mans seed may be cast off p. 278 Our former vilenesse should keepe us from pride p. 279 Without true grace no fruit pleaseth God p. 282 All truly called become fruitfull ibid. Sinners converted well esteemed by God p. 285 Our rising by others falls must not make us proud p. 288 We must not be proud of any gifts p. 290 The Gentiles inferiour to the Iewes in many things p. 294 Everie sinne hath some plea. p. 296 None but God discernes true branches from false p. 299 No Nation so exalted but sinne will bring them downe p. 301 Men are ready to trample on the afflicted p. 302 Men are subject to be proud of gifts and graces p. 304 Men are apt to ascribe Gods gifts to their owne merits p. 307 Infidelitie separates between God and man p. 309 Man is the cause of his owne ruine p. 312 All our good of Gods meere mercie p. 314 Faith distinguisheth men p. 315 A good Christian must live in continuall feare p. 317 The faithfull cannot fall away p. 319 No outward privileges exempt sinners from punishment p. 332 Others examples must warne us p. 335 342 God fits his punishments to mans sinne p. 341 Gods bountie should make us loth to offend him p. 343 Not sufficient to have grace but to continue in it p. 347 Threats and terrours necessarie p. 348 No sinner so great but God will receive him if hee turne p. 351 God alters the course of nature for his childrens good p. 357 The experience of Gods former favours should worke assurance p. 358 Gods greater favours should assure us of the lesse p. 359 Gods children though they sinne shall not bee cast off p. 360 Men are willing to learne of those they love p. 362 Ministers and people should live and love as brethren p. 364 Weightie points should bee heard with greater attention p. 365 God would have none proud of that they enjoy p. 366 Other sins punished with hardnesse of heart p. 367 Sinne causeth punishment where mercies have abounded p. 369 In greatest revolts God preserves a Church p. 372 The Gospell though opposed shall convert the full number p. 378 None of the Iewes within the Covenant shall be lost p. 384 Man under sin in a miserable servitude p. 386 Deliverance from all miserie depends upon Christ. p. 390 Heaven must be gotten with violence p. 397 Christ alone reconciles sinners to God p. 398 God will performe all his promises p. 401 It is proper to God alone to forgive sins p. 405 God in forgiving sin takes it quite away p. 409 Man before grace is an enemie to God p. 415 They that receive not the Gospell are enemies to God p. 417 God workes good out of evill p. 420 In regard of Gods immutabilitie the elect cannot finally fall p. 422 God the Author of everie good gift p. 424 If we considered our selves wee would not judge our brethren p. 431 The estate of unbeleefe miserable p. 432 Iewes and Gentiles alike by nature p. 433 All hope depends upon Gods mercie in Christ p. 435 Many now in the state of sin shall finde mercie ibid. All men naturally guiltie of death p. 438 Gods elect shall onely finde mercie at the last day p. 440 Against universall grace p. 443 It is proper to the godly to admire Gods counsels p. 454 Wee must not curiously search into hidden secrets p. 458 Wee must search no further than the written word p. 462 God effects great matters in a short time p. 469 God is in nothing beholding to any creature p. 470 God can doe what ever hee will without any helpe p. 471 God proposed his glorie the end of all his workes p. 473 God expecteth glorie from everie thing he hath made p. 474 Man should doe nothing whereby God may not gaine glorie p. 475 Wee should chuse callings wherein wee may glorifie God p. 476 The End of the Contents Errata PAg. 14. lin 10. read consilium pag. 17. lin 17. read played p. 21. l. 3. dele Dauid p. 23. l. 10. dele that p. 25 l. 30. a fine read that all such l. 31. read the end p. 29. l. 17. dele it p. 34. l. 18. read the seventh signe p. 40. l. 7. read is our God p. 43. l. 9. read her doores p. 56. l. 24. read crueltie p. 58. l. 20. dele his p. 63. l. 4. that he may make and l. 17. read that there p. 103. l. 3. dele of pag. 106. lin 24. read lest thou shouldest pag. 108. lin 18. dele the. pag. 117. lin 7. read sound pag. 122. lin 27. read mercie That it is lin 28. dele p. 128. l. 10. read copies They and Aphorisme p. 130. in marg l. 17. read Causa causati p. 131. in marg l. 5. read mori non quia bene vixi sed c. p. 146. l. 23. read hardens his p. 151. l. 21. read God Not. p 156 l 26. read Counsell p. 158. l. 7. read formally sin l. 8. read good will p. 160. l. 16. read withdraw p. 164. l. 16. read a confluence of sinnes p. 178. l. 17. read Theseus out of the. l. 28. read goods p. 208. l 11. read An evill man pag. 254. l. 1. read the wire-drawing p. 275. l 4 read place Hereditarie p. 278. l. 24. read I have loved p. 291. l. 9. read doing evill pag. 303. l. 14. read their favours p 311. l. 5. read Isa 56. and Isa 58.13 14. p. 316. l. 22. read Simon Peter p. 317. l. 14. read pia solicitudo p. 334. l. 12. read an asymmetrie p. 375. l. 7. read this was not the. p. 378. l. 2. read in the clouds p. 431. l. 14. read an èye p. 434. l. 5. read the Apostle propounds p. 442. l. 19. read but â—ew p. 443. l. 20. read but that it is not p. 445. in marg l. 5. read gratiam p. 448. l. 21. read for that number p. 451. l. 18. read beleeve this is p. 458. l. 1 dele both and l. 6. read even to O Father p. 462. l. 28. read things hence we learne that the course p. 466 l. 1. read first given unto him p. 468. l. 16. read made and created p. 472. l. 16. read and waste us l. 17. read cruelties D. SUTTONS usuall Prayer before his Sermons OH most gracious and most glorious God before whom the Sun and the Moone become as darknesse the blessed Angels stand amazed and the glorious Cherubims are glad that they may cover and hide their faces as not daring to behold that incomprehensible greatnesse and that infinite goodnesse which thou art with what considence shall wee forlorne sinners be ever once able to appeare before thy all-seeing providence that terrible and angry countenance that sin-revenging justice of thine which is so fierce and terrible that it will shake the heavens melt the mountaines dry up the seas and make the tallest Cedars in Lebanon to tremble Good Lord where shall we hide
saying THe second argument to prove that all the Iewes are not rejected Exposition is taken from Gods fore-knowledge and seemes to be thus framed God hath not cast away his people which he knew before but some Iewes are such people as God knew before therefore some Iewes are not cast off The termes are most of them easie for God hath not cast away his they are called his whom he from eternitie did purpose to save For rejection it is either temporarie or eternall he doth cast off his for a time and seemes to hide his face and loving countenance from them I will goe away untill they seeke mee Hos 5. But eternally he casts off none but such as were of old ordained to condemnation for this fore-knowledge some say was of them whom he fore-knew to bee apt to receive faith but this was the errour of the Greekes attributing too much unto mans free will and was much opposed by Augustine For it is thus said Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord set his love upon you not because you were many but because he loved you freely That is without any cause in you Oecumenius understands it comparatively hee fore-knew them before the Gentiles that is to bee called before the Gentiles But as Beza well observes here is no mention of calling but of eternall predestination Some take it thus which he knew that is enlarged and endowed with excellent benefits and privileges But this is sufficiently controlled by Tolet Annet 1. and hath indeed no warrant in the Text. This fore-knowledge of God saith Paraeus in Scripture is taken foure wayes First most largely for his generall knowledge whereby he knoweth things to come and not to come all things that are done in heaven and in earth of this spake Peter unto Christ in Ioh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things and this knowledge is only of the understanding and speculative this is not the cause of any thing nor is to be called his predestination because hee knowes many things to be done which are not done by his counsell and will Aquin. Sum. 1. quaest 14 â—rt 8. as Aquinas Secondly it is used for the foreknowledge of those things which he decreeth to be both of good which he purposeth to doe and of evill which hee purposeth to permit This practicke knowledge is not without counsell and is the infallible cause of all things that are and is that providence whereby the world is governed called the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God Acts 2.23 And yet this differs from election The difference between fore-knowledge and election as the whole from a part for election is but one part of predestination and providence and in this sense the reprobates are fore-knowen viz. preordained to punishment for their sinnes Thirdly strictly for the election and predestination of the Saints unto grace and glorie and so Augustine expounds this place whom he knew viz. whom he did predestinate So to fore-know is to approve as by this hee knowes not the wicked Matth. 7.23 Fourthly for the proegumenicall cause of election the free favour and mercie of God we are elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father unto sanctification through obedience and sprinkling of bloud where there is both the principal cause of predestinatioÌ„ God the father Secondly one end of it sanctification as well as glorie Thirdly outward or procatarcticall cause the suffering and bloud of Christ Fourthly the inward cause his fore knowledge that is his meere love unto us for from eternitie hee beheld us in Christ and in him loved us for he hath chosen us in him Ephes 1.4 Of predestination and what it is Before I come to gather the scope and drift of Paul give me leave to instruct you in that great point of predestination and therein I will make choyce of these principall heads 1. What it is 2. The order of it 3. The parts 4. The causes of predestination 5. The effects I begin with the first Bellarmine saith Degratia lib. Arbit lib. 2. cap. 9. that it is a certaine providence of God whereby certaine men out of the masse of perdition are mercifully chosen Ex massa perditionis misericorditèr electi and so are by meanes infallible directed to eternall life But this definition doth extend predestination onely to the elect which is both of the elect and reprobate and therefore unsound Secondly he makes predestination and providence all one which in themselves are different for 1. Providence reacheth to all creatures but predestination doth not so 2. Providence directs all things to naturall ends saith P. Martyr but predestination leads to those things that exceed nature as to bee adopted to bee sonnes of God to bee regenerate to bee seasoned with grace Lombard Distinct lib. 1. Dist 40. to come not onely to the hope but also to the fruition of glorie It is preparing of grace in this life and of glorie in the life to come True but this containes not all Est praeparatio gratia est praeparatio donorum Dei quibus certo liberantur qui liberantur coeteri in massa perd tionis relinquuntur De praedest Saâ—ct cap. 12. Augustine thus desines it It is the preparation of grace and of the gifts of God whereby they are certainly freed that are freed the rest are left in the masse of destruction But I will give out of all both ancient and moderne a more complete definition thus It is a most wise part of that most wise purpose of God whereby hee decreed before all eternitie some should be called to the adoption of sonnes should be justified by faith and in the end glorified others should be passed by that both by mercie on the one and justice on the other his glorie might be manifested Everie clause whereof I will demonstrate out of Scripture The 1. The proposed Genus a thing common to election and reprobation Paul Ephes 1.5 He hath predestinate us to bee adopted through Iesus Christ unto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will And Rom. 9.11 That the purpose of God might remaine according to election And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good pleasure I take to bee all one 2. I call this purpose most wise for God doth nothing rashly or unadvisedly nothing that can bee corrected amended or repented of 3. Hee constantly decrees it that it is immutable So Paul 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure I am God and change not Mal. 3.6 And the gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 My counsell shall stand Isai 46.10 And though God say Ierem. 18.8 that hee will repent that is to bee meant not of predestination or of the will of good pleasure but of the signe that is of those punishments which hee threatned by the Prophets Nam qui mutat opera consilium non mutat Ang. Confess lib. 1. cap. 4. Though God changeth his works yet
7.23 In the former viz. election note 1. what it is 2. Of election and first what it is the execution 3. the knowledge of particular election 1. Election is defined thus It is a decree in which God according to the good pleasure of his will hath certainly chosen some men to life for the glorie of his grace as Ephes 1.4 5. in this one I note these points 1. The impulsive cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of his will hee will have mercie on whom hee will have mercie Rom. 9.18 2. If his decree then it is immutable he is not as man that he should repont 1 Sam. 15.29 3. There is an actuall election made in time I have chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 4. The end his glorie for of the execution and the knowledge of particular election I will speake hereaster I come to speake a word of the other part of predestination viz. Reprobation which is A decree whereby God out of his pleasure purposed to refuse some men by meanâ—s of Adams fall and their owne corruption for manifeslation of his justice In this note only the matter or object of this decree viz. The rejection of some men in respect of mercie or the manifestation of justice upon some which howsoever men call it crueltie yet the Word tels it us Iude 4. They were of old ordained to this condemnation And Rom. 9.22 God makes vessels of wrath for destruction But this is a Doctrine that seemes to be hard and cruell for first men say it must needs bee crueltie to create a great part of the world to damne them in hell But they should know that by this decree God doth not create any to damne them but to the manifestation of his glorie in their due and deserved damnation for their sinne which is but justice and not crueltie 2. They say that by this God should hate his owne creature and that before it is whereto first I answer That God did not actually hate but purposed to hate justly and deservedly and if hee did I may say with Paul Rom. 9.20 O man what art thou that disputest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou in de mee thus Num. negandum quoâ— as crtum qâ—â—a intenni 〈◊〉 sotest â—â—d 〈◊〉 Aug. De buno persever lib. 2. cap. 14. And with Augustine May wee deay that which is plaine and evident because that which is hidden and secret cannot bee found out It is plaine out of Scripture that so it is and therefore it must needs bee sinne to object against it But that which makes the principal question is that which in the fourth placed proposed and which now I come unto to wir The causes of predestination Of the causes of election and because the parts of predestination are two I will take them severally and first begin with election Howsoever Gods will be the reason whereinto all causes must be resolved and end in that yet some imes there may bee given a reason of Gods will yet that reason must not be called an efficient cause of Gods will The reason why God placed Adam in Paradise was that hee might dresse it and keepe it the reason why God drove not the Canaanite out of the land was because the wickednesse of the Amorites was not yet full Gen. 15.16 The reason why God brought Israel thorow the desart rather than per compendia by more compendious and neerer wayes was that they might not easily bee met by their enemies Yet then onely must a reason of his will be given when he himselfe hath given it in his Word Of the finall causes of election For the finall causes of predestination they are plainly set downe by Paul especially citing that of Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 For this same cause have I stirred thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be glorified thorowout all the earth or for this verie cause have I appointed thee as it is Exod. 9.16 And of the elect hee saith it was that God might shew the riches of his glorie upon the vessells of mercie Rom. 9.23 and as there is a finall so there may be a materiall cause Men who are predestinated and the benefits which God bestowes on the elect vocation justification sanctification glorie But the question is touching the cause impulsive whether it were his meere will or his fore-seene faith and workes That faith and workes be Of the impulsive cause of election was the Tenent of the old Pelagians renewed in latter times by some counterfeit Lutherans at the first maintaining faith simply to be the cause of election yet afterward onely the instrumentall and not the meritorious cause of election See the Rhemists In Annotat. in Rom. 9. Observe then 1. what wee hold 2. our arguments 3. the opposition of the adversarie In the decree of election there is a double act The first concernes the end The second the means I ground this proposition upon Rom. 9.11 That the purpose according to election might remaine where I see first in Gods decree an election before the purpose of damning or saving And Rom. 8.29 30. Those whom hee foreknew he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne and whom hee predestinated them c. where there is a manifest difference betweene the decree viz. predestination and the execution of his decree which consists in these three 1. Vocation 2. Iustification 3. Glorification The first act I call a part of Gods divine purpose whereby hee bringeth some men into love and favour passing by the rest and makes them vessels of honour and these are the acts of the sole will of God without all respect to either good or evill in the creature Neither doth God wrong any though he chuse not all because hee is tied to none as a man having no childe of his owne and seeing a multitude of beggers adopteth one of them and leaveth out the rest though hee shew mercie on him whom hee adopts yet doth no wrong to the rest so is it with God The second act is a purpose of saving or conferring glorie and this hath no other impulsive cause than the former viz. the good pleasure of God as Ephes 1.5 Hee hath predestinare us to bee adopted through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will where note that this purpose of saving is with regard to Christ the Mediator who was first ordained to be a Mediator between God and man as 1 Pet. 1.20 Hee was ordained before the foundation of the world Secondly promised by the mouth of the Prophets as Isa 9.6 Thirdly revealed Fourthly applyed when Christ is given unto us of God the Father by the right use of the Word and Sacraments and received of us by true faith the last is the accomplishment of the application which is glorie when God shall bee all in all by Christ
and ordination of God Lib. 1. cap. 3. And S. Ambrose Of the calling of the Gentiles frames the argument of the place quire otherwise that Christs meaning in that Parable was to shew onely that men converted at the end of their dayes shall be by Gods mercie partakers of glorie and happinesse as well as others And so I come to the second part of predestination Of reprobation and the causes of it which makes the greater doubt whether reprobation have any other impulsive cause or reason besides the pleasure and will of God that is whether their fore-seene infidelitie and impenitencie in sinne did move God to reprobate any This latter that it was for sinne was anciently maintained by the Pelagians as may appeare by S. Augustines disputations against them in latter times by Stapleton Antidot in Epist ad Rom. onely of purpose to contradict Calvin his reasons be 1. Because the Apostle calls reprobation the hatred of God citing that of Malachy chap. 1. vers 3. I have hated Esau Now God hates nothing in man but sinne therefore God must needs fore-see that Esau would sinne and therefore hated him 2. From the Apostles words whom he will he hardeneth God hardeneth none but such as have an ill will already for which hee hardeneth them 3. From those words He suffered with much patience the vessels of wrath Rom. 9. vers 22. 4. Vpon those words God being willing to shew his anger now God shewes his anger against nothing but sinne and therefore did fore-see sinne which moved him to anger 5. The Apostle makes the cause why God did cast off the Iewes to bee partly their pride and vaine boasting of the Law Rom. 9.31 Israel which followed the Law of righteousnesse could not attaine to the Law of righteousnesse partly their incredulitie through unbeleefe they are cast off Rom. 11.20 and these doe shew that the sins of everie reprobate are to God a cause lawfully moving him why he doth absolutely reprobate him On the contrarie Calvin in that excellent book of predestination confuting Pighius cites that of the hating of Esau to prove that it was not for sin 2. That in Rom. 9. He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth therefore his will is the onely cause of mercie and induration 3. The potter makes one vessell to honour another to dishonour onely because hee will much more God 4. That which is common to all both elect and reprobate cannot be the cause of reprobation now sinne was fore-seene not onely in the reprobate but in the elect also For by nature wee were all the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 5. Christ attributes the cause of illumination in some to Gods good pleasure of Excaecation in others to his good pleasure Some heare and have wisdome revealed unto them that they may bee saved some heare not but wisdome is hid from them I thanke thee O Father Lord c. and it is so because thy good pleasure was such Matth. 11.25 26. Thus you see what is said on both sides heare now for resolution what is to be established for conclusion Stapleton makes a two-fold reprobation Antid pag. 567. the one comparative the other absolute The comparative whereby one man and not another and this man rather than that being in the same masse and condition is ordained to punishment and the cause of this hee makes the sole will of God without any respect at all unto sinne Quaest ad Simplicianum lib. 1. quaest 2. So Augustine hath fully resolved the question The other absolute whereby God ordained this or that man to destruction and the cause of this is their foreseene sinne But this cannot be true for God did fore see sinne in the elect as well as in others and yet did not reprobate them and therefore sinne could not be the cause of absolute reprobation any more than of the comparative Bellarmine writing of grace and free-will Lib. 2. cap. 16. comes neerer than Stapleton and resolves it thus that in reprobation there is a double act the one negative whereby God did decree not to have mercie on some whereof saith he there is no cause in man but it is only of the will of God The other act is positive whereby hee decreed to damne those upon whom hee decreed not to shew mercie and the cause of this hee makes the fore-sight of mans sinne But I thinke that Paraeus upon Rom. 9. hath gone as neere to the truth as any other whom I am content to follow till I see a sounder than he 1. We are to hold The causes of reprobation spoken of in the Scriptures two wayes that the Scriptures speak of the judgements of God and of the causes of damnation and reprobation two wayes 1. According to that absolute power which God hath over man and all creatures and then ascribes the cause of all to his good will pleasure So in Isa 45.7 I am he that for me the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill c. So Ephes 1.11 He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will 2. According to that ordinate right that is the rule of distributive justice revealed in the Law and in the Gospell to which Law God doth as it were submit himselfe and according to that which is there revealed he would have us to thinke of his judgements and so the cause is to be referred partly to Gods will partly to mans sin As Levit. 18.5 Ye shall keepe my statutes which if a man doe he shall live in them And Ezech. 18.4 The soule that sinneth shall die They which commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1.31 And 2 Thess 1.6 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And out of this ground arise the conclusions thus 1. If wee speake of Gods absolute justice and right the cause of both election and reprobation is the sole will of God So Rom. 9.11 Ere ever the children were borne and before they had done either good or evill that the purpose might remaine c. And vers 15. I will shew mercie on whom I will and have compassion on whom I will And vers 21. Hath not the potter power of the clay And Matth. 11.26 Even so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Neither can any reason oppose this for if the Pope should carrie many thousands to hell with him no man might say so much as what doest thou Gratian. distinct cap. 40. and shall any dare to question with God in the same 2. According to his ordinate right the Apostle speakes of it Rom. 9.22 What if God would to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction where there is the cause of election the good will and the cause of reprobation his will according to the rule of justice revealed
in the word Where I finde that nothing deserves anger but sinne and God by damning such doth both prove himselfe to bee a just Iudge and takes away all cause of complaint from damned reprobates who run upon their owne damnation by their owne sinnes and so acquit God of it But to make the Doctrine plaine give me leave to premise three propositions and I will set downe my judgement in foure conclusions 1. A two-fold reprobation There is a two-fold reprobation eternall viz. Gods counsell eternall to reprobate those whom hee doth actually reprobate in time Of this speakes Paul Rom. 9.22 Vessels prepared to destruction And Iude vers 4. Temporall viz. the manifestation of his eternall counsell in reprobating those in time whom he decreed to reprobate from eternitie Of this God speakes 1 Sam. 15.23 2. Reprobation hath two acts the one negative will not shew mercie The other affirmative will condemne Two acts of reprobation The one called the decree of not shewing mercie the other the decree of punishing each of them hath two degrees The negative hath first the negation of the meanes or of grace Secondly the negation of the end and glorie The affirmative hath 1. a just hardening 2. An appointing to the punishment The 3. premise is this Reprobates may be considered either simply in themselves or comparatively with the elect whence come three questions 1. Why did God reprobate any at all indefinitely 2. Why this or that man definitely 3. Why this man rather than that Esau rather than Iacob comparatively These things being thus premised I come to the conclusions 1. Reprobation whether considered definitely or indefinitely conteining both the decree and execution is not to be called meerely absolute in respect of impulsive and finall causes but is grounded partly in Gods will partly in mans sinne a proposition partly proved already and these that follow will confirme it the more The 2. therefore is this The impulsive cause why God did reprobate some and not all according to both the negative and affirmative act was not the fore-seene sinne of any but the will of God for first God did fore-see sinne not onely in some but in all If therefore it had beene for sinne hee would have reprobated all as well as any one Secondly the potter makes not all to bee vessels of dishonour because he will So God Rom. 9.21 Thirdly why God did reprobate indefinitely some definitely these by the negative act from grace the cause was his meere will why from glorie partly his good will partly the sinne of the wicked For the first see Esau reprobated from grace by no desert but of Gods meere will Rom. 4.11 God cals to grace whom he will gives the meanes of salvation the Word and Sacraments to whom he will and calls not others because hee will not Paul did not preach in Bithynia why Because the Spirit suffered them not Acts 16.7 To you it is given to others it is not given to know the secrets of the Kingdome Matth. 13.11 Thou hast hid these things from the wise and revealed them to babes because it pleased thee Matt. 11.25 The cause why hee reprobates indefinitely some definitely these from glorie is especially the sinne of the wicked and I take it to bee sound for this reason God did eternally decree to reprobate men from glorie for that for which hee doth indeed reprobate them in time but God reprobates from glorie that is debarres from it for sinne and impietie for for this cause commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Ephes 5.6 therefore for sinne hee did decree not to give it The cause of the affirmative act of reprobation to the punishment of induration is Gods will whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9.18 to the punishment of damnation for sinne for the soule that sinneth shall die Ezech. 18. Fourthly why God did these more than others this man more than that both by the negative and affirmative act there is no cause in men but onely the will and pleasure of God because he would so Why he freeth this man rather than that let him that can search it out so great is the depth of Gods judgements but let him take heed of a downe-fall Epist 105. ad Sixtum Cur illum potius quà m illum liberet scrutetur qui potest judiciorum Dei tam magnum profundum ver untamen caveat praecipitium saith Augustine And De bone perseverant cap. 11. Cur his potiùs quà m illis detur misericodia quis cognovit sensum Domini i. Why mercie is given rather to these than to those who knew the minde of the Lord saith the same Augustine So Ambrose De voeat Gent. lib. 2. Cur illorum misertus non sit horum sit misertus nulla comprehendit ratio i. No reason doth comprehend why he should not have mercie on those and should have mercie on these Latet discretionis ratio ipsa discretio non latet i. The reason of this separation lieth hid the separation it selfe lieth not hid And so I come to that which in the last place I proposed omitting the many by-doubts touching free-will and universall grace to wit the effects and fruits of predestination 1. Christ himselfe Of he effects and fruits of predestination 1. Christ who was predestinate to be the Mediatour and Saviour of all the elect as in 1 Pet. 1.20 he was ordained before time but in the last times declared for your sakes when God did purpose to save some then did hee purpose to send his Sonne as Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Whence followes this conclusion Doct. That there is no meanes to glorie but by Christ Wherefore he calls himselfe the way Ioh. 14.6 What way wilt thou goe Qua vis ire ego via quò vis ire ego veritas ubi vu permanere ego vita August 10 bune locum I am the way whither wilt thou goe I am the truth where wilt thou abide I am the life A man caunot come to God by repentance but by Christ for no man commeth to the Father but by me Ioh. 14.6 a man cannot come for a blessing but by him Ioh. 14.13 The Father gives nothing but by him Ioh. 16.23 O then let everie soule that lookes for glorie embrace Christ as Zacheus did Luc. 19.6 He came downe hastily and received him joyfully let him take that babe in his armes with old Simeon and say Lord now let thy servant depart in peace c. Luk. 2.28 29. Let him fall downe and worship him and with the wise men of the East offer unto him gold Aurum sidei thies devotionis aromatapretatis mentes bumiles probos mores animos digues Deo Tom. 10. pag. 622. incense and myrrhe The gold of faith the frankincense of devotion the myrrhe of godlinesse humble mindes good manners soules worthy of God saith Augustine Let us embrace Christ
grace Chrysost ibid. whom God foresaw would beleeve and the Pelagians of grace that is they who have chosen grace both of them ascribing too much to mans will The meaning is that this remnant is reserued according to the election of grace not whereby men chose grace but whereby God of his meere grace hath chosen men saith Iunius Iun. in Rom. 11. and there is in them an Hebraisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the election of grace for according to free election saith Beza and Aquinas Beza Aquin. In them I note 1. The foundation and ground of salvation and that is Gods election 2. The impulsive cause of Gods election grace not in us but in God as Pareus and Soto Pareus Soto In the handling whereof and here note 1. what it is Election is that part of Gods eternall predestination Election described whereby hee decreed before all eternity that they whom he loved in Christ should be called to the adoption of sonnes iustified by faith should doe good workes bee glorified and made conformable to the image of his Son which conformity is begun when we are justified increased daily by good workes finished in eternall glory and all this that God may shew upon them the riches of his mercy that it is of those whom hee loved in Christ it is manifest for whatsoever good we have of God it is by and through Christ 2. That they should be called So the Apostle hee hath chosen us to be adopted through Iesus Christ unto himselfe Epes 1.5 3. That they should bee justified See Rom. 8.30 whom hee called them he justified 4. To be glorified Ibid. 5. That they may bee conformable to the image of his Sonne See Paul 8.29 Out of all these arise three conclusions 1. God did elect and chose because hee looked mercifully vpon vs in Christ 2. Whomsoever hee did chose unto glory he did predestinate to be holy Homines non producit Deus ad gloriam per scelera flagitiae Peter Martyr God brings not men to glory by villanies and wickednesse saith Martyr as aboue 3. All our hope of glory depends meerely vpon our election in Christ that we are or shall be called and iustified and in the end glorified Rom. 8.29 30. This election is the first and most ancient charter that Gods children can shew for their right to their Fathers inheritance for though by vocation we be manifested to be the sonnes of God by iustification ingrafted in Iesus Christ and made partaker of all that is his and by glorification we be entred into our Fathers inheritance yet is our election the foundation of all these as 2. Tim. 2.19 Our hope that we are of his Church for onely the elect are the Church and the univocall members of Christ the head though it bee denied by Bellarmine in opposition to Wickliffe Hus and Calvin Bellarm. de Eccles mil tant lib. 3. cap. 7. Our hope that our calling is true and effectuall for they only are effectually called who are eternally elected as may appeare in the golden chaine whom hee did predestinate them hee called Rom. 8.30 Our hope that we shall never be cast off that we are preserved by Christ and shall bee raised up at the last day Iohn 6.39 That we are kept by the power of God the father through faith unto salvation prepared but showed in the last times 1. Pet. 1.5 If all depend on this let us learne whether wee belong unto it or no that we may know whether we shall ever bee glorified or no. There is no way to know it but by the fruits as 2. Pet. 1.10 The fruits are many I will note for your comfort some 1. good workes 2. a conscionable care of the meanes of salvation 3. The spirit of prayer 4. Abalienation from the world 5. Hungring and thirsting after righteousnes 6. Conflict betweene the flesh spirit 7. New obedience 8. Love to Gods ministers 9. A longing for the fulnesse and complement of Christs comming as above and so I come to the impulsive cause of election Grace Amongst men they are said to have grace Cui favet populus Who have the good will and love of the people And so with God they are said to have grace who have found grace with God But here is a manifest difference men favour none but in whom they finde something whereby they may bee allured to love them but God loved not because he saw vs to be lovely for hee loved us first and by loving us gave us that which pleaseth him So that the name of grace in Scripture is used two wayes 1. For the free love and favour of God wherewith hee imbraceth the elect Ephes 1.6 We are predestinate to the praise of the glory of his grace 2. Grace signifies the gifts freely bestowed upon us by God as Rom. 11.29 The gifts that is the graces of God are without repentance as Aquinas hath well distinguisht Quaest 110. Artic. 1. By understanding of which distinction it will appeare with what difference the Protestant and the Papist agree in this tenent that man is justified by grace as the same schooleman 2a 2ae quaest 113. Artic. 2. But the Papist by grace understands the gifts of grace conferred upon them that bee justified as the infused habit of faith good workes c. We by grace in the act of justification understand not the workes of grace which by our faults and sinnes bee made imperfect and not able to satisfie Gods justice but the good will the love which God shewes unto us out of his meere mercie Lib. 2. distinct 26. Peter Lombard hath distinguisht grace into working and co-working and fathers it upon S. Augustine Degratin lib. Arbit Cap. 7. But these bee the same grace distinguisht onely in the effects for grace doth first cure the will and so it is working 2. It caused the will being cured to doe rightly and so it is co-working In the first mans will concurs with grace passively and grace only workes but in the other when mans will is regenerate it concurres both actively and passively and so grace and mans will be co-operant I will not trouble you with those distinctions into prevenient and subsequent which are but one and by the same grace hee prevents us that wee may will hee followes us by making us to doe he prevents us by moving us to good workes hee followes us by giving perseverance nor with that of grace into grace freely given and making acceptable Grace freely given is whereby one man workes with another to salvation and is called grace freely given because it is granted to man above the facultie of nature Grace making acceptable by which man is joyned to God as Th. Aquinas Th. Aquin. quaest 12. Art 1. That which is here meant by grace is his free mercie and love from whence the point is That which moveth God to
yet say I not by God onely for there be three efficient causes of mans induration Man the Devill and God 1. The first cause of hardnesse of heart The wicked hardens of his owne heart so did Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not let Israel goe And Exod. 8.32 Pharaoh hardened his heart at that time also Therefore saith Moses to Israel Harden your necks no more Deut. 10.16 And 2 King 17.14 The Lord bade them turne from their evill wayes but they would not obey but hardened their hearts and necks like to the necks of their fathers that did not beleeve in the Lord their God And Ierem. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not sorrowed consumed them but they have refused to receive correction and have made their faces harder than a stone which phrase is frequent in the Prophet Ieremie as in Ier. 7.26 They hardened their necks and did worse than their fathers And Ierem. 17.23 They made their necks stiffe and would not heare by which it appeares that ungodly and wicked men are a cause of their owne hardening when they either oppose the truth acknowledged or persevere in sinne against their conscience as may bee seene in Cain Pharaoh Iudas and the Iewes A second cause is the Devill The second cause of hardnesse of heart helping forward the wicked and sinfull purposes of man plunging him everie day further than other into finne and easting thicke and foggie mists over his eyes as 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that the light of the Gospell might not shine unto them which God of this world is not the true everliving God as Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose expounded it when they dealt with the Manichees and Arrians but the same which is called the Prince that ruleth in the aire the Prince of darknesse viz. the Devill and these two efficients of induration doe both sinne most grievously man by his owne will Satan by instigation mans corruption is as the coale that sendeth forth sparkes the Devill blowes the coales and kindles the fire The third cause is God for first The third cause of hardnese of heart mans heart sends forth fire Satan blowes it and then God strikes on the anvill and frames and disposeth everie thing to his owne will The first and neerest cause is mans corruption the Instigator and Tempter Satan and God as a just Iudge I will harden Pharaohs heart saith God Exod. 4.21 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9.12 And the Prophet Isay 63.17 questions thus with God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare So God is said to give men over to a reprobate sense and reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 To blinde Isay 6.10 To deceive Ezek. 14.9 If that Prophet be deceived then I the Lord have deceived him to put a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophet 1 King 22.23 Behold the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these Prophets Now how God doth harden and blinde is not agreed Some say that all those Scriptures Hee hardened Pharaohs heart and hee gave them over to a reprobate minde c. are to be expounded by the word of permitting that God did suffer them to be done and not without shew of Scripture Psal 81.12 They would not hearken therefore I gave them up to the hardnesse of their heart and let them walke in their owne counsells And also from the speech of Barnabas and Paul Acts 14.15 16. when the people of Lystra would have sacrificed unto them Why doe you these things we be men as you are who preach unto you the living God who made all things and in times past suffered the Gentiles to walke in their owne lusts and when it is said that God gave them over to doe such things as are not meet they understand it that God suffered them to doe such things as were not convenient and that God hath no more to doe in hardening mans heart than a man that stands upon the shore and sees a ship to bee drowned when hee might have holpen it which was the interpretation of Iulian the Pelagian August contra luâ—â—anum Pelag. lib. 5. cap. 3. as Augustine sheweth But Augustine shewes there that God doth it not by patience alone but by his patience which implyes an action for if he would not for no reason would hee have permitted it So that he doth not onely suffer it but will it for Gods permission is voluntarie and he suffereth willing not unwilling See Calvin Inst lib. 1. cap. 18. seâ—â— 2. God permits nothing against his will so that when God suffers sin to be done hee also wils it to be done Some say that they must be expounded by the word of substracting That God is no otherwise said to harden or blinde but by with-drawing his grace which they that are blinded and hardened are unworthy of As the ship-man withdrawing his helpe le ts the ship be drowned or a man that takes away the pillar that sustained the house then the house fals of it selfe and there bee two causes why God useth to withdraw his grace and spirit sometimes to punish the unthankfull that abuse his grace sometimes that they might better acknowledge the necessitie of grace that without it wee can doe nothing that is good that wee may bee more enflamed with a desire of it and embrace it joyfully when wee feele it and for these causes God sometimes denies his servants the powerfull working of his Spirit and suffers them to fall into foule sins and that not onely in justice to punish former ingratitude but also in mercie and for their good both in the sight of our owne weaknesse and in seeing the necessitie of Gods grace and in making us more carefull not to abuse grace when we have it So that God doth blinde when he takes away his light for take away light darknesse followes take away grace hardnesse followes and therefore Peter Martyr sayes That God is such a cause of sinne as is called in Philosophie the removing prohibiting cause that takes away the helpe by which they should bee kept from induration and though this bee somewhat yet it is not all for surely these sayings God did harden give over to a reprobate minde lead into temptation and encline the hearts of men doe signifie some action of God in man Some come a little neerer and say that God doth blinde and harden not by his owne but by an outward act indirectly that is by proposing to the eyes and eares such objects whereby they should be softned and enlightned and reclaimed from sinne but yet it comes to passe by their owne faults that they are thereby blinded and hardened and plunged further into sinne These objects are the preaching of the Word Sacracraments miracles mercies judgements
These God giveth to man for his good and man turnes them to his owne destruction As for example God proposed the Word to Pharaoh by Aaron miracles by Moses by these his heart should have been softened but by his owne fault it became more hard so were the Iewes at the preaching of Isay And to this purpose saith God in Ierem. 6.21 I will lay stumbling blocks before this people the fathers and the sonnes shall fall upon them the neighbour and the friend shall perish Yet surely though all this be true it is not all the truth for in the storie of Pharaoh I observe three things 1. The preaching of the Word by Aaron 2. The working of miracles by Moses 3. The hid action of God in the heart of Pharaoh And these three God did thus order that Aaron should speake the word Moses should doe miracles but hee would reserve to himselfe the action of induration I will harden the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 4.21 as if he should say I will reserve that to my selfe So that besides the outward objects of the Word and miracles proposed by Moses and Aaron there was an internall action of hardening wrought by God not to goe still about the point the conclusion is God doth blinde harden and give over to a reprobate minde not onely by suffering it not onely by withdrawing his grace and helping hand nor onely by proposing of outward objects against which the wicked may stumble but also by an inward and strange working in the heart of man and all these be acts of Gods just judgement whereby hee punisheth mans sinne So that hardnesse and excaecation in respect of it selfe is sinne In respect of the consequents the cause of sinne and it is in respect of 〈…〉 God workes is difficult from the blame God is free from the guilt he is also free let man looke to both these But the punishment of sinne being an act of his justice hee acknowledgeth and in the punishment note three things 1. The matter wherewith a man is punished 2. The contrarietie betweene the partie and the punishment 3. The order of consequence that where such an offence went before such an evill shall follow to make the offender feele the smart of it In those punishments which be punishments onely and not sinnes God is the Author of all things implyed In those which be sinnes as well as punishments God is onely the Author of the order of consequence and of the contrarietie betweene the punishments and the parties punished as for example Pride is punisht by envie now envie is not of God But there is a contrarietie betweene the soule of a proud man and it which makes it bitter and afflictive and there is an order of consequence that where such a sinne went before there such a punishment should follow This is of God So that God workes in sinne 1. Positively as it is a physicall act 2. Morally as it is a just punishment of sin 3. Permissively as it is a sin not by giving consent to the doing of it but in not hindring it Yet in all this we doe not say that God is the author of sinne Antid in Rom. pag. 715. as Stapleton accuseth Calvin and Becanus p. 6. who saith that the God of the Calvinists is the author of sinne nor as Bellar mine 〈…〉 Beza First that we say God to be truly and properly the cause of those sinnes which men commit De amissione gratiae et statu peccatt Lib. 2. Cap 4. Secondly that we say God truly properly to sinne Thirdly God alone truly to sinne whereas Calvin holds the quite contrary Insâ—â—ut Lib. 1. Cap. 14. Sect. 16. Lab. 2. Cap. 4. Sect. 2. Neminem indurat nisâ—â—eâ—â—ò Epist 106. Non inâ—uâ—dendo malitiam sed â—â—bâ—r â—â—endo gratiam Aug. ad Sixtum Epist 105. But wee say that induration and excaecation bee just judgements of God He hardens none but deservedly saith Augustine and in Calvins judgement there bee these parts to bee considered First the withdrawing of his divine helpe Not by infusing malice but by withdrawing grace The punishment of precedent sinne when God takes away those helps of grace which formerly they had and when man wants this help of his owne accord hee rusheth into sinne Hence Pharaos heart grew hard because God would not give him grace to hearken to his ministers Moses and Aaron And the Gentiles having their cogitations darkened that is God not enlightening them with his grace they gave themselves over unto wantonnesse and to worke all iniquity with greedinesse Eph. 4.18.19 and this denying of grace is no sinne because it doth not conferre grace Secondly the delivering of man into the power of Satan which is Gods just judgement upon man for sinne as 1. King 22.22 when hee bade Satan deceive the false Prophets Thou shalt intice him and prevaile goe forth and doe so and in this no sin for Satan being the executioner of Gods anger and judgements doth so plunge those that are turned over to him into eternall destruction that he punisheth their former sinnes by making them commit greater than they did before thus did God with the wicked people Rom. 1.24 Because they regarded not to know God therefore God gave them over that Sathan might punish them by driving them into greater sinnes than ever they had committed before Thirdly divine permission when God suffers Sathan and wicked men to runne into sinne but without his furtherance as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken Israel would not obey therefore I gave them over to the hardnesse of their heart let them follow their owne imaginations as he did here with the Iewes so did he with the Gentiles Act. 14.16 The God that made heaven earth in time past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies and in Zach. 8.16 I set all men every one against his brother and yet in this permission God is neither altogether unwilling that it should bee done for it were impossible to bee done if God were wholly against it neither is he simply willing because hee doth both hate sinne and punish it as Psal 5.5 So that if permission be referred to the act of sinne God hates it wills it not but unwilling permits it but if referred to the end not which the agent doth intend but which the divine wisdome deduceth from thence then he permits it willingly Fourthly the determination of sinne when God will not suffer the wicked to goe on in sinne so farre as they desire but sets them bounds that they cannot goe beyond and as hee did with the seas Iob 38.11 Hither shalt thou goe as hee did with Sathan in the tempting of Iob All that hee hath is in thy power but upon himselfe put not forth thy hand Iob 1.12 as hee did with Pharaoh he suffered him to vex and persecute Israell but when Pharaoh would have maliciously brought them backe againe and intended more exquisite cruelty
consecrated through affliction Heb. 2.10 And to that Image all the predestinate must be conformable Rom. 8.29 But concerning this I may say as the Philistines did of Sampsons riddle Iudg. 14.1 How can sweet come out of that which is sowre and meat out of the eater So say worldlings How can tribulation bring forth patience and how can a light affliction cause unto us a most excellent weight of glory But the children of God have learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweet for the present yet afterward it brings the quiet fruits of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Heb. 12.11 There is more solid joy in enduring rebuke for Christ than in all the pleasures of sin for as Moses the typicall Mediator of the old Testament by prayer made the bitter waters of Marah to be sweet Exod. 15.25 so Chrrist the true Mediator by his passion hath mitigated to his children the bitternesse of the Crosse yea made it profitable to them The prodigall sonne concludes not to returne till he was brought low by affliction Hagar was proud in Abrahams house but humble in the wildernesse Ionah sleepes in the ship but watcheth and prayes in the whales belly Ionah 2.1 Manasses lives in Ierusalem as a libertine but bound in chaines at Babel he turnes his heart to the Lord his God 2 Chron. 33.11 12. Corporall diseases inforced many in the Gospell to come to Christ whereas others that enjoyed bodily health would never acknowledge him The earth if not tilled beares nothing but thornes the vines wax wilde if they be not pruned and cut So would our wilde hearts overgrow with the noysome weeds of unruly affections if the Lord by a sanctified trouble should not manure them I will adde no more but that example of Ioseph Iacob sends him to Dothan to visit his brethren Gen. 37.18 his brethren cast him into a pit Reuben releeves him the Midianites buy him and sell him to Potiphar his mistresse accuses him his master condemnes him the Butler after long forgetfulnesse recommends him and at last Pharao exalts him What strange instruments are here and how many hands about this one poore man of God! and yet never one of them looking to that which God proposed So much of the negative I proceed to the affirmative But through their fall Th. Aquin. in hunc locum Tho. Aquinas produceth that in the fourth of Iohn Salvation is of the Iewes to prove this that the salvation of the Gentiles was occasionally by the fal of the Iewes and makes a threefold interpretation First because by their fault in killing Christ followed the redemption of the Gentiles Secondly because they refused the doctrine of Christ which therefore came to the Gentiles Act. 13.46 Seeing you put the Gospell from you and iudge your selves unworthy of eternall life wee turne to the Gentiles Thirdly because the Iewes for falling from God were dispersed thorow the world and by that meanes brought the Scriptures and Word to the Gentiles and to this purpose brings that Psal 59.11 Kill them not but scatter them Secondly wee must not thinke that the fall of the Iewes was any cause but only an occasion of the salvation of the Gentiles Thirdly there was no necessitie that the one people should be cast off before the other could be received for God might have called both at once Fourthly though the Iewes had not beene cast off yet the Gentiles should have beene called because there is no such dependencie as effects have upon their causes The first thing that I collect is God works good for his servants by contrary and most unlikely meanes Doct. It was a great worke that he opened the eyes of the blinde but greater that he should doe it by the application of spittle and clay meanes more like to put out the eyes of a seeing man than to restore sight to a blinde man Thus in the worke of creation when there was nothing but Thou and Bohu upon the earth and Choshec-panai Tehom darknesse upon the face of the deepe in Gen. 1.2 then did the Lord make Light of it So in the worke of redemption hee wrought by unlikelihoods and contraries when by a cursed death he brought a happy life by yeelding to death he overcame death by his Crosse he won the Crowne and through shame he ascended into glory The same order he keeps in our second creation he casts downe that he may raise up he kils that he may make alive he accuseth his children for sinne that he may cause them to seeke remission he troubleth their consciences that he may speake peace unto them and most commonly the meanes which he useth is contrary to the worke which he intends for his children He sent on Abram a most fearfull darknesse even then when he was to communicate unto him most joyfull light Gen. 15.12 Hee wrastled with Iacob and shooke him to and fro even then when he was about to blesse him Gen. 32. He strooke Paul with blindnesse even then when he came to open his eyes Act. 9. Sometimes he frownes upon his beloved as Ioseph upon his brethren when with loving affection he is about to embrace them he seemes angry at our prayers and puts us backe with the woman of Canaan when he is about to grant a favourable answer unto them Learne Vse first never to murmur what meanes soever be use to worke with Secondly not to doubt but God will doe us good when all meanes seeme contrary and against us he is able out of darknesse to bring us light out of death to bring us life and out of falling to make us rise Secondly at the fall of the Iewes he takes occasion to call the Gentiles from whence observe That God watcheth any opportunitie Doct. and takes all occasions to doe his children good How gladly would he have taken occasion to have spared Ierusalem when for one mans sake he would have spared it Ier. 5.1 How passionatly did he affect the cure of Babylon when he intreated her with as powerfull oratory as the heavens were able to compose and the Angels to utter till she made this the burthen of her song I will not be cured Ier. 51.9 How did he watch an occasion to spare Sodome when for ten mens sake he would have spared it Gen. 18.32 Deus secat ut sanet He cuts and sliceth our flesh that he may have occasion of shew mercy in healing it So Augustine on Matth. Ser. 15. Deus savit ut parcat Aug. in Matth. ser 15. He casts into despaire that he may shew mercy in sparing it And in another place He kils us that wee may not die And againe He strikes to death Oâ—idâ—t ne neriamur Aug. in Iohan sern 38. Aug. Confess lib. 2. cap. 2. that he may have occasion to doe his servants good in restoring them to life So that a man may fitly take up that speech of Themistocles when he was first banisht by the
of the affirmative answer This inference the Apostle denies and inferres the quite contrarie by an argument taken from the lesse after this manner If the fall of the Iewes bee the riches of the world then much more shall their abundance be the riches of the world if their povertie were the riches of the world how much more shall their plentifull calling be If God turne that which is evill to the good of the Gentiles how much more will he turne that which is good to the welfare of the Gentiles Before I come to the observations see the exposition of some hard and difficult tearmes 1. What is meant by riches of the world Both the multitude of the Gentiles called to the knowledge of Christ as Paraeus and also that wherewith they were enlightned namely the saving knowledge of the Gospell the grace of Gods spirit remission of sinnes and the assured promise and expectation of eternall lise 2. What is meant by diminishing Some understand it of the Apostles which were but few and abjects of the people yet they enriched the Gentiles by their preaching and make the sense thus That if the conversion of so few as the Apostles were did so much good to the world how much more the conversion of the whole Nation at the end of the world So Lyranus and Gorrhan But I thinke that by diminution is not meant the conversion of a few but their falling away to a few And that the Apostle useth these three words as equipollent and of one sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their diminishing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their casting off And in that hee saith they are diminished hee sheweth that they are not quite perisht for diminution is not Rei excisio sed decisio Not the wasting or destruction of a thing but a paring off as Paraeus 3. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fulnesse or abundance not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the multitude of Iewes which shall be called but also the excellencie of spirituall graces wherewith the Iewes at the end of the world shall be adorned at their generall conversion 2. By fulnesse wee must not understand that everie particular Iew shall bee called at the end of the world but of the most of them and this fulnesse is not to be understood with relation to the Gentiles as though their number should be more for their fulnesse must first be come in as vers 25. Obstinacie is come to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in but with reference to the whole number of Christs Church that although there be a fulnesse of the Gentiles without them yet as Origen saith Plenitudo portio nis Domâ—ni nondum dicuâ—r completa The fulnesse of the Lords portion is not complete without the Iewes But how can this fulnesse of the Iewes doe the Gentiles good It shall doe them good 1. By confirming the faith of the Gentiles so P. Martyr 2. It shall enrich the Gentiles with doctrine and example so the Ordinarie Glosse 3. The Church shall be encreased by the glorious accesse of a people so Osiander So these benefits shall accrue to the Gentiles by the conversion of the Iewes 1. The consociation and joyning together both of Iewes and Gentiles the partition wall being broken downe againe 2. The Church shall be increased for then the children of Israel and of Iudah shall bee gathered together c. as Hos 1.11 3. The faith of the Gentiles shall bee confirmed by seeing the zeale of the Iewes after their conversion 4. God shall receive greater glorie when his goodnesse and the truth of his promises shall be made manifest both in Iewes and Gentiles But here is yet another doubt to be resolved For seeing the Apostle said before that the fall of the Iewes was the salvation of the Gentiles and now that the ruine and diminution of the Iewes the riches of the world 1. God may seeme to deale hardly in casting off his owne people to receive strangers and besides it seemes contrarie to the rule Rom. 6.1 Evill must not be done that good may come of it Whereto I answer that it were hard that God should cast off some to receive others 1. If they were cast off without their owne fault 2. If the Lord were tied by bond not to cast them off 3. If their casting off did not tend to their further good But everie one of these will acquit God both from injustice and hard dealing For 1. The Lord did not cast them off but for their unbeleefe as vers 10. So that they indeed cast off themselves 2. God is not bound either to bestow or continue his grace he may conferre it and withdraw it upon whom and from whom he will If hee deny grace Debita redditur poena damnato A due punishment is given to the damned If he give grace Indebita redditur gratia liberato Vndeserved grace is bestowed on him that is freed saith Augustin Ad Sixtâ—m â—pist 103. 3. For full answer Their rejection was not simply the cause of the vocation of the Gentiles but by accident for it was properly the punishment of the infidelitie of the Iewes and a demonstration of the justice of God But God that can turne evill into good did use this as an occasion to induce the Gentiles to beleeve I come to observations Thus the Text being plaine Three Doctrines in generall the Doctrines are three 1. The accomplishment of the great mysterie of the restoring of the Iewes 2. That the conversion of the Iewes cannot hinder the Gentiles but they may bee in favour both together and God will have a Church which ought to breed an agreement betweene them 3. That it beseemes not Christians one to envie the happinesse and salvation of another but to be glad and rejoyce in it But I come to particulars 1. Their fall that is the Gospell which by their fall was preached is the riches of the world gives this note That the grace and knowledge of God Doct. 1 and his Sonne Christ and the preaching of the Gospell is the only true and lasting riches that makes the owners and possessors blessed this is that riches of the world S. Luke chap. 12.21 makes a two-fold rich man The one to himselfe the other to God So is hee that gathered riches to himselfe and is not rich in God in godlinesse and wisdome And S. Iames chap. 2.5 The godly poore are rich in faith and though not heires yet heires of the Kingdome which hee hath promised These hee chooseth to enrich with heavenly riches not a Senator for he would have said my dignitie is chosen if a rich man my wealth is chosen if an Orator my eloquence is chosen if a Philosopher my wisdome is chosen Aug. de verbis Dom. Sâ—rin 59. saith Augustine This is riches that cannot be taken away that will fill the soule with content that it
both now in this verse he illustrates all this by the end of his Ministerie and sheweth that he doth doe and meditate the same that in his preaching hee proposeth the same end that God did in rejecting the Iewes to wit the salvation of the Gentiles and by them the conversion of the Iewes Diâ—idiâ—se Apostolus inter Gentes Iudaeos tam horli quà m illorum salutem â—â—d 〈◊〉 â—osâ—endit The Apostle divides himselfe between the Gentiles and the Iewes and shewes that hee meditates on so well the salvation of these as of those saith Paraeus The one end at vers 13. the other at vers 14. I begin with the first which notes the end why hee preached the salvation of the Gentiles The parts of his speech are two 1. How God graced him with an Apostleship and Ministerie 2. How he labours to grace and magnifie it But before I come to these observe somewhat out of the direction of his speech I speake to you Gentiles In the beginning of this Epistle the Apostle handling the common cause of faith directed his speech to all the people of God To all you that be at Rome beloved of God and called to bee Saints Rom. 1.7 But here handling particularly the cause and case of the Iewes he directs his speech particularly to the Gentiles So to gives the reason lest the Gentiles should suspect that Paul who was appointed to be teacher of the Gentiles should forsake them and goe preach to the Iewes whence I observe a double affection the one in Paul toward the Gentiles the other in the Gentiles toward Paul Pauls affection to them in that hee would have them thinke that though hee spake of the Iewes yet it was with respect to their good and benefit all that hee did was for their sakes and gives us this plaine note That though the Preacher speakes of other people Doct. and of Gods dealing with others yet still it is for your learning that you may have profit by it Vobis dico I speake it unto you When wee speake to you of the faith of Abraham it is for your learning 1. That you may rest upon Gods promises 2. Sacrifice those things that bee dearest unto you when of the sacrifice of Abel it is to teach you to offer the first and the best Genes 4.4 as also to get God to accept our persons that so he may accept our sacrifice 3. That you may learne the lesson of Salomon Prov. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy riches and with the first fruits of all thine encrease When of Ierusalem that you may not trust to any outward prerogatives but if you sin downe you must as well as others when wee speake to you of Sodome it is to teach you to take heed of pride fulnesse of bread and idlenesse these were her sinnes when shee was destroyed Ezek. 16.49 When of Peter that you may learne the weaknesse of the best mans saith and that without Gods assistance wee shall yeeld to everie weake and small temptation When of the theese upon the crosse that you may learne that Heavens gate is never shut when penitent sinners knocke but that while life lasteth there lasteth hope of mercie also whatsoever wee speake it is for you of whomsoever we speake it is to you Vse it is for your well-fare and benefit Learne from hence the wonderfull care that men ought to have in applying all the stories of other people and nations unto themselves the blessing upon Abraham belongs to thee if thâ— beleeve the fall of the Iewes will light upon thee if thou beleeve not Thinke not when we speake of Sodome Ierusalem Babylon c. that we speake of things that concerne thee not for thou art lerusalem if thou kill the Prophets and stone them that are sent unto thee thou art Sodome if thou live in uncleannesse thou art Babylon if thou live in pride and whatsoever wee speake either of Iew or Ierusalem of the preserving of some or overthrow of others all is for you and to you The next is the peoples affection toward Paul They feared that hee should leave them Doct. and turne to the Iewes Good people will stand in feare of leaving and losing their godly Teachers which are set over them and labour for the happinesse and salvation of their soules For that is the reason of Pauls speech Vobâ— dico I speake it unto you Will not a childe be loth to leave his father a tender infant his mother whose breasts he hath suckt How will it grieve their soules to part with them But the Preacher he is the father that begers men unto God In Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4.15 And in this sense the ancient Doctors of the Church are called Fathers and they are your Mothers also that endure hard travaile to bring forth one of you Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travaile in birth againe till Christ bee formed in you How then can they endure to part with them Many can and therefore it seemes they are not begotten But they are converted in whose hearts God hath wrought grace by their Ministerie There is nothing that can grieve them more than such a losse What losse is it for a man to lose his eyes They are the Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 What Iosse for a man in the night time to lose his guide They are the guiâ—es that give light their words are as a light that shineth in a darke place 2 Pet. 1.19 Learne from hence whether a Preacher hath wrought goodnesse in your heart or no If hee have you will bee loth to forgoe him See the Galatians toward Paul Gal. 4.15 If you have gained peace by them you will have them in singular honour 1 Tim. 5.17 and 1 Thess 5.12 Everie man loves them by whom be gaines c. And so I come from the direction of his speech to the parts of it And 1. how God graced him with the Ministerie Apostleship The word is taken sometimes in an equivocall improper sense and that is sometime in the better sense as Andronicus Iunia are said to be notable among the Apostles Rom. 16.7 viz. in a large signification as Titus others are Embassadors or Apostles 2 Cor. 11.13 Sometimes the word is used univocally and properly and that either in a kinde of excellencie as Christ is called our High Priest and Apostle Heb. 3.1 Or else it is applyed to the chiese Ministers of the new Testament which were properly called Apostles S. Hierome makes foure kinds of Apostles 1. Some were ordained onely by God as Isay Ieremie and the Prophets 2. Some ordained of God but by men as Moses consecrated Aaron to be High Priest and Ioshua to succeed him 3. Some are sent by men and not of God which are thrust into the Ministerie by letters corruptions bribes 4. Some shoulder in themselves being appointed neither by God nor men Sometimes the word signifies any
Isai 2.3 Many people shall goe and say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob for the Law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word forth of Ierusalem according to that of Christ Ioh. 4.38 Other men laboured and you are entred into their labour The Fathers and the Prophets sowed the seed of the Church of the new Testament which covenant is derived from them to us and wee are changed into their common-wealth not they into ours ingrafted into their stocke not they into ours Secondly Reason 2 wee have from them the oracles of God for they were committed to them Rom. 3.2 which the Apostle calls their preferment above others vers 1. and hence it is that we approve as canonicall all the bookes of Scripture that they had and no moe Hence let us see what an honour it is to have Gods oracles Secondly let us learne to use this treasure better than the Iewes did for feare it be taken from us as it was from them Thirdly our Saviour Christ Reason 3 God blessed for evermore had his beginning from them So the Apostle Rom. 9.3 Of whom are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for evermore and therefore salvation is of the Iewes saith Christ Ioh. 4.22 Fourthly Reason 4 they were the chosen and peculiar people of God and a royall priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 They were beloved when we Gentiles were without God in the world Ephes 2.12 Lastly all the particular promises Reason 5 as the land of Canaan the Temple the preservation of that stocke out of which the Messias was to come was proper only unto them and from hence let us be farre from rendring evill unto them but pray for their recovery and doe our utmost diligence to win them unto Christ and of all things there is nothing more availeable to the winning of an unbeleeving Iew than the unspotted and unblameable life of a beleeving Gentile yea it may seeme more effectuall than the word it selfe as vers 11. And so I come to a fourth argument in the three next verses VERS 19. Thou wilt say then the branches are broken off that I might bee grafted in THis third reason stands on two parts The one an argument urged to shew that the Gentiles may boast over the Iewes the other the Apostles answer The argument is vers 19. the Iewes are cast off for our cause compelled to yeeld unto us the more unworthy to the more worthy therefore seeing we Gentiles are the more worthy wee may lawfully boast The answer to this is three-fold 1. They are not broken for thee but for their infidelitie vers 20. 2. Thou art not grafted in for thy worth but standest by faith that is art engrafted out of grace and mercie vers 20. 3. Because God who in justice cut off the naturall branches for unbeleefe for the same cause may cut off thee vers 21. And upon these hee builds his exhortation Noli altumsapere Bee not high minded but feare I begin with the first Thou wilt say then Note that Paul had pressed many strong arguments to disswade the Gentiles from pride and insultation over the Iewes and yet here they have some thing to say for it There is no sinne Doct. bee it never so predigious and foule but his master hath some plea for it and some reason to uphold it Some have Scripture as covetousnesse hath 1 Tim. 5.8 Vsurie hath Deut. 23.20 Vnto a stranger thou mayst lend thy money upon usurie though not to thy brother Some have example as drunkennesse in Noah adulterie in David apostasie in Peter some have authoritie as being practised and allowed by starres and planets that reside in the superiour orbes Some plead that their sinnes be but small Is it not a little one said Lot to the Angell when hee was commanded to fly into the mountaine he would goe to Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule shall live Some that the sinne they harbour is but some one as Naaman the Syrian God be mercifull to me in this one 2 King 5. Hee will neither sweare nor steale but kneele in the Idols temple Forsitan huic uni possum succumbere culpae Sampson was not unjust but must have a Dalilah Porsitan huic uni c. Salomon wise but must have strange wives Forsitan huic uni c. Some when they have sinned lay it upon others as Adam some defend it to be no sinne at all as here the Gentiles doe Some excuse themselves Alii excusant 1. Non seci 2. 〈◊〉 3. Si male at noâ—mâ—ltum male fecâ— aut si multum male fecâ— non nulâ intentione Bern. Apolog ad Guilielm Abbatem 1. I did it not 2. I did well 3. If I did ill yet not verie ill or if I did verie ill yet not with an evill intention as Bernard speaketh Note first the boldnesse of sinne It dares appeare before the Revenger of sinne the Punisher of sinne and plead not guiltie to whatsoever is produced against it much like to Iudas who when Christ said that one should betray him boldly demandeth Is it I Is it I And when they told Peter that hee was one that was a followes of Christ he sware he knew no such man but that which wee may chiefly learne is this That sinne if it be borne with but a while will not know it selfe to bee sinne at all but plead it selfe to be goodnesse and honestie Bern. de vita solitaria Custome saith Bernard will become a second nature and so must be called good Consuetudo pro lege est Terâ—â—ll de Coronâ—milit cap. â— Custome is for a Law saith Tertullian and so will bee counted good If a man bee but used to it a while hee will never take notice of it nor know when hee doth evill Custome of sinning will take away all sense of sinne Mans heart is like to a way at first everie coach makes a mark or print afterward when it is worne to the gravell it becomes like a pavement and therefore Salvianus holds it a wonder that a man should long continue in sinne Et non cum ipsis iniquitatibus mâ—riatur in ipsit sepeliatur Cuiùs finienda vita quam vitia Aug. ad Cornel Epist 125. and not die with his iniquities and be buried in them Augustine saith that after sinne becomes customarie Life may sooner be ended than vices Ieremie impyeth that there is an impossibilitie that it should everbe left Can the blacke moore change his skin c. Ierem. 23.13 Iob that sinne will be buried with those that have used to keepe it His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth c. Iob 20.11 Learne then to stop the current of sinne in the beginning Vse lest when it should hold up the hand at the bar it become Sergeant to plead it at the barre and so I come to the
humbled at the losse of his cammels sheepe servants sonnes his friends would have cast him a great deale further perswading him that such great plagues would never have come but upon great sinners The Iew no so nâ—r downe but the Gentile is readie to triumph over him It was Davids case In mine adversitie they reioye dover mee yea the very abiects come against mee Psâ—l 35.15 God hath forsaken him therefore persecute him and take him Psal 71.9 If God lay any judgement upon a people man condemnes them as they did those on whom the tower of Siloam fel and slew them Luke 13. If any present calamitie man judgeth them as Paul when the viper hanged upon him at Malta Act. 28. If God bring men low and hide himselfe from them for a while vulgus iacentem calcat there be those that will tread upon them and insult over them as boldly as the frogs in the fable did over the lion when he was asleep If God take away the rich mans goods the people despise him If God take away the great mans honour the people scorne him If Kings take away their favourites from their followers there be those that will soone see it and keepe them from rising Whence wee may learne that if God should once leave us and cast us downe Vse 1 the world would rather tread upon us than helpe us up which should make us labour to make Gods love and favour sure and then wee need not feare who set themselves against us He is true enough wee may well trust him strong enough we may safely depend upon him and watchfull enough wee may commend our selves unto him and resolve with holy David Psal 27.2 When the wicked who are mine enemies come upon mee to eat up my flesh they shall stumble and fall though an host of men c. Secondly that God would not take away his mercy from us Hide not thy face from mee Psal 27.9 That God would be mercifull unto us and blesse us that though wee sinne he would not cast us off but forgive us though wee run away he would not let us alone but run after and overtake us though wee goe astray he would not leave us to our lelves but seeke us out and lay us upon his shoulders and bring us home and keepe us in his fold and at the day when the sheepe shall stand on the one side and the goats on the other wee may be of that number to whom God shall say Come yee blessed And so I come from the meane conceit that the Gentile hath of the Iew to the proud conceit he hath of himselfe in the next words That I might be graft in As if the Gentile should say I am more worthy than the Iew therfore in reason hee must give place unto mee and God looking upon my worthinesse doth so farre preferre mee that hee hath cut off them that I might be graffed in for them Wherein wee may observe Observat first how subject man is to grow proud of his gifts and graces that are bestowed upon him Secondly how when God hath bestowed upon man some greater blessing he is ready to say that it is for his owne worth that I might bee grafted in Both of them are noted by Lombard 1. Gradus superbiaecum jactat se habere qued babet 2. Cum credit à Deo datum sed pro suis meritis Greg. lib. 2. disâ—inst 42. out of Gregory 1. A degree of pride when he boasteth himselfe to have that which he hath Secondly when he beleeveth that it is given him of God but for his deserts I begin with the first The Apostle 1 Cor. 8.1 saith that knowledge puffeth up and reade Isa 65. that holinesse puffeth up Stand apart come not neere mee for I am holier than thou And in Luk. 18. that the performance of some outward duties puffeth up I fast twice in the week I pay tithe I am not like this Publicane that greatnesse puffeth up as Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should feare him Exod. 5.2 Favour puffeth up as it did Haman who was carried so high in the smoakie cloud of a Princes affection that hee forgate both God and himselfe Esth 5. Eloquence puffeth up as in Herod who was not ashamed of that vaine applause that the people gave him It is not the voyce of man but of God Acts 12.22 Power to cast out Devils puffeth up as in the Apostles Luk. 10.19 20. Caetera vitia sune in peccâ—tis superbia meximè tunenda in recâ—e sâ—ctis Aug. ad Dioscor Epist 56. Et insidiatur Diabolus lit pâ—rdat Aug. ad monochas Epist 109. Other vices are in sinnes pride is most to bee feared in deeds well done saith Augustine God gives good graces And the Devill layeth in wait to destroy them saith Augustine If you consider what man is lighter than vanitie and whereof hee is made of dust you will easily beleeve that a small wind will blow him high enough and though a man have never so many causes of humiliation and dejection yet some one good gift will heave him up more than all these will cast him downe If Herod have onely an eloquent tongue he will be proud of that whereas hee hath a thousand scarres and blemishes in his life that cannot deject him If a Pharisie have but one good qualitie that hee will pay tithes justly though his heart be full of hypocrisie his understanding full of blindnes and ignorance all these foule sins cannot so easily keepe him downe as that one good qualitie will hoyse him up Reasons to keepe us from pride By what reasons then may a man be kept from being proud of his gifts and graces I have noted three 1. Because that is the strongest argument to keepe us from growing in spirituall graces as the way to be great is to be small in a mans owne conceit Latiùs regnes aâ— idum domando spiritum quam si Lybiam â—emoâ—is Gadibus jâ—ngas Horaâ— Oda l. 2. od 2. ad Salust Crisp Nat. bist lib. 16. cap. 42. Hee that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that overcommeth cities Prov. 16.32 2. Because humilitie in respect of our gifts is the best way to come neere to God 3. Because naturally thou art no better than they as vers 18. A good man should not resemble the Palme-tree wherof Pliny writeth that the more weight is cast upon it the higher it riseth but like to the canes that be full of sugar the more they beare the lower they stoope like trees that bee full of fruit the more fruit they beare the more they yeeld and bend much learning should make a man more humble much grace should make a man lowly much honour should make a man more gentle much riches should make a man more meeke and so I descend to the second conclusion When God gives good things Observ 2 man is alwayes ready to ascribe it to his owne merit This is it whereof
the Lord fore-warned Israel In Deut. 9. When thou shalt passe over Iordan and possesse cities walled up to Heaven say not thou in thine heart for my rightteousnesse the Lord hath brought mee in to possesse this land vers 4. Say not it was for mine upright heart vers 5. Say not it was for mine holinesse vers 6. If God give Israel a victorie they are ready to say Our high hand and not the Lord hath done this Deut. 32.27 If the Canaanite be cast out and Israel be come in his stead Israel ascribes all to his owne merit If Israel bee cast off and the Gentile come in his stead the Gentile ascribes all to his owne deserts Whereto you must marke the answer of God Deut. 9.5 Thou didst not enter for thine owne righteousnesse but he was cast off for his owne wickednesse A fault whereof the Papist is most guiltie who as the Rhemists doe confesse affirme Gods election to be because of faith fore-seene in us Rhem. Annot. in Heb. 5. or works foreseene both against Scripture For first that which is the fruit cannot be the cause of election But good workes are fruits and effects of it as Ephes 1.4 S. Augustine speakes thus Elegit noâ— non quiasanctieramus sed ut sancti essemus nen inem elegit dignum sed eligendo effecit dignuÌ„ Aug. contra Iulian Pelag. l. 5. cap. 3. Liberantur per gratiam dicâ—nâ—ur non vasa suorum mer. torâ—â—â— sed vasa misericordiae Aug. de natura gratia lib. 5. cap. 1. Hee chose us not because we were holy but that wee might bee holy hee chose none being worthy but by chusing made him worthy Secondly our election is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Rom. 9.16 Vpon which words Augustine speakes thus They are freed by grace and are called not vessels of their owne deserts but vessels of mercie 3. In Luk. 12.32 It is your fathers pleasure to give you the kingdome and Luk. 15.16 You have not chosen mee but I have chosen you whereas if God should elect men for faith and workes then should they chuse him first by beleeving in him and doing good workes to please him a point so grosse that Bellarmine himselfe disclaimes it De natura gratia lib. 2. cap. 10. and answers the objection from 2 Tim. 2.20 21. If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessel of honor as if by free will good works he were made a vessell of honour in his answer to the second testimony That the Apostle saith not he is made a vessell of honor but he is a vessell as if he should say There be two seales of election or being a vessell of honor The first inward the knowledge of divine approbation The second outward the purging of our hearts from sin and iniquitie and thus Peter exhorts us to make it sure 2 Pet. 1.10 I meet the further use in the next verse and therefore come from the Gentiles plea to the Apostles reply in vers 20 21. VERS 20. Vers 20 Well through unbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith Be not high minded but feare THe reply hath foure parts 1. A deniall that the Iewes were cast off because the Gentiles should be received It was their infidelitie through unbeleefe the branches are broken off 2. A deniall that the Gentile was grassed in for his worth thou standest by faith 3. To take downe their swelling and proud conceit hee affrights them with Gods justice in dealing both with the naturall and engrafted branches for if God spare not c. vers 21. 4. The gemination of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exhortation Bee not high minded but feare I begin with the first Insidelitie was the cause of the rejection of the Iewes Quomodo excidit eos Dominus Tum Dominus exâ—â—idit quando propâ—â—r mâ—râ—â—u liâ—aâ—em Evangelium auseâ—t Sacraâ—entâ— they beleeved not the Gospell that was preached unto them nor in the Messias that was borne amongst them How doth the Lord out them off then hee cuts them off when for their incredulitie hee takes from them the Gospell and the Sacraments saith Olevianus The points are many 1. There is no sin wherewith God is more angrie than want of faith to beleeve the Gospell when it is preached Doct. 1 This will appeare in this one instance because for this sin he takes the Gospell quite away from them as Acts 13.46 It was necessarie that the word should first be preached unto you as vers 11. and hearing the Gospell without prosit and faith is the forerunner of destruction as in Eli his sonnes They hearkened not to their fathers voyce because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 I never read without astonishment the seventh of Ieremy from vers 13. to vers 17. I rose up early and spoke unto you but you would not heare as vers 8. I come to a second point Insidelitie or want of faith makes a divorce Doct. 2 and makes a separation betweene God and man It is most true of all sinne as Isa 59. Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God vers 2. But most true of this as Heb. 3.12 Take heed brethren lest there bee in any of you an evill heart and unfaithfull to depart away from the living God The foulenesse of this sinne will appeare if wee consider 1. That all things they meddle with are foule and uncleane unto the unbeleeving nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 2. How they became Infidels that is by Satans strong hand in blinding them as 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that are lost 3. If we consider the judgements gone out against them 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Because they received not the truth that they might be saved therefore God sent them strong delusions that they should beleevelies that is one and that all they might be damned which beleeve not the truth that is another 4. If wee consider the end What shall bee theend of them which obey not the Gospell as if it would bee some strange end 1 Pet. 4.18 It shall bee tribulation and anguish and woe Rom. 2.5 If wee consider the effects of it in Adam and Eve it excluded them out of Paradise in Israel it excluded them out of Canaan and in all that heare the Gospell and beleeve not it excludes them out of Heaven For he that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Lastly if wee consider it to bee the mother and breeder of all the sinnes that are done against God according to that of Augustine of faith to Peter Qualitas malae vitaeâ—in â—â—uâ—â— liabet ab infidelitate chap. 3. The qualitie of an evill life hath beginning from infidelitie It will make a man part with Heaven for any trifle as Esau did with his birth-right For if a man beleeve neither the judgements nor the promises then
our Lord Rom. 6.23 From hence I may first approve of the conclusion of Fulgentius a Nos nec bona posse nec velle nisi Deus utrumqâ—elargiatur Ad Monim lib. 1. Wee neither can nor will doe good unlesse God gives us both Secondly I may approve of the doctrine of S. Augustine on Psal 118. b Solus liberi arbitrii vires non suffi ere ad divina mandata implerda The powers of the will alone suffice not to the keeping of Gods commandements and therefore must wee say without all pride Vse 2 Thou hast commanded Lord but I would it might be done for mee which thou hast commanded And therefore Augustine Give Lord what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Thirdly c Praecepisti Domine sed utinam fiat mihi quod praecepisti Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Aug. Confess lib. 10. cap. 29. I cannot chuse but challenge the doctrine of the Romish Church to be blasphemous Andradius saith The heavenly blessednesse which the Scripture calls the reward of the iust is not given of God gratis and freely but it is due to their works yea God hath set heaven to sale for our works Another Papist of Lovaine saith thus Vse 3 Farre be it from us to thinke Explic. Artic. Lovan tom 2. art 9. that a man should beg for heaven as a poore man doth for his almes for it is the garland which by his works he deserves Suar. in Thom. tom 1. dist 41. Suarez saith That works proceeding from grace have in themselves and of their owne nature a condignitie and proportion with the reward and a sufficient value to be worth the same and this without the merits of Christ Beggars that aske almes shew their wounds but Papists would have us to shew our merits and not begge heaven as almes due for Christs sake but challenge it as our owne and due for our works sake But what saith Origen I cannot beleeve that there is any worke which can require the reward of debt What saith Augustine Wee must understand that God brings us to life eternall not for our merits but for his owne mercie Neque enim talia sunt hominuÌ„ morita ut propter ea vita aeternâ— debeatur ex jure aut Deus injuriam saceret nisi donaret Bern. de grat lib. Arbit Bern. in Annunt Marrae Serm. 1. pag. 123. Bern. sup Cant Serm. 61. What saith Bernard Mens merits are not such that eternall life is due to them of right or that God should doe them injurie if he did not therefore bestow it See many other places of Bernard against the merits of works The mercy of God is my merit And when Bernard hath long disputed the point of grace and free will the conclusion is this Ea quae dicimus merita nostra spei quaedam sunt seminaria charitatis incentiva occultae praedestinationis indicia futurae foelicitatis praesagia regni via non regnandi causae Nurces of hope provocations of love signes of election fore-runners of future happinesse the way to the kingdome but not the cause why wee come to the kingdome of God And I would have you to observe that howsoever our adversaries boast of their works yet their most learned at their way gate have renounced them Anselmus five hundred yeeres since taught the people to die in this faith Lord I set the death of Christ betweene mee and my bad merits I offer his merits for mine which I should have but have not betweene mee and thine anger I oppose the death of my Lord Iesus So Waldensis Waldens Sacr. tit 1. cap. 74 31. Proptèr in ertitudinem prâ—priae j â—stitiae timorem inâ—uâ— gloriae tutissimum est in solo Christo omnein fiduciam reponere Bellar. de Iustis lib. 5. cap. 7. He is reputed the sounder Divine the better Catholike the more agreeable to Scripture that simply denies all merits and holds that no man can merit the kingdome of heaven but obtaines it by the grace and free will of God that gives it Bellarmine saith For the uncertaintie of ones owne righteousnesse and the feare of vaine glory it is safest to put all our trust in Christ alone Ferus saith The parable of him that hired labourers into his vineyard teacheth that whatsoever God gives Comment in Matth. 20. is of grace not of debt if therefore thou desire to hold the grace an favour of God make no mention of thy merits But I insist no longer upon the point Let us looke for life only by the merits and death of Iesus Christ and renounce our owne righteousnesse account all but dung to win Christ that wee may be found in him not having our owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is of God through faith Phil. 3.9 I come to the last viz. the condition and qualitie of heavenly gifts Without repentance They import the certaine fulfilling of Gods promises and words though the time be long deferred and that the Iewes shall be converted though his promise be not yet accomplished The thing aimed at is this That in regard of Gods immutabilitie Doct. wee must expect the certaine fulfilling of every part of Gods promise seeme they never so hard be they never so long delayed as vers 27. VERS 30. Vers 30 For even as yee in time past have not beleeved God yet now have obtained mercy through their unbeleefe VERS 31. Vers 31 Even so now have they not beleeved that by the mercy shewed unto you they also may obtaine mercy THese verses containe a third argument to prove the last branch and clause of the mysterie Exposition to wit that God will call home the nation of the Iewes and a perswasion to the Gentile not to despaire and doubt of it It is a topicall reason taken a comparatis from the greater to the lesse If the infidelitie of the Iewes was the occasion of shewing mercy to the Gentiles much more shall the mercy shewed to the Gentiles occasion the shewing of mercy to the Iewes for will not God take occasion to doe good from good as soone as from evill If infidelitie in the Iewes make God shew favour to the Gentile much more shall his mercy shewed formerly to the Gentile make him also now shew mercy to the Iew. The things compared are three First the infidelitie of the Gentile with the infidelitie of the Iew Secondly the mercy which the Gentile received in time past with the mercy which the Iew shall receive hereafter Thirdly the occasion of both The occasion of mercy to the Gentile infidelitie in the Iew the occasion of mercy to the Iew is mercy formerly extended to the Gentile I begin with the first branch of the comparison Yee in time past have not beleeved as if he had said Learne from your selves that yee ought not to despaire of the Iewes They are now in the verie same case wherein thou wast once They
ordinarie way which men take cannot bring them on to God therefore Paul presses egerly Phil. 3. David runs swiftly Gloria habitat in rupibus Strom. lib. 4. Psal 119.32 It was the speech of Clemens Alexandrinus Glory dwelleth in the rocks Secondly Vse 2 take paines to learne perfectly the way unto God Bee like Alexander in Plutarch with his Homers Iliads Lib. 6. cap. 2. like Origen in Eusebius who in his young yeeres devoted himselfe wholly to Gods service Thirdly cast off that luggage whereby men are so much letted and hindred in the way Fourthly Vse 4 if thou bee once set forward in an holy profession Bee constant in it unto the end Observe these and thou shalt surely finde mercie at the last Secondly Of universall grace here I have fit occasion to dispute a little about universall grace I finde concerning this point foure severall opinions Some have thought Gods saving grace to bee so generall that it reacht unto all both men and Devils which errour is ascribed unto Origen and is confuted at large by S. Augustine De Civit. Dei 10.21 cap. 17. ad 24. Some have holden that God ordained grace and mercie for all and was not in any sense the cause of mans reprobation this was the old heresie of the Pelagians and is not without her well-willers at this day The third is of the Papists who deny not that reprobation doth proceed in some sense from the decree and will of God But that it is Gods act so formally and so properly as election is The fourth only is according to godlinesse That predestination is both of the elect to salvation all reprobates to damnation I will not waken the first which is the dead error of Origen I will deale only with the Papist and the Pelagian who are Iebusites yet alive in the Canaan of the Church The Rhemists position on Rom. 9. Annot. 5. on vers 17. is this God intends no mans damnation directly and absolutely but in respect of their demerits and it is their marginall note upon vers 22. That God is not the cause of any mans damnation or reprobation otherwise than for the punishment of his sinnes of the same opinion is Bellarmine who maketh God the Author of reprobation farre otherwise than of election and excludes it out of the definition of predestination De grat lib. arbit lib. 2. c. 9. Their arguments are taken from 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to bee saved and come to the knowledge of the truth The 2 Pet. 3.9 God would have no man to perish but would have all come to repentance The 18. Ezek. 23. God will not the death of a sinner Therefore the death and condemnation of man stands not properly with the will of God To which it may briefly be answered thus First God is said not to will the death of a sinner not because in his secret will he hath not decreed it but because God in mans condemnation hath respect to his owne glorie that is it which principally hee wills both in his election and reprobation that which God chiefly and principally wils is his glory and this glory is gotten by electing of some out of the masse of corruption and leaving of others Secondly God will have all saved that is de generibus fingulorum all kindes of people Euchir cap. 103. it is Augustines exposition Thirdly Gods will is that all the elect shall be saved as we say all goe in at the doore of the house not because all men goe into that house but because all that goe into the house goe that way Fourthly All in regard of sufficiencie not in respect of efficiencie in regard of the worthinesse of the price not in regard of the propertie of redemption God wils with the will of his signe not of his decree that is of his commandement not of his good pleasure Fifthly in regard of his revealed will who offereth unto all the outward means of salvation not with the will of his good pleasure and decree The Conclusions in briefe are these 1. God as hee hath made all men so hee hath freely disposed of their end according to the counsell of his owne will ordaining some to be vessels of honour some vessels of wrath And this is most just to save some and reject others whereas he might condemne all Nemo injustitia Deum arguat si uni indebitum donaverit gratiam alteri debitam reddiderit poenam A. g. de praedest Sanct. lib. 1. cap 4. Let no man accuse God of injustice if hee shall give to one undeserved grace shall render to another deserved punishment saith Augustine 2. Nothing must make us thinke that God condemnes any without their owne fault hee ordaines none to condemnation which they have not justly deserved by their sin and that God only hath decreed and willed their punishment but not the sinne that brings them to it If now you demand whether this reprobation depend only upon Gods absolute will or there were in it a respect view of mans sin I have discussed this before when I handled the second verse of this Chapter And so I come from the Papist to his brother the Pelagian and others begotten of them both It was the tenent of Pelagius That the grace of God was not only in respect of the outward meanes generally offered to all but in Gods eternall decree and purpose ordained for all if they would receive it and Th. Aquinas and Bellarmine seeme to confute the opinion yet in other words they affirme as much If the bloud of Christ were to be given to all for whom it was shed then it were to be given to all men to the Turkes Sisanguis Christi omnibus danduus effct pro quibus susus est cum dandus esset omnibus omninò hominibus etiam Turcis Iudaeis Ethuicis sauguis etenim ille pro omnibus siâ—â—us est De Eucharist lib 4. cap. 25. Iewes Heathens for that bloud was shed for all in his answer to the argument of Luther I have observed three severall opinions The first that Christ without difference died for the sinnes of all men without any respect of faith or infidelitie yet all are not saved because some despise this grace offered and so are deprived of the reconciliation purchased by Christ The second that all are saved by grace and have faith in Christ The third that it is the purpose of God to save all but the condition being kept if they beleeve The first applying Christs death to all as well beleevers as unbeleevers impugnes that Scripture God so loved the world c. Ioh. 3.16 The second making faith a naturall gift is contrarie to the word for that which is naturall is common to all But all men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 The third ascribing power to mans will to receive and apprehend grace when it is offered gaine sayes that Scripture which saith Without me yee can doe nothing
lawfull calling is the common good as members for the common good of the body be it politicke or naturall Therefore many perswade themselves that they have lawfull callings when they have none such as live by usurie carding dicing playing these have neither the Author God nor the end the common good Now in the right use of a calling consider foure things First that they make choyce of a calling which is lawfull and honest Secondly that they make choyce of a calling which is fit for them and they for it Epist Endoxio Rhâ—tori Nazianzene reports of the Athenians That when their youth came to bee of age fit for employment they permitted them to make choyce of such callings in which they saw them take most delight because those things best succeed which we undertake by natures guidance Thirdly hee that is fitted for many must make choyce of the best Art thou called being a servant care not for it that is Though thy calling bee meane and hard yet shake it not off but beare it patiently 1 Cor. 7.21 Fourthly leave it not without good warrant but I hasten to my conclusion Let everie man examine his calling at the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 7.24 Let everie man wherein he as called walke with God No calling is lawfull when the action pleaseth not God as 1 Cor. 10.31 By this I hope some will learne at last to give over their calling whereby they bring not honour but dishonour unto God Those that live upon usurie by dicing houses by penning and acting of playes let them all remember this mine heart trembles to thinke what calling these men have my soule wonders how they glorifie God in them I marvell how these make for a publike good how God is honoured a kingdome bettered the common good promoted by them I know not I beleeve not And so I come to the Cui who must have all this honour Him It was the proud speech of Sennacherib Have any of their Gods delivered the Nations out of mine hand Isa 36.18 taking the glorie of all victories unto himselfe None may challenge the glorie of any thing that hee doth or hath unto himselfe The glorie must not rest upon him that hath any good but must bee returned to him that gave it Now it is God that gives everie good thing that wee enjoy for Everie good and perfit gift comes downe from the Father of lights Iam. 1.17 FINIS The Table A. PArents greatnes cannot pâ—ocure acceptance for their children pag. 41 Account must bee given by Ministers for their peoples soules pag. 253 Workes of God admired by the godly p. 454. Christ an Advocate to all he died for p. 447 Wicked men think the godly out of favour because afflicted p. 10 Men are ready to afflict the afflicted p. 302 No outward privilege can exempt from Gods anger p. 12 God answers his peoples prayers p. 104 Why God doth not answer sometimes p. 105 Apostles of foure kindes p. 244 Apostles excelled in six things p. 245 Spirit of application a signe of election p. 26 Faithfull Preachers make application to their people p. 241 Application of Stories of others to our selves p. 242 Assurance of salvation may be had here p. 22 75 Assurance of salvation set downe Rom. 8. p. 24 Assurance Papists errour concerning it p. 38 Assurance beleevers happinesse by it p. 39 Attention great to weightie points p. 365 God takes sinne quite away in forgivenesse p. 409 God takes sinne away three wayes ibid. B. BAal what it signifieth p. 115 Baal the originall of it p. 116 Children may be saved that dye unbaptized p. 276 Everie wicked man base p. 44 All riches without grace is beggerie p. 236 God beholding to none p. 470 Christ died onely for beleevers p. 447 Why Paul saith hee was of Benjamin p. 19 How to know we benefit by the ordinances p. 243 Best See Punishment Holinesse makes blessed p. 13 What is due to God of his blessings p. 271 Wee should register Gods blessings p. 346 Blindnesse a punishment of unbeleevers p. 187 Blindnesse spirituall and bodily compared p. 188 Blindnesse spirituall freedome from it requires thankefulnesse p. 189 Boldnesse of sinne p. 297 Spirituall judgements set forth in borrowed terms and why p. 185 Bowing a token of subjection p. 115 Bowing before an Idoll idolatrte p. 117 Bowing the backe what p. 191 Bountie to Saints a signe of love to God p. 34 Bountie of God should keepe us from sinne p. 343 C. NO sinner so desperate but may bee called p. 264 What Calling wee should chuse p. 476 Why men are so prone to censure others p. 431 Certaintie See Faith Promises to godly parents belong to their children p. 272 What holinesse is traduced from parents to children p. 274 All the elect committed to Christ p. 14 Elect desire the comming of Christ p. 37 Wee are predestinate in Christ p. 52 No meanes to glorie but Christ p. 71 The Iewes conversion a little before the comming of Christ p. 381 All our deliverance by Christ p. 390 Evils of countries imputed to Christians p. 234 Foure signes that there are few members of the true Church p. 113 In greatest revolts God preserves his Church p. 372 Gods promises to keepe his Church p. 373 Combat betweene flesh and Spirit a signe of election p. 30 Comforts must 〈◊〉 bee concealed from the wicked p. 5 Comfort for Christians in all estates p. 87 Comfort to the elect that they have a God to goe to p. 106 See Fall Place Wicked might have much good by the company of good men p. 224 Motive to confesse sinne p. 408 The Gospell though opposed shall convert the Elect. p. 378 Pope made Iudge of controversies and why p. 81 The word written the Iudge of controversies p. 144 God when he pardons sinne removes the guilt and corruption p. 406 Covenant of God that the Saints cannot fall away p. 16 Al that are called Christians not in Covenant p. 17 The Iewes within the Covenant shall not bee lost p. 384 Two acts in the counsell of â—oâ— p. 54 Sinne cries for judgement p. 369 R probation no act of crueltie p. 56 Curse how wee are freed from it p. 394 D. LIving in sinne a state of death p. 261 Pelagians errour touching death in sinne p. 262 Gospell raiseth men from death p. 266 We are reconciled by Christs death p. 399 God defendeth his Church p. 90 118 Deliverance by Christ. p. 390 Despaire the evill of it p. 353 Mâ—anes of grace abused turne to destruction p. 168 Destruction from the best things of wicked men p. 177 Destruction to seeke life in the Law p. 181 Destruction not aimed at in Gods decree p. 200 Man the cause of his owne destruction p. 312 Donatists errour p. 353 Drowsinesse in the best Christians p. 350 E. EAre how needfull a member p. 169 Election not proved by outward privileges p. 12 Election nine signes of it p. 25 Election three things concerning it p. 56 Election