the procreant cause of it for the zeale of the Iewes did not make Paul loue them for in this zeale they crucified Christ persecuted the Gospell and Saint Paul cals this zeale in himselfe blasphemie and therefore Paul would neuer commend it Indeede if I see a Papist zealous in his way I pitie him and wish his zeale were wel directed but I commend not his zeale When I read the Story of Alexander Cicero c. I loue their remembrance for some moralities in them as Christ loued that Yâ—…ng man in the Gospell but this zeale of the Iewes was no moralitie being considered in the manner in which they were zealous And therefore though Paul grant it yet as Chrysostome obserues he reproues it vehemently and takes away all Apology from them Here then I take it the Apostle comes directly to point to shew that Iustification by Faith abolisheth not the Law though their zeale bee cast away because it was not according to knowledge Paul here notably in the first place beating downe as was fit the admiration and opinion they had of their zealous obseruations In this verse there are two things First a Concession Paul grants that they haue the zeale of God Secondly an Accusation or Reproofe of their zeale But not according to knowledge The zeale of God The earnest study of the Iewes about the worship of the true God and standing for Moses Law Paul calls zeale Heb. 10.27 which is a vehement affection as a very hote fire is called the zeale of fire and may thus be described that it is an exceeding vehement affection or loue to a thing with an indignation against whatsoeuer doth hurt the thing beloued and an endeuor to redeeme it from all iniuries and wrongs Zeale of God Not as approued of God but so called because God was the end or obiect of it though they failed in the right way so as this is to be vnderstood comparatiuely in respect of the Heathen who are zealous for false gods So if we compare the Turkes and Papists The Turkes are zealous for Mahomet The Papists in comparison for Christ Not according to knowledge It was according to their owne conceiued knowledge but not according to the knowledge they should haue had by the Gospel and for this doth Paul reproue it The more of such zeale the worse doctrine Zeale if it be not according to knowledge is not acceptable to God The Iewes are a plaine example hereof See also Eccles 7.18 Q. Can a man haue too much zeale A. Not of true but of selfe-conceited A little of this is too much For whatsoeuer is without Faith is sinne Faith presupposeth knowledge Errour in knowledge breeds errour in zeale Vse 1. A good meaning will not iustifie our actions if otherwise euill as appeares in the Iewes who many of them meant well in persecuting the Gospell but they are to this day plagued for such zealous meanings Let vs meane neuer so well if that which we doe be not according to Gods meaning hee regards it not who hath giuen his Law not our meanings to be a rule of our obedience If a Wife play the Harlot and say she meant no harme will this satisfie her Husband And shall wee thinke to worship Images pray to Saints stay at home on the Sabbath day when we may conueniently resort to the Church vnder the shadow of a good meaning No. God will not accept of such bald excuses And if good meaning will not excuse ill doing What shall we say to them which doe ill and meane ill too What shall become of Drunkards Blasphemers Vncleane persons c. What good meaning can be in them Vse 2. Here we haue a rule for the ordering of our zeale that it may be acceptable to God For it is such a thing which if it be well ordered is most beautifull in a Christian but if not a thing of exceeding danger as Fire in moderation is most comfortable in extremitie most fearefull This Rule is sound knowledge out of Gods Word This knowledge must be three-fold First of the thing of the which we are zealous that it be in the Right For if wee be in the wrong the more zeale the worse as in a wrong way the more haste the worse speed Exod. 40.36,37 Therefore Saint Paul tels the Galathians that it is good to be zealous alwaies in a good thing 2. Of the wrong which is done to the thing we are zealous of that in deed there be a wrong done not going vpon hearesay and aduenture but vpon certainty being able out of the Word soundly to conuince the same For here is the indignation and if there be not sound knowledge we may become slanderers of our brethren and as they say beat them with the sword who deserue not to be touched with the scabberd 3. That wee haue some competent knowledge and abilitie thereby to iudge of the proportion of the wrong for the which we haue indignation in our zeale that so our zeale may haue a good temper For all sinnes offences wrongs are not of the same quantitie and qualitie As there is a difference in offences so must there bee in our zeale in greater things to be more zealous in lesser things lesse zealous wee must remember it is of the Nature of fire There is not the like fire for the roasting of an Egge and for the roasting of an Oxe but it is moderated according to the necessities of the houshold By this three-fold knowledge must our zeale be directed where the Word begins there must our zeale beginne and where the Word ends there must our zeale end whatsoeuer our opinion be For as he that trauelleth ouer the Washes or in some dangerous passage without a guide many times perisheth So is the man that is zealous not according to knowledge As therefore in the wildernesse when the cloud ascended the children of Israel set forward in their iourneyes and when that stood still so did they And if the cloud ascended not then they iourneyed not till it ascended Exod. 40.36,37 So is our zeale alwaies to follow our knowledge and to be directed therby There are two forts of men hereby to be apprehended 1. They which haue a desect not of zeale but of knowledge for the ground of their zeale 2. They which haue a defect not of knowledge but of zeale answerable to their knowledge Of the 1. of these may be verified the Prouerbe They set the Cart before the Horse The second may bee likened to Pharaohs Chariots when the wheeles were off so slowly doe they expresse their knowledge in their liues The first are like a little ship without ballast fraught but with a great many sailes which is soone either dasht against the Rockes or toppled ouer The second are like a goodly great Ship well ballasted and richly fraughted but without any sayles which quickly falleth into the hands of Pyrats because it can make no speed sooner making
Horeb he goes for more safetie and to meet with the Lord. There passeth by him a mightie wind an earthquake and fire representations of Eliahs zeale But God was not in them Then comes a still voice to teach Eliah patience saying What doest thou here Eliah Eliah answered Lord I haue bene iealous for the Lord of hoasts complaining according to the words here vsed by Paul verse 3. In this storie it appeares that Eliah was a man subiect to infirmities as other men are being ouerheate in his passion his life being in danger by Iesabel yet his zeale in regard of the cause of it is exceeding commendable and for our imitation doctrine We are to be zealous for the Lord. So was Elias Moses Samuel Dauid as appeares in their stories Vse When thou seest God dishonored and religion troden vnder foote be not senslesse Would it not moue a man to see altars throwne downe prophets killed miracles take no effect as in Eliahs time Iames 5. â—7 Or now to see the Sabboth profaned the preaching of the Gospell contemned and many notwithstanding dayly admonitions to runne out some to drunkennesse some to whoredome some to pride c Surely we want an Eliah Whosoeuer hath but a dram of his spirit these things to him are as a dagger at his heart Meeknesse in our owne causes but in Gods zeale and earnestnesse become vs. Yet be not ouer zealous few I confesse are sicke of this disease â—et Elias was and we may be also for we are more sure we haue his passions then his grace Excesse of zeale is intollerable yea it hath bene found lesse dangerous to the Church when men haue come short of the due proportion of zeale then when they haue exceeded Auda Bishop in Persia in an excesse of zeale throwing downe a Temple of the Pagans was the cause that the King thereby insensed threw downe all the Temples of the Christians Theod. lib. 5. There are two things whereby we may discerne whether our zeale exceed due limits and bounds or no 1 If thou make thy selfe a partie so much is it in the wrong Elias was the more hot because his owne life was in danger So if there be a disordered person who hath prouoked vs then wee crie its pitie but he should be presented indited punished But when vnder a colour of zeale against sinne we reuenge our owne wrongs it s more passion then zeale Secondly Zeale should consume the faults not the persons of offenders if thine feeds on the persons not on the faults it s naught Quench it against the person inflame it against the fault Iames and Iohn would haue had the wicked Samaritans by and by to be consumed with fier from heauen but they are reproued by our Sauiour Luc. 9.53 And here Elias was somewhat faultie comming short of Moses and Samuell who made intercession for not against their people Eliah makes intercession against his people Moses and Samuell for them These rather then Eliah are to be imitated of Ministers It s a lamentable thing to see a father wringing of his hands ouer his child and complaining of his stubbornesse wishing he had neuer bene borne So it is very greeuious to heare an Eliah complaine to God of the stubbornesse of his people We are your fathers so liue you that we may haue no cause to sue against you either in the court of heauen or earth but rather to reioyce oueryou which we shall doe with much cheerefullnes praying for you if you forsake your sinnes and turne vnto God obeying his word If we in our prayers haue cause to complaine of you it will be vnprofitable to you for what followed Eliah his complaint The Lord speakes to him as if hee should say Eliah I see thou art in a moode well goe annoynt Hazael King of Aram Iehu King of Israel and Elisha Prophet in thy roome him that scapeth the sword of Hazaell shall Iehu slay and him that escapeth Iehu shal Elisha slay Of such force are the complaints of the Prophets and Ministers of God against their stubborne people as also are their prayers effectuall on the behalfe of such as beleeue and obey Now I beseech you presently to reforme your liues that wee may mutually ioyne together to blesse God you for vs and we for you that we may be all crowned together at the comming of Christ VERSE 3. Lord they haue killed thy Prophets and digged downe thine Altars and I am left alone and they seeke my life IN these words is set downe the complaint of Eliah more particularly in which are two things First the person to whom he complaines Lord. Secondly the matter of the complaint which is twofold First The killing of the Prophets Secondly The digging downe of Altars Both these aggrauated from the miserable estate of Eliah which appeared two waies first He is left alone in his owne opinion secondly They seeke his life also They not onely bellua multorum capitum the vulgar but Ahab Iesabel Nobles Commons and all from the highest to the lowest Especially Iesabel a diuellish and wicked woman who added to the Idolatry of the Israelites the abomination of the Sydonians and whose hatred against true religion was so great that it came into a prouerb such being called Iesabels Apoc. 2. Thy Prophets Thy is added for more detestation of the fact The Embassadors of a meane Prince are not to be wronged but they haue killed Thy Prophets Thine Altars An Altar was a building or Instrument of earth stone or other stuffe reared vp for the offering of Sacrifices Quest But what Altars means he God coÌ„manded that there should be no Altar in ordinary after the building of the Temple but at Ierusalem where only Sacrifices were to bee offered which is the cause that now the Iewes offer no sacrifices because they want their Temple Ahab could not come by the Altar at Ierusalem being out of his Kingdome What Alter then meanes Ahab Answ Some say that the signe is put for the thing signified and by Altars meant Religion which was by Ahab and Iesabel abolished But as the killing of the Prophets was a matter of fact so also I take this to be rather then of signification only They threw downe material Altars built in Abrahams Isaaks Iacobs Iosuahs and Samuels time before the Temple was builded and the Altars which were by Elias himselfe and other Prophets by speciall commandement after the building of the Temple set vp which were called afterward high Places and the good Kings of Iudah commended for pulling them downe 1. Kin. 18.4.22 Obiect Why should Eliah complaine of the doing of that by Ahab which done by others is commended Answ Those Altars remained as monuments of Gods worship and Elias complaines not simply against their demolishing but because it was done in despite of true Religion that no foot-step thereof might remaine to put the people in minde of the true God which if it had bin done in
the accursing of them who should conuert it to their owne vse and so by a translated sense it signifieth a perpetuall separation from Christ As therefore such things were separated from men for honour sake so applyed to men it signifies to be separate from Christ for horror sake This is Chrysostomes exposition approued of the best Interpreters And as the Greeke word is thus vsed so Sacer properly signifying Holy is vsed amongst the Latines by good Authors g Auri sacra fames Virg. Sacer intestabilis esto Hor. in a contrary sense For my brethren not spirituall but kinsmen according to the flesh that is the Iewes as if he had said I would bee damned in their stead that they might be wonne to Christ and saued in mine As Dauid wished he might haue dyed for Absolon and Christ dyed for vs. The Argument to iustifie Pauls griefe is from an effect of his loue which is a contestation that for their sakes he would with all his heart be accursed from Christ Therefore he must needs be grieued for their separation This loue of Paul is here amplified by three circumstances 1. The Person wishing Paul 2. The matter of his wish to be accursed from Christ 3. For whose sake for the Iewes Who Paul who was so zealous for Christ To be accursed from Christ his onely Ioy and Desire and for the Iewes his enemies who layd continuall wayt for him about a fortie of them vowing neither to eate nor drinke till they had his bloud Euen thus it was Euen Paul wisheth to be accursed from Christ for these Chrysostome calls it a flame a sea of loue No sea so deepe no flame so bright as Pauls loue Q. But is it lawfull for Paul thus to wish For it is to bee holden as a truth in Diuinitie that euery man is first to haue a care of his owne soule yea the Papists affirme that though the soule of the Virgin Marie whom they too much adore were in perill yet for her saluation wee ought not to hazard our owne A. There are many farre-fetcht answeres For Interpreters haue exceedingly laboured herein Wee hardly vnderstand how this should be because we are farre from the measure of Pauls loue Among all the Answers there are 3. principall The first is that Paul vseth an Hyperbolicall speech or that hee spake hastily not well considering the matter but hee spake vpon his oath as we haue heard and therefore no Hyperbole or ouersight to be admitted The second that he did not indeed so wish but was ready so to doe if it were lawfull but the words and his oath take away this also he did actually so wish and without supposition The third is Chrysostomes which also Aquinas hath who make a double separation from Christ 1. To be separated from his loue which Paul by no meanes wisheth neither is it lawfull to desire either not to loue Christ or not to bee beloued of him 2. To be separated from him onely by punishment in regard of the fruition of heauenly ioyes and so Paul wishes here not so much hauing an eye to the destruction of the Iewes as to the glory of Christ The vnbeleeuing Iewes did daily by vile speeches blaspheme Christ the hearing hereof was so grieuous to Paul that out of a great zeale he wished verily to haue beene accursed from Christ rather then that he should be so reuiled yet so accursed as that he would still loue Christ and be beloued of him He will for no cause be depriued of Christs loue but he is content to lose his part in Heauen for Christs glory doctrine We ought to redeeme the saluation of our very enemies with the losse of heauenly Ioyes to our selues rather then Christ should lose his glorie So Moses wisheth Exod. 32.12.32 For Gods glory ought to be more deare to vs then any ioy or good of our owne Vse 1. If we consider Paul as a kinseman wee are taught what great loue we owe to our kinred We are to loue our Nature in all but where there are most bands there should our loue be most Nature teacheth this and Grace perfiteth Nature Christ beginning to preach first preached at Nazareth to recompence the place of his education Luk. 4.16 And Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.8 That hee that prouideth not for his owne is worse then an Infidell Husbands ought specially to take care for the saluation of wife and children brethren for brethren c. Vse 2. Consider Paul as an Apostle 2. Pet. 5.2 and then it teacheth Ministers specially to feed their owne flockes to pray for them to be affected with their stubbornenesse So Samnel Ieremie c. Must Ministers take paines grieue and burne out the Candles of their liues to doe their people good Then is it not fit that their people should despise and despite their Teachers vexing them with their vngodly stomackes and profane carriage This is to encrease their sorrow which is so great that it is compared to the sorrow of a woman in trauaile Gal. 4 19. Vse 3. Consider Paul as a Christian He feeketh the saluation of his enemies so doe thou Remember it was Cains speech Am I my Brothers keeper Thou must haue care of thy brothers yea of thine enemies It will not serue the turne to say Euery Fat shall stand on his owne bottome This is harsh to nature but Grace must ouereome corruption Vse 4. Reioyce not at the fall of thine enemy whether it bee by the immediate hand of GOD or by the hand of the Magistrate say not It is no matter If thou feelest thy heart to hammer such thoughts striue and pray against it Consider Pauls example here and Dauids in the Psalmes Psal 35.13 To reioyce at other mens harmes is the way to haue such things cast vpon our selues Prou. 24.17 Vse 5. The cause of Pauls wish is the glory of Christ which ought to be more deare vnto vs then our owne saluation Though we cannot attaine to the measure of Pauls zeale yet we must aime at it and endeuour our vttermost Though Parents are loth to part with their Children yet for their good they are content to put them to schoole and to binde them to Trades farre off So we can be contented to enioy life liberty c. yet if the parting from these be to Gods glory we must be ready so to doe How few then be there which loue Christ as they ought how few which would be content to part with Heauen for his honour for many will not for the glory of God and the obtaining of Heauen leaue their pride whoredome drunkennesse c. VERSE 4. Who are Israelites to whome pertaineth the Adoption and the Glorie and the b Or Testaments Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises 5. Whose are the Fathers and of whome as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen
for instance to be so also meant of euery Regenerate man and therefore the Syrian Translator reads it Thee 4. The Cause The Spirit The Law of Faith say some which may receiue a good Exposition Others better interpret the holy Ghost hereby prouing the Deitie of the third Person Ambrosius Pareus Chrysost Beza vnderstands it of the efficacie of the Spirit in vs which is saith he the Grace of Regeneration I take rather to bee meant here the roote of that Grace rather then the Grace it selfe The roote I call the Grace of Holinesse in the Humane Nature of Christ which vpon our vnion with him is by the Holy Ghost conueyed vnto vs. For Ioh. 3.34 Ioh. 1.16 hee receiued not the Spirit by measure but is full of grace and of his fulnesse wee receiue grace for grace This I take to be the fittest Exposition This Spirit is two wayes set forth First by the Subiect in whom it is It is radically in Christ Secondly by the effect it is the Spirit of life for if this flowe not vnto vs we are but dead men with this being deriued vnto vs both the worthinesse of Christs obedience and also power for the weakning and abolishing of sinne that it reigneth not in vs nor can condemne vs. And for this I gesse that our Sauiour is called a 1. Cor. 15.45 Quickning Spirit For as wee haue to liue a naturall life from Adam so haue wee to liue a spirituall life from Christ being vnited vnto him The meaning then is this The power of the Spirit which is in Christ hath freed all them which are in Christ from sinne and death So that as sinne could haue no power ouer him to condemne him neither can it haue ouer vs wee receiuing of the same Spirit and liuing the same life which was in him For we liue not a diuerse life from that which is in Christ but the very same as the water in the fountaine and riuers and the life in the head and members is the same doctrine Our vnion with Christ frees vs from the power of sinne and death Ephes 2.18,22 Vse 1. The cause of all our happinesse is this vnion From hence is it that wee serue not sinne from hence is it that wee yeeld not to euery tentation of Satan that wee haue comfort that wee are stablished in Grace is from hence Labour therefore to be vnited the ordinary meanes is the Word preached For as in Graffing so here God is the Husbandman Christ the Stock Beleeuers the Imps The Spirit the Sap The Word the Knife or Saw The Sacraments The Ligatures As therefore without a Knife or Saw to open and riue the Stock and to let in the Imps a man cannot Graffe so Contemners of the Word and Sacraments cannot possibly be in Christ Vse 2. Hath freed Mee There is much Diuinitie in Pronounes said Luther In the first Verse Paul spake in the third Person Them Here in the first Me. Not that hee appropriates this freedome to himselfe by so speaking but to teach euery one to apply it to themselues and in themselues to feele it for which cause the Syrian Translator reads Thee For as the power of sense and motion in the head is deriued to euery the least and farthest member and ioynt Ephes 4.7 so the meanest in the Church as well as the chiefest doe receiue according to their place sutable grace It may be some may think O if I were Abraham Dauid or Paul I should be saued Yea if thou bee in Christ thou art freed as well as they and shalt bee saued as well as they Vse 3. Wee are now freed from sinne and and death not simply so we shall hereafter be deliuered but from the Law of Sinne. Wee be not so deliuered that wee cannot sin or dye but Sin cannot domineere ouer vs nor damne vs nor Death hurt vs. Lay vp this against the Day of tentation It is very grieuous to feele the assaults of Sinne as of Vncleannes Pride c. But all are Beggers we may not choose our Almes wee must remember our measure wee haue such things that we may be humbled not that we should bee ouercome Thou must be content to haue Sinne trouble thee here and to wring from thee sighes and teares but comfort thy Soule with this it shall neuer condemne thee A Snake may be so handled by taking out the sting or teeth that it cannot hurt vs though it touch vs yet wee abhorre it for the nature of it and are afraid to haue it come nere vs and it 's but our feare So sinne is in such sort handled by our Sauiour Christ that though it touch vs and hisse at vs yet it cannot hurt vs It may make vs afraid but blessed be God the feare is more then the hurt For as sinne and death could not hurt Christ so neither can they hurt vs. It is not kild out-right but it is so maymed Iudges 1. that as Adoni-bezek hauing his hands and feet mangled and being in chaines could not endammage Israel so neither can sinne vs. When therefore thou feelest sinne stir in thy heart alas who feeles it not cast not away thy confidence but with a good courage resist it and resort to Christ by Prayer that thou mayst more feele the power of his Spirit Great is the power of sinne but the power of the Spirit is greater The Diuell is strong but CHRIST is stronger Vse 4. Those which haue not obtained this freedome are most miserable They are slaues and that to the basest master in the world which is Sin and shall haue the fearefullest wages which is Death As nothing is more base then sin so nothing is more bitter then death How did sinne Tyrannize ouer Ammon Achab Iudas who could haue no rest 2. Sam. 13.2 1. King 21.4 Iohn 13.30 but are sicke till they haue performed most shamefull seruices to their vtter ruine Thou hast heard of the Gally-slaues of the Turke How sweet is it to bee deliuered from such a bondage But alas What is the Turk to the Diuell What is a Gally to Hell What the labour of Oares to the seruice of sinne and torments of Hell O the happines of them which are in Christ that are deliuered from sinne and death Haue we any enemies to these Yea his happinesse is the more by the assurance of it for once in Christ and euer in Christ let Satan do his worst The lest branch of the Vine which is Christ is too high for Satans reach Such as are in him can neuer want sauing Grace so rich a Root is Christ to maintaine and nourish all such which are grafted into him So long as Christ hath any Spirit thou shalt not want it As possible is it for Christ to want the Spirit as for thee to want it if thou beest in Christ Vse 5. Examine whether thou beest set free If sinne rule in thee it will also damne thee thou
is the Spirit maketh Intercession for vs that is teacheth vs to make Intercession According to his will as it is reuealed in his Word doctrine The way to haue our Prayers heard is to pray according to Gods will 1. Ioh. 5.14 Iam. 4.3 Vse 1. Wicked men shall not bee heard to their benefite Prou. 28.9 The Prayer of a wicked man is abominable He heard the Iewes when they cursed themselues saying His bloud be vpon vs but he onely approues the prayers of his children A wicked man can haue no hope to bee heard for whosoeuer remembers that free will not doe that which hee hath heard must needs distrust to receiue that which hee asketh When our good life agreeth with our good words then is there confidence and lowd crying in the eares of God Vse 2. Wouldest thou be heard Aske then those things which are according to Gods will not thine owne In Prayer it is a great grace to renounce our owne wils And he doubtlesse is the best seruant that desireth not to heare that which he will but which willeth that which he heareth Submit thy will to Gods for better knowes the Physicion what 's fit for the sick man then himselfe If thou askest any thing either thou shalt haue it or if thou hast it not it is not expedient for thee to haue it and then GOD doth not thy will that hee may doe his owne for thy good VERSE 28. And wee know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them who are called according to his purpose HEre is a new argument to comfort and encourage vs vnder the Crosse taken from the profit the Crosse brings The Crosse tends to our Good to further vs to godlinesse and the Kingdome of Heauen therefore wee may not bee discouraged In this Verse are two things 1. A Proposition All things worke together for them which loue God 2. The proofe which is double 1. From the experience of all Saints We know 2. From a description of them which loue God they are the Called according to Gods purpose We know The wicked knowe not this secret As the Philistims vnderstood not Samsons Riddle but wee know the Crosse is a help All things Aquinas ante â—um Aug. lâ—b de cor gra c. 1. Euen sinnes because from their fals Gods Children arise more warie and carefull The best things of the wicked euen their prayers turne to their hurt the worst of the godly euen their sinnes turne to their Good Satan then gets nothing in the end by tempting vs to sinne but the greater ouerthrow of his owne Kingdome I dare not say that this is the meaning of these words For sinnes indeed turne to the good but worke not the good of Gods children as afflictions doe For sinne is not appointed to be done as the Crosse is appointed to be suffered neither can it be said that sinne is sanctified to this purpose as are afflictions Here properly by All things is meant all Aduerse things Worke together not inuicem betweene themselues but together with God Not of their owne nature for so they doe not co-operate but contra-operate but beeing sanctified by God Ansel and therefore one takes the Verbe passiuely are wrought for indeede take away God and afflictions worke to our hurt For Good That is the chiefe good Eternall life To them which loue God So are Gods children described for it is proper to children to loue and obey their Father To them which are called according to his purpose That is God hath purposed the saluation of his children hath chosen and called them vnto it therefore it must needs bee that afflictions comming from God must further them to eternall life Otherwise he should do that which should hinder and crosse his owne purpose which is not done by wise men much lesse by our most wise God doctrine All Afflictions further the good of Gods children Psal 119.71 1. Pet. 1.6,7 3.17 4.19 2. Cor. 4.17 Iosephs afflictions furthered Gods purpose of honouring him Gen. 50.20 and Pauls afflictions furthered the cause of the Gospell Phil. 1.12 Vse 1. The admirable power and goodnesse of God is here noted that he can and doth ouerrule the nature of euil things so as to make them serue for much good yea to bring good out of them as he brought light out of darknes He can sweeten these bitter waters As the Apothecary of poison makes Triacle to driue out poison So can God make the poison of afflictions which in themselues are the curse of the Law to driue out the poison of sinne God makes afflictions worke to our good in two respects 1. Of Sinne. 2. Of Grace 1. Of Sinne two wayes First to preuent it Secondly to cure it 1. A Physicion opens a veine not onely to cure but many times to preuent a disease God knowes our disposition Hee sees that many times wee are inclined to Pride Vncleannesse Couetousnesse Reuenge Now that wee should not fall into these hee sends vs losses in our goods sicknesse in our bodies c. whereby wee are kept and bridled from that which otherwise we would commit 2. Sinne also is cured by afflictions The bloud of Christ indeede hath onely this vertue but afflictions are said so to doe because they driue vs to seeke the cure being therefore called the medicine of the soule They are of the best nature which are wonne by loue but ten to one are brought to goodnesse by afflictions Meliores sunt quos ducit amor sed plures sunt quos corrigit timor Aug. Luk. 15.17 In prosperitie we grow rusty The Crosse is Gods file to make vs bright The Prodigall in prosperitie forgets himselfe but hauing gone to schoole to the Hogs-trough he comes to himselfe So did fellowship with the beasts teach Nabuchadnezzar humilitie and the Dungeon Manasses true Religion who in their prosperity were proud and irreligious The Crosse is also a preseruatiue of Grace In prosperitie we are dull and drowsie as a man comming from a Feast is heauy sleepy A Romane Captain said that his armie neuer stood in worse termes then when he had peace So in prospetie is our greatest danger then haue wee least minde of God then do we least feare pray seldomest coldest are soonest ouertaken with pride couetousnesse vncleannesse hypocrisie Aduersitie is a quickner stirres vp to Prayer Repentance and all holy duties It is noted of Salomon that of all the Kings of Iuda he fell foulest because hee had most prosperitie That God might not loose vs and we lose his grace hee sends vs aduersitie As the Starres shine brightest in the night so the graces of Gods Spirit in affliction Vse 2. The Affliction which is to the godly a help to heauen is to a wicked man the fore-runner of hellish torments as in the deluge the water that bore vp the Arke drowned the wicked of those times Vnder the Crosse the godly
the wound of the sheepe is more to the Shepheard then to the sheepe Plus Pastor in gregis sui vulnere vulneratur Cypr serm de lapsis Though we be not afrayd yet if our people be it toucheth vs neerely What if we saue our owne soules yet if our people perish wee cannot but sorrow as a carefull Father for the destruction of a wretched sonne Ease thou thy Teachers heart and ioy him by thy repenting It will be good for thee if thy Teacher can praise God for thy conuersion and on the contrary fearefull and vnprofitable if in his prayers he haue cause to complaine of thy stubbornnesse Heb. 13.17 Vse Let vs mourne for the sinnes of the Times and weepe in secret for the Iniquitie of the people so let vs reioyce when God is glorified by the conuersion of men Christs gaine and Satans losse should cause our ioy Wee can grieue when our children proue vnthrifts and when our friends decay in their worldly estate and on the contrary reioyce but such ioy and griefe are carnall The conuersion of thy friend howsoeuer he goe backward or forward in the world ought to bee matter of thy Ioy and if he be profane how rich so euer matter of thy mourning Luke 15.23 The Father of the Prodigall reioyced when his sonne came home a Conuert though he had spent all and had not a ragge to hang on his backe What Monsters are they which make the sinnes and destruction of men matters of their greatest mirth which ought to wring euen teares of bloud from them When thou hearest a blasphemer seest a drunkard c. canst thou laugh If thou shouldst see a man grieuously wounded fetching deadly grones and drawing his last breath wouldst thou account it sport or pastime How much lesse shouldst thou reioyce when thou seest thy brother wounding and stabbing himselfe euen to the heart by his abominable sinnes Wee lament ouer the bodies of our friends which we beleeue shall bee raised to glory at the last day much more ouer the soules of men which goe downe vnder the power of euerlasting death It is the Diuels delight if those hellish spirits can haue any delight It is their delight to see men sinne and offend their God Luke 15.10 Euen as the holy Angels reioyce at the conuersion of sinners Let vs not be like the Diuell but contrary to him and grieue at that which he takes pleasure in which if wee would doe it might so come to passe that our griefe might worke also a griefe in them that offend as many times the seeing others fall heartily to their meate brings on our stomake When thou seest sinners in words or behauiour to bee out of the way If thou couldst in stead of a smile afford a teare thy teare might make them relent whom thy smile confirmeth in their wretchednesse VERSE 1. I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost PAVL proues his griefe proceeding from his loue for the Reiection of his Nation by diuers Arguments The first is a Testimonio in the forme of an Oath where hee cals Christ himselfe to witnesse of that he deliuers The validitie of a Testimonie is according to the value of the Testis Therefore he appeales to Christ as his witnesse I speake the Truth in Christ Not in the name and authoritie of Christ nor as I am a Christian or as it becomes a Christian or I being in Christ or beeing baptized but By Christ As Beth sometime in the Hebrue so En in the Greeke is the token of an Oath in this place Piscator 2. Cor. 12.2 and so also some expound that of Paul I know a man in Christ that is By Christ yet not by Christ as onely a man but as God I lye not This duplication of contraries is here as elsewhere vsed for the more force and to shew his syncerity For a man may lye and yet speake the truth as when hee addes a lye vnto the truth And therefore it is well prouided by our godly Lawes that men to giue in euidence are sworne to speake the whole truth and nothing but the truth Paul in this Affirmation and Negation frees himselfe from this Againe a man may lye in speaking the Truth For our speech hath Relation either to the minde or to the thing If it agree with the thing and not with the minde it is a lye for that properly makes a lye If it agree with the minde and not with the thing it is false but no lye and therefore because we discerne not mens mindes we must be warie how wee giue any the lye Paul therefore for the more credit of his oath and that all exceptions of ambiguitie mentall reseruation or equiuocation might be taken away hee put his oath Affirmatiuely and Negatiuely My conscience bearing mee witnesse Paul here neither sweares by his Conscience nor by the holy Spirit though this might bee iustified but hee iustifies his oath by the witnesse of his Conscience For Conscience is a thousand witnesses being for this purpose placed in man by God In the holy Ghost That is renued by the Holy Ghost so that Paul could speak in no words with more weight against all exceptions then he vseth here First he auoucheth it the truth which he deliuers I speake the truth and because no Iew should cauill that part may be truth and part a lye He addes I lye not and because his word it may be would beare no pawne He addes an Oath And because the Oath of an vnconscionable man is little worth he brings in his Conscience and because vnlesse the Conscience bee enlightned and directed it may erre therefore hee signifies that his Conscience is renued by the holy Ghost So we haue here two things 1. Pauls Oath I speake the truth in Christ I lye not 2. The auouchment of his Oath My Conscience bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost I might here enter into the common place of Truth Lying Oath Conscience but I write a briefe Commentarie not a volume of Common places First in Pauls Oath wee haue three things First the Person that makes Oath Paul Secondly the Person by whom the Oath is made Christ Thirdly the Cause which is a matter of weight and great consequence namely that Paul writes not in malice but in loue and that hee grieues for the Reiection of his Nation doctrine The Doctrine out of the first It is lawfull for Christians in due time cause and manner to sweare We haue Iacobs oath Gen. 31.35 Dauids oath 1. Sam. 20.3 Pauls oath Christs oath Gods oath it is a part of Gods seruice commanded Deut. 6.13 and without it a Common-wealth cannot stand Vse The Anabaptists are here confuted who deny the vse of all oathes Ob. But Christ saith and his Apostle Saint Iames Mat. 5.34 Iam. 5.12 Sweare not at all A. That is vnlawfully Ob. But what is
Rom script ad Gel. Succanum Therefore say I whosoeuer are elected are elected before they were borne Vse 3. Hence also is notably confuted the vanity of Astrologers who vpon the calculation of mens Natiuities foretell of their dispositions fortune as they call it and ends by the Constellation of the heauens at their Byrth Some of them haue said that there is a constellation for obtaining our prayers another also for saluation Albuâ—…azar Maternus sicut refert Pererius lib. 2. in Gen. cap. 1. num 59. But these are toyes and Impostures and confuted by this example For a man is appointed of GOD before hee is borne Therefore his estate depends not on his Natiuitie There could bee no greater diuersitie in any then betweene Iacob and Esau and yet Twinnes and borne at the same time and in the same place and therefore why not vnder the same Constellation For Iacob held Esau by the heele and both were but as a long child If they say that the Motion of the heauens is so swift that notwithstanding they might be born vnder diuers Ascendents I would aske If so swift How can they discerne it And with Gregory then euery one is borne vnder diuers Constellations as his head vnder one his shoulders vnder another his belly vnder a third his legges vnder a fourth Againe as Gellius asketh Noct. Att. l. 14. c. 1. if the same constellation portend the same things Why then were there many Alexanders many Aristotles and as we may say many Dauids many Salomons c Was there no one borne at the same time with these or before or since vnder the like Constellation Now followes the Cause of such difference betweene Esau and Iacob that one should be loued and the other hated The Cause is the stabilitie of the purpose of Gods Election That the purpose of God according to Election c. In the words is a Traiection of the Verbe which if it bee right placed maketh the sense plaine which otherwise is obscure For the sense they would bee thus placed That the purpose of God concerning Election which is not of works but of him that calleth might stand that is might bee firme This purpose here mentioned to bee vnderstood about Reprobation as well as about Election as included in the contrary The meaning then is that God manifested to Rebecca before her children were borne their different estates caused by the stable Decree of God which depends not vpon the workes of man but vpon the Will of God Here we haue three things First the cause of the different estates of Iacob and Esau viz. The purpose of God according to that is about or concerning Election Secondly the cause of this Election two wayes set downe First Negatiuely Not of workes Secondly Affirmatiuely but of him that calleth Thirdly the property of this Purpose of God That it is Firme doctrine The Doctrine out of the 1. part The purpose of Gods election specifieth and detenmineth the indefinite promises of the Word The promise is made to Isaac and his seede This promise is made good not to Esau but to Iacob because it was purposed to Iacob not to Esau Which appeareth also by the examination of Rom. 11.7 Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.48 Vse 1. Here parents are taught the meaning of the Promise I am thy God and the God of thy seede What That all thy children shall be saued No It stands if any if but One. God promiseth to Dauid and his seede the Kingdome Shall all his sonnes be Kings No. But hee to whom God purposeth it So among our many children those onely shall haue grace to beleeue the promises to whom they are purposed Parents are bound to giue good Education to their children but Parents cannot change their hearts which are corrupt from the beginning That which decayes in Nature is to be restored onely by the Author of Nature Let Parents arise in these things to acknowledge the counsell and purpose of God which is secret many times but neuer vniust and let them comfort themselues in those who haue the signes and markes of election shining in them Vse 2. Here also we are taught the Reason why all profit not by the preaching of the Gospell The promises are the same propounded totall but they are in the counsell of Gods good pleasure and purpose made effectuall only to the Elect. Thus our Sauiour teacheth saying Into what house soeuer you enter say Peace be to this house Luk. 10.5,6 If the sonne of peace be there it shall remaine vpon him but if not it shall returne Saint Augustine obserues that Christ sayes not vpon whom your peace shall rest he shall be the sonne of Peace But where there shall be a sonne of peace your peace shall rest vpon him The like reason is for Corrections and Education and other meanes of goodnes They are profitable onely to the Elect. Ob. If God offer mee the promise and meane not that I shall receiue it he mockes mee and why am I punished for not receiuing it A. Some thinke to ensnare God with their subtilties but it is to be vnderstood that preaching was ordained by God not for euery mans saluation but onely for the gathering and saluation of the Saints which are mingled here together with the Reprobates It is of vse also concerning the Reprobates to conuince them and to make them inexcusable Whereby the Elect are stirred vp the more to humility and thankefulnesse when they see their owne Nature condemned in the Reprobates doctrine The Doctrine out of the second The purpose of Gods Election and Reprobation is not of workes but of the will of God Ephes 1.4.11 Tit. 3.5 Vse 1. The Rule of Gods choise is not the goodnesse which hee seeth in the thing to be chosen though we choose things for their goodnesse The cause of Gods chusing is his will It is the gift of the Diuine will not the desert of humane fragilitie Diuinae voluntatis donum non humanae fragilitatis meritum Aug. Hyp. 6 Greg. de Valentia Disp tom 1. Disp 1. q. 23. de Praed p. 4. This confuteth the Iesuites among whom this is the most receiued opinion that the praescience of the co-operation of our Free-will with Grace and of our finall perseuerance is the cause of Election This co-operation they say is respected not by the way of simple vnderstanding as possible but by the way of vision as absolutely and actually to be Which vision or fore-sight of our actuall co-operation with grace is the cause of Election and in order of reason as they affirme goes before it which is nothing else but that the goodnes of our owne wils is the cause why God elects vs. This opinion comes neere to Pelagius but is farre from Paul who affirmeth the purpose of God concerning Election to bee of him that calleth This also confuteth those who hold that Faith foreseene is a condition prae-requisite or a motiue cause to Election
which attaines that righteousnesse which iustifieth in his sight Now this must needes be wonderfull harsh to them which had such confidence in their owne righteousnes as appeareth by that Pharisee and the Ruler spoken of in the Gospel Luke 18.11,12 ibid. v. 21. To be both bereaued of the promises and also to be stript of their holinesse to be left naked before the Iudgement seat of Christ must needs be grieuous This Paul knowing and that they would be not a little incensed against him and hauing experience that such preaching caused him great trouble before he comes to the matter he makes a Preface whereby hee endeuours to asswage their minds and to approue his loue to them that he might take away all preiudicate opinions of him So in this Chapter we haue two parts 1. A Preface ver 1. 2. The matter it selfe in the rest The Preface verse 1. is by insinuation or protestation of his loue in which are two things 1. The Thing protested 2. The Amplification of it The thing protested is his Loue. The Amplification is twofold 1. From the persons to whom he protests loue that is to the Israelites 2. From the Arguments of his loue vvhich are three 1. A friendly cōpellation hee calls them Brethren in regard of the same Country and Nation 2. From a desire of their saluation The word translated hearts desire signifieth two things First to haue a good opinion Secondly to wish well vnto Paul thought wel of them and vvished them well whatsoeuer they thought of him This desire is amplified from the subiect of it his heart It was not a fained glozing loue as is the friendship of the world from the teeth outward but euen from his very heart Thirdly from his prayers for their saluation A singular token of loue This is amplified first from the obiect to whom he prayed To God Secondly from the end or summe of his prayer That they might be saued Q. Why doth Paul pray for thē who haue crucified Christ are enemies to the Gospell and hated and reiected of God A. He intends the general calling of the Iewes of which chap. 11. Or with condition of Gods will or onely of the Elect or to shew his willingnesse to wish well euen to his enemies The obseruations from this verse are from the consideration of Paul as an Apostle or as a Christian doctrine Ob. If we consider him as an Apostle we obserue 1. That Ministers are not only to preach against wicked persons to exhort their people to obedience but also to pray for them as Samuel and Ieremy did 1. Sam. 12.23 Ierem. 13.17 2. When Ministers are to speak of a matter that may distaste they must wisely preuent all offence and grudge by preparing the minds of the hearers and shewing that they speake not out of malice but out of loue and a desire of their saluation So Paul mitigates his reproofes with protestations of his loue and gentlenesse which is no dawbing with vntempered morter Paul dawbed not but had Gods Spirit when he spake to Festus and Agrippa and hauing reprooued the Galathians Chap. 3. He affectionatly declares his loue Chap. 4. As Physicians prepare and Nurses sometimes still their little ones with singing So also must Ministers attempt euery way which may profit their people 3. Paul loues the Iewes but tels them plainly of their faults So must Ministers doe Indeed the way to get peace among men is not to reprooue but this is the way to lose the peace of God and to bring the bloud of our hearers vpon our owne soules 4. The condition of Ministers is miserable The labour is great the care to saue the soules of our hearers yea our own that we may giue vp a good account is infinite the discontents not to be expressed as to spend many sleeplesse nights many teares and sighes for their saluation who raile and reuile vs accounting vs vnworthy to liue But indeed our ioy is in the conscionable discharge of our duty 2. Cor. 2.15 and that wee are a secret succour to God both in them which are saued and in them which perish And for such as receiue the Word with reuerence obeying it we acknowledge that we are neuer able sufficiently to praise God for the ioy wherewith we reioice on their behalfe 1. Thes 3.9 who if they continue then do we liue If we consider Paul a Christian we obserue Obs 1. Though the Iewes seeke PAVLS life in their rage and nothing would haue giuen them more content then his bloud yet hee carries himselfe louing toward them his very speeches no way sauouring of Reuenge Loue thine enemies We are Pharises by nature louing our friends and hating our foes but wee are Christians by Grace and therefore must loue our very enemies and pray for them as our Sauiour both taught and practised Amicos diligere omnium est inimicos vero solorum Christianorum Tertul. ad Scap. cap. 1. Chrysost hom 15. operis impersecti Euery man can loue his friend but onely a godly man can loue his enemy and in this doing we doe our selues more good then our Enemies For Christ gaue vs this commandement not for our enemies sake but for our owne not that they are worthy to be beloued but that malice is too vnworthy and base a thing for vs. This is hard but we must beate downe our stomakes that wee may bee the children of our heauenly Father If then in cold bloud and vpon deliberation though not at the instant of thy passion thou canst so rule thine affection as to loue thine enemy and pray for him doing him good in stead of euill it will be a sweet comfort to thy brest for with our heauenly Father hee is not in the communion of sonnes that is not in the Charitie of Brethren Apud summum Patrem qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum non habebitur in numero filiorum Leo. mag serm 11. de Quadrag 2. Pauls loue was hearty so let thine be be it friend or foe Some after a controuersie is taken vp and ended will promise friendship but vvith a Reseruation of reuenge though it bee seuen yeere after Iudas kissed Christ and betrayed him and Ioab saluted Amasa courteously and slue him Remember thou to meane the truth thou makest shew of 3. Let thy loue appeare in kinde words and salutations as Paul calls the Iewes Brethren yea Lot the Sodomites Gen. 19.7 which condemnes the practice of some who if they bee offended shew that they are possessed either with a dumbe diuell they will not speake or with a rayling Diuell if they speake it shall be in bitternesse with taunts and reproches 4. Pray for them thou louest Thou shalt neuer haue any comfort of his friendship for whom thou doest not pray VERSE 2. For I beare them record that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge THis verse hath not a reason of Pauls loue from
Indefinite Proposition is equiualent to an Vniuersall 2. The Restruction of the generall Whosoeuer belieueth Whosoeuer concludes all Belieuers Belieuers excludes all vnbelieuers 3. The obiect of Faith In him To belieue on Christ is not onely to belieue that Christ is and that what he saith is true but to rest vpon his Righteousnes for Iustification and to trust him with our Saluation as Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe whom I haue belieued On him notes Faith and Confidence 4. The effect of Faith Not ashamed The contrary denied for the direct effect As if he had said Shall be saued For the denying of one contrary is the affirming of the other They shall not be frustrate of their end therefore not ashamed Ob. But wee account it a good thing to be ashamed and the contrary a fault Diogenes thus incouraged a young man blushing Feare not it is Vertues colour Yet the Philosophers wisely distinguish of it counting it a grace in young folkes but old folkes should commit nothing which might make them blush A. Here is a Figure The word is not vsed in the ordinary signification hee meanes not that beleeuers shall not be ashamed of their faults for none are more and the wicked are noted to be shamelesse Ier. 3.3 but the sence is they shall not misse the end of their faith and so be ashamed A man boasts of a matter and in the end vp starts iust nothing then is he ashamed as profane people bragge of their hope to bee saued but when their Crakes faile they shall bee confounded vvith shame Esay saith Shall not make haste that is shall not betake themselues to shamefull courses to bring their desires to passe but shall wait vpon God and in the end haue assured deliuerance but as such who runne hastily often stumble and fall and so are ashamed so they which will not stay Gods leisure fall into many inconueniences vvhich cause their shame doctrine He that beleeueth is sure to be saued Ioh. 3.18 Psal 22.4 Rom. 5.5 1. Pet. 1.6 The promises are called sure Rom. 4.16 The counsell of God stable and the consolation thereby strong Heb. 6.17,18 Vse 1. Whosoeuer trust in any thing but in Christ shall be ashamed The Iewes of their confidence in the Lawe The Papists though they now bragge and face out the matter that they be the only men and the true Church shall one day bee ashamed of their religion because they build their saluation on a rotten foundation as masses pardons indulgences pilgrimages prayer to Saints their owne merits c. They are like him in the Gospell who began to build a Tower but not being able to finish it was ashamed Those which trust in horses and armed men in the day of battell shall be ashamed They also which with King Asa trust in the Physicians and not in God in the day of sicknesse so they which trust in their riches contrary to the commandement of the Spirit whom Christ calls fooles 1. Tim. 6.17 Luke 12.20 These also who seek in losses to Wizards and not to God Many trust in outward things without God but there are few who trust in God without outward things Vse 2. There is much feare and doubting where faith is but in the end beleeuers shall not be ashamed This makes them confident against the obloquy and reproach cast vpon them by the world The children of God are laughed to scorne as the Philistims mocked Sampson What then Though Saul loue not Dauid nor his Religion yet he will speake of Gods testimonies before Kings wil not be ashamed Psal 119.46 and though the Gospell bee spoken against in euery place yet Paul will not be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 This also comforts against the guiltinesse of sinne which is the true cause of shame following it as the shadow doth the body How profane wee were before our conuersion and how weakely we haue walked since our conscience knowes and is ashamed Here is our helpe faith obtaines pardon of sinne and therefore we shall neuer bee put to shame for our faults we are sinners but as when the light comes the darknesse departs and the more light the lesse darknesse so faith driues away shame and the more wee beleeue the lesse doe we feare confusion and shame Peter walked vpon the water and shamed himselfe for he began to sinke What was the cause Not the winde or waues but the defect of Faith Abraham beleeued and left his countrey and offered vp Isaac and yet was not ashamed Ob. Abraham had a great Faith but my faith is little Ans If thou hast true Faith though neuer so little thou shalt not be ashamed A childe cannot take vp his meate so strongly nor eate so much as doth a man yet that little which he takes weakely and eates nourisheth him as well as more meat doth a man So though thou be but a child in Faith thy Faith shal saue thee as wel as Abrahams Faith saued him For a man is not saued by the quantitie of his Faith but by the preciousnesse of that which Faith receiues which is the righteousnesse of Christ which a weake and little Faith will as sauingly apprehend as a strong Faith as a Begger that hath a shaking weake hand can make shift to take an almes as well as he that hath not such infirmitie Ob. But I am pestered with much doubting and cannot be rid of doubts A. Like enough But doest thou beleeue Beleeue still It is not the commendation of Faith to bee without doubtings but to ouercome them Thou shalt ouercome in the end and shalt not be ashamed Hee that kils his enemy at the first blow shewes himselfe valiant so doth he also shew a great deale of valour who being often knockt downe and wounded yet stands to it So though the field seeme doubtfull betweene thy Faith and doubting yet in the end thou shalt ouercome and thy victory shall be famous Make precious account therefore of thy Faith and labour to increase it A certaine Captaine d Epaminondas being in a hote skirmish was striken downe sore wounded and taken vp for dead as soone as he came to himselfe hee first asked if his Target were safe being loth his enemies should get that so looke to thy Faith for the Diuell thy enemy will looke to it and thou shalt not be ashamed Vse 3. Wicked men and vnbeleeuers are miserable because of the shame which followes them There can bee almost no stronger Argument against sinne then to say it will make ashamed then which there is nothing more grieuous to a generous minde therefore diuers haue rid themselues of their liues that they may be rid of their shame as Samson For to dye is naturall but to liue in shame is more then nature can endure and yet the wicked must eternally endure it Some like shamelesse beasts glory in their shame seeking no corners nor muffling themselues as Thamar but as Absolon
of Faith The greatest Philosophers as the Epicures and Stoiks most resisted Paul Acts 17.18 as our greatest Politicians most scoffe at Religion and at preaching of the Word Vse 2. All are bound to heare and nothing so worthy to be heard as the Gospel Let vs say of hearing as Paul speaks of knowing it 1. Cor. 2.2 viz. that he esteemed to know nothing besides The Nurses song doth not so quiet the babe as the preaching of the Gospell the Conscience It s the hand of GOD offering vs forgiuenes of sinnes Hee therefore who hath eares to heare let him heare He hath wel imployed his eares who hath reuernntly heard the Gospell which the diuell keepes many from hearing lest by hearing they should be conuerted and liue If thou wilt not Now beare that which may profit thee thou shalt heare one day that which will make thy heart to ake euen this Goe you cursed c. For if any receiue you not nor heare your words shake the dust off your feet truely it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of Iudgement then for them Mat. 10.14,15 Vse 3. Ministers must be affected and grieue when they see the company of reuerent hearers so thinne and their labours so fruitlesse The Prophet here complaines of this so Christ grones for the hardnes of the peoples hearts and weepes ouer the stubbornnesse of Ierusalem The shrewdest turne to be done to a Minister is to depriue him of the ioy of his labours and the way to reioyce them is to embrace the Gospel they preach It will be vnprofitable and heauy for the hearers to haue their Minister to complain of them with griefe vnto God Vse 4. Esay and Paul gaue not ouer though they had cause to cōplaine As the Physician omits no point of his Art though the recouery of his Patient be desperate So though vvee preach to many desperate and scoffing hearers we must not giue ouer but rather vse the more diligence For whether they profit by vs or no we shall haue our fee. Not as the husbandman loseth by an ill crop shall I lose If I preach and thou repent not it shall neuer repent me of my paines I will preach still for though my preaching be not a sweet sauour to thee yet euen in thee I am a sweet sauour to God Thou also shalt smart for it for if we be offended when our words are despised much more will God bee at the contempt of his Gospell Vse 5. Although faith cannot be without preaching going before it yet preaching may be without faith following it as that which is to be knowne may be without the knowledge of it The word that sounds without is not sufficient faith if God speake not within in the heart There are two things required to faith the determination of that which is to be beleeued and the inclination and perswasion of the heart to beleeue Aquinas Preaching determines but its God who perswades by preaching God can doe it without preaching but preaching cannot doe it without God Our voyce can say Repent but its God only that giues Repentance Paul preacheth to Lidiaes eare but God hath the key of her heart Pray that God would open our mouthes to speake pray also that he will vnlocke thy heart to beleeue for as Rebecca cookt the Venison but Isaac gaue the blessing so wee may plant and water but its God that giues the increase 1. Cor. 3.7 VERSE 18. But I say Haue they not heard Yes verily c Psal 19.4 their sound went into all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world THis is spoken of the Gentiles not of the Iewes as appeares by the manner of the next verse In this Paul preuents another obiection occasioned by the words before concerning the sending of the Gospell to the Gentiles as if some Iew should haue sayd If you be sent to the Gentiles why do you preach to them all but only to some choyce Cities and Nations Paul answeres that they doe and shall preach to them all which he vtters by an interrogation and proues by a testimony out of the Psalmes as if he should say Dauid tells you that all haue or might heare for Their sound is gone out into all the earth Question is whether Paul alleadge this testimony or allude vnto it In the Psalme he speaks of works here of the Word Some say that Paul argues from the lesse If God teach all by the great volume of the heauens much more will he teach all by the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell I thinke that vnder the historicall narration of the heauens and of their sound is hid a prophecy of the preaching of the Gospell because the latter part of the Psalme speakes much in the commendation of it and Paul here so applies it And indeed there is a most sweet Analogie betweene the heauens sound and the Gospell There are diuers particulars obserued I thinke these are good The heauens are the worke of Gods hand so is the Gospell reuealed by God The heauens shew the worke of God so the Gospell that wee are Iustified by the worke of God which is faith not by the works of man The doctrine of the Gospell is pure and lightsome as are the heauens The influence of the heauens comforteth cherisheth inferior things so doth the Gospell the Conscience The diuersity of Nations and Languages is manifold which vnderstand not one another yet all vnderstand the excellency of the heauens and the wonderfull worke of God in them So God enabled the Apostles to teach all Nations in their owne tongues the wonderfull works of God Into all the earth and vnto the ends of the world The summe is that the Gospell was preached to all the world Ob. But many Nations were long after the Apostles dayes conuerted as England in the time of Gregory the great the Iaponians and Americans but the other day heard of Christ A. All the earth is either taken for the most part the ends for Countries very farre off or it is spoken of that which should be or it is meant of the 4. quarters of the world or of the Romane Empire And for that of England it is false Indeed in Gregories dayes England by Austen the Monke was first brought in subiection to Rome they before agreeing with the Greeke Church for at the comming of that Austen there were many holy Monks in this Land and some haue written of the conuersion of it in the daies of Eleutherius yea Dorotheus seemeth to affirme that Simon Zelotes was in Brittany if the place be not misprinted And for the New discouered places may be answered that either they were not then inhabited or the Gospell there preached but not receiued or that the fame of the Gospell at the least came thither as the fame of the Israelites came into Canaan doctrine The Gospell was preached to all the world in the time of the Apostles
Peter and Paul conuerted many and Peter and Iames principally wrote their Epistles to beleeuing Iewes dispersed and some are stil conuerted Tremellius as one of late yeares hath taken great paines in helping to translate the Bible Vse 1. In Gods cause Paul cannot forbeare but must needs earnestly tell cauillers of it to their faces do thou likewise but in the spirit and wisedome of Paul Vse 2. Paul before had shamed the Iewes put them to silence and giuen them a sore blow telling them of their stubburnnesse and disobedience and of their casting off he doth not alwayes harpe vpon that string nor trample vpon them being downe but now like a wise teacher he comforteth them He leaues not the matter so but declares that neuerthelesse there is a doore of mercie open to all of them that will beleeue as if he should say It is true God is angrie with the Iewes and hath cast them away but let none despaire for so many as repent ceassing to blaspheme Christ and shall beleeue in him shall be saued This course of Paul must be a patterne for Ministers they must preach iudgements and denounce the curse against sinners 2. Cor. 13 10. but they must not leaue men vnder the curse to despaire for God hath not appointed vs to destroy men but when we haue humbled them and reproued them we are to set open the gate of mercie vpon their repentance by preaching the glad tidings of the Gospell This is the speciall dutie of our office To preach alwayes the curse and damnation is a butcherly kind of preaching otherwise doth the butcher consider the sheepe otherwise the shepheard the butcher to kill it the shepheard to keepe and saue it Now we are shepheards The Law must be preached but principally the Gospell Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit c. He which wisely mingleth these two is the best preacher VERSE 2. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin THis is the second part of Pauls answer by a speciall instance of himselfe God hath not cast away the Iewes wholly not euery indiuiduall for saith Paul I my selfe am a Iew and I am not reiected but am assured that I am the child of God through faith in Christ Therefore the reiection of the Iewes is not totall God casts away no Iewes but rebels and receiues no Gentiles but beleeuers If all are cast away then I But not I Therefore not all An Israelite that is a Iew but he vseth the terme Israelite because more ancient and more honorable the name Iew at that time being very odious Of the seed of Abraham because many became Proselites and so were numbred with the Iews which were not so borne Of the tribe of Beniamin this is added because he might haue bene of the seed of Abraham by Ismael Hereby therefore he shewes that he came of the promised and blessed seed and was of no obscure but of one of the most worthy Tribes Something is here to be supplied which must necessarily be vnderstood as But I am not cast away but elect or such like doctrine Paul is first a Iew secondly an elect thirdly and knowes it A Iew 2. Cor. 11.22 Phil. 3.5 Act. 22.2 Elect this is manifest by his conuersion Act. 9. he was receiued to mercie 1. Tim. 1.16 he knew he was electâ— else his arguments from himselfe were of no force Also his confident writing of himselfe shewes it Rom. 8.2 Gal. 2.20 Rom 8.38 2. Tim. 1.12 and 4 7,8,17 Vse 1. Paul was sure of his estate and knew it so may all for we haue the same Spirit and faith though not in the same measure The Papists say it is presumption to say we are sure not what we are but that we shall so continue but all are sure also to perseuere The excellent things which God hath prepared for them that loue him the Spirit reueales vnto vs. And we haue receiued the Spirit of God that we might know the things which are giuen vs of God 1. Cor. 2.10 1. Cor. 2.12 And perseuerance is one of those things therefore we may be sure to perseuere Ob. But Paul knew it by speciall extraordinarie reuelation Ans I denie it let them shew that He had his assurance no other way then all may haue it namely by his faith and obedience I liue saith Paul in assurance of saluation by faith Gal. 2.20 And henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse How know you that Paul I haue fought saith he a good fight of faith c. 2. Tim. 4.7.8 By which way we also know it and therefore it followeth And not for me onely but for them that loue the appearance of Christ Indeed I maruell not that the Papists teach we cannot be sure when they rely vpon Traditions as well as Scriptures and hold all are iustified morally by inherent righteousnesse and therefore because of the mutabilitie of our wils their assurance must needs be but morall which may be otherwise Their doctrine is most vncomfortable He that calleth vpon God shall be saued but he that prayeth doubting obtaineth nothing The Papists pray for saluation and doubt how then can they haue it I am 1.6.7 by which place it manifestly appeares that a doubting faith is not a sauing faith We reade often in the Psalmes Blessed are they which trust in the Lord neuer Blessed are they which doubt No maruell though many also among vs cauill at this doctrine alas they speake out of their owne feeling In regard of their naughtie liuing they haue iust cause to doubt and therefore they thinke none can be sure To liue wickedly and to haue a prophane heart contemning all goodnesse makes men sure indeed but of damnation but he which beleeues and repents is as sure euen now of saluation as if euen now hewere reigning with Christ in heauen Vse 2. When we beleeue and repent we are perfectly reconciled to God who retaineth not the least memorie of our iniquities Of this Paule is an example Quest What was Paule before his conuersion Answ Let himselfe tell you I was saith Paule a blasphemer a persecutor an oppresser imprisoning the Saints and when they were put to death I gaue sentence I punished them in all the Synagogues compelling them to blaspheme and being more madde persecuted them to strange Citties c. 1. Tim. 1.13 Act. 22.4.5 Act. 26.10.11 Such a notorious wretch was Paul and yet behold the infinite goodnesse of our God euen Paul is receiued to grace and not onely to grace to be pardoned and conuerted but presently he is aduanced to the highest dignitie in the Church of a persecuter made an Apostle God sayes not to him Well Paule I will receiue thee to favour but looke for no great preferment or priuiledge but he aduanceth him as though from his cradle he had crept on hands and knees to please him O the sweet mercie
of our God who when he receiues sinners neuer comes in within odde items back reckonings but forgiueth and forgetteth our sinnes as if they neuer had been done nay vseth vs as if we had ben the best children that could be So when the prodigall child returnes to himselfe and to his father doth his father say Ah sirra haue you spent all c. Well I am content to receiue you but as long as I liue I le thinke on you No no. But he fals on his neck and weepes for ioy Luc. 15. with O my sonne O this my sonne was lost but now is found was dead but now is aline Bring out the best rayment the shoes the ring theiewells kill the fat calfe make a feast send for musick that wee may reioyce All is fogotten Hast thou beene a drunkard a blasphemer an vncleane person c. If thou repentest and turnest to God euen so will he vse thee He will neuer vpbraid thee with what thou hast beene he will remember thy sinnes no more Heb. 8.12 Paule in this is an example to all sinners propounded by God himselfe to vs 1. Tim. 1.16 that from the experience of his dealing with him all might be ambitious of his fauour and be excited to come vnto him If a Surgeon should come among vs and vndertaking to cure some desperately diseased person should make him fish whole as we say and as sound as euer he was and that freely Consule Agust serm 9. et 10. de veibis Apost et Anselâ—m in loc Tim. this would allure others to resort to him for the recouery of their paynes or as a Physitian desiring to get a fame would looke out some person euen at deaths dore and cure him that by such experiment be might get a name and come into practise So Christ desires fame and glory he would haue all our custome he would all sicke consciences should come vnto him for cure and for this purpose he takes Paul in the eye of man sicke of incurable desease he physickes him heales him and highly preferres him receiuing nothing but giuing all good things to his patients for he seekes nothing but glory Then consider hast thou any old can kerd soare about thee Art thou a soule leaper or hast thou any or many loth some diseases Yea thou hast And as the woman in the gospell could not be cured by any Physitian though she had spent her whole estate that way so no men nor Angells can cure thee It s onely Christ can doe it and he is most gentle to all that come to him freely healing them and aduancing them to glory Why then dost thou deferre to come vnto him for sauing health Why doest thou rather choose to perish and rot in thy sinnes He that hath receiued Paule and Mary Magdalene to mercie will not reiect thee if thou repentest VERS 2. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew Here is the third part of Paules answere which is an accurat distinction The Iewes are cast away and are the people of God and yet Paule said verse 1. God forbid that God should cast away his people How can these things agree Therefore Paule distinguisheth of this terme his people which is taken two wayes ae quiuocally in a large sence and vniuocally in a more restrained sence people which are not fore-knowne and people which are fore-knowne that is not elect and elect The first God casts away the second he neuer will cast away This then is Paules meaning Whosoeuer are borne in the Church outwardly submitting themselues to the word and sacraments are in a generall sence the people of God of whom some onely seeme to beleeue but doe not these God casts away Others doe truely beleeue these God neuer casts away Though the Iewes in regard of the outward things of the couenant were counted the people of God yet he acknowledgeth not those which beleeue not neither purposes to saue them A Iew not beleeuing is as far from saluation in regard of hauing it as an Infidell Which he foreknew There is a knowledg attributed to God whereby he knowes all things euen such things which never shal be This is called naked knowledge which is order of nature though not of time is before the decree this is not heere ment for thus he knowes the Reprobates as well as the Elect. There is a knowledge also which is ioyned with his decree and that either going before it or following it Things are from the first the second is from things The first is the of things the second is the effect Of the second is to be vnderstood the saying That the praescience of God causeth not things to be for in this foreknowledge things are and therefore they are foreseene I know the sunne will rise not because I know it doth the sunne rise but contrarily As our remembrance of things past is not the cause that they are past so Gods foreknowledg of things to come in this second sence is not the cause that they shall come This is nor heere ment The foreknowledge ioyned with the decree but going before it Act. 2.23 is the cause of things and this is either largely taken for the prouideÌ„ce by which foreknowledg Christ was deliuered or more narrowly forelection so foreknowledge is here to be vnderstood and therefore Saint Austine read it whom he predestinated and so Anselme expounds it so doth the word implye by an Hebraisme signifiing knowledg with loue and care God knoweth his saith Paule and our Sauiour to the wicked I know you not He knowes them well enough but not so as to open Heauen gates for them Whom he foreknew The relatiue is causally put heere and the argument from the efficient cause Quest But how can they be said to be the people of God whom he casts away Answ Reprobates in regard of their being borne in the pale of the Church and their fellowship with the children of God in the outward things of the couenant haue this denomination the people of God Euen as the chaffe while it is growing in the field is raind vpon fenced in and kept as well as the corne and all is called corne doctrine Those that are forknowne that is elected shall neuer be cast away Mat 24 24. Reu 8 33. 2. Tim 2 19. Paule shewed that the Iewes are reiected and then he saith that not those which are foreknowne threatnings of Iudgment though in regard of thepromulgation notice taking belong to the whole Church yet in regard of execution they are to be vnderstood onely of rebels As promises are to be restrained to beleeuers so threatnings to vnbeleeuers Is a iudgment threatned what art An vnbeleeuer a rebell that 's thy part take it to thee But if thou repentest its notment to thee Indeede we deserue to heare haue nothing but the curse But God frees them which repeÌ„t for his son Iesus Christ Vse An elect can neuer
vetustatemque non sentit Ioh Bapt. Neap. vil l. 6. c 9. This notes soundnesse The nature also of the oyle is not to be mixed with other things if you mixe it with wine or water it will be vppermost you may as soone mixe light and darknesse as grace and sinne An Hypocrite is no branch of this tree Farther the nature of oyle is to keepe mettalls from rusting so the vertue of this grace preserues the conscience from sinne which otherwise would eate in and perish the soule If thou hast a cankard heart rusted with the loue of sinne and of the vanities of the world thou hast none of this fatnesse and by consequence art not graffed in 2. Thy words will be sutable to thy engraffing Flores Oliuae suauiter redolent Frater Iohannes a S Gemimano lib. 3. qui est de vegetabilibus et plantis c. 37. The blossome of the oliue is wonderfull sweet so if thou beest of this tree thy speech will be sauoury and gatious to the hearers If thou be a blasphemer a lyar c. Thou art not graffed into this oliue The sweete oliue yeelds another manner of sent A dead mans graue doth not more annoy men then thy filthy and rotten communication Iam. 1. It s a vaine thing for a man to seeme religious if he refraine not his tongue 3. If thu beest ingraffed thou wilt bring forth much fruit for the oliue is exceeding fruitfull The fruite of the oliue is both for God and man 1. For God Oyle was consecrate to the Lord was vsed in sacrifice and for the holy lamps for it is a nourisher of light so thou wilt be religious a keeper of the sabboth a worshipper of God a fauourer of the Gospell 2. For man It is both for medicine and meate Kings Preists and Prophets were annoynted with it Our liues must be fruitfull and profitable to the Church we must not be for nothing or onely to spend stouer as they say Let ours saith Paul learne to shew forth good workes for necessary vses that they bee not vnfruitfull Tit. 3.14 If we liue without doing good we are no oliue branches Our obedience must be to God and man to the first and second table of the law The properties of our obedience are foure according to such properties of the oliue That is 1. Speedie 2. Peaceable 3. continuall 4 chearefull Cito comprehendit et fructificat Ioh. Bap. Por. Nea. vil l. 6. c. 5. 1. The oliue is a quick bearer so we must bring forth fruit quickly like the Almond rod of Aaron that presently budded and brought forth ripe Almonds The theife vpon the crosse presently shewed the fatnesse he had rceiued by confession prayer c. 2. Our fruit must be peaceable An oliue branch was a token of peace as a palme of victory Iames sayth that the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in peace Iam. 3.17 pride disdaine quarreling and contending with our neighbours is a note of a bramble not of an Oliue branch If you powre out water it maketh a noise dasheth and besprinkleth you But the powring out of oyle is without noise falling downe softly and with great silence So the seruants of God must be peaceable 3. Our obedience must be continuall once and alwayes to beare fruit The Oliue alwaies flourisheth is alwaies greene and neuer castes the leaues noting the constant tenour wee should keepe in our obedience Dauid saith Psal 92.14 That they which bee planted in Gods house still bring foorth fruit and flourish in their age If thy obedience bee not continuall it is not sound 4 Our obedience must be cheerful thy loue to thy neighbor must be free Anointing with oyle makes vs lithe and nimble so if we haue receiued hereof we wil not come to the Church as though we were stiffe in the ioynts like a beare to the stake but with Dauid we will runne in the wayes of the Commandements The Oliue requires no great cost to make it fruitful nor a man truely sanctified great intreatie to perswade him to doe good As the Sunne naturally giues light so a true Christian ingraffed into the naturall Oliue willingly and cheerefully is exercised in Gods seruice VERSE 19. Thou wilt say then the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in 20 Well because of vnbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith Bee not high minded but feare THe Admonition is heere repeated in other words vpon the occasion of an insolent obiection of a Christian Gentile which obiection is set downe vers 19. and is the first part of these words The second part is Pauls answere vers 20. The Gentile taking in some scorne that Paul in the 17. v. had auouched the Iew to be the naturall Oliue and the Gentile a wilde Oliue obiecteth as if he had said Tell not mee Paul of these things let the Iew bee what he will I am as I am yet by your leaue he is broken off that I might be graffed in which shewes that God saw more worthinesse in mee then in the Iew The merchant parteth not with his present fraught but for better lading neither will any man suffer an incision or scarifying in his armes or feet but for preseruation of a more noble member as the eye or head His Argumēt may be framed in an Enthymeme thus They are broken off that I might be grafted in Therefore I may boast To this Paul answeres vers 20. which his answere is either to the Antecedent Well because of vnbeleefe they are broken off thou standest by faith or to the consequence Be not high minded but feare His answere to the Antecedent hath two parts 1. A Cōcession Well 2. A correction in the rest of the words Well Some take this word ironically and by way of increpation as we much vse it in our English tongue saying Ansel well well when we meane that it is not well But heere it is taken for a Concession Paul grants the thing viz. That the Iewes are broken off that the Gentiles might come in But he addes a prouiso alwaies remembred that the proper cause of the breaking off of the Iew was his infidelitie not the comming in of the Gentile For this came to passe by a second accidētal consideration and the proper cause of the comming in and standing of the Gentiles is faith that is the grace of God The Gentile then vnderstood not himselfe being like a foolish seruant that runnes away without his errand for if he had taken all with him he would haue discerned cause of humiliation not of boasting herein The Gentiles Argument is a meere paralogisme alledging that which is not the cause for that which is The vnbeleefe of the Iew being the cause of their breaking off not the letting in of the Gentiles So that Paul answeres as if he should say Learne thou Gentile to distinguish betweene the cause and the euent It fell out that the Iew being cast
beg for mercie he is a sweete God Witnesse Manasses Mary Magdalene Paul these vpon their repentance were pardoned their odious sinnes whatsoeuer therefore thy sinnes haue bene despaire not there is mercy with the Lord who is more mercifull then thou art sinfull and can pardon more sinnes then thou canst commit Only beleeue it and repent 2. For presumption As the act of seeing is hindered both by no light and by too much so the light and comfort of conscience is hindered either by no seeing of mercie which causeth despaire or by seeing nothing else but mercie which causeth presumption Satan will tell thee thou maist take thy libertie follow thy pleasures needest not be so precise for God is mercifull Thy remedy is to consider not onely the mercie but the seueritie of God also He is as iust as mercifull Remember how seuerely he hath dealt with the Iewes they haue bene almost this 1600. yeares vagabonds for their rebellion against Christ and his Gospell Forget not his seueritie to Dauid for the matter of Vriah how he not onely visited Dauids conscience but tooke him vp and made him an example to all the world plaguing him in his Amnon Absolon Adoniah Thinke of Moses that meeke man whom God calls his friend yet for one fault and that so secret as by reading the storie we can scarce finde it out for striking the rocke when he should onely haue onely spoken to it in confidence was barred entrance into the land of Canaan O seueritie How darest thou then dreame of mercie vnder many sins when thou remembrest how seuerely God hath dealt with his owne children for some one weaknes which they haue shewed If therefore the diuell tell thee that God is mercifull tel him againe that he is most iust and seuere also The rather consider seriously hereof because a thousand perish this way to one that perisheth by desperation Desperation is a course that Satan takes but with a few because it is tedious to flesh and bloud and often proues the occasion of a mans conuersion and so the diuell is ouershot in his owne bowe But presumption is pleasing To liue as we list to enioy our pleasures and then go to heauen when we haue done what can be more pleasing to flesh and bloud By this baite the diuell catcheth most let vs therefore be the more wary praying with Dauid Psal 19. Lord keepe me from presumptuous sinnes Vse 3. Goodnesse and seueritie Who haue goodnesse and who seueritie I will tell thee if thou repentest and obeyest the Gospel go thy way thou art a happie man The sweetnesse of God and his goodnesse is to thee But if thou beest a prophane vnbeleeuing impenitent wretch and diest in this estate the most iust God will in his great seueritie hurle thee into hell as out of the middle of a sling Vse 4. That thou mayst value thy mercie and the goodnes of God to thee the more consider the iudgements that fall vpon the wicked See thy happinesse O England looke vpon Turkie where Mahomet vpon Italy where the Pope tyrannizeth look vpon France and the Low countries how they are fired with contentions swimme in bloud while thou singest of peace Long mayst thou sing and shalt if thou canst thankfully say God hath not dealt so with any nation Blessed be his Name Let euery one in particular apply this Wouldst thou see the blessing of health libertie competencie of maintenance looke vpon the diseased the prisoners the poore who crie in the streetes and high wayes for reliefe Thou in regard of nature art no better then they not a haire to chuse betweene thee and them Why is it then thus Because of the goodnes of God to thee and his seueritie to them Cain and Iudas despaire but thou beleeuest and hast assurance of heauen Feare God for his seueritie and loue and praise him for his sweetnesse to thee which thou hast not deserued 2. The amplification of these two properties thus determined is by a seuerall correction to either of them Concerning the Gentile in the latter end of this verse concerning the Iew in the next verse where Paul cunningly resumes his former businesse from the which he hath thus digressed The first correction To thee bountifulnesse if thou continuest in his bountifulnesse that is Faith the cause for the effect as mercie is taken ver 31. Ansel This is confirmed by a reason Else thou shalt be cut off Some obserue the change of the word The Iew is broken off the Gentile cut off To the Iew remaineth a hope of reingraffing but if the Gentiles continue not they shall be stocked vp by the roots As the famous Churches of the East the very seed of these ancient Christians is vtterly extirpated so is it notwith the Iewes Continue O England in his goodnesse doctrine Perseuerane is a necessarie condition of true sauing faith Heb. 3.14 2. Ioh. 9. The Papists from this conditionall If thou continuest collect that none can be sure to continue We deny the collection or consequence 1. Paul speakes to the whole Church of the Gentiles among whom were many Hypocrites at whom he aymes 2. He speakes thus to the elect not that they can finally fall away but to prouoke them carefully to looke ouer their euidence that they may be sure 3. It s absurd to inferr an absolute proposition from a conditionall As if one should thus collect in an other case if the sunne rise not to morrow it will be darke therefore it will be darke to morrow The course of nature appoynted by God holding the sunne shall rise and so the power and truth of God holding which cannot fayle the elect shall continue so Arminius but weakely concludes that there needes nothing to the conuersion of men but the bare propounding of the scripture because it is say that the Tyrians and Sydonians would long agoe haue repented if the great workes which Christ did among the Iewes had bene done amongst them Which manner of reasoning is as if one should collect a power of speaking to be in stones because our Sauiour somewhere sayth Luk. 19.40 that if these hold their peace the very stones would cry out Vse 2. See thou continue or else thou shalt not tast of the sweetenesse of God in the saluation of thy foule Be not like a waning but like a new moon that is increasing like the morning light which groweth brighter and brighter to perfit day Be not like Nabuchadnezzars image whose head was of gold and whose feete were of dirt Many begin gloriously but end shamefully our end must be best Faith saueth if it be kept to the end if with Paul thou canst say I haue kept the faith thou shalt weare an immortal crowne with Paul The end tries all before which a man cannot be sayd and knowne to others to be happy Flowers that are fresh and sweete we delight to weare but when they fade and wither we throw them away So
doubt not of his mercie who will graciously receiue a Iew. Vse 2. Redemption is a taking away of sinne by iustification and sanctification Such as are in their sinnes are vnredeemed and remaine vnder the power of the diuell who holds thē though not by a visible possession which is fearfull yet by an inuisible operation which is worse Many say they defie the diuell who by consenting to his suggestions worship him in their liues for as true obedience is a worshipping of God so sinne and disobedience is the worship of the diuell as Paul sheweth saying Rom. 6.16 His seruants ye are to whom ye obey God saith sweare not the diuell saith sweare and ease thy stomack God saith be sober the diuell saith be drunken To whom doest thou yeeld If thou refusest to doe Gods will and obeyest the fiend thou art Gods enemie and the diuels slaue VERSE 28. As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sake but as touching the election they are beloued for the fathers sakes HEre Paul proues by reason that the Iewes shall be pardoned and so called The reason is taken from the loue of God and followes thus Those whom Gods loues he will pardon and call But God loues the Iewes Ergo. The argument is brought in by a prolepsis What the Iewes might some say pardoned and called Gods enemie whom God hates Yes saith Paul euen the Iewes for though in some respect they are hated yet in other they are beloued of God Here are two things auouched of the Iewes first that they are enemies secondly that they are beloued They are enemies whose Pauls but not so here but Gods enemies hated of God This is amplified two wayes first from the meritorious cause for the Gospel namely because they refuse and persecute it secondly from the end for your sake for your benefite that is the Gentiles The hatred of the Iewes to the Gospell is deadly as appeared in the crucifying of Christ in their persecuting the Apostles and their extreme malice to Christians of all times being a chiefe cause and principall agents in the tormenting of poore Christians as Tertullian reports of his times and their dealings with Polycarpus doe testifie mentioned by Eusebius Iudaeorum Synagogae sontes perse eutionum Pertul scorp adnersus Gent. Hierome reports that in his time the Iewes vsed to curse Christ and Christians vnder the name of Nazarens In the dayes of Philip the long a King of France they hired certaine leapers to poison all the fountaines in that kingdome In this our land they committed many outrages by crucifying children to death on Good friday for which as they deseruedly many of them suffered so they were at length wholy banished out of this kingdome Robert Gagnanus lib. 7. hist Franco They were also for such like things expelled Spaine circa an 1290. giuing occasion of the beginning of the bloudy Inquisition circa an 1493. which afterwards was turned against the Protestants In two Councels it was prouided that at Easter two dayes before and two after they should not be permitted to come abroad because of their insolencies offered to Christians at that time which is yet obserued in all Christian cities where they are suffered Aurelianeuse 3. et Matisconense 1. circa an 537 et 575. For this hatred of the Gospell they are hated of God and that for our good as ver 11. It is in the power of wicked men to sinne but by their sinne to effect this or that good is not in their power but in his who deuides the darknesse and orders it August lib. 1. de praedest cap. 16. 2. They are beloued loco Aug. modo citat They are hated and yet beloued which may well be because they are not in the same respect time or particular subiect These to be vnderstood of the nation as Austin saith of whom some belong to Iacobs halting some to the blessing he receiued Beloued of God in two respects first of election secondly of the fathers Election signifies the grace whereby they were chosen to be the people of God by which it comes to passe that many of them belong to Gods secret election For where God hath his Church there is the treasury of his Election Fathers sake Abraham Isaac and Iacob not because of their merits but of the couenant made with them doctrine The Iewes are beloued of God Esay 1.1 c. They were beloued and Gods loue is to the end Vse The certaintie of the calling of the Iewes hereby is manifest yet some haue gone about absurdely to take away the subiect of the question denying there are any Iewes in the world because there are none in England or because they liue not in a countrey by themselues which are filly shifts to alledge against so manifest a truth Haue all learned men agreed to befoole the world Doe Christian Magistrates make lawes against shadowes Doe all Trauellers consent together to bely themselues who say they haue seene and talked with Iewes What Country-men are they which in Italy Venice and diuers free Cities are vpon penalties distinguished by their habite from other Christian themselues say they are Iewes Are they not Is the profession of a Iew in such account and esteeme that men should counterfeit themselues Iewes which are not Surely this is not worth the answering There is a place to the Thessalonians 1. Thes 2.14 which these accute disputers haue not obserued which hath more validity against the calling of the Iewes then all which they haue alledged Paul saith That the wrath of God is come on the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some haue translated for euer but it is better translated to the vttermost noting the extremity of punishmēt not of time or if of time then to be applied to Pauls persecutors and those of that time which wrath they endured at the destruction of Ierusalem Vse 2. Many speake and account loosely of the Gospell but for such doing God hated the Iewes Vse 3. Thou knowest a Papist or prophane person though thou beest an enemie to him for his sinne yet thou must loue him for the Election because for ought thou knowest hee may be the elect childe of God Vse 4. Good fathers are a great blessing to their children Salomon continues Prince all his dayes and one Tribe is reserued for his sonne for Dauids sake let vs feare God euen for our childrens sake that the blessing of God doe not determine in vs. 2. King 11.34.35.36 Vse 5. Thou louest the remembrance of Abraham then loue a Iew as many times we shew fauour to one that is lewd for his good fathers sake nay though wee bee glad for our owne sakes yet wee must loue them for Gods sake wee must loue them whom God loues woe vnto them who haue no other cause of hating their neighbour but because hee is religious and beloued of God such are of the line of
6.15 that is with a firme resolution that come Fire Sword what will come we will hold our way Thus was Dauid prepared Psalme 13. Though I walke in the valley of the shaddow of death I will feare none ill and Psal 119.106 I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy Law So Paul elsewhere manifests his resolution and readines Acts 20.24 21.13 to die for Christ 7 Trauellers carry with them some Cordiall and comfortable waters to cheere their Spirits when through wearinesse they begin to faint So in the way to Heauen through weaknesse thou maist faint and fall the water of Repentance is precious a draught of it will recouer and repaire thy spirits fill thee full of godly care and confirme thy assurance Thus much of the manner of the Metaphor now followeth the nature of the Argument which is as was sayd a description of such which are in Christ by the effect Such walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is liue holily doctrine Our Vnion with Christ the cause of our good life Ioh. 15.5 1. Ioh. 1.6,7 Vse 1. Hee saith not there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ because they walke but which walke for hereby wee are not iustified nor called but they which are iustified and called so carry themselues This walking is necessary not as a cause of saluation but as a condition without which there is certaine condemnation Vse 2. Heere wee haue a touch-stone to try whether wee bee in Christ or no and so whether wee shall bee damned or saued When thou seest the Impe which thou hast grafted to budde and leaue and bring forth fruit thou saist it takes well so if thou bring forth Holinesse the fruit of the Spirit thou takest well and art surely grafted into Christ This then answeres a Question of which many desire to be resolued viz. Whether they shall be saued or no Examine thy walking If in the way of Enuie Blasphemy Pride Drunkennesse Vncleanenes this is the way of the flesh vnto assured condemnation the spirit leades not this way thou art yet out of Christ and therfore far from saluation He that would be saued must walke after the Spirit in righteousnesse and holines As the palpable prophane wretch is heereby excluded so also he that is a meere ciuill man and no more for though he seeme to be in a good way as of iust dealing temperance liberality courtesie c. yet hee walkes in these waies after a wrong guide which is the flesh doing these things for the praise of men and with the opinion of Iustification thereby besides hee neuer descends into his owne heart mourning for and mortifying inbred corruption vnto which the Spirit principally leades but onely glorieth in outward moralities If then thou wouldst bee saued approue thy selfe to bee in Christ by walking after the Spirit But remember thou must walke now and then will not serue the turne as he that sets now one step then another is not sayd to walke so thy walking implies a continuall motion in godlines and yet not such a motion as of a Horse in a Mill but as proceeding and getting forward As in walking there seemes to be an Emulation between the feete to be one before another so in our liuing wee must striue to be euery day more forward in goodnes and to be better to morrow then we are to day Vse 3. There is nothing more irksome to the children of GOD then the rebellion of the flesh though wicked men bee not sensible of it And many times weake Consciences are so distressed by the sense of their corruptions that they doubt much of their estates Let such wisely marke these words Hee saith not There is no condemnation to them in whom there is no flesh but which walke not after it nor saith he there is no condemnation to them which are not tempted or which sin not but which walke not after sinne for the children of God must be tempted and wee neuer receiue such Grace in this life as not at all to fall or sin but not to walke after it but to striue and resist it and if downe through weakenes not to lye and wallow our selues as swine in the mire but by the power of the Spirit to start vp to wash away our spots in the Bath of Repentance and euer after to bee the more vehement and strong against our corruption It is not a willing seruice which they performe vnto the flesh when they are ouertaken as a man willingly walkes in his Garden but a most vnwilling for the which true Conuerts are often heard to sigh mourne and lament and are often seene with teares in their eyes Concupiscence will be to thee so long as thou liuest here but walke not after it and then all shall bee well When thou walkest abroad thou canst not hinder the Birds from flying ouer thy head but thou maist hinder them from lighting vpon thy head and making nests so thou canst not be wholly void of corruption but if thou bee in Christ thou hast receiued grace not to obey it Thou art it may bee much inclined to Anger Doest thou let it remaine with thee till being sowred it turneth to malice and rancour and bringeth forth reuenge Gen. 15.11 Then hast thou suffered it to nestle in thy heart and if thou lookest not to it it will bee thy destruction so of Lust Pride Couetousnesse but if thou scarre away these Harpies as Abraham the birds from his Sacrifice and suffer not an euill thought to lodge with thee all night surely thou art in Christ and neuer shalt be damned VERSE 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sinne and Death IN this Verse is an Argument prouing the Proposition before deliuered That there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ The Argument is taken from an effect of our Being in Christ Thus They which are freed from the Law of Sinne and Death shall not be condemned But those which are in Christ are so freed Therefore they shall not be condemned The Minor is thus proued They which are quickned by the same Spirit which is in Christ are so freed But all in Christ are so quickned Therefore they are so freed This Verse then intreates of the freedome and deliuerance of the Regenerate which are in Christ Concerning which freedome or Manumission foure things may be obserued 1. From what namely from Sinne and Death 2. The extent of this Deliuerance not from sinne and death simply in this world but from the Law of Sinne and Death that is from the power and authoritie of Sinne which power is called a Law by the Apostle for two reasons 1. Because carnall men obey sinne as they should obey a Law 2. Because sinne holds vs bound by the Law vnto eternall death 3. The subiect of this Deliuerance Mee saith Paul meaning himself