wrath as they come from Adam yet holy as they descend from faithfull Abraham And this holinesse which is derived from the fathers to the children is nothing but an inward and inherent benediction of the covenant made betweene God and the fathers God hath bound himselfe to the fathers to be the God of them and their children and therefore children are holy and blessed because of that covenant For the further explication of this hard and difficult point it will not be amisse to answer a few objections 1. If the Iewes be holy branches Quest. 1 because descended of an holy root and therefore wee must not doubt of their restitution how is it that the Prophet Isay 65.2 saith in the name of God All the day long have I stretched out mine hand to a stubborne people and that the Lord covered them with a spirit of slumber Isay 29.10 Whereto I answer Answ that the Iewes are a rebellious people 1. Not universally but a part of them for I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham saith Paul vers 1. 2. Not perpetually for it is but till the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in vers 25. So that there is no contradiction betwixt these two propositions Israel is for a time and in part rebellious and Israel is in part and in the fulnesse of time to be called againe 2. Quest. 2 How can the children of holy parents bee holy whereas both Scripture and experience teach that the holinesse of parents is not traduced to their sons See Ezek. 18. If a man be just vers 5. hath walked in all the judgements of God vers 9. yet if he beget a son that is a theefe or shedder of bloud that sonne shall die the death vers 13. The holinesse of his father can doe him no good Besides this Christ himselfe cals the Iewes sometimes a generation of vipers sometimes the sonnes of the Devill Ioh. 8.44 Sometimes bad parents have good and sometimes good parents have bad children wicked Ahaz hath good Ezekias good Ezekias hath wicked Manasses wicked Manasses hath good Iosias and good Iosias hath wicked Sallum and Iehojakim Whereto the answer must be Answ that here is not meant a personall and habituall holinesse but an hereditarie holinesse of the whole Nation the former is not traduced from parents to the children the other is personall holinesse is a qualitie infused by regeneration confirmed encreased by the exercise of holy actions whereby a man is made conformable to the Law of God and begins to please God as the holinesse of Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is not found in everie Israelite but onely in the regenerate nor propagated from Abraham to all his posteritie for Ishmael and Esau had it not nor doth the Apostle meane it in this place here ditarie holines common to the whole Nation is an outward dignitie or the grace of the Covenant whereby all the children are within the Covenant which is made to their fathers The right to this Covenant is that which the Apostle cals holinesse and from this the Apostles argument is good If the root be holy that is covenanted to God then the branches are holy that is within the same Covenant 3. Quest. 3 Whereas wee Gentiles are not of the holy root from Abraham whether doth this belong to us and to our children Whereto I answer That branches Answ some are native some ingrafted the sap and the moysture and the fatnesse of the root is conveyed to both We Gentiles though we be not the naturall branches yet are the naturall cut off and we engrafted in their stead as the Apostle shewes at vers 17. Thou being a wilde olive tree was graft in for them and art made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree So that we are succeeded in their right and therefore me thinkes the reason is good If their sonnes were by the right of the Covenant borne Iewes why are not the children of Christians by the same right borne Christians and as this Covenant of grace was not conferred upon them by Circumcision but onely confirmed so in Baptisme the same right is not conferred but sealed Whereupon Tertullian cals Baptisme the signing of faith Chrysostome the seale of faith Basil the seale of faith and Augustine the Sacrament of faith By all which it appeares that there is no grace before Baptisme Therefore Hierome sayes well Nos non nasci Christianos hoc est conditione naturae sed renasci Christianâ—s hoc est conditione gratiae Wee are not borne Christians that is in the condition of nature but wee are regenerated Christians that is by the condition of grace Wherefore ignorant are those men and foule are those mouthes who affirme that infants dying without Baptisme are damned Christ saith Mark 16.16 He that shall beleeve and be baptized shall be saved Qui non est baptizatus sed qui non crediderit condemnabitur but he that will not beleeve shall bee damned He saith not He that is not baptized but he that beleeveth not shall be damned S. Augustine who was harsh and unfound enough in this point confesseth Ad Scleucian Epist 108. that Baptisme of fire or bloud is called Baptisme as well as that of water And S. Ambrose in his funerall Oration at the death of Valentinian who was slaine when hee was but Catechumenus Regnare cum Christo in coelis â—tsi tincius non erat affirmes that hee did reigne with Christ in the heavens although he was not baptized For though God have tied us to use it yet he hath not tied himselfe to it for hee doth not save all that are baptized and yet will save some that were not baptized as amongst the Iewes they were not all condemned that died without Circumcision so neither are all they now that die without Baptisme In 2 Sam. 12.18 Davids childe died the seventh day which was before the day of Circumcision and yet saith David I shall goe to him vers 23. God cals them his sonnes Ezek. 16.20 21. so I come to the third argument VERS 17. Vers 17 And though some of the branches bee broken off and thou being a wilde olive tree wast graft in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the olive tree boast not THis is the third reason taken from the twofold condition of the Gentiles the one shewing what they were in former time the other what now they are They were branches of a wilde olive now engrafted into the right olive tree More particularly thus the argument consists of an antecedent in the 17. verse and a consequent in the 18. In the antecedent I note first the estate of the Iewes which was like to a tree whose branches be broken off in the beginning Secondly the double estate of the Gentiles the first they were like to a wilde olive tree without the compasse and hedge which was about the Lords garden as also void of all
hâ—â—ano vincitur Deus If any one perisheth then God is overcome of human vice c Ex Ierusalem illa non suit qui periit Fspenâ—â—n 2 Tim. Out of that Ierusalem there was not one that perished saith Espencaeus d Non potest utruâ—â—q verum esse 〈◊〉 predestinitur non salvetar Loâ—b lib. 1. dij 40. Both these cannot be true that one should be elected and not saved sayes Lombard and the reasons bee pregnant 1. Gods immutabilitie 2. Christs keeping of the elect 3. Christs testimony Ioh. 10. 4. The sealing of Gods covenant But they that sinally fall were eternally reprobated and ordained to it Iude vers 4. For your better remembrance note these five propositions 1. There is a two-fold election 2. Some seeme good and to have faith which have it not 3. Hypocrites and unbeleevers may for a while be counted amongst the branches of Christs owne planting 4. They are said sometimes in Scripture to have faith who make profession of the doctrine of faith as 1 Tim. 4.1 sometimes when they have the gifts of miracles as 1 Cor. 13.10 5. The faith of the best of Gods elect may decay and bee fearefully shaken as above hath beene shewed From hence the best must learne to be humble and repent for they may stumble Vse The wicked do sinke with dispaire for they must fall and we all must learne to censure mildly when our brethren through infirmitie are overtaken Though they slip yet they may recover though stumble yet they may rise againe And so I come to the answer God forbid c. The answer is two-fold 1. Negative God forbid 2. Affirmative and that 1. That the Gentiles might bee called in their steads The other That by the Gentiles adoption hee might provoke the Iewes to emulation I begin with the negative God forbid As if hee should say Farre be it from me to thinke that either everie particular Iew should bee cast off or the Nation cast off for ever or that God in rejecting them should have no other respect but even to see their fall and keepe them downe that they should never rise for all are not rejected himselfe was one 2. The Nation not rejected for ever for abundance of them shall bee called vers 12. And besides God out of their fall hath wrought the happinesse and rising of the Gentiles The onely point that I select is this God never gives way to any evill whether it bee sinne Doct. or punishment but he workes it to a good end and brings one good or other out of it In evill man hath one end that hee may serve his pleasures The Devill another to draw him from obedience to his God and God hath a third which is sometimes secret but alwayes good as in the selling of Ioseph his brethren for envie Gen. 37.11 But God sent him before for the preservation of Iacob and to provide for him and his houshold Genes 45.5 The death of Christ in the intent of Satan and the Iewes was onely his death and to rid the Countrey of him But God out of this intolerable evill workes the happinesse and salvation of all that beleeve As poyson in it selfe is evill yet by the art and skill of the Physician it is made a remedie against sicknesse So God doth with evill Ve de veneno fiat spirituale antidetum Ambros de poenit lib. 4. cap. 3. That of poyson may be made a spirituall antidote saith Ambrose God brings good out of Shimei's cursing though hee shew his malice But God workes patience in David and made him hope that God would doe him good in stead of that cursing It may be the Lord will looke upon my affliction and doe mee good for his cursing this day 2 Sam. 16.12 S. Augustine shewes how God and man doe â—ill the same thing Enchirid. ad Lawent cap. 10â— and yet the end of the one is evill of the other good A sonne desires the death of his father which is evill God to take him to him an happinesse ineffably good All evill is either sinne or punishment God brings good out of both So Lombard It is good that evills be or be done Benum est mala esse â—el fieri alioquin summus bonus non permirteret ca fieri Lombard lib. 1. d stinct 46. otherwise God the chiefest good would not suffer them to bee done Out of sinne he workes 1. Acknowledgement of our wicked hearts and corrupted nature and makes us to detest our selves for it 2. Of our owne unability to stand against the assaults of sin which are suggested by Satan and makes us to magnifie Gods goodnesse who keepes us from sinne though not from all whereas hee might in justice suffer us to fall into all sinnes as well as any 3. It makes us to take speciall notice of the wilinesse of Satan who notwithstanding wee labour to avoyd sinne yet doth cunningly deceive us and draw us to it sometimes by the delight and pleasures of it as Heb. 11.25 sometimes by colouring with the habit and cloake of vertue and lastly with profit as Achan Iudas Gehazi 4. God by suffering us to sinne makes us take notice of his mercie in sparing us First to teach us to magnifie him for sparing us when wee did sinne Secondly to give us hope that he will be mercifull still and spare us though by infirmitie we sinne againe 5. Out of our sinnes he workes meeknesse in censuring and judging of others when they sinne as we have done Augustine saith that God bringeth out of our sinnes these good effects Aug. De Trâ—â—t lib. 13. cap 16. 1. Relictioneâ— peccati Forsaking of sin 2. Probationem sidei Triall of faith 3. Demonstrationem miserae hujus vitae Demonstration of this miserable life 4. Vt vita illa ubi vera erit beatitudo desideretur ardentiùs instantius inqutratur That that life where shall bee true happinesse may bee more ardently desired and more earnestly sought for Out of the evill of punishment hee works 1. Knowledge of the Statues and Lawes of God Psal 119.71 Before I was afflicted I went astray Vers 67. But now I have learned thy Statutes Afflictior es prorum suntâ—â— media enâ—rum Vt eo sere eniant ubi adgi ommâ—â— non possunt Aug. ad Largum Epist 82. The note that Musculus gives is this The afflictions of the godly are the remedies of their errours Then it is their care To come thither where they cannot at all bee afflicted saith Augustine These bee testimonies of a good God of an evill servant saith Salvianus 2. Humiliation for sin that brings it as Lam. 3.20 3. Deniall of all worldly pleasure which is wrought in man by Gods speciall grace as Heb. 11.25 As a little wormewood makes children forbeare their mothers breasts so doth affliction weane from carnall delights 4. It makes us conformable to the glorious image of the Sonne of God the Prince of our salvation was
common to all true Christians as well as Paul As first on the death of Christ Hee that spared not his owne Son but gave him for us all c. vers 32. Secondly on Gods free justification Who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is Christ that justifieth c. Thirdly upon Christs intercession Hee is at the right hand of God making request to God for us vers 34. Vpon these grounds commonto all true Beleevers doth the Apostle ground his resolution Thirdly to all the promises of God are added the seales in the true use of the Sacraments Reason 3 that if any of the faithfull should doubt of the generall promises he might there have it sealed to his particular person Circumcision a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 So Ephes 1.13 After yee beleeved the Gospell you were sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance And 2 Cor. 1.22 Hee hath sealed us and given us the earnest of his spirit in our hearts Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption 2 Tim. 2.19 I end it with the consideration of the phrase the Apostle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee hath given us the earnest of his spirit the word signifies a pledge given or a seale annexed that wee may not doubt of the promises as men that lend a little money and take a good pawne are sure to bee no losers So hath God given us not onely his word but his covenant nor only his covenant but a seale nor only a seale but an oath nor only his word covenant seale and oath but a pawne and pledge and that no ineane one it is his holy Spirit He hath sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts Gal. 4.6 I come to let you see how a man may be sure of his salvation by infallible signs and marks 1. A conscionable care of the meanes of salvation and a desire to use them when wee doe enjoy them The signes whereby we may be assured of our election for the end and the meanes to the end are never severed in Gods purpose and decree and therefore it followes that all such as doe carefully use the meanes of salvation are sure in the end to attaine saluation For example the best means of saluation is the hearing of the Word that is the Bread of life whereof hee that eateth shall live ever Ioh. 6.27 that is the treasure hid in the field Matth. 13.44 They that seek Christ there shal not misse of him Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life Ioh. 5.39 And our Saviour allowes of this doctrine Ioh. 10.27 They are my sheepe that heare my voyce and follow me Audiunt lupi boedi sed non sequuntur Musc in Joh. Wolves and goats heare but follow him not saith Musculus upon Iohn They that seed in the greene pastures and are led forth to the waters of comfort have the Lord for their shepherd and keeper and then hee converts their soules and brings them forth into the paths of righteousnesse these men need feare no evill for with his rod and staffe the Lord comforts them they that follow the steps and the voyce of that heavenly Mercurie Qui pias laeth anlmas reponis sedibus Virgaque levem coercet anrea tur bam Hor lib. 1. Od 10. He amnica nobu incumbit sellicitudo ut audiamus vocem sequamur Aug. lib. de ovibus cap. 3. Who seateth holy soules in joyfull places and with his golden rod ruleth the unconstant multitude as Horace Lib. 1. Ode 10. need never feare what death and hell can doe against them This onely care lieth upon us that wee heare his voyce and follow him saith Augustine Therefore much too blame are they that are so slacke in this dutie that they much care not whether they heare or no and are kept from this house upon small occasion it makes mee feare they want a love of the meanes and therefore in the end must want the consummation of all comforts the salvation of their soules 2. The spirit of supplication and prayer The second signe of our Election when a man can open his heart and poure out his soule in strong cries and effectuall prayers unto God confessing his sinnes and suing for mercie and forgivenesse For this prayer is a worke and effect of the Spirit which by meanes naturall cannot be attained for we know not what to pray for as we ought Rom. 8.26 And therefore they that have a minde and love to pray they that finde a sweetnesse and comfort in it have surely the Spirit of God in them There is an holy anoynting that teacheth us what to pray 1 Ioh. 2.27 that anoynting is the Spirit and that verie Spirit witnesseth with ours that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 a good comfort for such as love to be talking and conferring with God that are still commending their soules to him in prayer I would have you to be like Iames the Iust whereof Eusebius Booke 2. Chap. 23. Genua epu in morem Cameli obdurata sensum contaclus amiserunt His knees being hardened like to a Camels lost the sense of feeling and resolve with Ambrose Bishop of Millaine when he was to be exiled by Iustina the mother of Valentinian told them he would never run away but if they had any purpose to kill him they should at any time finde him in the Church praying for himselfe and his people as Charion remembers it Chron. Booke 3. I would have you to bee like Anna the daughter of Phanuel that never departed out of the Temple but served God in prayer night and day Luke 2.37 so might you know that Gods Spirit is in you indeed 3. To be wained and estranged from the world The third signe of our election to entertaine heavenly conference to minde heavenly things as Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our conversation is in heaven If our hearts and that his soule is not filled O wretch that I am c. Rom. 7.24 Lastly a greedy desire of that which is able to satisfie an hungrie soule for I follow hard toward the marke Phil. 3.14 If any thus hunger and thirst blessed are they If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke c. Ioh. 7.37 what shall he drinke see Apoc. 21.6 I will give to him that is a thirst of the water of the well of life freely Yea but will that save Yes For he that drinketh of this shall never die nor be thirstie againe Ioh. 4.14 So that wee may say with Marie Hee will surely fill the hungrie with good things Luke 1.53 If any man thirst after God and his righteousnesse the Lambe that sits in the midst of the throne shall guide him and lead him to the fountaines of living waters Apoc. 7.17 If then you can say with David Psal 42.
preferment of the Iew is none at all Quisque nascitur ex Adamo nascitur dimnatus de damnato Augan Psa 131. Whosoever is borne of Adam is borne condemned of him that is condemned saith Augustine Let the Iew say hee hath Abraham to his father yet if hee bee not borne of God that he is descended from the Patriarkes yet if hee bee not within the Covenant of grace and mercie not borne of water and the Holy Ghost hee is no better than the Gentile that knowes not God My conclusion is that of the Apostle Rom. 3.9 Is the Iew more excellent than the Gentile no in no wise For all both Iewes and Gentiles are by nature servants of sinne First learne Vse 1 that it is no privilege to be a Iew and have Abraham to his father to bee beautified with outward privileges if a man have not the faith of Abraham and bee marked and sealed for a childe of God To say Wee have Abraham to our father Vend care praerogativam religiosi nominis superare Gothes Vandales haerericâ pravitate Salvian de provident lib. 7. Ioh. 8. to crie the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord Ierem. 7.4 To challenge the prerogative of a religious name to goe beyond the the Goths and Vandalls in hereticall naughtinesse To use the words of Salvianus are but perizomata fig-leaves not able to cover our nakednesse Secondly they both alike stand in need of Christ Vse 2 Both be ransomed by that Lambe which they have slaine both washt with that bloud which they spilled both made alive by that Iesus whom they have killed I come to the second which is their future condition They also may obtaine mercie And first from the verie appellation and name of mercie they may finde mercie to come out of their former blindnesse I note That all the hope of any unconverted man to come from under the tyrannie of sinne Doct. depends upon the the mercie of God in Christ Iesus Who shall deliver me from this body of sinne I thanke God through Iesus Christ Rom. 7.25 as vers 26. To proceed Some have disputed of the time when this mercie shall be revealed unto this people All that I dare say of that is but probabilitie and may bee comprized in those conclusions of which I have before spoken vers 26. Some have disputed of the number whether all of this Nation which shall remaine alive at that time when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall finde mercie shall embrace Christ and be turned unto God Pererius to prove it produceth Chrysostome on vers 12. of this Chapter and vers 26. I come to the point viz. Doct. There be many in the state of sinne and infidelitie Sunt filu Des qui nondum sunt nobis sunt nobis qui non sunt Deo Aug. de correpi grat cap. 9. who shall in the end finde mercie with the Lord and be saved It is Augustines conclusion There are sonnes of God who are not yet so to us and there are some so to us who are not to God Of the one is mention 1 Ioh. 2.19 They went ou◠from us because they were not of us Of the other in Ioh. 11.52 It was the prophecie of Caiaphas It is expedient that Iesus should die not for the Nation onely but for the children that were scattered What would a man have thought of the Prodigall of Paul of Manasses of Peter of the Gentiles Many are asleepe in sinne that shall bee awakened many in a slumber that shall bee rowzed many dead in sinne that shall be started by the voyce of God in the Gospell Verily verily I say unto you the houre commeth and now is that the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God Ioh. 5.25 Many sheepe doe now run astray who shall bee brought to the sheepe-fold and returne to the Shepherd and Bishop of their soules as the Apostle speakes 1 Pet. 2.25 To this purpose saith God to Israel Though a man have oppressed by violence lift up his eyes to Idols given to usurie yet if that man turne from his wickednesse hee shall save his soule alive Ezek. 18.27 The reason of all is taken from the infinite dimension of Gods mercie De natura Deorum lib. 1. whereof I may say as Simonides in Tully as before vers 23. So I come to the occasion The mercie shewed unto you By the mercie shewed to the Gentile God will provoke the Iew to seeke mercie and they that seeke it shall finde it The Conclusions are 1. God would have us men to bee at an holy emulation and strife which of us should be greatest in his favor and deerest in his sight 2. The good that we see in others and the mercies shewed unto others should bee strong provocations for us to follow them as vers 11. So I come to an inference that the Apostle makes upon this VERS 32. Vers 32 God hath shut up all in unbeleefe that he might have mercie upon all IN the former verse hee did equall the Iewes and the Gentiles in miserie in this verse hee doth equall them in mercie In which words note First a judgement upon man unbeleefe Secondly the generalitie and extent of it all men Thirdly the end and event of it contrarie to that which Satan intends that he might shew mercie Lastly the Author God These are the parts But I must invert them and take them as they stand And first of the Author God Blindnesse and infidelitie is most justly brought upon man by God yet say I not by God onely for there bee three efficient causes of mans induration and infidelitie Man the Devill God First the wicked brings hardnesse and infidelitie upon himselfe so did Pharaoh Exod. 7.13 as vers 8. But of this I have spoken before vers 8. And therfore I come to the generalitie all Hoc est incredulos esse ex Lege arguit demonstravit Chrysost Non injiciendo iis incedulitatem Origen Non vi sed rationc Hier. He hath shut up all c. viz. Hee hath convinced all by his Law and Word That is hee hath proved and shewed them to be unbeleevers out of the Law so Chrysostome Not by casting into them unbeleefe as Origen Not by force but by reason saith Hierome God shuts men up in unbeleefe as in a prison punishing them as a just Iudge with the gyves and fetters of their owne infidelitie Doct. Here note a difference between civill and spirituall imprisonment Civill imprisonment is for sinne but not sinne But spirituall imprisonment in blindnesse is both for sinne and is sinne The Conclusion is this God punisheth one sinne with another as above hath beene shewed and therefore he hath declared them to bee captivated and enclosed in the prison of their sinnes that so it might appeare to all men that the pardon of their sinnes and the salvation of their soules proceeds onely from Gods mercie From whence wee may learne Doct. That